i finished one big book and a few quicker reads this month, which i enjoyed. as we head into summer conference, i am going to be lucky to finish a book a month through july, so i am glad to have made a slight dent in my reading pile.

the story of a new name by elena ferrante. i finally made my way through the second of ferrante’s neapolitan books about the lives of elena and lila. the story of a new name picks up at the exact moment when my brilliant friend closes and navigates the next seven or so years of the girls’ lives. we learn about lila’s new marriage and elena’s burgeoning womanhood, and we learn more about the ebbs and flows of their friendship. i struggled at times because it felt like i might never make it through, and because sometimes the characters drove me crazy, but by the time i got to the end i found myself wondering how things will play out in the third book // 3.5 out of 5 stars

you want to know what weakness is? weakness is treating someone as though they belong to you. strength is knowing that everyone belongs to themselves.

homegoing by yaa gyasi. i pre-ordered gyasi’s book when the paperback release date was announced, and i devoured it as soon as it arrived. there are so many layers to the stories gyasi shares, and i loved following along with each generation to learn how their lives would play out. i often found myself wanting to know more of each person’s story – in truth, each generation could have been a novel unto itself – but i enjoyed seeing how each chapter would lead into the next and seeing how each character was interconnected. this multi-generational tale is riveting and well worth a read // 4 out of 5 stars

leaving his house, she walked down the flagstone path to her car, and she felt the loss of him anew. felt too the old suspicion that life, as she had thus far experienced it, was a series of detachments. characters crossed the stage, and some hung around longer than others, but all ultimately exited.

since we fell by dennis lehane. lehane’s newest release was one of my book of the month selections, and i raced through it. since we fell wasn’t quite as mind-bending as i was expecting, especially since lehane also wrote shutter island, but it definitely had a few twists and turns. there were multiple times where i finished a chapter and said, out loud, ‘what is this book?’ it might not be great if you have trust issues, but it was interesting and engaging, and i look forward to reading more of his books in the future // 3.5 out of 5 stars

sharp objects by gillian flynn. this was an interesting one to read directly after since we fell. sharp objects also features a reporter as its central character, and it has its fair share of twists, but it also has its own unique style. i soared through this book in 3 days, and it held my attention throughout. i still think gone girl is flynn’s best work, but there is no doubting she is one of the best authors out there today // 4 out of 5 stars

currently reading: just started nora roberts’ high noon, one of hers i’ve actually not read before. and i am slowly making my way through neil gaiman’s the view from the cheap seats.

on my wish list: i am on a book-buying hiatus through the end of the summer. let’s see if that actually holds.

xx