Sponsored by The Vines by Shelley Nolden
In the shadows of New York City lies the abandoned, forbidden North Brother Island, where the remains of a shuttered hospital hide the haunting memories of quarantines and human experiments. The ruins conceal the scarred and beautiful Cora, imprisoned there by contagions and the doctors who torment her. When Finn, a young urban explorer, arrives on the island and glimpses this enigmatic woman through the foliage, intrigue turns to obsession as he seeks to uncover her past–and his own family’s dark secrets.
It’s Tuesday—time to party! And by party, I mean talk about new books. Not that I need it to be Tuesday to do that, but today is like a weekly holiday, because of all the new releases. And it’s also like a holiday, because think of all the authors having book birthdays each week! HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I’m looking forward to a lot of today’s new releases and I hope that very soon I’ll be able to get my hands on Red Island House by Andrea Lee, Renegade Flight by Andrea Tang, and Bruised by Tanya Boteju.
And speaking of today’s great books, for this week’s episode of All the Books! Patricia and I discussed some of the wonderful books that we’ve read, such as Lost in the Never Woods, Mixed Plate, and The Ladies of the Secret Circus, and more.
And now, it’s time for everyone’s favorite gameshow: AHHHHHH MY TBR! Here are today’s contestants:
Red Widow by Alma Katsu
Many of you are familiar with Katsu and her supernatural/horror novels, but this new book is subject Katsu is intimately familiar with: national security. Katsu has been an intelligence officer for over 30 years, and she has channeled her expertise into an exhilarating spy thriller! Red Widow is about two CIA agents working in the Russian division to stop a threat to national security that is coming from inside the agency. Agents Lyndsey Duncan and Theresa Warner must work around the clock to ferret out the mole (ha, rodent puns) before more people lose their lives.
Backlist bump: Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews
Delicates (Sheets) by Brenna Thummler
This is another one of those “I am mentioning the sequel’s release to draw your attention to the first book” recommendations. These are wonderful graphic novels written with middle grade readers, but perfect for anyone who wants a lovely haunting story. In Sheets, the first book, we meet Marjorie Glatt, a teenager trying to get through school and run her parents’ laundromat. While Marjorie deals with her daytime problems, at night the laundromat is visited by Wendell, the ghost of a young boy who is having a hard time adapting to the afterlife. It soon becomes apparent that these two are in need of each other’s friendship to help them get through the tough times. The second book, Delicates, is also wonderful and is about friends and fitting in. I highly recommend these books for both personal and classroom reading.
Backlist bump: Sheets by Brenna Thummler
The Unbroken by C. L. Clark
And last, but not least, this is an excellent new debut fantasy filled with action! Touraine was conscripted into her country’s army as a child ad raised to be the perfect soldier. But when her company is sent back to her homeland, she is contacted by Luca, who is looking for a traitor. Luca needs someone to help her rebel against her cruel uncle, who sits on the throne. Touraine is at first against Luca’s request, but things become more complicated when she becomes the princess’s lover. Can Touraine go against everything she’s been trained to do—and even if she can, will it be enough to lead a rebellion? This is a taut novel of revolution and responsibility, filled with hard choices and heart!
Backlist bump: The Tiger’s Daughter by K Arsenault Rivera
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. – XO, Liberty