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And we’re back with our “New Books This Month”. February is the month of Valentine’s day, this means that we (of course) have some books about ❤️ in the shop! There are some books - full of romance - getting published this month as well. Perhaps you were already waiting for these to come out in smaller paperbacks? Let’s have a look at the romantic and not so romantic books getting out. Again, this is a short list so more books will be in the shop. If you’re waiting for a very specific title, you can always (pre-)order this one!
Contemporary
Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (6/2) This one is on my list to read! Cyrus Shams has always been lost. He’s grown up tangled in the mysteries of his past – an uncle who rode through Iranian battlefields, a haunting work of art by an exiled painter, and his mother, whose plane was shot down over the Persian Gulf when he was just a baby. Now, newly sober and maybe in love, he’s headed for an encounter that will transform everything he thought he knew. Can a final revelation change the truth of Cyrus's life?
The Family Experiment by Marrs, John Marrs (27/2) Really enjoyed ‘The Marriage Act’, so can’t wait for this one! The world’s population is soaring, creating overcrowded cities and an economic crisis. A growing number of people can no longer afford to start families, let alone raise them. But for those desperate to experience parenthood, there is an alternative. For a monthly fee, clients can create a virtual child from scratch, accessing them via the Metaverse and a VR headset. To launch this new initiative, the company behind MetaChildren has created a reality TV show. It will follow its contestants as they raise a MetaChild from birth to the age of eighteen, in a condensed nine-month time period. The prize: the right to keep their virtual child – or risk it all for the chance of a real baby . . .
❤️ Funny Story by Emily Henry (27/2) Daphne always loved the way Peter told their story. That is until it became the prologue to his actual love story with his childhood bestie, Petra. Which is how Daphne ends up rooming with her total opposite and the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra's ex, Miles. As expected, it’s not a match made in heaven – that is until one night, while tossing back tequilas, they form a plan. And if it involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their adventures together, well, who could blame them?But it’s all just for show, of course. Because there’s no way Daphne would start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex.. right?
James by Percival Everett (27/2) This one is already a Book Crush! The Mississippi River, 1861. When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a new owner in New Orleans and separated from his wife and daughter forever, he flees to nearby Jackson’s Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father who recently returned to town. So begins a dangerous and transcendent journey along the Mississippi River, towards the elusive promise of the free states and beyond. As James and Huck navigate the treacherous waters, each bend in the river holds the promise of both salvation and demise. And together, the unlikely pair embark on the most life-changing odyssey of them all . . .
YA Book Recommendations
Scarlett Vandermeer is swimming upstream. A junior at Stanford and a student athlete who specializes in platform diving, Scarlett prefers to keep her head down, concentrating on getting into med school and on recovering from the injury that almost ended her career. She has no time for relationships - at least, that's what she tells herself. Swim captain, world champion, all-around aquatics golden boy Lukas Blomqvist thrives on discipline. It's how he wins gold medals and breaks records: complete focus with every stroke. On the surface, Lukas and Scarlett have nothing in common. Until a well-guarded secret slips out, and everything changes. So they start an arrangement. And as the pressure leading to the Olympics heats up, so does their relationship. It was supposed to be just a temporary, mutually satisfying fling. But when staying away from Lukas becomes impossible, Scarlett realizes that her heart might be treading into dangerous water...
Capitana by Cassandra James (4/2) They say for fans of ‘Daughter of the Pirate King’, which I really enjoyed! So this one is on my list as well! Ximena Reale is certain of one thing: the only good pirate is a dead one. Ximena has spent her life training to become one of the black-cloaked cazadores, seafaring hunters who capture the pirates pillaging the Luzan Empire. But although Ximena is the top candidate at la academia, that will not be enough for a daughter of the notorious Reales - pirate captains who were executed for their crimes against the Empire. So when Gasparilla, the most infamous pirate in Luza's history, attacks the capital, Ximena offers to catch him in exchange for being named a cazadora. The Empire accepts, on one condition: she must compete for her cloak against Dante de León, the pompous and infuriating son of the High Minister. Knowing this is her chance to prove herself once and for all, Ximena must set out on a dangerous quest across the archipelago to hunt Gasparilla. But no matter how far she sails, her family's pirate legacy continues to haunt her, and she soon has to question the very laws she's always fought to uphold.
❤️ A Fix of Light by Kel Menton (6/2) Hanan is supposed to be dead. The forest outside Skenashogue sent him home alive – but changed. A strange new magic makes every emotion a physical force he can't control. Bright and gentle, fox-like Pax is everything Hanan is not. And when he touches Hana he mutes his secret power, quiets the curse. To survive their own darkness they'll need to open up to each other. But Hanan isn't sure Pax will like what he finds out … Can their love help them find their way back to the light?
No Place Left to Hide by Megan Lally (7/2) No need to introduce Megan Lally. I looooved her first YA thriller ‘That's Not My Name’ so already ordered plenty of her new book! o Brooke, image is everything. She works hard to maintain perfect grades, perfect looks, a perfect life – especially after "the incident" that threatened it all. Getting into her dream university puts her that much closer to a fresh start. How can she say no to celebrating with all her classmates?Hanging out with her crush by the bonfire is the perfect end to the night. Except it isn't the end. An old truck starts aggressively tailing Brooke and her best friend on the isolated road toward home. Someone thinks they know the truth about "the incident," and they won't stop until it's all out in the open. This terrifying drive is about to bring out Brooke's worst fears…if she survives it.
Children’s Books
You're My Little Bookworm by Nicola Edwards (6/2) The title says it all. Love it already! Celebrate your little bookworm with this delightful peek-through board book! Featuring a range of cute and colourful characters, including smart cookies and spelling bees, this is the perfect way to share your love of words with your little one.
The Space Between by Clare Helen Welsh (6/2) Loved Clare Helen Welsh previous picture book ‘Moon Bear’. So there was no doubt: need to have this one as well! Granny has a secret: big changes aren't so scary when we take comfort in the time it takes to embrace themWhen her granddaughter is missing her old home, Granny teaches her a secret. The flower buds aren’t quite open, but they will be soon: they’re in the space between, and that time is a gift to treasure. Just like the flowers will soon bloom, in time she will feel at home. But Granny’s in the space between too and she might need a little help to come out on the other side.
The Storm and the Sea Hawk by Kiran Millwood Hargrave (27/2) Second one in the Geomancer series! Unlock a magic that could change the world ... or destroy it. Ysolda is on the run, travelling with a rebellious princess to the wilds of the Drakken Peak - on the back of a huge sea wolf. With her faithful sea hawk Nara by her side, her quest to find the fabled magic of the Geomancer is just beginning ...
How Long is that Dog? by John Bond (27/2)
Mini rabbit series is sooo cute, so pretty sure this one must be fantastic as well! A delightfully funny tale of one little girl who is desperate for the dog in the pet shop window to come home with her – if only she can guess his correct size. But can she reach the right answer before it’s too late?
Hope you like our little list with books (romantic - and not) getting published this month!
This blog post is written by The Little Bookshop, your bookshop for English books in Rennes.