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First of all. Can I please get a FIST BUMP for getting my darn post up on time this month? I mean…I just got my April recap up two weeks ago, so I’m pretty proud of myself.
May was a reading month with lots of ups and downs. I read two books I loved, one book I hated a little bit, and several books I was mehhh about. I also started and abandoned three books. Oh well, you win some you lose some! The wins were well worth the losses this month.
Here’s what I read:
Into the Water by Paula Hawkins- 1.5 stars. This one just fell flat for me. It was kind of all over the place and I never connected with any of the characters at all. NOTE. If you do read it, pay close attention at the beginning and maybe even take notes. There are a ZILLION narrators to keep straight.
Marlena by Julie Buntin- 1.5 stars. I didn’t love this one. It was so anti-climactic. And good gosh… All of the characters were just horrible people for the most part. I just feel so…ugh after reading it.
This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel- 5 stars. Oh did I love this gem of a book. On the surface it’s about Rosie and Penn’s son announcing he thinks he’s a girl. But it’s about so much more than that. The overall theme is LOVE. Real, true, abiding, unshakeable love. Parental love that simply cannot be put into words…although Laurie Frankel still managed to do so somehow.
I especially loved the SPOT ON descriptions of a family with five children…I have five too and oh boy did Frankel nail it.
My favorite passage from the book- one that brings tears to my eyes just typing it- is this:
These kids, her multitudes, they could grow up. They could move away. They could- they would- become new, become changed,become actual adult people in progress,people she wouldn’t recognize,people she could not imagine. People remade. They would undergo miracles. They would transform. They would make magic. But they were her story, hers and Penn’s, so however wide they wandered, they would always be right here.
MAGIC.
Closer Home by Kerry Anne King- 2.5 stars. This one was just a sort of vanilla read. I listened to it on Audible. I have to say that I get really irritated when characters in books a. don’t figure out the truth until the end even though EVERYONE READING HAS KNOWN FROM THE FIRST PAGE and b. characters in books are in love but not together even though there’s really no good reason to be apart.
That said, I felt that Lis and Dale had good chemistry and I did enjoy the story overall.
The One in a Million Boy by Monica Wood- 5 stars. Oh, my heart did I love this one. I loved every single thing about it. It was absolutely heartwarming. I love it like I loved Ove, Arthur Pepper, and Lillian Boxfish. It was just magical and charming.
Little Deaths by Emma Flint- 2 stars. I found this one to be a quick rather engrossing read (at the beginning, at least) with a somewhat satisfying surprise ending. I found parts of it really odd though. I mean- the reporter is a CREEPER. And I thought I might scream if the author described Ruth’s smell one more time. I mean…I get it. It was an exploration of shame?? But ew.
Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Ed Tarkington- 2 stars. I just never really connected with this one. I don’t know if it was the time period (I honestly don’t ever like books set in the 70s) or the personalities of the characters or what. First of all, the big incident at the beginning really isn’t a big incident at all. The book barely covers what happens… Just a few sentences. I thought that was weird. Second of all, I just found the entire plot really odd. I did find the last few paragraphs to be quite beautiful though.
I have some really exciting news, y’all. Well at least it’s exciting to a massive bookworm like me. I’m joining BOTM as an ambassador! Every month I will have a chance to read three of the selections early. This is good because I can give y’all guidance as to what you should order. It’s also good because I LOVE BOOKS!
Here are the three books I chose this month:
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo – I am halfway through this one and LOVING it, y’all!! I mean it. I stayed up until 1am reading it last night. I love love love Taylor Jenkins Reid.
I also had a book credit so I ordered David Sedaris’ new book. I adore David and have read everything he’s ever written multiple times. I’ve been known to read his stories out loud to Jimmy while we both laugh our butts off . He’s amazing.
Here’s a great infographic to help you choose what to order:
Right now y’all can sign up for a one, two, or three month membership for $10 a month.
I’ve never been disappointed. And I’ve been saying that since I joined BOTM, waaaay before this ambassador opportunity came along. It has changed the game for me, reading wise.
And last but not least, here’s what I’m working on now (in addition to my three BOTM choices above).
ScreamFree Parenting // Hal Runkel
Siblings Without Rivalry // Adele Faber
NOTICE A THEME HERE? Sigh.
The Paying Guests // Sarah Waters
Just Mercy // Bryan Stevenson
The Fall of Lisa Bellow // Susan Perabo
Bad Feminist // Roxane Gay
As always, TALK TO ME! What are you reading? Listening to? Loving? Hating? Feeling meh about?
Big love, sweet friends!
xoxo
S