Kitty's Picks

Week of May 18

What an incredible week in book releases! There were literally hundreds to choose from, but I've narrowed it down for you.

Usually, I just stick to fantasy / sci-fi / horror in these pick lists, but this week I had two contemporary romances I wanted to highlight. 

First up, we have Kennedy Ryan's incredible second-chance romance Score. I will literally buy anything Kennedy Ryan writes and this book is a great example of why. This is the second book in a series of interconnected stand-alones, and while you won't be lost if you haven't read the first book (Reel, published in 2024) - I do think the backstory gave this story more emotional depth, so I would definitely recommend you grab a copy of Reel and read it first. 

I'm also excited for Katherine Center's The Shippers. I'm including this one because 1) Houston author! and 2) nobody does summer romance like Katherine Center. From the blurb: "Shipboard antics abound in this witty, heart-tugging, childhood-friends-to-lovers romance, as JoJo and Cooper team up, fake flirt, slow dance, share a cabin, sing duets, get jealous, answer long-held questions, and finally, at last, discover truths about each other that will change everything." Sounds dreamy. 

I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of The Ballad of Falling Dragons, the highly-anticipated sequel to When the Moon Hatched. You will be lost if you didn't read the first one, and honestly - even if you did read the first one you may still be lost. I'd recommend reading a good recap before diving in to this sequel - I liked this spoiler free recap from the Recaptains, but there are plenty out there to choose from. All that said, if you liked When the Moon Hatched, you're gonna love this one because it just brings more of the same (and I mean that as a high compliment). Vibrant world-building, cool magic system, interesting characters (and creatures!), intense romance... and even though it clocks in at 576 pages, it was still a fast and fun read.

Also being added to my not-so-short list this week: 

• Palaces of the Crow: I loved Ray Nayler's 2022 sci-fi The Mountain in the Sea and am excited for this recent past speculative novel: "Four young teens caught between Nazis and the Red Army survive winter in the woods with the help of a flock of highly intelligent crows with a magnificent secret of their own to protect."
• Plastic, Prism, Void: Described as combining Sailor Moon, Sex and the City, and House of Leaves, "this riotous enemies-to-lovers queer AF romantasy roars off the page in the genre-exploding, galaxy-spanning, quick-quipping retro nostalgia futuristic thrill ride of a lifetime."
• Startup Hell: I'll admit it, mostly I'm just drawn in by the title and the cover, but I also enjoyed Caitlin Rozakis's The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association, so I have high hopes for this one, described as "a hilarious contemporary fantasy about a junior sales witch stuck in corporate hell, who has to evade devilish pacts and her kickass, world-saving, demon-slaying mum to save a (surprisingly hot) demon, and work out how to hit her quarterly target."

See all the titles that caught my eye (and imagination) this week: 

Kitty's Picks - New Releases (Week of May 18) | Beyond the Covers Playlist | Libro.fm

Playlist from Beyond the Covers: The new releasing titles books I'm most excited about this week!