May Reading List Review

I’ve always loved talking about books and reading book reviews, so I figured I would start writing my own! I typically share what I read each month on Instagram, but I think that doing it on my blog will be easier for me to give a better review! I also finally joined Good Reads, if you would like to follow along in real time!

Keep in mind, I am not a literary critic- so these are simply my thoughts about each book 😉

All books are linked to Amazon; if you choose to purchase through my links I will make a small commission at no extra change to you. I appreciate your support!

May Books:

I read a lot more than usual this month. Our library opened up for curbside pick up and a ton of my books came in at once. Most were due within 14 days…so that was a nice motivator to finish them! It also helped that I read a LOT of really great books! Here is what I read, as well as my thoughts on each:

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

I know I just said that I read a lot of great books-but this was one that fell flat for me. This story follows a young slave, Cora, from the plantation through her escape and life afterwards.

It took me over 5 weeks to finish, which is really rare for me! For being such an interesting and important topic, it moved very slowly for me. The story itself was captivating, however I would have preferred if it was told more concisely. The main reason I did not care for the book was because of the fantastical elements woven throughout. For instance, the author depicts the Underground Railroad not as a metaphor, but as a literal underground railroad system. I found these historical changes to be distracting and for people reading the book with little knowledge of this time in history, they might be lead to believe that these events are true. There are several other examples that I looked up as I read, only to learn that they occurred at a much different point in history.

Overall, I can look at this book and see why it is so highly acclaimed- it is very well written by an intellectual author, but it lacked the story telling and connection to characters that usually pulls me into a book and just wasn’t for me. 3/5 stars

A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum

A Woman is No Man was a captivating, but heartbreaking book to read. It follows three generations of Palestinian-American women and focuses heavily on the restrictions that they face due to their culture’s perception of females. I didn’t particularly like any of the characters in the book, but I felt for them deeply and read this book quickly because I wanted to know how their future played out. Be prepared that this is not a light read, but I think it is an important one because it covers a culture that is rarely covered in fiction books. It might not be an easy read, but it is one that I recommend that you do. 4.5/5 stars

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Such a Fun Age tells the story of a black babysitter, Emira, and what happens when Emira is wrongly accused of kidnapping the girl that she babysits. It covers deeper topics such as privilege and race, but is told in a more lighthearted, easy to read style. I thought the juxtaposition of the two was unusual, but I actually appreciated how the story was told. It allowed me to be wrapped up in the story, but still made me think, especially in regards to my own white privilege. I found some parts a little far fetched (like the connection between Emira and her employer) and wish that the two main characters were a little more developed, but overall I really enjoyed this book and would recommend! 4/5 stars

The Giver of Stars, Jojo Moyes

I had heard nothing but great reviews of this book and I have to say– I totally understand the hype! This was by far my favorite book that I read this month and one that I will recommend over and over.

The Giver of Stars is based on the true story of the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky, which is a time in history I knew nothing about. The story follows the five librarians as they deliver books into the rural mountains and live their lives in small-town Kentucky.

I have to admit the premise alone didn’t sound particularly captivating initially, but Jojo Moyes is such a fantastic story teller that I was completely interested and invested in the story. I both laughed and cried while reading this book and ended with a deep respect for the characters. I highly recommend reading this one! 5 stars!

Cozy Minimalist Home by Myquillyn Smith

As you may know, one goal I am currently working towards is turning our house into a “haven”. I want to have a decluttered and organized space- but also one that is COZY! Often when I hear the term “minimalism”, I think of a cold, uninviting space. Myquillyn explains how you can have both a minimalistic home AND one that is warm and inviting. I really resonated with her feelings towards minimalism and loved that she gave thorough action steps on exactly how to accomplish this “cozy minimalist” style. This book was a little different than I expected, but I still enjoyed it and learned from it; I will say that this book is much more about decorating, than minimalism, so if that is what you’re looking for, I would skip this one! 4/5 stars

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel

The last book that I completed this month was “Darling Rose Gold”. The premise of this one was really unique: for the first 18 years of her life, Rose Gold believed that she was seriously ill. She finds out that her mother, Patty, was actually just a great liar and had been poisoning her her whole childhood to make her appear sick. The story focuses on the rocky mother daughter relationship after Patty is released from prison.

This book is an unusual read both due to the premise as well as that both characters were very unlikable. Regardless, it was a page turner that I finished in a few days. I also really enjoyed the twist in the end. Despite that some aspects seem a little far fetched, I still recommend reading this one if you enjoy thrillers! 4/5 stars

Overall this was a great month of reading! I hope this list is helps you find some new books to read and if you have read any great ones lately let me know in the comments!

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