What are you reading for May - open to all

[Anonymous]

Almost done The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. I like it -- but also took a long break in the middle so it can't have been that compelling. I've enjoyed the odd slice of native american life it explores; and how it processes recent events, pandemic, BLM protests, etc.

Reading the Secret Book of Flora Lee, by Patti Callahan Henry, and love it; already trying to slow myself down so as to not finish it too quickly. But it pushes all my buttons--English countryside/shire, escapes into imagination, myth, bookstores & booksellers--so perhaps it will not be so universally appealing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On The Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel.

I LOVED Betty. It was beautiful yet tragic. This book, however, is tragic, painful and *to me* emotionally manipulative. McDaniel seems to have leaned into the pain side of her writing. I don’t think I have the emotional strength to finish this one.

Thanks for sharing this - I also love love loved Betty and assumed I'd of course read the new one. Now I'll have to think (or at least wait for the right time).

[Anonymous]

Just finished Old Babes in the Wood, Margaret Atwood's new collection. A bit uneven but some great stories.

Now about 1/3 of the way through Women Talking. It's a slow mover but I like it.

[Anonymous]

Horse by Geraldine Brooks

Really like it. It touches on so many subjects: history, art, slavery, racism and much more. It is a very easy read as it is engaging without being fast-paced.

[Anonymous]

Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker

It’s a nonfiction book looking at the history of schizophrenia research over the 20th century through the lens of the Galvin family who have 12 children, 6 of whom were eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia in the 70s. I’m absolutely loving it so far (about halfway though). The biography of the family is very kindly done; while the narrator don’t flinch away from the bad parts he seems to have a ton of sympathy for the choices a lot of the members made in the context of the society they were living in. And the intercutting of Galvin family biography and general state of schizophrenia research is masterfully done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reading "A Tale for the Time Being" for a book group. Really not interested in it at all so far, but pushing through to see if it gets better.

My mom’s friend liked that book. My mom and my sister both DNF that book recently.

I loved that book! I would say if you're not interested pretty much from the start, you're not going to get more interested as the book goes on, though.

I'm reading I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai - I was super hooked at the beginning, but now I find myself hoping it'll hurry up and finish already.

[Anonymous]

I'm reading 'Our Missing Hearts' by Celeste Ng for my book group. About 50 or so pages in, and confident it will pick up some. It's been well reviewed so I'm hopeful.

[Anonymous]

Lessons on chemistry....loving it so good.

[Anonymous]

Sapiens, A Brief History of Humankind, by Yuval Noah Harari.

It's fascinating and easy to read. Some of the theories are distorted, and not entirely supported by science, which provoked a few controversies among researchers and experts when the book came out, but nevertheless I like it: it does provide an important grounding and overview of humanity's progress on earth, with theories as to its success. Food for thought.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker

It’s a nonfiction book looking at the history of schizophrenia research over the 20th century through the lens of the Galvin family who have 12 children, 6 of whom were eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia in the 70s. I’m absolutely loving it so far (about halfway though). The biography of the family is very kindly done; while the narrator don’t flinch away from the bad parts he seems to have a ton of sympathy for the choices a lot of the members made in the context of the society they were living in. And the intercutting of Galvin family biography and general state of schizophrenia research is masterfully done.

I was so hooked on this book I would stay up into the night reading it. I felt so much for the mom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Listening to TJ Klune’s A Wish Upon the Stars, fourth in the Lightening Struck Heart series. I’ve really enjoyed the characters in this universe, especially how the narrator, Michael Lesley, has brought them to life.

Just started reading: Ocean’s Echo, by Everina Maxwell. Second in the same sci fi universe. The first was enjoyable, looking forward to this one.

Planned:
The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fischer. By EM Anderson. I’ve been waiting for this for a looooong time. It will be a riot!

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske. I have this in physical copy and I’ve been saving it to read outside in the warmer weather.

I pushed out Ocean’s Echo as Wolfsong (by TJ Klune) became available through Libby. Finished it in a day. I love how varied Klune’s writing is.

I read The House in the Cerulean Sea first. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but didn’t run out to buy more by Klune. Then I needed to laugh, like things were really bad here and I begged a book club for a comedy, fantasy if possible. I was recommended The Lightening-Struck Heart. Which, I found was the beginning of a series by Klune (Tales from Verenia). I got it in audiobook. It was so, so, so incredibly different than Cerulean Sea, I was surprised. And it was, in fact, hysterical. The humor here may not be for everyone. I thought, perhaps it channeled the middle school sense of humor I didn’t know I still carried. Man I loved it. And it’s got heart and incredible characters. I’m in the fourth audiobook (the narrator is amazing here, Michael Lesley).

All that to say, Libby just started to carry Wolfsong, first in his Green Creek series, so I grabbed that one. The book was, again, quite different from the other two. The writing here, in the POV of the character he chose to tell the story from, was so beautiful.

Not the humor of Lightening Struck heart, but lots of family, friends/found family feels. That, that feeling of human connection? Klune is masterful at it, and, while his books’ stories and style vary, this is a theme he’s thread through all those I’ve read. It is, of course, a longing we all have, and makes his stories a treasure.

I’ve enjoyed going back through some of his earlier work. I’m hoping the library adds the rest of the Green Creek series at some point. I have Under the Whispering Door up next, one of his more recent novels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Overstory. It's wondrous but long.

On my shelf too. Right under Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

Just finished

Now What? by Ann Patchett
Thursday Murder Club
Pachinko
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

[Anonymous]

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld. Just started but really enjoying it and feeling like just what I want to read right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reading "A Tale for the Time Being" for a book group. Really not interested in it at all so far, but pushing through to see if it gets better.

My mom’s friend liked that book. My mom and my sister both DNF that book recently.

I loved that book! I would say if you're not interested pretty much from the start, you're not going to get more interested as the book goes on, though.

I'm reading I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai - I was super hooked at the beginning, but now I find myself hoping it'll hurry up and finish already.

I also loved A Tale for the Time Being. I just finished I Have Some Questions for you. There are periods where it starts to feel slow and I found myself super frustrated with the narrator. That said, I really loved it. I'm the same age as the kids/adults in the books and felt she really nailed mid-90s teenagerhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld. Just started but really enjoying it and feeling like just what I want to read right now.

Oh I want to hear more about this book. Have you read her short stories - You Think it I'll Say it? They were patchy but some of them, really were amazing.