May 2025

May’s Read More Reading Challenge: Floral Covers & Pastel Hues
This month’s Read More! Reading Challenge is all about judging a book by its cover—in the best possible way! We’re spotlighting two visually inspired categories that celebrate the season of spring, from pastel covers to covers in full bloom!
A Book With Flowers on the Cover
Books in this category might be romantic, mysterious, or even a little dangerous—just like nature itself. Explore our selection of books for publications covered in delicate blossoms or bold bouquets and pick one that speaks to you! Once you dive in, plan on discovering lush storytelling filled with complex characters and tales that bloom slowly or take root in unexpected ways. Whether you’re a fan of gothic suspense, fantasy, or historical fiction, this category is a great excuse to pick up a beautifully designed book that is easy to get lost in.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi
Genre: Fantasy
Description: Breaking the promise he made to his beautiful wife, to never pry into her past, when they arrive at her childhood home, a crumbling manor shrouded in mystery, a scholar of myths must choose between reality and fantasy, even if doing so threatens to destroy their marriage –or their lives.

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
Genre: Fiction
Description: In 1950, Washington, DC, at an all-female boardinghouse called Briarwood, mysterious widow Grace March moves into the attic room, drawing her oddball collection of neighbors into an unlikely friendship, but when a shocking act of violence tears the house apart, the women must expose the true enemy in their midst.

The League of Gentlewomen Witches by India Holton
Genre: Romance
Description: Miss Charlotte Pettifer belongs to a secret league of women skilled in the subtle arts. That is to say-although it must never be said- witchcraft. The Wicken League strives to improve the world in small ways. Using magic, they tidy, correct, and manipulate according to their notions of what is proper, entirely unlike those reprobates in the Wisteria Society. When the long-lost amulet of Black Beryl is discovered, it is up to Charlotte, as the future leader of the League, to make sure the powerful talisman does not fall into the wrong hands. Therefore, it is most unfortunate when she crosses paths with Alex O’Riley, a pirate who is no Mr. Darcy. With all the world scrambling after the amulet, Alex and Charlotte join forces to steal it together. If only they could keep their pickpocketing hands to themselves! If Alex is not careful, he might just steal something else-such as Charlotte’s heart.

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins
Genre: Crime
Description: From Rachel Hawkins, the New York Times bestselling author of The Wife Upstairs, comes Reckless Girls, a deliciously wicked gothic suspense, set on an isolated Pacific island with a dark history, for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.
A Book With a Pastel Cover
Soft pinks, mint greens, sky blues—pastel covers offer a visual breath of fresh air. But don’t let the gentle palette fool you; these books span a variety of genres, moods, and tones. Some deliver cozy, romantic escapes while others might surprise you with plots that twist and turn!

One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon
Genre: Fiction
Description: Moving their family to the planned Black utopia of Liberty, California, they hope to find a community of like-minded people, Jasmyn, perplexed and frustrated by most residents’ outlook, discovers a terrible secret about Liberty and its founders and must save her loved ones from embracing the Liberty way of life.

Cottage Around the Corner by D.L. Soria
Genre: Fantasy
Description: A feisty witch and a handsome mage must put their heated business rivalry aside to save their small town, in a fantasy romcom by the author of Thief Liar Lady.

Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Romance
Description: Fourteen years after they went their separate ways, 33-year-old Shiloh, a divorced, single mom living back in the same house she grew up in, attends a high school friend’s wedding in hopes of seeing Cary, the boy she never realized she loved until he was lost.

Patchwork Quilt Murder by Leslie Meier
Genre: Crime
Description: When the director of the new community center and her young employee are found dismembered, part-time reporter Lucy Stone, trying to piece the clues together, discovers the truth rests somewhere between wild rumors, a trusted friend’s emotional new sewing project, and the authenticity of a mysterious 300-year-old patchwork quilt.
May is the perfect time to refresh your reading routine, try something outside your usual genre, or choose a book that catches your attention when you see the cover.
Need help finding your next read? Browse our curated booklist or search for titles tailored to your interests on NoveList—a great tool for readers of all kinds. Don’t forget that our staff picks are a great resource too!