May 2020 Reading & Blogging Wrap-Up + Book Haul

Goodbye May & hello June!

May was leaps and bounds better than April.  Much like the rest of the United States, we spent April in quarantine here in Ohio.  In May, we started slowly reopening & got back some normalcy in our lives.

Let’s see what I read & blogged in May…

After being off work for 8 weeks, I returned to work this month.  While my library is still not yet open to patrons, our staff has been offering curbside service.  Since our building is currently only open to staff, I took advantage and cleaned out our storage room.  This was LONG overdue and desperately needed.  To give you some context, I was pulling things out that hadn’t been touched in 15 years…  We also just got the green light to start working on virtual summer programming!  I am looking forward to getting creative for virtual programming.

» The Last (Endling #1) by Katherine Applegate

I’ve read a few of Applegate’s other books, but The Last definitely felt more mature.  I’d consider this to be a crossover MG/YA fantasy.

» The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

I was delighted at how entertaining this adult romance was.  The Unhoneymooners is a perfect beach/vacation read.

» Becoming by Michelle Obama

Despite the fact that this memoir is LONG, I was interested from start to finish.  I adore Michelle Obama and find her so inspiring.

» Everblaze (Keeper of the Lost Cities #3) by Shannon Messenger

The 3rd installment in a fantastic MG fantasy series.  I like how the content is maturing as the characters age.  This book was definitely darker than the previous two installments.

» Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

*Reread*

Wishtree was selected for our community wide read along.  I loved rereading this book with my children.  This is a perfect book for a community read along.

» The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck

This book was just okay.  I didn’t realize this was “Christian fiction” when this was picked for one of my book clubs.  The religious tones came out of nowhere at the end & were very heavy handed.

» Crush (Berrybrook Middle School #3) by Svetlana Chmakova

I’ve adored each graphic novel in this series.  Chmakova captures the essence of middle school perfectly.  She also does a wonderful job giving us a diverse cast of characters, and tackling relevant topics.

» Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl #1) by Eion Colfer

This is an excellent MG/YA crossover fantasy book.  I’m a fan of anti-hero main characters, so I enjoyed reading about a 12-year-old “evil” genius.  I found this book to be very witty and amusing.  I’d recommend this book to fans of Terry Pratchett.

» The Stonekeeper’s Curse (Amulet #2) by Kazu Kibuishi

*4.5 Stars*

I enjoyed this second installment even more than the first!  The art style is absolutely stunning and I really enjoyed the story line.  I can really see this as a TV series or movie.

» El Deafo by Cece Bell

*3.5 Stars*

This graphic novel about a young girl with a hearing impairment is based off the author’s own life experiences.  While I loved reading from the prospective of a character with a hearing impairment, I had a few issues with the plot.  I was also not a big fan of the art style.

» Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Another 5-star read from Elizabeth Acevedo! Clap When You Land is a heart-wrenching book in verse about loss, betrayal, and forgiveness.

» Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson

Harbor Me was a beautiful MG contemporary novel about 6 kids, all with different backgrounds, that come together every Friday afternoon to share their experiences.  This felt like a diverse middle grade version of The Breakfast Club

» Sideways Stories from Wayside School (Wayside School #1) by Louis Sachar

I fondly remember this series from my elementary school days, so I bought it to read with my 6-year-old.  While I love the story, some of the content & language have not held up.  This isn’t exactly surprising since it was first published in 1978.  My daughter did love it though.

» The Cloud Searchers (Amulet #3) by Kazu Kibuishi

I’m loving this graphic novel series!

Goodreads Challenge Update: 60 books!

April 2020 Reading & Blogging Wrap-Up + Book Haul

Mini Book Reviews: May 2020 – Part 1

Mini Book Reviews: May 2020 – Part 2

Mini Book Reviews: May 2020 – Part 3

Mini Book Reviews: May 2020 – Part 4

ARC eBooks:

» The Time of Green Magic by Hilary McKay

From acclaimed author and Costa winner Hilary McKay comes The Time of Green Magic: a beautiful, spell-binding novel about a new families, a magical old house and a mysterious cat . . .

When Tom and Polly marry, blending their single parent families together, their children find it hard to relinquish their old lives. Max realizes his birth dad will never come home now, while Abi suddenly finds herself a middle child, expected to share far too much – especially with grubby little Louis. The family start over together, stretching their finances to the limit and renting an eerie, ivy-covered house, big enough for all of them.

But when the children are alone there, strange things start to happen. Worried, Louis summons comfort from outdoors, and a startling guest arrives – is it a cat, or an owl, or something else? Abi reads alone, tumbling deep into books. Max loses his best friend and falls in love.

Meanwhile, Louis’ secret visitor is becoming much too real. And when Max and Abi too start to see the great spotted cat-thing that arrives in the night, it becomes a problem the three of them must find a way to solve – together. But where has the creature come from, and how will he get back?

» The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.

France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.

Much to my surprise, I was approved for an ARC of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue via NetGalley!   This is my #1 most anticipated book of 2020!

Which books did you read this month?

Have you read any of the books I read or hauled this month?  If so, what did you think?

Did you buy any books?  If so, which ones?

Comment below & let me know 🙂