The Dragon Behind the Glass: A True Story of Power, Obsession, and the World’s Most Coveted Fish by Emily Voigt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was having dinner with my workmates a week ago and as I always do, I asked folks to tell me their favorite books. I love reading other people’s favorite books. This time, there was mostly silence except for my colleague, Jeff, who told me to read this book. Narrative non-fiction is a genre I love so I was excited to read it, and then when he said his wife wrote it, I decided I had to read it.

I am so glad I did!

Before this book, the only time I had heard of Arowana was because of Animal Crossing. A fish worth a lot of bells. As it turns out, it’s worth a lot in the real world, too! In this journey that takes the author to unexpected destinations and heights of adventure, Emily Voigt explores the bizarre realm of ornamental fish hobbyists and those who journey far and wide to discover new fish species.

If you didn’t think the world of fish could be that interesting, think again. This book will have you turning the pages and shaking your head in wonder and amazement at what people will do and how far they will go. I loved every moment of following the crazy journey from the safety of my home!

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Interesting Facts about Space by Emily R. Austin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book in the beginning but somewhere in the middle it lost me. For some reason I didn’t find myself wanting to come back to it. But I stuck it out and was grateful to have done so by the end. Many many others loved this much more than I did so I would urge you to read their reviews 🙂

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In Universes by Emet North
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“But the truth is that time is neither a river nor an arrow. It is a dimension, and our lives stretch across it, each of us a four-dimensional shape, taking up some small space in the universe. All moments existing at once and forever.”

The poetic exploration of kaleidoscopic parallel universes in this book makes it hard for the literal reader to weave a single thread through the plot. You are not meant to read this story, you’re meant to fall into the worlds the author puts together and follow the journey with your heart.

“I loved him like my left hand, without which it would be difficult to tie my shoes or chop an onion. But I would still be able to make circles around stars. The days I woke to find myself weightless”

There’s so much beauty, so much grief, so much joy, so much self-exploration in this story. Just when you think you know what’s going on, things shift. New openings, new perspectives, and new unknowns welcome you.

“It doesn’t take so much to make a life. A small group of kind people. Work that leaves a body tired enough for sleep. A little house with a bed and a chair. Food grown in the fields or gardens. Letters I write to the people I love, even knowing I can’t send them.”

I loved following Raffi’s journey, I loved the writing, I loved the journey that the book took me on.

with gratitude to Harper and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

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