What we loved: May 2026
Our favourite authors and musicians made May an absolute joy
Hi, Michelle here! May brought the first proper summer vibes to the UK (sorry, I feel like I always start with weather chat?!) and, luckily for me, the gorgeous weather coincided with some time off work. Of course, this meant I spent many, many hours reading in the garden with an iced coffee close by. Time off well spent, I think!
In May, we also finally aired our deep-dive into the book everyone’s talking about: Yesteryear. As we explained in the episode, we recorded this a while back and wanted to give people a chance to read it before they listen. There is ample warning before any spoilers, but we would LOVE to chat about it further if you’ve read and have thoughts.
We also shared an extra-special author interview with friend of the pod, Matt Cain. Yes, we’ve stopped interviewing authors on the whole, but Matt and his husband have taken a huge leap into independent publishing with the creation of Pansy Books. This is something we really wanted to get behind in our own way, so we asked Matt to join us and share the story of its creation and how they’re hoping to break down barriers in the publishing industry. Please do give it a listen (and check out Matt’s new book, The Castle of Stories,
What did you enjoy reading, watching and listening to in May? Leave us a comment and tell us what you can’t stop thinking about!
*denotes review copy
Reading
Fruit Fly by Josh Silver
One of my most anticipated reads of the year and Josh Silver absolutely delivered. Fruit Fly is a wild journey down the rabbit hole of desperation, addiction and a writer’s obsession. It’s hard not to compare Fruit Fly to Yellowface given they both tackle the idea of authenticity in publishing. But Fruit Fly feels like the darker companion and I couldn’t completely hate the characters even if they were immensely dislikable.
The story itself had me in a chokehold – telling it through perspectives was the perfect choice to keep the tension high. Leo and Mallory made the worst decisions but I couldn’t look away at the car crash they were making of their lives. Complicated characters being unhinged are fun to read, but Silver added emotional depth that made me understand their desperation. Fruit Fly is an addictive literary thriller. It’s a brilliant read and undoubtedly will be among my favourites of the year. Go read it!
– Michelle
Heart the Lover by Lily King
I’d been seeing this book around and purchased a ticket to hear Lily King speak at Sydney Writers Festival. So when visiting a cute indie bookstore in my home town at the start of May, it was the perfect time to buy! I loved the book and the talk, so I also bought a copy of Writers & Lovers at the festival which I really want to read soon.
Heart the Lover follows a collage student as she connects with two boys, Sam and Yash, and their friendship and romantic feelings all get a bit intertwined. Then almost 30 years later, the three of them are in the same place at the same time again with some feelings to process. I don’t want to say anything more, it really is best to just start reading this story and get absorbed. I read half, the first part, in one sitting on a plane. Completely swept away and falling for these characters. It’s a beautiful novel, totally worth the hype!
– Caitlin
The Unmagical Life of Briar Jones by Lex Croucher*
This is my perfect fantasy crossover novel: dark academia vibes, a secret magic school, and a fractured friendship that’s haunting our protagonist. At the heart of the novel is the Temple School of Thaumaturgy, a secretive institution for Britain’s elite. Best friends Briar and Seb grew up in the nearby village, inseparable until the summer that Seb got into Temple and Briar didn’t. Briar doesn’t see Seb for years, until they get a summer job sorting old magical textbooks in a dusty school attic. Briar is shocked to see what their former best friend has become in a world of dehumanising hazing rituals and secretive power plays.
The magic system in this world is subtle yet powerful, and I loved the notion that it could be behind the success of so many otherwise mediocre wealthy people. I also loved the idea that it was basically rather boring contract law, which is the opposite of anything you imagine “magic” to be. This is a slow-burning, character-driven novel, and that’s exactly what I loved about it. The world of Temple is terrifying but mostly because of powerful people, not magic. I loved Briar and the little gang of other “misfits” they befriended.
The Unmagical Life of Briar Jones explores power and class through an intoxicating dark academia setting. The complex characters absolutely hooked me in, and yet there were moments of light and levity amidst the darker themes. Another Lex Croucher book I highly recommend, and one I hope will introduce them to a new audience.
– Michelle
P.S. We interviewed Lex a few years ago about their novel Gwen and Art Are Not in Love. There’s a sequel also coming this year, so do check out the interview below!
Paper Heart by Cecelia Ahern*
I often save my favourite authors’ books for just the right time, when I need a story written by a safe pair of hands. I hadn’t read Cecelia’s latest novel yet, but when planning some travel reading, I knew it would be perfect to sink into on a plane after a busy weekend.
Paper Heart follows Pip, who has been hiding from the world and keeping her life small. Tucking herself away and not making a fuss. Then she meets an astronomer who’s come to work at the local observatory, and with this new friendship, suddenly the world seems bigger. Pip starts to come out from her hiding space and gain the strength to live her life how she wants. This story is a heartwarming look at family dynamics, missed opportunities, and mistakes. Cecelia writes about personal growth so beautifully. A warm, emotional, and hopeful novel, as always.
– Caitlin
P.S. Tooting our own horn again but we had the joy of interviewing Cecelia back in 2021 and since we don’t interview guests anymore we wanted to re-share that chat with you!
Watching
Wentworth
I was in the mood for a re-watch and saw Wentworth had been added to Amazon Prime in the UK. This is one of the best examples of brilliant Aussie drama punching well above its weight. Essentially, it’s the story of the dramas behind bars at a women’s prison in Melbourne. But behind the big plot twists is an incredible character-driven show where most characters are never just ‘good’ or ‘evil’. Totally enthralling telly and if you’re in the UK, I’m begging you to watch it!
– Michelle
Obsession
A horror movie? Who is she? My boyfriend suggested seeing this movie, I had actually heard about it and thought the concept was interesting, so decided to give it a go. Obsession follows Bear, who struggles to admit his true romantic feelings for his friend Nikki. He makes a wish with a ‘One Wish Willow’ that she’ll love him and she starts to, but to extreme measures … (it is a horror movie.)
It’s very creepy and unsettling to watch as their relationship goes off the rails. Truly a lesson to be careful what you wish for, but also hopefully to men who feel like they’re in the friendzone. In the words of Maisie Peters, ‘if you don’t want me, then you’re not the one’, so maybe just let it go dude.
- Caitlin
Supernatural (season 3 & beyond)
I went back to check when I’d last mentioned watching Supernatural and saw it was back in September, and we’d only watched the first two seasons. We’ve been steadily making our way through the show since then, and it’s become a firm favourite of mine. I treated myself to the full box set on DVD recently because I know it’s going to be a comfort show. I have loved seeing the characters develop over the series, especially Dean and Bobby. The banter is always so entertaining, even if sometimes the season arcs can get a little…strange. I’m looking forward to rewatching and actually picking out favourite seasons and episodes. If you’ve never watched it before, Supernatural is genuinely a great show to get invested in. I’m now on the hunt for cosy fantasy books with the same vibe (especially of those first few seasons).
– Michelle
Off Campus
The latest romance novel adaptation obsession. I’ve never read any Elle Kennedy, but I’m always down for a fun and sexy romance series. Off Campus actually surprised me by having the main characters, Hannah and Garrett, deal with some serious personal issues, and by twisting some classic romance structure. Kind of. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say we’re not waiting 8 episodes for them to get together! The whole cast is great, and I’m looking forward to season 2, already confirmed to be featuring this season’s MC’s besties: Dean and Allie. I’m so invested in them already.
- Caitlin
Listening
Florescence by Maisie Peters (duh, we’ve been going on about this for months)
She’s finally here! I was lucky to see Maisie live in Leeds just before the album came out, and I just love this whole Florescence era. It’s quite the shift from The Good Witch, but this new album feels like the natural evolution with assured songwriting, more acoustic and ‘softer’ vibes and, of course, more love songs. Of the songs that weren’t released as singles, I’m loving Vampire Time, Houses, and Old Fashioned. But Kingmaker, Say My Name In Your Sleep, My Regards and Audrey Hepburn have also been on repeat for months.
– Michelle
Like Michelle, I attended one of Maisie’s pre-album ‘Before the Bloom’ shows, but in Sydney at the start of March. I remembered she played an unreleased song, but then I was listening to Florescence for the first time, and Vampire Time sounded familiar! Definitely one of my favourites, I’ve also had Questions and Girls Just Flying on repeat. The Good Witch is one of my favourite albums ever, but Florescence feels more like the rest of Maisie’s discography. Her songwriting is just brilliant!
- Caitlin
We know Maisie is a bookish girlie so in her honour, we’ve created a little Florescence reading challenge on Storygraph! You can join it here.
A Day in the Life of a Bee by Just the Gist podcast
This came at the perfect time since Jack and I have become obsessed with our garden – I’ve got flowers growing that came from bulbs I planted! And our flowers have been attracting lots of bees. So, it was really fun to get this nice explainer about the feminist power of bee hives and just how amazing these little creatures really are. It made me appreciate nature in a whole new nerdy way!
- Michelle
Midnight Sun: Girls Trip by Zara Larsson
I think I’m literally the last person at this party but I finally listened to the Midnight Sun album and of course it’s banger after banger. With the release of Midnight Sun: Girls Trip at the start of May, it’s a good excuse to recommend. All the remixes are so fun but my favourite is absolutely the addition of Shakira on Eurosummer.
– Caitlin
Something else
Paul McCartney’s album promo
I’ve been loving all of Paul’s media leading up to the release of his new album (especially since he’s worn Beatles socks in every single interview). Each interview I’ve watched has felt like it’s tackled a new angle, which is hard to do on any press junket, let alone one with one of the most written about and interviewed men on the planet. His appearance on Chicken Shop Date was very fun, and I liked that The Rest is Entertainment brought questions from listeners. I found The Rest Is History’s episode especially lovely, partly because host Tom Holland (the historian, not Spiderman) is a massive fan, and partly because he brought in some fascinating questions about Liverpool and culture.
- Michelle
Rewatching Toy Story 1 & 2
In preparation for the release of Toy Story 5 towards the end of June, of course I had to rewatch the series. I haven’t seen any of the movies for so long, though rewatching 1 & 2 has proved how imprinted in my brain they are. Especially Toy Story 2, I absolutely adore that movie. Given the teasers for Toy Story 5 makes it seem like the story is focused on Jessie, I’m certain I’ll cry in the cinema. Will be rewatching 3 & 4 in June as well!
- Caitlin