May felt like a long month. One of our cats had a life-threatening condition, though fortunately he seems to be okay now. I had planned a trip to California I didn’t get to take and the month at work was particularly busy. At least I was able to slow down for Memorial Day weekend and take a bit of a “staycation”. I’m working a lot on my own health and fitness, so I’ve been getting back to yoga and walking and biking in the warm weather.
May was Mental Health Awareness month. A good friend of mine took two months off work to take care of herself, and I am impressed and inspired by that. I’m so glad she did it for herself, but it makes me wonder why I find it so hard to take a mental health day (or even a sick day). Here are a few books I recommend to those struggling with anxiety, trauma or other mental health concerns (obviously every book isn’t right for everyone but these are some I’ve found helpful).
Here’s what I read in May:
- Lavash at First Sight by Taleen Voskuni
- Long After We Are Gone by Terah Shelton Harris
- Horse by Geraldine Brooks (audio)
- Lost Ark Dreaming by Suyi Davies Okungbowa
- Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
- An Easy Death by Charlaine Harris (audio)
- Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez (audio)
- The Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum
- Making It So by Patrick Stewart (audio)
My favorite reads:
I loved Horse by Geraldine Brooks. I’m a big fan of her books in general, but I also love a sweeping historical story that’s mostly factual, as this one was. It’s also a fascinating combination of a lot of things: slavery, horse racing, Civil War, art, and science.
Patrick Stewart’s memoir was a bit slow in parts, but overall I really enjoyed it and learned so much about him! I didn’t know he was from a small town in Yorkshire (Mirfield) and his slow rise as a Shakespearean actor was impressive. It was interesting to see his progression from literary theater to science fiction and fantasy actor. Along the way he learned he could do many different kinds of things, including comedy, and as he married three times, he also learned a lot about personal relationships. This was an excellent audiobook as he narrates his story with humor and humility.
Olga Dies Dreaming was a complicated book that gave me a lot to think about, particularly in terms of Puerto Rican history, culture and political status. At the same time, the story is full of drama, with complicated family relationships and romance. I look forward to reading the newer book by this author.
Disappointing reads:
I didn’t care for Lost Ark Dreaming, and had mixed feelings about the other ARCs I read this month.
I started reading Lily King’s Father of the Rain, and decided to DNF. I loved King’s last book, but maybe this story of parents divorcing hit a little too close to home to read right now.
On the blog:
I wrote reviews of Real Americans, Lavash at First Sight, Long After We Are Gone, Lost Ark Dreaming, and The Emerald City of Oz. I also wrote about rereading a book I love, Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver.
Books for challenges:
- Backlist Reader: Horse, Olga Dies Dreaming, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
- Nonfiction: Making It So
- Reading Around the World: Lost Ark Dreaming
What I’m reading now:
I’m reading Master Slave Husband Wife by Ilyan Woo, which is fantastic. I’ve also got quite a few ARCs to read this month, so I’m currently reading All I Know by Holly LaBerbera and The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wasteland by Sarah Brooks.
What’s coming up:
I’ll be participating in 20 Books of Summer; here’s my list of what I plan to read.
Added to my TBR:
This month Modern Mrs. Darcy released her Summer Reading Guide. If you want to get a sense of her recommendations, you can see her “Minimalist” book recommendations here (I’ve added Sandwich and Wedding People). I didn’t purchase the full guide this year, which is a first for me, but I just have way too many books already.
Things that made me happy this month:
I got my summer garden planted, and we’ve had lots of rain and warm weather, so I’m hoping for a good crop of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans and squash this year (in my very small and not entirely sunny space, so we’ll see).
At the beginning of May, Mr. CG and I traveled to Mystic, CT with my in-laws. Mystic is a beautiful town, and I made everyone stop for lunch at Mystic Pizza (and made Mr. CG watch the movie). We also toured some of the mansions in Newport, RI, including the Vanderbilt House (I bought a book by Anderson Cooper, who grew up there).
I’m loving this season of Bridgerton – I skipped last season because I had no interest in the brother, but I love Nicola Coughlin and I haven’t been disappointed.
I have one niece who graduated high school this month, another who started a graduate nursing program, and another whose husband just got his law degree. So I’m a very proud aunt these days!
I hope your summer is off to a great start and you’re reading something good. Did you make a summer reading list? What does summer reading look like for you?
