I’ve been reading a lot. As in, finishing books in a day or two. That’s mostly because I’ve been reading some pretty short and easy books but it’s also because I’ve had a fair amount of time to myself to just sit and read. It’s glorious and I love it!

Here’s what I’ve read since August 9th:

The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book and if I could have read it in one sitting I would have done just that. The characters are warm and real, the Minnesota setting feels truly authentic, there’s enough family drama to keep it interesting, and there’s plenty of beer!

 

The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a heart warming story that would have made a great magazine article but goes on just a tad too long and becomes dull. Still, it’s good to think about people treating each other with generosity, love and kindness in the face of tragic and difficult circumstances.

 

The River by Peter Heller
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Fast paced, just like the river itself, I couldn’t put this one down for the plot. I found the writing style to be a bit choppy but overall I really enjoyed it

 

The Chain by Adrian McKinty
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A fast paced and easy read, perfect for a day at the beach. It drags a bit in the middle but the ending is very satisfying.

 

 

Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals by Rachel Hollis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Motivational and inspirational, particularly for women who have a dream they want to pursue.

 

 

The Strangers on Montagu Street by Karen White
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Despite the fact that the characters are incredibly dense and unable to simply communicate with each other and resolve their issues . . . I really do enjoy reading this series. The Charleston setting brings back great memories of my trip there and the supernatural element adds just enough creepiness to keep me reading. The inability of Melanie and Jack to express their feelings is feeling very contrived at this point but I’m hoping it will get resolved in the next one.

Return to Tradd Street by Karen White
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’m still enjoying this series but I have to admit to being frustrated with the repetition of the same plot devices and contrivances that don’t really serve the characters well. I still feel compelled to keep reading but at this point it’s mostly to see how things turn out and I’m rolling my eyes a lot.

 

The Guests on South Battery by Karen White
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Even though the lack of character development and repetition of plot devices is getting tiresome, I actually enjoyed this one more than the previous one. The Charleston setting makes it truly enjoyable and the spooky supernatural elements add a fun element.

 

Lanny by Max Porter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an amazing piece of literature that I’m finding very hard to describe and review. The words that come to mind are: unique, magical, and creepy, it’s a literary fairy tale complete with a bogey man and plenty of stream of consciousness. Highly recommended.

 

Women, Food and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything by Geneen Roth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve put off reading this book because of the title, I thought it would be preachy and religious. It’s not at all, it’s about mindfulness and feeling our feelings rather than pushing them away with food. I highlighted 30 passages and I’m pretty sure that says it all.

 

I hope you are reading great things these days, too. I’d love to hear about it if you are.

I got my Summer Book Bingo Coverall last Friday and that made me a very happy reader!

25 books from May 31st until August 9th is a great accomplishment.

Here are the books I have finished since my mid-July update:

Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There were parts of this that were so well written it took my breath away. It’s an incredible book that left me yearning for more while knowing full well there wouldn’t be more because of the author’s tragic real life story.

Bingo Square: Originally published posthumously

 

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A gut-wrenching story about racism in America, mostly told from the viewpoint of children, which makes it all that much harder to process. It’s an important and extremely well-written work.

Bingo Square: Banned in the US

 

Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jacqueline Woodson has written another incredible albeit short novel. This one opens in 2001 at the 16th birthday party of Melody but the timeline then goes back and forth and the viewpoint switches between Melody, her parents, and her grandparents. Themes of race, class, unexpected pregnancy, education, and loss are covered beautifully and honestly. Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Bingo Square: Latest book by an author your love

 

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve read this before but re-read it for my Summer Book Bingo card. I had forgotten many of the details but not the overall terrifying nature of the story. This is Atwood at her finest and I’m really excited about the sequel coming out in September.

Bingo Square: Re-read

 

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a fabulous story, full of 1970s culture, lots of good rock ‘n roll, and enough romance and angst to make it truly interesting. The audio is fabulous but now I sort of want to read it, too. Highly recommended for a great summer read.

Bingo Square: Audiobook with multiple narrators

 

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Try as I might, science fiction just is not my thing. I think the imagination of H.G. Wells is incredible and I can appreciate that this book was ground breaking in it’s time but I had a hard time caring about the characters or setting.

Bingo Square: Originally published in the 19th century

 

Days Without End by Sebastian Barry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Can the slaughter of Native Americans, the civil war, and prison be poetic? In the hands of Sebastian Barry it certainly can. This book is beautifully written, exposing the vulnerability and humanity of truly heartbreaking times in our history. There were moments where I gasped out loud and I absolutely adored the story even though so much of it is brutal and tragic. Highly recommended.
Bingo Square: Historical fiction

Almost all of those books were already in my reading queue and I managed to find a way to fit them each into a square. A few were ones I’ve been meaning to read for ages and book bingo provided the incentive to get that done. A few were ones I’ve heard mentioned or meant to read and, again, book bingo was the incentive to get them read.

I’m tempted to say something along the lines of now I can read whatever I want but that sounds silly because I can always read whatever I want. I’m not a student, I don’t (usually) have books I have to read for work, and my reading choices are all my own. I like Summer Book Bingo because I enjoy a challenge and because, as I noted, having a specific square (like reread a book, which was perfect for me to reread The Handmaid’s Tale in anticipation of the sequel coming out next month) is a great motivator to move something into my reading queue that I might not have gotten to read otherwise.

Even though I won’t say something about reading whatever I want, I will say that I’m very much looking forward to vacation reading! I hope you all are reading fabulous things right now!

All evidence to the contrary, there was more than eating and drinking done on our vacation in Maine. There was reading, too! And there has been reading since which is all just to say that I’ve got 3 bingos on my Summer Book Bingo Card.

I’ve got plans for all of the squares that are left except for one: originally published in the 19th century. I’m open to suggestions but just know that I was an English major in college and I specialized in 19th Century English Literature. So. I’ve read a lot of the good ones already.

Here are my reviews since we last talked about books.

The Invited by Jennifer McMahon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jennifer McMahon writes great ghost stories and this one is entertaining with a twist I didn’t expect. Highly recommended for fans of supernatural mysteries.

Bingo Square: Thriller

 

Women Talking by Miriam Toews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just as the title suggests, this book is about women talking – talking about sexual abuse, religion, loyalty, rage, power, choices, the future and so much more. I felt like it dragged sometimes but the ending was powerful and full of hope.

Bingo Square: Title that’s a character’s name

 

March: Book One by John Lewis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The first of 3 graphic novels telling the story of John Lewis. I enjoyed the format and the narrative and will definitely be reading the other 2.

Bingo Square: Month or day of the week in the title

 

Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program That Works by Evelyn Tribole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book has given me a lot to think about. I am learning to honor my hunger and give my body the food it wants without judgment or shame. Recommended for anyone who has struggled with dieting.

Bingo Square: About food

 

Rising Strong by Brené Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I highlighted 48 sections of this book, that should tell you just how meaningful I found it to be. Great stuff for anyone working with exploring vulnerability, enhancing relationships, and living your best life. Highly recommended.

Bingo Square: Any book

 

Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A beautifully written and truly moving tale about a friendship that develops between two people who find each other at just the right time in an unexpected way. Themes of love and loss, despair and hope, make this a really wonderful epistolary novel. Highly recommended.

Bingo Square: Protagonist with a different gender from your own

 

Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this engrossing family drama. It’s story is tragic but beautiful and the themes of love and forgiveness filled me with hope.

Bingo Square: Recommended in Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Summer Reading Guide

 

The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is an entertaining book for the summer, a fast and simple read. It won’t challenge you or stretch your imagination but it will possibly enchant you and probably make you smile.

Bingo Square: Speculative fiction

 

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I never read this as a child, probably because I tended to avoid fantasy and science fiction. Truth be told, I still do. Nevertheless, I truly enjoyed this classic story and the world that L’Engle created. The wonder, awe, fear and hope the characters experience resonated with me.

Bingo Square: Fantasy

Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls by Lauren Graham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fun and delightful, particularly for fans of Gilmore Girls.

Bingo Square: Biography

 

A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety by Jimmy Carter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Carter was president when I was a child and it was interesting to read this and remember the things that were on the news back then and hear his perspective on what was happening. I enjoyed reading about his childhood, military career and post presidential life as well.

Bingo Square: Memoir or autobiography of a US political figure

 

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A brutally honest and eerily real story of the descent into mental illness and depression. It’s sad because of the parallels to Plath’s own struggles but that’s what makes it very very brilliant.

Bingo Square: An author from the state where you live

 

And that’s my summer reading update for mid July.