MAY ’17 WRAP-UP

I hope you all are having a great weekend so far! We’re 3 days in June and wow, we’re already halfway through the year … It’s crazy but hey, I finally got around to wrapping up the books that I’ve read in the month of May! I apologize for the late post but I’m still trying to get a hang of blogging on this site and work around some schedule for it. Also, I have a strong feeling that the layout for my wrap-ups are going to differ from each other until I find something I can work with it so there’s my warning in advance 🙂

I’ve read a decent number of books in the previous month and it may not be the best reading month I’ve had this year but I’ve acquired some pretty great reads.

In total, I’ve completed 10 books and 1 Graphic Novel:

• Long Books ( > 400 pages): 7 books including Flame in the Mist (392 pages) because it just felt… long… *sorry*
• Short Books ( < 400 pages): 3
• Graphic Novel: 1

I’ll provide my ratings and thoughts, along with goodreads synopsis and current average rating for each of these books. I’ve also written reviews for some of them so I’ll link them to their respective posts. Let’s get on with it then! 😀

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A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2) by Sarah J. Maas

Goodreads avg. rating: 4.73 stars            My rating: 5 stars

Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas’s masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

MY THOUGHTS

This was technically a reread in preparation for ACOWAR and I absolutely loved it! I think I loved it even more the second time around … there were just these little moments that still surprised me and left me shook. I love these characters especially the members from the Night Court, they’re my babies and I want to protect them at all cost (even though they don’t it). I love the author’s writing and the way she described the world. Have I mentioned that I loved it? Yeah? Ok, cool.

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A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3) by Sarah J. Maas

Goodreads avg. rating: 4.59 stars           My rating: 5 stars

“A nightmare, I’d told Tamlin. I was the nightmare.”

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit—and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well. As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords—and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

MY THOUGHTS

I’m aware of the mixed reviews that this book received. It’s one of those that people either ended up really happy with or just want to trash it so badly. I’m one of those that’s pretty content with the ending to Feysand’s story but it did not leave me too excited. In fact, I felt like I was rushing into it most of the time because it was unnecessarily long and repetitive so why the 5 stars, Maram? Well, the author did continue to give me unexpected moments and it’s not like I’ll ever stop loving these characters, I’m in .. all the way. The bantering between all of the characters was great. Yes, the smut was overdone but we all have the advantage of overlooking it so it didn’t bother me lol. There were parts that took my breath away, there were those that made me smile and cry. Also, something VERY UNEXPECTED turned up in this book and just thinking about right now, is still making me laugh. So yeah, I enjoyed this book very much and can’t wait for the next installment!

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Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Goodreads avg. rating: 4.13 stars         My rating: 2.5-3 stars

“Anything can happen once upon a con…”

When geek girl Elle Wittimer sees a cosplay contest sponsored by the producers of Starfield, she has to enter. First prize is an invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. Elle’s been scraping together tips from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck behind her stepmother’s back, and winning this contest could be her ticket out once and for all—not to mention a fangirl’s dream come true.

Teen actor Darien Freeman is less than thrilled about this year’s ExcelsiCon. He used to live for conventions, but now they’re nothing but jaw-aching photo sessions and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Federation Prince Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but the diehard Starfield fandom has already dismissed him as just another heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, closet nerd Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise.

MY THOUGHTS

My most anticipated contemporary release of the year went down the drains, unfortunately. I thought that the fandom story was delivered but it just wasn’t executed to my likings. It felt too cheesy and dry at times and it actually took me a whole month to finish reading this. Nevertheless, I thought that the beginning and some parts in the middle was strong so its was okay.

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A Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic, #3) by V.E. Schwab

Goodreads avg. rating: 4.46 stars         My rating: 5 stars

Witness the fate of beloved heroes – and enemies.

THE BALANCE OF POWER HAS FINALLY TIPPED…
The precarious equilibrium among four Londons has reached its breaking point. Once brimming with the red vivacity of magic, darkness casts a shadow over the Maresh Empire, leaving a space for another London to rise.

WHO WILL CRUMBLE?
Kell – once assumed to be the last surviving Antari – begins to waver under the pressure of competing loyalties. And in the wake of tragedy, can Arnes survive?

WHO WILL RISE?
Lila Bard, once a commonplace – but never common – thief, has survived and flourished through a series of magical trials. But now she must learn to control the magic, before it bleeds her dry. Meanwhile, the disgraced Captain Alucard Emery of the Night Spire collects his crew, attempting a race against time to acquire the impossible.

WHO WILL TAKE CONTROL?
And an ancient enemy returns to claim a crown while a fallen hero tries to save a world in decay.

MY THOUGHTS

There is action. There is a gut-wrenching story.  There are characters for you to fall for. There is even a little romance.

MY. HEART. HASN’T. RECOVERED. FROM. THAT. ENDING. 

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Isla and the Happily Ever After (Anna and the French Kiss, #3) by Stephanie Perkins

Goodreads avg. rating: 4.11 stars          My rating: 1 star

Love ignites in the City That Never Sleeps, but can it last?

Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.

Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series.

MY THOUGHTS

There’s 3 of us: the couple in this book and me, the reader. Only the 2 of us was left happy … Can you guess who they are?

Link to my goodreads review, HERE. 

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Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, #1) by Seanan McGuire

Goodreads avg. rating: 3.86 stars         My rating: 5 stars

Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children
No Solicitations
No Visitors
No Quests

Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere… else.

But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.

Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced… they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.

But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter.

No matter the cost.

MY THOUGHTS

Magic. The coolest kids in town. Magic. I want to be their friends. Mystery. Some more magic. I’m not sure why this gem of a novella isn’t receiving enough credit on goodreads because it was just fantastic! My only problem with this was that I wanted more. 

Link to my review, HERE. 

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Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1) by Marissa Meyer

Goodreads avg. rating: 4.15 stars               My rating: 4 stars

Sixteen-year-old Cinder is considered a technological mistake by most of society and a burden by her stepmother. Being cyborg does have its benefits, though: Cinder’s brain interference has given her an uncanny ability to fix things (robots, hovers, her own malfunctioning parts), making her the best mechanic in New Beijing. This reputation brings Prince Kai himself to her weekly market booth, needing her to repair a broken android before the annual ball. He jokingly calls it “a matter of national security,” but Cinder suspects it’s more serious than he’s letting on.
Although eager to impress the prince, Cinder’s intentions are derailed when her younger stepsister, and only human friend, is infected with the fatal plague that’s been devastating Earth for a decade. Blaming Cinder for her daughter’s illness, Cinder’s stepmother volunteers her body for plague research, an “honor” that no one has survived.
But it doesn’t take long for the scientists to discover something unusual about their new guinea pig. Something others would kill for.

MY THOUGHTS

I finally got around to starting this series and it turned out to be a really nice surprise! It’s the coolest, most unique Cinderella retelling with amazing characters, twists and turns; all in a dystopian setting. What a wonder, the hype is real!

Link to my review, HERE. 

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Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2) by Marissa Meyer

Goodreads avg. rating: 4.3 stars        My rating: 4.5 stars

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

MY THOUGHTS

You betcha I was going to binge-read the heck out of this series and guess what? This book was even better than the first! It being a red riding hood retelling, we are of course introduced to a new set of characters. So we learn about their lives and how they got mixed up in what book 1 left us off with. This book also allowed me to better understand the world and how it works, so I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Link to my review, HERE.

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Saga: Vol. 1 (Saga, #1) by Brian K. Vaughan

Goodreads avg. rating: 4.26 stars        My rating: 3.5 stars

When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe.

From bestselling writer Brian K. Vaughan, Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the worlds. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before in this sexy, subversive drama for adults.

MY THOUGHTS

Adult. Weird. Interesting. I went into it blindly and I suggest you guys do the same if you haven’t read it yet lol

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Flame in the Mist (Flame in the Mist, #1) by Renee Ahdieh

Goodreads avg. rating: 4.12 stars        My rating: 1.5-2 stars

The only daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has always known she’d been raised for one purpose and one purpose only: to marry. Never mind her cunning, which rivals that of her twin brother, Kenshin, or her skills as an accomplished alchemist. Since Mariko was not born a boy, her fate was sealed the moment she drew her first breath.

So, at just seventeen years old, Mariko is sent to the imperial palace to meet her betrothed, a man she did not choose, for the very first time. But the journey is cut short when Mariko’s convoy is viciously attacked by the Black Clan, a dangerous group of bandits who’ve been hired to kill Mariko before she reaches the palace.

The lone survivor, Mariko narrowly escapes to the woods, where she plots her revenge. Dressed as a peasant boy, she sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and hunt down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she’s within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she’s appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she’s ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires.

MY THOUGHTS

Another one of my most anticipated release was a huge disappointment. I should’ve done more research about the story before going in but I was told that this was a Mulan retelling when it’s clearly not. Regardless of that, I love Renee and her TWATD series but for Flame in the Mist, I just couldn’t connect with any of the characters and it was hard for me to stay put all throughout the story.

Link to my review, HERE. 

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Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3) by Marissa Meyer

Goodreads avg. rating: 4.46 stars         My rating: 5 stars

In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who’s only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a higher price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

MY THOUGHTS

PERFECTION because it’s my baby Thorne’s story 😉

I didn’t think my heart could be so full after reading this :’) It’s definitely my favorite of the series thus far!

Link to my review, HERE.

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How many books have you managed to read in the month of May? How was your reading month in general? Have you read any of the books mentioned above, what are your thoughts on them? Do you plan to read any of those books? 

Thanks for checking out this post, I hope that you all have a lovely day and a very happy reading! ❤