Releasing on May 19th, THE GULF OF LIONS is a stand-alone sequel to acclaimed author Caitlin Shetterly’s PETE AND ALICE IN MAINE. Recovering from the trauma of breast cancer and a mastectomy, Alice takes a once-in-a-lifetime trip across France with her two daughters. During all the years of reading books to her children, Caitlin realized that there were so many stories where the mother was either dead or was dying. So when it came time to start writing THE GULF OF LIONS, she was determined to flip the script on this disconcerting trope. Six months after sending the novel off to her editor, Caitlin received shocking news and turned to her protagonist for some much-needed comfort.
May 5, 2026
In this newsletter, you will find books releasing the weeks of May 4th and May 11th that we think will be of interest to Bookreporter.com readers, along with Bonus News, where we call out a contest, feature or review that we want to let you know about so you have it on your radar.
This week, we are calling attention to our Summer Reading Contests and Feature, which we have brought back for a 22nd year. On select days through mid-August, we are hosting a series of 24-hour contests spotlighting a book that we know people will be talking about this summer and giving five lucky readers the chance to win it.
May 5, 2026
This Bookreporter.com Special Newsletter spotlights a book that we think is a great summer reading selection. Read more about it, and enter our Summer Reading Contest by Wednesday, May 6th at noon ET for a chance to win one of five copies of THE CALAMITY CLUB by Kathryn Stockett, which is now available and will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. Please note that each contest is only open for 24 hours, so you will need to act quickly!
Marie Benedict is back with her latest work of historical fiction, DAUGHTER OF EGYPT, a sweeping tale of a young woman who unearths the truth about a forgotten pharaoh --- rewriting both of their legacies forever. As a child, Marie always looked forward to spending Saturday mornings with her mother at the library, where a treasure trove of books awaited her.
Special Preview: Bookreporter.com's Summer Reading 2026
This Bookreporter.com SPECIAL PREVIEW Newsletter brings you a sneak peek at the titles that are included in our Summer Reading feature.
Each title below will be featured in a contest where you will have a 24-hour window of opportunity to enter for your chance to win a copy of the book being featured that day. You will need to act quickly! Learn more about the feature here.
We encourage you to scroll down and click on each image to read more about that book on our site.
Please note that more titles may be added to this feature in the weeks to come.
If you know anyone who you think may be interested in these 24-hour contests, please forward this newsletter to them so they can sign up for it.
Our first contest kicks off TOMORROW, Tuesday, May 5th at noon ET.
THE FOUNTAIN, Casey Scieszka’s debut novel, blends the spectacular with the everyday in a tale about eternity and mortality that asks what it would mean to live forever. Casey’s mother developed an appreciation for the octopus after watching a documentary and reading Sy Montgomery’s bestseller about this surprisingly complex creature. Years later, another book about an octopus would take on an even greater and deeper meaning for Casey and her mother.
