It’s almost a new month, and you know what that means: new releases! With so many fantastic books coming out in May, we’re amped to show you some of the ones that we’re ready to buy or borrow (from our local libraries, of course!). Check out our Bookshop list in case you are so inclined to support your favorite indie bookstore and a diverse author.
Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield
We’ve mentioned this one before – written by Riverdale alum, Asha Bromfield, Hurricane Summer is about a girl named Tilla whose dad leaves their family to return to Jamaica every six months. One summer, she goes to the island to see her dad. With an impending hurricane on the way, she deals with a budding romance, the relationship with her father and colorism. Thanks to NetGalley, Asha Bromfield and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced reader copy of this one.
Expected Publication: May 4, 2021
Counting Down with You by Tashie Bhuiyan
Karina Ahmed is a Bangladeshi girl who has somehow agreed to fake date the bad boy at her high school. She deals with anxiety and living with immigrant parents. For 28 days, her parents go to Bangladesh and leave her to her own devices. After those 4 weeks, everything will go back to normal – but Karina reckons with the fact that she might not want to go back to being the obedient daughter.
Expected Publication: May 4, 2021
The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes by Xio Axelrod
This gorgeous cover is an instant hook and the plot sounds just as good. Toni Bennette grew up on the East Coast and considered music her only friend. Sebastian Quick, an older man, offered Toni a way out of her boring life. Soon after, he abandoned her. She unwittingly reunites with him when he becomes her manager several years later – can she handle being around someone she still loves who has hurt her so badly, if only to achieve her dreams?
Expected Publication: May 4, 2021
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala
I definitely picked this for my Book of the Month, and it’s not hard to see why. The first book in a new series, Lila is coming back to help out with her Tita Rosie’s restaurant that isn’t doing too well. When her ex-boyfriend who is also a hated food critic drops dead right after they have an argument, Lila is the prime suspect. With the cops honing in on her, she is left to conduct her own investigation to clear her name.
Expected Publication: May 4, 2021
Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney
Fans of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before will love Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry. Goffney’s debut features a list lover who is given the to-do list of her nightmares. Quinn has lists of all her nightmares and someone steals one for the world to see – blackmailing her into conquering her fears. Although a haunting predicament, Quinn finds love along the way and grows into herself.
Expected Publication: May 4, 2021
Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh
Ellen Oh, the co-founder of We Need Diverse Books, has written a story inspired by her own mom’s experiences during the Korean War. Junie Kim faces bullying at school and finds strength through her grandparents’ stories. This is a story of a young girl overcoming hardship, finding inspiration in her ancestors.
Expected Publication: May 4, 2021
Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee
Noah Ramirez is a transgender teen who has curated a blog of trans couples that have found their happily ever after. Sounds cute, right? Unfortunately, they’re all fictional stories that Noah has come up with. When his blog is exposed, Noah is left with the impossible task of proving that all the stories are true. Enter Drew, the fak edating plotline of his dreams. Charming and cute, we can’t wait to read this one.
Expected Publication: May 4, 2021
Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
Fans of Circe are bound to love this debut by Jennifer Saint. An epic tale featuring Ariadne, the Princess of Crete, and her brother, the Minotaur, who demands a sacrifice annually. Theseus, Prince of Athens, comes to defeat the Minotaur and Ariadne falls in love, betraying her own family. Will she find her happy ending?
Expected Publication: May 4, 2021
The Secret Talker by Geling Yan
This novella is a translation, slated to be turned into a movie. It follows Hongmei, a married woman who has settled into life in Northern California with her husband. When she receives an email from a stalker, her life is turned upside down. Her life crumbles as she is haunted by her past, and her only option to bring down her stalker could tear apart her marriage.
Expected Publication: May 4, 2021
The Marvelous Mirza Girls by Sheba Karim
A young adult romance, The Marvelous Mirza Girls follows Noreen, a young woman who takes a gap year in New Delhi to help with her grief over losing her beloved aunt. She meets Kabir, who shows her the beauty of India, and she falls in love – both with the country and the guy. Family drama ensues and Noreen and Kabir face many obstacles in their story.
Expected Publication: May 18, 2021
Happy Endings by Thien-Kim Lam
Lam’s debut novel is sure to imprint her name in the romance world. Trixie Nguyen owns a sex toy shop to the chagrin of her traditional Vietnamese parents. During a pop-up for her store, she reunites with her ex, Andre. His own restaurant is struggling, and he’s desperate to save the legacy of his mother who recently passed away. They reunite to help both of their businesses and rekindle what once was – can they make it work this time?
Expected Publication: May 18, 2021
The Ivies by Alexa Donne
I’m a sucker for a good YA mystery/thriller and The Ivies fits the bill. Following a group of girls at a competitive high school, this is the story of when trying to get into an Ivy League school leads to some dire consequences… like murder. The college admissions scandal of 2019 has inspired at least one other book I can think of (Girls With Bright Futures), so it’s not too surprising that The Ivies is coming out this year. Thanks to NetGalley, Alexa Donne and Crown Books for an advanced copy of this book.
Expected Publication: May 25, 2021
After Francesco by Brian Malloy
Set during the AIDS epidemic, After Francesco focuses on a man named Kevin Doyle in 1988 who’s exhausted from attending the funerals of all of his friends. As Kevin drinks to numb the pain he’s in after the death of his own partner, Francesco, two years prior, he realizes he needs to go home to Minnesota to heal.
Expected Publication: May 25, 2021
