Welcome to my May reads round-up post! It’s been a busy month for me, and unfortunately, that coincided with a lack of reading motivation. ? But I’m still proud to have read 9(ish) books this month, so it wasn’t as bad as it could have been!
The month began with continuing last months obsession with the After series. I raced through the next three instalments but then was left cold by The Priory of the Orange Tree. This prompted a reading slump that took a while to move past. It wasn’t until The Flatshare that my excitement for reading returned. So here’s hoping all is restored and it doesn’t happen again anytime soon!
After We Collided, After We Fell, After Ever Happy by Anna Todd
After reading the first one on Wattpad, I decided to read the other books in the proper book form and that made a good difference in being able to actually read them. While the writing doesn’t improve all that much, at least there is proper grammar and formatting!
The story continues in the same vein of ridiculousness as the first but surprisingly began to address its problematic issues as the books went on. I was pleasantly surprised by the end, as there is so much more depth in the characters and the plot. It’s not going to win any awards, but it is definitely a lot of fun to read.
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
This is another book that’s taken the book community by storm and has been all over bookstagram for months! I couldn’t resist giving it a go. But after all the hype, it was always going to be hard to live up to expectations, and unfortunately, I didn’t get on too well with it after all.
I wanted to like it, and after about 100 pages, I did begin to get into it a bit more, but at around the 250-page mark, I decided to put it down. For now. I hope to continue it later, but #librarylife means I had to return it.
I think I’m just in a funk when it comes to fantasy, as I felt the same with Six of Crows last month. Perhaps high fantasy just isn’t for me, so I’m going to take a break from the genre for a while.
I like the premise of a matriarchy, living in a queendom where wyrm creatures and dragons are beginning to stir again. The queen needs to have a daughter, an heir, to keep them at bay. Spanning multiple countries and characters if you like fantasy this is a masterclass in the genre. It reminded me of Game of Thrones actually, the sprawling plot, all interlinking. As I read ‘Book 1’, I’m still counting it as a book. ?
Crushing It by Gary Vaynerchuk
I was in need of a boost of motivation and this book did the trick. Giving an overview of social media and packed full of case studies, it didn’t take long to flip through.
It isn’t quite as ‘deep’ as I was hoping though. It had quite shallow information and the usual ‘advice’, albeit with a more extreme work ethic being promoted. I just don’t think it’s realistic for most people to be able to put in 8-10 hours on social media every day to build their profile. In fact, I thought the author was joking at first! But as he says, not everyone can stand out so it apparently takes that amount of time to do so. If that’s really what it takes then that’s quite disheartening, but his overall message is inspiring enough.
There is a lot of reference to the author’s other book, so I’m tempted to give that a go as well, to see if there is more substance in that one.
Spring by Ali Smith
This is a book like not like any other I’ve read for a long while. It has been a struggle to engage with. Smith is an incredible writer, but her books are definitely ‘literary fiction’ and can take a while to get through. I like the interwoven stories, different styles of writing, and the overall evoking of the season.
This is my first Ali Smith book. I didn’t connect with Spring as much as I would have liked. But I’d still like to give some of her other well-known books a try.
The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
A sweet romance, The Flatshare is a lovely read from start to finish. Not as predictable as you might expect, the idea of ‘bed sharing’ is a cute concept, which Beth O’Leary just runs with.
The characters of Tiffy and Leon are so well fleshed out you can almost see them dance across the pages. You can’t help but fall head over heels for them! I love when a book is so absorbing you feel like you are watching the characters interact right in front of you. The Flatshare is that kind of book. It was completely addictive and left a soppy smile on my face.
Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
One of my favourites of the month, I really enjoyed Queenie. I seem to be really connecting with contemporary fiction at the moment, and Queenie is exactly that. It feels very fresh and Queenie as a character is a breath of fresh air. Queenie is a twenty-something black woman living in London. She’s a journalist whose life is turned upside down when her long-term boyfriend abruptly leaves her.
You are completely inside her head throughout. As she comes to terms with the pain and grief of her situation, we learn more about her and her past. Her relationships with men are complicated, but her female friendships keep her grounded. The importance of family shines through too. As Queenie unravels, we follow her progress as she picks up the pieces and puts herself back together again.
Uplifting and heart-warming, Queenie feels very timely and relatable. Almost a British Angie Thomas, Candice Carty-Williams hits the nail on the head.
How To Fail by Elizabeth Day
I enjoyed this new release from Elizabeth Day, and it was a perfect May reads. It’s a sort-of memoir, sort-of manifesto, sort-of self-help book. It’s perfect for those that enjoyed Dolly Alderton’s Everything I Know About Love. It has a similar, modern vibe. They both feel fresh and relatable, funny and to the point.
I like how it breaks things up into categories, so you can dip in and out. E.g. How To Fail At Work, Fitting In, Anger, Friendship… it pretty much covers most aspects of life, big and small.
