May was a big reading month for me. I read 14 books for the most part. I quit reading 3 of them about halfway through though. So 11 books in full. Out of those 11 that I finished 7 were hardback books, 3 were audiobooks, and 1 was on my Kindle. The 3 I DNFd (did not finish) were all on my Kindle. Trying to finish a book you are not enjoying is such a drag. I've made up my mind not to waste time that way.
Since there are so many books to talk about, I am going to split this review into two parts. Here's my rating system:
5 stars: I loved it, and recommend it to everyone
4 stars: I really enjoyed it, and I bet you might too
3 stars: it was ok, more good than not, I don't regret reading it
2 stars: Meh. I really didn't care for this one, but it could be for others
1 star: No. I did not like this book one single bit
Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow is a book about three generations of Southern Black women living in Memphis, TN. The story is based somewhat on the author's family and their experiences and challenges. The story is told in a non-linear manner, skipping around in time and points of view, which was a bit confusing. The book is well-written, but there isn't much plot. Subject matter includes domestic abuse, rape of a child, racism, and the difficulty women have to rise above adversity. Things I liked were the relationships between women and the support they give one another. This could be a good book club choice because it provides a lot of topics for discussion. 3.5 stars
The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith was very entertaining and poignant at the same time. It is a father/daughter story for the most part. Greta is an Indie rock star whose beloved mom has recently passed away. Her mom and dad had planned a lifelong dream cruise vacation to Alaska, on which her dad now intends to go alone. Greta's brother "guilt trips" her into taking her Mom's place on the cruise to support her dad, with whom she has always had a rocky relationship. Her father has never approved of her career, (even though she is a success), thinking she should get a "real" job. Greta is definitely in need of a break, due to recently having had a total meltdown on stage while performing a new song which was a tribute to her mom. The video of her has gone viral and her career may have taken a hit. She agrees to accompany her dad and try to make peace with him while getting herself out of the media spotlight. There is a shipboard romance with another passenger and great descriptions of Alaska, glaciers, and nature. Seriously, you will want to immediately book a trip there. This was a heartwarming book about second chances, grief, love, and family relationships. 4 Stars
The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett by Annie Lyons was a book that gave me mixed feelings. Eighty-five-year-old Eudora is done with life. Without friends or family, she finds aging full of indignity and discomforts and definitely does not want to end her days in pain, in a hospital hooked up to machines. She isn't terminally ill but wants to be in control of her death. She contacts a clinic in Switzerland about signing up for assisted suicide. Because she isn't ill, the clinic has reservations about taking her on but is willing to review her case. While this is happening, a new family moves in next door to Eudora and she meets her irrepressible new neighbor 10 year old Rose. Rose has a unique fashion sense, a big personality, and no filter whatsoever. She and curmudgeonly Eudora develop a friendship, which then leads to befriending more people and life becomes more rewarding. Therefore a conflict ensues concerning her plan with the Swiss clinic. It was a good story and made me have lots of feelings. The sad truth is many single aging seniors do not have a support system at the end of their lives, so this unrealistic story was a bit "pie in the sky" for my taste. 3 Stars
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus was so good! Elizabeth Zott was born in the wrong era. It is the 1950s and she plans a career in science, a male-dominated field. Throughout the 50s and 60s, she meets obstacle after obstacle and misogyny unlike anything we would tolerate today. Her male colleagues behave in outrageously sexist ways, take credit for her work, pay her a pittance for the same work they do for more money, and treat her with condescension. Finally forced out of the science lab, she finds herself in the unlikely position of hosting a TV cooking show, which ends up being a huge success. Even though the subject matter is no joke, this book had many hilarious moments. There hasn't been a character I've met in literature like Elizabeth Zott, and I found her so refreshing. There is also a brilliant dog named Six Thirty who has a big role in the book, which I loved. On a side note, Apple + TV scrambled like crazy to get an option to make this book a series starring Brie Larsen, so that will be fun to look forward to. 4.5 Stars
His and Hers by Alice Feeney is described as a twisty psychological thriller. I listened to the audible version, which had the unique feature of having three narrators: Anna Andrews, a BBC news presenter with an alcohol problem; Jack Harper, a DCI investigating the murder of someone he knows all too well; and thirdly, the murderer. The voice of the murderer was creepily altered in the audio version by one of those weird audio voice changer devices. The story was super suspenseful and very twisty. All the characters had big flaws and were unreliable in multiple ways, so the reader never feels on sure footing as to what exactly is happening. This was a well-written compulsive story that had me guessing up to the end. 4 stars.
See you next time with more reviews!