Welcome to today’s blog. There are so many good books coming our way in the second half of 2022! Needless to say … pinning this down to 10 books is a very big task – a challenge, if you will! And …
We are happy to tackle this in our first Top Ten Tuesday!
And yes, while there is some fantasy, and some contemporaries, we are gearing up for spooky season starting …
NOW!
July
July 5th, 2022
Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty
How do the living come back to life?
Set in a Native community in Maine, Night of the Living Rez is a riveting debut collection about what it means to be Penobscot in the twenty-first century and what it means to live, to survive, and to persevere after tragedy.
In twelve striking, luminescent stories, author Morgan Talty—with searing humor, abiding compassion, and deep insight—breathes life into tales of family and community bonds as they struggle with a painful past and an uncertain future. A boy unearths a jar that holds an old curse, which sets into motion his family’s unraveling; a man, while trying to swindle some pot from a dealer, discovers a friend passed out in the woods, his hair frozen into the snow; a grandmother suffering from Alzheimer’s projects the past onto her grandson, and thinks he is her dead brother come back to life; and two friends, inspired by Antiques Roadshow, attempt to rob the tribal museum for valuable root clubs.
In a collection that examines the consequences and merits of inheritance, Night of the Living Rez is an unforgettable portrayal of a Native community and marks the arrival of a standout talent in contemporary fiction. (Source)
Why We Want to Read This Book
My cat Olivia and I always enjoy reading a good collections of stories together. We are very intrigued to read a book set over the authors lifespan set in a Native community in Maine.
July 19th, 2022
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic and Velvet Was the Night comes a dreamy reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Mexico.
Carlota Moreau: a young woman, growing up in a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of either a genius, or a madman.
Montgomery Laughton: a melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol. An outcast who assists Dr. Moreau with his scientific experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas and plentiful coffers.
The hybrids: the fruits of the Doctor’s labor, destined to blindly obey their creator and remain in the shadows. A motley group of part human, part animal monstrosities.
All of them living in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Doctor Moreau’s patron, who will unwittingly begin a dangerous chain reaction.
For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and in the sweltering heat of the jungle, passions may ignite.
THE DAUGHTER OF DOCTOR MOREAU is both a dazzling historical novel and a daring science fiction journey. (Source)
Why We Want to Read This Book
When Olivia and I first read Mexican Gothic together, we just knew that Silvia Moreno-Garcia would be an auto-buy author! We love her writing and the immersive, atmospheric settings she creates. And we’re so excited to read this retelling! And by the way, did you see that cover?!
YES.
July 26th, 2022
Violet Made of Thorns (Violet Made of Thorns #1) by Gina Chen
A darkly enchanting fantasy debut about a morally gray witch, a cursed prince, and a prophecy that ignites their fate-twisted destinies—perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and Serpent & Dove.
Violet is a prophet and a liar, influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers, like the oh-so-not charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip Violet of her official role once he’s crowned at the end of the summer—unless Violet does something about it.
But when the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride. Violet faces her own choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between her and Cyrus. Violet’s wits may protect her in the cutthroat court, but they can’t change her fate. And as the boundary between hatred and love grows ever thinner with the prince, Violet must untangle a wicked web of deceit in order to save herself and the kingdom—or doom them all. (Source)
Why We Want to Read This Book
We are constantly on the lookout for books that feature witches, and we are looking forward to reading about Violet, a morally gray witch. We also love books with synopses reminiscent of fairytales. And skimming reviews, it looks like there will definitely be some fairytale elements in this book.
We are in!
July 21st, 2022
The Family Remains (The Family Upstairs #2)
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell comes an intricate and affecting novel about twisted marriages, fractured families, and deadly obsessions in this standalone sequel to The Family Upstairs.
Early one morning on the shore of the Thames, DCI Samuel Owusu is called to the scene of a gruesome discovery. When Owusu sends the evidence for examination, he learns the bones are connected to a cold case that left three people dead on the kitchen floor in a Chelsea mansion thirty years ago.
Rachel Rimmer has also received a shock—news that her husband, Michael, has been found dead in the cellar of his house in France. All signs point to an intruder, and the French police need her to come urgently to answer questions about Michael and his past that she very much doesn’t want to answer.
After fleeing London thirty years ago in the wake of a horrific tragedy, Lucy Lamb is finally coming home. While she settles in with her children and is just about to purchase their first-ever house, her brother takes off to find the boy from their shared past whose memory haunts their present.
As they all race to discover answers to these convoluted mysteries, they will come to find that they’re connected in ways they could have never imagined.
In this masterful standalone sequel to her haunting New York Times bestseller, The Family Upstairs, Lisa Jewell proves she is writing at the height of her powers with another jaw-dropping, intricate, and affecting novel about the lengths we will go to protect the ones we love and uncover the truth. (Source)
Why We Want to Read This Book
Lisa Jewell has become a favourite when it comes to Thrillers. We have read a few in the past and cannot wait to read this one – with just one caveat. We will want to read The Family Upstairs first before reading the sequel as we haven’t read book one yet. That will change very soon!
We are in!
August
August 9th, 2022
Mika in Real Life by Emiko Jean
One phone call changes everything.
At thirty-five, Mika Suzuki’s life is a mess. Her last relationship ended in flames. Her roommate-slash-best friend might be a hoarder. She’s a perpetual disappointment to her traditional Japanese parents. And, most recently, she’s been fired from her latest dead-end job.
Mika is at her lowest point when she receives a phone call from Penny—the daughter she placed for adoption sixteen years ago. Penny is determined to forge a relationship with her birth mother, and in turn, Mika longs to be someone Penny is proud of. Faced with her own inadequacies, Mika embellishes a fact about her life. What starts as a tiny white lie slowly snowballs into a fully-fledged fake life, one where Mika is mature, put-together, successful in love and her career.
The details of Mika’s life might be an illusion, but everything she shares with curious, headstrong Penny is real: her hopes, dreams, flaws, and Japanese heritage. The harder-won heart belongs to Thomas Calvin, Penny’s adoptive widower father. What starts as a rocky, contentious relationship slowly blossoms into a friendship and, over time, something more. But can Mika really have it all—love, her daughter, the life she’s always wanted? Or will Mika’s deceptions ultimately catch up to her? In the end, Mika must face the truth—about herself, her family, and her past—and answer the question, just who is Mika in real life?
Perfect for fans of Kiley Reid’s Such a Fun Age, Gayle Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, and Rebecca Serle’s In Five Years, Mika in Real Life is at once a heart-wrenching and uplifting novel that explores the weight of silence, the secrets we keep, and what it means to be a mother.
In this brilliant new novel by from Emiko Jean, the author of the New York Times bestselling young adult novel Tokyo Ever After, comes a whip-smart, laugh-out-loud funny, and utterly heartwarming novel about motherhood, daughterhood, and love—how we find it, keep it, and how it always returns. (Source)
Why We Want to Read This Book
Olivia and I really enjoyed reading her book Tokyo Ever After and are curious to read another book from her that is separate from that series.
August 23rd, 2022
Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution by R.F. Kuang.
Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.
1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation — also known as Babel.
Babel is the world’s center of translation and, more importantly, of silver-working: the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation through enchanted silver bars, to magical effect. Silver-working has made the British Empire unparalleled in power, and Babel’s research in foreign languages serves the Empire’s quest to colonize everything it encounters.
Oxford, the city of dreaming spires, is a fairytale for Robin; a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge serves power, and for Robin, a Chinese boy raised in Britain, serving Babel inevitably means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to sabotaging the silver-working that supports imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide: Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence? What is he willing to sacrifice to bring Babel down?
Babel — a thematic response to The Secret History and a tonal response to Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell — grapples with student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the use of translation as a tool of empire. (Source)
Why We Want to Read This Book
I absolutely love the concept of this – training in languages during the 1800s. The dark academia vibes. And I think this book would be an amazing buddy read due to it’s popularity already, even before it is out! So looking forward to this one and I can’t wait to get a copy.
September
September 6th, 2022
The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson
New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson ramps up the horror and tackles America’s history and legacy of racism in this suspenseful YA novel following a biracial teenager as her Georgia high school hosts its first integrated prom.
When Springville residents—at least the ones still alive—are questioned about what happened on prom night, they all have the same explanation . . . Maddy did it.
An outcast at her small-town Georgia high school, Madison Washington has always been a teasing target for bullies. And she’s dealt with it because she has more pressing problems to manage. Until the morning a surprise rainstorm reveals her most closely kept secret: Maddy is biracial. She has been passing for white her entire life at the behest of her fanatical white father, Thomas Washington.
After a viral bullying video pulls back the curtain on Springville High’s racist roots, student leaders come up with a plan to change their image: host the school’s first integrated prom as a show of unity. The popular white class president convinces her Black superstar quarterback boyfriend to ask Maddy to be his date, leaving Maddy wondering if it’s possible to have a normal life.
But some of her classmates aren’t done with her just yet. And what they don’t know is that Maddy still has another secret . . . one that will cost them all their lives. (Source)
Why We Want to Read This Book
September 27th, 2022
Spells for Lost Things by Jenna Evans Welch
From the New York Times bestselling author of Love & Gelato comes a poignant and romantic novel about two teens trying to find their place in the world after being unceremoniously dragged to Salem, Massachusetts, for the summer.Willow has never felt like she belonged anywhere and is convinced that the only way to find a true home is to travel the world. But her plans to act on her dream are put on hold when her aloof and often absent mother drags Willow to Salem, Massachusetts, to wrap up the affairs of an aunt Willow didn’t even know she had. An aunt who may or may not have been a witch.There, she meets Mason, a loner who’s always felt out of place and has been in and out of foster homes his entire life. He’s been classified as one of the runaways, constantly searching for ways to make it back to his mom; even if she can’t take care of him, it’s his job to try and take care of her. Isn’t it?Naturally pulled to one another, Willow and Mason set out across Salem to discover the secret past of Willow’s mother, her aunt, and the ambiguous history of her family. During all of this, the two can’t help but act on their natural connection. But with the amount of baggage between them—and Willow’s growing conviction her family might be cursed—can they manage to hold onto each other? (Source)
Why We Want to Read This Book
We absolutely loved the book and we were thrilled to see an upcoming new release from Jenna Evans Welch! During Summer and Fall we really love to settle into thrillers, and we feel like a contemporary YA romance during spooky season will be a good addition to the mix. We love the promise of visiting Salem, Massachusetts, and the incorporation of an unknown family history and uncovering mysteries within!
October 4th, 2022
Jackal by Erin E. Adams
A young Black girl goes missing in the woods outside her white Rust Belt town. But she’s not the first—and she may not be the last. . . .
It’s watching.Liz Rocher is coming home . . . reluctantly. As a Black woman, Liz doesn’t exactly have fond memories of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a predominantly white town. But her best friend is getting married, so she braces herself for a weekend of awkward and passive-aggressive reunions. Liz has grown, though; she can handle whatever awaits her. But on the day of the wedding, somewhere between dancing and dessert, the bride’s daughter, Caroline, goes missing—and the only thing left behind is a piece of white fabric covered in blood.It’s taking.As a frantic search begins, with the police combing the trees for Caroline, Liz is the only one who notices a pattern: a summer night. A missing girl. A party in the woods. She’s seen this before. Keisha Woodson, the only other Black girl in school, walked into the woods with a mysterious man and was later found with her chest cavity ripped open and her heart missing. Liz shudders at the thought that it could have been her, and now, with Caroline missing, it can’t be a coincidence. As Liz starts to dig through the town’s history, she uncovers a horrifying secret about the place she once called home. Children have been going missing in these woods for years. All of them Black. All of them girls.It’s your turn.With the evil in the forest creeping closer, Liz knows what she must do: find Caroline, or be entirely consumed by the darkness. (Source)
Why We Want to Read This Book
December
December 13th, 2022
A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar
Adiba Jaigirdar, author of one of Time‘s Best YA books of all time, gives Titanic an Ocean’s 8 makeover in a heist for a treasure aboard the infamous ship that sank in the Atlantic many years ago.A thief. An artist. A acrobat. An actress. While Josefa, Emilie, Hinnah, and Violet seemingly don’t have anything in common, they’re united in one goal: stealing the Rubaiyat, a jewel-encrusted book aboard the RMS Titanic that just might be the golden ticket to solving their problems.But careless mistakes, old grudges, and new romance threaten to jeopardize everything they’ve worked for and put them in incredible danger when tragedy strikes. While the odds of pulling off the heist are slim, the odds of survival are even slimmer . . .Perfect for fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper and Girl in the Blue Coat, this high-seas heist from the author of The Henna Wars is an immersive story that makes readers forget one important detail— the ship sinks. (Source)
Why We Want to Read This Book
This sounds super awesome! Count us in! We’re looking forward to seeing these four women in action and exactly how they are going to pull this off!
QOTD
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Your blog looks so lovely! <3 I'm curious about The Daughter of Doctor Moreau as well – I've never anything by the author before but I've heard good things, and I did read The Island of Dr Moreau by H.G. Wells!
Mika in Real Life and Violet Made of Thorns both sound like book with interesting characters—which is what I look for in a good novel.I took off on my own this week and shared a list of the best three titles to take along on a trip to Paris.
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau sounds good. My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-most-anticipated-books-releasing-in-the-second-half-of-2022/
These books all sound good, but particularly Spells For Lost Things (I enjoyed Love & Gelato). Thanks for sharing. ALSO- For some reason your site will not allow me to sign in with either URL or google. I don’t have this issue anywhere else. Jodie@ https://thathappyreader.ca
I've seen Babel on a lot of lists this week. I haven't read her other books but Babel does sound more like my kinda thing.
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau sounds fabulous! I haven't read other work by the author, so I'm looking forward to reading something of hers. I really want to read Babel, too, for all the reasons you listed!Here's my TTT post.
Great list! Night of the Living Rez sounds good to me. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau was like number 11 on my list, I'm looking forward to it. And I also have Babel on my list. Happy reading!
I have Daughter of Doctor Moreau on my list this week. And A Million to One has been on my TBR for a while now.Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!https://readbakecreate.com/10-most-anticipated-canadian-releases-in-late-2022/
Babel was on my list this week too!My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2022/07/05/top-ten-tuesday-375/
I've already heard wonderful things about The Daughter of Doctor Moreau. I hope you enjoy all these books!
What a beautiful blog!! I have an arc of Violet Made of Thorns and I'm so excited to read it. I hope you love all of these!! Have a wonderful week. <3
That cover for Violet Made of Thorns! I want to read it for that alone. I've also heard good things already about The Daughter of Doctor Moreau and Babel as well!
Thank you, Anne! Yours is as well! We are going to be moving over to WordPress within the next day or so! Oh if you do end up reading SMG's Dr. Moreau, let me know how you like it! Would love to swap notes with you when it comes out! I hope you liked the OG book! Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Deb! Yes they both have really interesting characters and definitely is what is super compelling about both books!I am looking forward to reading your Readerbuzz blog – We are going to be moving over to WordPress within the next day or so, and have already added you to my reading list so I can keep up with your lovely blog. Looking forward to your post! Going to head over there are read it!
Hi Lydia! Yes, definitely looking forward to it! I've been waiting to read it for so long! Hopping over to see your list!
I can't wait for Tiffany D. Jackson's next book!
Hi Jodie! It does sound great!And thank you for letting me know! I have included some troubleshooting tips in the comments section but I don't think this will be a problem as I'm going to try and transfer my blog over to WordPress within the next day or so. Thank you for your feedback!
Hi Ellie! It really does sound like a good read! Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Sammie @ The Bookwyrm's Den! Agreed, it's my most anticipated read of the year!! It looks so good! Just returned from your blog and followed!
Thank you, Kay @ Infinite Shelf! Yes all three of those sound sooooooo good! Thank you for stopping by! Happy reading to you as well!
Hi Pam! YES they look sooo good!! Ah and it's so exciting how everyone can't wait for the new SMG.Thank you for stopping by the blog, Pam! Looking forward to hopping over to your post!
@iloveheartlandX it sounds GREAT! Thank you for stopping by!
Hi WendyW! Thank you for stopping by! Oh gosh I think it is going to be awesome!! LOVE SMG.
I love how we have so many books in common. I haven't heard of Night of the Living Rez, but it sounds fantastic. I've got to add it to my TBR. Hope all of these end up being great reads!
Thank you so much Leslie @ Books Are The New Black! I hope you love your arc – thank you for stopping by!
It looks SO GOOD
Thank you! And yes, Night of the Living Rez should be fantastic! Happy reading!
All books you mentioned look so promising! And their covers – gosh! So beautiful.
The Family Remains looks like a good one. Hope you enjoy them all 🙂
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is one I've had my eye on for awhile!
Great list. The Family Remains looks really good.
It really does! Thank you!
Hi Angela! Can't wait! Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you, Yvonne! Yes – it looks great!
A Million to One sounds particularly interesting!!
Lauren @ http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
Can’t wait to read it! Thank you for stopping by!
Babel looks very intriguing! Spells for Lost Things Sounds like a great Halloween read.
Thanks! I definitely agree!
A very interesting list, Sara. A Million To One sounds quite interesting. I’m going to add that one. I hope we both enjoy Lisa Jewell’s new book.
I hope you enjoy A Million to One! I’m sure the new Lisa Jewell will be great! Thanks for stopping by
You have a lot of great-sounding books to look forward to! I hope you enjoy reading them all when you get the opportunity.
Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier this week.
Thank you so much, Pam!
sarasreadingnook recently posted…Stacking the shelves #1
I can’t wait for the new Lisa Jewell! Night of the Living Rez sounds really good too.
Diana @ Book of Secrets recently posted…142 OSTRICHES by April Davila
I feel like they’re both going to be great!