DO IT, BUY THE BOOK- MAY WRAP UP

By Fay Clark

Well, this has been delightful! What a great start to our book challenge. I don't know about anyone else, but I was reading a few things I wouldn't have normally picked up and I loved it. Let's see what I read for the May's DO IT, BUY THE BOOK challenges.

Challenge 1 - Read a Book by a Black Author. For this challenge, I picked up A Phoenix First Must Burn, edited by Patrice Caldwell. Sixteen tales by bestselling and award-winning authors that explore the Black experience through fantasy, science fiction, and magic. 

I loved these short stories and would 100% read full-length novels of them. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Challenge 2 - Read a Book by an Asian Author. For this challenge, I picked up Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know by Samira Ahmed. It is August in Paris and budding art historian Khayyam should be having the time of her life - but even in the City of Lights, she can't stop worrying about the mess she left back home in Chicago. Only when she meets a dashing young Parisian - who happens to be a distant relative of the novelist Alexandre Dumas - do things start to get interesting. 

Her story needs to be heard. Someone has to do right by her. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Challenge 3 - Read a genre you wouldn't normally pick up. For this challenge, I read The Stand by Stephen King. First, come the days of the plague. Then come the dreams. Dreams that warn of the coming of the dark man. The apostate of death, his worn-down boot heels tramping the night roads. The warlord of the charnel house and Prince of Evil. His time is at hand. His empire grows in the west and the Apocalypse looms. 

This took on a whole new meaning after our recent Pandemic and King definitely waffled a bit in this book. ⭐⭐

Challenge 4 - Read a Graphic Novel. For this challenge, I picked up the 4th volume of Heartstopper by Alice Oseman. Charlie, a highly-strung, openly gay over-thinker, and Nick, a cheerful, soft-hearted rugby player, meet at a British all-boys grammar school. Friendship blooms quickly, but could there be something more...? 

I adore this series, Alice does an amazing job of taking a serious topic and making it approachable. Plus, cute gays. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Challenge 5 - Read Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded. Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents — including emails, maps, files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more — Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes. 

Honestly still just as good as the other 3 times I've read this book. I'm still crying over fictional characters, don't mind me. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I hope you all had an amazing reading month! I can't wait to start the June challenges, think there will be some interesting recommendations coming!!

Book Queen Out!