Books I'm Squeeing About in May

Spring is sprunging, and there are new books on the horizon! Which is excellent news for my brain, and  terrible news for my bank balance and book shelves. I need to build new bookshelves...
Here are the excitingly beautiful bookish delights hitting our shelves this month that I can't wait to get my hands on!

Wicked Saints by Emily A Duncan
May 1st 2019
When Nadya prays to the gods, they listen, and magic flows through her veins. For nearly a century the Kalyazi have been locked in a deadly holy war with Tranavian heretics, and her power is the only thing that is a match for the enemy's blood magic. But when the Travanian High Prince, and his army invade the monastery she is hiding in, instead of saving her people, Nadya is forced to flee the only home she's ever known, leaving it in flames behind her, and vengeance in her heart. As night falls, she chooses to defy her gods and forge a dangerous alliance with a pair of refugees and their Tranavian blood mage leader, a beautiful, broken boy who deserted his homeland after witnessing his blood cult commit unthinkable monstrosities. The plan? Assassinate the king and stop the war. But when they discover a nefarious conspiracy that goes beyond their two countries, everything Nadya believes is thrown into question, including her budding feelings for her new partner. Someone has been harvesting blood mages for a dark purpose, experimenting with combining Tranavian blood magic with the Kalyazi's divine one. In order to save her people, Nadya must now decide whether to trust the High Prince - her country's enemy - or the beautiful boy with powers that may ignite something far worse than the war they're trying to end.

Everything about this screams excitement to me. Magic! Fantasy land! War! Politics! Basically I need more things to filled "The Priory of the Orange Tree" shaped hole in my heart. Gimme!

Lady Smoke by Laura Sebastian
May 2nd 2019

After escaping from imprisonment under the brutal Kaiser, Theodosia is on the run, plotting to take revenge and reclaim her rightful place as queen of the enslaved Astreans.Thousands of miles away from her people and her throne, Theo and her friends must work to gather an army. And the only way is to auction herself as a bride – to the kingdom who will pay the most. Freedom always comes at a price and with the Kaiser closing in, she must rely on her wits to identify who she can really trust.

I know, I know, I still need to read the first book. But I know I'm going to love it, and I can still desperately want the sequel even not really knowing what's happening... I don't have a book problem. Really, I don't...

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
May 7th 2019

Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, not big, important emotions - like grief. And love. He thinks he's defective. His family knows better - that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly refuses to consider a relationship, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride.As a mixed-race girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. So when the opportunity arises to go to America and meet a potential husband, she can't turn it down. This could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn't go quite as planned. Esme's lessons in love seem to be working... but only on herself. She's hopelessly smitten with a man who's convinced he can never return her affection.As Esme's time in the United States dwindles, will Khai let his head catch up with his heart? Will he find the strength to let go, and let love in?

I've seen so much buzz about this one already, and it just sounds amazing! I really need to read "The Kiss Quotient" too, but I cannot wait to get my hands on this!

Romanov by Nadine Brandes
May 30th 2019
The history books say I died. They don't know the half of it. Anastasia "Nastya" Romanov was given a single mission: to smuggle an ancient spell into her suitcase on her way to exile in Siberia. It might be her family's only salvation. But the leader of the Bolshevik army is after them... and he's hunted Romanov before. Nastya's only chances of saving herself and her family are either to release the spell and deal with the consequences, or to enlist help from Zash, the handsome soldier who doesn't act like the average Bolshevik. Nastya's only dabbled in magic, but it doesn't frighten her half as much as her growing attraction for Zash. She likes him. She thinks he might even like her... That is, until she's on one side of a firing squad... and he's on the other.

I adore stories about the Romanovs so this just sounds amazing and exciting and I really hope it lives up to the hype, because I want to love it so bad!

There you have the books I can't wait for this month, now tell me some of yours in the comments below!

Books I'm Squeeing About in May

May is always an exceptionally busy month for books. So many amazing ones end up with May release dates, so it tends to be an expensive month in the book stakes - but with all of these beauties suddenly available, who could possibly resist? I'd better start saving up...


5th - A Court of Thorns & Roses by Sarah J Maas
Feyre is a huntress. She thinks nothing of slaughtering a wolf to capture its prey. But, like all mortals, she fears what lingers mercilessly beyond the forest. And she will learn that taking the life of a magical creature comes at a high price.
Imprisoned in an enchanted court in her enemy’s kingdom, Feyre is free to roam but forbidden escape. Her captor’s body bears the scars of fighting, and his face is always masked – but his piercing stare draws her ever closer. As Feyre’s feelings for Tamlin begin to burn through every warning she’s been told about his kind, an ancient, wicked shadow grows. Feyre must find a way to break a spell, or lose her heart forever.

Sarah J Maas - need I say more? She has taken the book world by storm with her Throne of Glass series and now we're lucky enough to have another series on the go at the same time! So as well as the Thrones novel coming in September we also get to meet Feyre, a whole new heroine who's bad ass and wonderful. I have heard nothing but incredible things in the early buzz for this one, so I cannot wait to get stuck in.
You can pre-order this on Amazon here
Or read the first few chapters for free here!

5th - Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge
When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.
Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

I felt mixed about 'Cruel Beauty' when I read it last year, but I ultimately loved it and am very curious to see this novel set in the same world. Any retellings of fairy tales are very much my jam, and whilst the Beauty & the Beast retelling didn't quite hit all the right points for me, I'm hoping that this Red Riding Hood one will.
You can pre-order this on Amazon here


5th - The Heir by Keira Cass
Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won Prince Maxon’s heart. Now the time has come for Princess Eadlyn to hold a Selection of her own. Eadlyn doesn’t expect her Selection to be anything like her parents’ fairy-tale love story. But as the competition begins, she may discover that finding her own happily ever after isn’t as impossible as she always thought.

I thought I was done with this series with the last book, but now Cass is adding to it and it's like some addictive sugary sweet, I can't help but go back and see what's happening next. I'm going to be honest, The Selection series isn't great. There is a whole heap of potential but it falls short in so many ways and ended up being problematic for me in most areas. However, I am intrigued with this new book, mostly because our heroine is going to be the one doing the choosing and it's always good to have boys vying to be chosen...
You can pre-order this on Amazon here

19th - Illusionarium by Heather Dixon

What if the world holds more dangers—and more wonders—than we have ever known? And what if there is more than one world? From Heather Dixon, author of the acclaimed Entwined, comes a brilliantly conceived adventure that sweeps us from the inner workings of our souls to the far reaches of our imaginations.Jonathan is perfectly ordinary. But then—as every good adventure begins—the king swoops into port, and Jonathan and his father are enlisted to find the cure to a deadly plague. Jonathan discovers that he's a prodigy at working with a new chemical called fantillium, which creates shared hallucinations—or illusions. And just like that, Jonathan is knocked off his path. Through richly developed parallel worlds, vivid action, a healthy dose of humor, and gorgeous writing, Heather Dixon spins a story that calls to mind The Night Circus and Pixar movies, but is wholly its own.

This is one of those ones where I don't even need to see the blurb. I loved 'Entwined' Dixon's take on the twelve dancing princesses tale so much that anything by Dixon is an automatic yes please put it on my bookcase immediately. That being said - THAT BLURB! THAT COVER! Where are my smelling salts, I feel faint from the sheer fabulousness!
You can pre-order this on Amazon here


19th - A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin
It’s 1814. Napoleon is exiled on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, has become one of Regency England’s dark little secrets. The daughters of the beau monde who don't fit high society’s constrictive mold are banished to Stranje House to be reformed into marriageable young ladies. Or so their parents think. In truth, Headmistress Emma Stranje, the original unusual girl, has plans for the young ladies—plans that entangle the girls in the dangerous world of spies, diplomacy, and war.
After accidentally setting her father’s stables on fire while performing a scientific experiment, Miss Georgiana Fitzwilliam is sent to Stranje House. But Georgie has no intention of being turned into a simpering, pudding-headed, marriageable miss. She plans to escape as soon as possible—until she meets Lord Sebastian Wyatt. Thrust together in a desperate mission to invent a new invisible ink for the English war effort, Georgie and Sebastian must find a way to work together without losing their heads—or their heart.

This one just ticks so many boxes for me. Historical setting, regency period, romance, espionage, gorgeous cover and excellent blurb? All there! And I am so excited. I haven't read many YA regency novels so I'm curious to see how it translates away from the regency romances I love so much. But with spies and a war going on I'm confident this is going to be fantastic.
You can pre-order this on Amazon here

19th - Lion Heart by A. C. Gaughen

Imprisoned by Prince John for months, Scarlet finds herself a long way from Nottinghamshire. After a daring escape from the Prince's clutches, she learns that King Richard’s life is in jeopardy, and Eleanor of Aquitaine demands a service Scarlet can’t refuse: spy for her and help bring Richard home safe. But fate—and her heart—won’t allow her to stay away from Nottinghamshire for long, and together, Scarlet and Rob must stop Prince John from going through with his dark plans for England. They can not rest until he’s stopped, but will their love be enough to save them once and for all?

This is going to be a bit of a bittersweet read. I have loved reading the first two books in Scarlet's story and whilst I cannot wait to see how her story ends, I also don't want this journey to be done. I adore Scarlet, she is such a strong and determined heroine who doesn't let the love she feels constrain or define her. She is wonderful and I'm looking forward to reading this final installment with her.
You can pre-order this on Amazon here

Books I'm Squeeing About in May

Apologies for how belated this post is - April was a crazy month with many good books and some old favourites coming out for re-reads, and May looks set to be bigger and better than ever! There are some huge excitements hitting the shelves this month, so take a look at what you should be putting on your wishlist this month!

1st - Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore


Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea. But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened. But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.
Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart


This book arrived in the post yesterday, and it is huge! I love it so far (I'm a big sucker for the covers for this series) and I cannot wait to dive straight back into the world Cashore has created.

3rd - Until I Die by Amy Plum


Kate and Vincent have overcome the odds and at last they are together in Paris, the city of lights and love. As their romance deepens there’s one question they can’t ignore: How are they supposed to be together if Vincent can’t resist sacrificing himself to save others? Although Vincent promises that he’ll do whatever it takes to lead a normal life with Kate, will that mean letting innocent people die? When a new and surprising enemy reveals itself, Kate realizes that even more may be at stake—and that Vincent’s immortality is in jeopardy.


I was surprisingly taken with Plum's first novel in the series 'Die For Me' it was fresh and intriguing and featured a whole new type of supernatural creature, so I'm really looking forward to finding out where this sequel takes us next - and will it live up to the standard set by the first?

8th - City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare


The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace has been freed from her captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive to rescue him, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing–but so is the boy she hates, Sebastian, the son of her father Valentine: a son determined to succeed where their father failed, and bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.
No magic the Clave can summon can locate either boy, but Jace cannot stay away—not from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith’s dying magic has wrought—Jace is no longer the boy she loved. He and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become what he most feared: a true servant of Valentine’s evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. Will the Shadowhunters hesitate to kill one of their own?
Only a small band of Clary and Jace’s friends and family believe that Jace can still be saved — and that the fate of the Shadowhunters’ future may hinge on that salvation. They must defy the Clave and strike out on their own. Alec, Magnus, Simon and Isabelle must work together to save Jace: bargaining with the sinister Faerie Queen, contemplating deals with demons, and turning at last to the Iron Sisters, the reclusive and merciless weapons makers for the Shadowhunters, who tell them that no weapon on this earth can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. Their only chance of cutting Jace free is to challenge Heaven and Hell — a risk that could claim any, or all, of their lives.
And they must do it without Clary. For Clary has gone into the heart of darkness, to play a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing the game is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she even still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?
Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series


By lucky happenstance I already have my copy and I can tell you now, it's awesome. Not that I was expecting any less, I have been eagerly waiting to see what happens next since the gut wrenching conclusion to City of Fallen Angels this time last year, and so far? It's epic...

8th - Enchanted by Althea Kontis


It isn't easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.
When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.
The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past - and hers?


I don't know all that much about this book other than it features some well known fairy tales and has a pretty cover, but right now I am all about the fairy tales, they're cropping up everywhere and there are some truly awesome re-tellings coming out, so I'm fascinated to see how this one compares.

10th - Endure by Carrie Jones


Zara is at the center of an impending apocalypse. True, she’s successfully rescued Nick from Valhalla, but it simply isn’t enough. Evil pixies are ravaging Bedford, and they need much more than one great warrior; they need an army. Zara isn’t sure what her role is anymore. She’s not just fighting for her friends; she’s also a pixie queen. And to align her team of pixies with the humans she loves will be one of her greatest battles yet. Especially since she can’t even reconcile her growing feelings for her pixie king...Unexpected turns, surprising revelations, and one utterly satisfying romantic finale make Endure a thrilling end to this series of bestsellers.


I wasn't a massive fan of the third book in the series but this finale is actually pretty epic. I re-remembered all the reasons why I love this series and these characters, and it truly is an epic finale to remember.

10th - Struck by Jennifer Bosworth


Mia Price is a lightning addict. She's survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her.
Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come.
Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn't who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything.


I'm about to start this one and so far it's pretty awesome. The premise is great, the writing excellent and I'm loving everything about it so far. But shush, no spoilers!

22nd - The Girl In The Clockwork Collar


In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling - or dangerous. 
Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her "straynge band of mysfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper, hauled off by bounty hunters. But Jasper is in the clutches of a devious former friend demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him...for the life of the girl Jasper loves. One false move from Jasper and the strange clockwork collar around Mei's neck tightens. And tightens.


The first book was intriguing but it didn't quite live up to the expectations I had of it, but for some reason I cannot tear myself away. Despite all the problems and flaws I'm really intrigued by this series and want to find out what happens next.

29th - A Night Like This by Julia Quinn


Anne Wynter’s job as governess to three highborn young ladies can be a challenge – in a single week she finds herself hiding in a closet full of tubas, playing an evil queen in a play and tending to the wounds of the oh-so-dashing Earl of Winstead. After years of dodging unwanted advances, he's the first man who has truly tempted her, and it's getting harder and harder to remind herself that a governess has no business flirting with a nobleman.
Daniel Smythe-Smith might be in mortal danger, but that's not going to stop the young earl from falling in love. And when he spies a mysterious woman at his family's annual musicale, he vows to pursue her. But Daniel has an enemy, one who has vowed to see him dead. And when Anne is thrown into peril, he will stop at nothing to ensure their happy ending...


I am a huge Julia Quinn fan, her books are the chicken soup for my soul, so I always get insanely excited at this time of year when a new book of hers hits the shelves - expect a lot of Julia Quinn love in the weeks to come!