If there is a word to describe the books I've been picking up this year, "mediocre" is the one that immediately comes to mind. In May, I did not really read anything amazing, but there were a few standouts:
1. Cheryl Strayed's short story Two Women Walk into a Bar was heartbreakingly beautiful. It delves into what end-of-life experience is like for the loved one and their family. For such a short story, it really packs a powerful punch. I highly recommend it. 5 out of 5 stars.
2. Natasha Pulley's newest Sci-Fi release The Mars House did not disappoint and solidifyed her as one of my favorite authors once again.
3. I unexpectedly really enjoyed Ruth Ware's thriller The Turn of the Key. I recently realized that I do better with thrillers when I listen to them on audio. For some reason reading thrillers on a page, heightens my anxiety and makes reading uncomfortable. Listening to them somehow adds a theatrical quality to the experience, and I am able to enjoy them better. Now that I recognize this about myself, I am looking forward to listening to some thrillers this summer.
The other 8 books I read were truly forgettable. I feel particularly bad saying this about Viktor Frankl's non-fiction The Unconscious God. While interesting, it was a bit too academic for a non-psychology major and I felt a bit lost in terminology at times.
I am posting this May wrap-up way into June and just wanted to mention that I am trying to be a bit more selective with what I pick-up this month. My biggest regret each year is that I don't read enough "summer reads". And by "summer reads" I really mean books set near the ocean, featuring people on vacations or summer breaks from school, lighter, sunnier reads. So far, I've only read one such book. Today being officially the first day of summer, I need to prioritize some summer books for the next three months.
