We’re starting the first full week of the new month! We’ve already reached May 5. This past week flew by for me, but I managed to finish two books and start a third. The first was an advance reader copy (ARC) of a book that will be coming out very soon. The second was a non-fiction that was much needed in the moment. Here’s the full recap.

1. This Vicious Dream – Stacia Stark

CW: Graphic Depictions of Violence & Injuries, Death of Parent, Kidnapping, Captivity, Torture, SA, War, Eugenics, Genocide, Abandonment, Anxiety Attacks

I was very excited to get an ARC of the eBook directly from the author on this one. I wanted the moment I knew the synopsis. The official release is coming up very soon on the 13th of May. It’s currently available for pre-order in either paperback, hardcover, or even CD audio.

Summary:

Madinia Farrow has been entrusted with the safekeeping of an extremely powerful grimoire. It’s her sworn duty to keep it safely out of the hands of tyrannical leaders and vengeful gods alike. She is determined to do so, no matter the personal cost. When her path crosses with Calysian’s, she has no interest in keeping him around. He’s on his own quest to uncover his lost memories and that alone should make him a liability. However, he just keeps proving useful, and there are untold lives at risk if she should fail.

My Thoughts:

This is an intense romantasy adventure with a rich world, a rapid pace, and morally gray heroes who are still easy to root for. The characters are colorful and unique, and above all, they are complex. Our main characters have been through a lot, as they begin to remember. As a result, they are mistrustful and afraid of vulnerability. While it leads them to a number of questionable decisions, it’s also difficult to fault them too harshly.

Those who have read Stark’s Kingdom of Lies series will already be familiar with the setting and a number of the characters. It is not required reading. This Vicious Dream is the first in a standalone duology, and it works as a standalone. Allusions to previous books set in this world feel like extensive backstories not chasms of missing context. Even with so much history, the story doesn’t get bogged down by exposition. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. There is near-constant action with a lot of twists and turns that always feel well-plotted. I also really enjoyed all the animal companions.

I had not read the Kingdom of Lies series before this one, but the world and its inhabitants have caught my attention. There’s a good chance I’ll be picking those up. I’m definitely looking forward to the second half of this duology. This one does end on a nasty cliffhanger.

2. How to Relax – Thich Nhat Hanh

Summary:

Thich Nhat Hanh was a Buddhist monk from Vietnam and a world-renowned peace activist. In How to Relax, he shares wisdom on how to slow down and find tranquility in our day, even on the days when it feels impossible. As with all the books in the How To series, there are a number of relevant meditation exercises included in the back.

My Thoughts:

I’ve now acquired and read through about half of this series. There are twelve in total, and they represent a small fraction of Thich Nhat Hanh’s writings. Out of the whole series, this is probably the one that I needed the most. Although I’ve practiced meditation for more than half of my life, I still have a very busy mind. At any given time, I have a number of projects underway and numerous responsibilities all making demands on my schedule. It means that my daily life requires a lot of logistics and I often get swept away thinking about what comes next instead of the current moment. Even when I’m sitting still, my mind is often still going a mile per minute.

It’s not the first time I’ve said this about books in this series, but it’s astounding how approachable these books make difficult concepts. He makes the intimidating seem simple and doable. I turn to these books whenever I’m overwhelmed, burnt out, or in a reading slump. I always feel better afterward, and this one has been no exception. I’m very glad that I added it to my collection.

May 5 is Now in the Books

Today (May 5), I’m now reading the ARC for A Fairy Hunter’s Guide for the Recently (un)Dead by Cynthia Prith. I also have an enormous physical TBR of books that I own and a couple library books. I’m still recovering bodily from the North of Boston Book Trail a few weeks ago and it will be a long time before I catch up on all my resulting new additions to my home library. It was a great way to celebrate the weekend of Indie Bookstore Day and make lots of progress on my mission to visit all the independent bookstores in Massachusetts! You can join in along with my partner and I in our explorations – we have a whole playlist of bookstore videos for you to check out!

Keep an eye out on my YouTube channel or the main updates page here to follow along on all our bookish adventures. My reading recaps go out on Mondays and our bookstore adventures go out on Thursdays. As always, I want to hear from you! What have you been reading lately? Are you having fun with it? Have you read any of these titles, and if so, what did you think of them? Tell me everything, and follow along for more!