Welcome back to Whatcha Reading? in which we talk about some of our favorite reads of May!

For a little bit of added excitement we've decided to do a giveaway this month! Comment below letting us know what you read in the month of May for a chance to win a $25 OwlCrate shop gift card! *Winner will be randomly selected on Friday, June 10th*

Want even more great recs? Check out OwlCrate Jr's monthly wrap up as well! (and they may also be hosting a giveaway👀)


84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
84, Charing Cross Road

84, Charing Cross Road was a book I totally needed in my life. We're all readers here, and one thing that gets me choked up is books that love books. In this little 97 page epistolary story we follow the relationship between Helene Hanff in America and a used-book seller in London. Through the years their shared love of literature pours through their letters, all of which are poignant, funny, and often moving. If you need a little breather from the world, this book is perfect.

 

 

 

We Are Not Free by Traci Chee
We Are Not Free

I don't often gravitate towards historical fiction, and if you feel the same way I still implore you to pick up We Are Not Free. In it we follow a group of 14 Japanese American teenagers as we hear from each of them dealing with the horrifying reality that was Japanese incarceration camps during WWII. A part of our history that isn't discussed enough, this book had me falling in love with these characters as they went through these tragic and repulsive events. It's not an easy read, but it's a fantastic one. 

 

 

— Cori

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Nowhere Girl by Magali Le Huche
Nowhere Girl
Set in Paris in the 90s, this is a relatable graphic memoir about a young girl dealing with the changes between childhood and adolescence, while also developing anxieties and fears based on school and failure. While dealing with her anxieties and new diagnosis, she discovers The Beatles and becomes completely obsessed. We have all been there - we find that new thing we love and it’s all we ever want to talk about, think about, and live for. I loved the simple yet effective artwork for the main story, but when we meet The Beatles - BOOM! The artwork is colourful, vibrant, and magical. While listening to their music, Magali is pulled into the fantastical world of her imagination - exactly where you would expect a Beatles song to take you. It only covers her life between grade six and grade eight but is a wonderful little slice of life story.

The List of Last Chances by Christina Myers
The List of Last Chances

This was an impulse borrow from the library completely based on the cover and one blurb on the back. When I started reading it, I was delighted to find out that it wasn’t only Canadian, but was a road trip rom-com! Ruthie needs to get her life together. She’s been dumped, lost her job and is sleeping on her friend’s couch when this interesting job comes along. She is to drive Kay (mother of David) from Prince Edward Island to Vancouver. Kay, who doesn’t really want to move, makes the best of a bad situation by creating this off-the-rails to-do list of life and ropes Ruthie into it. A lovely unlikely friendship story about two women bonding on the road - with a dash of romance as Ruthie chats with David via text, email and video throughout the trip. I read it in 24 hours. It was a win.

— Crystal

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When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole
When No One Is Watching

When I heard this new psychological thriller described as Get Out meets Rear Window, I snapped it up from my library as quickly as possible. Set in a rapidly gentrifying neighbourhood in Brooklyn, the story is told in alternating perspectives from Sydney, a Black woman who was born and raised in the community and has since returned to live in her mother's house, and Theo, one of the new white residents in the area. As new FOR SALE signs spring up faster than she can keep track of and the families Sydney grew up with start to disappear, she (somewhat reluctantly) teams up with Theo to try and preserve the history of the block. But their digging uncovers something sinister... As much as I enjoyed the first three quarters, I found the ending didn’t really add up to what Cole built, but it was definitely a fun read.

— Sally

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


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