“May, more than any other month of the year, wants us to feel most alive.”
Fennel Hudson
Did you know that The month of May is named after the Greek goddess Maia? Maia was the goddess of fertility and growth and was often represented with a blossoming flower – which is likely why it is customary to wear a rose in your hair on May Day. In Italy, the month of May is considered to be good luck for weddings and couples who tie the knot in May are thought to be blessed with abundance and happiness.
Much like my April round up – I am writing this post from much later in the year, but it’s been quite nice to revisit my earlier reads, to see what has really stuck in my mind and which books have already been forgotten about…so let’s get to it.
I struggled to find focus in April, and it may look at first glance like May was the same – but actually I went on a massive Kindle binge. I was having a tough time with work and wanted pure escapism when I was reading in the evenings – the Romantic Escapes series by Julie Caplin is the perfect blend of romance, friendship and travel writing. I believe there are currently 11 books in the series, with a new one due in October [can’t wait!] and I read 5 of them in May. Set all over the world, Paris to Iceland, Brooklyn to Croatia, they are perfect light reading and have added so many beautiful locations to my bucket list. My favourite so far is The Little Teashop in Tokyo; I would love to visit Japan and following the story of Fiona as she develops not only her photography, but her love for the tea ritual has instilled a deep desire to spend time in the country. The series has an ensemble cast that expands and pops up between books and I love looking out for them in the pages, I highly recommend if you need a dose of wanderlust but the budget isn’t on board.
I also read the gorgeously cosy Comfort Food Café series by Debbie Johnson – I just learned there is a new one due out in September which is exciting! The stories follow the residents of a small town in Dorset, where the Comfort Food Cafe dishes out not only great food, but a healthy dollop of support, friendship and sometimes, love. This one is another ensemble cast and I just love the approach, it feels like meeting up with old friends – absolutely recommend if you’ve ever dreamed of escaping the rat race to somewhere idyllic.
Anyway, lets focus on physical books and what is staying.
Books Read:
| Title | Author |
| Warm Bodies | Isaac Marion |
| If I Stay | Gayle Forman |
| Sleep Donation | Karen Russell |
| Not On Fire But Burning | Greg Hrbek |
| Capture Your Style | Aimee Song |
Total keeping: 2 out of 5
If I Stay is staying on the shelf – I think I have tried to donate this copy five or six times now, and it always finds its way back onto the shelf. This copy is slightly battered having been lent out more times than I can count, but it’s such a comfort read for me, I love that I can visualise the characters so clearly – and while it is a sad storyline, there is so much hope within the pages, and we all need a little more of that.
I’m also keeping Warm Bodies – the film adaptation of this is great, but nothing beats the book, Isaac Marion is a talented writer to be able to bring a zombie to life. If you’ve never empathised with the undead, then this may be just the book to change your mind! Having done some research on this book, I’ve learned there is both a prequel and a sequel – so I’ll be adding them to my wish list!
Total heading for new homes: 3 out of 5
It was tempting to keep all these books this month but if I’m being realistic, I can’t see myself coming back to Capture Your Style. Whilst it is beautifully written, and of course has gorgeous photography, much of the media advice is sadly out of date. It did instil a deep sense of nostalgia for a time on social media when people were just sharing their lives, and not constantly trying to ‘build a brand’ to sell you things. I’m also letting go of Sleep Donation, this is a gorgeously creepy book that feels like a dream even as you’re reading it and whilst I enjoyed it, I’ve passed it on to a friend. It’s set in America at a time when insomnia has become an epidemic, and those who can still nod off are encouraged to donate their pure sleep to assist. It was quietly terrifying, if you enjoyed Nod by Adrian Barnes then this could be a perfect next read for you.
This was a great month for reading, a terrible month for focusing on physical books but a great month overall – I’ll take it. A little progress is still progress.
In the interest of full disclosure, I actually ended up keeping Not On Fire But Burning – I went backwards and forwards on it, and couldn’t get it out of my brain. So, I decided to put it back on the shelf and see how I feel after my next re-read – scheduled for approx. 5 years time! Have you ever felt that way about a book?
Or are there any books you’ve read recently that have stayed with you long after you’ve closed the pages? Let me know – I love recommendations.
Nx
bleached_books 