Where did May go? Does anyone else feel like it absolutely flew by?
The kids are almost out of school for the summer, and the weather is warming up. Bikers are hitting the Raccoon River Valley Trail and our local farmers’ market kicks off for the season next week! Are you ready for summer? Do you have vacation (or staycation) plans? I am VERY excited about the month of JUNE (more on that in another update) but keep your eyes open for some big news in the next few days!
Back to what you all really care about…the books that I read this month.
For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn
“This debut novel from BookTok sensation Jaysea Lynn invites you to lose yourself in a world where love ignites in the unlikeliest of places, magic defies the rules, and the Afterlife proves more thrilling than anyone could imagine.”
-Simon & Schuster
I laughed. I cried. There were both spicy and sweet moments. I loved the world building and how comforting the afterlife felt. I honestly didn’t want it to end. Relatable and lovable characters, and themes of found family, life, death, regrets, and dreams made me fall in love with this book and have recommended to several people already! If you enjoyed House in the Cerulean Sea but wished it had more romance, this book is right up your alley.
The Griffin Sister’s Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner
“With richly developed characters, a nostalgic nod to the pop culture of the 2000s, and a resonant tale of ambition, forgiveness, and family, The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits will captivate readers from the first note to the final encore. Whether you’ve followed Jennifer Weiner for years or are discovering her for the first time, this book is a must-read for music lovers, fans of sisterly dramas, and anyone looking for an unforgettable story of second chances.”
-Harper Collins
The audiobook narration by Dakota Fanning was delightful, and the story was nostalgic and full of family drama and the cost of ambition in the music industry. If you enjoyed Daisy Jones and the Six or grew up listing to early 2000s pop/rock you should dive into this book.
A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll
“Award-winning and neurodivergent author Elle McNicoll delivers an insightful and stirring debut about the European witch trials and an autistic girl who refuses to relent in the fight for what she knows is right. A Kind of Spark, was a Schneider Family Honor title, an overall winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, and a Blackwell’s Book of the Year. Elle has been nominated for the Carnegie Medal and was shortlisted for the Books Are My Bag Readers Awards, the Branford Boase Award, and the Little Rebels Children’s Book Award. Her second novel, Show Us Who You Are, was a Blackwell’s Book of the Month title and one of the Bookseller’s Best Book of the year. She is an advocate for better representation of neurodiversity in publishing.”
-Penguin Random House
I am so happy that I grabbed this book off the shelf on a whim one afternoon when there was a lull in traffic at the coffeeshop where I work part-time. As someone who is neurodivergent, it is always refreshing to see characters that I can relate to on that level written in a positive way. I wish I had had more representation like this when I was a young reader. I highly recommend this book to people of all ages!
What did you read this month? Did you add anything exciting to your TBR piles? I’m looking forward to next month’s books and all the exciting updates I get to share with you SOON!
Until the next chapter,
