May Reading Wrap-Up
Another great month of reading! Mini-reviews and recommendations :)
Hello and Happy Pride! Here goes the wrap-up of all the books I read in May, with mini-reviews and ratings (out of 5)! I’ve got another mix of genres this month, from fantasy to poetry, and even a play thrown in for good measure. My favorite read in May is #7 on the list. SO good. On to the mini-reviews!
These Infinite Threads by Tahereh Mafi (audio, 4 stars) - Sequel to This Woven Kingdom, which I listened to last month, These Infinite Threads was a great read! It continues the story of Alizeh and the crew as they navigate a kingdom in turmoil and a devastating deal with the devil. Although some readers struggle with the second book in a series, I tend to like them, since they usually explore the characters in more depth. I especially enjoyed getting to learn more about Cyrus, who is one of the most interesting characters for me. He’s waaaaaay more engaging than Kamran, who I dislike more and more the longer I spend with the series.
All This Twisted Glory by Tahereh Mafi (audio, 3.5 stars) - I struggled to rate this book accurately, because for some reason I thought it was the last book in the series. But it turns out there’s a whole fourth book coming out later this year! This expectation definitely impacted my reading experience, since I was waiting for a conclusion to the overall story, and was disappointed to not receive one (my own fault). That said, everything involving Alizeh, Cyrus, and the supporting crew was great; their dynamics are especially interesting to me, Alizeh and Cyrus in particular. Everything with Kamran, however, was not great! Simply because I dislike him so much! (This was me every time we got a Kamran POV lmaooo). I’m not sure whether I will listen to book 4 when it comes out in September, especially after finding out there will likely be MORE than 4 books in the series. I might have accidentally psyched myself out on this one, though I’ve enjoyed my time with the series overall.
A Swift and Sudden Exit by Nico Vincenty (physical, 3.75 stars) - Another fun read! This book has sapphic love, time travel, and solar storms (what more could you need?). In this future version of Earth, humans live in underground bunkers due to the effects of a devastating solar storm. Our protagonist, Zera, is tasked with traveling back in time to investigate what caused the storm and how humans in her time might work to counteract its long-lasting effects. When Zera arrives in the past, however, she happens upon a different mystery: a woman who appears to be immortal. I absolutely love the premise, and the slow-burn romance was so fun to watch unfold. It was also very engaging to visit many different decades and cities throughout the time travel shenanigans. My upper-mid rating mainly comes from the ending—there were certain elements of it that I had a hard time following, and the twist wasn’t wholly effective for me, though parts of it still managed to surprise me! Overall, this was a great debut, and I would love to pick up more from this author.
La muerte y la doncella by Ariel Dorfman (physical, 4.5 stars) - Only managed to get in one book in Spanish this month, but I’m so glad I picked this one up again. Dorfman’s play is a complex representation of trauma, power, and the tangled web of political tension that ensues in a country immediately after the end of a military dictatorship, directly inspired by Chile post-Pinochet. The play is set in the home of Paulina Salas and Gerardo Escobar. A stranger helps Gerardo when the latter gets a flat tire on his way home one night, and Gerardo invites the stranger over to show his thanks. But when Paulina hears the stranger’s voice, she recognizes him as the man who terrorized her while she was imprisoned during the dictatorship. This is another re-read for me, but I got a lot more out of it this time around, mostly from my Spanish having improved so much in the past couple years. I only shaved off half a star for the way some of the reveals happened at the end, though my dislike of that element could simply be because I read it on paper rather than seeing it performed, which provides a very different experience.
Loveless by Alice Oseman (audio, 4 stars) - I’m late to the party on this one, but I’m so glad I read it. It’s a lovely coming-of-age and coming-out story of Georgia, a first-year college student who slowly discovers that she is aroace. As an ace person myself, I wish I’d read it sooner! But it was still heartwarming to see Georgia discovering herself, and her blossoming friendships were the icing on the cake. Only took off one star because I think I’m falling out of love with YA contemporary at this point in my reading journey.
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal (audio, 4 stars) - Yet another re-read, but well worth it! This story follows the journey of Zafira as she travels to a mysterious island in an attempt to restore magic to her people. As the only hunter ever to return alive from the forest that dominates the landscape, she is just the person for the job. But her trek goes awry as she crosses paths with Nasir, the crown prince, and his companion Altair. They claim to be seeking the same goal as Zafira, though they may have their own agenda in this quest. I first listened to this book a few years ago, but I hadn’t quite figured out how to read higher-level fantasy on audio just yet. For that reason, I never managed to finish the duology. This time around, I think I nailed it! I fell in love with the characters all over again, and I found myself much more invested in the story and conflicts. I’m already well into book 2 and excited to see how it all ends!
Heaven Looks Like Us: Palestinian Poetry Ed. by George Abraham and Noor Hindi (physical, 5 stars) - I am so grateful to have read this collection. Not only do I feel like I learned so much about the art of writing poetry in all its forms, but more importantly I was deeply moved by so many of these poems. I especially appreciate how the editors incorporated work from both established and newer poets, as well as certain classic poems. I quite literally cannot choose a favorite poem, but I can say that my favorite section was the one called Revolution is Feminine. If anyone has even the slightest interest in the fight for Palestinian liberation, and/or simply wants to read an excellent collection filled with talented poets, PLEASE pick this one up! It’s more important than ever to read from Palestinian writers and elevate their voices where we can.
And there we have it! Another great month of reading. If you decide to pick any of these up, let me know which you chose!