Catherine (Gilmore Guide to Books) and I revisit the 12 books released in April and May featured in the Spring 2023 Book Preview.  We give updates on our reading stats, share our thoughts on the books we’ve read or attempted, and offer recommendations on which ones deserve a spot on your reading list and which ones you might want to skip.

This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).

Announcement

• In addition to my annual 2023 Summer Reading Guide, I’m once again offering Superstars Patrons ($7/mo) exclusive access to Summer Shelves, featuring even more recommendations for the season.
• Summer Shelves features BACKLIST summer reading recommendations from 17 former podcast guests, our team members, and — for the first time — 20+ Superstars patrons!
• The Summer Shelves design is clean, crisp, and unique and you’ll receive it in a PDF file format via Patreon.
• If you’d like to get the Summer Shelves companion guide, you can sign up to be a Superstars patron here. You’ll also get access to a monthly bonus podcast series called Double Booked (where Catherine or Susie and I share our own book recommendations in the same format as the big show) and my Rock Your Reading Tracker.

Highlights

• Catherine and Sarah share their Spring 2023 reading stats and success rates.
• How these stats compare to springs of previous years.
• Even more book talk, since Catherine has read several of Sarah’s picks, too!
• Sarah shares something that’s never happened before on the podcast!
• Plus, they name their best and worst books from the Spring 2023 Book Preview.

Books Read Before the Preview [6:03]

Sarah’s Picks:

• Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb (April 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [6:31]
• Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan (May 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[10:16] 

Other Books Mentioned:

• The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb [7:37]

Spring 2023 Circle Back [13:27]

April

Sarah’s Picks:

• The One by Julia Argy (April 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [17:03]
• The Fitful Sleep of Immigrants by Orlando Ortega-Medina (April 18) | Amazon| Bookshop.org [25:43]
• If We’re Being Honest by Cat Shook (April 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[32:55]

Catherine’s Picks:

• Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal (April 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:31]
• The Skin and Its Girl by Sarah Cypher (April 25) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[22:57] 
• Searching for Savanna by Mona Gable (April 25) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[28:14] 

Other Books Mentioned:

• Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal [16:22]
• The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal [16:28]

May

Sarah’s Picks:

• The Marriage Act by John Marrs (May 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:16]

Catherine’s Picks:

• The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese (May 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:39]
• Dances by Nicole Cuffy (May 16) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:03]
• The Celebrants by Steven Rowley (May 30) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [51:14] 

Other Books Mentioned:

• The One by John Marrs [44:35] 
• The Passengers by John Marrs [46:32]
• The Guncle by Steven Rowley [53:21]
• The Editor by Steven Rowley [53:42]