Hi, friends! Thanks for joining me today; I’m so glad you’re here 💙. Today I’m sharing my May 2021 Wrap-Up and my June TBR. It was a pretty great reading month for me, including a five-star read, some great fantasy, and getting to check to off two books from the bucket list. Keep reading to see what I’ve been up to!
What I Read in May 2021
Almost everything I plan to read this year is part of my 2021 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge. You can check out the full list of prompts and my selections ･ﾟ✧here✧ﾟ･.
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
— 4.0 out of 5 stars
The first book I read in May 2021 was Rebecca Roanhorse’s Black Sun. This is an epic fantasy rooted in Indigenous American culture and geography. There are a few big action sequences, but it is primarily a character-driven fantasy story, which is right up my alley! I did notice some writing quirks and one plot issue I can’t discuss due to spoilers. But, suffice to say, this was awesome, and I’ll recommend it the same way I recommended Black Leopard, Red Wolf:
If you like epic, high fantasy adventures but have always felt the genre could use a little more melanin, Black Sun might be for you!
Support a local bookstore (and this blog!) by purchasing Black Sun on Bookshop.org.
The Iliad by Homer, translated by Robert Fitzgerald
— 4.0 out of 5 stars
The next book I read in May 2021 was The Iliad, part one of my Homer double-feature for the month. I did not read this book or The Odyssey in school, so I was excited to study them on my own. It wasn’t exactly what I expected, but I still appreciated its themes. And, of course, the characterizations of the gods as petty children fighting with one another about which dumb human to save was just great. The Fitzgerald translation was perfect, and I definitely recommend it if you are a Homeric novice. Authors Note: I, too, am a Homeric novice.
If you’re into Greek Mythology and/or classic poetry, and are tired of your gods being portrayed as wise, thoughtful beings, then The Iliad might be for you!
Support a local bookstore (and this blog!) by purchasing The Iliad on Bookshop.org.
Son of the Storm by Suyi Davies Okungbowa
— 5.0 out of 5 stars
Next, I read Suyi Davies Okungbowa’s just-released Son of the Storm. I was so excited for this book, and it definitely did not disappoint! This is another high fantasy epic, but this one is based on West African cultures and geography. I would say Son of the Storm is a bit more plot-driven than Black Sun, but the characters are vibrant and well-developed, and I absolutely loved the writing style. This is the first installment in a planned trilogy, and you bet your butt I’m pre-ordering the next one as soon as the link is live!
If you like fast-paced, epic fantasy, and want an engaging story with equally engaging characters, then Son of the Storm is definitely for you!
Support a local bookstore (and this blog!) by purchasing Son of the Storm on Bookshop.org.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
— 2.5 out of 5 stars
Next, I read Kazuo Ishiguro’s science fiction? dystopia? experimental fiction? Look, I don’t know how to categorize this book, and to get into the details would involve spoiling some “twists” in this story. The twists weren’t particularly shocking to me, but I don’t want to ruin it for anyone else. Anyway, this book was the definition of disappointing for me. The writing style didn’t click, the characters were annoying, and the pacing was super inconsistent. I can definitely tell that Ishiguro is a talented writer, and I’m not against giving him another chance. However, this book was just serving me meh on all cylinders. Updated August 2020: I wrote a full-length review of this book. Check it out ･ﾟ✧here✧ﾟ･.
If you like literary, stream-of-consciousness prose, and don’t mind a disorganized, introspective narrative, then Never Let Me Go might be for you!
Support a local bookstore (and this blog!) by purchasing Never Let Me Go on Bookshop.org.
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
— 4.0 out of 5 stars
Next, I read The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones. I was tentatively hyped for this, as I’m a baby and don’t read much horror, but I really enjoyed this one! I’ve read some reviews saying this is less horror and more “experimental literary fiction.” Personally, I think that all depends on what you want out of your horror reads. This was atmospheric and spooky enough for me. It was well-written (which I guess is where the “criticisms” of this book being literary come from). It also included beautiful themes on Native culture, tradition, and familial relationships. Content Warning, though, for some really gory shit. That’s all I’m gonna say about that.
If you like well-written, atmospheric horror with characters who feel like real people with real lives, then The Only Good Indians might be for you!
Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Only Good Indians on Bookshop.org.
The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Robert Fitzgerald
— 3.5 out of 5 stars
And last but not least, we come to the final book I read in May 2021 and the second in my Homer double-feature: The Odyssey. I didn’t like this quite as much as The Iliad, mainly because all the good stuff was in the first half of the story. Cyclopes get stabbed in the eye; Circe turns Odysseus’s men into pigs (and then back into humans); Odysseus is emo! All great stuff, except all of it happens before the 50% mark. After which, the whole third act is mostly uneventful until the very end. The translation is still beautiful, though, and the ending between Penelope and Odysseus might have made me feel something in my cold, dead heart. It’s just a bummer the middle is so… bland.
If you’re into Greek Mythology and want to read about a middle-aged dude playing mind games with a Cyclops, then The Odyssey might be for you!
Support a local bookstore by purchasing The Odyssey on Bookshop.org.
What I’m Currently Reading
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
You read that right; I’m back on my Middle Earth bullshit! I usually don’t watch film adaptations before reading the books they’re based on, but I’ve now done it with both Fellowship and The Hobbit. Both experiences have been great, and I might start doing this more often! I’m getting so much out of the reading experience since I can pay attention to the fine details instead of keeping up with the more significant plot developments. Plus, I just love Middle Earth, so it’s fun to spend more time here.
Support a local bookstore (and this blog!) by purchasing Fellowship of the Ring on Bookshop.org.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The angry grandpa hipster in me requires that I make it clear that TikTok did not, in fact, make me buy it. I selected this book for my 2021 Reading Challenge way back in December 2021, and I don’t even have the attention span for an app like TikTok. So there! Anyway, so far, it’s just fine. However, I suspect it may not live up to the hype for me; It’s been very underwhelming so far. But hey, the Trojan Wars just started, so hopefully, it will get more interesting very soon!
Support a local bookstore (and this blog!) by purchasing The Song of Achilles on Bookshop.org.
What I Want to Read in June 2021
- Blindness by José Saramago (finished)
- Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson
- The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
- House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
- The Secret History by Donna Tartt
- The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Wrapping up the May 2021 Wrap-Up
And there you have it! This is everything I have read recently, am currently reading, or will be reading soon. My favorite book I read in May 2021 was Son of the Storm, and my most disappointing read was Never Let Me Go. If I had to say what book I’m most excited about reading in June, it would probably be Fellowship of the Ring.
What about you? Let me know what your favorite book from this month was, and what you’re most excited to read in June.
I’ll be back soon with a new blog post, so keep your eyes peeled for that! In the meantime, you can keep up with my reading on Goodreads, where you can find me at @tassara_txt, or follow my other social media: I’m on Instagram as @thepaladinpages, Twitter as @tassara_exe, and Pinterest as @tassara_jpg.
As always: thanks for reading, and I’ll see you soon. 💙
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