May Wrap Up | Books and Baking

In May I’ve really enjoyed reading on my kindle and actually 4 of these books are e-books! Also, I’ve just realised that I’ve had my blog for a year now! I love writing these posts and I can’t wait to see where this blog goes in the future. It was also my one year bookstaversary on the 28^th May so I decided to celebrate by combining the ‘books’ and ‘baking’ element of my account – by making a book out of cake! Make sure to check it out here!

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This month, I did also have a couple of ARCs that were kindly gifted to me by the authors in exchange for an honest review which is just amazing! I honestly didn’t think I’d ever get the opportunity to read ARCS and it blows my mind that authors and publishers reach out to me sometimes to read books! What a dream 😊 Anyway, here’s the wrap up…

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Home Truths by Tina Seskis

“A strong marriage can cope with the unexpected. But can it survive the unimaginable?”

If you’ve seen my Weekly Reading Update, you’ll know that I had mixed feelings about this one. I was interested in the blurb, which sounds really gripping and moderately fast-paced, however I just didn’t think it was thrilling at all. This one is character-driven and I prefer plot driven thrillers so I just didn’t vibe with it. I would recommend it if you prefer character-driven books though!

Rating – ★★★

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Deadly Sacrifice by Stella Oni

I read this detective mystery/thriller and really enjoyed it. As previously mentioned in my Weekly Reading Update, it is at times a gruesome read but I think it is manageable. TW: severed limbs. I enjoyed learning more about Nigerian culture and rituals, and would recommend this if you are interested in reading a different take on a traditional ‘crime mystery’ novel!

Deadly Sacrifice is one of Jacaranda’s Twentyin2020 books – which if you aren’t aware was a historical publishing initiative where the UK Publisher Jacaranda published 20 titles in 2020 by Black British authors. It’s definitely something that I think is amazing and I am slowly working my way through the list! (I’ll link Jacaranda’s website here; in case you are interested in checking them out!).

Rating – ★★★★

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The House on Beckett Lane by Emma Rogers

I took part in Emma’s blog tour for her debut short story collection and found this to be a great read! I was also kindly gifted this e-ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review. I loved how each story is an honest portrayal of life and how you get a peak into the different lives of so many different people. Although connected, the stories stand out in their own way, from the strong voices to the cleverly crafted dialogue.

Make sure to check out Emma’s blog too which is linked here!

Rating – ★★★★

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Fool’s Gold by Alan Barbara

I kindly received this e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this story and how fun and quirky the protagonist Lottie is! Additionally, I loved the representation of family and family connections which I think is an important thing to explore in children’s books. The mystery was also cleverly crafted too which I loved!

Rating – ★★★★

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The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

This was our university book club’s May read and I actually loved this book! For me, this is such an important read and I would highly recommend you check out the TW before picking up. The book is about a reform school in the 1960s and deals with quite heavy, albeit important issues.

We follow Elwood, a young boy who is sent to Nickel Reformatory school in 1960s Florida, and then we get to flash forward to the future Elwood in around 2014. This is gripping, harrowing, heart-breaking and a difficult read. But, I have become more educated on important issues and will definitely be picking up The Underground Railroad which is another book by this author (and I think now a TV show?).

Rating – ★★★★★

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Let me know what your favourite read in May was, and what book(s) you’re thinking of picking up in June!