What I read in May

May was a slow reading month for me, partly due to Eid. For a while, I have been reading at least ten books a month, but this month I read seven which is still a good number. I also realize I spent around 500 ringgit on books every month and opted for thrift books. Anyway, I enjoyed every single book I put together in May, so it is still a win.  

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithir 

Can you imagine when you are so close to becoming a renowned neurosurgeon after ten years of hard work, but one day, you are diagnosed with cancer and only have a few months to live? Because I can't. I envy Paul's efforts to stay optimistic and ensure he spent his remaining time to the fullest between the diagnosis and his final breath, and it inspires me to reflect upon the shortness of my own life. Loaded with theories and medical terminology, he did not fail to impress me. Unfortunately, his work is incomplete due to his illness and finished by his widow, who documented Paul's last days and hours. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 

This book is phenomenal. It took me a while to figure out who the narrator was. This book is set during the Holocaust and tells the story of Liesel Meminger, who stole books and found comfort in them. Her foster family took pity on a Jewish man and hid him in the family basement. I love the writing style of this book. The plot is incredibly slow with a series of anecdotes, poetic lines, and likable characters. It is beautiful in so many ways. If you are thinking of reading this next, let me warn you, better prepare a tissue box next to you. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 

Kudos by Rachel Cusk 

The third book of the Outline trilogy started with Outline and Transit, but I began with Kudos and read the trilogy backward. First of all, let's talk about the book cover, it is so dreamy and aesthetically pleasing. Faye, the writer, is attending a writers' event in Germany and captures numerous conversations she has on the way and at the event. Nothing much happens, but I found the series of discussions among the character and monologues, which captures a kind of everyday irony, are brilliant and insightful.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 

Villette by Charlotte Brontë 

I personally find this book hard to rate because I don't know how to feel about it. It is very different from my beloved Jane Eyre, which is disappointing. I did not enjoy this book as much as I wanted to. Lucy Snow is a passive observer. Much of the novel revolves around her observations and comments about the world and the people around her, which perhaps is less of an easy read for me. There are so many flaws with the two main characters that I hardly love any of them. A frustrating book. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5 

The Defining Decade by Meg Jay 

This book is highly recommended to anyone in their twenties who is still figuring out their life. Dr. Jay uses relatable stories of her clients and touches upon many issues I faced in my early twenties. This book makes you confront your purpose, like a punch in the gut to get your life together. It empowered me to re-plan my life schedule and not fall into the myth that I still have plenty of time to achieve all my goals. Oh, I wish I had read this book at least three years earlier. 

 My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 

Black Milk by Elif Shafak 

Through this book, Shafak opens up about her dilemma that every woman could relate to. She also explores the lives of the famous female literature writers over the time, and how they dealt with the choice of marriage, motherhood, and writing. The tensions between her thumbelinas may sound childish and hard to understand, but I could sympathize with her, struggling with her inner-selves, contemplating between marriage and career, and finding that balance we all want to achieve.  

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin 

A very interesting concept. It is a year-long journey of the author's experiment planning activities to achieve happiness. Gretchen applied several studied happiness techniques to her daily life and took note of which ones worked for her. Few of her projects I'd love to try out. Though I'm inspired by how self-driven and productive Gretchen is, for some reason, it was also exhausting reading through her stories about her family and trying so hard to attain happiness all the time. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5  

How about you? What did you read in May?