#BookMail: Week of October 27

I’m so excited about this stack of bookmail I received last week! I got my October Fairyloot and Illumicrate books and they’ve both got sprayed edges and are going to look *fabulous* on my shelves.

Thank you to all of the wonderful publishers who sent along these beauties!

(from the top of the stack to the bottom)

Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles

The blurb on the back of this ARC described this book as “Moulin Rouge meets Phantom of the Opera” and I couldn’t be more sold.

In a city covered in ice and ruin, a group of magicians face off in a daring game of magical feats to find the next headliner of the Conquering Circus, only to find themselves under the threat of an unseen danger striking behind the scenes.

As each act becomes more and more risky and the number of missing magicians piles up, three are forced to reckon with their secrets before the darkness comes for them next.

Goodreads synopsis

Tentative pub date: June 2, 2020 by Wednesday Books

Supernova by Marissa Meyer

The epic conclusion to Marissa Meyer’s thrilling Renegades Trilogy finds Nova and Adrian struggling to keep their secret identities concealed while the battle rages on between their alter egos, their allies, and their greatest fears come to life. Secrets, lies, and betrayals are revealed as anarchy once again threatens to reclaim Gatlon City.

Goodreads Synopsis

Tentative pub date: November 5, 2019 by Feiwel & Friends

Becoming RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Journey to Justice by Debbie Levy, Whitney Gardner

Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a modern feminist icon—a leader in the fight for equal treatment of girls and women in society and the workplace. She blazed trails to the peaks of the male-centric worlds of education and law, where women had rarely risen before.

Goodreads Synopsis

Tentative pub date: November 5, 2019 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

The Secrets of Love Story Bridge by Phaedra Patrick

It’s summer in the city and passions are soaring along with the temperature—for everyone but Mitchell Fisher, who hates all things romance. He relishes his job cutting off the padlocks that couples fasten to the famous “love story” bridge. Only his young daughter, Poppy, knows that behind his prickly veneer, Mitchell still grieves the loss of her mother.

Goodreads Synopsis

Tentative pub date: April 28, 2020 by Park Row

Perfect Little Children by Sophie Hannah

All Beth has to do is drive her son to his soccer game, watch him play, and then return home. Just because she knows her ex-best friend lives near the field, that doesn’t mean she has to drive past her house and try to catch a glimpse of her. Why would Beth do that and risk dredging up painful memories? She hasn’t seen Flora for twelve years. She doesn’t want to see her today—or ever again. But she can’t resist. She parks outside the open gates of Newnham House, watches from across the road as Flora arrives and calls to her children Thomas and Emily to get out of the car.

Except . . . There’s something terribly wrong. Flora looks the same, only older. Twelve years ago, Thomas and Emily were five and three years old. Today, they look precisely as they did then. They are Thomas and Emily without a doubt, but they haven’t changed at all. They are no taller, no older. Why haven’t they grown? How is it possible that they haven’t grown up?

Goodreads Synopsis

Tentative pub date: February 4, 2020 by William Morrow

The Silent Treatment by Abbie Greaves

By all appearances, Frank and Maggie share a happy, loving marriage. But for the past six months, they have not spoken. Not a sentence, not a single word. Maggie isn’t sure what, exactly, provoked Frank’s silence, though she has a few ideas. Then Frank finds Maggie collapsed in the kitchen, unconscious, an empty package of sleeping pills on the table. Rushed to the hospital, she is placed in a medically induced coma while the doctors assess the damage. If she regains consciousness, Maggie may never be the same. Though he is overwhelmed at the thought of losing his wife, will Frank be able to find his voice once again—and explain his withdrawal—or is it too late?

Goodreads Synopsis

Tentative pub date: April 7, 2020 by William Morrow

The Glass Magician by Caroline Stevermer

What if you could turn into the animal of your heart anytime you want?With such power, you’d enter the cream of New York society, guaranteed a rich life among the Vanderbilts and Astors, movers and shakers who all have the magical talent and own the nation on the cusp of a new century.
You could. If you were a Trader. Pity you’re not.

Goodreads Synopsis

Tentative pub date: April 7, 2020 by Tor Books

Inexpressible Island by Paulina Simons

Julian has lost everything he ever loved and is almost out of time. His life and death struggle against fate offers him one last chance to do the impossible and save the woman to whom he is permanently bound. Together, Julian and Josephine must wage war against the relentless dark force that threatens to destroy them. This fight will take everything they have and everything they are as they try once more to give each other their unfinished lives back.

Goodreads Synopsis

Tentative pub date: November 19, 2029 by HarperCollins

I Met Marie Lu!

Last Thursday I had the privilege of moderated my THIRD author event at the Red Balloon Bookshop in St. Paul. And this time I got to chat with the one, the only Marie Lu!

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Thank you to Macmillan and Angela at RBB for thinking of me! I’ve been so blessed to meet and talk with amazing authors this year.

REVIEW: Capturing the Devil, Kerri Maniscalco (September 10, 2019)

“Come forth and enter if you dare. Come and live freely. Welcome to Chicago.”

The 411: Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell have made it to America and their first stop is the Chicago World Fair. But trouble cannot just leave them alone. A string of gruesome murders and disappearances leads Audrey Rose, Thomas and Uncle to jump on the case. And as they run into old friends along the way, Audrey Rose realizes that she might be closer to discovering the killer’s identity than she thought.

Thank you JIMMY PATTERSON presents for sending me a beautiful finished copy and swag 🙂


So, some background just in case you didn’t know – CAPTURING THE DEVIL is the fourth and final book in Maniscalco’s STALKING JACK THE RIPPER series. The series began with (you guessed it) STALKING JACK THE RIPPER (2016), HUNTING PRINCE DRACULA (2017) and ESCAPING FROM HOUDINI (2018). The premise begins with our heroine, Audrey Rose Wadsworth, who defies the expectations of her wealthy upbringing and choses to spend her time with her Uncle, who works with forensic and mortuary science. But when they begin seeing in influx of corpses, they begin to fear that there is a serial killer in their midst. Audrey Rose’s adventures with Uncle and everyone’s book boyfriend, Thomas Cresswell, take them across Europe and even overseas. All four books are historical, gothic YA fiction novels from JIMMY PATTERSON presents.

Now unlike many, STALKING JACK THE RIPPER didn’t knock me off my feet. The story was interesting enough and I loved Audrey Rose and Thomas, but I wasn’t completely sold on continuing with the series. But I am sooooo glad that I decided to read HUNTING PRINCE DRACULA and then the rest of the series. I liked each book incrementally more and CAPTURING THE DEVIL was my absolute favorite of the four.

ENTERING SPOILER TERRITORY

The only thing that felt slightly contrived was the conflict between Thomas and Audrey Rose. Would it have changed the story if they successfully got married at the beginning of the book? No. Just cut down on some drama and sexual tension. But it just seemed (to me) like an unnecessary plot point. However, I did enjoy the #GIRLPOWER moment when Audrey Rose refused to be the “other woman” in this scenario and passed up the opportunity to still be with Thomas if he was forced to marry his betrothed.


MY RATING: ✰✰✰✰

COVER REVEAL! Being Good by Sagan Morrow

Please keep in mind that this is not a review or recommendation – I have not read the book and this is solely for promotional purposes.

Hi all! Are you looking to add a contemporary romance to your TBRs? Being Good by Sagan Morrow hits shelves October 15 and I have the cover to share with you!

book 5-3

SYNOPSIS:

It’s not always easy to follow your own rules…

Helen is ecstatic that her fiancé, Ben, has agreed to “open” their upcoming marriage. They’ve outlined the new rules of their relationship and are finally on the same page to embark on an ethically non-monogamous adventure together.

One of the most important rules? You can look at other people, but you can’t touch… at least, not until after the wedding.

But it’s harder than Helen expected to stick to that particular rule when she can’t stop drooling over their wedding photographer! And what’s more, she doesn’t even know if the photographer feels the same way about her.

Will she be able to wait patiently until after the wedding to make her move?

Book 5 graphic

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sagan Morrow has a degree in Rhetoric, Writing & Communications, with a decade of experience as a businesswoman, blogger, and copywriter across a variety of industries. Based in Winnipeg, Canada, Sagan is a hobbyist burlesque dancer and identifies as polyamorous. Sagan has authored several business books and teaches online courses to empower new freelancers as they grow their own successful businesses. The Polyamorous Passions series is her first foray into fiction.

SaganMorrow.com | hello@saganmorrow.com | @Saganlives on Twitter & Instagram

Early EdZooCation with the Minnesota Zoo and Wild Rumpus Bookstore

Hi all! Today I’m super excited to be talking THE NOCTURNALS: THE CHESTNUT CHALLENGE, the latest children’s book from Tracey Hecht. She will be visiting Minnesota next week and leading a featured activity at the Early EdZooCation Event at the Minnesota Zoo and will have a reading and book discussion event at the Wild Rumpus Bookstore that evening.

Excerpt from The Nocturnals: The Chestnut Challenge

THE NOCTURNALS: THE CHESTNUT CHALLENGE, written by Tracey Hecht and illustrated by Josie Yee (on-sale: April 23, 2019), is part of a series for children aged 5-7 that teaches compassion and understanding through the silly adventures of lovable nocturnal creatures. The Nocturnals series features three unlikely animal friends and has teamwork, friendship, and humor in every adventure.  The American Booksellers Association chose the first book in this middle grade series, The Mysterious Abductions, as a Kids’ Indie Next List pick.

Author Tracey Hecht

About the Author: Tracey Hecht, founder of Fabled Films, is a writer and entrepreneur who has written, directed, and produced for film. Fabled Films brings together her passions and interests: writing, creativity, teamwork, and entrepreneurship. When she isn’t writing and managing a business, she can be found hiking, reading, or spending time with her family. Tracey currently splits her time between New York City and Oquossoc, Maine, with her husband, four children and puppy, Penny.

Event Details!

Early EdZooCation Day at the Minnesota Zoo: May 21, 2019 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Non-Members $9.00/child*
Members $3.00/child*
One free adult with each five paid students
Additional adults $12.00 each
Parking $10/bus, $7/car
Register here

Nocturnals Pajama Party at Wild Rumpus Bookstore: May 21, 2019 at 6 p.m. Put on your PJ’s and head to Wild Rumpus for a pajama party with Tracey Hecht, author of The Nocturnals middle grade and early readers series! Get to know Dawn, (fox and leader of The Nocturnals trio), Bismark (sugar glider), and Tobin (pangolin) from their first adventure to their newest stories, The Hidden Kingdom and The Chestnut Challenge.

#AsianLitBingo 2019

Happy May Day, all! I’m super excited to reveal that I will be a host for LitCelebrAsian’s #AsianLitBingo this month. This is a month-long reading challenge that encourages readers to support Asian authors, especially #ownvoices books.

For those who may not be aware, May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month in the United States. Here is some background on the challenge from LitCelebrAsian:

In publishing, there are power dynamics in play that marginalize Asian authors, especially those who write Asian characters and draw from their heritage for their writing. In the context of publishing in countries where white people are the majority/dominant group, diaspora Asians in those countries have a hard time breaking into publishing.

In a more global context, Asian writers in Asia have a hard to reaching a wider market beyond regional publishing due to their perceived foreignness, plus a general lack of infrastructure for translations for those that don’t write in English (and many do write in English). There are also double standards in the industry that facilitate publication for white authors writing Asian[-inspired] characters/settings/stories while Asian writers who write from the place of a cultural insider are often told their stories are “too Asian” or “not Asian enough.” For this reason, we feel it is especially important to highlight #ownvoices Asian stories, where the authors share the heritage of the characters they write about.

Here is the bingo board, I will be completing the middle row 🙂

Now for the good stuff: the books I will be reading. You can see my sad attempt at a bookstagram at the top of this post and here are some more deets:

Science Fiction/Fantasy with Asian Main Character: Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she’ll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There’s just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.

Historical Fiction with Asian Main Character: The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey

Bombay, 1921: Perveen Mistry, the daughter of a respected Zoroastrian family, has just joined her father’s law firm, becoming one of the first female lawyers in India. Armed with a legal education from Oxford, Perveen also has a tragic personal history that makes her especially devoted to championing and protecting women’s rights. 

Free Space: Wicked Fox by Kat Cho

Eighteen-year-old Gu Miyoung has a secret–she’s a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox who must devour the energy of men in order to survive. Because so few believe in the old tales anymore, and with so many evil men no one will miss, the modern city of Seoul is the perfect place to hide and hunt. But after feeding one full moon, Miyoung crosses paths with Jihoon, a human boy, being attacked by a goblin deep in the forest. Against her better judgment, she violates the rules of survival to rescue the boy, losing her fox bead–her gumiho soul–in the process.

Retelling with Asian Main Character: A Thousand Beginnings and Endings, edited by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman

Star-crossed lovers, meddling immortals, feigned identities, battles of wits, and dire warnings. These are the stuff of fairy tale, myth, and folklore that have drawn us in for centuries. Fifteen bestselling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate. 

Contemporary with Asian Main Character: A Match Made in Mehendi by Nandini Bajpai

Fifteen-year-old Simran “Simi” Sangha comes from a long line of Indian vichole-matchmakers-with a rich history for helping parents find good matches for their grown children. When Simi accidentally sets up her cousin and a soon-to-be lawyer, her family is thrilled that she has the “gift.” But Simi is an artist, and she doesn’t want to have anything to do with relationships, helicopter parents, and family drama. That is, until she realizes this might be just the thing to improve her and her best friend Noah’s social status. Armed with her family’s ancient guide to finding love, Simi starts a matchmaking service-via an app, of course.