Hey guys, I know its coming up to the end of June but here is my May wrap up.
I had a good reading month in May, not the best and I was in a bit of a reading slump at the end of the month but I still managed to read 18 books. I read a total of 5738 pages which came to an average of 318 pages per day.
I participated in quite a few different readathons, Believathon, Sea Maydenathon and Notnaturalthon, which was so much fun. I also started my Grishaverse readalong on discord.
I'll link all the people who hosted the readathons down the bottom.
THE KINGDOM OF LIARS BY NICK MARTELL
This book took me quite a while to get through and finish, but it wasn't because I didn't enjoy it. I just didn't prioritize the book like I should since I received a ARC copy from NetGalley, in exchange for a review of my honest opinion. The Kingdom of Liars follows Michael Kingsman as he tries to restore his family's name. The thing I enjoyed the most about this book was seeing Michael’s character growth, he was very arrogant at the start of the book and very fixated on fixing his family legacy but we saw him discover what was more important to him, restoring his family legacy or his living, breathing family. The magic was very unique and the mystery element was a great touch. A great debut by Nick Martell.
4 ★
See my review here - https://bookishequestrian.wixsite.com/mysite/post/the-kingdom-of-liars-by-nick-martell-review
VON GOBSTOPPER'S ARCADE BY ALEXANDRA ADORNETTO
Von Gobstopper's Arcade is the last book in the Strangest Adventures trilogy. This was my favourite book in the series. The trilogy follows Millipop Klompet and Ernest Perriclof and the trouble they get into. I think the thing that made this book my favourite in the trilogy was a certain character that was present in this book, he made my heart melt. I love reading from authors of the same nationality as me and giving them support.
3 ★
SHADOW AND BONE BY LEIGH BARDUGO
Shadow and Bone is the first in the Shadow and Bone Trilogy. I’m hosted a readalong of the whole grishaverse starting in May. Alina Starkov is just an ordinary soldier until shes not. Her life is turned upside down when her powers come to the surface. But can anyone be trusted or does everyone just want to use her? I really enjoyed it. I loved the world Leigh Bardugo had created and I loved the characters. Darkling was the type of character that you know you shouldn’t trust but you still find yourself doing it.
But it didn’t hit the mark Six of Crows did hence why I gave it 4 ★
THE TAILOR BY LEIGH BARDUGO
The Tailor is a short story set in Shadow and Bone with a different perspective. I liked seeing that story but the betrayal hurt.
3★
THE MAZE RUNNER BY JAMES DASHNER
The Maze Runner is the first book in the Maze Runner trilogy. Thomas wakes up in a cage with no memory of his life. And he’s not alone. I was so disappointed with this book, I loved the movie so much and the book just feel flat for me. I don’t think I gelled with the writing style but I can’t pinpoint what it was about it. I just felt like I didn’t get anything out of the book. I didn’t like the characters as much as I did in the movie.
3 ★ because I still appreciate the concept of the book and what James Dashner created.
ONCE BY MORRIS GLEITZMAN
Felix goes looking for his parents to tell them that the narzi’s are burning books. This was a reread for me but that didn’t make it any less impactful. Felix is so innocent it made me cry. He’s a little Jewish boy whose parents left him in an orphanage to keep him safe from the narzi’s. I have no words.
5 ★
CROWN OD MIDNIGHT BY SARAH. J MAAS
Crown of Midnight is the 2nd book in the Throne of Glass series. Celaena is just a badass woman, who takes no shit from anyone. I didn’t enjoy the plotline as much as Throne of Glass but I didn’t love the book any less. I love the characters and I love the world. I think there is a chance I could be full-on MaasTrash soon.
5 ★
I HAVE LOST MY WAY BY GAYLE FORMAN
Three strangers who have lost something in their lives meet on accident and might just find a way to help each other. This book surprised me. I honestly didn’t think I would like it going into it, I was looking for a book that I could listen to on audiobook that I also own physically. But I did, I liked the rep that was in this book, I can’t say it was accurate.
I gave this a 3 ★ but it was a high three-star.
NEVERNIGHT BY JAY KRISTOFF
Mia Covere decides to take revenge on the people who destroyed her family. In order to do that she must become a weapon and where else but the best assassin school there is. The Red Church. A badass girl who's an orphan and an assassin and is going to take revenge for her family, I was sold. I knew when I heard of this book last year I would love it. But unfortunately, I just wasn’t ready for it last year. But I read it this year and thank god I did. One of my favourite books of the year so far. I listened to the audio while reading along and felt like I just got the most out of the story. I love the characters, Mister Kindly being my favourite, I loved the dark humour. Jay Kristoff’s writing I loved. The world was amazingly vivid. But my favourite part was the magic.
5 ★ no doubt
SEIGE AND STORM BY LEIGH BARDUGO
Siege and Storm is the second book in Shadow and Bone trilogy. This book took off a few months after Shadow and Bone. This book was a lot slower paced then Shadow and Bone but I still enjoyed it all the same. I really liked the introduction of the character of Nikolai, and can’t wait to read King of Scars to get more of him.
4 ★
MOON CALLED BY PATRICIA BRIGGS
My friend Anne recommended this book to me and I had a great time reading it. Moon called is the first book in the Mercy Thomson series. Mercy is a shapeshifter, whos neighbour is an alpha werewolf.
The only thing that made this book a 4 ★ instead of a 5 ★ was that I was so hoping to have a bit more romance between two characters and that I got attached to someone too quickly. Great book Anne thank you so much for the recommendation.
NEVERMOOR BY JESSICA TOWNSEND
Morrigan Crow is a cursed child who is destined to die at midnight on her eleventh birthday but is saved by a remarkable man called Jupiter North. I can see why everyone was raving about it What can I say, it was whimsical, atmospheric, and again the characters were amazing. I grew attached to Morrigan so quickly and felt so sorry for her, she’s been brought up with everyone saying she is cursed and that is a hard thing to shake and know that it’s not true. I know this book is compared to Harry Potter, but I don’t think it’s the storyline that makes people say that, but more in the way, it makes people feel when they are reading Nevermoor.
5 ★
RUIN AND RISING BY LEIGH BARDUGO
This was the conclusion to the Shadow and Bone trilogy. Now the ending was predictable but I still very much enjoyed reading it. The Darkling, I don’t know what to think of him, I love him but hate him too. Very very confusing feelings towards him. After all the trials and tribulations Alina went through the ending was satisfactory with its conclusion.
4 ★
EXPLORERS ON WITCH MOUNTAIN BY ALEX BELL
Explorers on Witch Mountain is the second book in The Polar Bear Explorers’ Club. Stella Starflake Pearl has always wanted to be in an explorer’s club, but there is only one problem, they don’t let girls join. Wow, this book was amazing, I loved it more than the first book. I think because I already knew the characters that helped. The plot was amazing and I loved the journey they went on this time. Koa is amazing I love her so much.
5★
THE DEMON IN THE WOOD BY LEIGH BARDUGO
This a prequel Darkling story. This is set years before Shadow and Bone when the Darkling is only a child. Seeing his story and what happened to him, made my feelings for him so much more confusing. Let’s just say no wonder he trusts no one ever.
4 ★
BRIGHTSTORM BY VASHTI HARDY
Arthur and Maudie Brightstom knows something is fishy when people say their father is dead. So they decided to go on an adventure to see if it’s true. I listened to Brightstom straight after Explorers on Witch Moutain and I think I would have enjoyed it if I hadn’t done that. I think subconsciously I was comparing the two, and that’s not fair. But I enjoyed the atmosphere and I loved the disability rep in here.
3 ★
THE BOY WHO WASN'T THERE BY MICHAEL PANCKRIDGE
Gabrielle has no memory of her life before she wakes up in a hospital. She is put in a foster home and some weird things start happening. This was a reread and I didn’t enjoy it as much as when I read it years ago. Again, with a lot of my rereads, I don’t think it’s the book, it’s the fact my taste in books has changed so much, I was 13 at the time when I read this book.
3★
DARK LOVER BY J.R.WARD
Wrath is doing his dead friend a favour by looking after his daughter who is changing into a vampire. What he didn’t expect was to fall in love with her. Another recommendation from Anne. Well, Anne got addicted to this series so I knew I shouldn’t have started this book before I had read everything I needed to, in case I did too. But I read it and I loved it. The smut, the paranormal elements, the war between vamps and their slayers.
5 ★
So that was it, all the books I read and finished in May.
Here are the links to the people who hosted the three readalongs I participated in,
Believathon - Gavin Hetherington -
Sea Maydenathon -
Notnaturalthon -
