May 2026 reading is a wrap! Did you have a favorite May read?
May 2026 Reading Wrap Up
May Summary: Out of thirteen books completed, I had two 4.5-star reads six 4-star reads, and five 3-3.5 Star reads. Overall, a satisfactory reading month.
My most compelling and page-turning fiction read in May was Down with the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell Moore. I love a complicated family drama that involves sisters! Beach bag approved.
Lady Tremaine, from the book with the same name, is my May Captivating Character of the month. My blog feature, Captivating Characters of the Month, is hosted by yours truly (details in the linked post). Check it out and link up (blog post, goodreads reviews, etc.) with me!
***This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
ARC=Advanced Readers Copy (complimentary copy for review before pub date)
Down with the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell Moore (ARC)
4.5 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Fiction. Complicated Family Drama. Sisters. I loved this one and found it relatable in many ways. Beach bag approved. My full review of Down with the Shipmans here.
Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser
4.5 Stars. Historical Fiction. Cinderella reimagining (without the fantasy). Complicated family drama. Mothers and daughters. Lady Tremaine is my Captivating Character of the Month.
City of Widows by Nadia Hashimi (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Fiction. A harrowing story of women at risk upon the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2020. Review coming on Pub Date: 7/26/2026.
The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens
4 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction (war-torn Bosnia) with a generous side of thriller. A librarian hiding in plain sight suddenly finds herself fighting evil from the past and protecting her best friend’s child. Not the cozy book about books the title might imply! Content warnings apply. Not reviewed.
The Library of Forbidden Books by Mario Escobar (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction (Berlin, 1933). Loosely based on a real person, Helene Nathan. Together with her colleagues, Helene attempts to collect and hide forbidden books from the Nazis. Review coming on pub date: 9/26/2026.
Sisters of a Halved Heart by Nayantara Roy (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Contemporary Fiction. Complicated (Indian-American) family drama. Sisterhood. Romance. Review coming on Pub Date: 6/2/2026.
The Secret Society of Librarians by Kate Thompson (ARC)
4 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction (WWII London and Poland). Books about books. Friendship. Survival. Hardships of war. Review coming on 7/21/2026.
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower Vol 3, Vol 4, Vol 5, Vol 6
After a rocky start, I switched to the audio format and thanks to the public library, I’m on a roll!
Vol 3: 3 stars, boring and skipable
Vol4: 4 Stars, my favorite installment so far
Vol 5: 3.5 Stars
Vol 6: 3 Stars, meh until a significant romantic moment in the last few pages (IYKYK)
I was dismayed to learn that this series could include up to 24 installments! I doubt if I’ll have the patience for all of it! Could set a new record for the slowest of slow-burning romances. LOL How will the author keep us all happy?!
Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson
3.5 Stars. Contemporary Fiction. The writing life. Romance. Meta. You’ve Got Mail vibes.
On the Book Train to Paris by Norie Clark
3 Stars. Contemporary fiction. Multigenerational. Not reviewed.
QOTD:
Did we read any of the same books?
Did you have a favorite May read?
May Blog Posts
Lady Tremaine Review
Make Do and Mend on Petticoat Lane Review
Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade Review
Down with the Shipmans Review
Favorite Books by Favorite Authors
Dolly All the Time Review
The Best Life Book Club Review
Favorite Secondary Characters
Joan: Life Beyond the Script Review
Sipsworth Review
Flowers in the Titles
Thoughtful Memoirs
The British Booksellers Review
A Bookshop Summer Review
Flowers or Books?
Happy Reading Book Friends!
“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke
“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes
“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
“I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.”
~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text
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