Our May (and April, and March!) Wrap-Up: Gems, Letdowns, and Harry Potter!
Hey, everyone, and welcome back to My Sister's TBR Podcast! We're Stacey and Rebecca, and we were so thrilled to have you join us for our monthly wrap-up episode – one of our favorite times of the month. This time around, we're diving into all the books we read in May... and April, and March! We've got some hidden gems, some real page-turners, and even some bestsellers we just couldn't put down.
Before we dive into the books, just a quick heads-up: our regular deep dive into our featured read will be in a separate episode coming out in a few days, so keep an eye out for that! There was also a little technical difficulties with Rebecca’s mic, so this episode sounds a little on the “underwater” side.
Bookish News!
We did have some exciting bookish news to share, especially since it relates to our featured read: the Golden Trio has been cast for the HBO series! Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alistair Stout will be playing Harry, Hermione, and Ron, respectively. And get this – over 30,000 children auditioned! Incredible!
What We Read!
Now, for the main event: the books!
Stacey’s Reads:
Stacey had a very busy March and April! She finished seven books in March, though two were fan fictions she didn't have the names for (obviously Dramione…). Her March reads included:
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros: A bit slow, but "gut punchy".
Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young: A phenomenal five-star read!
The Only One Left by Riley Sager: A great book club pick, earning four stars.
Beach Read by Emily Henry: A five-star, "deadly, deadly book" – and the only one by her Stacey hadn't read yet!
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling: A no-brainer, obviously!
April was just as packed, with eight books!
Love at First Psych by Cara Bastone: Three stars, didn't hit the same as her others.
Wild Love by Elsie Silver: Four stars, and Stacey is loving Elsie Silver lately!
Quicksilver by Callie Hart: A fantastic five-star book club read!
1984 by George Orwell: A five-star, terrifying read that hits differently as an adult. Stacey highly recommends it for its relevance.
Call Me Maybe by Cara Bastone: Another great four-star from Cara Bastone.
Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas: Five stars, obviously.
Seatmate by Cara Bastone: Four stars.
Leave Me Behind by K.M. Moronova: A "huge f***ing letdown" and probably closer to a one-star read. Stacey was hooked for the first three quarters, but then it just really went off the rails. Her Goodreads review sums it up: "had me hook, line, and sinker until 85%. WTF was that ending?"
May was a little slower, with six reads.
Fight by Sloan St. James: The cover looked fantastic – rugged man, chainsaw, tattoos! But sadly, it was more like a 2.5-star read for Stacey, despite the good description. The miscommunication was a killer, making it feel "so toxic". She won't be continuing the series.
Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez: A book club pick and a romance. While popular with the book club, Stacey didn't really like it. She found the female character, Samantha, difficult to like, which is a recurring theme with Abby Jimenez's female characters for her. While she liked Xavier and the insta-love, the excessive conflict was a letdown.
The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager: Stacey highly recommends this one, giving it five stars! She's not usually a huge mystery thriller reader, but this book had her hooked from page one, filled with anxiety and plot twists. It's a story of voyeurism, suspicion, and dark truths. If you're looking for a more "mature and refined" thriller than Freida's, Riley Sager is your guy!
First Time Caller by B.K. Borson: Stacey devoured this one, giving it five stars! It's a cozy, Sleepless in Seattle-inspired love story about a hopeless romantic and a jaded radio host. The daughter calls into a radio show for dating advice for her mom, and sparks fly between the mom and the radio host. So much good about this book, with great chemistry and a man who keeps a list of your favorite things!
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: A re-read for Stacey, and it's still a five-star read! Reading it as an adult (30-plus) hits differently than reading it as a teenager. The book does a better job at fleshing out Katniss's character outside of the games compared to the movie. If you haven't read it in the last 15 years, read it!
Rebecca’s Reads:
Rebecca read one book in March:
The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden: Rebecca gave it three stars and described it as "meh." She fully predicted the plot twist, and it even had a happily ever after, which was bizarre.
And she’s picked up the pace for May:
Height by SenLinYu: A short story, which Rebecca struggled with. She gave it three stars mainly because it's a Dramione fanfic by SenLinYu. It just didn't have enough storyline and was "too quick". Lesson learned: stop reading short stories if you want more!
Dead Med by Freida McFadden: Rebecca had talked about this one on the mid-month episode. Originally published as Suicide Med, it was re-released with 20% new material. Rebecca rated it a two, finding the writing awkward and "corny and cheesy". She almost DNF'd it early on.
The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas: A four-star contemporary romance, and Rebecca loved the banter. It has fake relationship, office romance, one bed, grumpy/sunshine, and slow burn tension! She’s officially off her "distaste for romance" ban!
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: The featured read, and obviously five stars! We'll be doing a deep dive on this in a separate episode, comparing the movie and the book, talking about new characters like Colin Creevey, Dobby, and Moaning Myrtle, and more about Hagrid's past! Rebecca will also share some stories from Harry Potter World!
What We're Currently Reading:
Rebecca: Currently reading The Tenant by Freida McFadden, but is putting it on hold because she feels like she needs a break from Freida!
Stacey: Still reading Bloody, Slutty and Pathetic, but the repetitive use of "love" when Draco talks to Hermione is a bit excessive. She's also reading Queen of Shadows and Catching Fire, the second Hunger Games book.
That's all folks! Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow! And if you're listening on Spotify, you can now leave comments on our episodes – please do! We'll comment back and might even feature your comment on our next episode!
Toodles!
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