Yes, I’m fully aware that it is July 11. I’m playing catch-up (always, it seems), and I read too many books in May and June to squish them into one post! So here it goes.
Empire Falls by Richard Russo – My short, initial review was that I give this a 4.8 stars. I LOVE Richard Russo’s writing. He does an excellent job building the town of Empire Falls and making you fall in love with its people. I don’t think it’s a mindset-changing book for me, but it’s an excellent example of a great novel. Two thumbs up. (Just beware, there’s an unexpected twist and if certain types of violence are a trigger for you, you might Google what it is before you read. I hope that’s not too spoiler-y.)
Rebound by Kwame Alexander – I didn’t realize when I started reading this that it is a prequel to The Crossover, probably Alexander’s biggest book (and a Newberry medal winner). I picked it up off the YA table at the library because I’ve heard of Alexander but never read anything by him. I started reading the novel in verse while my kids were picking out books and was engrossed enough 10 minutes in that I needed to take it home and finish! Charlie, a young teen who has just lost his father, is sent away to his grandparents’ house for a pivotal summer. I have to say, I love books in verse. They go fast but pack a punch, and this one is so vivid to me. A great read, and I am definitely going to find The Crossover and Alexander’s other books.
The Summer of the Great-Grandmother by Madeleine L’Engle – In this, her second of the Crosswicks Journals, L’Engle writes both about the last summer her mother was alive and the history of her mother’s side of the family. An only child, L’Engle had an exceptionally close relationship with her mother that continued until her mother started suffering from dementia. Raw, open, and lovely, L’Engle writes passionately about her family history and the gaping wound of losing her mother piece by piece.
Occasionally the Kindle set of the four Crosswicks Journals will go on sale for $2.99 or so, and they are so well worth picking up. I have read the first two and just adored them desperately.
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison – I half listened to this on Audible, half read it on paper (because I am so slow with listening to audiobooks, I always pick podcasts!). It was a fantastic audiobook and I kind of wished I had listened to the whole thing! Much of this is wholly disturbing, but it’s a super important book in the history of books and especially books about race relations in America. Ellison’s memoir follows the disillusionment of one young man, as he travels from the South to Harlem and becomes a public figure. The rhythm of the sentences isn’t quite Jazz by Toni Morrison but it captures the fast pace of the city and the times. I don’t know that I can say I LOVED it but I can see how it is important and well deserving of all attention and awards.
Rich and Pretty by Rumaan Alam – I feel kind of ridiculous even putting this next to a classic. Had I read any reviews before picking this up, I would have stayed far away. It has awful ratings on GoodReads and Amazon and they aren’t wrong. While the idea of this book is interesting – can your childhood friendships grow with you? – and the writing isn’t bad, the book doesn’t seem to go anywhere. It was too racy for me in places, unnecessarily so, and just not great.
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman – In a way, this feels a lot like A Man Called Ove (my review here). Odd, misfit, grumpy protagonist. Learns to become somewhat normal socially. But it’s also completely different. Eleanor had a childhood trauma, grew up in foster homes, and is still not sure how to function among normal people. When she falls fast for a musician she sees in concert, she wants to figure out how to make herself more appropriate for him. Through the novel, we see her transformation and find out whether it sticks. It took me longer than I thought it would to sink into this story, but once I did, I couldn’t stop reading. I stayed up late to finish it. Honeyman’s quirky writing voice is a little humorous in places but goes to gut-wrenching really fast.
Wires and Nerve Volume 2: Gone Rogue by Marissa Meyer – I love everything in Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles universe. This is her second graphic novel that takes place after the series, mostly from the point of view of Iko, Cinder’s robot with personality. In this one, we find a little bit more about Iko’s back story and a lot about the gang of former Lunar mutant wolves making trouble on Earth. It’s a quick, fun read that made my heart happy.
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Those were my reads for May! June coming soon. Hopefully before July is over. I read so much great stuff in June I can’t wait to tell you about.
