5 truly amazing Books I read recently in May 2023

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

A busy month of school holidays with a trip to Goa, visiting family, and having guests over, and that resulted in me reading four books in the month. And yet I had an amazing reading month with three 4-star reads. If you ask me my favorite it had to be Monstrous by Sarah Myer. It's a phenomenal graphically illustrated coming-of-age memoir. 

Hoping I read of ton of books next month and will update you with my half-yearly reading statistics.

Many of these books are also available on Kindle Unlimited. Try Kindle Unlimited Free for 30 days!

Recent Reads May 2023

Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story by Sarah Myer

I picked this book because it combined two of my favorite genres – graphic novels and memoirs – and I made the perfect choice.
This isn’t a novel or a book it’s a genuine and heartfelt outpour of what goes through a mind of a person who is made different by other people because of how they look or due to the choices they make. It is the growing-up saga of Sarah, who was born to Korean parents, but was adopted by American parents and grew up in a small American town full of prejudices and biases.
The story is heart-wrenching. Her feelings and expressions are so real. Her anger, frustration and the slow building of a negative mindset in her is illustrated brilliantly. The graphics are detailed, intimate and feel so real. I’ve read at least a few dozen graphic novels in my reading life but never have I encountered such detailed, and perfect facial expressions through the eyes, the face, and the overall body language.
This book is an upcoming release, and I have no clue how it will do once it is in print form. But in any case, I will recommend this book to anyone and everyone looking to understand the perspective of a person who is different or even to readers who want to know what a brilliant graphics novel looks like.
This novel is bound to be the next in line with Maus and Persepolis. Fingers crossed.

The Grownup by Gillian Flynn

A young girl is living a fake job as a psychic and also being a sex worker on the side. She gets by by telling people what they want to hear. But then she meets a smart client.

Susan is troubled about her stepson Miles. She believes a dark entity in the house they just moved into is possessing her stepson. The young girl does not believe in the paranormal but sees an opportunity to make good money and hence decides to visit the house.

But then once at the house, she feels it too. The house watched her and waited for her.

The length of the book is such that you can finish it while waiting at the dentist's for your appointment. And it’s your time put to good use. I loved the plot, the manipulative protagonist, and the many twists here and there.

The Bedroom Window by K.L.Slater

A family of three is looking for a fresh start after the husband’s recovery after a major accident. The husband is offered a landscaper’s job at a huge mansion in a small village near the ocean. The owner’s of the mansion help out the newcomers is every possible way and even offer to babysit their soon while the mom is at her job.

Everything feels dream-like until something starts to feel wrong. The neighbours although have the son they never open their door to any of them.  Then shadowy figures are visible through the window. Is the son in mortal danger?

The book started off well but then it got a little repetitive with the same things happening again and again and the same dialogues over and over. Also the part about Neil visiting the sun room and doing what he did felt absolutely confusing and frankly unnecessary. The plot could absolutely do without the flirting angle.

I was intrigued about reading my first K.L.Slater novel and I did enjoy it but don’t think I’ll an excited enough to read the next release.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC .

The Easy Life in Kamusari  by Shion Miura 

Yuki Hirano is just out of high academy when his parents list him, against his wish, in a forestry training program in the remote mountain hamlet of Kamusari. No phone, no internet, no shopping. Just a small, inviting neighborhood where the most common phrasing is “take it easy.”

At first, Yuki is exhausted, fumbles with the instruments asks stupid questions, and feels like a castaway. Kamusari is the last place a megacity boy from Yokohama wants to spend the time of his life. But as resistant as he might be, the fragrance of the cedars and the stunning beauty of the area have a tug.

Yuki learns to fall trees and plant saplings. He begins to accept local celebrations, he’s enthralled by legends of the mountain, and he might be falling in love. In learning to appreciate the woodland on Mt. Kamusari for its stately qualities and its unexplainable secrets, Yuki starts to appreciate Kamusari’s balance with nature and its ancient customs.

The kind and close relations in the book will leave you with warmth. And the great dialogue will teach you a few things about living life to its fullest, while the adventure will keep you turning pages.

Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean

Izumi Tanaka lives in Mount Shasta with her single mother. Izumi has questions about her father but her mom never elaborates. Once by chance, she finds a poem written by her father to her mother. On further investigation, she learns that her father is the crown prince of Japan and so begins her quest to get to know him and meet him.

A sweet, innocent, and charismatic kind of book that features the royal family of Japan. Izumi’s struggle to fit in somewhere is real and relatable. Her gang of friends is adorable. And her mom is quite the beacon of support. Overall although the story is predictable, the characters add depth and intrigue to the novel and make it unputdownable.