Thank you to The New Press and NetGalley for the Reader's Copy!

Now available.

In epic form, renowned writer Ngugi wa Thiong'o latest work is an awe-inspiring legendary retelling of the Gikuyu origin myth. Almost like an oral retelling, The Perfect Nine tells the tale of ten daughters who are to be wed to the best and brightest in the land. As ninety nine suitors battle it out for a coveted final position, they must battle ogres and conquer their inner demons. This an electrifying, imaginative and memorable retelling, definitely worth checking out!

Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for the Reader's Copy!

Now available.

By turns heartbroken melodies and self sufficiency mantras, Azzurra Nox's Lost Girls Go Everywhere is an attempt to find a balance in a cold modern world. Written in simple stanzas with plenty of emotion, this an interesting new collection for those who are seeking self-assurance from a break-up. I wish there was more to say but there is not a lot of depth to the poems.

Thank you to The New Press and NetGalley for the Reader's Copy!

Now available.

In epic form, renowned writer Ngugi wa Thiong'o latest work is an awe-inspiring legendary retelling of the Gikuyu origin myth. Almost like an oral retelling, The Perfect Nine tells the tale of ten daughters who are to be wed to the best and brightest in the land. As ninety nine suitors battle it out for a coveted final position, they must battle ogres and conquer their inner demons. This an electrifying, imaginative and memorable retelling, definitely worth checking out!

Thank you to University of Illinois Press and NetGalley for the Reader's Copy!

Now available.

Professor Tammy Kernodle's Soul on Soul is a passionate, engaging and frank discussion about the incredible yet still underappreciated life and music of Mary Lou Williams. As a Black woman, Mary Lou Williams pioneered several movements in contemporary jazz, including integrating classical music and gospel music into the work. In addition, Lou Williams worked closely with other legendary jazz artists like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie to shape the future of jazz.

What struck me again and again is Mary Lou William's tenacious spirit and belief in her craft. Faced with constant racism and sexism in her industry, Lou Williams rarely expressed her frustration. Instead she chose to return to work again and again despite the lack of financial reassurance that other contemporary male artists were receiving. There is something both incredibly hopeful and incredibly tragic in her story, in a society that refuses to invest in Black women's talent. What would the world of jazz music be like if Mary Lou Williams was encouraged and reached her full potential?

Overall, this is a thought provoking and well-written exploration of an incredible artist's life.

Thank you to Twelve Books and NetGalley for the Reader's Copy!

Now available.

Po Bronson and Arvind Gupta's "Decoding the World" is a novel concept in that it is not so much as a science book as it is an opinion book. Interspersed with personal texts and autobiographies of both authors lies some scientific explanation of common themes in modern day news articles such as climate change, longevity and genetic engineering. It is a decidedly tech bro friendly series of discussions as both have been heavily involved in the tech start up industry with their company IndieBro. While I found some of their explanations really interesting and novel, for the most part it felt like I was being lectured on opinions without substantial proof. Overall, an okay read.

Thank you to Dundrum Press and NetGalley for the Reader's Copy!

Now available.

TW: Rape, assault

Aptly named, Eddy Boudel Tan's After Elias is a dramatic mystery that lingers long after the last page. Similar to Yanagihara's "A Little Life" in its dense, emotional style, the story focuses on Coen Caraway after he tragically loses his fiance just days before their upcoming wedding celebration. "Prontos dios" is the only message Elias leaves Coen. Grief-struck, Coen starts on a globe trotting journey to solve his lover's final mystery. Along the way, he is seduced by dashing billionaire Gabriel, banters with the ever witty Vivi and reconnects with his own family. An engaging read that will keep you guessing!

Thank you to WW Norton and NetGalley for the Reader's Copy!

Now available.

A legend in literary fiction, Claire Messud's Kant's Little Prussian Head is a series of musings on the author's international childhood, her own career and writing and critiques on other literary works. While I certainly appreciated getting a closer look at Messud's own family life - the way she mimicked her mother's reading preferences for Dostoevsky as a young teenager was both adorable and melancholic - it was Messud's literary critiques that truly captivated me. For example, her analysis of Italo Sveno's "Zeno", one of my favorite books, changed the way I conceptualized the work earlier. Whether it's a deeply personal story about her father's struggles with alcoholism or a stroll through an art gallery, Messud has a way of drawing a reader in with a knowing nod and maternal wink. Definitely recommend whether you are a long term Messud fan or a newcomer to her work.

Thank you to Catapult Book for the Reader's Copy!

Now available!

Snuggle in for a night of spooky reads and haunting tales with Lincoln Michel and Nadxieli Nieto's "Tiny Nightmares" collection. With everything from kidnappings to witchery to every day acts of terror, this collection has a little bit to offer everyone. What I truly enjoyed was a breadth of the stories, spanning anything from blood sucking vampires to conjoined twin witches to vivid retellings of modern news stories. It was a fun collection that you can either read in one sitting or spread out over a few weeks for a sustained chill.

Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for the Reader's Copy!

Now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Indie Bookstore.

It is impossible to live in the US today and not hear about the rise of the Chinese economy. Yet, for most people, the impact of rapid technological changes on daily lives of Chinese folk, especially folk in rural areas, remains a mystery. What "Blockchain Chicken Farm" does is clear some of the misconceptions about rural China (ie that it is backwards, less competitive, laid back) while documenting really fascinating micro industries (blockchain chicken farming, pearl mining, third party buying). What I loved most about this book was the way Wang delved into the personal lives of the Chinese people, whether through interviews or personal explorations. Some of the material seems straight out of science fiction (block chain chicken farms, really???) but as often happens in life, the truth is stranger than fiction. A fascinating read!

Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the Reader's Copy!

Now available.

Experimental, fragmented and provocative, Xiaalu Guo's "A Lover's Discourse" is wholly unique. From my reading, I understood it to be a conversational piece between lovers who cross nations, ethnicities, cultures and time to be together. Set against the modern day Brexit, the tense narration also looks at the impact of rising xenophobia and personal relations. As an immigrant who has been in love in a country that is not my own, I deeply related to the protagonist's conflicting struggles in love and duty to self. Unsettling yet thoughtful, this is a very interesting new novel.