May is over? Are we sure? The last time I looked it was the 13th. Thankfully, all the gorgeous flowers and colors here were a distraction from what was another month of meh reading. It would seem I’m getting crankier as I age because I’ve already DNFed 13 books this year, almost as many as I did for all of 2022—and we’re only at the halfway point. I do have some bright spots in this recap.
Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan
Published by Random House Trade
Publication date: May 2, 2023
Amazon
Suresh and Lata had an arranged marriage for over 30 years. Now, they’re divorced and trying to navigate the world of relationships—just like their adult children. There were plenty of opportunities for humor and insight in Late Bloomers but neither appeared. Instead, the deeply unlikable characters stayed that way with no growth—the kiss of death for me. Stagnant characters leave me cold and annoyed, two of my least favorite things to be.
Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan: A big bowl of happy reading. My review
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros: Review to follow
Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe
Published by Henry Holt and Co.
Publication date: April 26, 2011
Amazon
I’ve had limited success with male celebrity memoirs, but am happy to share how much I enjoyed Robe Lowe’s Stories I Only Tell My Friends. From the beginning Lowe’s love of the written word is clear as he shares his life from his earliest days to his later successes. For once, I found a handsome, charismatic actor who seems grounded and doesn’t take himself too seriously. Thoroughly enjoyable listening (Lowe narrates).
Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby: Outrageous essays about real life. Review to follow
Atalanta by Jennifer Saint: More compelling Greek mythology retelling. My review
The Lost Wife by Susanna Moore
Published by Knopf Publishing Group
Publication date: April 4, 2023
Amazon
Sarah is a wife and the mother of two small children who is captured by a Sioux tribe in Minnesota in 1862 after the government has refused to honor its treaties with the tribe, causing them to starve. The Lost Wife is a novel of her months spent living with the tribe and witnessing “manifest destiny” from their perspective. It may have been a conscious choice on the author’s part but the novel reads like a textbook despite the atrocities and lies being perpetrated by the whites at the time. This clinical tone saps the impact of this disgraceful, dishonorable time in American history.
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang: A novel to get people talking. I loved it despite the unlikability of all the characters. My review
I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai: Review to follow
How was your May reading? Any gems you’d recommend?
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*I received a free copy of some of these books from Knopf and Random House in exchange for an honest review.*
My May reading was very good. I read and loved “The Covenant of Water” by Abraham Verghese, which I think should win this year’s Pulitzer Prize for Literature. I also read “Clytemnestra” by Costanza Casati; “The Collected Regrets of Clover” by Mikki Brammer; “The Secret Book of Flora Lea” by Patti Callahan Henry; “In the Lives of Puppets” by T.J. Klune; “The Ferryman” by Justin Cronin (first 2/3s great; last 1/3 so-so); and “Hang the Moon” by Jeannette Walls, all of which I enjoyed. I read two books that missed the mark for me — “Camp Zero” by Michelle Min Sterling and “All the Broken Places” by John Boyne. All in all a very good reading month.
Wow! You had some great reading. What did you think of Lives of Puppets? I adored Cerulean Sea, but am a bit skeptical about this one.
I loved it. It is different because of the puppet aspect but like all Khune’s books it is about love, kindness and family and that being different is a good thing.
How wild- my library hold for this book came in this afternoon! I’m so excited!
I also enjoyed Lowe’s memoir!
I think my highlight of May was Living Resistance by Kaitlin Curtice.
He was a nice change from the arrogance of some of the others I’ve listened to.
I haven’t heard of that one- I’ll look it up! Oh, it sounds like the right book for these times. I may need to read right away!
Nora goes off script, oh my gosh, what a fun rom com. I too thoroughly enjoyed, surprisingly, Rob Lowe’s memoir. I am about to start I have some questions for you. Love your reviews!
Thank you! I need to review I Have Some Questions, but it’s a tough one. I’ll be curious to know what you think!
Hi Catherine! I’m not having great luck with 2023 pubs. They are just not hitting the sweet spot for me. My 2 best reads in May were Hello Beautiful and Montana 1948 but the best is by far Montana 1948.
Otherwise, I keep melting back into series reading like Donna Leon, Daniel Silva, Alexander McCall Smith and Ann Cleeves. They rarely disappoint.
I will definitely read more Larry Watson. Also Anne Bogel published 15 backlist reads with summer as a theme.
Here’s to some great reading up ahead!
Belle
It’s been a rough year. Most of the readers I know have struggled. Hopefully, things will pick up!