May Book List

I tried to title this the March book list because, well, how did it get to be May?!?

I read some great books this month, though I didn't read exactly what I expected.  Some books came in that I had on hold, so I changed a few things to read the ones I was most excited about.  I bailed on a couple as well.

This month I'm including a list of read alikes, so if you read a book I review and then want something covering the same topic or with a few similarities, check out the other options after each review.

Version Control by Dexter Palmer:  Let me just start by saying this is my favorite time travel book ever!  Palmer wowed me on every single page.  Woven into a story about marriage, friendships, racism, and technology is an exploration of a device called the causality violation device.  It's a time machine.  I cannot even hold in my head how Palmer pulled this all together so seamlessly, but this book grabbed me, and I neglected dishes, laundry, and my nightly yoga to devour it.

Other Time Travel Books:  The Time Traveler's Wife, Pax Romana

The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith:  This book is set in three different time periods, ranging from 1950s New York to 2000s Sydney to Amsterdam in the 1600s.  It follows a painting by Sara de Vos and tells the story of how that painting intertwined and affected the lives of an aspiring artist, Ellie, and the man whose family has owned the painting for generations.  Smith explores what we are willing to take from each other and what it costs us.  He writes with elegance that is hard to describe, and you feel like you're swimming between the pages absorbing every detail.

Other Books About Art:  The Goldfinch, The Swan Thieves, The Last Nude

The Blondes by Emily Schultz:  A rabies like disease is infecting women all over the world, specifically women with blonde hair.  Hazel Hayes tells her unborn child the story of  her journey through New York City and Canada after the outbreak of this infectious disease, documenting not only the effects of the outbreak but also her personal journey as a doctorate student who is pregnant with her married professor's child.  Schultz writing is tight and full at the same time.  Her characters are believable, and this examination of how we view beauty and how we relate to those around us is both dark and hopeful.

Other Books About Women/Beauty Standards:  Dietland and 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl

I have a week left, and I am currently reading The Little Red Chairs, but I am also working on about six writing projects, so I may or may not finish it by June.  It will appear on next month's list either way.