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Hello, reader!

Now that’s it’s almost July, I figured I would share my May reading wrap up. Yeah… I know 😅 I really slacked on the wrap up this month! I’m going to blame it on life being kind of a jerk lately. And that’s not even taking into account the recent Supreme Court ruling… that was just the horrible cherry on top of the awful sundae.

Things in life are starting to look up, though, and it’s time to finally sit and do my May wrap up! So let’s go ahead and dive in.

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• Piranesi by Susanna Clarke: I’m so glad I finally read this book! It was such a freakin’ delight, I swear. It’s a weird book, but I loved it precisely because it was weird. Our main character is so intriguing and I love the strange House in which he lives. Also, I don’t know why, but I didn’t realize this was a parallel universe book and I tend to enjoy those anyways, so I was presently surprised! The writing was *chef’s kiss* as well. ★★★★
• Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire: This was another fantastic addition to the Wayward Children series. I think I liked this one better than the previous installment, actually. It has the darker feel that I loved from the second book, Down Among the Sticks and Bone. It also followed one of my favorite characters, Cora. I had a great time with this novella and it’s made me excited for the next one! ★★★★
• The Knave of Secrets by Alex Livingston: I read this for a blog tour hosted by The Write Reads. I signed up for the tour because I was promised high stakes and I was not disappointed! Bonus: there was a great found family vibe. This was a great read that kept me entertained from beginning to end! You can read my full review here. ★★★★
• The Night Shift by Alex Finlay: This was my first Alex Finlay read and it won’t be my last! This was such a twisty, intriguing thriller that kept me on my toes. I loved the writing and the early 2000s vibes that are in certain chapters set in the past. I will say that I guessed most of the twists in this book, but they were executed in a way that kept them interesting. I’m eager to read more from this author. ★★★★

• The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart: I tried to do a bit of catch up with my Netgalley backlog in May. This was a more recent addition, but it was calling to me. It’s a science fiction that focuses on a retired detective who now works security for a hotel where time travels spend the night before going to the past. It was a fantastic ride! I loved that this was a mix of sci-fi and murder mystery. It’s something I didn’t even know I loved, but now I want more! You can read my full review here. ★★★★
• Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher: This was actually the oldest book on my Netgalley shelf and I’m so glad I finally read it! It was such an incredible read that takes a very close look at grief. I loved the characters, I loved the writing, and I loved that an absolutely enchanting bookstore played a big part in the story. You can read my full review here. ★★★★
• The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa: From one sad book to another! I read this because it was the book of the month for a Goodreads group that I’m end. It’s honestly been on my radar for awhile, but I hadn’t picked it up until now. I knew from the moment I read the first chapter that this book was going straight for my feels 😭 It was such a tender and lovely story that made me feel both warm and fuzzy and so very sad. It was a great read! ★★★★
• A Universe of Wishes edited by Dhonielle Clayton: I always find it hard to rate and review anthologies. Usually because the stories inside vary so wildly! I enjoyed a lot of the stories in this diverse fantasy collection, though I only had two five star stories. There were some I wish were longer and others that left me feeling ‘meh’, but it was a great collection overall. You can read my full review here. ★★★★

• Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega: I read this with the Middle Grade Marvels group and adored it! I’ve wanted to read it for awhile and even more so after reading Witchlings by the same author. That was a five star read and I was hoping for more incredible middle grade. I definitely got it in Ghost Squad! It didn’t quite reach the five star level, but it was such a fun, spooky tale that has a great message about family and friendship. ★★★★
• Wildfire by Same Burns and W.M. Fawkes: Hahahahaha, this book 😂 I read this for points in a reading challenge, but it was quite the experience! I’m not a big erotica reader. I’m just dipping my toes into romance and I’m enjoying the experience, but erotica is definitely outside of my comfort zone. That being said, I enjoyed my time with this one! It follows the romance between a college professor and, wait for it… the god, Hermes. And it was steamy and fun and kinda made me want to check out the rest of the series. ★★★★
• The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie: Another Poirot novel checked off! I enjoyed this one a lot more than some of the previous ones. It’s right up there with Murder on the Orient Express, which I think is one of my favorite Poirot novels. I loved the premise and that we were following a bunch of different characters. I was sad that Poirot seemed to barely be in this one, but he was a delight when he was around. This was a solid mystery and I had a good time with it. ★★★★
• The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna: This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 and it does not disappoint! This was just as cinematic and fast-paced as the first book. I loved the growth that we see in Deka, the main character, and how the action tics up a notch now that war has come. You can read my full review here. ★★★★

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You may have noticed that everything I read last month ended up being four stars. It was a solid reading month, but there was nothing that truly wow’d me. That being said, there is a book that I read in May that I can’t stop thinking about. It was just such a beautiful and atmospheric read. The descriptions are so vivid that I can’t stop imagining the world in my head. And I don’t want to! The Book of the Month for May is…

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

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Sooooo, I didn’t read any of the books on my year-long TBR last month 😅 I had fully intended to pick up The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle and Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert and just… didn’t. I blame signing up for a reading challenge. It caused me to try and pick books for points and those two got left by the wayside! That’s okay… I’m gonna come back these next few months, haha.

Popsugar Reading Challenge:

• A book featuring a parallel reality (Piranesi)
• A book by a Latinx author (Ghost Squad)

Read Your Shelf Challenge:

• A book with 22 letters in the title (Where the Drowned Girls Go)
• Read during the 22nd week of the year (The Merciless Ones)
• A book written by 2 authors (Wildfire)

Book Riot Read Harder Challenge:

• Read any book from the Women’s Prize shortlist/longlist/winner list (Piranesi)
• Read an anthology featuring diverse voices (A Universe of Wishes)
• Read a romance where at least one of the protagonists is over 40 (Wildfire)

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How was your reading in May? Did you find a new favorite? Make any progress on some challenges? Let me know in the comments!

And, as always, happy reading!