May 2016 Wrap-Up

My very 1^st monthly wrap-up! I honestly couldn’t even remember how many books I read this month so thank goodness for good ol’ Goodreads! This month I read 5 books & survived an EPIC book hangover after A Court of Mist & Fury so I think I did well lol…

1. The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater (The Raven Cycle #4)                                    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The beautiful conclusion to the Raven Cycle was perfect! This series will always be a favorite of mine. TRK was much darker than its predecessors & I felt deeply immersed in Cabeswater. Every time I put this book down & picked it back up it felt like I was fully stepping into a dreamland. These characters will forever hold a special place in my heart. Not just Blue & the boys, but the AMAZING supporting cast of characters we get. Especially loved the strong & individualistic women from 300 Fox Way!

 

2. One Tiny Lie by K.A. Tucker (Ten Tiny Breaths #2)★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Finished this one with a big cheesy smile on my face! Who would’ve thunk it…i’m diggin the NA books. I think mostly because, K.A. Tucker writes her cast of characters well & tackles some pretty serious topics while at it. Ten Tiny Breaths was told from Kacey’s perspective but we still got to know Livie (Kacey’s sister). In One Tiny Breath, we get Livie’s perspective. The younger sister who made it her duty to watch over her older sister & stuck by her side even when she hit rock bottom finally goes to college. Livie has had to keep a strong front ever since her parents passed away in a tragic car accident, her dad’s last words to her were his wish to see her off to Princeton to continue the family tradition. Livie’s story was one of self-discovery and finding love. There are some trigger warnings for child abuse with one of the characters in this story, these parts often made me pause and re-group but overall It was a solid read.

 

3. A Court of Thorns & Roses by Sarah J. Maas (A court of Thorns & Roses #1) ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

This is only my 2nd fairytale re-telling, the first being The Lunar Chronicles & just like Marissa Meyer, Sarah J. Maas slaaaaaayed!!!! Of course there were flaws but overall I enjoyed this 1st book in the ACOTAR series.

What I LOVED about this book:
* The friendship btwn the trio (Feyre, Lucien, and Tamlin), the dialogue was often laugh out loud funny
* The introduction to the other courts (Day, Night, Summer, Autumn, Spring, Winter, & Dawn I believe), since we didn’t get much world building in ACOTAR it gives me hope that we will get it in ACOMAF
* Nesta’s revelation, so there isn’t just 1 badass btwn the siblings?!?!? LOVED IT! Hopefully we find out how she fared
* Rhys…yea leave it to SJM to throw in a bad boy to make things more innnneresting…I know where this is going SJM!

 

4. Burying Water by K.A. Tucker (Burying Water #1)★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Burying Water was a roller coaster of emotions for me, many times brutal/harsh & others sweet and Kismet. Our leading lady Alexandra is put through the ringer in the first half of this book. There are trigger warnings for domestic violence and rape. It was difficult at times but Alex proved to be “resilient” and tough as nails. In the second half of this book we get introduced to the small town of Sisters and all of its interesting residents. I absolutely love when a setting in a book is filled with charm and personality so much so that it becomes a character of its own. I LOVED this book! The plot, characters, the small town of Sisters which often had me wanting to leave the city & possibly own some horses lol.

 

5. A Court of Mist & Fury by Sarah J. Maas (A Court of Thorns & Roses #2) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

After reading A Court of Thorns & Roses I was left with the same feelings I had after reading Throne of Glass. I knew that I wanted to continue with the series but also hoped to see some growth and world building. ACOMAF did just that & so much more!!! The personal growth displayed on Feyre’s behalf, the world building, the pacing & plot were all on point! This is my favorite book of 2016 so far & will be re-reading it at some point this year for ALL THE FEELS!