Dan Chaon's 'Sleepwalk,' steamy Akwaeke Emezi romance: 5 must-read new books
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Loading... - Naunet Abdo
- 23 May 2022
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In search of something good to read? USA TODAY's Barbara VanDenburgh scopes out the shelves for this week’s hottest new book releases. All books are on sale Tuesday.
1. 'Sleepwalk'
By Dan Chaon (Henry Holt and Co., fiction)
What it's about: Will Bear is a henchman with a bruised heart, living off the grid with no ties and running errands for a mysterious and powerful operation. One day, he gets a call on one of his burner phones from a woman claiming to be his daughter, and she needs his help.
The buzz: A starred review for Publishers Weekly calls it "thrilling and funny," and says it's Chaon's "best one yet."
2. 'You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty'
By Akwaeke Emezi (Atria, fiction)
What it's about: National Book Award finalist Emezi (“The Death of Vivek Oji”) pens a seductive love story. Feyi Adekola lost the love of her life to an accident five years ago, and now she’s ready to date again. Things get complicated, though, when she becomes infatuated with her perfectly nice new boyfriend’s father.
The buzz: "This is sure to tug at readers’ heartstrings," says Publishers Weekly.
'The Death of Vivek Oji':Identity and grief entwine in Akwaeke Emezi’s wrenching novel
3. 'Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality'
By Eliot Schrefer, illustrated by Jules Zuckerberg (Katherine Tegen Books, nonfiction)
What it's about: Two-time National Book Award finalist (and USA TODAY book critic) Schrefer returns with a well-researched, YA-friendly exploration of same-sex behaviors in the animal world and what they can teach us about queerness.
The buzz:Kirkus Reviews calls it "A thoughtful, thought-provoking, and incredibly fun study of queerness across the animal kingdom."
4. 'Either/Or'
By Elif Batuman (Penguin Press, fiction)
What it's about: Selin, the protagonist of Batuman's acclaimed novel "The Idiot," returns for her sophomore year at Harvard, where she continues her quest for self-knowledge.
The buzz: "Another delightfully cerebral and bighearted novel from a distinctive voice in contemporary fiction," says a starred review in Kirkus Reviews. Read More…
