Happy Colin Farrell’s Birthday, everyone! Another month, another reading wrap up:
- Night Sky With Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong ★★★★★ | review
- Good And Mad by Rebecca Traister ★★★★★ | review
- A Natural by Ross Raisin ★★★★☆ | review
- Swan Song by Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott ★★☆☆☆ | review
- So Sad Today by Melissa Broder ★★★★☆ | review
- On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong ★★★★★ | review to come
- Remembered by Yvonne Battle-Felton ★★☆☆☆ | review
- Tell Them of Battles, Kings & Elephants by Mathias Énard ★★★★★ | review
- Spy Princess by Shrabani Basu ★★★☆☆ | mini review (read for work)
- The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero by William Kalush and Larry Sloman ★★★☆☆ | mini review (read for work)
- Forest Bathing by Qing Li ★★★☆☆ | no review (read for work)
Favorite: Tell Them of Battles, Kings & Elephants by Mathias Énard
Honorable mention: Good and Mad by Rebecca Traister
Least favorite: Swan Song by Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott
MAY TOTAL: 11
YEARLY TOTAL: 56
Other posts from this month:
- 5 Star Read Predictions: Update & Round 3
- Women’s Prize 2019 Shortlist Reaction
- Women’s Prize 2019 Longlist Reflections
- Women’s Prize 2019 Shortlist Review & Winner Prediction
Life updates:
I’m still settling into the new job and trying to find the optimal work/life/blogging balance, so again, apologies for falling behind on here, but I’m working on it! Not having as much free time has also forced me to think about my blog content and the kind of posts I want to be writing, other than my book reviews which will always be my staple, so ironically enough I’m actually more inspired than ever regarding my blog content, I just need to carve out the time to sit down and write.
The reason my On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous review is being held up is that it’s actually a commissioned review, my very first! You’ll be able to read my piece in mid-June, so apologies for the wait to everyone who’s been asking for my thoughts on that book. Spoiler alert: it was good!
Also, this probably won’t be of any interest to anyone but oh well: after two straight months of car troubles, I am very excited to announce that this afternoon I am picking up my brand new car. This is the first new car I’ve ever bought and excited is honestly an understatement. I feel like I haven’t gone a single month without some car problem or other in the last decade, so I’m very excited to have a clean slate on the car-repair front.
Currently reading: The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See (lol, I’m working on it), The Granta Book of the Irish Short Story edited by Anne Enright, The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang (it’s good!), The Fire Starters by Jan Carson (it’s marvelous!).
What was the best book you read in May? Comment and let me know!
P.S. Follow me! @ Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram | Letterboxd
So many books and all round a pretty good month for you!! A new car is super exciting! 😀
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It really is!!!! No more monthly car repairs for a while, god willing!!!
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A commissioned review? Exciting!
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INDEED! I’m so excited about it!
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Looks like you had a great reading month! Congrats on the commissioned review! Looking forward to your thoughts on that book- a 5 star! I hope June goes as well for you also. 🙂
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Thank you!! Hope you have a lovely reading month in June as well! And I hope you enjoy On Earth… if you pick it up, it’s a brilliant book.
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Look at you, fancy lady! A new car AND a commissioned review. One must wonder, are the two related? 😉
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YOU GOT ME! Thank god I have a one-time payment of $60 to finance this car tbh.
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Looks like a great reading month! I have heard nothing but great things about Vuong’s book so I’ll be eager to read your thoughts too. And congrats on the car!
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Thanks so much!! And I hope you enjoy Vuong’s novel, it’s gorgeous!
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This whole blog-life-balance thing is a pain. I am so very behind AND I haven’t even been writing reviews for the majority of books I read.
Congrats on the new car! For some reason buying a car feels very grown-up (that might be a European thing though?).
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It is SUCH a pain. I never realized how lucky I was to have a job where I could blog full time at work. I mean, I still have time to take breaks and answer comments and stuff (like now) but I don’t have huge chunks of time to write and format an entire post, and it is taking its toll.
It’s also an American thing! I never thought I would buy a brand new car! I always kind of assumed I would have used cars forever, but I just reached a point where I am so sick of dealing with the maintenance. I am so excited to have a clean slate!
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The thing that suffers the most when I have super stressful weeks is visiting other people’s blogs. And that is such a shame! But I just don’t want to cut down on reading time.
I wll need a new car soon as well – mine is really nearing the and of the possible life-span. Plus, owning a car with a working AC might be wonderful.
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YES that is my biggest problem as well right now. I keep checking your blog and Callum’s and a few others but I know I am missing SO many by not keeping up with my feed as diligently as I used to.
So far it is SO wonderful indeed. I have never owned a car with working AC! It’s a brave new world out there!
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(another thing apparently suffering from my lack of time for blogging is replying to comments)
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Oh god, tell me about it. I am replying to this amidst replying to week old comments. The shame.
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I’ve been following your comments on Twitter about buying a new car, so I’m glad it worked out! Buying that first car is scary because everyone tells you you’re going to get scammed, but it seems to work out okay. Having a cheap car will nickel and dime the crap out of a person if she lets it, though everyone pushes us to buy used cars or junker cars to save money. Save money, my eye! Anyway, congrats 🙂
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Thanks so much! I totally know what you mean, I’ve always had used cars and the amount of $$ that goes into maintenance is not to be underestimated. I’m so excited to have a clean slate!
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Now you get to drive around paranoid because other drivers are so awful. I just got a new car last year and am driving like a granny to compensate. Today, a young man ran a red light and almost T-boned me. Doesn’t he know if he killed me that I’d haunt him in a new ghost car FOREVER??
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Ugh, that’s the worst! The bane of my existence is people who text and drive, since I live in such a rural area and all of the roads here are long and windy roads with a speed limit of 50 mph, I’m constantly paranoid about getting hit by someone who’s distracted by their phone.
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I used to live in a place like that, but for the last 11 years I’ve been in a city. Lemme tell you, the texting and city driving is even scarier. Seeing people run a light that has long been red…that happens several times during my commute, ever day.
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