But as of today, this is my plan. After compiling this, I’m fighting with myself about what to read next…too many good options. I probably can’t (well, shouldn’t try for my own santiy, anyway) start all of them tomorrow. But I sort of want to.
Trade of Blood
by Robert Jackson Bennett
The heir to one of the Empire’s most powerful families sits in jail, accused of murder. His hands are covered in the victim’s blood, and he can neither deny his guilt nor explain his actions.
But if the great detective Ana Dolabra cannot save him from the noose, the farming canton of Sapirdad will explode into war, threatening to plunge the whole Empire into starvation and chaos.
As Ana investigates—her assistant Dinios Kol, as ever, acting as her eyes and ears—she fears her task is even more daunting than it seemed. For this murder is just the latest in a deeper, subtler web of death, woven by a mastermind with an ancient weapon at his disposal.
With their customary skill, Ana and Din pursue their adversary through the canton’s wild ranges, sprawling ranches, and reeking slaughterhouses. Yet even they are not prepared to learn the horrifying secret behind their opponent’s powers.
I’ve been eagerly awaiting this third book about Ana Dolabra and Dinios Kol since March or April of last year — approximately 1 day after finishing the previous book. This is almost certain to make a Top 10 list for the year for me.
Eyes of Empire
by JCM Berne
A baby dreadnought is terrorizing two star systems. A new wormhole has been opened, a new planetary system revealed, populated by a strange and impossible race. A mad god is on the loose. The il’Drach have destroyed an entire planet, and are on their way to Wistful. Rohan just wants a peaceful day of work and a decent cup of coffee. But if he doesn’t handle the dangers facing his friends, his system, and his sector of the galaxy, who will? And if he DOES . . . what price will he pay?
Another book that I’ll likely be talking about for months to come is the fifth book in Berne’s Hybrid Helix series. I really don’t understand why I’m behind on this series–time for me to remedy that.
Detained: A boy’s journal of survival and resilience
by D. Esperanza and Gerardo Iván Morales
David Esperanza was just thirteen years old when he lost his caregivers, his beloved grandmother and uncle. Since both of his parents were working and living in the United States, David was left on his own in a small town in Honduras. He quickly realized he simply could not make enough money to survive so he made the difficult decision to head north with his cousins and hopefully reunite with his parents in el norte.
Together, the boys struggled to survive a long and treacherous journey through Central America and Mexico. Along the way, David and his cousins formed a deep bond, only for the four to be brutally separated at the border of the United States. When he is captured and processed at a facility, neither David nor his family are given an update on when he will be released or where he’ll go next. Over the next five months, he kept a journal of his experience. The pages tell a story of pain, cruelty, friendship, and resilience, a living testament to the reality of the border. Amidst the senseless inhumanity and violence of US immigration policy, David found hope in the friendship he and his fellow companions forged, and mentorship from one intrepid advocate who fought on his behalf named Gerardo Iván Morales.
Timely, powerful, and unforgettable, Detained brings the border crisis to vivid life.
A local bookstore used this to raise some funds for a charity earlier this year, now that I have it, I might as well give it a read, right?
Killer Vibes
by Jack Friday
Meet Peter Key: self-proclaimed “laziest private investigator in Texas” (it’s harder than it looks), unapologetic bisexual, dedicated stoner, and the surprised recipient of a windfall inheritance from an uncle he barely knew. Peter’s life was a mess before, but now— as the owner of a dilapidated house in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Austin—he has a mountain of debt to deal with and pressure to sell from every side.
But Peter doesn’t like to be pushed around. And when he discovers a bag full of cash, he starts to suspect his uncle’s death wasn’t an accident. He soon finds himself pulled into a lethal game where not everybody plays by the rules.
Fortunately, Peter’s never been good at following rules.
When I saw this on NetGalley, it just looked like plenty of fun, so I requested it. It still does. Hope I’m right.
A Murder Most Fungal
by Adrian M. Gibson
The knives are out in this fast-paced, standalone Fungalverse novel. Set several months after the events of the award-winning Mushroom Blues, this side story combines the culinary wonder of Jiro Dreams of Sushi, the kitchen chaos of The Bear, and the explosive tension of Hong Kong crime thrillers.
In the aftermath of the "Fuyu Massacre," riots and whispers of revolution continue to plague the Hōpponese capital of Neo Kinoko. As a result, the iron grip of a foreign military occupation tightens day by day. Amidst this, Pocho Jiro, a once-renowned makizushi chef, has chosen to cook for Duncan MacArthur-the Coprinian Military Governor in Hōppon-as his personal chef... and indentured servant.
A run-in with dangerous fungal gangsters sets off a chain of events that Pocho cannot escape from. He's left with two choices: Assassinate MacArthur, or watch his beloved sister die in front of his eyes. Will Pocho take up his knife and prepare MacArthur's final meal?
I took too long to read Mushroom Blues, I’m not repeating that mistake with Gibson’s second book.
Murder by Design
by Lee Goldberg
Edison Bixby is wealthy, handsome, and, due to a traumatic brain injury, impulsively rude. He's also a brilliant insurance investigator who solves baffling crimes by figuring out how the design of the man-made world around us makes them possible. Enter Wally Nash: a struggling actor hired to keep Bixby from offending everyone he meets.
Their first case together looks like a simple accident. Caroline Crowley took a nasty fall down a staircase at a shopping mall in front of dozens of witnesses. Video clearly shows the deadly misstep. But Bixby is certain she was murdered by design, subtly manipulated into causing her own demise. The mall itself made the crime intentional, if not inevitable.
Now Bixby must prove his outrageous theory before a very cunning killer gets others on his hit list to murder themselves, too.
A new series from Goldberg featuring his twist on the Sherlock/Watson-type duo sounds like a very pleasant way to spend a day or two.
First Mage on the Moon
by Cameron Johnston
Ella Pickering is drowning in debt. Once a Unity skymage trained to make aerial supply runs in the great war with the Ranneas Empire, following a crash she now uses a wheelchair and works gruelling shifts making magical weapons in the Unity workshops, thinking of better days.
One night Ella witnesses an experiment by engineer Jackan Grissom go awry. His device morphs into a crude rocket blasting skywards before falling into the war’s spell-ravaged No Man’s Land. But this inspires a dangerous dream: could such a device reach the moon – the forbidden home of the gods? Could they go and beg them to stop the war?
They will need help, but as more folk get involved in their blasphemous plot, can they keep it under wraps? Can magic get them to the moon? Or will their heresy lead them to the gallows?
After The Last Shield, I knew I wanted to read more by Johnston, but before I had a chance to pick up a back catalogue item, here comes this mix of magic and a rocket to the moon? Come on…how could I resist?
The Left Hand of Darkness
by Ursula K. Le Guin
A lone human ambassador is sent to the icebound planet of Winter, a world without sexual prejudice, where the inhabitants’ gender is fluid. His goal is to facilitate Winter’s inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the strange, intriguing culture he encounters...
Embracing the aspects of psychology, society, and human emotion on an alien world, The Left Hand of Darkness stands as a landmark achievement in the annals of intellectual science fiction.
I know utterly nothing about this–I really didn’t even skim what I quoted above. It’s a book club pick later this month, I’ve only heard good things about Le Guin in general, and–just this week–allysonyj urged me to read it. I’m expecting good things.
True Romance: A Noir Antholog
edited by Troy Lambert & Vincent Zandri
In True Romance: A Noir Anthology, passion isn't red roses and candlelight. Instead, it's obsession, betrayal, revenge, and the kind of desire that leaves bodies in its wake. Collected and Edited by Troy Lambert and Vincent Zandri, this dark and razor-sharp collection gathers some of the most compelling voices in crime fiction, including Reed Farrel Coleman, Charles Salzberg, Paul D. Brazill, Frank Zafiro, Scott Kikkawa, Danica Favorite, Lawrence Kelter, Rebelry Stone, Samantha Ripley, J.E. Fishman, and more. Inside these pages, you'll find:
- A philosophy professor who turns deadly revenge into an intellectual exercise.
- A society wife framed for her husband's murder in a web of mob politics and betrayal.
- Lovers whose secrets rot beneath polished exteriors.
- Killers who mistake lust for loyalty-and pay the price.
Lambert has yet to disappoint with what I’ve read by him, I imagine he and his partner put together a great line-up for this book. Brazill and Coleman are evidence of that. This’ll be good–and likely disturbing, too.
School’s First Day of School
by Adam Rex, illustrated by Christian Robinson
It's the first day of school at Frederick Douglass Elementary and everyone's just a little bit nervous, especially the school itself. What will the children do once they come? Will they like the school? Will they be nice to him?
The school has a rough start, but as the day goes on, he soon recovers when he sees that he's not the only one going through first-day jitters.
This delightful back-to-school picture book told from the POV of the school is a great read-aloud, and perfect for readers of all ages.
That last sentence sums up my expectations a “back-to-school picture book told from the POV of the school” almost has to be delightful.
The Patient
by Tim Sullivan, read by Finlay Robertson
Introducing your new crime thriller fix: Bristol detective DS George Cross, champion of the outsider, the voiceless and the dispossessed. DS George Cross can be rude, difficult, and awkward with people. But his unfailing logic and dogged pursuit of the truth means his conviction rate is the best on the force. An outsider himself, having been diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorder, DS Cross is especially drawn to cases concerning the voiceless and the dispossessed. Now, Cross is untangling the truth about a young woman who died three days ago. With no fingerprints, no weapon and no witnesses, the Bristol Crime Unit are ready to close the case. The coroner rules suicide: the woman had a long history of drug abuse. But her mother is convinced it was murder: her daughter has been clean and sober for over two years. DS Cross is determined to defy his bosses and re-open the case, even if it costs him his career. Soon he is mired in a labyrinth of potential suspects – but can he solve the case before his superiors shut it down for good?
Let’s see if the third DS Cross book lives up to the first’s promise. Or, if it sticks with the solid level of book two. Either way, I’m going to enjoy myself.
Asteroid Savage
by Thomas Trang
On the Red Planet, oxygen is free. The truth will cost you everything. Rosa Lakhani is a legendary Martian investigator, known as the "Ripper" for her uncompromising tactics and high-end clearance rate. She's investigating a wave of terrorist attacks on Mars when her partner is nearly killed by a bomb meant for her. With the help of an AI system built by her comatose partner, Rosa ignores her bosses and keeps chasing the money that’s funding the attacks, leading her all the way up the political food chain. It also leads her to Parrish, an underworld fixer from the asteroid belt, or "savage," posing as a corporate lawyer on Mars to extract a dying informant who knows the dark truth about the Mars Terraforming Initiative. These two natural enemies must forge an uneasy alliance as they uncover evidence of corruption that will shake the entire solar system — something the most powerful interests on Mars will do anything to keep hidden. Rosa vows to bring them down, but Parrish might just be convinced to help them bury it . . . for the right price.
A gritty detective vs. organized crime novel–on Mars? How am I not going to have a blast with this.
The Lies of the Ajungo
by Moses Ose Utomi
They say there is no water in the City of Lies. They say there are no heroes in the City of Lies. They say there are no friends beyond the City of Lies. But would you believe what they say in the City of Lies?
In the City of Lies, they cut out your tongue when you turn thirteen, to appease the terrifying Ajungo Empire and make sure it continues sending water. Tutu will be thirteen in three days, but his parched mother won’t last that long. So Tutu goes to his oba and makes a deal: she provides water for his mother, and in exchange he will travel out into the desert and bring back water for the city. Thus begins Tutu’s quest for the salvation of his mother, his city, and himself.
The Lies of the Ajungo opens the curtains on a tremendous world, and begins the epic fable of the Forever Desert. With every word, Moses Ose Utomi weaves magic.
I have no idea what to expect from this slim volume–a whopping 84 pages! But if our Book Club, which usually tackles books in the 350-600 page range, expects to spend an hour or so talking about this, I imagine there’s going to be something special here.
Crownfall
by Michael Vadney
Nearly a decade under the empire's grip has left Burunt a troubled land.
Kyndel Heim knows the truth behind the Viceroy's rise to power. After years of torture, his only goal is vengeance, but to master his powers he needs a mentor, one that won't kill him first.
Major Jelert Egarro came to Burunt to build something better. Instead, his talents have become weapons in the wrong hands-and those hands are everywhere. He must choose between his ideals or survival.
Lady Amara Khar must renew her family's legacy. Sharp and ruthless, she's kept her house alive through smuggling and shadow deals, but reclaiming power means making allies as dangerous as her enemies.
In the struggle for power, justice, and survival, each of them must decide who they're willing to become.
This was on last month’s TBR, but thanks to shipping miscalculation on my part, it didn’t arrive in time for me to start it in June. So…here we go again.
They All Saw a Cat
by Brendan Wenzel
The cat walked through the world, with its whiskers, ears, and paws . . . In this glorious celebration of observation, curiosity, and imagination, author and illustrator Brendan Wenzel shows us the many lives of one cat, and how perspective shapes what we see. When you see a cat, what do you see?
Oh, I like the looks of this one.
(Image by DaModernDaVinci from Pixabay)
Thomas Trang
Some great picks here (not counting my own book, which is obviously the best one).
Robert Jackson Bennett is an author I was following a long while ago. I enjoyed The Company Man a lot. Killer Vibes sounds like fun time as well.