Curiously, my 14 books of May amount to one page more than my 14 books of April 😀 Not exactly true as in pages I read, maybe, since the bios of both Edith Piaf and Judy Garland had a whole lot of pages of lists in the end, so not exactly pages to read. May saw the end of the Sookie series, some books I’ve had in my library for years, some new discoveries, and the long-awaited last book in the Nevermoor (Morrigan Crow) series.

• Reckless, by Lauren Roberts – book 2 in the Powerless series. I finished it on the very day the last book, Fearless, was published, but only got that last week so it will be a June read. Anyway, I liked this one perhaps a bit more than the first book; quite good while not among my favorites
• Sookie Stackhouse books 10-13, by Charlaine Harris – it was a bit bittersweet to bid farewell to Sookie. She got her happy ending, or at least such was hinted, and I got to move on to other books in Kindle (“got to move on”, you know what I mean, eh?). Had some good times with Sookie!
• Not Quite the Classics, by Colin Mochrie – one of those books that have patiently been waiting to be read, and now the time came. Loved it! First and last sentence of 12 classics, with a whole new Mochrie-story in between
• Old Bones, by Preston & Child – another one of those, a find from some radom place some years ago. Digging into the Donner Party, with an evil plan lurking over their heads, it’s a story of archeology and crime investigation. It began with way too many characters introduced each in their own chapters before the action got rolling and I almost gave up. Happy I didn’t, for to the end it was full speed and surprising while not
• Remedial Magic duology (Remedial Magic and Reluctant Witch), by Melissa Marr – sort of like magical realism except more, since there’s a fully magical realm for witches, in need of saving. Salvation comes in the form of two fabulous ladies (obviously in love), one of whom is the reluctant witch, at least at first
• Paratiisin kartta, by Anja Snellman – yet another book bought years ago from some random booksale. An older book of one of the most famous Finnish authors, I suppose I was curious about her. I did enjoy her memoir some years ago, but at least this story where a teacher remenishes her journey through 12 years of school with her class (with a side of personal history of the communistic seventies in the Uni) was not my cuppa, exactly. Kinda touching and stuff, but a bit (or a bit more) boring imo
• Edith Piaf: hymni rakkaudelle, by Jean-Dominique Brierre [book in Finnish]- the biography of the beloved Edith Piaf, whom I was introduced to in school French classes, and while her chanson is not something I listen to, really, she made an impression. Such a tragic while enchanting, small yet huge, lady.
• Silverborn, by Jessica Townsend – fourth and last book of the YA (or middle grade) Nevermoor series telling the story of Morrigan Crow. Delightful, whimsical, wonderfully entertaining fantasy mystery, with the happy ending suggesting that Morrigan will indeed be quite ok after all!
• Wooing the Witch Queen, by Stephanie Burgis – the first book of the romantacy series Queens of Villainy. Totally fun read, with romance and mystery and misunderstandings, and a happy ending (with a hint of the second book to come (in Jan 2026).
• Get Happy: The Life of Judy Garland, by Gerald Clarke – Edith Piaf made me think of Judy Garland, so I segwayed my way to her upon finishing Edith. Another tragic yet fabulous life, another small yet huge lady. I have been a fan of Judy since I first saw her in some MGM musical or another way back when. Not Oz, though. Could’ve been Summerstock.

May 5, I’m a big fan of Whose Line Is It Anyway, that improv show. Some time back, I was looking to see if any of the WLIIA cast would have written a memoir/autobio, but couldn’t find any – I did find this book: Not Quite the Classics by Colin Mochrie, and now I finally got around to reading it.

Twelve classics, twelve short stories inspired by the classic, with the first and last sentences provided by said book. Funny stuff, like reading an improv show. I can basically hear Mochrie’s “voice” as I read the stories!

May 22, As I was finishing the bio of Edith Piaf (by Jean-Dominique Brierre) today, I was also expecting to receive Fearless, finally, thinking I would read that next. However, as I read the last chapters of Piaf, I felt the pull of the Judy Garland bio (by Gerald Clarke) change my mind, so that’s what I started reading. Didn’t get far yet, just through the brief history of her parents and right to the paragraph about her birth where it blew my mind to learn that Baby in Dirty Dancing is really a nod and a bow to Judy Garland, named Frances at birth, but called Baby by her family!

So, 14 books in April. Sort of shortish ones, mostly; been bingeing on the Sookie Stackhouse series (by Charlaine Harris) and the books are mostly somewhere around 280-320 pages. I’m currently reading Sookie #10 (of 13 main books in the series, read 1-8 in April), so soon will be moving on to something different again (which is kinda good since there’s several quite long expected new releases coming up in May). I’ve been LOVING this series, seriously! There’s something about Sookie that makes these in a way gruesome books full of death and violence just so sweet and lovely, funny even. I guess Sookie herself is just so sweet and lovely, in the midst of all the mayhem.

Anyhow, there were other books too, so let’s take a look:

• Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World (Aristotle and Dante, book 2), by Benjamin Alire Sáenz – such a heartwarmingly wonderful sequel continuing the story of the young lovers in a time when being gay was not really accepted
• The Lights of Sugarberry Cove, by Heather Webber – turned out to be a lovely story, once we got past all that whining and resentment going on in the family (I mean, it was the foundation but kinda went on for a bit too long; I got tired of it)
• The Courting of Bristol Keats, by Mary E. Pearson – I really enjoyed this one! Beautifully written story of the crude and brutal fae world at war
• Three Wild Things and the Truth, by Markus Zusak – A memoir of their life with adopted (rescue – though they don’t call them that) dogs, big and rowdy and violent even. Resonated with my dog experiences a lot (even though ours are small)
• Powerless, by Lauren Roberts – a bit of a Hunger Games copy, or at least heavily standing on their shoulders. YA, quite good reading, but nothing truly special or something I’d gush about

April 20, Gee, I loved The Courting of Bristol Keats, (Mary E. Pearson)! One of those books that go to show how very different we are in what we like, even inside a genre. I bought the book, actually specifically ordered the special Fairyloot edition since it was available through a bookstore chain in our nook of the woods too, because a) it was beautiful and b) I knew I was gonna love it.

Then I read some reviews in Bookaholics, that were less than promising. People had struggled with it, not getting into the story, it was too slow, whatnot. I almost got discouraged, but decidedly pushed other people’s opinions away, and started reading the book. It had me hooked in three pages. It held me tight for all 541 pages and now I have a book-hangover – AND have to wait for a half a year for the sequel (and hope that I can get it in the same edition without needing to wait extra…). Another top read of the year (they just keep on piling up, don’t they 😂)