#SBS May Monthly Wrap-Up

Welcome to our monthly feature where we talk about what we read, adopted into our libraries, and what’s on our minds. After hosting #SignedBookSundays on instagram for 4+ years, we are transitioning to this format as a way to share signed books and talk about bookish (and personal) highlights. Join us the last Sunday or last day of every month (or whatever day today is…we are busy!)!

In Case You Missed It

• ARC Review of Man o’ War by Cory McCarthy – one of my favorite reads of the year – released May 31st!
• Author Interview & Mini-Review Very Bad People by Kit Frick – available now!
• Author Interview This is Not the Real World by Anna Carey – available now!
• The where to buy signed books page has been updated and I have found as many June YA releases, as I could – of course I keep adding more and more when I find them…check it out!
• We curate a Bookshop page with most of the YA New Releases – please consider supporting us by buying books through our links or shop, or we have a Ko-Fi!

What We Read

Kelly: Six books this month, I really wish I was reading more these days…but apparently I am not there yet!
The standouts were:

• Man o’ War by Cory McCarthy – 5 stars – This book is perfect, an instant forever favorite, it is dark, raw, and real. The most relevant trans books I’ve read. Brilliant! – available now – many thanks to Penguin Teen for the advance review copy & finished copy!
• Loveless by Alice Oseman – 5 stars – Such an important novel about figuring yourself out and does an amazing job at sharing a discovery story and coming out as both aromatic and asexual. I am so glad this book in now published in the states, and I hope more people can find themselves represented in these pages!

Christy: I got six books in this month…but two of them were DNF. I thought I read more haha.

• The Date From Hell by Gwenda Bond – I usually try to not mention books here that I plan to fully review but I’ll never not push all of Gwenda’s book on you! This follow up is closer to a fantasy book than the first, with much of it being a journey. As a person who doesn’t enjoy journey books…I actually loved this one! So pick up this duology now.
• Happily Ever Island by Crystal Cestari – I had my eyes on a different ship in this book but as a Disney lover (who read this book while at Disneyland and Disney World), this book was pure joy. Every moment made me smile. I can’t wait to get a finished copy for THAT MAP.
• Nick and Charlie by Alice Oseman – I have read all of the Heartstopper comics but I hadn’t read their little novella. Of course, as soon as I finished the TV show, I immediately needed more and here we are. Now I want to read the whole series!
• The Edge of Balance #1 by Shima Shinya and Justina Ireland with art Mizuki Sakakibara – We have so few graphic novels/manga and even fewer that are original stories (most are adaptations of other books) so this was a gift. I recently picked up the second volume and can’t wait to read it!
• Bravely by Maggie Stiefvater – Ok look – Merida is my least favorite princess. Or she was, until I read Bravely. I really enjoyed this romp through DunBroch and now I want more stories in this style!

What We Hauled

You too can be obsessed with signed books, look here for where to buy a copy from your favorite author’s local indie or preorder incentives that include bookplates.

Kelly’s Highlights

• By the Book by Jasmine Guillory – Released May 3rd – Many thanks to Disney-Hyperion for the gifted finished copy!
• Man O’ War by Cory McCarthy – Released May 31st – Many thanks to the Penguin Teen for the gifted finished copy!
• A Show for Two by Tashie Bhuiyan – Released May 10th – Many thanks to Inkyard Press for the gifted finished copy!
• If You Change Your Mind by Robby Weber – Released May 3rd – Many thanks to Inkyard Press for the gifted finished copy!
• Answers in the Pages by David Levithan – Released May10th – Many thanks to Random House Children’s Books for the gifted finished copy!
• The Lies We Tell by Katie Zhao – Releases August 9th – Many thanks to Bloomsbury YA for the advance readers copy!
• Loophole by Naz Kutub – Releases June 21st – Many thanks to Bloomsbury YA for the advance readers copy!
• I was spoiled this month by publishers, but I bought a bunch of signed books too…some notable signed copies I purchased this month, was I Kissed Shara Wheeler, Cafe con Leche, The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School, The Book of Night, Star Wars: Brotherhood,

Christy’s Highlights

• Brotherhood by Mike Chen – Out now
• Rivals by Katharine McGee – TY to Random House for book 3!
• Dig Two Graves by Gretchen McNeil – Out Now

What We Hope to Read

Kelly’s TBR

Holy molely I read two books from my hopeful TBR!! An absolute miracle, of course I hauled way more than I read…

June is Pride month, and even though I read queer all year…I hope to power through a bunch of queer reads – because more queer YA is releasing than I can read it all, and this is a great problem to have, but I feel woefully behind.

• Man O’ War by Cory McCarthy
• Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth
• The Chandler Legacies by Abdi Nazemian
• Bitter by Akwaeke Emezi
• Loveless by Alice Oseman
• She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott & Alyson Derrick

Christy’s TBR

I read one from last month haha. I have an ambitious TBR for Pride month!

• Harley Quinn: Reckoning by Rachael Allen
• Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour
• Man o’ War by Cory McCarthy
• The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes
• This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar
• I’m So Not Over You by Kosoko Jackson
• Kiss and Tell by Adib Khorram
• Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters

On the Top of Our Minds

Kelly: 

Y’all the best thing happened in May, and it wasn’t my birthday. IKEA Billy bookshelves (in white) came back in stock, and enough of them, that I could purchase online and pick-up the next day…I bought 3!! I immediately built one and double stuffed it full just so I can get some books off the floor and have room to build the second and third (hopefully happens this long birthday weekend – even though I have a ton of other plans). I also tried to make a reel of the bookshelf happiness, we will see if I ever edit or post it.

Anyway, the world is shit, but I am trying to carry on.

Christy:

Contrary to what Kelly says above, her birthday is actually a pretty great part of May. Finding her gifts always makes me happy. Hopefully someday we will be able to celebrate again together!

WHEW May was a heck of a lot! I was in Disneyland the first week, Disney World the second, and back to Anaheim for a Disney/Star Wars Celebration week! I also graduated with my Master’s in Public Affairs (focused on non-profit management), which I am proud AF about.

My Disney adventures had purpose – The first week we went to celebrate May the 4th, the second trip I went to ride an early preview of the new Guardians ride in EPCOT (yall. So good), and the third trip I obviously can’t be in Anaheim without going to Disney. Plus, I got to meet fellow bookish friend, Melissa!

Star Wars Celebration was fun and so much news!!! Plus we got to see Ewan and Hayden in the 20th anniversary panel for AOTC. The weekend was a gift. Got to meet and see so many authors and other bookish people, too!