Everything I Read in May
A busy reading month with some new favorites
I had some downtime between work projects at the beginning of the month and somehow managed to read a ton of books. So many, in fact, that I figured May’s reading deserved its own post instead of trying to stuff everything into my monthly recap.
It was a good mix of genres, including a few books outside my usual go-tos, and I have no regrets.
Here’s the rundown:
A Good Person by Kirsten King: This book follows Lillian, a young woman whose self-image and actual behavior are, let’s say, not exactly on speaking terms. When she performs a hex on her ex-boyfriend and he ends up dead, chaos ensues. This book was hilarious and genuinely enjoyable. I love a completely unhinged, deeply delulu character, and Lillian is that character to a T. She’s extremely unlikable, but in a way I found delightful instead of exhausting. Sometimes you just want to watch a fictional woman make terrible choices with absolute confidence, and this delivered.
Play Nice by Rachel Harrison: After the death of their mother, Clio and her sisters are forced to revisit their (haunted?) family home, where past childhood and other unsettling things refuse to stay buried. Rachel Harrison can be touch and go for me, but I really enjoyed this one. Clio annoyed me a little at times, but not enough to take away from how much I liked the overall plot. I love a haunted house story and I especially love when a horror novel can creep me out and make me laugh. Rachel Harrison usually knows how to hit that balance.
Weyward by Emilia Hart: Three women across different centuries are connected by family history, inherited power, and a bond with the natural world that makes them dangerous to the people trying to control them. This was definitely not my usual genre, but after reading a bunch of horror in a row, I needed something different, and this was exactly the right change of pace. I loved the generational thread and the way the women’s power gave them strength. The magical elements were fun without tipping into silly. If anyone has recommendations for books with a similar feel, I would happily take them.
Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker: After witnessing her sister’s murder, Cora Zeng tries to move on with her life. But as anti-Asian violence escalates around her, Cora’s grief, fear, and guilt start to blur with something that may be supernatural. This book was upsetting, intense, and very good. The writing is gruesome and dark and I was completely riveted. It’s a strong mix of real-world horror and genuinely nasty, gory moments. I would highly recommend this one.
Molka by Monika Kim: After a woman is filmed without her knowledge, her life turns upside down as she’s forced to reckon with the men who violated her and the culture that made that violation feel acceptable. This is very much a “good for her” book, and the ending will definitely leave fans of female rage horror satisfied. I don’t know that it fully lived up to the hype for me, but it definitely resonated, and I would still recommend it. It’s angry, uncomfortable, and not exactly subtle—but subtlety also isn’t the point.
Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy: McCurdy’s fiction debut centers on a deeply uncomfortable relationship dynamic and the ugly power imbalance underneath it. I loved I’m Glad My Mom Died and consider it one of the best memoirs I’ve read in a long time, so I was curious about her first step into fiction. Her writing is still excellent, and she has that uncanny ability to write about awful, disturbing things with dark humor. But the subject matter here was so squicky that I had a hard time getting through it. I admire the writing, but I don’t know that I’d necessarily recommend the experience.
Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle: When a Hollywood writer refuses to kill off the queer characters from his hit TV show, the monsters from his past work start coming for him—literally. There is nothing subtle about Chuck Tingle, and this book is no exception. The metaphors are heavy, the horror is fun, and the villains are creepy. The end gets predictably wild, but the story is still grounded in the message that queer writers should be able to tell queer stories without making them smaller, safer, or more palatable for everyone else.
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt: A grieving woman working nights at an aquarium forms an unexpected bond with a highly intelligent octopus, while a younger man’s search for purpose slowly connects their stories. This was beautifully written, and yes, I did sob over an octopus for far too long. I probably could have used a little less time with Cameron, whose storyline didn’t always interest me as much as the rest of the book. But overall, I devoured this story and fully understand why people love it so much.
You Belong Here by Megan Miranda: Beckett Bowery is forced to dig up past secrets when her daughter enrolls at Wyatt College, the same campus Beckett swore she’d never set foot on again. When her daughter disappears, Beckett has to confront the past she tried to leave behind. This was fine. Definitely not Megan Miranda’s strongest, but not her weakest either. The plot was a little predictable and unremarkable, but it was still a perfectly decent pass-the-time thriller. I enjoyed it while I was reading it and will probably remember almost nothing about it by June.
Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser: This reimagining gives Cinderella’s wicked stepmother a full backstory, following Ethel before she becomes Lady Tremaine, the villain everyone thinks they know. I’m not usually big on fairy tale villain origin stories. For me, that particular interest started and ended with Wicked, but I found this novel creative, interesting, and much more engaging than I expected. I really rooted for Ethel, and the ending is wild in a way I absolutely did not see coming.
Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang: After her twin sister dies, Julie takes over her life as a famous influencer. She gets caught up in the addictive validation of fame, only to discover that the rewards can get ugly when you get too close. This book was really fun and had some truly wild moments. I think I might have liked it more if I hadn’t already read Bunny by Mona Awad, since some of the themes and situations felt familiar, but that didn’t ruin the experience for me. The book is strange, over-the-top, and I can see why it became so popular.
Dollface by Lindy Ryan: Horror author Jill moves to the suburbs looking to fit in. Things look promising when she joins the PTA, but when a doll-faced killer starts attacking women in town, Jill’s fresh turns into something resembling one of her slasher plots. This book is described as “Barbie meets Scream,” but respectfully: no. The book is clearly trying to use meta-horror references to drive the plot, but Scream it is not. The premise is fun, but the story is painfully predictable. I figured out the killer almost immediately, and the second twist wasn’t exactly hiding in the shadows either. I wish it had leaned harder into the camp of it all instead of trying so hard to prove it knew the rules of horror.
The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis: Set in 18th-century England, this follows five sisters whose neighbors become convinced they can transform into dogs. As rumors spread, the village’s fear turns violent. Honestly, this book felt like a rehash of stronger stories. If you want a puritanical society turning into an angry mob against people who are different, read The Crucible. If you want five sisters who become objects of ridicule and fascination for the crime of having feelings, read The Virgin Suicides. If you want women transforming into dogs as a metaphor for wanting to break free from the confines of social expectation, read Nightbitch. All three are better than this.
Woodworking by Emily St. James: I wrote a full review of this mid-month and you can read it here. TL;DR: it’s great!
The Last Book Club by Joanne Rock, House of Margins by Tloto Tsamaase and Backstabbers by Eliza Jabore: These were ARC copies I received from NetGalley and gave a full review of each on Instagram. Click the links in the captions to read.
What was the best thing you read in May? Let me know in the comments.
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I know exactly what you mean about sobbing way too long over an octopus. I loved that book!
My favorite read from May was probably The Sorrowstones by Felix Blackwell. I'm finding that I really like middle grade/YA horror stories and this was a good one.
I loved A Good Person! I read Best Offer Wins this month, and that had a similar unlikable/unhinged narrator!