Whatcha Reading? May 2023

By: Cori Reed
Whatcha Reading? Take My Hand, In Five Years, Fourth Wing, The Sentence, Ruin, The Bodyguard
Book Recommendations

May is gone, but let's take a look at some of the great books Team OwlCrate read over the past four weeks! 

Leave a comment letting us know which awesome books you read in May for a chance to win a $25 OwlCrate shop gift card! The winner will be randomly selected on Tuesday, June 6th.

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle
In Five Years
I randomly picked this up on a Costco run because I liked the cover and wanted a quick little paperback. It is one of the most beautiful love stories I've ever read but it's not a love that you'd expect. The plot twist is gut wrenching and unexpected. This was the first book in a while that I didn't predict what would come next! It also was the first book ever to make me cry actual tears, but in my opinion a great read!






— Christianne

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Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Fourth Wing

I caught the hype train and read Fourth Wing in May.

You only have to tell me that a book has talking dragons and I'll immediately be in. And while I expected a spicy romance, what I didn't expect is what I felt was excellent world building, character depth (especially the books' scaly characters),  and rich representation of a main character living with connective tissue disorder. 

While heavy in adult topics, I found this book an excellent way to switch my brain off for the weekend and spend it on the back of a dragon. It was just what I look for in a high romantasy. I'll definitely be picking up book two.

 

— Jordan

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Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Take My Hand
This gripping historical fiction centres on the real-life 1970s court case of Relf v Weinberger.
Civil Townsend, now a distinguished Black doctor, narrates this compelling story going back and forth between 2016 and her days as new young, idealistic nurse in the 1970s at a reproductive clinic serving young Black women. Caring deeply for her patients Civil is alarmed when she is called upon to administer questionable treatments to her young patients, often without their full understanding, eventually becoming involved in a landmark lawsuit when two patients are sterilized without consent. While the content is heavy, Dolen writes an addictive, fast paced story that had me flying through the pages! 

  

The Bodyguard by Katherine Centre
The Bodyguard

Needing a lighter read to counterbalance the heavier content in Take My Hand, I listened to this heartwarming, entirely uplifting story on audiobook and highly recommend it to anyone who needs a bit of sunshine in their reading life!

While Hannah may look slight and sweet, she is actually a workaholic bodyguard who has been tasked with a new client - hunky movie star Jack Stapleton. Problem is, she has to pose as his girlfriend and live with him and his family on their Texas ranch … you can likely see where this story is heading! These characters were so entertaining and I highly enjoyed my time with them and their witty banter.

 

 

— Cheryl

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The Sentence by Louise Erdich
The Sentence
The Sentence is a special book. Set in the midst of the pandemic we follow Tookie who now works as a bookseller at a small independent bookstore in Minneapolis after years of incarceration. To her chagrin, 
 the store's most annoying customer passes on All Soul's Day, and is now stuck haunting the bookshop. Tookie tackles this mystery on the backdrop of a world in chaos. It is an honest look at a year of the pandemic, not shying away from police brutality or the thousands upon thousands of people dying while the world somehow managed, for many, to keep going. 

It's also a book about books. And the title, The Sentence, while simple, gathers many layers throughout the progression of the story. It's simply fantastic.

 

Ruin by Cara Hoffman

Ruin

 

I love a good short story collection, but it's rare that I leave one having enjoyed every single story. Ruin broke this trend. Team OwlCrate visited a bookstore called Page Against the Machine (we had to - we could not resist that name!) in Long Beach recently and this little collection called to me. Often dark, it remains humourous throughout. This book currently only has 85 ratings on Goodreads, so jump on this hidden gem. 

 

  

— Cori

What great books have you read lately? Let us know in the comments!

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