How are we almost halfway through the year already? 2020 has been, ermm, quite a handful to say the least. There is much that needs to be said, that I can’t possibly cram into this post as it is a different subject-matter, but I hope you are all staying safe and speaking up against all the injustice.
That being said, as far as a book reading month, I wrapped up with fifteen books and am actually super proud of that!
This book had been on my shelf for quite some time, and I finally picked it up to read because I do a lot of swaps, and someone was looking for it. I didn’t know what to expect while I was reading this. It seemed like it was being pulled in multiple directions, and I just wasn’t sure what to expect. I initially went in expecting a thriller, but it is not.
I’m still unsure of what genre to categorize it as- mystery, suspense, family drama? Either way, I ended up really enjoying this book!
This book is as dense as you would expect, both in material and in the 450+ pages. However, Larson truly did such an amazing job writing about this piece of our history. It tells of richly detailed account of Winston Churchill’s first year as Prime Minister. It is obvious throughout the book the amount of research he put in to make this book as great. I was nervous going in that I would get flashbacks of sitting through history classes, but it was nowhere near. Though it did take a bit of time to get into it, Larson is a masterful storyteller.
I found the story line of this thriller to be super easy to follow. I also am a sucker for alternating POVs, so I also loved that this book is written as such. Unfortunately this story didn’t really stand out to me in any particular way. I didn’t love or hate the characters. Some people didn’t like that the MC was too trusting, but I thought it added a nice touch of reality to the character, because some people are more trusting than others in real. There is a creep factor, and I loved the overall message at the end. All in all, it is a fun and quick read.
Have you guys read anything by Karin Slaughter? If not, you are missing out! I have read a few books by her, some I loved, some I did not, and I even had a DNF one, but no matter what, I’ll always pick up a book by her because I love how she writes. To me, this book was like an episode straight out of Criminal Minds. It had it’s slow parts, but overall- I pictured this book so vividly in my head while I was reading it!
I won’t say too much as this book is the last of it’s series and to not spoil anything for you, but this series does not get as much recognition and spotlight as it deserves.
I’ve seen so much growth in all the characters throughout the series. I am so sad this journey is ending. It is a definite favorite for sure!
Told in dual timeline (1875 to 1987), Lisa Wingate has hit me in the heart once again. I cannot find the right words to explain this book. Though it was a bit slower than I was used to (considering all the fantasy and thrillers I was reading before), this is a well-researched and beautifully written story. There are sections in this book that will break your heart (fair warning) and others that will leave you inspired. Overall, highly recommended for lovers of historical fictions and book clubs as there is so much that can be discussed.
While this book was more of a slow-burner than I expected, I really enjoyed this story. I love when there is a hidden message in a story, regardless of of what genre the book falls in, and Pretty Things is no exception.
Click here to review full, spoiler free review of this beauty!
Initially I only planned to wrap up one series this month, but Christie and I buddy read and loved Archenemies (book 2) so much, we had to add this finale into our May stack. This series did not disappoint at all. It was fun, thrilling, action-packed.
Click here for the full, spoiler free review of the series Christie and I wrote earlier in the month.
This is my first five star read of the month, so if you were wondering if you need this book, the answer is yes.
You need every John Marrs book, because his books never disappoint.
Click here to read the full, spoiler free review I wrote earlier in the month.
Can we all take a moment to enjoy this beautiful cover?! Okay, now, I absolutely loved this book.
My heart ached and swelled simultaneously reading this and will sit with me for a long time. I’d highly recommend this to anyone who loves story of lost loved, fate and destiny, historical fiction, diversity, and culture.
This book is a great opener to the series. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to start a new series, but I have a good feeling this will be one I’m going to really enjoy.
With its fast paced, short chapter, and fun characters- I am excited to see where this series take me!
I have book 2 of this series in my June stack ready to go!
Do you ever see a book and decide right off the bat it’s not the book for you and end up reading it and falling in love with it?
The Book of Longings did that for me. I am so glad I decided to circle back to read this book, because otherwise I would have missed out so much.
Click here for the full, spoiler-free review I posted about a week or so ago!
This was one of my highly anticipated books this year, but unfortunately it feel a bit flat for me. I wanted to like this book more than I did.
It was a good and interesting read amidst the current pandemic. Unfortunately, I just didn’t really resonate with any of the characters and felt it dragged a bit on some parts. Overall, it was still enjoyable and being of Vietnamese descendants, I really enjoyed the Vietnam setting.
Okay, if you are looking for books with bizarrely crazy characters, the Wife Stalker is the book you’re looking for. Written in alternating narratives, you get the story of two women. What follows is a crazy, stalker-y and thrilling story of how far a woman will go to protect her family. So buckle your seatbelts. You’re in for a fun and crazy ride.
I am honestly really torn about my rating for this book. I was certain this would be a three star for me, but McFarlene pleasantly surprised me with the last quarter of the book and I loved the main character.
There are some major themes was brought up in this book and I absolutely loved that.
Overall, I am pretty happy with my monthly wrap up. I only DNF’d one book, Ember in the Ashes, which I am honestly super shocked about. I think I may be the only soul in the book world that didn’t connect with it. How did May shape up for you? Did you absolutely love or DNF’d any that surprise ya?
A Court of Books and Brews 
Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy An Ember in the Ashes, but otherwise it looks like a fantastic reading month for you! I just added What Lies Between Us to my TBR. I’ve been hoping to read The One soon.
LikeLiked by 1 person