5/5: Mammoths at the Gates (Singing Hills Cycle #4) by Nghi Vo (library book, 2023) - Perfect little novella. 5/5
5/6: Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton (library ebook, 2016) - A study in characters and what we're living for. 4.5/5 stars
5/9: Oathbound (Valdemar: Vows & Honor #1) by Mercedes Lackey (library, 1988) - A Valdemar book that did not age well at all. Sexual violence and grossness. 1.5/5 stars
5/14: The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont (library audiobook, 2022) - I liked this fictionalized account of a possible explanation for Agatha Christie's real-life disappearance. 4/5 stars
5/14: Oathbreakers (Valdemar: Vows & Honor #2) by Mercedes Lackey (library, 1989) - Much better than the first book in the series. Exciting and fun. 4/5 stars
5/17: Paladin's Grace (World of the White Rat: The Saint of Steel #2) by T. Kingfisher (library ebook, 2020) - Very long. Sort of boring. Exciting end. 3/5 stars
5/18: When We Believed in Mermaids by Barbara O'Neal (library, 2019) - An interesting novel that examines the impact of a traumatic childhood and its endless ripples in a family. 4.5/5 stars
5/20: The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (library audiobook, 2019) - A brother and sister have a strange relationship and an evil stepmother. Oddly compelling. 3.5/5 stars
5/22: Diary of a Void by Emi Yagi, translated by Lucy North and David Boyd (library, 2020) - Hilarious satire about a Japanese woman who fakes a pregnancy to get maternity leave. 4.5/5 stars
5/27: All Creatures Great and Small (All Creatures Great and Small #1 & 2) by James Herriot (library audiobook narrated by Christopher Timothy, 1972) - Soothing. 4/5 stars
5/29: Drunk on All Your Strange New Words by Eddie Robson (library, 2022) - Such interesting worldbuilding. 4/5 stars
5/29: Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera (library audiobook narrated by January LaVoy and Will Damron, 2024) - The way an audiobook should be. No notes. Sheer perfection. 5/5 stars
Average star rating: 3.96/5
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What's the best book you read in May?
I had several 4 stars in May, and my sole 5 star was one you didn't really like - Happiness Falls! I just had a run of 3 meh books, so I broke my meh streak by rereading an Alice Munro.
ReplyDeleteHmmm...I feel like Happiness Falls is very popular. I stand by my criticisms, though!
DeleteI just read your review of Listen for the Lie and now I want to read it. I'm putting a library hold on it right now!
ReplyDeleteWell, I hope the printed book is as good as the audio or you're going to come after me.
DeleteCongratulations, the Best is Over and James were my best reads in May. I laughed so much reading Congratulations. And I can't emphasize how big of a deal that is because I almost NEVER laugh when reading books.
ReplyDeleteI put a hold on Congratulations The Best is Over as an audiobook! We'll see how it goes.
DeleteI have Listen for the Lie and Drunk on All Your Strange New Words (which I keep thinking might be Worlds, but is not) coming up soon in my old queue. Sad that the T. Kingfisher was underwhelming.
ReplyDeleteit was the worst Kingfisher I've ever read. I am on hold for the next one in the series, but I'm on the fence about it. Too bad because she's been so consistent until this.
DeleteI barely read anything in May, but I did really enjoy beginning of The Adventures of Amina el-Sirafi. The book had to be returned before I could finish it and I'm really eager for it to come back off my holds so I can find out how it ends.
ReplyDeleteOh, man. I hate it when the book is due before I finish! Sometimes I'll just keep it a day or so later (or put my Kindle on airplane mode for an ebook).
DeleteLOL-ing at "A brother and sister have a strange relationship" for The Dutch House. You're making it sound quite V.C.Andrews :D
ReplyDeleteI thought it was sort of VC Andrews? Did no one else get that vibe?
DeleteShameful reading month for me in May. Started "the body keeps the score" and wow, so depressing but I will finish it. Cat Scratching was good :))
ReplyDeleteOh, great! I have to read my book club book for this weekend, but then I'm going to put Cat Scratching on my list next!!
DeleteI liked the Christie Affair, but I didn't love it. However, I did like the Dutch House. And I haven't read All Creatures Great and Small for a long long time. Maybe I need to see if I still have my ancient paperback of it. Some of these others sound good too.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like All Creatures Great and Small is universally beloved. I didn't know that, but I'm happy to have it in my back pocket for recommendations in the future.
DeleteI feel like I find the source story about Agatha Christie so fascinating that it influenced my review of The Christie Affair. The real life story is so fascinating!
I just added Listen For The Lie to my list.
ReplyDeleteI recently enjoyed Commonwealth (Ann Patchett) I know she's not your fave, but I enjoyed this one.
I also listened to The Good House (Ann Leary) I loved it!
Hmmm...I'm going to put The Good House on my Libby list for the next time I need an audiobook rec. I'll probably avoid Ann Patchett for now. LOL.
DeleteI'm listening to Listen for the Lie right now, and it is SO GOOD.
ReplyDeleteMy favorites from May were All My Rage and Planes, Trains, and All the Feels!
Your average star rating was almost a 4.0! Amazing!
You're going to LOVE Listen for the Lie!
DeleteIt was a great reading month. Or, alternatively, I've decided that I can't be bothered to be mean about books in my life right now.
I added a few to my ever growing TBR. Glad you enjoyed When we believed in mermaids. My best May read... The Cartographers.
ReplyDelete