I just counted and sent this text to a friend –
Damn, I read 11 books in May.
Honestly, it didn’t feel like 11 books. Probably because most were either eBooks or eARCs and I don’t have a physical representation of them on my shelf. So, when I finish a book, I set it on a certain spot on my shelf (I do this with books I haul as well – they have a designated spot). This way – besides tracking on Goodreads – I can see visually what I’ve read in the month. May was definitely the month of eARCs, with only 4 physical copies read.
Thankfully, I was a really big fan of most of these reads. I’m left desperately waiting for the next books in the series. There were a few that left a lot to be desired.
I have full, non-spoiler reviews for all of these books, except The Betrothed – which goes up this Wednesday – and I’ll link them below if you feel like you want to check them out.
Without further ado, let’s jump into the post.
Shielded (Shielded #1) – KayLynn Flanders
eARC Finished: May 3, 2020
“[…] Shielded has everything you could want in a fantasy book. It’s full of twists and magic and romance and friendships and familial bonds. And the story isn’t over yet. So much has happened, Jenna has survived so much, and her journey isn’t over yet. This is very much a sit down, read in one sitting kind of book, that will leave you wanting more. So, when it comes out July 21, 2020, make sure you have it preordered. You want this book as soon as possible.”
The Bone Thief (The Bone Charmer #2) – Breeana Shields
ARC Finished: May 7, 2020
“[…] The Bone Charmer is one of my new favorites and a definite 2020 favorite. If you haven’t read it yet, you really need to. It’s a fantastic book that too many people are sleeping on. The duology as a whole is fantastic as well, and Breeana a phenomenal writer. She transports you right into the world she’s created, and you don’t want to put the book down until you’ve finished it. I’m really excited for Breeana’s next project, it sounds amazing! Until then, I might just have to do some rereading, because it’s only been maybe an hour, and I’m already missing these characters. The Bone Thief comes out at the end of the month, so you still have time to get caught up!”
A Touch of Gold (A Touch of Gold #1) – Annie Sullivan
eBook Finished: May 9, 2020
“[…] If you liked the Daughter of the Pirate King Duology, I’m almost 100% positive that you’re going to enjoy this book. I got the same feeling from this book, that I did from that duology. Just a wholly fun, enjoyable read, with a vibrant world, temperamental characters, sailors/pirates and just a whole lot of drama and action. If you like Greek Mythology and authors giving it their own spin, you’re probably going to like this book. Make sure you check it out – you have enough time to be caught up before book 2 comes out this fall!”
A Curse of Gold (A Touch of Gold #2) – Annie Sullivan
eARC Finished: May 10, 2020
“[…] I loved reading these books – they’re just so much fun and so enjoyable. The stakes are high, but don’t require tons of mental gymnastics to keep straight, you can just sit down, relax and follow Kora on her journey of figuring out who she is, and claiming that power, owning who she is. I highly recommend picking these books up. I don’t think you can go wrong. Touch of Gold and Curse of Gold are just fun as hell reads, and I’m always a sucker for Greek Mythology anything.”
Of the Blood (Heir of Blood and Fire #1) – Cameo Renae
eARC Finished: May 11, 2020
“[…] The world that the author created came to life in my mind. I was a little surprised at the sort of modern day feel I got from the beginning, but I enjoyed it. I could easily envision the characters and the different locations. I’m really excited to see Incendia in the next book and all these new locations that are bound to be introduced. I’m curious to see who else Calla runs into and what new man falls for her. Maybe she’ll get back to Trystan, who knows. I’m dying to find out, and I wish that the whole series was currently out for me to binge. I would totally ignore my TBR for this series.”
The Shadows Between Us – Tricia Levenseller
Hardcover Finished: May 14, 2020
[…] If you’re a fan of fast paced fantasy books, with an enemies to lover element, a murder plot, court intrigue and snark, romance and scandalous skinny dipping – yes, you read that right – then you’re probably going to want to check this book out. If you’ve been a fan of her other books, then this latest release will not disappoint. You’ll undoubtedly end up falling in love with Alessandra and Kallias.”
Song of Storms (Song and Storms #1) – Kayla Maya
PDF Finished: May 20, 2020
“[…] As much as I tried to like this book just wasn’t it for me. The constantly changing formatting, the grammatical and spelling errors and the continuity issues within the plot, meant that I was constantly confused and pulled out of the story. The concept of this book is pretty cool and with some more editing and restructuring – to make it more cohesive – this book could easily be a fantastic read.”
All the Stars and Teeth (All the Stars and Teeth #1) – Adalyn Grace
Hardcover Finished: May 21, 2020
“[…] I don’t think this is a bad book, and it makes for a really quick, enjoyable read – I read it in a handful of hours in one sitting. It’s got a vibrant, interesting world, with an interesting magic system, an interesting history, mermaids and pirates. The journey to and across various islands and encounters with mermaids and sea monsters lends to the Odyssey vibe – not complaining at all – and I get why people really love this book. I’m definitely interested in finding out what happens next, so I’m looking forward to book 2. I’m just bummed I didn’t love this as much as I expected. It’s out now, so if you’ve been wondering, I say check it out!”
The Betrothed (The Betrothed #1) – Kiera Cass
Hardcover Finished: May 22, 2020
⭐️⭐️⭐️ / GR
My full, non-spoiler review will be up this Wednesday, so keep an eye out for that. I’ll go into detail there as to why I really didn’t care for this book. This did not live up to any expectations I had for a Kiera Cass book. The plot was messy, and I didn’t really care for the main character. I just really didn’t buy into the story.
The Obsidian Tower (Rooks and Ruin #1) – Malissa Caruso
eARC Finished: May 25, 2020
“[…] It’s one of those books that the more you think about it after finishing reading it, the more you realize like, damn, that was amazing. I was a little unsure going into this book, I wasn’t sure if it was ultimately going to be something I’d enjoy. I’ll admit I went into it a little close minded, but it didn’t take long for it to hook me. I was invested.”
The Court of Miracles (Court of Miracles #1) – Kester Grant
eARC Finished: May 31, 2020
“[…] I hit the end of this book and kept clicking the next page button because there was no way that, that was how it was going to end. Then I groaned because I actually realized that I had hit 100% and had finished the book.”
What books did you read in May? Which was your favorite?
Writing The Universe 