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After a few slow months, it was so nice to finish up six books last month. This is probably more in line with my previous reading habits — we’ve had so much going on this year that my monthly page count has been significantly lower than what I’m used to! Josh traveled a good bit at the beginning of the month and since most of our television watching is done together, I avoided Netflix and the DVR in favor of turning pages. Add in several weekends devoted to poolside lounging and I managed to just sneak ahead of my yearly goal! Now who wants to know What I Read in May?
I’m using the following scale, courtesy of Goodreads, to rate the books I’ve read. I should probably warn you that I like almost everything I read. I love stories and being transported to a new place, so when books provide a plot I can get lost inside, I almost always like it. It’s much harder for me to love or hate something. When you see a single star or five stars, you’ll know I had a strong reaction to something one way or another.
1 star // did not like it
2 star // it was okay
3 star // liked it
4 star // really liked it
5 star // it was amazing
1. WHERE THEY FOUND HER BY KIMBERLY MCCREIGHT // 3.5 OUT OF 5 STARS
This was my first book of the month and (at the time) was definitely my favorite thriller of the year. This is my second McCreight novel (I read Reconstructing Amelia last fall) and I really like her writing style. It’s perfectly creepy and dark, but I didn’t feel like the book was a walking cliche. This book centers on a dead baby found near a college campus. There are countless characters to whom the child could belong, but you’ll spend the entire book trying to piece together what actually happened. It is told from multiple points of view, by characters who are connected in the present, but were even more connected in the past. I’ll admit, that like most thrillers, I absolutely LOVED the first three quarters of the book and the last bit seemed like a let down. I think this has more to do with my personality than with books themselves. I love secrets and mysteries alike, so my favorite part of a good book is the not knowing and the act of figuring it all out. Once I start piecing it together correctly, my opinion of books tends to take a dip in the other direction. Be forewarned, there is a lot of salty language and sexual content in this one.
2. THE CROWN BY KIERA CASS // 4 OUT OF 5 STARS
I’m on record with how much I adore this series, so this rating shouldn’t come as a big surprise. I’ve been waiting on its conclusion with bated breath. In case you’ve been living under a rock, this series is kind of a combination of The Bachelor, Cinderella and a post-apocalyptic novel, while still being completely and totally believable. I went through a phase where I read romance novels ALL THE TIME, but this is the only series I’ve been reading in that genre lately. As much as I love to indulge sometimes, love stories in books are often too sweet and overdone. Since the Selection is such an absurd concept already, I found it easier to read without constantly smirking about how unlikely it was to actually happen. I won’t spoil the book for you, but I was really surprised by the ending. At the end of the previous book, I thought I knew exactly who the princess would choose and I was thrilled with how I saw things going. The final installment of this series brought a few twists and turns and although I panicked there for a minute, I was pleasantly surprised with how it ended! Cass managed to weave in a few social issues and they were well covered without being the main points of the book. I honestly can’t wait until Ella is old enough to read these so that I can live vicariously through her.
3. LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE BY JESSICA KNOLL // 3 OUT OF 5 STARS
I didn’t know anything about this book when I started reading it. I think I bought it over the Christmas holidays, since it was buried in that same stack of books on my nightstand that I’ve been ignoring for months. I needed something light to read by the pool earlier in the month and this was the perfect distraction to my everyday life. I saw someone call it YA on Instagram earlier in the week and I think I have to disagree. Although the main characters are all teenagers during the flashbacks and young adults in the present, it still didn’t feel like it was written for a young audience. The book opens with Ani registering for wedding gifts. She’s engaged to the perfect guy, but is doubting that her life can ever turn out perfectly. I think I would have enjoyed the book more if I had different expectations going in. We know from the book jacket that she’s keeping a big secret, but what happened in Ani’s past is the last thing I ever expected. The whole time I was thinking she did something, when actually something happened to her. The story line is brutal and you will hate almost every character in the book, but somehow you’ll love the story just the same. Again, this one is loaded with adult language and sexual situations, so steer clear if you’re easily offended.
4. BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME BY TA-NEHISI COATES // 5 OUT OF 5 STARS
This book right here was challenging for me. I knew absolutely nothing of it until I read Rachel’s review last month. I had actually been thinking a lot, after listening to Anne Bogel’s podcast, about reading more literature written by African American authors. I don’t necessarily pay specific attention to authors when choosing books, but after several compelling podcast episodes, I decided that I should be! I know that opinions on race relations in America are all over the place, but I think I’ve found myself in a unique position. I’m from the deep south where racism and brutality isn’t a secret and the word “Birmingham” comes up in textbooks and documentaries alike. On the flip side, I grew up in a very small town where the population of my highschool was pretty evenly divided between races. Obviously I noticed there was a physical difference, but race never played a role in how I chose friends — not in high school and not in college. There are both interracial marriages and interracial adoptions in my family (on both sides) and I hope my girls never question how we feel about friends who may not look exactly like we do. I don’t say any of that to pat myself on the back (because I learned a thing or two about saying “I’m not a racist” in this book), but so that you’ll better understand my background. 2016 is a tricky place to be and I am often so confused about how I actually feel as opposed to how I’m supposed to feel. Every topic of conversation is both politically and racially charged and I find myself disagreeing with so many people that I love since “conservative” and “social justice” aren’t exactly synonymous. I was so moved by how Rachel reviewed the book that I knew I wanted to read it for myself. I’ll admit to devouring tons of Amazon reviews before I ever finished the book. I was so curious to know if it was well-received or if it just added to the dangerous conversations that often happen in comment sections. Spoiler alert: it is and it does. I want you to know that I loved this book as much you can love a hard thing. The audio version is read by the author and there is no way anyone else could have done it justice. His voice is beautiful and the way he reads is poetic. The book is a memoir, written to his son in a series of four letters, about what it was like growing up black in a nation full of people who “think they are white.” It was hard to listen. I cried. I felt convicted. I made mental lists of things I want to teach my daughters. I don’t know how we even begin to dig ourselves out of the racial discord we are currently experiencing, but I don’t think we can begin until we really listen to the things our black friends are telling us. It isn’t an easy read, friends, but it is a necessary one.
5. THE GIRLS IN THE GARDEN BY LISA JEWELL // UNDECIDED
I received an ARC free from Net Galley in exchange for my review and for that reason alone, I wish I could give it all the stars. The truth is, I just couldn’t get into it. I’m not sure why — I found the synopsis intriguing and the writing style didn’t turn me off, I just never got in a groove while reading. Lisa Jewell is a New York Times Bestselling Author and this novel received similar praise as her previous works. Set in a picturesque communal garden, surrounded by neighbors and friends, a thirteen year old girl is found bruised and bloody by her pre-teen sister. This novel is the story of what really happened and who was responsible. I’m convinced that I just didn’t get far enough to be “hooked,” so I’m opting for a re-read on our summer vacation. Wish me luck!
6. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE BY JANE AUSTEN // 5 OUT OF 5 STARS
Can you even believe that I had never read this?! It wasn’t required reading for high school or college and I wasn’t sure I would love it. Reading a book about a romance in the 1800s is decidedly different from reading one written in the 1800s. I was planning to add more classic novels into this month’s selections, so when I saw I could download the Kindle version for free and add the Audible narration for a few dollars, I was sold. The audiobook is narrated by Rosamund Pike (she’s in the movie!) and she does SUCH a wonderful job. I do think listening to books written in a different time are sometimes hard to follow, so I made sure I was giving it my complete attention at all times. At 11 hours, it was considerably shorter than most audiobooks, but because of the language it felt much longer. I’m not complaining (I did love the book!), I just think it would have been a quicker read if I had laid eyes to pages instead. After countless Instagram comments debating the movie and the miniseries, I decided to watch both. I watched the miniseries while reading the book, but I was careful to stay just behind where I was reading so I didn’t spoil the plot. I thought it stayed so true to the book and everyone was very well cast, but it felt dated and tired. The movie was filmed exactly ten years later and just felt so pretty and fresh. Yes, the storyline diverted in a few places and even though so many people think Kiera Knightly is insufferable, I thought she was the perfect Elizabeth. And Donald Sutherland as Mr. Bennet?! Yes, please. I currently have Pride, Prejudice & Zombies in my “to watch” pile and I’m hoping to grab Lizzy & Jane and Engaged to read on my vacation later this month. Any other modern interpretations I should embrace?
On my list for next month? I shopped the bookshelves at home and managed to find quite a stack of books I’d never read before. Add to those a few I picked up from a local used bookstore and I’m all set for our vacation later this month. You can see the books on my June “to read” list here. In case you’re curious, I’ve read 23 of my 52 book goal this year and with vacation on the horizon, I expect to be far ahead of my goal by the end of the month.
If you haven’t signed up for Book of the Month, now is your chance! They are offering 30% off a three month subscription by clicking the banner above and using the code SUMMER30. This month’s selections are already available, but act fast because they begin shipping on June 7th. This is the book I chose and I’ll be sharing a full review with you on the blog next month!
