May Reads Wrap-Up: From Dopamine Loops to Lucid Dreams

May was a lighter reading month, mainly because I’ve been deep in a few massive books that I’ll (hopefully) finish in June. I also noticed my reading diet’s been a little too heavy on non-fiction lately. My brain is craving a good fictional escape. As it is, I’m in the middle of only one non-fiction book at the moment, it’s epic, but sometimes I feel like I’m a full time college student! 

That said, I still made time for four books, each offering something unique. Below are my quick takes, including the one book I wish I had back in college and a thriller that left me feeling … complicated.

The Crash 

By Freida McFadden

Read my full review here.

This thriller left me 95% frustrated by characters making bad assumptions, but the final 5% unexpectedly got me choked up. I’m still not sure where I land overall. If you enjoy twisty psychological thrillers, this one might be worth the ride, but if you are like me, be prepared to yell at the characters.

Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming

By Stephen LaBerge, Howard Rheingold

Read my full review here.

As someone fascinated by human potential, lucid dreaming has always intrigued me.Having experienced lucid dreams when I was younger, I decided to pick up this book again and embark on the journey anew. This year, my goal is to explore and confront some of the underlying patterns and ‘monsters’ that lurk in my subconscious by mastering the art of lucid dreaming. Or not, let’s find out!

A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science

By Barbara Oakley

This is the book I wish I had in college. I used to spend long nights in the library, rewriting notes, doing every practice problem, and making sure I got enough sleep, even if it meant leaving work unfinished. This book would have reduced my stress and optimized my time a lot more. I did read How to Read a Book which helped out a lot but paired with this book, I think I could have avoided the burn out I felt after I had graduated.

Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence

By Anna Lembke

My takeaway from this book is that humans are busy trapping themselves into dopamine cycles, unintentionally and on purpose. No one is immune from this cycle and being trapped in it too long will make it that much harder to break out. One has to be hyper aware of substances and activities that flood your brain with that good good dopamine hit because once you feel that, you need to regulate that activity, making sure you aren’t trapped in a cycle forever. Humans are building their own hamster wheels, which apparently is highly addictive to hamsters, and we need to be mindful not to become trapped.

What did you read in May? Were you on a nonfiction kick too, or did you escape into some great fiction? Drop your favorites (or the ones that challenged you) in the comments, I’m always looking for recs!