What I Read: My May 2023 Reading List
It’s already time to recap my May 2023 reading list, and there were some great ones this month! Due to my move and other things going on, this was another “small read” month. I also have been in a little bit of a reading rut (??) – see last month’s post for more on that.
All that said, though I only read three books in May, I am still on track to reach my goal of 52 books for 2023. I’m currently at 23.
To see other book roundups and reading reports from this year, click here!
My May 2023 Reads and Reviews
1 - Happy Place by Emily Henry
Wyn and Harriet (Harry) are absolute couple goals. As far as their best friends know, they are happily engaged to be married while living long distance.
The truth? They broke up five months ago … and nobody knows.
When the lake house they met at and have gone to every summer for years goes up for sale, they both know they have to go wish it farewell along with the other members of their crew, swearing to keep their breakup a secret until the last day in order to not ruin the week for the group. Will their fake facades fool their friends, or will they make this memorable trip a whole lot more miserable?
Emily Henry is the queen of romcom. In my mind, she can do no wrong. Any time she writes a book, I know I am going to fly through it in a mere couple of days and wish that it would never end.
While this book wasn’t quite Book Lovers (my absolute fav of E. Henry’s novels), it was still beyond fabulous. I think I now need to reread Beach Read to decide whether or not I have a new second favorite!
Without spoilers, let me break things down a little bit for yall:
The Breakdown:
Things I LOVED about Happy Place:
- The dynamic of the duo is the most relatable of any of EH’s books – it felt so organic and real
- I always love EH’s female protagonists, but I may have related to this one the most! Harry and I are wired similarly (minus the cleaning thing … I don’t do that).
- The LBGTQ+ representation! This was her first book to have a gay couple as main characters and I am here for it!
- This book had me laughing out loud the MOST out of any of EH’s books. She really did a great job and properly placed some fabulous one liners
Things that lowered it from 5 stars to 4:
- Minus ½ star: the final third of the book had a little too much gush towards the end for me. Half of it could have been cut out and we still would have gotten the point
- Minus ½ star: in my opinion, the typical level of “spice” EH places in her books wasn’t there. There was still *some* spice … just not as much as I was wanting. All I ask is that she ramps up the steam level a few notches in her next novel … okay?!
Order the book from Amazon.
2 - The Club by Ellery Lloyd
“News is what someone, somewhere, wants suppressed … Everything else is just PR.”
The Home … every celebrity who is worth a damn’s home away from home. Worldwide locations, no phones or cameras allowed, the Home is a family owned hangout with a waitlist over 15,000 people long where celebrities can let their guard down, have a drink, and not worry about paparazzi.
Such a spectacular concept and beyond amazing second half … but the first 100 pages are a TRUDGE. Like quicksand in freaking flip flops. The authors spent too much time trying to decorate the club itself rather than letting the reader’s mind go wild.
Once you get to the second half, though, damn … what a ride. You grow to adore some, hate others, and learn nobody – even one of the beloved narrators – can be trusted.
This is the type of book I would LOVE to see turned into an HBO show. Picture Big Little Lies meets Pretty Little Liars with celebrities. It’s a phenomenal read … you just have to get there 😉
Order it on Amazon (cheaper for Kindle users)!
3 - Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
Just when Dr. Briana Ortiz thought her life couldn’t get any worse, a new doctor nicknamed Dr. Death joins her hospital … and the running to be the next chief. When Dr. Death – aka Dr. Jacob Maddox, comes to her with a proposal she can’t refuse – to be his fake girlfriend during the wedding of his ex girlfriend to his brother – Briana learns that he isn’t actually a bad guy. She may even … have feelings for him?
This book was SO dang cute and is a great, quick read. I read Part of Your World – the prequel to this book back in January (see my review here) and predicted that I was going to love this book more. Between Bri’s wit and Jacob’s relatability, they made such a great, enjoyable couple. I giggled my way through the hecticness and realisticness of this adorable little book.
The Breakdown
My favorite parts about this book:
- Bri’s humor: this woman had wit that came out throughout and was so comical and quick. It made otherwise deep, dark moments a lot lighter
- Jacob’s anxiety! I have never read a book that talked about anxiety in such a realistic way. If you or a loved one have anxiety, this book is a great way to feel related to (or to relate to your friend / family member).
Things that took this book from 5 stars down to 4:
- Minus ½ star: the lack of communication!!! I will die on this hill … people in their 30s should not suck this badly at talking to one another. Period.
- Minus ½ star: as with all romcom books, if the spice level doesn’t hit a certain *level*, I will demote it a tiny bit (you know, out of principle).
All in all, this book was ADORABLE and one I def recommend!
Order the book on Amazon.
