May 2023 To-Be-Read

I know I recently haven't been updating this portion of my reading blog/journal, but I figure I should start up now if I'm going to be holding myself more accountable. So as is the current standard, I'm going to pick 6 "main" reads, and then just allow for whatever bonus books I end up with. 

With that in mind, let's begin!!!

Physical

1. Babel by R.F. Kuang - As it is the only book that I put on March's list that never made it to completion, we will try for May. I'm about halfway through now, so I am hopeful that I will be able to clear it quickly. So far it's been pretty amazing and I'm looking forward to continuing it and completing the novel. 

2. The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna - This is the book for the BooksandTea May readalong. Figure since I have it, I may as well join in. I typically only join if I have the book in question. I don't really remember what it's about, but I figure it will be pretty good. 

3. Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation #3 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu - The third book in this series. I'm excited to get to it. I've been meaning to actually pick it up, but I kept forgetting. Here's hoping I like the book and can get through it quickly!

Digital

4. A Song of Salvation by Alechia Dow - This one isn't coming out until 11 July 2023, but I received an ARC of it from NetGalley, so I'm going to throw it up on my list of books to read for May. Hopefully I can get it done before the end of the month. 

5. A Circle of Stars by Craig Montgomery - Another ARC, and one that I have zero recollection of signing up for or requesting, but it definitely looks interesting and I cannot wait to get into it. This one is not set to release until 16 June 2023, but again, the quicker I read it, the quicker I can get the blog post out about it!

Audio

6. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid - It's been on my list for a while. I saw someone talking about it and I just had to get it and read it. I couldn't find a print copy anywhere and the digital was more than I was willing to pay, but they had it pretty cheap on Chirp books, so here we are. It will be my audiobook for the month of May~

So these are the books that I will prioritize over the month of May. Hopefully I can get to the majority of these before the end of the month. I'll definitely let you know if I end up adding any bonus books or changing things. 

May 2023 Wrap-Up

I forgot to record half the books, so I'm just skipping February, March, and April. Let's see if I can keep this going properly in May!! 

As the month comes to an end, with not enough time to squeeze a last book in, I am happy to say i  completed, by various means, 7 books in May!!

1. Heart, Haunt, Havoc by Freydis Moon - I enjoyed the read. It was decent, though it could have been longer. A lot of this book was them dealing with the haunting and skirting their budding attraction to each other. I mean, other than Bishop and Colin hardly knowing each other...they could have spent more time getting to know each other. I'm hoping for a sequel addressing this. 

2. A Man Called Ove by Frederik Backman - It was definitely interesting. I could feel for Ove, suddenly having his world turned upside down. Yet, I don't think his way of responding was the best. I will certainly be looking into more books by Backman to see if my feelings remain the same. There were times where I was wondering just what it was about this grouchy old man who had rows with people over handwritten signs we as readers were meant to connect with. 

3. Sister, Maiden, Monster by Lucy A. Snyder - Not quite enough to make a 5-star, I want to know what happens. I loved how bizarre it was and how we weren't exactly given all the details until the very end. I did sort out at least part of the plot early, but I didn't see it fully. I loved the story of Erin, Savannah, and Mareva. This book was bonkers and I enjoyed learning it as it unfolded. I am definitely putting more of Lucy A. Snyder's books on my reading wishlist. 

4. Babel by R.F. Kuang - It was a wonderfully well written story about colonialism and the Unseen affect it has on those under the boot of their oppressors. I loved watching Robin and his cohort learning the truth of their situation, who could help, who couldn't and the ultimate betrayal they all felt. I'm looking forward to the other R.F. Kuang books I have yet to read. 

5. The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna - For a debut novel, this blew me away. As for the content? I'm pretty sure I should not have read it so quickly after watching The Woman King on Netflix, because all I could see for Karmoko Thandiwe was Viola Davis. It was well written and I enjoyed the way it was basically about equality for all and not just for the men. Women were always looked down on and thought of as lesser in the eyes of their great male deity. I am interested in picking up the next book in the series to see just how they deal with that inequality between the sexes.

6. A Circle of Stars by Craig Montgomery - I received this book as an ARC in exchange for a review, so there is a full review that you can see here, but just know that I loved the read and am excited to get to the next one. I wanna know what is going to happen between Casper and Helix. Especially now that Casper is getting better trained as Telos!!

7. Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation #3 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu - Is it strange to go into a novel having not read it, but still knowing the story? I've seen the Netflix adaptation (The Untamed) and I've seen the Mo Dao Zu Shi donghua on...Youtube I wanna say? I don't remember, so I already know the story and what is coming next. I loved the part of the story we got this time. I'll refrain from saying much of anything as it is volume three in a series (of five, so far that I know of). I still feel bad for Wei Wuxian, who just wanted to be loved and treated fairly and never really got that. Except for from one person who saw through all the nonsense that everyone else claimed. I love it. Perfect pairing. 

April 2023 Book Haul

I failed impressively at keeping up with my February and March books, so I'm (unfortunately) skipping that month. There were like 40 easily, and I just don't have the ability to keep track of them like I once did. However,  I will try to keep better record in April!!

I acquired, through various means, 9 books in April: 

1. Camp Zero by Michelle Min Sterling - It was the most interesting of April's choices for Book of the Month. I wasn't particularly interested in anything else, but this whole idea of there being something that they aren't supposed to know kind of got to me. I am looking forward to reading it. 

2. Psychic Witch by Mat Auryn - The owl on the cover caught my eye. A lot of the witches and pagans that I know have been talking about this book on TikTok and YouTube, so I figured why not use my monthly credit and find out more about it. I have no idea what I'm getting into, but I can only hope it will be good. 

3. The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi - I remember seeing this on PeruseProject's BookTube, then KS pointed it out when we went book shopping over the weekend. I couldn't resist when I saw it. Naturally I had to have it. I have no idea what it's about, only that it's short and sweet. 

4. Sister, Maiden, Monster by Lucy A. Snyder - Lesbians, plague, zombies, a new world order. The cover attracted my attention first, then I read the synopsis and just knew it was going to be something I would enjoy. I wasn't in the market for anything from the Horror section, but now I cannot wait to get into it and see what it's all about. \

5. Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft - Again, I saw this a lot on PeruseProject's channel and as Orbit Fantasy is one of my favorite publishers, and I am super into sci-fi/fantasy, I'd give it a go. It looks fairly interesting and reminds me of the tale of Orpheus. Dude's wife goes missing and he travels into a place he's not meant to be to find her and bring her home. 

6. Mo Dao Zu Shi/Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation #1 [The Comic] by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu - The fourth version of this that I own, it's my favorite of the danmei novels that I now have access to. (I think I have 5?) KS pointed out the comic book to me and I nearly lost my mind. I already read it. 

7. Mo Dao Zu Shi/Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation #3 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu - The actual reason why I went into the Barnes & Noble in the first place. This is the third, of five so far, volume in the series of English translations to her popular novel. I absolutely need to continue and find out more. I am considering starting to order them online to just catch up. 

8. Remnants of Filth #1 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou - I have absolutely no idea what this is about, but it's another danmei from Seven Seas, my second favorite publisher. It's pretty high up on my reading list for May. I am quite curious to find out more about it. 

9. Thousand Autumms by Meng Xi Chi - Another one that I have no clue about. I was considering the books in the series that I needed or a different one all together when I happened to notice this one and decided to give it a go. If I don't care for it, I can always sell it off, but so far Seven Seas has not steered me wrong. I'm looking quite forward to reading it.