Photo by Alisa Anton on Unsplash
April was a rough month, so I only managed to read one book. I made up for it this month, though, and read eight. It feels so good to be back into my reading groove, and several of the books I finished in May are fantastic. Let’s get to them.
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Rating: 4/5
WHAT’S THIS
BOOK ABOUT?
Connell and Marianne attend school together but are in different social circles. Connell actually has a social circle, but Marianne is the odd loner. She comes from a wealthy family, and Connell’s mother is their housekeeper. While Marianne and Connell would never speak to each other in school, they start talking when Connell comes over to pick up his mom. They quickly enter an on-again, off-again relationship which Normal People chronicles over many years.
WHAT’S GOOD (OR NOT) ABOUT THIS BOOK?
Sally Rooney writes excellent dialog; I thoroughly enjoyed Connell and Marianne’s conversations. I also appreciated Rooney’s sympathetic treatment of mental illness in this novel.
WHO SHOULD READ
THIS BOOK?
People who enjoy character-driven literary fiction will like this book a lot.
Book Love by Debbie Tung
Rating: 3/5
WHAT’S THIS
BOOK ABOUT?
Book Love is a graphic novel that reads like a love letter to books and reading.
WHAT’S GOOD (OR NOT) ABOUT THIS BOOK?
The illustrations are lovely, and the author’s enthusiasm for books is contagious.
WHO SHOULD READ
THIS BOOK?
Book lovers will find a friend in Debbie Tung and will enjoy this brief, sweet book.
The New Me by Halle Butler
Rating: 4/5
WHAT’S THIS
BOOK ABOUT?
Millie is thirty and struggling. She can’t hold down a job and has to use a temp agency. Her only friend treats her terribly. She has to rely on her parents for financial support, and her mother warns her that the end of it is coming soon. When Millie gets assigned to work in a trendy new office, she hopes to become a permanent staff member and that hope fuels her longing for reinvention.
WHAT’S GOOD (OR NOT) ABOUT THIS BOOK?
Halle Butler has written a character who isn’t exactly likeable (*gasp!*), but who I was rooting for anyway. This is a slim, quick read, but has a lot of great things to say about image, consumerism, and feeling stuck in life.
WHO SHOULD READ
THIS BOOK?
Readers who enjoy quirky characters and satire will probably enjoy The New Me the most.
I’ll Be There for You: The One about Friends by Kelsey Miller
Rating: 3/5
WHAT’S THIS
BOOK ABOUT?
I’ll Be There for You tells the story of Friends, one of the biggest pop culture phenomenons of the ’90s and early 2000s. Kelsey Miller talks about things like what life was like for the cast members before Friends, what led to the show’s creation, and how the cast rallied together for equal pay.
WHAT’S GOOD (OR NOT) ABOUT THIS BOOK?
Whether you’re a huge fan of the show or not, this book is an interesting read that sheds light on why Friends became such a big deal. I didn’t learn much that I didn’t already know, but I wanted a light book and this book delivered.
WHO SHOULD READ
THIS BOOK?
Fans of the show and pop culture enthusiasts will get the most out of this book.
Southern Lady Code by Helen Ellis
Rating: 5/5
WHAT’S THIS
BOOK ABOUT?
Southern Lady Code is a humorous essay collection about womanhood, friendship, and life in New York City when you have southern roots.
WHAT’S GOOD (OR NOT) ABOUT THIS BOOK?
I knew that Helen Ellis is hilarious because I read and enjoyed her collection of short stories, American Housewife, but Southern Lady Code exceeded all of my expectations. It’s witty, but has some sweet, heartfelt moments, too.
WHO SHOULD READ
THIS BOOK?
Fans of David Sedaris and Nora Ephron will find a lot to love in this book.
The White Album by Joan Didion
Rating: 2/5
WHAT’S THIS
BOOK ABOUT?
The White Album is a collection of Didion’s essays from the late 1960s and ’70s.
WHAT’S GOOD (OR NOT) ABOUT THIS BOOK?
I’ve always been interested in this time period, so I like the historical aspect of the book. I had a hard time connecting with most of these essays, though. This is the first Didion book I’ve read, so I think my expectations were too high.
WHO SHOULD READ
THIS BOOK?
Even though I didn’t care for this book much myself, Didion is beloved by many readers who probably adore this collection.
Interior States by Meghan O’Gieblyn
Rating: 2/5
WHAT’S THIS
BOOK ABOUT?
Interior States is an essay collection about religion and culture in the Midwest.
WHAT’S GOOD (OR NOT) ABOUT THIS BOOK?
Just like with The White Album, I think my high expectations for this book left me a bit disappointed. I love religion writing and I’m from the Midwest, so this book seemed right up my alley. While I did enjoy several of the essays, I was hoping for more depth regarding O’Gieblyn’s faith journey. While she does address it throughout the book, her reasons for leaving Christianity behind were glossed over a bit too quickly for me. It turns out I was more interested in her story than in the Midwest’s story.
WHO SHOULD READ
THIS BOOK?
If you’re interested in religion and its cultural impact, you might really like this book.
State of the Union: A Marriage in Ten Parts by Nick Hornby
Rating: 4/5
WHAT’S THIS
BOOK ABOUT?
Louise and Tom have just started attending marriage counseling thanks to some infidelity and lack of communication. Before they head into their weekly sessions, they meet at a pub across the street for a drink and talk about their relationship. This book includes ten of those conversations.
WHAT’S GOOD (OR NOT) ABOUT THIS BOOK?
I’ve read a lot of books by Nick Hornby, and he’s one of those authors who I know will deliver an interesting read infused with humor, even when the book is about a serious topic. That combo is precisely what I got here in his latest release. This short book is mostly just dialog, which Hornby writes exceptionally well. I could have read many more conversations between Tom and Louise.
WHO SHOULD READ
THIS BOOK?
If you’re like me and enjoy books that give you a inside look at a complicated marriage, I think you’ll really like this.
Andrea Is Reading 