Series: What I Read in May

Book Club

Jun 2

This month was a mix of different genres, all equally delightful. Drop a comment below of what you read this month and let me know what you couldn’t put down. I’m working on my summer reading list and would love your recommendations.

Check out what I read below. ** Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org where your purchases support local bookstores. I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase on any of the links below. **

Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro

This book hit me hard and has stuck with me. It is beautiful, heartfelt, and emotional. The Wilfs and the Shenkmans. Two families living on the same block, intertwined over many years. Ben Wilf has lived on the block for 50 years and is finally saying goodbye to the family home. Waldo is 10 and meets Ben on his last night in his home under the magical Oak on their street while looking at constellations. But Ben and Waldo have met before and will continue to meet and build a connection that will withstand time. The family dynamics, emotional dysfunction, and family secrets make for the storytelling in this book wonderful. I couldn’t put it down.

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

If you like historical fiction (I do!), then this is a book to add to your list. It’s about JP Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle de Costa Green, who helped curate his Pierpont Morgan Library in New York. Written like journal entries, the book follows Belle through her life working for one of America’s most powerful and influential bankers. But Belle has a secret, she’s black. And not just any black woman, she’s the daughter of Richard Greener, the first black graduate of Harvard and civil rights activist. Belle can pass for white due to her light skin tone, so her name is changed and Portuguese roots are created to explain her skin tone. In a time when women were fighting for equal rights and the right to vote as well as blacks once again being segregated and also fighting for their own rights, Belle carves out a prominent and successful career. She is the darling of the art and book world, known for her skilled negotiations, wit, and style.But she must protect her secret at all costs.

After Life by Melissa de la Cruz

I won’t go into much detail on this book because it is book 7 in the series and I don’t want to give to much away. After Life is part of the Blue Blood series and I read the previous books back in 2015. This book just came out last year and the next chapter will come out in July. The Blue Bloods are vampires who live in New York and are fallen angels who fight for humanity against the Silver Bloods who have sided with Lucifer. It’s a guilty pleasure series that I love and am excited to have two new books to continue with. If you love reading supernatural or vampires, this is a great series to get lost in, a perfect pick for summer reading.

People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry

I’m a fan of Emily Henry’s books. They’re quick, fun reads and this one did not disappoint. Poppy and Alex have been friends since college and are complete opposites. Poppy lives in NYC and Alex lives in small town OhioF, but for the past 10 years, they have vacationed for one week together. It’s the one time the see each other and it’s the highlight of their year. Until two years ago when something changed and now they haven’t talked for two years. Poppy has everything she wanted - a career as a travel writer, living in NYC, going to fabulous locations - but she’s miserable and can’t figure out why. As a last ditch effort to get out of her funk, she pitches one last trip to Alex and he accepts. This is Poppy’s last chance to make things right with Alex, but can she face the real truth about their relationship? The book flashes between the current day trip they are on and the past 10 years of trips. We learn about their relationship and can clearly see what Poppy can’t. Will she come to the same conclusion? This would be a great beach read this summer.

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

TW: Depression, Suicide

This book was simply wonderful. It’s like watching a family unfold over decades, how their relationships grow, break apart, and unite. William comes from a family that basically ignored him and acted like he wasn’t alive. Julia has three younger sisters and comes from a family with strong bonds. When William meets Julia in college, he’s taken in by her drive and plans for the future, her boisterous family, and having plans laid out for him. He’s spent his life up until this point trying to be invisible and do what others want. He comes to love the chaotic energy of her family and settles into a life that Julia has created for him. A life that is what she wants, not necessarily what he wants. William soon finds himself unhappy and unworthy and a series of events rock their relationship, and the family. Bonds are broken, new ones are formed, and the family dynamics are permanently changed. I was so invested in all of the characters and how they grew and coped over the decades. Ann Napolitano has created a truly beautiful book.