good world building will elevate a monster romance by 1 star for me! it helps me picture the world, often the society that these stories take place in. and if i find myself asking a lot of questions about the world, it can interrupt my reading session because my brain is trying to figure out all the logistics of a very not important detail 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ so which books in this side quest do we think have some of the best world building? so far of the ones i’ve read ive really enjoyed Morning Glory Milking Farm and Stalked by the Kraken!

I wanted this to be the year where I read more nonfiction: the year where I gained deeper knowledge of social and political topics I'm already interested in; the year where I broadened my understanding of not only issues that I face, but also, perhaps more importantly, the issues that challenge those outside of my own experience. I want to read Not a Nation of Immigrants, Let This Radicalize You, How to Be an Antiracist, and others like them. I put these books onto my e-reader. I want to gain new knowledge so that I can fight harder, understand more, help more.

But I'm American. This week happened, and I'm tired. I feel like I need to read these books and others like them more than ever before, but it just all weighs so heavily on me now. It makes me sadder than I already am, and it feels like... so much? I feel like it's a failing that I'm more drawn to Ten Tomatoes That Changed the World right now, or that I'd really like to read my first Brandon Sanderson. I don't feel like I know enough, or do enough, or contribute to the conversation like I should. Being this drained from simply the idea of learning more feels like self pity, and I really am seeking to broaden my mind outward right now.

I don't know. I don't know if I need to read these with a friend, or if I need a kick in the ass to stop whining, or what. I guess I'm looking for suggestions? Or... something.