Summer is around the corner and we've had some really nice weather lately in Munich, so I've been really looking forward to reading some summery and holiday reads. Luckily for me, May is coming packed with amazing books! Here are the ones I am most excited about:
The Wonder of Us by Kim Culbertson - May 3rd
Riya and Abby are:
Best friends.
Complete opposites.
Living on different continents.
Currently mad at each other.
About to travel around Europe.
Riya moved to Berlin, Germany, with her family for junior year, while Abby stayed behind in their small California town. They thought it would be easy to keep up their friendship, it's only a year and they've been best friends since preschool. But instead, they ended up fighting and not being there for the other. So Riya proposes an epic adventure to fix their friendship. Two weeks, six countries, unimaginable fun. But two small catches:
They haven't talked in weeks. They've both been keeping secrets.
Can Riya and Abby find their way back to each other among lush countrysides and dazzling cities, or does growing up mean growing apart?
Why so excited: I really like the look and the sound of this one. Plus, I love books that take you around the world. Living in Germany myself I am really curious to see what these girl will think of the country and what places they'll discover around here. Looking forward to joining them in their adventure.
Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli - May 3rd
In this sequel to the acclaimed Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda-soon to be a major motion picture, Love, Simon-we follow Simon's BFF Leah as she grapples with changing friendships, first love, and senior year angst.
When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat - but real life isn't always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she's the only child of a young, single mum, and her life is decidedly less privileged. And even though her mom knows she's bisexual, she hasn't mustered the courage to tell her friends - not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.
So Leah really doesn't know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways. With prom and college on the horizon, tensions are running high. It's hard for Leah to strike the right note while the people she loves are fighting-especially when she realizes she might love one of them more than she ever intended.
Why so excited: I only read Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda a couple of months ago but I absolutely loved it and I cannot wait to see the movie adaptation Love, Simon (it doesn't come out in Germany until June), so as you can imagine I am really excited for Leah's story and obviously, I also want to catch up with lovely Simon.
The House Swap by Rebecca Fleet - May 3rd
‘No one lives this way unless they want to hide something.’
When Caroline and Francis receive an offer to house swap, they jump at the chance for a week away from home. After the difficulties of the past few years, they’ve worked hard to rebuild their marriage for their son’s sake; now they want to reconnect as a couple.
On arrival, they find a house that is stark and sinister in its emptiness – it’s hard to imagine what kind of person lives here. Then, gradually, Caroline begins to uncover some signs of life – signs of her life. The flowers in the bathroom or the music in the CD player might seem innocent to her husband but to her they are anything but. It seems the person they have swapped with is someone she used to know; someone she’s desperate to leave in her past.
But that person is now in her home – and they want to make sure she’ll never forget...
Why so excited: I've read some smashing domestic noir stories lately and The House Swap sounds like another winner. Just reading the blurb, I got goosebumps so I am expecting a very nerve-wrecking and tense story.
Dear Martin by Nic Stone - May 3rd
Raw, captivating, and undeniably real, Nic Stone joins industry giants Jason Reynolds and Walter Dean Myers as she boldly tackles American race relations in this stunning debut.
Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can't escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.
Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it's Justyce who is under attack.
Why so excited: If the great John Green and the amazing Angie Thomas say that this book is absolutely incredible, then I need to read it, right? No, seriously, I have just started reading this story and I am completely hooked. This will be a very important book this year.
The Particular Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes by Ruth Hogan - May 3rd
Masha is drowning.
Once a spirited, independent woman with a rebellious streak, her life has been forever changed by a tragic event twelve years ago.
Unable to let go of her grief, she finds solace in the silent company of the souls of her local Victorian cemetery and at the town's lido, where she seeks refuge underwater - safe from the noise and the pain.
But a chance encounter with two extraordinary women - the fabulous and wise Kitty Muriel, a convent girl-turned-magician's wife-turned-seventy-something-roller-disco-fanatic, and the mysterious Sally Red Shoes, a bag lady with a prodigious voice - opens up a new world of possibilities, and the chance to start living again.
Until the fateful day when the past comes roaring back...
Why so excited: I loved Ruth Hogan's The Keeper of Lost Things, it was such a special story, and this one sound just as special. I cannot wait to find out more about Sally Red Shoes.
The Surface Breaks: a reimagining of The Little Mermaid by Louise O'neill - May 3rd
Deep beneath the sea, off the cold Irish coast, Gaia is a young mermaid who dreams of freedom from her controlling father. On her first swim to the surface, she is drawn towards a human boy. She longs to join his carefree world, but how much will she have to sacrifice? What will it take for the little mermaid to find her voice? Hans Christian Andersen's original fairy tale is reimagined through a searing feminist lens, with the stunning, scalpel-sharp writing and world building that has won Louise her legions of devoted fans. A book with the darkest of undercurrents, full of rage and rallying cries: storytelling at its most spellbinding.
Why so excited: I love the The Little Mermaid, I love re-telling and I love Louise O'neill. Plus, the book is stunning. So you can understand my excitement here!
Five Years from Now by Paige Toon - May 17th
The heartbreaking new novel from bestselling author Paige Toon, perfect for fans of One Day and The Versions of Us
‘One day, maybe five years from now, you’ll look back and understand why this happened…’
Vian and Nell are thrown together at the age of five when Vian's mother and Nell's father fall in love. At first archenemies, the two children soon become the best of friends. But five years later, tragedy rips them apart, and 10-year-old Vian is sent to Australia to live with his real father.
Fast-forward five more years and Nell is still angry at her dad for not trying harder to keep Vian with them. When her father finances a Christmas trip for Evan to visit, Nell soon discovers that the boy she once knew is now a wholly different creature. Vian is now ‘Van’ – a wild and carefree teenager who surfs with dolphins and dives with sharks. Chemistry crackles between them, but once again, they’re separated.
For the next two decades, Nell and Van cross paths every five years, but fate and circumstance continuously intervene to keep them apart. Will they ever find true happiness? And will it be together?
Why so excited: I had the pleasure of attending the Spring Blogger Evening at Simon & Schuster's, where Paige Toon talked about this story. It sounded amazing and I immediately devoured the proof we got. And guys, it is amazing. What a story! It left me with a huge book-hangover but it was totally worth it.
The Cliff House by Amanda Jennings - May 17th
Cornwall, summer of 1986.
The Davenports, with their fast cars and glamorous clothes, living the dream in a breathtaking house overlooking the sea.
If only… thinks sixteen-year-old Tamsyn, her binoculars trained on the perfect family in their perfect home.
If only her life was as perfect as theirs.
If only Edie Davenport would be her friend.
If only she lived at The Cliff House…
Amanda Jennings weaves a haunting tale of obsession, loss and longing, set against the brooding North Cornish coastline, destined to stay with readers long after the final page is turned.
Why so excited: Amanda Jennings' stories are always so unexpected and shocking and her writing is chilling, tense and brilliant, how can I not be excited for a new story? Plus, the first reviews I've read are ravishing about it.
Relight My Fire by Joanna Bolouri - May 31st
Phoebe and Oliver are stuck in a rut.
With a five year old daughter and demanding jobs, it's not hard to see why the spark has gone.
Not one for giving up, Phoebe creates a sexy wishlist: a jar where they can ask the other for anything they've ever wanted in bed - or out of it.
But with distractions aplenty - such as, why do all her past lovers think now is a good time to make a reappearance? And, she may be wrong, but is Oli keeping something from her? - will they be able to relight the fire in the bedroom?
From mix tapes to 'sex jars', this is the naughtiest rom com you will ever read. From the bestselling author of The List.
Why so excited: I love Joanna Bolouri's stories, they are always hilarious. Relight My Fire goes back to catch up with the characters of her debut, The List, I cannot wait to find out how they are doing. I already laughed just reading the blurb, so I foresee may lol moment with this one.
The Hideaway by Sheila O'Flanagan - May 31st
The unputdownable new novel from Sunday Times bestselling Sheila O'Flanagan, author of THE MISSING WIFE and WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT. Perfect for readers of Catherine Alliott and Marian Keyes.
What would you do if you discovered you were living a lie?
When a shocking news report shatters Juno Ryan's world, she suddenly finds herself without the man she loves - and with no way of getting the answers she so desperately needs.
A distraught Juno flees to the enchanting Villa Naranja in Spain. The blue skies and bountiful orange groves - along with Pep, the winemaker's handsome son - begin to soothe her broken heart, but only Juno herself can mend it.
Just when she begins to feel whole again another bombshell falls. Can Juno put the past behind her? And will she ever learn to trust herself again?
Why so excited: I actually haven't read any books by Sheila O'Flanagan yet, but I've always heart great things about her stories, so it's about time I discovered it for myself, isn't it? The blurb definitely sounds very intriguing.
Sunshine and Sweet Peas in Nightingale Square by Heidi Swain May 31st
The heart-warming new novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author, perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Milly Johnson and Cathy Bramley
Kate is on the run from her almost-divorced husband who is determined to have her back, and she has found the perfect place to hide... a little cottage on Nightingale Square in Norwich, far away from her old life in London. But the residents of Nightingale Square don't take no for an answer, and Kate soon finds herself pulled into a friendship with Lisa, her bossy but lovely new neighbour.
Within a matter of days Kate is landed with the job of campaigning the council to turn the green into a community garden, meanwhile all the residents of Nightingale Square are horrified to discover that the Victorian mansion house on the other side of the square has been bought by developers. But when all hope is lost, the arrival of a handsome stranger is sure to turn things around!
Why so excited: doesn't this look summery and perfect? I also had the pleasure of listening to Heidi Swain talking about this story at the Spring Blogger Evening, so I'm very excited to dive in!
