The Five Books I Read in May

Now that we’re halfway through June, I figured I should probably share the books I read in May with y’all! Seriously, this month has gotten away from me in every single way! In May I read five books and they were a bit of a mixed bag. I really loved and enjoyed Local Woman Missing and The Last Thing He Told Me, but the others were middle of the road reads for me. Some months it just ends up that way! Hoping for some good books in June. Btw if you’re in need of a few good books be sure to check out my Ultimate Summer Reading Guide.

As always, you can see my latest reads on my bookstagram account @enw_reads (I share ALL things books there!) and on my Amazon Shop page! If you have any book recs, send them my way! I would love to hear what you have read recently in the comments. Thanks for stopping by!

LOCAL WOMAN MISSING by Mary Kubica | Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. Not long after, Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, vanish just blocks away from where Shelby was last seen, striking fear into their once-peaceful community. Are these incidents connected? After an elusive search that yields more questions than answers, the case eventually goes cold.Now, eleven years later, Delilah shockingly returns. Everyone wants to know what happened to her, but no one is prepared for what they’ll find. review: Admittedly, Kubica’s books tend to be hit or miss for me. This book absolutely captivated me from the start! The very first chapter is bone chilling and I just knew I was in for a good read. Local Woman Missing alternates between point of views and time periods. I think this was done *so* well in this book – it provided just enough information to leave you hanging until the next chapter. There are quite a few really well placed twists in this book. Right when I had an inkling of what may happen next, a new detail would come to light, making me question everything. The plot line is interesting, filled with multifaceted characters and it’s really well written. If you’re in the mood for a thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat, grab this one ASAP! rating: 4.5 out of 5 ⭐️

THE NEWCOMER by Mary Kay Andrews | After Letty discovers her sister Tanya dead on the floor of her New York City townhouse, she is certain she knows who did it: Tanya’s ex; real estate entrepreneur Evan Wingfield. Letty is determined to out-run Evan and the law, but run to where? She sheds her old life and checks into an uncertain future at The Murmuring Surf Motel. As Letty settles in with her niece Maya, she tries to unravel the key to her sister’s shady past, all while dodging the attention of the owner’s dangerously attractive son Joe, who just happens to be a local police detective. Can Letty find romance as well as a room at the inn–or will Joe betray her secrets and put her behind bars? With danger closing in, it’s a race to find the truth and right the wrongs of the past. review: Mary Kay Andrews is one of those authors that always writes a quintessential summer read! I always look forward to her books each year. Her books are always filled with romance and a little bit of mystery that’s so easy to dive into. This book was a middle of the road read for me. It was slow to start and it took me a while to become invested in the story and the characters. That said, the characters were flawed and complex and I enjoyed learning more about them. I also liked that The Murmuring Surf Motel had such a variety of guests – you got a little bit of everything with them – and they made interesting side characters. There were times that I found the mystery to be a bit implausible, but I kept reading to figure out how it was going to end! I’m a big Mary Kay Andrews fan, but this wasn’t one of my favorites from her. If you’re looking for a good summer read though, give this one a shot. rating: 3 out of 5 ⭐️

WHAT COMES AFTER by JoAnne Tompkins | In misty, coastal Washington State, Isaac lives alone with his dog, grieving the recent death of his teenage son, Daniel. Next door, Lorrie, a working single mother, struggles with a heinous act committed by her own teenage son. Separated by only a silvery stretch of trees, the two parents are emotionally stranded, isolated by their great losses–until an unfamiliar sixteen-year-old girl shows up, bridges the gap, and changes everything. Evangeline’s arrival at first feels like a blessing, but she is also clearly hiding something. When Isaac, who has retreated into his Quaker faith, isn’t equipped to handle her alone, Lorrie forges her own relationship with the girl. Soon all three characters are forced to examine what really happened in their overlapping pasts, and what it all possibly means for a shared future. review: I added this contemporary coming of age novel to my book of the month box last month and I’mr really glad I did. I started this book without reading much of the synopsis and really enjoyed this character driven book. This is a really powerful book – and while it covers heavy topics (like rape, pregnancy and suicide) – it’s written in such a thoughtful manner. The characters are so well developed and I really loved the past and present perspectives from each character in this book. This is certainly not a fast paced book, but the pace works beautifully for this book and allows the reader to absorb the atmospheric writing. If you’re looking for a book about the power of hope, loss, grief and forgiveness give this one a shot! rating: 4 out of 5 ⭐️

THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME by Laura Dave | Before Owen Michaels disappears, he manages to smuggle a note to his beloved wife of one year: Protect her. Despite her confusion and fear, Hannah Hall knows exactly to whom the note refers: Owen’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey. Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child. Bailey, who wants absolutely nothing to do with her new stepmother. As Hannah’s increasingly desperate calls to Owen go unanswered; as the FBI arrests Owen’s boss; as a US Marshal and FBI agents arrive at her Sausalito home unannounced, Hannah quickly realizes her husband isn’t who he said he was. And that Bailey just may hold the key to figuring out Owen’s true identity—and why he really disappeared. Hannah and Bailey set out to discover the truth, together. review: The Last Thing He Told Me has gotten a lot of hype recently and for good reason, this book was quite the page turner! I found this book to be gripping and captivating and I remained invested until the very end as I tried to figure out Owen’s story. I really enjoyed the characters and I appreciated the flawed relationship between Hannah and Bailey. Overall I enjoyed this book, although I found some parts to be a bit far fetched. My one hangup was this book is marketed as a thriller and it’s certainly not. It’s more of a slow build mystery – if you know that going in, you’ll enjoy it! If you’re looking for a domestic drama with a bit of suspense, then this is the book for you! P.S. this book is going to be adapted into a series on Apple TV+. I’m looking forward to this adaption with Julia Roberts! rating: 4.5 out of 5 ⭐️

FAMILY REUNION by Nancy Thayer | Eleanor Sunderland loves living on the Nantucket cliffside, in a charming home that has been in her family for decades. Now widowed, she looks forward to the arrival of her children and grandchildren for an annual family reunion, eager for the life and laughter that will soon fill the air. But Eleanor’s island idyll is shattered when her money-driven children suggest she sell the house and move to a retirement community. She finds a lone ally in her twenty-two-year-old granddaughter, Ari, who moves in with her for the summer. Ari longs for a change of scenery, to stray from the path her parents have set for her. What she does not expect is an electric romantic spark with a Nantucket local, Cal, whose kind heart and charisma have her absolutely smitten. This summer may bring some surprising connections, old and new. review: Nancy Thayer is another author who writes a quintessential summer book. Her books always transport me to Nantucket and they’re a breeze to read. I loved the multigenerational aspect of this book and really appreciated the realistic look into the Sunderland family. review: Nancy Thayer is another author that always writes quintessential summer books! I always look forward to reading her latest once the weather warms up. Usually her books and the characters hook me from the very start, but I had a bit more trouble with this one. I couldn’t connect to the characters and found some of them to be unlikeable and lacking any redeeming qualities. I really enjoyed the storylines of Ari and Eleanor, but the others felt a bit… forced? Of course, I did enjoy the setting on Nantucket 0 it was the perfect landscape for a summer read. Although I have liked many of Nancy Thayer’s books, this one isn’t one of my favorites. This would be a good book to toss in your beach bag since you can read without paying *too* much attention! rating: 3 out of 5 ⭐️

shop the books I read in May