In the Spring 2022 Book Preview, Catherine (Gilmore Guide to Books) and I shared our most anticipated books that released April – May 2022.  In today’s episode, we’re circling back to update you on the books we’ve had a chance to read — or at least attempted.  Given my ongoing success rate with spring releases, I’m starting to wonder if that is just the best season for my type of books! 

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

Introducing Summer Shelves (a companion to my Summer Reading Guide)…

• In addition to my annual 2022 Summer Reading Guide, I’m introducing Summer Shelves, a companion exclusively for Superstars Patrons ($7/mo).
• Summer Shelves features BACKLIST summer reading recommendations from over 25 former podcast guests and our team members.
• The Summer Shelves design is clean, crisp, and unique and is available 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.

Get Summer Shelves!

Highlights

• Catherine and Sarah continue with fairly high success rates for 2022 so far.
• Sarah had three 5-star spring releases!
• Catherine and Sarah share their best and worst picks from the Spring 2022 Book Preview.

Spring Books Read Before the Preview [5:08]

Sarah’s Picks:

• Bomb Shelter by Mary Laura Philpott (April 12) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:12]
• Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez (April 12) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [9:13] 

Catherine’s Pick:

• The Candy House by Jennifer Egan (April 5) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:55]

Spring Circle Back [3:34]

April

Sarah’s Picks:

• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (April 5) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:52]
• Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett (April 12) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:32]
• When We Fell Apart by Soon Wiley (April 26) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [29:22]

Catherine’s Picks:

• Four Treasures of the Sky by Jenny Tinghui Zhang (April 5) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:55]
• An Unlasting Home by Mai Al-Nakib (April 12) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:39] 

May

Sarah’s Pick:

• The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz (May 31) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:06] 

Catherine’s Picks:

• Dark Circles by Caite Dolan-Leach (May 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:39]
• Elektra by Jennifer Saint (May 3) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:01] 
• Siren Queen by Nghi Vo (May 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:24]

Other Books Mentioned

• The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne [12:27]
• What Comes After by JoAnne Tompkins [13:58] 
• Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel [18:46]
• Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson [21:28]
• Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett [22:13]
• Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders [22:42]
• The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini [28:13]
• Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner [30:42]
• Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson [31:02]
• Dead Letters by Caite Dolan-Leach [34:14] 
• The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz [36:11] 
• You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz [36:26] 
• Circe by Madeline Miller [41:14]
• Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid [45:36]

Other Links

• Smithsonian Magazine | The Transcontinental Railroad Wouldn’t Have Been Built Without the Hard Work of Chinese Laborers
• Smithsonian Magazine | What Archaeologists Are Learning About the Lives of the Chinese Immigrants Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad

About Catherine Gilmore

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Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.