What I read in February and March and April and May and June:
Lots of work travel and a freak health drama has me wayyyy behind on le book blogging. A quick rundown:
Innocents and Others by Dana Spiotta: Slow start, loved the last third, especially the section about influence and the collaborative artistic process.
Modern Lovers by Emma Straub: Didn’t love Laura Lamott but decided to give this a try and am glad I did. Engaging, entertaining read. Recommend.
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld: A modern day retelling of Pride and Prejudice that suffered from not departing from the framework of the original. Parts of it were borderline terrible because the antiquated courtship elements did not translate. At the same time, I could not put it down because the Elizabeth/Darcy romance was as compelling as ever.
Outline by Rachel Cusk: If you like slightly experimental fiction this is a must-read.
The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney: Entitled, underachieving middle aged siblings awaiting their trust fund payout find their plan derailed. Loved this one.
The Sellout by Paul Beatty: I had to abandon this book, didn’t have the attention span for it at the time. Will try to pick it back up eventually.
The Turner House by Angela Flournoy: A slow burn but the second half of this book crushed me. Recommend.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman: Heartwarming book about a grumpy old man set in his way whose world is turned upside down by a cheery young family who move in across the street. A primer on empathy, highly recommend.
Saint Mazie by Jamie Attenberg: A great NYC book. Was hoping I’d feel the character a bit more deeply but appropriate in some ways that the old broad wouldn’t let you get toooo close.
Girl Through Glass by Sari Wilson: I am obsessed with ballet, so immediately downloaded this to my kindle when I learned about it. Found it disappointing.
The Liars Club by Mary Karr: LOVE. Put this at the top of your list.
Purity by Jonathan Franzen: Oh, Franzen. This was a very Franzen Franzen book. I generally enjoy reading him, this was pretty good but unless you’re a fan ehhh not sure I would try and force it on the casual reader.
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven: Devastating, moving YA book about first love and mental illness.
City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg: Oh man, this book is a commitment. Most of it was a slog but there are sections of zines and diary entries in the second half of the book that begin to thread everything together really elegantly.
My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout: A quick read about mother daughter relationships. Was lukewarm about it.
Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf: Very sweet, kind of quiet short novel about two elderly neighbors who forge a late in life romance in a small town.
Fortune Smiles by Adam Johnson: Fantastic collection of short stories. Recommend!
M Train by Patti Smith: A little meandering but she has earned it. I love reading about Smith’s talismans, process, lifestyle, and routines.
Vivian Apple at the End of the World by Katie Coyle: Entertaining apocalyptic YA.
I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson: Probably my favorite book I’ve read this year. This is the YA book I’d want to claim as having written myself.
