The first five months of the year are over and today it’s time to talk about what we read in May for this month’s wrap up. Was it a good reading month? Did we discover any new favorites? Keep on reading to find out!

Candyce

In May I ended up doing a 30 books in 30 days without even really trying. It was a great reading month for me. I ended up reading 34 books (10 paperbacks, 9 audiobooks, 6 eARCs, 4 ebooks, 3 manga, and 2 hardcovers). My average rating was a 3,9. I read a lot, and there were a few books I really didn’t care for. Thankfully, I also found a few new favorites. Keep on reading to see what I read in May!

Imogen, Obviously – Becky Albertalli

Becky Albertalli writes amazing YA contemporary books and I’m glad to say I can add Imogen, Obviously to that list. This book is definitely a coming of age story. Imogen really starts to learn more about herself and how she wants to express herself. It also deals with friendship and how those do change when life changes. I think that Becky Albertalli did a great job discussing some important subjects as well.

We’re Never Getting Home – Tracy Badua

Our main character has the chance to go to her dream musical festival. She’s had to do a lot to make this happen and is really excited. This experience was supposed to be together with her best friend, but they had a falling out. I enjoyed the setting and the idea that the keys to their ride home were lost was interesting. For me there was just a bit too much drama at times. I do really appreciate that We’re Never Getting Home was about friendship and how this can change as you grow up.

We Got the Beat – Jenna Miller

Out of Character by this author was a book I loved, so I was excited when Jenna announced We Got the Beat. While I did enjoy this story about aspiring journalist Jordan, I didn’t love this as much as Out of Character. I’m glad I read this one though.

The Edge of Summer – Erica George

The Edge of Summer was a nice summer read. Our main character lost her best friend and is taking this summer to complete the bucket list they made together. She’s still processing the loss, gets to help save whales, and finds love. Even though this isn’t the most memorable book I’ve read, I did enjoy it.

The Breakup Vacation – Anna Gracia

The Breakup Vacation wasn’t a book I had heard about until the publisher sent me an e-galley. I decided to give it a try, because it actually sounded like a fun summer romance. Unfortunately, I wasn’t a fan at all. I didn’t like the characters and the plot just annoyed me. The audiobook was pretty short and that’s the only reason I finished this one.

Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies – Catherine Mack

I’m a big fan of books that “talk” to their readers. From the start of this mystery the main character takes us along in her story and gives us little hints and extra information while the mystery unravels. The audiobook was also a lot of fun and I’ll definitely read the next book when it releases.

Butcher & Blackbird – Brynne Weaver

I never expected to end up loving a serial killer romance, but Butcher & Blackbird surprised me in so many ways. Since it released traditionally, I’ve also heard great things about the audiobook. The next book in the series releases in a couple of weeks, so it was the perfect time for a reread with the audiobook. I have to say I agree that how the audiobook in narrated really works for this book.

One Last Word – Suzanne Park

Sara has developed an app that sends messages to the people you have messages saved for when you pass away. Things go wrong and her messages are sent out. I enjoyed seeing Sara work on the app and try to get it on the market. I didn’t really feel a connection to the romance and a few events near the end didn’t really work for me. All in all, this was a fast read.

Cross the Line – Simone Soltani

I’ve read quite a few sports romances, but never a racing romance. This was kind of a brother’s best friend romance between Dev and Willow. They shared a kiss in the past and slowly start getting close when she becomes his social media person. Cross the Line was a cute romance and more importantly, we had no third act breakup. What I didn’t understand was how action packed the epilogue was. That felt weird.

When Women Were Dragons – Kelly Barnhill

When Women Were Dragons was my in person book club’s pick for April, but our meeting was early May. This book was definitely an interesting take on feminism and how the world tries to just not talk about things that could be uncomfortable. This book had me angry for Alex at times and at the world, but it was so well written. At times this book was a bit repetitive and I would’ve loved just a bit more backstory/story about the dragons, but all in all, I’m glad I read When Women Were Dragons.

None Shall Sleep – Ellie Marney

As a fan of Criminal Minds and The Naturals, I had a feeling I’d love None Shall Sleep. In this book two teenagers that have had their lives affected by serial killers team up to interview teenage serial killers. On top of that there’s an ongoing case they get caught up in. I have to say this book got darker than I was expecting, but it kept me on the edge of my seat.

Dead Voices – Katherine Arden

Small Spaces is my favorite middle grade book and one that makes me never look at scarecrows the same again. Dead Voices is the next book in the series and I don’t know why it took me so long to pick it up. Again, our three main characters have another spooky adventure, but this time when they’re snowed in at a lodge. Once again this author had me spooked as an adult and I couldn’t put it down.

Roll for Initiative – Jaime Formato

Roll for Initiative is another one I’m adding to my list of favorite middle grade books. I’ve played Dungeons and Dragons myself and I loved how it was incorporated in this book. Riley has a lot of change happening and isn’t quite sure how to deal with it. Things start to get better when she makes friends who play Dungeons and Dragons together. She finally starts to learn to deal with her brother not being around. This book is filled with friendship, family, growing up, and other life lessons.

Truly, Madly, Deeply – Alexandria Bellefleur

Truly, Madly, Deeply is a romantic comedy I just couldn’t put down. Truly is a romance author and her parents make her believe in true love. Even when she finds her fiance cheating, she’s still convinced love is out there. Until that changes and her world is turned upside down. Colin is a divorce lawyer and knows love can be difficult. When they do an episode of a podcast together things start to get interesting and they slowly start to get to know each other. I loved this romance, but I do wish we got a bit more of the podcast they agreed to work on together.

The Summer of Broken Rules – K.L. Walther

This is a book I’ve seen around quite a lot, especially last summer. Meredith is heading back to her family’s farm for her cousin’s wedding, but also still dealing with the loss of her sister. The Summer of Broken Rules was the perfect mix of family, missing someone, summer love, and letting yourself live again. I can even say this book had me tearing up a few times. I will be reading more by this author.

See You Yesterday – Rachel Lynn Solomon

Rachel Lynn Solomon is one of my favorite authors and I’m still catching up on her backlist. I’m glad I finally sat down and read See You Yesterday. I love a Groundhog Day story and our main character, Barrett, keeps reliving her first day of college. The romance that develops between her and Miles is also really cute. I also really enjoyed how both of them also dealt with things in their past. It wasn’t only romance focused.

By Any Other Name – Lauren Kate

As a fan of books that have characters who love books, work with books, or write books, I had to pick up By Any Other Name. Our main character fell in love with a book by a well known author who never showed their face in public. So when she ended up working in a publishing company that publishes for this author. She finds out the author isn’t who she expected and a cute romance develops. I would’ve loved more time with the author and romance, but By Any Other Name was a sweet book.

The Book Eaters – Sunyi Dean

The concept of eating books instead of food was an interesting concept and I was excited to finally pick this one up. The story was interesting, but I don’t know if my expectations were to high or something else, but this book was a bit disappointing. I just never got invested in the characters or plot.

The Dragon Republic – R.F. Kuang

For my series slayers group, I read The Dragon Republic. The second book in The Poppy War trilogy was once again actionpacked and kept me on the edge of my seat. There are twists, politics, and so much more. The ending left me with so many questions. I’m glad that the third and final book is already out in the world, so I can keep on reading.

Not Like the Movies – Kerry Winfrey

Not Like the Movies has been on my shelf for a few years, but I finally picked it up. I’m a big fan of rom coms, so this caught my eye. While I thought it was cute and enjoyed most of it, I really would’ve loved Nick’s POV and Chloe annoyed me a lot during this book. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I know she had a lot going on, but she got on my nerves at times.

The Breakup Tour – Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

This author duo has written quite a few books together and what I’ve read, I’ve enjoyed. It’s pretty clear that The Breakup Tour was inspired by Taylor Swift. I know some people didn’t enjoy this one, but I had fun with it. Riley irritated me a few times, but all in all, I couldn’t put this one down.

A Sign of Affection Vol. 8 – Suu Morishita

The next volume in my favorite manga arrived this month and I had to read it right away. We’re continuing our journey with Yuki with her relationship and how that’s progressing. We meet more of her family in this volume and the ending left me wanting more. I’m counting down the days until the next volume releases.

My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 Vol. 1 – Mashiro

The boyfriend and I watched the anime that was made from this manga and I loved it. I don’t game myself, but the boyfriend is a gamer and I enjoy watching him play games at time. I also enjoy reading about characters that game and the romances that could blossom. The first volume was exactly what I remember from the anime, but it was still a lot of fun to read.

A Condition Called Love Vol. 3 – Megumi Morino

Another cute volume of A Condition Called Love. Our main character Hotaru is starting to experience new emotions and deal with how that makes her feel. I love seeing her connect with Hananoi-kun. I get that people think he’s a bit creepy and intense, but I do feel like we learn a little bit about why he’s so clingy.

The Hemlock Queen – Hannah F. Whitten

The Hemlock Queen is the sequel to The Foxglove King. The first book left me wanting more and the sequel definitely gave me what I wanted. I have to say the start was a bit slow and I was confused for a little bit, but these characters have me invested. So much happened in the last 100 pages and I wish I had the next book in my hands right now.

Woke Up Like This – Amy Lea

I’ve loved other books by Amy Lea and Woke Up Like This is my new five star favorite. Charlotte and J.T. are high school rivals and when Charlotte wakes up after a fall and is 30 years old, she’s surprised she’s married to J.T. Let’s just say things aren’t always as they seem and if you’re looking for a heartwarming story that will make you laugh, pick up Woke Up Like This.

Canadian Boyfriend – Jenny Holiday

Canadian Boyfriend is a book I read in one sitting and I enjoyed it so much. Aurora was a ballet dancer, but decided to quit when in dance school. When she was a teenager she met Mike, who she later used as her made up Canadian boyfriend. So when she sees him 13 years later, she’s quite surprised. A lot has happened in both their lives and this romance had me hooked. It’s slow burn, there’s communication, friendship, and trust. This one hit me in all the feels.

Playing for Keeps – Tristen Crone

Playing for Keeps is a book I wanted to love and honestly had all of the ingredients to make me love it: a plus-sized MC, board games, and a grumpy/sunshine romance. This book started off great. I really enjoyed Farren and Sebastian and was hoping for an amazing romance. About halfway through it started falling flat for me. There was a lot of telling and not showing, the pacing felt off, and certain things got repetitive. The romance stayed a bit on the surface and I didn’t feel connected enough with them to fall in love with their story. I also didn’t completely understand the third act breakup. I’m sorry, but if a guy spoke to me the way Sebastian did to Farren, I wouldn’t have forgiven him so easily. Playing for Keeps had some aspects I loved, but sadly it just didn’t work for me.

Bye Forever, I Guess – Jodi Meadows

So Bye Forever, I Guess doesn’t release until the end of October, but I couldn’t resist starting my eARC right away. This book reminded me why I love middle grade books so much. Ingrid is a thirteen year old girl who loves playing video games and has a favorite fantasy series that helped her deal with losing her parents. I loved that this book shows us that friendships can be complicated and first crushes are nerve-wracking and fun. I definitely won’t forget Bye Forever, I Guess.

Past Present Future – Rachel Lynn Solomon

I was so excited when I got an eARC of Past Present Future and it was everything I hoped for. Rowan and Neil are starting a new part of their lives: college. They’ve only been together a few months and besides that and it’s a lot. I loved how realistic this book felt and I loved both of these characters. I will say I thought this was more new adult than YA, but still amazing! My full review will be posted next week.

The Mystery of Locked Rooms – Lindsay Currie

As a fan of escape rooms, I loved the fact that this group of three friends likes to conquer them. They all work well together and when Sarah realizes her family might lose their house, she suggests they conquer a funhouse that was supposed to open years ago, but never did. This adventure was so much fun and I loved reading about them trying to figure out the mysteries of this house. It definitely reminded me why I love middle grade so much.

Starter Villain – John Scalzi

Starter Villain was my book club’s May pick and it was an interesting one. I don’t think I’ve ever read a science fiction book like this one before. We have action, drama, and talking cats and dolphins. Starter Villain had me laughing out loud.

Fragile Sanctuary – Catherine Cowles

Catherine Cowles is an author I’ve been wanting to read something by for so long. I finally changed that this month with her newest release, Fragile Sanctuary! This was the perfect combination of suspense and romance and I couldn’t put it down. Rhodes and Anson are two characters you just want to see get a happily ever after. Rhodes’ family is also amazing and I need a book for every one of her siblings.

I Dare You – Shantel Tessier

Shantel Tessier is an author I’ve seen around on bookstagram and I was intrigued. I Dare You is definitely a darker book and kept me hooked. Part of the story did get a bit repetitive and the ending kind of fell flat. It started getting really intense, but the build up to everything happening felt rushed and just too easy? I am curious about the next book.

Isabelle

I actually had a really good reading month! 15 books and with that I also completed my Goodreads reading goal already. After the last couple of years struggling to make it, I’m really happy I already met my goal this year. Let’s take a look at what I’ve read this month.

Haikyu 26-37 – Haruichi Furudate

I’m getting so close to the end now! And I honestly don’t want it to end, I wish this was a longer series. Even though some of the matches span multiple volumes, it still goes by too fast! I loved these volumes a lot and at times I just didn’t know who to root for haha. Just 8 more volumes to go, luckily I also have 23 episodes of the anime to go.

The Sunshine Court – Nora Sakavich

I was so excited to find out about this release and all of a sudden it was there. Candyce reminded me of the release and I got the ebook right away. I really enjoyed this one and I can’t wait for the sequel.

Assassin’s Blade – Sarah J. Maas

Again? Yes, again haha. I know I just finished my reread but I just couldn’t resist. And I’m also almost finished with Throne of Glass again. A friend of mine started the series for the first time so I’m waiting for them to catch up before I continue my reread.

A Reaper at the Gates – Sabaa Tahir

Someone mentioned this series on TikTok and I decided it was finally time to dive back in! I went with the audiobook this time and that was a good call. It has been years since I read the first 2 books so it took me a while to get into the world and remember all the important details. I enjoyed the book but didn’t love it, possibly because it took me so long to pick it up. At some point I do want to read the last book, hopefully I can do so soonish.

So that’s our May wrap up! Have you read any of these books? Or what were some of your favorite May reads? Let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear from you.