May 2026 Reading Wrap Up
Hey hi hello friends, and welcome back to my blog!
I feel like I finally caught a break in May. I'm definitely still caught in the throes of autistic burnout, but I can feel myself slowly crawling out of it. I'm hoping by the end of summer, I'll be back to my normal. I spent a lot of May packing up all of my stuff, because I'm moving across the country at the end of June. So the next time we talk, I'll be in Michigan!
In the month of May I managed to read 5 books: 3 novels, 1 novella, and 1 nonfiction. Most were from the library, but I did read one book from my physical TBR (and then unhauled it right after...). I also got a new toy in May--the Kobo Libra Colour! Which means e-books will finally make a reappearance in my wrap ups. I love that I can write directly on the books with the Kobo, it means I don't have to look for my phone every time I want to make a note. My Kobo will be my best friend in June, since all of my books are now packed in boxes.
Okay, enough chit-chat. Let's get into the wrap up!
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Novels
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Horror
Age range: Adult
Means of reading: Physical
Star rating: 2.5 stars
Page count: 480 pages
Day(s) read: 5.01 - 5.31
Final thoughts: In hindsight I could've DNF'd this book and had been none worse for wear, but I'm stubborn and so I toughed it out. It's not like it was traumatizing or offensive, I just was not having a good time while reading. I should've known...after that first sex scene, I should've just put it down...oh well.
If I had looked into it more before picking it up, I probably would have seen that it's classified as grimdark and would've spared myself a month of reading. Grimdark just isn't the genre for me, and I know this, but since this only just came out I hadn't seen any reviews yet. So all that being said, this book was just too much. Too much violence, too much sex, too much "manly man" language for me to find this in any way enjoyable. The one thing I did like, the one redeeming quality that makes this a 2.5 star instead of a 1.5, is the way Faerie lore was used. I love me some true-to-myth Fae.
Translated from the Japanese by Jay Rubin
Genre: Literary Fiction, Magical Realism
Age range: Adult
Means of reading: Mixed Media
Star rating: 2 stars
Page count: 244 pages (5 hrs 44 mins audio)
Day(s) read: 5.11 - 5.25
Final thoughts: Part of TBR Takedown 2026
I think I've finally determined that Murakami just is not the author for me. At this point in time, I've read more from him that I didn't like than I have enjoyed (those being Kafka on the Shore and Norwegian Wood, in case you were wondering). If I ever get the urge to read from him again, I'll be going through the library. I have since unhauled this book from my shelves.
I just found it incredible unsatisfying. It was so disjointed in story and the characters were cardboard cutouts, the one singular magical realism aspect made absolutely no sense in context of the plot, and there were so many extraneous characters and subplots added into the story that served no purpose but to add pages, in my opinion. A great big nothing burger, that's what this was.
Genre: Fantasy
Age range: Adult
Means of reading: E-book
Star rating: 3 stars
Page count: 406 pages
Day(s) read: 5.17 - 5.22
Final thoughts: The middest of mid. The last time I read it I was probably (read: definitely) way too young and naive and didn't understand half of what was going on or any of the references or innuendos thrown my way. Reading it now, with a fully formed brain, I understand much more but am less impressed.
Anyone who knows me personally knows that The Wizard of Oz (specifically the 1939 film, but also the novel) holds such a deep and special place in my heart. It was the first story I fell in love with, before Lord of the Rings and HP and all of the other obsessions I had as a child. In fact, over the course of my life I had to have multiple copies of the movie because I would fray the tape in the VHS and wear down the grooves on the DVD from watching it over and over again.
I can appreciate what Wicked did for the cultural zeitgeist surrounding Oz, but I won't lie that parts of it felt like Maguire had some sort of grievance with the story (despite the fact that I know he has the same respect for it that I do). I don't know, I can't really explain why, but this just didn't tick the boxes for me.
Novellas
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Age range: Adult
Means of reading: E-book
Star rating: 4.5 stars
Page count: 128 pages
Day(s) read: 5.13 - 5.14
Final thoughts: Book 7 in the Singing Hills Cycle.
When I say that I hope this series in unending, I truly mean it. I'd happily read a hundred of Chih and Almost Brilliant's stories. They feel like old friends at this point, like I'm a novice at Singing Hills Abbey and listening to them recount their adventures over mealtimes. I really liked how this was a prequel of sorts, giving us a glimpse into Chih's first years as a cleric and how they grew into the person that they are now. Of course, Almost Brilliant was the same as she's ever been, and I love her for it.
This particular chapter of Chih's story made me really interested in the history of Singing Hills Abbey. We've gotten bits and pieces throughout the series, but this book really dove into the persecution the clerics faced in the past. Since we do really only follow Chih, I'm guessing we won't ever get a full book dedicated to that story, but I'm intrigued nonetheless. Never stop writing, Nghi Vo!
Nonfiction
Genre: History, Natural Disaster
Age range: Adult
Means of reading: Audiobook
Star rating: 3.25 stars
Page count: 416 pages (12 hrs 18 mins audio)
Day(s) read: 5.26 - 5.31
Final thoughts: I thought this was a decent enough history. I appreciate that the author took the time to discuss the history of the area, and not just the event in question. He didn't brush over the Dutch colonialism or the way the Javanese were treated. It helped put everything into perspective, especially since most of what you hear about Krakatoa is from second or third-hand accounts, people traveling to the island after the eruption, or the affects on other parts of the world. You rarely get to see how devastating the eruption was for Indonesia and it's population. I was a little annoyed that there was so much of the author's personal voice and experiences added in at the beginning (in my opinion a history about a place, time, or person should be as impersonal as possible), but I did enjoy his story of visiting Anak Krakatoa in the epilogue.
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Total page count: 1,674 pages (18 hrs 2 mins total audio)
Favorite book of May: A Long and Speaking Silence by Nghi Vo
No DNFs this month
No unfinished books this month
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And that's a wrap on May! It'll be really nice if I manage to read more than 5 books in June (especially because I'm participating in a month-long readathon) but I won't be upset if I don't reach that goal, especially since the latter half of June will be focused on the move.
What was your favorite book of May? I'd love to know!
Until next time, friends!
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