Hey guys,

Happy Sunday! 😀 It’s May Wrap-up time. This month I read three completely different levels of books. Books I loved… a book I didn’t. I’m excited to share with you all though, so let’s jump into it!

1. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Niel Gaiman

Have you guys ever seen Coraline? It’s probably the most bazaar children’s movie I have ever seen. It’s actually kinda scary. Anyways, the reason I bring that up is because The Ocean at the End of the Lane was created by the same person! Niel Gaiman really captures a child’s mind perfectly or… at least what I remember from my childhood and what I see working with kids. I really liked this novel. It was a great change of pace from what I typically read, (I’m trying to branch out, here.). I would recommend it to anyone in search of a novel that holds dark fairy tale and horror themes. However, keep in mind, that this horror is through the eyes of a child.

2. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Loved, loved, loved. You have got to read this! I was so giddy reading this, it was actually embarrassing. It is a play by play of a love story – a very raw, teenage love story. The book also incorporates serious life trauma and how we often judge people before we get to know their full story. I’ve already written a review on this book, so I wouldn’t go to much into that. But! I’m glad I picked this book up. I can’t wait to read more of Rainbow Rowell’s work.

3. The Book of Luke by Jenny O’Connell

Let’s just say, I’ve already put this book in the donation bin. You guys…. I want to firstly say that I totally thought this book was going to refer to the Gospel in some manner. ANY manner, but the only mention was the fact that “The Book of Luke” has nothing to do with the Bible. Secondly, this is much like many other loved stories out there: 10 Things I Hate About You, John Tucker Must Die, and She’s All That. It very much has the same elements. As much as I like those other works, I wasn’t impressed with this book. The characters were predictable as well as the story line. I was just hoping for more, especially using the title “The Book of Luke.”

And there you have it, my May Wrap-Up. This was definitely a slower reading month due to school finals and such. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more in the month of June!

Tell me what you guys read this month in the comments below and if you’ve read any of these books, what did you think?

Until next time,

Samantha.