Hello! It’s time for the May reading wrap-up. May was a super busy month, so I couldn’t commit to reading as much as I wanted. To round out the month, I read four romance books, one fiction book, and two young adult thrillers. I did have one five-star read and another book that was close to being a five-star. Here are the books I read in May.
Us Against You by Fredrik Backman 5 ⭐
Us Against You is the second book in the Beartown series. The subject matter of these books is heavy, and the characters are well-developed. Us Against You picks up after the tragic events, and now this hockey town is on the verge of losing its hockey team. After losing most of their players to the neighboring town Hed, Beartown must rebuild their team in hopes of a sponsor to help save the team. This book will keep you interested in how and why the characters are connected. Backman does a great job of pacing this emotional story. I can’t wait to read the final installment of the Beartown series.
Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez 4.75 ⭐
Summer might be in the title, but this book is not a summer romance. This book would have been my second five-star read, but her previous books had too many easter eggs. There were so many references to earlier books, and I needed clarification. Just For the Summer deals with heavy family topics, with Emma afraid to set down roots because she’s been waiting on her mom, who has a mental illness, to return to get her. Emma learns some family secrets that change the trajectory of her life plans. Justin is on the verge of having to take care of his younger siblings before his mom goes to prison. And, of course, there is a love story between Justin and Emma, which is undeniable and electric. This book is worth the read.
The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 3.25 ⭐
Barnes wrote the The Hawthorne series, and I loved it. I also read her White Little Lies series, which was great but not a must-read. I decided to dive into this new series because I heard positive things. The Naturals is Criminal Minds, but make it teenagers. Cassie is called to the elite FBI program to profile a serial killer who ends up being connected to her mother’s death. This book has slow pacing, and there are many characters to get to “know.” The story may be slow, but it is easy to follow and keeps me interested until the end. The book is good but not a “wow” story. I want to finish the series, but it’s not a must-read.
Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan 4.25 ⭐
Julie Whelan is called the “Adele of audiobooks,” you’ve probably heard her in Emily Henry’s books. She also wrote a rom-com about an actress, Sewanee Chester, who turns audiobook narrator after a tragic accident. Sewanee has a one-night stand with a handsome gentleman who turns into someone she works with, but she doesn’t know it’s him. As she begins work on the audiobook, she forges a connection with her co-star, and her world opens up.
Thank You for Listening is a great, balanced romance that has you rooting for the MCs to couple up and make a life of it finally. I loved how this story happened over time and wasn’t a rushed romance. I loved how the relationship evolved and changed both of their lives. The story felt relatable and raw.
The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson 3.5 ⭐
Bel and her mom, Rachel Price, went missing sixteen years ago, but Bel returned, and her mom didn’t. Bel wants everyone to forget the story, but her family decides to film a documentary about the disappearance. While recording, Rachel reappears, which sends up many red flags for Bel. The story centers around Bel searching for the truth about what happened to her mom and why she returned. Holly Jackson writes young adult thrillers that I love but didn’t love this story. I wasn’t a fan of many of the characters, and the book’s pacing seemed slow compared to the story that needed to be told. The ending was rushed because so much time was spent on the build-up. I don’t know if Bel was in a romance with Ash, but it wasn’t a relationship I connected to on any level. The story seemed disjointed in parts, but it did finish with a bang. The ending was not worth the wait.
Hands Down by Mariana Zapata 3.75 ⭐
Zapata is the queen of the slow-burn romance. In this book, Zak, Big Texas, and Bianca, childhood Texan friends, reunite, and their romance slowly builds. Zak is nearing the end of his football career, and Bianca is a big-name food influencer trying to rebuild her life after a failed relationship. The two focus on rebuilding their friendship, which grows into something more. I liked this book, but it was hard to wrap my head around the romance because Zak constantly referred to Bianca as “kiddo.” There’s not much to tell about this book. It was enjoyable and a solid romance book.
