Starred Review Round-Up (3/1/22)

We’re seeing stars! These titles all received multiple starred reviews:

SWEEP OF STARS by Maurice Broaddus
ISBN 9781250264930 | on sale 3/29/22

“The first of this Afrofuturist trilogy takes off with an epic array of characters and plotlines that will enmesh readers in the politics and power struggles set across the stars.”–Library Journal, starred review

“[A] hugely ambitious and notable work of postcolonial science fiction. This takes the genre in an exciting and challenging direction.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review

THE DISCORD OF GODS by Jenn Lyons
ISBN 9781250175687 | on sale 4/26/22

“Multiple points of view, ambitious reincarnated character arcs, and copious swords and sorcery create an enthralling world in this conclusion to Lyons’s A Chorus of Dragons series (following THE HOUSE OF ALWAYS).”–Library Journal, starred review

“Lyons delivers thrills and surprises, including the promised chorus of dragons, to conclude this masterfully written epic.”–Booklist, starred review

FLINT AND MIRROR by John Crowley
ISBN 9781250817525 | on sale 4/19/22

“Crowley deftly handles the balance between history and fiction without ever lowering the quality of his excellent prose. This enthralling secret history of the last great rebellion against the Tudor conquest of Ireland, complete with invisible angels, fairies, and the restless dead, is highly recommended for fans of historical fantasy and general readers alike.”–Booklist, starred review

“Crowley (the Aegypt tetralogy) triumphs with this beautiful, subtle fantasy, set in a 17th-century Ireland subject to both the desires of Queen Elizabeth and a host of magical forces…Fans of JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORRELL will be mesmerized.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review

A TINY UPWARD SHOVE by Melissa Chadburn
ISBN 9780374277758 | on sale 4/12/22

“Chadburn’s prose is sometimes lovely, always compelling, and she handles multiple storylines skillfully. Marina is engaging and heartbreaking, and other characters are vividly portrayed as well—including Pickton. The novel is a relentless revelation of the everyday exploitation of girls and women.”–Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“The author’s poetic language enthralls, whether in relating the hardships of past generations of Salles women (‘we broadcast them—each conversation a carnival of agonies’), or describing the bleak land of death…This is electrifying.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review

NOTES ON YOUR SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE by Alison Espach
ISBN 9781250823144 | on sale 5/17/22

“Espach captures the minutiae of love and loss with unflinching clarity and profound compassion, and pulls off the second-person point of view unusually well. Readers will be deeply moved.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Never contrived, the novel is beautifully written, making even the quotidian details of Sally’s life fascinating, in part because the story invites such a deep emotional involvement with the fully realized characters and, indeed, with the entirety of this splendid and memorable book.”–Booklist, starred review

CORRECTIONS IN INK by Keri Blakinger
ISBN 9781250272850 | on sale 6/7/22

“A gorgeously written, page-turning memoir about addiction, prison, and privilege.”–Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“A resonant call for criminal justice reform rings out from investigative journalist Blakinger’s extraordinary debut…Her self-awareness is bracing and her indictment of the prison industrial system raises searing questions around its punitive culture. This is absolutely sensational.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review

OUR LADY OF MYSTERIOUS AILMENTS by T. L. Huchu
ISBN 9781250767790 | on sale 4/5/22

“Huchu’s (HAIRDRESSER OF HARARE) second Edinburgh Nights novel (following the tumultuous THE LIBRARY OF THE DEAD) finds ghost talker Ropa Moyu in even deeper trouble…Ropa, at only 14, carries an adult’s burdens and responsibility with equal parts can-do spirit, stubborn energy, and kicking herself and her friends as necessary. This twisted Edinburgh tries its best to keep her down, but she never stops.”–Library Journal, starred reviews

“Witty, suspenseful, and keenly attuned to real-life socioeconomic hierarchies, this equally entertaining and insightful sophomore outing should keep Huchu’s star on the rise.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review