New Books (February-March 2023)

February 26, 2023 Civilian Reader New Books A R Torre, Brent Weeks, Calder Walton, Dan Abnett, David Guymer, Dwyer Murphy, Elissa R. Sloan, Iris Yamashita, Lauren Beukes, Lowell Cauffiel, Mike Lawson, Nick Kyme, Rebecca Makkai, Rupert Holmes, Scott C Johnson

A bigger selection than in more-recent New Books posts — just an unusually good few weeks for new books and ARCs.

Featuring: Dan Abnett, Lauren Beukes, Lowell Cauffiel, David Guymer, Rupert Holmes, Scott C. Johnson, Nick Kyme, Mike Lawson, Rebecca Makkai, Dwyer Murphy, Elissa R. Sloan, A. R. Torre, Calder Walton, Brent Weeks, Iris Yamashita

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New Books (April)

April 19, 2020May 13, 2021 Civilian Reader New Books Age of Sigmar, Alex Pavesi, Breanna Teintze, Chris Wraight, Dan Drezner, Daniel W Drezner, Dinah Lenney, Don Winslow, Elissa R. Sloan, Gardner Dozois, Grady Hendrix, Hari Kunzru, John Niven, Jonathan Strahan, Karen Osborne, Lindsay Ellis, Marc Freeman, Michael Swanwick, Mike Brooks, Nicole Krauss, Peter Swanson, Richard Kadrey, Robert Jackson Bennett, Ross Payton, Ryan Gattis, Sam J Miller, Scott Eyman, Stark Holborn, Tamsyn Muir, Tom Bissell, Warhammer Horror, Wayne Santos, WH40k

In these uncertain times, books are perhaps more important than ever (at least, they are in my opinion). To that end, I am going to try to publish more content on CR than normal (I know — I’ve “closed” it down a number of times, I just can’t stay away). Below is a list of books I’ve bought or received for review (and one I’m pre-approved for but haven’t downloaded because I know I won’t be able to read the format, but wanted to flag anyway because I’m really looking forward to reading it). As you’ll notice, a few of these aren’t out for some time, but I guess publishers have decided to send them out sooner to give people plenty of time to read them.

Featuring: Robert Jackson Bennett, Tom Bissell, Tom Bradby, Mike Brooks, K.A. Doore, Gardner Dozois, Dan Drezner, Lindsay Ellis, Scott Eyman, Marc Freeman, Ryan Gattis, Grady Hendrix, Stark Holborn, Richard Kadrey, Nicole Krauss, Hari Kunzru, Dinah Lenney, Sam J. Miller, Tamsyn Muir, John Niven, Karen Osborne, Alex Pavesi, Ross Payton, Wayne Santos, Elissa R. Sloan, Jonathan Strahan, Peter Swanson, Michael Swanwick, Breanna Teintze, Don Winslow, Chris Wraight

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Quick Review: THE UNRAVELING OF CASSIDY HOLMES by Elissa R. Sloan (William Morrow)

April 16, 2020May 13, 2021 Civilian Reader Review Contemporary, Elissa R. Sloan, Fiction, Most Anticipated 2020, Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes, William Morrow

The dark side of celebrity and early success

Cassidy Holmes isn’t just a celebrity.

She is “Sassy Gloss,” the fourth member of the hottest pop group America has ever seen. Hotter than Britney dancing with a snake, hotter than Christina getting dirrty, Gloss was the pop act that everyone idolized. Fans couldn’t get enough of them, their music, and the drama that followed them like moths to a flame—until the group’s sudden implosion in 2002. And at the center of it all was Sassy Cassy, the Texan with a signature smirk that had everyone falling for her.

But now she’s dead. Suicide.

The world is reeling from this unexpected news, but no one is more shocked than the three remaining Glossies. Fifteen years ago, Rose, Merry, and Yumi had been the closest to Cassidy, and this loss is hitting them hard. Before the group split, they each had a special bond with Cassidy — truths they told, secrets they shared. But after years apart, each of them is wondering: what could they have done?

I’m very fond of novels set in and around the entertainment industry. Elissa R. Sloan’s debut novel was pitched as being in the same vein as Taylor Jenkins Reid’s (superb) Daisy Jones & the Six, so my attention was immediately grabbed. I read this very soon after receiving it, and I’m happy to say I very much enjoyed it. Continue reading →