May & June Reading Wrap Up & Reading Journal Spreads 📚 reviews & stats 📈

Today I'm setting up all of my May & June spreads in my reading journal, including reviews and stats for the 21 books I read in the past 2 months! I had a lot of 5 star reads so I'm excited to share my thoughts with you 🥰

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📚BOOKS READ

May:
- Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
- Cinderwich by Cherie Priest
- I'm a Fan by Sheena Patel
- Monstress Vol. 8 by Marjorie Liu
- Galatea by Madeline Miller
- What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat by Aubrey Gordon
- The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart
- Role Playing by Cathy Yardley

June:
- The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
- Where Darkness Blooms by Andrea Hannah
- Meeting Millie by Clare Ashton
- You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat
- Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
- Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle
- Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner
- In Tongues by Thomas Grattan
- The Queen of Fourteenth Street by Barrie Kreinik
- One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
- That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming
- A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross
- An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

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✨ FAQs
What does your channel name mean? I picked "Plant Based Bride" for my blog when I started it back in 2015 as I was starting the process of planning my vegan wedding and wanted to document it. I have been vegan for 10+ years and married since 2016!
What's your real name? Elizabeth
Where are you from? I'm a Canadian from Toronto, Ontario, now living in the Canadian Prairies.
Are you a natural redhead? No, I'm naturally a brunette. I dye my hair using Herbatint 8R.
What nail polish are you wearing? Cirque Colors

[dawnbish]

I totally understand the reading slump. It is real. When I'm in a reading slump, I tend to reread books that I have enjoyed in the past. I don't have to worry about not liking the book and for me, it is easy reading. That said, you could also try short stories or novellas if the plot of the books become cumbersome. But don't feel bad about the reading slump. We all go through them. Take your time and relax. Don't force yourself to read anything that you are not enjoying and don't feel bad about putting a book down. There have been many times that I have put a book down because I was not in the mood and then came back to said book and loved it. Enjoy your reading journey and don't fight the slump.

[lizwilliams]

Oh my gosh I’ve been stuck in a NASTY reading slump since July started!! Everything I started I just couldn’t bring myself to continue reading even though I wanted too and everything I did read I felt like I wasn’t absorbing.

What I’ve been doing is reading my husband a physical book (The Mountain in the Sea) out loud while he plays games.we get to pause and speculate out loud together and talk about the characters w like and I do silly voices, it’s been helping a lot!

it seems silly but I used to read him books while on phone calls when he’d drive up to visit while long distance, so this is something we’ve done forever and it’s been helping me push through my slump to have a buddy💖

[belindaclemons]

When I get into a slump like this I always go back to my comfort book and I get back into reading

[Octobig]

the airy may spring aesthetic is ✨everything✨ now that i'm sweltering away in summer 🌿

i'm sorry to hear you've been having a reading slump! i noticed i always try really hard to "fight" them & last month i finally gave in and just finished 0 books (for the first time in 5+ years). and... it sort of worked?? i feel much more excited to read again and feel like i got a brain cleanse out of it :')

but i can imagine finishing 0 books feels like something you can't really do esp if you create content around it. good luck regardless!! ❤

[billiep]

Your handwriting is so nice. I loved watching you write the reviews LOL

[shaunsshelf]

I just finished The Song of Achilles and it immediately gave me a book hangover. I didn’t know what book would even come close to how perfect that book was. I used a horror novella as a palette cleanser and idk if I’d consider myself cured, but I at least stopped thinking about Patrochilles for a minute 😭😭 I’m considering immediately rereading it in the hopes it might get me over it lol. Or maybe I’ll just buy Galatea bc I haven’t read that yet

[TheAlobear]

I can sympathise about the reading slump - I've had three DNFs in a row this week (would have been four but I felt I had to finish the current family book club choice...) and nearly DNF'd the book I started yesterday (but it's so ridiculously nonsensical that I'm kind of intrigued to see where it's going...).
You've helped me out, though - because I listened to Roleplaying since watching this video and really enjoyed it. As a late-40s freelance book editor who loves video games (and is also bi), I felt incredibly seen and I loved how certain romance tropes were subverted along the way. So, thank you, thank you, thank you!
My best advice for a reading slump is to reread a fairly chunky book you know you absolutely love and will be absorbing and comforting but not too quick to get through - and then lose yourself in it for a few days. My go-to for that is any Austen novel because I know I won't be tempted to skim.

[Kdmud]

Wonderful, as always Elizabeth! My only advice is take a break! I think reading so many books that may not be good or your cup of tea will naturally lead to a slump. While it may be interesting and entertaining for us, it could just be draining on your reader’s soul! We get to dnf books left and right, but you finish these books that while may be interesting to analyze and understand, do nothing for your joy of reading! Like one commenter said, “reread something that you love, ” or as I say, “take a break! Recharge those reading batteries!” We love you and will support you!!🪫💞🥰

[solar]

I have been in a multi-year slump. I went on vacation recently and did not bring my tablet but brought my ereader and read the Tea Princess Chronicles trilogy. It’s a fantasy cozy mystery/romance/coming of age and it was so nice to get back into reading and it got me in the mood for more reading. And you got me wanting to reread Le comte de Monte-Cristo. It’s been a long while since I’ve read them.

[hallelujah.moritz]

Thanks for sharing your experience going through a reading slump. It amazes me how much you read (while also annotating!!), and I’m surprised that even annotators can be in slumps! I’m not an annotator myself, but I’m thinking about trying it out at a level 1 haha (I watched your video on annotating and the clear sticky notes idea seems a good way to start). When I’m in a reading slump and I don’t want to break from reading, and don’t even feel like rereading my fave books (because my headspace isn’t in the right place, i.e., distracted lol), I’ll switch genres and read short form, short story collections, poetry (especially!!), and non-fiction in the self-help domain or spiritual category. I tend to read dense and long books, so the genre swap helps to freshen and lighten my reading, and the novelty of a new subject helps hold my attention!

[KellyAK]

I'm also in a reading slump. Mine is because I did a book club readathon in May in which I read 25 books (a record for me) - I had a wonderful time doing the readathon, but I did get burned out a bit and I ended up reading only 7 books in June. I usually do a pride reading challenge for June and last year it was by far my favourite and most busy reading month, so I was really dissapointed this year, especially as 2 were quite short graphic novels and the last book of the month was terrible 😅 I also DNFd 2.

For July I decided I would completely mood read (other than a couple of book club books) and it is helping, though I'm still not quite back up to my regular speed. I am reminding myself that it doesnt actually matter, I read for pleasure so I shouldn't force it.

Also, so glad you loved The Locked Tomb books, it is my absolute favourite series in years, I am obsessed in a way I havent been about pretty much anything since I was a teenager I think!

I re-read The Count of Monte Cristo in Jan/Feb and absolutely loved it, I'm afraid I am one of those people who wouldn't cut anything out 😂

[jaksenlane]

my reading slump ended around july 6th and i read 4 books back to back and a few manga...now im trying to read a few books my sister reco'd and while ive made it through 1 im trying so hard to read the 2 i have left from her! the slump is real >.< thank you for the cozy video! <3

[carolynshields]

Lately, I’ve been in that half-in, half-out slumpy phase. I’ve devoted the last few days to weeding through my physical and digital libraries. The choice paralysis has been soooo real and fine-tuning both collections reminded me of the books within them that I’m so excited for!

[SainabouSaye]

You really make me want to bullet journal again though from experience I know I won’t keep it up 🤣🤣🤣 this is gorgeous

[snowstorm]

In addition to rereading, which I see people mentioning, one way of breaking a reading slump for is to read something undemanding, punchy, or plot-y. A genre or author with a pattern that's familiar to you. Something you don't have to “take seriously“

[AdyGrafovna]

That sounds like a slump. At least that is how slumps work for me. I know for some people, it is not reading at all… but for me it’s more not finishing or engaging. Honestly, there isn’t one cure that works for everyone. I reread or read out of my comfort zone and that can help sometimes. But most of the time, I just have to ride it out and do other things. My mind and body are usually wanting something else is all. So I do some new crafts, spend time outside, hang out with people I love, try new recipes, or start a project for work instead of reading. Before long, I get my equilibrium back and feel engaged with reading again… but I just do what I want and let myself be happy even without reading for a bit.

[dracaryslace]

I've been in a bit of a slump myself lately but hoping these few new books I've gotten will help me out of it!! Love these wrap up videos. ❤

[balletbookworm]

I've got Role Playing on my TBR - gonna have to bump it up! And yay, Locked Tomb! Can't wait to hear what you think about Nona when you get to it <3

[julinhalazara]

I've been in a reading block for a little over a year. It's sad really, but I'm going to try a few things to see if I can shake it. I'm re-starting my read around the world challenge, but I'm going to continue from where I stopped and I'm focusing on using books I already owne but haven't read yet. And I can always re-read my favorites or something from my favorite author, it usually helps.

[meahcook]

I recommend the Lovelight Farms series by B.K. Borison. I gave all the books four stars till I recently finished the most recent book, Business Casual which I rated five stars. I really enjoyed it! It's a romance series revolving around a small town in Maryland, USA and following a different couple in each book.