Book Riot's 2021 Read Harder Challenge - June Update: How To Be An Antiracist & When Brooklyn Was Queer

Happy Wednesday everyone!  I hope everyone's been staying healthy and happy.  June is already on the way out and it feels like it just began!  Anyway, that means that I've now completed 12 tasks of Book Riot's 2021 Read Harder Challenge - I'm officially half way through.  The tasks I completed this month required me to read a nonfiction book about anti-racism and an LGBTQ+ history book and I selected How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi and When Brooklyn was Queer.  Read on to see my mini reviews and what's coming up for July:

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How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi is an absolutely necessary read.  It's very engaging and direct, and of course powerful for all who read it.  It hits hard and doesn't hold back.  I appreciated very much that aside from being a handbook, we also have the opportunity to learn more of the author's own life story and personal experience.  We get to see his journey in the context of the book.  I can't say much more about this that hasn't already been said, but it is a must read that should be taught at the college level if it isn't already.  

My review is also on Goodreads.

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If you're at all interested in hidden history, When Brooklyn was Queer by Hugh Ryan is a must read.  To be honest, I know very little about Brooklyn in the first place, so most of the details about the borough itself was new to me.  Either way, this book is incredibly well researched.  I found myself particularly interested in the oldest portions going back as far as the 1850s as well as WWII sections.  I was absolutely hooked by the author's style and I need to look into more of his work.  This has been one of the most intriguing pieces of nonfiction I've read so far this year.

My review is also on Goodreads.

Next Up For July:

Read a fanfic

My choice: The West End Horror (Nicholas Meyer Holmes Pastiches #2) by Nicholas Meyer - I've loved the other installments of this series I've read, and yes, I'd say a Holmes pastiche totally works for this task.

Read a book that demystifies a common mental illness 

My choice: History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera - I've had pretty good luck with what I've read from this author and I'm looking forward to trying more.

Have you read either of these books?  Are you taking part in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge this year?  As always, thanks for visiting my blog and perhaps even commenting down below!