Month in Review: May 2023

  

And somehow, it's June! How was everyone's month of May? It's been a weird year. I feel very lost this year for a multitude of reasons (especially since we've had exceptionally grey skies about daily since April?), so I'm really just trying to focus on being in the moment whenever I can and also trying to get lost in as many books as possible. I'm moving through books much more slowly than usual and have a harder time choosing books, but overall I do feel like I'm getting back into the groove a bit. 

Reading highlights from May include The Will of the Many, The Sword Defiant, and Maeve Fly! The Will of the Many is incredible and I can't stop thinking about it. The wait for the sequel is going to feel interminable and I'm so sad thinking about it, haha. I loved James Islington's previous trilogy, The Licanius Trilogy, and consider it one of my favorites, and now this new series is going to absolutely be a new favorite as well. I knew he was going to pull out something insane for the ending, and he did. 

Outside of books, my saving grace lately has been aerial! I just can't get enough of this new hobby (and I'm at that point where I'm starting to question if I could turn it into something more than just a hobby...) and I've loved how much it has helped me with my confidence and even just getting out of the house and interacting with more people, haha. I've been learning mainly aerial hammock so far, but I finally managed to take my first split silks class a week or two ago and had so much fun, so I'd like to pursue that more as well.

a flying snapshot

How was your month of May!? What books did you read? Let me know in the comments and feel free to link your own wrap-ups (or any posts, really!), and I hope you all have a wonderful June!

# books read: 9
   

The Will of the Many by James Islington
Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC

Thoughts: I loved this SO much. James Islington so far cannot miss with me. This was brilliant and just cements Islington as a favorite author. I cannot recommend this enough (or the Licanius Trilogy, which is also amazing!). 

The Sword Defiant by Gareth Hanrahan
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC

Thoughts: Loved this new fantasy from Hanrahan! I enjoyed the slightly more classic fantasy style with the added darkness and unique take on some classic tropes. Highly recommended!

The First Bright Thing by J.R. Dawson
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC

Thoughts: This was a really beautiful and thoughtful circus story that I think will be a big hit. I don't tend to love time travel and had a few issues with this one, but overall a really solid read that I'd absolutely recommend.

Maeve Fly by CJ Leede
Source: NetGalley | Format: Audiobook

Thoughts: This was so messed up and so brilliant. I loved it! My review is already up and I am dying for this author to write more now.

Camp Zero by Michelle Min Sterling
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC

Thoughts: This doesn't have a lot of great reviews, but I really enjoyed it! It's definitely not for everyone and is on the slower side, but I thought it was really thoughtful and told an interesting story.

A History of Fear by Luke Dumas
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook

Thoughts: This was a very unexpected story. I was absolutely hooked for the first half of the book, but I felt things petered out a little bit by the end and it was a little predictable. That being said, still a really interesting story, if a bit repetitive at times. 

Saving Neverland by Abi Elphinstone
Source: Purchased | Format: Hardcover

Thoughts: This was a super cute Peter Pan-inspired story. It was majorly action-packed so it wasn't exactly for me, but I still really enjoyed it and will continue the series if there is more. 

Queens of Wonderland (Defender of Lore #2) by Gama Ray Martinez
Source: Library | Format: Audiobook

Thoughts: This was a great sequel to God of Neverland, and was just as fast-paced as the first book. I love this author's creativity and how they crafted this Wonderland. There's never a chance to be bored!

Island of the Lost: An Extraordinary Story of Survival at the Edge of the World by Joan Druett
Source: Gift | Format: Paperback

Thoughts: I love reading survival stories and have read quite a few by now, and unfortunately this was my least favorite. I felt as though there was too much detail in some areas and too little in others, and the author relied much too heavily on long quotes from journals/diaries. A fascinating story, but simply not my favorite telling.

DNF/To-Be-Finished:

Infinity Gate by M.R. Carey

I started this one and it just felt like it was nothing but info dumping and hard science and I was not in the mood for it at the time. I'm hoping it evens out a bit, but as it is I'm not exactly feeling a rush to get back to it... even though I really want to read it, haha. 

The Company by J.M. Varese 

I am enjoying this one, but it's a slower paced story and actually reads more like a classic Gothic mystery, so I'll probably come back to it when I'm more int he mood for that. 

 

The Tyranny of Faith (Empire of the Wolf #2) by Richard Swan
The Sword Defiant (Lands of the Firstborn #1) by Gareth Hanrahan
Wildblood by Lauren Blackwood
Camp Zero by Michelle Min Sterling
Maeve Fly by C.J. Leede

Original Posts:

(other than reviews)

Month in Review: April 2023
Anticipated June 2023 Releases!

Blog Memes:

Top Ten Tuesday:


Can't-Wait Wednesday:

5/3: The First Bright Thing by J.R. Dawson & Everything the Darkness Eats by Eric LaRocca
5/10: Gods of the Wyrdwood by R.J. Barker & The Grimoire of Grave Fates edited by Hanna Alkaf, Margaret Owen
5/17: Maeve Fly by C.J. Leede & Wolfpack by Amelia Brunskill
5/24: Maddalena and the Dark by Julia Fine & The Faint of Heart by Kerilynn Wilson
5/31: Killingly by Katharine Beutner & The Only One Left by Riley Sager

The Friday Face-Off:

Currently Reading-Author Edition
Current Read #6
Current Read #7

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill, Witch King by Martha Wells, & Psyche and Eros by Lyna McNamara

  

 Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill
Publication: May 9th, 2023
Doubleday
Hardcover. 400 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"It's 1853 London. Ex-medical student Victor Frankenstein has been missing for years now. Frankenstein's great niece Mary Saville and her husband, Henry, are trying to follow in his scientific footsteps and become renowned paleontologists. They have the brains and the ambition; the only thing they lack is the reputation. Mary is a woman with a sharp mind but a fierce tongue and Henry is an unemployed gambling addict: none of this earning appeal with their peers.

But after finding clues to her great uncle's disappearance, Mary's luck may just change. She constructs a plan that will force the scientific community to take her and her husband seriously; no one will be able to ignore them after they learn to create life. Once they have successfully constructed their Creature, Henry's ambition soars, but Mary finds herself asking deeper, more important questions than she's ever confronted before. As Henry's desire for fame grows, Mary must decide how far she is willing to go to protect the Creature she has grown to love."

Who doesn't love an attempt at a new Frankenstein "sequel"? I'm looking forward to seeing how the author tackles this particular premise and I can't wait to read it. 

Witch King by Martha Wells
Publication: May 30th, 2023
Tordotcom
Hardcover. 432 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"After being murdered, his consciousness dormant and unaware of the passing of time while confined in an elaborate water trap, Kai wakes to find a lesser mage attempting to harness Kai’s magic to his own advantage. That was never going to go well.

But why was Kai imprisoned in the first place? What has changed in the world since his assassination? And why does the Rising World Coalition appear to be growing in influence?

Kai will need to pull his allies close and draw on all his pain magic if he is to answer even the least of these questions.

He’s not going to like the answers."

I didn't really care for Martha Wells' Murderbot series (or rather, I read the first book and DNF'd it near the end), but I hear people rave about her so often that I want to give her work another chance with Witch King.

Psyche and Eros by Luna McNamara
Publication: May 25th, 2023
William Morrow & Company
Hardcover. 352 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"What happens when a god of love falls in love?

A prophecy claims that Psyche, princess of Mycenae, will conquer a monster feared by the gods. Beloved by her family but at odds with her society's expectations for women, Psyche trains to become a hero, mastering blade and bow.

When Psyche angers Aphrodite, the love goddess enlists Eros, god of desire, to help deliver a cruel curse. Eros is the last born of the eldest gods, dry-witted and jaded, unsure of his place in the cosmos. The last thing he wants is to become involved in the chaos of the mortal world, but when he pricks himself with the arrow intended for Psyche, Eros is doomed to yearn for a woman who will be torn from him the moment their eyes meet.

A joyous and subversive tale of gods, monsters, and the human heart and soul, Psyche and Eros dazzles the senses while exploring notions of trust, sacrifice, and what it truly means to be a hero. With unforgettably vivid characters, spellbinding prose, and delicious tension, Luna McNamara has crafted a shimmering and propulsive debut novel about a love so strong it defies the will of Olympus."

I've been hearing a lot of buzz about this book, and I think it sounds like it could be a lot of fun so I'm looking forward to it!

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Sword Defiant by Gareth Hanrahan, Clytemnestra by Constanza Casati, & All the Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley

  

 Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

The Sword Defiant by Gareth Hanrahan
Publication: May 2nd, 2023
Orbit
Paperback. 608 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"Set in a world of dark myth and dangerous prophecy, The Sword Defiant launches an epic tale of daring warriors, living weapons, and bloodthirsty vengeance.

The sword cares not who it cuts.

Many years ago, Sir Aelfric and his nine companions saved the world, seizing the Dark Lord's cursed weapons, along with his dread city of Necrad. That was the easy part.

Now, when Aelfric - keeper of the cursed sword Spellbreaker - learns of a new and terrifying threat, he seeks the nine heroes once again. But they are wandering adventurers no longer. Yesterday's eager heroes are today's weary leaders - and some have turned to the darkness, becoming monsters themselves.

If there's one thing Aelfric knows, it's slaying monsters. Even if they used to be his friends."

I was a big fan of Hanrahan's previous trilogy, The Black Iron Legacy, so I'm excited to see a new release from him!

Clytemnestra by Constanza Casati
Publication: May 2nd, 2023
Sourcebooks Landmark
Hardcover. 448 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"As for queens, they are either hated or forgotten. She already knows which option suits her best...

You were born to a king, but you marry a tyrant. You stand by helplessly as he sacrifices your child to placate the gods. You watch him wage war on a foreign shore, and you comfort yourself with violent thoughts of your own. Because this was not the first offence against you. This was not the life you ever deserved. And this will not be your undoing. Slowly, you plot.

But when your husband returns in triumph, you become a woman with a choice.

Acceptance or vengeance, infamy follows both. So, you bide your time and force the gods' hands in the game of retribution. For you understood something long ago that the others never did.

If power isn't given to you, you have to take it for yourself.

A blazing novel set in the world of Ancient Greece for fans of Jennifer Saint and Natalie Haynes, this is a thrilling tale of power and prophecies, of hatred, love, and of an unforgettable Queen who fiercely dealt out death to those who wronged her."

I've always found Clytemnestra to be a particularly fascinating figure and I'm very curious to see Casati's take on her in this story.

All the Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley
Publication: May 16th, 2023
Katherine Tegen Books
Hardcover. 384 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"The Sleeping House was very much awake . . .

Days after a tragedy leaves Marin Blythe alone in the world, she receives a surprising invitation from Alice Lovelace—an acclaimed horror writer and childhood friend of Marin’s mother. Alice offers her a nanny position at Lovelace House, the family’s coastal Maine estate.

Marin accepts and soon finds herself minding Alice’s peculiar girls. Thea buries her dolls one by one, hosting a series of funerals, while Wren does everything in her power to drive Marin away. Then Alice’s eldest daughter returns home unexpectedly. Evie Hallowell is every bit as strange as her younger sisters, and yet Marin is quickly drawn in by Evie’s compelling behavior and ethereal grace.

But as Marin settles in, she can’t escape the anxiety that follows her like a shadow. Dead birds appear in Marin’s room. The children’s pranks escalate. Something dangerous lurks in the woods, leaving mutilated animals in its wake. All is not well at Lovelace House, and Marin must unravel its secrets before they consume her."

Although this doesn't sound like the most original premise... it's one that I always enjoy!

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Lost War by Justin Lee Anderson, Atalanta by Jennifer Saint, & The Book of Stolen Dreams by David Farr

 

 Can't-Wait is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released! This meme is based off of Jill @ Breaking the Spine's Waiting on Wednesday meme.

This week's upcoming book spotlights are: 

The Lost War by Justin Lee Anderson
Publication: May 16th, 2023
Orbit
Paperback. 528 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"The war is over, but peace can be hell.

Demons continue to burn farmlands, violent mercenaries roam the wilds, and a plague is spreading. The country of Eidyn is on its knees.

In a society that fears and shuns him, Aranok is the first mage to be named King's Envoy. And his latest task is to restore an exiled foreign queen to her throne.

The band of allies he assembles each have their own unique skills. But they are strangers to one another, and at every step across the ravaged land, a new threat emerges, lies are revealed, and distrust could destroy everything they are working for. Somehow, Aranok must bring his companions together and uncover the conspiracy that threatens the kingdom—before war returns to the realms again."

I'm currently reading an ARC of The Lost War and I'm really enjoying it! I've been looking for a new big fantasy to get into, so I'm hoping this fills that void. 

Atalanta by Jennifer Saint
Publication: May 9th, 2023
Flatiron Books
Hardcover. 304 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"When Princess Atalanta is born, a daughter rather than the son her parents hoped for, she is left on a mountainside to die. But even then, she is a survivor. Raised by a mother bear under the protective eye of the goddess Artemis, Atalanta grows up wild and free, with just one if she marries, Artemis warns, it will be her undoing.

Although she loves her beautiful forest home, Atalanta yearns for adventure. When Artemis offers her the chance to fight in her name alongside the Argonauts, the fiercest band of warriors the world has ever seen, Atalanta seizes it. The Argonauts' quest for the Golden Fleece is filled with impossible challenges, but Atalanta proves herself equal to the men she fights alongside. As she is swept into a passionate affair, in defiance of Artemis's warning, she begins to question the goddess's true intentions. Can Atalanta carve out her own legendary place in a world of men, while staying true to her heart?

Full of joy, passion, and adventure, Atalanta is the story of a woman who refuses to be contained. Jennifer Saint places Atalanta in the pantheon of the greatest heroes in Greek mythology, where she belongs."

Too many Greek myth retellings have been coming out lately, but... I'm still going to read them! I'm really excited to see this story about Atalanta and I feel like it's in good hands with Jennifer Saint. 

The Book of Stolen Dreams by David Farr
Publication: May 2nd, 2023
Graydon House
Hardcover. 384 pages.
Pre-order: Amazon | Bookshop.org

From Goodreads:
"An exhilarating, awe-inspiring debut from a master storyteller writing for children for the first time, perfect for fans of Philip Pullman, Katherine Rundell and Eva Ibbotson.

Rachel and Robert live a grey, dreary life under the rule of cruel Charles Malstain. But when their librarian father enlists their help to steal a forbidden book, they are plunged into adventure. With their father captured, it is up to Rachel and Robert to uncover the secrets of the Book of Stolen Dreams and track down its mysteriously missing final page in order to save him.

What they are not expecting is to discover a family of ghosts, a door to the dead and that the Book grants the power of immortality. But they will do anything to stop it falling into Malstain's hands - for if it does, he could rule for ever.

Step inside the pages of an immortal adventure and discover a truly unforgettable journey of wonder, courage and magic..."

This sounds so fun! I haven't read any middle grade books in a while and I've missed their magic and joy, so I'm hoping to get a chance to check this one out. :) I'm a huge sucker for premises like this!