New Books for 2019 I Can't Wait For

So many new books are crossing my path these days.  I am adding lots of new and forthcoming titles to my wishlist.  Here are a few I am most anxious to check out.

The Similars by Rebecca Hanover -- "This fall, six new students are joining the junior class at the elite Darkwood Academy. But they aren't your regular over-achieving teens. They're clones. And the "similar" teens are joining the class alongside their originals."

Madame Fourcade's Secret War: The Daring Young Woman Who Led France's Largest Spy Network Against Hitler by Lynne Olson -- "In 1941 a thirty-one-year-old Frenchwoman, a young mother born to privilege and known for her beauty and glamour, became the leader of a vast intelligence organization—the only woman to serve as a chef de résistance during the war. Strong-willed, independent, and a lifelong rebel against her country’s conservative, patriarchal society, Marie-Madeleine Fourcade was temperamentally made for the job. Her group’s name was Alliance, but the Gestapo dubbed it Noah’s Ark because its agents used the names of animals as their aliases." 

The Paragon Hotel by Lyndsay Faye -- I really want to read this one--do I wait for a library copy or buy it?  "The year is 1921, and "Nobody" Alice James is on a cross-country train, carrying a bullet wound and fleeing for her life following an illicit drug and liquor deal gone horribly wrong. Desperate to get as far away as possible from New York City and those who want her dead, she has her sights set on Oregon: a distant frontier that seems the end of the line."

The Red Address Book by Sofia Lundberg -- "The global fiction sensation—publishing in 32 countries around the world—that follows 96-year-old Doris, who writes down the memories of her eventful life as she pages through her decades-old address book. But the most profound moment of her life is still to come..."

Mouthful of Birds by Samanta Schwebin -- "Samanta Schweblin haunts and mesmerizes in this extraordinary collection featuring women on the edge, men turned upside down, the natural world at odds with reality. We think life is one way, but often, it's not -- our expectations for how people act, love, fear can all be upended. Each character in Mouthful of Birds must contend with the unexpected, whether a family coming apart at the seams or a child transforming or a ghostly hellscape or a murder."

Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss -- "A story at once mythic and strikingly timely, Sarah Moss’s Ghost Wall urges us to wonder how far we have come from the “primitive minds” of our ancestors."

The Falconer by Dana Czapnik -- "Told in vibrant, quicksilver prose, The Falconer is a 'wholly original coming-of-age story' (Chloe Benjamin, New York Times bestselling author of The Immortalists), providing a snapshot of the city and America through the eyes of the children of the baby boomers grappling with privilege and the fading of radical hopes. New York Times bestselling author Claire Messud calls The Falconer an “exhilarating debut,” adding that 'Dana Czapnik’s frank heroine has a voice, and a perspective, you won’t soon forget'."

Underground: A Human History of the Worlds Beneath Our Feet by Will Hunt -- "A panoramic investigation of the subterranean landscape, from sacred caves and derelict subway stations to nuclear bunkers and ancient underground cities—an exploration of the history, science, architecture, and mythology of the worlds beneath our feet."

Lovely War by Julie Berry -- "They are Hazel, James, Aubrey, and Colette. A classical pianist from London, a British would-be architect-turned-soldier, a Harlem-born ragtime genius in the U.S. Army, and a Belgian orphan with a gorgeous voice and a devastating past. Their story, as told by goddess Aphrodite, who must spin the tale or face judgment on Mount Olympus, is filled with hope and heartbreak, prejudice and passion, and reveals that, though War is a formidable force, it's no match for the transcendent power of Love."

This is Really War: The Incredible True Story of a Navy Nurse POW in the Occupied Philippines by Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi -- "In January 1940, navy nurse Dorothy Still eagerly anticipated her new assignment at a military hospital in the Philippines. Her first year abroad was an adventure. She dated sailors, attended dances and watched the sparkling evening lights from her balcony. But as 1941 progressed, signs of war became imminent. Military wives and children were shipped home to the states, and the sailors increased their daily drills. When Pearl Harbor was attacked, Dorothy and the other nurses braced for a direct assault. When the all-clear sounded, they raced across the yard to the hospital and prepared for the wounded to arrive. In that frantic dash, Dorothy transformed from a navy nurse to a war nurse. Along with the other women on the nursing staff, she provided compassionate, tireless, critical care.  When the Philippines fell to Japan in early January 1942, Dorothy was held captive in a hospital and then transferred to a university along with thousands of civilian prisoners. Cramped conditions, disease and poor nutrition meant the navy nurses and their army counterparts were overwhelmed caring for the camp. They endured disease, starvation, severe overcrowding, and abuse from guards, but also experienced friendship, hope, and some, including Dorothy, even found love."

A Jewish Refugee in New York: Rivke Zilberg's Journal by Kadya Molodovsky -- "In this fictionalized journal originally published in Yiddish, author Kadya Molodovsy provides keen insight into the day-to-day activities of the large immigrant Jewish community of New York. By depicting one woman's struggles as a Jewish refugee in the US during WWII, Molodovsky points readers to the social, political, and cultural tensions of that time and place."

The Heavens by Sandra Newman -- "Transporting the reader between a richly detailed past and a frighteningly possible future, The Heavens is a powerful reminder of the consequences of our actions, a poignant testament to how the people we love are destined to change, and a masterful exploration of the power of dreams."

The Cassandra by Sharma Shieds -- "The Cassandra follows a woman who goes to work in a top secret research facility during WWII, only to be tormented by visions of what the mission will mean for humankind."

My list is actually longer, but I better stop here.  Save a few titles for next time.  Quite a bounty of new books to look forward to!

Comments

[Mystica]

I've heard of most of these, not read any as yet, unlikely to as no access to these new reads so I appreciate reading snippets and reviews on them.

[Danielle]

Do you not get many UK/US imports where you live? I imagine if you do they might be expensive? It would be frustrating to read about books you can't get easily where you live, but sometimes reading a review can be satisfying, too. And I wonder what books you can get where you live but I can't get! :)

[Linda]

UNDERGROUND sounds fabulous.

[LizF]

I have just finished Ghost Wall and can thoroughly recommend it- it is a slight book but a compelling one with Sarah Moss's characteristic brilliant writing.
I am really looking forward to The Paragon Hotel and it has been on my list since I first heard of it last year: I love Lyndsay Faye's books about 19th century New York and the start of the police service there which gave some very strong female characters and this looks fascinating.

You have some very enticing books on your list - a lot of them are now in my notebook and will no doubt end up on my library wish list too!

[Danielle]

I love books like that and actually asked my library to order it--since it is new they are getting copies to circulate so I am on the list! :)

[Danielle]

I am waiting for a library copy and just heard a good review of it on a podcast. I have only read one of her books so far but I like her writing very much. I am also eagerly awaiting the Faye book (though I did not read the first--this one really appeals). I have a massive list of books I want to check out---I am not sure how I will ever manage to stay on task.....

[iliana]

The Red Address Book sounds delightful! I also want to read The Paragon Hotel. I've read one of Lyndsay Faye's books and throughly enjoyed it so I'm looking forward to this one. My wishlist continues to grow too!

[Danielle]

I just started the new Lyndsay Faye novel and it is quite promising. From the first page she has hooked me. It is my first book by her, and I love the voice of the main character!