May Wrap Up 2018

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This month concluded on a high note and I discovered two books which have now become my all-time favourites. So, all in all, May was eventful! After the emotional devastation that was The Diary of a Young Girl, I am now experiencing a book hangover after a very, very long time. I am not sure what I will read next so forget about my June TBR. I may possibly try to grab a hold of The Diary of a Wimpy Kid from my cousin brother if he is happy enough to lend me it. He has the entire collection, so he shouldn’t mind parting with one. Right now, he is reading the Harry Potter series and it’s his first time so I’m really jealous! I feel as though it’s a much more magical experience when you read it at a young age. (I am writing this listening to soundtracks from season six of Game of Thrones.)

Let’s get to it!

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Total Books Read: 12

May Favourites: Oh, The Places You’ll Go by Dr Seuss and The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Fox in Socks by Dr Seuss – as you know, I did a tongue twister challenge using this book in May which I LOVED doing! My sister and I had a blast.

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Seuss – this book advocates trying new things and stepping out of your comfort zone. Don’t mock things without trying them first! For all you know, you may end up loving it. I completely agree with this message!

The Cat in the Hat by Dr Seuss – you can still have fun even without being in the sun! Seize the moment and stop waiting for the right circumstances to fall on your lap in order for you to enjoy yourself. Go and create fun! Loved this, what a great message for children and adults alike.

Mr Brown Can Moo, Can You? by Dr Seuss – I loved this because it made you realise how wonderful and strange it is that animals all make different and unique noises as well as most everything else in the world. Almost everything and person in the world has an identifier, we all have different voices, might knock on doors differently or walk up the stairs differently. These identifiers are signals of the uniqueness of everything in the world… it’s a way to let us know which animal or who is nearby or let us know of any impending danger. This just further strengthened my belief in religion.

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr Seuss – this one was okay, I don’t think I understood the message. A lot of animals.

The Kingmaker’s Daughter by Philippa Gregory – Ah, I was really disappointed because I wanted more and expected more after reading The Other Boleyn Girl. It reminded me of Game of Thrones, I just wish Philippa Gregory utilised its potential more. Anne Neville in her youth reminded me of the young Sansa Stark: idealistic and naive. You hope Anne will grow up and understand Queen Elizabeth, but she doesn’t. Notable events were breezed past leaving you yearning for more depth. One character just disappears with no mention afterwards. I did enjoy the more impartial portrait of Richard III as opposed to what we were presented with from Shakespeare, but Gregory made assumptions on the missing princes of the tower where I would have preferred it to remain ambiguous, but it is her book and she is entitled to her opinion. Still excited for the other books in the Cousins series!

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Hop on Pop by Dr Seuss – this book is clearly for infants, I was definitely not the target audience for this.

Horton Hears A Who! by Dr Seuss – hey, you! Yes, you! Your voice matters however insignificant you believe it to be, your voice could be the voice we need to win. Your voice is important and your voice counts. THIS IS PERFECT FOR BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS!

The Lorax by Dr Seuss – I didn’t think I would enjoy but I actually ended up loving this. This books narrative is centred around protecting the environment. Greed will deprive not just the poor, the disadvantaged and the environment but by destroying the environment, the greedy will lose too by losing essential resources. Your greed will deprive you. Great message and again perfect for adults and children alike.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr Seuss – whichever religion you follow, presents and gifts aren’t necessary for your enjoyment of religious celebrations which is what the Grinch learns. They can be just as merry without it but if presents do come, they’re just an added bonus!

FAVOURITES

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank Book Review – it truly is one of the greatest books of the 21st century.

Oh, The Places You’ll Go by Dr Seuss – something told me that I was going to love this before I even opened it, call it intuition but this book was for me and I knew it. Ironically, I’ve spoken about how much I relate to Theodore Finch from All The Bright Places and Finch knows this book by heart. Dr Seuss’s first name is Theodore as well. And I go and read this book… and move over Gone With The Wind because I have a new all-time favourite book and IT IS THIS GEM AND TONIC. How did Dr Seuss manage to perfectly capture the vast, wondrous and strange thing that is called ‘life’ in a children’s picture book? Dr Seuss was a GENIUS. Guys, I will recommend this to everyone. If you need a pick-me-up, comfort, understanding and/or advice, this book is your one-stop shop for it all. For you, for me, for everyone.

international expressions
Credit: International Expressions

And on that note, I want to ask publishers and agencies exactly why it took so long to get Dr Deuss published? It’s so bizarre that some of the most impactful books come from authors who had to wait and persevere in a lengthy blitz of rejection all because you wanted to stick to the status quo. PUSH THE ENVELOPE. WE, READERS, LIKE THAT. We are not the monotonous drones that you believe us to be. We welcome the new and the different. Believe in us. Please.

I Heart You Dr Seuss.

MAY 2018 POSTS

Versatile Blogger and Liebster Award
“She’s Not as Innocent as She Looks”
You Float Away
Becoming Myself
Me In Book Characters Tag
10 Books That Made Me Laugh
Which TV Shows Are You Watching?
A Short Attention Span
Top Five Tuesday – Opening/First Lines in Books and a Challenge
About Me (Updated)
Reading Between the Lines
When Does It Become Stealing/Copying When You Are Inspired by Original Content?
Books on My Actual Bookshelf That I Haven’t Read Tag: Part One
7 Ways Anxiety is Not Fashionable
Don’t You Dare Let Anyone Define Your Choices or Tell You Who You Are – Stay You

Wow… I posted a fair bit this month.

POSTS I LOVED READING THIS MONTH

Suziey @ Of All the Books in All the Libraries reviews Nancy Drew: The Clue of the Black Keys
Pages Unbound explains Why I [they] Won’t Buy Books From Amazon. Side note: if Barnes & Noble and Waterstones lose money, consider the fact that publishers and agencies will be reluctant to take on new and debut authors and that could be you if you are aspiring to get published. And for bookworms that will mean less books. There are alternatives to purchasing from Amazon, so do take a look.
Panic Attack @ Earthly Brain
A Happy Date (on my calendar) @ Volare
Earth @ My Spirals
I Never Learned About Stranger Danger @ TheWebWeavers
Mom Doesn’t Wear A Cape @ The Lonely Author
Lies Live In Darkness @ Lloyds Lens Photography
5 Points Against Rating Women @ Imminent Rewording
Don’t Bend Over To Read the Sign @ The Hejhej Blog (This post made me laugh so much!)
Hey, you! Pay attention to me. @ Psychotic Ramblings of an Undergrad
Write… @ !nsight – One of the best pieces of poetry I have read on WordPress

Which books have you loved reading this month? And which posts have you enjoyed reading? Get recommending!
I will be taking a self-imposed mandatory break from writing on WordPress, call it my time of the month. On the upside, I will finally have more time to read what you guys have been and are writing.

Happy blogging!

Sophski out.

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49 Comments

  2. Thanks for featuring me in your blog. This is more than an award for me . Trust me. I am overwhelmed and overjoyed by your kind act. And have fun and enjoy. May the rest of the days of Ramadan bring you sheer joy and happiness.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  4. I’ve enjoyed listening to the audiobook _Washington: A Life_ by Ron Chernow this month. After reading a heavily-hyped YA novel that really disappointed me, (you can read my rant about it if you want at:)
    https://theceaselessreaderwrites.wordpress.com/2018/05/29/thoughts-on-2-books-2/

    I have really enjoyed listening to _Caliban’s War: The Expanse #2_ by James S. A. Corey and reading Stephen King’s _Wizard and Glass: Dark Tower #4_.

    As for which posts I’ve enjoyed, too many to count!

    Enjoy your break, Soph!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      2. _Caliban’s War_ is thrilling, captivating and suspenseful. More than once I’ve found myself sitting in the car even after I’ve reached my destination because I can’t turn off the audiobook ’til I reach the end of a chapter or a track! In case I failed to mention it already, this is book two of an as-yet incomplete series, so be sure to read _Leviathan Wakes_ first.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

        1. Oh no, is it sci-if? 😭 I read the hitchhikers guide and have avoided the genre religiously after my terrible experience with it. If it’s nothing like that, then I’m sure I would feel better about delving into sci-fi again. Is Caliban anything like Shakespearean Caliban?

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply

  5. Oh, a first reading of Harry Potter! I’m sure he is in for a magical time!

    And thanks for featuring my post! I didn’t elaborate on that point, but you’re right that struggling publishers will take on fewer authors/fewer risky authors! I suppose they’ll try to keep with books that safely sell and do fewer passion projects.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. He is absolutely enjoying it and trying his hardest to avoid spoilers (which, as you know, is so difficult)!
      Yes, and that sounds awful to take on few passion projects because as a reader I don’t want to read the same old, same old. Thanks for the post, I really hope people heed the message. Amazon are monsters tbf.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

        1. Sadly, that is how it is in reality… I guess we were willing for it not to happen, but it was foreshadowed from the start. Oh, Finch. 💔
          (And omg, Jennifer Niven replied to my tweet about All The Bright Places… will never forget that)

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply

      1. Oh yes, I just finished my very first murder mystery; The Dry, it was a riveting read. Currently trying to finish “The Hate U Give”, another riveting book.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply
  17. Pingback: February Wrap-Up – Books, Shows & Mental Health Check-In – Sophia Ismaa

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