What I read in May | 2021
With only 4 books read last month, it’s been a bit of a quiet one. Here’s what I’ve been reading in May.
Once Upon a Duke by Erica Ridley
Read the full synopsis here.
Yeah, I went there again. Facebook adverts got me again with the promise of a quick and easy romance read. Still on a high from reading the Bridgerton series, I went looking for a regency fix and got a nice cute story in the form of Once Upon a Duke.
The Duke of Silkridge returns home to settle an inheritance and encounters Noelle, the woman he loved and left years before. What follows is utterly predictable, regency romance handed to you on a plate and wrapped in a pretty Christmas bow. It’s a cute read though if you like that kind of thing (which I obviously do from time to time!)
A Circus of Ink by Lauren Palphreyman
Read the full synopsis here.
How could I not read this. I mean, just look at the cover!
Elle lives in a dystopian world where stories are forbidden and because she goes against the creators plans, Jay is sent to kill her. The problem is that Jay doesn’t do what he is supposed to do, something which is unheard of for his kind. Instead, Elle shows him a world filled with stories, rebels and a circus on the edge of the world, and together they may just bring the creators to their knees.
A Circus of Ink is something I could imagine my reading at university as a part of my utopias and dystopias module in English Lit. It was incredibly well written with details woven throughout, and two likeable characters at its core despite their obvious flaws. Elle was whiney at times and now and then the story dipped dangerously close to YA romance but all in all this is a great start to what could be a brilliant series. I loved Jay as a character and look forward to what’s in store for him in the next instalment.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Read the full synopsis here.
Oh I just loved this book. Loved, loved, LOVED it. Matt Haig does it again. Tackling difficult subjects head out without apology and managing it with a beautiful mix of sensitivity and humour.
Nora is on a downward spiral and in a moment of utter darkness, chooses to take her own life. As that decision is made, she finds herself transported to The Midnight Library. Where – under the watchful eye of her old school librarian – she gets the opportunity to work through her regrets and find the answer to the age old question of “what if”. We all have them. What if you didn’t move away, what if you didn’t dump your teenage love, what if you caught the train instead of missed it. All the decisions we make in life have an impact – some big, some small – and I loved watching as Nora explored some of her possibilities.
Don’t let the serious nature put you off picking up The Midnight Library though, as although there are indeed triggers contained in it’s pages, it’s worth the journey this book takes you on as despair slowly gives way to hope.
Definitely a must read for 2021 if you’ve not picked it up yet.
Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica – AD | eARC
Read the full synopsis here.
I really wanted to love this book. there was certainly enough in here to keep me turning page after page. A missing woman who turns up dead and a missing mother and daughter, the latter of which turns up alive 11 years later having lived through hell in a blacked out basement.
Told from a variety of perspectives both in the past and the present, the truth about what really happens to Shelby Trebow as well as Meredith and Delilah Dickey join together in an unexpected twist. Although the ending ties together in a pretty bow, something about it feels a little unsatisfactory. Which is kind of my overarching feeling about the book as a whole. Local Woman Missing is no doubt was well written and had enough content to keep the pace ticking over, but it just didn’t get there quick enough for me.
There was plenty of character depth which was great, and I just know that Kubica fans will LOVE this, but it just felt a little meh for me.
And that’s it! I told you it was a quieter reading month for me.
- Books read this month: 4
- Total books read in 2021: 39
- Books abandoned in 2021: 0
As you can probably tell, I’m always looking for new books. Especially at the moment. Are there any that you would recommend?
DISCLOSURE: some of these books have been gifted to me by the publishers via NetGalley in return for my honest opinion. These books are clearly marked as an eARC (electronic Advanced Readers Copy). I am not paid to do this, I do it because I love to read. The decision to include them on this blog is my own and I am under no obligation to do so.
* I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.co.uk.
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