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Now that May is coming to a close, it’s a good time to share a list of the books I have read over this past month.
I read a total of 23 books in the month of May. Some of them I loved, some not so much.
Here are a list of (a few of) the standout books I really enjoyed this month and my thoughts on each title:
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
A classic that needs no introduction, A Tale of Two Cities is one of Dickens shortest novels. Unlike many students, I never had to read this one in high school. As a result, it’s been on my list of classics I wanted to tackle for quite a few years. I finally buckled down and read this one this past month. This was actually an Audible pick for me. I’m glad I went the audiobook route with this one. I think I ended up getting through it a little faster than I would have if I had read it in physical book format. Dickens is definitely more fun when read aloud.
You may already know something about the plot of this book. It is set during the French Revolution in London and Paris (hence the name) and centers around a small group of French aristocrats living in exile in England. When one of them returns to Paris, the consequences have a ripple effect on many others. Dickens, never one to shy away from the controversies of his time, tackles the subject matter with a clear view toward social commentary. This book is a classic for a reason. While I wouldn’t say it was the most enjoyable book I have ever read, it definitely made me think and I learned some history as well. Like most of Dickens’ characters, the characters in this novel are sometimes a little over the top, but always fascinating.
If you haven’t yet read A Tale of Two Cities, you definitely should. At the very least, it will make you feel smarter.
The Lola Quartet by Emily St. John Mandel
Having read Station Eleven last year and not being as impressed as many other readers were been by it, I was hesitant to pick up any of Emily St. John Mandel’s other tiles. However, I have heard Anne Bogel on her What Should I Read Next? Podcast recommend Mandel’s books on more than one occasion. And since I have almost always liked any book that Anne praised so highly, I decided to give The Lola Quartet a chance. I am so glad I did!
The Lola Quartet starts in a park with a young teenaged mother who has $118,000 concealed under her daughter’s stroller—an intriguing start to any story. From there, the explanation for how this young woman came to be in possession of so much money begins to unfold, along with a story about a group of high school friends whose lives have run in different directions over the course of a decade. Mandel tackles some tough subjects in this novel such as teen pregnancy, theft, addiction, professional integrity, and friendship with sincerity and insight. This book has plenty of food for thought, but it is also a captivating story that draws the reader in from the very first page. The characters each have their flaws, but they are well developed and you feel for each one of them as they face decisions that alter the course of each of their lives.
I highly recommend The Lola Quartet by Emily St. John Mandel. This book has caused me to want to read all of Mandel’s other books.
(Note: Be aware that this book addresses adult themes and that it does include some materials that some readers may find uncomfortable.)
A Dresser of Sycamore Trees by Garret Keizer
This book is a quietly powerful read that will make the reader think about lots of different issues in a new light. A Dresser of Sycamore Trees is the memoir of an Episcopal lay minister in rural Vermont during the 1980s. He shares insights into his life among the people of the little town of Island Pond. The stories he tells in the pages of this book reminded me so much of my own small New England town, and I found many similarities between the people of his congregation and my own neighbors. Though there is a difference in our denominational alignments, I appreciated Keiser’s devotion to his faith and to the people of his small country church. This was a refreshing and reflective read that, though slow going, gave me lots to ponder. Sometimes we all need to read a book that does that for us.
The Singer’s Gun by Emily St. John Mandel
Another title by Emily St. John Mandel which I thoroughly enjoyed. Though it didn’t capture me in quite the same way as The Lola Quartet, The Singer’s Gun was a really good read. The plot is well constructed and the characters are complex and interesting. The premise is also intriguing. The book tells the story of a young man who is trying to distance himself from the “family business,” which includes—among other activities—dealing in stolen goods and forged passports. His cousin blackmails him into doing one last job. He is resistant, but feels he has not choice and so he agrees. The tale unfolds from there, revealing the consequences of his decision and how the effects of that choice ripple out to the lives of others.
The moral dilemmas the characters face bring dimension to the story and ultimately shape who they become. It is an interesting book and one I enjoyed reading.
(Again, I would add a disclaimer: this book tackles themes which may be sensitive to some readers and includes material which may be offensive to some audiences.)
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
How can I begin to express how much I loved this book? This is the story of a Russian aristocrat who, in the early days of the 20th century, is exiled to a luxurious hotel in Moscow. The story of his time there and of how he responds to his imprisonment in this hotel is much more captivating than it might appear at first glance. The main character is charming and becomes more and more endearing as his story unfolds. The supporting cast which surrounds him are equally engaging.
I loved this book so much, I recommended it to my husband who is generally more of a nonfiction reader. But I am convinced he will love this book, too. In fact, I believe this book with appeal to a wide audience. It is a lovely book with a satisfying—if somewhat ambiguous—ending.
Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum
I don’t generally read YA, but I picked up this novel because it is this month’s choice for the Modern Mrs. Darcy Bookclub. (If you don’t know who Modern Mrs. Darcy—aka Anne Bogel—is, then you must get thee over to her blog and find out immediately!)
It is a story with a surprising amount of depth and it deals with some difficult issues like grief and loss in a sensitive but not too heavy way. It is the story of a teenaged young woman who has lost her mother a few years before. While still navigating that loss, her father meets and marries a woman from California, leading to the two of them moving from their home in Chicago to live with her new stepmother and stepbrother in Southern California. The move is challenging for her, as is adjusting to a new school. Enter a mysterious young man who offers to be her “spirit guide” to her new life at the new school. A friendship develops between the two and she decides she must solve the mystery of the young man’s identity.
It is a sweet story well told. Not my typical genre, certainly. But I really liked this one.
Tracy Rees is one of my favorite authors. She writes the kind of books I especially love to read, and she does it flawlessly. Florence Grace is the story of a young woman in 19th century England who discovers that, though she grew up in poverty in a small village, she comes from a family of wealth and privilege. Reclaimed by her well-to-do relatives after the loss of the family who raised her, she must learn to fit into a world that is wholly unfamiliar to her. Her spirit of tenacity and commitment to retain the core of who she is drew me into her story and into her world.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves good historical fiction.
The Lilac Bouquet by Carolyn Brown
Carolyn Brown’s books are always good if you are in the mood for something light and fun but that also has some depth. The Lilac Bouquet is a surprisingly sweet and touching book that I found very satisfying to read. It tells to story of a young woman only weeks away from her wedding day who goes to work for the town recluse. She discovers truths about his past that reveal links to her own family. I loved the characters and found myself rooting for them to figure things out and patch up the hurts of their pasts in order to better their own futures. This was another really good read. (Plus, the cover is so pretty!)
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
Another book I read this month that I absolutely adored. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry tells the story of A.J., a quirky bookstore owner who is still grieving the death of his wife after three years. He has intentionally isolated himself as much as possible and has taken to drinking to ease the pain of his loss. Into his lonely world comes a special little “package” which is left in his bookstore one evening and which changes his life in dramatic ways. The book is filled with so many literary references (it does take place in a bookshop, after all) that it is pure delight for any book lover.
Very soon after beginning to read this book, I realized that the story seemed familiar. It suddenly dawned on me why. This is a modern (and bookish) retelling of Silas Marner by George Elliot. I have a special affection for Silas Marner, so when I discovered this book’s connection to it, I was pleased and looked forward to each plot point to see how close it was to the original. It did understandably stray from the original story, but A.J., much like Silas, experienced a similar transformation from curmudgeon to charmingly quirky hero.
Reading this lovely little book made me extremely happy.
Grounded Hearts by Jeanne M. Dickson
Set in Ireland during World War II, Grounded Hearts is the story of the midwife of a small village who discovers a downed RAF pilot at her door one night. Out of obligation to her profession as a nurse, she helps bind his wounds. Because Ireland has chosen to remain neutral in the conflict, she is put in the position of having to hide the pilot’s presence in her home. The story that unfolds as a result of her decision is captivating. The characters in this book are well drawn and the dilemmas each one faces challenge them and reveal their true natures. At its heart, this is a love story told in a fascinating setting. Any reader of clean romances will enjoy this book.
Only Ever Her by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
First off, this book is being touted as a thriller or a suspense novel, but it is much too character driven for that description. It is really more along the lines of a literary mystery. The plot unfolds slowly, but that is a good thing because it gives the reader time to get to know what is going on in the minds of the principle characters. The central character, Annie, goes missing just days before her wedding. Her disappearance coincides with the release from prison of the man who was convicted of killing her mother 23 years before. Suspicions arise and the entire small, Southern community comes together to find out what happened to Annie.
This book held my interest from the very beginning. It was interesting to learn the backstories of the main characters and their motivations for choices they had made. Each one has a secret they don’t want the others to discover. These secrets play into the disappearance of Annie and drive the story along. I wanted to know what had happened, but I also wanted to know why. And there is an unexpected twist at the end which I did not see coming. All in all, this was a satisfying read.
So there you have it—the books I enjoyed most this month. Some are newer releases, others have been around for a while, but all of them were worth my time (and yours!).
