Everything I Read in May 2025
My May reading list leaned heavily into rom coms and historical fiction, with a few new releases from Abby Jimenez, Ashley Poston, Jessa Hastings, and Dolly Alderton topping my list of 5 star ratings. I also revisited Kate Quinn’s library, a historical fiction writer I’ve enjoyed for some time. It wouldn’t be a well-rounded month without some fantasy thrown in, too, and Sophie Clark’s new alternate reality novel set in Vatican City was surprisingly well-timed this month with Pope Leo XIV’s ascendency to the papacy. Anyway, all that is to say — I have lots of great books for you all to add to your TBRs! Read on for my thoughts and book reviews on each:
Of the 13 books I read this month, here are my top 5 favorites (excluding Funny Story, which is an all-time favorite I revisited this month):
- The Conditions of Will by Jessa Hastings
- Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez
- The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
- Cruel is the Light by Sophie Clark
- Good Material by Dolly Alderton
Table of Contents:
May 2025 In Books
Romance & Contemporary Fiction
The Conditions of Will by Jessa Hastings
5/5 Stars
A complicated family drama interspersed with moments of with and poignancy, The Conditions of Will snuck up on me this month. Protagonist Georgia Carter can read body language in a way that seems like magic, and when she finds herself back home for her father’s funeral after she fell out with the family, those skills are put to the test. Tensions of family estrangement, lies told and kept, and numerous psychoses blend in a powder keg of emotion — on top of which, Georgia finds herself falling for her brother’s AA sponsor. So….it’s complicated. And I could not put it down.
The Conditions of Will by Jessa Hastings is available from Amazon here and Bookshop.org here.
Funny Story by Emily henry (re-read / audiobook)
5/5 Stars
All of Emily Henry’s audiobooks are narrated by Julia Whelan, who I would argue is the best of the best when it comes to narration. After listening to her narrate Great Big Beautiful Life, I decided to revisit Funny Story as an audiobook. My favorite Emily Henry novel, Funny Story is the perfect mix of poignant and wit, and Julia Whelan brings the characters to life in the best way.
Funny Story by Emily Henry is available from Amazon here and Bookshop.org here.
Read my original review of the book here.
Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston
4/5 Stars
This is the second book I’ve read from Ashley Poston and it was really cute! It took a bit for me to get into the story, but the second half really pulled me in. Sweet with a side of magical realism, a fun summer read if you’re looking for something clever and cute.
Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston is available from Amazon here and Bookshop.org here.
The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez
5/5 Stars
A quirky short story from Abby Jimenez, The Fall Risk is a quick read that is sure to make you smile. The premise is a little outlandish — the protagonists are stuck on the second floor of their apartment complex when the stairs are removed because of a construction miscommunication — but it winds up being a funny situation, albeit ridiculous. It also opens up the narrative to discussing issues of stalking violence, something that the female protagonist deals with (and why she’s ok with spending a weekend on a second floor apartment where no one can get to her).
The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez is available from Amazon here and Bookshop.org here.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
5/5 Stars
Not going to lie, when I started this book, I did not expect to like it. The protagonist, Eleanor, has a complete lack of social skills and the novel opens with so many cringy moments. However, as the story progresses, we learn a bit more about Eleanor’s traumatic past, and she begins to open up a bit because of a crush she develops on a singer. In her attempts to ready herself for a meet cute with the singer, she winds up spending more and more time with a coworker, who slowly brings Eleanor out of her shell. The mysteries of her background remain, as she refuses to confront her past. However, with some gentle nudging from her work friend, Raymond, she begins to heal.
Plus, there’s a cute cat in the story who is described in the absolute best ways. Eleanor is not a cat person and her narration of the cat is 100% spot on.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman is available from Amazon here and Bookshop.org here.
Good Material by Dolly Alderton
5/5 Stars
When I saw this audiobook was partially narrated by Vanessa Kirby, I hit download immediately. Like with Julia Whelen, I would listen to Vanessa Kirby read the phone book.
Anyway, this book follows a breakup and is a dual POV with the first 2/3 of the novel narrated by the guy (Andy) and the last third narrated by the girl (Jen). Andy, a struggling comedian, is completely blind sided by the break up and struggles to regain his footing after they split up, navigating the uncomfortable reality that all of their friends are shared friends. He tries to find answers to why the relationship failed, but keeps coming up empty until. The story shifts to Jen’s POV, filling in the details Andy is missing, in a poignant portrayal of life in your 30’s.
Good Material by Dolly Alderton is available from Amazon here and Bookshop.org here.
Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez
5/5 Stars
The latest novel from Abby Jimenez, Say You’ll Remember Me is part love story part family drama. I read this book in a day and a half — it was so hard to put down! Samantha, the female protagonist, falls for a gorgeous (but critical) veterinarian right as she is called to California because of her mother’s worsening dementia. As with any Abby Jimenez novel, there are companion animals (including references to other animals in the author’s universe), wacky situations, witty banter, and deeply emotional turns that throw the reader for an absolute loop.
Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez is available from Amazon here and Bookshop.org here.
Fantasy
Cruel is the Light by Sophie Clark
5/5 Stars
For fans of romantasy novels (more on those here), Cruel is the Light by Sophie Clark is going to be a must-read. The start of a new series set in an alternate reality Vatican City, I could not put it down. The world building is really interesting, and the characters are compelling. In some ways, it reminded me a lot of Rebecca Ross’ Letters of Enchantment series — probably because of the alternate reality setting and emphasis on historical and religious academia. It is marketed as YA but really did not feel YA.
Cruel is the Light by Sophie Clark is available from Amazon here and Bookshop.org here.
Kiss of the Basilisk by Linday Straube
4/5 Stars
I’ve followed Lindsay Straube on IG for a while, so I had seen a bit about this book — and about how it was picked up by a publishing house and the name was changed — but I really didn’t know what I was getting into. Kiss of the Basilisk was available on Kindle Unlimited, so I gave it a shot and wow this was a “wtf did I just read” book but in a good way…? Like I could not put it down. I had to know what happened next. And I will for sure be reading the second book in the series when it comes out in November.
Kiss of the Basilisk by Linday Straube is available from Amazon here and Bookshop.org here.
Historical Fiction
The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
5/5 Stars
I’ve been a fan of Kate Quinn’s writing for a while (especially this series), but I was a few books behind in her latest releases. The Briar Club popped up on my Kindle Unlimited dashboard as a suggestion, so I decided to dive right in. This book is long, and there are a lot of characters, so don’t be surprised if it takes you a bit to get into the story. I think that is part of the point — the audience gets glimpses into the different women who board at Briarwood House, with flashes of a chaotic storyline that slowly comes into focus. Kate Quinn has always been a master of historical detail, and this book is no exception. There are so many different backgrounds and historical incidents discussed in this book, and each character is a distinct persona throughout the whole book. Basically, it’s great to read as a reader, but also as a writer.
The Briar Club by Kate Quinn is available from Amazon here and Bookshop.org here.
The Cardinal by Alison Weir
4/5 Stars
Alison Weir is a fantastic historical writer – in both fiction and non-fiction. I was so excited to get an early copy of this upcoming novel and, since I just finished the last season of Wolf Hall, it felt like the perfect time to revisit the dramatic tale of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. Overall, I found the book compelling, but some parts dragged while others felt rushed.
The Cardinal by Alison Weir is available from Amazon here and Bookshop.org here.
The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn
5/5 Stars
Another Kate Quinn novel available on Kindle Unlimited, The Diamond Eye is equally as gripping as The Briar Club but is focused on one main character: Mila Pavlinchenko, or Lady Death, the deadliest female sniper in history. This novel is based on a true story — Mila was a real person — and illustrates a side of WWII that American audiences don’t often see. Mila’s story is intertwined with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, too, because the sniper is sent on a goodwill tour of America. Their friendship almost seems inexplicable, but is based on real events, which makes the novel even more enticing.
The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn is available from Amazon here and Bookshop.org here.
My Name is Emilia de Valle by Isabel Allende
3/5 Stars
I finished this book and just felt unfulfilled. There was nothing overtly “wrong” with it, and I wanted to love it but it never clicked for me. There were some great parts, but the protagonist’s decisions didn’t make sense to me and parts felt really disjointed. It was clearly well-researched, though, and makes me interested in learning about the historical setting (the Civil War in Chile in the 1890s)
My Name is Emilia de Valle by Isabel Allende is available from Amazon here and Bookshop.org here.
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