May has come and gone, and that means that summer is well on its way. We started this month very, very cold, wearing winter clothes and all. However, the weather took a full U-turn and summer already visited us. Unfortunately, it is always nothing at all or everything all at once here, so I wasn’t able to get as much reading done outside as I had hoped. It was simply too hot, especially as my balcony is facing south. Unfortunately, I’m very behind on writing reviews, I haven’t written any for this month’s books, nor have I for all books I read in April. Still, I managed to read a nice amount of books, so let’s dive into my reading wrap up straight away! I definitely finished my entire monthly TBR for May, something that’s pretty unique as this hasn’t happened before.

My read books

1. Tijd droogt alle tranen by Emma Anna

This is a Dutch contemporary romance that is set in the Netherlands as well and that has been on my TBR for a number of years already. This is age gap, not everyone’s favorite trope, but my first time encountering it. The age difference is thirteen years and to be honest, this was hardly noticeable. The female character was acting much more adult for her age and that’s exactly why this romance works. I had a pleasant time reading, although I couldn’t finish this book in April.

• Set in: Limburg, the Netherlands
• Backlist or newly acquired: Backlist
• Read format: Ebook
• Language read in: Dutch
• Read from: 04/30 to 05/01
• Rating: 4/5

2. All the Things We Never Knew by Liara Tamani

I’ve been doing a good job in cleaning out the TBR by reading books that have been on there for years. This young adult contemporary is one of those examples, it has been sitting on my TBR since the pandemic. So, that has been a long while! I hardly read YA these days, but I still tend to enjoy them every now and then. However, this is not really the case for this specific book. Not that it’s inherently bad, on the contrary even. It’s just not for me really. Tamani explores some heart wrenching and serious themes, but the characters lack some depth for my reading preferences. From a teenager’s stance, this would be a very good book, but I’m not the age demographic anymore. If you do not like miscommunication and want to avoid that trope at all costs, this is not the book for you.

• Set in: USA
• Backlist or newly acquired: Backlist
• Read format: Ebook
• Language read in: English
• Read from: 05/03 to 05/04
• Rating: 3/5

3. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

If there is one book that was impossible to avoid, it’s this literary fiction novel written in epistolary format. Main character Sybil Van Antwerp loves correspondence through writing letters, which makes the format of this book unique. In any case for me, as I hardly read epistolary novels. I did once with Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous and I made the mistake to start that reading experience by listening to the audiobook, the same mistake I made here. I therefore had to switch to the ebook and while that improved my reading experience, I was still able to put the book aside and leave it there for a few days. Sybil comes of as cold and distant, but the reason why she acts this way will be revealed eventually. However, this book simply failed to impress me, and I don’t really understand the hype.

• Set in: USA
• Backlist or newly acquired: Backlist (newly acquired in March 2026)
• Read format: Ebook
• Language read in: English
• Read from: 05/04 to 05/11
• Rating: 3/5

4. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

It happened guys, I read a classic! I hardly read classics, because they come off as difficult and complicated. This was my first impression of this novel too as I really had to get used to the language. My instinct told me to pick up the Dutch translation and I’m glad I listened to this instinct of mine. I still had to switch back and forth between ebook and audiobook nonetheless to familiarize myself with the writing and story. In the end, I’m glad I read it, but I don’t know why both Heatcliff and Catherine get romanticized so much. They are both unlikeable characters and have a horrible attitude more often than not. They are not your perfect romantic couple what might be a shock to many.

• Set in: England
• Backlist or newly acquired: Backlist (newly acquired in February 2026)
• Read format: Ebook
• Language read in: Dutch
• Read from: 05/07 to 05/13
• Rating: 3/5

5. A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole

I first heard about this book when it was really popular several years ago. I bought it, only to leave it on the shelf – again. Now it was time for me to pick it up, and I didn’t get what I expected, in every positive sense of the way. Judging the book by its title, it sounds like a very superficial novel about two long time best friends falling in love. When truly reading it however, it’s much deeper than the title suggests. In fact, it has several trigger warnings, there to rip your heart out. It’s all worth it though, because WHAT. A. RIDE. It is not an easy reading experience, but I was glued to the pages and therefore able to fly through this book in a breeze.

• Set in: Blossom Grove, Georgia, USA
• Backlist or newly acquired: Backlist
• Read format: Ebook
• Language read in: English
• Read from: 05/13 to 05/15
• Rating: 5/5

6. Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi

Although mainly positive, this book is still received with mixed reception. However, I often enjoy books about historical figures, but I didn’t enjoy my reading experience with another one of this author’s books. I therefore was a bit hesitant to pick this up, but I gave it a try nevertheless. I enjoyed my reading experience, but it’s not one that will stick. In fact, I already forgot most of this book.

• Set in: Ancient Egypt, ancient Rome
• Backlist or newly acquired: Backlist (newly acquired in March 2026)
• Read format: Ebook
• Language read in: Dutch
• Read from: 05/15 to 05/18
• Rating: 3/5

7. Lessons in Faking by Selina Mae

After some devastating and heavier reads, I needed a palate cleanser, so it was time for a good old romance. This one has been sitting on my TBR since last summer and I expected to be able to finish it quickly. I got proven right, but this book is not as interesting as I’d hoped it to be. The premise sounds promising even though it’s a college romance, but the characters are just ordinary. Serious issues get briefly mentioned, but also brushed off as quickly. I preferred for the author to have elaborated more on them, that would have made the book more interesting in my opinion. However, it served its purpose for giving me the palate cleanser I so desperately needed.

• Set in: USA
• Backlist or newly acquired: Backlist
• Read format: Ebook
• Language read in: Dutch
• Read from: 05/21 to 05/22
• Rating: 3/5

8. When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzén

This story about the 89-year old Bo has been declared a bestseller in this author’s home country Sweden and won several literary awards there. However, it doesn’t seem to get the same praise in the rest of Europe, or the world for that matter. In the Netherlands, it is heard of by plenty of people, but it is not as popular as other literary fiction novels. Chicklit and thrillers score much better here, two genres this novel doesn’t belong in. At first, the premise didn’t pique my interest really, but finding it for a discounted price made me reconsider it. I ended up buying and reading it. Whereas I enjoyed my time spent with this book, I wasn’t fully captivated. Maybe it’s the age difference, or maybe it’s something else I cannot really pinpoint. So, this experience is somewhat two-faced.

• Set in: Sweden
• Backlist or newly acquired: Newly acquired (January 2026)
• Read format: Ebook
• Language read in: Dutch
• Read from: 05/21 to 05/24
• Rating: 3/5

9. The Boy in the striped Pajamas by John Boyne

It has been a while, but I finally read this WWII novel considered a classic. I had my eye on this book since 2009 or 2010 when one of my classmates read it for their English exam, but I never followed up on it. I finally got myself a copy in 2021 or so, but still didn’t pick it up. This book is told from 9-year old Bruno, and by doing so, Boyne showcases children’s innocence. Bruno is not too naïve to understand he has to move houses and is not liking this development, but he is that naïve to not understand what’s happening to Jewish people and that they’re deported to concentration camps. He also doesn’t understand anything what happens there, he simply doesn’t know. It’s therefore not a strange development that Bruno befriends a boy his age, whom he sees as human, his friend, and not as a jew. At some point in this book, something happens and that incident can only be blamed on and described as a result of Bruno’s lack of knowledge and understanding. One hand he’s just an innocent boy who truly sees Jewish people as human beings, but on the other hand he should have been protected a little more for his own sake.

• Set in: Auschwitz
• Backlist or newly acquired: Backlist
• Read format: Ebook
• Language read in: Dutch
• Read from: 05/25 to 05/25
• Rating: 4/5

10. Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez

It finally happened, after stating that I would read this book for ever and ever. This is partially my fault as I was sure I had an ebook copy, but I didn’t have it until pretty recently. I have to admit that I wasn’t fully convinced by this book and that I don’t understand the hype surrounding this author so fat. However, I have the feeling that the newer books contain more depth than this one and I want to give them a fair chance. I just didn’t connect to main character Alexis that much, although I have to admit that there was character development at some point.

• Set in: USA
• Backlist or newly acquired: Newly acquired (March 2026)
• Read format: Ebook
• Language read in: English
• Read from: 05/25 to 05/31
• Rating: 3/5

My bookhaul

1. Heart the Lover by Lily King
2. A Thousand Broken Pieces by Tillie Cole
3. Ride the Wave by Katherine Reilly
4. Liefs van je Leen by Hilde Veeren
5. Focus op mij by Bo Talisa

Afte quite tough few months in terms of reading, I can finally say that I had a pleasant reading month in May. I managed to read 10 books, this has been a long, long time since I succeeded in meeting this amount. Moreover, I hauled less than before, and also less than I read this month. I can be satisfied with my monthly rating of 3.4 stars as well. I wonder what June will bring, in any case a continuation of cleaning out my TBR. Let’s see if I can find some hidden gems out there, to be continued!

How was May for you?