A Bookish Wrap-Up /May 2020
Goodbye May,
Strictly speaking May was a month like any other (I’m talking about my personal life, not what’s going on in the world and the US) – since the pandemic started. One day feels like the other, although we are finally getting closer to opening up California again. That also means my beloved libraries will open again – at least I hope they will. And honestly, all I really need is curbside pick-up – lol.
So, although the month of May was rather bland, I read TWO 5 star books – YAY!!! I also re-read a couple favorite books. Checked off some of my ARCs and books I have on my POPSUGAR and regular 2020 reading challenge.
All in all not bad bookish wise.
A Bookish Wrap-Up /May 2020
| FAVORITE MAY BOOKS |
A favorite books of May recap:
My re-read of Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren was still as good as the first time. I loved this book so much when I picked it up early 2017, and I still feel it’s the authors’ best book yet.
May was the month for a Nora Roberts re-read, I picked The Witness, it’s been a couple years since I read it last and I forgot how good it was. A hacker genius who knows how to shoot and wants to be left alone and a Sheriff who decides she needs some looking after – instant entertainment.
The award for SEXIEST/HOTTEST book I read this month goes to The Wolf Hotel Series by Nina West. Nina West is the pen name of KA TUCKER, and the series was written in 2015. Overall I gave the series ⭐️⭐️⭐️ BUT I devoured all four books in one day, with some skipping and skimming, so it’s not a RECOMMENDATION per se, but I got it free with KU, and it’s the first book/series in a long while that had me HOT AND BOTHERED!
MM romance is one of my favorite tropes and I’m ALWAYS on the lookout for new favorite books. And some days I dedicate hours of research just to find something new. This month I did find one that deserves the spotlight, Shattered Glass by Dani Alexander. It was wonderfully original, fascinating, enthralling and all in all a book that stood out from the crowd.
FIVE STAR BOOKS OF THE MONTH
The Switch by Beth O’Leary was probably my most favorite book of May. I came to find out that I REALLY love the author’s writing style.
My second 5 star book of the month was Fortuity by Jewel E. Ann, I fell in love with the writing, the characters, the amazing chemistry and love between the couple that just jumped off the pages. It’s my first 5 star book by her since I gave 6 stars to Look the Part.
A Bookish Wrap-Up /May 2020
| MAY AUDIOBOOKS ? |
Out of the 18 books I read in May, 12 were audiobooks
I’m still listening to a BIG LOAD of audiobooks each month. And it will probably stay that way until I go back to work full-time.
From the 12 audiobooks above, these were the few that stood out to me:
Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier
The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows
And these two would make great summer reading books:
Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner
Happy & You Know It by Laura Hankin
A Bookish Wrap-Up /May 2020
| BOOK READING GOAL |
94 books out of 100 are completed
and I’m 53 books ahead of schedule
Thanks to the pandemic I had tons of time for reading. I don’t think that 2020 can be considered a regular reading year, so I’m not going to do so.
It’s a strange year – period!
A Bookish Wrap-Up /May 2020
| NETGALLEY PROGRESS |
Current titles (9) | Older than 3 months (6)
I added quite a few books to my NetGalley shelf this month. And the books I’m most excited about are:
Crushing It | Lorelei Parker
The Comeback | Ella Berman
Eliza Starts a Rumor | Jane L. Rosen
Anxious People | Fredrik Backman
Dear Emmie Blue | Lia Louis
A Bookish Wrap-Up /May 2020
| WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO IN JUNE |
Since the new KA TUCKER book was delayed to mid June, it’s still my most anticipated book of the month. I’m also excited about The Dare by Elle Kennedy, Charming Like Us by Krista Ritchie and Engagement and Espionage by Penny Reid.
A Bookish Wrap-Up /May 2020
I wish I could get into Audio books. It seems to help bloggers get through so many more books each month but I just can’t stay focused without the words in front of me. I’ve heard great things about The Switch and it’s on my TBR. Glad you liked it so much <3
Audiobooks aren’t for everyone. Maybe in the future there will be a time when your brain says YES to audiobooks. 😀 You never know.
The Switch was AWESOME!!! Hope you’ll get to it soon.
Looks like you had a great bookish month! Our library system is starting to open up drive-up/curbside pick ups over the next several weeks, too. I hope June treats you well!
Thank you – I did 😀
I’m checking the library homepages EVERY day to see if there has been a change, sadly NO ?
I really hope it’s happening soon……
There are SO MANY good books coming out in the next couple months that my TBR keeps growing! Looking forward to the new Abbi Waxman and Riley Sager. I’ve heard great things about Beth O’Leary’s books so will need to check her out!
I’m excited about what’s coming. Too many for my tbr if I’m honest – lol. And I need to read more by Riley Sager, I’ve only read one so far. Also, very excited about the new Abbi Waxman, it sounds like my kind of book.
Agree! So many good ones my TBR shelf can’t keep up!
I did the same thing with Nina West’s series this month. I wouldn’t say they were like amazing, but they were SO addictive! You should try that other series she has, too. It was just as addictive! I can’t wait for the third book in August.
It was the best thing that could have happened to me in May – lol. I haven’t felt that way in a LONG time. I’ll be checking out her other series too.
That’s some wrap up. I’m not audioing almost at all at the moment. I always audioed on my commute and working at home has killed that.
The commute was often the only way I was able to listen to audiobooks. At the moment, I’m mostly at home, which gives me more time to listen. Also, I’m listening to books I might not have picked up any other time, so it’s a great way to check those off my lists. But I know that it will change again, to where I maybe listen to one to two audiobooks a month. So I enjoy it for now. 😀
I’m really glad that’s working for you. Long may it continue!
Such a great wrap-up! I am also keeping my fingers crossed that my library will open up soon, even just for curbside pickup! I didn’t know that K.A. Tucker wrote under Nina West, and so many of your anticipated June books are on my TBR radar!
She just recently told her readers that she was writing under Nina West. I think because it’s so different from her regular books. I’m checking my library homepages every day for news – so far NOTHING ?
I think June will be a good reading month 😀 let’s keep our fingers crossed!
I think I have The Witness. ? I need to read that one. ?
lol, I think we all have a NR hidden somewhere – hope you’ll enjoy it, let me know when you got to it
I will. ?
wow this month was good to you book-wise! I said it already but I absolutely love the thought and big picture you provide for your month overview. so fabulous. hope June is just as great for your reading. – H
Thank you ?, I’m looking forward to June too. I have a couple highly anticipated novel, that will definitely make for good reading.