Missed out on two reads this month but I‘m hoping I‘ll get to them next month! May was a fabulous reading month! And I realized I haven‘t even reviewed all of these here so I‘ll need to catch up. I‘d recommend all of these titles! #bookspinbingo Several bingos!

We‘re leaving for the beach tomorrow so I have (unrealistically) high expectations that I‘ll read several of these on the shore! June #bookspin

Rufi Thorpe writes the kinds of books I love to read. In this one, Vera and her father travel to Lithuania and discover much about each other and themselves. Musings on what it means to be a person in the world, genocide, rape, ancestry, mental illness and so much more abound and somehow it all works out for a quirky yet touching read.

Just exactly what life is made of: sorrow and moments of bliss. However, seems as though our MC, Martha, misconstrues so many situations in her life as a result of her anxiety and depression, and experiences much more sorrow than the average person. Readers find out
A moving and worthwhile read, this is a character-driven novel explores the effects of undiagnosed mental illness on a person, their family, and relationships. Good audio.

Dear Spring, I love you 💕

Chronically ill, O‘Rourke shares her struggles with finding a diagnosis to help manage her “invisible” condition which doesn‘t show up on traditional medical tests. She eloquently explained the feeling of hopelessness she experienced during her many visits with doctors, how it feels NOT to be believed, why she felt that alternative medicine held promise for her, and connecting with others in the online community as a way to feel seen. Audio is 👍

Loved this #NaturaLitsy selection on butterflies 🦋 I learned so much and found common ground with many of the butterfly enthusiasts featured in the book!

Pictured with our “pollinator meadow” which is difficult to see in the background but is buzzing with life! Continuing my efforts to provide space for butterflies and other insects which we now know run the world!

I‘ve marked the first section we‘ll discuss for #camplitsy23 but I‘m worried I won‘t be able to stop reading because it‘s soooo good! I‘ll try to save the second section but I may just have to find out what happens to these characters!

Neema‘s family moved to Crosslanes, WV for her father‘s job. (Just an hr from me) They were one of the very few Indian families in the region. Neema writes about feeling included in the community and her love for the culture of her home. The mountains still feel like home to her even though many of the people she grew up with have fallen into hatred for much of what she stands for now. I related to many of the essays and loved the audio!

Unlike any other memoir I‘ve read! Contreras writes about her supernaturally gifted family members in Columbia with a keen eye and deep admiration. Towards the end of the book, she wraps it up perfectly to describe the world she‘s coming from, (and I‘m paraphrasing): Contreras was told she writes fictional “magical realism” in writing programs. To her, however, she‘s writing actual accounts of the many strange happening within her family.

Loo and her father, rugged hit man Hawley, have an unbreakable bond. It‘s them against the world (quite literally in several cases). This father-daughter relationship is the beating heart of the novel. Hawley has bullet holes covering his body, and how each one enters is a backstory, uncovering bits of his past in chapters alternating with the present action. The chapters that took place in the past were like short stories.

This memoir is amazing, as so many others have already emphasized in reviews, with awards, and other accolades heaped upon this book. Viola Davis is a national treasure and I want to see all of her work. I listened to the audiobook (which is currently on hoopla) and it‘s 100% the way to go!

I love the premise of this book, but the execution, which I listened to as an audiobook, I found lacking. It may have been me and not the book, so take this with a grain of salt. Iyer travels the world visiting holy lands in search of peace, enlightenment, paradise. There were some truly brilliant sentences but as a whole, I found it difficult to engage with. I definitely think I should have read this physical book instead of audio.

I‘m in audiobook-hangover mode (after The Only Plane in the Sky) so everything I‘ve listened to since seems lacking. I did enjoy this and was reminded a bit of Inheritance (tagged), which I loved. A memoir from Carmen Rita Wong about her unconventional upbringing, due to her mother‘s choices. The author wrestles with questions about who her father really is, how to deal with the lies her life was built upon, and the meaning of family.

Friends, I listen to so many audiobooks, but this may be the best I‘ve ever read. An outstanding work which everyone should read. I‘ve recommended (read: forced) this upon everyone I know. Details from 9/11 which I have never considered, perspectives from so many who were impacted, collected here in their own words. Organized by event (such as North Tower collapse) with multiple sources contributing to each. Complete but not overwhelming.

📖 + ☕️ = 💗

A memoir from a New Yorker in her twenties with a drinking problem. She mostly binge drinks and blacks out in social gatherings and eventually realizes drinking isn‘t adding any positivity to her life. Levy discusses less-than-deep issues such as wellness culture, her wardrobe, and too much Instagram. I‘ve read much darker addiction memoirs but this felt authentic, though it did feel she was grasping at straws at times with her “struggles”.

This is a memoir but covers so many broad topics as the author excellently melds her experiences into a larger context. Phenomenal but also super dark about her affair, multiple illnesses in several people and so many trigger warnings. I loved it but can‘t easily recommend this to everyone, as it‘s a tough read.

A surprisingly deep (at times) reflection on Paris‘s horrible experiences in wilderness survival “schools” after her repeated rebellions as a young teen. While it was surprising that this rich, famous, diamond-clad party girl went through these difficult times, I‘ve read another memoir that explains the experience of being there much better . Also, a little too much description of her outfits for me. I did appreciate the early 2000s vibes!

I do love a graphic memoir and it‘s been a minute since I‘ve indulged! This one has been on my radar for some time so I‘m happy I finally took the time to read it. Nicole currently lives in Seattle but grew up in Kansas with her mother and a host of father-figures. She was told her real father died but a visit to a psychic leads her down a path to find out more about her family and herself. Great artwork and fabulous storytelling.

Soccer for my 8 year old ⚽️
Book for me 📖
And this evening is GORGEOUS 🌞

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Baird, which added to her very personal story of perseverance through hardship. Julia has been diagnosed with cancer three times and though that‘s a constant in the book, it‘s not the sole focus of the memoir. She writes about finding comfort in nature when dealing with anxiety and depression. This is something I can relate to. Nothing new, but helpful to hear often. A solid audiobook.

I like to check in with the thriller genre every now and then to make sure I‘m not missing out. This book confirmed my suspicions that I‘m growing further and further away from this type of fiction. Maya is an unreliable narrator due to substance abuse, nothing new there. Granted, the twist is different, but I didn‘t find it riveting. I did appreciate the Guatemala setting during a small part. Nice cover.

From the plural “we” perspective, brown girls of Queens tell their stories from childhood through adolescence and adulthood. They form relationships, they struggle, they persevere. Some become mothers, others begin careers but through it all they connect with one another.
I listened to the audiobook which was excellent. This was at once a wide take on the lives of the titular brown girls, as a whole, but also includes scenes from a singular life.

A character study of a sleeping car porter named Baxter, who is gay and black. He‘s desperate to learn more about his favorite subject, dentistry, and considered lucky to hold the position he does on “the fastest train in the land” across Canada. Baxter has a rich inner life he must keep separate from his passengers who he must wait on hand and foot. A varied cast of passengers is introduced. Tensions build in this claustrophobic environment.⬇️

Look at all these beauties! #simonandschuster
#bookmail

#libraryhaul 📚
Most for #bookspinbingo
The Bandit Queens for #camplitsy23

I‘ve had an excellent reading month and came close to totally clearing the board. The only one I didn‘t get around to was Dear Fang, With Love so that‘s a top priority for May. After years of watching everyone else play, I‘m really loving #bookspinbingo these days, myself. Thanks @TheAromaofBooks !

I‘ve spent increasingly more time on my monthly reading plans than I did last year thanks to #bookspinbingo. This has allowed me to be a bit more mindful about what I‘m reading and I‘m thankful for that! Many memoirs this month, and 15 of the 20 are nonfiction which is great as I‘ve been somewhat focused on fiction the past couple of months.

The only leftover from April is Dear Fang With Love so it‘s a priority.

It‘s gonna be May!

Friends, I can‘t believe I‘m saying this, but Joe didn‘t work for me in the latest YOU novel from Caroline Kepnes. This didn‘t gel, the obsessive relationship wasn‘t convincing, and it felt rushed to meet a publication deadline with wayyyy more editing needed! Joe, don‘t hate me 😱
The only reason I continued on is because I‘m a diehard fan and if there‘s another in the series I‘ll need to know what happened in the 4th book. So disappointing 😔

Isaac Fitzgerald has seen some things! His life begins in the poorest part of Massachusetts, a relatively wealthy state. His parents got together while each were married to other people. They had a tumultuous relationship until they split and Isaac moved around with his mother and landed in homeless shelters. He recounts scenes during his adolescence, through bar life in his early adulthood then serving with missionaries overseas in Burma.

An expertly narrated audiobook set in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. This is another setting that‘s been explored extensively, but what a wonderful addition to the period. Cushla is a young teacher caring for her students, alcoholic mother, and works at her family‘s bar in the evenings. She becomes romantically entangled with an older man, which is the main focus of the book. Also, that cover art 😍

A nice, quite morning at home with a new book and a cup of coffee. ✨
Finally getting to this #auldlangspine pick from @TheKidUpstairs
I also noticed it‘s a pick for the new #carolshieldsprize I heard about thanks to @shawnmooney

WWII novel from the perspective of three women:
-a New York socialite (privileged, naive, well-meaning)
-a Polish teenager (long-suffering, innocent, inner strength)
-a German doctor (traumatized, strict, cold, horrible)
Spans from right before war breaks out through the years after, following characters during hardships and how they cope after. Based on actual people. A bit long and heavy handed, but worthwhile. I read this for IRL book club.

Another short, life-affirming book to inspire positive thoughts, but not in a sickening way. 😆
Simple pleasures such as walking, voting, working up a sweat, finding rocks, hearing old songs on the radio, and so much more. Each “thing” is beautifully illustrated. This is an adult “picture book” that has a sweet message. I loved it.

I have a diary called “One Line A Day” which has 5 sections for each day of the year. It‘s a very low-pressure way to record what‘s been going on in our hectic lives and I hope to continue the practice for all my days. This concept has been around for some time, and this small book was pieced together from a similar type of journal belonging to a woman in her 80s in rural Illinois from 68-72. The author snipped bits to form this meditative⬇️

A difficult read in format and content. I‘m fine with switching characters and I‘m fine with flopping around through time, but this moved in such a way that I was never able to find my footing to connect well with the story or characters. That being said, I loved this family of women and the story was great. So much hardship, and great use of historical context as a backdrop. #womensprize

I read SAA as a young adult and she was magical to me at that point in my life. It seems I‘ve evolved as a reader, and though I can still appreciate what she has to offer, I‘m not wowed by her latest offering. I did enjoy the southern setting, the food descriptions 🤤, and the found family aspect.

I‘m so glad Jodi Picoult teamed up with Jennifer Boylan to write this novel. It seemed like a throwback to some of Jodi‘s older novels, with multiple perspectives and a court case. It‘s a murder mystery but with so much to chew on and consider. I hope this reaches many people who may need to read it. The whole bee bit is such a great bonus!! 🐝

Written in a straightforward manner, Chelsea Manning‘s memoir covers her life leading up to and following her leak of classified documents. Chelsea spent her early life in the Midwest, being raised as a boy. She joined the army after a troubled adolescence and became an intelligence analyst which allowed access to information she leaked to Wikileaks. The largest leak in US history landed her in prison where she fought the military to transition.

I have so so many books to read!! If only I could read for my day job 😌

Just starting this nearly 500 page book to discuss day after tomorrow. Any and all speed reading tips accepted 😆

A short audiobook of therapy sessions translated from the Korean. The cultural differences between the author‘s experiences and my own are great, and the tone was very different than what I am used to with “therapy memoirs”. This is mostly a transcript of the author‘s work in therapy dealing with anxiety, relationships with others, and self awareness. I had to Google tteokbokki and I want it!!

Powerful! Rage-inducing and rant-fueling. Why do Americans allow the government to be funded by private companies that persuade lawmakers to create loopholes for the rich to get richer and tax breaks for the wealthiest citizens?? Why do Americans then blame the “welfare state” for the overspending when the super rich are really the biggest beneficiaries of government spending?? Why? Why? Why??? Should be required reading.

Character-driven, coming of age novel, audiobook expertly narrated by Rebecca Lowman! Readers meet Sam, a millennial (I think?), celebrating her 8th birthday with her sweet but troubled father at a pizza place. He tells her to remember the moment, which she revisits at the end of the novel at 20. Her life isn‘t easy: she and her brother are raised by their single mom. Rock climbing keeps her grounded throughout all the ups and downs of life.

Nominations for #camplitsy23 🏕️
I‘m so excited to see what everyone comes up with but my tbr is terrified 😂
Titles tagged in comments ⬇️

random #celebritymemoir audiobook from Andrew Rannells, who I know from Girls on HBO. A midwestern-boy-goes-to-the-big-city memoir, Nebraska to NYC specifically. He‘s so endearing and enthusiastic about his career in theater…he writes about landing jobs in Pokémon Live (lol) and Hairspray on Broadway. I loved this because Andrew writes about parts of the city where my sister in law lives and I‘ve just visited (featured in the background).

Oof, bit of a gut punch, this one. A “what‘s really going on here” book. Allison has had some recent big life changes, completely upending her LA life to relocate in an NC beach house and breaking up with “the movie producer”. The only problem is: her cute little dream beach home is leveled by a hurricane, and the ripple effects of this even cause bigger issues for Allison and her life will never be the same. Very different but very good!

In a tiny town in West Virginia sits a very large and useful tool for discovering new information about the cosmos: the Green Bank Telescope. This project has put the tiny town on the map, attracting visitors to the observatory and also those who are “electro-sensitive” as the town is famously “disconnected” due to the restrictions imposed on the area for the operation of the telescope. Fascinating and drivable from my area; I‘m planning a visit!

So short to be nearly inconsequential. I forgot to review it as soon as I finished and now I don‘t remember much after 6 days, which isn‘t a good sign. I liked the idea of the author exploring a dyscalculia diagnoses and relate this to heartbreak but something didn‘t quite work with this. If Felix had expanded on this concept with additional context and beefed it up a bit more than the 2 hours this audiobook lasted I‘d be more fulfilled.