May has come and on and I was able to read seven books and check off some amazing classics. This was a productive month and I hope to continue this streak. Keep reading to see which books I have read in May and what I thought of them!

From new books that are releasing in 2024 to novels that have been out for decades, I have been reading old and new novels. After reading hundreds of books and having checked off many popular books off my list, I can now read books that aren’t as beloved or celebrated as much as they should be.  

Books I Read in May 2024

Snow Country

Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata novel
Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata

The first novel I read in May was Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata, a Japanese novel that was first released in 1948 and translated to English in 1956. That is surprising because Japanese novels weren’t often translated to English back then. Recently, we have seen many Japanese novels being translated and have gotten many iconic Japanese books and I can’t wait to see what other books are translated in the near future.

Snow Country is about a love affair between a man from Tokyo and a geisha that takes place in the town of Yuzawa. The writing is beautiful and the novel is very poetic and I love the scenery that Kawabata vividly describes and uses as devices to tell the story. With less than 200 pages, you can read this classic Japanese novel in a couple of days and see why it is beloved by critics and fans alike.

Devil in a Blue Dress

I have seen Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley in many lists and finally decided to get around to reading it. And honestly it was a good read. Easy Rawlins is an interesting character and it is hard not to like him. But after reading the novel, I haven’t found myself thinking about it at all. It is considered one of the best mystery and hardboiled fiction novels and is a standout that is werth reading at least once if you are a fan of the genres mentioned.

The Stone Sky

I was eagerly waiting to read the final book in The Broken Earth trilogy and The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin did not disappoint. This felt like the perfect third and final novel to this amazing fantasy series and the emotional rollercoaster that is this novel. A part of me would have loved 10 books in this epic fantasy world that Jemisin creates but I was happy with the closure that the third novel brings.

Dragon Rider and The Recruiter

Dragon Rider by Taran Matharu
Dragon Rider by Taran Matharu

I ended up reading two books that were set to release in 2024 and got early access to them through Netgalley. Dragon Rider by Taran Matharu is an adult fantasy novel and I enjoyed every second of it. The writing is great, the worldbuilding is not rushed and I am a big fan of mythical creatures and this novel delivers. I was able to interview Matharu and you can check out that interview here. As a connoisseur of fantasy novels, I can say this was a great surprise and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

The Recruiter by Gregg Podolski is a thriller novel and I am a fan of this genre. After reading so many thrillers and suspense novels, you kind of get used to the twists and turns. But Podolski mixes things up with this novel as the protagonist isn’t your typical good guy. The plot twists caught me by surprise and I enjoyed this novel a lot. The dad jokes weren’t for me but the action is top tier.

Hyperion

Lastly, I finally got around to reading Hyperion by Dan Simmons and wow, this was easily the best book I read this previous month. Simmons is a gifted writer and when he tells a story, you will be fully immersed. Hyperion tells about a group of people that are heading towards the planet Hyperion and each person shares their story and how they ended up on the pilgrimage to Hyperion. This novel will be one of my favorite books of the year and I can’t wait to see where it lands on my end of year list.

Conclusion

These are the seven books that I read in May. From classics to new releases, this list has a bit of everything. I didn’t feel the need to go the Ngaio Marsh detective novel and will cover it in another novel as I dive through all the detective novels in Roderick Alleyn detective series. How many of these novels have you read or plan to read? Let us know in the comments below!

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