May was a mostly good month and a very good reading month. I love summer, and soon I’ll be posting my20 Books of SummerList, one of my favorite challenges. I discovered audiobooks, for one thing, which are helping me get into better shape.
I put a lot of time into my garden, so we’ll see how it does. If I don’t produce more than a couple of cherry tomatoes this year, like last summer, my husband will never let me forget it! I tried to plant a wider mix of things this year, and I’m accepting the fact that my teeny little space just isn’t going to get enough sun to grow the things I want it to (sigh).
I read a wide variety of books this month, from the very serious (Dopesick) to the very light (Daughter of the Pirate King). Mystery, romance, science fiction, nonfiction, and YA.
Here’s what I read:
- Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
- Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
- The Farm by Joanne Ramos
- The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf
- The Tea Master and the Detective by Aliette de Bodard
- Dopesick by Beth Macy
- A Hope Divided by Alyssa Cole
- Maisie Dobbs by Jaqueline Winspear (audiobook)
- Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers
- Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
- Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss (audiobook)
Favorite book: My favorite book this month was Ghost Wall, which I listened to by audiobook. Absolutely fantastic. Thanks to Elle Thinks for the recommendation! Also, I wasn’t expecting to love Record of a Spaceborn Few but I totally did. I liked her last book but loved this one. And Dopesick was a tough read but a very important one.
A book I didn’t finish: Cherry by Nico Walker. I really wanted to like this book, which was written by a guy who served in Iraq, got addicted to heroin and was convicted of a string of bank robberies. He wrote this book while in prison. But a few things, besides the rambling style of his writing, kept me from finishing this book. Mainly, the way he writes about women is horrific. Apparently every woman serving in the Army is just there to be gang-banged and won’t carry her own equipment. Enough said.
Books for challenges:
- TBR Pile: Doomsday Book
- Read Harder and Reading Women: Dopesick; Tea Master; A Hope Divided
- Nonfiction: Dopesick
- Around the World: The Weight of Our Sky (Malaysia)
- Hugo Nominees: The Tea Master and the Detective, Record of a Spaceborn Few
- Women’s Prize longlist: Ghost Wall
What I’m reading now: I’ve read most of Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula LeGuin, and I’m also reading Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire (a Hugo nominee).
What’s coming up: From the library I’ve got Daisy Jones and the Six and The Priory of the Orange Tree.
Added to my TBR: This week I wrote about the top ten books published over the last ten years, and it was really interesting reading other bloggers’ picks! One I added to my TBR is a book called HHhH by Laurent Binet, about Czechoslovakia during the Holocaust (recommended by Booking in Heels). It sounds very intense.
Things that made me happy this month:
- Noom – it may be trendy, but it’s helping me feel better, get in shape, and lose weight. What I like is its comprehensive approach that focuses on research and why you eat what you eat, and its everyday supports. Six weeks in and I don’t feel like I’m on a diet, just making better food choices.
- Booksmart – this is the teen/girl/friendship movie we’ve been waiting for. It’s so nice to see movies about female friendships, not just romances and not women competing with each other. Plus, the idea of smart girls who didn’t really experience high school resonated with me, and I do believe a party CAN change your life when you’re a teenager. I loved this movie.
- Brockmire – my husband thought I wouldn’t like this show, probably because I don’t like baseball, and it’s a lot about baseball. But it’s wonderful and I loved every minute, especially the third season. Hank Azaria is brilliant.
So that’s May! I have a lot going on in June, from visiting family in Wisconsin to a conference in Orlando and Harry Potter World at the end of the month.
I’ll be posting soon with my 20 Books of Summer list, which begins officially June 3, and I’m also working on a post about listening to audiobooks. I’ll also be posting some reviews of the nonfiction books I’ve read in the last few months.
How was your May? Do you have a summer reading list? Have you read or listened to anything good recently?
