So here I am, only a week before the end of June, FINALLY sitting down to write this blog post about what I read in May lol. My apologies for the very, very delayed post…but better late than never, right?! So without further ado, here are the books I read in May:
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Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
Let me start this by saying that I am a HUGE Kristen Hannah fan. I haven’t read all of her novels, but I’ve read some of her historical fiction, like The Nightingale, The Great Alone, and Winter Garden, all of which are some of my favorite books. I had heard of Firefly Lane previously, and when all of the hype started surrounding the Netflix series, I knew I needed to finally read the book before watching the show.
This book was unexpected, SUPER sad, and, honestly, just really good. Kristen Hannah does an amazing job telling a tale of friendship, heartbreak, mistakes, and love—a tale that spans over thirty years. Kate and Tully are best friends. Once they meet in 1974, they know each has found her person. This novel details their friendship throughout the years as they grow older, fall in love, fall out of love, and grow their own empires—Tully in media, and Kate within her own family. They are there for each other through it all—until Tully makes one final mistake that tests their friendship and threatens to tear them apart.
Even though I finished the book, I haven’t yet watched the show. If you have watched it, what did you think? Do I need to watch?!
The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba by Chanel Cleeton
I previously read Chanel Cleeton’s books, When We Left Cuba, Next Year in Havana, and The Last Train to Key West, and I LOVED all three. As a Cuban-American, I am always eager to learn and soak up more information about the place where my family came from, and I love getting a little taste of the Cuban culture and lifestyle that existed historically through reading historical fiction. So, when I heard Chanel Cleeton came out with a new novel, I was super excited!
The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba did not disappoint! This novel is set during the Cuban war for independence against Spain in the late 1800’s. The story involves three women from completely different backgrounds and details their journey and survival through this time. Grace is a female journalist in New York City who is trying to prove that she has what it takes to make a career out of journalism during a time when there are few women in the field. Evangelina is an 18-year-old girl unjustly imprisoned in a women’s jail in Havana when American journalists discover her and make her the face of the cause for American intervention in the war. Marina is secretly working for the Cuban revolutionaries in Havana as a courier. Each woman has their own trials and tribulations and end up risking it all for freedom.
Overall, I loved reading this book! It details a time and a setting that isn’t commonly covered or talked about in historical fiction, so I felt as though I learned a lot though reading it!! Definitely recommend!
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
Hannah is living in Seattle with her beloved husband, Owen, and his daughter, Bailey. Suddenly, Owen disappears, the FBI is on his trail, and the last communication Hannah has with Owen is a smuggled note saying, “Protect her.” As Hannah digs into Owen’s past, she realizes Owen is not who he said he was…
I don’t want to give too much away, but if you like thrillers, read this book!!!! Right from the beginning, this book grabbed my attention, and I couldn’t put it down until I was finished.
That’s all I read in May!! I’m always looking for new books to read, so if you have any book recs for me, please comment below or DM me on Instagram! Thank you!!
XX, Danielle
