May is always a slow month of reading for me — the weather is still (not too too) hot, school is wrapping up, and I’m knee deep in cheerleading and yearbooking, with very little time for anything else. This month, it looks like the books I gravitated towards were dark and heavy books, for some reason? As I mentioned in my Summer To Read post, I like to use summer to catch up on all of the big books I’ve been procrastinating on during the school year, and it seems that I got a head start this month!
That being said, there were some EXCELLENT books this month. I wrote a full review of The Night Circus a couple of weeks ago, and I was finally able to finish the Red Queen series with War Storm. A lot of the books I read this month were books I had been looking forward to for ages, and I’m so glad to knock these off the list!
Books are listed in the order they were read. For more mini-reviews, check out my What I Read tag.
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
Premise: After quitting her prestigious law career to become an author, Gretchen Rubin realizes she still isn’t happy. She decides to try to cultivate happiness within her life. Throughout the course of a year, she creates intentions to follow each month that focuses on a different area of happiness in her life.
My Rating: 4 Stars
Thoughts: This book was much better than expected, despite taking me 9 days to read. There were some months that really resonated with me (the marriage one and the passions one), and some that made me a little uncomfortable (friendship and her views on it…). I am a generally happy person, so I can totally see how this would be helpful for someone who has trouble with gratitude and seeing the silver lining. I didn’t really need this book, but I’m glad I read it. I ended up joining a gym this month, so I’m 2/2 on these personal development books improving my life.
Who Should Read It: Anyone who wants to find more gratitude in their life. Anyone looking for happiness. Anyone who wants to kickstart their goals.
The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern
For a full review, check out this post.
Premise: When Celia and Marco were children, a magical bond was set between them, forcing them to be opponents for the rest of their lives. A circus was created as the arena for this grand game, and it’s within this circus that the magical happens.
My Rating: 5 Stars
Thoughts: THIS BOOK. I’ve given a lot of 5 stars this year (well, more than I normally do) but this one may be at the top of the list. There wasn’t much in the way of plot, which normally bugs me, but the descriptions of the circus were beautiful and enchanting, and I absolutely fell in love with the characters, particularly Celia. This book really wasn’t about the characters, though. It was about the circus. The world that Morganstern creates is enchanting and unique. I just wanted to be a part of this circus and I wanted to be friends with the cast and I wanted to attend a Night Dinner and I just wanted to live in this world long past the 400 pages.
Who Should Read It: Anyone who loves a dark tale. Anyone who loves the unusual. Anyone who enjoys nonlinear timelines.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Premise: Kaz Brekker is considered one of the best thieves in the Barrel, and when he gets an offer for a huge heist, he can’t say no. He assembles a rag-tag team of sharpshooters, stealths, and bombmakers, and they attempt to break into the Ice Court, one of the most heavily guarded areas in their world.
My Rating: 3 Stars
Thoughts: This book was a unique one. First of all, it’s over 600 pages of pure action. Honestly, there isn’t much down time… I was surprised when we reached the Ice Court so quickly (like… halfway through the book) because I expected that to be the climax. And it was. For 300 pages.
That being said, I didn’t really connect with the characters much. I mean, I enjoyed them, but I didn’t love them or feel for them. I appreciated their conflicts, but… I couldn’t sympathize with them. This was a case where I know it’s a good book, but it’s just not MY type of book. It kept me reading through 600+ pages, but I don’t think I’ll be continuing on with the series
Who Should Read It: People who like YA dystopian fiction. People looking for an action-packed read. People who love unique characters.
The Rules Do Not Apply by Ariel Levy
Premise: In one moment, Ariel is a award-winning journalist, future mother, and happily married woman. In another, her life is changed. This nonlinear memoir shows Ariel’s life through a series of backwards and forwards movements.
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Thoughts: This is a tough one. On the ninth page, Levy says, “To become a mother, I feared, was to relinquish your status as the protagonist of your own life.” YES. This whole novel is about Ariel’s journey towards, away, and around motherhood. It shines a light on her relationship with her wife, it examines her career, but, largely, this is a memoir about the son she lost — her journey towards her son, and her journey away from him.
The writing was exquisite (I expected nothing less, with Levy’s credentials), but I was often very distracted by her sequencing. There was no real discernment between her timelines, and she would often reference an event and then fully explain it two chapters later. I didn’t hate it, but it often interrupted my flow of thought. Also, not having been a mother yet, nor near the age where I’m facing the pressures she’s facing, I didn’t connect to the story as much as I hoped. I imagine this could be a really powerful read for someone in their late 30’s, early 40’s, debating about children.
Who Should Read It: Anyone debating on if they should have children. Anyone who loves well-written memoirs. Anyone looking for a poignant story.
War Storm by Victoria Aveyard
For a review of the first three books in this series, see this post.
Premise: In the final installation of the Red Queen series, Mare is faced with Cal choosing his crown over her, and the impending battles over Norta — against Maven, against the Lakelanders, and against Piedmont.
My Rating: 4 Stars
Thoughts: I have been eagerly awaiting this novel since I read the first three back in November. If you’re anything like me, you were probably waiting for the last book to come out so that you can binge this series (which I highly recommend… Aveyard does not like to write endings to books), and the time has come!
This novel was so, so good. There were moments when I was doing housework or cooking, and I was literally thinking about what was going on in the book and wishing I could just sit down and read. Mare’s character really came full circle in this one, and I felt like she finally found who she is and where her loyalties lie. That being said, I felt like the ending was a bit rushed and not nearly as satisfying as I wanted it to be. Like I said, Aveyard obviously does not enjoy writing distinct endings to novels. I thought that most of this novel was perfection, but I definitely need another book or two or twelve in the series.
Who Should Read It: Anyone who loves dystopian fiction. Anyone looking for an action packed series. Anyone looking for a series to binge.
A Million Junes by Emily Henry
Premise: June’s family has a long-standing feud with the Angert’s. On the night that she first meets Saul, her life changes, and she has to reconcile the memories of her father with the new information she is finding out.
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Thoughts: This is (mostly) not a love story. Let me point that out first and foremost. This is a story about a girl who misses her beloved father, until she starts finding out about his past, and her grandparents’ pasts, and her great-grandparents’ pasts. Sure, most of it is driven by her attraction to Saul, but the heart of her conflict is her missing her father and her struggle to honor his memory.
That being said, this story MOVED. I wasn’t sure about it at first. I thought it was a bit weird and the writing wasn’t amazing (especially compared to The Astonishing Color of After‘s beauty). But then I took a two hour bath (unintentionally) and read 250 pages in one sitting (in said bath), and I was hooked. I really enjoyed the way it came together, and I’d say that you should definitely stick it out if you aren’t sure about it at first.
Who Should Read It: Anyone who likes magical realism. Anyone who liked The Astonishing Color of After. Anyone wanting to read about loss and friendship and love.
What do you think? Did I miss the mark on any of these? Are there some that you are excited to read? Leave a comment below!
