Okay, I've really dropped the ball on these posts, but here we are! Let's get to it.
May was a very slow reading month, BUT I finished Lonesome Dove. Which, quite frankly, equals about 2.5 books. It was actually quite lovely to not fly through books this month. Sometimes I get too caught up on the quantity of books and don't spend enough time with them. Lonesome Dove made me slow down and really enjoy the ride.
I am very excited to get back into my TBR stack. I have gone full speed ahead with reading three books at once as of writing this. One audiobook, one book I travel around with, and one I read just at home. I started doing that with Lonesome Dove because I was definitely not going to travel with it, but I think I'll go back to carrying around the same book so as not to get too tied up.
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I thought this was really cute. It's very SNL coded and the glimpse behind the curtain, so to speak, was really cool. I can only assume that is how it's done at least. What I found the most interesting was Covid as a plot point. I have only read one other book set during that time period that mentions it. I thought I would have read more by this point if I'm honest.
Age of Anger: A History of the Present by Pankaj Mishra ⭐⭐⭐⭐
It felt like a good time to give this a listen with everything going on. There were quite a few things I didn't really know about certain aspects of the history presented and I found that highly interesting. While this didn't go very deep, it did give a better understanding of how we got here and where we could be going. This is the book that a lot of people should read, but the ones who really need to read it would never.
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Oh, Lonesome Dove. This is the first Western I have ever read. And it might be my last. We'll see. It's not a genre I look for at any rate. This was a very dense book. Not only long (my copy was over 800 pages), but dense. The description in this book is astounding. If you enjoy world building, you will enjoy this. I became quite attached to the characters which I love doing. Everything you except to happen in a Western happens. I think the writing was pretty clever - nothing happened in the first half and then everything happened with a little mix of nothing happening in the last half. My guess is that is exactly how it felt like living during that time. If you're up for the challenge, I would recommend this book.
The Art of Frugal Hedonism: A Guide to Spending Less While Enjoying Everything More by Annie Raser-Rowland and Adam Grubb ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was interesting and full of ideas to live a more frugal life. I do think the hardest part of living frugally for me is because I am a hedonist to some extent. I like to enjoy things, literally. But this was quite a nice refresher or how you can still enjoy things and not give in to consumerism. I do feel like the book would be better for someone living in a city and with a yard of their own. A lot hinges on being able to grow your own food and not own a car. Great in theory, not so great in practice in most of America. Great tidbits. A fun read. Definitely worth while - it is also very short!
I had a better reading month in June. Only one audiobook too! There were quite a few pool days and that was helpful to turn out a book in a day. No matter how hard I try though, my TBR pile doesn't seem to be getting any shorter... whoops.
Sing, Unburied, Sing was probably the standout book of this group, but otherwise it all just okay. Nothing bad, but nothing super fantastic.
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I do enjoy messed up family dynamics (really makes me realize my family isn't so difficult). The tiniest, most chance meeting completely changes two families and brings them together, then apart, then together again. This was about growing up, secrets, and how people change. A good little read that felt deep, but wasn't too heavy.
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
This was a short, but very heavy book. Beautifully written with so many layers. Ward shows the complexities of the South and legacies of racism through the viewpoints of a thirteen year old boy and his mother. There is so much packed into this book and it will probably make you cry. A story about love, loss, grief, and so much more. I highly recommend this book. Keep in mind it is also a little mystical, in the best way, but looking at some comments, I think it threw some people off.
The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
This was a super adorable book, but I feel like it could have gone a little deeper. A woman's mother just died and left her with just enough money to go Paris, to only go to Paris. During her visit, she finds unexpected friends and new found family while exploring the best parts of the city, those known by the locals and uncovering the life of a woman in a famous painting. It feels just fantastical and real enough to keep you interested.
Dolls of Our Lives: Why We Can't Quite American Girl by Allison Horrocks and Mary Mahoney ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was my audiobook for June. And I thoroughly enjoyed it. American Girl has had a resurgence these past couple of years and even though we're now "too old" for dolls, we still can't quite stop thinking about them and the lessons they taught us. I love how the authors went through the very beginning of American Girl and the inspiration for the historical dolls and how they stand up today.
Modern Lovers by Emma Straub ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was cute, but nothing extraordinary. A group of friends have grown up and paired off and had children of their own. And now their children are starting to do adult things (yes, exactly). The actual adults are going through their mid-life crises. Again, it was a decent pool read, but didn't leave me wanting more.
Homebody by Rupi Kaur ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Funny story... I bought this book during a work travel excursion at a Half Price Books. It was a green hard back cover and apparently a special edition. I thought I had never read it. Turns out I bought and read the original three years ago. No matter! I re-read it and it was still lovely as ever. I know people sometimes have a hard time with this "tumblr" poetry, but I really enjoy it. Poetry doesn't need to be long and wordy to have an impact.
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