Honestly I have no clue how I read so much this month! I didn’t even mean to! But you won’t catch me complaining about it, so let’s get into the books!
If you didn’t catch my June tbr post from yesterday, these ones are going to pretty bare bones while I play around and see if it’s something I wanna keep doing. Let me know what you think! Also, I do a full blog post review for every book I read, but they’re often months behind the point when I actually read them. So for now these will be little snippet reviews. Chat with me in the comments if you want to know more!
The first book I read in May was Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, which had been my tbr jar pick. This… was a surprise love! I was expecting this to be just fine, and it was only still on my tbr cause of all the hype, but it was amazing! I adored the world building for the portal world as well as the beats of the plot and the character development. I’m so excited to continue with the rest of this series, I’ll have to go and buy the books!
Next up was Knife Edge by Malorie Blackman, the second book in the Noughts & Crosses series. I’ve read these before, many moons ago when I was young, and I adored them. They’re hard hitting. They’re tough. And they’re amazing. In a world where Black people are superior and whites inferior, we follow both points of view and learn more about the actual human beings within the system. It’s a beautiful swapped scenario which is written perfectly for the intended audience of young white British kids.
For Kayla from BooksAndLala’s BuzzWordAThon I picked up A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena. This was just fine. I ended up giving it 3*s. I was nosey enough to want to read until the end but everything was predictable and I won’t be picking it up again. Nothing fantastic but I wouldn’t recommend against reading it either, just fine.
Because I knew Caitlyn from Mad Cheshire Rabbit would kill me if I didn’t read this soon, I picked up A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir, the second book in the Ember in the Ashes series. This was a fun one! I don’t fully vibe with Tahir’s writing style, I can find her books (or at least the 2 I’ve read so far) slow to get through. But she creates intense storylines that make me keep reading and I flew through the last 100 pages of this book. Definitely carrying on with this series as well!
Finally finishing a series, for the first time in a long while, I read Manners & Munity by Gail Carriger which is the 4th and final book in the Finishing School series. To sum up the series without spoilers? Steampunk finishing school for Victorian spies with werewolves, vampires, and a mechanical dog. It’s wonderful! It’s so much fun, and yet so emotive. I was so sad that the book was over and it’s the first book which has made me want to go and find fanfic of it so that I can read more! 5*s!
The Stone of Destiny by Caroline Logan is a YA fantasy based around Scottish mythology and I adored it. It’s beautifully fast paced, the character writing is fantastic, I’m so invested in these characters and I FLEW through the damn thing! I’ve read about Selkies before but I loved this more modern twist on the tale and I can’t wait to read the next books in this wonderful series!
My Skulduggery Pleasant reread came up next, with Dark Days by Derek Landy. Of course I can’t say too much about this series, because not only is this the 4th book in the series, but I’ve read all 16…17…? Idk how many bloody books there are in this series including the novella’s and all that, but I’ve read all of them. So if you couldn’t guess, I loved it! The liveshow for this will be taking place on the 12th June I do believe (check twitter) and work schedule allowing I’ll be there!
On a whim I picked up Wit, Wisdom and Timey-Wimey Stuff by Cavan Scott, a book of quotes from Doctor Who. I’ve owned this for a few years now, it was a gift from some old housemates, and I thought it was time I blasted through it! It was a fun read and I recommend to any Whovian!
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo was a buddy read for me this month with Caitlyn (mentioned above) and it was so fun to read this with her! Because I was at work I would read this in the mornings before I started, and then through the day I would get her reaction as she read up to our section for the day, and oooohhhh was that fun! I definitely enjoyed this more than Caitlyn, but we both found the story fun. It’s definitely not as well written as the Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom duology, but given that this was published back in 2012 she’s had some time to work on her writing style. It’s also very much a 2012 YA fantasy, so expect that going in and you’ll most likely enjoy the ride!
My pre-order of The Skulduggery Pleasant Grimoire by Derek Landy came in the post, and I tried to resist. But I didn’t try very hard. Cause I picked it up and finished it! This is a paraquel, meaning that it takes place surrounding and within the current timeline of the books. I loved how the books were recapped as well as the extra details added in to flesh out the world, as well as of course the timelines being tightened up a wee bit (we noticed Derek). My favourite part though? Well there’s a story weaved throughout this (as mentioned on the synopsis, don’t worry your pretty little head) and it. Is. Fan-bloody-tastic. It’s amazing. I need people to read this so that I can gush about it!!!!!! READ ITTTT!!!
Okay, deep breaths.
Next up were two little books, Sleet by Stig Dagerman and The Silver Mine Selma Lagerlöf. Both coming in at around 25 pages each, these short stories are translated Swedish classics and they were lovely! I really enjoyed both of these and intend to look for more translated works by these authors in the future! (because I know no Swedish, yes I’m ashamed, leave me alone).
A company I found on Instagram called Diglot has published a book called Learn German with The Great Gatsby which slowly drops German words through the book and increases them as the story goes on. It was such a cool idea that I of course got myself a copy (German is the language I’d like to learn first) and got my mum a copy of Italian Secret Garden.
And FINALLY I read Pompeii: Nowadays and 2000 Years Ago which I’ve owned for so many years now, this was actually a guidebook to use whilst walking around the site of Pompeii, so it wasn’t the best one to read whilst sat in my English bedroom, but I’ve been around the site a few times so I at least have some memories of it!
Can you see why these are bare bones? I mean look at the number of books!!! Naaahhhh I’m too lazy to make this look good. You’ll have to make do, thanks! But LOOK HOW MANY BOOKS I READ!!! I honestly have no clue how I read all these!!!
Five Go Gluten Free by Bruno Vincent -> 3/5*
Five Give Up the Booze by Bruno Vincent -> 2/5*
The Devouring Gray (sampler) by Christine Lynn Herman -> 4/5*
Enemy of the State, pt. 2 of 6 by Millar, Romita Jr., and Janson -> 2/5*
Game of Thrones by George RR Martin -> 4/5*
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens -> 5/5*
Little Moments of Love by Catana Chetwynd -> 4/5*
Legend by Marie Lu -> 3.5/5*
Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig -> 3.5/5*
Nature’s Home by the RSPB -> 4/5*
The Secret Barrister -> 4/5*
Weird War Two by Richard Denham -> 3/5*
Love and Kisses From my Padded Cell by Dr Ellie Henkind Katz -> 3/5*
The Path to Change by Pope Francis -> 2.5/5*
Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall -> 4.5/5*
What If? by Randall Munroe -> 5/5*
Abi of Pellinor 