Reading Wrap-up!
It's that time again! May is over so it is time to do a reading wrap up. Except this wrap-up will include all the books I read in March, April, and May.
(March & April are historically my reading slump months so they are getting added in with May 🫣)
If you want to hear me yap more about each of these books, watch my youtube video! At the end, I share an update my Crochet Book Tracking Blanket!
Also, I share more in-depth written reviews on my website with everything you need to know about the books (summary, tropes, my spoiler-free thoughts, my favorite quotes, and where to buy the book) So make sure you check that out if you haven't!
Let's get to the reviews!
March reads:
Swift and Saddled by Lyla Sage
★★★★★
#2 in The Rebel Blue Ranch Series.
Ada Hart is an interior designer who finds herself both hired for a job at a Wyoming ranch and falling for the ranch owner, Wes, while trying to rebuild her life after a bad relationship according to various reviews
I really enjoyed this one! I loved the little snippets of Wes in book 1 so I was really looking forward to his story. He is such a soft boy who was so understanding of Ada and I love the fact that he goes no where without Waylon 🫠
Ada was independent and strong but ultimately overcame her worries for Wes. It was nice to see her become apart of the Rebel Blue crew when she seemingly had no one to really lean on before.
I wish I could stay at the Rebel Blue B&B! 🐎
April Reads:
Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage
★★★★★
#3 in The Rebel Blue Ranch Series.
Teddy Andersen, a woman struggling to find her purpose, and Gus Ryder, a devoted single father and ranch owner, as they navigate a summer of unexpected connection on Rebel Blue Ranch
I wanted to love this book so much. It had all the tropes I usually love in a book, but something about it just didn’t hit as well as I hoped it would.
There were points in the story were it felt like Gus and Teddy would never get over their supposed “hate” for each other. Gus’s broodiness was almost too much at points and Teddy had enough things happening in her life without fighting with Gus. But once they got together, I enjoyed their dynamic and relationship.
A broody, single dad who is also a cowboy? Sign me up! 🤠
May Reads:
Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
★★★★★
Debut Fantasy from Devney Perry and #1 in a 3 book series
I strongly believe this book is best if you go into it having no clue what it's about.
There is just something so special about fantasy books written by romance authors. The tension??? *chef’s kiss* The slow burn?? Deliciously worth it! The plot twists?? While I saw some coming, some completely blew my mind.
The world building was actually done so well. The places felt so real and the monsters were a fun twist on a magic system in this book.
I hope we get more dual POV in the future books because I very much enjoyed the snippet at the end 🤞
"My Queen" 🥵🤭🫠 IYKYK
Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood
★★★★★
Rue, a food scientist, and Eli, a venture capitalist, who are drawn together despite being on opposite sides of a potential acquisition of Rue's company
Ali Hazelwood’s books just haven’t been hitting the same recently 😩
There was almost zero chemistry between Eli and Rue. Even the spicy chapters felt so clinically written it was almost weird to read. Where was the tension? The stakes?
On Eli’s side it was very insta lovey. On Rue’s side she seemed to almost never care about anything. She is written to be and unemotional but it made her come across robotic and dry.
I probably would have DNF’d it if not for my hopefulness in Problematic Summer Romance.
I was Not in Love with this book 🫤🫤
Problematic summer romance by Ali Hazelwood
★★★★★
A stand-alone follow up novel to Not in Love.
Maya and Conor, who have a significant age gap and a complicated history due to Conor being Maya's brother's best friend, are forced to spend a week together in Sicily for Eli & Rue's wedding where sparks ignite.
Conor and Maya have my heart. This story grasped me within the first couple chapters, and I knew it would from the brief interactions between them in Not in Love.
This book had the tension and the yearning that Ali Hazelwood’s last couple books have been lacking.
Everything about this book was five stars. I hope we get more of this writing from her.
THIS is the Ali Hazelwood writing that I love! 🤩
It was a good few months of reading! Shield of Sparrows surprised me. I didn't really have that book on my radar but I think it is in the running for one of my favorite books of the year! Problematic Summer Romance was another stand out hit that gave me all the vibes of the early Ali Hazelwood STEM romance books.
Again, I have a YouTube video where I talk more in-depth about each of these books and give you an update on my crochet romance book tracking blanket!
See you next month for my June Reading Wrap Up!
Follow along!
My first thought about helping students organise their own learning is that the everyday experience deserves as much attention as the larger explanation. Keeping track of unfinished tasks can make a busy school week feel more manageable. That connection helps me see why student learning organisation can be worth a closer look. I would be interested in a simple example, because it is often the ordinary details that make an idea memorable. What kind of planning system is simple enough for students to use consistently?
The topic of making space for questions in the classroom gives me a few things to think about, especially when the discussion moves beyond general advice. A thoughtful pause can give quieter students time to develop an answer. It also gives the phrase student classroom participation a clearer meaning than a label on its own. I would be interested in a simple example, because it is often the ordinary details that make an idea memorable. What helps a classroom welcome questions that do not have an immediate solution?
Considering rebuilding confidence after a learning setback, I keep coming back to the difference between knowing about an idea and putting it into practice. A disappointing result does not have to define the next attempt. I would use that point as a starting question when considering learning confidence recovery. I can imagine different answers depending on the situation, so I would want to understand the context before drawing conclusions. What helps a learner recognise progress after an earlier difficulty?
When it comes to introducing music through listening and practice, I would rather understand one useful detail properly than rush through a long list of ideas. Listening for one musical detail can make a short piece feel entirely different. That connection helps me see why music listening education can be worth a closer look. A short discussion of an everyday example would make this easier for me to connect with, especially as someone still learning about the subject. Which listening exercises work well before a learner starts studying notation?
The subject of developing skills through focused workshops feels more interesting when there is room for a reader to stop and ask their own questions. A short workshop can be useful when it gives participants time to try one specific technique. I would keep that thought nearby when looking for ideas about focused skills workshops. A short discussion of an everyday example would make this easier for me to connect with, especially as someone still learning about the subject. What should a learner be able to do differently after a focused session?