*Disclaimer: Some of these books have been given to me for free in exchange for an honest review.*
Another day, another book! It’s been a while since I last decided exactly which books I’d be reading in a month. So, I figured why not choose which ones to read in May?
My TBR list is currently about 600 books long, so I’m going to try and get through five books this month. Here are the ones I’ve chosen for my May TBR list:
The Existence of Amy By Lana Grace Riva
*Author gifted in exchange for an honest review.*
So, I might have already started reading this one but I did technically start it this month so I’m counting it. The books lovely author, Lana Grace Riva, contacted me and asked if I’d like to give it a read and I was super excited.
A brief summary of the book – Amy has debilitating mental health issues that affect her everyday life. From normal tasks like going to work, or being on a bus, she really struggles to cope with social situations. As it’s written in the first person, you get the feeling that you’re taking a deeper look into her life and the constant battles she faces – think of it as a diary of her life.
I think it’s so important to become more informed about different mental health issues and how they affect people. Millions of people suffer every day, so it’s important to keep educating ourselves on the topic.
I will be doing a full review of this one in the next week or so if you’re interested to find out more!
The Swan Keeper by Milana Marsenich
*Free copy sent by Open Book Publishers in exchange for an honest review*
You might recognise this author’s name from a book review I did for Marsenich’s book, The Copper Sky. Since I absolutely loved that one, I knew I had to read The Swan Keeper.
In fact, this one really intrigued me because from the goodreads summary it seems that the protagonist is a strong-willed female who is seeking justice for crimes committed against her family and swans.
You might be thinking, why swans? Well, Lillian Connelly loves trumpeter swans and she’s doing whatever she can to protect them from a vicious hunter.
For her 11th birthday, her family takes her to see some newly hatched cygnets and tragedy strikes. With her father killed, mother injured, and all the swans dead, Lilly will stop at nothing to get justice.
This is all in the summary, so it is not a spoiler – just to clarify!
It sounds absolutely brilliant and I can’t wait to start reading it.
Beneath The Same Heaven by Anne Marie Ruff
*Free copy sent by Open Book Publishers in exchange for an honest review*
As soon as I read the summary for this book I knew I had to read it!
It comes across as an empowering and emotional read that explores different cultural reactions to terrorism, loyalty, justice, identity, and revenge.
According to the summary, it is a love story of a Pakistani-born Muslim man and an American woman, who have seemingly bridged the divide between Western and Islamic world views.
Unfortunately, the story takes a sudden, dark turn when the husband’s father is killed by a US drone attack near the Afghan border, and the family is plunged into turmoil.
Take It Back
I’ll admit I was very impressed to see my boyfriend had bought me this book. He knows me too well, clearly, as crime/mystery thrillers are often the genres of books I gravitate towards.
Take It Back sounds right up my street and I’m really looking forward to reading it.
If you’re like me and can’t resist a good crime/mystery thriller, here’s the goodreads summary to convince you to read it:
When Jodie Wolfe, a sixteen-year-old girl with severe facial deformities accuses four boys in her class of an unthinkable crime, the community is torn apart. The defendants are four handsome teenagers from hard-working immigrant families, all with proven alibis.
Zara Kaleel, one of London’s brightest legal minds, fights to find the truth in the face of public outcry and the ghosts of her own past. As issues of sex, race, and social justice collide, the most explosive criminal trial of the year builds page by page to a shocking conclusion.
Well, I’m hooked already.
Turtles All The Way Down by John Green
You’re probably looking at this one thinking, “seriously, you haven’t read it yet?”. I know, I’m extremely late to the reading party.
I’ve read many of John Green’s other books such as Looking for Alaska, The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns. I really enjoyed all of them so I’m hoping the same will be the case for this one too.
Let’s take a look at the goodreads summary:
It all begins with a fugitive billionaire and the promise of a cash reward. Turtles All the Way Down is about lifelong friendship, the intimacy of an unexpected reunion, Star Wars fan fiction, and tuatara.
But at its heart is Aza Holmes, a young woman navigating daily existence within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.
It sounds very interesting and I’m looking forward to finding out more.
So that’s my May TBR List, what’s on yours? If you’re reading anything you think I should absolutely get a copy of, please let me know!
