Heyyyy it’s Tuesday! Which means it is time to spend a few moments with other book nerds. And I am SO excited this week, because I know all of you will appreciate this: I got a card catalog! It is a book nerd dream come true. You all understand why it is so exciting, which makes me happy. I have found my people!
Now, on to books for today! At the very top of my list of new releases for this week to acquire are The Scent of Burnt Flowers by Blitz Bazawule, The Clackity by Lora Senf, The Most Precious Substance on Earth by Shashi Bhat, and Locklands (The Founders Trilogy Book 3) by Robert Jackson Bennett.
And on this week’s episode of All the Books! Patricia and I discussed the best books we read for this week and more, including The Measure, American Royalty, and Our Crooked Hearts. And now, it’s time for everyone’s favorite game show: AHHH MY TBR! Here are today’s contestants.
Invisible Things by Mat Johnson
Two things: One—I love Mat Johnson. Two—I am so glad when they label allegoric novels as such, because I am not smart enough to pick up on it on my own, lol. This is an allegorical novel (it says so on the jacket!) about a city on Jupiter encased in a dome, a sociologist, aliens, and an election. It’s really funny and very smart, and the less you know going into it, the better. But what you do need to know is that Johnson is one of the most under-appreciated writers of the 21st century and I hope everyone catches on to him really soon!
Backlist bump: Pym by Mat Johnson
This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede
This is a great dark fantasy debut, the first in a duology. I was really into it, because made-up worlds are so much more interesting to me right now than reality. This one follows a young woman named Alessa who is a deity who needs a partner to face the coming evil. The problem is that her powers kill them. If she can’t get her powers under control, she won’t be able to face the demons scheduled to return to her island home and destroy it. THE PRESSURE. But just in the nick of time, she finds Dante, who may be the one who can help her. This book is exciting, dark, romantic, and has an ending that will ruin you. Just for a minute. 😉 (CW for suicide, death, violence, murder, and child abuse.)
Backlist bump: Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray
In the Beautiful Country by Jane Kuo
And last, but not least, this beautiful middle grade novel in verse, based on the author’s own experiences. Anna thought moving to America from Taiwan would be a wonderful experience, based on the stories she has been told. But instead it has been very hard for her and her family. Anna finds learning English difficult, she is bullied in school, and the restaurant her parents dreamed of opening is not doing very well. Will they ever be able to see the beautiful side of America they were told about? (CW for racism, xenophobia, bullying.)
Backlist bump: Front Desk by Kelly Yang
Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!
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This week: I am reading The Escapement by Lavie Tidhar and Jackal by Erin E. Adams. Outside of books, I have been spending lots of time with the birds and flowers in our backyard. How many bird feeders is too many? (Er, asking for a friend.) The song stuck in my head is “I Gotcha” by Joe Tex. And here is your weekly cat picture: Zevon likes to sit like a human, and the expression on his face in this photo is so human too. Silly Zevon, you’re a cat!
Thank you, as always, for joining me each week as I rave about books! I am wishing the best for all of you in whatever situation you find yourself in now. And yay, books! – XO, Liberty ❤️