What I Read in May 2023
ft. two of my favorite books of the year
Continuing with how I wrote my book reviews in April, I’m keeping my May reading recap short and sweet for this newsletter! If you want to read a full review of any of these titles, head over to Goodreads.
What I Read in May
Memoir
Spare by Prince Harry ⭐⭐⭐
read if you’re interested in all things Royal but skip if you’ve already seen the Harry & Meghan Netflix documentary special
Fiction
Gigi, Listening by Chantel Guertin ⭐⭐⭐⭐
read if you love books about (audio)books, low steam romance, great secondary characters, and romantic descriptions of the English countryside
Just Haven’t Met You Yet by Sophie Cousens ⭐⭐⭐⭐
read if you like the meet cute x grumpy sunshine tropes, are a 30-something hopeless romantic, enjoy insightful older characters or small-town gossip, and have an overbearing boss/toxic job with a bubbly, supportive friend group
Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen ⭐⭐
read if you love the rivals-to-lovers trope, the idea of dating apps vs. matchmakers, the Chinese zodiac, yummy descriptions of traditional Chinese food and can relate to a sweet relationship between grandmother and granddaughter
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
READ THIS BOOK. Easily one of my favorite books of the year and I rarely read fantasy. Fourth Wing has family drama, great friendships, internal struggles, chronic illness, self-perseverance, bravery, a sexy enemies-to-lovers romance, and so much more. The last line will completely wreck you! I can't wait for Book #2!
Bravely by Maggie Stiefvater ⭐⭐⭐
read if Brave was one of your favorite Disney Princess movies and you’re curious what Merida, Hamish, Harris, and Hubert get up to once the movie ends
My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
read if you are ready to be emotionally wrecked by an English romance. Another favorite for this year.
Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors ⭐⭐
read if you love chaotic character-driven novels, an NYC setting, and honest glimpses of mental health struggles
My Favorites
This month was filled with some really good romances. Fourth Wing and My Oxford Year take the cake. One is an action-packed fantasy romance that you won’t be able to put down and the other is tender and heartbreaking. Fourth Wing is a viral hit on BookTok and if you find a copy of it with the sprayed edges in the store you better snatch it up!
What’s Next
I have lots of ARCs to read over the summer including a few holiday titles I’m saving for Christmas in July. I’ll be starting Everything’s Fine by Cecilia Rabess this week. It has some seriously divisive reviews so I’m looking forward to forming my own opinion.
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I loved Just Haven't Met You Yet, too! It's such a delightful romance. She has a new one coming out later this year, which I'm really looking forward to.