Happy “where’d all my money go?” new release Tuesday, everyone!
As you know, the most exciting day of the week in this community is the day that follows the one we all dread (Mondays for the nope) and today we’re going to highlight some of the new books chipping away at our bank accounts — but each one is so worth it.
Totally Folked by Penny Reid is the first in a new series spinning off from the Winston Brothers world (which is also part of the Knitting in the City world) and this new book tackles Jackson James’ romance.
Isn’t it Bromantic by Lyssa Kay Adams is the fourth in the Bromance Book Club series. Some of us are behind in this series (whoops) but still keen to read on.
False Witness by Karin Slaughter is a standalone thriller from this prolific author and we are excited for this release as it’ll make the wait for the next Will Trent instalment easier to bear.
These Hollow Vowsby Lexi Ryan is a fantasy fae tale with lots of twists and turns that should keep you glued to the page.
Are there any titles out today you’re excited for? Let us know in the comments below!
From New York Times best-selling author Lexi Ryan, Cruel Prince meets A Court of Thorns and Roses in this sexy, action-packed fantasy about a girl who is caught between two treacherous faerie courts and their dangerously seductive princes.
Brie hates the Fae and refuses to have anything to do with them, even if that means starving on the street. But when her sister is sold to the sadistic king of the Unseelie court to pay a debt, she’ll do whatever it takes to get her back—including making a deal with the king himself to steal three magical relics from the Seelie court.
Gaining unfettered access to the Seelie court is easier said than done. Brie’s only choice is to pose as a potential bride for Prince Ronan, and she soon finds herself falling for him. Unwilling to let her heart distract her, she accepts help from a band of Unseelie misfits with their own secret agenda. As Brie spends time with their mysterious leader, Finn, she struggles to resist his seductive charm.
Caught between two dangerous courts, Brie must decide who to trust with her loyalty. And with her heart.
Title : These Hollow Vows Author : Lexi Ryan Format : eARC Page Count : 448 Genre : Fantasy Publisher : Hodder Books Release Date : July 20, 2021
Reviewer : Micky Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★
Micky’s 3.5 – 4 star review
Headlines: Familiar tropes Seelie-unseelie good and bad Un-trustworthiness
My, my, that was some knotted up mess of character disaffection veiled as loyalty. This story keeps you spinning in terms of who to set your hopes on, who is trustworthy and who is downright sneaky. I have to say that I called it totally wrong and ended up surprised by the final twists in this story.
This book took a little while to really capture my attention but when life changed for Brie and Jas, that was when I got fully on board. This story had some very familiar tropes and I did see those parallels I’ve heard mentioned with The Cruel Prince and ACOTAR characters. If they’re not your bag, this probably won’t be either.
The only characters I really liked in this story were Brie (although she did occasionally frustrate me), Jas and Lark. The rest of the characters, including the love interests just garnered my suspicion and I felt like I was looking over my shoulder throughout the read. Even so, I was gripped.
I loved the creatures like the banshee, barghest and sluarg that invaded the story and although they weren’t pleasant, they added colour and excitement.
This book leaves you with a gasp, a bucket-load of questions and a burning read to know more. This story definitely builds as it goes and it you can take the angst, the back and forth and some of the relationship tropes, then this could be a favourite.
Thank you to Hodder Books for the early review copy.
In the Blue, the world’s last city, all is not well.
Julia is stuck within its walls. She serves the nobility from a distance until she meets Lucas, who believes in fairytales that her world can’t accommodate. The Blue is her prison, not her castle, and she’d escape into the trees if she didn’t know that contamination and death awaited humanity outside.
But not everyone in the Blue is human, and not everyone can be contained. Beyond the city’s boundaries, in the wild forests of the Red, Cameron has precious little humanity left to lose. As he searches for a lost queen, he finds an enemy rising that he thought long dead. An enemy that the humans have forgotten how to fight.
One way or another, the walls of the Blue are going to come down. The only question is what side you’ll be on when they do.
Title : The Gilded King Author : Josie Jaffrey Series : Soverign #1 Format : Paperback Page Count : 285 Genre : Dystopian YA Publisher : Silver Sun Books Release Date : June 25, 2018
I feel like I’ve possibly done this series starter a disservice on the one hand because this is a story that builds on a previous series. I think I would have understood quite a bit more if I’d read that previous series but with this being a book one of a series, I thought I would be okay. Overall, I found the world building confusing at times and I was jarred by my lack of understanding.
Those aspects said, this was a very character-driven story and some of these characters were ones to get behind. This was a tale with two stories running in parallel where Julia and Lucas were at the fore of the story in the Blue and Cam was at the fore of the story in the Red. It took a long time for these stories to intersect but I wasn’t bothered by that.
While this was a dystopian tale that occasionally harkened back to our contemporary times, life in the Blue felt somewhat historical, ancient Grecian or Roman with nobles, servitude and a basic standard of living. I was most interested in Julia and Lucas in the Blue for these reasons, but still, there was a lot to get your head around.
The story did pull the threads together towards the end but I’m left with many unanswered questions that I’ll have to read on for.
Manuela Azul has been crammed into an existence that feels too small for her. As an undocumented immigrant who’s on the run from her father’s Argentine crime-family, Manu is confined to a small apartment and a small life in Miami, Florida.
Until Manu’s protective bubble is shattered.
Her surrogate grandmother is attacked, lifelong lies are exposed, and her mother is arrested by ICE. Without a home, without answers, and finally without shackles, Manu investigates the only clue she has about her past–a mysterious “Z” emblem—which leads her to a secret world buried within our own. A world connected to her dead father and his criminal past. A world straight out of Argentine folklore, where the seventh consecutive daughter is born a bruja and the seventh consecutive son is a lobizón, a werewolf. A world where her unusual eyes allow her to belong.
As Manu uncovers her own story and traces her real heritage all the way back to a cursed city in Argentina, she learns it’s not just her U.S. residency that’s illegal. . . .it’s her entire existence.
Title : Lobizona Author : Romina Garber Series : Wolves of No World (book one) Format : physical Page Count : 400 Genre : YA fantasy Publisher : Wednesday Books Release Date : August 4, 2020
Reviewer : Hollis Rating : ★ ★ ★ .5
Hollis’ 3.5 star review
Right off the bat, I have to say, I absolutely love and respect what Garber is both saying and doing with this story. Between the very real-world fear about being undocumented, illegal, deported, the author has also transported that same fear into their fantasy setting where the origins of our MCs birth make her just as illegal but with the added bonus of her existence also being punishable by death. That said, the real-world scenes with ICE were scarier.
Despite the creativity of the fantasy portion of this world, I rather wish we hadn’t been in it. And not just because of the constant references to a certain Wizarding World and school (which, hey, warning! now you know). I almost wish all the fantasy bits had happened within the real world setting somehow and this had been more urban fantasy than what it was. Because I did like parts of the magical side of things, even if, brujas and lobizones (witches and werewolves) the whole society, was stuck in binary gender roles — though at least with more open-mindedness at the possibility of being other.. for reasons.
If you hadn’t noticed, this book tackles Lots Of Things.
Sometimes I liked the descriptions but I could feel myself glazing over a bit, skimming, until a certain reveal was revealed (clever). But even in the lead up to a certain confrontation I just felt lost in this other world. We definitely hit a point near the end where it’s just a frenetic rush to get some action in before the end and I was definitely feeling checked out.
I like, though don’t love, the characters but totally appreciate the slight deviation of formula in regards to the romance. But ultimately it does get a similar YA fantasy treatment, snowflake and all, and is saved by all the important dialogue happening around the fantastic elements (I stupidly didn’t keep track of any quotes but man there were some really great lines in here). And, again, not only what Manu represents but all the who she represents.
I’m interested to see where book two goes, and thankfully have an ARC I can dive into soon. I can totally see why so many people love this and hope I come around to those same feels in the sequel.
Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. Fed up with the isolation and the micro-aggressions, she’s thrilled when Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers. They’ve only just started comparing natural hair care regimens, though, when a string of uncomfortable events cause Nella to become Public Enemy Number One and Hazel, the Office Darling.
Then the notes begin to appear on Nella’s desk: Leave Wagner. Now.
It’s hard to believe Hazel is behind these hostile messages. But as Nella starts to spiral and obsess over the sinister forces at play, she soon realises that there is a lot more at stake than her career.
A whip-smart and dynamic thriller and sly social commentary, The Other Black Girl will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last twist.
Title : The Other Black Girl Author : Zakiya Dalila Harris Narrators : Aja Naomi King, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Bahni Turpin, Heather Alicia Sims Format : Audiobook Length : 13 hours, 33 minutes Genre : Thriller Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing Release Date : June 1, 2021
Reviewer : Micky Rating : ★ ★ ★
Micky’s 3 star review
Headlines: Office politics Undertones and rumblings Allies or enemies
The Other Black Girl was an incredibly unusual thriller in terms of plot. It was an office-based story about the relationhip and power dynamics between the bosses and those wanting to move up the ranks, twinned with the inequality of people of colour in the workplace. All that led to a blend of competition, underhandedness and suspicion.
I’d seen this book heralded as a ‘Devil Wears Prada’ thriller but there was little I could equate to that story. There was zero humour or levity, but a lot of looking over the MC’s shoulder. It was hard to see who was friend or foe.
This was a fast-paced read with mulitple POVs and to be honest, I wanted to stay with Nella’s perspective most of the time. I got lost at points when the story moved back to a drama in office from some time ago with an black editor and author.
I didn’t like where the story ended up and that factor definitely brought the rating down for me. However, the journey through the story was tense and entertaining, so I would be eager to read Zakiya Dalila Harris again.
The narration of the audio was strong. Nella’s POV was pitched well, with that kind of suspicious tension that set the tone. There were other POVs that again were a little confusing at times but well narrated.
Thank you to Bloomsbury for the audio and physical copies.
Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this Mariana is certain. But Fosca is untouchable. A handsome and charismatic Greek Tragedy professor at Cambridge University, Fosca is adored by staff and students alike—particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens.
Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Mariana’s niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge.
Mariana, who was once herself a student at the university, quickly suspects that behind the idyllic beauty of the spires and turrets, and beneath the ancient traditions, lies something sinister. And she becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. But why would the professor target one of his students? And why does he keep returning to the rites of Persephone, the maiden, and her journey to the underworld?
When another body is found, Mariana’s obsession with proving Fosca’s guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everything—including her own life.
Title : The Maidens Author : Alex Michaelides Narrators : Louise Brealey, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith Format : Audiobook Length : 10 hours Genre : Thriller Publisher : Macmillan Audio Release Date : June 15, 2021
Reviewer : Micky Rating : ★ ★ ★
Micky’s 3 star review
Headlines: Creepy men galore Power imbalance Great plot with some fading
I felt really excited about this one, the Grecian historical connection, university, students and with a murder at the centre; this audio did deliver on those aspects. The setting conjured that academia feel but with an encroaching darkness of these ongoing murders.
Mariana as a MC had my empathy to some extent for her recent past but I wouldn’t describe her as brilliant (as per the blurb), in fact I found her to be completely stupid making accusations left, right and centre while running headlong into obvious danger. After a while, she annoyed me.
The Maidens had a complex plot at the heart and I really liked the depth and intracacies. It really kept me guessing, that is, until it didn’t as it faded towards the end. I felt somewhat disappointed in the final culmination. I’m not sure what the point of Fred was in the plot.
I was interested in how Sebastian could be such an important character and creepy from the grave, I thought there was some clever writing there.
The narration was dual POV which was 95% Mariana and 5% someone else. The narration was strong throughout.
Thank you to LibroFM and Macmillan Audio for the audio review copy.
Happy “where’d all my money go?” new release Tuesday, everyone!
As you know, the most exciting day of the week in this community is the day that follows the one we all dread (Mondays for the nope) and today we’re going to highlight some of the new books chipping away at our bank accounts — but each one is so worth it.
What Are We Doing About Zoyaby Anisha Bhatia is a story about an imperfect Indian daughter bucking societal and cultural norms.
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey is being comp’d as a Schitts Creek romcom and yeah, we need.
Exposed by Kristen Callihan is the much anticipated fourth instalment in the author’s VIP series. Do we need a synopsis? Nope. We are reading this.
A Psalm For The Wild Built by Becky Chambers is the start of a new sci-fi series about how a world evolved and learnt, then things come full circle.
Are there any titles out today you’re excited for? Let us know in the comments below!
It’s been centuries since the robots of Earth gained self-awareness and laid down their tools. Centuries since they wandered, en masse, into the wilderness, never to be seen again. Centuries since they faded into myth and urban legend.
One day, the life of a tea monk is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of “what do people need?” is answered.
But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how. They’re going to need to ask it a lot.
Becky Chambers’ new series asks: in a world where people have what they want, does having more matter?
Title : A Psalm for the Wild-Built Author : Becky Chambers Series : Monk & Robot (book one) Format : eARC Page Count : 160 Genre : LGBTQIAP+ scifi/fantasy Publisher : Tordotcom Release Date : July 13, 2021
I’ll admit that I didn’t look too hard into what this was about (though that’s not too much of a surprise as I’m #TeamNoBlurb) but I was definitely hoping this would be more in line with To Be Taught, If Fortunate, than the author’s Wayfarers series. Alas it wasn’t; but it wasn’t bad, either.
“I figured you’d be all numbers and logic. Structured. Strict, y’know?“ “What a curious notion.” “Is it? Like you said, you’re a machine.[..] And machines only work because of numbers and logic.” “That’s how we function, not how we perceive.“
I think this was a little more philosophical and cerebral, definitely existential, than I expected it to be. But in hindsight, a series about a robot and a monk? How didn’t I see this coming. That’s on me.
“I made made of metal and numbers; you are made of water and genes. But we are each something more than that. And we can’t define what that something more is simply by our raw components.”
This is definitely a gentle, wholesome, thoughtful, novella, not unlike we are to expect from this author, that simultaneously makes you think while also taking you out of your head a bit — as the dedication goes, this is for all of us who need a break (boy do we ever). Much like the art of choosing a tea and savouring it, there was something meditative about this, and, as a side effect, made me a little sleepy.
This won’t be a favourite but I’m definitely curious as to where this series is going.
Side note? I’m so in love with that cover.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
Micky’s 3.5 star review
A Psalm for the Wild-Built was conceptually clever (when is Becky Chambers ever not?) and in many aspects, it was quite a beautiful tale. It started off curiously, then built and built into a connection between a monk and a robot. Yes I did just say that and if that doesn’t draw you in, I don’t know what will.
This sci-fi offering comes with Chambers unique perspective on the genre, it carries a ecological tone along with sense of searching. Robot and humans were estranged for centuries in this book until the monk and robot happen upon one another.
The story was engaging the most from the point of those two meeting and exploring each other’s species. There was banter, misunderstandings and poignant moments. There were also some slower moments, where I had to push on, thus my rating.
“So, that’s…sorry, I’m slow at math.” Dex frowned. “What?” How was the robot slow at math? “Hush, I can’t multiply and talk at the same time.”
I’m definitely pleased that this is going to be a series. I have questions and a desire to see this journey through. A gorgeous cover and clever concept from Chambers.
From fresh new voice Aliya Ali-Afzal, Would I Lie to You? is a page-turning, warm and funny debut about what happens when you have your dream life – and are about to lose it.
At the school gates, Faiza fits in. It took a few years, but now the snobbish mothers who mistook her for the nanny treat her as one of their own. She’s learned to crack their subtle codes, speak their language of handbags and haircuts and discreet silver watches. You’d never guess, at the glamorous kids’ parties and the leisurely coffee mornings, that Faiza’s childhood was spent following her parents round the Tooting Cash ‘n’ Carry.
When her husband Tom loses his job in finance, he stays calm. Something will come along, and in the meantime, they can live off their savings. But Faiza starts to unravel. Raising the perfect family comes at a cost – and the money Tom put aside has gone. When Tom’s redundancy package ends, Faiza will have to tell him she’s spent it all.
Unless she doesn’t…
It only takes a second to lie to Tom. Now Faiza has six weeks to find £75,000 before her lie spirals out of control. If anyone can do it, Faiza can: she’s had to fight for what she has, and she’ll fight to keep it. But as the clock ticks down, and Faiza desperately tries to put things right, she has to ask herself: how much more should she sacrifice to protect her family?
A tense, funny and page-turning debut from a fresh new voice in fiction, Would I Lie to You? is perfect for readers of Adele Parks, Celeste Ng, and Kiley Reid.
Title : Would I Lie To You? Author : Aliya Ali-Afzal Format : Hardback Page Count : 416 Genre : Contemporary Fiction Publisher : Head of Zeus Release Date : July 8, 2021
Reviewer : Micky Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★
Micky’s 4 star review
Headlines: A house of cards Spiral of lies Social pressures
What a angsty read this was. Would I Lie To You plunged you into the privileged life of Faiza, Tom and their family. That privilege soon turned to difficulty in a spate of difficult life turns that brought the spotlight to all the things Faiza had been brushing under the carpet and hiding.
I have to say there were times I found the spiriling descent of Faiza’s desperation to cover things up pretty anxiety-provoking but I couldn’t look away. These changes in their family’s life was accompanied by a backdrop of social pressures, school tuition fees, older parents and job hunting.
Faiza was a character that in some ways was hard to like, but she had endearing characteristics that made you want to see her claw her way out of this hole she’d dug. There were events and experiences that she encountered with regards to her race and gender that were simply awful to read.
I would classify this as a women’s fiction/contemporary read that was sometimes suspenseful. The plot had depth and complexity and the characters were very well honed. If you’re looking for a read that keeps your attention with good pace, Would I Lie To You will meet your needs; it’s an impressive debut.
Thank you to Head of Zeus for the early review copy.
Based on a viral article, 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act is the essential guide to understanding the legal document and its repercussion on generations of Indigenous Peoples, written by a leading cultural sensitivity trainer.
Since its creation in 1876, the Indian Act has shaped, controlled, and constrained the lives and opportunities of Indigenous Peoples, and is at the root of many enduring stereotypes. Bob Joseph’s book comes at a key time in the reconciliation process, when awareness from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities is at a crescendo. Joseph explains how Indigenous Peoples can step out from under the Indian Act and return to self-government, self-determination, and self-reliance—and why doing so would result in a better country for every Canadian. He dissects the complex issues around truth and reconciliation, and clearly demonstrates why learning about the Indian Act’s cruel, enduring legacy is essential for the country to move toward true reconciliation.
Title : 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a Reality Author : Bob Joseph Format : eBook (overdrive) Page Count : 201 Genre : non-fiction Publisher : Indigenous Relations Press Release Date : April 10, 2018
Reviewer : Hollis Rating : unrated
Hollis’ unrated review
I don’t rate non-fiction but if I did this would get five stars. This was never going to be a comfortable experience but the way this guide was broken down, the way it made the policies and regulations easy to understand, and then how that related in the moment, and the impacts (both then and now), was done so well. It felt like the perfect way to begin this journey of learning, understanding, and reconciliation; because this is far from the end of it.
The tragic reality is that what should have been a positive and respectful code of conduct degenerated over time into one in which government policies led to cultural genocide, assimilation, theft of land, denial of treaty and constitutional rights, racism, and increasingly punitive laws meant to control every aspect of the lives and deaths of the original inhabitants of what is now Canadian territory.
This history (which is not actually history but still ongoing) is horrible, upsetting, and in some cases absolutely diabolical. Watching it unfold, seeing how these regulations were put in place and modified or amended when it suited, was just.. stunning. As in I was stunned stupid by it. Reading the chapter(s) on the residential schools would’ve been horrible at any point but is especially awful in light of the discoveries from the past few weeks. Which just goes back to my point that this isn’t historical; we are living it even now.
Aboriginal Peoples have preserved their identities under adverse conditions. They have safeguarded their traditions during many decades when non-Aboriginal officials attempted to regulate every aspect of their lives.
This should be required reading for every Canadian currently living on this land but also for everyone beyond. Highly recommend you pick this up and I hope to have many more recommendations for you as I discover them myself.
A Take from Two Cities 