After the conclusion of the spring semester at the beginning of the month, I’ve had a lot of time to spend reading, relaxing, and recharging before the start of the summer. During all of my free time, I’ve spent many, many hours reading.
Here are the 9 books I read during the month of May––the highs, the lows, and everything in between.
Pack Up the Moon by Kristan Higgins • 4/5 stars
After hearing amazing things about this book on TikTok, I decided to see if it was worth the hype. I was hoping that it would make me cry wracking sobs, and let me tell you that that was most definitely achieved. This book is painful in the most beautiful way.
Josh and Lauren are soulmates, but shortly after they were married, Lauren was diagnosed with IPF, a rare terminal illness. They make the most of their time together, but just a few years after their wedding, Lauren passes away. After her death, Josh is devastated. Lauren plans for this, and writes Josh a letter for each month after she passes in hopes of helping him heal and start life anew without her.
As soon as I started this book, I could feel Josh and Lauren’s love jumping off the pages. By page 30, I was already sobbing. Lauren’s death is immediate, but it still manages to rip your heart out after only the first few pages of knowing her.
During the year after Lauren’s death, Josh’s grief takes over his life, but Lauren’s letters gradually take him outside of his comfort zone and discover that the people he viewed as “Lauren’s friends and family” are actually there for him, too.
This book is beautiful, terrible, and amazing all at the same time. The only issue I had was the slow pacing and repetitiveness of the plot. Nonetheless, this is an amazing look at grief and what happens when those we love go to the GB (Great Beyond, as Josh and Lauren call it).
Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey • 5/5 stars
This book follows Georgie, the youngest daughter in a family that never takes her seriously. Because of that, Georgie has decided to do exactly what her parents expect and become a birthday party clown. At the beginning of the book, Georgie barges into Travis, her brother’s best friend’s, apartment to coax him out of his depressive state.
Travis is devastated by the end of his professional baseball career and is struggling to cope. All of that is turned around when Georgie forces him from his apartment and begins a friendship between the two that are misunderstood by their small, tight-knit community.
Their friendship quickly transitions into a fake dating scheme with benefits for both sides––dating someone innocent will allow Travis to be perceived as family-friendly to the public eye and secure a role as an announcer for a professional baseball team. Dating Travis will allow Georgie to be taken seriously and branch out her clown business into a full-blown entertainment company. However, neither Travis nor Georgie can deny their attraction to each other, and struggle to draw the line between real and fake.
I absolutely loved this romance. Georgie is such a quirky character, and I constantly sympathized with her struggles. Her and Travis make a great pair, and I was constantly rooting for them. I loved each and every aspect of this book––their banter, their romance, and everything in between. This was my first venture into Tessa Bailey, but it definitely won’t be my last.
Of Beast and Burden by Kelsey Kicklighter • 2/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ebook ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Of Beast and Burden is the first book in a new series by Kelsey Kicklighter. The book follows Faye, a high school student in Georgia who has always loved hearing stories about the folk, the people in the magical world that co-exists alongside the normal human world.
At a party one night, Faye and her friend Delia are taken by some of the folk to the underground world of the Unseelie. There, Faye and Delia’s captors, Kellan and Gage, reveal to Faye that she is the descendant of the previous Unseelie king.
Faye is obviously unsettled by this revelation and plans to ignore her revealed lineage, but when she returns to the human world, her best friend Ellie is taken by the Seelie. The only way Ellie will be returned is if Faye challenges for the Unseelie throne. As Faye embarks on a journey to save her best friend and become royalty, Faye finds herself torn between her feelings for Isla, the king’s guard, and Gage, the Goblin King that Faye must challenge for the throne. She must rely on both Isla and Gage to help her ascend to the Unseelie throne, but must also resist letting her heart get in the way.
This fantasy book is quite imaginative, but I felt very removed from the characters and their conflicts. I never felt like I could connect with Faye, and I didn’t feel any tension between her or either of her love interests. All of their relationships felt quite forced, and her “not like other girls” attitude made Faye quite annoying to me.
The synopsis promised fantasy similar to Sarah J. Maas, which was true at times, but I felt it was sometimes so similar it felt like fan fiction rather than an independent novel.
Not to give any spoilers, but the ending also threw me for a loop. The main character is betrayed, but there is no signal of that betrayal, and it once again felt forced rather than simply a plot twist. The climax also felt underwhelming because it happened so quickly and was brushed over after its conclusion. The novel has no resolution and immediately leaves a cliffhanger for the second book in the series to pick up on.
Now that the groundwork for this series has been laid, I hope Kicklighter can work off the foundation and improve the second book with less character development and more action between the characters. However, my first impression of this series is not amazing, so I’m not sure whether or not I’ll continue when it is released.
Lucky Star by Susannah Nix • 5/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ebook ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Lucky Star follows Eve, a college dropout working two jobs, and Boone, a famous actor whose life has come crashing down after a cheating scandal. After discovering his ex’s cheating, Boone discovers a cute barista at a local coffee shop one day and continues visiting every day to get a glimpse of her.
Nearly a month after his first visit, Eve, the cute barista, crashes into Boone as she flees the coffee shop. Eve just learned that her boyfriend cheated on her with none other than her roommate and best friend. Boone consoles Eve, and they quickly form a connection.
As Eve and Boone become closer friends, Boone constantly thinks about his publicist’s suggestion to stage a fake relationship. Boone thinks Eve might be the perfect girl for the job. Boone proposes his plan and Eve happily obliges, but their connection is electric, resulting in Eve and Boone almost constantly controlling their hearts and heads as they are thrown into the world of Hollywood.
I loved this romance because it was the first one I’ve read in awhile where I felt like I could truly connect with the characters and understand their emotions. Sometimes I struggle to see the tension between characters in romances, but I had no problems when it came to this novel. There is so much tension between Eve and Boone; it was practically jumping out of the pages.
Both characters are constantly warring between their heads and their hearts; I enjoyed how logical the two main characters are because my mindset is so similar. I thought their fake relationship was cute, but I loved how Eve fought for her career rather than immediately relying on Boone.
This was the first book I’ve read by Susannah Nix, but I’m excited to read more from this author.
Voice from the Dead by Aster Shock • DNF
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ebook ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
After about three chapters, I had had enough of this book and decided not to finish (DNF) it, which I rarely do. I don’t think an editor has ever seen this book—even some of the character’s names were spelled inconsistently. The writing was confusing and riddled with grammatical errors that drove me nuts.
I only read a little bit, but I had no idea what was going on. I could not visualize what the author was trying to portray because they introduced too much information too fast.
I’ve read other reviews and it sounds like there is a lot of racism in this book, so I’m glad I didn’t reach that part. I would not recommend this book and don’t plan on reading anything else by this author. ARCs can be pretty hit or miss, but this was a big miss.
Wait For It by Jenn McKinlay • 3.5/5 stars
This book was a bit more challenging to review because it took me quite a long time to read it. I started it in March, left it in my grandparents’ hotel room with 30 pages remaining, and didn’t finish it until it was returned to me in mid-May.
Wait For It tells the story of Annabelle, a freelance graphic designer who has been divorced twice—and she’s not even thirty. Each year, Annabelle gets together with one of her ex-husbands to celebrate their separation.
However, he got the wrong impression of their relationship and proposes to Annabelle once again on their separation anniversary. Annabelle denies the proposal and decides to take a job across the country, working as the head creative at her friend’s up-and-coming company.
Annabelle’s friend arranges for her to live in the guest house at a retired construction engineer’s property. She warns Annabelle to stay away from the grouchy Mr. Daire. Annabelle is curious to meet her landlord, but eventually discovers that he is not the old retiree that Anabelle imagined. Instead, he is the young, handsome, wheelchair bound man Annabelle saw in the house’s window.
The premise of this romance sounded cute and comical. I was immediately drawn to Annabelle’s character; she’s funny and bubbly which makes her seem so charismatic. Her interactions with Mr. Daire begin in notes, but I felt that part of the story was a bit too slow and drawn out.
Once Annabelle and Nick met each other, I thought their romance was cute. I liked how they dealt with challenging issues, including Nick’s stroke and his relationship with his sister. On the other hand, I felt like Annabelle had very little character growth. Her main conflict was with her nemesis at work, Trevor, which felt cliche.
However, Nick and Annabelle are a beautiful couple. They allow each other to face their weaknesses and use each other for strength and reassurance. I felt like this book was average, but still enjoyable for a quick read.
Taken by Lisa Marie Rice • 2.5/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ebook ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
This book, yet another romance that I read during the month of May, was a short, quick read that kept me entertained but left something to be desired.
Eve is a successful woman who hosts her own podcast focusing on her love for books. She is the daughter of a lazy, powerful man, who has wracked up a lot of debts.
Marcus is a wealthy businessman who has spent many long years taking his rags-to-riches story onto the legal side of business. Discovering Eve’s podcast brought him out of a dark place, and he now owns her father’s debts in order to have the woman he wants. Marcus is a patient, respectful man who is willing to wait for Eve to come to him.
After meeting Eve at her father’s home, Marcus attends her event in a dangerous neighborhood later that night. After the event, she walks to her car in the rain and is attacked by a group of belligerent men who are trying to rape her. Just as things are about to get worse, Marcus jumps in and fights off the group of four men. He takes Eve back to her apartment and nurses her to health, earning her trust and beginning their relationship.
Going in, I knew this was a romance but had no idea what the plot would entail. I struggled to connect with Marcus and Eve and their relationship together; I think a lot of this was because of the way their relationship began. I understood their attraction to each other, but I didn’t like how Marcus urged her to be with him so quickly after she experienced that trauma. It made her too reliant on him and felt somewhat manipulative.
They hide away together to escape Marcus’ enemies, which is when their love supposedly solidifies, but this entire part is skipped over. It should’ve been included to see how they fall in love rather than cause the reader to assume that they just do.
A similar thing happened at the end of the book when a traumatic event happened, but the resolution after the event is completely skipped over, jumping two a few years afterward. I almost felt like this book could have been divided into a duology where we (1) see Marcus and Eve fall in love and (2) see them become safe from the dangers that threaten their lives.
In the end, this book didn’t amaze me. It was another average romance that I’ll soon forget.
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey • 4.5/5 stars
After reading Fix Her Up earlier in the month, I was excited to read more from Tessa Bailey.
The book begins with Piper Bellinger, LA’s it girl, landing herself in jail after a rooftop pool party. Piper’s stepdad is outraged by her stunt and its implications and decides to send her to Westport, the town where her dad lived until his death and the place where she and her sister, Hannah, have now inherited a bar. Piper and Hannah leave for Westport and are thrown into a world completely unfamiliar to them.
When they first arrive at the bar, they’re met with mixed reactions. Many of the men at No Name are excited to see such beautiful women, but Brendan, a captain of one of the local fishing boats, immediately strikes a rivalry with Piper. However, the two can’t fight their attraction to one another and gradually grow closer as the summer goes on.
As things begin to heat up between Piper and Brendan, Piper must look within herself to determine whether she truly wants to go to Hollywood and whether she is cut out to become a sea captain’s wife. Will her summer of change be worth it, or will she choose the comfort of her old life and end up right back where she started?
When I began this book, I was a bit nervous about hating Piper. She is ditzy, spoiled, rich, and oblivious. However, I’m glad I stuck it out to see how much she grew as a character and as Brendan’s partner. She’s quite annoying in the beginning, but she eventually becomes self-sufficient and comfortable in her own weaknesses, which is such an important lesson that I loved to see her learn.
Like all of the men Tessa Bailey creates, Brendan is so dreamy. Him and Piper are polar opposites, but I like that they gradually discover they might not be so different from one another. Their differences complement one another which is what makes them such a great couple.
This is the second book I’ve read by Tessa Bailey, both of which I’ve loved. I can’t wait to read more romance from the queen of the genre herself.
Vengeful by V.E. Schwab • 4/5 stars
I have been anticipating this second installment of the duology following my reading of Vicious that ended on a cliffhanger. I was glad to finally pick up a copy of this book and discover what happens. After reading it, I’m even more excited about a rumor that Schwab is writing another book to turn this duology into a trilogy.
For those of you who haven’t read Vicious, I’ll save you the synopsis, but once you finish the first book, you’ll be sitting on the edge of your seat waiting until you can have Vengeful in your hand.
Once again, this book is written in various timelines from the perspectives of many characters throughout the story. New characters are introduced, and the stakes constantly rise as the battle between humans and EOs elevates.
I was expecting something even more explosive than Vicious, but I actually felt like this book was a little bit boring. The first half is a lot of character development with no clear objective; at times, it felt repetitive. Towards the end, things heated up, but my interest was lost and the climax was less rewarding after reading such long, drawn out bits of build up.
I love this duology, and I still think this was a great book, but I was expecting so much more from this second book.
Priest by Sierra Simone • 3/5 stars
After hearing lots of hype about this on TikTok, I chose to read this book. I was a bit skeptical going in, and, as I reflect, I can most definitely say this was not the book for me.
Priest is the confession of a former priest, Tyler, who broke his vow to celibacy on the altar of his very own church.
It begins when he meets Poppy, a young woman that’s new to town. She comes in for confession regularly and he becomes increasingly attracted to her throughout their interactions. When he can’t take it any longer, he ruins his vow to celibacy with her and must choose between honoring his congregation, which has previously had issues with a sexually violent priest, and loving the woman he is attracted to.
I thought this was an interesting question to ask and wanted to hear someone else’s answer to that question. However, as a Christian myself, I struggled with how much sex was included in the book, especially when it occurred in sacred places throughout the church, tainting them. Tyler also gives Poppy the nickname “little lamb” which made me very uncomfortable and seemed especially jaded.
I have no doubt that the connection between Tyler and Poppy was electric. I also enjoy that he constantly considered his actions in the scope of religion, but I disagreed with a lot of his decisions based on my own interpretation of my Christianity.
Taboo romance may be appealing to some, but this crossed a line that I wasn’t comfortable with.
If you’ve stuck it out to this part of the article, kudos to you for getting through my droning on. What can I say? I would talk about books all day if I had the opportunity to!
I hope you’ve read some great books during the month of May and have an even better reading month during June. Let’s be friends on Goodreads and Instagram.
Until next time, happy reading!