What I've Been Reading Lately: May 2017

May 16, 2017

What I’ve Been Reading Lately: May 2017

Grayson by Lynne Cox

Swimming to Antarctica is one of my all-time favorite books. So I was delighted when my cousin told me Lynne Cox had written another book. This is a quick read and tells the story of when Lynne encountered a lone baby gray whale while out for a training swim in the Pacific Ocean early one morning. Some of it is a touch woo-woo, but I was fascinated from beginning to end. I can’t imagine how I would have reacted to an experience like this. I have an extreme fear of swimming with fish (we call that fear my “fishues”. Like issues, but with fish) so I would most like have bolted for the beach at the first sign of animal life.

What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell

This is a coming of age story. It takes place just after WWII and is the story of a teenage girl who gets caught up in a tangled mess of jealousy, theft, and possible murder. She learns that the people she loves may not be who she always thought they were. It’s considered YA, but I enjoyed it thoroughly, though that is not my typical genre.

The Grown-Up by Gillian Flynn

I got this for free as part of my Book of the Month club order a couple of months ago. It’s a very short book and I picked it up during quiet time intending to finish the whole book then. After some questionable content at the beginning, I set it aside. I wasn’t sure I cared to finish it. But after a day or two I decided to pick it back up again. All in all, I liked the actual storyline. But there are some scary elements and some just plain yucky elements which make me feel like I can’t recommend the book to others. I’m just sensitive to certain triggers. If you like a slightly creepy ghost story and don’t mind language/ ick factor this might be a good fit for you.

My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout

This was probably my favorite book of the month. It’s the story of an estranged mother and daughter and the circumstances that bring them together for a short time. It’s one of those “ordinary life” stories that is so profoundly engrossing it’s hard to put down. I might even call it haunting. I loved it.

The Mothers

I didn’t love this book like all the buzz around it suggested I should. It was fine. I loved that the narrators are a group of women, it’s an unusual way to tell the story. I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters, and some of the content is pretty tough. I just don’t feel like I can recommend it. (Warning: language. Also, heavy topics like abortion, suicide, abuse.)

Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle is one of my all-time favorite books, and one of the most powerful memoirs I’ve ever read. It’s feels like a real life A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I’ve been meaning to read Jeannette Walls’ second book for a long time. I finally did and devoured it. This is the history of Jeannette’s grandmother, stories passed down through generations. Her writing sucked me in and it was all I could do to put the book down to tend to my responsibilities.

Audiobooks are one of the ways I am consistently able to read so many books each month. Have you heard of the new audiobook streaming service through Deseret Book? It’s pretty incredible! You can find a list of all the available audiobooks here. The list is growing all the time! If you use my like you can try it out for 30 days FREE!

Heidi Hillman