I believe I can sum up my reading experience for this month with two words: Mediocre May. As of today, May 27, I have finished ten books, with three current reads I should be finishing before the 31st. Sadly, most of my reads this month were rather underwhelming, most getting three stars or less. They weren’t bad, per se, they just didn’t grab me (with the exception of the 1.5/2 star book, that one was just plain ol’ bad). I hope this isn’t the start of a dreaded reading slump!
There were a few that rose above the others…
What I’ve Been Reading
Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice by Virginia Roberts Giuffre — 4.5 out of 5 stars
Virginia Giuffre was one of the many survivors of the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell sex trafficking ring who came forward, most notably for her testimony against Maxwell and Giuffre’s role in exposing some of the world’s wealthiest men, including Prince Andrew. Giuffre tells her story of horrific childhood sexual abuse, her “chance” meeting with Maxwell which led her down into the depths of hell as a victim of sex trafficking. There were some brighter moments when she finally escaped, married, and had children. There was hope among the horror, and her story was made even more tragic with her death around the time this book was published. Not an easy read, but one I highly recommend.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr — 4.5 out of 5 stars
Historical fiction. Set in France and Germany during World War II, this story alternates between Marie-Laure and Werner. Marie-Laure is a blind girl who lives with her father, the “master of keys” at the nearby Museum of Natural History. They are forced to flee Paris and find themselves living with a distant uncle on the coast. Werner is an orphan, highly talented in building and fixing radios. He is “recruited” by an academy for Hitler Youth, where his talents are nurtured, then exploited for war gains. Add to this some unforgettable side characters and a precious gem thought to be cursed. I don’t know what initially drew me to this book as I usually don’t read fiction set during WWII. However, I was instantly engaged with the story, not wanting to put it down. My only complaint: there were a couple of things that, to me, felt “forced” into the narrative and wound up being a distraction. Highly recommend.
The Drowning Woman by Robyn Harding — 3.5 out of 5 stars
A psychological thriller told through the voices of two women: Lee, a former restauranteur who is currently homeless and living in her car and running from her past; and Hazel, the abused wife of a high-powered attorney who is rescued by Lee from her suicidal drowning attempt. Then things get twisted and weird… I love a good psych thriller, but this one left me feeling hot and cold. The good stuff: I thought the pacing was good, it kept me reading, and I didn’t see some of the twists coming. For me, the down side was the characters. One page I would be invested and intrigued, the next page I would be rolling my eyes at how fricking stupid these characters were acting. I know, it’s fiction, but still. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a quick thriller read. It is entertaining, I just had issues with some of the actions and plot line.
The Book of Sheen by Charlie Sheen — 3.5 out of 5 stars
Memoir. I’m sure we’ve all heard of Charlie Sheen, whether through his various acting gigs or his notorious lifestyle choices that used to make tabloid headlines. I was never a huge fan but I will give him props for his acting in Platoon, Two and a Half Men, and Young Guns. I found this book at my local library so I thought it might be interesting to check out. The first half to two-thirds of this memoir was good. He offered many entertaining anecdotes from his childhood and from his early acting years. But once he hits the infamous Two and a Half Men years, he suddenly becomes vague, sidestepping many of the issues that made him tabloid fodder at the time. His marriages are blips on the page, his out-of-control behavior barely addressed. There’s something about the last third of the book that has me mistrusting his claims of long-term sobriety. For the sake of his children and those he did hurt over the years, I truly hope he has been maintaining his sobriety and is working on repairing his relationships. Overall, not bad as far as celebrity memoirs go, but not one that I would enthusiastically recommend.
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