By Sara Voigt (@meaningfulmadness)
Suzanne Collins's The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: A Hunger Games Novel
Description from Publisher:
"Ambition will fuel him. Competition will drive him. But power has its price.
"It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.
"The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined — every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute . . . and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes."
Why I want to read it:
I adored Collin's The Hunger Games trilogy and thought Coriolanus Snow was an interesting antagonist. So, clearly, I have to know his origin story.
Emily Henry's Beach Read
Description from Publisher:
"A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters.
"Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast.
They’re polar opposites.
"In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they’re living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer’s block.
Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She’ll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he’ll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really."
Why I want to read it:
You're in luck. I have already read this one. (Thank you, Book of the Month, for making this a pick!) I loved this book so much. I am usually skeptical of a romance, but this one was hilarious. It literally made me laugh out loud a few times, and it has lots of heart. I LOVED it! Read Jen's review here.
Yaffa S. Santos's A Taste of Sage
Description from Publisher:
"From talented new writer, Yaffa S. Santos, comes this unforgettable, heartwarming, and hilarious rom-com about chefs, cooking, love, and self-discovery that is a cross between The Hating Game and Sweetbitter.
"Lumi Santana is a chef with the gift of synesthesia―she can perceive a person’s emotions just by tasting their cooking. Despite being raised by a single mother who taught her that dreams and true love were silly fairy tales, she decides to take a chance and puts her heart and savings into opening a fusion restaurant in Inwood, Manhattan. The restaurant offers a mix of the Dominican cuisine she grew up with and other world cuisines that have been a source of culinary inspiration to her.
"When Lumi’s eclectic venture fails, she is forced to take a position as a sous chef at a staid, traditional French restaurant in midtown owned by Julien Dax, a celebrated chef known for his acid tongue as well as his brilliant smile. Lumi and Julien don’t get along in the kitchen–to say Lumi is irritated by Julien’s smug attitude is an understatement, and she secretly vows never to taste his cooking. Little does she know that her resolve doesn’t stand a chance against Julien’s culinary prowess.
"As Julien produces one delectable dish after another, each one tempting Lumi with its overwhelming aromas and gorgeous presentations, she can no longer resist and samples one of his creations. She isn’t prepared for the feelings that follow as she’s overcome with intense emotions. She begins to crave his cooking throughout the day, which throws a curveball in her plan to save up enough money and move on as soon as possible. Plus, there’s also the matter of Esme, Julien’s receptionist who seems to always be near and watching. As the attraction between Lumi and Julien simmers, Lumi experiences a tragedy that not only complicates her professional plans, but her love life as well…
"Clever, witty, and romantic, A Taste of Sage is sure to delight and entertain readers until the very last page."
Why I want to read it:
The description had me at "heart-warming" and "hilarious." Those are just the kinds of books I am look for right now. In addition, I love a book that revolves around food, so this sounds like a perfect choice for my current reading list.
A few others to celebrate!
Laura Hankin's Happy & You Know It (I read this one too, and I really enjoyed it.)
Candy J. Cooper and Mark Aronson's Poisoned Water: How the Citizens of Flint, Michigan, Fought for Their Lives and Warned the Nation
Anna Jarzab's Breath Like Water
(A note to our readers: click on the hashtags above to see our other blog posts with the same hashtag.)
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