May Book List (Day 152, Year 3)

Well friends, May was the maiden voyage of “end of the school year” madness 2023, but somehow I got a whole bunch of reading in thanks to lots of time spent waiting in the car for my children to finish one of their athletic or musical endeavors. Tonight, at a 3 hour high school concert, I spied a woman with her Kindle getting some reading done. She even had it on "Dark Mode." I totally should have asked her to the prom or something because she is my hero. 

I read 10 books this month; but I wrote much less. I did not put any big dents to any of my writing projects in May. I explored words and story in other ways. I always say I need to read to write. But sometimes, I just need to read so that I can write again. 

I am currently reading a fantasy, which is not my normal, Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. The book was recommended over and over again in my Peloton Moms Book group, so I decided to give it a whirl. I am hooked and only 2 chapters in; so I glad I tried it out! 

But enough about what’s to come, here’s what I read in May;

1-4. The Wife Upstairs, One by One, Ward D, The Ex by Freida McFadden 

These are four separate Freida McFadden novels. McFadden is the author of the viral sensation The Housemaid. Her books are all on Kindle Unlimited, so free with my Unlimited subscription which definitely costs more than I think. I like McFadden novels because they are quick, easy and everyone is crazy, so I feel right at home. Bonus: there seems to be an endless supply of McFadden books. 

5. The Helpline by Katherine Collette

I really enjoyed this read and adored the quirky main character Germaine. The plot involves a senior citizen helpline, a former Suduko champion and lots of madness. It was fun but also heartwarming.

6. Limelight by Amy Poeppel

I wanted to love Limelight, but so much of it was so ridiculous. A maybe jealous wife and hints of infidelity that never some to fruition (which was disappointing), a ridiculous move from suburban Dallas to a tiny apartment in Manhattan and a boy pop star who is a trainwreck all sort of ruined this one for me. I did read it all the way through but when it was over, I felt like I just got out of the worst conversation with the most annoying person at the conflict party. 

7. Your Place or Mine? by Portia Macintosh

This was not a very deep book--it included an inherited sex toy store and a crazy roommate situation that ends in a love story. All that being said, I laughed and looked forward to reading it. 

8. Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan

Okay, so I loved reading this! It was a little formulaic and some events in the book seemed very implausible, but the writing was nice and the book had so many motherhood truths woven in. Plus it was nice for the protagonist to a middle aged woman. 

9. How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures by Sabrina Imbler

After all the rom-coms and thrillers, I needed to read something a little smarter.  We read a chapter of this book for my science writing class at Hopkins and I liked the parallel narratives of the author and the sea creature. I learned a lot about the sea and felt drawn into Imbler’s memoir. Their life, while maybe at surface is very different from my own, wasn't unfamiliar. So many human experiences were explored along side incredible sea creatures. I totally give this book 5 stars and I think it is a must read! 

10. Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune

I enjoyed reading this book; but in the end I was disappointed by the protagonists and their life choices. When you read a rom com you expect the characters to end up together and usually that is exactly what you want. However in this book, I wanted just the opposite. In addition, there were several extraneous and late grenades tossed in the plot. It is enjoyable to read; but not satisfying to complete.