May 2019 Overview

     My May book reading was much lighter than usual. Pretty much cut in half, due to our 10 day trip to Hawaii. We were so busy exploring and experiencing everything that we pretty much had no down time. Even if we were chilling, it was at the resorts and spending time in the awesome pools, bars or enjoying the food at the resort. Not much down time for reading. I got a slight amount of reading done on the plane going there. It was an ARC I only had limited access to in ebook form and unfortunately I didn't finish it in time. I believe it's released now so I'll have to hunt it down. In the airport traveling from Maui to Kauai I started another ebook ARC, that I also read on the plane ride home and was able to finish while back home before it expired. Unfortunately, May was not the greatest month of reading for me.

 Dual Citizens by Alix Ohlin
     Releases June 4, 2019
     Read from: May 5, 2019- May 18, 2019
     Format: ARC (ebook)
     Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

     I was lucky to get this book as an advanced reader copy from Penguin Randomhouse. It was in ebook form, AND I could only access it on my phone, so thankfully it wasn't too long! This book has very high ratings so far, but unfortunately I didn't agree. This book is about two sisters, Lark and Robin, who pretty much had to raise themselves. It literally follows them throughout their entire lives. Lark is more responsible than Robin, and constantly feels like as the older sister, she has to take the place of their uninvolved mother. We watch them achieve great things in their lives, go on all sorts of misadventures and have some really bad pits in their lives as well. Check out the Goodreads synopsis and see some of the more positive reviews there before making the decision as to whether or not you want to read this book solely on my review. It releases in just 2 more days! See my Goodreads review here.



 Strength Personified: A Personal Story of Tragedy to Triumph by Brittany Cooley
     Released Aug 16, 2018
     Read from: May 18, 2019- May 19, 2019
     Format: Print
     Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

     I’m at quite a loss of what to say after reading this book. It is written by someone that I know. I knew she had had an extremely rough life, but had no idea the extent of it. It was gripping and it kept me turning page after page. All I wanted was to see Brittany have good luck. The things she deals with throughout her life are absolutely unimaginable. Disturbing, horriffic, difficukt things, that no one should ever have to experience, nevermind a chld. It’s surreal to know I am acquainted with someone that has been through such a hell. The strength she displays throughout it all is also unimaginable. And the strength to tell the story is amazing. It’s a story that needs to be heard over and over again by everyone. It needs to be shared. 





 Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
     Released April 1, 2001
     Read from: May 17, 2019- May 19, 2019
     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)

     Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

     I first read this book as required reading in English class in high school. I decided to revisit it since I loved it at the time. 

     Speak is about a 14yr old girl named Melinda. She starts high school with the entire school hating her, and she pretty much no longer talks to anyone. It's evident that something happened to her, and slowly you start to find out what as the story goes on. Watch her attempt to make her life normal again with her family, whom she alienated, people around her at school, and keep herself feeling safe. It's a book every teenager should read. Even the younger ones/older preteens. Adults too, however I feel like the younger crowd will get the most out of it, AND benefit from it the most. Check out my Goodreads review here.

 Blaire by Jennifer Castle
     Released December 26, 2018
     Read from: May 19, 2019- May 21, 2019
     Format: Print (library)
     Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

     Blaire is the 2019 American Girl of the Year. She lives on her family's farm, where they also run a B&B and are in the process of turning their barn into an event space. She loves to cook, is extremely creative and loves to help everyone in her life. It's a great children's book, just like every other American Girl book. I love reading all the new books by them even though I'm an adult. Check out my mini review on Goodreads here.

 Blaire Cooks up a Plan by Jennifer Castle
     Released December 26, 2018
     Read from: May 21, 2019- May 23, 2019
     Format: Print (library)
     Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

 

     Really loved this sequel to Blaire's book! In this book, she takes part in her fifth grade community service project by creating her own hugely influential project while making new friends along the way. It was awesome to watch this story unfold. I loved it. Check out my mini review on Goodreads here.

 The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
     Released January 2, 2018
     Read from: May 19, 2019- May 25, 2019
     Format: Audiobook (Overdrive)
     Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

     This was a highly anticipated book on my TBR list that I was very disappointed with. It sounded so creepy with the synopsis being about a woman who doesn't leave her house, and yet watches her neighbors through her window. She takes particular interest in the house across the park from her; the residents change more often than the others. The one day she sees someone get killed and no one believes her. Sound awesome right?! But t reminded me of Ruth Ware books, and I don't love those either. Check out my Goodreads review here.

 Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott
     Released 1886
     Read from: May 23, 2019- May 27, 2019
     Format: Print (library)
     Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

     The 4th and final installment to the Little Women series. Don't read unless you've read the previous books in the series! Check out my Goodreads review here.

 Lightning's Last Hope by Joanna Campbell
     Released September 9, 1998
     Read from: May 27, 2019- May 29, 2019
     Format: Print (library)

     Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

   

     This is the first book in the Ashleigh series, which takes place before the main Thoroughbred series. This books chronology also seems to be in conflict with what happens in Ashleigh's Hope. In this book, Ashleigh still only has Moe. While out riding with her best friend Mona, they get lost and come across a farm hidden in the woods where a severely neglected horse is tied up inside a barn. The girls are afraid to tell their parents about what they found because they were trespassing and the owner finds them. They try to do what they can to help this horse without their parents help, even though they know their parents could really help make a difference. I didn't mind reading this one, even though I liked Ashleigh's Hope better. Check out my mini Goodreads review here.

 The Sun on my Head by Geovani Martins
     Releases June 11, 2019
     Read from: May 29, 2019- June 1, 2019
     Format: Print (ARC)

     Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

     This book is a collection of stories about life in Rio de Janeiro. What this book tells me, is that I defnitely never want to go there. For a memoir though, I didn't love it. Check out my Goodreads review here.




What I'm Reading Now

1) Becoming (Overdrive audiobook) by Michelle Obama

     Released 11/13/2018

     Started Listening May 26, 2019

     I am LOVING this book. This is Michelle Obama's memoir, written after her and her family were no longer living in the white house. I'm about 3/4 of the way done, and so far we've gone from Michelle's childhood up until after Barack was elected president. I've loved listening to and learning about everything that happened in Michelle's life. Literally everything, and I am not sure WHY my interest is held so much, but I am never bored listening to this. I don't tune out. I never was particularly a FAN of the Obama's. I never disliked them but I was never like oh my god they're so amazing I need to follow their lives. But now, I wish that I had learned all this stuff about them when they were so heavily in the spotlight. Now I will say that I am a fan! Definitely going to be giving this one a good rating when I'm done!

2) Weetamoo: Heart of the Pocassets (print- library) by Patricia Clark Smith

     Released August 27, 2001

     Started Reading June 1, 2019

     Not too far into this one yet, but right now we're in MA and RI circa 1653. The English have been there for longer than Weetamoo has been around. What a strange concept. She actually doesn't know what life is like without them being around. I don't know anything about Weetamoo as a historical figure, so it's time to learn!