May Recap

May Recap

May Recap

THIS MONTH, friends. SO bananas. I was planning for BEA, which was crazy and awesome and tiring and fabulous, and busy on the weekends and AHHH! May went by so fast! But it was still a wonderful month: I got a few days off of work, I got to eat my first watermelon of the summer, I saw my besties at BEA, and am–as always–so excited about books. I’ll have a rundown of BEA later this week, but for now, here’s what happened around the blog this past month!

recapNETGALLEY

may recapTake Me On: Pushing the Limits #4 • Katie McGarry | Hook’s Revenge • Heidi Schulz | I’ll Give You the Sun • Jandy Nelson | Heir of Fire: Throne of Glass #3 • Sarah J. Maas

May recapBreathe, Annie, Breathe: Hundred Oaks #5 • Miranda Kenneally | Shield and Crocus • Michael R. Underwood | Copper Magic • Julia Mary Gibson | Mary: The Summoning: Blood Mary #1 • Hillary Monahan

KINDLE

May recapJust One Night: Just One Day #2.5 • Gayle Forman | The Art of Lainey • Paula Stokes

ARCS FOR REVIEW/WON

may recapTrial by Fire: The Worldwalker Trilogy #1 • Josephine Angelini | The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place • Julie Berry | Lailah: The Styclar Saga #1 • Nikki Kelly | Adrenaline Crush • Laurie Boyle Crompton | Starry Night • Isabel Gillies | Talon: Talon #1 • Julie Kagawa

BOUGHT

may recapSince You’ve Been Gone • Morgan Matson

recapTHE MUSEUM OF INTANGIBLE THINGS by Wendy Wunder was good, but not perfect.

Guys, I just adored the CRAP out of DREAMS OF GODS AND MONSTERS by Laini Taylor.

I haven’t ready many epistolary novels, but LOVE LETTERS TO THE DEAD by Ava Dellaira was super.

Summer is the perfect time for fun contemps, and I thought BROKEN HEARTS, FENCES, AND OTHER THINGS TO MEND by Katie Finn was just that.

Our On the Same Page book this month? THE CAVENDISH HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS by Claire Legrand!

recapI looooooove a pretty book cover, friends, but these 10 (or maybe more than 10) are ones that I would hang on my wall.

Books with awesome friends are always doubly awesome. I particularly love these 10 examples.

recapFairy godmother fantasy? YUP. I’m all in for STRAY by Elissa Sussman.

I am FIDGETING WITH EXCITEMENT for THE YOUNG ELITES by Marie Lu. FIDGETING!

Holly Black’s THE DARKEST PART OF THE FOREST sounds just fantastic. AND THAT COVER.

Pretty great month! How was May in your necks of the woods?

Tripping Over May

Tripping Over MayGuys, I can’t even begin to tell you how many AMAZING books are coming out this month. May is completely an embarrassment of riches in terms of books. PLUS! It’s BEA month! I can’t. I usually only pick my five most anticipated reads each month, but I can’t even lie: That’s going to be pretty much impossible.

Tripping Over May

Book cover Camelot Burning Kathryn RoseCamelot Burning: Metal & Lace #1 by Kathryn Rose {Goodreads}

A steampunky Arthurian tale with magic, Merlin, a steamy squire, and the quest for the Holy Grail. I’m just going to repeat myself: A steampunky Arthurian tale with magic, Merlin, a steamy squire, and the quest for the Holy Grail. I cannot. (Flux)

Tripping Over May

Book cover for Since You've Been Gone by Morgan MatsonSince You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson {Goodreads}

ahshhafoaihfoeytqidbvq *the sound of Amy dying from EXCITESSSS* But seriously, though. I’ve read Morgan Matson’s books so many times over because she just nails everything, always. I have not heard a single bad thing about this book. I need it. I need it ASAP. (Simon & Schuster)

Book cover The Wizard's Promise Cassandra Rose ClareThe Wizard’s Promise: The Hannah Duology #1 by Cassandra Rose Clarke {Goodreads}

I could literally stare at this cover all day. It’s effing GORGEOUS and so interesting. That’s probably because the story itself sounds interesting: a young girl who just wants to be a witch is stuck with a mysterious apprentice who MIGHT be more than he seems and a “non-human” boy who follows them on their journey on the sea. (Strange Chemistry)

Book cover Wish You Were Italian Kristin RaeWish You Were Italian: If Only…#2 by Kristin Rae {Goodreads}

So many cute contemps coming out! This one sounds fantastic, too. Books about traveling are always going to pique my interest, and when you combine Italy with art school and a couple love interests? I’m in. (Bloomsbury)

Book cover Chapel Wars Lindsey LeavittThe Chapel Wars by Lindsey Leavitt {Goodreads}

Lindsey Leavitt’s books are always solid reads for me. There’s always a good mix of romance and emotions, and THE CHAPEL WARS sounds like the goods: a girl whose grandfather leaves the family wedding chapel in Las Vegas to her in his will. (Bloomsbury Childrens)

Book cover A Creature of Moonlight Rebecca HahnA Creature of Moonlight by Rebecca Hahn {Goodreads}

I’ve been looking forward to this book for ages! There’s DRAGONS in it. Specifically, a girl who turns into a dragon. More specifically, she’s the heir to a kingdom and the kind wants her dead. Ummm…AWESOME. Also, there’s a wild dad dragon who sends magical woods to kill her too. MAGICAL WOODS. Also, it’s blurbed by Kristin Cashore. WUT. (HMH Books for Young Readers)

Tripping Over May

Book cover Threats of Sky and Sea Jennifer EllisionThreats of Sky and Sea: Threats of Sky and Sea #1 by Jennifer Ellision {Goodreads}

Fantasy with elemental magic! Love those, always. Also, there’s a king who wants to force our MC into his service, family danger, secrets, and a dad who used to be the king’s assassin. Don’t use the “a” word if you don’t want me to be excited to read something. (Createspace)

Tripping Over May

Book cover The Castle Behind Thorns Merrie HaskellThe Castle Behind Thorns by Merrie Haskell {Goodreads}

I’ve loved Merrie Haskell’s books, friends. Her MG fantasies are always treats and lots of fun. This one, about an enchanted castle, empty save for the boy mysteriously trapped there, sounds like more of the same. (Katherine Tegen Books)

Tripping Over May

Tripping Over May

Five Books I’m Looking Forward to This Month

It’s May! Spring is in the air!!! Huzzah! For me, this means that the contemps are singing their siren song and luring me into the depths, from which I will not return. At least not until fall rolls around and I’m ready to start digging into some creeptastic paranormals. ANYWHO…lots of great books coming out this month, but here are the ones that I am most dying to read.

Book cover for Golden by Jessi KirbyGolden by Jessi Kirby

Everyone and THEIR MOTHER has already read this, I think, and it’s not even out yet. I’ve been a big fan of Jessi Kirby’s since her debut, MOONGLASS, but this one is really exciting me. I’m very much looking forward to the mystery angle. (May 14 from Simon & Schuster BFYR)

Book cover for Spirit by Brigid KemmererSpirit: Elemental #3 by Brigid Kemmerer

Friends, this is one of the most underrated series around. For real. The covers are, admittedly, quite horrible, but I am such a huge fan of the insides, I can’t even tell you. The Merrick brothers are my favorites. This book is about one of their friends, Hunter (he of the skinny white jeans on the cover. WHITE SKINNY JEANS. Oof), but seriously–I will ALWAYS read these books. (May 28 from K Teen) 

Book cover for Our Song by Jordanna FraibergOur Song by Jordanna Fraiberg

This one–a debut–is about a girl who is in a really bad accident and when she comes to, she’s forgotten most of the details except for a song that keeps replaying in her head. Of course, she meets a guy, they get together but he’s got secrets…you know how it goes. Still, sounds great, and I’m a fan of this song angle. (May 2 from Razorbill)

Book cover for The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah OcklerThe Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

Friends, the second–the SECOND–I hear about a book that’s about a young girl and her dad in any way at all, I’m basically IN FOREVER. In fact, dads should have been on my Top Ten Tuesday list from this past week. So when I heard that Sarah Ockler’s new book was about a girl and her sick dad and her burgeoning relationship with a boy she swore to stay away from, I was DOUBLE IN. I’m thinking that this will be my first Ockler. (May 21 from Simon Pulse)

Book cover for Maid of Secrets by Jennifer McGowanMaid of Secrets: Maids of Honor #1 by Jennifer McGowan

So, umm, first of all, a historical fiction in Elizabethan England about a secret group of female spies? SPIES?! YES. A murder mystery? YES AGAIN. A Spanish courtier named RAFE? Definitely YES. Cherry on top? This book is blurbed by Robin LaFevers, author of possibly my favorite series out right now, His Fair Assassin. Literally nothing about this book sounds even remotely bad. (May 7 from Simon & Schuster BFYR)