I’m back! I’m all settled in at work (literally, I’ve got multiple blankets and a space heater), and I’m ready to tell you about some new books! As always, if you prefer reading digitally, check the catalog after the books’ publication date to see if we have the e-book or e-audio.
“A Tempest of Tea” by Hafsah Faizal
Arthie Casimir is an orphan who has created a criminal empire for herself based on secrets. She runs a teahouse that caters to wealthy humans by day, and at night becomes an illegal bloodhouse for vampires. She’s proud of her success, especially in a city where her brown skin closes more doors than it opens. But now someone is threatening her business, so naturally, she decides that a dangerous heist is the best solution. As she gathers her crew from the fringes of society, she prepares to steal information that will help her take down the corrupt and colonizing East Jeevant Company. With a setting reminiscent of Victorian London with some nods to Arthurian legend and the 1920s, this historical fantasy has been described as “Peaky Blinders” but with vampires.
“Snowglobe” by Soyoung Park, translated by Joungmin Lee Comfort
Post-apocalypse, the average temperature of the Earth is -50 degrees. Like everyone else, Chobahm does what she can to protect herself from the cold, but her world is undeniably bleak. She works at the power plant to produce electricity for Snowglobe, the one place in the world with a temperate climate. Built over geothermal vents and enclosed in a weatherproof glass dome, Snowglobe is home to the rich and famous. Famous because, in exchange for living in comfort, their lives are recorded 24/7 and edited into television shows that are broadcast to everyone living outside. Chobahm’s grandma has always thought she looks like one of their favorite actors, and Chobahm is shocked to discover that the show’s director agrees. Because when the actress dies, Chobahm is chosen to secretly replace her. While she’s thrilled to live in the warmth and glamour of Snowglobe, Chobahm quickly realizes that there’s more to the story than what’s seen on TV. And these secrets and conspiracies could kill quicker than the cold.
“Bunt! Striking Out on Financial Aid” by Ngozi Ukazu and Mad Rupert
Molly is thrilled to be attending her dream art college on a full-ride scholarship. But on her first day, she finds out that her scholarship donors have reneged, and now she’s expected to pay $40k for her first year of tuition at PICA. She desperately reads through every financial aid document and finds her one chance. If she can win a single varsity-level game, she and her teammates will receive full athletic scholarships. Molly immediately assembles a ragtag group to join her softball team and recruits her best friend, proud PICA dropout Ryan, to coach them. But can a bunch of art kids learn to work together as a team, and is college really worth it anyway? This graphic novel has expressive and dynamic illustrations that capture both the whimsy of art students and the excitement of a softball game. As someone who only recently paid off their student loans, it was refreshing to see our protagonists fight against the bloated and bureaucratic system of financial aid.
