The Month Ahead: May 2016


In The Month Ahead, I will be rounding up the books I’m currently reading, the ones I will start this month, and the ones I intend getting my mitts on… if I haven’t already! Expect news and features by the bucketful!


| Currently Reading |

This month I’m embarrassed to say that NOS4R2 and Emma are still on my currently reading pile – one day they’ll leave it, I promise! – but this month they’re in the wonderful company of Lustlocked by Matt Wallace and Between Two Thorns by Emma Newman.

What are you reading at the moment? 
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| May Events |

Here are the upcoming themes for this month’s Friday Face-Off:

06th May 2016 | You Got The Blues

A cover which is predominantly blue

13th May 2016 | Which Witch is Which?

A cover which features a witch and/or witchcraft

20th May 2016 | Just Then Flew Down a Monstrous Crow

A cover which features a bird

27th May | Renewed Shall be Blade That Was Broken

A cover which features the word ‘blade’ in its title


The Between Two Thorns Read Along

Organised by Lisa at Over the Effing Rainbow

Week 1 (Monday 9th May)

Chapters 1-9 – hosted by Over the Effing Rainbow

Week 2 (Monday 16th May)

Chapters 10-18 – hosted by On Starships and Dragonwings

Week 3 (Monday 23rd May)

Chapters 19-25 – Imyril at OneMore.org

Week 4 (Monday 30th May)

Chapters 26-End – hosted by Lynn’s Books

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For this month’s Read Along we’ll be reading the first book in The Split Worlds series by Emma Newman, Between Two Thorns. If you’re interested in joining in then head on over to the Goodreads group page and sign up!heart

| Synopsis |

Something is wrong in Aquae Sulis, Bath’s secret mirror city.

The new season is starting and the Master of Ceremonies is missing. Max, an Arbiter of the Split Worlds Treaty, is assigned with the task of finding him with no one to help but a dislocated soul and a mad sorcerer.

There is a witness but his memories have been bound by magical chains only the enemy can break. A rebellious woman trying to escape her family may prove to be the ally Max needs.

But can she be trusted? And why does she want to give up eternal youth and the life of privilege she’s been born into?

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| May Goals |

This May I’ve decided to mix up my usual goals (which inevitably fail) and set a challenge I may actually complete. Having been a member of the Goodreads Group for a while now but having yet to participate, this month I will be starting my RMFAO Genre Challenge. I’ve put together quite a large list – intention is everything after all – so hopefully I’ll tick at least a few off and actually get some classics read this year!heart

| The Target |

Level 5

Bookiopath

5 books or more (challenging)

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| The Books |

Bulldog Drummond by Sapper (PB)

Service with a Smile by P.G. Wodehouse (PB)

Ashenden by W. Somerset Maugham (PB)

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (PB)

The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick (PB)

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (EB)

Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne (EB)

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For a list of the rules, levels and each month’s genres, head on over to the Goodreads page


| May Releases |

And here is a (by no means comprehensive) list of the releases I’m most looking forward to this May – dates are from UK publishers only (though many will coincide!).

10th May

Too Like The Lightning

by Ada Palmer

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Children-of-Earth-and-Sky-Guy-Gavriel-Kay1

Children of Earth and Sky

by Guy Gavriel Kay

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19th May

The Sudden Appearance of Hope

by Claire Northheart

TheTowerofTheSwallow

The Tower of the Swallow

by Andrzej Sapkowski

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medusa-chronicles-cover-reveal

The Medusa Chronicles

by Alastair Reynolds and Stephen Baxterheart


24th May

26239013

A Blade of Black Steel

by Alex Marshallheart

Have you picked up any great books lately? What are your goals for the month ahead? 

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15 thoughts on “The Month Ahead: May 2016

  1. So many fascinating titles, but my eyes keep going back to The Medusa Chronicles: I’ve never read Baxter (although I hear good things about him), but I love Reynolds, so I look forward to knowing more about this interesting collaboration!

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  2. I never even knew what Steampunk was for the RMFAO challenge, lol. Searching around I stumbled across The Lazarus Machine by Paul Crilley and it is fun! Already over halfway.

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    1. I’ve enjoyed a few steampunk novels but haven’t read nearly enough… though I do quite enjoy them! I’m definitely keeping it to classics this month though. I’m shocked at how few (none) I’ve read this year!!

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  3. There are some fabulous books in there – but the one turning me EMERALD with envy is Claire North’s latest… And I’m also frantically hitting the bookshelves, looking for all the BLUE covers! I loved Jules Verne as a girl and read all his books, recalling Journey to the Centre of the Earth is rather an amusing read, given how different it is to the reality. I’ve also enjoyed the Christie, Somerset Maugham, Wells and Wodehouse books. Bulldog Drummond is very much of its time and I couldn’t get through it and I didn’t much like The Man in the High Castle, so I’m interested to see how you get on. Happy reading:)

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    1. Hehe I wonder why that could be! And what a timely reminder 😛 I’m definitely going to enjoy working my way through all these classics. Very interested to see why those two didn’t make the grade – will have to read asap and compare notes!! 😀

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  4. I hope you enjoy your read-along and are able to make some headway with NOS4R2 and Emma this month. I am currently reading Scottish, historical fiction Turn of the Tide by Margaret Skea and children’s classic The Phoenix and the Carpet by Edith Nesbit 🙂

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    1. Thank you! Oh I’m so hopeless with those two aren’t I?! Emma still hasn’t turned up but I blame the decorating that I’ve been doing for an inordinate amount of time! I hope you enjoy both your reads 😀 I have fond memories of The Phoenix and the Carpet!!

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  5. Guy Gavriel Kay is one of my absolute favourite Canadian authors, he’s such a gem. I’ve heard very good things about his upcoming release! You know, I wasn’t planning to read Between Two Thorns this month but I’ve had an ebook copy forever and I really need to get to it…so I may have to join the read along! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh you should definitely join in! The more the merrier 😀 And I must must must read more GGK. The Fionavar Tapestry has been on my TBR for a terribly long time!

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