Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Can't Wait to Read Wednesday: The Manual of Detection/The Illness Lesson/The Stars We Steal/Mercy House



The Old(er) 
I have an embarrassing number of unread books sitting on the shelves in my personal library. Carole of Carole's Random Life in Books has given me the perfect excuse to spotlight and discuss those neglected books in her Books from the Backlog feature. After all, even those older books need a bit of love! Not to mention it is reminding me what great books I have waiting for me under my own roof still to read!


The Manual of Detection by Jedediah Berry (Penguin Books, 2009)
Reminiscent of imaginative fiction from Jorge Luis Borges to Jasper Fforde yet dazzlingly original, The Manual of Detection marks the debut of a prodigious young talent. Charles Unwin toils as a clerk at a huge, imperious detective agency located in an unnamed city always slick with rain. When Travis Sivart, the agency's most illustrious detective, is murdered, Unwin is suddenly promoted and must embark on an utterly bizarre quest for the missing investigator that leads him into the darkest corners of his soaking, somnolent city. What ensues is a noir fantasy of exquisite craftsmanship, as taut as it is mind- blowing, that draws readers into a dream world that will change what they think about how they think. [Goodreads Summary]


Why I want to read it:  I came across this book in 2010, adding it to my TBR shelves. I am not sure who recommended it--if anyone--but I am sure I was drawn to the mystery/fantasy combination. It has gotten such a wide range of reviews from my Goodreads friends.  I am curious to know which side I will come out on.

Have you read The Manuel of Detection? If so, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might like to read? 


The New
Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by the marvelous Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss upcoming release we are excited about that we have yet to read.


The Illness Lesson by Clare Beams
Release Date: February 6, 2020 by Doubleday
The year is 1871. In Ashwell, Massachusetts, at the farm of Samuel Hood and his daughter Caroline, a mysterious flock of red birds descends. Samuel, whose fame as a philosopher has waned in recent years, takes the birds' appearance as an omen that the time is ripe for his newest venture. He will start a school for young women, guiding their intellectual development as he has so carefully guided his daughter's. Despite Caroline's misgivings, Samuel's vision--revolutionary, as always; noble, as always; full of holes, as always--takes shape.

It's not long before the students begin to manifest bizarre symptoms. Rashes, fits, headaches, verbal tics, night wanderings. In desperation, the school turns to the ministering of a sinister physician--based on a real historic treatment--just as Caroline's body, too, begins its betrayal. As the girls' conditions worsens, long-buried secrets emerge, and Caroline must confront the all-male, all-knowing authorities around her, the ones who insist the voices of the sufferers are unreliable. In order to save herself, Caroline may have to destroy everything she's ever known.

Written in intensely vivid prose and brimming with psychological insight, The Illness Lesson is a powerful exploration of women's bodies, women's minds, and the time-honored tradition of doubting both. [Goodreads Summary]
Why I want to read it: I am very curious about this novel about a mysterious illness and a woman challenging the ol' all-male establishment!


The Stars We Steal by Alexa Donne
Release Date: February 4, 2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for Young Children

The Bachelorette goes to space in this gripping story about a young girl caught in a world of royal intrigue and lost love in her quest to save her family from ruin. Perfect for fans of Katharine McGee, Melissa de la Cruz, and Kiera Cass.

Engagement season is in the air. Eighteen-year-old Princess Leonie “Leo” Kolburg, heir to a faded European spaceship, has only one thing on her mind: which lucky bachelor can save her family from financial ruin?

But when Leo’s childhood friend and first love, Elliot, returns as the captain of a successful whiskey ship, everything changes. Elliot was the one who got away, the boy Leo’s family deemed to be unsuitable for marriage. Now he’s the biggest catch of the season and he seems determined to make Leo’s life miserable. But old habits die hard, and as Leo navigates the glittering balls of the Valg Season, she finds herself falling for her first love in a game of love, lies, and past regrets.  [Goodreads Summary]

Why I want to read this: I am intrigued! There's just something about second chance love in space.


Mercy House by Alena Dillon
Release Date: February 11, 2020 by William Morrow
A powerful debut novel of a refuge in Brooklyn for women in trouble—and the one woman who will risk all to protect them.

In the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn stands a century-old row house presided over by renegade, silver-haired Sister Evelyn. Gruff and indomitable on the surface, warm and wry underneath, Evelyn and her fellow sisters makes Mercy House a safe haven for the abused and abandoned.

Women like Lucia, who arrives in the dead of night; Mei-Li, the Chinese and Russian house veteran; Desiree, a loud and proud prostitute; Esther, a Haitian immigrant and aspiring collegiate; and Katrina, knitter of lumpy scarves… all of them know what it’s like to be broken by men.

Little daunts Evelyn, until she receives word that Bishop Robert Hawkins is coming to investigate Mercy House and the nuns, whose secret efforts to help the women in ways forbidden by the Church may be uncovered. But Evelyn has secrets too, dark enough to threaten everything she has built.

Evelyn will do anything to protect Mercy House and the vibrant, diverse women it serves—confront gang members, challenge her beliefs, even face her past. As she fights to defend all that she loves, she discovers the extraordinary power of mercy and the grace it grants, not just to those who receive it, but to those strong enough to bestow it. [Goodreads Summary]
Why I want to read it: Everything about this synopsis makes me want to read this. This sounds like it will be an emotional and heartwarming read. 


Do any of these books interest you too? What upcoming releases are you looking forward to reading? 

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36 comments:

  1. All the books sound great but The Manual Detection caught my eye first for the great title while the synopsis of The Illness Lesson sound amazing (and infuriating)

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    1. Eustacia - Doesn't it sound good? Hopefully I will read it one of these days. I am really looking forward to The Illness Lesson.

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  2. The Illness Lesson and Mercy House are two books which intrigue me as well. Confronting the establishment in the face of much adversity always catches my interest.

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    1. Mystica - Yes! I hope they both are as good as they sound.

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  3. The Stars We Steal is one that I am highly anticipating as well. The Bachelorette goes to space concept has reeled me right in. I hope that you enjoy all of these. :)

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    1. I can't wait to read The Stars We Steal. It sounds like a lot of fun.

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  4. They're all new to me. They sound interesting though.

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  5. they all sound great but when i saw the cover for the manual of detection i immediately thought of et. LOL
    sherry @ fundinmental

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  6. Ooooh, I am quite taken with the cover for The Illness Lesson. Happy reading!

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  7. The Manuel of Detection sounds like it would be a great fantasy read. The Stars We Steal sounds especially good too. The Illness and Mercy House are new one to me and they sound like they be good ones! Thanks for stopping by earlier.

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    1. Jenea - I think so too. I am eager to read all of these!

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  8. I really like the sound of The Stars We Steal. I'm putting that one on my list. :)

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    1. Lark - I hope you get a chance to read it, and we both end up loving it.

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  9. They all sound good. The Illness Lesson sounds like it would potentially drive me up the wall with people not listening to who they should listen to. And I like the Mercy House and the way Evelyn is described. Hope you enjoy them all! My WoW

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  10. Ooh! All of these sound like interesting books! Great picks!

    Here’s my WoW!

    Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog

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  11. The Illness Lesson sounds amazing. I love historical fiction about medicine. I hope you enjoy it!

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. AJ - I think The Illness Lesson sounds good too. I look forward to giving it a try.

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  12. The Manual of Detection definitely sounds exciting! If you do read it, I'll be looking forward to your thoughts. I haven't heard of any of the new books but then I'm somewhat behind on all that. They do sound good though.

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  13. The Manual of Detection is completely new to me but it sounds so interesting! You should read it so I can decide whether I need to add it to my tbr list. I won a copy of Mercy House on LibraryThing but it hasn't showed up yet and now I am wondering if it will. It does sound like a great book!

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    1. Carole - Hopefully it will turn out to be good! I hope you enjoy Mercy House. It sounds like it will be really good.

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  14. I like the sound of The Manual of detection. It sounds fun and kinda quirky!

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  15. Oh yeah, count me in as interested in the Manual of Detection too -- it's quirky, and still a mystery I would enjoy.

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  16. They all look good, but I's probably choose Mercy House first.

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  17. The cover for The Stars We Steal is beautiful. I'm super curious about that one!

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  18. I love the cover of Mercy House but the novel by Claire Beams would definitely go to the top of my list. That sounds really different.

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    1. Iliana - Hopefully The Illness Lesson will be as good as it sounds.

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