51. A book published in 2019

[Karissa]

What are you reading this week? Bowlaway by Elizabeth McCracken
Do you often read newly published books? I wouldn't say often. I tend to more often read books from the previous year actually.
How did you find out about this book (eg Goodreads, award winner, author’s website, friend’s recommendation etc) I don't completely remember, but it might have been on someone's list of quirky books.

[Sarah]

I just finished The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver.

It wasn't as good as I'd hoped but a decent summer read.

[Ashley]

- What are you reading this week? These Witches Don't Burn
- Do you often read newly published books? As often as I can. My library has a section on newly published books so I check them out when I have time to read them as the checkout time is only two weeks.
- How did you find out about this book (eg Goodreads, award winner, author’s website, friend’s recommendation etc) It was one of the lists and fit this prompt as well as another challenge I am doing and it didn't sound to bad.

[Stacey]

What are you reading this week? So for this one, I chose Sounds Like Titanic by Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman.

Do you often read newly published books? Yes, if I'm extremely interested in a book or if it received good buzz in the NYT Book Review or if a friend recommended it. I'm usually happy with the results, although I recently read the much-hyped Daisy Jones & The Six and thought it was terrible.

How did you find out about this book (eg Goodreads, award winner, author’s website, friend’s recommendation etc)? I came across this one when scrolling down the Goodreads readers' feed. That title just couldn't be ignored :)

[Wendy]

Stacey wrote: "What are you reading this week? So for this one, I chose Sounds Like Titanic by Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman.

Do you often read newly published books? Yes, if I'm ..."

I really loved Sounds Like Titanic! I hope you enjoy it. Pro tip: if you are curious about it's veracity, check out this PBS live concert on youtube and see if it--or any names in the credits--seem familiar :)

[Stacey]

Wendy wrote: "Stacey wrote: "What are you reading this week? So for this one, I chose Sounds Like Titanic by Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman.

Do you often read newly published book..."

Wowee! Wendy, you made my night! Thanks for sending me this clip, which I was glued to for about an hour, scrolling through it for any and all familiar names and likenesses. I admit I was shocked by that celebrity and that schmoopy music, but the absolute best was seeing the creepy velociraptor in the flesh. Eww. By the way, I am acquainted with a concert violinist and plan to ask her if she knows this dude the next time we speak.

I'm nearing the end of it, but like you, I love this book, which is so much more than a memoir of a young woman's sadly unique experiences. I think I may need to read it again in case I've missed any of its greatest moments and most memorable lines. This definitely tops my favorite books list of the year.

[Wendy]

Stacey, I'm SO glad it made your night! I completely agree, the book is also one of my top reads of the year and the author did a fantastic job weaving so many of her (seemingly) disparate life threads into a book that really packed an emotional punch.

Seeing the "velociraptor smile" on screen slayed me. I'd love to know if your friend has ever heard of him, ha!

[Evelyn]

- What are you reading this week?
Devil's Daughter by Lisa Kleypas

- Do you often read newly published books?
I only read newly published books if they are available in the library.

- How did you find out about this book (eg Goodreads, award winner, author’s website, friend’s recommendation etc)
I found out about this book by blogs.

[Andrea]

For this prompt, I read Recursion by Blake Crouch. Although I enjoyed its marvelous construction, I kept feeling that I had read it before, lol.

[Emily]

What are you reading this week?

Unmarriageable

Do you often read newly published books?

Nope. My TBR list is so long that I'm usually reading books about 2 years after I put them on the list.

How did you find out about this book (eg Goodreads, award winner, author’s website, friend’s recommendation etc)

A blogger I follow, Leigh Kramer, had an ARC of this book and raved about it on her blog so I had it on my TBR list before it had even come out.

[Jill]

What are you reading this week?
I read Big Sky by Kate Atkinson

Do you often read newly published books?]
No Hardly ever

How did you find out about this book (eg Goodreads, award winner, author’s website, friend’s recommendation etc)
It was the next in a series I have been reading, and was waiting for it to become available

[Shelley]

- What are you reading this week? Betrayal in Time
- Do you often read newly published books? Over the past few years I've been cleaning up my TBR list so I've been reading more and more newly published books.
- How did you find out about this book (eg Goodreads, award winner, author’s website, friend’s recommendation etc) I look through the Goodreads lists a lot. Also I keep track of when the next books in serials are going to be published. My local bookstore has a lot of authors come through, which adds even more to my list.

[Lizzy]

- What are you reading this week? Chances Are... by Richard Russo
- Do you often read newly published books? I usually don't read newly published books.
- How did you find out about this book - I enjoy Richard Russo's writing. When I saw in a review that this book was coming out this year, I requested it at the library right away.

[Samantha]

- What are you reading this week? Ninth House
- Do you often read newly published books? Pretty often
- How did you find out about this book (eg Goodreads, award winner, author’s website, friend’s recommendation etc) - Youtube Channel Books and LaLa.

[SadieReadsAgain]

What are you reading this week? The Testaments, by Margaret Atwood
Do you often read newly published books? Not very often, though I do sometimes read galleys. But this year two authors I loved have brought out books I've been anticipating, so I have read those pretty fresh off the press (this was one, Diane Setterfield's Once Upon a River was the other)
How did you find out about this book (eg Goodreads, award winner, author’s website, friend’s recommendation etc) I think it was first through Goodreads, followed by bookish podcasts.

I was so nervous about this book. I have adored The Handmaid's Tale ever since I first read it over ten years ago, and loved seeing it elevated by the Hulu tv series. When I heard this book was coming, especially since reading the unimpressive The Heart Goes Last, I was dubious. Was it needed, would it be any good? Well, having flown through this book I can answer those two questions. Was it needed? No. Was it any good? Yes! To expand on that, I don't think this book adds anything to the Gilead story. I would almost say that it takes something away, as I always liked the unknown quantity of the ending of Handmaid's and of the single-person narrative. But Handmaid's is such a classic that this is almost like a fan-fic or homage. It's a fun way to revisit a world so many of us have been left curious about, but with the safety of knowing that nothing will touch that original work. And on it's own merit, this book is really good. I enjoyed Aunt Lydia's perspective so much, and also that of Agnes who had grown up as a child of Gilead. Atwood's writing is flawless - witty and insightful, but still light enough to keep the pace of the book crisp. And the pace of this one is quicker than Handmaid's, it's very much an adventure and feels totally different. Standalone I'd have enjoyed this, but its links to a classic I hold very dear just made it even better. I know others hold different opinions, so it wont be for everyone, but I loved it.

[Aine]

What are you reading this week/
The silent patient by Alex Michaelides

[Anne]

What are you reading this week?
Secrets of Santorini by Patricia Wilson.

Do you often read newly published books?
Not very often.

How did you find out about this book?
I just picked it off the library shelf, looked good, my type of book, not read this author before but the book is really good so far and I have only just started.

[Marie]

I read The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons.

I only read one newly published book a year, and that's just because I have this prompt to fill.

I was looking for something that would fit the winter challenge for either the third December prompt, or the fourth February prompt, as I didn't have anything for either of those in the next three months of my AtY planned books. This was the only book my library had that fit one of those prompts (a word from the G&S song) and was published in 2019.

I got lucky this year, because this was actually really good. Unfortunately for me the second in the series was also published this year. If the author had been just a bit lazier, I would have had my book published in 2020 problem solved!