It’s a slightly quieter week this week, possibly because so many publishers are gearing up for a whole AVALANCHE of releases in August! But that doesn’t mean there’s no books to look forward to this week!
Representation: Characters of Colour, F/F, Disability
on 28th July 2020
Genres: Science Fantasy
The greatest dangers hide the brightest treasures in this bold, planet-hopping science fiction adventure series.
The crew of the legendary Capricious may have gone legitimate, but they're still on the run.
With devastatingly powerful enemies in pursuit and family and friends under attack planetside, Nilah and Boots struggle to piece together rumors of an ancient technology that could lead to victory.
Ensnared by the legend of Origin, humanity's birthplace, and a long-dead form of magic, the Capricious takes off on a journey to find the first colony ship...and magic that could bring down gods.
AT LAST – THE CONCLUDING BOOK OF THE SALVAGERS TRILOGY!!! I’ve been waiting for this for so long – Alex White’s amazing fantasy-scifi series is a brilliant mix-up of the best of both genres, with a diverse cast and saving-the-universe stakes. I wouldn’t jump in without having read the previous two books, but if you haven’t read them yet, now’s the time!
on 28th July 2020
Deal with the Devil is Orphan Black meets the post-apocalyptic Avengers by USA Today and New York Times bestselling author duo Kit Rocha.
Nina is an information broker with a mission--she and her team of mercenary librarians use their knowledge to save the hopeless in a crumbling America.
Knox is the bitter, battle-weary captain of the Silver Devils. His squad of supersoldiers went AWOL to avoid slaughtering innocents, and now he's fighting to survive.
They're on a deadly collision course, and the passion that flares between them only makes it more dangerous. They could burn down the world, destroying each other in the process...
Or they could do the impossible: team up.
This is the first book in a near-future science fiction series with elements of romance.
Mercenary librarians!!! I mean. Do you really need to hear anything else? Because that’s all I need to know to be sold.
on 28th July 2020
Genres: Sci Fi
Children of Men meets The Handmaid's Tale in this "bowstring-taut, visceral, and incredibly timely" thriller about how far a mother will go to protect her son from a hostile world transformed by the absence of men.
Most of the men are dead. Three years after the pandemic known as The Manfall, governments still hold and life continues -- but a world run by women isn't always a better place.
Twelve-year-old Miles is one of the last boys alive, and his mother, Cole, will protect him at all costs. On the run after a horrific act of violence-and pursued by Cole's own ruthless sister, Billie -- all Cole wants is to raise her kid somewhere he won't be preyed on as a reproductive resource or a sex object or a stand-in son. Someplace like home.
To get there, Cole and Miles must journey across a changed America in disguise as mother and daughter. From a military base in Seattle to a luxury bunker, from an anarchist commune in Salt Lake City to a roaming cult that's all too ready to see Miles as the answer to their prayers, the two race to stay ahead at every step . . . even as Billie and her sinister crew draw closer.
A sharply feminist, high-stakes thriller from award-winning author Lauren Beukes, Afterland brilliantly blends psychological suspense, American noir, and science fiction into an adventure all its own -- and perfect for our times.
I’ve always been interested in spec-fic that turns the patriarchy upside-down, so Afterland has been on my radar for a while. I’m especially interested because of that ‘but a world run by women isn’t always a better place.‘ part of the blurb. One of my favourite books, The Power by Naomi Alderman, was pretty much the embodiment of that concept – and Afterland sounds like a very different set-up, but I’m still excited for it!
on 28th July 2020
Genres: Urban Fantasy
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina meets The Craft when modern witches must save teens stolen by an ancient demon in this YA fantasy-thriller debut.
Dan and Liss are witches. The Black Book granted them that power. Harnessing that power feels good, especially when everything in their lives makes them feel powerless.
During a spell gone wrong, Liss's boyfriend is snatched away by an evil entity and presumed dead. Dan and Liss's friendship dies that night, too. How can they practice magic after the darkness that they conjured?
Months later, Liss discovers that her boyfriend is alive, trapped underground in the grips of an ancient force. She must save him, and she needs Dan and the power of The Black Book to do so. Dan is quickly sucked back into Liss's orbit and pushes away her best friend, Alexa. But Alexa has some big secrets she's hiding and her own unique magical disaster to deal with.
When another teenager disappears, the girls know it's no coincidence. What greedy magic have they awakened? And what does it want with these teens it has stolen?
Set in the atmospheric wilds of California's northern coast, Sasha Laurens's thrilling debut novel is about the complications of friendship, how to take back power, and how to embrace the darkness that lives within us all.
Don’t you just love that cover??? I love that cover. I’m not 100% sure I’ll be reading this, but it’s definitely on by tbr.
Representation: F/F
on 28th July 2020
When Agatha Griffin finds a colony of bees in her warehouse, it’s the not-so-perfect ending to a not-so-perfect week. Busy trying to keep her printing business afloat amidst rising taxes and the suppression of radical printers like her son, the last thing the widow wants is to be the victim of a thousand bees. But when a beautiful beekeeper arrives to take care of the pests, Agatha may be in danger of being stung by something far more dangerous…
Penelope Flood exists between two worlds in her small seaside town, the society of rich landowners and the tradesfolk. Soon, tensions boil over when the formerly exiled Queen arrives on England’s shores—and when Penelope’s long-absent husband returns to Melliton, she once again finds herself torn, between her burgeoning love for Agatha and her loyalty to the man who once gave her refuge.
As Penelope finally discovers her true place, Agatha must learn to accept the changing world in front of her. But will these longing hearts settle for a safe but stale existence or will they learn to fight for the future they most desire?
Not spec-fic??? Say it isn’t so! But it IS so – this is the second book of the F/F historical fiction series Feminine Pursuits, standalone stories of lovely ladies loving each other in the 18th century. (I think??? It might be early 1900s, I’m always mixing those two up). This series needs a lot more attention, so it definitely warrants a spot on this list! You can bet I’ll be curling up with it right after I finish devouring Worst of All Possible Worlds!
Representation: Biracial MC
on 31st July 2020
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Return to the world of Rivers of London in this first short story collection from bestselling author, Ben Aaronovitch. Tales from the Folly is a carefully curated collection that gathers together previously published stories and brand new tales in the same place for the first time.
Each tale features a new introduction from the author, filled with insight and anecdote offering the reader a deeper exploration into this absorbing fictional world. This is a must read for any Rivers of London fan.Join Peter, Nightingale, Abigail, Agent Reynolds and Tobias Winter for a series of perfectly portioned tales. Discover what’s haunting a lonely motorway service station, who still wanders the shelves of a popular London bookshop, and what exactly happened to the River Lugg…
With an introduction from internationally bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series, Charlaine Harris.
This collection includes:
The Home Crowd Advantage
The Domestic
The Cockpit
The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Granny
King of The Rats
A Rare Book of Cunning Device
A Dedicated Follower of Fashion
Favourite Uncle
Vanessa Sommer’s Other Christmas List
Three Rivers, Two Husbands and a Baby
Moments One-Three
The Rivers of London series is one of my very favourites – I reread the whole thing every year! And now they’re finally collecting the short stories – which have been scattered all over the place – into one volume for easy perusal! This is another one I can promise I’ll be reading – I’m really happy to be able to revist this universe while waiting for the next installment in the series!
Will you be reading any of these? Did I miss any of this week’s releases? Let me know!
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