Although I didn't read as many books in May as I have in the previous months, the books that I read were fantastic! I need to start reviewing them as I read again but I've been in reading mode much more than writing mode lately. Here is what I read in May:
50 Shades of Frayed: Three Moms Talk About What Happens When "I Do" Becomes "Not Tonight" by Margaret Barney, Crystal Paschal, and Jacqueline Wilson. I'm happy to count Crystal and Jackie among my friends so when I heard they had written a book together with Margaret Barney I knew I had to read it. These three women talk candidly about sex and how married couples with children navigate the inevitable interruptions. The book is full of humorous stories that almost every woman can relate to. Highly recommended!
The Orchard of Hope by Amy Neftzger (advance copy received from LibraryThing, available June 23, 2014) This is the sequel to The Orphanage of Miracles which I read and loved in January. This continues the stories of Kelsey and Nicholas as they undertake separate tasks for the king. Although this is another middle grade novel, it contains much wisdom within the fantasy. I'm unsure if this is going to be a trilogy or a longer series but I know I don't want to miss out on any of the books.
I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti by Guilia Melucci. Memoirs are tricky for me. I often get lost in the wandering narrative that flows through time. This was not the case with this memoir though. Melucci kept things on track as she wrote about her variety of relationships gone wrong. It was an interesting read and I love that recipes are sprinkled throughout the book as she relates food to different events.
A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness, the first two books in the All Souls Trilogy. I've had these books sitting on my shelf for quite a while but I didn't want to start reading until the third book, The Book of Life, was going to be released. I had a feeling that I would want to read the series straight through and I was right. I'm loving the details in this story of witch, Diana, and vampire, Matthew, as they break social conventions in the present and past. The scientific aspect of the supernatural story fascinates me and I am drawn to the story of an alchemy text with missing pages that may hold secrets unforeseen. I can hardly wait to finish the story in mid-July.
I'm currently reading The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero (advance copy received from Amazon Vine, available August 12, 2014) This is the story of a haunted house told in an unusual fashion. There are letters, journal entries, a dream diary, and transcripts of audio and video recordings. I like the format because it allows me to read it in small sections, a nice feature when I could be interrupted by children at any moment. The novel has captured my attention although parts of it are strange enough that I will reserve my overall judgement until I see how all the pieces come together.
What did you read in May? What is on your list going into June?
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