For What It's Worth


Monday, June 3, 2019

My Monday Musings–May Wrap up–looking ahead to June



I think I have FINALLY getting back into my reading groove! I read 12 books in May, have come to an uneasy truce with audiobooks lol, and have actually felt the urge to review again.

It’s less about the # and the idea that reading feels like a fun escape again. I attribute this to settling in after the move and getting away from review books and move more towards library books. So much less pressure!

May Wrap-Up

Total: 12 books

Library: 5 - all Audiobooks






















ARC’s: 3 – The Pursuit of Miss Heartbreak Hotel, The 5th Gender, Give Up the Ghost

DNF: 2

The Pursuit of Miss Heartbreak Hotel by Moe Bonneau (the writing was incredible strange – 60’s slang coming from a present day teen. Why you might like it – rare f/f YA rep, frank sexual dialogue

Rayne & Deliah’s Midnite Matinee by Jeff Zenter – I was listening to this one on audio and it just wasn’t working for me. I did like that it was about a female friendship and not romance focused so I’ll switch to the e-book at some point and finish this one.

KU: 2 I'm trying to be better at reading more Kindle Unlimited books. I signed up for 2 years during Prime Days but have barely used it since.

Purchased: 2

Favorite:




The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Also liked: There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Moon, Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, Arctic Sun by Annabeth Albert, My So Called Bollywood Life

For the full list and reviews - my May Goodreads shelf is here




New review Books:



I received my Fall arc box from Macmillan

June reading:


This is never a set in stone pile because I’m a mood reader.

Only one is an arc (If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann) – the other two (The Geography of Lost Things /Little & Lion) are books I’ve been meaning to read and wanting to get back to tackling my physical TBR pile.









How did you do with you May reading goals & what do you have planned for June?

31 comments:

  1. I am happy that you reading has picked up and that you are back to reviewing again. This past month has been slow for me as well but more I am addicted to the latest podcasts I have been listening to, they are so deep and making me think more and I love it. But now I am getting back into reading and blogging again.

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    1. Podcasts have been what I turn to in book slumps these days. They feel a bit like reading but are short for my attention span during those days.

      Delete
  2. Love how you call it an uneasy truce with audiobooks. LOL! Glad you guys are getting along a bit better lately.

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. Yeah - I'm still not 100% there with audiobooks lol I get distracted really easily, can't multi-task and I'm SUPER picky about narrators but I have one borrowed at all time now though so that's progress.

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  3. I pretty much loved all of your favorites from last month (except Arctic Sun, which I have not read), but I am so sad you didn't like Rayne & Delilah. I hope you do pick up the ebook, and it works better for you, because the friendship in this book was amazing.

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    1. I REALLY feel like it was the narration and not the story in this case - so I am going to give it another go with the e-book.

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  4. Awesome that you're getting your reading mojo back! And I agree that stepping away from the pressure and deadlines of arcs and reading your own books on your own time is priceless. I have a very few arcs sprinkled across the summer but otherwise it's all about reading what I want when I want. What a concept! LOL

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    1. I still have some but the majority of my reading is on my own. I like striking this balance better.

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  5. I love that you've got your happy reading vibe back and are pressing forward with some audios, too. Moving would be very disruptive to reading mood, I would think. Glad the Reynolds and Alpert would good. Those are on my list.

    Have a great June, Karen!

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    1. It was disruptive. From having all my books packed up to trying to find where and when I like to read here - which sounds weird but you need the right space lol

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  6. Less pressure definitely helps. And 12 books= awesome!

    I think The Geography of Lost Things sounds good.

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    1. That's one I was just about to read before the move. Hopefully I'll get to it this month.

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  7. Ooo you read Long Way Down??? Howd you feel? I had KU for like 3 months but never used it so I got rid of it. It seems like a lot of romance readers swear by it though.

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    1. I did! I listened to it and it was...odd. I really liked it but also felt distanced from the characters.

      I have it in print and plan on reading it again to see if it's a different experience.

      Have you read it yet?

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  8. Great job on your May reading. I definitely want to focus more on the books that I already own this summer. I'm always saying it, but it's kind of a back and forth thing for me. LOL

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. I'm still going to request books, I'm sure lol I just like having less pressure and the Libby app has been a total game changer for me. I don't like going to the library but downloading books whenever I want is perfect.

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  9. Woohoo...what a great month! Glad you're getting your reading mojo back!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. It's always scary when months slip by and you don't feel like reading lol

      I've learned to roll with it though and realize I need the break - although this situation had more to do with the upheaval from the move.

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  10. I am glad you are settling in and enjoying your new home. Also wonderful to hear that you are reading and reviewing again. I totally agree about the library books. I probably review about half and half these days, I love the freedom and no pressure of library books.

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    1. Yes! I
      m not one for going to the library and getting physical books. for some reason that gives me a lot of anxiety too so getting the Libby/Hoopla app has really changed things for me.

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  11. Planned for June is to DNF library books, or well maybe I will love them!

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  12. Oh I'm so sorry Rayne and Delilah didn't spell for you. Your upcoming reads all look good though!

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  13. Here's to getting the reading mojo back! 🙌
    My total was 11 for May.
    Fingers crossed June is another good one!

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  14. You made it through so many books in May! i'm with you--I'm trying to focus less on the # and more on the act of reading for the sake of a getaway for my brain and it's made reading pleasurable again. I'm reading Hello Sunshine by Laura Dave which is kind of meh (came to me in a subscription box) but I really enjoyed The Girls in the Garden and Watching You (both by Lisa Jewell)--great mystery page-turners :)

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    1. I'm enjoying reading library books so damn much. There's zero pressure!

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  15. May was a bit of a mixed bag and June has got off to a very slow start sadly! I was on holiday for a week and was too tired to read so I need to get back into my reading tonight as I'm 22 books behind schedule on Goodreads!

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  16. The Poet X! 🙌🙌🙌

    I only finished the Midnite Matinee book because it was an ARC. I thought the blaming of the adults for having mental health issues was going to be a growth/change ARC element, but it wasn't. The message the book sent was it is adults' own fault they have a mental illness, which to me is not a message to be sending teenagers. I would give specifics, but they would be spoilers. 😛

    Twelve books is great! I only average around eight books a month. 📚

    I hope June has started out well for you. 🌞

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  17. You really managed to get back on the reading horse! And I have to say that I loved Claire Kann's debut so I hope you like her latest novel. I've heard amazing things about Little and Lion as well :)

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