Book Review: May 2024
My book goal for the year is 75 books, meaning more than one a week. But here we are at the end of week 22 and I’ve “only” consumed 21 books. So then I was feeling like I was behind (a common mental block I am working on) on my goal.
Why would I be behind, I’m still reading almost a book a week? And so what if I don’t meet the goal that I put on myself. What is a goal really about, when I’m already reading so much and loving the material. Isn’t the joy of reading worth more than the number of books read?
I’m right on time… I’m not behind schedule nor am I ahead. I believe that the right book gets in your hands (or your headphones) at exactly the right time. Books are a portal to another world, a spark of inspiration or knowledge about new ideas. They are the comfort food, the nourishment.
Just some nerdy musings before my actual book review.
“None of this is True” by Lisa Jewell
3 stars
Your basic girl mystery / psychological thriller novel. Easy and pretty enjoyable. I didn’t love it as I found the plot too predictable. It made me hate the foolish men who made the women look crazy. A fast paced book but I only need 1 in 10 books to be a crime novel. If that’s your genre then you might like it more.
“Cutting for Stone” by Abraham Verghese
4 stars
A long saga across various continents times and POVs. Really detailed and rich character development. Deep family ties and secrets / mistakes were cool themes to explore. Our lives intersect with those around us in big and small ways, some we’ll never fully understand. A lot of (gross for medical) medical scenes but they were important to the plot development.
“Scarcity Brain” by Michael Easter
4 stars
My one personal development / educational book for the month. After reading, “Comfort Crisis” earlier this year by Michael Easter, I was looking forward to reading the 2nd of his books. This well-researched book included work about addiction, cravings, the reward cycle, human development in groups and in the brain processing. As someone who dealt with cravings not in a physical way but a mental way with alcohol consumption this part of the book really hit me. How we consume news, entertainment, food, screens, etc is something I love to explore. What nourishes us and what doesn’t and why. I was a big fan of the discussions about time in nature and solitude. More information about the author here.
“Weyward” by Emilia Hart
5 stars
Nature-loving females fighting again the patriarchy in different times of history?! Sign me up! I love intergenerational female stories and this one was fantastic. A story following 3 women in a family and their relationship to each other, to pain, healing and magic. It felt nourishing in a way that connected these women to a deeper power. Of course, the men in the book are fools and the women have to overcome a variety of hardships (Women fighting the patriarchy: a storyline I seem to read a lot of….or maybe it’s a common story) I loved the reverence for nature and fascination with the natural world. It has a similar vibe to “The Lost Apothecary”, which I also loved. If you’re looking or female-focused (and powerful!) book, this is my go-to recommendation right now.
“The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches” by Sangu Mandanna
5 stars
Back to back witch / magic books set in the UK this month. I read this right after “Weyward” and I was happy to stick with the magical realism genre. A really sweet book about the love shared between a chosen family. Witty one-liners / silly puns mixed with deep cuts of the truth and real emotions. The characters were flawed in lovable ways and their interactions were full of heartbreak, hope and tenderness. Brewing healing teas and potions, reading books, snuggling and tending gardens…all things I support. I finished the book smiling :)
Monthly book total: 5
Annual book total: 21