This month, Book of the Month chose six main selections and five add-ons.

Main Picks | Add-Ons | Predictions | My Choices

---

Predictions & Thoughts

For May, BOTM has thrown me for a loop and included multiple books that were not at all on my radar. This is a rarity! I had never heard of Darling Girl or Breathless prior to spoilers being released. I admit that fantasy is not a genre I read often, so it is not my strongest genre for predictions.

Since BOTM is continuing to include books that were released in the prior month, I will be including any of these that I predicted as selections for April as correct predictions for this month. This means that I guessed 6 out of 11 correctly. I included Marrying the Ketchups and Take My Hand in April’s predictions. There are two additional books – Book of Night and The Change – that I debated whether to include in my predictions and ended up as selections. (I do not include these as correct guesses in my tally.)

The May main selections include one debut, one “early release” (that comes out in May), and two books published in April. There is also one add-on that was published in April. I, personally, am becoming increasingly annoyed that BOTM is including books that are published the previous month. I already have two of the picks that I paid full price for. I know that this is likely due to contracts with publishers, but if they could announce these books the month they are published and note that will be available the next month, this would save people money. I have to now see if I can return the books.

My Choices

Main Picks

I chose four main selections this month – The Hacienda, Yerba Buena, Part of Your World, and Breathless. I already have a copy of Take My Hand. I am going to wait to order it from BOTM until I can confirm the copy I have is returnable.

The Hacienda and Yerba Buena are both on several of the year’s most highly anticipated book lists. Between this and the synopses, these are obvious picks for me.

I have Abby Jimenez’s other books, although I have not read them, and have seen a lot of positive reviews for Part of Your World. I know that one of her previous books is somewhat controversial due to its poor depiction of chronically ill folks, but that seems to be avoided in this book.

I love thrillers and am excited to see Breathless, which was not previously on my radar. It is not a domestic thriller, which BOTM often chooses, and I like that. It seems to have a unique premise as well. I know that some people will avoid this since it has a snowy atmosphere, and it is almost summer. But I do not mind!

Darling Girl is a Peter Pan retelling. As I have mentioned in the past, I am generally not a fan of retellings. In addition, I am pretty tired of reading explicit sexual assault scenes, which BOTM mentions this book includes. As someone who is not a mother herself, I am also becoming exhausted with stories about women that largely focus on motherhood. It seems like this book may fall into that category.

Add-Ons

I have been debating which add-ons to purchase.

I am currently reading The Change and loving it. If it is a book I want to keep on my shelf, I will order it from BOTM in the future. Right now, I am reading an e-galley. It is witchy and fun while tacking sexism. So far, I definitely recommend it.

I am not a big fantasy fan. However, I know that Holly Black’s YA fantasy is super popular. Book of Night is her adult debut and sounds interesting to me. I am going to take a chance and add it to my box.

I have seen Siren Queen on some of the year’s most anticipated book lists, but I am not into Hollywood, starlets, etc. I will keep it as a future possibility depending on reviews from friends.

I have seen positive reviews for Marrying the Ketchups from trusted friends. There is also a New York Times review. The synopsis reminds me a bit of We Are the Brennans, a 2021 BOTM pick, which I thoroughly enjoyed. My only hesitation with selecting this one is that I have so many BOTM books on my TBR that are waiting for me and which I would read before this. I have to be in the right mood for a family saga.

Bloomsbury Girls is a historical fiction story about a British bookstore and three female booksellers in the 1950s. This sounds right up my alley and features some famous writers of the day. Add in an uplifting ending and there is no way I will not be adding this to my blue box. It is also of note that the author wrote The Jane Austen Society, which I have heard good things about.

---

What books did you choose for your May BOTM selections? Let me know in the comments!