May 2023 Horoscopes and Book Recommendations

Did you forget something, Aries? May finds you feeling off kilter and looking for something to return your balance. A past project, hobby, or commitment will require your focus again. Even if it’s annoying at first, you’ll find it worth it in the end. Money may cause stress this month, especially in your home life. The key to moving forward is compromise. Your perfect read in May is Once More with Feeling by Elissa Sussman. After her career as an international pop sensation came to a screeching halt, Kathleen is ready to reinvent herself as a Broadway performer. And with her best friend workshopping a new musical with a starring role she wrote specifically for Kathleen, her dream is within reach. But when Kathleen’s childhood crush — and the man secretly at the center of the scandal that ruined her music career — is tapped as the musical’s director, can they keep their messy history in the past?

Things are falling into place, Taurus. With Jupiter entering your sign for the next year, your intuition and confidence in your abilities are stronger than ever. You can see what really matters now and what needs to be left behind. You may face difficulties this month due to misunderstandings with family and co-workers. Make your motives and priorities clear. You should read Hula by Jasmin ‘Iolani Hakes. Hi’i comes from generations of legendary Hawaiians, and she dreams of carrying on the legacy by becoming the next Miss Aloha Hula. But she’s haunted by the disappearance of her mother Laka when Hi’i was just a child, and the harder she tries to hold her family and her community together, the closer they grow to falling apart. When secrets concerning Hi’i and her family come to light, her entire community is faced with an impossible decision about their future.

Get to the finish line, Gemini. It’s easy for you to lose focus and move on to something new and exciting, but you’ll need to see your projects through to the end in May. People are waiting for you to prove yourself, especially at work, and your charm alone won’t be enough. If you can fulfill your promises, big celebrations are ahead. Travel is challenging this month, so have fun closer to home. Read The Nigerwife by Vanessa Walters. Nicole Oruwari reinvented herself when she married her wealthy Nigerian husband, leaving her dark family history behind in London and joining a group of glamorous, pampered society women. When Nicole goes missing during a boating trip and the police can’t find any clues, Nicole’s estranged aunt Claudine can’t let her niece’s disappearance stay unsolved. But the closer Claudine gets to finding out what happened to Nicole, the more Claudine’s own secrets are at risk of being discovered.

The skies are clearing, Cancer. Your worries from earlier this year are resolving themselves, and all aspects of your life are ready to move in a positive direction. But it won’t happen without work. Take an active role in getting yourself on track to where you want to go. Focusing on your career will be rewarded and might lead to a new job opportunity, especially if you explicitly ask for what you want. Check out Atalanta by Jennifer Saint. Abandoned in the woods as an infant by parents hoping for a son, Atalanta was raised by a bear while being watched over by Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. She grew into a formidable warrior and became the only woman among the Argonauts in their search for the Golden Fleece. In this feminist reclamation of Atalanta’s mythology, we see her fighting for her place in a patriarchal world and proving herself capable beyond anyone’s dreams for her.

Try something new, Leo. May finds you feeling stagnant in both your professional and personal life. It’s time to get out of your comfort zone. Travel can be very rewarding for you, especially in the latter half of the month. Romantic partnerships are disappointing at best and fraught with conflict at worst, but a refresh in your love life can turn things around. Your perfect May read is The Daydreams by Laura Hankin. In the early 2000s, four teens rocketed to fame in a popular musical TV drama. But by the beginning of season two, the pressures of celebrity life and messy personal relationships put a strain on the show, and the live series finale went off the rails. Fans still want answers and push the four former stars to film a reunion special. The actors have all moved on in different ways, but when they’re brought back together, can they rediscover the magic they once had while also keeping their explosive drama from resurfacing?

I’m not going to sugarcoat it, Virgo: you’re in for a tough month. You hate feeling like things are out of your control, and that’s the case for most areas of your life in May. A lot of changes are afoot, and your best chance at weathering them is patience and a positive attitude. Sticking to old plans in volatile circumstances will only make things worse. Let go of tactics that aren’t working for you. Read Uncle of the Year by Andrew Rannells. These essays by star of the stage and screen Andrew Rannells hilariously and endearingly explore what it means to be an adult when you don’t always feel like one. Or really, it asks, does anyone always feel like an adult? Rannells looks at the moments in his life that felt like both successes and failures, finds joy in being the fun uncle, and much more with a perfect blend of humor and heart.

Everything is connected, Libra. May will remind you that you can’t segment parts of your life or yourself from others. Troubles in your career can bleed over into your personal life and vice versa. But that’s also true for the joys and successes this month. The planets want you to see the big picture of your life and bring your true self to each aspect, rather than separating your priorities. Check out Horse Barbie by Geena Rocero. Rocero was living her dreams as a model in New York City in the early 2000s. But her success came at the expense of living authentically. Rocero is a trans woman, and her teenage fame in trans pageants in the Philippines made every day as a model a risk of being publicly outed. In this memoir, Rocero recounts her journey from the Philippines to New York, from pageants to runways, and from hiding her true self to becoming a powerful trans advocate.