May in Books
I read 10 books in May: three 5⭐ reads, six 4⭐ reads, and one 3⭐ read, so a pretty good month! I indulged in two rereads, but I enjoyed them too much to have any regrets, and everything else was a good mix of new releases and books which had been on my to-read list for too long. I'd recommend everything on this list, but my personal favourite was Piranesi, which won last year's Women's Prize for Fiction (and I can see why).
The first book I read in May was the timely Reputation by Sarah Vaughan.
Like Little Disasters, the book which introduced me to Sarah Vaughan, Reputation is a compulsively readable thriller that has something to say as well as a story to tell. This is a real page-turner that also deals with some incredibly pertinent issues. Sarah Vaughan keeps the tension high throughout, but resists stringing the reader along too much, and keeps the reader guessing without resorting to improbable twists. Fans of legal thrillers will relish the courtroom scenes. Anatomy of a Scandal is going straight on my TBR list.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Next was one from the backlog, Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, which won last year's Women's Prize for Fiction.
Piranesi is such a refreshing read, different from anything else I’ve read, but without being difficult to follow. It’s an incredibly engaging story, set in a delightful location and peppered with questions about the reliability of our narrator. I really loved this story and the way it was written, and, having been put off Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by its length, I was pleased to discover that Piranesi is just the right number of pages. Highly recommended.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My next read was Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson, which was left over on my TBR from last year.
The language and brevity of Open Water meant reading it felt almost akin to reading a collection of poetry. I loved the way Caleb Azumah Nelson tells the love story at the heart of this book, a story that felt familiar told in a way that felt fresh. The book's experimental language didn't always work for me, but Open Water was too short a read for me to grow tired of it. This is a really powerful story, that feels like nothing I have read before, and I really loved the 'open water' metaphor which lends the book its title. I'm excited to see what Azumah Nelson writes next.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Despite my ever-growing TBR, I decided to indulge in a reread of Normal People by Sally Rooney.
Normal People was every bit as good as I'd remembered. It's a fresh and interesting love story/coming-of-age story that's compulsively readable. I particularly love the class divisions that become unavoidable when the protagonists go to university, and Connell's realisation that money lets you see so much more of the world. I also love the way this story is told, jumping forward in little leaps.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Next up was The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex, a book which I'd only heard good things about.
The concept for The Lamplighters is brilliant, and I like the way the author plays around with different ideas for what might have happened, never entirely closing any of them down. But the execution didn’t quite work for me. Considering this isn’t a very long book, I could feel the author dragging out the story. And, considering the potential in this story for atmosphere and suspense, I found the telling of it a little flat.
⭐⭐⭐
In search of something a little more mysterious, I picked up The Premonitions Bureau: A True Story by Sam Knight.
I really loved Sam Knight's style of writing, and I think The Premonitions Bureau does an excellent job of toeing the line between fact and fiction. This fascinating novel almost feels like a fictional story pretending to be a book based on a true story. What could be more fitting for a book about the supernatural, and about a history almost too bizarre to be believed? The Premonitions Bureau is one of the most unusual books I have read, and I absolutely loved it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Rabbit Factor by Antti Tuomainen (translated by David Hackston) came next, as a promising accompaniment to a sunny weekend.
The Rabbit Factor is a memorable and page-turning read - part mystery, part thriller, part something else entirely - perfect for anyone looking for something a little different. I loved the adventure park setting, and the quirky cast of characters. I also loved the style of writing, which had me hooked from the start, and made me feel as if I was experiencing the story for myself. I definitely need to read more books from Orenda!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
My next read was The Khan by Saima Mir, another Jhalak Prize nominee, and Waterstones' thriller of the month.
The Khan came close to being a five-star read for me. I really liked the writing style, detailed without becoming verbose, holding something back without dragging out the story, and I loved the cultural and religious details of the characters' world. This is an immersive story, and I particularly liked how visceral the protagonist's anger is by the end. Saima Mir has created a fantastic protagonist, and I love how she treads the line between tradition and progression.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Up next was another reread, Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie.
It turns out that (re)watching and then (re)reading Murder on the Orient Express is the perfect way to spend a Friday evening. I loved revisiting this novel with the characters from the film still so clearly in my mind.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The last book I read in May was How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie, a title I simply couldn't resist.
This book lives up to its title. How to Kill Your Family is a funny, interesting, and page-turning read. The premise is brilliant, and while I can’t say I liked the protagonist, I really enjoyed hearing what she had to say for herself. I loved all the little details embedded in the story, although I found the ending a little disappointing. Recommended for anyone looking for a book they can’t put down.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
What did you read in May? And what do you think of the books I chose?
The first book I read in May was the timely Reputation by Sarah Vaughan.
Like Little Disasters, the book which introduced me to Sarah Vaughan, Reputation is a compulsively readable thriller that has something to say as well as a story to tell. This is a real page-turner that also deals with some incredibly pertinent issues. Sarah Vaughan keeps the tension high throughout, but resists stringing the reader along too much, and keeps the reader guessing without resorting to improbable twists. Fans of legal thrillers will relish the courtroom scenes. Anatomy of a Scandal is going straight on my TBR list.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Next was one from the backlog, Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, which won last year's Women's Prize for Fiction.
Piranesi is such a refreshing read, different from anything else I’ve read, but without being difficult to follow. It’s an incredibly engaging story, set in a delightful location and peppered with questions about the reliability of our narrator. I really loved this story and the way it was written, and, having been put off Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by its length, I was pleased to discover that Piranesi is just the right number of pages. Highly recommended.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My next read was Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson, which was left over on my TBR from last year.
The language and brevity of Open Water meant reading it felt almost akin to reading a collection of poetry. I loved the way Caleb Azumah Nelson tells the love story at the heart of this book, a story that felt familiar told in a way that felt fresh. The book's experimental language didn't always work for me, but Open Water was too short a read for me to grow tired of it. This is a really powerful story, that feels like nothing I have read before, and I really loved the 'open water' metaphor which lends the book its title. I'm excited to see what Azumah Nelson writes next.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Despite my ever-growing TBR, I decided to indulge in a reread of Normal People by Sally Rooney.
Normal People was every bit as good as I'd remembered. It's a fresh and interesting love story/coming-of-age story that's compulsively readable. I particularly love the class divisions that become unavoidable when the protagonists go to university, and Connell's realisation that money lets you see so much more of the world. I also love the way this story is told, jumping forward in little leaps.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Next up was The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex, a book which I'd only heard good things about.
The concept for The Lamplighters is brilliant, and I like the way the author plays around with different ideas for what might have happened, never entirely closing any of them down. But the execution didn’t quite work for me. Considering this isn’t a very long book, I could feel the author dragging out the story. And, considering the potential in this story for atmosphere and suspense, I found the telling of it a little flat.
⭐⭐⭐
In search of something a little more mysterious, I picked up The Premonitions Bureau: A True Story by Sam Knight.
I really loved Sam Knight's style of writing, and I think The Premonitions Bureau does an excellent job of toeing the line between fact and fiction. This fascinating novel almost feels like a fictional story pretending to be a book based on a true story. What could be more fitting for a book about the supernatural, and about a history almost too bizarre to be believed? The Premonitions Bureau is one of the most unusual books I have read, and I absolutely loved it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Rabbit Factor by Antti Tuomainen (translated by David Hackston) came next, as a promising accompaniment to a sunny weekend.
The Rabbit Factor is a memorable and page-turning read - part mystery, part thriller, part something else entirely - perfect for anyone looking for something a little different. I loved the adventure park setting, and the quirky cast of characters. I also loved the style of writing, which had me hooked from the start, and made me feel as if I was experiencing the story for myself. I definitely need to read more books from Orenda!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
My next read was The Khan by Saima Mir, another Jhalak Prize nominee, and Waterstones' thriller of the month.
The Khan came close to being a five-star read for me. I really liked the writing style, detailed without becoming verbose, holding something back without dragging out the story, and I loved the cultural and religious details of the characters' world. This is an immersive story, and I particularly liked how visceral the protagonist's anger is by the end. Saima Mir has created a fantastic protagonist, and I love how she treads the line between tradition and progression.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Up next was another reread, Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie.
It turns out that (re)watching and then (re)reading Murder on the Orient Express is the perfect way to spend a Friday evening. I loved revisiting this novel with the characters from the film still so clearly in my mind.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The last book I read in May was How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie, a title I simply couldn't resist.
This book lives up to its title. How to Kill Your Family is a funny, interesting, and page-turning read. The premise is brilliant, and while I can’t say I liked the protagonist, I really enjoyed hearing what she had to say for herself. I loved all the little details embedded in the story, although I found the ending a little disappointing. Recommended for anyone looking for a book they can’t put down.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
What did you read in May? And what do you think of the books I chose?
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