May was a strange reading month for me. Every book was good but no book was truly exceptional. The kind that makes you race to your computer or phone to sing its praises on Twitter. Every new book, I thought this would be the one … the one I loved this month. But alas, just as my dream to be taller than 5 feet without wearing shoes has never come to pass, neither did my quest to find a book I love this month. The good news? There is always a new month and new books on the horizon.
The All Good Books
Books I really enjoyed but didn’t quite hit the love mark for one reason or another. Books are ranked from most liked to liked.
City of Mirrors by Justin Cronin
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.
Book Description: After the events of The Twelve, the survivors try to rebuild their world, but hidden in the shadows, the First awaits.
Book Review: This is the final chapter in the Passage Trilogy. There was a long wait in-between The Twelve and City of Mirrors and Cronin wisely included a brief recap in the beginning. These are long books (600+ pages) and as much as I enjoyed the first two books, I did not have time to reread them, which did initially make it a bit difficult to get into the book because I had forgotten so much. 🙂 Thankfully, it was worth the wait, mostly. My biggest gripe is we spend about a third of the book getting the backstory on Zero or the First, which felt like an entirely different book. I guess origin stories are all the rage, but it didn’t really change how I felt about him, ya know? I would have much rather spent time with the principal characters. Like the previous two books, there are a couple time jumps and we lose some people we care about too. I hate that but also appreciate the author not sugarcoating war either. Overall, a satisfying conclusion to a series I enjoyed (which is a good thing, since it was nearly 2000 pages all together. This will probably scare some of you more than the vampires will.)
To Read or Not To Read: Read it if you’re fan of YA and vampire/dystopian books.
Be Frank with Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson
Book Description: Alice is hired to be the assistant to legendary author MM Banning, which includes caring for her eccentric son, Frank.
Book Review: It never makes it fully clear but Frank is likely autistic. He is also a really cool nine-year old. He dresses like a 1930’s movie star and can’t spell worth a darn but uses words like dilettante (which I had to look-up) and sanctimonious properly. This is a fun book and Frank is really well-developed, but I wanted a little bit more depth overall, especially given some of the issues Frank faces with his school and classmates. I firmly believe a book can be both lighthearted and provide sharp commentary.
To Read or Not to Read: Read it. Frank is a great character.
A Conspiracy of Faith by Jussi Alder-Olsen
Book Description: An old message found in a bottle from two kidnapped boys lands on Detective Carl Morck’s desk.
Book Review This is the 3rd book in the Department Q series and they just keep getting better. Things that bothered me previously, the somewhat cliched, dumb villains, are gone. This villain is three dimensional and not a cartoon villain who twirls his oversized mustache. There are parts of his past that made me feel sympathetic towards him but did not excuse his current actions, although certainly explained his depravity. He has the ego of a man who has been getting away with murder for years and was a good foe for Morck. It was a fast-paced read and the side characters Rose and Assad continue to entertain and intrigue me as well.
To Read or Not to Read: Read it if you’re a fan of mysteries/thrillers. This can be read as a stand-alone, although I do recommend starting with book one.
What Was Mine by Helen Klein Ross
Book Description:: On impulse, Lucy kidnaps a baby girl and 21 years later, her daughter, Mia, discovers the truth.
Book Review: Not that this makes it right in any way, but I do want to make it clear that Mia was loved by Lucy and did not experience 21 years of horrific abuse. The fact that this wasn’t a story of abuse and recovery was what drew me to it. Every chapter is a from a singular perspective, Lucy (the kidnapper), Marilyn (the biological Mom), Mia (the daughter) and so on. I have mixed feelings about how it worked. Sometimes it worked brilliantly; other times I wanted a more cohesive story because it lost some of its emotional resonance with its diary-like, confessional chapters. I expected to feel all the feels, including ugly crying and didn’t. It felt like there was so much set-up and not enough time given to Mia to work through her emotions. There is a certain amount of ambiguity at the end, which ultimately felt right, but did seem rushed.
To Read or Not to Read: Read it. It’s an interesting story and does make you think about those moments where life changes in an instant.
Maestra by L.S. Hilton
Book Description: When Judith’s efforts to do the right thing wind-up getting her fired, she takes matters into her own (killer) hands.
Book Review: I overall enjoyed this book, but it definitely will not be for everyone. It does have explicit sex scenes, which some don’t mind and some do, so I wanted to give you fair warning. Judith is an fascinating character. She didn’t originally set out to do bad things, in fact, tried to do the right thing initially. She isn’t 100% morally corrupt but is definitely teetering of the edge of becoming a full-blown psychopath (and likely is by the end). She is extremely manipulative and cunning, which I like. She is also scared, uncertain and protective of those she does love and are hurt by her actions. This is a trilogy, even though it had a fairly closed-ending in my mind, but I will read book 2 to see what mayhem Judith is creating.
To Read or Not To Read: Read it. Judith isn’t really a likable character and yet I couldn’t help but root for her to get away with murder.
The Summer Before The War by Helen Simonson
Book Description: Beatrice arrives in the small town of Rye to teach Latin, much to disapproval of certain townsfolk, while the specter of World War 1 looms in the background.
Book Review:This was good but a bit of a slow read for me. I tend to prefer fast-paced books and this meandered for a bit. I think those who enjoy Downtown Abbey might like this. There are certainly some colorful characters, although they lack a certain amount of depth given the backdrop of WW1. I admit that there may be some bias on my part since I recently read the Nightingale where there was a greater sense of urgency. These are two very different stories. We do briefly go to war with a couple of characters and the idyllic nature we had been enjoying disappears quickly, as it should.
To Read or Not to Read: Definitely read it if you are a fan of historical fiction or WW1 stories.
The So-So Book
Not great but not bad book either.
The Madwoman Upstairs By Catherine Lowell
Book Description: Samantha Whipple is the last remaining descendant of the Bronte family who is searching for the reported hidden family fortune.
Book Review: I’m not a big fan of the Bronte sisters. Jane Eyre – meh. Wuthering Heights – well, I like Heathcliff … the cat. The overall premise of the book intrigued me, but it really didn’t work for me. The first third was a lot of back-and-forth between Samantha and her college professor about various classic books and their meanings and was really slow-paced. It did pick-up a bit but never enthralled me. I thought it was going to be more of a scavenger hunt which it was, but in the most boring way possible.
To Read or Not To Read: Read it, if you’re a big Bronte sisters fan. You’ll like enjoy all the tidbits about them, although not sure if they are real or fictional, probably a bit of both. If you haven’t read anything by the Brontes, I suggest you start with the real McCoy and read Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights.
To More Great Books in July
Well, that’s a wrap for May. Like I said at the beginning, lots of really good books to recommend with no real stinker among them. The Madwoman Upstairs was by no means a bad book, just not my cup of tea. HA! I will say that it did make me interested in finding a good biography on the Bronte sisters, because the tidbits about them were the best part of the book for me. As always, I will be linking up with Jana and Steph for their monthly Show Us Your Books extravaganza, also known as my favorite post, ever!
I’m also participating in a couple of challenges this summer, including Book Challenge by Erin 5.0. It doesn’t officially start until July 1st, so you’ve still got time to pick your books and join us! I love connecting with fellow book lovers because for a long time — I thought I was the only book nerd. 🙂
Any books catch your eye? What books did you love in May?
Tanya
Other Book Reviews You Might Enjoy
FINALLY! i’ve been waiting for Justin Cronin’s last book and it’s here so i immediately went and put that on hold at the library (it’s on order). i’m in place #2, hallelujah!! (a first, since i’m usually in place 2348934879548)
if you want a great, can’t-put-it-down book, read The Cartel (Don Winslow). i’m about 3/4 done and holy crap SO GOOD.
LOL! I hear you! Whenever there is a book I want RIGHT NOW, there seems to be a huge waiting list. City of Mirrors is definitely worth the wait. Erin also highly recommended The Cartel, so I’ve added it to my TBR based on your recommendations. I haven’t read anything by Don Winslow but I’m hearing great things about him. Thanks for the recommendation!
I added Be Frank with Me. Also, I keep meaning to start reading the Adler-Olsen books. I’ve got the first one on my Around the World in 80 Books challenge, so I’ll get there eventually.
I am really getting into the Adler-Olsen books and hope you enjoy them too. The third one has been my favorite so far. I also recently learned that they made films of the first 3 books that were huge in Denmark and are being released stateside now. Don’t know if you can find them in Australia though.
“The Summer Before The War” sounds right up my Downton-loving alley 🙂 I have heard it is a bit of a slow read, but I still want to check it out 🙂
I think you’ll really enjoy it, especially since I know you love Downtown Abbey. I liked it overall. The characters are vivid and there were a few I wanted to smack, some I wanted to hug. 🙂
I’ve had Cronin’s The Passage on my bookshelf for so long, but I doubt I’m going to read it. I added What Was Mine to my to read list as well as Maestra. I love a good suspense book! I’m curious where you find what books to read. I noticed when looking up some of these books on goodreads that a lot of them were new releases/published this year.
I hope you enjoy What Was Mine and Maestra! Well, to be honest, I’m truly am a #booknerd. 🙂 Some days when I’m bored, I’ll just scour the internet and various book sites looking for recommendations. It’s a bit of an obsession, sometimes.
The Passage Trilogy sounds interesting – going on my TBR!
YAY! I hope you enjoy it. And I sometimes wish I was just starting now – when the books are all out. There was a good 2 years (at least) between book 2 and 3 and I forgot so much. But reading 1200+ pages to get caught up seemed a little daunting!
City Of Mirrors sounds like a really interesting book, so I’d probably want to go back and read the first book before reading the rest of the series. Vampires always really intrigue me! I just recently read about What Was Mine, and I think that it sounds like an interesting book to pick up. I usually like reading about really crazy characters, so Maestra sounds like another interesting book that I’d want to read!
I still have a soft spot for vampires too. These are not your handsome, sexy (Eric from True Blood) vampires though. It was interesting how they came to be and it wasn’t through good ‘ol Vlad. 🙂 It was really interesting getting into Lucy’s mindset when she kidnapped Mia. Judith is definitely a crazy, somewhat unlikeable character but I still wanted her to win.
This gave me SO many books to add to be TBR list! Thank you!!
Yay! And you’re welcome!
I read a book as a kid that sounds similar to What Was Mine- a girl sees a picture of herself on a milk carton in high school and eventually finds out she was kidnapped. Like WWM she wasn’t abused and actually had a great upbringing. Those stories definitely make you think.
It was definitely what drew me to the book since it was a different spin on a kidnap story. It did make me think about those moments where life changes in an instant and also how the choices we make and lies we tell can impact not only ourselves but those around us.
the summer before the war sounds like my jam. I have been loving Historical Fiction lately.
You’ll definitely enjoy Summer Before the War then. It was interesting to see how nonchalant the majority of townspeople were about the pending war. They really didn’t have any idea what was coming.
how have i never heard of the Passage Trilogy? i will check them out. i like long books sometimes lol. what was mine sounds super interesting, i love reading books with situations i would never live through (oh, knock on wood, jeepers). i hope you find a book you LOVE soon 🙂 i hate when it goes too many months without one of those.
I don’t mind long books as long as they are worth it. The bad part is when they are part of a trilogy and it’s been too long between books. I’m getting old and forgetful! LOL! Fortunately for you, that’s not an issue! All the books are out, so you can read them at your leisure (and you’re younger, so much younger!). That’s exactly why I read What Was Mine too. I was so curious about what the heck was going through Lucy’s mind. Thus far, I haven’t found a love book yet. I’ve read 2 very good books and one that I loathed and still feel twitchy over. But I still have quite a few books to read this month, so here’s hoping one of them rocks my world!
I have never read The Passage, but I didn’t realize it was about vampires. Sounds interesting, adding it to my list! Reminds me a little of The Strain, a trilogy I started and didn’t finish yet. At this point, I’d have to reread #1, though.
It is somewhat similar to The Strain, which I have not read but it is on my TBR. I saw a few episodes of the show and know they were fairly true to the book, so I know the jest of the story. This is YA so probably not as “grown-up” as The Strain and yet they deal lots of adult issues.
I added Maestra to my list. Judith sounds like a great character.
I think Maestra is right up your alley, Steph. I hope you enjoy it!
Oh Wow that book about the kidnapping sounds really different…not sure if I could handle it but glad you mentioned that it isn’t as emotionally charged as you expected. The Passage series was alllll over Goodreads for me a few months ago but I haven’t read any yet. They seem intense but have great reviews! So stoked for Erin’s challenge 5.0 🙂
What Was Mine was a really good book and it was interesting getting into Lucy’s mindset, especially the moment when she took Mia and afterwards – how she justified keeping her. I did expect to have a stronger emotional response to the story, and it sort of bummed me out that I didn’t. The Passage Trilogy is an intense, fast-paced series. Heart-breaking at times too.
What Was Mine sounds really interesting.. Adding it to my list!!
I hope you enjoy it, Jessica!
I read Maestra and honestly I think one of the reasons I only gave it 2 stars is because I found out it’s going to be a trilogy. I was fine with the kinky sex and the murder, but I got bored with the art forgery plotline and didn’t think that a sequel (or two) was necessary.
It surprised me too when I found out it was part 1 of a trilogy. The ending didn’t feel like a to be continued. I like Judith enough to check out book 2, but if it’s just a rehash of book 1, then I’m not so interested.
I loved your introduction to this post! I’m only 5’1”, so I had to laugh over your “dream to be taller than 5 feet without wearing shoes.” Haha.
I feel like The Passage has been on my radar forever, but, like you said, it’s LONG. Sometimes I’m just not up for putting that much time and effort into a single novel, especially if I’m not sure it will be something I love. However, I do like vampire and dystopian books if they’re well done, so I may eventually suck it up and give it a try. It’s not like I have to invest in the entire trilogy if I don’t fall in love with it.
I’m adding What Was Mine and Maestra to my “To Read” list. Like you, I think it would be interesting to read a novel involving a kidnapping that doesn’t also involve abuse/recovery … Definitely a different spin on that kind of story! Your description of Maestra kind of reminded me of The Girl in 6E trilogy, but I think there will be enough differences to keep it fresh and interesting.
I’m also planning to join Erin’s challenge, but I still haven’t finished my book list. I need to get on that!
Another fellow short person! Yay! You know my pain; I know your pain!
I don’t mind long books either but like you said, it’s an investment, especially when you’re not sure if you’ll like the book. I will tell you I LOVED the first part of The Passage, then there is a huge time jump, which initially made me mad because I didn’t want a new group of characters. Of course, I fell in love with these characters (it took a moment or two because I was feeling grumpy) and we stay with these characters through the remaining books. Well, those that live. 🙂
I haven’t read The Girl in 6E (it’s on my TBR) so I can’t really compare the two books. But Judith jet sets around the world and deals with art. She is what I would call a pragmatic killer. She is not a spree killer and doesn’t kill for pleasure but when threatened or to get what she wants.
I’m so excited about Erin’s challenge. It’s my first one and it’s going to be so much fun!
Hi!! I love your page. BTW – so sorry for not finding it sooner. I didn’t even think to look for the linkup… duh! But you may want to add your link to your Disqus for easy access. 🙂 I learned that one the hard way myself. 🙂 Looking into the Passage series. Intrigued by that for sure. I’m glad to hear you liked The Summer Before the War. I have it on my TBR. What a fabulous cover. 🙂 XO – Alexandra
Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things
Thanks for the heads up on disquis. I didn’t even think about it. I really enjoyed The Passage Series. It’s YA but honestly doesn’t feel that way. The cover on The Summer Before the War is gorgeous. It’s what initially caught my eye too. Good thing the book lived up to its cover!
Thanks for stopping by my little part of the internet for the link up! And thanks for all the recommends 🙂
You’re welcome, Melissa!
I feel that way all the time, That the books I’m reading are good but not great, and I’m always thinking the next one is going to be THE ONE.
I agree about The Summer Before the War. I enjoyed it but the pace was SO SLOW.
Interesting thoughts on The Madwoman Upstairs. I have that on my TBR list. But I DO like the Brontes and Jane Eyre so maybe I’d like it more. We’ll see!
I’m glad I’m not the only one! It’s not that good books are bad, but I just really want to read something that I LOVE, ya know? I felt exactly the same way about Summer Before the War. It was good but so slow at times. It’s not my typical book, so it might have felt slower than it actually was. You will probably like The Madwoman Upstairs more than me. It’s not a bad book, but all the scenes where she and her professor discussed various books was boring for me. I’ll be interested to see what you think, especially since you’re a fan of the Brontes. I felt bad because I didn’t even realize there were 3 sisters. Oops.