Everything I Read in May 2024

After the Flood by Kassandra Montag

About the book: The world has been transformed in After the Flood, which takes place a century from now. Rising floodwaters first swallowed America's coastal cities, then its heartland. An archipelago of mountaintop colonies is all that's left. Myra and her seven-year-old daughter Pearl live on their small boat, stopping at the colonies only to trade supplies and gather information. For seven years, Myra has grieved the loss of her other daughter Row, who was kidnapped by her father as a deluge swallowed their home in Nebraska. One day, Myra learns that Row was spotted in a far-off encampment near the Arctic Circle. Desperate to find Row, Myra and Pearl must join forces with a larger ship (filled with strangers, all searching a safe haven in their dangerous new world), if they have any hope of surviving the perilous journey.

My review: If you like post-apocalyptic or environmental fiction, this book is for you! The author does an excellent job of capturing the grim reality of Myra and Pearl's dangerous world, as well as their daily struggle to survive. After the Flood is action-packed (which kept me turning pages!), and the characters face problem after problem along the way. You also really understand Myra's desperation to find Row and the many tough choices she has to make. This book is pretty dark, but it's also full of hope, and I loved Myra's strong character.

Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

About the book: Crying in H Mart is a best-selling memoir written by Michelle Zauner, the lead vocalist for the indie pop band Japanese Breakfast! In the book, Zauner shares her story, which spans from her difficult childhood to her mother's death from cancer (and beyond). After her mother's death, Zauner was forced her to reckon with her Korean American identity, and she eventually reclaims the gifts of taste, language, and history that her mother had given her.

My review: I'm not that familiar with Japanese Breakfast, and I'm not a big memoir reader. Even so, it's been impossible to escape this book, which has been hugely popular over the last few years! I resisted reading it partially for those reasons, but also because I don't enjoy reading about death and grief (having lost people who were important to me). But I have to say that this book really resonated with me! Yes, it's sad, but it's also uplifting, and I love how she wove the importance of food throughout the story. I also related to the author's struggle to fit in, and I think her poignant story would resonate with most readers . I highly recommend listing to the audiobook for Crying in H Mart so you can hear the book read in the author's own voice!

Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

About the book: If you like modern takes on Agatha Christie-inspired whodunits, don't miss Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone! The story is narrated by Ernest Cunningham, an author with a family full of killers. Some of them have killed more than once. Some of them are good, while others are bad, and some were just unfortunate. But they're all trapped at a remote ski resort for a family reunion, and not everyone will make it out alive.

My review: Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone grabbed me right from the very start! This clever story has lots of fun with the classic murder mystery trope, and I really loved it. It's an engaging whodunit with a dark sense of humor and plenty of twists! I listened to the audiobook, and while I thought the narrator did an amazing job (and I loved his accent), I found it somewhat difficult to keep the large cast of characters and many plot twists straight. This novel is book one in the Ernest Cunningham series, and I'll probably read the next book in this series the old fashioned way ... on my Kindle (lol)!

More about the series: The next book in the Ernest Cunningham series is Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect. I'm planning to read that one soon, and I've also pre-ordered Everyone This Christmas has a Secret, which comes out in October!

Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rat g ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

About the book: A close-knit group is torn apart in Miracle Creek! In a small town Virginia, a group of parents and patients have gotten to know one another at a special treatment center with a hyperbaric chamber that's used to treat conditions ranging from infertility to autism. But after the chamber explodes and kills two people, it becomes clear that the explosion wasn’t an accident. Who was responsible: a careless mother, an angry protester, the owners hoping to cash in the insurance policy, or someone else? As the case is tried in court, evidence is gathered, alliances shifts, and secrets are slowly revealed.

My review: After I finished Angie Kim's second book earlier this year, Happiness Falls, I immediately added her this book (her first) to my TBR list. And it didn't disappoint. In fact, I think I liked it even more than Happiness Falls (which I also rated five stars)! This is such an amazing book on so many levels. First of all, the hyperbaric chamber aspect is fascinating, then there are the finely developed characters (each with their own motivations and secrets), the legal setting, and finally the mystery of it all: who really caused with the explosion? I did have an inkling early on of whodunit, but I questioned this assumption throughout the book as more was revealed. If you like more literary mysteries, this book is a must read!

Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 out of 5 stars)

Searching for Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok

About the book: A family's secrets are revealed in Searching for Sylvie Lee! The Lee family has two daughters: Sylvie and Amy. Sylvie (the brilliant, beautiful older daughter) was raised by distant relatives in the Netherlands, and she didn't rejoin her family in America until she was nine. Amy (the baby of the family) has always looked up to Sylvie, but she was too young to remember the time when her parents were new immigrants and too poor to keep Sylvie. When Sylvie travels back to the Netherlands to visit her dying grandmother one last time, and then vanishes, Amy and her parents become desperate for answers. Sylvie always looked out for the family, but now it's Amy's turn to help. But when Amy flies to the Netherlands (the last place Sylvie was seen), she doesn't find simple answers, and the truth about Sylvie reveals more about Amy's complicated family than she ever could have imagined.

My review: This poignant mystery / family drama had me gripped from the start ... I listened to the audiobook (the narrator did a wonderful job), and I kept looking for excuses to keep listening! The story is a really tender portrait of the Lee family, and it also spotlights the difficult choices immigrant families have to make, not only to survive in a new country, but also to adjust to (and fit into) their new home. The cracks in Sylvie's perfect life are slowly revealed as the book progresses, and you really feel for both her and Amy. I loved both characters, but especially Amy. She starts out very shy and self-doubting, but she grows so much as she's forced to take charge.

Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 out of 5 stars)

The Age of Magical Overthinking by Amanda Montell

About the book: The Age of Magical Overthinking explores the inner workings of the human mind and its many biases! In this modern information age, our brain’s coping mechanisms are overloaded. Our irrationality has been turned up to an eleven, leading otherwise logical people to engage in magical thinking, the belief that our internal thoughts can affect unrelated events in the external world. Such thinking has led people to believe that they can manifest their way out of poverty, stave off cancer with positive vibes, or transform an unhealthy relationship into a glorious one with loyalty alone. If you've lost faith in humanity's ability to reason, the books aims to make some sense of the senseless.

My review: This non-fiction book covers everything from celebrity worship to social media, toxic relationships, and more, blending brain science and cultural criticism with the author's own personal narrative. It actually has a memoir-ish feel. I listened to the audiobook (read by the author), and she lays out each of the concepts covered by the book in an engaging way. Although it delves into psychology and science, the book is fairly lighthearted, and it touches a lot on current pop culture. While the concepts aren't necessarily new, I was left with a lot of interesting information to chew on!

Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

About the book: In The Bee Sting, the Barnes family is in trouble! Dickie's once lucrative car business is going under, and he's spending his time building an apocalypse shelter in the woods. Meanwhile, his wife Imelda is selling off her jewelry on eBay to keep the family afloat, while half-heartedly dodging the attention of Big Mike, a fast-talking cattle farmer. Their teenage daughter Cass, once at the top of her class, is binge-drinking her way through finals, and their twelve-year-old son PJ is making plans to run away.

My review: This book is told through multiple perspectives, and the structure works so well for this multi-layered story. Each of the characters is struggling, not only with the family's financial crisis, but also their own issues. The book alternates between the past and present, and as it progresses, Dickie and Imelda's backstories are slowly revealed. Each character's voice is distinct, and when I got to Imelda's first chapter I had to laugh at her nonstop steam of consciousness. I loved, like really, really loved, the first half of this book, but I did feel like it started to go off the rails and drag a bit midway through. Not that I wasn't still enjoying it, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the first part. Even so, I would highly recommend this novel, and can't wait to read more of the author's books.

Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)

The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden

About the book: Twists abound in The Housemaid! Millie has just gotten a job working for Nina Winchester, and it's a welcome fresh start after her troubled past. Every day she cleans the Winchester's impressive home from top to bottom, watches their daughter, and cooks a delicious meal. Then she spends the night in her tiny attic bedroom, which only locks from the outside. But things aren't quite as perfect as they first appeared. Nina makes messes just to watch Millie clean them up, and she tells lies about her own daughter. Meanwhile, Nina's husband Andrew seems more broken every day. Soon, Millie starts to imagine what it would be like to live Nina's life with her walk-in closet, fancy car, and perfect husband ... but the Winchester's secrets are far more dangerous than her own.

My review: This thriller was hard to put down! You really don't learn too much about Millie until later in the book, so you're left wondering about her motivations. Is she good? Is she bad? Then there's Nina, who is quite the boss! Though I thought that the main plot twist was pretty predictable, it didn't stop by from enjoying the book, and there were other things that kept me guessing. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a great job telling the story and capturing each character's personality. I can't wait to start to the next book in the The Housemaid Series!

More about the series: I picked this book somewhat randomly, and after finishing it, I was excited to learn it's a series! I've got book #2, The Housemaid's Secret in my queue. And I've pre-ordered book #3, The Housemaid Watching, comes out on June 11!

Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)

Anna Bright is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall

I received an advance copy of this book from SparkPress in exchange for an honest review.

About the book: Bad behavior abounds in Anna Bright is Hiding Something! Anna Bright is committing fraud, but no one—not the board of her startup BrightLife, her investors, her many admiring followers, or the media—knows. When hardworking journalist Jamie Roman learns about Anna's misconduct, she embarks on a cross-country journey to expose Anna and make a name for herself. But Anna soon finds out what Jamie's up to, and she'll do anything to stop her. Especially now that BrightLife's IPO is just days away.

My review: This was such an enjoyable and timely book! Anna Bright is a much admired startup founder, but behind the scenes she may be veering into Elizabeth Holmes territory. The story is told through dual perspectives (Anna's and Jamie's), and I thought this was a super effective way to tell the story. I felt the ending was a little rushed, but overall, this book gripped me from start to finish, and I'm looking forward to reading more of this author's books!

Just Released! Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

About the book: A government experiment yields unexpected results in The Ministry of Time! When a British civil servant is offered the salary of her dreams, she can't say no. She soon learns about a new government ministry that's gathering "expats" from different points in history to learn whether time travel is feasible, both for the body and for the space-time continuum. She has signed up to become a "bridge," and she'll be living with, assisting, and monitoring Commander Graham Gore, an expat known as 1847.

As far as history is concerned, Commander Gore died on an 1847 expedition to the Arctic, so he's disoriented to find himself living with an unmarried woman and surrounded by outlandish concepts such as washing machines, Spotify, and the collapse of the British Empire. But with an appetite for discovery and the support of a charming cast of fellow expats, he soon adjusts.

Over the next year, the relationship between the bridge and Commander evolves into something much deeper that what she initially imagined. When the true nature of the ministry's project comes to light, she must reckon with the choices that brought them together, and whether what she does next will change the future.

My review: This wonderful book is hard to quickly summarize, but it's truly original, and I love how the author effortlessly blended themes of time travel, romance, mystery, and history! The expats' reactions to different aspects of modern day life were always interesting and often amusing, and I was fascinated to learn that Commander Graham Gore was actually a real person. There's very little time travel that takes place in the book. It's more focused on present events, the relationships between the characters, and the ultimately, the truth about the ministry. The ending was unexpected and thought-provoking. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrators did an amazing job!

Order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)

What Fire Brings by Rachel Howzell Hall

I received an advance copy of this book from SparkPoint Studio / Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review.

About the book: Appearances are deceiving in What Fire Brings! Bailey Meadows has just moved into the remote Topanga Canyon home of best-selling author Jack Beckham. She's his new writer-in-residence, and he wants her assistance with his next book. But Bailey isn't there to help Jack write his next thriller. She's there to find Sam Morris, a community leader who was last seen in the drought-stricken canyon surrounding Jack's property. Each day, Bailey learns just how dangerous the canyon is, both to her and to the many women who've disappeared there. As fire season approaches, Bailey must unravel the truth from fiction before she becomes the canyon's next victim.

My review: This book is a bit of a wild ride, and one that will leave you questioning everything … including what exactly is going on! It's hard to talk about the story without giving a lot away, but let's just say that I frequently found myself confused while reading this book. Which made it a little hard to get into. The last quarter of the book was very fast-paced and gripping though, and it wraps everything up. If you like unreliable narrators and plots that leave you guessing and questioning every character, this might be the book for you!

Comes out June 11! Pre-order on Bookshop.org or Amazon | My Rating ⭐⭐⭐ (3 out of 5 stars)