Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong
Following the events in Shanghai with Juliette and Roma, Rosalind Lang is now working for the Nationalists as an assassin fighting both Communists and Imperial Japan. When her new assignment finds her playing house with another agent, Rosalind must find a way to do her job and keep her walls up to protect both national and personal secrets.
5 Easy Ways to Get Non-Readers Reading
Because we know the magic of reading and experience it daily, we often try to get non-readers to read. We want to share the things we love. Whether a kid or adult, there are some great ways to get your loved ones reading.
In the Shadow Garden by Liz Parker
When Addison Haywood’s magic breaks and the Shadow Garden starts to suffer, three generations of Haywood women must work together, with the help of a mysterious visitor, to untangle the mystery of the Bonner’s Bourbon and a death from twenty-five years prior.
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
Emily Wilde, a young Oxford professor, puts her research above all else. She's logical, level-headed, and listens to her head (not her heart). While on her last research trip, Emily makes some mistakes interacting with the locals, but more than makes up for it as her research on the Hidden Ones uncovers unexpected knowledge, friendship, and love.
Book Lingo: What's an ARC?
If you spend anytime on Bookstagram or BookTok (meaning book content on Instagram or TikTok), you’ve probably seen “ARC” more than a few times. If you’re new to the world of book-themed social media, you might wonder what is an ARC?
Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings by Neil S. Price
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Vikings. Price discusses everything from gender-fluid Vikings, how they raised their children and managed a household, their burials, their raids, and their explorations around the world.
July's Book Competition - Non Fiction by BIPOC Author
My bookish friends, Noah and Leslie, decided to compete for "Best Book" each month. This month, Noah and Leslie submitted “Non-fiction by BIPOC author” for July.
Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
We follow Kaikeyi’s story as she navigates the difficulties of being a woman in a patriarchy, being a queen in a foreign land, and being the mother to a difficult child. This beautifully written story is a fresh take on the Ramayana of Hindu storiers and should be on your TBR list.
King of Scars Duology by Leigh Bardugo
The King of Scars series is the last set of books (so far) in the Grishaverse by Leigh Bardugo. This epic duology follows the stories of King Nikolai Lantsov, his Grisha General Zoya, Grisha spy Nina, and those wanting to keep Ravka from war. Myth becomes reality as the book closes on the Grishaverse… for now.
Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo
The Six of Crows duology is the second set of books in the Grishaverse written by Leigh Bardugo. This fantastic story follows Kaz Brekker and his merry band of misfits through an impossible heist, betrayal, and the chance to keep a disturbing weapon out of the wrong hands. These books are fun, feisty, and leave you wanting more.
Shadow and Bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo
Alina Starkov never imagined she had the power of the sun. Once she learned she was the first Sun Summoner, she was thrown into a life of glamour, opulence, illusion, and betrayal. Her mentor, the Darkling, works with her to destroy the Fold - a tear in their home country of Ravka - until Alina learns the truth about the Darkling, the history of Ravka, and the magic trying to simultaneously hold it together and rip it apart.
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
As Rin tries to make a better life for herself, she encounters prejudice, classism, and outright warfare. She learns more about her heritage and the importance she has to her country’s ability to win The Poppy War.
The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
Jamie Gray gets laid off at the start of the pandemic and finds himself unexpectedly working at KPS. KPS is tasked with studying and protecting the Kaiju in their natural habitat, which is Earth. Just not our Earth.
These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong
Roma Montagov and Juliette Cai are heirs to their respective gangs in 1920s Shanghai. After five years of separation, will the burlesque and bullets of opium-trafficked Shanghai make them into the crime bosses their families desire? Or will they become the star-crossed lovers of legend?
Best Books of Spring 2022
Halfway through the year already! Here are the best books I read in Spring (or Q2) this year.
June's Book Competition - Classic by a Female Author
My bookish friends, Noah and Leslie, decided to compete for "Best Book" each month. This month, Noah and Leslie submitted “Classic by a female author” for the June book. Two wildly different books with shockingly similar themes surprised me, but ultimately, the competition wasn’t that close.
Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me) by Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson
Mistakes Were Made looks at crucial moments in both past and present to understand the cognitive dissonance that plays a part in our inability to admit when we’ve made a mistake and why we double-down on being wrong.
Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
Using her years as a researcher on shame and vulnerability, Brené Brown and her team provide the appropriate language we need to describe common feelings we experience.
When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo
When We Were Birds tells the story of two people, Yejide and Darwin, brought together by death and love. They are brought together mysteriously and dramatically while learning about themselves in the process.