Librarian Listings #1: May 28, 2022

As many of you know, for almost a year, I’ve been working as a librarian and I’m loving it. Yes, the job suits me and yes, there are even more books to read (and NOT enough time to read them ALL)! When I asked whether or not you all would be interested in me discussing some of my “adventures as a librarian,” many of you (out of those who answered) said, “yes.” So, I decided to discuss upcoming books I heard about as a librarian compared to being a bookblogger. Here’s a short list of some interesting speculative fiction novels for readers of various ages and genres that caught my attention. You might want to consider adding some of these books to your TBR, too.

Secret of the Shadow Beasts by Diane Magras, publication date: June 14, 2022.

This is a middle grade fantasy book about poisonous beasts who terrorize the humans. Only immune individuals–those who survived being bitten as children–can defeat them. 12 year-old Nora enlists to train to defend her home. However, all of the recruits and the soldiers want to know where these beasts come from and why they keep multiplying.

Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White, publication date: June 7, 2022.

Benji is a 16 year-old trans boy who was captured and experimented on by a fundamentalist sect–who unleashed Armageddon and decimated the world’s population–has escaped from the cult before they can use him to continue their plans. Benji is rescued by a group of teens led by Nick, an autistic sharpshooter. Nick knows about Benji being a living bioweapon, which puts Benji at ease, until he learns Nick has a hidden agenda of this own.

Rust in the Root by Justina Ireland, publication date: September 20, 2022.

The author of Dread Nation is back with another alternative historical fantasy novel. This time the focus is on mages in America in 1937. 17 year-old Laura Ann Langston hopes to earn her mage’s license; but after 6 months, she finds herself at a dead end. Laura applies for a job with the Bureau of the Arcane’s Conservation Corps, a branch of the U.S. Government dedicated to repairing the damage left behind after a catastrophic event, where she is placed under the tutelage of Skylark, a powerful mage. Their first mission takes them to where the damage was the worse. The same place where Black mages were killed for their power. Now, both Laura and Skylark find themselves fighting for their lives.

Lord of the Fly Fest by Goldy Moldavsky, publication date: August 30, 2022.

Yes, this YA horror thriller is an homage to Lord of the Flies. Instead of war, it’s an exclusive concert located on a Caribbean Island. Hundreds of influencers and (minor) celebrities are in attendance. It promises to be an exciting event, until everything spirals out of control (and the WiFi becomes spotty). The protagonist, Rafi–a podcaster, realizes the headliner of the concert, River Stone, might be hiding more secrets than those surrounding the disappearance of his girlfriend.

The Last Dreamwalker by Rita Woods, publication date: September 20, 2022.

After her mother’s unexpected death, Layla Hurley decides to reconnect with her maternal side of the family. When she arrives in South Carolina, Layla learns of her inheritance, a piece of land on the Gullah-Geechee island; and, the powers of her Gullah ancestors. Layla learns she is a dream walker. She can inhabit and manipulate the dreams of others. Unfortunately, no gift is without costs and Layla begins to hold on to what’s real and the threat from a stranger with malice intent towards her family.

As of the timing of this post, all 5 books are available on NetGalley for request. These books–1 MG, 3 YA, 1 Adult–have piqued my interest and I’m looking forward to reading them whether or not I receive the galleys. That being said, I was approved for the galley of Hell Followed with Us, which I believe could either be the next cult classic, or become the next “controversial” book.

Once again, these are books I learned about through my job as a librarian. I’m sure I would have learned about these upcoming books eventually, but I thought I would mention these books to know whether or not any of you heard of these books as well. I’m not saying I wouldn’t have added these books to my TBR (if you believe that, then you do NOT know me and my reading habits), but I might have overlooked them.

Have you heard of any of these upcoming books? Have you read them? If you did, then what did you think of them?

Also, what do you think of this new concept for upcoming books for your TBR? Please let me know.