I promised you all I would be back with my May reading recap, and here I am! I can’t believe that I will finally be caught on up on most of the blog posts that I missed. I’m working really hard to get back into the swing of blogging and ideally I would like to be posting a few days ahead of time. But who am I kidding…that hasn’t happened in a few years (since I had kids consistently napping, let’s be honest!). Plus, who is actually even reading this anymore? I dunno!
In May I read 10 books. 7 fiction and 3 nonfiction. Keep in mind that I had two insanely long road trips in May, and I got most of these books read during those two long drives (One trip 8 hours one way – 16 hours round trip and the other trip 10 hours way- 20 hours round trip).
Satisfied: Finding Hope, Joy and Contentment Right Where You Are
My Review: I really liked this book! Sometimes I find that “influencer” people can complain about things that make me annoyed, but I actually found this book so relatable and so beautiful. I found myself nodding along to almost every chapter. This would make a beautiful coffee table book or gift for a young Mom in your life!
Desire or Defense
My Review: This book is adorable! Full confession: I know Leah in real life and she’s the sweetest gem, so I feel weird rating her book. I was also so nervous to pick up one of her books because what if I hate it and then I have to see her in person? Well, rest assured that I did not hate this book- I absolutely enjoyed it so much! It is a hockey romance and fade to black romance. There is a lot of sexual tension, but overall it’s extremely clean and one I feel comfortable recommending to almost anyone! I can’t wait to read the rest of the books in the series. If you haven’t heard of Leah Brunner or any of her books, I HIGHLY recommend checking her out!
We Meant Well
My Review: Now here is a book that I hated. Hahaha- just kidding. Sort of. I actually loved this book from the beginning until about 80% in, and then I was so so so mad at how the author ended it all, with no resolution and so much blame heaped on head. I was hoping for a redemptive arc somewhere in there, but it was not to be. I almost threw this book against the wall when I finished it. It was about expatriates who start a non-profit organization in an (unnamed) African country. Things go south when one of the westerners is accused of a crime against one of the nationals. Since I grew up in a similar subculture (without the scandal, but sometimes the westerners did create a big mess) I really related to much of this book. But again- I hated the ending so much. I would recommend The Posionwood Bible instead if this topic intrigues you.
Say You’ll Remember Me
My Review: I think I read this when I was sick because I honestly don’t remember anything about it? After consulting google about the plot, I do now remember that it was about a veterinarian and one of his clients who have an immediate connection, but realize after day one that they just cannot be together. Life has too many constraints on both of them and they aren’t willing to put one another through all the hoops of long distance dating. Is love worth it? I did enjoy this one, and I like the ending. Abby Jiminez is an excellent writer and I appreciate that her characters have real-world problems to work through. However, it is obviously a slightly forgettable book since I truly couldn’t remember any of it.
No Land to Light On
My Review: I’m going to be honest, I also have no recollection of reading this book. My brain was absolute mush in the month of May. I do know that this book was not what I was expecting. It is a fictional tale telling the story of when a president made an executive order not allowing anyone from certain countries into the United States. Many green card and visa holders were already flying TO the US when this was declared, and once they landed they were immediately deported. This is the story of a married couple who were separated in the midst of already traumatic circumstances and how they worked through this new law to get back together. I liked it, but didn’t love it.
Declutter Like a Mother
My Review: Allie Cassaza knows how to declutter, and she knows how to motivate me to declutter! Reading this book really made me want to clear out every single square inch of my home. I didn’t follow all of her advice, but it did spark a huge desire to just clean and clear and then maintain it!
Reef Road
My Review: This is a mystery set during the COVID lockdowns. People have gone missing, a hand is found washed up on the beach, people are acting suspiciously…what is going on? The story slowly walks through what is happening and why. I found it compelling, but I didn’t appreciate the plot points built around an affair (or two). This story had some really unlikeable characters 🙁
Dead Money
My Review: A billionaire has died and they all think it’s because of a “dead money clause” he put in his will. A FBI team member and a private finance woman from a competing company pair up to try to get to the bottom of his death and the dead money clause. This book gets a little weird as it goes, and there were quite a few plot twists I didn’t see coming. I did read this one cover to cover fairly quickly because I was so curious what was going to happen next, but it also wasn’t as gripping as some other thrillers I’ve read before.
Wait Till Next Year: A Memoir
My Review: This was an Everyday Reading book club pick, and she has never steered me wrong before….until now. I did not understand the allure of this book. It is basically the story of a girl who grew up loving baseball. That’s it. She loved baseball. She wrote about going to games, listening to the game announcers on the radio, learning to keep score, her favorite moments in baseball history….and that’s the whole story. It was absolutely not for me.
Great Big Beautiful Life
My Review: Emily Henry is an auto-read author for me, and as with most people- her books tend to be big hits! I really enjoyed this one- a book about two journalists competing for the chance to write the biography of a very famous woman. Of course, they fall in love but can they really be together when they are in competition? There is actually a mystery revealed at the end of this book that I thought was sweet and made me enjoy it even more! However, it was really long and I felt like it wove together two stories- the life story of the famous woman and the romance between the two journalists. This made it drag on and go really slow for me!