May was a really good month for me. I was stressed out, but I managed it pretty well, and I felt like I hit my stride with the things that were happening in my life. I hauled a few exciting titles for me, and I read lots of good things.
Books I hauled in May:
- Lore Olympus, Volume 8 by Rachel Smythe
- Fair Rosaline by Natasha Solomons
- Beast by Richard Van Camp
- Silver Elite by Dani Francis
- Careful of Books by Cassandra Clare
- Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood
Books I read in May:
1. As I Enfold You in Petals by Richard Van Camp
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was a compelling follow up. The characters were interesting, and the art was really good.
2. It’s In His Kiss by Julia Quinn
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: This was well-written. I really liked Hyacinth as a character. It’s really interesting how they met and got together. It definitely had a different feel than the previous instalments. There were some really good spicy moments.
3. It’s In His Kiss: Second Epilogue by Julia Quinn
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: This was cute and fan servicey and I genuinely had so much fun listening to it. It was a nice addition to the world.
4. A Wizard of Earthsea (Graphic Novel) by Fred Fordham
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This had a really dark and muddy art style. I never read the novel, and ultimately I feel like I probably wasn’t the target audience for this. It wasn’t my favourite. I really thought it was an interesting concept but I’m not sure it will be the best for drawing in new fans.
5. Wicked Beautiful by JT Geissinger
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: eBook
Review: This was a really interesting premise. I liked the main characters but didn’t 100% love the execution. It was a pretty high stakes, which is unusual for a romance novel. It was interesting in the way that I didn’t really love either of the main characters, and yet they somehow worked together. The ending was wild in the long run.
6. Snug: A Collection of Comics by Catana Chetwynd
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: eBook
Review: This was a super cute collection of moments in a person’s relationship. I had lots of fun reading it. It was very sweet.
7. Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was a re-read with a class. I really enjoyed it and reading from Christopher’s perspective was interesting. It’s hard to put down.
8. Three Things I Know Are True by Betty Culley
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This book was so beautiful. I love a novel in verse, and the way this one was written was so great. Liv was a really compelling character. This is definitely a book that you need to bring the Kleenex for because I cried a lot while I was reading it. It played out in a perfect way.
9. When We Ride by Rex Ogle
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was a very interesting story. I really enjoyed the perspective of the main character and the depiction of his friendship with his best friend. The structure of the poetry was really cool, and I liked how some poems mirrored each other. The story was definitely compelling.
10. The God of the Wood by Liz Moore
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was a really interesting story. I found the different timelines and perspectives really interesting. I had a good time trying to guess what had happened and who was responsible. It had a unique premise.
11. The Name She Gave Me by Betty Culley
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was a beautiful novel in verse. I really liked how it told the story of how family and adoption can be complicated. I found Rynn to be a really interesting character. I liked getting to see her reconnect with her biological sister.
12. Northranger by Ray Terciero
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: eBook
Review: I have never read the original novel, but I did really end up enjoying this retelling. The art was really nice. I liked the characters and how they developed over the course of the story.
13. Heated Rivals by Katee Robert
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This is very interesting. I haven’t read a lot of mafia romance, so it was cool to read this one. The enemies to lovers dynamic was really well done. I liked both the main characters a lot.
14. Lore Olympus, Volume 8 by Rachel Smythe
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I love this series so much. I can’t wait for the next one.
15. Crank by Ellen Hopkins
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: eBook
Review: This was a re-read for me. I’m glad that I did.
16. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was a re-read. It’s still very interesting.
17. The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This dual POV romance was super cute. I liked the two main characters, and how they connected. There was some really interesting moments of behind the scenes of reality television. Seeing the manipulations of the producers was compelling. It was a good read.
18. The Whispering Night by Susan Dennard
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: This was a great series concluder. I really love Winnie as a character. This was an interesting read, and I really appreciated the twists and turns in the story. I liked the world that Susan Dennard constructed here. She’s a great writer.
19. My Favourite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: This was a very cute little romance. I liked the trope of a single female friend in a group of guys. The texting and online dating aspects of this were really fun as well. I wanted a bit more development as well.
20. A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore
Rating: 2 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I didn’t like this book. It didn’t age well, and I didn’t like most of the characters.
21. Come As You Are by Dahlia Adler
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: There is a full review of this up on the blog here.
22. Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: I am obsessed with this book. Ali Hazelwood does a great job with the dynamics between her couples. It was very beautiful. I love Maya and Connor a lot. It was just so well-written and I absolutely could not put this book down. I love all the characters.
23. Star Splitter by Matthew J. Kirby
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: Physical Copy
Review: This was a such a good science fiction book. I liked how it wove together different timelines to to help us put together the overarching plot. The characters were really interesting to me. I had a hard time putting this book down. It was so great to read. I definitely recommend you pick this up.
24. Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: Audiobook
Review: Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC. This was creepy but wasn’t good as I wanted it to be. There were some eerie vibes for sure.
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