May 2021 Wrap Up

Hello Everyone!

May was a really good month for me, both reading wise and personally. This was my break from school before my summer semester starts and I used it to relax and read. Unfortunately I’ve been feeling slumpy in the past couple of days to we shall see how well I do in June reading wise.

Reading Numbers

Books Read: 12

Pages Read: 3,592

Average Star Rating: 4.29

Book Mini Reviews

Ring Shout by P. Djѐlí Clark: This has less than 200 pages but every page is well used. The worldbuilding was breathtaking. The description of monsters and the explanation for the monsters were so creepily captivating. The way that history was combined with fantasy elements was brilliant. The emotions that this book brought out kept me on the edge of my seat. I really recommend this book.

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

A Dead Djinn in Cairo by P. Djѐlí Clark: The worldbuilding was awesome. The combination of steampunk, djinn, and possible angels was so cleverly put together. I loved Fatma from the beginning since she is so smart and ambitious. But this was really rushed and I would have loved to see this as a longer story.

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Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djѐlí Clark: All of the elements of this story came together so brilliantly. Things that I thought were unimportant came back into the story and I loved that. This was a funny, clever read. I laughed out loud at some moments. The worldbuilding was incredible and seamless. The characters bounced off each other so well.

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas: I was really excited going into this because I ship Nesta and Cassian and this book delivered what I wanted. I loved it. Like I think that “I am screaming” is my most written note on my ebook. But also seeing how much Nesta grew just in this book was amazing. She went from her lowest point to wanting to make amends and earn forgiveness. It’s not a straightforward path and Nesta messes up during it. But she got up and tried again. Something that I didn’t expect but loved was the amazing female friendship in this book which had me soft every single time. The women supported each other and loved each other. And I loved seeing it. This book is about self- forgiveness, working towards earning forgiveness from others, and female friendship while also getting together two people that I have been wanting to see together. So for all of that 5/ 5 stars.

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

Damaged Goods by Talia Hibbert: I wanted a quick, cute romance and I got that from this novella. I rooted for the main couple very early on. The second chance romance was just what I needed and I wouldn’t have minded if it was longer (but I also didn’t mind how short it was). I’m really glad I picked this up when I did since I enjoyed it so much.

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo: This book followed a Chinese girl named Lily figuring out her sexuality during the 1950s when the Chinese community and the LGBTQIA+ community were treated terribly. We see Lily having to face racism and homophobia and hate that because Lily just wants to be herself and live her life. I really enjoyed the few chapters from Lily’s relatives from when they were younger since it gave readers a glimpse into how their experiences have affected them. Lily also starts a romance with another girl and it is so cute. I loved to see the two of them interact. I got very invested in this book and Lily’s happiness and I just wanted more from the ending. I buddy read this with my friend Jessica @ Jessica Favor who is amazing and you should check out.

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco: I was in a bit of a reading slump and I think that is a disservice to this book to be reading it then. It has a lot of elements that I like, such as sibling bonds, a really cool magic system, and two timelines. The worldbuilding is incredible. When I picked up this book, I enjoyed reading it and it held my attention the entire time. I just had difficulty connecting with it and feeling for Tea. I wanted to but I wasn’t and I blame the reading slump for that more than anything. The ending was very attention grabbing and I want to know more so I’m going to keep reading the series.

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Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, & Advice for Living Your Best Life by Ali Wong: This is a very quick read that had me laughing out loud at points. Some other points just didn’t connect with me which is a personal thing. Anyway, I liked reading this.

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett: This has been a much tighter and better- plotted book than any other in the series. I liked the characters. I really appreciated the ending because I thought it was clever and I love that. I really liked comparing this book to Macbeth and seeing the similarities and differences with my brother who I buddy read this with.

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Not Your Sidekick by C. B. Lee: I genuinely really liked this book even if it felt a little cliché at times. I liked the main character, Jess, and how she doesn’t feel like she fits in a variety of ways, which most teens also do. Jess’s friend group is so cute and I loved them so I’m glad that the next couple of books follow each of them. I’m looking forward to continuing this series.

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

A Master of Djinn by P. Djѐlí Clark: I absolutely enjoyed this book. And buddy reading it with Jessica @ Jessica Favor just made it more fun. I loved the world. I loved the characters and Hadia, Fatma, and Siti have a special place in my heart. The story was fun to read and I had fun trying to solve the mystery as I was reading. I already want to reread this book because I enjoyed it so much. Now I’m going to sit and wait for the next one in this series to be announced.

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

The Star- Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi: I flew through this beautifully written book. I understand why it is compared to the Hades and Persephone myth now and I agree with the similarities. But the worldbuilding is what makes this story stand out. I was just as suspicious of everything as Maya was so I got where she was coming from most of the time. I really liked Amar, the love interest, because of the time that Maya and Amar spent together with on other reason than to spend time together. The main issue that I had with this is that it ended quickly and without seeing the needed conversation after the third act twist.

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

I’m proud that I managed to read most of P. Djѐlí Clark’s backlist of books and the books I wanted to read for the Asian Readathon. So I would call May a successful reading month for me.

How was your reading month? Did you enjoy May?

Thanks for reading,

Sarah