Unlike last Month, I hit the ground running in May. I wanted to see if I could read 20 books! Somehow, I did it. I don't think it will happen again. Or maybe it will now that I know it's within the realm of possibility... Maybe July... hmm...
I read on 31/31 days and completed 20 books. I read 6 for the Meridian Library Challenge (MLD), 6 for the Garden City Library Challenge (GCPL), 7 for the PopSugar Challenge, and 1 for the Spells and Spaceships SFF Badge Collection Challenge.
MLD CATEGORIES:
4. A book set in South America: Shipped by Angie Hockman
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Contemporary Romance, Travel, Miscommunication, Sexism
Quick
Summary: Cruise Line Marketing Manager Henley and her work arch-nemesis, Social Media Manager Graeme, are both up for the same promotion. They're both sent on a company cruise to the Galapagos Islands where they will take in the sights and draft a proposal on how to boost bookings-- best proposal wins the promotion.
Thoughts: This was marketed as "The Unhoneymooners meets the Hating Game," but I read the Unhoneymooners last month and the only similarity there is that two people who have had a miscommunication and therefore do not get along are forced into a vacation together and then begin to realize that the other person isn't as bad as they originally thought. I THOUGHT this was going to be a comedy and it really wasn't. It wasn't a bad book-- I was just expecting a laugh and then didn't get one.
16. A book with an alliterative title: Shadow Spell by Nora Roberts
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Paranormal Romance, Witchcraft, Magic
Quick
Summary: After a brush with death, Meera realizes the love she feels for her childhood friend, Connor is less brotherly than previously thought. Meanwhile Cabhan is still evil and still wants to take all their power for himself.
Thoughts: Well, this one dragged for me. I liked Connor and Meera, but I felt like they were just pushed together, solely because sex/love is powerful and will help them defeat the big bad. It was OKAAAAAY... Hoping the next one will be better, because I'm interested in the Romeo/Juliet forbidden love theme going on with Branna and Fin.
30. A book with a protagonist who belongs to a minority group: Hi Five by Joe Ide
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Crime Thriller, Murder Mystery, Multiple Personality Disorder, White Nationalism / Racism, Extreme Violence, Child Abuse
Quick
Summary: Arms Dealer Angus Byrne's daughter, Christiana, is the sole witness and number one suspect in the murder of her boyfriend, found dead in her fashion boutique. Private investigator Isaiah Quintabe (IQ) is coerced into taking the case and proving her innocence. Unfortunately for IQ, Christiana has multiple personalities and no one personality saw the entire incident, so he must piece together the clues before it's too late.
Thoughts: I listened to this one and I was SOOOOOOO sad that they changed the narrator. Sullivan Jones narrated the first three books and Zeno Robinson narrated this fourth installment. Zeno wasn't a bad narrator, he just wasn't Sullivan Jones, with his silky, perfect IQ voice. Anyway, narrator aside, I did not care for this book. It was a roller coaster ride of multiple personalities, extreme violence, and child abuse. I spent the whole time wondering what the heck was going on. It was too many stories and concepts all mixed into one. Not my cup of tea. This one has me seriously considering whether or not I want to continue with this series.
36. A book that hooked you with the first line: How to Tame Your Duke by Juliana Gray
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Historical Romance, Disfigurement-Beauty and the Beast, Heroine disguised as a man, Mistaken Identity
Quick
Summary: Three German princesses find themselves targets in a plot against the crown, but their uncle sends each in hiding in different locations throughout England. Emilie disguises herself as a male tutor and is hired to tutor the son of the Duke of Ashland, who she finds very intriguing.
Thoughts: This one hooked me with the first TWO lines, but I'm counting it. I am a Victorian romance junkie and this one captured me right away. The writing was good. I laughed. I smiled. I burned. Yeah, this is my cup of tea.
42. A book with stars on the cover: A Million Suns by Beth Revis
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Young Adult Dystopian Science Fiction, Romance, Mystery, Space
Quick
Summary: Elder and Amy must follow the clues left behind by Orion to unlock the secrets of the ship and determining the fate of the 2300 passengers. When the murders start, unrest reaches a new high, which complicates things...
Thoughts: Meh, not as fascinating as the first one. I was less able to suspend my disbelief. Also super predictable. I'll still read the next one so I can see how it ends.
47. A book with a character who has a disability: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Dramatic Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Paraplegia, Depression, Suicide
Quick
Summary: Louisa Clark takes a job caring for Will Traynor, wheelchair bound after an accident. Since he has always played hard (extreme sports, travel, etc), he's not happy living as a paraplegic. Lou refuses to bend to his moods and sets out to prove to him that life is still worth living.
Thoughts: I loved the writing, and this book gave me lots of feels. But it was really rather depressing and did not go the way I had hoped-- that overwhelming love and support would outweigh the desire to die. I am kind of a happy ending junkie, so I was a bit bummed at the non-happy ending. I noticed that there was a lot of controversy surrounding this book-- particularly the reaction from disabled persons-- and how Will's take on life and his situation is not the norm-- that disabled people can and do live happy, fulfilling lives-- that being disabled is not worse than death.
GCPL CATEGORIES:
16. A book set in the American South: Sisters of Shiloh by Kathy & Becky Hepinstall
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Historical Civil War Fiction, Heroines Disguised as Boys, Mental Health, Romance
Quick Summary: Josephine and Libby disguise themselves as Joseph and Thomas and enlist in the confederate army. Libby's late husband, Arden, was passionate about the cause, and Libby intends to take vengeance for his death by killing one Yankee for every year of his life. Meanwhile, a fellow soldier deals with strange and shameful feelings for "Joseph."
Thoughts: I love the women-disguised-as-men trope, but this one didn't really do it for me. In fact, this SHORT book was dragging so much, I had to switch to audio to get through it. It had very strange flowery writing that didn't go over well. Way too many weird similes.
27. A book you're embarrassed you haven't read: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Science Fiction, Humor, Adventure
Quick Summary: Just before Earth is destroyed, Arthur Dent and his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, jump aboard the space ship tasked with destroying Earth and begun a journey through space where they meet an interesting cast of characters.
Thoughts: I've been meaning to read this one for a long time, and to be honest, I'm not completely sure what the fuss was all about. I did like the beginning-- but as soon as they left Earth, it kind of lost me. It was just too silly. I may have loved this sort of absurdity when I was a teenager.
33. A book set during wartime: The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman
Genre/Tropes/Themes: World War II Memoir, History, Nonfiction, Holocaust, Animals
Quick Summary: When Germany invaded Warsaw, Stuka bombers devastated the city's zoo. With free cages following the loss of many animals, Jan and Antonia Zabinski began smuggling Jewish refugees into the zoo.
Thoughts: Picked this one up from a local little free library and I totally thought itwas fiction, so I was surprised when it turned out to be nonfiction. It was very interesting. A lot of animal anecdotes thrown in as well. It was about a zoo, after all.
37. An audiobook: Sadie by Courtney Summers
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Young Adult Mystery Thriller, Child Abuse, Child Death
Quick Summary: Teenager Sadie is determined to bring her younger sister's killer to justice and follows clues to find him. Meanwhile a radio personality is trying to find Sadie, and finds himself on the killer's trail.
Thought: Interesting premise-- interesting podcast feel-- poorly researched, especially geography. Characters make dumb decisions. I probably would have loved this if I were 20 years younger, but now I just found it unrealistic and depressing. I did, however, listen to it in one go-- short, easy book.
45. A book published this year (2021): People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Contemporary Romance, Travel, Humor
Quick Summary: Poppy and Alex met during college orientation and while they are very different people, they got on very well and established a yearly summer trip. Unhappy at 30, Poppy decides she wants to go back to the last time she was happy-- to her last trip with Alex. Even though they haven't spoken in two years, Alex agrees to another summer trip and Poppy wants to make it memorable.
Thoughts: OMG, I LOVE IT. I laughed. I cried. I laughed more. I cried more. This is everything I want in a romance. Emily Henry's writing is excellent.
48. A book written by a doctor: Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance by Atul Gawande
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Medical Science Nonfiction, Handwashing, Malpractice, Lethal Injections
Quick
Summary: This book explores how doctors strive to close the gap between best intentions and best performance in the face of obstacles that sometimes seem insurmountable.
Thoughts: I liked his first book, Complications, better. While some the subject matter was interesting, I found it to be clunky. It could be several short books. I gave it 3/5 stars.
POPSUGAR CATEGORIES:
7. A book where the main character works at your current or dream job: The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Post Apocalyptic Speculative Fiction, Dystopia, Rape, Murder, LGBT
Quick
Summary: The unnamed midwife wakes up in an empty (of living people) hospital and must pick her way through the bones of the world she once knew to find her place in this new, dangerous world, where most women and children have died during a plague.
Thoughts: A total surprise, but bleak and depressing. I've read a lot of post-apocalyptic fiction, and it's usually depressing, but it's usually not this good. I didn't know it was a series and now that I do, I will definitely continue.
15. A book set mostly or entirely outdoors: Where the Crawdad's Sing by Delia Owens
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Historical Fiction, Crime Mystery, Romance, Coming-of-Age, Racism, Child Abuse, Wildlife Biology, Ecology
Quick
Summary: Almost entirely abandoned in a swamp from the tender age of six, the "Marsh Girl" has haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet fishing village. When local football star Chase Andrews, is found dead, locals immediately suspect the barefoot, wild Kya.
Thoughts: Why have I put this one off for so long? Kicking myself, as it was excellent. Highly recommend. Couldn't put it down. Thanks for gifting this one to me, Grandma!
20. A book about do-overs and fresh starts: How to Walk Away by Katherine Center
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Contemporary Romance, Physical Therapy, Disability, Family
Quick
Summary: Margaret has a bright future: A recently secured dream job and a fiance she adores. All is snapped away in one tumultuous moment and she finds herself in the hospital, forced to come to terms that her life will never be the same again.
Thoughts: It was cute. And sad. And cute. And sad. I liked it, though. Good, clean romance.
21. A magical realism book: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stieffvater
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Young Adult Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal
Quick
Summary: Every year, Blue Sargent stands her clairvoyant family to view the soon-to-be dead walk through the churchyard. Only this year, non-clairvoyant Blue sees one of them herself. His name is Gansey and he is a student at the local private boy's school. She is drawn to him and his friends and their quest for leylines.
Thoughts: This sounded weird. It was weird. It was also so good. After I got past the initial "what the heck is this?" portion of the book, I really got into it. Maggie Stieffvater's books are whimsical in a way I very much enjoy. Years ago I enjoyed her Shiver series. I read Scorpio Races for last years' challenge and it was fabulous. I can't wait to finish up this series and work on her backlog.
33. A book that discusses body positivity: Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Amelia & Emily Nagoski
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Nonfiction Self-Help, Psychology, Science, Mental Health, Feminism
Quick
Summary: Explains why women experience burnout differently than men and provides a simple, science-based plan to help women minimize stress, manage emotions, and live a more joyful life.
Thoughts: I related to many parts and enjoyed the anecdotes and tips for completing stress cycles, but found the feminist parts to be a little heavy handed. No joke, every time the word "patriarchy" was mentioned, it had a little "ugh" after it. I found it to be distracting and made the book seem a little less credible.
46. A book from your TBR list that you meant to read last year, but didn't: Sweet Dreams by Kristen Ashley
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Contemporary Romance, Suspense, Mystery
Quick
Summary: After being left by her cheating husband, Lauren sells her house and her stuff and heads to the middle of nowhere to reinvent herself and get tied up with a rude, overbearing man that bosses her around and demands she follow his every command. Oh yeah, and there's some sort of serial killer/murder mystery plot in there somewhere.
Thoughts: Ohhhhhh my goodness, did this one draaaaaaaaag on foreeeeeeever. I could have cut out half of this book and not missed a thing.Too long. Too many "ums." Too many parentheses. Way too domineering hero that I wanted to punch in the face. Constantly. There was a SECONDARY murder mystery plot that took up a few pages near the beginning and a few pages near the end and had little to do with the story.
48. A book from your TBR list chosen at random: The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley
Genre/Tropes/Themes: Historical Romance, Murder Mystery, Asperger Syndrome, Smut
Quick
Summary: Mad Ian Mackenzie spent much of his life in an insane asylum, but when his father died and his eldest brother took over the dukedom, Ian was rescued. Widow Beth Ackerely has recently come into money, and proposals of betrothal. Ian decided he wants her for his own, and begins wooing her.
Thoughts: Ugh. Just ugh. I don't like when women are coerced into things they don't want. She straight up tells him she doesn't want to marry him and he can't wait to compromise her and force things. Just ugh. Also, this book spent so much time introducing the side characters, there was little time for anything BUT sex from the main couple.
S&S SFF BADGE CATEGORIES:
 | 6. A book inspired by Africa, it's culture, history, or people: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi |
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Here's how I did on Bookish First Bingo: 5
bingos!-- my personal record! I wanted to read a graphic novel, too, and claim that 6th bingo, but didn't have time :(
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