Every month, I tell myself I’m going to be intentional with my reading list. I imagine a beautifully curated TBR with books that perfectly fit my mood, my goals, and the version of myself I want to become. And every month, my Kindle ends up looking like emotional chaos in digital form.
My May TBR is a mix of Goodreads recommendations that successfully influenced me, book club picks I absolutely needed to keep up with, and books I added purely because someone online said, “This destroyed me,” which unfortunately works on me every single time. Some books made it onto the list because they sound comforting. Some because I want to feel something. Some because I genuinely want to understand why readers won’t stop talking about them.
At this point, my reading life is basically a combination of curiosity, peer pressure from fellow readers, and me chasing the high of finding another book that completely consumes my personality for a week.
Here’s what’s currently waiting for me on my Kindle this May.
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
Michelle Zauner’s memoir explores grief, identity, family, and her relationship with her Korean mother, with food becoming deeply tied to memory and loss. It’s one of those books people describe as heartbreaking but beautiful in the same breath.
I want to read this because I’ve noticed that the books that stay with me the longest are usually the ones that talk honestly about grief and love. Also, everyone I know who has read this either cried or stared at a wall afterward, which feels like a strong recommendation in the reading community.
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
The first book in the Bridgerton series follows Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, as they pretend to court each other for their own personal reasons before things inevitably become complicated.
I want to read this because sometimes you just need romance that feels dramatic, escapist, and slightly ridiculous in the best way possible. Also, I somehow managed to avoid reading the Bridgerton books despite seeing them everywhere, and I finally want to know what all the obsession is about.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
This classic follows Francie Nolan growing up in Brooklyn in the early 1900s while navigating poverty, family struggles, and the complicated transition from childhood to adulthood.
I’m already reading this one, and it honestly feels so quiet and tender. It’s not trying too hard to impress you. It just slowly unfolds until suddenly you realize you care deeply about these characters and their lives. It reminds me that sometimes the softest books hit the hardest.
It's Not Her by Mary Kubica
A psychological thriller about a woman whose disappearance continues to haunt the people left behind, while secrets and suspicions slowly unravel. Like most Mary Kubica books, it promises twists, unreliable characters, and the kind of tension that makes you keep saying “one more chapter” at 2 a.m.
I added this because every TBR needs at least one book that will make me anxious in exchange for entertainment. Thrillers are my reset button whenever I start feeling stuck in a reading slump, and Mary Kubica always seems to know how to make ordinary situations feel unsettling.
The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang
An orphan named Rin earns a place at a prestigious military academy, only to uncover powers tied to shamanism and war as her country descends into violence.
Fantasy readers have been recommending this book with the exact energy of “This book emotionally ruined me, enjoy!” which naturally made me curious. I know this isn’t going to be a light read, but I also love books that fully commit to their intensity instead of playing safe.
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
John Green reviews different parts of human existence — from sunsets to scratch-and-sniff stickers — while reflecting on humanity, anxiety, hope, and connection.
I want to read this during moments when I need a break from heavy plots and dramatic twists. Sometimes I just want a book that quietly observes life and reminds me that ordinary things can still matter deeply.
Looking at this TBR now, I realize it says a lot about where I currently am as a reader and probably as a person too. There’s grief here. Romance. Nostalgia. Anxiety. Fantasy. Quiet literary moments. Emotional damage disguised as entertainment. Basically, the full range of human experience sitting inside one Kindle library.
And honestly, that’s what I love most about reading. My TBR isn’t just a pile of books I want to finish before the month ends. It’s a reflection of what I’m searching for — comfort, escape, answers, excitement, understanding, or sometimes just a reason to stay awake a little longer after a long day.
Will I actually finish all these books in May? Realistically, probably not. Another highly recommended novel will appear on Goodreads, someone in a book club will casually mention a life-changing read, and my carefully planned TBR will immediately collapse. But that’s part of the fun.
Because being a reader is less about sticking to the plan and more about continuously falling in love with stories you never expected to need.
And if you have book recommendations I should add to my endlessly growing TBR, send them to ihorton@whatsupmag.com.
