Hi everyone! Today is my May wrap up! I feel like I did okay with my May reading, but I’m still way behind where I was last year with my reading. I’ve been struggling with reading and blogging, and in fact, all of my hobbies which now that I’m thinking about it, what am I doing instead because it sure feels like nothing 😂 Anyway, let’s get into the books I read in May!
Before I show off the books, let’s talk about some stats! I read 5 books in May, which is much better than past months have been! Of the 5 books, one was a hardcover and the other four were all e-books. I ended up having one 3.75 star, two 4 star, one 4.5 star, and one 5 star read, which averages out to 4.25 stars, which is on par with my ratings usually. Finally, three of the books were ARCs and two were ones that I bought, one of which was from a book box.
Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri – ★★★★☆ .5
This was super enjoyable! I loved the main character Mehr, she was so strong willed and was willing to do whatever it took to survive while also staying true to herself and her culture. The writing flowed well and it was really easy to fall into. I also enjoyed the world building, however I still don’t feel like I have a grasp on who the Maha is and what his purpose is, what we were told felt like it only scratched the surface and seemed almost too simple. I’m very interested in the second book, as well as Tasha Suri’s newest book The Jasmine Throne!
The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin – ★★★★★
I loved how climate change was woven into this book as a major theme! I honestly wish there were more fantasy books that touched on this topic, because I really enjoyed the way this one handled it. I love the idea of witches who control the atmosphere and are on the front lines of fighting what humans have done to the environment. Clara as a character was a bit annoying at times, but the way she viewed herself and her magic really resonated with me. Below is my full review if you’re interested in my full thoughts!
Related: The Nature of Witches Review
Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky – ★★★☆☆ .75
I read this one for a blog tour, and I’m super grateful that I was given the opportunity to participate! This is an adult science fiction in a world where there are beings called Architects who destroy worlds that have life forms on them. I really liked the idea of the Architects, and the cast of characters were all interesting. If you choose to read this one though, make sure you use the glossary in the back! I didn’t realize it was there until I reached the end of the book, and it really would’ve helped me out. I struggled connecting to the story and didn’t feel invested until around the 30% mark, which is the biggest reason for my rating. My full review is linked below, check it out if you want more of my thoughts!
Related: Shards of Earth Review
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix – ★★★★☆
This was just a really fun, gory read! While I haven’t watched too many slasher films lately, I love the idea of final girls. Add in the idea of a final final girl, and you have my attention! This was really an homage to your typical slasher film – ridiculous, over the top, and super gory. There were points where it felt a little bit too ridiculous and unbelievable, but I’m pretty sure that’s the point. Lynnette as a character was so paranoid and was an unreliable narrator which just added to the mystery of what was happening, because you never knew if Lynnette was imagining things or not. I have a full review of this one available as well, and I’m so happy that I got the chance to read it early!
Related: The Final Girl Support Group Review
Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart – ★★★★☆
I really enjoyed this book, and I’m honestly really proud of myself for reading it so soon after I got it because I have a bad habit of not reading books when I get them. This is a Jamaican-inspired fantasy story, and I really liked the idea of this island ruled by witches. There was a bit about the islands, the magic system, and the history that I was a little fuzzy on, but as this was a debut I can forgive there being some holes in the world-building. I do hope that the second book helps to flesh out the world though! I did really enjoy the characters, especially Ira. I struggled to understand what Jazmyne was doing at the end of the book, and I never got a good feel for who Kirdan is and what his motivations are. This is fairly slow-paced, and there is a lot of action that happens off-page that made it feel like you were missing a lot of important pieces. I think most of the issues I had with this book just boils down to the fact that it’s a debut, so I’m hoping that they don’t appear in the sequel because this has a lot of potential!
What books did you read in May? I’d love to chat about them!
Melting Pages 
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