Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Can’t Wait Wednesday: May 2020 Book Releases



Can’t Wait Wednesday is hosted by Wishful Endings. I get to spotlight a few upcoming book releases that sound interesting to me. These books were supposed to come out in the next few weeks, but due to Coronavirus, some of the release dates got changed.

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May 2020 Book Releases






Meadowlark by Melanie Abrams


Adult Literary Fiction
May 1, 2020


After growing up in an austere spiritual compound, two teenagers, Simrin and Arjun, escape and go their separate ways. Years later, Simrin receives an email from Arjun. As they reconnect, Simrin learns that he has become the charismatic leader of Meadowlark, a commune in the Nevada desert that allows children to discover their “gifts.”

In spite of their fractured relationship, Simrin, a photojournalist, agrees to visit Meadowlark to document its story. She arrives at the commune with her five-year-old daughter in tow and soon realizes there is something disturbing about Arjun’s beliefs concerning children and their unusual abilities. When she discovers that the commune is in the midst of a criminal investigation, her unease grows deeper still.

As tensions with police heighten, Arjun’s wife begins to make plans of her own, fearing the exposure the investigation might bring for her and her children. Both mothers find themselves caught in a desperate situation, and as the conflict escalates, everyone involved must make painful—and potentially tragic—choices that could change their worlds forever.



What interests me? Cults! Books about people in isolated places will always end up on my must-read list. It’s even better if those isolated places are full of secrets and weirdos. Goodreads says this book “explores the power and danger of being extraordinary and what it means to see and be seen.” Sounds awesome to me.














If It Bleeds by Stephen King


Adult Horror Novellas
May 5, 2020
April 20, 2020


From #1 New York Times bestselling author, legendary storyteller, and master of short fiction Stephen King comes an extraordinary collection of four new and compelling novellas—Mr. Harrigan’s PhoneThe Life of ChuckRat, and the title story If It Bleeds—each pulling you into intriguing and frightening places. If It Bleeds is a uniquely satisfying collection of longer short fiction by an incomparably gifted writer.


What interests me? It’s Stephen King. I read all of his books. I don’t care what they’re about or what the reviewers say. I’m trash for Stephen King.














Running by Natalia Sylvester


Young Adult Contemporary
May 5, 2020
July 14, 2020


Senator Anthony Ruiz is running for president. Throughout his successful political career he has always had his daughter’s vote, but a presidential campaign brings a whole new level of scrutiny to sheltered fifteen-year-old Mariana and the rest of her Cuban American family, from a 60 Minutes–style tour of their house to tabloids doctoring photos and inventing scandals. As tensions rise within the Ruiz family, Mari begins to learn about the details of her father’s political positions, and she realizes that her father is not the man she thought he was.

But how do you find your voice when everyone’s watching? When it means disagreeing with your father—publicly? What do you do when your dad stops being your hero? Will Mari get a chance to confront her father? If she does, will she have the courage to seize it?


What interest me? Did you forget that 2020 is an election year in the US? If you did, we have a thousand political-themed books to remind you! This one sounds the most promising. As someone who has opposite political beliefs to my parents, I’m intrigued by the father/daughter conflict. I’m also interested in the behind-the-scenes stuff that goes on in political campaigns. This book seems like it has some of that.














Little Eyes by Samanta Schweblin


Adult Literary Fiction
May 5, 2020


They've infiltrated homes in Hong Kong, shops in Vancouver, the streets of Senegal, town squares of Oaxaca, schools in Tel Aviv, bedrooms in Ohio. They're following you. They're everywhere now. They're us.

In Samanta Schweblin's wildly imaginative new novel, Little Eyes, "kentukis" have gone viral across the globe. They're little mechanical stuffed animals that have cameras for eyes, wheels for feet, and are connected to an anonymous global server. Owners of kentukis have the eyes of a stranger in their home and a cute squeaking pet following them; or you can be the kentuki and voyeuristically spend time in someone else's life, controlling the creature with a few keystrokes. Through kentukis, a jaded Croatian hustler stumbles into a massive criminal enterprise and saves a life in Brazil, a lonely old woman in Peru becomes fascinated with a young woman and her lover in Germany, and a motherless child in Antigua finds a new virtual family and experiences snow for the first time in Norway.

These creatures can reveal the beauty of connection between farflung souls—but they also expose the ugly humanity of our increasingly linked world. Trusting strangers can lead to unexpected love and marvelous adventure, but what happens when the kentukis pave the way for unimaginable terror?


What interests me? Honestly, I’m on the fence about Samanta Schweblin. Her books always sound unique, but reviewers have described her writing as “abstract.” I can’t stand writing that’s purposefully confusing. What’s the point of reading it? I might take the plunge with this book, though. I can’t resist creepy critters.














When The Lights Go Out by Carys Bray


Adult Literary Fiction
May 7, 2020
November 12, 2020


If you believe the world is going to end, how do you live? And what if, while preparing for disaster, you unwittingly precipitate it? While Emma Abram prepares for Christmas, her husband is stockpiling food and setting up a rabbit farm. Chris Abram is preparing for the worst; the imminent floods, and anything else he can imagine—power cuts, starvation, societal collapse. Emma longs to lower a rope and winch him from the pit of his worries. But Chris doesn't want to be rescued or even reassured; he wants to pull her in after him.


What interests me? Carys Bray is one of those authors I’ve never read but I’m pretty sure I’ll like. I have a few of her books on my must-read-someday Pinterest board. The conflict between the husband and wife in this novel got my attention. I think it’d be hard to live with someone who’s obsessed with the world ending.















Are you looking forward to any May book releases?





18 comments:

  1. I have no idea, if I would be able to tolerate living with a dooms-dayer. The clutter alone would drive me over the edge. Ha! Hope you get a chance to finally read this author

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  2. Running sounds interesting. Maybe a fictional political novel will distract me from the real-life political fiasco. LOL

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  3. These are all new to me, but When The Lights Go Out sounds amazing - and very timely!

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  4. Most of these are new to me. I would really like to pick up If It Bleeds for sure.

    My CWW

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  5. I need the book about the cult. I find that topic fascinating as well. I actually preordered If It Bleeds from Amazon and it hasn't been shipped yet. I understand with all that is going on but I'm not a patient person on most days :)

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  6. Little Eyes looks intriguing - I hope you enjoy your May reads:)

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  7. Oooh! I didn't know that Stephen King has a new book out! Great picks!

    Here’s my WoW!

    Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog

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  8. I just love the cover of Meadowlark, and it sounds really good. Thanks for putting it on my radar😀

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  9. I had, ready for it, TEN releases for review on May 5. Now I am down to a much more manageable 5. I obviously need the cult book in my life, so thanks for sharing that one! I have read a few May books that I have really loved, and I am of course dying for A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and the new Murderbot novel!

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  10. There is something about cults in novels that is a pull for me to. Meadowlark looks good.

    I'm not overly fond of books you might call abstract, but occasionally I find one that I like. Little Eyes has an interesting premise. I am kind of freaked out by the idea of the "kentukis".

    My first thought about Wnen the Lights Go Out was how smart Chris is to want to be so prepared. LOL I still can't find TP in the store. Luckily we are okay. For now.

    I'll be curious to know what you think of any of these if you read them, AJ.

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  11. Running sounds wonderful and I am loving that it doesn't make her relationship with her father straightforward. I hope you enjoy it when you read it!

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  12. Stephen King books have never been my thing, but I think I've just never read the right one. I might try again eventually....

    Happy reading!

    Thanks for visiting Shell's Stories!

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  13. Not really familiar with any of these and only Stephen King as an author. I just finished and will probably review next week another new release that you might enjoy (it centers on a plane crash outside of Denver in 1955, the first domestic air terrorism in the US as someone was trying to make money on insurance. It's title is "Cuppy and Stew" by Eric Goodman.

    www.thepulpitandthepen.com

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  14. When the lights go out sounds like my kind of characters but I wonder if it might be too slow in pacing...need further investigation I think!

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  15. When I finally am able to go to a bookstore, I am sure that I will be coming home with the new Stephen King novel. Meadowlark sounds pretty interesting as well.

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  16. Running does sound pretty interesting. Political fiction sounds like it would definitely be more entertaining than our political reality right now, lol.

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  17. Running sounds really interesting. I didn't know you had the opposite political beliefs of your parents---that must be tough!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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