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May is rapidly approaching, and while others were keeping their eyes peeled for the first blooms of spring flowers, Garri and I had our noses deep in books, scouring libraries for the perfect Book Club pick. Something about those rainy April days had us craving a literary fiction read. But the real question was, should we crack open a lit fic book with brooding characters and toxic relationships of Sally Rooney fame, or an immersive, expansive read that dives into the messiness of family drama? After weeks of indecision, we took it to our audience. You might not have known which books our blind Instagram and BFF Group polls were referencing, but there was a clear winner: the sprawling, intergenerational family saga. So, let me introduce you to our May pick—Real Americans by Rachel Khong. You can get your copy right here.
Real Americans dives into themes of identity, class, race, and family through the interweaving perspectives of 15-year-old Nick, on the search for his biological father in 2021, and his mother, Lily, in the early 2000s, as she falls in love with Matthew, who couldn’t be more different from her. It’s a vast story that draws you in as you become so invested in these characters and their lives. It’s the kind of book that demands to be discussed after finishing, which, thankfully, is what our Book Club does best. Here’s everything else you need to know about our May Book Club pick.
How far would you go to shape your own destiny? An exhilarating novel of American identity that spans three generations in one family and asks: What makes us who we are? And how inevitable are our futures?
Shop on Bookshop.org (Use code EGMay26 for 15% off), Amazon, or Libro.fm (Use code TEGBookClub for 30% off or get three audiobooks for the price of one when you start a new one-credit per month membership with code THEEVERYGIRL)
What is The Everygirl Book Club?
The Everygirl has been recommending and reviewing books for years, delivering our unfiltered opinions on what’s worth your time—from the buzzy books TikTok can’t shut up about to debut authors you have to know. After years of connecting with our readers through a shared love of books, we were craving a space where we could hear more directly from you and, instead of just telling you what we’re reading, actually read together. The Everygirl Book Club is a monthly book club with a reading pick (carefully vetted and chosen by yours truly), which we’ll all read together, chitchatting in our BFF Group while we binge, culminating in our monthly live book club discussion. Between meetings, you can also look forward to plenty of book recommendations and hilariously relatable bookish content (not to toot our own horn). More than anything, The Everygirl Book Club is a community by readers, for readers.
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Our May Book Club Pick: Real Americans
How far would you go to shape your own destiny? An exhilarating novel of American identity that spans three generations in one family and asks: What makes us who we are? And how inevitable are our futures?
Shop on Bookshop.org (Use code EGMay26 for 15% off), Amazon, or Libro.fm (Use code TEGBookClub for 30% off or get three audiobooks for the price of one when you start a new one-credit per month membership with code THEEVERYGIRL)
Equal parts literary and historical fiction, Real Americans has Kristin Hannah–esque storytelling that I know our Book Club members will absolutely love. It’s vast, enthralling, and I know our group chat will be chatting nonstop as we make our way through the book. It’s a novel that prioritizes character development above all else, highlighting class struggles, racism, and the meaning of family through its characters’ experiences.
It begins in New York City in the early 2000s, when 22-year-old Lily, an unpaid intern at a media company, meets Matthew. While Lily is the broke, Florida-born daughter of scientists who fled Mao’s Cultural Revolution, Matthew is a suave East Coaster and heir to a pharmaceutical empire. They may have nothing in common, but nevertheless, they fall in love.
Flash forward to 2021: Nick Chen feels like an outsider on the Washington island he’s grown up on with his single mom, Lily. He suspects she’s hiding her past from him, so he sets out to find his biological father in search of answers—but ends up with more questions than he started with.
When is the book club meeting?
Our meetings will take place on the final Thursday of every month, where we’ll dive deep into every thought, theory, and feeling about the book—gently guided by discussion questions we’ll send out the week prior so you have plenty of time to gather your thoughts.
JOIN US: May 28, 2026, at 7:30 PM CST
Sign up for our email list to receive the video invite and questions!
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And don’t worry. There will still be plenty of time for the reading-related tangents we all love to spiral into. If you can’t make it one month, that’s okay, we’ll continue the conversation online through the Book Club BFF group, so you’re always in the loop.
You can trust our recommendations
Worried you won’t love the read one month? We get it, your time is precious, and you don’t want to waste it reading a book that feels like a chore to finish. But rest assured, we are committed to choosing books we know our readers will love. Our picks will span genres, so depending on the month, you may be diving into your favorite category or stepping slightly outside your comfort zone. What you can always trust is that every book is hand-selected by a team of readers who are just as obsessed with reading as you are. We can’t wait to hear what you think.
What’s next?
So now that you’re caught up on all things The Everygirl Book Club, what’s next?
- Sign up for our exclusive Book Club email list to be the first to know everything
- Follow us on Instagram and join our Bumble BFF Group to join the conversation
- Grab your copy of Real Americans and get to reading!
We hope to see you at the meeting, but until then, let’s chat online!
Lauren Blue, Associate Editor & Book Club Co-Host
As an Associate Editor for The Everygirl, Lauren ideates and writes content for every facet of our readers’ lives, from must-read books and behind-the-scenes interviews to beauty products she can’t live without. When she isn’t sitting in an AMC watching the latest buzzy release, she can be found scouring Goodreads for the perfect pick for The Everygirl Book Club. There, she co-hosts discussions with members, debating plotlines, fancasting characters, and, of course, tossing in her own recommendations.
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The post The Everygirl Book Club’s May Pick: ‘Real Americans’ appeared first on The Everygirl.
