Books I Read in May

 I was pretty surprised I managed to read 10 books this past month because I noticed I had quite a few reading slumps.  At one point I kept picking up a book, reading a few pages, and then that afternoon or the next day picking up another one and reading a few pages-- just waiting for a book to grab my attention-- and it never happened!  I finally had to just pick a book and force myself to start reading it. That's not to say I didn't read any great books this month; I did! But I found it much harder to sit and read and focus. 

1. Someone Else's Shoes by Jojo Moyes-- I thought this story was absolutely delightful! Nisha is a very wealthy globe-trotting woman who tries to be the perfect wife to her less than perfect husband.  One day at the gym her bag gets swapped with someone else's and Nisha's life pretty much falls apart from there when her husband announces abruptly that he's divorcing her and bars her from entering their hotel. With only the bathrobe and flip flops from the gym Nisha must figure out what to do.  Sam, meanwhile has accidentally picked up Nisha's bag and she's annoyed that she now has one more thing to add to her ever growing to do list.  With her husband suffering from depression all tasks fall to her and it's a struggle just to get her work done with a boss that seems to have it out for her. The story spirals from there and eventually the 2 meet but meanwhile have had some radical changes in their lives that both must contend with. 

2. Love After Love by Ingrid Persaud-- I struggled a bit to understand some of the more colloquial turns of phrase used by the main characters since this book is set in Trinidad and Tobago but after a few Google searches and some simple context clues I definitely got the main points of the story and found myself swept up by the three main characters.  When Betty's husband dies, Mr. Chetan moves in as a boarder to help her pay rent and becomes like a second father to Betty's son Solo. They become the most unlikely of families with secrets being kept between them all.  Spanning the course of many, many years it's a heartbreaking story of love, forgiveness, and finding the courage to be ones self. 

3. Every Summer After by Carley Fortune-- Persephone (Percy) Frasier has not been back to the lake and the cottage that she spent so many of her childhood years beside for more than a decade.  That all changes when she gets a call one night that has her racing back to the sleepy little town she fled after a horrible mistake. Percy and Sam had been best friends growing up, sharing first loves, growing pains, and an enormous crush on another they had made a rather unlikely pair. Torn apart by college, time and circumstances Percy has avoided anything that might remind her of Sam so she's less than thrilled when he's the first person she stumbles upon when she gets to town.  Told in alternating timelines between the past and the present I really enjoyed this book a lot. 

4. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab-- In 1714, in rural France, when Addie's family practically forces her to the aisle to marry a man she doesn't want, she flees to the woods and makes a pact with a shadow God to live forever and belong to no one. Only problem is that she is now forgotten by everyone she meets. Told in alternating timelines from 1714 to 2014 we learn how Addie has survived and traveled and made her way through the last 300 years.  When she suddenly meets someone in 2014 in NYC that actually remembers her. The way their stories weave together was really interesting. 

5. You Will Not Have My Hate by Antoine Leiris-- What a sweet little tribute to his wife!  Antoine Leiris lost his wife in a terrorist attack in Paris. When a Facebook post he wrote about not giving his hate to the terrorists went viral he began writing a small little memoir about his wife and his process of dealing with her sudden loss while also helping his 17 month old son deal with the loss of his mother.  It was a quick little read but it was incredibly moving. 

 6. Dragon's Green by Scarlett Thomas-- (Worldquake book #1) Effie believes in magic and when her grandfather falls ill and dies he leaves Effie a few of his possessions; all of which turn out to have magical properties. Only problem is that Effie had no idea how to use any of them.  Her grandfather made her promise to guard his collection of rare books so when they fall into the wrong hands Effie must get them back. With the help of her friends Effie discovers her own power (and theirs!) and ventures into the Otherworld to gain back her grandfather's belongings.  It was a cute middle grade fantasy novel and I've already ordered book 2 from the library because I am curious to see how this series ends. 

7. Before I Do by Sophie Cousens-- Audrey has been drifting through life with an eye on the sky and she's about to marry down to Earth Josh who is so solid and dependable.  But as the big day approaches, Audrey starts to have doubts and with signs galore all around her she gets shaken; dead bats, old boyfriends showing up, the bride figure toppling off the cake, her dress ripping, etc. Told in alternating time lines from before and after the ceremony it was a really cute story. 

8. The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth-- Another fun little twisty tale! Essie is living in a perfect little cul-de-sac but Essie is far from perfect.  When a new neighbor moves in, Isabelle starts asking questions that seem to shake up the whole neighborhood. We get a bit of insight into each of the main family's lives as the story is told through multiple points of view and the reader quickly gets the sense that all is not quite right with any of these families... and secrets and lies have a way of coming to light.

9. Dating You Hating You by Christina Lauren--  I've slowly been making my way through Christina Laruen books and picked up this one this month. Carter and Evie hit it off at a mutual friend's Halloween party but are reluctant to start anything since they work in the same high moving field. They are agents and feel like they are always working so when would they possible have time to date?  Then their two firms merge and they find themselves competing for the same job. 

10. Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover-- While Colleen Hoover can be such a hit or miss for me this was one of her books that I really enjoyed. In fact I read it in just a handful of hours (spread out through the course of one day).  Beyah has always had to rely on her own wits, growing up with an addict of a mother. Beyah has worked hard and is determined to get out of the small town she's living in.  When her mother overdoses just months before Beyah is slated to leave for college she's forced to call her father and live with him for the summer.  Moving across the country to live with a man she hardly knows,  a stepmother she forgot she even had, and a step-sister she knew nothing about Beyah does not have high hopes for her summer.  But then she meets Samson and despite her every effort she finds herself falling for the guy next door. They reluctantly agree to a summer romance with a no strings attached deal... but whenever the heart is involved, strings soon follow and the two are ripped apart one morning in a course of action that changes both their lives.

DNF:

Bookworm by Robin Yeatman-- I thought this book sounded like such a cute premise; bookworm Victoria spies a man reading the same book as her in a coffeeshop one day and begins to fantasize that he is her perfect match.  There is a problem though because Victoria is already married!  But I realized a good quarter of the way into the book that I didn't like any of the characters. It's hard for me to read a book when I can't root for anyone. 

I just have 11 books left to read to finish up my 52 books challenge! I figure if 2 of my books each month are purposely chosen to meet the remaining requirements I'll be just fine to finish it up in time and still give myself plenty of time to read other books too. 

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