May 2025 Reads

Okay, I know I say this every month (and yes, I am working on freshening up my round-up intros), but this time I truly mean it: May was an absolute whirlwind.

If you read last month’s blog, you might remember I teased some exciting news… and now I can officially share:

I bought a condo!

I'm holding a key over my head in front of a door. I'm wearing jeans and a white tee shirt.

This level of adulting definitely wasn’t on my 2025 bingo card, but thanks to a surprising turn of events, it just made sense to take the leap into my first-time homebuying era. It’s equal parts thrilling and terrifying, but the thought of my houseplants thriving in all the glorious, south-facing natural light AND having central A/C AND no bats? Worth it.

I just got the keys last week, so I’m still in the thick of moving everything over from my apartment. Fingers crossed I’ll be fully settled by next weekend, and in the meantime, I’m planning to power through some audiobooks while schlepping boxes like it's my latest cardio routine. (Because it is lol)

Anyway, let’s get into everything I read in May!

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.  

My hand holds a Kindle with the cover of Tale of the Heart Queen by Nisha J. Tuli on the screen. The cover is mostly black and white with red accents.

Tale of the Heart Queen by Nisha J. Tuli

TALE OF THE HEART QUEEN by Nisha J. Tuli (Artefacts of Ouranos, #4)

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: After Lor makes the biggest mistake of her life, she finds herself on the run from the Aurora King and decides it's time to end this, once and for all. But when a new enemy emerges to claim her freedom, the entire fate of Ouranos comes to rest on her shoulders. As the land continues to rebel, Lor must admit she is the key to saving the continent, whether she likes it or not. To fight for Nadir, she must lie, steal, and do whatever it takes to hunt down the remaining arks. Growing more and more desperate, she worries her actions are turning her into something she doesn't recognize, dooming her to repeat her grandmother's mistakes. When the Aurora King finally comes for her, Lor ventures into the Underworld's shadowy depths, where, once again, she finds herself at the heart of another deadly test. Only this time, she’s competing for everyone's future, not just a crown. The only thing Lor ever wanted was to be free, but she may soon find she was always destined for a cage.

My Thoughts: YUUUS. A badass ending to an addictive fantasy series? Hell yes! I loved how every character arc and storyline felt satisfyingly wrapped up by the time I turned the last page. The previous book left us on quite the cliffhanger, which thankfully, the author addressed almost immediately in this one. At the start, Nadir is being held hostage in Ouranos’ heaven by the very Goddess everyone worships. To get him back, Lor has to collect the artefacts of all the world’s leaders and return them to the Goddess unharmed. Along the way, she uncovers more about the relics’ history and their deep connection to the Goddess’s own existence. Meanwhile, Gabriel is on a mission to expose the imposter king of Aphelion, and that’s when we start to learn what really happened to the true king - where he’s been all these years and why everyone thought he was dead. There’s action, romance, messy politics, scheming, and just the right amount of humor woven throughout this final installment of the Artefacts of Ouranos series, and honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better ending!

Babel by R.F. Kuang

BABEL by R.F. Kuang

Rating: 3.25/5 stars

Summary: 1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel. The tower and its students are the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver-working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as the arcane craft serves the Empire's quest for colonization. For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide . . . Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?

My Thoughts: Yeesh. Okay, so I had high hopes for this one. I’ve heard nothing but great things about Babel for years, and I know R.F. Kuang is an incredibly talented author. TBH tho, this just didn’t quite live up to the hype for me. First off, this is a DENSE fantasy read. You really have to pay attention to keep up with all the characters, politics, and world-building. The magic system - based on alchemy and silver bars powered by the meaning and translation of language - is a cool concept, but I felt like it wasn’t as fleshed out as I wanted. It leans heavily into linguistics and etymology, which is interesting, but it also made parts of the book feel more like reading a textbook than a novel. There are even footnotes throughout, which added context but also slowed things down a bit. Where the book really shines is in how it tackles tough themes like racism, classism, misogyny, and the horrors of colonization. Robin and his group of friends each bring a unique perspective to those issues, and their experiences are definitely meaningful. That said, I wish we got more time to really connect with those side characters on a deeper level. Especially when big things start happening later in the story, I didn’t feel as emotionally impacted as I wanted to. Overall, I can see why this book is so highly praised. It’s smart, ambitious, and it has a lot to say. But for me, it just felt like a bit of a slog to get through and didn’t quite hit emotionally the way I hoped. If you’re into dark academia, alchemy-based fantasy, and books that dig deep into language and colonial history, it might be exactly your thing. Otherwise, this one might fall a little short like it did for me.

I Think We’ve Been Here Before by Suzy Krause

I THINK WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE by Suzy Krause

Rating: 3.25/5 stars

Summary: In the same week, Marlen and Hilda’s family receives two significant pieces of news: One, Marlen has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Two, a cosmic blast is set to render humanity extinct within a matter of months. It seems the coming Christmas on their Saskatchewan farm could be everyone’s last. Preparing for the inevitable, they navigate the time they have left together. Marlen and Hilda channel their energy into improbably prophetic works of art. Hilda’s elderly father receives a longed-for visitor from his past. Hilda’s preteen nephew goes missing, and his mother refuses to believe the world is ending. All the while, Hilda’s daughter struggles to find her way home from Berlin with the help of an oddly familiar stranger. For everyone, there’s an unsettling feeling that this unprecedented reality is somehow something they all remember. As the planet holds its collective breath to see what happens next, the family—amid chaos, denial, acceptance, and hope—determines to live every moment as if it is their last. Because, well, it just might be.

My Thoughts: This was my book club’s latest pick, and the vibe was kind of like if The Measure by Nikki Erlick and The Midnight Library by Matt Haig had a baby lol. After the world learns that an unpreventable cosmic blast is about to end life as we know it, everyone is left trying to figure out how to spend their final days. The story follows seven different characters - mostly from the same family - each offering their own perspective on how to cope. Whether it’s through morbid humor, denial, avoidance, or quiet reflection, the book really makes you think about how you might respond to that kind of news. There’s also a bit of a Groundhog Day element, where characters experience intense déjà vu with certain situations or feel like they’ve met before. That said, I felt like the book was trying to juggle a lot of different themes and ideas, and because of that, none of them landed as powerfully as they could have. If you're into speculative fiction and end-of-the-world vibes, this might be up your alley. I just wasn’t totally blown away by it (pun not intended). 

Girl Serpent Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

GIRL SERPENT THORN by Melissa Bashardoust

Rating: 2/5 stars

Summary: There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story. As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison. Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming...human or demon. Princess or monster.

My Thoughts: It’s a no from me, unfortunately. Objectively, this author has real talent - the writing itself is solid, and the premise had so much potential. But subjectively? It just didn’t meet my expectations. The story is inspired by Persian lore and centers around Soraya, a girl cursed with poison in her veins and any living thing that touches her bare skin dies. Despite being part of the royal family, Soraya is hidden away to protect others and herself. When she discovers there might be a way to break the curse that’s kept her isolated her whole life, she faces an impossible choice: betray her family and her realm, or stay imprisoned by fear and her own nature. At first, the book was just fine. Not bad, but not blowing me away either. But the deeper I got, the more the cracks started to show. One of my biggest issues was the lack of consistency in Soraya’s character arc. The author couldn’t seem to decide whether she should lean into her darker, braver side post-curse or remain the timid, haunted girl she’s always been. That lack of direction made it hard to connect with her. And to be honest, I didn’t love Soraya as a protagonist, but we also didn’t get to know the supporting characters well enough to really care about them either. A lot of the conflict felt like it could’ve been avoided if the royal family had just communicated better (shocker, right?). The bones of the story were strong, but it needed more depth and refinement to really land for me.

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

I CAPTURE THE CASTLE by Dodie Smith

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Summary: I Capture the Castle tells the story of seventeen-year-old Cassandra Mortmain and her family, who live in not-so-genteel poverty in a ramshackle old English castle. Here she strives, over six turbulent months, to hone her writing skills. She fills three notebooks with sharply funny yet poignant entries. Her journals candidly chronicle the great changes that take place within the castle's walls and her own first descent into love. By the time she pens her final entry, she has "captured the castle"-- and the heart of the reader-- in one of literature's most enchanting entertainments.

My Thoughts: BRO, LOL. I cannot with this story. Cassandra and her sister Rose are truly the worst. Their family is completely broke, yet somehow they’re still living in this crumbling old castle like it's no big deal. Then these rich, charming brothers show up, and Cassandra and Rose are immediately like, “Oh bet, let’s court them and solve all our financial problems.” Naturally, Rose goes after the brother Cassandra likes, which sends her spiraling. EVEN THOUGH the family’s stable/errand boy, Stephen, has been nothing but sweet, loyal, and clearly head-over-heels for Cassandra from the start. He is literally right there, heart eyes and all, and she barely notices. The whole book is basically Cassandra wallowing over her sister stealing her man. Then, plot twist, Rose is actually in love with the other brother, cue an enemies-to-lovers situation. Meanwhile, poor Stephen is out here basically on his knees for Cassandra, who continues to give absolutely nothing back. Honestly, if the writing itself wasn’t so charming, I would’ve given this one star. The fact that this book is considered a classic? Wild. I repeat for emphasis though, JUSTICE FOR STEPHEN. OMG.

King of Envy by Ana Huang

KING OF ENVY by Ana Huang (Kings of Sin, #5)

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Dangerous. Powerful. Reclusive. Vuk Markovic is notorious for shunning human interactions. The scarred billionaire rarely talks, and he has no interest in relationships outside his small but trusted circle. His only exception? Her. The beauty to his beast, the object of his obsession. He saw her first. He wanted her first. But now, she’s engaged to his oldest friend—and the closer the wedding looms, the more he’s torn between loyalty and desire. She should be his…and he might just risk it all to have her. | Beautiful. Successful. Glamorous. To the world, supermodel Ayana Kidane leads the perfect life. Her career has skyrocketed, and she’s engaged to one of New York’s most eligible bachelors. What people don't know is that the engagement is only a business arrangement. He gets his inheritance when they marry; she gets the money she needs to leave her abusive agency. Pretending to be in love should be easy—until she finds herself increasingly drawn to her fiancé’s enigmatic best man. Vuk thrills and terrifies her in equal measure. She knows she should stay away, but when her wedding is thrown into chaos, he’s the only person she finds comfort in… Until his past catches up with them and threatens everything they love.

My Thoughts: Ana Huang has a way of taking dark, mafia-esque romances and making them feel unexpectedly swoony - with just the right amount of fuzzy feels. Vuk is easily one of the scariest motherfuckers in this series (lol), and also one of the biggest enigmas. We’ve seen glimpses of him throughout a few of the Kings of Sin books, but up until now, all we really knew was that he’s filthy rich and barely speaks. So going into this, I was ready for his backstory. Ayana, who was introduced as a side character earlier in the series, finally gets her time to shine, and I’m so glad she did. Both she and Vuk are incredibly dynamic, each wrestling with current dilemmas that stem from past choices. Vuk is now the target of a fractured assassination ring, where whoever kills him first will be named king. On top of that, his best friend is marrying the woman he’s in love with, leaving him torn between loyalty and unresolved passion. Ayana, meanwhile, is trying to escape a toxic modeling contract by entering a marriage of convenience with her friend. But lately, she’s developed unexpected feelings for his best man, Vuk, and everything starts to get very complicated, very fast. After an unfortunate event forces their hands, the story leans into some typical tropes: forbidden romance, he-falls-first, and forced proximity. I absolutely love Ana Huang’s writing and have been hooked on this series from the start. While this wasn’t my favorite book in the lineup, it still totally hit the spot and satisfied my sweet smut tooth.

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison

FIRST-TIME CALLER by B.K. Borison

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Aiden Valentine has a secret: he's fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore's romance hotline, that's a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight. Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She has a good job; an incredible family; and a smart, slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life-or lack thereof—she begins to question if she's as happy as she thought. Maybe a little more romance wouldn't be such a bad thing. Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending... even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final call between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.

My Thoughts: THIS SHIT WAS CUTE. I listened to it on audiobook, which honestly felt like the perfect format for a story centered around a late-night romance radio show. The premise alone had me HOOKED, but the banter between Aiden and Lucie? Absolute perfection. Their quick, clever back-and-forths had me cracking up and blushing with secondhand swoony sweats. Their chemistry alone was off the charts, and I couldn't get enough of their dynamic. What really made this story special, though, was how relatable it felt. Lucie’s experience of just wanting to find genuine love in a world of endless dating apps and exhausting options was so honest and heartfelt. And Aiden?? The way he quietly showed up for her WRECKED me. (UM HELLO? He keeps a list of her favorite things in his glove compartment?? Sir. Melt my heart, why don’t you?) Also, I usually don’t gravitate toward single-parent tropes, but this one made me question if I’ve just been reading the wrong ones. Maybe I just needed a single mom representation to change my mind. If you’re in the mood for a romance that’ll have you cheesing and kicking your feet like a love-struck idiot, this is a 10/10 must-read.

A screenshot of the audiobook Isola in the Libby app. The cover shows a woman standing on a cliff overlooking the ocean.

Isola by Allegra Goodman

ISOLA by Allegra Goodman

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Summary: Heir to a fortune, Marguerite is destined for a life of prosperity and gentility. Then she is orphaned, and her guardian—an enigmatic and volatile man—spends her inheritance and insists she accompany him on an expedition to New France. Isolated and afraid, Marguerite befriends her guardian’s servant and the two develop an intense attraction. But when their relationship is discovered, they are brutally punished and abandoned on a small island with no hope for rescue. Once a child of privilege who dressed in gowns and laced pearls in her hair, Marguerite finds herself at the mercy of nature. As the weather turns, blanketing the island in ice, she discovers a faith she’d never before needed.

My Thoughts: The fact that this is based on a true story is wild to me. This book is definitely a slow burn, and honestly, I’m not sure I would’ve made it through without the audiobook. That said, I do think it lives up to the hype. Set in the 16th century, the story follows Marguerite, an orphan whose guardian, Roberval, spends her inheritance on his expeditions for the French crown. During a forced voyage to New France, Roberval discovers Marguerite’s romance with his secretary, and as punishment, abandons her, her lover, and her loyal nursemaid on a remote island. What follows is a harrowing survival story as the three struggle to endure the brutal conditions and isolation of this unknown world. The arc of Marguerite’s character is what really pulled me in. Watching her grow from a naive, privileged girl into a resilient, resourceful woman was so satisfying. I do wish the romance had been given a little more time to build - it kind of appeared out of nowhere - but the emotional payoff still worked for me by the end. If you’re in the mood for an atmospheric, brooding survival story with historical roots, this is absolutely worth a read.

A screenshot of Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry in the Libby app. The cover is mostly red, orange, and pink and shows a woman lounging reading a book and a man looking at her.

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL LIE by Emily Henry

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: To write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years--or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the 20th Century. When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game. One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over. Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication. Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition. But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room. And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad…depending on who’s telling it.

My Thoughts: Okay, so this is the first Emily Henry book I’ve seen get more criticism than usual—but personally, I devoured it. A well-written romance with undertones of historical fiction and Julia Whelan narrating? Say less. What I really appreciated about this one is that Henry finally broke away from her usual formula. Don’t get me wrong, I love her signature approach to a love story, but this one meandered in a way that felt fresh and unexpected. The story centers around the famously reclusive heiress Margaret Ives, who is finally ready to share her life story. Alice, our main character, is one of two writers vying for the job of co-authoring Margaret’s biography. Her competition? Hayden Anderson, whose last co-authored book won a Pulitzer. No pressure though lol. They’re each given private interview time with Margaret, have to sign NDAs, and are forbidden from collaborating or sharing notes. But since they’re both stuck in the same tiny Georgia town for a month, their paths keep crossing. Their repeated run-ins are equal parts comical and brimming with sexual tension, and while both are hesitant to get involved due to the job at stake, the pull between them is undeniable. I was swooning over these two. And while we never fully know what Margaret is revealing to Hayden, it’s clear Alice is uncovering a lot about her past. I loved that this romance had extra layers to it - blending in mystery and historical fiction in a way that felt intentional and engaging. If you’re looking for a great summer read that’s full of heart and heat, this one’s a perfect pick.

A screenshot of the audiobook Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins in the Hoopla app. The cover is mostly purple with a gold bird and snake connected at the tails.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

SUNRISE ON THE REAPING by Suzanne Collins

Rating: 4.75/5 stars

Summary: When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for? As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes. Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves. When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.

My Thoughts: This book is what I wished the last prequel had been. It dives into the origin story of Haymitch - Katniss and Peeta’s mentor from the original series - and finally gives him the depth and backstory he deserves. He grows up in a poor family in District 12 and is completely in love with a girl from the Covey. On Reaping Day (which also happens to be his birthday), chaos breaks out when the boy selected for the Quarter Quell is killed trying to escape. Haymitch’s girlfriend gets caught in the crossfire, and as he tries to save her, he ends up being punished by becoming the replacement tribute. Cue the usual Hunger Games horrors: Capitol parades, training, and then being thrown into an arena to fight to the death. What I appreciated about this installment was how the tributes approached the Games differently. There was a fresh strategy to it that stood out from other books in the series. It also beautifully foreshadowed the events of the Quarter Quell in Catching Fire and gave us more insight into characters like Wiress, Beadie, Mags, and others we’ve met before. There are a lot of heartbreaking moments that really help you understand why Haymitch ends up the way he does by the time we meet him in the original trilogy. Still, it was powerful to see him in his prime when he was innocent, smart, strategic, and deeply empathetic. I highly recommend reading this one, but make sure you read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes first (or just watch the movie. The adaptation is true to the storyline enough that you can skip the book if you’d rather not read it). Either way, this is a must for Hunger Games fans.

There’s Something About Mira by Sonali Dev

THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MIRA by Sonali Dev

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Mira Salvi has the perfect life—a job she loves, a fiancé everyone adores, and the secure future she’s always imagined for herself. Really, she hasn’t a thing to complain about, not even when she has to go on her engagement trip to New York alone. While playing tourist in the city, Mira chances upon a lost ring, and her social media post to locate its owner goes viral. With everyone trying to claim the ring, only one person seems to want to find its owner as badly as Mira: journalist Krish Hale. Brooding and arrogant, he will do anything to get to write this story. As Krish and Mira reluctantly join forces and jump into the adventure of tracing the ring back to where it belongs, Mira begins to wonder if she is in the right place in her own life. She had to have found this ring for a reason…right? Maybe, like the owner of the lost ring, her happy ending hasn’t been written yet either.

My Thoughts: Ugh. Okay. Even though this book is rated pretty highly on Goodreads, it was honestly just fine for me. I think the biggest disconnect was that it’s marketed as a rom-com which felt misleading. Yes, there’s romance, but the story also tackles a lot of heavy themes like sexual assault, parental abuse, and homophobia. The writing itself is objectively strong, but at times I found myself stumbling through it. There were moments that just didn’t quite land for me, which made it harder to stay fully immersed in the story. I did like the premise of Mira finding a ring on a NYC sidewalk and setting off to track down its owner while also, in a deeper sense, trying to find herself. Her journey to discover her own voice, especially in the context of her complicated family dynamic, was fulfilling. That said, I didn’t love how she seemed to jump from one relationship to another. It made some of her personal growth feel a little inconsequential or inconsistent. Overall, it’s a well-written book and I can understand why others have connected with it, which is why I gave it 3 stars. But I’m not sure it left enough of an impact for me to read it again or recommend it right away.

Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa

AGAINST THE LOVELESS WORLD by Susan Abulhawa

Rating: 4.75/5 stars

Summary: As Nahr sits, locked away in solitary confinement, she spends her days reflecting on the dramatic events that landed her in prison in a country she barely knows. Born in Kuwait in the 70s to Palestinian refugees, she dreamed of falling in love with the perfect man, raising children, and possibly opening her own beauty salon. Instead, the man she thinks she loves jilts her after a brief marriage, her family teeters on the brink of poverty, she’s forced to prostitute herself, and the US invasion of Iraq makes her a refugee, as her parents had been. After trekking through another temporary home in Jordan, she lands in Palestine, where she finally makes a home, falls in love, and her destiny unfolds under Israeli occupation.

My Thoughts: This book had been sitting on my shelf for at least two years, and honestly, I’m glad I went with the audiobook. I'm not sure I would’ve made it through a physical read. It’s powerful, raw, unfiltered, and haunting in a way that makes it hard to look away. The story shifts between the present, with Nahr imprisoned in a cell, and the past, as she reflects on the winding path that led her there. She recounts her early life in Kuwait, her time as a refugee in Jordan, and her return to her homeland of Palestine. Her story is both heartbreaking and deeply moving. Nahr endures intense physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, yet along the way, she also finds moments of strength, love, and a powerful sense of self. I learned so much about the aftermath of Kuwait’s liberation from Iraq and the long-standing, deeply rooted conflict between Israel and Palestine. The writing reads almost like a memoir wrapped in historical fiction - it’s intimate, reflective, and unapologetically honest. I highly recommend checking the trigger warnings before diving in. It’s intense, but it’s the kind of literary experience that stays with you long after it ends.

That’s it for May!

As I mentioned earlier, I’m in the midst of moving right now, so I’m not sure how much I’ll be reading until I’m fully settled at my new place, but I’m hoping to still crank through some audiobooks during this process. 

2025 Book Count: 71

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YOUR TURN! What is one of your favorite books to read during Pride Month?