the may stack 📚 my latest reads 📚 why are they all about love?
books | monthly reading recommendations + reviews
Hello friends, book lovers, and book recommendation seekers,
I am starting a new, recurring monthly post, a reading recap of some sort.
Here are all of the books that I read in the month of May, but with a little flair to my review/recommendation.
As I stared at my may stack, it became very apparent to me that there was a common thread weaving through all of them. And guess what?
It’s…LOVE.
Love in its many complicated shapes and forms. Some not as straightforward as romantic love, but navigating things like self-love, marital love, familial love, and so on. Sure, it might be where I am in life, or maybe all literature is connected by this magical through line. But I wanted to explore this idea together!
If you prefer a video option: I made a youtube channel :)
Before I dive in…just wanted to plug that this is a free publication, and would love your support as a subscriber. I love being a part of this community and want to grow it :)
Without further ado…
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
one sentence summary— Dedicated government employee for a department that brings people from the past into the present day, falls for said person brought to the future + some time traveling chaos ensues.
why this book, why now?— This book, in all honesty, was sitting on my shelf for a while, and it wasn’t until my good friend and trusted source of good book recommendations
recommended to me that I placed it on the top of the heap and got to.what about love?— This book dabbles in forbidden love, love and dedication for one’s career, and familial love.
honest opinion— I enjoyed this book, and would recommend it, it was giving Loki vibes, but with a twist of romance and a hot thriller energy to it.
read this if you…— are looking for a romance novel that has a teeny bit of steam, but not too much. Or if you are looking for a book that touches on sci-fi/magical realism/time travel, but in a way that isn’t overwhelming. Plus, this book is funny, it’s got humor and several LGBTQ+ characters, and I live for that.
When Haru Was Here by Dustin Thao
one sentence summary— Gay teenager goes through the death of a friend, the loss of a first love, and a what if, but with magical realism thrown in, and he’s an artist!
why this book, why now?— I was craving a queer romance book, it’s been on my tbr forever, and I may or may not have had a mild and fleeting crush on the author, Dustin, and follow him on Instagram.
what about love? —This book centers on romantic love, first loves, young love, queer love, grief (and how it relates to love), the love immigrant parents have for their children.
honest opinion— It’s nothing to write home about, however it was very much an enjoyable (and predictable) YA queer romance, with themes of being first-gen to immigrant parents, navigating young adulthood, it’s messy, but it’s also a book that I wish existed when I was younger.
read this if you…— are seeking a book about queer love, first loves, a tinge of magical realism, learning to love yourself, and overcoming grief. Or if you really need a queer YA to both break and warm your heart.
James by Percival Everett
one sentence summary— Funny and heartbreaking retelling of Huck Finn from the perspective of Jim, the slave.
why this book, why now?— While, my gorgeous friend Heather gifted me this book last year, and it’s been staring at me ever since… once it won the Pulitzer prize, I had to get started!
what about love?— The love that Jim (James) has for his family: including his wife and children, and his love for literature and language, shines in this book!
honest opinion— This was such an unexpected surprise, the vibes were A+. A retelling of Huck Finn from the perspective of Jim, the slave, I mean…what a concept. Many a mic drop moment throughout. Excellent social commentary on slavery in the south and code-switching to survive. A tale of a father/husband’s love for his family and children and the power of literacy. Run, don’t walk to this book!
read this if you…— have a penchant for critically acclaimed books that are actually enjoyable to read, enjoy a fresh perspective on a classic novel, and if you are ready to board the hype train.
The Overthinker’s Guide to Getting Started by Internet People (Marisa Jo Mayes and Anna Seirian
one sentence summary— Life changing, short and encouraging zine, created by artists who care about other artists’ well being.
why this book, why now?— Once, they shared that this zine was out, and I saw the title, I had to snag a physical copy.
what about love?— This might sound a bit corny and a little abstract when it comes to love, but this really is a love letter to the artist who struggles to get started, and can’t help but be overwhelmed by the overthink.
honest opinion— Buy it. This really enables the love of the craft of CREATING and being in tune with your true self, unencumbered by the various amount of dopamine inducing stimuli in our lives! be a creative, lean in!
read this if you…— are seeking encouragement as an artist or aspiring creative, or if you need to get out of your own mind
How To Win a Million Dollars and Beep Glitter by Lucas Stoffel
one sentence summary— A coming of age story that combines the best parts of a memoir, with the absurdity of life, with a touch of heartbreak and grief.
why this book, why now?— I saw this book all over Bookstagram, and the author, Luke, graciously reached out to me and sent me this fabulous book in the mail. I could not put it down.
what about love?— Self-love, love of creating art, and grieving a life love, and love/hate of the pursuit of money!
honest opinion— I am so glad Luke sent me his book. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it really tugged on my heartstrings and I love seeing a queer artist thrive!
read this if you…— Love a cooky memoir with many twists and turns, OR have a great sense of humor.
Cleopatra & Frankenstein by Coco Mellors
one sentence summary— Coco Mellors’ debut novel about a hasty instant love connection, based in New York, that goes horribly wrong, or right? Can’t tell…probably wrong.
why this book, why now?— This was the pick for my friend group’s, quarterly book club, The Lit Hunnies. So I had to finish it by the end of June, and got the jump start…also, a good friend of mine, Marlee, suggested a buddy read, and I could not refuse. + Love Coco.
what about love?— The types of love throughout the novel are: marital love, instant love, messy messy messy (3x) love, and love affairs…
honest opinion— If I am keeping it 100, I enjoyed Blue Sisters, Coco’s second novel, better…not to say that this was bad…but you can tell she took the notes from this debut and improved her next piece. It’s a messy story, trigger warning: alcohol, drugs, self-harm…and there are queer characters, but they are not exactly role models. Endearing moments. Heartbreak. and possibly murder?
read this if you…— Don’t love a cookie-cutter romance, OR if you are a fan of Coco Mellors and complicated main characters just trying to navigate life and love during these crazy times
the may stack on full display. I am not sure if I did a convincing job of tying them all together within the context of love. But at the very least, I think I gave you more insight into the books, connected them to love in SOME type of way, or just rambled, but hope you enjoyed, until next time.
