I think I’ve done one or two of these posts before, but it’s been quite a while since the last one, and I’ve recently pre-ordered some books I NEED to tell you about! These all come from a couple of specialty publishers I love to support, and although the editions I’m buying are on the pricey side, there are other editions available, and no doubt you’ll be able to find these in your library at some point as well. One of them is not even genre fiction! (gasp) Here we go:
Small Kingdoms and Other Stories by Charlaine Harris
I pre-ordered this from my favorite small press Subterranean, and if you’re so inclined, click here to check it out on their website. I believe these linked stories have been previously published, but this is the first time they’ve been collected together. Here is the description from Goodreads:
A new collection of linked short stories from Charlaine Harris, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse books, the basis for HBO’s True Blood, and the Midnight Crossroad series, the inspiration for Midnight, Texason NBC.
Principal Anne DeWitt knew her past could catch up with her, but she didn’t expect it would make her late for school. Killing a man does take time though; so does disposing the body . . . if you do it right.
After three relatively quiet years at Travis High School, it seems Anne is in danger of being exposed—even the baseball coach knows more about her former life than she ever imagined. Now, she must find out who else holds her secrets and who wants her to pay for them. . .without letting it make her tardy again. Anne still has a school to run, parents to manage, and a few students who might benefit from her unique—and deadly—experience.
Collected together for the first time in Small Kingdoms and Other Stories, “Small Kingdoms,” “Sarah Smiles,” “Small Chances,” and “Small Signs” are sure to delight fans of Charlaine Harris.
Golden State by Ben H. Winters
This edition comes from my favorite UK small press, Goldsboro Books. It’s a limited edition of only 200 copies, signed by the author with sprayed edges. (Sprayed edges gets me every time!) I’ve read some amazing early reviews of this book and I must have my own copy! Click here to learn more about the Goldsboro edition.
A shocking vision of our future that is one part Minority Reportand one part Chinatown.
Lazlo Ratesic is 54, a 19-year veteran of the Speculative Service, from a family of law enforcement and in a strange alternate society that values law and truth above all else. This is how Laz must, by law, introduce himself, lest he fail to disclose his true purpose or nature, and by doing so, be guilty of a lie.
Laz is a resident of The Golden State, a nation resembling California, where like-minded Americans retreated after the erosion of truth and the spread of lies made public life, and governance, increasingly impossible. There, surrounded by the high walls of compulsory truth-telling, knowingly contradicting the truth–the Objectively So–is the greatest possible crime. Stopping those crimes, punishing them, is Laz’s job. In its service, he is one of the few individuals permitted to harbor untruths–to “speculate” on what might have happened in the commission of a crime.
But the Golden State is far less a paradise than its name might suggest. To monitor, verify, and enforce the Objectively So requires a veritable panopticon of surveillance, recording, and record-keeping. And when those in control of the truth twist it for nefarious means, the Speculators may be the only ones with the power to fight back.
Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
When I saw this on the Goldsboro Books website, I knew I had to buy it, genre be damned! To be honest, I’ve already had my eye on this book, since it takes place in the music industry and sounds really good, but check out this gorgeous cover! The dust jacket looks like a vinyl record, and when you take it off, the image on the right is printed right on the board. I’ve never seen anything quite like this, and my collector’s heart insisted I push the “add to cart” button, lol. Here’s the link if you’re interested.
Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity . . . until now.
Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.
Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.
Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.
The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice.
I have an arc of Daisy Jones and the Six. I do love some music mixed in with my books from time to time. I was unaware of the Harris book but I can see why you had to preorder it. I need to get my hands on those stories.
Wow, EVERYONE seems to have an ARC of Daisy Jones!
I really am hoping to make time for Golden State, I loved the other book I read by him
Lisa @TenaciousReader recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Most Recent Additions to Mt. TBR
I haven’t read his other books, so I’m looking forward to starting with this one.
Oh no, Tammy! I have an ARC of Daisy Jones and now I want that hardcover too. That is something else! All three of these sound wonderful!
I hope we both love Daisy Jones:-)
I’m looking forward to reading Daisy Jones and Golden State! I’m not splurging for fancy editions… but those do look amazing.
I’ll probably regret the splurging later, lol. Wait, I got some money for Christmas, so it’s OK, right?
That new Charlaine Harris looks so interesting to me.
Me too, I need to try some of her other books besides Sookie Stackhouse and her new series.
I REALLY want to read Daisy Jones and the Six. I didn’t realize that’s how they did the cover though – that’s SO cool.
-Lauren
It’s from a specialty publisher so the US edition (that I know of) has a different cover. But I hear it’s really good!
I was very lucky to get an ACR of Daisy Jones… WOW, it is so good! I’ve recommended it to several people already.
Oh cool, I love that you’ve already read it! It’s definitely not my usual genre but I can’t wait:-)
Oooooh, Charlaine Harris!
I know right? 🙂
These look awesome! I have an ARC of Golden State that I’ve been meaning to read (I’m thinking next week)–it sounds super interesting. I didn’t realize there was a Goldsboro edition for it, sprayed edges totally get me every time as well, haha. Hope you enjoy these!
Jordan Rose recently posted…Review: The Gutter Prayer by Gareth Hanrahn
Yeah, if you put sprayed edges on a book I’m a goner, lol:-)
I haven’t heard of any of these, but Daisy Jones and the Six looks really good.
Ash recently posted…Review: The Stranger Game by Cylin Busby
I’ve heard really good things about it, too!
I’m definitely planning to read Daisy Jones and the Six, but the other two sound great as well.
Suzanne @ The Bookish Libra recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – The Ten Most Recent Additions to My To-Read List
I’m surprised how much I want to read Daisy Jones!
The only one on here I would probably read is Golden State (and I did get the audiobook for review!) My excitement for the Charlaine Harris book dipped a little when I found out it was an anthology, but it’s definitely easier for her fans who want to check out her short stories to have them all in once place.
Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum recently posted…Book Review: The Wolf in the Whale by Jordanna Max Brodsky
I’m more interested in the Charlaine Harris book as a collector’s item. I just love this cover, as opposed to the trade cover that’s out there. But I’m curious about the stories, they actually sound interesting:-)
Ooh, these are amazing preorders! I love Subterranean.
Me too, they are so dangerous for my wallet, though:-)
Sprayed edges are so very lovely and I actually prefer this cover to the US edition. And oh man! That version of Daisy Jones & the Six is fantastic!!! I have a copy of that for review. I’m really hoping it’s as great as it sounds.
Bonnie @ For the Love of Words recently posted…Waiting on Wednesday – On Cussing: Bad Words and Creative Cursing by Katherine Dunn
I can’t wait to read your review (so I hope you review Daisy Jones!!). I’ve been reading lots of rave reviews:-)
Such lovely books – no wonder you splurged. The Charlaine Harris book sounds good but I would probably resist as short stories don’t really work for me. Not really my type of book either but the Daisy Jones book does appeal. I hope you love it.
Lynn 😀