May Hype Post!
I know this is one that you’ve been waiting for – I’m sorry it’s arriving later than usual, April has been an insane month! I’ve had some uni-deadlines, and the anthology I’m editing is heading towards the finish line, which is all exciting, and publication dates moving around haven’t helped either. I’m confident that the books I’ve included here are all actually being published in May as of now & I hope I can motivate you to support some of these authors in this crazy time.
The first book I want to mention doesn’t actually get published until the 26th, so the very end of the month. Out Now is the follow up to All Out, and it’s an all queer YA short story anthology. Whereas All Out featured stories throughout history, Out Now focuses on experiences of contemporary teens, and I’m pretty damn excited. I loved All Out so much I bought copies for multiple friends, so I’ve been hyped up for this new anthology ever since it was first announced! Get a copy from Book Depository or your indie of choice.
Another queer book I’m super excited for is Maggie Tokuda-Hall’s The Mermaid, the Witch and the Sea, out on the 5th. A genderfluid pirate MC, adventures at sea, witches… all things that get me like a moth to the flame. I can’t wait to read it as soon as I get my grabby hands on it! Get it from Book Depository or your indie of choice.
Out on the same day is The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly. I’m not usually a big contemporary girl, but I’ve been reading a bit more throughout the quarantine and enjoying it and you bet I’ll make an exception for anything medieval-themed. Set in a medieval-themed restaurant, Kit fights for her right to be a knight rather than the wench her gender would assign her to be. This promises to be a sweet, feminist story with hints of medievalism, and I’m sure I’ll love the distraction. Pre-order from Book Depository or of course your indie of choice!
One of the fantasy novels I can’t wait for is House of Dragons by Jessica Cluess, out on the 12th. I do have to admit, this is mainly due to the EPIC cover art – I keep forgetting what it is actually about! But look at the pretty swords, how can you not desperately want to read a book with such amazing swords on the cover? It sounds like a great multi-PoV story, focused on a competition for a throne and is comped to the Breakfast Club, so there’s bound to be humour and unlikely camaraderie. All in all, a total package. Pre-order this one from Book Depository or your local indie!
This last one might have had its physical release moved to later in the summer, but the eBook version is still coming out on the 5th! Dangerous Remedy by Kat Dunn is this month’s entry into the 2020 series of queer French revolutionary books and I AM SO HYPED for it. This is also UKYA which makes it even better (and rumor has it a certain book box has early bound copies…). A band of outcasts trying to make their way through Paris while avoiding getting their heads chopped off by the guillotine, with magic? What’s not to love? Get this one from your favourite source of eBooks, or persuade your indie of choice to order it for you in summer!