A Few Books Publishing This Month

So many books to read and so little time to read barely a few, much less all of them

Hi readers,

Why is the work week always too long and the weekend is never long enough? I hope you had a good weekend, even if it was too short like mine was. I spent Mother’s Day with my daughter and four of my six grandkids. We don’t attempt eating out on holidays with the kids; we always cook at home, and this year we made our famous tacos for lunch instead of dinner since my oldest grandson has to work the evening shift at a restaurant.

I’m keeping this short today (yeah, right—see below); I thoroughly enjoyed doing not much of anything this weekend, but I didn’t want to let a week go by without writing something.

There are a bazillion books publishing this month, and I wanted to point out a few that I’ve read, or I am anxiously waiting to read, that I think you might like too:

The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner - from Publishers Weekly, “A family’s secrets and entanglements flare up during a Cape Cod wedding in this first-rate page turner.” There is complicated family drama, secrets, female friendships, and most of all, fun. It was an easy read and kept me turning the pages until the end. If you are looking for an escape and an entertaining read to start your summer reading season, this book is an excellent place to begin.

River of the Gods by Candace Millard - a former National Geographic writer, Millard tells the “stirring story of one of the greatest feats of exploration of all time and its complicated legacy.” She takes you on an adventure of exploration and discovery to the Nile River in Africa and the complicated relationships between the explorers settling this area. If you are a “Governerd,” you know this book is the first of two books we will be reading during the “second-semester fun pass” sponsored by @sharonsaysso. I love this community for many reasons, and I’m a proud “governerd” who follows Sharon and listens to her podcasts each week.

The Emma Project by Sonali Dev - from the queen of Indian-American Jane Austen retellings, Dev’s fourth book in The Rajes series is just as fun as the first three were. Bestselling author Joshilyn Jackson says, “A delight from start to finish, both for Jane Austen fans looking for a fresh take and readers seeking deeply felt relationships and complicated family dynamics.” I love a good complicated family drama, and she does not disappoint.

Our Last Days in Barcelona by Chanel Cleeton - I’m a sucker for a non-WWII location historical fiction book, and I can’t wait to read this one. I’ve read three of her previous HF books, and I have the last two on hold through Libby. From Entertainment Weekly, “Cleeton is a master at weaving together stories across dual timelines, and this is no exception. The novel pulses with her signature blend of intrigue, betrayal, and the redemptive power of unleashing family secrets.” This is a novel about the special relationship between sisters, along with the courage, sacrifice, and love you’ve come to know in Cleeton’s HF novels.

This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub - Books are Magic bookstore owner Emma Straub’s latest book asks, “What if you could take a vacation to your past?” Emily Henry writes that this is “the kind of book that will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you call the people you love." The protagonist wakes up in the past on her 16th birthday, sees how past events have affected her future, and wonders if she would change anything. I have a hit-or-miss relationship with Straub’s books, and even though there is time travel in this book that I don’t usually enjoy reading, it is something that I’d like to try. I have it on hold through Libby.

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Well, my quick, short email turned into something longer than I had intended, but I couldn’t help myself. There are so many new books in May that warranted a mention; I kept telling myself, “just one more,” and five recommendations later, here we are. Are there any books that you are looking forward to reading? Do you have any authors that are auto-buy or auto-read for you? I’d love to hear who those authors are and what you enjoy about their books. You can tell me in the comments below.

Now that I’ve rested a little since tax season's end, I’m more excited about my reading life again. I’m looking forward to Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Summer Reading Guide in a couple of weeks. Anne Bogel has such great recommendations every year. I never read them all, but I usually read at least a dozen. I always clear out my holds on Libby as much as possible so I have plenty of room to put more books on hold; what a wonderful, vicious circle for a reader. Happy reading!

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