May was an ok month reading-wise. I mentioned before we have had some health issues in the family and in May it finally started to feel like we had a grasp on it.
I managed to finish nine books this month which is a good number. I’ve almost hit my yearly target already.
Circe by Madeline Miller
Circe is a retelling of the Greek legend or mythology of Circe, daughter of Helios. I wasn’t familiar with the myth to a great extent so much of it was unknown to me. What I did know about her was that she had a run-in with Odysseus though. The book was great and I liked it a lot. Not as much as Miller’s Song of Achilles which i finished last month but it was very good.
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mothar and Max Gladstone
This was a weird one. It was kind of hard to follow at times and I wasn’t sure where they were going with the story but I muddled through and I did enjoy it. I think, however, this is one that would benefit from a re-read.
The Labours of Lord Perry Cavendish by Joanna Chambers
Oh my. I love The Winterbourne series and this was no exception, even though it focused on new characters. Lord Perry and Johnny were sweet and cute and everyone was so kind to each other. I love it.
Heracles’ Bow by Madeline Miller
This was a short, short story and I can’t really say that I thought much of it. I hope this is a sign that Miller is working her way through the Greek myths and that there are more novels to come because could love to read her take on Ariadne or Medusa.
The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo
This was an interesting read, a Japanese locked room mystery from the 1940s. It takes great influence from the Sherlock-stories and apparently there is a huge following for this detective in Japan with cosplay and conventions etc. I wasn’t thrilled with part of the story that was the lynchpin of the mystery but it was written in 1946, by a man so what can you do. I may pick up more in this series eventually.
The Devil Comes Courting by Courtney Milan
I’ve been waiting for this one and it did not disappoint. Something as unusual as a romance novel where the hero and heroine are separated for long periods of time. But it works and I love it. I could see the end resolve come from a mile off and it still made my cry like a little child. So satisfying.
Fugitive Telemetry – Martha Wells
New novella about Murderbot? Yes please! I started this thinking it was going to be another novel so I was slightly disappointed when I realised I was wrong. But the story was fun and I hear Ms Wells ahs signed on for another three Murderbot novellas! Oh, joy!
Queera Tider – Edward Summanen
I can’t even remember now when my eldest came out as non-binary. I think it was last summer, but I have done lots of studying and reading up so I can support them as they deserve. This was a book for 12-15 yos that they found in the school library and I breezed through it in a day. Super informative and easily accessible information about queer history.
Six of Crows – Leigh Bardugo
I found Shadow and Bone on Netflix at the same time as the rest of the world. This book series had passed me by and I hadn’t read it. But I heard that Six of Crows was a better book to start with as they had ”fixed” a lot of issues with Shadow and Bone in the tv-show. Among those mentioned was the ageing up of the characters. I approve of that because that is my biggest issue with Six of Crows. We’re supposed to believe that these are some criminal masterminds and there are great sweeping love stories between the characters and then they are all of 17 yo. It took a bit too much effort to suspend my disbelief here. However, I’ll pick up book two in this series though as I’m curious to see where it goes.