Book: The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien

Rating: ★★★

Thoughts: I finally made it all the way through the second book in the Lord of the Rings trilogy! This was the book that stopped me from completing it years ago because I could not get over the long, drawn out descriptions. Something about listening to it on audio, though, made it vastly more enjoyable. I will say, I didn’t enjoy it as much as Fellowship of the Ring but it was still a good time.

Book: The Gallery of Wonders by Marc Remus

Rating: ★★

Thoughts: Sigh… this book had so much potential. It’s a story that follows a young girl and her friends who get sucked into a magical painting. They get to attend a school that teaches you how to wield magic paintbrushes and it’s all super fantastical. Unfortunately, it’s also basically Harry Potter, but make it about painting. Seriously, the comparisons where vast and, after awhile, it took me right out of the story. The writing was also stilted and just… not it. I’m sad cause it sounded so good!

Book: Things to Do Before the End of the World by Emily Barr

Rating: ★★★

Thoughts: I read this book for a blog tour hosted by The Write Reads and, quite honestly, I had no idea what I was going into when I picked it up 😂 It was categorized as a thriller, though lots of people where calling it a contemporary, so I went in with an open mind. I found myself really enjoying following our main characters journey as she came into her own while the world was literally dying around her. You can read my full review here!

Book: Oathbreaker by A.J. Rettger

Rating: ★★★

Thoughts: This was another blog tour read, though this tour was hosted by Storytellers On Tour! This was a dark fantasy that leans heavily into the dark realm. Seriously, our main character can’t go three pages without something graphic and tragic happening to him! It was definitely an intriguing ride, though, and I ended up rather enjoying myself. You can read my full review here!

Book: The Unwanted by Z.Y. Soyoye

Rating: ★★★

Thoughts: I’ve been meaning to read this book for forever! The author approached me forever ago and the premise definitely intrigued me. We have young Alex, who discovers he has the power to slow time, and the wild things that happen to him afterwards. This was a fun read, though I felt like it rushed along a bit too fast. I found myself floundering a few times, but this was filled with wonderful messages and the perfect amount of action. I’ll have a full review coming soon.

Book: Bloom by Kevin Panetta/illustrated by Savanna Ganucheau

Rating: ★★★

Thoughts: This graphic novel was so cute! Ugh, the cuteness!! Though, if I’m being honest, I was half in it for the wonderful baked goods drawn on almost every page. Which makes sense as the setting is a bakery. I really enjoyed the story, though it was nothing that blew me away. It was sweet and touching and beautifully illustrated. I would definitely read more from this duo!

Book: The Project by Courtney Summers

Rating: ★★★★

Thoughts: This thriller was such a good time. I mean… not for the characters, but for me! Though the ending left me feeling a little meh, the ride to get there was completely worth it. Are cults going to be a new bookish buzzword for me? Possibly, because this book that features a possible cult was just the right amount of creepy and intriguing. At points, I even felt myself being swayed, lol. The fact that we have a compelling main character and time jumps that kept my interest and this was a great read!

Book: Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch

Rating: ★★★★

Thoughts: Continuing on with the Rivers of London buddy read and I continue to love this series! This was probably my favorite addition since Moon Over Soho. It’s so fascinating and I’ve never cared about architecture as much as I do when Peter is rambling on about it, lol. This book also throws in a twist that had my jaw dropping. I’m so excited to move on to the next book because I need to know what happens next!

Book: The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold

Rating: ★★★★

Thoughts: Y’all, this book was so good! It’s been awhile since I’ve picked up a non-fiction or a true crime and this one hit the spot. It’s so heart-wrenching and disturbing to see how these women lived. It was a fascinating look into the lives of poor women in Victorian London. You do have to take a lot with a grain of salt as there’s no definite proof of how these women lived, but this is so well-researched and laid out so well that it sounds more than plausible. And it doesn’t read like a textbook, which is always a bonus for me when it comes to non-fiction.

Book: City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

Rating: ★★★★★

Thoughts: I don’t know what took me so long to finally read V.E. Schwab’s middle grade series, but I’m so glad I finally did! This was the Middle Grade Marvels pick for May and it was incredible! I loved the atmosphere of the story, which follows a young girl who can see ghosts as she goes with her family to Edinburgh, one of the most haunted cities out there. It was perfectly eerie and also made me want to go to Edinburgh, like, yesterday. Also, Cass, our main character, and her ghostly best friend, Jacob, are just the best. I adore this book so much and I can’t wait to continue the series.

Book: The Big Four by Agatha Christie

Rating: ★★★

Thoughts: I’m back on my Poirot horse! And, though this was definitely not my favorite Christie book, I still had a good time. This felt a lot more disjointed than a typical Poirot, though it was a wild ride. It reads like a spy thriller and I kind of liked it. Hastings continues to be kind of a dunce and is a pretty terrible husband, but I do love his dynamic with Poirot. The racism, though… hooo-boy… Let’s just say one of the villains is of Chinese descent and there is at least one slur having to do with his race dropped. I know it’s a product of it’s time and all that, but it definitely impacted my enjoyment.