10 Books of Summer

I heard about the 20 Books of Summer on Mastodon. I thought it sounded fun. I’ve acquired too many books on NetGalley and I’ve got a lot of new ebooks.

The Heartbeat of the Wild: Dispatches From Landscapes of Wonder, Peril, and Hope by David Quammen

Started, not finished, collection of NatGeo essays.

The Wife App by Carolyn Mackler

A novel about women who are frustrated at the lack of appreciation wives get for their labors. I won it in a GoodReads giveaway.

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

My bookclub’s June pick.

Still Life by Sarah Winman

My bookclub’s July pick.

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

My bookclub’s August pick.

The Broken Heart’s Club by Susan Bishop Crispell

YA romance I got on NetGalley.

Thriller edited by Don Bruns

A mystery anthology inspired by Michael Jackson’s music. also from NetGalley.

Trail of the Lost: The Relentless Search to Bring Home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail by Andrea Lankford

Another NetGalley score. An interesting twist on my affinity for thru-hiking memoirs.

None of This Rocks by Joe Throman

Memoir from a member of Fall Out Boy. Spawn now recognizes Fall Out Boy when it plays in the car.

Finna by Nino Cipri

A sci-fi IKEA fanfic is the common descriptor I’ve heard for this novella.

I’m very much a mood reader so I thought it best to keep my list short. Gives me plenty of wiggle room to throw in other books as the mood moves me.

Trust: Why Men Are the Worst

When I started Trust by Hernan Diaz, I had trouble figuring out what exactly was going on. In the middle of section 2, I kept thinking “Make this make sense!” Diaz does.

Four separate but connected stories in very distinct voices and styles. What Diaz does is very ambitious and he does it well. He does such a good job of writing the female characters and how men are awful to them, I occasionally forgot one man was telling all these stories.

I absolutely get why this book is such a critical darling. IMHO, these accolades are earned. It was also the worst month for me to read it.

I was knocked flat by a gastro bug for several days. Shortly after I was back to normal, my husband had to go out of town for several days for a funeral. My 3 YO is going to put the H in ADHD so it was a busy time. I did not have the brain space this book deserves. The writing style is fairly accessible for a Pulitzer winner but this is no popcorn book. There will be a lot to think about.

To borrow my rating from someone else in my book club

Quality of literature: 9/10

Personal enjoyment: 6.5/10

Cat Names

I was watching Liz Miele’s book launch livestream on YouTube. It’s a couple of years old at this point but she’s one of my favorite comedians so it’s still entertaining. Her book is called Why Cats Are Assholes. She made an excellent suggestion for naming your cat. Go into your kitchen, point at something, and it will probably work as a cat name. Since cats aren’t great about responding to their names, you can have a lot more fun naming them.

Miele’s cats are Pasta and Revenge Abs (since passed). They brandied about suggestions for cat names as part of the livestream. Here’s some of their suggestions and a few of my own.

Spatula

Pumpkin Spice

Copyright

Ceasar Salad

Kickstand

Spork

Paint Swatch

Magnesium

Kuiper Belt

Jade Egg

Gorgonzola

Sample Size

Consultant

Deli Counter

Security

Potato Salad

I hope you found this mildly entertaining.

Background Reading Sounds

Reading Glasses asks people to try this. I’ve honed my preferences.

Anything with lyrics messes with my concentration. Any score that is too bold or good at its job (Two Steps from Hell) can distract me if it doesn’t fit the action happening on page.

I recently tried to read with nothing in the background. It bothered me. I hate it when it’s too still or too quiet.

Brandon & Derek Fiechter have excellent, understated scores. They have such a variety, they have something for whatever you’re reading.

RailCowGirl has a continuous livestream of her POV driving a train. It’s subtle and soothing.

Cliff Martinez, specifically the soundtracks for Contagion and The Knick, is perfect for reading sci-fi.

Calmed by Nature and Ambient Worlds has a good variety.

Bardcore is good if you want subtle but contemporary. I have a book about the wives of Henry VIII that may work well with this too. Historical fiction, especially British, pair well with various Jane Austen scores.

Chill lo-fi is also a solid pairing with contemporary fiction.

May TBR

I was delayed in betting by wrap-up and TBR out because I got trounced by a gastro bug. Better late than never.

Trust by Hernan Diaz

My bookclub’s book this month

The Heartbeat of the Wild: Dispatches From Landscapes of Wonder, Peril, and Hope by David Quammen

An essay collection I got off NetGalley. I’m really liking it and I’m finally recovered enough to enjoy it again.

The Midnight News by Jo Baker

I won a GoodReads giveaway for this one. I’ve already made a dent in it. I’m meh about it so far.

Other than these, I’m going to try to read my shelves. I’ve still got too many books.

April Wrap-Up

I fully intended to read my shelves. They I requested a couple of books on NetGalley. I got 2 out of 3. I also won a GoodReads giveaway. The best laid plans.

What Happens After Midnight by K. L. Walther

As I get older, YA speaks to me less. That didn’t happen here. This book was everything that I’ve found enjoyable about contemporary YA. 4/5

Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail by Ashley Herring Blake

A romance with compelling characters but a plot that was tedious and frustrating at times. There was also a family dynamic that irked me. 3/5

Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff

An entertaining debut that would lend itself well to adaptation. However, the characters were frequently unpleasant and some plot choices were not great. 3.5/5

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

I give a more detailed breakdown here but it was excellent. 5/5