A collection of recent review copies (and one other). Nice mix of new-to-me authors, the latest book by a long-time favourite (D’Aprix Sweeney), and others whose work I have enjoyed in the past.

Featuring: Maria Adelmann, Terry Bisson, Mark Braude, Stephen Curry, Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, Luke Epplin, Barry Hertz, Michael Idov, Walter Isaacson, Clara E. Mattei, Ian McDonald, Erin Van Der Meer

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Maria Adelmann, THE ADJUNCT (Scribner)

A fresh take on the campus novel that follows an adjunct professor gigging her way through academia’s poor job market when she crosses paths with her old PhD adviser whose new novel might be about her…

Meet Sam, an adjunct professor at a public university in Baltimore who takes a last-minute gig at the private liberal arts college down the road. Overworked and underpaid, her life is a blur of back-to-back classes, side hustles, and job applications as she attempts to claw her way toward a full-time position. But her already precarious existence is thrown into disarray when she runs into her former grad school adviser, Dr. Tom Sternberg, on campus.

Tom and Sam have a complicated history, the lasting impact of which has haunted her academic career, and it’s the last thing she wants to think about as she navigates academic politics, institutional hurdles, and romantic entanglements with men and women that further complicate a sexuality not even she can define. Then she learns that Tom left his old job for undisclosed reasons — and his long-awaited second novel is about a professor’s reckoning with his checkered past. As whispers spread that Sam is the inspiration behind a central character, she fights to regain control of the story while questioning everything she thought she knew about her future — and herself.

With biting humor and a keen eye for detail, Maria Adelmann offers a fresh twist on a tangled #MeToo story and turns Sam’s downward spiral into a searing critique of class and the hollow promises of the American dream. A hilarious yet sobering look at how hustle culture has come to define modern academia, The Adjunct asks: Who really controls the narratives of success, identity, and power?

An intriguing-looking campus novel/mystery. The Adjunct is due to be published by Scribner in North America on March 31st, 2026.

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram
Review copy received via Edelweiss

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Terry Bisson, BEARS DISCOVER FIRE (Tor Books)

From acclaimed master of science fiction, Terry Bisson, Bears Discover Fire and Other Stories brings together his Hugo Award-winning short story with eighteen other classics

Bears Discover Fire is the first short story collection by Terry Bisson, author of such brilliant novels as Talking Man and Voyage to the Red Planet. It brings together nineteen of Bisson’s finest works for the first time in one volume, among them the darkly comic title story, which garnered the field’s highest honors, including the Hugo, Nebula, Theodore Sturgeon, and Locus awards.

I’m not sure I’d ever read anything by Terry Bisson, before I cracked this open. I haven’t finished the collection, yet (I tend not to read short story collections by reading from start to finish — I usually alternate between stories within them and longer books), but I’ve been enjoying it so far. Looking forward to finishing it soon. Bears Discover Fire and Other Stories is due to be published by Tor Books in North America, on October 21st.

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads
Review copy received via NetGalley

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Mark Braude, THE TYPEWRITER AND THE GUILLOTINE (Grand Central Publishing)

The “irresistible” (Susan Orlean) untold story of a trailblazing Paris correspondent for The New Yorker, who sounded the alarm about the rise of fascism in Europe while becoming enmeshed in the sensational case of a German serial killer stalking the streets of the French capital on the eve of WWII.

In 1925, the Indianapolis-born Janet Flanner took an assignment to write a regular ‘Letter from Paris’ for a lighthearted humor magazine called The New Yorker. She’d come to Paris to with dreams of writing about “Beauty with a Capital B.” Her employer, self-consciously apolitical, sought only breezy reports on French art and culture. But as she woke to the frightening signs of rising extremism, economic turmoil, and widespread discontent in Europe, Flanner ignored her editor’s directives, reinventing herself, her assignment, and The New Yorker in the process.

While working tirelessly to alert American readers to the dangers of the Third Reich, Flanner became gripped by the disturbing crimes of a man who embodied all of the darkness she was being forced to confront. Eugen Weidmann, a German con-man and murderer, and the last man to be publicly executed in France — mere weeks before the outbreak of WWII. Flanner covered his crimes, capture, and highly politicized trial, seeing the case as a metaphor for understanding the tumultuous years through which she’d just passed and to prepare herself for the dangers to come.

The Typewriter and The Guillotine offers the personal and professional coming-of-age story of an indomitable journalist set against a glamorous, high-stakes backdrop — a tightly-coiled drama full of romance and intrigue.

Interesting premise. I haven’t read much historical true crime, and I’m not entirely sure why this is the case. Looking forward to giving this one a read soon. The Typewriter and the Guillotine is due to be published by Grand Central Publishing in North America and in the UK, on January 20th, 2026.

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram
Review copy received via NetGalley

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Stephen Curry, SHOT READY (One World)

Shot Ready is a powerful distillation of Stephen Curry’s transformative philosophy of success — centered on preparation, constant improvement, creativity, connection, mindfulness, and joy — delivered in his incomparable voice and style. Stunningly designed and illustrated with more than 100 gorgeous photographs, Shot Ready is an intimate narrative and a practical blueprint for any reader who wants to unlock their own potential.

It was perhaps inevitable that Curry would release a book. I’ve already had a quick look at the start, and it looks like it might be interesting, although perhaps not the most interesting book about basketball and one of its stars. Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised. Shot Ready is out now, published by One World in North America and Macmillan in the UK.

Follow the Author: Goodreads, Instagram

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Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, LAKE EFFECT (Ecco)

A wry and tender portrait of two families forever changed by one lovestruck decision that will reverberate for decades.

It’s 1977 and an air of restlessness has settled on the residents of Cambridge Road in Rochester, New York, a place long fueled by the booming fortunes of Kodak and Xerox and, for some, the mores of the Catholic church. When Nina Larkin is given a copy of The Joy of Sex by her newly divorced friend, she can no longer dismiss the nearly nonexistent intimacy of her marriage. Just as her oldest child, Clara, is falling in love for the first time, Nina finds herself longing for the forbidden: a midlife awakening. An intoxicating fling with a prominent neighbor brings Nina a freedom she never thought possible — but also risks the reputations of both families and unravels Clara’s world, just as she stands on the threshold of adulthood.

Years later, Clara, now a successful food stylist in New York City, has never been able to move past the long-ago scandal. Drawn back home by the pull of a family wedding and wrestling with her own demons, she makes a pivotal decision that turns her life upside down. Written with Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s signature humor and insight, Lake Effect is a wise and probing look at love and desire, mothers and daughters, loss and grief, and what we owe the people we love most.

I’ve been a fan of Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s novels ever since her debut The Nest (2016). Lake Effect is the author’s third novel, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting it ever since I finished Good Company (2021). I’ll be reading it very soon. (Review to publisher closer to release, though.) Lake Effect is due to be published by Ecco in North America and The Borough Press in the UK, on March 3rd, 2026.

Also on CR: Review of Good Company

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram
Review copy received via Edelweiss

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Luke Epplin, MOSES AND THE DOCTOR (Grand Central Publishing)

The rousing story of two trailblazing superstars — Julius “Dr. J” Erving and Moses Malone — whose improbable alliance and unsung legacies shaped the wildest and most innovative era of basketball history.

In the early 1970s, playground courts across the United States were jammed with hoops buffs experimenting with showy moves and aerial shots that were changing the look and feel of a sport once stubbornly earthbound. Out of this scene emerged a pair of incomparable yet dissimilar streetball sensations, both of whom would make their name in the American Basketball Association, an upstart professional league characterized as much by flamboyance as invention. Julius Erving, better known as Dr. J, became a mythic figure whose airborne acrobatics inspired an army of high-flying acolytes. Moses Malone, a down-and-dirty banger, scrambled basketball apprenticeships forever by skipping directly from high school to the pros.

Into the 1980s, Erving and Malone switched leagues, won MVPs, shattered records, and led their respective clubs into the playoff’s championship round. But one prize eluded them: an NBA title. After suffering perennial defeat at the hands of Magic Johnson’s Los Angeles Lakers and Larry Bird’s Boston Celtics, the two eventually joined forces on the Philadelphia 76ers, blending their contrasting talents into a seamless whole. Together, Erving and Malone set out to accomplish what no other NBA team fronted by ex-ABA superstars had managed.

An enthralling social history as well as an uplifting underdog story, Moses and the Doctor intimately chronicles the hopes and heartbreaks of two basketball legends who revolutionized what was possible on the ground and in the air, and fueled one of the most thrilling and momentous championship seasons ever.

If you read anything about the NBA’s history, you’ll certainly come across Dr. J, and also likely Moses Malone. Despite that, I haven’t yet read any books about either of them. Epplin’s new book, then, looks like it’ll fill in a gap in my NBA history knowledge. Moses and the Doctor is due to be published by Grand Central Publishing in North America and in the UK, on February 10th, 2026.

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram, BlueSky
Review copy received via NetGalley

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Barry Hertz, WELCOME TO THE FAMILY (Grand Central Publishing)

An exclusive look inside the surprising history and contentious future of Hollywood’s most unlikely blockbuster—the Fast & Furious franchise—a series that uncannily anticipated the shifting currents of pop culture while changing the business of global entertainment at the same time.

What do Miami drug traffickers, bloodthirsty Yakuza warriors, Corona-soaked backyard BBQs, Dame Helen Mirren, and a duct-taped 1984 Pontiac Fiero-turned-rocket-fueled spaceship have in common? They are all essential elements of the ever-expanding, logic- and laws-of-physics-defying Fast & Furious universe: the most entertaining, outlandish, and secretly genius Hollywood creation that everyone has taken for granted – until now.

Through an escalating series of high-risk maneuvers – from synapse-stretching stunts to timeline-bending narratives to explosive PR wars between the biggest, baddest, baldest egos in showbiz – the Fast family (and it is a family above all else) has redefined the art and commerce of popcorn moviemaking. And the gang did it all while staring down the kind of monumental, soul-rattling challenges – the death of a star, the upheaval of an industry – that would have crushed the speed and spirit of any other filmmaking team.

An unauthorized journey into the makings of a cinematic saga unlike any other, Welcome to the Family exposes the stranger-than-fan-fiction journey of the franchise from the ground up. Through rigorous behind-the-scenes reporting and incisive cultural commentary, writer Barry Hertz’s ride-or-die epic details every single twist and turn of Fast & Furious drama, a quarter mile at a time. By the end, you will believe a car can fly.

I’ve long been interested in behind-the-scenes books, and as a long-time fan of the Fast & Furious series of movies, this was always going to be of interest. Really looking forward to reading this, and soon. Welcome to the Family is due to be published by Grand Central Publishing in North America and in the UK, on November 25th.

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, BlueSky
Review copy received via NetGalley

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Michael Idov, THE CORMORANT HUNT (Scribner)

A disillusioned CIA officer infiltrates an extremist group in the heart of Europe.

Disheartened CIA officer Ari Falk, now hiding in the Republic of Georgia, is hailed as a hero by some and branded a traitor by others after blowing the lid off a massive conspiracy. But his quiet exile is shattered when a mission arises — one perfectly suited for someone as jaded and unpredictable as him.

This stand-alone sequel thrusts us into a modern era of geopolitical conflict, where a hot war in Europe and shadowy political schemes set the stage for danger at every turn. Enter Asha Tamaskar, a brilliant, neurodivergent CIA officer with her own secrets, and Felix Burnham, a chilling antagonist with radical alliances that could change the global balance of power. From Tbilisi to Prague, Andorra to Bethesda, Idov crafts vivid, authentic settings that amplify the pulse-pounding action.

Far from the usual spy thriller, The Cormorant Hunt is brimming with razor-sharp dialogue, heart-stopping twists, and complex character dynamics that bring humanity to the chaos. Every border crossed carries real-world consequences, making this a thriller that feels both urgent and unforgettable. Blending suspense, wit, and authentic storytelling, it’s a must-read for fans of political intrigue, espionage, and thrillers that don’t play by the rules.

This is the sequel to The Collaborators, Idov’s debut espionage thriller, which I really enjoyed. I’ve been looking forward to a sequel ever since, so it kind of made my day when the publisher provided me with the DRC. I’ll be reading this very soon. The Cormorant Hunt is due to be published by Scribner in North America, on January 27th, 2026. (Couldn’t find a UK publisher at the time of writing, but the first novel is published by Simon & Schuster in the UK.)

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram, BlueSky
Review copy received via Edelweiss

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Walter Isaacson, THE GREATEST SENTENCE EVER WRITTEN (Simon & Schuster)

Reveals the origins of the most revolutionary sentence in the Declaration of Independence, the one that defines who we are as Americans — and explains how it should shape our politics today.

To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, Walter Isaacson takes readers on a fascinating deep dive into the creation of one of history’s most powerful sentences: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Drafted by Thomas Jefferson and edited by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, this line lays the foundation for the American Dream and defines the common ground we share as a nation.

Isaacson unpacks its genius, word by word, illuminating the then-radical concepts behind it. Readers will gain a fresh appreciation for how it was drafted to inspire unity, equality, and the enduring promise of America. With clarity and insight, he reveals not just the power of these words but describes how, in these polarized times, we can use them to restore an appreciation for our common values.

A usually short book by Isaacson, the best-selling author of door-stopper biographies of Benjamin Franklin, Leonardo Da Vinci, Steve Jobs, and more. Thought this was an interesting-looking book, and decided to give it a try. The Greatest Sentence Ever Written is due to be published by Simon & Schuster in North America and in the UK, on November 18th.

Follow the Author: Goodreads, Instagram
Review copy received via Edelweiss

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Clara E. Mattei, ESCAPE FROM CAPITALISM (Simon & Schuster)

An urgent intervention against capitalism revealing how economic models serve the extremely wealthy and powerful at the expense of ordinary people — and how we can reclaim our power to make choices about our economic lives.

Capitalism isn’t inevitable, scientific, or natural — it’s a relatively young system that can be replaced. In this radical rethinking of economics, Clara Mattei argues that enduring problems such as poverty, unemployment, and inflation are not bugs in the economy but core features. They are justified with pseudoscientific models, fabrications built to support a capitalist economy that unfairly rewards people with the most resources.

The tools of economic experts — budget cuts, interest rate hikes, and regressive taxes — are sold as apolitical but disguise a bleak reality: they maintain our capitalist system, reinforcing inequality. Central bankers raise interest rates knowing this will cause a recession and pain to working families. Governments slash tax collection jobs in the name of balanced budgets, which actually shields the wealthy from tax enforcement and creates budget shortfalls used to justify cuts in social services. Textbooks teach that unemployment must rise to fix inflation. But this model creates conditions that force people to accept crummy jobs and low pay.

In the wake of World War I, when the world’s economy was in turmoil, economics was elevated to a scientific discipline, legitimized through mathematical formulas and new economic institutions considered too sophisticated for the average person to understand. Today’s economic institutions, from the Fed to the IMF, wield immense power over monetary policy yet are shielded from democratic scrutiny. Why should we accept a system that delegates crucial decisions that impact our lives to institutions in which we have no say?

All the major problems today — from a healthcare system that prioritizes profits over well-being to the rise of ultranationalism — are rooted in an economic system that fails to serve the common good. In this revelatory manifesto, Mattei sets out a revolutionary vision that may one day allow us to achieve true economic freedom and finally escape from capitalism.

This looks like it’ll be a timely examination of capitalism and the forces pushing against it. Escape from Capitalism is due to be published by Simon & Schuster in North America and in the UK, on January 27th, 2026.

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads
Review copy received via Edelweiss

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Ian McDonald, BOY, WITH ACCIDENTAL DINOSAUR (TorDotCom)

Come one, come all to the dinosaur rodeo!

Tif Tamim wants nothing more than to be a dinosaur buckaroo. An orphan in search of a place to rest his head and a job to weigh down his pockets, Tif has bounced from circus to circus, yearning for a chance to ride a prehistoric beauty under the sparkling lights of a big-top.

To become a buckaroo, Tif needs to learn the tools of the trade, yet few dino maestros want to take a scrawny nobody from nowhere under their wing. But when Tif frees a dino from an abusive owner and braves the roving gangs of the formerly-American west to bring the dino to safety, he catches someone’s eye. And boy, how those eyes dazzle Tif from the back of a bucking carnotaur.

“How to Train Your Dragon meets Mad Max” is a pretty intriguing pitch. I’ve enjoyed plenty of McDonald’s books and short stories, so it was inevitable that I’d be interested in reading this one. Boy, With Accidental Dinosaur is due to be published by TorDotCom in North America and in the UK, on February 3rd, 2026.

Follow the Author: Goodreads, Instagram, BlueSky
Review copy received via NetGalley

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Erin Van Der Meer, THE SCOOP (Grand Central Publishing)

A piercing satire about a journalist working the night shift at a tabloid and the explosive consequences of her “harmless” clickbait.

Washed-up New York journalist Frankie Miller is getting desperate. Since the twenty-nine-year-old lost her dream job at a glossy magazine three months ago, her days have been filled with overdue bills, cereal for dinner, and a flood of rejection emails (not to mention her ex has a new girlfriend). So when she’s offered a job at The Scoop, a notorious tabloid website run by tyrannical editor-in-chief David Brown, she can’t exactly afford to say no — even if it means swallowing her pride for clicks. Besides, for Frankie, it’s just a paycheck, a temporary detour. It’s not forever.

But the deeper she’s pulled into the breakneck world of tabloid journalism, the blurrier the line between ambition and morality becomes — until she crosses it. When her reporting humiliates a beloved pop star and dredges up grief over her late mother, Frankie sets off a chain reaction that spirals beyond her control. In an industry where reputation is currency and outrage sells, how far is Frankie willing to go — and how much is she willing to lose — to win at this ruthless game?

As someone who wanted to become a journalist for years (I also went to j-school), I remain interesting in novels with journalist protagonists — sure, usually I lean towards mysteries and/or thrillers, but it’s not an exclusive interest. I think I’ll read this pretty soon, but I’ll hold off on publishing a review until closer to its publication date. The Scoop is due to be published by Grand Central Publishing in North America (April 21st, 2026) and Wildfire in the UK (April 26th).

Follow the Author: Website, Goodreads, Instagram
Review copy received via NetGalley