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| Queen of the Conquered by Kacen CallenderThe setting: the islands of Hans Lollik, a Caribbean-inspired archipelago colonized by the white Scandinavian-esque Fjern, whose wealth and power depend on the continued enslavement of the black islanders.
The protagonist: Sigourney Rose, a mixed-race, magic-wielding woman whose comparatively privileged status gives her the cover she needs to formulate a plot to liberate her people and avenge her family's murders.
For fans of: the tragic heroine and courtly intrigue of Seth Dickinson's The Traitor Baru Cormorant; the explorations of power, privilege, and racism in Agnes Gomillion's The Record Keeper. |
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Number 2 in the Annex series The invasion is over, but not all the aliens are gone. As the outside world learns what happened to the city, Violet and Bo struggle to keep their ally Gloom hidden from prying eyes. Those in power believe he is the key to unlocking the invaders' technology, and will stop at nothing to capture him. All the while, the invasion's survivors are being drawn to a mysterious anomaly that might be their destruction -- or their salvation from an even greater threat.
Genre: Science fiction Themes: Alien invasions Character: Culturally diverse; LGBTQIA diverse Storyline: Plot-driven
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The Blue Eye by Ausma Zehanat KhanThis third volume in the Khorasan Archive series finds Arian, in order to continue the fight against the patriarchal Talisman, recruiting new allies in her quest to find the one artifact that could end the Talisman’s authoritarian rule—The Bloodprint. Genre: Canadian fiction; Epic fantasy; Middle Eastern-influenced fantasy Themes: Laws of magic; Women of steel Character: Culturally diverse; Large cast of characters; Strong female Storyline: World-building Pace: Fast-paced Writing Style: Lush
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Boundless by R. A. SalvatoreRestored to life centuries after his death, Zaknafein, the father of Drizzt, struggles to adapt to a world where different races and genders are accepted, before dark forces compel him to reclaim his warrior heritage. Genre: Fantasy fiction; Franchise books Storyline: Intricately plotted; World-building Pace: Fast-paced Tone: Atmospheric
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| The Impossible Contract by K.A. DooreWhat it is: the (somewhat grittier) sequel to The Perfect Assassin, which expands on its predecessor's detailed world-building.
Starring: Thana Basbowen, a famous assassin's daughter eager to make her name by accepting a contract on a high-ranking necromancer -- who becomes her unlikely ally when the mission goes awry.
Why you might like it: This fast-paced, action-packed 2nd book in the Chronicles of Ghadid series offers an appealing cast of characters, an inventive magic system, copious intrigue, and a sweet f/f romance. |
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Empire of lies by Raymond KhouryIn a groundbreaking thriller set in an alternate future where Europe has been conquered by the Ottoman Empire, a feted officer in the sultan’s secret police begins questioning his violent orders. By the best-selling author of The Last Templar. Genre: Alternative histories; Science fiction Character: Culturally diverse; Religiously diverse Storyline: World-building Tone: Thought-provoking Writing Style: Compelling; Richly detailed; Well-researched
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| Realm of Ash by Tasha SuriWhat it's about: After a lifetime of concealing the magic she inherited from her Amrithi mother, widowed Ambhan noblewoman Arwa must come to terms with her heritage while working with a disgraced Prince to lift a magical curse that afflicts the Empire.
Read it for: a quest carried out amid courtly intrigue, a tender romance, and an immersive setting inspired by India's Mughal empire.
Can you start here? Although this 2nd novel in the Books of Ambha series stands on its own, the story refers often to events that occurred in Empire of Sand (in which Arwa plays a supporting role). |
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| Dead Astronauts by Jeff VanderMeerWhat happens: a trio of time-traveling astronauts -- both alive and dead, human and not -- attempt to destroy a sinister corporate entity known as the Company across a dizzying array of realities.
Is it for you? Although Dead Astronauts shares a setting with Borne and The Strange Bird, this stand-alone novel takes a more experimental approach to its prose style and narrative structure.
Reviewers say: "a kaleidoscopic and fractured mosaic" (NPR). |
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| Westside by W.M. AkersA divided city: A 13-mile fence separates 1921 New York's affluent "Eastside" from the impoverished "Westside," where people disappear en masse while the landscape around them shifts.
An unusual detective: Gilda Carr, whose specialty is "tiny mysteries." Hired to locate a missing glove, Gilda follows a trail that leads to murder, corruption, and ancient magic.
Want a taste? "I answer the little questions...I solve the mysteries that spoil marriages, ruin friendships, and curdle joy. A murder is a dull thing. It simply ends a life. Tiny mysteries destroy us." |
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| The Poppy War by R.F. KuangWhat it’s about: War orphan Rin surprises everyone when she aces the entrance exam for Sinegard, Nikan's elite military academy. Will her discovery that she has shamanic powers help her prove to herself and her classmates that she’s worthy of her place?
Why you might like it: Mysticism and martial arts drive the action in this debut (followed by The Dragon Republic), which is inspired by real events in 20th-century China. |
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| The Wolves of Winter by Tyrell JohnsonIn a world... where the one-two punch of nuclear war and a global pandemic has brought about the apocalypse, 23-year-old Lynn McBride and her family establish a remote settlement in the Canadian Yukon.
What happens next: Lynn's hardscrabble but predictable life is upended by the unexpected arrival of Jax, a mysterious stranger pursued by a sinister quasi-governmental agency.
For fans of: post-apocalyptic wilderness survival stories such as Waubgeshig Rice's Moon of the Crusted Snow, Marcel Theroux's Far North or Beth Lewis' The Wolf Road. |
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| Emily Eternal by M.G. WheatonWhat it is: a coming-of-age story narrated by Emily, an artificial consciousness created in a lab to help humans process trauma.
What happens: An inconvenient crush, an impending apocalypse, and a race against time to save humanity make Emily's job exponentially more difficult.
Read it for: a complex AI protagonist who embodies many of the ethical dilemmas surrounding the development of artificial intelligence. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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