I haven’t done this in a while. I used to tell you what I was reading every month! Here are a few books I remember over the last few months or so. I don’t read as much as I used to. Much to my chagrin.
30-day stay, medium term rentals
by Zeona McIntyre and Sarah Weaver
I’m friends with Z, and so of course I bought her book. But I found it immensely useful. She has a bunch of medium-term rentals that she lets out on Airbnb and the like. Boyfriend has five medium-term rentals, so it’s good to learn all her secrets. I have another full post on this coming soon.
Education x Action = Results
Words whispered in water
by Sandy Rosenthal
Boyfriend’s mother wrote this book! It’s about the floods in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. I’m really impressed she was able to accrue all this information and write a book about it.
Lessons in Chemistry
by Bonnie Garmus
Charming novel with a very likeable protaganist, although a lot of the characters seem unnecessarily cruel towards her. I loved that the author also wrote from the point of view of her dog. It’s all very believable and adorable.
“And yet here she sat with self-appointed guardians of moral conduct, smug judges who lacked judgment, one of whom seemed unclear on the process of conception and one who went along because she, like so many other women, assumed that downgrading someone of her own sex would somehow lift her in the estimation of her male superiors.”
It must have sucked to live in the 50’s.
Marie Kondo’s Kurashi at Home
by Marie Kondo
Marie Kondo has a new book out! Reading it inspired me to re-KonMarie my house. She has some tips that I won’t follow, like wipe the entryway to the house every day. No thanks. I do like the idea of putting up pictures in the living room, but that’s not exactly ground-breaking.
The kitchen is where I struggle the most. Would the joy of having matching plates be worth the expense?Probably, honestly. Kondo suggests when you’re eating, put things on beautiful plates and such. My aunt does this. It seems a nice way to live.
Good-ish book, but a lot of fluff, like recipes randomly inserted.
I’m glad my mom died
by Jenette McCurdy
Horrifying title and even more horrifying childhood. The author is a former child actress, on the Nickelodeon shows iCarly and Sam and Cat. Her mother is abusive and coaches her through anorexia. Just awful. But the book itself is fantastic. She’s a terrific writer with a funny voice.
Crying in H Mart: A Memoir
by Michelle Zauner
Another dead mom book! This one is more nuanced and we don’t dislike the mom. It’s a sad battle with cancer and a horrible death that we experience with the author. Very heart-wrenching, but well-written and I enjoyed it very much.
Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows
by Balli Kaur Jaswal
The story is about this woman in her twenties who is teaching a writing group for Punjabi widows at her local temple. The widows want to write erotica apparently. I found it all hard to believe.
The Last Thing He Told Me
by Laura Dave
This is the story of a woman’s husband who suddenly goes missing and her attempts to figure out the truth and keep her stepdaughter safe. I guess it’s a bit of a page-turner and it’s the only book so far this month that I’ve finished, so that says something.
Crossing the line: A Fearless Team of Brothers and the Sport that Changed Their Lives Forever
by Kareem Rosser
This is about polo players and their horses in a poor part of Philadelphia. Kind of boring.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
by Lemony Snicket
Oh man, this was a hard book to read. The author kept warning you that bad things were going to happen and I kept having to put the book down when the bad thing started to happen. Can’t say I wasn’t warned! I’m debating the rest of the books in the series. Are they worth it?
I enjoy your posts and these mini summaries and reviews.
I recently became aware of “Die With Zero” by Bill Perkins. Basically it says we should all die having spent all of our money for the sake of fulfillment. Anything unspent is a waste. Your recent post about your boyfriend spending money for a convenience made wonder what you would think of this book. Have you read it? I’d be curious on your views.
Yes! Someone recommended it to me a while ago. I’m on the library list to read it. Currently number five in the queue.
I read « I’m glad my mom died, » it’s a must for children of dysfunctional parents (aka Adult Children). I loved it and as you said, her sense of humor is obvious and makes the book really fun to read despite the heavy topic. I’ve seen interviews of her since and she seems to have made her peace with her childhood. Good for her.
I haven’t heard anything about her since, so I’m glad she’s doing well!
I listened to “I’m Glad My Mom Died” on audio book. I wasn’t familiar with her so I wasn’t sure what to expect but I enjoyed listening to her story.
What made you pick it up if you’ve never heard of her? I’ve never heard of her either, but the title grabbed me.
Exactly, the title grabbed me. And I found out my daughter had read and enjoyed the book as well.
Great choice of books ,cryinv in h mart was amazing
Thanks! Anything comparable you’ve read lately you can recommend?
I also loved both ‘dead mom’ books-love the insight into other people’s familys. In the same vein I’ve enjoyed Stay True by Hua Hsu, Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley (fictionalized history but so realistic), and The Copenhagen Trilogy by Tove Ditlevsen (thought it would be super boring, gave it a try and couldn’t stop)
I slogged through a bunch more of the Lemony Snicket books and they are really more of the same. I think you can do better for kid’s books. Check out Lois Lowry (intro sci-fi with The Giver series, but earlier work is lighthearted) or Nathan Hale (history in graphic book form) or Pseudonymous Bosch (like Lemony Snicket, but lighter, also a little hit or miss).
I am always working on giving myself the option to just quit when I don’t love a book.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment. I just requested Stay True from the library and put the other books on my to-read list. I appreciate you letting me know about the Lemony Snicket series. I won’t bother with them!
My family has found some great books in your review posts. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
That makes me so unbelievably happy! Thanks for telling me.
Several months ago I read A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. It was incredible and so moving it was difficult to read at times, but I couldn’t put it down. This is a novel that will stick with me for life. Lots of trigger warnings with this book and I would recommend folks do a little research before reading in case they don’t want to go down any paths.
I just recently finished Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan, and Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. I recommend all three. I’m currently reading A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. It took me a little bit to get into, but it’s turned out entertaining and I’m so close to finding out whodunit!
I just ordered it from the library. Thanks!
Our next Book Club book is Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus so I’m hoping it will be a goodie.
Our last one was Anxious People by Fredrik Backman and it was a cracker. It’s rare when a book lives up to the blurb on the dust jacket. On the front of this one it said, “Funny, compassionate and wise . . . an absolute joy” and that was exactly right.
Thanks for the suggestions!!