Death in the Summer, By William Trevor – So apparently, Trevor is one of the foremost fiction writers of the late 20th century. He does have quite a skill for studying the human condition. The human condition, as I see it, describes the conflicting and complimentary sides of each individual’s life and personality, and how their own human condition interacts with others’. Trevor has written many novels and stories, and Death in the Summer is quite beautiful and alarming.

Red Sparrow, by Jason Mathews – This is the novel behind that Jennifer Lawrence spy movie. I have my own opinion of JLaw, as you probably do yourself, but I do highly recommend this book. I didn’t see the movie, but the book is quite interesting for someone who is interested in the life of spies. The author is a retired CIA spook himself, so one hopes this is as factually accurate as possible. It’s everything anyone could want out of a spy story; technical language, last Cold War enmity, sex, intrigue, and daring encounters. It is a little slow, but that’s to be expected of a long spy story. I hope to read the next two in the series soon!

Behind Closed Doors, by B.A. Paris – Now, I did not technically read this in May, but I just recommended it to a friend who loved it, so here it is. It’s incredibly suspenseful, as psychological thrillers should be. I was a little terrified. Paris does a great job of playing with the reader’s perception. If you liked The Girl on the Train or The Woman in Cabin 10, you’ll really like this.

Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy – I truly enjoy this book. I know reading classic literature for fun is a really geeky thing, but I never claimed not to be a geek. I have never seen a movie rendition of this, but the novel itself is fabulous. It does got slightly dry in some places, when characters go on for pages discussing intricate farming techniques or governmental decisions. But one must remember, this is a study of the Russian upper classes, not a love story. It examines all aspects of life.