Hi again!

It feels sooo good to be writing/blogging again. How was your weekend? H and I layed really low and watched Spencer and The French Dispatch this weekend (both great, not amazing but still enjoyed!), and then I took my first SoulCycle class yesterday. Needless to say I am feeling v v refreshed.

Have you missed the bookish content? It’s been slow regardless, I spent most of my week off trying to catch back up on my Goodreads goal of 75 books for this year. Since I was so busy in March, I was late on writing the blog post and then decided to just combine with April. Some great reads in the mix!

VLADIMIR by Julia May Jonas

A woman teaches on a college campus and starts a romantic affair with another faculty member. This was such a random read for me – it’s a new release but I hadn’t heard any buzz around it. I would definitely skip – I was really close to DNFing (did not finish) this book and probably should’ve?? There’s nothing special about this story; I don’t think our main protagonist was supposed to be likable but I wasn’t invested at all.

Rating: 2.75 out of 5

THE BALLERINAS by Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Three women who trained in the Paris Opera Ballet then grow up with the consequences of the competitive world. I’m always so intrigued by a good, dark ballet story (my ballet training growing up was wholesome and not toxic at all haha), but there’s a lot going on in this story. This one held promise but the plot felt messy at a lot of points. Mostly I felt that there wasn’t a good climax nor overarching issue that held the story together.

Rating: 3 out of 5

THE SWITCH by Beth O’Leary

A woman and her grandmother switch cities to pursue love and a break from a demanding job. I looooved O’Leary’s debut novel, The Flatshare, so I knew I’d want to pick up her other novels. This one was cute! I love stories set in the UK and/or English countryside, so this was a fun one. Half of the audio is narrated by Daisy Edgar-Jones which is a plus! I didn’t feel very connected to the characters, but the setting & plot were charming.

Rating: 3.25 out of 5

THE MAID by Nita Prose

A diligent maid works in a hotel and one day finds a dead man in a suite. This one was fun – it’s a light locked-room murder mystery. I wasn’t gripped but it was still enjoyable, and I loved the setting.

Rating: 3.25 out of 5

INTIMACIES by Katie Kitamura

A woman is an interpreter in the legal system in the Netherlands while juggling the ups and downs of her personal life. This one won so many awards in 2021 so I was really intrigued to pick this one up. It’s short but Kitamura explores so many different themes of intimacies within this short book, like what it means to know someone, someplace, and/or something.

Rating: 4 out of 5

THE MAGICIAN by Colm Toíbín

A fictionalized biography of German writer Thomas Mann before, during, and after WWII. I love stories set during the WWII era so I was really excited to pick this book up. For most of the story I didn’t realize Thomas Mann was a real man?? Lol regardless, I really enjoyed this one – I loved the detail Toíbín added, and I don’t think I’ve ever read from a German perspective before, much less a real person in history. Always curious to know what liberties the author took in the fiction vs. his research.

Rating: 4 out of 5

IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover

A woman enters an abusive relationship while reconciling with the appearance of her first love back in her life. Hoover’s books are obviously blowing up on social media right now but I hadn’t read this one yet. (Can I just say that I discovered Hoover’s books back when I was a sophomore in HIGH SCHOOL so I was clearly trendsetting already back then!!). I’ve always thought Hoover’s a really talented storyteller, and this one is no exception. A few trigger warnings because Hoover tells an honest story and doesn’t hold back.

Rating: 4 out of 5

SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Emily St. John Mandel

Set across the past, present, and future, characters over time intertwine in this time-travel and pandemic-related novel. I lovelovelove Mandel’s books – they’re always so intricate, subtle, and just beautiful. This one is no different – it’s not as riveting as The Glass Hotel or Station Eleven, but I had a spectacular time reading it nonetheless. Although I’d say skip this one if you’re not ready to pick up a pandemic book yet…

Rating: 4 out of 5

MANIFESTO by Bernardine Evaristo

A British-Black author shares her autobiography and manifesto. A couple of months ago, Seattle Arts and Lectures hosted Evaristo and the event was really informative. I finally finished reading Evaristo’s latest release and thought it was thoughtful. Not only was it autobiographical but she also gives historical context, which is helpful.

Rating: 4 out of 5

TIME IS A MOTHER by Ocean Vuong

A poetry collection! I loooooved Ocean’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous and I knew I needed to pick up his latest release, a poetry collection. Gorgeous writing but I think it shines more strongly in On Earth. Still a beautiful read though!

Rating: 4 out of 5

THE SWIMMERS by Julie Otsuka

A loyal community of swimmers are interrupted from their daily swimming routine when a crack shows at the bottom of the pool. I really liked this one, it was gorgeous. The first and second half are completely different in terms of the focus of the story, but Otsuka made it work. There’s a blend of different themes: community, individuality, group-think, family, and so much more. Overall the writing style is simple but so well-written at the same time.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5

BLACK CAKE by Charmaine Wilkerson

Two estranged siblings are reunited after the death of their mother, and the will uncovers deep familial secrets. Guys, this one did NOT disappoint after all the hype it’s been receiving! Layer after layer, the story reveals exciting history and family points that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I learned so much about Caribbean history as well.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

THE CHRISTIE AFFAIR by Nina de Gramont

A fictionalized telling of mystery writer Agatha Christie’s disappearance and life affairs. Does it count that I read this book if I zoned out for most of it? Lol I listened to this one on audiobook and I could not for the life of me focus on the story for so much of it… it wasn’t really holding my attention but I knew it wasn’t bad. I think it could be worth re-reading but I didn’t think it warranted a proper rating from me.

What have you been reading lately?!

Jen x