With every passing month, we are getting closer and closer to summer, my least favorite season! Summer is always the worst time of year for me, I am so sorry. I know how much people love the sun and beaches and popsicle weather. But it just isn’t for me! So, in an attempt to get a little excitement for the coming months, I am going to be talking about some of the May 2023 book releases that I am excited about.
It is usually during this time of year when I start planning my fall TBR. I know! I am so early, but summer is always a huge time for new mysteries and thrillers. Many people use these genres as beach reads, but I am already stocking up for autumn. I have to be prepared for the colder months when I am stuck inside reading a horror novel by candlelight.
Overall, I am so excited about these books! This list of May 2023 book releases is packed full, I don’t even know where to start.
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May 2023 Book Releases
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
Title: Clytemnestra
Author: Costanza Casati
Publish Date: May 2, 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mythology
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
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For anyone else who absolutely loves a good retelling, Clymnestra by Costanza Casati is going to be the book for you! Set in Ancient Greece, this story follows a legendary queen who has had to stand by while she was wronged by almost everyone in her life, including her husband who sacrificed their child to appease the gods. But now she has a choice, either continue to stand by or enact revenge.
With so many early positive reviews, I’m excited about this mythology retelling!
Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban
Title: Lying in the Deep
Author: Diana Urban
Publish Date: May 2, 2023
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller
Pubisher: Raxorbill
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If there is one thing that spooks me, its the ocean. I definitely have a ad case of thalassophobia. So just thinking about being stuck on a cruise ship with a murderer absolutely terrifies me! In Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban, students in a “Semester at Sea” program begin dying one by one. Jade, along with her new friends, must find out what is happening quick before anything worse happens.
To me, this sounds like the Disney Channel show, Suite Life on Deck, but with murder! This is going to be such a fun and fast summer read, I can’t wait!
The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry
Title: The Secret Book of Flora Lea
Author: Patti Callahan Henry
Publish Date: May 2, 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Books about Books
Publisher: Atria Books
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Books about books will always be my favorite genre, no questions asked! In The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry, the main character, Hazel, looses her sister when she is young. She vanished without a trace. 20 years later, Hazel is working in a bookshop when she finds a book full of the stories she used to tell her sister. Stories she never told a single sole other than Flora. Hoping this book will lead her to her sister, Hazel sets out on a quest for answers.
I am not a huge fan of historical fiction, but it is a genre I want to read more. With the added bonus of being a book about a book, I am super excited for this May release!
Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul
Title: Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?
Author: Crystal Smith Paul
Publish Date: May 2, 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
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This book crosses multiple generations in an epic story of family. In Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul, Kitty Karr, a Hollywood celebrity, dies and her estate is left to three sisters with seemingly no connection to her. When sorting out her affairs, one of the sisters discovers a journal full of information that rocks her entire view of her family, like the fact that Kitty Karr might actually be their grandmother who was passing for white in Hollywod.
This sounds like a book that I will get completely lost in. Following multiple generations of a family that didn’t even know they were family sounds absolutely intruiging.
No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister
Title: No Two Persons
Author: Erica Bauermeister
Publish Date: May 2, 2023
Genre: Fiction, Books about Books
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
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Another book about books! I don’t know what is going on but I’m loving it. No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister is about one book that has a massive impact on 9 different readers. Alice has been a writer her whole life, but she has finally cracked into the industry with her debut novel. Over the course of this story, Alice’s book falls into the hands of 9 different readers who need it. With this, the author reminds readers just how important and impactful books can be.
I mean, we all know I am a lover of books. The idea that one story can make on impact on thousands of readers is something I will never take for granted. I know this books is going to be one of my absolute favorites this year.
The Collected Regrets of Colver by Mikki Brammer
Title: The Collected Regrets of Clover
Author: Mikki Brammer
Publish Date: May 9, 2023
Genre: Literary Fiction, Romance
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
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Aside from the beautiful cover, The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer is a story that takes a look at grief and life. It follows Clover, who is a death doula. She has dedicated her life to helping people make a peaceful transition out of this world. However, she has forgotten how to live her own life. So on the last request of a woman, she ends up on a cross-country trip where she has to find the meaning of her own life as well as where love and friendship can fit in.
This book sounds like it will be heartbreaking, warm, and quiet, something I definitely need right now.
The Enchanted Hacienda by J.C. Cervantes
Title: The Enchanted Hacienda
Author: J.C. Cervantes
Publish Date: May 16, 2023
Genre: Magical Realism, Fantasy
Publisher: Park Row
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The Enchanted Hacienda by J.C. Cervantes follows Harlow Estrada, who flys home to New York after her life seemingly falls apart. In New York she stays at her family home, Hacienda Estrada. Here is where her familiy’s magic lies, including magical flowers that are supposed to heal. However, Harlow doesn’t feel like she has the family magic. When she is assigned a magical task, she is not sure she is up to the job. Throughout this story, Harlow must go through self-discoery before she can reach her full potential.
I am always so excited to read books where magic is infused within the walls of a family home, it is so different to a magic based on individual power, I love it.
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
Title: Yellowface
Author: R.F. Kuang
Publish Date: May 25, 2023
Genre: Literary Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Publisher: The Borough Press
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Ever since I read The Poppy War, I have been a huge fan of R.F. Kuang. I want to grab everything they write! For such a large book, I was able to fly through the pages never once wanting to put the book down. This is why I’m so excited to read Yellowface!
In this story, June Hayward and Athena Liu are rising authors. However, June doesn’t seem to be having as much success as her former classmate, Athena, and she blames it on her whiteness. Therefore, when by chance she is a witness to Athena’s death, she decided to steal her almost finished manuscript about Chinese laborer’s contributions to the World War I efforts in Britain and France. Complete with a new pseudonym, Juniper Song, and a racially ambiguous author photo, June releases Athena’s work.
Of course, as time goes on, evidence starts to point to the fact that June, or Juniper, is lying.
This book sounds absolutely fascinating and paired with Kuang’s strong voice, I am sure it is going to be one of the most popular books this summer.
Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea by Rita Chang-Eppig
Title: Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea
Author: Rita Chang-Eppig
Publish Date: May 30, 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
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In Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea by Rita Chang-Eppig, Shek Yeung is married to a revered pirate. However, when he is killed, she decides to marry her husband’s second-in-command and agree to bare a son. With this comes power over half of the fleet. However, this becomes more difficult when European and Chinese forces are trying to eliminate pirates from the ocean.
I love a good pirate story, yet I haven’t read one in so long. I can’t wait for this book to be my dive back into the genre.
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
Title: The Wishing Game
Author: Meg Shaffer
Publish Date: May 30, 2023
Genre: Magical Realism, Fantasy, Books about Books
Plusher: Ballentine Books
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Another drop dead gorgeous book cover. But this one is definitely my favorite, I didn’t even need to know what the book was about to know that I was going to love it. But learning the plot of this story made my excitement increase ten fold! In this story, Jack Masterson, one of the most popular children’s authors, announces a new book after years of not writing. The only way to get a copy of this book is to go to Jack’s island and win a competition. Lucy Hart wants to win that completion for herself and the family she hopes to create.
This is such a unique concept for a book. I have never read anything like it, I am so excited to figure out how this story will go! This is definitely my most anticipated release on this list.
Recap of all the Books Being Released in May 2023
- Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati (May 2, 2023)
- Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban (May 2, 2023)
- The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry (May 2, 2023)
- Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul (May 2, 2023)
- No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister (May 2, 2023)
- The Collected Regrets of Colver by Mikki Brammer (May 9, 2023)
- The Enchanted Hacienda by J.C. Cervantes (May 16, 2023)
- Yellowface by R.F. Kuang (May 25, 2023)
- Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea by Rita Chang-Eppig (May 30, 2023)
- The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer (May 30, 2023)
I don’t know what is up with the month of May but these book covers are to die for. I want to add almost all of these books to my library simply because of how beautiful they are!
Also, there are so many books about books on this list! I have never discovers so many exciting books while making my anticipated monthly book release posts! I am so thrilled to read all of these stories.
On top of all that, they sounds so good and the early reviews are all so positive! I can’t wait to read all of the exciting books being released in May!
For even more May 2023 book releases, check out this post on Beyond the Bookends!
Lots of great books on this list. I hope to read several of them. I love all the seasons except winter (especially late winter when it is dreary). Enjoy the spring.