Category: New Books

This week: I’m currently reading Laid-Back Camp by Afro (thank you, Danika), The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi, and Witch King by Martha Wells. Outside of books, I have been rewatching the first season of Abbott Elementary for like the third time, and I started Home Economics as well. (And I am waiting for all of Bad Sisters to go up before I start it.) The song stuck in my head is “Goodbye Horses” by Q Lazzarus. (I am sorry to hear that she passed away a few months ago.) And of course, there’s a cat photo: When I see the cats show off all their teeth like this when they yawn, I am glad they are small-ish and (mostly) on my side.

So this book is hilarious (and a great way to start the recommendations because the next one is SO disturbing.) It’s a YA romcom about a young woman named Sharlot, who is taken to her mother’s native country of Indonesia after her mother catches her attempting to lose her virginity. Meanwhile, rumors have gotten out in Indonesia that George Clooney Tanuwijaya (whose father loves American celebrities) is romantically interested in furries, so his father is looking to find him a non-furry match. Enter Sharlot. George and Sharlot meet each other with preconceived notions, because it turns out their parents have been pretending to be them when they chat with each other online. But despite their parents’ meddling, and the fact that they seemingly don’t actually like each other when they meet in person, perhaps there’s something undeniable between them anyway. (CW for sexism, homophobia, and mention of death of a parent.)

Backlist bump: Made in Korea by Sarah Suk

Okay, friends, now hold on to your butts. This is one of those books that I finished and then thought, “I love this—what the hell is wrong with me??!” This book is DISTURBING AF. But it’s also so freaking original and funny. You know how I hate saying this, but it is definitely not for everyone. If you dare to proceed, here’s the skinny: Abby and her husband Ralph move in with his mother in the hopes of helping her through a dark period. Abby’s own childhood was one of neglect and violence, and she’s seeking a comforting figure in her life. But Ralph’s mother is a cruel, manipulative woman, and when she dies, she continues to haunt and manipulate everyone around her. Hoping to bring joy and stability to their lives, Abby has a plan to fix everything. Spoiler: None of this is going to go well. Like I said, this book is remarkably upsetting, but I also thought it was amazing. So much, that I just got Hogarth’s last book, The Boy Meets Girl Massacre. A heads up that the list of content warnings are a mile long, so I’ll just say it basically has them all. Please do proceed with caution. (But omg let me know if you love it!) P.S. When you ask for it at the bookstore or library, note that the title is ‘mother-thing’ not ‘mothering’.

Backlist bump: Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh (It’s more disturbing than Eileen, though.)

And last, but not least, a scary book of a different nature. (Get it, nature?) Proulx, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of works such as The Shipping News and Brokeback Mountain, turns her attention to nonfiction and the loss of our planet’s wetlands. Proulx discusses how our wetlands have an important role to play in keeping the Earth healthy and how their loss is affected by climate change and vice versa. Heavy, but necessary, reading.

Backlist bump: The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go from Here by Hope Jahren

This week, I am reading Sink: A Memoir by Joseph Earl Thomas and Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo. Outside of books, I am thrilled that Abbott Elementary has started its second season. I just rewatched the first season in preparation and loved it even more. And I am looking forward to the premiere of Ghosts this week. The song stuck in my head is “Free” by Florence + The Machine. (Probably because I have been playing it on repeat for days.) I’m also still into the playlist of music from the 1980s I made—you can listen here! And here is your weekly cat picture: Zevon is waiting for me to start doing this puzzle so he can eat some of the pieces. My two orange boys think puzzle pieces are a delicacy.

If I had to tell you what the music I love says about me, it would say I am a very eclectic person. Which tracks, LOL. This is a fascinating book that will tell you what your music says about you! What kind of music, tempos, and instruments you like says a lot about your brain. And the author is the perfect person to explain it to you. Susan Rogers is an award-winning professor of cognitive neuroscience. But before that, she was a successful musical engineer who worked with such artists as Prince and Barenaked Ladies! I never get tired of brain books, because we still know so little about how they work, and every little thing we learn fascinates me to no end.

Backlist bump: The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century by Alex Ross

I cannot believe it has already been a year since I was recommending you pick up Mark Oshiro’s middle grade debut The Insiders. It was such a good book! Now he’s back with speculative adventure. This time, we follow — wait for it — David Bravo, who is struggling in school. After a particularly bad day, he wishes he could do it over. And POOF! A magical dog appears to help him make his wish come true. But how many tries does it take to get something just right? David will learn that maybe just letting things happen is the best decision. But also, did I mention the magical dog??!

Backlist bump: The Insiders by Mark Oshiro

And last, but not least, I am recommending this charming YA romcom. I enjoyed Sass’s debut a couple of years ago, which was an queer YA thriller. And I thought this was a delight. It’s a Cinderella-type story about a young boy named — wait for it again! — Micah Summers. He’s been lucky at a lot of things, but not love. He keeps an Instagram account of sketches of imaginary boys he’s like to date, but so far, Micah has been too shy to ask anyone out. That all changes when he meets a cute boy on a train, who leaves behind his jacket. Convinced that finding the jacket’s owner will bring him true love, Micah and his friends set off on an adventure across Chicago. But what if finding true love isn’t like a fairy tale?

Backlist bump: What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

This week, I am reading The Shamshine Blind by Paz Pardo and The Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovalino. Outside of books, I am excited that Jeopardy is starting up again! And the song stuck in my head is “Righteously” by Lucinda Williams. I’m also into listening to music from the 1980s while I play WoW and I started a playlist — you can listen here! And here is your weekly cat picture: If you don’t shut your dresser drawers in this house, you’re going to end up with clothes covered in cat hair. Er, once you first remove said cat.

Today is a great day for debuts, and this novel is at the top of the list! It’s about Ky Tran, a Vietnamese Australian woman whose younger brother, Denny, is murdered at a restaurant while celebrating his graduation. When Ky returns home for the funeral, she discovers that even though there were many witnesses, they are all claiming to have seen nothing happen. In her grief, Ky takes it upon herself to talk to them, and exposes the undercurrent of racism and violence that have long existed in the country. This is a powerful and moving debut, and you will think about it for a long time after you finish. (CW for violence and murder, drug use, loss of a loved one, racism, and xenophobia.)

Backlist bump: Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha

This book, and the first volume, are so much fun. I like them because they’re wildly funny and strange, but they also teach you such incredible things. Munroe, former NASA roboticist and creator of the popular web comic xkcd, answers silly questions with fully-researched answers. Could you ride a fire pole from the moon to the Earth? What would happen if you stepped on a geyser as it erupted, or hung on to a helicopter blade as it spun around? Munroe has answers. These also make great gifts for the people in your life who like their science with a side of silly.

Backlist bump: How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems by Randall Munroe

And last, but not least, as we approach fall, it’s time for some creepy books! I have Tirzah to thank for this recommendation. It’s a fun YA read about Addie, a 17-year-old who is forced to accompany her mother on her honeymoon to Eulalie Island. Addie doesn’t want to be on the island, but when she learns of two girls who died there centuries ago (and may not have left) and meets a mysterious boy on the beach, everything starts to get interesting. And by interesting, I mean eerie. It’s a fast read, full of slightly magical and haunting happenings! (Also, doesn’t the girl on the cover look like Linda Cardellini???) (CW for violence, injury, and death.)

Backlist bump: The Wide Starlight by Nicole Lesperance

This week, I am reading Camp Zero by Michelle Min Sterling and Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson. Outside of books, I have been rewatching Star vs. the Forces of Evil. (It’s still my favorite theme song.) And the song stuck in my head is “Weird Goodbyes” by The National with Bon Iver. I’m also into listening to music from the 1980s while I play WoW and I started a playlist — you can listen here! And here is your weekly cat picture: “Here I come to save the dayyyyyyyyyy!”—Zevon

This week: I’m currently reading The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland, Cat + Gamer Volume 2 by Wataru Nadatani, and Community Board by Tara Conklin. Outside of books, I’m back to watching Over the Garden Wall again (over and over and over) while I do data entry. And the song stuck in my head is this amazing cover of Cher’s “Believe” by Lucy Dacus. (She is the best. THE. BEST.) And because it was Ginger Cat Appreciation Day lately, here’s a throwback to my orange monsters when they were just wee monsters.

I hate to say it but…summer is practically over, my friends. This is a great YA book to kick off the fall and also give you some Stranger Things vibes. In 1987, Cori, Maz, and Sam were the closest of friends, spending much of their time at the arcade. But then Sam went missing. Now it’s five years later, and Cori and Maz are in high school. Sam’s disappearance has never been solved, and it has been hard on a lot of people. Then suddenly Sam shows up again—but he’s still twelve years old. Something supernatural is going on and it’s not finished with their small town yet. Can the group of friends, old and new, get to the bottom of the weirdness? This book is lots of fun and chock full of nostalgia! I was like, “I remember that! And that! And that…” (CW for racism, homophobia, violence, child harm, and animal harm.)

Backlist bump: If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan

I am leaning heavily into fantasy reads the last couple of weeks, so I picked this up because I can’t resist a Goblin Emperor comp. And I was not disappointed! In this world of Arasht, the princes have the ability to taste metals with the touch of their fingers. Kadou is one such prince. After the shy prince is humiliated by the father of the queen’s child, he agrees to lead an important investigation to prove his loyalty. With the help of his handsome new bodyguard, Evemer, what starts as a look into a seeming break-in uncovers a vast conspiracy at the court—and some complicated feelings between Kadou and Evemer! This is a fabulous enemies-to-lovers high fantasy romance adventure! (Plus lots more adjectives but we’re short on space, lol.) (CW for anxiety and mental illness, violence, murder, and chemical use.)

Backlist bump: The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

Scary Stories To Tell In the Dark fans, take note! As I may have said, I am so excited about fall books and the upcoming Halloween reading season. So here’s a delightful new middle grade story collection! These are age-appropriate and still scary stories to delight readers of all ages. There’s ghosts, vampires, werewolves, beasts, hauntings, bugs, and more. Scary + funny + wonderfully illustrated = a new collection for a new generation. (Full disclosure: I used to babysit Scott Buoncristiano’s little brother when I was in high school. I haven’t seen him in over three decades, but I was unsurprised and happy to to learn he’s made a career out of his art.)

Backlist bump: Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker, illustrated by Junyi Wu

This week, I am reading House of Cotton by Monica Brashears and The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi, which is her first novel for adults! Outside of books, I have been rewatching Regular Show. And the song stuck in my head is “Am I Wrong” by Love Spit Love. I’m also into listening to music from the 1980s while I play WoW and I started a playlist. It now has over 900 songs and you can listen here! And here is your weekly cat picture: I don’t know how this can possibly be comfortable, but Farrokh loves to sleep like this.

Gurnah is the winner of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature, for good reason. This is a sweeping epic about a young boy who was stolen by German troops in east Africa and raised to fight his own people. When Ilyas eventually returns home, he finds his family in pieces. Eventually his fate will cross with other young people trying to find their way in a fractured world. It’s a work about brutality and beauty. (CW for racism, colonization, slavery, violence, trauma, illness, and death.)

Backlist bump: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

I mentioned this on the show and then read it this weekend and had to tell you about it here, too, because it’s so good. It’s a fantasy novel set at Oxford in the 19th century. Robin Swift is an orphan who is brought from China to England, where he is educated at Oxford. Robin’s to work on Babel, the center for magic and translation. Silver is used in the work of translation and it helps the British remain a major world power, which also enables colonialism. Eventually, when Britain declares war on China, Robin wonders if he can help his homeland from the inside. (CW for violence and murder, loss of a loved one, child abuse, sexism, racism, colonization, chemical use, and suicide.)

Backlist bump: The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

And last but not least, this powerful debut about family, love, and intergenerational trauma. It follows Helen Jean, the matriarch of the Turner family, as she is on her death bed, and how her choices affected those around her. As her family gathers around her, their long-held secrets come to light. Told in alternating chapters, Watkins explores familial hurts and how the Turners work towards a better future. (CW for racism, violence, chemical use, child abuse, sexual assault, incest, and suicide.)

Backlist bump: The Turner House by Angela Flournoy

This week, I am reading How To Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix. Outside of books, I’m still into playing World of Warcraft and I am looking forward to watching the first episode of House of the Dragons soon. (Rhys Ifans 5-eva!) And the song stuck in my head is “Playboy Mommy” by Tori Amos (from my favorite Tori album.) I’m also into listening to music from the 1980s while I play WoW and I started a playlist. It now has over 900 songs and you can listen here! And here is your weekly cat picture: Zevon is ready for his close-up.

I can’t wait to pick this up, because you know how I love interconnected stories! Each of the stories in this debut collection is about a tenant in the Banneker Homes, a low-income high rise in Harlem. Fofana looks at their lives separately, including their hopes and dreams, as well as how their paths cross in the building.

And I did start this dark YA thriller recently, because Danika gave it such a rave review on All the Books! and WOW was she right about the beginning. It opens with a teen trying to kill her brother in his bed, and then goes back to examine what could have driven her to such an act. The quest for answers will lead him to a prestigious summer academy, home of a mysterious group called The Honeys. I will definitely be getting back to this soon!

And last but not least, this important work of nonfiction. A few years ago, Macy examined the opioid crisis in America in Dopesick (which has since become an award-winning series). Now, in Raising Lazarus, she dives deeper into the epidemic, highlighting the people on the front lines working to combat the crisis and offer help to those who need it. I don’t know anyone whose life hasn’t been touched in some way by the opioid crisis, and I will definitely be buying a copy of this next time I’m at the bookstore.

This week, I am reading What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall at the moment, but like I mentioned, I have about ten other books going, because I want to read everything all at once. Outside of books, I have been playing a bit of World of Warcraft in the middle of the night. It’s a great time to play! And the song stuck in my head is “Just Like Honey” by The Jesus and Mary Chain. I’m into listening to music from the 1980s while I play WoW and I started a playlist this weekend of songs I thought I’d like to hear and the next thing I knew, it had over 700 songs. You can listen here! And here is your weekly cat picture: Zevon is demonstrating how he is able to get away with murder: by being the cutest.

As it happens occasionally, I did not read and love as many of this week’s books as I hoped. So I am kicking it off with this novel, which I just started. It excellent so far, so it seemed worth mentioning it to you. It’s a debut novel about a man living in America who returns home to China when his father goes missing. This will reconcile him not only with his estranged mother, but a childhood friend he hasn’t seen in many years. If the rest of the book is as good as the beginning, this will be an excellent read!

Backlist bump: Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien

And this is a little Liberty wheelhouse-y, given my interest in reading about the American Civil War, but it’s always fun to learn! Treatment for illness and injury at the start of the war was archaic and horrifying. Adrienne documents the crucial strides that were made in medicine during the four years of the Civil War, helping more soldiers survive and revolutionizing medicine in general. Though sometimes gross and shocking, this is a great book for people who love reading about history.

Backlist bump: This Republic of Suffering by Drew Gilpin Faust

Dara Rabinowitz is the creator and CEO of the popular Jewish dating app J-Mate. And while she helps many, many people find love, she herself hasn’t had much luck. When her bubbe shares her private list of the qualities in a perfect husband on national television, everything changes. News anchor Chris Steadfast decides helping Dara find love will be good for his show’s ratings. But there’s the chance he just might fall for her himself. Could Dara be interested in someone who doesn’t check any of the boxes on her list?

Backlist bump: The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer

This week: Like I mentioned, I am reading A House With Good Bones by T. Kingfisher, as well as Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. Outside of books, I have been spending a lot of time watching all the nature in my yard again and rooting for a rogue sunflower that has decided to grow in the middle of our yard. The song stuck in my head is “The Authority Song” by Jimmy Eat World. And here is your weekly cat picture: Zevon is taking advantage of the rare day I spent out of my office last week. (That’s his favorite position to be in, which I call the Steve Holt.)

This week: I’m currently reading Unmask Alice: LSD, Satanic Panic, and the Imposter Behind the World’s Most Notorious Diaries by Rick Emerson and The Honeys by Ryan La Sala.. Outside of books, I have been rewatching Psych (Dulé Hill does not get enough credit as a comedic actor. He makes the best expressions. Oh, how I love him.) And the song stuck in my head is Desperados Under the Eaves by Warren Zevon. (Which is 20 years old now!) And here’s a picture of my cat Zevon (yes, named for the musician) screaming into the void. Or yawning — one of these things is true.