2018 Reading Challenge | May

I feel quite satisfied with the books I read, acquired, and started in May. Overall, this has been a pretty good month, and I’ve lived up to my promise [to myself] from last month that I would unhaul some books this month. For a book unhaul it’s short, but for me, it’s a grueling five books long (read it here). I hope you met your reading goals for the month, and are looking forward to June.

Now, onto my complete May Reading Challenge Wrap-Up.

Books I Read in May:

Heavenward by Olga Gibbs – I enjoyed this book because of the world-building and because it is about beings I don’t think I’ve ever read about: angels. I’m not going to say more about it here, because I reviewed it in this post.

Maya Angelou: The Complete Poetry – I really recommend reading this anthology. To see the development of Maya Angelou’s poetry in this way makes her writing seem all the more spectacular. When I started reading the collection I decided I would start a journal of poems I love; whenever I encounter one I will transcribe it in this journal so I can easily recall it. The following are the Maya Angelou poems I wrote down (in addition to these, I made note of the entirety of the volumes And Still I Rise and Celebrations, Rituals of Peace and Prayer):
~”The Gamut”
~”On Working White Liberals”
~”Alone”
~”Wonder”
~”America”
~”Song For The Old Ones”
~”The Lie”
~”On The Pulse of Morning”
~”Family Affairs”
~”These Yet To Be United States”

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott – I finally finished this book, and I am so in love with it. *swoon*

Small Country by Gaël Faye – I’m so glad I chose this book for one of my Book of the Month (BOTM) Club picks for May. It’s a spectacular story of a child growing up in Burundi in 1992, and if you’re ignorant like me, you will learn a lot about this time period and place by reading this book. It’s a prize-winner and bestseller in its native France, and it’s a must-read everywhere.

Circe by Madeline Miller – This story! This book! Madeline Miller! I was captivated throughout this lifelong story about Circe the Witch. To be honest, I was a little bored during the chapters with Oydsseus; even though I was reading Circe’s perspective, I already knew this particular point in the timeline (from reading The Odyssey) and sort of trudged through it. But after Odysseus left I was fully swept up again! This book is definitely worth the hype it’s been getting.

Books I Did Not Finish in May:

The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty – I only just started this book a couple of days ago, so it’s not surprising to me that I didn’t finish it by today. I am loving it, and of course regret that I didn’t start reading it sooner.

This is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare by Gabourey Sidibe – I am currently listening to the audiobook version of this…memoir? Memoir always sounds too serious. Anyway, I am loving it, especially since it’s narrated by Gabourey Sidibe herself.

Failsafe by Anela Deen – I downloaded the ebook version because it appeared in a newsletter I received (sorry, I don’t remember which one), and the synopsis seemed pretty interesting so here we are. I’m only a few pages in so I can’t say much about it.

Books I Added to My Bookshelf in May:

Small Country by Gaël Faye (BOTM Club)

As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner (BOTM Club)

Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day by Ben Loory

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig

The Deception of the Emerald Ring by Lauren Willig

The Blackwater Lightship by Colm Tóibín 

The Real Mrs. Price by J. D. Mason

The Jewel Box by Anna Davis

Our Daily Bread by Lauren B. Davis

Books I Am Not Keeping:

TTYL by Lauren Myracle

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Little Women (abridged) by Louisa May Alcott

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

Since We Fell by Dennis Lehane

Again, you can get my full explanations for why I’m unhauling each of these books in this post, as well as request one of the books if you’d like to add it to your own library (US only).

I have quite a busy June blog schedule, which I’m very excited about. I’m also in an excellent reading mood and am/will be indulging that as much as possible. AND, Summer is here, Northern Hemisphere people, which means reading outside/everywhere has became much more comfortable. If you’ve written about your summer reading goals, your June TBR, or have something to look forward to in the next month or two, drop the link/your summer plans in the comments. Now I think I’m going to go make myself a margarita…

-Kelsey

via GIPHY