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ladybusinessThe first quarter of the year has come and gone and it's time for the second quarter, where book releases start picking up speed as we approach the event horizon of book release season in September, from which there is no return once you start down the path of adding books to your reading list (practice safe book adding, pals). I'm always running a bit behind because I do most of my reading from the library (ilu library!) but even though I may have to wait for some of these, I am excited for these books!
The House of Binding Thorns by Aliette de Bodard — I liked the first novel in this series, The House of Shattered Wings, but wow did it ever end on a cliffhanger. The first book was full of complicated, somewhat unlikeable characters you still wanted to root for, anyway. The world was so grim and hope for the future hard to grasp and hold, but the way the world is described is still beautiful. I got a Langoliers vibe from it (everything is beautiful—even the dead things). I'm excited to see what happens next!
Off Rock by Kieran Shea — Okay, I'm both intrigued and dubious about this book (the blurb talks about how a dude's ex is his boss and describes them as a "flame" which makes my brain klaxons want to whir), BUT it's about heists and has a team up so I'm willing to give it a shot because heists IN SPACE.
So You Want to be a Robot and Other Stories by A. Merc Rustad — Jodie brought this author to my attention with her review of "How to Become a Robot in 12 Easy Steps", but I never went deeper into their writing. Now there's this great-looking collection coming out. The cover is so pretty!
Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner — Well, a year of unbridled excitement from Ana about this series means I'm excited to see what kind of story Turner will tell in this universe next. This sequel has been at least five years in the making, but I've only recently caught up on the previous books so I get to enjoy it without waiting half a decade. But mainly I'm reading it so I can have context for when Ana explodes everywhere from excitement. I'll be prepared!
The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South by John T. Edge — I'm a big fan of food. When Beyoncé released Formation, a few opinion pieces emerged talking about a specific line: I got hot sauce in my bag / swag and what this meant in the context of Southern cuisine and Beyoncé claiming her Southern roots. Most the pieces were by black writers and they were fascinating; I wanted to read more about this perspective but The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African-American Culinary History in the Old South by Michael W. Twitty keeps getting moved and I have no clue when I'll get to read it. This book looks promising, too, and will tide me over while I wait for the other one.
River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey — Alternate history set in Louisiana? Check. Hippos? Check. Hippo wranglers? Check. I don't even know, pals, this premise is BANANAS in the best way and I can't wait to read it.
The Space Between the Stars by Anne Corlett — When I first discovered this book, it was early enough for there to be no cover and no description besides "woman is stranded far from Earth when a plague kills everyone! BUT THEN HEARS A RADIO MESSAGE FROM EARTH." The updated blurb is a little more forthcoming but that's the general premise and it sounds pretty exciting.
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson — Tyson has a lot of books (when does he find time to do all this literary stuff, holy moly), but when I saw this one I knew it was time to jump in. This seems like a good introduction point and it's also pretty short so I suspect it'll be more like an overview and give me some good ideas about where to go next on this topic, kind of like how I read a book on asteroids and now I want to read all about Giuseppe Piazzi and the nonsense he had to put up with from his science bros because they were too impatient and also, unsupportive jerks.
Come Sundown by Nora Roberts — Well, this is a brand new Nora Roberts book which means I'll be there on release day because Nostalgia.
The Evaporation of Sofi Snow by Mary Weber — I am Tempted by the idea of an Ice Planet that is also somehow a spaceship? I mean. That's not what the blurb says but otherwise how would an Ice Planet ARRIVE somewhere??? Also, interspecies politics!
Cormorant Run by Lilith Saintcrow — I just want to read cool stories about cool ladies doing cool stuff and the blurb for this basically flashes in neon letters "POSSIBLY COOL LADIES DOING COOL STUFF." I've only read one book by Lilith Saintcrow. It was about fairies and also the writing was not my bag because of the fairy stuff (Shakespeare on speed), so I'm going to give her another try.
Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab — This was the book I had some brilliant thoughts on but lost due to someone replacing every thought in my head with dicks due to their Jokes. I've never recovered. Those brilliant thoughts are lost forever. On plus side, I'll get to have new brilliant thoughts about the sequel and this time I will not get distracted by dick jokes. Well. Maybe.
Those are (some of) the books I'm excited for in the second quarter of 2017. Some are already out, like The House of Binding Thorns! What do you have on your anticipated list for the next few months?
The House of Binding Thorns by Aliette de Bodard — I liked the first novel in this series, The House of Shattered Wings, but wow did it ever end on a cliffhanger. The first book was full of complicated, somewhat unlikeable characters you still wanted to root for, anyway. The world was so grim and hope for the future hard to grasp and hold, but the way the world is described is still beautiful. I got a Langoliers vibe from it (everything is beautiful—even the dead things). I'm excited to see what happens next!
Off Rock by Kieran Shea — Okay, I'm both intrigued and dubious about this book (the blurb talks about how a dude's ex is his boss and describes them as a "flame" which makes my brain klaxons want to whir), BUT it's about heists and has a team up so I'm willing to give it a shot because heists IN SPACE.
So You Want to be a Robot and Other Stories by A. Merc Rustad — Jodie brought this author to my attention with her review of "How to Become a Robot in 12 Easy Steps", but I never went deeper into their writing. Now there's this great-looking collection coming out. The cover is so pretty!
Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner — Well, a year of unbridled excitement from Ana about this series means I'm excited to see what kind of story Turner will tell in this universe next. This sequel has been at least five years in the making, but I've only recently caught up on the previous books so I get to enjoy it without waiting half a decade. But mainly I'm reading it so I can have context for when Ana explodes everywhere from excitement. I'll be prepared!
The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South by John T. Edge — I'm a big fan of food. When Beyoncé released Formation, a few opinion pieces emerged talking about a specific line: I got hot sauce in my bag / swag and what this meant in the context of Southern cuisine and Beyoncé claiming her Southern roots. Most the pieces were by black writers and they were fascinating; I wanted to read more about this perspective but The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African-American Culinary History in the Old South by Michael W. Twitty keeps getting moved and I have no clue when I'll get to read it. This book looks promising, too, and will tide me over while I wait for the other one.
River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey — Alternate history set in Louisiana? Check. Hippos? Check. Hippo wranglers? Check. I don't even know, pals, this premise is BANANAS in the best way and I can't wait to read it.
The Space Between the Stars by Anne Corlett — When I first discovered this book, it was early enough for there to be no cover and no description besides "woman is stranded far from Earth when a plague kills everyone! BUT THEN HEARS A RADIO MESSAGE FROM EARTH." The updated blurb is a little more forthcoming but that's the general premise and it sounds pretty exciting.
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson — Tyson has a lot of books (when does he find time to do all this literary stuff, holy moly), but when I saw this one I knew it was time to jump in. This seems like a good introduction point and it's also pretty short so I suspect it'll be more like an overview and give me some good ideas about where to go next on this topic, kind of like how I read a book on asteroids and now I want to read all about Giuseppe Piazzi and the nonsense he had to put up with from his science bros because they were too impatient and also, unsupportive jerks.
Come Sundown by Nora Roberts — Well, this is a brand new Nora Roberts book which means I'll be there on release day because Nostalgia.
The Evaporation of Sofi Snow by Mary Weber — I am Tempted by the idea of an Ice Planet that is also somehow a spaceship? I mean. That's not what the blurb says but otherwise how would an Ice Planet ARRIVE somewhere??? Also, interspecies politics!
Cormorant Run by Lilith Saintcrow — I just want to read cool stories about cool ladies doing cool stuff and the blurb for this basically flashes in neon letters "POSSIBLY COOL LADIES DOING COOL STUFF." I've only read one book by Lilith Saintcrow. It was about fairies and also the writing was not my bag because of the fairy stuff (Shakespeare on speed), so I'm going to give her another try.
Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab — This was the book I had some brilliant thoughts on but lost due to someone replacing every thought in my head with dicks due to their Jokes. I've never recovered. Those brilliant thoughts are lost forever. On plus side, I'll get to have new brilliant thoughts about the sequel and this time I will not get distracted by dick jokes. Well. Maybe.
Those are (some of) the books I'm excited for in the second quarter of 2017. Some are already out, like The House of Binding Thorns! What do you have on your anticipated list for the next few months?
no subject
Date: 2017-04-10 04:41 pm (UTC)And then there's the second volume of Monstress, which I've been waiting for since reading volume 1, my Christmas gift to myself.
(But I also bought paperbacks of the first two volumes of Megan Whalen Turner after all the buzz about the new volume...)
no subject
Date: 2017-04-10 05:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-10 06:05 pm (UTC)Monstress vol. 2 is gonna be worth it! I read in issue and it's SO good. I'm hoping that they'll do like they do with Saga and release the super rad hardcover trades so I can invest in those instead of the single volumes, since it feels weird to read in issue and also buy the regular trade. XD
no subject
Date: 2017-04-10 06:22 pm (UTC)I liked but didn't love the previous Code Name Verity sequels. But they are all well-worth reading, her Arthurian books are amazing and Code Name Verity itself is a masterpiece that destroys someone's heart.
no subject
Date: 2017-04-11 07:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-12 09:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-10 05:58 pm (UTC)I've read one book by Lilith Saintcrow, The Marked, which I enjoyed, so would be interested in reading another by her.
no subject
Date: 2017-04-10 06:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-04-12 09:50 pm (UTC)I am also very into this hippos book.
And House of Binding Thorns is very good indeed.
no subject
Date: 2017-04-17 08:56 pm (UTC)My library has The House of Binding Thorns so as soon as it's no longer a new book I can read it. :D