Hi my friends!
It’s been quite a while since I sat down and wrote one of these. I’ve had some pretty big life changes over the last couple months, but I have never not been reading, writing, or thinking about what to write. I’m excited to find some time again to write for this blog! I have some fun ideas brewing. I hope you’ll read along with them! Of course, if you have any questions, ideas or other comments, don’t hesitate to reach out. I love to hear from you.
To sum up my life over the last couple of months: I had been freelancing as a journalist, but due to some legislation changes where I live, it became a lot harder. I struggled a lot with the big questions: how do I continue my career and not go broke? The answer to that ended up being ‘apply for a full-time job’. I was very lucky to find a great job quickly, so for the past two months I’ve been working there. It was definitely the right move, as I absolutely love what I do now. Finding this job resolved so much of the anxiety I had that made it hard to write. I am feeling so, so happy right now. Which also means I have more energy to spend on this blog.
All this to say, life is good and I’m reading books! I might still write a (less extensive) wrap-up to catch you up on what I read while I took this break. Let me know if that’s something you want to read! But let’s start with the titles most recent in my memory.
My May wrap-up:
1. A Psalm for the Wild-Built
A Psalm for the Wild-Built is such a tender, loving story. I adore Becky Chambers’ sci-fi, because it manages to always make me ponder my beliefs. This book follows a monk who longs for the wild nature that he can’t enter. Because years ago, the robots, tired from serving humans, disappeared into those very wilds. A deal was struck: robots can live in peace there, be wild and not needed for the first time in their lives. Humans have learned to live without them.
By chance, this one robot and monk meet, starting interesting conversations on societal expectations, beliefs and meanings we give to the life around us. The monk is sent to investigate how humans live after their disappearance, while the monk longs to explore the wild nature the robots have made their own.
They’re complete opposites, yet they have so many similarities. I truly don’t understand how Becky Chambers manages this balance so well, but this book is another confirmation that I will read anything she writes.
Add A Psalm for the Wild-Built on Goodreads / Add A Psalm for the Wild-Built on Storygraph
2. First-Time Caller
This is easily one of the best executed, most fun romance books I’ve read in a while. First-Time Caller is a Sleepless in Seattle retelling, following the gloomy radio show host of a romance hotline who doesn’t believe in love anymore, and a bubbly young single mom who’s gotten stuck in her routine.
This is a perfect combination of some of my favorite tropes, most importantly the grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity and mutual pining. Because they have it bad for each other. I adored it. It’s extremely cute and well-executed romance. If there’s any romance book you read this year, I’d put this top of the list.
Add First-Time Caller on Goodreads / Add First-Time Caller on Storygraph
3. Ik beloof je dat ik honderd word (NL)
Een review schrijven voor een boek als indrukwekkend, persoonlijk en gevoelig als dit, is enorm lastig. Maar ik wil graag toch een poging wagen. Mijn gedachten blijven hangen op twee punten. Aan de ene kant is het een lang, zwaar boek met veel juridische taal die moeilijk te volgen is. Het gaat om een enorm ingewikkeld en lang dossier, waar Peter R. de Vries (en daarmee ook de lezer) halverwege binnenstapt.
Aan de andere kant is het een bijzondere inkijk in de werkwijze van Peter én de moeilijkheden waar hij tijdens dit traject tegenaan liep. Dan heb ik het nog niet eens over de persoonlijke details waar Royce de Vries over schrijft. Soms mooie toevoegingen, maar soms voelde het ook een beetje random.
Het is een informerend boek, maar blijft soms te lang hangen in juridische details. Daar had, wat mij betreft, echt wel wat weggelaten kunnen worden. Of juist extra uitleg geven over de rechtszaak en de mocromaffia, want er zijn genoeg mensen die er weinig van weten.
Add Ik beloof je dat ik honderd word on Goodreads / Add Ik beloof je dat ik honderd word on Storygraph
4. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
This book has been on my to-read list for years, so I was excited to finally make time for it. Maybe it was all the hype around it, or the amount of great sci-fi I’ve read over the past year, but this didn’t live up to my expectations. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a funny adventure book that doesn’t make much sense.
That’s probably also the point of it, it just being a silly book. Nothing more. But it just didn’t capture me as much as I’d hoped. I love a strange, weird book, but this didn’t bring me much further than a sensible chuckle.
I think it’s just not a book for me, which is why I ended up rating it 3.25 stars on Storygraph. It felt like a cute bit of entertainment to me, so if you’re looking for that, then definitely pick this up. It’s not a bad book by any means – I can see why it’s so beloved in the sci-fi genre. I just didn’t vibe with it and that’s okay too.
Add The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy on Goodreads / Add The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy on Storygraph
That’s what I read in May! Still a pretty extensive list, if I do say so myself. Especially considering I’m adjusting to a new work schedule. Have you been reading a lot? Please let me know! I just started Six of Crows on my kindle and I’m really enjoying it so far. I’ve had that on my to-read list forever! I’ll let you know what I think in my next wrap-up.
Or if you’re interested, you can also befriend me on Goodreads or Storygraph, where-ever you like to track your reading.
See you next time!
Marjo
Leave a Reply