Hey y’all!
May is almost over and I have two more books I’d like to finish (yikes!) so if I can’t finish either of them, they’ll unfortunately get tacked onto my already large June TBR. Those books are Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, an #ownvoices novel about four generations of a Korean family that is so far quite excellent, and my e-ARC of The Second Home by Christina Clancy, which is adult literary fiction about family.
In June, I will be participating in the Olympic Games readathon. I will be on Team Athena following her respective mandatory challenges and advanced challenges. Unfortunately, I won’t be reading the (optional) group book The Lovely War because, while I have a copy unread, it is currently sitting in my dorm in Pennsylvania and I don’t want to borrow a copy/purchase another copy when I technically already have one…
The challenges are as follows:
- Athena favors those who seek knowledge beyond all. Read a book out of your comfort zone. For this I will be reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I don’t read a ton of classics, but I’ve had this on my shelves forever (and even tried reading it in around 8th grade and failed miserably at getting through it). Since I’m taking a 19th century British literature class at college in the fall and will be reading Persuasion by Jane Austen, I think it would be shameful of me to enter the class, especially as an English major, not having read Pride and Prejudice.
- Read a book that features a school. I’m planning to begin my reread of the Great Library series by Rachel Caine starting with Ink and Bone. This might be a stretch to fit the challenge, but I think the idea of the characters being taught how to work in the library and going through an education process seems to be a sort of “schooling,” so I’d say it counts!
- Read the longest book on your TBR. I retook Rick Riordan’s godly parent test purely out of the hope to not have to do this challenge, but alas, I believe I really would be a child of Athena; nothing else fits quite well. Alas, I will be reading The Stand by Stephen King in all of it’s 1,153 pages unabridged. This feels like karma, but I’m not sure for what.
- Athena is a favorite among gods and mortals alike. Read a book by your favorite author. For this I will, of course, be reading yet another thick novel, and that is Shorefall by Robert Jackson Bennett. He is becoming a new favorite author after reading Foundryside and I am so looking forward to delving back into Tevanne and seeing all my favorite characters again.
- After he betrayed her trust, Athena branded Daedalus with a mark that looked like a partridge. Read a book with a bird on the cover. For this, I will be reading The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, which has a few teeny tiny birds on the cover, so yes, it does count. I’ve had this book on my shelves for quite some time now and while I know it’s going to be really heavy, I liked the movie, so I think I will like the book as well.
- Advanced Challenge Sword and Shield: a book featuring a character you would not get along with. I’m not entirely sure I’m going to get along with this book either, but I intend to read 44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith, as recommended by my grandma. From what I understand, the main character’s mom is quite difficult and someone I certainly wouldn’t get along with! However, I don’t have a good history with this author’s books, so the only things pushing me to read this are knowing that (1) I need to get it back to my grandparents and (2) it’s set in Scotland.
- Advanced Challenge Capture the Flag: one of your most anticipated. I am lucky to have received an ARC of Adam Sass’s Surrender Your Sons, whose publication date has since been pushed to September. Ordinarily I would read it closer to the release date, but my download of the copy is expiring soon, so I’m hoping to read it quickly! This is also going to be a really heavy book as it pertains to conversion therapy, but I’m really looking forward to reading it, especially during pride month! Woohoo!
- Advanced Challenge Monster Fighting: a book with magical creatures. For this challenge, I will be reading Mythology by Edith Hamilton, which is a narrative of the Greek myths that was gifted to me by a neighbor a few years ago. I’m really looking forward to reading it, especially for this readathon! It’s quite fitting! However, if I don’t get to it, I also intend to reread Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief this month for @febrvaryfriday‘s read-a-long (Demigod-a-long!), which will definitely count for this challenge.
- Advanced Challenge Pegasus Riding: a book published within the last 5 years. Following my reread of Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine, I will also be rereading Paper and Fire, which was published within the last 5 years!
As aforementioned, in the month of June, I also intend to reread Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. The rest of my TBR is quite loose, but I may also (if I have time haha) read Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo (my original pick for book by your favorite author before Shorefall arrived on my doorstep) and a few ebooks I’ve checked out from my library like How (Not) to Ask a Boy to Prom by S.J. Goslee, The Love and Lies of Rukshana Ali by Sabina Khan, and How to Be Remy Cameron by Julian Winters, which would all be great reads for Pride Month! However, since The Stand is huge, I’m not anticipating being able to read much aside from my Olympic Games TBR, if that.
I hope you all have a wonderful June! Remember to stay safe, wash your hands, and spread love and kindness whenever and wherever you can.
-Book Hugger
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