I cannot even begin to tell you how happy I am that May is here! There are only 30 some-odd days of school left, which not only means that reading season is upon me, that’s only 30 some-odd days I have to get my teenager out of bed for school. Believe me, that’s cause for some major celebration. She is the worst at getting up in the morning.
Speaking of my favorite daughter, I stopped in her room the other day (to drag her butt out of bed for school…shocking) and I noticed a plethora of books lining her bookshelves that she’s purchased over the last few months. Most of them, she has not even read.
That’s book neglect!
Since I didn’t want these poor books to be neglected, I decided that my books to read in May would be from my teenager’s YA collection. (Immediately after I absconded with these books, she took a sudden interest in them and demanded them back. Considering that I paid for them, I didn’t give in.)
For those of you who have not read any YA in recent years, seriously…give it a try. Some of my favorite books lately have been of the YA genre. Here are five books to get you started, my books to read in May list. It’s definitely a departure from my Books to Read in April list (all self-help) and I’m glad. I am self-helped OUT.
How to Disappear by Sharon Huss Roat
Vicky Decker has perfected the art of hiding in plain sight, quietly navigating the halls of her high school undetected except by her best (and only) friend, Jenna. But when Jenna moves away, Vicky’s isolation becomes unbearable.
She decides to invent a social life by Photoshopping herself into other people’s pictures, posting them on Instagram under the screen name Vicurious. Instantly, she begins to get followers, so she adds herself to more photos from all over the world with all types of people. And as Vicurious’s online followers multiply, Vicky realizes she can make a whole life for herself without ever leaving her bedroom. But the more followers she finds online, the clearer it becomes that there are a lot of people out there who feel like her. #alone and #ignored in real life.
To help them, and herself, Vicky must find the courage to face her fear of being “seen,” because only then can she stop living vicariously and truly bring the magic of Vicurious to life.
(This is one of the books on my books to read in May list that my teenager has actually read. And she liked it.)
It’s an interesting idea. So often we view social media as the reason teenagers today are unable to connect with each other on a deeper level. This book sounds like it may convince me that the opposite is true.
Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people lose in a lifetime. But she’s learned how to forget. The broken glass washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don’t have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is gone forever. Or your mother, who has nothing left to give you.
Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge.
This one seems a little melancholy, so I’m not quite sure if I’m going to like it or not. However, I’m gathering that it’ll be a deep and enlightening dive into the psyche of a broken young woman and how she attempts to heal herself (I hope), so I’m willing to give it a try.
Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson
It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list.
On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back? Emily now has this unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check things off Sloane’s list. Who knows what she’ll find?
Part mystery, part bucket list. (I love bucket list-ish books…they’re so fun and thought provoking, you know…what would you put on your bucket list?) I think this book will be a lot of fun. Especially after the book before it on my books to read in May list. Sometimes we need a break from heavy topics.
Beware That Girl by Teresa Toten
The Haves. The Have-Nots. Kate O’Brian appears to be a Have-Not. Her whole life has been a series of setbacks she’s had to snake her way out of—some more sinister than others. But she’s determined to change that. She’s book smart. She’s street-smart. Oh, and she’s also a masterful liar.
As the scholarship student at the Waverly School in NYC, Kate has her work cut out for her. Her plan is to climb the social ladder and land a spot at Yale. She’s already found her “people” among the senior class “it” girls—specifically in the cosseted, mega-wealthy yet deeply damaged Olivia Sumner. As for Olivia, she considers Kate the best friend she’s always needed, the sister she never had.
When the handsome and whip-smart Mark Redkin joins the Waverly administration, he immediately charms his way into the faculty’s and students’ lives—becoming especially close to Olivia, a fact she’s intent on keeping to herself. It becomes increasingly obvious that Redkin poses a threat to Kate, too, in a way she can’t reveal—and can’t afford to ignore. How close can Kate and Olivia get to Mark without having to share their dark pasts?
Cruel Intentions, anyone? Well, it’s been awhile since I’ve seen that movie, but the plot line to this novel reminded me of it. Hmmm, I wonder if that’s on Netflix…
Anyway, if it’s anything like that movie, this novel sounds a bit um, advanced for my teen. I’m glad I get to read it before she does.
To Catch a Killer by Erin Blake
Erin Blake has one of those names. A name that, like Natalee Holloway or Elizabeth Smart, is inextricably linked to a grisly crime. As a toddler, Erin survived for three days alongside the corpse of her murdered mother, and the case—which remains unsolved—fascinated a nation. Her father’s identity unknown, Erin was taken in by her mother’s best friend and has become a relatively normal teen in spite of the looming questions about her past.
Fourteen years later, Erin is once again at the center of a brutal homicide when she finds the body of her biology teacher. When questioned by the police, Erin tells almost the whole truth, but never voices her suspicions that her mother’s killer has struck again in order to protect the casework she’s secretly doing on her own.
Psychological thrillers are my jam. I can’t wait to read this one. The plot sounds twisted and dark, secrets buried on every page. I might even move this book to the top of my Books to Read in May list.
Tell me…what’s on your Books to Read in May List?
I’m already looking for ideas for June…and more books to read in May because I have a feeling I’ll be able to tear through these books quite quickly. None of them appeared particularly long…which is one of the bonuses of MOST YA.
So drop me a note in the comment section or on my Facebook page…what is in your TBR pile? (Be sure to follow me on BookBub and Goodreads to see what books I recommend!)