If you’re looking for books to read in May, you’ve found the perfect post. Whether you’re a fan of graphic novels, fantasy, thrillers or romance, there is plenty hear to fill your TBR for the month. Enjoy and happy reading!
Being Home by Traci Sorrell and illustrated by Michaela Goade
What an important, beautiful story by award-winning author and artist combo. No matter what your age or background, you can appreciate this heartwarming indigenous picture book.
Synopsis: From Sibert honor–winning author Traci Sorell and Caldecott Medal–winning artist Michaela Goade comes a heartwarming picture book about a Native American family and the joys of moving back to their ancestral lands.
Today is a day of excitement—it’s time to move! As a young Cherokee girl says goodbye to the swing, the house, and the city she’s called home her whole life, she readies herself for an upcoming road trip. While her mother drives, she draws in her sketchbook the changing landscape outside her window. She looks forward to the end of their journey, where she’ll eat the feast her extended family prepared, play in the creek with her cousins, and settle into the new rhythm of home.
With warm, expressive artwork and spare, lyrical prose, the story of a young girl’s move towards rather than away from home unfolds.
On Sale: May 7, 2024, via Kokila. Order here.
Lunar Boy by Jacinta Wibowo and Jessica Wibowo
I’ve been reading graphic novels before I go to bed and the pile by my bedside keeps growing. Lunar Boy is at the top of our books to read this month list because of the gorgeous artwork and creative and hopeful storytelling from twins Cin and Jes Wibowo.
Synopsis: Indu, a boy from the moon, feels like he doesn’t belong. He hasn’t since he and his adoptive mom disembarked from their spaceship–their home–to live on Earth with their new blended family. The kids at school think he’s weird, he has a crush on his pen pal who might not like him back, and his stepfamily doesn’t seem to know what to do with him. Worst of all, Indu can’t even talk to his mom about how he’s feeling because she’s so busy.
In a moment of loneliness, Indu calls out to the moon, begging them to take him back. And against all odds, the moon hears him and agrees to bring him home on the first day of the New Year. But as the promised day draws nearer, Indu finds friendship in unlikely places and discovers that home is more than where you come from. And when the moon calls again, Indu must decide: Is he willing to give up what he’s just found?
On Sale: May 7, 2024, via Harperalley. Order here.
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
I’m not going to lie, I saw this compared to Outlander and I immediately needed it on my TBR. If you like fish-out of water stories, time-travel and genre-mashups, you need to read Kalaine Bradley’s new novel!
Synopsis: In the near future, a civil servant is offered the salary of her dreams and is, shortly afterward, told what project she’ll be working on. A recently established government ministry is gathering “expats” from across history to establish whether time travel is feasible—for the body, but also for the fabric of space-time.
She is tasked with working as a “bridge”: living with, assisting, and monitoring the expat known as “1847” or Commander Graham Gore. As far as history is concerned, Commander Gore died on Sir John Franklin’s doomed 1845 expedition to the Arctic, so he’s a little disoriented to be living with an unmarried woman who regularly shows her calves, surrounded by outlandish concepts such as “washing machine,” “Spotify,” and “the collapse of the British Empire.” But he adjusts quickly; he is, after all, an explorer by trade. Soon, what the bridge initially thought would be, at best, a seriously uncomfortable housemate dynamic, evolves into something much more. Over the course of an unprecedented year, Gore and the bridge fall haphazardly, fervently in love, with consequences they never could have imagined.
Supported by a chaotic and charming cast of characters—including a 17th-century cinephile who can’t get enough of Tinder, a painfully shy World War I captain, and a former spy with an ever-changing series of cosmetic surgery alterations and a belligerent attitude to HR—the bridge will be forced to confront the past that shaped her choices, and the choices that will shape the future.
An exquisitely original and feverishly fun fusion of genres and ideas, The Ministry of Time asks the universal What happens if you put a disaffected millennial and a Victorian polar explorer in a house together?
On Sale: May 7, 2024, via Simon & Schuster/Avid Reader Press. Order here.
The Ballad of Darcy & Russell by Morgan Matson
For me, Morgan Matson is YA royalty and deserves a top spot on our books to read this month list. And if you’ve never had the change to read her before, make sure you add her to your TBR immediately. If you love Sarah Dessen, Kasie West, or Lynn Painter, you will adore Morgan Matson.
Synopsis: Darcy believes in love at first sight. Even though it’s never happened to her, she’s spent her whole life waiting for that magical moment, hoping that when she meets the right guy, everything will fall into place perfectly.
But right now, her life is anything but perfect. Heading home from a music festival, engine trouble means she’s stranded at a Nevada bus station until morning. Even worse, it’s the day before she leaves for college, her phone is dead, and she has no cash. Darcy’s convinced nothing good can come of this night…but then she meets Russell. Cute, nice, funny, and kind, this is the guy—and the moment—she’s been waiting for. As they walk and talk, the two connect, and Darcy is able to put aside all her fears and doubts about the future to focus on this perfect guy.
Over the course of one fateful night, Darcy and Russell discover things they never imagined about each other and themselves. But can you really know someone after only a handful of hours? Is it possible to fall in love in less than day? Before they part, both their lives will be changed, and Darcy and Russell will have to decide if it’s worth saying hello when you know you’re destined for a goodbye.
On Sale: May 7, 2024, via Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers. Order here.
Archangels of Funk by Andrea Hairston
If you ever wondered what a Diana Wynne Jones novel mashed up with a Neil Gaiman novel (but add more diversity and end of the world feels) might read like, you should check out Andrea Hairston’s original and fantastic novel, Archangels of Funk.
Synopsis: The Water Wars have scrambled the world. Flood refugees are on the run. Disrupters and the nostalgia militia roam the roads wreaking havoc. Invisible Darknet Lords troll the internet, solidifying their power, while Cinnamon, her three Circus-Bots, and two dogs work with a community of farmers, Motor Fairies, and Wheel-Wizards to provide housing, health care and education for flood refugees.
As Cinnamon confronts threats from the Darknet Lords and the nostalgia militia, she must determine how best to honor her elders and her history while building a future for herself and her charges.
It’s not going to be easy.
On Sale: May 7, 2024, via Tordotcom. Order here.
Blood at the Root by LaDarionn Williams
Hello, Legendborn fans! If you’re looking for a new read, make sure this top choice is a consideration. You won’t regret checking out this magical fantasy debut.
Synopsis: A teenager on the run from his past finds the family he never knew existed and the community he never knew he needed at an HBCU for the young, Black, and magical. Enroll in this fresh fantasy debut with the emotional power of Legendborn and the redefined ancestral magic of Lovecraft Country .
Ten years ago, Malik’s life changed forever the night his mother mysteriously vanished and he discovered he had uncontrollable powers. Since then, he has kept his abilities hidden, looking out for himself and his younger foster brother, Taye. Now, at 17, Malik is finally ready to start a new life for both of them, far from the trauma of his past. However, a daring act to rescue Taye reveals an unexpected connection with his long-lost a legendary conjurer with ties to a hidden magical university that Malik’s mother attended.
At Caiman University, Malik’s eyes are opened to a future he never could have envisioned for himself— one that includes the reappearance of his first love, Alexis. His search for answers about his heritage, his powers, and what really happened to his mother exposes the cracks in their magical community as it faces a reawakened evil dating back to the Haitian Revolution. Together with Alexis, Malik discovers a lot beneath the surface at feuding covens and magical politics, forbidden knowledge and buried mysteries.
In a wholly unique saga of family, history and community, Malik must embrace his legacy to save what’s left of his old family as well as his new one. Exploring the roots and secrets that connect us in an unforgettable contemporary setting, this heart-pounding fantasy series opener is a rich tapestry of atmosphere, intrigue, and emotion.
On Sale: May 7, 2024, via Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers. Order here.
Nightfall by Penelope Douglas
Penelope Douglas is an author I see recommended time and again on social media. This might be the final installment in the “Devil’s Night” series but one that I think deserves a place on our books to read this month list so you can give her and the series a chance if you haven’t!
Synopsis: What happens when it’s five against one and nowhere to run? The games are back in the thrilling final installment in New York Times bestselling author Penelope Douglas’s Devil’s Night series.…
They call it Blackchurch. A secluded mansion in a remote, undisclosed location where the wealthy and powerful send their misbehaving sons to cool off away from prying eyes.
Will Grayson has always been reckless, wild, and never been bound by a single rule other than to do exactly what he wanted. He learned long ago that being treated like an animal gives you permission to act like one. Back in high school, he might’ve enjoyed backing Emory into corners when no one was looking, but he could also be warm. And fierce in keeping her safe.
But the truth is, he has a right to hate her. Because it’s all her fault. Everything. Devil’s Night. The videos. The arrests. She’s to blame—and yet she regrets nothing.
He never expected one of his enemies to come straight to him. But now he knows she’s here somewhere. And as the security detail leaves and the door to the gilded cage opens, giving Will free reign of the house and grounds for another unsupervised month, he remembers with a smile…
Blackchurch houses five prisoners. And he’s only one of her problems.
On Sale: May 7, 2024, via Berkley. Order here.
The Dangerous Ones by Lauren Blackwood
This is giving me Dread Nation vibes. If genre bending novels are your cup of tea this historical fiction/horror with a side of demigods is for you.
Synopsis: 1863, Pennsylvania
War doesn’t scare Jerusalem—she’s a Saint. Thanks to powerful demigod-style reflexes, endurance, and strength, she’s fearless. And ever since the Confederates declared civil war, partnering with the vampires who benefitted off slavery, she and her battalion of Saints are essential to the Union army.
Jerusalem herself had been enslaved by a vampire, escaping North only after her family was murdered. She knows the enemy better, hates the enemy more than anyone in her battalion, and has been using it to her advantage since she joined the war a year ago. More than anything she wants revenge, but if she can help Black people gain freedom and equality without having to steal it for themselves like she had to, then all the better.
But she never expects to have to team up with a vampire to do it. Alexei is one of those handsome, arrogant Ancient Vampires. But he’s on the Union’s side, and in the year they’ve known each other, has never done anything but prove he’s on hers.
Together, they set out to change the course of the war and take down the vampire who destroyed everyone Jerusalem loved. But for her, it’s about more than justice.
It’s about killing a god.
On Sale: May 14, 2024, via Simon & Schuster/Avid Reader Press. Order here.
When Among Crows by Veronica Roth
How could a list of the books to read this month not include a Veronica Roth new release? This Slavic folklore inspired fantasy examplifies Veronica’s generous worldbuilding. It also showcases her excellent ability to create characters we deeply root for.
Synopsis: Pain is Dymitr’s calling. To slay the monsters he’s been raised to kill, he had to split his soul in half to make a sword from his own spine. Every time he draws it, he gets blood on his hands.
Pain is Ala’s inheritance. When her mother died, a family curse to witness horrors committed by the Holy Order was passed onto her. The curse will claim her life, as it did her mother’s, unless she can find a cure.
One fateful night in Chicago, Dymitr comes to Ala with a bargain: her help in finding the legendary witch Baba Jaga in exchange for an enchanted flower that just might cure her. Desperate, and unaware of what Dymitr really is, Ala agrees.
But they only have one day before the flower dies . . . and Ala’s hopes of breaking the curse along with it.
On Sale: May 14, 2024, via Tor Books. Order here.
Collide by Bal Khabra
I feel like you can’t come across a romance rec list or reel or TikTok post without stumbling upon a lot of hockey romances. Collide by Bal Khabra is one such romance. It makes our books to read this month list because I’m intrigued by the premise of a sport psychologist (who hates hockey) colliding with a reckless hockey team captain.
Synopsis: An ultimatum from her professor thrusts Summer Preston into an unexpected collision with hockey captain Aiden Crawford. She’s caught in a delicate balance between fulfilling her lifelong dream of becoming a sport psychologist and veering far away from this god-awful sport.
For Aiden Crawford, being the captain of the college hockey team has its perks, except when a reckless mistake by his team threatens to jeopardize their entire season. Consequently, his coach nominates him as the subject of a research paper. It’s the last thing he wants to do, especially since the girl leading the project looks like she could wield his skates as a weapon.
Summer can’t stand his blasé approach to life, and Aiden doesn’t understand her uptight, scheduled one. They are off to a rocky start, and provoking each other is what they do best, but defeat isn’t something either of them is willing to accept.
On Sale: May 14, 2024, via Berkley Books. Order here.
The Girl In Question by Tess Sharpe
Millie Bobbie Brown is playing Nora O’Malley in the adaptation of the first of this series, The Girls I’ve Been. This may be a big reason that the sequel is one of our top books to read this month. I also love a good propulsive thriller and a sharp, gritty girls you want to root for.
Synopsis: High school is over, but Nora O’Malley’s life isn’t, which is weird now that her murderous stepdad Raymond is free.
Determined to enjoy summer before her (possibly) imminent demise, Nora plans a ten day backpacking trip with Iris and Wes. Her plans hit a snag when Wes’s girlfriend tags along. Amanda is nice, so it’s not a huge issue—until she gets taken. Or rather, mistaken…for Nora. All because of a borrowed flannel.
Now Raymond has a hostage. Nora has no leverage. Iris has a spear and Wes is building boobytraps. It’ll take all of their skills to make it out of the forest alive.
There are three problems: Someone is lying. Someone is keeping secrets.
And someone has to die.
On Sale: May 14, 2024 via Little, Brown Young Readers. Order here.
The Last Ronin by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and illustrated by Faith Schaffer
I LOVE Maggie Tokuda-Hall and I’ve been waiting for a new graphic novel from her since Squad. If you haven’t read her, go do that now and then see why she’s at the top of our books to read this month list.
Synopsis: Being a samurai isn’t easy. 16-year-old Chihiro Ito knows that more than anyone. Her father is renowned among the samurai, but the only thing Chihiro is known for is spending way too much time on her phone obsessing over Tatsuo Nakano, Chihiro’s idol and the first woman to be accepted into Kesi Academy, a prestigious samurai school.
So, when Chihiro’s father is conscripted for service and the opportunity arises to work with Tatsuo in his stead, Chihiro jumps at the chance to prove that she’s worthy of a spot at Kesi Academy and the samurai title. Their mission: kill the yamauba demon terrorizing a village. With a legendary samurai like Tatsuo by her side, Chihiro is convinced victory is inevitable. But Tatsuo isn’t at all like the hero Chihiro imagined. Foulmouthed, quick tempered, and a terrible drunk, Tatsuo completely turned her back on the samurai way and is now a ronin working for hire as a means of escaping the grief that haunts her. Forced to work together, the two are thrust on a treacherous journey filled with epic battles and twisted conspiracies as they must put aside their differences to save the village and face the demons of the past.
On Sale: May 21, 2024, via Harperalley. Order here.
The North Wind by Alexandria Warwick
Saga Press is one of my favorite science fiction and fantasy imprints. They publish some of my favorite books and so I always pay special attention to their new releases. The North Wind makes our books to read this month because its a fantasy romance, involves sisters and mythology. It has all the things that one of my favorite books Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher has.
Synopsis: Wren of Edgewood is no stranger to suffering. With her parents gone, it’s Wren’s responsibility to ensure she and her sister survive the harsh and endless winter, but if the legends are to be believed, their home may not be safe for much longer.
For three hundred years, the land surrounding Edgewood has been encased in ice as the Shade, a magical barrier that protects the townsfolk from the Deadlands beyond, weakens. Only one thing can stop the Shade’s fall: the blood of a mortal woman bound in wedlock to the North Wind, a dangerous immortal whose heart is said to be as frigid as the land he rules. And the time has come to choose his bride.
When the North Wind sets his eyes on Wren’s sister, Wren will do anything to save her—even if it means sacrificing herself in the process. But mortal or not, Wren won’t go down without a fight…
The North Wind is a stand-alone, enemies-to-lovers slow-burn fantasy romance, the first in a series sprinkled with Greek mythology.
On Sale: May 21, 2024, via Simon & Schuster/Saga Press. Order here.
Brianna Robinson is a book publicist and Sarah Lawrence College alum. She lives in New York with too many books and two enthusiastic dachshunds. You can find her on twitter @blrobins2.
