Steffan Dekkard is an isolate, one of the small percentage of people who are immune to the projections of empaths. As an isolate, he has been trained as a security specialist and he and his security partner Avraal Ysella, a highly trained empath are employed by Axel Obreduur, a senior Craft Minister. When a respected Landor Councilor dies of “heart failure” at a social event, Dekkard and Ysella find that not only is their employer a target, but so are they, in a covert and deadly struggle for control of the government and economy.
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One of the first things that comes to my mind when I think of the holidays is food–food and cooking. Especially this time of year, it seems like gatherings are all about sharing good food together around the table. For a lot of people, food is a way of sharing love. But food can also we a way of sharing stories, stories of the people and cultures who made us and passed down the recipes of the foods we love.
These historical fiction books are pretty much perfect for everyone getting in the holiday mood this season, then, with stories about chefs and friends sharing and appreciating their culture through cooking. Just be warned: these books may leave you feeling very hungry.
A chef kidnapped by a pirate for some five-star cooking on the high seas? Now that’s my kind of historical fiction! In 1819 renowned chef Owen Wedgwood is kidnapped Mad Hannah Mabbot, a ruthless pirate who promises to spare his life in exchange for the most delicious meals ever served. It’s a swashbuckling adventure as Wedgwood tries to create masterful meals for a pirate captain under siege.
Four mothers. Four daughters. Four families. In the late 1940s, four Chinese women, recently immigrated to San Francisco, meet weekly to reminisce over mahjong and food. Their daughters believe their mothers’ stories and advice don’t apply to them and their American lives, but as they grow older, they begin to see how much they’ve inherited from their mothers’ pasts. It’s a tale of the complicated and beautiful relationship between mothers and daughters, but food also plays a central role as a linchpin of love and culture.
In the late 1920s, a Vietnamese cook flees Saigon, answering an ad for a live-in chef at a Parisian household. He soon finds himself employed in the literary salon of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas. But when his enigmatic employers decide to return to the U.S., Binh must decide whether to once again relocate, return to Vietnam, or make a new home for himself in Paris.
Food Network and historical fiction fans alike will love this book about a BBC radio program to help with rationing ideas during WWII. Two years into the war, Britain is feels the effects of the Blitz and food shortages as U-boats cut off their supply line. To help the struggling homemakers, a BBC program called The Kitchen Front is putting on a cooking contest, and the grand prize is no small thing: a job as the show’s first ever female co-host. The book follows four women giving their all for a chance at the job of a lifetime.
Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!
Alice meets Felix and asks him if he’d like to travel to Rome with her. In Dublin, her best friend, Eileen, is getting over a break-up, and slips back into flirting with Simon, a man she has known since childhood. While still young, life is catching up with them. They desire each other, delude each other, get together, and break apart. They have sex, worry about sex, worry about their friendships and the world they live in. Are they standing in the last lighted room before the darkness, bearing witness to something? Will they find a way to believe in a beautiful world?
New Book Spotlights All Original Goosebumps Covers
Goosebumps is a children’s horror book series in which the cover artwork is as memorable as the book itself. On November 30, Dynamite Entertainment will release Beware: The Art of Goosebumps, a new book spotlighting all of the original covers of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumpsnovels. The hardcover book, written by Sarah Rodriguez, will feature Tim Jacobus’ artwork for the original run of Goosebumps, and “tons of fun facts about the series alongside a walkthrough of all books and covers in the Goosebumps collections.”
100 Notable Books of 2021, According to the New York Times
5 Writers Make the 2021 CBC Poetry Prize Shortlist
Five Canadian poets have made the 2021 CBC Poetry Prize shortlist. Here are the finalists: Mia Anderson (Onion), Lise Gaston (James), Adriana Oniță (Untranslatable), Bola Opaleke (The Morgue in my Tears), and Alison Watt (Addendum —”Flora of a Small Island in the Salish Sea”). The winner of the CBC Poetry Prize will receive $6,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts and will have the opportunity to attend a two-week writing residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. The remaining four finalists will each receive $1,000. The winner will be announced this Wednesday on November 24th.
Texas Book Ban Would Cost School Districts Millions of Dollars in Staff Time
Choose Me, the sexy murder mystery from New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen and acclaimed thriller writer Gary Braver, now has over 11K 5-star ratings. When Detective Frankie Loomis begins investigating a brilliant college student’s sudden death, she knows in her gut there’s more to the story. To English professor Jack Dorian, Taryn was the ultimate fantasy. And now that she’s dead, his problems are just beginning. Jack had secrets and he is guilty of deception… but is he capable of cold-blooded murder? Read Choose Me now.
Hi mystery fans! If time is no longer a thing for you, here’s a newsletter to remind you (for good or bad) that we’re wrapping up November. So here’s a bunch of releases from the month to know about.
For a murder mystery thriller adjacent to a legal thriller (Ellice Littlejohn is a corporate lawyer), here’s one of my favorite reads of the year. (Review)
If you’ve been a fan of Detective Betty Rhyzyk—full of hard-edges and heart—here’s the final book in the trilogy which finds her promoted to Sergeant in the Dallas Police Department. If you’re looking for a completed procedural filled with action to read, start with The Dime.
If you’re looking for a cozy mystery starring a pet groomer and a talking cat named Marshmallow, this recent series is for you. If you’d like to start at the beginning, pick up Mimi Lee Gets a Clue.
If you’re a fan of crime novels and neo-noir, you should absolutely be reading William Boyle. Set in Brooklyn in 1996 and 2001 we follow a cast of characters including punk kids, a neighborhood vigilante, and a gangster-wannabe.
Anthologies are a great way to find your next favorite mystery and crime authors! Here you’ll find a collection of short stories from 19 authors, including ones with published cozy series to dark crime novels.
If you’re looking for a smart revenge thriller that examines grief and the price of vengeance, this was one of the few books I stayed up way past my bedtime reading this year. (Review)
This is on my list to read because of the pitch: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off with murder when three old friends relive an epic ditch day, and it goes horribly–and fatally–wrong.” My ’80s heart is very much in.
Until next time, keep investigating! In the meantime, come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and Litsy–you can find me under Jamie Canavés.
If a mystery fan forwarded this newsletter to you and you’d like your very own, you can sign up here.
Whether you’re going back to an idea you’ve had swirling in your head for years or just seeing where your quill takes you, the Ultimate Writing Bundle will help you unleash your creativity. This toolkit includes more than $481 worth of inspirational and instructional ebooks. When you pick up this bundle, you’ll help give back to this community-powered effort, too. Each purchase supports the National Novel Writing Month organization, who believe in the transformational power of creativity. Pay what you want, support charity, and start mapping out those 50,000 words!
BOOKS. You want ’em, we got ’em. Fresh new books, printed on paper or digitally sourced. This week has a good number of social justice and Black activism books being released, so let’s look at some!
It’s a collection of BIPOC writers from Minnesota! Such a cool project. Indigenous, Black, and writers of color share essays and poems focused on the year 2020, from the pandemic to the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis by police officers. Contributors include people from an array of cultures, including “Indigenous Dakota and Anishinaabe, African American, Hmong, Somali, Afghani, Lebanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, Puerto Rican, Colombian, Mexican, transracial adoptees, mixed race, and LGBTQ+ perspectives.”
Love nonfiction aimed at kids. This is for children ages 9-12, and focuses on twenty-six contemporary artists from Africa and of African descent. These include “American artists Kerry James Marshall, Faith Ringgold, portraitist to Michelle Obama Amy Sherald, and Kehinde Wiley; British Turner Prize–winning painters Lubaina Himid and Chris Ofili; renowned South African visual activist and photographer Zanele Muholi; Nigerian sound artist Emeka Ogboh” and more. Are there amazing images of the art? Yes, there are.
Part of Melville House’s Last Interview series, this (short!) book contains interviews of civil rights activist and decades-long congressman John Lewis. Honestly, this feels like an amazing end of year read: “From a young activist testifying in the aftermath of Bloody Sunday to recounting the violence he met as a Freedom Rider to an elder statesman inspired by today’s civil rights activists, this collection forms a portrait of a man whose life was spent fighting for a better world and never lost hope.” It’s the right kind of inspiration to end 2021 with.
Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!
We’re hiring an Advertising Sales Manager! Do you like books and comics? Does helping advertisers reach an enthusiastic community of book and comics lovers intrigue you? This might be your job. Apply by December 5, 2021.
For more nonfiction reads, check out the For Real podcast which I co-host with the excellent Kim here at Book Riot. And don’t miss Book Riot’s new podcast Adaptation Nation, all about TV and film adaptations of awesome books. If you have any questions/comments/book suggestions, you can find me on social media @itsalicetime. Until next time, enjoy those facts, fellow nerds.
Brimming with Celtic mythology, action, and danger, Erika Lewis’s debut middle grade fantasy introduces readers to a new kind of magical school and a warrior who must choose with which side of an epic battle her destiny will lie. The Otherworld is at war. The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts trains warriors. And Kelcie Murphy—a foster child raised in the human world—is dying to attend. A place at AUA means learning to fight with a sword, harnessing her hidden powers and—most importantly—finding out who her parents are, and why they abandoned her eight years ago.
Welcome to In The Club, a newsletter of resources to keep your book group well-met, well-read, well-fed, and—as far as today’s newsletter is concerned— well-gifted.
Have you noticed how stores are pushing Black Friday deals sooner this year? Well, it’s because of yet another consequence of the pandemic, as inventories and workers have become more scare compared to years prior. It really is the time to buy your gifts, and of course, I gotcha covered! The items I mention below will be perfect gifts for any book-lover (*cough* yourself included), as well as for any secret Santa/gift exchange you and your book club do.
This book club candle will light your meetings with scents of mimosas, mojitos, and friendship ✨. $11
Mark your place with this set of bookmarks from a Black-owned Etsy store. $10
Carry your bookclub books (and a bottle of wine or two) in this fab tote. $30
Help your fellow book clubbers stay safe with these super cute book-themed masks. Starting at $9.
These customizable mugs are perfect for keeping you and your book club caffeinated. You can also pick the color! Starting at $17.
Rep your book club crew in this chilly weather with this minimalist sweater. $23
Get a little nostalgic with this customizable ornament that references back to how libraries used to do it. It starts at $17.
I know I’m not the only one that likes to receive soft socks as gifts. This is another option that is customizable. $12
For when your book club companions ask you to spill the tea 🍵. $18
These stickers are too cute, and will make an excellent stocking stuffer. $5
This gorgeous book journal is perfect for keeping track of future book club talking points. $28
Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!
Take a gander at our Holiday Gift Guide for even more bookish gifting ‘tingz!
Also, if you haven’t heard already, we’re hiring an Advertising Sales Manager! Do you like books and comics? Does helping advertisers reach an enthusiastic community of book and comics lovers intrigue you? This might be your job. Apply by December 5, 2021.
I hope this newsletter found you well, and as always, thanks for hanging out! If you have any comments or just want to connect, send an email to erica@riotnewmedia.com or holla at me on Twitter @erica_eze_ . You can also catch me talking more mess in the new In Reading Color newsletter as well as chattin’ with my cohost Tirzah Price on the Hey YA podcast.
We checked the reader hive-mind for the most popular bookish items in the past year, and we’ve collected them all together in our 2021 Holiday Gift Guide! Whether you’re looking for affordable stocking stuffers or extravagant collectibles, booknerd jewelry or customizable gifts, we’ve got all your favorites organized by price and ready for shopping. Happy gifting!
Return to the mythical Barcelona library known as the Cemetery of Forgotten Books in this posthumous collection of stories from the New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow of the Wind and The Labyrinth of the Spirits.
Bestselling author Carlos Ruiz Zafón conceived of this collection of stories as an appreciation to the countless readers who joined him on the extraordinary journey that began with The Shadow of the Wind. Comprising eleven stories, The City of Mist offers the reader compelling characters, unique situations, and a gothic atmosphere.
I, Yuki, became the basketball team manager for one reason—I had a crush on the captain and wanted to be with him, always. But when Kido-senpai suddenly announced he got a girlfriend, where did that leave me? In the clubroom, crying my eyes out…until this cheeky brat of an underclassman showed up. And now that stupid, pretty playboy, Naruse, seems determined to wiggle his way into every corner of my life…
Spencer Quinn’s It’s a Wonderful Woof presents an all-new adventure for Chet the dog and his human partner, PI Bernie Little.
Holiday time in the Valley, and in the holiday spirit Bernie refers a potential client to Victor Klovsky, a fellow private eye. It’s also true that the case—promising little action—doesn’t appeal to Bernie, while it seems perfect for Victor, who is not cut out for rough stuff. But Victor disappears in a rough-stuff way, and when he doesn’t show up at his mom’s to light the Hanukkah candles, she hires Chet and Bernie to find him.
