A Month+ of Reading: April and Early May 2017

Good Monday morning! I decided to do a book update today instead of a weekending post – I’ll catch you up on my weekend tomorrow – which technically means I could have written this post over the weekend and had it ready to go for this morning. I didn’t do that, partly because I was busy having a great weekend but also because I knew I was going to have a finished book to add to the list. Anyway. Here’s what I’ve read since we last discussed books.

Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh
2 stars
The writing is good but the main character is highly unlikable, the descriptions are gross and the plot is secondary to the characters. Not my cup of tea, that’s for sure. I finished but only out of determination and I’m left feeling cranky and out of sorts.

State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy
3 stars
An entertaining and light cozy mystery set in the kitchen of the White House. The recipes are a delightful bonus.

Hail to the Chef by Julie Hyzy
3 stars
A good cozy mystery, number 2 in this series. Recommended for those who enjoy the genre.

South of Broad by Pat Conroy
5 stars
This was the perfect book for me to read during and after my recent visit to Charleston. I loved reading about all of those familiar streets and landmarks and the way the city of Charleston becomes like another character in the book is wonderful. The story itself is an epic tale of friendship, forgiveness, redemption, loyalty and love. Highly recommended.

Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill
4 stars
The story of a marriage, but also life and children and work and art and mental illness, told from the perspective of the wife. It’s very stream of consciousness and moves along quickly. The timeline isn’t straight forward and a lot is left for the reader to infer. I enjoyed it and feel like this author has only scratched the surface of her potential.

Moonglow by Michael Chabon
3 stars
I enjoyed this book but Michael Chabon is always a challenge for me. The story is great but the timeline jumps around quite a bit and I found myself forgetting some key details at times. The writing, of course, is exceptional and that’s what kept moving me forward. And the full circle ending is more than satisfying.

Now I see You: A Memoir by Nicole C. Kear
3 stars
I have mixed feelings concerning this memoir about a young woman diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease at the age of 19. Her style is easy to read and I was curious to see how she handled going blind. The truth is, though, she really doesn’t handle going blind. She cries about it and ignores it and refuses to tell people about it or talk about it – until she then writes a book about it which seems like a pretty big reversal from keeping it a secret from her closest friends. I kept thinking – why isn’t she getting help dealing with this? She does eventually and then wraps it up. I’d still recommend it as an interesting read but don’t expect any big life advice on dealing with a disability.

Seven books – which means I’m slightly behind on my 2017 reading challenge. I’m not worried about that, though, because Summer Book Bingo begins Memorial Day weekend. Mary has worked really hard and taken the lead on this for us, coming up with awesome topics for the squares and creating bingo cards. You can read her post here and get your card any time so you can start planning your summer reading.

I can’t wait!