May was a great month of reading for me! I had two thrillers, one romcom, and a historical fiction living rent-free in my head. All of them were 4 stars or higher, including two 5-star reads, and one that will move onto my favorite reading list. I took a break from audio books in May, so I am excited to pick that back up in June. Keep scrolling to see the 4 books I read in May 2024.
See my favorite reads from 2022 here, 2023 here, and check out what I’ve read here. You can see the 5 books I read in January here, everything I read in February & March here, and what I read in April here.
Everything I Read in May 2024
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
Synopsis
For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls, they were rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance at a happy family life.
But their childhood wasn’t the fairy tale everyone thought it was. Miss Fairchild had rules. Miss Fairchild could be unpredictable. And Miss Fairchild was never, ever to be crossed. In a moment of desperation, the three broke away from Miss Fairchild and thought they were free. Even though they never saw her again, she was always somewhere in the shadows of their minds. When a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, the foster sisters find themselves thrust into the spotlight as key witnesses. Or are they prime suspects?
Meghan’s Thoughts & Review
- This book features dual timelines, three narrators, including one incredibly unreliable one, and a *major* twist at the very end. One I surely didn’t see coming. It is so good. Definitely add it to your TBR.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Broken Girls by Simone St. James
Synopsis
Vermont, 1950. There’s a place for the girls whom no one wants–the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the ones too smart for their own good. It’s called Idlewild Hall, and local legend says the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their friendship blossoming–until one of them mysteriously disappears….
Vermont, 2014. Twenty years ago, journalist Fiona Sheridan’s elder sister’s body was found in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And although her sister’s boyfriend was tried and convicted of the murder, Fiona can’t stop revisiting the events, unable to shake the feeling that something was never right about the case.
When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during renovations links the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past–and a voice that won’t be silenced….
Meghan’s Thoughts & Review
- I could not put this book down! There is a lot in this book — mystery, paranormal activity, historical references to the Holocaust and Ravensbrück, murder, attempted murder, dual timelines, and multiple narrators. And yet, Simone St. James absolutely nails this. It was incredibly well written and one of those books that I’ll think about for a long time. There were a few times when the hair stood up on the back of my neck. Truly a great read.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Synopsis
Nora Stephens’ life is books–she’s read them all–and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.
Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away–with visions of a small-town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.
If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again–in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow–what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.
Meghan’s Thoughts & Review
- This was such a feel-good read and I loved Charlie’s misunderstood personality. This also combines two of my personal loves: small towns in North Carolina & NYC. Add it to your TBR as a pool or beach read.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
The Women by Kristin Hannah
Synopsis
Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.
As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets–and becomes one of–the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.
But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.
The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country have too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.
Meghan’s Thoughts & Review
- No one does historical fiction like Kristin Hannah. Despite the length of this novel, I could not put it down. It is a truly emotional read and I will be thinking about this book for a while. It has a lot to offer, too — history, grief, friendships, action, thrills, and a salacious romance. I truly cannot recommend this enough. It is such an important storyline and it was done so, so well.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shop Everything I Read in May 2024
