Publishers Weekly - 27.01.2020

Advanced

Physical

Chemistry

SUSANNAH NIX

Synopsis: In Nix’s

romantic comedy,

a heartbroken

heroine sets out to have a

no-strings-attached affair.

PW’s Takeaway: Readers will

eagerly devour Nix’s smart and

sexy story.

Comparable Title: Talia Hibbert’s

Get a Life, Chloe Brown

Read the Review: publishers-

weekly.com/9780999094860

A Dream of

Steam

JAMES W. BARRY

Synopsis: Barry

debuts with a

clever tale inspired

by a true story.

PW’s Takeaway: The impassioned

narrative is colored by evocative

prose, and Barry’s integration of

different plot threads is

impressive.

Comparable Title: Annie Proulx’s

The Shipping News

Read the Review: publishers-

weekly.com/9780692146378

Dreaming at

the Gates

KATHRYN

RIDALL

Synopsis: Ridall

encourages readers

to engage with the

imagery and emotions of their

dreams.

PW’s Takeaway: An affirming and

resonant exploration.

Comparable Title: Cindy McGill’s

What Your Dreams Are Telling

You

Read the Review: publishers-

weekly.com/9781733137300

Scouting Report

In this month’s roundup of the best-reviewed BookLife

titles, we highlight a sci-fi novel, a military thriller, a dream

guidebook, and others.

★ Okinawa

(Future War #2)

FX HOLDEN

Synopsis: Holden’s

thoughtful and inventive

second military thriller

concerns near-future

conflicts involving the U.S.

PW’s Takeaway: Holden’s

plausible geopolitical

developments, including

the unification of Korea, will help readers buy in

to the exciting story line.

Comparable Titles: Clive Cussler’s Oregon Files

Sample Line: “Returning to his quarters, John got

out a bottle of Scotch, poured himself a glass

and sat at his small desk, rolling the whisky

around his mouth.”

Read the Review: publishersweekly.com/

9781706414117

® BOOKS TO WATCH

88 BOOKLIFE, JANUARY 27, 2020

Last Girl Standing

MARJORY KAPTANOGLU

Synopsis: In this action-

driven and oft-comedic sci-

fi novel, 17-year-old Sierra

Mendez must save her

small California hometown

from a mysterious entity.

PW’s Takeaway: Kaptanoglu

offers an inclusive cast, a

plot that allows for tension

and tragedy as well as personal growth, and an

adventure for our times.

Comparable Title: Andrew Smith’s Grasshopper

Jungle

Sample Line: “I’ve known for some time that our

family’s not normal. It’s just Mom and me and

the hens and our goat, Brisa.”

Read the Review: publishersweekly.com/

9780648447139