I know it feels like all we bloggers ever talk about is how fast time is going by–but have you noticed that it's somehow already June!? It's a little appalling, to be honest, how fast this year is flying by, and I'm not sure I like it (not that I think time really cares about our feelings).
Well, I guess a lot has actually happened in the past month of May, which is a chance from the usual. I officially graduated with my M.A. in Classics, and as a bonus I finished off my vaccine doses and am officially fully vaccinated! Frankly, which one I'm more excited about is probably a little bit of a toss-up, you know? I really am not sure yet what I'll be doing post-M.A., so for now it's just job-hunting for a new job, related to Classics or not (likely not) so that I can figure out what's next. Since being vaccinated, I also finally got to visit the Getty Villa museum, which is stunning and full of Ancient Greek and Roman antiquities and is basically a sort of heaven for me (and their Covid safety protocols were great!). I also visited the Wild Animal Park (aka San Diego Zoo Safari Park now, but I'll never convert to the new name) this past Sunday with my mom and husband for an early birthday celebration, which was so nice and needed. Since everything was outdoors, it also felt safe and comfortable and we didn't really have to worry about crowds (hooray!). How have you all been doing this year? Things have been so up and down, and I know Covid and vaccinations have been different everywhere, so I hope things are going okay wherever you are.
In book news, I apparently read a lot. There were some really great books, as well as some not-so-great ones, but you can't win everything, right? Standouts were Sidewinders, Mother Pig, The Lost City of Z, The Mountains Sing, and 1491! Reading more works from indigenous peoples of the Americas has been a big interest of mine in the past couple years, so I decided to complement those with a nonfiction–1491–and it was such a fascinating book that is both incredible and devastating all in one. If you're at all interested in the history of the Americas pre- and post-European settlement, I really can't recommend it enough, and I plan to look for more books on the topic as well. I also re-read The Hod King in advance of the final books' release this fall. And in case you're wondering what that blank Don Bernardo Yorba book is, it's a short biographical/reference book I found about someone from my personal family ancestry that I mainly read out of interest and to learn more, so I opted not to rate it because it didn't really feel right. I still felt like I should include it in my monthly reading, though! No DNFs in May, either, but I do think I may already have one for June...😐
Anyway, enough about me--how was your month? Have you read any new favorites books, or anything that just didn't work for you? Do let me know in the comments how things are, I love hearing from you all!
# books read: 16
Sidewinders by Robert V.S. Redick ★★★★★
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
Mother Pig by Travis M. Riddle ★★★★★
Source: Author | Format: eARC
The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa ★★★★
Source: Library | Format: Hardcover
The Lost City of Z by David Grann ★★★★★
Source: Gift | Format: Paperback
Rabbits by Terry Miles ★★★★
Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC
1491: New Revelations of the America's Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann ★★★★★
Source: Owned | Format: Paperback
The Mountains Sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai ★★★★★
Source: Audible | Format: Audiobook
Lakewood by Megan Giddings ★★★
Source: Library | Format: Hardcover
Madam by Phoebe Wynne ★★★
Source: NetGalley | Format: eARC
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon ★★★★
Source: Audible | Format: Audiobook
The Portrait of a Mirror by A. Natasha Joukovsky ★★★
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
The Ones We're Meant to Find by Joan He ★★★
Source: Publisher | Format: Hardcover
The World Gives Way by Marissa Levien ★★★
Source: Publisher (Orbit) | Format: Physical ARC
The Hod King by Josiah Bancroft (re-read) ★★★★★
Source: Publisher/Owned | Format: Paperback
The Quiet Boy by Ben H. Winters ★★★★
Source: Publisher | Format: Physical ARC
Don Bernardo Yorba by Terry E. Stephenson
Source: Owned | Format: Hardcover
DNF/To-Be-Finished:
None!
(other than reviews)
Top Five/Ten Tuesday:
Can't-Wait Wednesday:
5/5: Star Eater by Kerstin Hall, The Ice Lion by Kathleen O'Neal Gear, & The Coward by Stephen Aryan
The Friday Face-Off:
Have you read any of these? What books did you read this month? I hope you all had a great month-- comment below and let me know!
