As we progress farther into the month of May, new and exciting novels are appearing on the top charts and bestseller lists, ranging from young adult science fiction to romantic comedies, all for your enjoyment. The list provided below shows just 6 of the many literary productions sparking the attention of readers worldwide, shown in no certain order.

Moving in a slightly more dark direction, author Steve Cavanagh spills out a gripping story of crime in his debut novel, The Defense. On the other hand, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick reveals an eccentric plot about an old man’s journey that may leave readers as victims of joyous laughter and incredibly warmed hearts. Although the two books are extremely different, they both made it on the Best Books of May list.

Alyssa Losito, sophomore, mentioned, “I’m not really a big fan of reading but after looking at what this month has to offer regarding new books, I might even be willing to give it a try…”

The Mirror Thief by Martin Seay

The Mirror Thief is mainly set in Venice, Italy in the sixteenth century, where famous creators of Venetian glass are working on perfecting the invention of the mirror. This story revolves around three different people whose storylines intersect with each other. The mirror is a wonderful invention made for desirous sultans and royals. However, the developers of the invention are only allowed to leave the island as long as it ends with their death. This man, who is a war hero and has nothing to lose tests this theory. Join this man on a journey of revealing secrets of others and the government. What do you see in the mirror?

Something New: Tales from a Makeshift Bride by Lucy Knisley

The story begins in 2010 when Lucy and her long-time boyfriend breaks up. But ten years later, he shows up at her apartment, gets down on one knee and proposes to her. However, this is not the story of their love. It’s the story of their wedding and how it was made. This is the tale of a DIY wedding. Follow the footsteps of Lucy and how she made these great inventions for her wedding.

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick

In this humorous, quirky novel, 69-year-old Arthur Pepper finds his deceased wife, Miriam’s charm bracelet, a talisman from her life before marriage. This allows him to begin a globe-trotting journey to uncover his beloved’s secret past. Along the way, our 69-year-old hero finds himself fending off a tiger, having an audience with a famous author who may or may not have been his wife’s lover, getting mugged in a Tube station, and posing naked for an art class. Unsurprisingly, he learns as much about himself through these adventures as he does about Miriam.

Morgue: A Life in Death by Vincent DiMaio and Ron Franscell

This nonfiction crime novel provides a glimpse into the life of a forensic pathologist, DiMaio, who has grown famous for his autopsy of Trayvon Martin and exhumation of Lee Harvey Oswald, and continues to share his stories of intense cases and revelations. The book spans an entire 40 years of work and more than approximately 9,000 autopsies that define DiMaio and allow him to dissect himself, with the help of writer Ron Franscell.

The Defense by Steve Cavanagh

Former con artist turned lawyer Eddie Flynn gave up the law a year ago after a disastrous case, and he vowed never to step foot in a courtroom again. But now he doesn’t have a choice because the head of the Russian mob in New York City, on trial for murder, has kidnapped Eddie’s ten-year-old daughter. Therefore, Eddie has to take this case whether he likes it or not. Using his razor-sharp wit and every con, bluff, and trick in the book, Eddie has only forty-eight hours to defend an impossible murder trial. And if he loses this case, he loses everything.

The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye

The Crown’s Game is a thrilling, historical fantasy set in Imperial Russia. Two teenagers compete to become the Imperial Enchanter. One dies, the other survives. Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. With a war brewing, the Czar needs a powerful enchanter by his side. Therefore, the Crown’s Game is created to see who is worthy of this title. However, what happens when the two opponents start to grow romantic feelings for each other? Will they have the guts and persistence to kill the other? Take a look into the world of The Crown’s Game.

Spring may be ending, but summer is coming soon. Time to fill up your time by reading. Happy reading to all readers!