Friday, June 14, 2024

Reading Recap - May 2024

This post going up this late in the month is due to how BUSY the start of summer has been (WHY is it just as busy as the school year?!?!?) and the fact that I only read 10 books in May is due to how BUSY the end of the school year is (WHY does that sneak up on me every May?!?!?!).  We have had a few summer adventures already and then getting back into the swing of things (and getting caught up on laundry after two weeks of only being able to do absolutely NECESSITY loads (underwear) and just the summer busy...lots going on.  It's a different busy than May but still appreciate the break in the school schedule!  Also, my June reading has been going much better than May, so far!

I'm very active on Goodreads here, somewhat active on Instagram here, and linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy on the 15th! 

 Other book posts this month:

What Books I Buy, What Books I Borrow

 


Books I Reread Every Year (or Nearly)

 

{17} Camping Picture Books

And everything else I've been reading!


Funny Story by Emily Henry
I always love picking up Emily Henry's newest book.  I know it'll be a fun time even if I can't remember all the details a month later (like right now).  The ex-fiance of a man needs a place to live and she ends up living with the ex-boyfriend of her ex-fiance's new girlfriend.  It makes sense in the book (mostly).  My copy had a typo on page 10 so watch for that (the new girlfriend had the wrong last name).  Takes place in Michigan which is fun since that's near-ish me in Indiana and we've spent some time in Michigan.  There's a darling library festival and a fun small town.  And romance.  3.75 Stars

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
This got DARK at times, three former foster sisters and now just sisters by choice are under suspicion when a skelton is found on the grounds of their foster house, years after the moved out.  Flashes back to tell the story of their time at the foster home and how that's affected their lives moving forward as adults.  Hard to read at times but I don't know if I got used to it or the content just got a little more easy to read as the story went.  3.25 Stars

60 Songs That Explain the '90s by Rob Harvilla
I expected more of an essay explaining each of the 60 songs or at least a few of them together.  Instead it was more just a random train of thought, mentioning many songs from the 90s and many only briefly.  My favorite chapter was one on "One Hit Wonders" that explained how some songs became super famous and then the band/group/singer never had another hit song.  That was interesting and clearly researched.  The rest just felt very random and barely connected. 2.25 Stars

The Rule Book by Sarah Adams
A companion book to The Cheat Sheet which I purposely read over Superbowl weekend.  This one is about another football player on the same team and his ex-girlfriend who also happens to be his new agent (unintentionally).  Chaste, fun.  3.5 Stars

Welcome to Dunder Mifflin: The Ultimate Oral History of The Office by Brian Baumgartner and Ben Silverman
I have read many books about The Office by now, listened to every episode of The Office Ladies podcast (besides the two most recent ones in my podcast queue, summer doesn't give me as much listening time!), listened to Brian Baumgartner's original and second The Office podcasts.  I am VERY familiar with pretty much the whole story at this point, both what was aired and behind the camera.  But it had been a few years since I read a book so this was fun to read but not neccessary if you have consumed any or most of that other The Office content.  (I wrote a post about the various books and such back here) 3.5 Stars

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
Two people who think they are cursed, all their ex's find "the one" with the next person they date, so they decide to date each other so then they'll each find their forever person.  Minnesota, a terrible sounding living situation on an island with a shaky pontoon to get there (I've dealt with an unreliable pontoon and would not want that to me how I have to get to my house).  Slightly overlapping with some of her other books but not necessary to read in order.  They deal with rough family situations and parents, not just a romance. 3 Stars

The Guest List by Lucy Foley
This was more of a thriller than I normally read and had some twists I didn't see coming or predict!  There was a character's Irish name that I had NO IDEA how to pronounce and I felt like I was constantly making up a different way in my head when reading.  Fairly short and the twists kept the pages turning quickly.  Not my normal read but nice to mix in occasionally.  3.5 Stars

This Summer Will be Different by Carley Fortune
This mostly takes place on Prince Edward Island which I did not realize until I started reading it.  Lucy is a tourist, Felix is a local that is showing her around.  They do not realize at first that they actually have another connection as well (not siblings).  Lucy makes yearly trips to PEI, her best friend then insists on another one right before the BFF's wedding.  Something is going on (and you eventually find out what). The setting was fun.  Every Summer After is still my favorite of hers but this was fun.  3.75 Stars

The Island by Elin Hilderbrand
My annual Memorial Day reread.  Mother-daughter-sister-aunt story.  I know all the story beats after reading it 10 times now but still enjoy spending time with the Cousins and their romantic troubles.  4.5 Stars

Read with Sam
The Happy Hippo by Amelia Cobb, illustrated by Sophy Williams
We have read SO MANY of these Zoe Rescue Zoo books and they have been really fun to share with Sam.  He really wants a mouse lemur of his own now.  And wishes he could talk to animals too which I'm pretty sure I say every month when I write about one of these.

What have YOU been reading lately??

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