May Reads Recap
Review Snapshot:
Everything is Tuberculosis
by John Green ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The House of My Mother
by Shari Franke ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
by Jesse. Q. Suanto ⭐⭐⭐
Hell Bent
by Leigh Bardugo ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ice Planet Barbarians
by Ruby Dixon ⭐⭐
Murder by Memory
by Olivia Waite ⭐⭐⭐
Just for the Summer
by Abby Jimenez ⭐⭐⭐
Razorblade Tears
by S. A. Cosby ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Unworthy
by Agustina Bazterrica ⭐⭐⭐⭐
All the Sinners Bleed
by. S. A. Cosby ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Great Big Beautiful Life
by Emily Henry ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Tell me you’re a mood reader without telling me you’re a mood reader….I’ll go first. I got through 11 books this month, three audio and eight physical, and the range was a bit all over the place. From non-fiction to alien smut to seriously intense thrillers. New John Green + The Discovery of S. A. Cosby made May a solid book month.
There should be no surprises that my three, five star reviews this month were:
Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green
All the Sinners by S. A. Cosby
Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby.
I highly suggest checking out all three if you, like me, enjoy reading that makes you cry in public. Because that happened with every single one. I have officially learned my lesson about listening to these authors while walking the dogs—or casually bringing their books to the bar across the street to “enjoy the patio.” Mistakes were made.
Review Roundup:
Review Snapshot:
What mood is this right for: When you want something sad but a little hopeful.
Length: 198 Pages
Genre: Non-Fiction / Memoir / Medical History
Source: Self Purchased From Amazon
Where to Buy: Everything is Tuberculosis- Affiliate Link
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
1 Sentence Summary: John Green recounts the story of meeting a young boy name Henry in a Sierra Leone hospital while intertwining the unique history of tuberculosis and the global injustice that still fuels it.
Read the whole review…
Review Snapshot:
⚠️TW: Severe Abuse, Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)⚠️
What mood is this right for: You’re ready to ugly cry
Length: 320 Pages
Genre: Non-Fiction | Memoir | Biography
Source: Book of the Month (join for just $5)
Where to Buy: The House of My Mother - Affiliate Link - BOTM - Free with a Trial of Audible
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
1 Sentence Summary: Shari Franke shows us the harrowing side of family influencing, the unseen consequences of turning children into content, and no matter how ‘perfect’ look online we don’t know what’s happening behind the camera.
Review Snapshot:
What mood is this right for: For when you’re wondering what your grandmother would do if she found a body in her apartment.
Length (Audio): 10hrs 41 min
Genre: Mystery | Cozy
Source: Libro.FM
Where to Buy: Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers - Affiliate Link - Free with a trial of Audible
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
1 Sentence Summary: Murder but make it tea filled & cozy
Read the whole review…
Review Snapshot:
What mood is this right for: You’re looking to take a journey to Hell to save a friend
Length :
Genre: Fantasy | Dark Academia | Urban Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Where to Buy: Hell Bent - Affiliate Link - Free with a trial of Audible
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
1 Sentence Summary: We left Alex (Galaxy) Stern in Ninth House as a portal to Hell snapped closed, we rejoin her and Dawes forbidden from saving Daniel Arlington but…doing it anyway.
Review Snapshot:
What mood is this right for: When you need something different 😏
Length: 304 Pages
Genre: Smut | Sci-Fi Romance
Source: Friends to Lovers Bookstore In Alexandria VA
Where to Buy: Ice Planet Barbarians - Affiliate Link -
Available on Kindle Unlimited
Rating: ⭐⭐
1 Sentence Summary: Girl gets kidnapped by space aliens and then…
Read the whole review….
Review Snapshot:
What mood is this right for: You want cozy murder mystery but make it scifi.😏
Length: 304 Pages
Genre: Smut | Sci-Fi Romance
Source: Friends to Lovers Bookstore In Alexandria VA
Where to Buy: Murder By Memory - Affiliate Link -
Free with a Trial of Audible
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
1 Sentence Summary: A woman wakes up in a body, not her own, just as someone else is murdered, Dorthy Gentleman must solve both mysteries to discover what’s happening on the HMS Fairweather.
Review Snapshot:
What mood is this right for: When you need a Hallmark movie but, make it a book.
Length: 304 Pages
Genre: Smut | Romance
Source: Friends to Lovers Bookstore In Alexandria VA
Where to Buy: Ice Planet Barbarians - Affiliate Link -
Available on Kindle Unlimited
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
1 Sentence Summary: Girl gets kidnapped by space aliens and then…
Review Snapshot:
What mood is this right for: You’re looking for a great story with southern gothic themes
Length (Audio): 12 hours, 22 minutes
Genre: Mystery | Thriller | Southern Gothic
Source: Libro.fm
Where to Buy: Razorblade Tears - Affiliate Link - Get 2 Free Book Credits when you Join Libro.Fm - Free with a trial of audible - Available on Kindle Unlimited
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ infinity
1 Sentence Summary: Two fathers set out to solve the murder of their sons confronting their own prejudices and familial relationships
Read the whole review…
Review Snapshot:
What mood is this right for: Reliving some religious trauma or you just need a good creepy book
Length: 175 Pages
Genre: Horror
Source: My Local Bookstore Blackbird Books & Coffee in Raleigh, NC
Where to Buy: The Unworthy-Affiliate Link -
Blackbird Books & Coffee - or Free with an Audible Trial
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
1 Sentence Summary: A harbor from the climate crisis with the barbaric consequences.
Read the whole review…
Review Snapshot:
What mood is this right for: mystery with a side of romance
Length: 418 Pages
Source: Self Purchased—Pre-ordered
Where to Buy: Great Big Beautiful Life - Affiliate Link -
Or Free with Audible Membership
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
1 Sentence Summary: Two rival journalists battle to tell the untold story of an iconic heiress—and uncover far more than they bargained for, including each other.
Read the whole review…
Review Snapshot:
What mood is this right for: When you want to feel the heaviness of the South
Length (Audio): 12 hours, 22 minutes
Genre: Mystery | Thriller | Southern Gothic
Source: Libro.fm
Where to Buy: All the Sinners Bleed - Affiliate Link - Get 2 Credits Free with a Trial of Libro.Fm - Free with a trial of audible - Available on Kindle Unlimited
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ infinity
1 Sentence Summary: Titus Crown, former FBI agent now the first Black sheriff in a small rural town, responds to a school shooting that uncovers a chilling & long-buried town horror.
All in all, my least favorite read of the month was Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon. I know this series has quite the cult following on TikTok but, it just was not for me. I love some smut but I need like at least 45.3% plot.
While it didn’t hit quite five stars for me, the book I cannot stop thinking about this month is The Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica. Her writing just has a way of seeping into your brain. As you know if you’ve been around here or my TikTok for awhile, Tender is the Flesh nearly made me vegan its’ imagery was so stuck in my head. There is no surprise this hit the same.
