What I Read and Loved | May 2024
Seven books, an app, collage, and new music
Welcome to my May recap! I'm on summer break from my school library job in a couple of weeks, so May was as busy as I expected. We had state testing happening in several of my school libraries (I work in five buildings), so I got to hide away sometimes and work on cataloging while listening to an audiobook. I listened to four out of the seven books I read in May, and it was fun to rediscover how much I enjoy audiobooks. Here are those titles and everything else I read and loved.
What I Read
I've always enjoyed Oliver Jeffers's illustrations in picture books, so I was intrigued when I saw this title on the adult new arrivals shelf at my public library. Begin Again is an illustrated book for all ages that looks at humanity's history and considers where our future might lead. The book is beautifully done in bold colors and well worth the short time it'll take you to read it.
I hesitated to read this book because the subject matter sounded so heavy, but I decided to try the audiobook when I saw it available on Libby. I'm glad I did because I ended up listening to it in one day.
Jennette McCurdy was a children's TV star and the daughter of an abusive and controlling mother. In I'm Glad My Mom Died, McCurdy takes a matter-of-fact approach to telling readers what happened to her, a creative choice that made her story extra impactful for me. McCurdy writes in the present tense, so it seems like the reader is experiencing things when she is. Her mother's abusive behavior was normal to her, so she didn't understand what was happening until she was older and seeing a therapist. In addition to her complicated relationship with her mom, McCurdy also chronicles her struggles with addiction, anorexia, bulimia, and her time as a television star. The book's subject matter is just as heavy as I suspected, but McCurdy infuses enough humor into her writing that it's not overwhelming. I'm grateful I took a chance on this memoir because I loved it. It definitely lived up to the hype.
Birds of America has been sitting unread on my shelf for years. After a colleague's recommendation, I decided to finally pick it up for last month's book club, the theme of which was short stories.
Many of the stories in this collection are about movement and place, as several characters are away from home or trying to start over somewhere new. Moore's stories are about everyday people in average towns, the type of realistic fiction I enjoy. These stories focus a lot on relationships, both romantic and familial. Moore's work reminds me of Raymond Carver's since both writers excel at capturing the beauty in the ordinariness of life. If you like well-written, quiet books, you'll like Birds of America.
I've loved Steve Martin since I was a little girl enamored with the Father of the Bride movies. As I've gotten older, I still admire his films, but I'm also impressed by his creative output. In addition to acting and standup, Martin has written plays, novels, and songs. He plays the banjo and has recorded several albums. He also has an impressive art collection and knowledge of the art world.
So Many Steves is an audiobook original. The recording is a conversation between Martin and his close friend, Adam Gopnik, in which the two discuss each phase of Martin's career and why he made the pivots he made. I'm fascinated by creative people who excel in different art forms, so this was a delightful listening experience.
My first concert was DC Talk and Jennifer Knapp. I had an Audio Adrenaline t-shirt that I thought was very cool. I loved Switchfoot with my entire being. These facts make me the perfect audience for God Gave Rock and Roll to You, an entertaining and insightful look at the Christian music industry.
Leah Payne is a professor of religious history who brings theological and historical lenses to her study of contemporary Christian music. Payne discusses the genre's biggest stars and those who had their reputations tarnished. She talks about the financial realities of CCM, and who was behind some of the most prominent artists and songs. What I found most interesting in this book was Payne's thoughts on how CCM shaped politics and the broader culture. The history of CCM and how it came to be was also fascinating. People who listened to CCM will enjoy this book the most, but those unfamiliar with it might still appreciate the informed deep dive into an industry that had a lot of influence on mainstream culture.
Evie Porter is a young woman with a wealthy, handsome boyfriend, a new friend group, and a new job. The catch is that Evie Porter doesn't actually exist. Evie is one in a string of several aliases given to a woman who works for Mr. Smith, a mysterious figure Evie has never met. Mr. Smith sends Evie on various jobs to retrieve important information or objects, and she's one of his best employees. Her current gig is to get information on Ryan, her doting boyfriend with a shady business. Everything is going according to plan until she meets a new woman in town who changes everything.
First Lie Wins is a total page-turner that's fun to read, thanks to the book's many twists. I never saw where the story was going, and I like that when I read thrillers. If you're looking for a mindless and fast-paced cat-and-mouse tale, this book is for you. (The audiobook narration is excellent.)
Mariana is a widowed therapist in her 30s. Her niece, Zoe, attends school at Cambridge, where one of her friends was just found murdered. Mariana heads to Cambridge, her alma mater, to be with Zoe and gets curious about who's behind the crime. She ends up staying longer than anticipated and sneaks her way into the investigation, certain the lead suspect is innocent. Mariana believes the real murderer is the beloved Edward Fosca, an American who teaches extremely popular Greek tragedy courses. Fosca has a special group of students he tutors called the Maidens, and the murdered girl was a member. Soon, another girl is dead, who's also a Maiden.
I like books set on campuses and enjoyed that aspect of this novel. The setting was vivid, and I liked Mariana’s relationship with her niece. Alex Michaelides delivers a fast-paced story, but most of the characters felt flat to me. Much of the plot concerns Greek mythology, something I'm not interested in, so mythology fans might get more out of this mystery than I did.
What I Loved
APP: Paprika
Do you ever click on a recipe and have to scroll through the author's life story and about seven ads before getting to the ingredients? Paprika is an app that removes all that extra stuff and provides just the recipe and instructions. It's like magic.
I have the app on my phone and iPad, so it’s easy for me to save things. In addition to saving links, you can also use the app to save your own recipes. Paprika also makes it easy to categorize and sort. You have to pay for the app, but it's worth every cent. I've been using it for months, so I thought it was time to finally mention it here.
NEWSLETTER: Collé
Collé is “a weekly email exploration into the world of contemporary collage,” an art form that’s been intriguing me more and more. You can sign up for their free newsletter to receive their gorgeous issues in your inbox. You can check out their website to see past issues and sign up.
MUSIC: Don’t Forget Me - Maggie Rogers
I’m loving the new Maggie Rogers album. The title track is my current favorite.
What did you read and love in May? I’d love to know! Thanks for reading!
Birds of America and First Lie Wins sound really interesting!!
Obsessed with the new Maggie Rogers too, and agree the title track is deliciously addictive!
Love Oliver, have to get my hands on Begin Again!
I’m Glad My Mom Died was tough, and powerful and important. I have The First Lie Wins on my TBR!
Happy almost summer!!!