May Book Review

Well here we are with May in the books, summer officially started and even more books to review. I am thrilled to report that my new summer reading spot will be planted in my backyard, swinging in my hammock and soaking up the sun! It should be glorious!  

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas - Aelin Galathynius has vowed to save her people - but at a tremendous cost. Locked within an iron coffin by the Queen of the Fae, Aelin must draw upon her fiery will as she endures months of torture. The knowledge that yielding to Maeve will doom those she loves keeps her from breaking, but her resolve is unraveling with each passing day...

With Aelin captured, friends and allies are scattered to different fates. Some bonds will grow even deeper, while others will be severed forever. As destinies weave together at last, all must fight if Erilea is to have any hope of salvation. The NYT bestselling Throne of Glass series draws to an explosive conclusion as Aelin fights to save herself - and the promise of a better world.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 of five - What an ending to this series! I will be the first to admit that the Throne of Glass series took me a little while to get into, but goodness does it have a satisfying finish! The story wraps up each of the threads that have been spun throughout the series with dramatic flourish and was such a great way to finish out this story! I thoroughly enjoyed this book - and the Throne of Glass series!

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins - As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their home. Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch's name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He's torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who's nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he's been set up to fail. But there's something in him that wants to fight ... and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena. 

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐of five - Suzanne Collins just continues to write such epic tales within the Hunger Games universe and this one is no exception! Haymitch's tale adds so much to the tale that Suzanne started with Katniss and added to with Snow's story; this tale just adds depth and imagination to the lore that has been built. I will say; I think I enjoyed this book better than Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - but nothing tops the original trio! 

The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner - Sisters Cassie and Zoe Grossberg were born just a year apart but could not have been more different. Zoe, blessed with charm and beauty, yearned for fame from the moment she could sing into a hairbrush. Cassie was a musical prodigy who never felt at home in her own skin and preferred the safety of the shadows. 

On the brink of adulthood in the early 2000s, destiny intervened, catapulting the sisters into the spotlight as the pop sensation the Griffin Sisters, hitting all the touchstones of early aughts fame - SNL, MTV, Rolling Stone magazine - along the way. But after a whirlwind year in the public eye, the band abruptly broke up.

Two decades later, Zoe's a housewife; Cassie's off the grid. The sisters aren't speaking, and the real reason for the Griffin Sisters' breakup is still a mystery. Zoe's teenage daughter, Cherry, who's determined to be a star in spite of Zoe's warnings, is on a quest to learn the truth about what happened to the band all those years ago. 

As secrets emerge, all three women must face the consequences of their choices: the ones they made and the ones the music industry made for them. Can they forgive each other - and themselves? And will the Griffin Sisters ever make music again?

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐of five - Once upon a time I read every Jennifer Weiner book that came out but I haven't read one of her books in such a long time! This book and the tale of two sisters who are different as night and day, both pursuing the same dream; albeit very differently, was so delightful to me. Especially as a sister who is very different from my sister! A really fun and quick read! 

In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros - When Izzy Astor gets on a plane to go home, she isn't expecting much. It's the usual holiday travel experience: busy, crowded, stressful. Then she spots her seatmate, who is anything but ordinary. Nate Phelan sports dark hair, blue eyes and deliciously rugged charm that Izzy can't resist. Their connection is undeniable. Izzy never believed in destiny before, but she does now. 

Just ninety seconds after takeoff, their plane goes down in the Missouri River.

Their lives change. They chance. Nate goes on to a career in the military while Izzy finds her way into politics. Despite a few chance encounters over the years, the timing never feels right. Then comes a high-stakes reunion in Afghanistan, where Nate is tasked with protecting Izzy's life. He'll do anything to keep her safe. And everything to win her heart.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐of five - That's right; before Rebecca Yarros was writing books about dragons, she was writing rom-coms! This romance is fun and thrilling, with the withdrawal from Afghanistan as a backdrop for a portion of the book, which heightens the tensions. The story was fun and fluffy, another lovely little summertime read! 

************************************************

So - apparently I'm only 40% into my reading goal this year! I guess I better get to turning some pages since there are only seven months left in the year! Also... how have we already blazed through five months of this year??