What I Read in May
- karazimmer23
- Jun 13
- 4 min read
The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez-
Larissa and Chris seem like the perfect match. They have so much in common, including their shared almost-feral dog. But they are not a couple. Larissa is in a relationship with Chris's best friend. Do they deny their attraction or risk hurting everyone close to them?
Abby Jimenez, you can do no wrong!! Beautiful story, so raw and real. Larissa had a rough life, and her boyfriend did nothing to make it easier or better. It was so frustrating! Sure, Chris stepped over some lines in her honor, but I was cool with it :p I did find it strange that none of their friends thought it was weird how much time they spent together or that they co-parented a dog together, even though Larissa was dating his best friend. I don't want to give spoilers, but I wished the ending had gone down a bit differently, but overall it felt so true to what a situation like this would be in reality. And I do believe Abby Jimenez left things wide open for her next book....... I'll be first in line! 4/5
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke-
A trad wife influencer who pushes for traditional values, roles, and simplicity, wakes up and finds herself in the 1800s, where any modern comforts have vanished and she has to put her money where her mouth is.
Okay, I know I am in an extreme minority here, but I do not understand the hype with this book! I was not a fan, like at all. It was slow moving, every single character was a horrible person, and the "crazy twist" at the end made me annoyed. That was all I was hanging on for, and it was underwhelming. I am not sure how the author did this, but she made every single demographic look awful- men, women, children, liberals, conservatives, rich, poor, young, old, religious, non-religious. Not a single redeeming quality here for me unfortunately. 2.5/5
Greedy by Callie Kazuma-
A British man living in Japan is at rock bottom financially. To turn things around for his family, he takes a job as a private chef for a socialite. As he gets to know her and her staff, he realizes that her appetite is quite unique.
I enjoyed this a lot. It was unlike anything I have read. The pace was very slow but intriguing. I wanted to yell at the main character so many times- wake up, dude!! I would highly recommend the audiobook for this because it was fun to hear the Japanese words pronounced correctly. I am sure my mind would have botched them in reading form. The ending of this story took me by surprise and I loved it! I had a physical reaction in the form of a gasp, a laugh, and a fist pump (in that order). So good. 4/5
The Name Game by Beth O'Leary-
Two people, both named Charlie Jones, show up for their new job on a small tight-knit island. As their attraction grows, they need to determine who is the real Charlie Jones and what secrets they both are hiding.
I wish this story kept me more interested. I didn't find the romance particularly believable. The small town felt like it was being forced and trying to be Gilmore Girls-ish, but wasn't quite there. And the twist- oh, the twist. I was so confused by the twist that I literally kept having to repeat to myself what was going on so that I could finish the book with some understanding of what was happening. It was a cozy, quick read, but not my favorite of Beth O'Leary. 3/5
Strange Buildings by Uketsu-
11 stories of homes and structures with strange happenings are being studied. The author spends time interviewing the people who have connections to these buildings, then the author and his friend sit down at the end and try to figure out if there is any connection.
Apparently I was in the mood for some Japanese horror fiction this month! Let me tell you, this one delivered! The structure and premise was so unique and each of the 11 stories had its own creepiness. There was not a single story that had me bored or waiting for hte next one, even though the pacing was on the slower side. When all of the stories started connecting, I was mind blown. I did make some of the connections throughout the story, but others had my flabbers ghasted. 5/5
Told You So by Mayci Neeley-
Mayci Neeley, one of the stars of "Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," tells her story of abuse, getting pregnant at a young age and losing her partner, and ultimately finding herself and her beliefs, in this memoir.
If you are a SLOMM fan, definitely pick this up! I find Mayci to be one of the more relatable and realistic girls on the show, so I was curious about her story. It might not have been the best writing in the world, but this memoir was a harsh look at her past and how she has changed, and worth reading!
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