May Book Haul

Hola Hola Book Lovers! May was somewhat of a return to normalcy month for me after a rocky couple of months caused by health concerns. I kept my reading light (with the exception of one book that I mentally prepared for; The Mirror Season by Anna-Marie McLemore) and instead leaned more towards small towns both on Netflix and in real life. Road trips with the windows down paired with good music were my lifeline. New York City put on its best Spring dress after a long period of hibernation and like many others, I welcomed it with arms wide open (safely of course). Mother’s Day was SUPER special thanks to two tiny humans and my boyfriend who really marked the day with a variety of heartfelt gestures and gifts. Winter clothes officially went in drawers and out came my Spring/Summer dresses, shorts, skirts and sandals. My fridge is stocked with fruits for all your fruit bowl/smoothie/juicing needs. Last but not least, I went from drinking my Cafe Bustelo to Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew cause ya girl is too hot to be drinking hot coffee. Summer is almost here Luvs!!!

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren (my review) -*4 Stars* The Romantic Comedy that had me once again pulling out all of my unread Christina Lauren books with plans to read this summer. Hate to love (sort of) romance, dating apps, BFF who writes the MC into her Romance novels, and super supportive grandparents. I smiled more times than I could count whenever Jess & Fizzy sat at the cafe talking about the odds of GeneticAlly truly finding their soulmate. This is one I’d watch a movie adaptation of in a heartbeat!

The Mirror Season by Anna Marie-McLemore – *5 Stars* I have yet to write my review and have no real promises to make. This was the hardest read I’ve picked up from one of my all time favorite YA authors. The subject matter being rape that is detailed on the page is utterly heartbreaking. To then read the afterward and see that it’s based on real life events the author and a friend lived through was devestating. This was still playing out in court in an open case at the time of publication and truly speaks to the strength of the author to bring awareness to something that many teens have experienced. I fully advise looking into content warnings.

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala – *4 Stars* My very 1st cozy mystery and it did NOT dissapoint! I was excited to see the author’s cover reveal of the sequel (Homicide and Halo-Halo) that’ll be releasing in February 2022. Arsenic and Adobo was a fun murder mystery set in a small town, following a Filipino MC who is trying to find her path after a rough break-up. She returns home where her many aunties descend and begin to apply some pressure with a lot of love. Fun & addictive!

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho (my review) -*3.5 Stars* We follow 23 year old Jessamyn who has left the states with her parents to return to Malaysia and find her footing. Jess is a stressed out Zillenial Queer trying to maintain a long distance relationship with her girlfriend who no one in her family knows about. That is why when she begins to hear voices she thinks it’s a byproduct of those stressors and NOT the ghost of her Ah Ma who she never met. Ah Ma is her grandmother who when alive, was a Medium for a quiet and mysterious spirit called Black Water Sister. Ah Ma needs Jessamyn’s help in settling a score on behalf of this God or risk her wrath. Dark but also well balanced with snark and humor between Jessamyn and her Ah Ma. I’d also advise looking into content warnings.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (my review) – *6 EPIC STARS* Save the best for last amiright?!? Truly wasn’t expecting this since I admittedly fell into the unpopular opinion of not really loving Red, White, and Royal Blue. I ADORED this book to pieces and the fact that it dropped on June 1st, the first day of Pride month is 100% apropos! If I start writing I’ll never stop so instead I ask that you click on my review link so that you can read my GUSH review on the Q train. That is all.

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It was a heavy on the Fantasy type of haul with the exception of my Book of The Month picks. Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard is very special being that it is the first Bookish Mother’s Day gift I received from my little human, she went straight towards the sword on the cover which made me so proud haha! Then I was sent a ARC copy of The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina from Atria Books (very thankful), Zoraida Cordova is a favorite author of mine so this was an exciting package to open. I LOVE the Fairyloot edition of The Prison Healer with its beautiful purple sprayed edges *heart eyes* Son of the Storm was an impulse buy while on a road trip, book store sighting always is a good reason to pull over. My review for Black Water Sister is linked up above in the Wrap-Up.

CRUELLA (IMDB)

WOW! I should’ve known once I saw Emma Stone was chosen to play Cruella that it would be a solid performance. I was not prepared for this villains backstory but it is absolutely the BEST one I believe Disney has produced! While writing this post I had to stop and hop over to Spotify to download the soundtrack which was ON POINT! as were all of the costumes Cruella dons throughout the movie. The duality of this character is so well delivered that I honestly will always see this version as THE story of how she came to be who we all know. HIGHLY reccomend for those who love a good villain rising backstory, however It may throw off some of the younger viewers who only know the 101 Dalmations version. Still! This was EPIC!

VIRGIN RIVER (IMDB)

My go-to for whenever I need a pick me up, are books and movies/tv shows that are set in small towns with a cast of characters that feel like family. This was it! Jess over at Litnoob on Bookstagram recommended Virgin River and from the very first episode I knew I would be binge watching the first two seasons on Netflix. We follow a nurse who has just lost her husband and decides to sell her house in L.A. and relocate to a remote Northern California town. The job ad she responds to online however, isn’t quite what it claimed to be. Instead she arrives at a beat down cabin, a curmudgeon doctor/employer, and a town full of neighbors who are ALL up in one another business haha! I LOVED it! anxiously anticipating season 3 streaming in July.

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I hope everyone had an AMAZING Memorial Day weekend! Whether it was at the grill serving up that BbQ or just chillin with a good book, some wine & or beer 😂😂😂 I just got back to NY from Massachusetts. The hubby & I took our two penguins on a road trip and had a blast! Mosquitoes for days but after a few twisted teas & a little bug spray all was good.

Now,ya know! my fellow book lovers, that we cannot just simply drive past a Barnes & Noble (or any book store) and not pull over or make a U-turn lol. No, we as book lovers have a sacred duty to visit any & all bookstores we spot while in other states. So that being said, Mass has a HUGE B&N and while there the hubby gifted me The Crown’s Game (The Crown’s Game #1) by Evelyn Skye & The Star-Touched Queen (The Star-Touched Queen #1) by Roshani Chokshi Both of these are YA Fantasy & have had amazing positive reviews, they’re very popular in booktube at the moment. I’m just excited to dive into these two because I’ve been on a Fantasy kick lately. Also, the covers on both of these are STUNNING!

A Court Of Mist & Fury by Sarah J. Maas, I purchased earlier in May right after reading & liking (not loving but seeing potential) in ACOTAR. I have NO regrets, and I’m very happy that I decided to continue with this series. I do think however, that we are In a different ball park with this series in terms of rating or genre. This was def a mature, not a YA read which I enjoyed immensely but I do think that it should (since I’ve heard many express feelings of awkwardness) be put out there as what it is…STEAMY! Lol! My favorite read of 2016 so far, I’m missing my ACOMAF babies 😦

Not A Drop To Drink by Mindy McGuinnis, this was from Bookoutlet & it will be my 1st Mindy McGuiniss book. The Goodreads synopsis for this dystopian world made it sound so interesting. With this opening synopsis line—-“Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water” you know you’re going to get one kick ass protagonist. I’m excited about this one.

The Shock Of The Fall by Nathan Filer, Goodreads has this one as “an extraordinary portrait of one man’s descent into mental illness” I’m glad that the full synopsis is vague, I’ve heard great reviews on this & was immediately intrigued because it deals with mental Illness.

The First Bad Man by Miranda July, for this one Goodreads gives away too much of the quirk that this book seems like it will deliver. So, I’ll give the last bit of the synopsis—

“Tender, gripping, slyly hilarious, infused with raging sexual fantasies and fierce maternal love, Miranda July’s first novel confirms her as a spectacularly original, iconic and important voice today, and a writer for all time. The First Bad Man is dazzling, disorienting, and unforgettable”

I picked this one up on Bookoutlet as well after reading the entire Goodreads synopsis, I can honestly say this sounds like a unique read & I’m hoping it’s full of quirkiness.

I’ve always been a mood reader so this may be why I lean towards books filled with humor in the Summer. In prepping for my summer reading, I’ve noticed myself picking up books that although they are meaty in plot, the characters themselves offer up humor or quirkiness. I ordered Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman yesterday which is why I didn’t include it in my May Haul. I am really looking forward to this one because its about a curmudgeon elderly woman in a town filled with people and children who she can’t stand. It seems like Britt lives a rigid life but sometimes the universe has other plans for us (at least that’s the vibe that I got on Goodreads). Ultimately, it’s a story of second chances and these types are my favorite Fiction to read 😉