mar 2023 releases: familiar authors making an appearance

Hello everyone! It’s a new month again and March is bringing in great books. I have been eyeing many books in this list since forever. Most of the authors I’ve read from before except Meng Xi Shi’s Thousand Autumns but am familiar with the animated show. Thousand Autumns Volume 1 was supposed to be published in February but was postponed to this month. I’m hoping my physical copy would come soon.

Kalynn Bayron is releasing My Dear Henry, a standalone Jekyll and Hyde reimagination in the Remixed Classics series. Standalone novels include Jesse Q. Sutanto’s Vera Wong’s and Hanna Alkaf’s Hamra. Marie Lu is starting a new series with Stars and Smoke while Grace Callaway is continuing the Lady Charlotte’s Society of Angels series with Glory.

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my dear henry: jekyll & hyde remix – kalynn bayron

standalone: remixed classics #6
March 7, 2023 by Feiwel & Friends
age range: young adult
genre: historical fiction, horror
rep: Black, LGBT

London, 1885. Gabriel Utterson, a 17-year-old law clerk, has returned to London for the first time since his life— and that of his dearest friend, Henry Jekyll—was derailed by a scandal that led to his and Henry’s expuslion from the London Medical School. Whispers about the true nature of Gabriel and Henry’s relationship have followed the boys for two years, and now Gabriel has a chance to start again.

But Gabriel doesn’t want to move on, not without Henry. His friend has become distant and cold since the disastrous events of the prior spring, and now his letters have stopped altogether. Desperate to discover what’s become of him, Gabriel takes to watching the Jekyll house.

In doing so, Gabriel meets Hyde, a a strangely familiar young man with white hair and a magnetic charisma. He claims to be friends with Henry, and Gabriel can’t help but begin to grow jealous at their apparent closeness, especially as Henry continues to act like Gabriel means nothing to him.

But the secret behind Henry’s apathy is only the first part of a deeper mystery that has begun to coalesce. Monsters of all kinds prowl within the London fog—and not all of them are out for blood…

🪺 Although I’ve only read one book from the Remixed Classics series, Kalynn Bayron is one of the authors I want to read more from.

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vera wong’s unsolicited advice for murderers – jesse q. sutanto

standalone
March 14, 2023 by Berkley Books
age range: adult
genre: contemporary, mystery
rep: chinese

review

vera wong’s unsolicited advice for murderers – jesse q. sutanto | review

Vera Wong is a lonely little old lady–ah, lady of a certain age–who lives above her forgotten tea shop in the middle of San Francisco’s Chinatown. Despite living alone, Vera is not needy, oh no. She likes nothing more than sipping on a good cup of Wulong and doing some healthy detective work on the Internet about what her Gen-Z son is up to.

Then one morning, Vera trudges downstairs to find a curious thing–a dead man in the middle of her tea shop. In his outstretched hand, a flash drive. Vera doesn’t know what comes over her, but after calling the cops like any good citizen would, she sort of…swipes the flash drive from the body and tucks it safely into the pocket of her apron. Why? Because Vera is sure she would do a better job than the police possibly could, because nobody sniffs out a wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands. Vera knows the killer will be back for the flash drive; all she has to do is watch the increasing number of customers at her shop and figure out which one among them is the killer.

What Vera does not expect is to form friendships with her customers and start to care for each and every one of them. As a protective mother hen, will she end up having to give one of her newfound chicks to the police?

🪺 It’s Jesse Q. Sutanto. What more should I say? And I think Vera Wong is inspired by the author’s mother. How interesting would that be? Translating your mom into your book?

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thousand autumns volume 1 – meng xi shi

trilogy: thousand autumns #1
February 28, 2023 by Seven Seas
age range: adult
genre: fantasy, romance
rep: chinese, m/m couple

review

thousand autumns volume 1 – meng xi shi

Shen Qiao is a devout Daoist priest who has spent his life honing his skills and spirit, leading his sect with martial talent, beauty beyond measure, and an earnest heart. His polar opposite, Yan Wushi, leads one of the most powerful demonic sects and is said to be unrivaled in his strength and cunning. Yan Wushi believes in the inherently selfish nature of all people—himself included—and that nobody is above committing dark deeds for their own benefit.

When a fight leaves Shen Qiao injured, blind, and with hazy memories, Yan Wushi takes in the defeated sect leader with a dark plan: test the limits of the man’s patience and faith in others to lure him onto the demonic path. Little does he know that he is about to meet the first immovable force of his life, and that two hearts can connect in unexpected ways. With the passing of a thousand autumns, who can stay eternal?

🪺 After the Moxiang Tongxiu trio series, Seven Seas was licensed to translate more danmei/BL books. Thousand Autumns is another! I’ve watched the donghua before and was intrigued by the tension between Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi so I’m very excited to read the novel.

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glory and the master of shadows – grace callaway

series: lady charlotte’s society of angels #4
March 28, 2023 by Grace Callaway Books
age range: adult
genre: historical romance
rep: half-chinese

Their love is forbidden…and irresistible. 

The daughter of a half-Chinese duke and a lady fossil hunter, Lady Glory Cavendish is an idealistic and spirited miss who belongs to a secret society of lady investigators. Through her covert activities, Glory meets the handsome and mysterious Wei Chen, a master of healing and fighting arts. Fascinated by the noble shifu, Glory convinces him to take her on as a pupil. As they spend time together, however, she begins to long for lessons of a more intimate nature.

Master Wei Chen has led a life of discipline focused on a single goal: avenging his murdered kin. His journey takes him to London where, by day, he treats opium users in his East End clinic and, by night, he secretly hunts the villain who destroyed his family. Yet for the first time, temptation distracts Wei: his spirited and lovely new pupil stirs dangerous needs in him. Desires that are forbidden between a shifu and his student…and between a commoner and a duke’s daughter. 

As Wei and Glory’s slow-burn romance ignites into fiery passion, they are drawn into a web of betrayal and deceit. Torn between honor and desire, revenge and love, the pair must decide if they will let the past determine their future…or if they will fight the shadows for their chance at happily ever after.

🪺 Grace Callaway’s a historical romance author that I found out recently and have fell in love with her books and characters. I need Glory’s book now.

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hamra and the jungle of memories – hanna alkaf

standalone
March 28, 2023 by HarperCollins
age range: middle grade
genre: fantasy, little red riding hood retelling
rep: malaysian

Courage is the strongest magic there is.

On Hamra’s thirteenth birthday, she receives nothing but endless nagging and yet another errand to run in the Langkawi jungle that looms behind her home.

No one has remembered her special day.

And so, stifled and angry, Hamra ignores something she shouldn’t: the rules of the jungle.

Always ask permission before you enter. Hamra walks boldly in.

Never take what isn’t yours. Hamra finds the most perfect jambu and picks it.

Of course, rules exist for a reason, and soon an enormous weretiger is stalking her dreams, demanding payment for her crimes–and Hamra embarks on a quest deep into the jungle to set things right.

🪺 Another must read author for me. Hanna Alkaf captured my heart ever since her debut, The Weight of Our Sky. I can’t wait to pick up Hamra and the Jungle of Memories.

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stars and smoke – marie lu

duology: stars and smoke #1
March 28, 2023 by Roaring Brook Press
age range: young adult
genre: contemporary, romance, mystery
rep: chinese-american

Meet Winter Young—rookie backup dancer turned global pop phenomenon. His star power has smashed records, selling out stadiums from LA to London. Now he’s bringing his swoon worthy assets to a whole new arena…

Infamous criminal tycoon Eli Morrison has just one weakness—his daughter, Penelope. And Penelope has just one wish for her nineteenth birthday—a private concert with Winter Young. When covert ops organization The Panacea Group approaches Winter with this once-in-a-lifetime chance to infiltrate Morrison’s inner circle, Winter must use his fame, cunning, and charisma to pull it off—only he won’t be on his own.

Posing as Winter’s bodyguard is the fiery Sydney Cossette, Panacea’s youngest spy. Sydney may be the only person alive impervious to Winter’s charms, but as the mission brings them closer, she’s forced to admit there’s more to this A-lister than slick dance moves and a handsome face. Panacea’s unlikeliest partners just might become its biggest heroes—and maybe even more—if they can survive each other first.

🪺 Marie Lu is releasing a new series this year and I need to pick it up as soon as possible.

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let’s chat;
it’s another month of great books by authors of color. i want to pick them all up within the month but march will be a busy month. do you have any most anticipated books in march?

full march list

✗ the karma map – nisha sharma
✗ my dear henry: jekyll & hyde remix (remixed classics #6) – kalynn bayron
✗ the foxglove king (the nightshade kingdom #1) – hannah f. whitten
✗ rosewood: a midsummer meet cute – sayantani dasgupta
✗ lies we sing to the sea – sarah underwood

✗ study break: 11 college tales from orientation to graduation – edited by aashna avachat
✗ the heiress at sea – christi caldwell
✗ vera wong’s unsolicited advice for murderers – jesse q. sutanto
✗ thousand autumns volume 1 (thousand autumns #1) – meng xi shi

✗ lucha of the night forest – tehlor kay mejia
✗ how to win a breakup – farah heron
✗ glory and the master of shadows (lady charlotte’s society of angels #4) – grace callaway
✗ hamra and the jungle of memories – hanna alkaf
✗ stars and smoke (stars and smoke #1) – marie lu

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