May was a good month for me where books are concerned, I think it was also because I have somewhat come to terms with these uncertain times. March and April were scary and chaotic so they were all about comfort re-reads for me, consequently I polished off the Harry Potter Series again for the upteenth time and re-read all 8 books of the Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn. I guess I needed that sense of certainty and solace of knowing that the Dark Lord gets defeated and the girl ends up with the boy she loves.
As I started to accept the fact that this Covid-19 scare isn’t going to abate overnight, I emabarked on newer books and finished ones that I was dallying with for a while.
No, of Books Read – 9
2- Literary Fiction – The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George and The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
2- Romantic Fiction – The Bromance Book Club and Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams ( these were for the ‘Literally Lit’ Book Club)
1 -Non-Fiction – The Courage To Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga ( I had been procrastinating finishing this one since March, I really am terrible with non-fiction)
4 – Fantasy Fiction – The Witcher – Tha Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski and The Folk of the Air Trilogy by Holly Black
My ‘Literally Lit’ bookstagrammers bookclub pick for May was ‘Undercover Bromance‘, I realised it was the second book in a series, though it could be read as a standalone. Those of you who know me can attest to the fact that I can be a little bit of a stickler for reading books, watching movies and episodes in order. And so I also read ‘ The Bromance Book Club’. Both books are absolutely delightful, with a premise I firmly believe in ( Guys should read romance novels) and extremely flawed and relatable characters. Those of you trying to find a bright spot in these crazy times, I highly recommend these books, they are extremely easy and happy reads. I personally can’t wait for the third book in the series
The Tattooist of Auschwitz was a very compelling read and I had nightmares on the nights that I fell asleep reading it. It is especially chilling to know that these are true incidents and the atrocities described in the book would have been worse in reality. Yet the human spirit is so strong and full of love, you can’t help but finish this book with a lip quivering, teary smile.
The Little Paris Book Shop was a mixed bag, some bits of this journey were soulful and beautiful while some tedious and difficult. The premise of the book will hook you, A book shop which is a literary apothecary, prescribing books to heal people’s souls. Unfortunately, it drifts away from it almost immediately, and once you get into the rhythm of it, it pivots again. But I guess that is life. It changes.
The Courage to be Disliked was a very interesting read and a comparatively easy one considering its non-fiction. It is essentially an analysis of the work of 19th-century psychologist Alfred Adler presented in the form of 5 conversations between an unhappy young man and a wise philosopher. It asserts the notion that you are responsible for your own happiness and it is independent of circumstance and past trauma.
The Witcher- The Last Wish introduces Geralt of Rivia, a witcher whose sole purpose is to destroy monsters, but in this intriguing and fantastical world, it is not always clear who the monsters are. This book is a first in the series and was the source material for the Netflix series starring Henry Cavill (swoon). I thoroughly enjoyed the book, it had glimpses of some of my favourite fantasy tropes and fairy tales but with a twist.
The Folk of the Air Trilogy comprises of The Cruel Prince, The Wicked King and The Queen of Nothing. It’s been a while since I read a juicy and dramatic YA series and this was the perfect choice to delve back into these magical waters. The books are enchanting with a whole lot of crazy. It is set in the enticing and beautiful world of fae and has the right mix of violence, magic, drama and romantic possibility. The series can be really nasty and has more ups and downs than a barely legal roller coaster. It will hook you.
There you have it. I will do a few detailed reviews for some of these and was contemplating a TV vs Book post for The Witcher. Have you guys read any of these, what were your thoughts, let me know, I love hearing from you on Instagram and my blog. Until then… toodles!
Biblio Witch 