Must-Read Books
May 2026

Adult Fiction
A Lady for All Seasons
by TJ Alexander

In 1820 London, impoverished Verbena Montrose arranges a marriage of convenience with her gay friend Etienne, but the scheme is exposed by gossipy poet Flora Whitcombe. When the confrontation between the two women sparks an instant attraction, their burgeoning friendship is upended by the arrival of nobleman William Forsyth, who hopes to court Flora himself. The catch? William and Flora are the same person, and Verbena has no idea. For fans of: The Perks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley.
Yesteryear
by Caro Claire Burke

With millions of social media followers, Natalie Heller Mills carefully curates her trad wife life featuring a charming Utah ranch, a cowboy/political scion husband, and five children (with one on the way!). What her followers don't know is that she has nannies and plenty of other help. Then one morning she wakes up and it's somehow 1805. Anne Hathaway has snagged film rights for this buzzy, twisty debut novel that's great for book clubs. Try this next: Anna-Marie McLemore's The Influencers; Alli Hoff Kosik's Too Blessed to Stress.
 
All Booked Up
by Melody Carlson

Having lost her husband to cancer a year earlier, 61-year-old Riva Owen deals with grief and tries to pay her mortgage. She doesn't want to leave the old Victorian that's been in her family for generations, so after praying, she takes in four women boarders. This leads to new friends and experiences, as well as drama and romantic rivalries in this fun and moving Christian novel about single older women. Try this next: Lauraine Snelling's The Florence Legacy.
 
The Shock of the Light
by Lori Inglis Hall

World War II separates tight-knit twins Theo and Tessa when he joins the Royal Air Force and French-speaking Tessa trains as an operative for the Special Operations Executive. Afterwards, wounded Theo hides his homosexuality as it's illegal, mourns war casualties, and wonders about his still-missing sister. Decades later, PhD candidate Edie researches women in the SOE, leading her and Theo to team up and investigate what happened to Tessa. Try this next: Lucy Caldwell's These Days. 
 
A Good Person
by Kirsten King

After casting a drunken hex on her ex, Lillian is horrified when he turns up dead -- and not only does she learn he had another romantic partner, but Lillian becomes a prime suspect. Determined to prove she’s the “real” grieving girlfriend, she spirals into obsession, denial, and chaos in this darkly funny, twisty debut about narcissism, loneliness, and self-delusion.
 
My Grandfather, the Master Detective
by Masateru Konishi

Kaede, a 27-year-old teacher and crime novel reader, often uncovers puzzling events as she goes about her day. With her beloved grandfather, a former member of a mystery club whose Lewy body dementia hasn't affected his armchair crime-solving skills, she explores six mysteries, including a locked room murder and a missing persons case. For fans of: novels that reference classic mysteries; cozy Japanese stories.
 
The Fortune Flip
by Lauren Kung Jessen

Seeking reassurance from a fortune teller, unlucky data analyst Hazel Yen has a run-in (literally) with Logan Wells, a perpetually lucky carpenter with whom she shares a kiss -- and a winning lottery ticket. When they cash in their winnings, their fortunes flip. As they work together to change Logan's (now bad) luck, they find themselves learning more about themselves -- and each other. For fans of: One & Only by Maurene Goo.
 
The Complex
by Karan Mahajan

In late 20th-century India, a prominent Delhi family inhabit an apartment complex built after Indian independence by their famous politician ancestor. Arguments, affairs, and assaults occur as a young couple return from the United States and an uncle's political star rises. Also, as readers know from the start, one family member murders another. "Beautiful and unforgettable...masterly," raves Kirkus Reviews. For fans of: character-driven stories with messy families and multiple narrators.
 
The Survivor
by Andrew Reid

After being fired on his first day, Ben Cross boards a New York City subway and becomes the target of a killer who taunts him with secrets from Ben's past. As bodies fall, disgraced detective Kelly Hendricks races to stop the threat in this tense, fast-paced thriller packed with twists and claustrophobic suspense.
 
Adult Nonfiction
This Land Is Your Land: A Road Trip Through U.S. History
by Beverly Gage

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Beverly Gage's engaging travelogue surveys 250 years of American history via visits to 13 places that have shaped the country, from Independence Hall to Disneyland and everything in between. Try this next: American Rambler: Walking the Trail of Johnny Appleseed by Isaac Fitzgerald.
 
London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth
by Patrick Radden Keefe

In his richly detailed latest, award-winning journalist Patrick Radden Keefe (Say Nothing) chronicles the shocking death of 19-year-old Zac Brettler in 2019 London, revealing how Brettler's secret life posing as the son of a Russian oligarch spurred his involvement in the city's seedy underworld. For fans of: Blood Will Out: The True Story of a Murder, a Mystery, and a Masquerade by Walter Kirn.
Chain of Ideas: The Origins of Our Authoritarian Age
by Ibram X. Kendi

National Book Award-winning author Ibram X. Kendi's (Stamped from the Beginning) thought-provoking latest details the origins and evolution of the great replacement theory -- the far-right conspiracy that claims white European people are deliberately being replaced by non-white immigrants -- examining how leading politicians in the United States, United Kingdom, Israel, and more openly propagate these views. Further reading: The Great White Hoax: Two Centuries of Selling Racism in America by Philip Kadish.
Youth Fiction
102
by Matthew Cordell

Sick with a fever of 102, young George goes on a surreal, imaginary adventure in a miniature world. Meticulously cross-hatched ballpoint pen illustrations from Caldecott Medalist Matthew Cordell provide texture and atmosphere, as well as a wealth of details that reward close reading. For fans of: David Wiesner, Chris Van Allsburg, and Henry Cole.
The Escape Game
by Marissa Meyer

Despite the fact that a contestant died on the fourth season of reality show The Escape Game, ruthless producers have greenlit a fifth season. Sierra joins the cast to solve high-stakes escape rooms...and find out who murdered her sister. Fans of puzzle-filled mysteries will devour this exhilarating thriller.
A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic: Or, Like Lightning in an Umbrella Storm
by Philip C. Stead

After her friend Perseverance the turtle is imprisoned, goatkeeper Bernadette sets out on a rescue mission, aided by a memory-impaired magician and a Boat That Does Not Grant Wishes. This illustrated fantasy -- in which the chapters are out of order and the author can't control the characters -- is witty, whimsical, and hilariously weird. Read-alikes: Matt Phelan's Knights vs. Dinosaurs; Kate DiCamillo's The Beatryce Prophecy.
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