Notable Releases: 3/11-3/17

Here are the notable releases from this past week that are on my radar:

MG/YA

Tyranny of Petticoats vol. 2: The Radical Element by various authors

A Tyranny of Petticoats was a really fun collection of short stories a few years ago. I can't wait to read this new collection.

Chaotic Good by Whitney Gardner

I adored Gardner's book from last year: You're Welcome, Universe. This one looks just as good. It's taking on the geek world and the double standards we female geeks face from male geeks. I hope it calls out just as much bs as Gardner's last book did. Because as a female geek, let me tell you: there's a lot of bs in geek culture. A lot.

Illuminae Files Book 3: Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Conclusion to a series that I have a deep fondness for. If you haven't read this series, seriously do so.








Adult Fiction

Laura and Emma by Kate Greathead

Interesting looking debut that is giving me slight Gilmore Girls vibes.

The Red Word by Sarah Henstra

This one is promising talk about rape culture and how extremism helps no one and all sorts of interesting and relevant topics. How the author handles things seems to be a mixed bag though. So I'll see how this one goes.

The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror by Mallory Ortberg

Short story collection that is retellings of fairy tales. Which we all know: is my thing.

The Parking Lot Attendant by Nafkote Tamirat

Interesting looking debut. I'm ignoring the low Goodreads ratings, personally. As I've said before: they are to be taken with a grain of salt because Goodreads reviews...can be very iffy sometimes.







Non-Fiction

Not My White Savior: A Memoir in Poems by Julayne Lee

Keeping an eye out for this one. I am working my way through poetry still, and am not quite comfortable reviewing anything yet beyond: I liked this bit here. Which is why there haven't been any poetry reviews this year. I have been reading them...I'm just still not sure what to look for in poems, yet.

Notable Releases: 3/4-3/10

Here are the releases that are on my radar for the past week. March 6th was a big release day, so there are quite a lot of books here.

MG/YA

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

A contemporary about a girl who finds her voice through slam poetry. I've been working my way through poetry this year (haven't reviewed it on here, because I'm honestly not sure how to review poetry yet). So this kind of looks relevant to my interests right now.

Legacy of Orisha Book 1: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

One of my most anticipated debuts of the year. I hope this breaks the meh fantasy debut streak problem that I've been having this past year.

Charlotte Holmes 3: The Case For Jamie by Brittany Cavallaro

When it comes to gender-flipped Sherlock Holmes, I recommend this series. The author takes a well known trope (gender-flipping a popular character. There have been lots of gender-flipped versions of Holmes over the years) and puts a fresh unique twist to it. It is great. After the twist of the last book, I can't wait to get to the third one.

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

Another debut fantasy that I'm hoping breaks the meh YA fantasy streak. I don't have much luck with mermaid books, but this one is a Little Mermaid retelling with a dark twist. I have to give that a look.

Of FIre and Stars: Inkmistress by Audrey Coulthurst

Companion book to Of Fire and Stars. Deals with different characters, but is set in the same universe. I cannot wait. Oh, and it looks like we're getting a sequel to Of Fire and Stars next year!

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

I love books about witches. This one is promising Hocus Pocus vibes. It also reminds me a bit of a trio of Fear Street books that R. L. Stine did called the Cataluna Chronicles. I'm all over this book.

Rebel of the Sands Book 3: Hero at the Fall by Alwyn Hamilton

I admit, I wasn't terribly impressed with Rebel of the Sands. To me it was an average fantasy with a different setting. But then the second book happened. And suddenly this average fantasy became a great fantasy. I hope the third book takes that further and it becomes even better.

The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk

Looks like a heart-renching contemporary along the lines of Adam Silvera. I've been all about these kinds of books lately for some reason....








Adult Fiction

Rainbirds Clarissa Goenawan

First off: look at that gorgeous cover. But most importantly: the story sounds good. Brother learns estranged sister is dead. Brother goes and tries to find out why she was killed. All in a small town in Japan. Sounds like my kind of thing.

Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala

LGBT contemporary that has been getting some buzz.

The Last Equation of Isaac Severy: A Novel in Clues by Nova Jacobs

This is being billed as a "literary thriller" which...yeah I hate when people try to put literary in front of a genre to try and make it seem smart or whatever. But I'm still giving it a chance, because mystery. But seriously publishers, stop with the literary fantasy or literary mystery or literary YA nonsense. I don't care if something is literary. I just want it to be an interesting story.

Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao

Literary fiction debut about a female friendship and issues that women face today. Sounds like it could be good.








Non-Fiction

Broad Band: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the Internet by Claire L. Evans

I love hidden history non-fictions stuff.

Ask Me About My Uterus: A Quest to Make Doctors Believe in Women's Pain by Abby Norman

If you are a woman, you've very likely had a doctor at some point tell you something along the lines of "oh, that's nothing. You don't have to worry about that." Or just out right dismissal when you try to explain to them that something is wrong with your body. This book goes into that issue and it looks like it's going to be interesting (and probably infuriating).

The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote by Elaine Weiss

Good book for Women's History Month. A look at how we got the right to vote (at least the right for white women).

Notable Releases: 2/25-3/3

Here are the releases from this past week that are on my radar. Note: there was no notable releases from last week, because honestly there weren't that many releases that week I was excited for, aside from one or two non-fiction books.

MG/YA

All Out: The No Longer Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages by various authors

Yes, my friends, a short story collection featuring lgbtq characters in historical fiction stories. Dreams do come true. After this, how about one with fantasy/sci-fi settings? Please, please, please?

A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena

Contemporary debut that I've been hearing good things about.

Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond Book 1: The Serpent's Secret by Sayantani DasGupta

I'm really pumped for this one, guys. It's a middle-grade adventure book featuring a demon-slaying girl finding out family secrets when her parents are kidnapped and she's swept off into a magical world. This is my kind of book in so many ways.

Tess of the Road Book 1 by Rachel Hartman

New Rachel Hartman book! And it takes place in the same world as Seraphina! ;does a happy geek dance;

Daughter of the Pirate King Book 2: Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller

Daughter of the Pirate Queen was one of the few fantasy debuts from last year that really stood out to me. I'm looking forward to its sequel.

Where I Live by Brenda Rufener

Looks like an intense contemporary dealing with abuse, homelessness, and a couple of other things.








Non-Fiction

How I Resist: Activism and Hope for the Next Generation by various authors

Essays from various YA authors about activism and how you can help.

In Praise of Difficult Women: Life Lessons From 29 Heroines Who Dared to Break the Rules by Karen Karbo

Looks like this could be fun.

Don't Call Me a Princess: Essays on Girls, Women, Sex, and Life by Peggy Orenstein

We'll....see how this one goes. I'm all for essays about girls and calling out sexist stuff, but that title reeks of shaming feminine things and I'm not here for that. You can call out sexist things without shaming people who like girly things.

Notable Releases: 2/11-2/17

Here are the notable releases from last week that are on my radar:

MG/YA

Honor Among Thieves Book 1 by Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre

Looks like a Fireflyish YA sci-fi series. I'm totally up for that. Both of these authors can be a little hit or miss with me though, so I'm keeping expectations in check.

Witchlands series: Sightwitch by Susan Dennard

I am so thrilled that people are finally discovering Susan Dennard. If you all haven't yet, read her zombie steampunk series. It's awesome.

The Precious Dreadful by Steven Parlato

The summary of this gives me a lot of pause (juggling two guys with potential? Ugh. YA, I thought you all had realized love triangles are not cool anymore), but I can't resist a girl sees ghosts story.

When Light Left Us by Leah Thomas

Summary of this intrigues me. I've never read the author before so we'll see how this goes.








Adult Fiction

White Houses by Amy Bloom

Interesting looking historical fiction novel about Eleanor Roosevelt and her relationship with a female journalist..

Olympus Bound Book 3: Olympus Bound by Jordanna Max Brodsky

Last, I think, book in this series about the greek gods still living among us. The last book left off in quite a place, I can't wait to see how this all comes together.

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

Debut that has been getting a lot of buzz.

Sadness is a White Bird by Moriel Rothman-Zecher

Debut that is also getting some buzz.









Graphic Novels

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

Cute looking fairy-taleish graphic novel that I've been hearing really good things about.

Notable Releases: 2/4-2/10

Here are this past week's notable releases that are on my radar. Brace yourself, there are a LOT this week.

MG/YA

Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi

Looks like a possibly cute contemporary romance. I've heard mixed things, so we'll see how it goes.

American Panda by Gloria Chao

Another cute sounding contemporary romance. It's giving me slight The Sun is Also a Star vibes but with less angst/sadness and I'm all for that.

The Belles Book 1: The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

One of the big releases of the week for me anyway. Everything about this book just speaks to me. I can't wait to get my hands on it.

Your One and Only by Adrianne Finlay

Interesting looking sci-fi book.

Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia

Interesting looking contemporary romance.

The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza by Shaun David Hutchinson

Hutchinson is basically an auto-read for me now. His books are just so weird but they work so well for me. So I'm up for basically anything he does.

Winterfolk by Janel Kolby

Interesting looking contemporary. It's promising magical realism shenanigans, which we all know I have issues with. But maybe it'll be that one out of ten magical realism books that I wind up liking.

Numair Chronicles Book 1: Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce

FINALLY you guys! FINALLY! I admit, I do still wish this was the Tess at magic school book or the Maura of Dunlath books that Pierce has talked about instead...but at this point, I'm taking whatever Tortall/Circle of Magic books I can get.

The Queen's Rising Book 1 by Rebecca Ross

New fantasy series I'll give a shot because I'm a sucker for a fantasy series.









Adult Fiction

The House of Impossible Beauties by Joseph Cassara

LGBT literary fiction book. I'll be honest, it has a teenage MC so I'm a little confused about why this isn't in the YA section. But whatever. I've given up on why publishers put certain books in sections when they are clearly YA or MG.

How to Stop Time by Matt Haig

Time travel romance that frankly reminds me a lot of the plot from the Tempest Trilogy but I'll still give it a look. Apparently this has already been optioned for a movie and Cumberbatch has been tapped to play the lead. So chances are we're going to see a lot of this book in the future.

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Confession: I still have not read The Nightingale. ;ducks into bushes;

Call Me Zebra by Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi

Literature release I've been seeing pop up on a lot of must-read of the month lists.








Non-Fiction

Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boy's Club of Silicon Valley by Emily Chang

Looks pretty relevant to what's going on right now. I have no doubt this will cause a lot of male tears.

Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship by Kayleen Schaffer

Looks like an interesting social commentary book. I've been all about these lately.

Slutever: Dispatches From a Sexually Autonomous Woman in a Post-Shame World by Karley Sciortino

Essay collection/biography memoir that sounds like it might be along the lines of Sex Object and I'm all for that.

Feel Free: Essays by Zadie Smith

I have decided that this is the year I'm going to sit and read Zadie Smith. I already have Swing Time checked out from the library. It's happening folks.