New Curiosities – week of August 13th
New Curiosities features new books being published in the current week or month, and that I am curious to investigate. While it isn’t a complete list of the week’s new books, I do hope you’ll make some interesting discoveries with me! Click on the titles to learn more about each book by visiting Goodreads!
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New books coming out for the week of August 13th
Something Mysterious
- And When she Was Good by Laura Lippman
- Where’d you Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
- Syndrome E by Franck Thilliez
I’ve been wanting to read Laura Lippman for a long time, but was intimidated by the length of her series. Her new standalone novel features Heloise Lewis, a character introduced in a previous novella from the author. Heloise is a suburban mom who also runs a call-girl service, who’s life is about to fall apart when her former husband and pimp gets his free card from prison. If you feel like reading something less dark though, Where’d you go, Bernadette might be the thing for you. The premise sounds quirky and different : when an agoraphobic mom disappears, where does she go?
As for Syndrome E, this is a thriller translated from French. I haven’t read Thilliez yet, but I heard lots of good about him from some friends and he is definitely on my TBR list. My (quick) research leads me to believe this is his first novel translated to English, and it sounds gripping : a film with subliminal and violent images, movie-watchers being murdered, a search around the world. To quote the summary on Goodreads :
With this taut U.S. debut, Thilliez explores the origins of violence through cutting-edge and popular science in a breakneck thriller rich with shocking plot twists and profound questions about the nature of humanity.
As for me, I’ll be adding it to my French TBR pile really soon!
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Something Historical
- The Second Empress by Michelle Moran
- Cascade by Maryanne O’Hara
- The Headmaster’s Wager by Franck Thilliez
I still haven’t read Michelle Moran. Even though, so far, she’s written about my two favorite time periods. Even though I own almost all of her books. So of course I do want to read her newest novel The Second Empress, taking place in France under Napoleon’s rule. As for Cascade, the novel takes place in 1935 in Massachussetts. There are artistic characters, maybe romance. Also, super gorgeous cover that I want to decorate my walls with! Finally, The Headmaster’s Wager tells the story of a Chinese-English instructor in 1960 wanting to escape Vietnam as it is at war. It sounds like it has some strong themes and a setting I’m not so familiar with.
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Something YA and Speculative
- False Memory by Dan Krokos
- Earth Girl by Janet Edwards
- The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long
- The Unnaturalists by Tiffany Trent
False Memory has a young woman waking up on a park bench with a blank memory, releasing energy that scares people around her; an intriguing premise for this new dystopia! Earth Girl also is a dystopia, but with a sci-fi touch, where people travel from planet to planet through portals, leaving only the ones with a weaker immune system behind. Please note that, here in Canada, Earth Girl seems to be coming only at the start of September, so some of us will have to patient a little longer! The Treachery of Beautiful Things is a fairy tale with romance, fairies and sacrifices, while The Unnaturalists is a steampunk novel where magical creatures are kept in museums.
So, another beautiful week ahead of us! Which book are you the most looking forward to reading?
I really want to read Where’d You Go, Bernadette.
Me too! I’m hoping on ordering it soon. It sounds different and I’m intrigued!
How cute is that Where’d Ya Go Cover!? I love it!
Absolutely! And it’s really eye catching, too.
I really, really want to read the Lippman, and had no idea that it was even coming out! I have read so many glowing reviews so far though, and need to get to this one soon! Lots of wonderful stuff here. Thanks for sharing it all with us!
I have only read a few reviews of it, but it intrigued me enough. I’m curious to see whether I’ll like it enough to try more of her books!