This Week: May 31st

News and Updates

Are you gearing up for summer adventures? From road trips to visit family, to graduation getaways, to girlfriends’ escapes at the beach, this month’s challenge theme—Adventure—was inspired by all the ways we get out and explore this season.

We’ll be staying close to home this summer, but we’re already dreaming up a few fun day trips to discover some local gems.

Now we’d love to hear from you—what adventures are you planning this summer?

This Week

Quest stories are, at their heart, stories of movement with purpose—someone leaves the safety of the known world, driven by a desire strong enough to carry them into the unknown. Along the way, they’re shaped not just by where they’re going, but by everything they encounter: detours, dangers, allies, and the tests that reveal who they truly are. In these stories, the destination often matters less than the person who arrives.

There’s something uniquely satisfying about a great quest. These books feel hopeful, immersive, and full of forward momentum. They offer escape, yes—but they also reflect real life: stepping beyond comfort, searching for meaning, taking wrong turns, finding your people, and returning changed. From The Odyssey to Treasure Island to The Hobbit, the thread is clear—readers are drawn to stories that make them feel like they’re going somewhere.

Monthly Reading Challenge: Adventure

Weekly Reading Challenge: Quest

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight wasn’t originally written by Tolkien—it traces back to a 14th-century Arthurian poem preserved in a single medieval manuscript. Over the years, several scholars have translated it, but Tolkien’s version stands out for its lyrical power and rich sense of myth.

At its heart, the story is a journey shaped by a daunting challenge. Gawain must leave the safety of Camelot, venture into the unknown, and press forward toward a reckoning he knows could cost him his life. It follows the classic quest pattern: a promise made, a road traveled, trials endured, temptations faced, and, ultimately, a final test.

Along the way, Gawain is tested on courage, honesty, loyalty, and honor. His journey carries readers through wild landscapes and into the realm of the supernatural, pushing him far beyond his comfort zone. Through it all, we see not just what Gawain does, but who he becomes—and in Tolkien’s hands, this medieval tale takes on the mythic depth that defines so much of his work.

If you’re looking for other great books for this prompt, try one of these reads recommended by our StoryGraph community:

The Eye of the World, Robert Jordan
The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien
Kings of the Wyld, Nicholas Eames
Tress of the Emerald Sea, Brandon Sanderson

New This week

This week, I’m spotlighting two books by authors I adore, and I think you will, too!

Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray are a writing duo that has absolutely amazed me over the past few years. Their latest release, A Pair of Aces, arrives this week and follows two women determined to bring down one of New York’s most powerful organized crime families.

What makes this partnership so compelling is their commitment to uncovering the women history has overlooked—the ones who quietly shaped major moments but were too often left out of the spotlight. From the personal librarian to one of America’s wealthiest men, to the first ladies of both the United States and the Civil Rights movement, their stories consistently re-center the narrative where it belongs.

Through their work, these authors don’t just tell great stories—they illuminate powerful themes of race, resilience, and female empowerment in ways that have taught me so much. I cannot wait to dive into this one.

Ann Patchett has been a top-shelf favorite of mine ever since I first read The Dutch House years ago. Her newest novel, Whistler, releasing this week, explores the quiet power of reconnecting in adulthood after decades of estrangement. It’s a story about revisiting the paths we’ve taken—learning from our choices, and finding meaning in the lives we’ve built.

Patchett’s writing always manages to move me in unexpected ways. With a subtle, deft touch, she weaves in themes of mental and emotional well-being without ever needing to name them outright. Instead, she captures the ripple effect of a single moment—how one decision can shape not only our own lives, but the lives of those around us for years to come.

In Case You Missed It

Last Week’s Prompt

Louise has built a life far from home and has no interest in going back—least of all now that she has a daughter to protect. But when her brother calls with news that their parents have died in a bizarre car crash, she is dragged back to the house she thought she’d left behind for good. What should be a quick trip to settle the estate turns into something far stranger, darker, and harder to escape.

How to Sell a Haunted House finds Grady Hendrix doing what he does best: smashing domestic dysfunction into full-blown nightmare fuel. The novel starts as a tense inheritance drama between two estranged siblings, then swerves into a paranormal freak-out packed with malice, grief, and some truly unnerving puppets. At its most graphic, the book came close to losing me—its scenes of bodily harm and danger involving children are not easy to shake—but that visceral discomfort also speaks to Hendrix’s talent for turning family trauma into horror with a nasty, unforgettable edge.

I landed at 3.95 out of 5 stars. Even when I guessed a few of the novel’s moves ahead of time, Hendrix still held back the full shape of its supernatural menace until the final stretch. Readers who like their horror clever, nasty, and pop-culture savvy—especially fans of Scream, T. Kingfisher, or Josh Malerman—will likely have a good time here. Just note the content: with graphic bodily injury, possession, and threats involving children, this one is best left to mature readers 16 and up.

Last Week’s Articles

May was such a rewarding reading month—five five-star books, a stack of unforgettable fantasy, and one standout that completely surprised me. From magical realism to bold, imaginative worldbuilding, it was a reminder of just how exciting it is to discover stories that feel both inventive and meaningful.

In last week’s article, we shared the full recap of everything we read in May—and revealed our Book of the Month, a retelling that absolutely blew me away.

Have you read any of these? I’d love to hear what you thought!

Last Week’s Preview

Satan’s Diary by Nicholas Ponticello is a bold and imaginative retelling of Lucifer’s story that blends dark humor, inventive worldbuilding, and surprising emotional depth. By recasting a familiar biblical figure as a complex, deeply human protagonist, Ponticello delivers a fantasy novel that feels both original and thought-provoking. The novel’s fresh perspective, combined with its rich emotional undercurrents, gives this reimagining unusual resonance.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars. With strong character work and a fresh perspective on a well-known story, this novel will appeal to readers who enjoy mythic retellings, immortal characters, and fiction that challenges conventional ideas of good and evil. Smart, engaging, and emotionally layered, it is an especially strong pick for fantasy readers looking for something both familiar and daringly original.

You can read the full review here.

Reading Challenge Prompts

Adventures await us in June! Starting with a great prompt that bridges the gap between fantasy and adventure, we will be going on reading quests over the next few weeks that will see us exploring some great subgenres.

June also brings Juneteenth, a day we have honored at Read With Lindsey for several years through intentional reading and reflection. In the past, we’ve explored works covering the last known slave ship to arrive on American soil, the earliest accounts of enslaved people brought to the New World, and the story of Solomon Northrup, who was unjustly kidnapped and sold into slavery. This year, our focus turns to the Underground Railroad, highlighting the courage of those who escaped enslavement and the individuals who risked their lives to guide them to freedom.

What reading adventures are you most excited for this month?

This Week: May 31st

News and Updates