SHWAH-PAHH! That was the sound of me taking down May with a big fat oomph. May was an awesome month, May is always an awesome month (it’s my birthday month, you see). But I really did have a spectacular reading time. Keep your hats on, but I managed to hit my goal of 10 books this month! And let’s make you too impressed by also telling you how many assignments I had for uni . . sheeshkababs. I think I might be superhuman, just sayin’.
Alright, my good fellows, select a link bellow to see how I’m doing in my challenges. Or, if you’re too lazy to do that the general consensus is that next month will be the month to catch up. Ahem.
- Progress for RMTBR challenge
- Progress for Fairy-Tale Retelling challenge
- Progress for the 2016 Pop Sugar Challenge
Who’s ready to see how spectacular I was this month? LET’S DO THIS.
Talon by Julie Kagawa
Genre: Fantasy (dragons), Young Adult
Author: Julie Kagawa
Published: January 2015
Publisher: MIRA ink
Pages: 445 {paperback}
Will I continue the series? YES
The Challenge Count:
RMTBR challenge points award: 1
Fairy-Tale Retelling: 0
Pop Sugar: A book set in Summer
This was most definitely a splendid book (did you know in Italian splendid is just splendido? Isn’t that the greatest thing you’ve heard all day? Yes it is). Kagawa, thankfully, did not disappoint. If you’ve been here a while you might have noticed my partiality to anything of hers because ARGH I love The Iron Fey series. Totally and completely. This is a book every fantasy lover should read, especially if you love dragons as much as I do (which you don’t because that’s not possible, but let’s not be preening peacocks, now).
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy (dragons)
Author: Rachel Hartman
Published: January 2013 {1st pub. July 2012}
Publisher: Corgi Children’s
Pages: 359 {paperback}
Will I continue the series? YES
The Challenge Count:
RMTBR challenge points award: 1
Fairy-Tale Retelling: 0
Pop Sugar: N/A
Oh, what ho! Say, George, it seems Kirstie’s read another dragon book this month. THAT’S RIGHT PEOPLE. An ecstatically great month must always begin with several dragon books back to back. Which is what I did. I actually read both this and Talon for RYBSAT and wowee, nothing is better than loosing yourself completely in a fantastical world filled to the brim with dragons and other jolly fun things.
Review to come
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Contemporary
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Published: January 2014
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Pages: 461 {paperback}
Will I read more books by this author? YES
The Challenge Count:
RMTBR challenge points award: 1
Fairy-Tale Retelling: 0
Pop Sugar: N/A
Guys, THIS BOOK. I’m officially a Rainbow Rowell addict. Not that I’ve read any more of her books – but I will, okay? I loved this so much it’s crazy. It was perfect and hilarious and Cath is a wickedly awesome character. You’ve probably already read this but if you haven’t then – DUCK – because I just threw it at you.
White Hart by Sarah Dalton
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Author: Sarah Dalton
Published: February 2014
Publisher: Sarah Dalton
Pages: 394 {e-book}
Will I continue the series? YES
The Challenge Count:
RMTBR challenge points award: 0
Fairy-Tale Retelling: 0
Pop Sugar: N/A
Reading this book was one of those fantastic experiences that I felt doubly rewarded from because I picked this up on the biggest whim. I believe this is still free to download from the iBooks store (and probably Amazon, too) so quick, quick – go get a copy! I enjoyed this story so, so much and I can’t wait to read book two. Magical forests, people, that is all.
Escape from Witchwood Hollow by Jordan Elizabeth
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy {paranormal}
Author: Jordan Elizabeth
Published: October 2014
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Pages: 178 {print length}
Will I read any more books by this author? NO
The Challenge Count:
RMTBR challenge points award: 0
Fairy-Tale Retelling: 0
Pop Sugar: N/A
Annnd then this one happened. Despite it being a two-starer it didn’t blemish my reading month at all. I received this one for review and I just did not enjoy it. I don’t really recommend it because my reading experience of it was very average. It’s all over the place and involves many moments of wait wha—?
Is It Just Me? by Miranda Hart
Genre: Autobiography, Comedy
Author: Miranda Hart
Published: October 2012
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Pages: 323 {paperback}
Will I read more books by this author? YES
The Challenge Count:
RMTBR challenge points award: 0
Fairy-Tale Retelling: 0
Pop Sugar: An Autobiography
I present to you, the funniest book of ever. Miranda Hart is an hilarious woman and I am so excited to have read her book. I nicked a copy of this from my friend because obviously I needed to read this book. I love Miranda in Call the Midwife and you betchya I’m doing a Miranda-thon after I finish all my uni assessments for the semester!
Review to come
Scontro di Civiltà per un Ascensore a Piazza Vittorio by Amara Lakhous
[or: Clash of Civilisations over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio]
Genre: Fiction
Author: Amara Lakhous
Published: May 2011
Publisher: E/O
Pages: 129 {paperback}
Will I read more books by this author? MAYBE
The Challenge Count:
RMTBR challenge points award: 0
Fairy-Tale Retelling: 0
Pop Sugar: A Book Translated to English (however, I read it in Italian . . . totally still counts)
Look at me go, this was the first Italian book I read and finished! This is official proof that I’m magic, clearly. It’s such a wonderful and fun experience to finally get to that point in learning a language that I can understand a whole book! We actually studied this one for uni hence me reading it but it was super fun and very much so like an Italian Agatha Christie. There are English translations of this book and also a movie has been made.
Review to come
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Genre: Fiction, Contemporary
Author: Jojo Moyes
Published: January 2012
Publisher: Michael Joseph
Pages: 481 {paperback}
Will I read more books by this author? YES
The Challenge Count:
RMTBR challenge points award: 1
Fairy-Tale Retelling: 0
Pop Sugar: The First Book You See in a Bookstore
Of course I loved this one! I’ve had this one on my to-read-very-soon list (I don’t actually have a list like that, but shh, don’t tell) because the movie is coming out REALLY soon. I’m hyperventilating guys. I can’t even. The cast for the movie is quite beyond perfect. This book was beautiful (and sad) but mostly amazing. I highly recommend reading it!
Review to come
Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms by Katherine Rundell
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction
Author: Katherine Rundell
Published: March 2016 {1st pub. Jan. 2011}
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 272 {paperback}
Will I read more books by this author? YES
The Challenge Count:
RMTBR challenge points award: 0
Fairy-Tale Retelling: 0
Pop Sugar: N/A
This was such a cute little book that I received for my birthday. It’s about a girl from Africa who ends up at a British boarding school. It’s a wonderful story of being brave and and growing up and I definitely recommend giving it a go. Rundell really has a way with story telling (also, that cover, ja?).
Review to come
The Rose and the Dagger by Renée Ahdieh
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retelling (1001 Nights)
Author: Renée Ahdieh
Published: April 2016
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Pages: 420 {hardback}
Will I read more books by this author? YES
The Challenge Count:
RMTBR challenge points award: 0
Fairy-Tale Retelling: 1
Pop Sugar: A Book That is Published in 2016
Ohhh boy, THIS WAS AMAZING. This is the sequel to The Wrath and the Dawn (and also the ending to the duology) and goodness me it lived up to expectations. My heart was destroyed in all the good ways and everything was extremely exciting. I do apologise for not having reviewed this one yet, I’m just busy making pillow forts, okay?
Review to come
What else did I blog about this month?
- I reviewed some books:
- I wished on some books (Wishlist Wednesday):
- I waited on some books (Waiting on Wednesday):
- I counted to ten several times (Top Ten Tuesday):
- I explored my bookshelves:
- I hauled all my books from May, featuring MY BIRTHDAY!
- I unboxed the April edition of The YA Chronicles.
- I unboxed the May edition of The YA Chronicles.
- I did some gif-filled tags:
- I did my wrap-up for Round 8 of RYBSAT (read-your-bookshelf-a-thon).
The Statistics
Genres Read:
Pages Read:
Total: 3,462
Some Bonus Goals
A little while back I made a Top Ten Tuesday post of books that I wanted to read this autumn, so let’s see how I did:
Out of the ten books that I proposed to read, I read 2. So that was a fail.
I did, however, get to Me Before You which was one my priority list because of the movie coming out so kudos to me there.
Progress Towards Goodreads’ Challenge:
63%, or, 44/70 books
Which puts me 15 books ahead of schedule.
Overall progress of RMTBR challenge:
Points accrued in May: 4
Number of books read in May that counted: 4
Total points: 19
Mini challenges completed: 2/10
The Fairy-Tale Retelling Challenge:
Retellings Read So Far This Year: 4
Level Achieved: Enchanted Moura
Overall progress for Pop Sugar Reading Challenge:
22/40
What about me?
May was, as I might have mentioned a few times, my birthday month. I had a lovely birthday this year and received some fabulous presents. I had a lovely meal out and went to see Alice Through the Looking Glass which was amazing.
Uni has been very busy this month as well but I think I’m finally over the hump so don’t mind me whilst I sleep on the couch for 100 years to recover. I’m so so so looking forward to the break and I can’t wait to go on my holiday. I’m going to spend all of June just reading, reading, reading and more reading. I leave for England on the 28th of June and I’ll be back home on the 1st of August.
Hark! A holiday! At the end of June I’m heading off to England for a month! I cannot wait guys, it’s so soon now! You’re probably wondering what I’m going to do blogging wise whilst I’m away (or maybe you’re not) but the plan is that I will continue to blog. I’m going to have a bunch of post scheduled for the whole month but I’m taking my laptop with me with the view of keeping up with reviews (not that I’m on top of them now or anything) and posting those whilst I’m away. If you’re lucky, I might even do some exciting travelling posts (did I mention I’m all booked to go to the Harry Potter studios tour? BECAUSE I AM). It’s going to be a real adventure.
As a bit of a side update for my reading, I’ve got quite a few new releases sitting on my shelf that I haven’t touched yet (such as ACOMAF). I am going to read these soon, I’ve just been forbidding myself from touching them until uni is over because I know they’re going to distract me. As for what I’m reading in June, I’m going to be mostly reading all the books I got for my birthday. In July, I’m planning an audiobook marathon of Harry Potter but that’s all I’ve got set!
TV Series that I Watched:
- Masterchef Australia
I’m really enjoying this one and I’m super getting into it.
Films that I Watched:
- Captain America: Civil War, 2016: 9/10
This was fabulous and way more emotional than I was anticipating. - Alice Through the Looking Glass, 2016: 9/10
I loved this so much! This was everything I could have hoped for from this movie and more.
Tick! May done!
What was your favourite book that you read in May?
~~ Kirstie ~~
Upside-Down Books 
That was seriously an amazing blogging month! Congrats to you for making a lot of progress especially with your Goodreads challenge. 😄
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Aw thanks! I had a lot of fun doing all the posts 🤗
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Looks like you had a great reading month. Most of the books you reviewed were great! Hope you have a great June as well.
Btw, I love the stats! They’re so detailed and exhaustive. I love when wrap-up posts are more than just a list of links to older posts. 🙂
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It certainly was a great month! I seem to be on a roll with reading good books 😄 and thank you!
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AHH, you had an amazing reading/birthday month! I’ve had my eye on Talon for ages now, and I think I’m finally going to grab it – I have yet to read a book by Julie Kagawa. I’m glad you enjoyed Fangirl, because I really ended up liking it, too! Here’s to hoping you have a great June – also, happy belated birthday 🙂
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I did didn’t I? Now the challenge is to keep it up haha. Yay! I hope you enjoy the book – I do think Kagawa is a really fun author 😊 thank you!
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Seraphina was the first book I reviewed on me blog. Arrrr! I read Talon (yay dragons) and meant to read the next book when it came out and forgot about it. Thanks for the reminder. Are you going to read the dragon books The Dragon Round or The Waking Fire? I reviewed them on me blog if you like to take a looksee. Oh and lastly, downloaded The White Hart. Looking forward to that. Awesome post. I look charts!
x The Captain
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Awesome! Seraphina was marvellous ☺️ I will definitely check those books out! I’m game for trying anything with dragons in them! And excellent, I hope you enjoy it! Thanks ☺️
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AHHH I LOVE ALL YOUR GRAPHS AND CHARTS. That is awesomeness. I used to do them but then I got lazy. BUT YOURS ARE GRAND. Ahem. And omg a month in England?!? That sounds exciting. 😀 And I’m super glad you’ll still be blogging. Or else I’d miiiiiiss reading your blog and that would be a terrible tragedy FOR SURE. *flails dramatically* 😀 Also super glad you loved Talon! And also The Rose and the Dagger! That’s on my TBR for this month FOR SURE.
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Aw thank you! And gawsh Cait, get back on your horse young lassy! I wanna see some graphs next month *lowers spectacles onto nose and peers hard at you*.
I CAN’T WAIT TO GO. *runs in circles*
And yayay I can’t wait to see what you think of it (you better love it, no pressure).
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Oh my gosh, you had such an amazing reading month!!! It’s good to see you enjoyed Fangirl, I’m hoping to read that soon-ish. I also love love love your charts and graphs. I really want to start doing something like that. It’s such a cool addition. Also, super jealous about you spending a month in England, haha. I hope you have an amazing time ♥
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*collapses on couch* it was a good month!! And yes the charts are such a nice way of seeing how you did each month! Thanks 🙂
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Oh my, where has the time gone by? I feel like January was just, like, 2 days ago. Anyway, great job last May and congrats on the progress on your challenges! I wish I could read as many books as you did in a month. Have fun in to England. 🙂
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Aw thank you!! And I can’t wait 😀😀
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