For Any Book Worm

Subduction – Todd Shimoda (Author), L J C Shimoda (Illustrator) (May 29)

After being unjustly charged with the death of one of his patients, Endo is sent to an island that is home to a small elderly community struggling to keep their fishing industry afloat.  However, the islanders are vocal in their stand against outsiders.  After several attacks and a mysterious death hit the newcomers, Endo soon learns the villagers’ past is just as ground-shattering as the massive earthquakes that strike the island.

For the Big Kids

The Peculiars – Maureen McQuerry (May 1)

Lena Mattacascar’s father disappeared into the land of Scree–a mysterious wilderness inhabited by an unusual and extraordinary people called “Peculiars”–when she was very young.  Now, as she turns 18, she decides to set forth and find the answers to her questions: Where is her father, and what happened to him?  Who, really, is the man she meets along the way, and why do strange folk disappear into his home?  And (perhaps most importantly), are Lena’s own special characteristics indicative of being a Peculiar?

For Magicians and Astronauts

The Killing Moon – N.K. Jemisin  (May 1)

Gujaareh is an ancient city where Gatherers–the keepers of the peace–employ their magical arts in citizens’ dreams.  They soothe the minds of the city’s people and sometimes, when judgment has passed, those deemed corrupt are killed. But someone has taken that judgment into their own hands, and innocents are being murdered.

Ehiru, one of Gujaareh’s most famous Gatherers, finds himself questioning everything he has ever been taught.  As shadows fill the streets and the hearts of the citizens, can he protect the woman who may become the next victim—a woman he had been sent to kill himself?

For History Buffs

Galaxy of Immortal Women: The Yin Side of Chinese Civilization – Brian Griffith (May

An enlightening look into the history of women in one of the oldest and largest societies in the world today, Galaxy of Immortal Women investigates how females influenced Chinese culture throughout the centuries.  It explores a wide range of topics, from religion to folklore to the arts, weaving together a comprehensive history of this influential society through the eyes of womankind.

The Queen of Whale Cay: The Eccentric Story of “Joe” Carstairs, Fastest Woman on Water – by Kate Summerscale (May 22)

The Queen of Whale Cay is a wonderful portrait of “Joe” Carstairs, a London-born heiress to a large American fortune and a rebel to boot.  After leaving her husband at the altar, Carstairs journeyed across Europe, bought and reigned over an island in the West Indies, and built war ships in Florida.  It is as much a love story as it is a cautionary tale about money and madness.

For Memoir Maniacs

Mud, Sweat, and Tears: The Autobiography – Bear Grylls (May 1)

However much of a BAMF you thought Bear was, you were wrong.  He broke his back in three places—the doctors thought he would never walk again.  Then he walked up to the top of freaking Mount Everest eighteen months later…at 23 years old!  And that’s just one of many insane and mind-blowing accomplishments in this autobiography.  By the last page, maybe you’ll be motivated to drink your own pee too.

For Sherlocks

The Boy Who Stole the Leopard’s Spots: A Mystery – Tamar Myers (May

Superstitions, secrets, storms, snakes, and murder – Belle Vue is about to be turned upside-down by such forces it has never seen before.  Amanda, an American missionary, finds her story intertwined with those of the locals of this city in the Belgian Congo.  With every twist and turn, more lives are cut short by the hand of this unknown killer.  Could Amanda and her friends be next?