Readers' 16 Most Anticipated Books of May

At the beginning of each calendar month, Goodreads’ crack editorial squad assembles a list of the best, hottest, and most popular new books hitting shelves, actual and virtual. The list is generated by readers’ early reviews and by tracking which titles are being added to Want to Read shelves by Goodreads regulars. New in May: Luis Alberto Urrea profiles unsung World War II heroines in Good Night, Irene. R.F. Kuang reveals shady publishing practices with Yellowface. And Mikki Brammer explores the space between this life and the next in The Collected Regrets of Clover. Also on tap this month: demonic fantasy, grim dystopian sci-fi, and even grimmer dystopian sci-fi. The Best Books of May: 1. Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

Twenty-something author R.F. Kuang (The Poppy War series) is a formidable writer, especially beloved for her ambitious fantasy novels. (Babel will blow your mind.) Kuang’s new book, very much a contemporary fiction novel, tells the story of a white writer who steals the ideas of her recently deceased friend, an Asian American author. Sharp-edged and frequently funny, Yellowface takes on the issue of cultural appropriation within the publishing industry, and it pulls no punches. Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah Maybe the season’s most anticipated debut, Chain-Gang All-Stars presents as a grimmer-than-thou twist on the already grim genre of dystopian sci-fi. The novel depicts a future of gladiatorial spectator sports in which female prisoners fight in mandatory death matches for CAPE: Criminal Action Penal Entertainment. Scratch the surface, though, and you might find a ferocious allegorical attack on America’s current-day, for-profit prison systems. Revolution, sisters. Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars Good Night, Irene by Luis Alberto Urrea Historical fiction fans will want to consider this one, the rare novel that spotlights the female heroines who risked their lives on the front lines of World War II. Irene Woodward flees an abusive relationship to volunteer for the daredevil Red Cross relief corps, then joins her friend Dorothy as Allied soldiers stream into liberated France. Bonus trivia: Author Luis Alberto Urrea based the novel on his mother’s real-life Red Cross experience. Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane With their marriage in crisis, Malcolm and Jess are running out of time—for having a child, for planning a future, and for turning around the tavern they just purchased. Then comes one chaotic week in which a secret is revealed and everything changes for the owners and the regulars of the Half Moon bar. Author Mary Beth Keane (Ask Again, Yes) returns with an extended exploration of a complex topic: how we give and receive love. Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars The Celebrants by Steven Rowley Since college graduation almost 30 years ago, Jordan Vargas and his best friends have been gathering every few years to celebrate “living funeral” parties in which the eulogized is still alive to enjoy it all. It’s a pretty good idea! But this last reunion is different. Jordan is sitting on a terrible secret, and the invincibility of youth is long gone. Author Steven Rowley (The Guncle) celebrates the abiding power of lifelong friendships. Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars A History of Burning by Janika Oza This historical epic from Canadian author Janika Oza is another of this year’s most anticipated debuts. The novel follows three generations of one family through several continents—from rural India to war-torn Africa and finally to peace and exile in contemporary Toronto. It all starts with one little boy and his desperate bid for simple survival. A History of Burning is being described as a tour de force of classic, old-school historical fiction. Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese From Indian American author and medical doctor Abraham Verghese—author of the acclaimed 2009 novel Cutting for Stone—this ambitious historical novel takes readers to the watery environs of South India’s Malabar Coast. A family in the region of Kerala seems to suffer from a deadly curse: In each generation, at least one person dies by drowning. Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is a literary meditation on change, sacrifice, and the relentless passage of time. Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars Homebodies by Tembe Denton-Hurst This intriguing debut novel from author Tembe Denton-Hurst tells the story of queer Black writer and New York City media professional Mickey Hayward—relatively successful, relatively happy. But when Mickey’s manifesto on workplace sexism and racism costs her a job, she retreats to her hometown and the arms of a former flame. Then the manifesto goes viral. And everything changes. Homebodies is being billed as “intimate, witty, and deeply sexy”—can’t argue with that. Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars Retrospective by Juan Gabriel Vásquez Columbian writer and journalist Juan Gabriel Vásquez takes readers on a long ride with his new novel—from the Spanish Civil War to China’s Cultural Revolution to guerrilla warfare in 1960s Columbia. Incredibly, it’s the story of just one man’s life. Director Sergio Cabrera’s retrospective series in Barcelona triggers a memory quest through some of the most significant events of the 20th century. Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer Winner of this month’s unofficial Best Book Title Award, The Collected Regrets of Clover is the debut novel from Australian-born New York City author Mikki Brammer. The gist: In busy New York City, Clover Brooks works as a death doula, dedicated to helping the dying navigate passage from this life to whatever’s next. When a dying woman makes a special last request, Clover takes a cross-country trip to complete one love story…and maybe start another. Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars The Ferryman by Justin Cronin In this this dystopian thriller from the author of The Passage, readers are welcomed to the curious archipelago called Prospera, founded by a mysterious figure known as the Designer. On Prospera, the elite are sheltered from the collapsing world and live in a virtual paradise—until health sensors embedded in the flesh drop below 10 percent. Then they’re herded onto an extremely suspicious ferry ride. All is well, until one man discovers the truth about the ferry and its ultimate destination. Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars Witch King by Martha Wells Veteran sci-fi and fantasy author Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries) is back in the game with Witch King, a slow-boil thriller that unfolds on two alternating timelines. In the present, aggrieved demon Kai has been summoned from his afterlife imprisonment by a bumbling mage. In the prequel storyline, we learn how Kai got imprisoned in the first place—a sort of after-the-fact supernatural murder mystery. Murderbot fans will recognize the vibe; Wells is great with this kind of stuff. Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea by Rita Chang-Eppig If you’re weary of the same old European POV pirate stories, consider this clever and gritty tale of the dread pirate Shek Yeung. When Portuguese sailors kill her husband, the legendary Chinese adventurer does what she must to protect her fleet, her family, and her own pirate queen booty. One of the season’s more interesting debut novels, Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea is recommended for readers of Outlawed, Piranesi, and The Night Tiger. Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars The Senator's Wife by Liv Constantine Psychological suspense! Twisty mysteries! White House dinners! This creepy Beltway thriller follows the increasing misfortunes of D.C. philanthropist Sloane Chase, whose new home health aide Athena Karras may not be precisely the right fit. Sloane is getting sicker, Athena is getting creepier, and something here is very, very Not Right. Bonus trivia: Author Liv Constantine is the collaborative pen name of sisters Lynne Constantine and Valerie Constantine. Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars King: A Life by Jonathan Eig Ace biographer Jonathan Eig returns to shelves with King: A Life, the first major biography in decades of activist and civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. Eig is a respected veteran in this field—he previously penned biographical studies on Muhammad Ali and Jackie Robinson—and his book spotlights King’s relentless quest for racial and economic justice in America. Bonus trivia: Eig’s book is the first to include the FBI’s recently declassified files on King. Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars Quietly Hostile: Essays by Samantha Irby If you’ve never read author and humorist Samantha Irby, you’re in a rather enviable position, really. You can read her for the first time only once, and it’s a genuinely good time. Irby’s new collection of essays documents her literary success with past books like Wow, No Thank You and We Are Never Meeting in Real Life. Apparently, the glitz and glamour isn’t as glitzy and glamorous as you might think. There’s the toxic dental trouble, for instance.