13 Books We Can't Wait to Read in May
From rock climbing and sorority rush to string quartets and growing up in circuses, May’s best new books are far-reaching and oh so fun.
1.
Welcome to Lagos by Chibundu Onuzo
Reminiscent of the work of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Chinua Achebe, Onuzo’s (The Spider King's Daughter) latest follows a Nigerian army officer who deserts his post and flees to Lagos with a band of ragtag runaways. Buy the book
2.
Alternative Remedies for Loss by Joanna Cantor
After the death of her mother, a young woman throws herself into the fast-paced Manhattan media world to escape the loss, and is instead taken on a cross-continental journey to uncover secrets from her mother's past. Buy the book
3.
Sorority by Genevieve Sly Crane
A college co-ed is found dead in her sorority house (was it an accident?) in this coming-of-age story with a murderous twist. Buy the book
4.
What Should Be Wild by Julia Fine
Sixteen-year-old Maisie was born with the power to kill the living or resurrect the dead with her touch. Fine’s fantastical, darkly funny debut follows the teenager as she leaves the sequestered walls of her family home for the first time. Buy the book
5.
The Ensemble by Aja Gabel
The Ensemble follows four young friends—members of a string quartet—as they navigate the surprisingly cutthroat world of classical music, growing as adults and performers. Buy the book
6.
So Close to Being the Sh*t, Y’all Don’t Even Know by Retta
The hilarious star of Parks and Recreation and Good Girls, Retta knows how to get a laugh. Her debut essay collection tackles everything from abandoning her med school plans to stalking the cast of Hamilton. Buy the book
7.
Limelight by Amy Poeppel
Poeppel’s (Small Admissions) latest explores her three passions—NYC, theater and family—through the story of Allison, a woman who moves her family from suburban Dallas to Manhattan, where she finds herself in a weird, celebrity-adjacent world. Buy the book
8.
Not That Bad by Roxane Gay
Edited and with an introduction by Gay (Hunger), Not That Bad is a timely, necessary anthology of first-person essays about rape, assault and harassment, written by everyone from actress Gabrielle Union to writer Lyz Lenz. Buy the book
9.
Motherhood by Sheila Heti
From the author of How Should a Person Be?, Motherhood asks what’s gained and what’s lost (physically, mentally and emotionally) when a woman becomes a mother—all with candor and humor. Buy the book
10.
My Morning Routine by Benjamin Spall and Michael Xander
Ever wonder how some of the world’s most successful people start their days? Spall and Xander interviewed 64 overachievers (from Olympians to CEOs) to get their secrets and advice. Buy the book
11.
That Kind of Mother by Rumaan Alam
Confronting race, class and what it means to be a family, Alam’s (Rich and Pretty) new novel is about a posh white woman who adopts her black nanny’s son, and learns the difference between the life we're given and the life we choose. Buy the book
12.
Robin by Dave Itzkoff
New York Times culture writer Itzkoff chronicles the life and career of Robin Williams in this first major biography of the beloved—and troubled—comedy icon. Buy the book
13.
End of the Rope by Jan Redford
For fans of Cheryl Strayed, a debut memoir by a Canadian alpinist about learning to rock climb, and figuring out along the way that marriage and motherhood take as much, if not more, bravery than reaching literal peaks. Buy the book
Wellness Director
- Oversees wellness content
- PureWow's resident book reviewer
- Has worked in lifestyle media for 11 years
