Happy last June Tuesday! (How is that already possible??!) It’s another stellar day for new releases. At the top of my shopping list is Before Everything by Victoria Redel. I have heard wonderful things, so I must see for myself. And for all you Fiona Barton fans, she has a new one out today called The Child. I also have a few more fantastic titles to tell you about today, and as always, you can also hear about several more great books on this week’s episode of the All the Books! Rebecca and I talked about a few amazing books we loved, such as The Windfall, My Glory Was I Had Such Friends, and The Sisters Chase.
This week’s newsletter is sponsored by The Sisters Chase by Sarah Healy.
A gripping novel about two sisters who are left homeless by their mother’s death and the lengths the fierce older sister will go to protect her beloved young charge.
“A deliciously compulsive read. . . . It lingers like a summer dream after the last page is turned.” —Amy Gentry, author of Good as Gone
“Part mystery, part road novel, part family saga, The Sisters Chase had me riveted from the first secret to the last revelation.” —Lisa Lutz, author of The Passenger and How to Start a Fire
“Captivating . . . a fierce and unstoppable force of nature.” —Publishers Weekly
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
A bisexual British lord heads out on a wild journey with his best friend/secret crush in this fun 18th-century romp! Monty has reached an age when he is expected to finally settle down and act like a gentleman. But before he does, he takes his BFF Percy on one last adventure around the globe, which quickly turns dangerous – both romantically and to their actual lives! This is fun with a capital “YES.”
Backlist bump: Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary “Jacky” Faber, Ship’s Boy by L. A. Meyer
Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory
Once upon a time, the Telemachuses were famous. With a telekinetic, a psychic, and a human lie detector in the family, they were a wonder to citizens and secret agents everywhere. But twenty years later, the family is disgraced and in shambles, trying desperately to make ends meet. A visit from an old friend at the CIA checking to see if they have any remaining powers seems to be a waste of time, but what the family doesn’t know is that one of the children has just discovered he has the ability to leave his body. This is a funny, heartfelt dysfunctional family comedy with a supernatural twist.
Backlist bump: The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson
The Girl of the Lake: Stories by Bill Roorbach
I know I have raved about him before, but I’m going to do it again, because Bill Roorbach is a national treasure. And I’m not just saying that because he’s a Mainer like me. These nine stories are funny and emotional slices of life, with unforgettable characters and so much heart. Roorbach has been called “a kinder, gentler John Irving,” and I think that is the perfect description. I never miss a chance to see him speak, and I’m wildly envious of his students.
Backlist bump: Big Bend: Stories by Bill Roorbach
Everyone’s a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too: A Book by Jomny Sun
This is one of the sweetest and strangest books I’ve seen lately. Based on Jomny Sun’s popular Twitter account, it’s the story of a lonely alien sent to observe Earth, where he meets all kinds of other creatures and learns that it’s okay to be different. The “dawwwww” factor is strong in this one.
Backlist bump: Heart and Brain: An Awkward Yeti Collection by The Awkward Yeti
The Fourth Monkey by J. D. Barker
For years, the Fourth Monkey Killer has been plaguing the city of Chicago. But then the police catch a lucky break: he’s struck and killed by a bus on his way to mail another gruesome package. The good news is that he’s dead. The bad news is that he still has a kidnap victim out there somewhere. If the police want to save her, they’ll have to read through the diary they found in his pocket to learn who he is and just what they’re up against. It turns out, the 4MK’s origin story is as upsetting as his new persona. If you like fast-paced, disturbing thrillers, this is the summer read for you! (The galley for this book arrived in my mailbox with a gummy eyeball, and I immediately thought, “You have my attention.”)
Backlist bump: The Poet by Michael Connolly
That’s it for me today – time to get back to reading! If you want to learn more about books new and old (and see lots of pictures of my cats, Millay and Steinbeck), or tell me about books you’re reading, or books you think I should read (I HEART RECOMMENDATIONS!), you can find me on Twitter at MissLiberty, on Instagram at FranzenComesAlive, or Litsy under ‘Liberty’!
Stay rad,
Liberty