#I have made so many moodboards I forgot to post this one my tumblr oops

[olenvasynyt]

Elucien

Lyrics are from Mumford and Son’s song After the Storm, which is think is so perfect for Elucien’s mating bond! They both have so much trauma, and their conflicts with themselves and the bond as well as the past they both cling to will play a big part in their story. But it’ll all be okay in the end.

[beautifulpaxielreads]

May Wrap Up

Books completed (ratings out of five stars)

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) * by Suzanne Collins, audiobook read by Tatiana Maslany (★★★★★)

Cairo by G. Willow Wilson, art by M. K. Perker, lettering by Travis Lanham (★★★)

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (★★★★)

Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1) * by Neal Shusterman (★★★★)

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games #0) by Suzanne Collins (★★★★)

Books currently in progress

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon…

…but I plan to start The Toll (Arc of a Scythe #3) really soon!

*reread

Challenges, Games, and other Booklr interactions

Answered @lizziethereader​’s Weekly Bookish Question #179 (May 3rd-May 9th): What’s the latest addition to your bookshelf? and Weekly Bookish Question #181 (May 17th – May 23rd): Where [sic] you ever late to something because of a book? (my answers here and here)

Tagged by @storytime-reviews​ in the Big Book Tag game (my answer here)

JOMP Book Photography Challenge, May, Day 15: Time Period (set by @just0nemorepage​)

Shelf Confidence Book Photo Challenge, May, Day 13: Pretty in Pink (set by @myownlittlebookcorner​)

Answered @lizziethereader​’s Weekly Bookish Question #179 (May 3rd-May 9th): What’s the latest addition to your bookshelf? (NB This is NOT the same answer I mentioned earlier, I made that post later in the month than this) (full thread here)

Finished 2 books on my backlist, unofficially as part of @bookbandit​’s Beat the Backlist challenge.

As of today, I’ve so far read 27 books this year out of my planned 70. Running a bit behind, alas, but the year isn’t over yet!

Original Posts on Tumblr

Posted photograph of my current/upcoming reads shelf as of May 22nd (link)

Posted photograph of my newly-purchased copy of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (link, please note this is reblogged from my original blog @beautifulpaxiel​)

Posted an acknowledgement and thank you for reaching 800 followers for this blog, including my own graphic (link)

Posted photograph of my latest bookshop haul as of May 1 (link)

Reflections on May’s Reading Goals

 I finished all the books I had been reading in April, except for Northanger Abbey, which I really wasn’t in the mood for.

I didn’t start On the Trail of Genghis Khan. At the rate I’m going, I probably won’t read that until July now – but we’ll see.

Didn’t start any of my e-books. Oops.

I read Scythe, and as I write, I just finished the sequel, Thunderhead, the ending of which was mind-boggling. I’m not counting it as part of my books read in May since we’re already in June. Didn’t start The Toll, unfortunately – but I’m confident I’ll be finished with that one within a few days or so.

 As far as books on my backlist go, I finished Cairo and Red, White & Royal Blue.

I didn’t manage to get to Saga Land this month, but hopefully I’ll get to it sometime in June.

No more moodboards yet, but my participation on Booklr has been much better (see above) so I can live with that for now.

Started my new library hold, As far as the stars – but alas, I wasn’t really enjoying it, so I DNF’d it. Life’s too short for books you don’t like.

New followers

52!!!!!! Thank you to all and I hope you are enjoying my blog.

Interesting observations

I’ve really been enjoying the Arc of a Scythe trilogy, starting with my reread of the first book, Scythe. I got done with the 2nd book, Thunderhead, yesterday, and I can’t wait to see how Shusterman gets his characters out of that massive cliffhanger.

My TBR has been slow going. I just seem to keep putting off books and getting hold of new ones which pushes the old ones even further down the list. I DO want to read the books on my TBR, but the thing is there are so many good-looking OTHER books out there! Has anyone got the answer to this conundrum?

 I’m starting to get back into my reading groove this month after the lacklustre April I had - both in terms of Booklr participation and actual reading. I think I’m finally getting used to filling all the free time I have thanks to COVID-19, so it doesn’t seem so much of a chore now.

 I really need to learn to put down books I’m not enjoying earlier. I justify reading these books in the hope that book will improve, but it doesn’t always do that. I’ve been really wrapped up in the Arc of a Scythe series, which, as good as it’s been, doesn’t always leave much time for other books.

You may have noticed (ha!) that I’m still reading The Priory of the Orange Tree. I think this is one that I’ll keep returning to while I read other, shorter books in the meantime. I think it’s the kind of book that rewards a slow read, especially as the world building is so rich. Still have no end date in sight, but I don’t feel the need to rush with this one.

One big thing that I forgot to mention in my reading goals for April was The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Hunger Games #0) by Suzanne Collins. I read it well into the night and into the early morning and I have to say, it kind of left me shellshocked. I’m still trying to process it all, and I can say there’s a reread on the horizon so I can absorb more.

Reading (and reading-related) Goals for June

 Continue reading The Priory of Orange Tree at my own pace. No pressure to finish this month (or possibly the next) …

Start the books I recently borrowed from the library – Harley in the Sky by Akemi Dawn Bowman, Green Valentine by Lili Wilkinson (Aussie author!) and Onyx & Ivory (Rime Chronicles #1) by Mindee Arnett.

Start at least one of the ebooks on my tablet.

Read The Toll (Arc of a Scythe #3) by Neal Shusterman. Can’t wait to see how he wraps this series up.

MAYBE reread The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes? Not sure yet, TBH. @lovelytothebone wants to do a group chapter-by-chapter reread at some point so I’ll probably wait for that.

More Booklr interaction, of course. That’s a given.

My GoodReads count for 2020 so far shows I’m two books behind schedule in my goal to reach 70 books read. I want to bring that up to date.

Maybe do another moodboard? Only if I’m in the mood (pun fully intended, he he) ….

Read at least one book by an author of colour

Start Saga Land by Richard Fidler & Kári Gíslason

I think that will do for the time being. See you all in July for the next monthly wrap-up!