2022 Book Releases That You Need To Know (Part 2)

Sister Mother Warrior by Vanessa Riley

[ 12 July 2022 from William Morrow ]

WHAT IT’S ABOUT: When war breaks out on Saint Domingue, pitting the French, Spanish, and enslaved people against one another in turn, Marie-Claire and Toya meet. Despite their deep differences, they both play pivotal roles in the revolution that will eventually lead to full independence for Haiti and its people.

A sweeping novel of the Haitian Revolution based on the true-life stories of two extraordinary women: the first Empress of Haiti and a West African-born warrior who helped lead the rebellion.

The Sleepless by Victor Manibo

[ 02 August 2022 from Erewhon ]

WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Journalist Jamie Vega is Sleepless: he can’t sleep, nor does he need to. When his boss dies on the eve of a controversial corporate takeover, Jamie doesn’t buy the too-convenient explanation of suicide, and launches an investigation of his own.

But everything goes awry when Jamie discovers that he was the last person who saw Simon alive. Not only do the police suspect him, Jamie himself has no memory of that night.

After the Hurricane by Leah Franqui

[ 09 August 2022 from William Morrow ]

WHAT IT’S ABOUT: When her troubled father goes missing after Hurricane Maria, Elena returns to Puerto Rico, a place she loved as a child but hasn’t seen in years. There she must unravel the truth about who her father is, crisscrossing the storm-swept island and reaching deep into his family tree to find relatives she’s never met, each of whom seems to possess a clue about Santiago’s fate.

Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club by Roselle Lim

[ 16 August 2022 from Berkley ]

WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Newly minted professional matchmaker Sophie Go has returned to her hometown in Toronto. In dire search of clients, Sophie stumbles upon a secret club within her condo complex: the Old Ducks, seven septuagenarian Chinese bachelors who never found love. Somehow, she convinces them to hire her, but her matchmaking skills are put to the test as she learns the depths of loneliness, heartbreak, and love.

The Genesis of Misery by Neon Yang

[ 27 September 2022 from Tor Books ]

WHAT IT’S ABOUT: This is the story of Misery Nomaki (she/they) – a nobody from a nowhere mining planet who possesses the rare stone-working powers of a saint. Unfortunately, these saint-like abilities also manifest in those succumbing to life-threatening voidmadness.

But when the voice of an angel, or a very convincing delusion, leads Misery to the center of the Empire, they find themself trapped between two powerful and dangerous factions, each hoping to use Misery to win a terrible war.

How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying) by Cristina Fernandez

[ 02 August 2022 from Katherine Tegen Books ]

WHAT IT’S ABOUT: When a supervillain breaks into her bedroom one night, Astrid has to face the facts: her boyfriend is a superhero. Double-majoring as a premed was hard, but now Astrid will have to balance a double life. Despite her own super ability of having a perfect sense of time, Astrid is terrified that this revelation just might shatter her carefully laid plans.

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

[ 13 September 2022 from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers ]

WHAT IT’S ABOUT: A hospital volunteer in war-torn Syria, Salama is desperate to find a way out of her beloved country before her sister-in-law gives birth. So desperate, that she has manifested a physical embodiment of her fear in the form of her imagined companion, Khawf, who haunts her every move in an effort to keep her safe.

But even with Khawf pressing her to leave, Salama is torn between her loyalty to her country and her conviction to survive.

A Scatter of Light by Malinda Lo

[ 04 October 2022 from Dutton Books for Young Readers ]

WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Aria Tang West expects boredom when her parents exile her to California. But what she finds is Steph Nichols, her grandmother’s gardener. Soon, Aria is second-guessing who she is and what she wants to be, and a summer that once seemed lost becomes unforgettable — for Aria, her family, and the working-class queer community Steph introduces her to.

Strike the Zither by Joan He

[ 25 October 2022 from Roaring Brook Press ]

WHAT IT’S ABOUT: The year is 414 of the Xin Dynasty. Orphaned at a young age, Zephyr is now the best strategist of the land and serves under Xin Ren, a warlordess whose loyalty to the empress is double-edged — while Ren’s honor draws Zephyr to her cause, it also jeopardizes their survival in a war where one must betray or be betrayed. But there are more enemies than one — and not all of them are human.

Thirst by Varsha Bajaj

[ 19 July 2022 from Nancy Paulsen Books ]

WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Minni lives in the poorest part of Mumbai, where access to water is limited to a few hours a day and the communal taps have long lines. Lately, though, even that access is threatened by severe water shortages and thieves who are stealing this precious commodity — an act that Minni accidentally witnesses one night.

Sweet and Sour by Debbi Michiko Florence

[ 06 September 2022 from Scholastic Press ]

WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Still stung by her former best friend’s terrible betrayal, Mai sees the Koyama family’s return as the perfect opportunity to get her revenge on Zach. But what if Zach isn’t the boy he used to be? And what if Mai’s memories of their last fateful summer aren’t the whole truth of what happened between them?

Marikit and the Ocean of Stars by Caris Avendaño Cruz

[ 18 October 2022 from Farrar, Straus and Giroux ]

WHAT IT’S ABOUT: When she’s swept away from the human world, Marikit discovers that her dress is a map, one lovingly crafted to lead her to safety in the magical lands of the Engkantos. With the help of her friends, including an exuberant firefly and a cursed boy, Marikit journeys through this enchanted land to find the key to saving her family, all without being eaten alive.