Hi bookworms, how are you? We’ve made it to May, which is usually the beginning of our spring planting season here. It’s getting so green, yay.
A few days ago, I said goodbye to California and my relatives and returned home. Not easy to say goodbye after a good trip but here I am. It was a bit of a whirlwind as I managed to visit a few places while there including the beach, the desert, and the big city of L.A. Most importantly, was my grandniece’s first birthday party … where 10 other babies came over to celebrate, lol. My grandniece is nearly walking now and she’s on the move! There’s no stopping her. On one of my evenings, I captured this picture of the sunset.
Meanwhile after visiting my hometown inland, I later made the long trek to the L.A. Public Library to renew my non-resident library card. It’s a great thing to have with so much digital book content (!) but not sure why they require renewing in person each year. Have they not heard of online renewal? Whatever the case, I managed to get the coveted card and bid adieu to downtown. While in the area I had to navigate such busy freeways as the 10, the 101, the 110, and the 405. Was I on the 60? I probably was. But not sure we need to be driving much with the gas prices as high as they are.
And now let’s see what’s releasing this month. May is a big month for books, and such notable authors with novels out include: Matt Haig, Ruth Sepetys, Michael Connelly, Sarah Damoff, Katherine Center, Kathryn Stockett, and Martha Wells among others. I’m looking at these and a few others below that have caught my eye.
First off is Elizabeth Strout’s new novel The Things We Never Say about a married high school teacher who confronts despair and loneliness and later charts a new course when his son confides a secret to him. It sounds wistful and poignant and features a new character in Artie Dam, aged 57, who’s outside of Strout’s previous book series. Apparently Strout’s done with her beloved characters: Lucy Barton, the Burgess Boys, and Olive Kitteridge … but wait, not fully! In her new book: Artie picks up the novel Olive Kitteridge, which affects him in ways … so alas, Strout dovetails yet again. Yay.
Next is the new novel by previous Booker winner Douglas Stuart titled John of John (due out May 5) that follows a closeted gay young man who returns from college to his Scottish childhood home on Hebrides island to an insular community of sheep farmers and weavers and a fraying family and father with expectations.
It sounds like another winner from Douglas Stuart, who for whatever reason, I haven’t read yet. His other two novels were said to be very bleak, but this one perhaps is a bit less so. According to Kirkus Reviews: in this “Stuart again taps profound human truth” with his gift for creating vibrant characters and settings. So what are we waiting for?
Also I’m looking at Eve J. Chung’s new novel The Young Will Remember (due out May 5) about a Chinese American journalist who becomes trapped behind enemy lines during the Korean War and must try to survive from an older North Korean woman who takes her in and thinks she’s her long-lost daughter.
Marjan Kamali calls it: “a searing portrait of war’s moral failures” and “a revealing exploration of women during the Korean war.” I meant to read Eve Chung’s compelling debut Daughters of Shandong when it came out in 2024 and so now I have both to read. Apparently Eve Chung is a Taiwanese American human rights lawyer who lives with her family in New York … and writes in her spare time?
On the screen this month there’s a number of movies to peruse … but if you’re looking for a TV series perhaps The Other Bennett Sister on BritBox will engage you starting May 6. In movies, Devil Wears Prada 2 (due out May 1) is likely to be big and it’s been advertised a lot. You recall the original movie from 2006 and now 20 years later here are the same actors in the sequel.
I don’t think it’ll be as good as the first, but still I am curious to see where it goes. Its plot is that two decades after Andy Sachs (Ann Hathaway) left Runway magazine she’s laid off from her newsroom job and returns to work for Miranda Priestley (Meryl Streep) at Runway once again. Stanley Tucci is back as Priestley’s right hand man, and Emily Blunt as an executive at Dior. Even such actors as Lucy Liu and Kenneth Branagh appear in spouse roles and Lady Gaga drops in as herself. I hope #2 Prada will be fun and have some laughs.
Also Remarkably Bright Creatures based on the 2022 bestselling novel by Shelby Van Pelt will be coming out as a movie on Netflix on May 8. (The novel sold over 2 million copies!) Actress Sally Field plays Tova, the elderly caretaker at an aquarium in the Northwest who sets off to help a young man (played by Lewis Pullman) find his father. You might recall from the novel that Tova makes a connection with the octopus — Marcellus — at the aquarium and he plays an endearing role.
The movie might be a little saccharine in places, but it’s likely worth a swirl. How often do we get to see Sally Field anymore? The film was shot in Vancouver, Canada … standing in for the fictional Sowell Bay in Washington state, which is in the book.
Next is the spy-ish movie Jack Ryan: Ghost War on Prime May 20. This is a continuation of the TV series of Jack Ryan with John Krasinski. In it he reunites with his old CIA operatives to fight an enemy that apparently has their number.
Also two movies out on May 26 look promising. Brendan Fraser plays President Eisenhower in the movie Pressure as he risks everything to launch D-Day — the most dangerous seaborne invasion in history. It’s adapted from a stage play about the tense 72 hours leading up to Ike’s decision to go ahead with the plan. Also the movie Tuner staring Leo Woodall looks a bit twisty about a talented piano tuner who learns he has the aptitude to crack safes, which turns his life upside down. The British actor sure seems to have gained a fanbase since his days on The White Lotus, eh?
And lastly in music for May, there’s new albums releasing by such artists as the Black Keys, Kacey Musgraves, Jack Johnson, Ryan Bingham, Tori Amos, Paul McCartney, and Willie Nelson among others. Wow that’s quite a line-up. I need to investigate some of these. I like the bluesy rock of the Black Keys. And Peaches! is the duo’s 14th studio album (out May 1). You can listen to the single Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire here.
That’s all for now. What about you — which new releases are you looking forward to? Happy May.
A new book from Elizabeth Strout is always cause for celebration in my world. She truly is one of my favorite writers. I loved, loved, loved the book “Remarkably Bright Creatures” so I might just have to add that one to my viewing list. Thanks for the heads up about that. It’s hard to say goodbye to our family and friends after out-of-town visits but it always feels good to be home again. I hope you find that to be true, too.
Hi Dorothy, thx, I’m assimilating to being back home and the weather has turned nice, yay.
I agree, the new Strout novel looks like another winner so I hope you enjoy it. And see what you think of the movie version of Remarkably Bright Creatures. It seems worthwhile. I hope the octopus will be in the credits, lol. Have a great week.
The LA traffic is something! Yes, gas prices are awful. Really, everything is so expensive right now. I don’t know why we have to go into the library to renew. It’s a hassle, but at least the library was a neat historic one. I’ve visited it a few years back. Sounds like you had a nice visit!
Hi Rachel, thanks. L.A. highways are a jungle! But the LA Public Library is a great one and is worth the effort. Glad you like that library too.
My visit was good and it was nice to be back. I think gas prices in Calif are the highest, whoa. Enjoy your week.
Oh, pretty sunset! I’ll bet it was difficult to say goodbye and leave CA. Is the L.A. Public Library the same as the one mentioned in Susan Orlean’s book (The Library Book)? It looks like a wonderful library from the exterior photo you shared. Gosh, I don’t think I’ve ever been in downtown L.A. other than for a King Tut exhibit in 1978. We usually go to Manhattan Beach to visit relatives or drive through the whole area on our way to San Diego. Yeah, those freeways are crazy, aren’t they? I remember when we just said I-5 or 405 or 101. Not “the 10,” “the 101,” etc. I never thought I could drive our 26′ motorhome on all of those freeways, but with heavy traffic, it’s not difficult at all. It’s when you get on the roads where people drive 80 mph that scares me!
I’m really excited about Elizabeth Strout’s new book. I love that she inserts “Olive Kitteridge” in this new one, not with a character but with the actual novel! I was looking forward to the new one by Kathryn Stockett but I hear it’s unnecessarily long. Hmmm.
I probably won’t see The Devil Wears Prada 2 until it streams, but I may re-watch the original. I remember I enjoyed it quite well, watching it with my little fashionista daughter, who is now a big-time influencer!
And Remarkably Bright Creatures is hitting Netflix this week. Yay! I love when these shows go directly to streaming. Yeah, it will probably be sappy, but I’ll still watch.
We started watching Harry Hole on Netflix. It’s good, but I wish the dubbing were a little bit better. I try to listen and not look at the actors’ mouths. Lol!
Amazing that Willie has a new album coming out. He just turned 93!
Hi Lesley, yes that’s the same LA Public Library that’s in Orleans’ book. A great place! And it has amazing ebook/and audiobook content so it’s worth my renewal effort. But those highways are nuts! Sometimes they’re both fast & slow. You can get killed out there, alas.
The Stockett book does look (too) long. I’m not sure if I will get to it. Hmm.
I hope both the Prada movie and Bright Creatures will be fun to see. We could use some lightness … in these times. Your daughter is doing so well in the biz.
I’ll have to see about Harry Hole (thx for the tip) … And it seems Willie’s music keeps him going … Wow 93! That’s great.
Enjoy your week & Happy May.
I’m looking forward to reading The Things We Never Say from Strout in May. I feel like I’ve been waiting for that book to come out forever. My library does not show that they have ordered copies, and I’m a little worried. I imagine I will like the Devil Wears Prada, but, like you, I don’t think it will be as good as the first movie.
Hi Deb, I hope your library has ordered some Strout copies! It should be out today. I’m on a long wait list. We’ll see when it appears. It sounds really good.
And I’ve heard the Prada movie is not as good as the original but I’m still hoping it has some laughs. See what you think. Cheers, & Happy May!
I love Elizabeth Strout. Adding that book to my TBR and the Chung book sounds very compelling. Guess I’d better highlight it, too. Glad you had a wonderful trip home to California.
Thanks Anne. It was a good trip to SoCal. Hope you like Strout’s new one — it’s getting great buzz … and I think the Chung will be good too. Happy reading & Happy May.
That is interesting the L.A. library makes you come in-person to renew as it’s a nonresident card. I suppose I can see them requiring you to come in for a resident card as opposed to online renewals as they’d want to see your driver’s licence or proof of residency. That’s an inpressive library photo. Hope you were able to wander aroud there a bit.
Gas prices are crazy. We are up to $4.44 currently and only a few months ago I paid $3.29 a gal. Since we moved into the town I don’t need to drive as much, thankfully a tank lasts us about a month as opposed to filling up once a week at our old residence.
Great books coming out and we appreciate the previews here. I am looking forward to some new releases I have on hold. Wow, I saw Les mentioned Willie Nelson is 93, wow, still performing. As is McCartney! I was fortunate enough to see him back when he was 33 years old at a Wings concert.
Thanks for your thoughts about blogging, your comment over on mine. Appreciate it. Chat soon!
Hi Tina, yes the LA Public Library is quite impressive. It’s the same one Susan Orleans wrote about in her Library Book a few years ago. It’s a (real) hassle getting there but is pretty worth it in the long run. And the gas prices are crazy … I fear they will continue to go up, argh. We will pay for the Chaos in office.
And that’s really cool that you saw Wings in concert, Wow! I love many of those songs. I’ve never seen McCartney but I met Ringo Starr once, lol … at the bookstore I was working at in Colorado … I was a bit star struck (pun? lol).
I’m trying to get organized since returning home — we’ll see. Happy May & reading to you. Chat soon.
What a lot of wonderful things in this post! A fantastic visit to CA, a safe return home, and lots of books and fun things to anticipate. I’ve been waiting for “The Other Bennett Sister” for ages! And “Prada 2.” Here’s hoping you have a wonderful week!
Thanks Jeanie, there’s much in May releases eh? I hope you enjoy The Other Bennett Sister. It looks fun though I don’t get BritBox at the moment. So you’ll have to vet it for us. Prada 2 should have its moments too. See what you think. And Happy May!
Sounds like a great vacation. My husband and I used to live in San Pedro. All of those freeways. Ugh! That is weird that you have to renew your nonresident library card in person each year. Don’t they know what nonresident means?
Hi Olivia, Yeah it was a good trip. I didn’t realize you once lived in SoCal … so you know those jungle of freeways … so crazy! Ha, I guess nonresident means you have to drive an hour and 1/2 of chaos … then try to find parking at the library and present yourself haggardly at the front desk … still pleased to get the card. Wishing you a Happy May. Good luck with the renovations there.
I have never needed to renew my library card which is great.
Sweet you got to spend time with your family. Saying goodbye is never easy..
I do want to watch both Devil Wears Prada as well as Remarkably Bright Creatures.
Hi Hena, thanks it was a good time visiting family.
And I’m glad you have good access to your Library. I’m more rural so I don’t have the same access to the city system here. But I have nonresident memberships.
I hope you enjoy Prada 2 and the Bright Creatures movies. Happy May to you.
I would like to see Remarkably Bright Creatures. Sally Field a good choice for Tova. I wonder who is doing the voice of Marcellus because he had alot to say in the book. Also an Elizabeth Strout standalone is something I want to read. You dont have to have read Olive Kitteridge which is not the case with some of her cother books.
Hi Kathy, good points. I agree Sally Field should be good in the role as Tova and I wonder too how the octopus’s narration will be. That will be key. I sort of think they will use some CGI effects for the octopus but I hope they also use some real shots of a giant octopus. That would be cool.
Good point about Strout’s new one … the standalone makes it more accessible to readers who want to try out her writing. So far the new novel is getting good buzz, so we’ll see. Cheers & Happy May.
Hi Susan,
I’m definitely waiting for the new title by Elizabeth Strout. And I’m so glad you mentioned John of John by Douglas Stuart. I’ve not read anything by him, so am curious. I’ve never seen the first The Devil Wears Prada, and because we’ve been scraping the bottom of the barrel for stuff to watch, maybe tonight we’ll do it.
Glad to hear your trip to California was a good one!
Thanks Judith, it was a good visit & trip for me. And I think you should give the original Prada movie a watch. It’s a bit light fun so you might get some laughs from it. I saw it a long time ago but I think it might hold up.
The Strout and Stuart novels look good … and I have not read Stuart before either but now might be the book to do so. lol. See what you think. Happy May!
Very pretty sunset picture, Susan! Glad you had a good time with family and visiting all the things you wanted to. The birthday party with babies sounds like a lot of fun! Take care and hope your May goes well!
Hi Kay, I’m trying to keep up my photo shots lol. Glad you like the sunset. The visit went well, and at the party I hadn’t seen that many babies all in one place in a long time. It was cute to watch them and all their maneuvers, lol.
I think May should be a good month. Enjoy yours as well.
I’m glad your trip with family went well, you enjoyed yourself, and are now back home. Sounds like it was a busy but fun time in California. I’m not sure what books I’ll choose from May. I have yet to read Elizabeth Strout, and Stockett’s book is about 650 pages long. By the way, Angel Down just won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Yay. It was a very good one. The Rarest Fruit was a mix bag, and I’m about to start Yesteryear. Let’s see how it goes. Reviewers seem to like it.
Hi Carmen, thanks my visit home went well … and I feel a bit renewed.
I just read your in depth review on GR of the Angel Down novel … thanks for that. You make it sound quite excellent … but I’m still wondering about its structure a bit. One long sentence? That worries me a bit, but if you think it’s still accessible and readable … being one long sentence then I should get on the wait list. Kraus’s win surprised me — but as you noted it was on the NYT’s Best Book list of 2025 … so I should’ve been more tuned into it but I wasn’t. It does sound a bit different. I think Yesteryear is one I’m quite interested in … and plan to get to definitely. It’s the talk of the year so far. So I hope you like it & will vet it. I’m on a long wait list for it. Cheers. & Happy May.
How truly strange that a non-resident must renew a library card in person!
I will probably watch Remarkably Bright Creatures when I am in need of a feel good moment. You are so good about looking ahead to what books you want to read that are coming out soon. I am more a fly by the seat of my pants reader!
Hi Helen, thanks, I like putting new books on my radar — or finding out about them — even if I don’t get to them right away. Just helps me organize a bit, but I am still a bit of a mood reader … picking up what I feel like at the moment.
And I agree — it’s a hassle to renew the LA card in person each year … those freeways are crazy! Enjoy your week. & Happy May.
Oh yah, no. I’m not driving to Downtown L.A. I take the subway. Once upon a time I worked Downtown and could walk to the library on my lunch! That was a thrill like no other.
I thought for a hot minute they were going to make me renew my card in person but luckily mine renewed online automatically. I do need to get over there and get all the cool 100th anniversary stuff though! Did you pick up any of that while you were there?
Adding the Strout book to my list!!!
Hi Jinjer, it’s good you can take the subway if you need to go downtown. The big library is very cool … you were lucky when you could walk there. It’s excellent your card renewed automatically (the amount of content the LA library has is wonderful). While there, I looked at some photos on the wall of the library’s 100 years … but I did not see or pick up any anniversary stuff. I should have explored more! I was in & out of there pretty quickly.
I hope you enjoy the Strout. I’m on the wait list. Cheers!
Great post–I really love how you give a good heads up on all the new releases.
The sunset photo and library photo are both great–I remember really enjoying visiting downtown LA 15+ years ago.Is that the library featured in the book by Susan Orlean, The Library Book?
I never did Remarkably Bright Creatures–started it, but wasn’t in the mood at the time.
We went to Devil Wear Prada 2 last Saturday, and it didn’t disappoint. Yes, not as good as the original, but I never expected it to be. I thought they did a good job of creating a plausible plot for how the world of magazine publishing has changed in the past 20 years. And, it was fun to see how the characters had changed and not changed over the years. The ending was particularly gratifying. My daughter saw it coming, but I totally did not!
Thanks Jane. I try to keep up to date on what’s on the horizon coming out – not always successful.
And yes this picture of the LA Central Public Library is the same as the one Susan Orlean wrote about in her Library Book. It’s a beacon in downtown L.A. and was damaged in the 1986 fire she writes about. The digital content they offer is amazing (!) and makes it worthwhile to get to … via the jungle of freeways.
I was lukewarm about Remarkably Bright Creatures — the book has faults — but I’m probably in need of a sentimental fix — so I plan to see the movie on Netflix.
I’m very glad for your report about the Prada 2 movie — good to hear! We plan to see it. It looks a bit fun … and that’s what we need. Cheers & Happy May.
I am looking forward to reading Elizabeth Strout’s new book, although I had forgotten it would be coming out in May. I won’t be buying new books until the end of the year anyway, but I may wait until I get get a copy cheaper. We will see. I do have a couple of her earlier novels that I haven’t read yet.
In the last week I finished three novels that I enjoyed a lot, all different. The only newer one is Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson, a sort of cozy mystery about a 77-year-old woman and a very young woman overcome their dislike of each other and their own traumas in the past to fight evictions from an old Victorian building divided into 8 flats. I had my concerns going in but I got past the slow start and enjoyed it. The other two were Tatiana by Martin Cruz Smith, the 8th book in the Arkady Renko series (sort of a police procedural set in Russia), and Mary Stewart’s The Ivy Tree, which I just loved. It was an impersonation novel and Stewart did a good job or making the situation seem possible and believable and very suspenseful.
Hi Tracy, thx for checking in here. Yes the Strout one will be good to watch for — it’s getting good buzz so far. I’m on a long library wait list for it. hmm.
And I love hearing what you’ve finished lately. These all sound quite good. You’re on a reading roll. I will stop by your site soon to know more. I have not read Mary Stewart before but I have read one novel by Martin Cruz Smith and Freya Sampson. Keep your reading streak going. & Happy May!
You always manage to make the most of your LA trips. I love the Central Library. I recently saw an Instagram post about the Huntington Beach Central Library which is prompting me to visit. There are water features and lush plants. I included a link: https://www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/departments/library/index.php
I’ve been super busy with work stuff but the big thing of late is my poor little Otter Pup. She has been in decline for some time but today I made the decision to call for an in-home visit to make her comfortable and the vet is on vacation for a week. I kept thinking it was time but then she would rally but these past two days.. nope. I am so heartbroken. I need to look into some other options. She is not in pain. So at least there is that. 16 years old! 17 in July.
Hi Ti, I totally sympathize with you about Otter Pup … it is a very difficult decision and time. I’m so sorry! She has had a wonderful long life with your family. We are in a similar spot with our Labrador Stella … who will turn 14 in July. We don’t know if she’ll make it till then. But so far she’s hanging in there. I know you have given Otter Pup everything and all the love. That’s all we can do.
Thanks for the link to the Huntington Beach library … I recently saw some article that they were being sued about restricting books. Did you see that? I enjoyed my brief visit to the LA Central library — it’s pretty amazing. Hang in there.
All of these books sound amazing to me. Thanks for sharing your May preview. That’s a gorgeous sunset pic!
Thanks Lux, I appreciate you stopping by … & glad you like the preview & photo. Very kind of you. Hope you have a happy May.