May wrap up 2023 aka Holy Beach Read Batman!
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JOMP BPC - May 31st - Read in May
only managed 4 books this month. I keep wasting my time on books I’m not enjoying. and I just haven’t felt much like reading. but I enjoyed all these so that’s alright
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Hey there! I'm back from writing paradise. I admit I might have gotten a little obsessed but that was just because writing is so easy and fun while everything else is always hard. u3u But I basically finished my novel so I have no excuses anymore not to get back into real life.
Here's what I read in May! Pretty good month! uAu
Keeper of the Lost Cities 3: Everblaze (Shannon Messenger): The first one in the series I read instead of listening. Was a good choice because I think I missed quite a bit of the first volumes. 8D Also, it's so long. I don't think, me being me, that I would have made it though the audiobook. Don't get me wrong, I like the story. I have a tremendous respect at how it is written, keeping all the plotpoints together, presenting the puzzle pieces little by little, managing the huge cast of people. When I complain next time about a Middle Grade book being too simple and too shallow than this is the kind of book I'm comparing it to. My one problem in this volume was, how the tension never lets down. It's so wound tight all the time, everything is always on the edge of collapsing, including Sophie. It was a little exhausting for me. So I was very glad, there were at least some answers near the end.
The Scottish Boy (Alex de Campi): I went to Scotland at the beginning of May to visit my friend, so what better book to read than this. And what a book. It's the kind of story, where so much happens in the relationship of the protagonists that right after it ends you want to go back to the beginning and read all their first interactions all over again. Hng. It's great. Also Alys, my queen. When she first appeared I was so afraid she'd turn out evil. Because court intrigues and stuff. The ending of this book is all my heart desires. I don't actually like war stories, you know. But after In Memoriam and now this, they sure make good love stories. The drama of for once not knowing where it all goes? Who lives and who doesn't? Damn. I really enjoyed reading this book. The illustrations by Trungles are also verrry nice. uAub
Captive Prince (C.S. Pacat): This was a reread and I read the other two volumes in June, so my thoughts on the series will go there. :)
Wraith, Entity & Presence (Oracle of Senders 3,4 + 3.5) (Mere Joyce): It's so hard to tell my feelings for this series. There's a lot of death and murder, there's choking and burning and failed exorcism and so much danger of death and still it was just so pleasant to read, so charming and nice and laid-back. It's so weird. 8D I liked the cast of characters and the adventure and Cal's and Meander's relationship (the complete lack of gay panic and homophobic surroundings), the classical music references (even though I never looked up a single one). I wish there was a sequel with Cal and Meander as adults. I mean, I realise, it would be difficult to do in a classic novel format because the ghost cases just aren't big enough to last a whole book, but imagine it like a half-hour show oder manga series with a ghost of the week for half the chapter and their happy slice of life for the rest. Hah. Good series.
The Hanged Man & The Hourglass Throne (The Tarot Sequence 2+3) (K.D. Edwards): I didn't think about it while reading but in retrospective this series fits into what I categorise as "wild". There's so much shit happening here. Big and bold. At the end of volume 1 I was still undecided of I like it enough to buy it on paper. These doubts were washed away with the sequels. It's an investment in the beginning, getting into the world and all, but I found it totally worth it. That one big drama at the end of vol3? Yes, totally got me. Like right from the textbook. Make me care, rip me apart. Damn.
The Buried and the Bound (Rochelle Hassan): If someone asked me in a survey about what I want to read and then actually went and made it into a book, this might be the result. This contains only things I like: two suffering (gay) boys, one tough girl (not involved in any romance), which is the best constellation of characters, really. Some magic, some adventure, some drama, different storythreads that weave nicely together in the end. I enjoyed reading it a whole lot and am looking forward to the sequels!
Ander & Santi were here (Jonny Garza Villa): Now this one was difficult. I think it's a good book, I wanted to like it, but. Hear me out. For me, this is split in three parts. The first one is about the illegal immigrants. See, for as long as I remember my dad worked in a … what's it called in English … an housing complex for refugees? Not a camp, but like a dorm. And while illegals and refugees are still a step apart, they're at least somehow adjacent. I lived basically next to them half my life and never cared. When in 2015 there was a huge wave of refugees coming to my country and everyone was freaking out, I just thought "Great, that means my dad will keep his job" (because the dorm was always on the verge of closing down and it would probably been tough for my dad as one of very few black people in a kind of racist small town to find a new job.) So anyway, I thought it was a good thing to finally read an actual story about people in these situations, to learn how to care. So that part was good and insightful. The second part was about the art. I draw manga only, but I do consider myself an artist and I was around when manga became big in my country and the art schools hated it and made us suffer. I have thoughts on art. And I really enjoyed reading about Ander's art and process and thoughts. My favourite part of the book! And then there's part 3, the love story. And I think, because I connected more strongly to the other parts than usual I felt the disconnect here much more than usual! The romance in here is very intense and very physical and my aroace brain didn't compute at all. Complete detachment. Which was kind of a problem, because the romance is a huge part of the book. I really wanted to like it but it didn't work.
I did like Ander as a character, though, and their family and friends. And the cover is still so damn pretty!
That's it!
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May wrap up time! After 254 hours I finished Breath of the Wild. Found 899 korok seeds and do not care enough to find the last. A little disappointed that you beat Ganon and that's it, no after game, but I guess that's what Tears of the Kingdom is for? I bought a few books I said I wouldn't, but it was my bookstores birthday and I must support them it's the Law. Would have liked to do more art, but I liked the stuff I accomplished! While the books were many, they were not as fun as last month. Though last month was so good it was hard to live up to it. I did manage to put a couple of reviews up on Goodreads though! That's exciting!
A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir ⭐⭐⭐⭐A good ending to the series! Hit all the right nerves! Wish it didn't focus so much on the sexual relationships but whatever it was a satisfying conclusion!
A House With Good Bones by T Kingfisher ⭐⭐⭐⭐FUN! CREEPY! VULTURES!
A Gathering of Shadows by VE Schwab ⭐⭐A glorified prologue to book three. Laia would not fucking wear that.
Witchmark by CL Polk ⭐⭐⭐What the fuck was that ending lol somehow the romance was the only thing I truly liked and even that I had questions about.
Black Wings Beating by Alex London ⭐Birds wouldn't fucking do that. They climbed a mountain. They were thrown off the mountain. I wish they'd died.
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo ⭐Why was THIS the most hyped book on tumblr in 2019, I KNOW there were better options. This review actually covered a lot of the problems I had. I don't think sexual assault should be used as shock value and this has too much of it lmao why the hell was Mercy cured of her trauma in like twelve hours what the fuck Bardugo
As I said in another post, I'm including Ninth House here because I can <3 And I read most of it in May so it feels weird including it in June. Time is fake anyway. Glad to have Black Wings Beating in the past hope it fades from my memory so I never have to think about it again. My favorite was probably A House With Good Bones, it seems T Kingfisher really knows exactly what I want in a book. Love me a good underground horror.
Don't forget to vote in my Best Book In May poll! I want to know what others think!
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May 2023 Wrap Up
May ended up being a great month. My course wrapped up for the semester, and I continued to be very happy with my students. I went to the British Women Writers Conference at the University of Virginia, which was amazing. And now it's on to summer break!
Books Read: 5
And we go from 15 books last month to 5 books this month. Oh well. At least almost all of these were good (and even though So Happy For You wasn't, it at least entertained me for an afternoon). Mortal Follies was definitely my favorite of the month. Highly recommend!
So Happy For You by Celia Laskey - 1.5 stars
The Mystery of Mrs. Blencarrow & Queen Eleanor and Fair Rosamond by Margaret Oliphant - 4.5 stars
The Stolen Heir by Holly Black - 4.5 stars
Becoming a Woman of Letters: Myths of Authorship and Facts of the Victorian Market by Linda H. Peterson - 4 stars
Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall - 5 stars
On Tumblr:
There's not a whole lot here, but definitely check out the adorable card one of my students gave me. It's amazing!
April Wrap Up
A card from one of my Brit Lit students
Holly Black Poll
Tortall Poll
Selections for a Fairy Tale Course
On YouTube:
And there's a fair bit on here, as usual.
What I Read for #picturethis
What I'm Teaching in British Literature III: Modernism
April Wrap Up - 15 books!!!
My Brontë Book Collection
Currently Reading 5/15/23
Underrated Victorian Recommendations #6
June TBR
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Books I read in May💕
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May and June wrap up
(Yes I'm late)
If we were villains by M.L Rio
I still don't know how to rate this book and I'll probably need a second read to do it properly. One thing is certain: I really really liked it. It's this book's fault if I reentered my 'I'm fixated on Shakespeare' phase. Now I want to read every play that is named in this book so that I can reread it and fully understand it. It's so full of subtle details argggg I love these things.
The midnight club by Christopher Pike
🌟🌟/5
This book was a disappointment, it is so ugly. I got interested in it because I watched the tv series on netflix and I adored it (I really recommend it) but mr netflix cancelled the second season and I wanted to know more about these characters, so I picked the book up. The midnight club didn't age well, while you read it you feel it's old. The characters are unlikeble and you can really tell they are written by a man, they show no depth.
Haikyuu 1 and 2
🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
I love this manga, I don't have anything to say, read it please. The characters are chef kiss.
Once upon a broken heart by Stephanie Garber
🌟🌟🌟.5/5
I was a bit disappointed by this book, don't get me wrong, I liked it but I expected more from it. I couldn't empathise with Evangeline and Jacks the way I always do with good characters. They have a great potential as characters, especially Jacks, but Stephanie Garber didn't really exploit this potential in this first book. I'll definitely read the second one.
All that's left in the world by Erik J. Brown
🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
This is the post-apocalyptic queer novel you didn't know you needed, but believe me, you do. Read this, fall in love with the characters, fall in love with the way the relationship between Andrew and Jamie develops without hurry. This is found family first and a love story second
Legendborn and Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn
🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
Words cannot describe how much I love and I'm obsessed with these books. Bree is a wonderful protagonist, she is human, she has flaws, she isn't perfect, she felt real to me. I also think the other characters were wonderful, Sel (my fav together with Bree), William, Alice, Nick. I loved them all. One thing I didn't like about the first book was the development of the relationship between Bree and Nick, it was too hurried and it did get on my nerves. I liked the second book better than the first one, also the ending was *chef kiss* I adored Tracy for that. Please pick these two up, I can't wait to read the third one.
Red, white & Royal Blue by Casey Mcquiston
🌟🌟🌟.5/5
Mmmmm it was like reading a romcom movie, cute, it made me giggle and laugh but I skimmed most of it cause I found some parts boring and a bit too cheesy. However, it was a great book, I'm excited for the movie.
The song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
I don't know how to rate this one sorry
Fucking yes I loved it. I adore greek mythology and I knew I would liked this book. Patroclus my baby, he really is the best of the Myrmidons. Sadly the ending felt a bit subdued compared to the rest of the book.
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May Wrap Up - Things I read
Completed
A Hell of Our Own Making by Anastraa
A Safe, Devoted Darkness by HeyJude19
Atonement by Lunamionny
Brew of a Kind by In_Dreams
Catalyst by RoseHarperMaxwell
Draco Malfoy’s Heartbreak Bouquets by magical_traveler
Love a Lie by ambpersand
Till the End of the Line by sweetestsorrows (katschako)
Trust Me by smokyquartz
One Shots
A Thorough Defense by HeyJude19
A Mutual Interest in Ice Cream by In_Dreams
Bad Habits by dreamsofdramione
Because He Loved Her by forgotten_traveler
Boston by rizzlewrites
commit this to memory by skitter
Counting Days by dreamsofdramione
Gelato by rizzlewrites
Hippogriff Homewrecking by mightbewriting
In Search of a Husband by sweetestsorrows (katschako) for Roseheira
in your sacred air I am full of light by AdAsttra
i've nothing but the means to break your heart in two by AdAsttra
Pegged by Misdemeanor1331
Purple Sky by its_banannaz
Saving Grace by rizzlewrites
Tall Drink of Water by In_Dreams
The Clinic by Catmint and Thyme (Languish_Locked_in_L)
The First Time by forgotten_traveler
The Eyes of the Forest by rizzlewrites
The Witching Hour by rizzlewrites
Three Words, Eight Letters by abrilas, niffizzle
you still know of dawn but you always return by AdAsttra
WIPs
All Live To Die by Musyc
Anywhere by alexandra_emerson
Benefits With Friends by In_Dreams
Case Closed by KeerthiWrites
Don't Look Back by Onyx_and_Elm
find me, my silhouette by viridianatnight
Garden of Eden by Roseheira, sweetestsorrows (katschako)
Let The Dark In by senlinyu
Probably A Scam by Catmint and Thyme (Languish_Locked_in_L)
REBORN by its_banannaz
Sweet Disarray by Pia_Bartolini
Teach me, Draco by Ramelle_Kammae
Ten out of Ten by morriganmercy
This Bitter Earth by ikorous
Currently Reading:
Bending Light by scullymurphy
Ghosts by rizzlewrites
Interlude: Eighth Year by alexandra_emerson
Meet Your Match by morriganmercy
The Debt of Time by ShayaLonnie
The Fallout by Sage/Everythursday
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May favorites 🛼
📚: Yellowface by RF Kuang
🍿: The Little Mermaid
📺: Queen Charlotte
🎶: Francesca by Hozier
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May 2023 Wrap-Up Post
A PSA before I start the post, KINSHIP AND KINDNESS is on sale for 99c at most retailers and in most countries until 6/11. Grab your $0.99 ebook copy or you can also pick up the audiobook or paperback here.
This has been a pretty good month for writing, but because it has been the end of the semester as well, my brain felt like mush for quite a bit of it. Fighting off burnout has been a large…
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Most of the books I read May-August!
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Read in May 2023
a slow month by my standards. I’m beginning to think I really need to reassess how many little goals I’m trying to meet each month because it’s too much when I don’t feel like reading, the way I have lately. still, I read some good stuff this month and I am making progress on my goals, even if it’s not as much as I’d like
Series reads:
1. The Veronica Speedwell Mysteries by Deanna Raybourn
1. A Sinister Revenge - 3/5
Familiar authors:
1. What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall - DNF
2. The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling - 4/5
Backlog books:
1. When We Were Magic by Sarah Gailey - 3/5
2. Tell Me I’m Worthless by Alison Rumfitt - DNF
Other reads:
- The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa - 4/5
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May 2023 wrap up
Concerts
02/05/2023 – Arctic Monkeys for their Europe Tour 2023 at Mercedes-Benz Arena, Berlin, Germany
Books
04/05/2023 - 08/05/2023 I’ve read A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair
08/05/2023 - 15/05/2023 I’ve read Dunbridge Academy (Anytime) by Sarah Sprinz
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May Wrap-up!
well as you can deduce from my previous numerous posts, this month was quite productive reading-wise for me (in comparison to the prior two months!😅)
Books:
The Risk (Mindf*ck Series #1): 4/5 🌟
Sidetracked (Mindf*ck Series #2): 4/5 🌟
Scarlet Angel (Mindf*ck Series #3): 4/5 🌟
All The Lies (Mindf*ck Series #4): 5/5 🌟
Paint It All Red (Mindf*ck Series #5): 4.5/5 🌟
Bingo Love: 1.5/5 🌟
On The Nature Of Daylight (fanfic): 3.5/5 🌟
Komi Can’t Communicate (Vol. 15): 3.5/5 🌟
Komi Can’t Communicate (Vol. 16): 4/5 🌟
Komi Can’t Communicate (Vol. 17): 5/5 🌟
Beauty and the Feast (Vol. 1): 2.5/5 🌟
Daytime Star (Season 2): 4.5/5 🌟
My Happy Marriage (Vol. 3): 4/5 🌟
Fourth Wing: 4/5 🌟
Komi Can’t Communicate (Vol. 18): 3.5/5 🌟
My Mechanical Romance: 3.75/5 🌟
Shows & Movies:
Castle (Season 1): 7/10 🌟
Castle (Season 3): 7/10 🌟
Castle (Season 4): 8/10 🌟
Castle (Season 5): 8/10 🌟
Air: 8/10 🌟
The Super Mario Bros Movie: 6/10 🌟
i’m still watching Demon Slayer and it’s *chef’s kiss*! alright that’s all for the month of May, hopefully June will be just as good! ☺️
bye!🫰🏼✌🏼
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May Wrap Up
Time just keeps flying! I’m officially on summer break now (yay!), but that doesn’t mean I get to relax. I’m busy reading for my exams and doing last minute preparations for my wedding. I kind of just want June to before so I can take a moment to breathe.
Books Read: 7
This was another great reading month. My favorite was Heartstopper Vol. 4, closely followed by Phoebe, Junior. I don’t think I really have a least favorite. I actually had way more fun with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland than I thought I would, so that was nice. I was convinced it would be a one star read since I hated it so much as a kid.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll - 3 stars
Heartstopper Vol. 4 by Alice Oseman - 5 stars
A Vindication of the Rights of Women by Mary Wollstonecraft - 3 stars
Edging Women Out: Victorian Novelists, Publishers and Social Change by Gaye Tuchman - 3 stars
Phoebe, Junior by Margaret Oliphant - 4.5 stars
Little Rabbit by Alyssa Songsiridej - 4.5 stars
The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan - 4.5 stars
On Tumblr:
Okay, there’s not much here. But at least there’s a few things, right?
April Wrap Up
Book Quotes: Heartstopper Vol. 4 by Alice Oseman
Book Quotes: Daniel Deronda by George Eliot
On the Blog:
Yeah, there’s nothing here. Let’s not dwell on it...
On YouTube:
But I’m still going strong on YouTube! I’d really appreciate it if you checked me out over there if you haven’t already.
Modern Classics Book Tag
The Philosophy of Reading Tag
April Wrap Up
Book Haul! - Barnes & Noble, Thrift Books, and Freebies
Book Haul...again!
May TBR - Exam Reading and ARCs
Currently Reading 5/24/22
Underrated Victorian Recommendations #2
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May Wrap Up--
May has been the most unhinged month so far this year despite what the photo may show. I had such an amazing time rediscovering my local library after getting my new library card at the end of April. I ended up reading a total of 5,308 pages across 19 works--13 of which I borrowed from the library. All of this goes completely against my goal to read fewer books in 2023. At this moment, I’m on pace to read 7 more books than I read last year. Whoops.
Comics/Graphic Novels--
1. Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo (Library)-- 3 stars.
2. Heart and Brain Vol. 1 by Nick Seluk (Library)-- 4 stars.
Novellas/Short Stories--
1. All Systems Red by Martha Wells-- 4.25 stars (original rating).
2. Say Yes by Elle Kennedy (Library)-- 3 stars.
3. The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe (Library)-- 3 stars.
4. What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher (Library)-- 4 stars.
Novels--
1. Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney (Library)-- 2.75 stars.
2. Rookie Move by Sarina Bowen (Library)-- 3 stars.
3. Greenglass House by Kate Milford (Library)-- 3.75 stars.
4. Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica (Library)-- 2.5 stars.
5. The Beauty and the Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanna Barbot de Villeneuve-- 2 stars.
6. The Marriage Act by John Marrs-- 3.75 stars.
7. Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao (Library)-- 2 stars.
8. Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson (Library)-- 4 stars.
9. If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane (Library)-- 4 stars.
10. A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid (NetGalley)-- 3.75 stars.
11. Roomies by Christina Lauren (Library)-- 3.75 stars.
12. Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl (Kindle)-- 2 stars.
13. The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas-- 2.75 stars.
The Average Rating for the month ended up coming out to 3.22 stars. Which isn’t unexpected given how much I picked up from the library. I’ve really been using the library as a means to pick up books that I’m unsure about. It’s great for not buying books I’m not sure I’ll enjoy. So, despite the lower than average monthly rating I’m happy with what I’ve read and how I’ve read it in May.
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