May Wrap Up and June TBR

Read in May: Adventure/Survival

May was another great reading month for me in May. This was supposed to be my freebie month but when I looked at what I planned to read, I realized it basically had a theme. I cannot avoid the themes it appears. So I read a total of eleven books relating to adventure and survival. In general I really enjoyed most of these books they were really fantastic reads. A few even blew me away but a few also didn't work.

And once again I am doing fantastic with my reading challenges. I have read a total of 55 books so far this year my Goodreads Challenge. I'm up to 18 books for the Netgalley/Edelweiss Challenge having read 4 books this month. I'm up to 11 books total for the Debut Author Challenge having read two this month (I'm actually one book away from finishing the challenge). And I'm up to 12 books for the TBR Pile Challenge having read 4 books that I already owned before the year began. 

The Books:

1.) An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir Rating: 8 out of 10 [Full Review]

2.) The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh Rating: 9 out of 10 [Full Review]

3.) The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest by Melanie Dickerson 

Rating: 5 out of 10 [Full Review]

4.) Legend by Marie Lu Rating: 8.5 out of 10 [Full Review]

5.) A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 

Rating: 9 out of 10 [Full Review]

6.) Hold Me Like a Breathe by Tiffany Schmidt 

Rating: 7.5 out of 10 [Full Review]

7.) Prodigy by Marie Lu Rating: 9 out of 10 [Full Review]

8.) Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen Rating: 9 out of 10 [Full Review]

9.) Uprooted by Naomi Novik Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [Full Review]

10.) Champion by Marie Lu Rating: 9 out of 10 [Full Review]

11.) The Martian by Andy Weir Rating: 10 out of 10 Full Review to Come

Other Posts:

Waiting on Wednesday - This Monstrous Thing, Shadows of Self and Bands of Mourning, BEA Edition

My Thoughts Figuratively - Why I'm a Plot-Driven Reader

To Read in June: Contemporary

I can't believe that I am doing a contemporary month. If you had told me a year ago that I would not have only loved some contemporary reads but that I'm devoting a whole month to it, I wouldn't have believed you. But after loving Since You've Been Gone and Simon Vs. plus the looks at some contemps coming out this summer I'm doing it. Here is my plan.

1.) The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker - Add to Goodreads

So this is not contemporary, it's fantasy. But I'm excited to read it. I've heard some good things so I was glad to get a copy from Netgalley and BEA

2.) Powerless by Tera Lynn Childs and Tracey Deebs - Add to Goodreads

This is a total "me book." Another fantasy and this one has an MC who doesn't have any powers in a world of superheroes and supervillains.

3.) More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera - Add to Goodreads

I'm really excited about this debut with a diverse MC who is a person of color and LGBTQ. I've heard good things so I snagged a copy at BEA.

4.) Those Girls by Lauren Saft - Add to Goodreads

I received this from the NOVL newsletter and it sounds like an interesting contemp that's been compared to Mean Girls. I've seen some mixed reviews but I'm going to give it a try and see what I think.

5.) Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone - Add to Goodreads

I'm picky about my contemporary novels but I love coming of age stories and this seems like an interesting MC who might be a bit of an unrelaiable narrator.

6.) The Rise and Fall of a Theater Geek by Seth Rudetsky - Add to Goodreads

I'm a big fan of Broadway (my cat is named after a Les Mis character) and I know Seth Rudetsky and his humor. I'm excited to read a book written by him.

7.) The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - Add to Goodreads

Barnes has been on my TBR list for while and this sounds like an absolutely amazing mystery/thriller. It'll be good to shake things up a little too this month.

8.) Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid - Add to Goodreads

I picked a copy of this up at BEA because it sounds really fantastic. I love the coming of age story idea and I'm excited to try Adi Alsaid's books because I know a lot of people loved his debut.

9.) Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz - Add to Goodreads

I already listened to this audiobook and it is fantastic and beautiful.

10.) Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - Add to Goodreads

I asked you all to pick one of my contemp reads for this month and you picked this. Everyone is such a fan of this book and this series. I got a copy from my Secret Sister so I'm reading it.

11.) NIL Unlocked by Lynne Matson - Add to Goodreads

I planned to read this book last month but I never got a copy and with BEA I ended up listening to a second audiobook instead of this. It needs to happen in June.

12.) Dumplin' by Julie Murphy - Add to Goodreads

I am so freaking excited for this book. I loved Julie's debut and the idea of a plus size beauty pageant consultant makes me so excited I may puke.

Those are the books I plan to read. Have you read any of them? What did you think:? Do you plan on reading any of them? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

April Wrap Up and May TBR

April Wrap Up

April was a good reading month for me. It marked the second month in a row that I read at least a dozen books including some that I absolutely loved. I had two 10 star reviews this month including a backlist book I have been procrastination and a debut (that's my third 10 star debut).

I'm also killing my challenges. I'm ahead of schedule for my Goodread Challenge of 120 books, having read a total of 44 books so fat this year. As for my other challenges I've read 13 books for Netgally/Edelweiss Challenge (3 this month), 8 books for the Debut Author Challenge (3 this month), and 9 books for the TBR Pile Challenge (3 this month). I'm on track for all three but I may need to read more of my TBR shelf. 

Books Read in April: Historical Fiction

1.) At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen Rating: 8.5 out of 10 [My Review]

2.) The World Before Us by Aislin Hunter Rating: 7 out of 10 [My Review]

3.) The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak Rating: 10 out of 10 [My Review]

4.) The Revelation of Louisa May by Michaela McColl 
Rating: 8 out of 10 [My Review]

5.) The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton 
Rating: 8.5 out of 10 [My Review]

6.) The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker 
Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [My Review]

7.) Skandal by Lindsay Smith Rating: 8.5 out of 10 [My Review]

8.) Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli 
Rating: 10 out of 10 [My Review]

9.) The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey Rating: 8 out of 10 [My Review]

10.) Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [My Review]

11.) All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr 
Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]

12.) The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy by Sam Maggs Rating: 8 out of 10 [Review to Come]

Other Posts:

Discussion on Strong Female Protagonists
An Ember in the Ashes Release Day Blitz and Giveaway

To Be Read in May: Adventure/Survival

I can't believe it's already May! Although I am excited. May is always my favorite month. It has perfect weather, my birthday, and at the end of it BEA where I can see all your lovely faces (stay tuned for birthday and BEA related posts!) Plus so many amazing books come out this month.

So May was supposed to be my freebie month. I usual have a non-theme every six months so I can read some of the books I have been putting off because they don't fit in with the theme. But I looked at my books and I realized they actually do have a theme so I'm running with it. I 'm also a glutton for punishment so after reading a ton of emotional reads in April I am now reading a ton of  suspenseful and action-packed reads. So I'm sure there would be tons feels this month too.

ARCS

The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest by Melanie Dickerson - Add to Goodreads

Described as "Swan Lake meets Robin Hood" with mention of a "dangerous poaching ring" has me intrigued. It sounds like it has a strong female protagonist and some romance

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh - Add to Goodreads

I've heard great things about this debut which is a retelling of A Thousand and One Nights where a prince takes a new bride every night and she's dead by dawn. The MC has a clever plan to survive. 

Uprooted by Naomi Novik - Add to Goodreads

This is a fantasy where a malevolent wizard known as "the Dragon" takes a young girl as his assistant. Friends who have similar taste in fantasy have loved this one.

Hold Me Like A Breath by Tiffany Schmidt - Add to Goodreads

Fairy Tales meet Organized Crime. Yes, please. I'm really intrigued by this story of a girl who has a disease that makes her vulnerable to touch and her family sells organs on the black market.

New Releases

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir - Add to Goodreads

I'm basically done with this book which came out of Tuesday. It's brutal and action-packed. I'm listening to the audio which is fantastic. I'm so glad I saw Brittany and Katie recommending it on Twitter.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas - Add to Goodreads
I need this book in my life. Seriously everyone is loving it and it's Sarah J. Maas so clearly it's brilliant and there will probably be a badass lady.

NIL Unlocked by Lynne Matson - Add to Goodreads

I loved NIL and the story of surviving and getting off a creepy island a year before you mysteriously arrive. This is probably the most survivally book on the list.

A Series to Marathon

Legend, Prodigy, and Champion by Marie Lu - Add to Goodreads
I loved my first Marie Lu book, The Young Elites, and found it brutal and fascinating. I'm guessing this is a little less brutal but it's dystopia so there will be a survival angle and I've heard good things.

Classic

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - Add to Goodreads
So this doesn't really fit the theme but I want to read more Jane Austen and this has been referred to as her "Gthic parody." I love Gothic fiction so I'm excited to see Austen's take even if it is a parody.

That is my plan for May. Don't forget to stop back for all the reviews. Are you reading any of these books? Have you read any of them? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!