Our May 2025 Favorites!

This year feels like it is going really fast, too fast if you ask me. May was an odd reading month for me (Maggie) but I did come out with some new favorites! I went on a non-fiction binge (Allison) and found a mixed bag of books. But, we are getting into the time of sweet summer romances and reading outside, which will hopefully make June more productive and full of 5-star reads.

Here are some of our favorite reads of May:

And They Were Roommates by Page Powars - Maggie

4/5 Stars

Charlie is determined to fit into Valentine Academy for Boys as their first transgender student, not that the administration knows that. They expected to have a single room, but instead end up rooming with Jasper, the boy who kissed them during a summer camp and never reached out. All before they transitioned.

Jasper doesn't recognized them, which should be good, but Charlie is worried that one day they will, and tell the school who they are. But as they spend more time with Jasper, and other members of Valentine Academy, they wonder if staying under the radar is the right choice.

This book is really adorable, with Charlie working hard to keep their spot at the school while hoping no one figures out their 'secret'. The background characters in the book are also fantastic and supportive and I really enjoyed all of them. The book is very well written and the scenes between Charlie and Jasper as some of my favorite.

Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby - Allison

4/5 Stars

I first discovered the comedy writer Samantha Irby back in February when I picked up her newest essay collection, Quietly Hostile. It caught me by complete surprise that I had never heard of her before!

A Midwest Queen writing inside jokes about Chicago suburb living, Samantha Irby has four collections and one short collection available for you to read. And I highly recommend that you do! I especially connected to the the hilarious picture she paints of situations where her body doesn’t… work… quite… right... She elevates awkward poop and sex jokes with her insightful observational comedy and makes finding humor in pain seem effortless. Her dark jokes and sarcasm lead to a truly fantastic body of work. In May, though, Wow, No Thank You had me cackling especially loudly! Pick up one of her books this Pride Month for a queer humor read.

The Thrashers by Julie Soto - Maggie

4 / 5 Stars

Jodi Dillion is apart of 'The Thrashers', the name given to her group of friends by the other students at their school. They are known for being close, and not letting others in. When Emily Mills tries to make friend with the Thrashers, only to end up taking her own life on prom night, the next school year is anything like Jodi expected. Now The Thrashers are being accused of bullying Emily causing her to make the choices she did, but as they dig into the case, more and more weird things keep happening to the group.

I'm not usually a thriller reader, but this book was really great. There is an element of paranormal to it, while also having the real implications of being mean to someone. Jodi also learns a lot about her past and how that has shaped what has happened during this book. I found it hard to figure out what was happening next, and was shocked by various parts of the plot. This book is definitely one thriller readers should look into, even as a young adult it is a book with a lot of thrilling moments and even scary moments.

One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad - Allison

5/5 Stars

This book is about Gaza. It's about the continuous divide between "the west" and rest of the world. It's about reckoning with power in a world starting to see the influence of countries like the USA, the UK, and others as no longer trustworthy when it comes to safety. The book is described as a "heartsick breakup letter with the west," and that description is so apt.

I know it takes a lot emotionally to care about all the devastation in the world today. But if you haven’t thought about Palestine in the last week, put yourself on the waitlist at the library for this book. Then choose one week, or even one day, to really listen to it or read it. And for that amount of time you able to give, dedicate yourself to learning more, finding ways to participate in aid and relief, and sharing your views.

Then, rinse and repeat. As often as you feel you are able. For all the social justice endeavors you wish you could emotionally dedicate more bandwidth to, but especially for the genocide in Palestine. Doing some little thing as occasionally as you are able is better than doing nothing and remaining willfully ignorant, distanced, or apathetic.

This is a must-read for everyone.

What were some of your favorite reads of May?

What books are you looking forward to in June?