May 2020 Reading Wrap-Up
Hey hi hello friends, and welcome back to my blog!
The world is crazy right now, isn't it? It's sickening. Please, if you are black stay safe. If you are white or nbpoc, speak out against this injustice. Your silence speaks the loudest when others are crying for help. Donate to funds. If you can't donate, go to a protest. If you can't do that, sign the free petitions. On this blog, on my socials, in my life, Black Lives Matter. Their voices matter. Their stories matter. You matter.
(And if you don't agree, you can kindly fuck off. I don't want you here.)
Okay, now that I've said that, I'll talk about books now.
In the month of May I read seven novels, one graphic novel, and three manga. I also got back to filming, so hey that's cool. Although, I mostly spent this month reading fanfic. Which is why I only read eleven books. Let's get into them, shall we?
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Novels
1. Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman
Star rating: 3.5/5 stars
Page count: 336 pages
Date(s) read: Apr. 28 to May 8
Goodreads review: Such a cool twist on the Lost Dutchman mine!
As a resident of Arizona living in the shadow of the Superstition Mountains, I have my ear fine tuned to anything Lost Dutchman related. Hell, I even live on a cross street of Lost Dutchman road! So having a book be about the possible origin of the mine’s discovery, I couldn’t pass that up. Even if this is historical fiction and not fact, it’s still cool to read about, because no one really knew if the mine even existed until a little while back when it was FINALLY found (completely cleared of gold, of course).
Bowman really did her research with the mine too, all the clues mentioned throughout the book are actual clues that Waltz used when he told his neighbor about the mine on his deathbed. And even past that, it was so easy to lose myself in the setting. I felt like I really was in 1877 Arizona. Reading about all the places they traveled to, and thinking about how and where they are now modern day, it was a lot of fun. It’s interesting reading a book that takes place where you live.
2. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (REREAD)
Star rating: 5/5 stars
Page count: 352 pages
Date(s) read: May 10 to May 11
Goodreads review: N/A
3. A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
Star rating: 4/5 stars
Page count: 336 pages
Date(s) read: May 8 to May 12
Goodreads review: I thoroughly enjoyed this, it’s a heart wrenching story about the love one has for their country. It’s sad knowing how much countries like Chile have gone through, and yet went by unknown to most Americans at the very least. So much of history is glossed over and forgotten. I’m glad we have authors like Allende to bring some of it back.
4. The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James
Star rating: 3.5/5 stars
Page count: 336 pages
Date(s) read: May 12 to May 13
Goodreads review: Overall a very good thriller. A lot of the lines hit home for me, and made me angry but I suppose that’s what the author was trying to elicit from her readers. The ending was a little lackluster for me, and I’m not sure if the paranormal aspect was actually paranormal or if it was explained away, but either way it was a little meh. But still I did enjoy this story, it gave me the creeps enough.
5. Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
Star rating: 4.5/5 stars
Page count: 496 pages
Date(s) read: May 14 to May 18
Goodreads review: This was such a fun beginning to a series, I can’t wait to read the other books! I loved learning about the elvin world with Sophie, it felt very similar to how Harry Potter was set up. All the characters were very fun and the world was so intriguing, I’m excited to learn more!
6. The Dark Vault by Victoria Schwab (REREAD)
Star rating: 5/5 stars
Page count: 696 pages
Date(s) read: May 21 to May 23
Goodreads review: N/A
7. The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier
Star rating: 3/5 stars
Page count: 464 pages
Date(s) read: May 19 to May 31
Goodreads review: Interesting, I liked all of the folklore that the author wove into the story, with the fae world and such. It was a little hard to read at times though because there are three POVs and all of them were written in first person, so they tended to bleed together a little, but got more distinct as the story went on. It also felt extremely heteronormative to me, pushing relationships for the sake of the main characters not being totally single by the end of the book. Those parts felt forced and unnecessary. I don’t know if I will continue with the series but I’m not completely against the idea.
Graphic Novels
1. In Real Life by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang (ONE DAY READ)
Star rating: 3/5 stars
Page count: 192 pages
Date(s) read: May 7
Goodreads review: N/A
Manga
1. Au Haru Ride vol. 1
No star rating available
Page count: 184 pages
Date(s) read: May 13
No Goodreads review available
2. Attack on Titan vol. 30-31
No star rating available
Total page count: 384 pages
Date(s) read: May 24
No Goodreads review available
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Total page count: 3,776 pages
Favorite book of May: Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
Least favorite book of May: In Real Life by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang
DNF'd books of May: The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker
Unfinished books of May: Mythos by Stephen Fry
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Alrighty, that's it for this month. I'm a little upset I didn't finish Mythos in time, but oh well.
Until next time!
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