May Wrap Up II

* Becky's Reads *

So I felt as though this was quite a slow reading month for me (mostly because I had my final deadlines for my degree, got into a bit of a slump and somehow spent four weeks finishing one book?) but I definitely read some books that I really enjoyed throughout May!

The Ship Beyond Time by Heidi Heilig

Although it took me almost a month to read this (I'm not exactly sure what happened there?) I really loved this book and I think I'd even say that I preferred it to the first one! I have always loved both mythology and history, so a world that includes them both is absolutely perfect for me. The world-building was absolutely lush, to the extent that I could almost smell the sea breeze purely from descriptions, or imagine that I was walking through the streets of modern-day New York (a city that I've never visited). 

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

So as it's coming up to the summer, I was in the mood for a light contemporary read and after hearing about this series, I thought it would be perfect. It's a quick read with important family dynamics, a diverse main character (Korean/American) and a whole lot of baking goodness. I quickly finished the rest of the series within a few days and I can safely say that I recommend it. 

Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh

This book was definitely a mixed bag for me. The first half of the book took me a while to get into, I wasn't too invested with the plot or the romance but then the second half definitely improved to the point I gave this book four stars. However, since reading it, we have read some mixed reviews from Own Voice readers such as problems with bi-erasure and inaccuracies with Japanese history. We will be posting a full review soon!

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Although this was a fast read, I really enjoyed it! It has a diverse cast, it is really lighthearted, cute and fun but at the same time touched on important issues. Dimple wasn't a typical YA contemporary protagonist and I loved learning about all of the Indian traditions. I'm just excited for whatever this amazing author releases next!

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

Although I thought ACOWAR wrapped up the trilogy really well (I definitely cried more than once) for the most part I was so happy with how things turned out, there are a couple of issues that needed discussing with this book (such as biphobia and ace phobia.) However, without overlooking these issues, I did really enjoy ACOWAR and have loved this series so much as a whole. I think in the future, Sarah J. Maas definitely needs to focus on bringing more diversity to her worlds and stop describing penises as 'velvet steel.'

So that was my reading month! I'm looking forward to the month of June (and not just because I'm going on holiday.) What was your favourite read this month?

Love Becky @

Our May Wrap Up!

* Angharad's Reads *

So after months and months of not doing a wrap-up and being caught up with our new business, we've decided to stop abandoning this blog (yay!) Although I'm behind on my reading challenge at the moment, I read more books this month than I thought I did! Some let me down but I also found another all time favourite so it was worth it. So without further ado, here's the books I read this month and what I thought about them. 

A Dance with Dragons 2: After the Feast by George R.R. Martin

So I've finally caught up with the ASOIAF series! This isn't a quick read series or even a happy series (it has more death than a graveyard) but the amount of magic and world building in these books is hard to beat. I don't watch the show anymore but these books more than make up for it! The unfortunate thing about catching up is that I now have to wait like everyone else for the next book. Wish me luck.

The Princess Saves Herself in this One by Amanda Lovelace

I have wanted to pick up this book of poetry for ages and then a miracle happened when I won a copy in a giveaway! I follow Amanda on Twitter and she seems like the most beautiful person so I just knew this would come across in her book. Her poems are raw and real, heartbreaking but beautiful. As the title suggests, this is the story of a princess who saves herself, a damsel who becomes queen, a girl who picks herself up. I also loved the size of this book as poetry books can definitely be too sparse. 

P.S. I Still Love You & Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han

The second and third instalment in the Lara Jean trilogy. I read the first book in April after hearing about it being a cute little contemporary with a Korean American protagonist and it didn't disappoint. They are your typical coming-of-age stories but with beautiful scenes between Lara and her family as she deals with future plans and a more than complicated love life. I would definitely recommend this series as they are quick and perfect for the summer. 

Idiot Verse by Keaton Henson

For those who didn't know, Keaton Henson is a very talented singer/songwriter who also happens to do a bit of art and poetry on the side. When I heard about this book, I ordered it immediately and finished it in just a few minutes (it's very short and a few pages are dedicated to his own illustrations.) Despite being a huge fan of his, unfortunately this book of poetry just didn't resonate with me but don't let this put you off as I believe poetry is subjective and others may love it! Plus, look at that cover art.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

I am a HUGE sucker for post apocalyptic stories even though they have been done almost to death (har har.) This book has been on my shelves for about a year and the other day I decided to pick it up and ended up reading it in one sitting and it has become a new favourite of mine. This isn't an action-packed novel, it hardly even has a plot but it is about the characters and how they have survived and kept going since the world 'ended.' It shows how humanity rebuilds and how nature reclaims its domain and this is everything I've been looking for in a book.

A Jarful of Moonlight by Nazanin Mirsadeghi

We were sent this small book of poetry in exchange for an honest review.  The book is split into five parts with a small poem on each page but by the end, they come together to form a story of love, heartbreak and grief. For me, my end review is a bit of a mixed bag. Some poems resonated with me, some didn't and some reminded me of poems I've read before, either by other authors or on Tumblr. Our full review here!

Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh 

I have been highly anticipating this read since hearing about it and the reason for that is because as a person who didn't watch a lot of disney films as a child, the one I loved more than anything with Mulan. And what's this? A Mulan retelling! Unfortunately, for reasons that will be discussed in a future review, I was left disappointed. Although it was very atmospheric and I enjoyed the main character, there were problems with bi-erasure amongst other things. However, if I could rate the book on cover alone it would be a full five stars.

Girl A

This is a memoir written by the victim who stopped the infamous Rochdale sex ring. Remaining anonymous, 'Hannah' tells the story of the abuse she, and other young girls, suffered at the hands of older men which for many years was ignored by social services and the police force. I decided to pick this up after watching the BBC drama, Three Girls and even after finishing it, I feel it is a book I can't rate. It's harrowing, it's difficult and it's a story that never should have to be told, especially by a young girl. 








So that is all my reads for the month of May. It was a mixed month but I read a lot more than I thought I did and I'm looking forward to June as I have a few books I'm so excited for. 
What did you guys read? What was your favourite?
Love Angharad @