Our Spring Speed Mentoring event was a resounding success! On top of giving students plenty of invaluable advice, the mentors also had book recommendations. Here are some of the upcoming books they most are excited about:

 

Love Radio by Ebony LaDelle

Releasing May 31, 2022, this is the debut novel of Pace MS in Publishing alumna and speed mentor from our Fall event Ebony LaDelle! Called “mega swoonworthy, effortlessly cool, and full of heart” by Casey McQuiston, author of Red, White & Royal Blue, this YA romance follows Prince Jones, a romantic with his own popular radio segment dishing out love advice, and Dani Ford, a serious aspiring writer who has no time for love with college applications looming. When Prince and Dani meet, they feel an instant connection, one that Dani is hesitant to act on. She gives him just three dates to win her over—will the love expert prevail when practicing what he preaches? If you’re interested in reading this, the Publishing office on the 18th floor has an ARC available for students to borrow.

 

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi

Releasing May 24, 2022, this book is the next novel by the highly acclaimed Akwaeke Emezi, who was named a TIME Magazine Next Generation Leader in 2021 and who has been longlisted for, a finalist, honoree, or winner of 29 different book awards for their writing. This novel follows artist Feyi Adekola five years after the death of her husband, whose life has started to turn around for the better in the wake of her personal tragedy. Despite her luck picking up professionally and personally, as she starts to date the perfect guy, things still aren’t simple as she struggles with a deep and overwhelming attraction to her new boyfriend’s father. A tale of grief and love, You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty has been named a Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by The Washington Post, Oprah Daily, Vulture, Harper’s Bazaar, Thrillist, Essence, Good Housekeeping, Glamour, Marie Claire, Parade, Bustle, BuzzFeed, Refinery29, Business Insider, The Guardian, Financial Times, PopSugar, Book Riot, LitHub, Bookish, LGBTQ Reads, and more.

 

Miss Memory Lane by Colton Haynes

Releasing May 31, 2022, this intimate and moving memoir covers the fraught life of actor and model Colton Haynes, best known for his roles on Arrow and Teen Wolf. Thrust into the spotlight and told to hide integral parts of himself from a young age, Hayes struggled with stardom and isolation, leading to a harrowing experience with addiction that left him close to death before he’d even turned 30. Opening up about his experiences with addiction, abuse, sexuality, and redemption, this brutally honest confession lays out the highs and lows of a man who has struggled for so long finding himself.

 

The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner

Releasing May 10, 2022, the newest novel of #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner is a heartwarming tale of family, both their secrets and their love. Sarah Danhauser is shocked when her twenty-two-year-old stepdaughter Ruby announces her engagement to her pandemic boyfriend. But Ruby has already made up her mind and Sarah’s mother, Veronica, has already agreed to host the wedding at the family’s beach house in Cape Cod. As the wedding approaches, so do problems: old family secrets are brought to light, with every member of the family’s lives thrown into turmoil as they must question who they are and where they are in their lives. Sharp and witty yet kindhearted, this novel captures the power of home and family in the pandemic era.

 

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford

Releasing August 2, 2022, this novel by the New York Times bestselling author of Water For Elephants is an incisive look into familial love that crosses generations. Dorothy Moy is a poet who creates art out of her mental health issues. When her five-year-old daughter begins to experience the same symptoms—including memories from the lives of their ancestors—Dorothy fears that she’ll have to live with the same struggles and acts fast, agreeing to an experimental treatment. This treatment aims to address inherited trauma by allowing Dorothy to connect with the past generations of women in her family, following their own journeys and struggles through China and America. Even as she tries to heal the intergenerational hurt, other problems loom on the horizon—in each time period Dorothy visits, a stranger is looking for her, one who has loved her through all her genetic memories. A deeply human story about the cycles of pain passed down through families, this novel is a must-read for anyone looking for poignant stories about love, loneliness, courage, and motherhood.

 

CHEF’S KISS by TJ Alexander

Releasing May 3, 2022, CHEF’S KISS is the debut novel of a fresh, up-and-coming voice in romance. Simone Larkspur has always been great at her job, developing recipes as a baker for a respected cookbook publisher, but when her job pivots to creating video content, she’s left floundering. Worse still, Simone can’t stand the new bouncy, outgoing test kitchen manager Ray Lyton, whose personality is the opposite to her own. When Ray accidentally becomes a viral hit on YouTube, their editor in chief gives Simone an ultimatum: work together with Ray or take a hike. But as the two collaborate more and more, Simone starts to come around on Ray. To make matters more complicated, Ray publicly comes out as nonbinary to deeply mixed reactions, forcing Simone into a corner between her beloved career and someone she’s grown to care about. A heartwarming queer romance with deliciously witty prose, CHEF’S KISS is a surefire hit.