February Hype Post!
And again it is time to talk about next month’s releases! To start, a reminder to check out our yearly preview post HERE, as we’ll try and not repeat books – there are simply too many great ones to be highlighted! And tbh, February is a bumper month there already, it really is a fantastic month for new releases.
Fab: I am an utter mystery addict right now, and one of my recent favourites was Mia P. Manasala’s Filipino and food themed Arsenic and Adobo. Homicide and Halo-Halo is the second book in the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Series, and continues the story of Lila and her set of meddling aunties, the not one, but two, attractive and successful bachelors in her life and all the chaos that comes with life in Shady Palms. The books are in turn funny, charming and full of food – and in particular, Filipino food, which may be one of my obsessions… I can’t wait to delve into the shenanigans of Lila and co and figure out who truly killed the pageant judge that Lila’s cousin/frienemy Bernadette is accused of murdering! Pre-order via Bookshop here (affiliate link).
Fab: It’s high time we added some non-fiction to our hype posts, and A Taste for Poison: Eleven Deadly Molecules and the Killers Who Used Them by Neil Bradbury sounds like a brilliant choice. A blend of true crime, science and medical history, this puts the substances first and foremost. It tells the story of murder and mayhem through the eleven ‘deadly molecules’ that are portrayed in this book, looking at how they work, how they affect the body on a molecular level and what the damage they inflict tells us. It sounds absolutely fascinating and like a great resource for both morbid curiosity and any budding writer who may be including poison in their work… Pre-order via Bookshop here (affiliate link).
Fab: From Dust, A Flame by Rebecca Podos is queer Jewish YA fantasy, and if that doesn’t tempt you, I’m not sure what will. Hannah and her family have spent their life in motion, running from something that Hannah’s mother never explained. And on Hannah’s seventeenth birthday, she wakes up transformed. Her mother leaves her and her brother alone, promising to be back with a cure – but never returns. And so Hannah and Gabe are drawn into a search for answers, a family they never knew and a history more tragic and fantastical they could have imagined. As the past comes crashing into the present, Hannah has to figure out her curse to save herself and her loved ones. It sounds like a wonderful story and I am looking forward to diving in. Pre-order this via Book Depository here.
Sun: I surprised myself with how much I loved Sisters of the Vast Black and whilst it made a perfectly fine standalone I’m really glad we’re getting Sisters of The Forsaken Stars to see how the sisters of the Order of Saint Rita are coping with the fallout of their decisions.
After releasing crucial details Central Governance had been hiding from their citizens, the sisters are constantly moving around in a bid to remain out of sight, if not necessarily out of mind. However, their decision is making them a focal point for more rebellious sections of citizens, angry at Central Governances’ direction and sooner or later the sisters will have to choose to what extent they get involved.
I really enjoyed the first as the nuns had a great deal of agency and had a mix of characters who were both believers with a thoughtful examination of how this affected their choices and those who were there for more pragmatic reasons. Pre-order via Bookshop here (affiliate link).
Sun: Across a Field of Starlight is the newest sci-fi graphic novel from the author of O Human Star which was a brilliant look at AI on a very personal level.
Across a Field of Starlight is about two non-binary kids, Fassen and Lu from two very different communities who meet when Fassen’s spaceship crashes on the planet Lu is surveying. Although they remain separated their friendship continues amidst a backdrop of change and unrest, with a threatening empire getting stronger and closer to both communities.
The cover art for this looks lovely and O Human Star had clear crisp art that was a joy to follow so odds are good Starlight will be the same. I’m really looking forward to learning about Fassen and Lu. This is out 8 February. Pre-order via Bookshop here (affiliate link).