The Looooong and the Short of It with a Giveaway: May 2022 Wrap-Up Post and What to Expect in June

Posted June 1, 2022 by Lisa Mandina in End of the month post / 31 Comments

May sped by, yet at the same time the last few weeks dragggggggggged. I was so ready to be done with school, but there was also so much to get done before it could be over. But it’s June, and while I have a few more days at the beginning of this month left to work at school, no kids or teachers in the building, it finally feels like summer break. The library is finally all packed and cleared out. Just waiting for them to come in and start painting and doing construction and getting new carpet!

Still ashamed to say I haven’t used my exercise bike yet. Yikes. It feels like we had a ton of rain this month, but then also some really summer hot days. I had to mow every week. Ugh, not ready for that part of summer! But that’s where we are now I guess.

I think the amount of reading I got done this month was a little better than expected, but mostly because I listened to a bunch of audiobooks that were basically novellas. I ended up reading 20 books this month, if you count a coloring book. Only 12 of them were listed on my goal in this same post last month.

May Reviews

While I was able to get some overdue reviews caught up, I’ve got a a few left, as well as some from this month, audiobooks, that need to be reviewed.

Challenge Wrap-Up

Another month of not great progress.

My goal was 12. Two done earlier this year, but not any more this month. Maybe as summer gets here I’ll get some more read.

Another goal of 12 for this challenge. Two done for the year. And I could kind of count It Takes a Woman by Piper Sheldon I guess, so we’ll say I’m up to 3 now.

Yet again I’m not getting anything done for a challenge. Just one this year that was a DNF.

  • Blogging – I’m up to 79% on Netgalley for now! Yay!!!!
  • Reading – Still ahead on my goal of 200 books on Goodreads. Still haven’t really done any sequels. Maybe again this summer!
  • Writing – No new writing. However, I did get a couple chapters of my NA romance sent off to an author to give me a critique that I was the high bidder on for another charity auction. I’ll be interested to get her notes! I’m really hoping to get some writing time this summer.

Bookstagram

I was so crazy busy this past month I didn’t do as many pics as books that I got. I need to work on that this summer! So I really only have one to share from May.

What to expect in June 2022

A few days left of school at the beginning. Then they’re coming to remodel my bathroom the second week in June. I can’t wait to have a nice soaking tub! I realized that I actually did a lot of reading while soaking in bubble baths, and without a tub like that in my house that I moved to 3 years ago, I’ve missed out on that reading time. I didn’t end up having enough left over after paying taxes on the retirement money I took out last fall, but was able to finance most of it. Hopefully getting lots of reading done this month, maybe some writing, and some exercising as well!

Here is my proposed list of books to read in June:
  1. The Italian Job by Kathryn Freeman – reading this one as I get this post ready for a blog tour on the 2nd
  2. Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert – the publisher sent me an ARC of this one that I’m excited to read after listening to the last book in the series. Thought I’d get to meet the author at Book Bonanza but she dropped out for this year. Hoping to read and post a review on the 4th.
  3. Cookout Carnage by Evie Alexander and Kelly Kay – reading by request of the authors for a review on the 6th.
  4. A Borrowed Boyfriend by Angela R. Casella – for a blog tour review on the 7th. I probably should not have signed up for this one.
  5. So Not Meant to Be by Meghan Quinn – for the author’s review team for a review on the 8th.
  6. Rise of the Snake Goddess by Jenny Elder Moke – I really liked the first one so signed up for the blog tour through Rock Star Tours to review on the 9th.
  7. It’s a Widow Thing by Karen Booth – not too sure about the widow part, but it sounds good otherwise, so for a blog tour review on the 10th
  8. The Ruthless Groom by Monica Murphy – author review team review posted on the 13th
  9. Scotsman in the Stacks by Alana Oxford – for a blog tour review on the 14th
  10. Last on the List by Amy Daws – an author review team review on the 16th
  11. A Series of Unfortunate Meet Cutes anthology – for a blog tour review on the 18th
  12. Folk Around and Find Out by Penny Reid – I think it is still scheduled to come out on June 20th, if not, I’ll read it when it is scheduled.
  13. The Wine Down by Louise Lennox – for a blog tour review on the 21st
  14. Rome for the Summer by Lynne Shelby – for a blog tour review on the 22nd
  15. Big Duke Energy by Emma Hart – for a blog tour review on the 23rd, the author has pushed most of her books this year back a bit, so I’d be okay if this one got pushed back too as packed as my schedule is!
  16. Moments in Time by K.K. Allen – I finally read a book by this author at the end of last year I think, and so I signed up to try another, hopefully I enjoy and get this read for a blog tour review on the 24th
  17. Bad Thing Happen Here by Rebecca Barrow – an ARC the publisher sent that I hope to get read and post a review on the 25th.
  18. Mansplainer by Avery Flynn – fingers crossed I can get an egalley of this and get it read by the 27th. If not, again, I probably am better off as many books as I have to read this month!
  19. First Bride to Fall by Ginny Baird – the publisher reached out and asked me to read this, hoping to read and review by the 28th.
  20. Autumn in Sycamore Park by CP Ward – hoping to read and post for a blog tour review on the 30th.
  21. Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon – hoping to have time to read this for one of my challenges
  22. Also other audiobooks as I have time!

Final Thoughts

So, how was your May? Did you get all the reading you wanted done? Are you getting summer weather yet? What are you looking forward to in June?

Giveaway

Below are ARCs I’ve finished and also a couple of finished copies, the winner will get to pick out 3 books from the list. And I know this picture is missing some because I took it before I finished a couple of books. There may even be a few more choices by the end of the month! I will make the giveaway international in that you can pick a book for under $10 if The Book Depository ships to you. Just fill out the Rafflecopter below the picture. I might even do a second winner if we can get over 100 entries into the rafflecopter by the end of the month, we had over 100 in May, so I did pick two winners from my April Wrap-Up, or will be this first week of June.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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31 responses to “The Looooong and the Short of It with a Giveaway: May 2022 Wrap-Up Post and What to Expect in June

  1. May did fly by! I didn’t get as much reading done as I hoped, but did pretty well. Summer weather has been slow in coming for us. It hasn’t felt like summer because the weather has been cool, but now it feels like the summer is half over! You had a great reading month with 20 books! Even if some were novellas, that is still a lot of reviews to write. I hope your remodel job goes smoothly. Have a good June!

    • Lisa Mandina

      We had the really hot days, but then a bunch of rain, and then some cold days mixed in. It was a weird May! Thanks for stopping by!

    • Lisa Mandina

      Thanks! I’m hoping being out of school will help! Being able to stay up all night until I’m done reading.

  2. Danielle Hammelef

    May definitely flew by. I have to mow every week now too and sometimes more based on the rain. I don’t mind though because it is great exercise. I have an electric mower so I can still hear the birds chirping while I mow and I love not having to buy gas for it, especially now. Hope your June is excellent!

    • Lisa Mandina

      I’ve been wondering about an electric mower. I have a self-propelled one, so I wonder if the electric one would be heavier or easier to use. Thanks for visiting!

  3. I would LOVE to have a soaker tub…ahhh that would be so relaxing to read in! Hope you have a great June. It’s back and forth on Summer weather where I live. I’m just ready for the pool.

    • Lisa Mandina

      I had one at my last house and LOVED it! It is the one thing I really miss about that house. Can’t wait, in about two weeks I should have one again!

    • Lisa Mandina

      Yeah, on the one hand it is nice to have a couple months off, well, less than two with this new job. But on the other hand, it would be nicer sometimes to take a vacation whenever I wanted. Pros and cons I guess!

    • Lisa Mandina

      Ooh, I hadn’t seen any mixed reviews on it yet, oh well. I was happy with it, so that’s all I worry about. 🙂

  4. My May was incredibly weird. Is school over yet for you? I can feel the energy from all the students, my husband included!

    Congrats on reading so many books and a bathroom remodeling sounds like a dream.

    • Lisa Mandina

      Kids were out before Memorial Day, then I have 5 days after them. I’ll be done on Monday! And I cannot wait for my bathroom to be done!

  5. John Smith

    I’ve thought “Flirting With Fate” might be a good read!

    I, too, should probably get some exercise–especially with today’s meal of sour cream iced donuts and chicken egg rolls!

    • Lisa Mandina

      That meal sounds delicious! ANd is the kind of meal I eat too much, well, not those two together though. lol

  6. Candice G

    May was great with lots of flowers blooming in my garden and more blooming in June. One book I read in May was The Last Boy and Girl in the World because the days in book lined up with the actual days of the month (for example in the book May 8th was on a Sunday and this year May 8th was on a Sunday). I am glad you liked Love, Radio. I got that book and plan to read it in the summer.

    • Lisa Mandina

      Ooh, how cool that it lined up with the actual days! I remember when the very first Independence Day movie came out and originally it was going to open on the 4th, but then because the movie actually starts like on the 2nd, they opened it on that day instead. Thanks for stopping by!

  7. I am a little late for reading books in the month of June. But anyway, thank you very much for this list. All the books seem to be amazing in the romance genre as well. It will be interesting to read your review of Karen Booth’s Widow Thing.
    I also hope that you can already read books in your new bathroom as before)

    • Lisa Mandina

      I have had a few hot relaxing baths with a book since this summer. Really going to be enjoying it this winter. Thanks for visiting!

  8. Thank you for the May update! Your reading progress is impressive, and your June plans sound exciting, especially the bathroom remodel. Here’s to a summer filled with great reads and relaxation. Cheers!

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