Two Book Nerds Talking

It's been quite a while since we've done a Break your TBR so here's an entire episode dedicated to books that are out in May/June and some which are up-coming. There's no rhyme or reason really... these are just books that's been buzzing and those were ourselves are looking forward to. Loads of local stuff too folks! This episode is in collaboration with @definitelybooks

We have all been there. Awkward marital questions at family gatherings, trying to get ahead in your work place where everyone looks like an enemy, torn between two delectable men... (err... okay maybe that one is wishful thinking). Thank god for books like Last Tang Standing where it not only entertains but gives you useful urban survival tips. We finally got back to our physical studio (reunited... and it feels so goooood...) with debut author Lauren Ho and got stuck into everything from fielding off matchmaking attempts to coming of age in an age of noise and confusion.

Many know Emily St. John Mandel through her gentle dystopia novel Station Eleven. Now back with her 5th novel, The Glass Hotel feels at times dream-like and other times like you have stumbled upon a parallel universe to her novel before. And she acknowledges this, weaving a story out of time with characters you've met before but in a different life, this is a novel about counter-lives and consequences and letting go. Although there's a storyline that moves within the world of a Ponzi scheme (that alone such an interesting follow-up to Station Eleven) at the heart of this novel is a ghost story where all the characters are 'haunted' in their own way....

We came out from our little Ramadhan break to discuss the Nebula Awards nominees. Find out about the novels that is exciting the speculative fiction world from magical doorways to lesbian necromancers in space, there is even a novel that eerily mirrors the restricted movement world we are currently in at the moment. Life imitating art or art imitating life? It's four book nerds talking this week nerding over sci-fi and fantasy reads as we are joined by guests Tina Isaacs and Kok Sen Wai.

One of the most highly anticipated fantasy offerings this year, Sarah J. Mass' House of Earth and Blood is her first 'adult novel'. We chewed through angels, faes, shifters, merfolk and all sorts of other magical creatures in an urban fantasy setting. Why are her books so popular? ( There's over 22k reviews on Goodreads alone and the book is just newly launched ) and is the adult label correct? So many questions! Find out in this episode what we thought of the book and if this might be something you fancy picking up.

Intan Paramaditha joined us from her home in Sydney talk to us about her choose your own adventure book, The Wandering. A fable, an adventure, a commentary on mobility and boundaries this is a book you can pick up again and again to go on a different adventure. It's a choose your own adventure but at the end of the day, how much agency do you have in life when a lot of things are predetermined before you even get to your destination...

Most people have heard of Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle but few outside of his native Japan know Seshi Yokomizo. The master of murder mysteries especially the locked door kind, his detective Kosuke Kindaichi has starred in over 70 books. Translated sporadically before by a US Independent press, now Pushkin Vertigo has released The Inugami Curse, one of his classic murder most horrid novels. We thought since most of us are stuck within our houses these days how apt it is to delve into one of Yokomizo's much loved locked door mysteries...

Rhik Samadder wrote one of our favourite memoirs of last year. Called I Never Said I Loved You, it's on life, death and things unsaid. It is laugh out loud funny but also painful in places, Samadder goes into his depression and mental health issues with such honesty and grace you can't help rooting for him even though, he paints himself unflinchingly as a self-sabotaging loser with issues up the wazoo. Recommended.

We've got an episode we recorded in Ubud for you this week. Since world poetry day was a few days ago on the 21st of March, this episode is in conversation with Lemn Sissay, poet, presenter, performer and speaker. It was after his festival session on his memoir, My Name is Why so the conversation will meander through his thoughts on poetry, festivals, what he thought of his session to name a few. There will be munching of some tosei too. Please enjoy this relaxed talk with one of Honey's favourite poets punctuated by excerpts from his session and some of his poetry.

We met the charming Jenny Zhang in Ubud and cornered her for an interview about her first book of short stories, Sour Heart. This collection is set in the 90s and told from the point of view of little girls on the cusp of adolescence. Alongside the loss of innocence, experimenting with the world and living with an immigrant identity, her stories also show the ugly side of the American Dream and the generational gaps between families. Enjoy!