Your new reading list

May is here, which means a new list of books. I won’t tackle The Sun And The Star by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro (May 2).

The novel is set in the Percy Jackson Universe, which has never appealed to me. Instead, I will highlight Onyeka And The Rise Of The Rebels by Tola Okogwu (May 30) because it targets the same crowd as Percy Jackson (eight to 12 years). The first novel (Onyeka And The Academy Of The Sun) introduces Onyeka, a young girl who discovers her hidden talents when her curly hair saves a life.

She learns of her ties to a secret race of gifted individuals unique to Nigeria and embarks on a journey to master her abilities at the Academy of the Sun. In the sequel, Onyeka and her friends are on the run. Fans have compared these books to Black Panther and The X-Men.

Let’s shift gears to Don’t Call Me Home by Alexandra Auder (May 2), which tracks the author’s life from her birth in New York City to the tumultuous years she endured under the care of a glamorous mother with unpredictable moods; her relationship with the younger sister she had to co-parent while her mother partied, and the successes Alexandra achieved later on.

Critics have praised the memoir for its stunning exploration of familial relationships. Switching to contemporary fiction, The Collected Regrets Of Clover by Mikki Brammer (May 9) follows Clover Brooks, a death doula whose life changed dramatically when her kindergarten teacher read Peter Rabbit then dropped dead.

Now, the doula has dedicated her life to ensuring no one dies alone. But in the process, she has neglected her mental and emotional well-being. A feisty old woman’s last wish compels Clover to undertake a journey to find true happiness.

Moving on; Fourteen Days (May 30) is unique because the setting is a Lower East Side tenement during the early days of the Covid-19 lockdown. The cast is quite large, and each character has a different author.

I’m talking about famous literary figures such as Neil Gaiman, Margaret Atwood, Scott Turow, Diana Gabaldon and John Grisham. You should read this book to see if you can recognize your favourite authors solely through their prose.

From Middle-Grade Fantasy (Onyeka Series) to Adult Fantasy, Witch King by Martha Wells comes to bookstores on May 30. Kai, the protagonist, just woke up from a long sleep. He does not know who he is or why anyone would trap him in the water contraption he currently calls home. Even more baffling is the mage trying to harness his magic. Kai needs answers.

I would be remiss if I did not mention Lords Of Uncreation by Adrian Tchaikovsky (May 2), book 3 in The Final Architecture Series. The science fiction epic follows Idris Telemmier’s quest to save civilization. Idris can stop the Architects because he knows their true weakness.

The Covenant Of Water by Abraham Verghese (May 2) brings us to Historical Fiction. The Oprah’s Book Club favourite introduces readers to a 12-year-old girl who just left her Christian community. Still mourning her late father, the girl will set off by boat to meet and marry her 40-year-old husband, unaware of the decades of love, loss, defeat, and triumph she will endure before morphing into Big Ammachi, her family’s matriarch.

My final pick is Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum (May 23). The psychological thriller follows Jen Weinstein and Lauren Parker, who dominate the town of Salcombe on Fire Island whenever they visit during the summer.

Jen and Lauren are adept at manipulation. They can get whatever they want by moving people like chess pieces on a board. This time around, Rachel Woolf, their single friend, is the one on the hunt. She’s hoping to meet her match on Fire Island.

And Rachel does not mind expanding her search to include other people’s husbands. The fun and games finally end when a murder occurs.

Happy reading!

katmic200@gmail.com