April & May Wrap-up

May it’s finally over and that means it’s time to talk about all the books I read and bought this month. I purposefully skipped April’s wrap-up because I wasn’t in the mood to write about books. I usually can’t shut up about them, but lately, things have changed. I’m in the worst reading slump, and it’s getting quite hard to get out. Please send help!

On these two months combined, I read 2 books and 2 comic books, which isn’t much for me. In April, I read Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart which was great but not as amazing and surprising as We Were Liars (you can read my review here). While in May, I read Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami that was… strange. I didn’t get fully immersed in the story because I need to learn more about Japanese culture, especially why they act in certain ways to fully understand the story. One of the comic books was Descender volume one by Jeff Lemire a sci-fi story focused on a robot-boy that might be the reason for the almost-destruction of the entire galaxy. And finally Croquette & Empanada by Ana Oncina based on the author’s romantic relationship filled with the most mundane episodes with loads of cuteness and humour. It comes out on June 4th, and I highly recommend you give it a look.

Being in this weir mood got me thinking for what might be the reason behind it. So I went on my Goodreads to see what books I read this year and which ones I gave 5 stars. It wasn’t a surprise when I saw that I didn’t have any. We are almost halfway into the year, and I still don’t have a favourite book. There hasn’t been one story that I completely fell in love with, even though, I read some books that I really liked, but I didn’t click with them, which is taking away my motivation to read.

Then I went a little further back to see which was the last book I favourited. Turns out it was Charlotte Says by Alex Bell, the companion novel/prequel to Frozen Charlotte (read my review here). I finished that book on the 21st of October! I haven’t read anything that captured me that much in 7 months!! Over half a year slowly getting stuck into a reading slump that will be very hard to get out. I’m trying to join readathons to try and spice things up and to give me a reason to read and to find my next favourite book. So far in these past 2 months, it hasn’t been working very well. BUT that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop. Oh no, not a chance! I’m already semi-planning a TBR for June. I’m hopeless!

Haul

I didn’t read much but I sure did buy a lot of new books! Since the Asian readathon was happening for the entire month of May, and I was decided to nail it, I ordered the book group A Thousand Beginnings and Endings by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman, a collection of short stories by Asian authors retelling myths and legends (I still need to finish it). I also bought Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami that was to fulfil another challenge, and Descender volume one by Jeff Lemire which was part of the Avengers readathon that went from 14th of April until the end of May, and that was the only book I read for that readathon. *facepalm*

From time to time, I take a look at the Kindle daily deals to see if I luckily ran into some books that I want to read for only 1$. And sometimes it works! The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan and The Birthday by Carol Wyer were cheaper than a bag of chips, and I didn’t miss the opportunity. I’ve never heard of Carol Wyer or about The Birthday but a mystery thriller is usually a safe bet with me.

But in May I broke my bank account. I went back to a comic book/manga bookstore, and I spend too much money. I bought Saga volume 8 and 9 by Brian K. Vaughan, this is my favourite comic at the moment. The series is currently on a year break, but it has been announced that it will have another 56 issues (about 8 volumes) until it’s finished. I also bought Monstress by Marjorie Liu, The Beauty by Jeremy Haun, and Skyward by Joe Henderson. All this comics I have heard of and was curious to see if I would enjoy them.

Finally, the last book I bought, the king of page count, the book that motivated an ambitious 3 part readathon until the end of the year by Noura from The Perkes of Being Noura, A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin. I started watching the TV series when this last season premiered and so far I’m in the middle of season 4. Surprisingly, I enjoyed a lot of the political and historical aspect of the series, and I want to learn more about it. So this is the only book that I have on my “TBR” for June, and it will be a challenge to read a 400 pages book when I’m in the middle of a reading slump. Now, I just need to keep a positive mindset and believe I can finish it.