Everything I Read in May-June 2026
Just like in March and April, I listened to seven audiobooks and finished one ebook for a total of eight books read. One book was nonfiction, and the rest were fiction: a mix of literary, contemporary, romance, and YA. I’m almost finished re-reading a favorite series of mine from when I was a kid!
I finally set my reading goals for 2026: 50 books and 14,000 pages. I’m currently just under my books read goal: 24 for the first half of the year. If you’re also a reader, join StoryGraph and add me as a friend: my username is cottoncashmerecathair! And please share your favorite recent read(s) in the comments.
READ NEXT: Everything I Read in March-April 2026
Everything I Read in May-June 2026
Ebooks
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
This book has gotten SO much hype since release, but when I started reading it, I had a really hard time getting through it! I don’t know why; I was really looking forward to reading it. It just wasn’t hitting for me like I hoped it would.
I didn’t hate this book, but the setting did drive me crazy (the description of the location of their farm in Idaho didn’t make sense whatsoever as someone that lives here), and the twist wasn’t as mind-blowing as I thought it would be. I did enjoy the ending, though.
It’s a good book but not a 5 star read for me, and the reviews are a bit polarizing (though it seems like more people liked it than disliked it). The ending will probably give you a lot to think about! I thought the last ~100 pages were the most interesting as things got wrapped up.
Thank you so much to Knopf (Penguin Random House) for the ARC!
Audiobooks
The Force of Such Beauty by Barbara Bourland
If you’ve ever wanted to read a book about the dark side of being a princess, this one is for you. (I also really enjoyed the audio narration and would recommend it!)
When Princess Caroline’s latest attempt at escaping is thwarted by security, she is forced to reckon with her life and how different she had anticipated it would go after she met and fell in love with the prince of a small (fictional) municipality in Europe. This novel explores how the royal women are expected to act and present themselves at all times and how they are expected to reproduce with their spouses and uphold the patriarchal society they are subjected to.
If I had Your Face by Frances Cha
I listened to this book narrated by four women all navigating life while living in the same building in Seoul, South Korea.
These women are modest earners that care deeply about impossible standards of beauty (constantly “fixing” their faces) and popularity, and we learn how their lives intertwine during the course of the story. I like that the author simply presented these aspects of life in Seoul as facts; that’s just how it is there. (I listened to an interview with the author on Bad on Paper Podcast where she discussed this.) My main critique is that the ending felt pretty abrupt.
Girls in Pants by Ann Brashares
This is the third book book in the Sisterhood series, and it’s my second favorite book after the first book. The introduction and conclusion of this book was narrated by Tibby.
This book takes place in the final summer before the girls go their separate ways for college. (This is also something that baffles me as much now as it did when I first read this series: How are none of them planning to attend school together?!) With how close they are, it definitely seems like something that would have happened… but what do I know.
Anyway, the girls are all living mostly separate lives as they each navigate new challenges (for Lena, convincing her dad to support her dream of becoming an artist; for Carmen, welcoming a new sibling to the family; for Tibby, realizing that she has a crush; and for Bridget, being in close quarters with a former flame).
Forever in Blue by Ann Brashares
This is the fourth and final book in the original Sisterhood series. (The author released a fifth book many years later.) Bridget narrated the introduction and conclusion.
Like the second book, this book is not as strong or memorable as the first and third books (in my opinion, of course), but I still enjoyed listening to it.
It’s now the summer after their first year in college, and the girls are realizing more and more how much their lives are going separate ways, but they still make time to support each other. They plan one more epic trip to Greece together, and during the trip, Kostos reappears in Lena’s life, and the pants go missing… The girls are forced to determine what’s really important to them in the end.
Choreplay by Jordan Carlos
I learned about Choreplay when the author was a guest bartender on Watch What Happens Live. (And if you’re wondering, yes, he did mean to rhyme the title with “foreplay”!)
This book was written by a man for fellow men. Of course, that doesn’t mean women can’t listen to it, but it’s definitely catered towards men—and that is GREAT. All men should listen to this book, especially if they are married, in a long-term relationship, and/or living with a partner. The author is a comedian, so expect lots of jokes sprinkled in between the serious parts about pulling your weight around the house and when taking on life duties in general.
Savor It by Tarah DeWitt
If you’re in the mood for a sweet summer romance novel with a bit of a fake dating trope, try Savor It! I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrators were fantastic (it alternates between the two main characters, Sage and Fisher).
In Spunes, Oregon, long-time resident Sage is tired of hearing about her ex, who is soon to be married to a new woman, when Fisher (a chef from NYC) comes to town to help consult on a new restaurant following a difficult family loss. They agree to help each other during the summer, only their arrangement becomes much more than they had originally anticipated. It’s steamy, sweet, and full of lovely descriptions about their coastal Oregon setting!
Weather by Jenny Offill
If you’re looking for a short audiobook (just under 4 hours) that doesn’t have much of a plot but that dives into some difficult, timely topics with a bit of levity, Weather is the book for you. It was published in 2020, but I think it’s an easier read now that the “COVID doom” is not really a thing anymore.
In this novel, we meet Lizzie, a librarian and fake shrink, navigating life with her troubled immediate and extended family members. She is then asked to take on topics relating to the state of the world, politics, and climate change, and from there, the existential dread about the future sets in. It’s relatable but also kind of depressing.
