I can’t believe it’s June already. Is anybody else wondering where the year has gone?
Truthfully, May was a bit of a struggle-bus month for me. Work and life very much took over, leaving less time for reading than I would have liked.
One highlight was spending the holiday weekend in Nashville, which, as you can imagine, wasn’t exactly conducive to making progress on my TBR. It was, however, perfect for boot-scooting, line dancing, and plenty of fun in between.
Work also dominated much of the month, and I expect that trend to continue throughout the summer with a major project on the horizon. If you’re new here, I work in marketing for a major tech company (one you’ve definitely heard of), and things are officially booked and busy.
The upside? The weather is finally improving, and I’m hoping June brings a little more balance and a lot more reading time.
Stats-wise, May looked like this:
6 books finished
2 books DNF’d 😱
2,370 pages read
Average finish time: 4 days
Average rating: 3.4 stars
So, without further ado, here’s the complete roundup of everything I read in May.
Into The Blue - Emma Brodie
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
The first book of the month was a highly anticipated release, and thankfully, it did not disappoint.
I actually wrote an entire post dedicated to this one because I had so many thoughts, but the main takeaway is that Emma Brodie really tried to do something different within the romance genre and it paid off. While there were definitely a few editorial notes I could make, you have to respect the ambition. I found it incredibly refreshing to read a romance that was so heavily woven with plot, and broader themes beyond the central relationship. From sci-fi, to SNL, side characters and emotional intention, this book had it all.
Overall, I’d absolutely recommend checking out.
The Compound - Aisling Rawle
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / 5
Described as Love Island meets Lord of the Flies, I was immediately curious about this book and for once that publisher-written comparison felt surprisingly accurate.
The story follows Lily, a beautiful twenty-something who wakes up in “the Compound,” a villa in the middle of the desert alongside 19 other contestants, evenly split between men and women. Their job is simple, couple up and complete a series of individual and group challenges to earn rewards that make both their living conditions and survival a little easier. As the numbers begin to dwindle, Lily and the others are forced to confront the reality of their situation and fight to be the last one standing, all for prizes beyond their wildest dreams. But are those dreams really worth losing their sanity for?
Overall, this was a really cool concept, executed in a way that felt really immersive, and incredibly easy to picture (thank you Love Island for the villa references). The day-by-day structure, all set within the confines of a single villa, worked particularly well and I found myself becoming as addicted to the story, just as the blurb promised.
That said, with such a large cast and so much to cover, some sections felt slower and I found myself skimming to get to the truly juicy moments (I promise they do arrive). My biggest issue was also the ending, which felt somewhat abrupt and came across as a clean cut, that as a reader felt quite dissatisfying. I wanted a little extra time with the story after the final page, but can understand why the author closed it out exiting the villa as she did.
If you’re intrigued by the concept or interested in something with a more dystopian vibe, this could be a book for you.
Starside - Alex Aster
⭐️⭐️.5 / 5
I wrote an entire post dedicated to this book, and in the weeks since, I’ve wondered whether I was too harsh. Then I remember the ending and the feeling that this was a filler book designed primarily to set up a sequel and I find myself standing by my 2.5-star rating.
For me, the combination of an incomplete story and rushed writing ultimately shows a lack of value for your readership. There’s a difference between leaving readers excited and eager for a sequel and leaving them feeling as though they’ve only been given half of what they invested both time and money into.
The discourse surrounding Alex Aster is also interesting, particularly given the criticism that often follows her online. While I don’t particularly like labels such as “industry plant,” I do think this book would have benefited from more development and editorial scrutiny to perhaps quell those allegations.
That said, reading is subjective so I’d be curious to hear other perspectives, but as it stands, this isn’t a book I would personally recommend.
Table for One - Emma Gannon
⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Was this a bad book? Not at all. Was it a little boring? Perhaps.
The story follows Willow, who is trying to rebuild her life after an unexpected breakup. When a new career opportunity introduces her to a Gen Z social media star, she’s forced to navigate heartbreak, new ambition, and the challenge of figuring out who she is on her own.
Starting with the positives, there was a lot here that felt relatable. Willow’s experiences came across as authentic and we’re written with an unfiltered lens. I liked that. Relationship grief can be difficult to portray, as can the reality that heartbreak often makes people quite unlikable as they push away those closest to them. Gannon captures both of those dynamics really well.
On the other hand, it felt like this book had a lot to say, whilst saying nothing at all. There was enough happening to keep me reading (major breakup, career drama, friendship dynamics etc) but none of those themes felt like enough to give a meaningful takeaway or overarching message. The ending came together neatly which I was happy with, but I still came away feeling somewhat lukewarm and indifferent.
If you’re a fan of authors like Dolly Alderton or enjoy contemporary, female-led fiction that focuses on relationships and self-discovery, I think there’s plenty here to enjoy. Just don’t go into it expecting something groundbreaking.
The Score - Elle Kennedy
⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
We’re you also swept up in the Off-Campus hype? Did you leave the TV show wanting more? Well me too, so I couldn’t help but dive into Ally and Dean’s story, in anticipation of the next season.
I referenced this in my recent post about TV adaptations, but the books are basic (sorry Elle Kennedy). Still worth the read if you enjoyed the series and are wanting to stay immersed in BriarU for a little bit longer, but not literary masterpieces by any means.
Cute, quick, trope-driven romance? This is book is that.
It won’t leave a lasting impression but it was fun, entertaining, and perfect for when you're in the mood for something easy.
Dance of Lies - Brittney Arena
Next up, we have the first DNF of the month (booooooo), and sadly it wouldn’t be the last.
This book seemed perfectly prime to be something I’d enjoy. The cover art is attention grabbing (reminding me of Once Upon a Broken Heart). The premise sounded really intriguing, and it ticked my boxes as I love a fantasy novel. Unfortunately, it just didn’t capture my attention.
I’ll admit that timing may have played a role as I picked this up while deep in vacation-planning mode, so my attention was elsewhere. That said, when you’re only 60 pages in (around 14%) and have absolutely no desire to pick the book up, that’s a challenge!
Since putting it down, I’ve seen a number of readers (namely on TikTok) also share this book as a DNF, so it seems I wasn’t entirely alone in my struggles. However for me, the biggest issue was characterization or lack thereof. In those early pages, we learn plenty about the characters’ history and unfortunate circumstances, but I never felt like they were awarded any actual personality. The FMC felt underdeveloped with no defining characteristic other than being a little bit tragic, and there was a king who I assume will become a bigger part in the story but I couldn’t name one thing about him. Overall, very generic.
Of course, it’s difficult to make a definitive recommendation when I didn’t finish the book, and I’m sure there will be readers who will enjoy. But if this one is sitting on your TBR, I’d suggest avoiding.
American Fantasy - Emma Straub
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / 5
I’m going to keep this one short and sweet, as I’ll be diving into it in an upcoming post with the wonderful Reads with Alicia. But my final (completed book) was American Fantasy by Emma Straub.
The premise and framing is immediately interesting. Set aboard a cruise ship named American Fantasy, the story follows Annie as she embarks on a nostalgia-fuelled voyage centred around her favourite boy band of past, Boy Talk. Once at the height of their fame and now slightly past their prime, we learn the band is barely holding things together behind the scenes. With only their devoted fans, the promise of a payday, and cruise director Sarah keeping the show afloat, tensions are running high. Throughout the story (and cruise), we follow multiple povs as each character navigates their own turning point, creating a story that feels at times both midlife crisis and self-discovery.
While I was engaged throughout, I couldn’t help feeling that the novel never quite reached its full potential. It felt 80% of the way there but was just missing that final standout moment. E.g. a twist, hook or revelation that would elevate it from good to great. I’ll expand more in an upcoming post so keep an eye out!
Rejection - Tony Tulathimutte
Finally, we reach both the end of the month and the end of my run of good reads, as we arrive at our second DNF.
Rejection is just that, a book about rejection. The novel follows a cast of characters, each sharing their own rejection stories through a series of distinct monologues which are apparently linked, although I didn’t make it far enough into the book to find that out.
The problem for me was that this book felt genuinely painful to read. What began as an exploration of rejection very quickly tipped into relentless self-deprecation from all parties. I understand what the author was aiming for, playing on human instincts but these humans felt dialled up to the tenth degree, to the point they were deeply unrelatable and definitely not enjoyable.
In the opening story, we follow an unnamed man whose repeated romantic rejection sends him from self-described feminist ally, to someone whose resentment begins to spill over into the manosphere, developing a deep bitterness towards all women. The second narrative centres on a millennial woman, with parts of her story told through group chat messages with her Gen Z colleagues. Unfortunately, those exchanges were the strangest portrayal of ‘text speak’ I’d ever read. Abbreviations and GenZ slang that quite frankly nobody would say.
By the time I reached the 30% mark, I found myself desperate to escape it. A shame, as the premise had a lot of potential, but not one I regret saying bye to.
So now I ask you two questions?
Have you read any of the novels?
And what was your favourite read in May?
I read 7 with 2 DNF , 3 memoirs , 2 thrillers , 1 historical fiction and 1 romance
Also...."only" read 6 books :)