Fly With Me

by: Addie Burke

Why am I stoked for this release?

Lesbians.

I know it looks like I don’t read a lot of romances. I used to read a ton in high school (granted, they were mostly fan fiction, but it’s still reading and it counts).

I do get in a mood where I do want romance, it’s just not one I tend to gravitate towards very often. I’m stoked for this one because it’ll be opposites attract and fake dating, which are fun tropes for me.

While You Were Out

by: Meg Kissinger

Why am I stoked for this release?

As someone who deals with mental illness on a daily basis, I’m always interested in reading about others. I read my first memoir about mental illness last month and this one is about a whole family and their battles.

I’m also interested in the history of mental illness medicine and how it was treated in the past. This memoir talks about the 60’s, which was a time people still didn’t talked about their mental struggles. My generation talks pretty constantly about it now, with dark humor, but that wasn’t a thing even 20 years ago.

This will be nonfiction I’m stoked to read so I can get a better understanding about an older generation.

Others Were Emeralds

by: Lang Leav

Why am I stoked for this release?

I’ve been reading a lot of historical fiction of Asian-Americans lately. This title caught my eye because it’s about an Asian immigrant in Australia in the 90’s. Ai tries to overcome a traumatic racist event while also battling a mental health crisis.

I’m obviously familiar with the treatment of immigrants here in America. I’m not so much educated in their treatment in Australia, so I’m stoked for this title to help broaden my perspective on this subject.

What You Are Looking For Is In the Library

by: Michiko Aoyama

Why am I stoked for this release?

Firstly, we’re going to just look at this cover. There’s a cat and a stack of books on it- if you didn’t think that didn’t catch my attention, then you don’t know my that well.

Secondly, the title, What You Are Looking For Is In the Library. I’m a librarian. Anything about libraries is always going to catch my attention.

Japanese literature knows how to capture the human experience and when I read it, it always makes me feel seen and understood.

This is marketed as a look at the magic of libraries, friendship and community and for fans of The Midnight Library so I’m all about this.

Hush Harbor

by: Anise Vance

Why am I stoked for this release?

This novel starts with something we all know too well: an unarmed black man is shot and killed by police. This causes an uprising from citizens.

This is set in a dystopian society but it sounds like this is going to be very close to our own reality. It’s also promises a pretty fast pace, compelling plot with the revolution fighting against white supremacists.

I’m sure it’s going to be an intense read, but I’m pretty stoked.

Mascot

by: Charles Waters & Traci Sorell

Why am I stoked for this release?

This is a middle grade, novel in verse, which I have been eating up and loving lately.

Mascot is about six middle schoolers who get involve in the issue of whether or not their school should change their mascot. The suburb gets turned upside down as arguments get ugly.

There are multiple viewpoints in this novel and I’m stoked to see how it is written. It’s a pretty well known topic as well and the author is of the Cherokee Nation (Traci Sorell) and I’m stoked to see how this is written.

The Second Chance Hotel

by: Sierra Godfrey

Why am I stoked for this release?

Another romance, Alisha? Really?

Yes.

Just because I have to be in a very specific mood in order to want to read a romance, it doesn’t mean I’m against them completely.

This one is a trope of accidental husband in Greece and now you’ve got a hotel to run together. Classic.

The Vaster Wilds

by: Lauren Groff

Why am I stoked for this release?

This is another historical fiction that caught my eye.

What’s it about you ask?

A servant girl escapes an early colonial settlement in America after a famine strikes. She’s only got a few possessions and her wits to survive.

Guys, I’m all for this. Historical fiction in a time I haven’t read much of. A girl who’s probably going to turn into a badass while she runs around nature. And, though I haven’t read any of Lauren Groff’s previous novels, I’ve heard nothing but good things of their writing.

The Meadows

by: Stephanie Oakes

Why am I stoked for this release?

Okay, I got this one off of BookishFirst (a really awesome website where I first got started in reviewing book in exchange for a copy of the title). This is being marketed as “a queer, YA Handmaid’s Tale meets Never Let Me Go”.

It’s speculative fiction with lesbians.

Duh I’m in.

Eagle Drums

by: Nasugraq Rainy Hopson

Why am I stoked for this release?

This is a magical realism middle grade novel about the origin story of the Iñupiaq (Alaskan Native American Tribe) Messenger Feast, a Native Alaskan tradition.

I love reading Indigenous Voices and learning about their cultures and mythologies. This book is aimed at middle grade readers and though I’m obviously quite past that reading level, I love reading these stories in both what I wish I had as a kid and what I’m happy for kids to have now.

Starter Villian

by: John Scalzi

Why am I stoked for this release?

Okay, but like, don’t tell me the cover of this did not just catch your attention.

The premise of this book is your dead uncle leaves you his supervillain business that comes with computer-savvy, managerial cats.

Cats could absolutely take over the world… if they wanted to.

I’m stoked to see them as villains.

Red Rabbit

by: Alex Grecian

Why am I stoked for this release?

So, this is to at least start in Kansas (which is where I grew up, so I do have a little soft spot for it), and it’s a horror western with a ragtag group of Witch Hunters.

Again, not my usual go to, but I’ve read some weirdly premised books with unique genres before, so let’s do this!

North Woods

by: Daniel Mason

Why am I stoked for this release?

I think I mentioned this last month, but I do like books where the setting never really changes: it’s a neighborhood throughout a decade, or a family house that’s had 7 generations through it. I don’t know, kind of makes it special.

This one is about a single house in the woods of New England and all of its inhabitants throughout the years.

It sounds like I’m going to fall in love with a cabin in the woods.

The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic

by: Breanne Randall

Why am I stoked for this release?

This is yet another romance, but it’s witchy!

This is said to be for fans of Practical Magic and Gilmore Girls – I’m not a crazy fan of either, but I have enjoyed both so I’m looking forward to it. Plus, it’s also saying it’s a “warm, witchy novel” and I think that’s going to get me right in the mood for fall.

The Salvation Gambit

by: Emily Skrutskie

Why am I stoked for this release?

This is to be about a crew of con women whose last big con goes so terribly wrong, they end up as inmates in a prison run by a crazy AI.

Y’all – a group of con women!

That’s all that needed to be said to about this for me okay?

The author is also highly spoken of and this would be the first novel of theirs that I’ve read and I’m pretty stoked.

Time to Shine

by: Rachel Reid

Why am I stoked for this release?

I know. I know. Another romance?!

But this has gays! I absolutely love the gay romance of Red, White & Royal Blue and I hold a lot of gay romance up to that. But, I have pretty high hopes for this title.

It’s also hockey and that’s not a sport I see to much of (unless it’s Fredrick Backman).

I may not get to this one until closer to winter (I think it is more of a Christmas-y vibe to it), but that doesn’t make me less stoked for it’s release.