June Reading Recap
I think this month’s reading wins the award for the most diverse group of authors. From a Danish author to an SNL star, from an astronaut to a woman wrongly accused of murder. From an English poet to a French philosopher. They sure would make an entertaining dinner party with their unique experiences. And they all have one thing in common, they wrote a book! One thing they don’t have in common, they weren’t all good books. Here are this month’s books to read and avoid. Until next time, happy reading!
Free: My Search for Meaning by Amanda Knox
Quick Synopsis: Picking up from where her last memoir left off, Knox details her life struggles as she tries to lead an everyday life.
Strong Points: I’m new to the Amanda Knox story (I know, I know), and when I saw she was coming out with a new book about her life post-release, I was fascinated. The story itself was pretty interesting at times, especially her transition from prison to civilian life and the struggles she faced. Her case was so wildly famous that she had a hard time trusting anyone after being released from jail. I cannot imagine the frustration and heartbreak she went through while in prison and the torment she endured after she was released. She has the willpower and strength to get through it.
Weak Points: My biggest complaint is that it was very, very long-winded. It was a lot of uninteresting, repetitive fluff. How many different ways she could say the same thing? It could have been summed up in 150 pages, and I would have been wholly engrossed, but instead, I found myself nodding off.
Maybe I should have read her first book instead.
Writing Style: 2/5
Plot: 3.5/5
Flow/Pacing: 2/5
Overall Rating: 3/5
Not Recommend
For Fans of: No More Tears by Gardiner Harris, Saving Five by Amanda Nguyen, and The House of My Mother by Shari Franke
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Quick Synopsis: Joan Goodwin is one of the first female astronauts during the 1980s space program and is ready to prove to NASA and herself that she is prepared for space travel.
Strong Points: I wouldn’t label myself a Taylor Jenkins Reid diehard fan like some people I know. However, I did really enjoy The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. After hearing her new book was about astronauts, I was all in. I was browsing Waterstones and saw a signed, special edition copy two days before its release date, just begging to come home with me, and I couldn’t resist. (I don’t need to justify why I bought it, but the books I've collected since being here sure are stacking up, weighing my suitcase down). It blew me away! The characters and story were so comfy. It had a 1980s feel to it that I adored. Joan was such a likable character, and the pacing was excellent. There never was a moment when the story slowed down.
I also appreciated the research that Reid invested in the book to ensure its accuracy. I’m always a little wary about reading fictional books about space and astronauts because, not to toot my own horn, I can usually spot fictionalized aspects from a mile away. Reid took her responsibility to represent NASA accurately and spent time with Paul Dye, who was the NASA flight director during the space shuttle program. She also read a ton of books about this period and the inner workings of the shuttle (and she was so kind to provide the reader with the reading list at the end of the book, which I added several to my TBR).
Weak Points: Nothing of note
I found your next summer read!
Writing Style: 4.5/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Plot: 4/5
Flow/Pacing: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Highly Recommend
For Fans of: My Friends by Fredrik Backman, The Names by Florence Knapp, and Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab
A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost
Quick Synopsis: Colin Jost recounts his childhood growing up in Staten Island, his days at Harvard, and his SNL success.
Strong Points: My husband and I have been getting into "Pop Culture Jeopardy!" lately (since regular Jeopardy isn’t available in the UK), and I have been wondering if we like Colin Jost. I agree with the title of his memoir. He does have a very punchable face. His thick blond hair and clear skin scream, “I’m a waspy Republican.” Although Weekend Update is pretty funny, is he a prick in real life?! Anyway, I picked up his memoir from the library to give it a try and truly judge him for myself. (The quote from Larry David saying, “I always wanted to punch his face before I read this book. Now I just want to kick him in the balls,” really made me want to read it. (If you’re new to this blog, I have an obsession with LD.)) It turns out that, despite his appearance, he is quite a nice guy. His stories were charming and had me laughing out loud at times. There are also some very touching stories in there about his bond with his mom. I think it’s safe to say he won me over.
Weak Points: A few of the stories were just okay, but overall, most of them were hilarious.
An enjoyable read
Writing Style: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Flow/Pacing: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4/5
Recommend
For Fans of: When I Was Your Age by Kenan Thompson, Yearbook by Seth Rogan, and Girl Walks into a Bar by Rachel Dratch
Space: The Human Story by Tim Peake
Quick Synopsis: From the start of the space race to the beginning of the Artemis program and the courageous people who have made it possible
Strong Points: If you’ve ever been interested in the story of humans in space, look no further; I have found the book for you. While it’s a very dense subject matter, the writing wasn’t dense at all. Peake throws in his witty humor and gives his inside knowledge to make it quite a page-turner.
My favorite portion of this book was when he talked about his time on the ISS and his astronaut training. It was fun hearing him talk about Scott Kelly and Yuri Malenchenko and their bond while on the ISS. It was also interesting to hear about the European Space Agency. I mostly have read books about NASA and Roscosmos (the Russian space agency) and haven’t given the European space program much thought. I’m also a sucker for hearing about the rigorous process that the astronauts have to go through. Not too much has changed training-wise from the start of the space race until today.
Also, one of the best things about being in London is because it’s a large city in Europe, a lot of authors and other people of interest stop here on their tours. And well, Peake is no exception. He’s stopping here on his ‘Astronauts: The Quest to Explore Space’ tour, and I could not be more excited to see him speak live.
Weak Points: Nothing of note
One for the space junkies
Writing Style: 4.5/5
Plot: 5/5
Flow/Pacing: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4/5
Recommend
For Fans of: Carrying Fire by Michael Collins, The Blue Machine by Helen Czerski, and Endurance by Scott Kelly
Quick Synopsis: The disintegration of a doomed marriage.
Strong Points: These fights and marital woes felt lived-in and real as if Manguso had experienced them firsthand. After a bit of googling, my hunch was correct. Liars was her first book as a single woman, following an intense divorce (what divorce isn’t intense, I suppose), and she wrote it very quickly and in a rage. There were many parts of the book that I think people can relate to, especially those who have gone through any kind of breakup. It was written with such passion that aided in the story feeling lived-in.
Weak Points: Reading about their marital troubles really slowed down the pacing. It became repetitive, and it started to lose substance.
Maybe it’s intentional, but I didn’t like the husband from page 10, where he left his girlfriend for Jane, and he only progressively became more annoying and unbearable. I know it’s sometimes easier for someone on the outside of a relationship to see the relationship for what it actually is, but it was hard for me to empathize with Jane. She clearly should have never gotten married to him. I just wish there was a slower progression of the relationship deteriorating before it completely fell apart. Then, I think I could have been more patient with this story. But when you have a lousy, toxic relationship right off the bat, it is hard to feel bad and connect to Jane.
Writing Style: 3/5
Characters: 2/5
Plot: 3/5
Flow/Pacing: 2/5
Overall Rating: 3/5
Not Recommend
For Fans of: Colored Television by Danzy Senna, Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte, and Audition by Katie Kitamura
On the Calculation of Volume I by Solvej Balle Translated by Barbara J. Haveland
Shortlisted for the International Booker Prize
Quick Synopsis: Tara Selter is forced to face the reality that she’s stuck in a loop of repeating November 18th.
Strong Points: This is the first of seven volumes in which the author is publishing. Only two have been translated, and let me tell you, I’m anxiously awaiting the other volumes after reading this one. The writing was so comfy. I was hooked from the first paragraph when she so elegantly describes the sounds of her husband’s morning routine, something that, before reading this, I had never thought about. The sound of running water while brushing your teeth, the hiss of the tea kettle, the footsteps - I imagined it all perfectly.
I also loved the story itself. It’s a Groundhog Day story that has been done a lot, but this one is original enough and with different rules that I found myself completely engrossed.
Side note: Balle claims she conceived the looping day idea in 1987, six years before the movie was released. When she did finally see the film, it helped refine her idea by avoiding “some roads” that she felt the movie had unsuccessfully taken (sure, whatever you say, Balle).
The character of Tara is developed well enough that I felt all her emotions and could connect with her, understanding her actions. The ending had me wanting to rush to the bookstore to read this next one. But like the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series, I stopped myself so I could savor them and make the series last. I hope Balle can maintain this momentum throughout the remaining seven volumes.
Weak Points: My only nitpick, and this is a small one, is that I didn’t believe some of my husband’s actions. But hey, it’s such a wild thing to have happened that maybe I’m judging him too harshly.
This one should have won.
Writing Style: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Flow/Pacing: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4/5
Highly Recommend
For Fans of: Perfection by Vincenzo, Gliff by Ali Smith, and A Leopard-Skin Hat by Anne Serre
Quick Synopsis: When Ivy woke up on a warm Easter day, she didn’t know her life would be changed forever by that afternoon. The story follows Ivy for six decades as she grieves that day’s tragedy.
Strong Points: Hunter did a great job of painting the scene and allowing the reader to be fully immersed in that world and time period. The writing is so delicate and lyrical. This was a quiet novel where you almost float through, following the characters from a bird’s eye view along the way.
Much like the character of Ivy, Hunter, too, studied to become an Anglican priest. She also drew inspiration from the Bloomsbury Group as the foundation of Ivy’s boho upbringing. If you’re unfamiliar with the Bloomsbury Group, like I was, this is not a Google hole you'll want to miss. The Charleston farmhouse is an hour and a half away, and I cannot wait to take a road trip there in the near future.
Weak Points: I didn’t connect or relate to the religious themes. At times, they felt forced. However, I did understand why the author had the main character explore them. People who are lost often turn to religion when they feel like they have nothing else. It provides them with a roadmap and can serve as a guiding light. For me, it drags on a little too long. This plot was very forgettable. It felt like a book I would read, and then in a year, when someone asks if I’ve read it, I would say, “I think so, but I don’t remember what it was about, but I remember liking it.”
A quiet, but perhaps a forgettable novel.
Writing Style: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
Plot: 3/5
Flow/Pacing: 2.5/5
Overall Rating: 3/5
Eh, recommend
For Fans of: Ripeness by Sarah Moss, Ordinary Saints by Niamh Ni Mhaoileoin, The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce
Quick Synopsis: Max, a trans woman, embarks on a new relationship with a lawyer, Vincent after her last relationship left her questioning herself.
Strong Points: The characters were exceptionally well-developed. They all reminded me of people I have in my own life. They felt very realistic. The conversations and dialogue also felt realistic and natural. This made for an enjoyable, easy read.
Dual timelines can be tricky sometimes. They don’t always work, and when they don't, they take the reader out of the main storyline. It worked in this book, though. The reader was able to understand Vincent more without it taking away from Max’s story. You could see their opinions and attitudes about things change throughout the story when they experience different things or meet someone who opens their eyes to a new perspective, just like in real life. The book addresses numerous complex topics, and I believe the dual perspective effectively serves to explore them from two perspectives, illustrating that the answer is sometimes in a grey area and isn’t always black or white.
The themes explored are relatable to everyone. There’s pressure to have a wedding, buy a house, have kids, etc., and you can feel like you’re doing it all wrong when you aren’t following that path. And we most pity those who aren’t following this traditional path. Dinan used Max to explore this theme cleverly.
Weak Points: Nothing really
It’s a book that has stayed with me since I closed it.
Writing Style: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 4/5
Flow/Pacing: 4/5
Overall Rating: 4/5
Highly Recommend
For Fans of: Stag Dance by Torrey Peters, Bitter Sweet by Hattie Williams, and Love in Exile by Shon Faye
Actress of a Certain Age: My Twenty-Year Trail to Overnight Success by Jeff Hiller
Quick Synopsis: Jeff Hiller’s life in the search of fame.
Strong Points: "Somebody Somewhere" is one of the most pure and beautiful shows out there. In the same scene, it'll make you laugh out loud and cry. I could go on and on, but this review is not about the show. It's about Jeff Hiller's (AKA Joel's) highly anticipated memoir. In a world that seems increasingly dark, do yourself a favor and pick up this book. Jeff Hiller is a gem of a person, and he has written a fun and heartwarming book that you can escape into. His stories have me laughing out loud while also making me want to fiercely avenge anyone who has ever hurt this lovely person's feelings. His voice shined through his words in a way that made me feel like I was hanging out with him. Sometimes, when you read celebrity memoirs, you can tell they either had a ghostwriter or their stories are vanilla, and they are trying to spice up their experiences to entertain the reader and make them sound more interesting. This wasn't the case for Actress of a Certain Age. Hiller's message of everyone being on their own time (spoiler: he finally made it big at 45 years old) and never comparing your journey to somebody else's made me love him even more.
Much like after reading Hello, Molly and declaring we need more Molly Shannon's in the world, I'm also declaring we need more Jeff Hillers in the world.
Weak Points: Nada, just a feel-good book.
It left me desperately missing "Somebody Somewhere" and wishing I was Jeff's best friend.
Writing Style: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Flow/Pacing: 5/5
Overall Rating: 5/5
Highly Recommend
For Fans of: Self-Sabotage by Jeffery Self, How to Lose Your Mother by Molly Jong-Fast, and Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson
Small Boat by Vincent Delecroix
Shortlisted for the International Booker Prize
Quick Synopsis: In 2021, a small boat filled with 27 migrants left France to come to the UK. On their journey, they capsize and desperately call the French authorities for help. The French authorities claimed they were in UK waters and took no action to assist. Only two migrants survived. It’s a fictionalized account from the perspective of the French authority who received the migrants’ call.
Strong Points: I will tell you right now that this book has way more weak points than strong points. I guess I liked the theme of being desensitized to the horrors of the world around us, so much so that when we read about someone’s unjustified death, it isn’t absolutely devastating to us. We continue with our lives, hoping that someone else will be there to help and solve the problem. Is it up to us to save everyone from the horrors of the world? If not, then whose responsibility is it?
The second part of the book is really enjoyable (if you can get through the first part).
Weak Points: Delecroix missed the boat on this one. *bad du cha*. Wow, oh wow, does this author love the sound of his own voice. His pompous voice was practically jumping off the page and hitting me in the face. The concept of the book is interesting, but he absolutely squashed all the interest out of it with his dry and verbose writing. Even though it was only 123 pages, it read like a 450-page novel. As soon as I read that this author is also a philosopher, all of his meandering thoughts and repetition made a little more sense.
This was a shock that it was shortlisted, but hey, at least it didn’t win
Writing Style: 1/5
Plot: 2/5
Flow/Pacing: 1/5
Overall Rating: 2/5
Not Recommend
For Fans of: Self-Sabotage by Jeffery Self, How to Lose Your Mother by Molly Jong-Fast, and Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson
"Dreams don’t have deadlines." -Actress of a Certain Age by Jeff Hiller
