This month has been…I guess a good one? I”m really not sure what it’s been, but I can tell you that I planned none of these books and they ended up being okay. I rediscovered my local library, and I’m pretty sure I just took out like 10 – 12 books the other day at the library??? OOPS, but also SO MANY NEW BOOKS FOR MANDY TO BINGE READ.
I read a total of 12 books this month.
- Exit, Pursued by a Bear by EK Johnston (audiobook)
- A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas
- Paranormalcy by Kiersten White (buddy read with Sha)
- The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice & Virtue by Mackenzi Lee (audiobook)
- The Life and Death Parade by Eliza Wass (DNF)
- The Wrong Train by Jeremy de Quidt
- Romeo and Juliet: A Chooseable-Path Adventure by Ryan North
- Not if I Save You First by Ally Carter
- Ten After Closing by Jessica Bayliss
- Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf
- The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang
- It’s Not Me, It’s You by Stephanie Kate Strohm (audiobook)
- The Pros of Cons by Alison Cherry, Lindsay Ribar, and Michelle Schusterman
- Pivot Point by Kasie West (buddy read with Sha)
The Highs
I actually had a lot of books that came super close to being total favorites???? Like, what is this madness? It’s so rare that I have books that are five crowns anymore – it’s usually favorites or Mandy Madness, so I am super shocked that I ended up being so so close to this???? The top 4 of the month are Bring Me Their Hearts, The Prince and the Dressmaker, It’s Not Me, It’s You, and The Pros of Cons. Alllllllllll sooooooooo close to getting their very own princess train, but got the lovely Tiana instead. Other great reads were Ten After Closing and The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice & Virtue.
The Lows
Eh, there was kind of a lot of lows. Everything else was just kind of – okay, totally, EH. The biggest disappointments? Okay, probably Pivot Point since it was DOWNGRADED from being a favorite to a solid 3 crowns of me going eh eh eh. Mandy totally lost an elusive favorites book, and I’m pretty sure this buddy review is just going to be me crying. A Court of Frost and Starlight was major eh, and I’m not sure I’ll be continuing the series. And the rest? EH EH EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
Book Haul
Also The Astonishing Color of After, which sounds like literally the perfect book to get me my contemporary feels. I need my summer summer summer feels.
What else has Mandy been up to?
Eh, not too much. Work got super busy in the beginning in the month, and I lost some valuable lunch reading time. Lunch reading time = Grown Woman Binge Reading time, and alas, without it, I failed on my book game as well as I did. Cry me a river, right? LOL.
This month did bring the return of my blogging game, and I have inspirationnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn again. Seriously, I’m coming up with posts that has me actually excited????
I’m also in the middle of a binge watch of Riverdale season 2. I know the consensus is that the second season is horrible, and I know Sha told me it’s so bad, but I’m oddly enjoying it????? Like, I’m so invested, and NOW THIS IS MESSING UP MY READING GAME. Also, Cheryl Blossom is so much love. And I’m forever a Bughead shipper?????
I also started out The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde, which is bound to be the next book that I will pretend to be currently reading but really will just sit on my shelf for the next year. Let’s just get used to see Oscar’s purple face gazing at us from the side of the blog.
June TBR
I just went to the library and took out a million books, so I have sooooooooo many options now, and I don’t know what to do with myself?????? Like, so much OOPS, but I’m just so excited for all the prospects of new books but, um, of course, I’m reading the books actually from my own collection. Let’s see what I actually will try and read?
- #MURDERTRENDING by Gretchen McNeil (eARC)
- Magnus Chase: The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan
- Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (audiobook)
- Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody
- Date to Save by Stephanie Kate Strohm
- Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson
- Beauty and the Beast: Lost in a Book by Jennifer Donnelly
- Save the Date by Morgan Matson
Ohh I’m looking forward to seeing what you think of Starry Eyes, I love her books!
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I actually read it already! IT WAS SO GOOD. It was so good that I had to rush out and buy myself the physical book since I’m trying to convince myself not to reread it, LOL. So so so recommend, Beth! 🙂
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Yess!! I’m so glad to hear, I can’t wait to read it!
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I’m so curious about The Prince and the Dressmaker, but everyone seems to love it so maybe I’ll give it a try!
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I thought it was such a lovely read! It had such gorgeous art, an intriguing storyline, and wonderful characters. Definitely lives up to the hype!!
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Thank you!! I have add it to my wishlist!!
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Choose your adventure R & J???? Say whaaaat? Tell me more, please.
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It’s an amazing read, you have to pick it up. I was laughing the whole way through. 😀
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Ahahaha. It had its enjoyable moments, although I honestly kept not dying???? Not sure if that was a good thing or not, LOL.
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If you died it probably would’ve been a short adventure 😂
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Ahahaha so true! Screwed either way, LOL.
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12 books woo! Well done Mandy! I remember reading Paranormalcy a long time ago and I wasn’t that impressed either. I’m glad you had fun with The Gentleman’s Guide though, that book was awesome!
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Thank you, Ashley!! ❤ And yes! I remember my childhood reader me thought it was so much better. XD I just liked that she had a taser named Tasey? And YES! So much fun. 😀
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Oh gosh, I forgot about the taser! Haha.
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That was literally the only thing I remembered from the first one. XD
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SO MANY GOOD BOOKS ON YOUR TBR!!
Also- What did you think of the Romeo And/or Juliet? I own that and another one similar to that, which I found at a thrift store and was sooo intrigued (but never got around to opening them)!
I am ALSO in the middle of bingeing Riverdale season two, and I am really enjoying it so far as well! You should totally come up with a Riverdale tag like you did for X-Files! That would be SUPER awesome.
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Let me speak for Mandy and say R/J is a must read (if you’re going for a non-traditional book). So much fun and humour throughout! It’s one book I actually enjoyed reading *while* reading something else though (actually don’t know if this is a pro or a con?). I could get in some laughs with one “adventure” and then drift off to something else before coming back for more. 😀
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Awesome 🙂 that’s why I got them! Also- I loved choose your own adventure stories when I was young and you just don’t see them anymore
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You’re so right! I miss them, so happy Ryan North is bringing the style back with such a classic.
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(choose your own adventure stories were the bestttttttttttttt. I just want them all. They need to come back more.)
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I agree so much!
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Yesssssssss!! I cannot wait for July!! Hope you have a fantastic reading month for it!
And IT GETS SO GOOD BY THE END. I just finished it the other night, and omg, I need season 3 now. Who is your favorite character? And oooooh that would be so much fun! :O
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Oooohh idk I like Jughead a lot I think 🙂
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Yesssssss. Jughead is so great. There are a lot of great ones. 😀
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Truth. I really didn’t think I’d like the show! It surprised me how much I enjoy it 🙂
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ME TOO. I pushed off watching it so much because I totally thought I wouldn’t like dark Archie?? XD But it really ended up being so good!
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I’m curious about your thoughts on Ace of Shades…it wasn’t fun for me lol. You have me officially interested in Bring Me Their Hearts as well 🙂
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Oh no! I’ve seen such varying opinions about it, and I’m going to assume it might go the same way with how you felt about it. But yessssssssssssss! IT was such a fun read. Just some good fierce fun.
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We actually read one book that was the same this month! Thank goodness I read it yesterday while waiting for the Adult Reading Group people to settle down.
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I AM SO PROUD OF US, KYERA. WE DIDN’T EVEN PLAN IT, BUT WE DID IT. I feel like I saw a quick review for it, but how did you feel? I legit kept not dying???? XD Like, I just ended up with a happily ever after after two things, lol.
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Go us!!
Ugh yes, so many happily ever afters. I was just too awesome.. central air, perfect ruler, no deaths. I wrote a mini review for the two.
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Ahahahahaha oh no, Kyera. It was very un-Shakespeare like. Goodness.
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Great wrap-up Mandy! I know you had quite some disappointing lows, and lost some lunch reading time, but I hope you find June to be excellent! So many good books are on that list! I was approved Bring Me their Hearts so I am definitely picking that up asap!! Happy reading!!!
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Thankies, Rendz! Hope June brings you some great books and fun and feels! And YESSSSSSSSSSSSs. It’s so much goodness, Rendz. Feels and epic lady leads and super cool magic all wrapped up into one!!
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Great wrap up, sorry you read so many meh books this month though I’m glad you enjoyed The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and virtue as it’s one of my favourite reads of the year. Hope you have a great June 🙂
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Thank you, Michaela!!! And yesssssssssss. It was so much fun. Totally agree about favorites this year. And you too!!! ❤
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Your welcome and thanks 😀
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I didn’t realize that I somehow had missed your review for Not if I saved you first until now. Sad that that wasn’t so high for you. I guess it’s a good thing I only paid for a ebook format of that book so it wasn’t full priced. I liked your review for Bring Me Their Hearts even though I didn’t like that book myself. Maybe I’m just the odd one out on that one?
And YOU WILL LOVE the Beauty and the Beast Lost in a book. I actually have that on my fairytale DTB shelf.
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Oh yes! I haven’t posted on here yet, but it is on Goodreads. But yeah, it wasn’t pleasing as I thought it would be. Not Gallagher Girls level. Hope you enjoy it more. And trust me, I’ve been there before. When I reading it, I did say to myself that it really might not be a book for everyone.
And YAYYYYYYY. I’m so excited for it now. It’s my next audiobook and I’m super pumped for it.
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I’m glad you found your blogging mojo again, and that you found so many new faves! I also adored Gentleman’s Guide (it’s sooo funny), and ahh, I heard ACOFAS was a bummer for a lot of people as well. Terrific wrapup!
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Thank you!! And yessssssssss, I cannot wait for the second one because I can only imagine the fun that Felicity will get into. And yes it was – there wasn’t a plot, which, um, it really needed since the characters weren’t exciting enough without one, lol. XD Thank you!!
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Pfft I feel you on that. XD And yes, I also have a feeling that Felicity’s story will be so much fun to read! 😀
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Yesssssssssssss. I’m ready for all the girl power and funnies I’m expecting, lol.
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I am so in love with Stephanie Kate Strohm. Her books are so much fun. I hope to read the new Matson this month too (#bloggershame). Starry Eyes got all the stars and love from me. I hope you enjoy it.
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Omigosh, I just finished The Save the Date, and you were so right that it was just as great. I will I admit I did enjoy the first one a bit more, but Strohm cannot do a book in a series wrong. Did you listen to the audiobooks of them, Sam? And ahahaha yes! We must be true to our contemporary selves and try to get to it. D:
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I had read them, but I bet the audio would be fun.
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I did It’s Not Me, It’s You in audio recently, and I will say it’s kind of like Gemina/Illuminae with the huge cast audiobook but the adorable contemporary version, lol?
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