Category: New Books

A queer Ocean’s 8-like heist on the Titanic? YES PLEASE. Expert thief Josefa has gotten herself aboard the launch of the Titanic because she wants to steal the Rubiyat, a giant rare gem worth millions. She has assembled a team to help her pull off the huge heist before the ship reaches its destination. They each have special talents and they know how to push each other’s buttons. But here’s the thing—we all know the ship isn’t going to reach its destination. How will thing tale of daring thievery play out? And who will survive?

Backlist bump: The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

And I am only at the beginning of this release from last week, but I really enjoyed her last novel, so I had to pick it up. It’s about a young boy’s love for his uncle, whose decision to live up on a billboard has made him outcast in their neighborhood. It’s an examination of both the intelligence and naivety of children, as a local boy goes missing and tensions in the community erupt.

Backlist bump: How to Order the Universe by María José Ferrada, Elizabeth Bryer (translator)

I went comic crazy the last few months of this year. I read something like 200 graphic novels, from middle grade to YA to adult. This was one of my favorites. It’s an adorable story of a kitchen witch named Planchette (like the Ouija board thingy) who buys a new house, which turns out to be haunted. When she is unable to convince the ghosts to leave, or force them to leave—she’s not very good at witchcraft—she instead decides to befriend them. It’s silly and adorbs, and I look forward to more from this world.

Backlist bump: Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu

This week, I am reading The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen and Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead. Outside of books, I started watching Dead End: Paranormal Park, which reminds me a bit of a darker Gravity Falls. (But sadly, not as good.) And the song stuck in my head is “Team” by Lorde, because of that Marion Cotillard Chanel commercial. Recently, I got my Spotify end-of-year round-up playlist, which called me out for only listening to old music this year that I have heard a million times. So I started a new playlist, of songs that are new to me, and you can listen too! And here is your weekly cat picture: The other day, I woke up to find Zevon sleeping on my bed with his face tucked in his side like a ridiculous furry duck.

This week: I’m currently reading Goodbye Earl: A Revenge Novel by Leesa Cross-Smith and Satanic Panic: Pop-Cultural Paranoia in the 1980s by Kier-La Janisse and Paul Corupe. (I have many layers, lol.) Outside of books, I have been rewatching a lot of Christmas movies, like Elf and Die Hard (yes, Die Hard) while I do work. The song stuck in my head is “Die Young” by Sylvan Esso. And of course, there’s a cat photo: Farrokh is doing his toe touches to stay in shape.

Here’s one more beautiful memoir to squeeze in before the end of the year. It’s a powerful debut about immigration, belonging, and home. When Daniels was young, her family moved from Nigeria to England, to a very different climate and culture. She discusses how over the years, she had to hold fast to her heritage but also carve her own identity, as she tried to decide which of her parents’ tribes to claim as her own while ending up in California. Daniels also discusses a lot of history and ancestry, making this educational as well as moving.

Backlist bump: Antiman: A Hybrid Memoir by Rajiv Mohabir

Hold on to your butts! Okay, I know I talked about this on the podcast this week, but I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m practically having an existential crisis, realizing how unaware I was of basically anything to do with our butts. Radke covers butts from the first humans to have them, to fashion trends, to desire and shame, to their role in our survival. Now every time I sit down, I’m like, “I’m sitting on my butt.” It’s like becoming aware of your own breathing or blinking. That’s what this history of butts will do to you. You should get a copy for yourself and a friend — it’s FASCINATING.

Backlist bump: Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History by Florence Williams

And I also mentioned this book on the podcast, but I hadn’t read it yet. I was saving it for when I needed a good cry, but it turned out, that was this weekend. And cry and cry I did. Writer and actor Delaney has written a heartbreaking but hope-infused memoir about the death of his youngest son, Henry, at age three. Delaney has done a remarkable job of mixing humor and love with his overwhelming grief. Obviously, it’s very sad because of the loss of a child, so if that’s something you’re sensitive to, you’ll want to pass. But it does us good to occasionally slow down and be reminded to appreciate what we have, and remember what we’ve lost.

Backlist bump: Everything Is Horrible and Wonderful by Stephanie Wittels Wachs

This week, I am reading Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea by Rita Chang-Eppig and Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. Outside of books, I have been trying out Hive Social (@LibertyHardy) and watching Christmas movies. (I’m Team Die Hard.) And the song stuck in my head is “Can I Sit Next To You” by Spoon. You can still listen to the playlist of music from the 1980s I made. And here is your weekly cat picture: Zevon desperately wants to wrestle a pigeon.

This one was an easy choice, because their first book was so funny. It’s a continuation of the sisters discussing the racist comments and microaggressions they and their family members have experienced as Black people in America. Where the first book was mostly about Lacey’s experiences living in Nebraska, this includes tales from many of their family members, told with humor and headshakes. It’s a great book to give someone who loves to laugh and learn at the same time.

Backlist bump: You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar

And this is another book I immediately picked up because I loved the first one. Before you read on, know that this description contains slight spoilers for the first book, Delilah Green Doesn’t Care. Okay, ready? Designer Astrid Parker broke up with her controlling fiancé a year ago, and since, has put the thought of a relationship out of her mind as she works almost obsessively on her career. When she is hired to lead the Everwood Inn’s renovation, her job suddenly feels almost impossible as she butts head with the lead carpenter for the renovation, who hates every design change that Astrid proposes. But still, lots of tension in close quarters seems to have an affect on people, and soon they’ll…well, you know. It’s a romance, after all.

Backlist bump: Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake

And for fans of true crimes stories with little violence, but lots of unbelievable tales, this is a great read. At one time, Tetro was painting copies of some of the most famous artists in history and making mad bank doing it. His cash brought him a lavish sex, drugs, and rock and roll lifestyle, but it also brought the law to his door, and he was eventually busted and imprisoned for four years. Tetro has since become somewhat of an infamous celebrity since, and his discussion of how he creates forgeries, as well as the absurd high-finance of the art world, is really fascinating. As is the 2019 scandal that involved none other than King Charles III.

Backlist bump: The Art Detective: Adventures of an Antiques Roadshow Appraiser by Philip Mould

This week, I am reading The Sleeping Car Porter by Suzette Mayr and Rabbits for Food by Binnie Kirshenbaum (because I have been assured that despite the title, there is very little animal harm in it.) Outside of books, besides Celtics games, I haven’t had time for television the past week, but that’s okay, I like books better anyway. And the song stuck in my head is the “C’mon C’mon” by The Von Bondies. You can still listen to the playlist of music from the 1980s I made. And here is your weekly cat picture: Farrokh is practicing in case he ever needs to get a high school senior portrait done.

Dade’s books are great escapism. They’re fun, they’re fluffy, they’re sexy. An actress and actor who had a hot one-night stand — that ended with her leaving after without another word — are about to star in a show together. She’s kinda into the idea of them getting together again, but why should he trust her? So for six years of shooting their show, nothing happens…until the end of the last season. But when they return to their homes on different continents, can they keep the spark alive? (It’s a romance, so you know they answer already…)

Backlist bump: Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade

One of my new favorite things to read are anthologies featuring stories by several different authors. The variety and scope of imagination in one place is always amazing. I loved this collection of speculative African diaspora stories, which include shapeshifters, supercomputers, child robots, and lion goddesses. My favorite story was “A Knight in Tunisia” by Alex Jennings, who is the author of one of the most fun books of the year, The Ballad of Perilous Graves.

Backlist bump: Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements edited by Walidah Imarisha and adrienne maree brown

This book was too intriguing not to check out, and I am glad I did! If you like art, or bright colors, or weird objects, or all of these things, you’ll love this book. It’s a look at items in people’s homes, but they’re all very interesting, like a giant candy bar, or a giant lipstick, or U-shaped vases. And there’s text to go along, describing why we like things, different aesthetics, and general information about objects. These are basically just really cool versions of things we all have in our homes. I am definitely going to get a hard copy of this one.

Backlist bump: Bibliostyle: How We Live at Home with Books by Nina Freudenberger

This week, I am reading Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb and Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova. Outside of books (and the NBA), I have started rewatching The Good Place for the 10th time and it is just what my soul needed. I love this show so much! It’s definitely in my top five favorite shows. And the song stuck in my head is the Family Ties theme. (Please make it stop.) You can still listen to the playlist of music from the 1980s I made. And here is your weekly cat picture: Farrokh was making a cute face at me, which is like “awwwwww.” But what you need to know is that he was really making that face at me because he wanted some of my yogurt. He always has an ulterior motive.

This is a look at the wife of one of history’s most famous pirates: Captain Kidd. Sarah Kidd, twice-widowed at an early age, was secretly helping her third husband in a time when it was inconceivable for women to break with societal norms, and certainly not acceptable to marry pirates and take up a life of crime. Whether she was an antihero or a villain, I’ll let you decide. (CW for violence, murder, death, sexism, assault.)

Backlist bump: Enemy of All Mankind: A True Story of Piracy, Power, and History’s First Global Manhunt by Steven Johnson

Sisters Sarah and Angelina Grimke were famous abolitionists in the 1800s. They gave up their rich plantation lives to live in the North and write pamphlets protesting slavery. They are famously known for that work and for being champions of the cause. But Greenidge actually takes a look at the little-known Black members of their family over the past century or so, specifically the Black women. And she also shines a light on an overlooked aspect of the sisters, and how they objected to slavery but did not believe that Black people deserved equal rights. (CW for slavery, racism and racialized violence, violence, murder, death, sexual assault, and sexism.)

Backlist bump: Slaves in the Family by Edward Ball

If you have been reading this newsletter or listening to the show recently, you know that I have a newfound obsession with birdwatching. So of course I had to read this book. Kumar had a love of nature as a child in India, but sort of lost touch with it when she moved to the United States. She rekindled her love of birds and birdwatching in her 20s, and she shares her thoughts about our feathered friends in these lovely essays. Kumar covers different types of birds, memories from her life and her work, and a look at climate change and how it is affecting the birds we love.

Backlist bump: The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature by J. Drew Lanham

This week, I am reading The Wishing Pool and Other Stories by Tananarive Due and P. Djèlí Clark’s children’s book debut Abeni’s Song. Outside of books, I have been following the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions. (I need someone to come up with a word for the feeling you get when you know an answer none of the contestants know. It doesn’t happen very often to me, but I like it.) And the song stuck in my head is “Night Shift” by Lucy Dacus. When she lets loose at the end, the hairs stand up on the back of my neck every single time. You can still listen to the playlist of music from the 1980s I made! And here is your weekly cat picture: Farrokh is a big fan of the new rug on the sun porch, especially when there’s sun.

This week: I’m currently reading The Things We Do to Our Friends by Heather Darwent and The Between by Tananarive Due. Outside of books, I have been watching a lot of NBA basketball games (and reading a few pages during the commercials.) The song stuck in my head is “Anthems for a Seventeen-Year-Old Girl” by Broken Social Scene. And of course, there’s a cat photo: Farrokh is making such a funny face in this picture. Pretty sure I caught him just as he was saying a bad word.

History books are filled with tales of cowboys and wars in the Old West, but women are often left out of the stories. This is a look at the many roles women played in the American West, and what life was like under the harsh conditions in a man’s world. Using diaries, interviews, and more, Hickman reconstructs the stories of many women who played a part in making the American West what it was, from the rule-breakers to the record-makers, and as importantly, the many marginalized women who were ignored or exploited, and whose voices have been lost to the years. (Content warnings for sexual assault, racism, slavery, sexual slavery, violence, and death.)

Backlist bump: Burning the Breeze: Three Generations of Women in the American West by Lisa Hendrickson

One of the great things about recording All the Books! a week early is getting to mention books I am excited to read, and then reading them before Sunday, so I can mention them here! Strike the Zither was indeed as great as I expected it to be. It’s an exciting YA fantasy about a military strategist in 414 China. Zephyr is loyal to Xin Ren, one of three warlordesses struggling for control of the land and the Empress’s favor (but who also want to steal the throne for themselves). When Zephyr goes undercover in an enemy camp, her loyalties will be tested when she discovers not everything in the world is as she thought it was. Plus, she comes up against Crow, another strategist who challenges Zephyr and her beliefs. It’s an exciting book, and the first in a series! (Content warnings for war, violence, gore, death, animal death, and loss of a loved one.)

Backlist bump: Descendent of the Crane by Joan He

And one last book to get you in a Halloween-y mood before the holiday. This is just a whole lot of fun, featuring several profiles of women and nonbinary people from American history who have dabbled in the supernatural. You’ll read about the clairvoyant celebrity craze of the 19th century; Nancy Reagan’s personal psychic; everyone’s favorite late-night dark mistress, Elvira; and even the new 21st century supernatural dabblers who have made a name for themselves on social media.

Backlist bump: Monster, She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction by Lisa Kröger and Melanie R. Anderson

This week, I am trying to get in some more backlist the last couple of months of the year. So I am reading Welcome to Shirley: A Memoir from an Atomic Town by Kelly McMasters, and because it is almost Halloween, I am digging deep into Michael McDowell and starting Blackwater: The Complete Saga. Outside of books, I have been watching a lot of basketball. Our TV died last week so we bought a new one, and it’s like a whole different experience. I’ve never had a new television before. It’s wild! And the song stuck in my head is “Free” by Florence + The Machine, again. Pretty sure it’s my favorite song of the year. You can still listen to the playlist of music from the 1980s I made! And here is your weekly cat picture: Zevon is the silliest fang face to ever fang fangs.

It almost feels like cheating to include a book of stories by George Saunders as a recommendation — he’s such a master of the craft that of course it’s going to be good. It does seem wild to me that he hasn’t had a collection since Tenth of December in 2013. (The title, not the date, lol.) But luckily for us, he hasn’t lost his edge. These nine stories are his classic genre-bending humorous and incisive style, including a tale about Hell at an amusement park, a love triangle in a hailstorm, forced political actors, and more.

Backlist bump: Tenth of December by George Saunders

I definitely got hooked on Alisha Rai books because I worked for Book Riot — so many of our contributors are fans. She’s an auto-read for me now. Her books are so wild and sexy. Mira Chaudhary is a thirtysomething Indian American woman who is finally ready to settle down. She was pretty wild in her younger years, but now she wants a quiet life of domesticity. So of course this all blows up in her face spectacularly. Her attempt to date English teacher Naveen ends up a high stakes adventure in Vegas with attempted kidnapping and art thieves! Can they salvage their date — if they survive the night? (CW for violence and kidnapping, death, chemical use and abuse, body shaming.)

Backlist bump: Wrong to Need You (Forbidden Hearts, #2) by Alisha Rai

I have been really into reading graphic novels between prose books this year. And I had to read this one, because it’s described as ‘gently macabre’ and I just love that. And it’s a really cute, sweet book. It’s a little like the Star vs the Forces of Evil monster storyline, if you’ve seen that show. Prunella is a young girl who lives in a village where people are terrified of monsters. Of course, the humans are the actual monsters — Prunella’s mother is like Cruella de Vil’s less nice sister (+5 Sliding Doors reference). One day, Prunella finds a ring buried in the garden and when she puts it on, it turns her into a skeleton! Of course, the people of the village refuse to believe she’s still Prunella and chase her off. So she’s left to wander outside the village walls, where she makes friends, learns monsters are not as terrible as everyone says, and discovers that she might even prefer being one!

Backlist bump: Rutabaga the Adventure Chef by Eric Colossal

This week, I am reading The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei and The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton. Outside of books, I am excited for the first game of the Celtics’ regular season tonight! And I am halfway through the series Bad Sisters and I love it. Sharon Horgan is a goddess. The song stuck in my head is “Gimme Some Salt” by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. You can still find the playlist of music from the 1980s I made here! And here is your weekly cat picture: Farrokh looks like he’s cruising down main street is a car with his window down.

What would you do if you were invisible? Alice Sun does not feel like she fits in at her school. The only scholarship student at an elite Beijing international boarding school with some of the richest teens around, she isn’t having a great time. She wants so much to pass through this time without making any waves that she actually wishes herself invisible. When she discovers that her parents can no longer afford to send her to the school, she decides to monetize her new skill by spying on her classmates, learning their secrets, and blackmailing them. This sounds like it might be dark and heavy, but it’s actually a pretty light, fun read. It’s a great look at fitting in, classism, and deciding between right and wrong. Liang already has a new book coming next year called This Time It’s Real, and I look forward to it! CW for classism, anxiety, kidnapping and violence, racism, and sexism.

Backlist bump: American Panda by Gloria Chao

And, hooray, a new book from the Hugo, Locus, and Nebula-Award winning Mary Robinette Kowal! This is a fun 1930s-esque mystery with a Nick and Nora Charles-like couple, but set in the future on a spaceliner cruise. The famous inventor and heiress Tesla Crane is on her honeymoon aboard an intergalactic vessel when someone is murdered — and her new husband is arrested for the crime. Tesla will have to toss off her cloak of anonymity and use her wits and wealth to find out who the real killer is before they strike again. (Light spoiler: Tesla has a service dog, and the dog is put in harm’s way, but everything will be okay for the dog in the end.) CW for violence and murder, injury and illness, trauma and PTSD, ableism, sexism, and chemical use and abuse.

Backlist bump: The Calculating Stars: A Lady Astronaut Novel by Mary Robinette Kowal

I adore the comics of Liz Climo and I am including this delightful little pep talk of a book, because I bet you need it. One thing I learned in NYC last week while talking to many people I haven’t seen in years is that everyone is having a tough time. There is so much going on to stress out about! So this is a little rhyming book to cheer you on and cheer you up. And Climo’s animal illustrations are so cute and perfect. (I especially identified with the mule collapsing under the weight of all the books on its back, both literally and metaphorically, lol.) Be nice to yourself and pick up this book, because you are great.

Backlist bump: Lobster Is the Best Medicine: A Collection of Comics About Friendship by Liz Climo

This week, I am reading Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto and The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese. Outside of books, I am watching the Celtics preseason games. I cannot believe it’s time for basketball again already but I am also surprised by how much I missed it the last three months. The song stuck in my head is “No One’s Here To Sleep” by Naughty Boy and Bastille. You can still find the playlist of music from the 1980s I made here! And here is your weekly cat picture: When I am traveling, I have my husband send me pictures of the cats every few hours. At some point while I was gone, Zevon decided he was going to trying walking the clothes rack like Philippe Petit.