Bonus Books!
There were so many great books out this week that I ran out of space to cover them all, but here are two more you should be aware of that are out this week: Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney, the author of Normal People, and Matrix by Lauren Groff, author of Fates and Furies. Seven years later, her gifts have manifested in different ways for Marimar, Rey, and Tatinelly’s daughter, Rhiannon, granting them unexpected blessings. But soon, a hidden figure begins to tear through their family tree, picking them off one by one as it seeks to destroy Orquídea’s line. Determined to save what’s left of their family and uncover the truth behind their inheritance, the four descendants travel to Ecuador — to the place where Orquídea buried her secrets and broken promises and never looked back. Reasons to read it: This is Zoraida Córdova’s first adult novel, it’s a magical realist, fairytale-esque story that’s being compared to Alice Hoffman and Silvia Moreno-Garcia. It’s a multigenerational family story with magic and mysteries. But the pendant’s true nature is revealed when a mysterious girl named Anh steals it, only to return it to Xiang in exchange for her help in decoding the tiny map scroll hidden inside. The revelation that Xiang’s father sailed with the Dragon Fleet and tucked away this secret changes everything. Rumor has it that the legendary Head of the Dragon had one last treasure — the plunder of a thousand ports — that for decades has only been a myth, a fool’s journey. Xiang is convinced this map could lead to the fabled treasure. Captivated with the thrill of adventure, she joins Anh and her motley crew off in pursuit of the island. But the girls soon find that the sea — and especially those who sail it — are far more dangerous than the legends led them to believe. Reasons to read it: This is part of a series of YA “remixes”: retellings of classics. This one is a sapphic Chinese take on Treasure Island, from the author of Not Your Sidekick. It’s a slowburn F/F romance with the “only one bed” trope as well as found family elements. Queer pirates! Who can resist? Reasons to read it: This is a queer gritty sci-fi story with a distinct voice that you’ll either love or hate. Maya is a mercenary clone itching to fist fight god who peppers every passing thought with profanity. It’s packed full of unique similes and metaphors (“the sound unspools between neurons like a tendon snagged on the tooth of a Great White”) and an astonishing vocabulary. It’s a wild ride, but I loved it. Privately, she’s a supernatural skeptic. But publicly, she’s keeping her doubts to herself — because she’s the voice of Attachments, her brand-new paranormal investigation podcast, and she needs her ghost-loving listeners to tune in. That’s what brings her to Arrington Estate. Thirty years ago, teenager Atheleen Bell drowned in Arrington’s lake, and legend says her spirit haunts the estate. Dare’s more interested in the suspicious circumstances surrounding her death — circumstances that she believes point to a living culprit, not the supernatural. Still, she’s vowed to keep an open mind as she investigates, even if she’s pretty sure what she’ll find. But Arrington is full of surprises. Good ones like Quinn, the cute daughter of the house’s new owner. And baffling ones like the threatening messages left scrawled in paint on Quinn’s walls, the ghastly face that appears behind Dare’s own in the mirror, and the unnatural current that nearly drowns their friend Holly in the lake. As Dare is drawn deeper into the mysteries of Arrington, she’ll have to rethink the boundaries of what is possible. Because if something is lurking in the lake…it might not be willing to let her go. Reasons to read it: This is a YA horror novel being called The Conjuring meets Sadie. It plays off classic haunted house story tropes with a seriously creepy atmosphere. There’s also disability representation — the main character has Type 1 Diabetes and has a service dog — and Dare is bisexual. As creatures from myth and legend come out of the shadows, seeking safety through visibility, their emergence sets off a chain of seemingly unrelated events. Members of a local werewolf pack are threatened into silence. A professor follows a missing friend’s trail of bread crumbs to a mysterious secret society. And a young boy with unique abilities seeks refuge in a pro-monster organization with secrets of its own. Meanwhile, more people start disappearing, suicides and hate crimes increase, and protests erupt globally, both for and against the monsters. At the center is a mystery no one thinks to ask: Why now? What has frightened the monsters out of the dark? The world will soon find out. Reasons to read it: This is a literary take on urban fantasy, packed full of shifters, secret societies, witches, and more. But underneath the supernatural is a commentary on the kinds of people who are treated like monsters by American society. There are also a lot of queer characters, including a trans main character. George M. Johnson capture the unique experience of growing up as a Black boy in America, and their rich family stories — exploring themes of vulnerability, sacrifice, and culture — are interspersed with touching letters from the grandchildren to their beloved matriarch. Reasons to read it: From the author of All Boys Aren’t Blue, this YA memoir promises to be “by turns heartwarming and heartbreaking.” It’s a celebration of Black boyhood and brotherhood, while also recognizing the Black matriarchs that uphold these families.
Other Book Riot New Releases Resources
This is only scratching the surface of the books out this week! If you want to keep up with all the latest new releases, check out:
Book Riot’s YouTube channel, where I discuss the most exciting books out every Tuesday! All the Books, our weekly new releases podcast, where Liberty and a cast of co-hosts (including me!) talk about eight books out that week that we’ve read and loved. The New Books Newsletter, where we send you an email of the books out this week that are getting buzz. Finally, if you want the real inside scoop on new releases, you have to check out Book Riot Insiders’ New Releases Index! That’s where I find 90% of new releases, and you can filter by trending books, Rioters’ picks, and even LGBTQ new releases!
