Saturday, May 27, 2023

Mini Book Reviews: May 2023

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I won a copy of Up To Speed from Oh! Run Club and Pens and Paces.

What, only 4 books? It's been a very busy month and reading took a backseat to all the other May activities. Plus, 3 of the 4 books I read were long, immersive reads that required concentration. The 4 books I read could not have been more different, yet I enjoyed them all. I'm looking forward to some lighter reads for June!


As a Midwesterner who has spent a lot of time in Wisconsin, Stradal's books always hit a place in my heart, taking me back to a time when life was about family time, fish fries, whiskey-soaked maraschino cherries, and family-owned resorts. He captures that essence perfectly in Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club, a generational story about a restaurant in the northwoods of Minnesota. While this book is sprinkled with plenty of humor, this is Stradal's most immersive book yet. It's a generational saga about family ties and legacy, capturing perfectly themes of love and loss. Sigh. I hated to see this one come to an end. The only thing missing are tales of waterskiing on those northern lakes.



I picked up Camp Zero, a Jenna's book club selection, intrigued by the by description of another twist on climate change. A group of survivors of a disastrous storm migrate north of the border and establish a settlement. There is a dystopic feel to the book--think "Station Eleven and also some "Handmaid's Talevibes. The story is told through three different perspectives and I kind of muddled through the first half of the book. The narrative picked up speed after that and while I was able to sort things out, it almost felt as if the ending came too soon. It wasn't a bad book, but I think it would have been better had the author spent more time fleshing out the plot. And Jenna, not sure how you 'flew' through this one!



Up to Speed 
is a comprehensive, well-researched book covering everything you can imagine about women athletes. Title IX, passed in 1972, may have expanded women's sports, but the science has lagged behind. Most advice and guidance for women has been based on studies of men. And as we know, thanks to Stacy Sims, women are NOT small men! Yu takes the reader beyond what we've learned from other trailblazers, providing the latest advice for women in every stage of life. There's a ton of information here, but Yu is an engaging author and sprinkles in lots of anecdotes. This book should be required reading for anyone responsible for coaching female athletes. Me, I'll keep my copy handy for quick reference! 



Symphony of Secrets
 was a fantastic read by the author of The Violin Conspiracy. A professor, working for a famous composer's foundation, uncovers a secret and conspiracy behind the music--that his compositions were actually written by a neurodivergent Black woman who could hear music in everyday sounds. The story is told in parallel narratives between the present-day work of the professor and the past, when the young woman was writing songs that the 'composer' passed off as his own. The book started off slowly for me, but once the professor makes his discovery known, the consequences of this make for compelling reading. Highly recommended!



What have you read lately? Do you have Up to Speed on your list? What would you recommend to me?

I'm linking up with Kim and Zenaida for Tuesday Topics.


12 comments :

  1. Well, I'm looking for book recommendations! Symphony of Secrets was already on my radar, and it sounds really good. I hadn't heard of Up to Speed before. Would you say there's information in there that isn't covered in Next Level? For our age, I mean- obviously Up to Speed is more comprehensive.

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    1. I felt like Up to Date was more comprehensive overall--but I didn't really learn anything new about post-menopause except that the lack of estrogen makes us more insulin resistant, which is why we gain weight around the waistline. I guess I already knew this, but it was nice to see it in print. Now for something to do about that...

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  2. I love your reviews. Just finished Horse (and loved it) and now reading Des' book.

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  3. Up to Speed sounds like a really, really interesting read!

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  4. These all sound intriguing! I've been reading the Glass Castle (Jeannette Walls)...a bunch of people raised a major ruckus in trying to have it banned from the HS English curriculum. Of course, that just made EVERYONE want to read it themselves (kids and parents) ;-)

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    1. Hold up--banning The Glass Castle? Why? I read it years ago and it is still one of the best books I've ever read. People are truly nuts!

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  5. The Stradal book looks fun! I have read some good ones this month, Caleb Azumah Taylor's "Small Worlds" was excellent and is recommended.

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  6. I definitely read a lot more in the summer time. These are all new to me. Just finished Lessons in Chemistry and about to start "drowning" by TJ Newman I loved her first book. Thanks for the recs

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    1. I will look for Drowning. I've got some really fun light 'beachy' reads coming up for June.

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