Hello hello! I hope you had a good month. This month was a bit busy for me – but all good things! 

May in General

May went by really quickly for me! But overall, I think it was much better than April (where I completely failed to even write my monthly posts!) I’ve been adjusting to full-time and part-time work and finding my balance, as well as really getting some Spring cleaning and organization done. Part of me is surprised I’m able to do it all, but I think I’ve learned a lot from burning out in the past about what not to do and what’s too much.

On the blog front, you may be noticing some changes! I’ve been (slowly) rebranding the blog, which feels like an annual thing at this point. There’s still some changes I’ve yet to make, but I wanted to try something new! 

And aside everything else, I’ve been making an effort to go out more and explore new places. It becomes easier for me over time to stay at home, and there’s a lot out there I could be doing – and no time like the summer, right?

March In Stats

BOOKS BREAKDOWN

March In Books

Pillow Thoughts
Courtney Peppernell
⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads | Bookshop

Pillow Thoughts is a collection of poetry and prose about heartbreak, love and raw emotions.

It is divided into sections to read when you feel you need them most.

Make a cup of tea and let yourself feel.

I really liked the concept of this poetry collection and I can definitely see why so many people gravitate towards reading and revisiting it. I liked many of the poems, although some other were a bit Tumblr-like, which isn’t something i enjoy as much.

Kingdom of the Wicked
Kerri Maniscalco
⭐⭐

Goodreads | Bookshop

From the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series comes a new blockbuster series…

Two sisters.
One brutal murder.
A quest for vengeance that will unleash Hell itself…
And an intoxicating romance.

Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe – witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family’s renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin…desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister’s killer and to seek vengeance at any cost—even if it means using dark magic that’s been long forbidden.

Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked—princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia’s side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women’s murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems…

This is a book I’ve been on the fence about reading for some time and found myself disappointed. I felt like there was so much that could have been done with the setting and background to this novel but so much of it felt so vague. I also felt like this book was just spitting out Italian stereotypes all over the place instead of getting a genuine grasp of the culture – which I know is not what everyone was looking for when reading this book, but it definitely distracted me throughout.

The Marlow Murder Club
Robert Thorogood
⭐⭐⭐.25

Goodreads | Bookshop

To solve an impossible murder, you need an impossible hero…

Judith Potts is seventy-seven years old and blissfully happy. She lives on her own in a faded mansion just outside Marlow, there’s no man in her life to tell her what to do or how much whisky to drink, and to keep herself busy she sets crosswords for The Times newspaper.

One evening, while out swimming in the Thames, Judith witnesses a brutal murder. The local police don’t believe her story, so she decides to investigate for herself, and is soon joined in her quest by Suzie, a salt-of-the-earth dog-walker, and Becks, the prim and proper wife of the local Vicar.

Together, they are the Marlow Murder Club.

When another body turns up, they realise they have a real-life serial killer on their hands. And the puzzle they set out to solve has become a trap from which they might never escape…

This book solidified my enjoyment of cozy mysteries. Although the police procedural aspects of this book were super unrealistic, I enjoyed the characters in this book (and especially the fact that we had an older protagonist, something that  I don’t see very often). The way that the case panned out was also really interesting, and steered a bit from the typical whodunnit case.

Just Like Mother
Anne Heltzel
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads | Bookshop

A girl would be such a blessing…

The last time Maeve saw her cousin was the night she escaped the cult they were raised in. For the past two decades, Maeve has worked hard to build a normal life in New York City, where she keeps everything—and everyone—at a safe distance.

When Andrea suddenly reappears, Maeve regains the only true friend she’s ever had. Soon she’s spending more time at Andrea’s remote Catskills estate than in her own cramped apartment. Maeve doesn’t even mind that her cousin’s wealthy work friends clearly disapprove of her single lifestyle. After all, Andrea has made her fortune in the fertility industry—baby fever comes with the territory.

The more Maeve immerses herself in Andrea’s world, the more disconnected she feels from her life back in the city; and the cousins’ increasing attachment triggers memories Maeve has fought hard to bury. But confronting the terrors of her childhood may be the only way for Maeve to transcend the nightmare still to come…

This book was about as creepy as the title suggests. While I would have loved a bit more backstory into the cult itself, I love how the book explored the impacts of it over time in a more literary fashion. I also love the way this book used manipulation tactics to its full potential when it came to Andrea and Maeve’s relationship. 

Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster
Andrea Mosqueda
⭐⭐⭐.25

Goodreads | Bookshop

In this voice-driven young adult debut by Andrea Mosqueda, Maggie Gonzalez needs a date to her sister’s quinceañera – and fast.

Growing up in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley, Maggie Gonzalez has always been a little messy, but she’s okay with that. After all, she has a great family, a goofy group of friends, a rocky romantic history, and dreams of being a music photographer. Tasked with picking an escort for her little sister’s quinceañera, Maggie has to face the truth: that her feelings about her friends—and her future—aren’t as simple as she’d once believed.

As Maggie’s search for the perfect escort continues, she’s forced to confront new (and old) feelings for three of her friends: Amanda, her best friend and first-ever crush; Matthew, her ex-boyfriend twice-over who refuses to stop flirting with her, and Dani, the new girl who has romantic baggage of her own. On top of this romantic disaster, she can’t stop thinking about the uncertainty of her own plans for the future and what that means for the people she loves.

As the weeks wind down and the boundaries between friendship and love become hazy, Maggie finds herself more and more confused with each photo. When her tried-and-true medium causes more chaos than calm, Maggie needs to figure out how to avoid certain disaster—or be brave enough to dive right into it.

This book started out a bit slow for me, but over time the characters really grew on me. I loved how no character in this book was perfect and I especially loved how important the family dynamic was to the story.

King of Battle & Blood
Arin Murphy-Hiscock
⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads | Bookshop

At her core, the green witch is a naturalist, an herbalist, a wise woman, and a healer. She embraces the power of nature; she draws energy from the Earth and the Universe; she relies on natural objects like stones and gems to commune with the land she lives off of; she uses plants, flowers, oils, and herbs for healing; she calls on nature for guidance; and she respects every living being no matter how small.

In The Green Witch, you will learn the way of the green witch, from how to use herbs, plants, and flowers to make potions and oils for everyday healing as well as how crystals, gems, stones, and even twigs can help you find balance within. You’ll discover how to find harmony in Earth’s great elements and connect your soul to every living creature. This guide also contains directions for herbal blends and potions, ritual suggestions, recipes for sacred foods, and information on how to listen to and commune with nature. Embrace the world of the green witch and discover what the power of nature has in store for you.

This was recommended to me by a fellow bookseller and I’m glad I got it because it definitely sold me on trying romance books again. I could feel the chemistry between the characters and I loved that this book would have discussions regarding love and intimacy that I haven’t seen many books touch. 

King of Battle & Blood
Arin Murphy-Hiscock
⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads | Bookshop

At her core, the green witch is a naturalist, an herbalist, a wise woman, and a healer. She embraces the power of nature; she draws energy from the Earth and the Universe; she relies on natural objects like stones and gems to commune with the land she lives off of; she uses plants, flowers, oils, and herbs for healing; she calls on nature for guidance; and she respects every living being no matter how small.

In The Green Witch, you will learn the way of the green witch, from how to use herbs, plants, and flowers to make potions and oils for everyday healing as well as how crystals, gems, stones, and even twigs can help you find balance within. You’ll discover how to find harmony in Earth’s great elements and connect your soul to every living creature. This guide also contains directions for herbal blends and potions, ritual suggestions, recipes for sacred foods, and information on how to listen to and commune with nature. Embrace the world of the green witch and discover what the power of nature has in store for you.

I thought that this was a really solid sci-fi novel, not even realizing the historical context of this book. Now knowing this, I’d be interested in reviewing the historical events that this book is based on and revisit it for even more context before continuing the series.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea
Axie Oh
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads | Bookshop

Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering.

Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village—and the beloved of Mina’s older brother Joon—may be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong’s stead.

Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man named Shin—as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits—Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all.

But she doesn’t have much time: A human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking…

I love retellings, so I’m not surprised that I loved this book as well. The writing was incredible and drew me into a world so descriptive and detailed. It’s slower-paced, but perfect for when that’s exactly what you’re looking for.

The Latecomer
Jean Hanff Korelitz
⭐⭐⭐.75

Goodreads | Bookshop

The Latecomer follows the story of the wealthy, New York City-based Oppenheimer family, from the first meeting of parents Salo and Johanna, under tragic circumstances, to their triplets born during the early days of IVF. As children, the three siblings – Harrison, Lewyn, and Sally – feel no strong familial bond and cannot wait to go their separate ways, even as their father becomes more distanced and their mother more desperate. When the triplets leave for college, Johanna, faced with being truly alone, makes the decision to have a fourth child. What role will the “latecomer” play in this fractured family?

A complex novel that builds slowly and deliberately, The Latecomer touches on the topics of grief and guilt, generational trauma, privilege and race, traditions and religion, and family dynamics. It is a profound and witty family story from an accomplished author, known for the depth of her character studies, expertly woven storylines, and plot twists.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Plot, Jean Hanff Korelitz’s The Latecomer is a layered and immersive literary novel about three siblings, desperate to escape one another, and the upending of their family by the late arrival of a fourth.

I really liked how this book explored the beginnings of a complex family and how much that impacted the next generation. I’m especially curious about the author’s previous book knowing how much of a genre change this is. I just wish that the pacing in the last quarter was a little better as things wrapped up a little too quickly.

June Hopefuls

I know it’s almost halfway through the month now, but still books I want to read in that time: 

That’s all for my May 2022 Wrapup. How did your month go this May? What were your favorite reads? Let me know! I’d love to know if you’ve read any of these as well and what your thoughts were!

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