wrap up: May 2019

Happy Colin Farrell’s Birthday, everyone!  Another month, another reading wrap up:

1. Night Sky With Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong ★★★★★ | review
2. Good And Mad by Rebecca Traister ★★★★★ | review
3. A Natural by Ross Raisin ★★★★☆ | review
4. Swan Song by Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott ★★☆☆☆ | review
5. So Sad Today by Melissa Broder ★★★★☆ | review
6. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong ★★★★★ | review to come
7. Remembered by Yvonne Battle-Felton ★★☆☆☆ | review
8. Tell Them of Battles, Kings & Elephants by Mathias Énard ★★★★★ | review
9. Spy Princess by Shrabani Basu ★★★☆☆ | mini review (read for work)
10. The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero by William Kalush and Larry Sloman ★★★☆☆ | mini review (read for work)
11. 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!

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