by Jen Moyers (@jen.loves.books)
Here are (more than) three books coming out today that I'm excited to read (I couldn't resist including more—April 5 is a MAJOR publication day!).
Laekan Zea Kemp's Heartbreak Symphony (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm)
Description from Publisher:
"Aarón Medrano has been haunted by the onstage persona of his favorite DJ ever since his mother passed away. He seems to know all of Aarón's deepest fears, like that his brain doesn't work the way it should and that's why his brother and father seem to be pushing him away. He thinks his ticket out is a scholarship to the prestigious Acadia School of Music. That is, if he can avoid blowing his audition.
"Mia Villanueva has a haunting of her own and it's the only family heirloom her parents left her: doubt. It's the reason she can't overcome her stage fright or believe that her music is worth making. Even though her trumpet teacher tells her she has a gift, she's not sure if she'll ever figure out how to use it or if she's even deserving of it in the first place.
"When Aarón and Mia cross paths, Aarón sees a chance to get close to the girl he's had a crush on for years and to finally feel connected to someone since losing his mother. Mia sees a chance to hold herself accountable by making them both face their fears, and hopefully make their dreams come true. But soon they'll realize there's something much scarier than getting up on stage--falling in love with a broken heart."
Why I want to read it:
Laekan Zea Kemp's Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) was one of my favorite reads last year—we had a fabulous buddy read discussion of it, too!—so I am really looking forward to the follow up and am hoping for more of the same mix of romance and insight.
Tirzah Price's Sense and Second-Degree Murder (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm)
Description from Publisher:
"In this second book of the Jane Austen Murder Mystery series, Tirzah Price takes readers for another fun, murderous romp through one of Austen's beloved novels. Perfect for fans of The Lady Janies and Stalking Jack the Ripper. A Junior Library Guild pick!
"When eighteen-year-old aspiring scientist Elinor Dashwood discovers her beloved father slumped over the desk of his office study, she knows his death means dire straits for the Dashwood women. To make matters worse, an outdated will entails his estate--including Norland & Company, the private investigation firm where her younger sister Marianne worked as her father's partner and protégé--to their half-brother and his haughty wife, who waste no time in forcing the Dashwoods out of their home and into a cramped apartment on London's Barton Street.
"But before they go, the Dashwood sisters make a startling discovery: a suspicious substance in their father's teacup--one that can only be described as poison. And poison, as Marianne's father taught her, always points to murder.
"It could be dangerous; it could ruin their reputations; and most importantly, it won't bring back their father. But if the Dashwood sisters can combine their talents and bring their father's murderer to justice, it may bring them all some comfort--and it might even lead to love."
Why I want to read it:
As many of you know, I'm in the midst of a year-long Jane Austen buddy read, and while there are plenty of retellings of Pride and Prejudice out there, there aren't quite as many of Sense and Sensibility. I also love Tirzah Price's writing for Book Riot, so while I haven't read the first book in this series yet, I'm already looking forward to the second!
Ashley Woodfolk's Nothing Burns as Bright as You (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm)
Description from Publisher:
"From acclaimed author Ashley Woodfolk, Nothing Burns as Bright as You is an impassioned story about queer love, grief, and the complexity of female friendship that will keep your heart racing, and breaking, until the very last page.
"Two girls. One wild and reckless day. Years of tumultuous history unspooling like a thin, fraying string in the hours after they set a fire.
"They were best friends. Until they became more. Their affections grew. Until the blurry lines became dangerous.
"Over the course of a single day, the depth of their past, the confusion of their present, and the unpredictability of their future is revealed. And the girls will learn that hearts, like flames, aren't so easily tamed.
"It starts with a fire.
"How will it end?"
Why I want to read it:
Last year, I read and loved Woodfolk's book When You Were Everything (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm) , an amazing examination of a friendship after its end. It made me anxious to dive into Woodfolk's backlist, so of course I'm also excited about her new release!
I can't resist shouting out these other new releases, each by an author whose previous work I've loved:
Susan Cain's Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm)
Jennifer Egan's The Candy House (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm)
Alex Gino's Alice Austen Lived Here (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm)
Emily St. John Mandel's Sea of Tranquility (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm)
Ocean Vuong's Time is a Mother (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm)
Martha Waters's To Marry and to Meddle (Bookshop.org | Libro.fm)
(A note to our readers: click on the hashtags above to see our other blog posts with the same hashtag.)
Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.
Loving what you see here? Please comment below (scroll ALL the way down to comment), share this post using the social media buttons below (scroll down for those as well!), and find us on social media to share your thoughts!
Want to support Unabridged?
Check out our Merch Store!
Become a patron on Patreon.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram.
Like and follow our Facebook Page.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Check out our Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Follow us @unabridgedpod on Twitter.
Subscribe to our podcast and rate us on Apple Podcasts or on Stitcher.
Check us out on Podbean.
Please note that we a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. We also are proud to partner with Bookshop.org and have a curated Unabridged store as well as affiliate links. Finally, we're also honored to be a partner with Libro.fm and proudly use affiliate links to support them and independent bookstores.
Comments