May Reads: Abysmal, Eclectic
May was a rather abysmal reading month for me. If you're looking at this list of five books and thinking that is about the norm for me so this being a low book-count month sounds off, full disclosure: most of these books were started in April or earlier (one was picked up for the first time back in 2018...)
May marks the end of my school year and while my extracurricular responsibilities tapered off in the first half of the month, I was mentally burnt out. I am proud of this school year but I was too busy between work and my own life. Unfortunately, I drifted into reading fanfiction instead of novels which while fun doesn't add to my book totals.
What I did read is a pretty random mix but here goes.
The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn. I really liked her Bridgerton series so I am always looking for another enjoyable read. I got this book at a library book sale along with another one of hers. While this one does not measure up to my favorite series, it certainly had its amusing moments. If you're looking for a light, quick romance, this book is an option, but I would recommend the Bridgerton stories first if you are new to this author.
Small Spaces Living by Roberta Sandenbergh. I love house designs, architecture, tiny houses; all of it captivates me, and I seem to have gotten on a kick reading about small-scale living. This book claims that it has 115 space-saving ideas, but I would argue that it has fewer as several really are repeats of previous ideas with just the tiniest variation. I did like how the book was organized the techniques by the different areas of the home. I also appreciated that the author could utilize her own life experiences to back up the usefulness of the tips. The diagrams were great for helping me visualize and see how the ideas worked.
Continuing with my tiny house learning, I also finished Micro Shelters by Derek "Deek" Diedricksen. This book contains 59 designs ranging from mini-homes to treehouses to reading shelters to playhouses. I loved all the photos of the builds--I actually wish there had been more especially once we left the chapter on the tiny houses. The back of the book contained some basic plans for six designs which I thought was really cool and helpful for anyone with actual wood-working skills (not me although I did make it through my nine weeks of shop class with all ten fingers intact as a 7th grader--no joke, I really was not sure if I would survive sans injury).
Become a Successful Indie Author by Craig Martelle was a read to try to help me learn more about this self-publishing journey. This book would be really helpful to anyone who is brand-new to the process. For those who have bumbling along for a year (aka me), there were useful bits but I am glad that I was able to pick it up for free. The appendix at the back with synonyms for "said" or other common actions looks useful.
Finally, I finished the book my small group had been sharing: Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis. I have very mixed opinions on the book. She had some really good advice but at the same time I felt that she was writing from a privileged place. My one friend listens to her podcast and has a different perspective on Hollis's life, so I would advise trying to add that alongside reading the book for a better experience. I did like how she finished each chapter with three solid actions to take to overcome the lie the chapter focused on.
On another note, I am participating in a promotion of romance stories this month. Over 30 ebooks are available for free with signing up for author newsletters at https://mybookcave.com/g/d5d103ea/. My short story Mill Creek Wedding Run is one of the many choices available and participants can enter to win a $30 gift card, so check it out!
May marks the end of my school year and while my extracurricular responsibilities tapered off in the first half of the month, I was mentally burnt out. I am proud of this school year but I was too busy between work and my own life. Unfortunately, I drifted into reading fanfiction instead of novels which while fun doesn't add to my book totals.
What I did read is a pretty random mix but here goes.
The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn. I really liked her Bridgerton series so I am always looking for another enjoyable read. I got this book at a library book sale along with another one of hers. While this one does not measure up to my favorite series, it certainly had its amusing moments. If you're looking for a light, quick romance, this book is an option, but I would recommend the Bridgerton stories first if you are new to this author.
Small Spaces Living by Roberta Sandenbergh. I love house designs, architecture, tiny houses; all of it captivates me, and I seem to have gotten on a kick reading about small-scale living. This book claims that it has 115 space-saving ideas, but I would argue that it has fewer as several really are repeats of previous ideas with just the tiniest variation. I did like how the book was organized the techniques by the different areas of the home. I also appreciated that the author could utilize her own life experiences to back up the usefulness of the tips. The diagrams were great for helping me visualize and see how the ideas worked.
Continuing with my tiny house learning, I also finished Micro Shelters by Derek "Deek" Diedricksen. This book contains 59 designs ranging from mini-homes to treehouses to reading shelters to playhouses. I loved all the photos of the builds--I actually wish there had been more especially once we left the chapter on the tiny houses. The back of the book contained some basic plans for six designs which I thought was really cool and helpful for anyone with actual wood-working skills (not me although I did make it through my nine weeks of shop class with all ten fingers intact as a 7th grader--no joke, I really was not sure if I would survive sans injury).
Become a Successful Indie Author by Craig Martelle was a read to try to help me learn more about this self-publishing journey. This book would be really helpful to anyone who is brand-new to the process. For those who have bumbling along for a year (aka me), there were useful bits but I am glad that I was able to pick it up for free. The appendix at the back with synonyms for "said" or other common actions looks useful.
Finally, I finished the book my small group had been sharing: Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis. I have very mixed opinions on the book. She had some really good advice but at the same time I felt that she was writing from a privileged place. My one friend listens to her podcast and has a different perspective on Hollis's life, so I would advise trying to add that alongside reading the book for a better experience. I did like how she finished each chapter with three solid actions to take to overcome the lie the chapter focused on.
On another note, I am participating in a promotion of romance stories this month. Over 30 ebooks are available for free with signing up for author newsletters at https://mybookcave.com/g/d5d103ea/. My short story Mill Creek Wedding Run is one of the many choices available and participants can enter to win a $30 gift card, so check it out!
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