What I Read: July/August

I’m excited to share a couple more months of reads with you today!

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. A Man Called Ove is a slow burn. So so so slow. I almost gave up on this book about a dozen different times, and it took me a long time to get through it. I’m so glad that I finally did finish it because it’s worth it in the end. Ultimately, I liked it more than Beartown, although I’m still not a huge Fredrik Backman fan.

So Close to Being the Sh*t, Y’all Don’t Even Know by Retta (audiobook). Retta’s book So Close to Being the Sh*t, Y’all Don’t Even Know is every bit as hilarious as you would expect. While not quite on the level of Martin Short or Jim Gaffigan, So Close is everything you want in a celebrity memoir. It’s funny, genuine (though on the light side), and full of just the right amount of great celebrity stories. While I’m sure that it makes a great read, I think that it makes an even better audiobook.

The Chef by James Patterson and Max DiLallo. The Chef is the first book I’ve ever read by James Patterson, and I was pleasantly surprised. His writing is definitely a cut above the average mystery/thriller. I love the food angle and the fact that it was set in New Orleans. It made for a unique story that I didn’t feel like I’ve read a thousand times.

My Love Story by Tina Turner (audiobook). Tina Turner has an amazing story to tell, and she does such a good job relaying it. As it’s a tough tale, My Love Story is one of those books you have to be in the right mood/frame of mind to read, similar to Sally Field’s In Pieces.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (audiobook). Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is another classic book that I finally got around to reading. I have absolutely no idea why this book became so popular and why it remains so popular and influential. I know that the drug theory is supposedly all rumor, but seriously. Alice is wandering around nibbling on a mushroom the entire time.

Save Me the Plums: a Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl (audiobook). Save Me the Plums offers an incredibly interesting look into the world of food magazines. As someone who spends a lot of time reading food blogs, studying food photography, and thinking about blogging trends, the topic appealed to me a lot. As with a lot of food writing, at times, it got a little flowery. I’m definitely interested to read more of Reichl’s work that’s less magazine focused now.

Swimming to Catalina by Stuart Woods. Swimming to Catalina was good but not amazing. The setup of the story is solid. But the character development goes nowhere, and there’s a lot of build up for a not very exciting ending. I was hopeful it might be a good series to pick up once in a while, but unfortunately, it’s not likely to be one I’ll revisit.

Drama by John Lithgow (audiobook). John Lithgow’s Drama was also good but not amazing. I understand that he was writing it with a heavy emphasis on the drama side of his life and not as a straight memoir or autobiography. But it gets weighed down in the endless plot descriptions of various plays and the people he knows who acted in them. For an in-depth look at the nitty gritty ins and outs of acting, I enjoyed Jenna Fisher’s The Actor’s Life a lot more.

Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord. I enjoyed Half a Chance so much that I mentioned it in my summer favorites post. It’s a sweet little summer read, so much better than the generic chick lit fiction that gets pushed every summer. Of course, I love the photography angle. I’m excited to read more of Cynthia Lord’s books now.

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