Release Week: 2 August 2022
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Release Week: 2 August 2022
Posted on 2022-08-02 at 12:00 by Samuel Montgomery-Blinn
PICKS:
The Book Eaters By: Sunyi Dean, read by Katie Erich for Macmillan -- "Out on the Yorkshire Moors lives a secret line of people for whom books are food, and who retain all of a book's content after eating it. To them, spy novels are a peppery snack; romance novels are sweet and delicious. Eating a map can help them remember destinations, and children, when they misbehave, are forced to eat dry, musty pages from dictionaries. Devon is part of The Family, an old and reclusive clan of book eaters. Her brothers grow up feasting on stories of valor and adventure, and Devon—like all other book eater women—is raised on a carefully curated diet of fairytales and cautionary stories. But real life doesn't always come with happy endings, as Devon learns when her son is born with a rare and darker kind of hunger—not for books, but for human minds."
The Devil Takes You Home: A Novel By: Gabino Iglesias, read by Jean-Marc Berne for Mulholland -- "Buried in debt due to his young daughter’s illness, his marriage at the brink, Mario reluctantly takes a job as a hitman, surprising himself with his proclivity for violence. After tragedy destroys the life he knew, Mario agrees to one final job: hijack a cartel’s cash shipment before it reaches Mexico. Along with an old friend and a cartel-insider named Juanca, Mario sets off on the near-suicidal mission, which will leave him with either a cool $200,000 or a bullet in the skull. But the path to reward or ruin is never as straight as it seems. As the three complicated men travel through the endless landscape of Texas, across the border and back, their hidden motivations are laid bare alongside nightmarish encounters that defy explanation."
The Last White Man: A Novel By: Mohsin Hamid, read by the author for Penguin -- "One morning, a man wakes up to find himself transformed. Overnight, Anders’s skin has turned dark, and the reflection in the mirror seems a stranger to him. At first he shares his secret only with Oona, an old friend turned new lover. Soon, reports of similar events begin to surface. Across the land, people are awakening in new incarnations, uncertain how their neighbors, friends, and family will greet them."
Our Wives Under the Sea By: Julia Armfield, read by Annabel Baldwin, Robyn Holdaway for Dreamscape -- "Leah is changed. Months earlier, she left for a routine expedition, only this time her submarine sank to the sea floor. When she finally surfaces and returns home, her wife Miri knows that something is wrong. Barely eating and lost in her thoughts, Leah rotates between rooms in their apartment, running the taps morning and night. As Miri searches for answers, desperate to understand what happened below the water, she must face the possibility that the woman she loves is slipping from her grasp."
Mercury Pictures Presents: A Novel By: Anthony Marra, read by Carlotta Brentan for Random House -- "The epic tale of a brilliant woman who must reinvent herself to survive, moving from Mussolini’s Italy to 1940s Los Angeles—a timeless story of love, deceit, and sacrifice from the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of A Constellation of Vital Phenomena."
Calling for a Blanket Dance By: Oscar Hokeah, read by the author and Rainy Fields for Algonquin -- "A moving and deeply engaging debut novel about a young Native American man finding strength in his familial identity, from a stellar new voice in fiction."
Small Angels: A Novel By: Lauren Owen, read by Daphne Kouma, Tamsin Kennard, Rebecca Lee, and Eleanor Yates for Random House -- "In a hypnotic tale of sisterhood, first love, and hauntings, a wedding in a small English village stirs up unsettling magic and forces a troubled family’s secrets out into the open."
The Wild Hunt By: Emma Seckel, read by Ruth Urquhart for HighBridge -- "Leigh Welles has not set foot in on the island in years, but when she finds herself called home from a disappointing life on the Scottish mainland by her father's unexpected death, she is determined to forget the sorrows of the past—her mother's abandonment, her brother's icy distance, the unspeakable tragedy of World War II—and start fresh. Fellow islander Iain MacTavish, a RAF veteran with his eyes on the sky and his head in the past, is also in desperate need of a new beginning. A young widower, Iain struggles to return to the normal life he knew before the war. But this October is anything but normal. This October, the sluagh are restless."
Face By: Joma West, read by Patricia Santomasso, André Santana for Macmillan -- "Margaret Atwood meets Kazuo Ishiguro in this sci-fi domestic drama that reimagines race and class in a genetically engineered society fed by performative fame."
40 By: Alan Heathcock, read by Julia Atwood for Blackstone -- "In a future America ravaged by natural disaster, pandemic, and political unrest, a fundamentalist faction emerges. As the Novae Terrae gain power, enticing civilians with bread and circuses, a civil war breaks out between its members and the US government. Mazzy Goodwin, a young soldier, only wants to find her little sister, Ava Lynn. One day, she wakes in a bomb crater to find wings emerged from her back. Has she died? Been gifted wings by God? Undergone a military experiment? The world sees a miracle. Mazzy is coaxed into seeing it as an opportunity: to become the angel-like figurehead of the revolution, in return for being reunited with her sister."
Shutter By: Ramona Emerson, read by Charley Flyte for Recorded Books -- "Rita Todacheene is a forensic photographer working for the Albuquerque police force. Her excellent photography skills have cracked many cases—she is almost supernaturally good at capturing details. In fact, Rita has been hiding a secret: she sees the ghosts of crime victims who point her toward the clues that other investigators overlook."
Thank You for Listening: A Novel By: Julia Whelan, read by the author for Harper -- "From the author of My Oxford Year, Whelan’s uplifting novel tells the story of a former actress turned successful audiobook narrator—who has lost sight of her dreams after a tragic accident—and her journey of self-discovery, love, and acceptance when she agrees to narrate one last romance novel."
Eversion By: Alastair Reynolds, read by Harry Myers for Orbit -- "From the master of the space opera comes a dark, mind-bending adventure spread across time and space, where Doctor Silas Coade is tasked with keeping his crew safe as they adventure across the galaxy in search of a mysterious artifact."
Kismet: A Thriller By: Amina Akhtar, read by Dilshad Vadsaria, Kimberly Woods, Rhett Samuel Price for Brilliance -- "Lifelong New Yorker Ronnie Khan never thought she’d leave Queens. She’s not an “aim high, dream big” person - until she meets socialite wellness guru Marley Dewhurst. Marley isn’t just a visionary; she’s a revelation. Seduced by the fever dream of finding her best self, Ronnie makes for the desert mountains of Sedona, Arizona. Healing yoga, transcendent hikes, epic juice cleanses...Ronnie consumes her new bougie existence like a fine wine. But is it, really? Or is this whole self-care business a little sour? When the glam gurus around town start turning up gruesomely murdered, Ronnie has her answer: all is not well in wellness town."
Embers on the Wind By: Lisa Williamson Rosenberg, read by Karole Foreman for Brilliance -- "The past and the present converge in this enthralling, serpentine tale of women connected by motherhood, slavery’s legacy, and histories that span centuries."
Why Solange Matters By: Stephanie Phillips, read by Dede Davi for OrangeSky -- "Growing up in the shadow of her superstar sister, Solange Knowles became a pivotal musician in her own right. Defying an industry that attempted to bend her to its rigid image of a Black woman, Solange continually experimented with her sound and embarked on a metamorphosis in her art that continues to this day."
Camp Scare By: Delilah S. Dawson, read by Cassandra Morris for Listening Library -- "An eerie, twisty ghost story about twelve-year-old Parker, who only wanted a summer of fun and new friendship at sleepaway camp, but ends up finding a nightmare instead."
SERIES SPOTLIGHT:
- Dragons of Deceit: Dragonlance Destinies: Volume 1 By: Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, read by Kirsten Potter for Random House -- "Destina Rosethorn—as her name implies—believes herself to be a favored child of destiny. But when her father dies in the War of the Lance, she watches her carefully constructed world come crashing down. She loses not only her beloved father but also the legacy he has left her: the family lands and castle. To save her father, she hatches a bold plan—to go back in time and prevent his death. First, she has to secure the Device of Time Journeying, last known to be in the possession of the spirited kender Tasslehoff Burrfoot."
SERIES WATCH:
Fault Tolerance: A Novel By: Valerie Valdes, read by Almarie Guerra for Harper -- "From the author of the critically acclaimed Prime Deceptions and Chilling Effect, the hilarious new novel about the adventures of Captain Eva Innocente and the crew of La Sirena Negra."
Sword of Ghosts: Legends of the Dragonrealm By: Richard A. Knaak, read by Joshua Saxon for Hydra -- "The City of Knowledge lies conquered, its longtime ruler, the Gryphon, now in exile as the Aramites continue their quest to finally extend their mastery to the Dragonrealm."
Noble Roots: Spells, Swords, & Stealth, Book 5 By: Drew Hayes, read by Roger Wayne for Tantor -- "For generations, nobles have gathered at a scenic estate once per year to compete. What transpires there is spoken of only in rumors, save for the prizes. Potent, powerful, and precious; the winners are said to receive a gift from magic itself."
Junkyard Ghost Ship: Junkyard Pirate, Book 6 By: Jamie McFarlane, read by Mikael Naramore -- "A flying saucer's crash-landing is just the beginning of a race against time to save innocent aliens from a devious plot."
MORE SCI-FI and FANTASY:
Convergence: Convergence, Book 1 By: Craig Alanson, read by R.C. Bray for Podium -- "My name is Kazimir Wolfe. People call me "Kaz", except they don’t. I never use my real name; it’s too dangerous, for me and for anyone I meet. I’m on the run from the law, who think I killed my aunt, and from whoever did kill her, because they want to finish the job. So, I move around a lot, working construction or whatever job I can find. It’s a lonely life. I don’t let anyone get close...people who get close to me end up dead. Why? I’m a wizard. The world’s only wizard, as far as I know. I don’t have a wand or a sword, and I don’t ride a dragon. I carry a Glock, and drive around in a beat-up RV with a talking dog. Yeah. The talking dog was a surprise to me, too. Duke is inhabited by the spirit of a 3,000-year-old wizard from Babylon, and he’s a good dog, but he is still a dog, and that’s a problem. Like, he still thinks squirrels are his mortal enemy. And that I don’t feed him enough. How did the spirit of a wizard reach across millennia, to our time? I don’t know. The truth is, I’m not much of a wizard, because there’s not much magic in the world for me to work with. But there used to be magic. And magic is coming back as our world converges with the Nether. Unless I can stop it."
A Broken Blade: The Halfling Saga By: Melissa Blair, read by Kyla Garcia for Blackstone -- "Keera is a killer. As the King’s Blade, she is the most talented spy in the kingdom. And the king’s favored assassin. When a mysterious figure moves against the Crown, Keera is called upon to hunt down the so-called Shadow. She tracks her target into the magical lands of the Fae, but Faeland is not what it seems—and neither is the Shadow. Keera is shocked by what she learns and can’t help but wonder who her enemy truly is: the King that destroyed her people or the Shadow that threatens the peace. As she searches for answers, Keera is haunted by a promise she made long ago, one that will test her in every way. To keep her word, Keera must not only save herself but an entire kingdom."
When the Dust Fell By: Marshall Ross, read by Tara Marie Kirk for Tantor -- "When Sarah Long gets the message that her sister is alive and needs rescuing, she packs a bag with survival gear, loads a coat with six kinds of weapons, and hopes her pregnancy won't slow her down. It's been three years since the ancient, city-sized ship was discovered. And three years since it turned half the planet into deserts of black dust. Sarah's treacherous journey will cross continents and an ocean, as well as the lines between Earther and Alien, friend and foe. The dangers, though, go beyond the brutal reality of the lawless world she travels. For the last three years the mysterious ship has been Sarah's home. And she knows its powers. And there are those who will do absolutely anything to get them."
Prodigals By: Alan Dean Foster, read by Fred Berman for Podium -- "The galaxy is vast, and not everything is what it seems. The invasion we always feared is here. This begs the question: what do the invaders fear? If not us, then what…or who? What happens to the would-be peacemakers when they find themselves in the middle of something else? Something dangerous, something highly advanced...and something familiar? If humanity is wise, we will prepare for everything we can imagine. But we cannot prepare for what we cannot imagine. It might be benign, it might be malign, or it might be a sign. You just have to know where to look."
Signal Moon: A Short Story By: Kate Quinn, read by Saskia Maarleveld and Andrew Gibson for Audible Originals -- "Yorkshire, 1943. Lily Baines, a bright young debutante increasingly ground down by an endless war, has traded in her white gloves for a set of headphones. It’s her job to intercept enemy naval communications and send them to Bletchley Park for decryption. One night, she picks up a transmission that isn’t code at all—it’s a cry for help. An American ship is taking heavy fire in the North Atlantic—but no one else has reported an attack, and the information relayed by the young US officer, Matt Jackson, seems all wrong. The contact that Lily has made on the other end of the radio channel says it’s…2023. Across an eighty-year gap, Lily and Matt must find a way to help each other: Matt to convince her that the war she’s fighting can still be won, and Lily to help him stave off the war to come. As their connection grows stronger, they both know there’s no telling when time will run out on their inexplicable link."
BACKLIST WATCH:
The Krytos Trap: Star Wars Legends: Rogue Squadron By: Michael A. Stackpole (1996), read by Marc Thompson for Random House -- "The brave pilots of Rogue Squadron face the impossible as the sinister Ysanne Isard wreaks havoc on a fragile Coruscant."
Shadow Hunter: Star Wars Legends: Darth Maul By: Michael Reaves (2001), read by Sam Witwer for Random House -- "After years of waiting in the shadows, Darth Sidious is taking the first step in his master plan to bring the Republic to its knees. Key to his scheme are the Neimoidians of the Trade Federation. Then one of his Neimoidian contacts disappears, and Sidious does not need his Force-honed instincts to suspect betrayal. He orders his apprentice, Darth Maul, to hunt the traitor down. But he is too late. The secret has already passed into the hands of information broker Lorn Pavan, which places him right at the top of Darth Maul’s hit list. Then, in the labyrinthine alleyways and sewers of Coruscant, capital city of the Republic, Lorn crosses paths with Darsha Assant, a Jedi Padawan on a mission to earn her Knighthood. Now the future of the Republic depends on Darsha and Lorn. But how can an untried Jedi and an ordinary man, stranger to the powerful ways of the Force, hope to triumph over one of the deadliest killers in the galaxy?"
The Great Hunt: Book Two of 'The Wheel of Time' By: Robert Jordan, read by Rosamund Pike for Macmillan -- "Pike returns with an outstanding narration of The Great Hunt, Book Two of the Wheel of Time, now an original series on Prime Video, starring Rosamund as Moiraine."
MOST MISSING:
Real Sugar is Hard to Find: Stories by Sim Kern (Android Press) -- "... explores intersections of climate change, reproductive justice, queer identities, and family trauma. Whether fantasy, science fiction, or terrifyingly close-to-home, the worlds of these stories are inhabited by flawed characters whose lives are profoundly impacted by climate change and environmental degradation. Arranged in a progression from dystopian to utopian worlds, the stories chart a path from climate despair towards resilience and revolutionary optimism. Even in the bleakest of futures, however, Kern offers reasons to hope, connect, and keep fighting for a better world."
The Leaves of a Necronomicon edited by Joseph S. Pulver, Sr. (Chaosium) -- "The Necronomicon. For centuries, scholars of the occult have sought out the darkly fabled tome, hoping to gain insight into the secret workings of the universe—or unbridled power. Instead, the book rewards their pursuit with madness and devastation. Under the guidance of Shirley Jackson Award-winning editor Joseph S. Pulver, Sr., The Leaves of a Necronomicon traces the impact of a single copy of the mysterious work on its owners and those around them as it passes from hand to hand across the decades. The history is told in braided novel form, with chapters contributed by a gathering of outstanding horror and dark fantasy authors, including S. P. Miskowski, Michael Cisco, Damien Angelica Walters, Nick Mamatas, Anna Tambour, and Jeffrey Thomas."
Trouble Walked In by Mike Kupari (Baen) -- "Cassandra Blake, an employee for the Ascension Planetary Holdings Group—the largest and most powerful corporation in Nova Columbia—has gone missing. And her sister wants to know why. When questions need answering on Nova Columbia, Detective Ezekiel “Easy” Novak is the man folks turn to. But what begins as a routine missing person case quickly turns into something much bigger and more sinister, with implications that could affect the entire planet. It seems Cassandra wasn’t just investigating her employer. She had uncovered a secret effort to excavate and exploit an ancient alien artifact known only as The Seraph. Soon, Easy finds himself trying to unravel a conspiracy that may implicate not only Ascension but the highest echelons of the Terran Confederation itself."
Ha! Even at my peak I wasn't getting to more than 4 a week. :)
Downpour has Horror:
https://www.downpour.com/genre-horror
Audible has Literature and Fiction - Horror:
https://www.audible.com/cat/Literature-Fiction/Horror-Audiobooks/18574490011
Ah - I hadn't pored through this week's Horror releases yet when you replied, I did add a few that looked good to my 'picks' list.
Ha no worries! I know I overlook a lot of romance, too.