January 7, 2025 • 30 mins
On this first ep of the new year Brett is joined once again by Renee of ItsBookTalk to discuss ten books we're looking forward to in the upcoming year. Join us for a wide range of choices that promise to make 2025 another fantastic year in publishing.
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Episode Transcript
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Brett Benner (00:03):
Happy new year.
Everybody, thank you for beinghere.
And I'm so happy to be joinedagain by Renee from it's book
talk, who Literally, we startedtalking before I even pressed
record and I was like, I have tohit record cause we will just
talk and talk and talk.
So I'm so happy you're back.
I hope you had a good holiday.
Renee (00:23):
Yes.
Hello.
Well, thank you for having meback.
I did have a good holiday.
It's busy as I think most peoplecan attest.
It's busy.
I don't even have little kidsanymore and it's still busy, but
it was good.
And yeah.
You know, I'm getting excitedabout 2025 releases, even though
(00:44):
I did get some Christmaspresents, some backlist
Christmas presents.
And I will share with you, oneof my really favorite book gifts
that I got from my mom was thisgigantic book.
It is, I don't even know howmany pages are in it, but it's
called 1000 Books to Read BeforeYou Die.
Brett Benner (01:05):
Oh, I see that.
Is
Renee (01:06):
you heard of it?
Brett Benner (01:07):
Yeah.
Renee (01:08):
it's, it's, it's
Brett Benner (01:09):
like a paper book, like quality paperback.
And it literally, it's
Renee (01:12):
it's hot.
Well, I got the hardcover.
Brett Benner (01:13):
Oh wow.
Renee (01:15):
It's very heavy.
But I started browsing in that.
And it's really interesting theway he has it set up.
And then he also has book listsin the back.
And I was like, Oh, I love alist.
But I just kind of startedlooking.
It's alphabetical.
And I have already come across.
two in particular books that Iwas like, I've never heard of
(01:39):
this.
It sounds so good.
And he also like gives you alike his review of the book, but
also what genre it is, the yearit was published all of that.
And then will also give you liketry these You know, as, you
know, like, yeah, comps,exactly.
So I really enjoyed that.
(02:00):
I started looking through thatand as if I need to add any more
books to my TBR, but I don'tcare.
Our TBRs are unlimited.
Brett Benner (02:09):
They're totally unlimited, but tell that to my
bookshelves.
All right.
So today it's January, thebeginning of the year, each of
us are going to talk about fivebooks coming out this year that
we're particularly excitedabout.
And I'm sure we could haveprobably, as I was going through
the list, I'm sure you were too,you could have probably said
like, these are the 20 that I'mexcited about.
Renee (02:29):
Oh gosh, I, more,
Brett Benner (02:32):
Yeah.
Renee (02:33):
I mean, this publishing year is going to be an
embarrassment of riches.
I can't wait because I feel like2024 was average, maybe it was,
it was fine.
Backlist was a clear winner forme in 2024.
it was 70 percent of my topreads were backlist.
(02:53):
So I am ready.
I'm ready to have some reallygreat new releases come my way
and I don't know if you had amethod for how you chose your
books, but I actually did noteven go past June.
Brett Benner (03:09):
No, I didn't either.
In
Renee (03:11):
Okay.
Brett Benner (03:11):
originally I tried to pick like one a month is how
I kind of looked at it.
And I don't even know if I gotup to June and, as we're sitting
here and I'm looking at stuff infront of me, I may alter as we
go along.
Renee (03:22):
Well, I have some alternatives, just I thought,
how crazy would that be if wehappen to pick any of the same,
but also that feels impossiblebased on how many new releases
are coming out.
Cool.
Brett Benner (03:33):
I know we were saying January alone is enough
for three months.
Renee (03:38):
Oh, at least, at least, but this was fun.
I always love looking ahead alittle bit and I was kind of
shuffling and I was like, Ooh,that sounds good.
But my method for this was tobring a, a bit of a variety and
I'll tell you with each book whyI chose each one, but there are.
(04:00):
I mean, boy, I mean, I couldhave easily picked 25 or 30
more.
Brett Benner (04:04):
I know.
100 percent.
Okay, well give me your first.
Renee (04:08):
Okay.
I'm excited.
And this one is a, is a trustedauthor and a memoir, and it is
Three Wild Dogs and the Truth byMarcus Zusak.
And it comes out January 21st.
So I'm, most of us remember thathe is the author of The Book
(04:29):
Thief, which I absolutely loved.
And this one is Is hisnonfiction and it's, it's about
what happens when his familyopens up their home to three big
wild street hardened dogs.
We have Ruben, who is more wolfthan hound Archer, who is
blonde, beautiful anddestructive.
(04:50):
And the smiling frosty who walkslike a rolling thunderstorm.
And it sounds like he's going toexplore.
And let us know what happenswhen he opens his home up to
these dogs.
And the answer is chaos.
There's going to be streetfights, park fights, public
shamings, property damages,injuries, hospital visits, pure
(05:14):
comedy, shocking tragedy, andcarnage that must be read to be
believed.
I just love the sound of this.
It is, it's going to be a.
Look at what happens when weopen our, our homes and our
hearts up to animals and joythey bring, but also he's going
(05:36):
to dive a bit into the visceraltruth of the natural world.
And really.
If it wasn't Marcus Zusak, I, Imight be a little less like, Oh,
well, I've read a lot of dogbooks, but this just feels like
it's going to be somethingdifferent because he's such an
(05:56):
amazing author.
And I am very excited to seewhat he brings to this memoir.
So it's Three Wild Dogs and theTruth, a memoir by Marcus Zusak.
Brett Benner (06:08):
Oh my god.
This sounds so good.
And by the way, like we'vealready kicked it off well
because I've not even heard ofthis.
This has not come up on my
Renee (06:16):
This didn't come up on your search.
Brett Benner (06:18):
No.
So, oh my gosh already.
I'm.
I'm so excited.
Renee (06:23):
Well I have to tell you, I guess I should mention one of
my methods, one of my prioritiesfor 2025 is to really look at
potential under the radar newreleases, what might not be
buzzy because that works betterfor me.
I found out in 2024, the buzzy2024 releases did not work great
(06:46):
for me.
So my focus, especially withthese choices today, you know,
might be a little more under theradar.
Brett Benner (06:53):
you know, it's funny.
Cause I'm with you a hundredpercent.
And I was thinking about a lotof these picks because what 2024
for me and what really workedfor me were debuts.
And I read, I think 34 or 36debuts last year.
And.
Three titles that were in mybest of the year were all
(07:16):
debuts.
I just think there, there's somuch excitement around that and
discovering people, And, andsharing those people who are,
like you just said, might fallmore under the radar, but I'm
the same way generally with thebig, buzzy books, especially
buzzy commercial fiction.
I inevitably find myselfdisappointed.
Renee (07:35):
Yeah.
Well, you just reminded me too,that don't, you might not have
listened to my best books of theyear episode, but.
This is shameful.
It's shameful, Brett.
I only read five debuts in 2024.
That's awful.
And, and I felt it becauseyou're exactly right about,
about debuts.
If there's something exciting,you never know what gem you're
(07:59):
going to find.
And I, I told Katie, I lost myway on debuts, but I'm
definitely going to read moredebuts in 2025.
Brett Benner (08:08):
By the way, that is a book title.
I lost my way in debuts okay.
Well, speaking of debuts, myfirst book is a debut by an
author named Cynthia Weiner.
And this is called A GorgeousExcitement.
First of all, it's a really coolcover for when people see the
actual cover.
It's a shot of New York.
It's kind of looks like sheep'smeadow, but it's through kind of
(08:30):
a distorted lens, but a littlebit about it.
It's as a gorgeous excitement.
Nina Jacobs is as bright as sheis insecure, as clever as she is
vulnerable and as guarded as sheis lonely, making her
particularly susceptible to thelure of quote, It boy, Gardner
reads charms.
Nina targets him to take hervirginity.
(08:50):
She's the last of her privateall girl school friends.
So afflicted.
And with it, she imagines herfeelings of shame about her
tragically depressed andBaltimore mother at home about
being Jewish in a world of blueeyed, blonde privilege, and for
desperately wanting to acceptthe world.
When she's introduced to cocaineby a ballsy, watergun wielding
girl she meets in the park, Ninafinds her courage and plunges
(09:11):
headfirst into her pursuit ofGardner, despite the red flags
that should have warned her off.
Freud called cocaine, a gorgeousexcitement, but a gorgeous
excitement for the wrong guy canbe lethal.
Renee (09:24):
love the sound of this.
I almost picked this one.
Brett Benner (09:27):
Yeah, I have to say I started it this morning on
audio and I was walkingImmediately sucked in
immediately sucked in it'sdrawing comparisons To Jessica
Knowles, bright, young women,which I loved.
Which came out, I think twoyears ago, or maybe it was last
year, but it totally has thatfeel they also said it's a
(09:48):
little bit like, bright lights,big city, but told through a
female's perspective.
Renee (09:53):
interesting.
Brett Benner (09:54):
but her voice is so immediately accessible.
I was excited about A GorgeousExcitement.
Like I said, I'm so excitedabout it.
Renee (10:01):
I love the title too.
And you're right.
The cover is very eye catching.
Brett Benner (10:06):
It comes out, January 21st.
Renee (10:09):
Okay.
All right.
My next pick is a thriller.
I had to include a thriller.
It is The Oligarch's Daughter byJoseph Fender.
And it comes out January 28th.
This is about Paul Brightman,who is a man on the run, living
under an assumed name in a smallNew England town with a million
dollar bounty on his head.
(10:32):
When his security is breached,Paul is forced to flee into the
New Hampshire wilderness, toevade Russian operatives who can
seemingly predict his everymove.
And what we will find out isthat six years ago, Paul was a
rising star on Wall Street whofell in love with a beautiful
photographer named Tatiana.
(10:53):
And he was unaware that herfather was a Russian oligarch
and the object of considerableinterest from several U.
S.
intelligence agencies.
Now.
In present day to save his ownlife, Paul must unravel a
decades old conspiracy thatextends to the highest reaches
of government.
(11:14):
I love that the publisherincluded that this rivals
classic spy novels of the coldwar and says it is a breakneck
thriller that marries thedynastic opulence of succession
with the tense and disorientingstory.
Oh
Brett Benner (11:37):
sounds really I'm also getting Total, and it's
only because I'm watching itright now on, on Netflix's Black
Doves.
Renee (11:42):
my gosh, Darren's been watching that.
And I've just been, it's beenlike in my periphery, I tried a
couple episodes, the problem ishe started it without me and I
was like, well, who is that?
And who is that?
Now what?
And he's like, well, you need towatch it.
I'm like, well, now I'm lost.
Brett Benner (12:00):
So you're doing it in reverse.
No, it isn't, like, this Thisfall on television seems to be
the fall of the spies betweenlike Day of the Jackal and this
and the, the, the agency or theBureau, not the Bureau, the
agency, the agency is based onthe French, the Bureau.
So, but yeah, so
Renee (12:19):
you watch the Day of the Jackal?
Brett Benner (12:20):
haven't watched Jackal yet.
Renee (12:21):
It is.
It's very, it's a very spy heavyfall, which I'm all for.
I love these type of TV showsand I love these type of books
also.
You've got to find the rightstory and not every spy Novel
works, but, I do trust in thisauthor and I do want to mention
(12:42):
I have loved one of his backlistbooks called Judgment.
If anyone wants a backlistthriller that is very bingeable,
give that one a try.
This one is The Oligarch'sDaughter by Joseph Finder.
Brett Benner (12:55):
No, that sounds great.
Okay.
Well, it's weird because I'm,I'm seem to be in this, you said
thriller and the both books I'veread have thriller bends to
them, but the next one for meis, penitence.
By Kristen Koval, this comes outFebruary 18th.
When a shocking murder occurs inthe home of Angie and David
Sheehan, their lives areshattered.
(13:16):
Desperate to defend theirfamily, they turn to small town
lawyer Martine Dumont for help.
But Martine isn't just legalcounsel, she's also the mother
of Angie's first love, Julian, anow successful New York City
criminal defense attorney.
As Julian and Angie confronttheir shared past and long
buried guilt from a tragicaccident years ago, they must
(13:38):
navigate their own culpabilityon the unresolved feelings
between them, spanning decadesfrom the ski slopes of rural
Colorado to the streets of post9 11 New York City and back
again, Kristen Covel's debutnovel, Penitence, is an
examination of the complexitiesof familiar loyalty, the journey
of redemption, and the profoundexperience of true forgiveness.
(14:00):
When I was talking to thepublicist at Celadon about this
book, she said that the editorof the book had said that not
since Pachinko had she been soexcited about a novel that she
was working on.
So I was like, that's very highpraise and something that's very
different from Pachinko.
But, I've heard some buzz fromsome early readers over on
(14:23):
Bookstagram who said it'sfantastic, so I'm really excited
to read it.
Renee (14:27):
Did she give you any indication of what made it so
Brett Benner (14:33):
She didn't say, and I thought, well, okay, I'm
just gonna, I'm just gonna go inblind because it's how I like to
do it and see, but it, it, itsounds great.
Renee (14:41):
Yeah, it's definitely one.
I'm excited to read also.
All right, my next one is I'mmoving ahead.
I guess I'm skipping Februarybecause this one comes out March
11th.
It's Just Want You Here byMeredith Turritz.
And this one is a coming of agenovel about second chances and
the inextricable bonds betweenlovers and friends.
(15:04):
This one is about Ari andMorgan, and the only love Ari
has known is Morgan's.
She is engaged and planning alife with him in New York.
And Ari is shocked when Morgansits her down one rainy
afternoon and tells her theirdecade long relationship is
over.
(15:24):
They've been over for a longtime.
Time now, he says, and Ari knowshe's right.
So she's 28 years old andsuddenly alone, and decides to
throw herself into a new job inBoston, and she gets a job as an
assistant to a tech CEO.
Wells is British, 12 years hersenior, a devoted husband and
(15:45):
father.
He's also captivated by Ari in away neither of them can explain.
And oh, here come the flags,ignoring every warning signal
from friends and their owninstincts.
They dive into a fiery affair,which becomes more dangerous as
Ari finds herself intricatelytangled with his wife, Ari.
(16:07):
Leah, can this get more messy?
Nothing can prepare Ari for thechoices she must make as she
tries to uncover what's rightfor herself and for the people
she can't let go.
As a new path opens, a journeyof lies.
And the twisted calculus ofprotecting them are a second
(16:27):
chance at happiness forces herto consider who she really is.
Can you love someone withoutdragging them under?
And what does it take to startover again?
If the author can pull this typeof story off based on all of
that and like put all thesethreads together This just
sounds like it could be Amazing.
(16:50):
I love messy stories.
I love messy love stories.
I love complicated relationshipsIt doesn't bother me that
obviously we're going to bedealing with infidelity And I
need to know, like, what's goingto happen.
Did Ari become best friends withhis wife?
And if so, can you imagine?
Brett Benner (17:10):
My first thought honestly was, I wonder if Nicole
Kidman will be upset that she'stoo old to option this
Renee (17:15):
Oh my gosh.
That's a, you, oh my gosh.
Brett Benner (17:19):
because she's, it sounds so like a Nicole Kidman
vehicle.
Do you know what I mean?
Renee (17:23):
Mm hmm.
Brett Benner (17:24):
except she's too old, but it would have been so
something like, she's like, I'mgoing to stomp this too and
produce it with everything else.
Renee (17:30):
I know.
And I pre, I feel like thismight be an under the radar
spring.
release.
We'll see, but this is not beingpublished like by one of the big
five publishers.
It's being published by littlea, so I don't know.
I'm, I mean, keep, let's keepour eye on it.
I'm definitely going to read it.
It's just want you here byMeredith turrets.
Brett Benner (17:49):
Oh, that sounds so deliciously juicy.
Okay, I'm moving into March.
this is a little bit of a biggertitle.
But I'm excited about it becauseI really loved her last book.
the she is Charlotte McConaugheyand, and the book is called Wild
Dark Shore.
her previous book that I'mtalking about is called Once
There Were Wolves.
I thought it was really good.
(18:11):
So this one.
A family on a remote island, amysterious woman washed ashore,
a rising storm on the horizon.
Dominic Salt and his threechildren are caretakers of
Shearwater, a tiny island notfar from Antarctica.
Home to the world's largest seedbank, Shearwater was once full
of researchers, but with sealevels rising, the Salts are now
(18:33):
its final inhabitants.
Until, during the worst stormthe island has ever seen, a
woman mysteriously washesashore.
Isolation has taken its toll onthe Salts, but as they nurse the
woman, Rowan, back to strength,it begins to feel like she might
just be what they need.
Rowan, long accustomed toprotecting herself, starts
imagining a future where shecould belong to someone again.
(18:55):
But Rowan isn't telling thewhole truth about why she set
out for Shearwater, and when shediscovers sabotage radios, and a
freshly dug grave, she realizesDominic is keeping his own
secrets.
As the storms on Shearwatergather force, they all must
decide if they can trust eachother enough to protect the
(19:16):
precious seeds in their carebefore it's too late, and if
they can finally put thetragedies of the past behind
them to create something newtogether.
Together, a novel ofbreathtaking twists, dizzying
beauty and ferocious love.
Wild, dark shores about theimpossible choices we make to
protect the people we love, evenas the world around us
(19:36):
disappears.
I read that and then I can'teven tell you exactly what it is
it's going to happen.
First of all, I don't even knowwhat a seed bank is.
So there's, there's forstarters, however, I trust her
as an author and it sounds justcrazy enough that I think it
could be a really, reallyinteresting read.
Renee (19:55):
Yeah, I definitely want to try that too, but I still
need to read her other books andmigrations has been on my TBR
forever.
So I, I mean, really, I mightjust read all of them.
We'll see.
Brett Benner (20:09):
You might have a Charlotte
Renee (20:11):
I know.
Brett Benner (20:11):
year of Charlotte McConaughey for you.
Renee (20:13):
really need to because I, I, I have a feeling I will
really like her, her books, sothat's a good one.
All right.
My next one, I'm moving way intoJune.
I'm moving all the way to June3rd.
Brett Benner (20:25):
Wow, go.
Renee (20:26):
I know.
It's Flashlight by Susan Choi.
It comes out June 3rd.
And this one is about a fatherand a daughter.
It specifically traces the storyof the disappearance of a father
across time, space, and memory.
When Louisa was 10, she took awalk on the beach with her dad,
(20:46):
only to wake up washed up onshore alone.
Her father, who couldn't swim,Had disappeared.
And for years, Louisa has foundherself replaying the events of
that day over and over, lookingfor clues that could help her
find her missing dad.
But now she's beginning towonder, what if he's out there
(21:08):
and doesn't want to be found?
I need to know nothing elseabout this, except that.
It.
This is a new to me author, Iimmediately saw Disappearance of
a Father, and then the fact thatthis is obviously set, like you
have the inciting, you know,opening scene probably, and then
(21:29):
we move years later, and I lovethat, I
Brett Benner (21:32):
You love a missing person.
Renee (21:33):
I love A Missing Person, I need to know right now, What
happened to that dad and does henot want to be found?
I need to know.
So this one is flashlight bySusan Choi.
Brett Benner (21:44):
Oh my God.
That sounds fantastic.
Renee (21:47):
Mm hmm.
Brett Benner (21:47):
Okay.
I'm jumping now back a littlebit to April, April 22nd, to be
exact.
this is a historical novel,which sounds great to me.
And it's historical with a bitof a reverence is what I'm
hearing.
So it's, it's funny.
It's not just a dry tome.
The book is The Pretender by JoeHarkin.
(22:09):
It's a debut.
In 1480, John Cullen's greatestanxiety is how to circumvent the
village's devil goat on his wayto collect water.
But the arrival of a welldressed stranger from London
upends his life forever.
John is not John Cullen, not theson of Will Cullen, but the son
of the long deceased Duke ofClarence, and has been hidden in
(22:30):
the countryside after abrotherly rift over the crown.
And because Richard III has ahabit of disappearing his
nephews.
Removed from his humble origins,sent to Oxford to be educated in
a manner befitting the throne'srightful heir, John is put into
play by his masters, learningthe rules of etiquette in
Burgundy and the machinations ofthe court in Ireland, where he
encounters the intractable Joan,the delightfully strong willed
(22:54):
and manipulative daughter of hisIrish patrons, a girl imbued
with both extraordinarypolitical savvy and occasional
murderous tendencies.
Joan has two paths availablehere, merry Lambert's choices
are similarly stark.
He will either become king ordie in battle.
Together, they form an alliancethat will change the fate of the
(23:16):
English monarchy.
Inspired by a footnote tohistory, the true story of the
little known Simnel, who was afigurehead in the and ended up
working as a spy in the court ofHenry VII, The The Pretender is
historical fiction at itsfinest, a gripping, exuberant,
rollicking portrait of Britishmonarchy and life within the
(23:38):
court with a cast ofunforgettable heroes and
villains drawn from 15th centuryEngland, a masterful new work
from a major new author.
So I just think it sounds reallyfun.
Interestingly enough, JoeHarkin, who wrote it, her
passion is literary sci fi.
So I think it's so funny
Renee (23:55):
Oh, yeah
Brett Benner (23:56):
historical novel.
Yeah.
So anyway,
Renee (23:58):
I'm intrigued by that one.
Did you say something aboutmurderous?
Brett Benner (24:02):
Yes.
That she has, um, an occasionalmurderous tendencies.
Renee (24:07):
I was that I, of course I was like, Ooh, that cut my ear.
So that one does sound good.
All right.
Well, I guess my last one isit's a debut.
I had to have a debut in here.
It's a full.
fiction debut because, uh, theauthor is a poet and this one is
The Catch by Ursa Daly Ward andit comes out June 3rd.
(24:31):
And this one is about twinsisters, Clara and Dempsey, and
they, and the fact that theyhave been.
Estranged since their mothervanished in the River Thames.
When Clara, who is now a famousauthor, spots a woman on the
streets of London who looksexactly like their mom did the
day she disappeared, she ends upenlisting her isolated sibling's
(24:55):
help in figuring out the trueidentity of this mystery woman.
To do this, the two sisters willhave to finally confront their
shared pasts.
The book promises to be athrilling exploration of the
sacrifices women are forced tomake for their families.
Okay, I chose this one because Ilove a sister story.
(25:17):
It's a debut, like I said, afiction debut.
And this synopsis immediatelyreminded me of August Blue by
Deborah Levy, which, I lovedthe, summer that came out.
It was one of my top books ofthe year.
So this one is The Catch by UrsaDaly Ward.
Brett Benner (25:36):
That sounds great too.
Oh my God, so many.
Okay.
Renee (25:39):
know.
Brett Benner (25:39):
All right.
So my last one this is a debutas well.
This one is called the names byFlorence Knapp and it comes out
May 6th.
This extraordinary novel thatasks, can a name change the
course of a life?
In the wake of a catastrophicstorm, Cora sets off with her
(26:00):
nine year old daughter, Maya, toregister her son's birth.
Her husband, Gordon, a localdoctor, respected in the
community but a terrifying andcontrolling presence at home,
intends for her to name theinfant after him.
But when the registrar asks whatshe'd like to call the child,
Cora hesitates.
Spanning 35 years, what followsare three alternate and
(26:24):
alternating versions of Cora andher young son's lives, shaped by
her choices of a name.
In richly layered prose, TheNames explores the painful
ripple effects of domesticabuse, the messy ties of family,
and the possibilities ofAutonomy and healing with
exceptional sensitivity anddepth.
NAP draws us into the story ofone family told through the
(26:47):
prisms of what ifs causing us toconsider the one precious life.
We are given the bookbrilliantly imagined through
structure, propulsivestorytelling and emotional
gut-wrenching power are certainto make the names a modern
classic.
Renee (27:02):
Oh, that sounds good.
That sounds like a reallycompelling creative premise.
I don't know that, have weheard?
I don't know if I've heardanything about, or like a book
that does that I know it soundslike sliding doors, Take
someone's name and then givethem three different paths in
(27:23):
life.
Brett Benner (27:23):
Yeah.
It's weird because what was thatbook that came out?
I think it was last year or theyear before.
I don't know why I thought ofthis because it's almost like a
speculative thing where everyonegot a string in their box
Renee (27:34):
the measure.
Brett Benner (27:35):
the measure.
I don't know why I thought ofthat because it's not really
that it is like you said, Ithink it's closer to, to me, it
sounds closer to sliding doors,but I think it sounds really,
really, really, reallyinteresting.
So.
Renee (27:46):
Oh, these are all sound great.
Brett Benner (27:48):
This is an amazing group.
And like I said, like weliterally could have kept going
and we might have to do, wemight have to come back and do a
second half of the year for thefall because there'll be the
glut then.
I feel like we get up throughJune and then maybe you have a
break in July and theneverything comes out for
September, like the biggies.
Renee (28:06):
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
This was fun I mean, I can talkabout potential new releases
forever.
I first of all, we all, we haveto read these actually, and then
we'll find out what we thoughtof them.
Maybe when we come back and talkabout,
Brett Benner (28:20):
would be an interesting thing.
We can come back, discuss whatwe thought about the books we
originally thought we wereexcited about, and then talk
about what else is coming andwhat we think might work for us.
Renee (28:31):
yeah.
Because I also really.
Imagine that they're going tohave, the summer loaded up
Brett Benner (28:37):
Sure.
Sure.
Renee (28:39):
the
Brett Benner (28:40):
And how to navigate it and how to navigate
those summer reads withoutfalling into the trap of the big
books that are just a bigdisappointment.
Renee (28:48):
I know we're going to have to stay on track, Brett.
Brett Benner (28:51):
We are.
Well, this is fantastic.
We could, like I said, we couldtalk about these books forever.
And, um, luckily we don't haveto worry about it because
they're going to keep comingout.
Publishing seems to be great,and, and booming.
So, happy new year, everybody.
I hope it's a prosperous andwell read year for all of you.
I hope you have manageable TBRsthat are ready to go.
(29:12):
And hopefully we've just givenyou 10 titles that you can
continue to expand your TBRswith.
Cause that's what we all love isan endless TBR where we can all
stay frustrated and be like,I'll never get through them, but
they look really good.
Renee (29:24):
Exactly.
Exactly.
Well, thanks for having me.
This was fun.
Brett Benner (29:30):
Thank you so much.
It was great having you.
And, and we'll talk soon.
Renee (29:34):
Okay.
I'll talk to you later.
Bye.
Brett Benner (29:37):
And of course, all the books that Renee and I
talked about today are availableup on my bookshop.
org page.
So please check that out andplace your pre orders for any of
those books that will be comingout in the next few months.
I will be back next week with myfirst author interview of 2025.
Thanks for listening.
And again, if you like whatyou're hearing, give this show
(29:57):
five stars on your podcastplatform of choice.
I would really appreciate it.
And I will see you all nextweek.
Happy new year.
Everybody, thank you for beinghere.
And I'm so happy to be joinedagain by Renee from it's book
talk, who Literally, we startedtalking before I even pressed
record and I was like, I have tohit record cause we will just
talk and talk and talk.
So I'm so happy you're back.
I hope you had a good holiday.
Renee (00:23):
Yes.
Hello.
Well, thank you for having meback.
I did have a good holiday.
It's busy as I think most peoplecan attest.
It's busy.
I don't even have little kidsanymore and it's still busy, but
it was good.
And yeah.
You know, I'm getting excitedabout 2025 releases, even though
(00:44):
I did get some Christmaspresents, some backlist
Christmas presents.
And I will share with you, oneof my really favorite book gifts
that I got from my mom was thisgigantic book.
It is, I don't even know howmany pages are in it, but it's
called 1000 Books to Read BeforeYou Die.
Brett Benner (01:05):
Oh, I see that.
Is
Renee (01:06):
you heard of it?
Brett Benner (01:07):
Yeah.
Renee (01:08):
it's, it's, it's
Brett Benner (01:09):
like a paper book, like quality paperback.
And it literally, it's
Renee (01:12):
it's hot.
Well, I got the hardcover.
Brett Benner (01:13):
Oh wow.
Renee (01:15):
It's very heavy.
But I started browsing in that.
And it's really interesting theway he has it set up.
And then he also has book listsin the back.
And I was like, Oh, I love alist.
But I just kind of startedlooking.
It's alphabetical.
And I have already come across.
two in particular books that Iwas like, I've never heard of
(01:39):
this.
It sounds so good.
And he also like gives you alike his review of the book, but
also what genre it is, the yearit was published all of that.
And then will also give you liketry these You know, as, you
know, like, yeah, comps,exactly.
So I really enjoyed that.
(02:00):
I started looking through thatand as if I need to add any more
books to my TBR, but I don'tcare.
Our TBRs are unlimited.
Brett Benner (02:09):
They're totally unlimited, but tell that to my
bookshelves.
All right.
So today it's January, thebeginning of the year, each of
us are going to talk about fivebooks coming out this year that
we're particularly excitedabout.
And I'm sure we could haveprobably, as I was going through
the list, I'm sure you were too,you could have probably said
like, these are the 20 that I'mexcited about.
Renee (02:29):
Oh gosh, I, more,
Brett Benner (02:32):
Yeah.
Renee (02:33):
I mean, this publishing year is going to be an
embarrassment of riches.
I can't wait because I feel like2024 was average, maybe it was,
it was fine.
Backlist was a clear winner forme in 2024.
it was 70 percent of my topreads were backlist.
(02:53):
So I am ready.
I'm ready to have some reallygreat new releases come my way
and I don't know if you had amethod for how you chose your
books, but I actually did noteven go past June.
Brett Benner (03:09):
No, I didn't either.
In
Renee (03:11):
Okay.
Brett Benner (03:11):
originally I tried to pick like one a month is how
I kind of looked at it.
And I don't even know if I gotup to June and, as we're sitting
here and I'm looking at stuff infront of me, I may alter as we
go along.
Renee (03:22):
Well, I have some alternatives, just I thought,
how crazy would that be if wehappen to pick any of the same,
but also that feels impossiblebased on how many new releases
are coming out.
Cool.
Brett Benner (03:33):
I know we were saying January alone is enough
for three months.
Renee (03:38):
Oh, at least, at least, but this was fun.
I always love looking ahead alittle bit and I was kind of
shuffling and I was like, Ooh,that sounds good.
But my method for this was tobring a, a bit of a variety and
I'll tell you with each book whyI chose each one, but there are.
(04:00):
I mean, boy, I mean, I couldhave easily picked 25 or 30
more.
Brett Benner (04:04):
I know.
100 percent.
Okay, well give me your first.
Renee (04:08):
Okay.
I'm excited.
And this one is a, is a trustedauthor and a memoir, and it is
Three Wild Dogs and the Truth byMarcus Zusak.
And it comes out January 21st.
So I'm, most of us remember thathe is the author of The Book
(04:29):
Thief, which I absolutely loved.
And this one is Is hisnonfiction and it's, it's about
what happens when his familyopens up their home to three big
wild street hardened dogs.
We have Ruben, who is more wolfthan hound Archer, who is
blonde, beautiful anddestructive.
(04:50):
And the smiling frosty who walkslike a rolling thunderstorm.
And it sounds like he's going toexplore.
And let us know what happenswhen he opens his home up to
these dogs.
And the answer is chaos.
There's going to be streetfights, park fights, public
shamings, property damages,injuries, hospital visits, pure
(05:14):
comedy, shocking tragedy, andcarnage that must be read to be
believed.
I just love the sound of this.
It is, it's going to be a.
Look at what happens when weopen our, our homes and our
hearts up to animals and joythey bring, but also he's going
(05:36):
to dive a bit into the visceraltruth of the natural world.
And really.
If it wasn't Marcus Zusak, I, Imight be a little less like, Oh,
well, I've read a lot of dogbooks, but this just feels like
it's going to be somethingdifferent because he's such an
(05:56):
amazing author.
And I am very excited to seewhat he brings to this memoir.
So it's Three Wild Dogs and theTruth, a memoir by Marcus Zusak.
Brett Benner (06:08):
Oh my god.
This sounds so good.
And by the way, like we'vealready kicked it off well
because I've not even heard ofthis.
This has not come up on my
Renee (06:16):
This didn't come up on your search.
Brett Benner (06:18):
No.
So, oh my gosh already.
I'm.
I'm so excited.
Renee (06:23):
Well I have to tell you, I guess I should mention one of
my methods, one of my prioritiesfor 2025 is to really look at
potential under the radar newreleases, what might not be
buzzy because that works betterfor me.
I found out in 2024, the buzzy2024 releases did not work great
(06:46):
for me.
So my focus, especially withthese choices today, you know,
might be a little more under theradar.
Brett Benner (06:53):
you know, it's funny.
Cause I'm with you a hundredpercent.
And I was thinking about a lotof these picks because what 2024
for me and what really workedfor me were debuts.
And I read, I think 34 or 36debuts last year.
And.
Three titles that were in mybest of the year were all
(07:16):
debuts.
I just think there, there's somuch excitement around that and
discovering people, And, andsharing those people who are,
like you just said, might fallmore under the radar, but I'm
the same way generally with thebig, buzzy books, especially
buzzy commercial fiction.
I inevitably find myselfdisappointed.
Renee (07:35):
Yeah.
Well, you just reminded me too,that don't, you might not have
listened to my best books of theyear episode, but.
This is shameful.
It's shameful, Brett.
I only read five debuts in 2024.
That's awful.
And, and I felt it becauseyou're exactly right about,
about debuts.
If there's something exciting,you never know what gem you're
(07:59):
going to find.
And I, I told Katie, I lost myway on debuts, but I'm
definitely going to read moredebuts in 2025.
Brett Benner (08:08):
By the way, that is a book title.
I lost my way in debuts okay.
Well, speaking of debuts, myfirst book is a debut by an
author named Cynthia Weiner.
And this is called A GorgeousExcitement.
First of all, it's a really coolcover for when people see the
actual cover.
It's a shot of New York.
It's kind of looks like sheep'smeadow, but it's through kind of
(08:30):
a distorted lens, but a littlebit about it.
It's as a gorgeous excitement.
Nina Jacobs is as bright as sheis insecure, as clever as she is
vulnerable and as guarded as sheis lonely, making her
particularly susceptible to thelure of quote, It boy, Gardner
reads charms.
Nina targets him to take hervirginity.
(08:50):
She's the last of her privateall girl school friends.
So afflicted.
And with it, she imagines herfeelings of shame about her
tragically depressed andBaltimore mother at home about
being Jewish in a world of blueeyed, blonde privilege, and for
desperately wanting to acceptthe world.
When she's introduced to cocaineby a ballsy, watergun wielding
girl she meets in the park, Ninafinds her courage and plunges
(09:11):
headfirst into her pursuit ofGardner, despite the red flags
that should have warned her off.
Freud called cocaine, a gorgeousexcitement, but a gorgeous
excitement for the wrong guy canbe lethal.
Renee (09:24):
love the sound of this.
I almost picked this one.
Brett Benner (09:27):
Yeah, I have to say I started it this morning on
audio and I was walkingImmediately sucked in
immediately sucked in it'sdrawing comparisons To Jessica
Knowles, bright, young women,which I loved.
Which came out, I think twoyears ago, or maybe it was last
year, but it totally has thatfeel they also said it's a
(09:48):
little bit like, bright lights,big city, but told through a
female's perspective.
Renee (09:53):
interesting.
Brett Benner (09:54):
but her voice is so immediately accessible.
I was excited about A GorgeousExcitement.
Like I said, I'm so excitedabout it.
Renee (10:01):
I love the title too.
And you're right.
The cover is very eye catching.
Brett Benner (10:06):
It comes out, January 21st.
Renee (10:09):
Okay.
All right.
My next pick is a thriller.
I had to include a thriller.
It is The Oligarch's Daughter byJoseph Fender.
And it comes out January 28th.
This is about Paul Brightman,who is a man on the run, living
under an assumed name in a smallNew England town with a million
dollar bounty on his head.
(10:32):
When his security is breached,Paul is forced to flee into the
New Hampshire wilderness, toevade Russian operatives who can
seemingly predict his everymove.
And what we will find out isthat six years ago, Paul was a
rising star on Wall Street whofell in love with a beautiful
photographer named Tatiana.
(10:53):
And he was unaware that herfather was a Russian oligarch
and the object of considerableinterest from several U.
S.
intelligence agencies.
Now.
In present day to save his ownlife, Paul must unravel a
decades old conspiracy thatextends to the highest reaches
of government.
(11:14):
I love that the publisherincluded that this rivals
classic spy novels of the coldwar and says it is a breakneck
thriller that marries thedynastic opulence of succession
with the tense and disorientingstory.
Oh
Brett Benner (11:37):
sounds really I'm also getting Total, and it's
only because I'm watching itright now on, on Netflix's Black
Doves.
Renee (11:42):
my gosh, Darren's been watching that.
And I've just been, it's beenlike in my periphery, I tried a
couple episodes, the problem ishe started it without me and I
was like, well, who is that?
And who is that?
Now what?
And he's like, well, you need towatch it.
I'm like, well, now I'm lost.
Brett Benner (12:00):
So you're doing it in reverse.
No, it isn't, like, this Thisfall on television seems to be
the fall of the spies betweenlike Day of the Jackal and this
and the, the, the agency or theBureau, not the Bureau, the
agency, the agency is based onthe French, the Bureau.
So, but yeah, so
Renee (12:19):
you watch the Day of the Jackal?
Brett Benner (12:20):
haven't watched Jackal yet.
Renee (12:21):
It is.
It's very, it's a very spy heavyfall, which I'm all for.
I love these type of TV showsand I love these type of books
also.
You've got to find the rightstory and not every spy Novel
works, but, I do trust in thisauthor and I do want to mention
(12:42):
I have loved one of his backlistbooks called Judgment.
If anyone wants a backlistthriller that is very bingeable,
give that one a try.
This one is The Oligarch'sDaughter by Joseph Finder.
Brett Benner (12:55):
No, that sounds great.
Okay.
Well, it's weird because I'm,I'm seem to be in this, you said
thriller and the both books I'veread have thriller bends to
them, but the next one for meis, penitence.
By Kristen Koval, this comes outFebruary 18th.
When a shocking murder occurs inthe home of Angie and David
Sheehan, their lives areshattered.
(13:16):
Desperate to defend theirfamily, they turn to small town
lawyer Martine Dumont for help.
But Martine isn't just legalcounsel, she's also the mother
of Angie's first love, Julian, anow successful New York City
criminal defense attorney.
As Julian and Angie confronttheir shared past and long
buried guilt from a tragicaccident years ago, they must
(13:38):
navigate their own culpabilityon the unresolved feelings
between them, spanning decadesfrom the ski slopes of rural
Colorado to the streets of post9 11 New York City and back
again, Kristen Covel's debutnovel, Penitence, is an
examination of the complexitiesof familiar loyalty, the journey
of redemption, and the profoundexperience of true forgiveness.
(14:00):
When I was talking to thepublicist at Celadon about this
book, she said that the editorof the book had said that not
since Pachinko had she been soexcited about a novel that she
was working on.
So I was like, that's very highpraise and something that's very
different from Pachinko.
But, I've heard some buzz fromsome early readers over on
(14:23):
Bookstagram who said it'sfantastic, so I'm really excited
to read it.
Renee (14:27):
Did she give you any indication of what made it so
Brett Benner (14:33):
She didn't say, and I thought, well, okay, I'm
just gonna, I'm just gonna go inblind because it's how I like to
do it and see, but it, it, itsounds great.
Renee (14:41):
Yeah, it's definitely one.
I'm excited to read also.
All right, my next one is I'mmoving ahead.
I guess I'm skipping Februarybecause this one comes out March
11th.
It's Just Want You Here byMeredith Turritz.
And this one is a coming of agenovel about second chances and
the inextricable bonds betweenlovers and friends.
(15:04):
This one is about Ari andMorgan, and the only love Ari
has known is Morgan's.
She is engaged and planning alife with him in New York.
And Ari is shocked when Morgansits her down one rainy
afternoon and tells her theirdecade long relationship is
over.
(15:24):
They've been over for a longtime.
Time now, he says, and Ari knowshe's right.
So she's 28 years old andsuddenly alone, and decides to
throw herself into a new job inBoston, and she gets a job as an
assistant to a tech CEO.
Wells is British, 12 years hersenior, a devoted husband and
(15:45):
father.
He's also captivated by Ari in away neither of them can explain.
And oh, here come the flags,ignoring every warning signal
from friends and their owninstincts.
They dive into a fiery affair,which becomes more dangerous as
Ari finds herself intricatelytangled with his wife, Ari.
(16:07):
Leah, can this get more messy?
Nothing can prepare Ari for thechoices she must make as she
tries to uncover what's rightfor herself and for the people
she can't let go.
As a new path opens, a journeyof lies.
And the twisted calculus ofprotecting them are a second
(16:27):
chance at happiness forces herto consider who she really is.
Can you love someone withoutdragging them under?
And what does it take to startover again?
If the author can pull this typeof story off based on all of
that and like put all thesethreads together This just
sounds like it could be Amazing.
(16:50):
I love messy stories.
I love messy love stories.
I love complicated relationshipsIt doesn't bother me that
obviously we're going to bedealing with infidelity And I
need to know, like, what's goingto happen.
Did Ari become best friends withhis wife?
And if so, can you imagine?
Brett Benner (17:10):
My first thought honestly was, I wonder if Nicole
Kidman will be upset that she'stoo old to option this
Renee (17:15):
Oh my gosh.
That's a, you, oh my gosh.
Brett Benner (17:19):
because she's, it sounds so like a Nicole Kidman
vehicle.
Do you know what I mean?
Renee (17:23):
Mm hmm.
Brett Benner (17:24):
except she's too old, but it would have been so
something like, she's like, I'mgoing to stomp this too and
produce it with everything else.
Renee (17:30):
I know.
And I pre, I feel like thismight be an under the radar
spring.
release.
We'll see, but this is not beingpublished like by one of the big
five publishers.
It's being published by littlea, so I don't know.
I'm, I mean, keep, let's keepour eye on it.
I'm definitely going to read it.
It's just want you here byMeredith turrets.
Brett Benner (17:49):
Oh, that sounds so deliciously juicy.
Okay, I'm moving into March.
this is a little bit of a biggertitle.
But I'm excited about it becauseI really loved her last book.
the she is Charlotte McConaugheyand, and the book is called Wild
Dark Shore.
her previous book that I'mtalking about is called Once
There Were Wolves.
I thought it was really good.
(18:11):
So this one.
A family on a remote island, amysterious woman washed ashore,
a rising storm on the horizon.
Dominic Salt and his threechildren are caretakers of
Shearwater, a tiny island notfar from Antarctica.
Home to the world's largest seedbank, Shearwater was once full
of researchers, but with sealevels rising, the Salts are now
(18:33):
its final inhabitants.
Until, during the worst stormthe island has ever seen, a
woman mysteriously washesashore.
Isolation has taken its toll onthe Salts, but as they nurse the
woman, Rowan, back to strength,it begins to feel like she might
just be what they need.
Rowan, long accustomed toprotecting herself, starts
imagining a future where shecould belong to someone again.
(18:55):
But Rowan isn't telling thewhole truth about why she set
out for Shearwater, and when shediscovers sabotage radios, and a
freshly dug grave, she realizesDominic is keeping his own
secrets.
As the storms on Shearwatergather force, they all must
decide if they can trust eachother enough to protect the
(19:16):
precious seeds in their carebefore it's too late, and if
they can finally put thetragedies of the past behind
them to create something newtogether.
Together, a novel ofbreathtaking twists, dizzying
beauty and ferocious love.
Wild, dark shores about theimpossible choices we make to
protect the people we love, evenas the world around us
(19:36):
disappears.
I read that and then I can'teven tell you exactly what it is
it's going to happen.
First of all, I don't even knowwhat a seed bank is.
So there's, there's forstarters, however, I trust her
as an author and it sounds justcrazy enough that I think it
could be a really, reallyinteresting read.
Renee (19:55):
Yeah, I definitely want to try that too, but I still
need to read her other books andmigrations has been on my TBR
forever.
So I, I mean, really, I mightjust read all of them.
We'll see.
Brett Benner (20:09):
You might have a Charlotte
Renee (20:11):
I know.
Brett Benner (20:11):
year of Charlotte McConaughey for you.
Renee (20:13):
really need to because I, I, I have a feeling I will
really like her, her books, sothat's a good one.
All right.
My next one, I'm moving way intoJune.
I'm moving all the way to June3rd.
Brett Benner (20:25):
Wow, go.
Renee (20:26):
I know.
It's Flashlight by Susan Choi.
It comes out June 3rd.
And this one is about a fatherand a daughter.
It specifically traces the storyof the disappearance of a father
across time, space, and memory.
When Louisa was 10, she took awalk on the beach with her dad,
(20:46):
only to wake up washed up onshore alone.
Her father, who couldn't swim,Had disappeared.
And for years, Louisa has foundherself replaying the events of
that day over and over, lookingfor clues that could help her
find her missing dad.
But now she's beginning towonder, what if he's out there
(21:08):
and doesn't want to be found?
I need to know nothing elseabout this, except that.
It.
This is a new to me author, Iimmediately saw Disappearance of
a Father, and then the fact thatthis is obviously set, like you
have the inciting, you know,opening scene probably, and then
(21:29):
we move years later, and I lovethat, I
Brett Benner (21:32):
You love a missing person.
Renee (21:33):
I love A Missing Person, I need to know right now, What
happened to that dad and does henot want to be found?
I need to know.
So this one is flashlight bySusan Choi.
Brett Benner (21:44):
Oh my God.
That sounds fantastic.
Renee (21:47):
Mm hmm.
Brett Benner (21:47):
Okay.
I'm jumping now back a littlebit to April, April 22nd, to be
exact.
this is a historical novel,which sounds great to me.
And it's historical with a bitof a reverence is what I'm
hearing.
So it's, it's funny.
It's not just a dry tome.
The book is The Pretender by JoeHarkin.
(22:09):
It's a debut.
In 1480, John Cullen's greatestanxiety is how to circumvent the
village's devil goat on his wayto collect water.
But the arrival of a welldressed stranger from London
upends his life forever.
John is not John Cullen, not theson of Will Cullen, but the son
of the long deceased Duke ofClarence, and has been hidden in
(22:30):
the countryside after abrotherly rift over the crown.
And because Richard III has ahabit of disappearing his
nephews.
Removed from his humble origins,sent to Oxford to be educated in
a manner befitting the throne'srightful heir, John is put into
play by his masters, learningthe rules of etiquette in
Burgundy and the machinations ofthe court in Ireland, where he
encounters the intractable Joan,the delightfully strong willed
(22:54):
and manipulative daughter of hisIrish patrons, a girl imbued
with both extraordinarypolitical savvy and occasional
murderous tendencies.
Joan has two paths availablehere, merry Lambert's choices
are similarly stark.
He will either become king ordie in battle.
Together, they form an alliancethat will change the fate of the
(23:16):
English monarchy.
Inspired by a footnote tohistory, the true story of the
little known Simnel, who was afigurehead in the and ended up
working as a spy in the court ofHenry VII, The The Pretender is
historical fiction at itsfinest, a gripping, exuberant,
rollicking portrait of Britishmonarchy and life within the
(23:38):
court with a cast ofunforgettable heroes and
villains drawn from 15th centuryEngland, a masterful new work
from a major new author.
So I just think it sounds reallyfun.
Interestingly enough, JoeHarkin, who wrote it, her
passion is literary sci fi.
So I think it's so funny
Renee (23:55):
Oh, yeah
Brett Benner (23:56):
historical novel.
Yeah.
So anyway,
Renee (23:58):
I'm intrigued by that one.
Did you say something aboutmurderous?
Brett Benner (24:02):
Yes.
That she has, um, an occasionalmurderous tendencies.
Renee (24:07):
I was that I, of course I was like, Ooh, that cut my ear.
So that one does sound good.
All right.
Well, I guess my last one isit's a debut.
I had to have a debut in here.
It's a full.
fiction debut because, uh, theauthor is a poet and this one is
The Catch by Ursa Daly Ward andit comes out June 3rd.
(24:31):
And this one is about twinsisters, Clara and Dempsey, and
they, and the fact that theyhave been.
Estranged since their mothervanished in the River Thames.
When Clara, who is now a famousauthor, spots a woman on the
streets of London who looksexactly like their mom did the
day she disappeared, she ends upenlisting her isolated sibling's
(24:55):
help in figuring out the trueidentity of this mystery woman.
To do this, the two sisters willhave to finally confront their
shared pasts.
The book promises to be athrilling exploration of the
sacrifices women are forced tomake for their families.
Okay, I chose this one because Ilove a sister story.
(25:17):
It's a debut, like I said, afiction debut.
And this synopsis immediatelyreminded me of August Blue by
Deborah Levy, which, I lovedthe, summer that came out.
It was one of my top books ofthe year.
So this one is The Catch by UrsaDaly Ward.
Brett Benner (25:36):
That sounds great too.
Oh my God, so many.
Okay.
Renee (25:39):
know.
Brett Benner (25:39):
All right.
So my last one this is a debutas well.
This one is called the names byFlorence Knapp and it comes out
May 6th.
This extraordinary novel thatasks, can a name change the
course of a life?
In the wake of a catastrophicstorm, Cora sets off with her
(26:00):
nine year old daughter, Maya, toregister her son's birth.
Her husband, Gordon, a localdoctor, respected in the
community but a terrifying andcontrolling presence at home,
intends for her to name theinfant after him.
But when the registrar asks whatshe'd like to call the child,
Cora hesitates.
Spanning 35 years, what followsare three alternate and
(26:24):
alternating versions of Cora andher young son's lives, shaped by
her choices of a name.
In richly layered prose, TheNames explores the painful
ripple effects of domesticabuse, the messy ties of family,
and the possibilities ofAutonomy and healing with
exceptional sensitivity anddepth.
NAP draws us into the story ofone family told through the
(26:47):
prisms of what ifs causing us toconsider the one precious life.
We are given the bookbrilliantly imagined through
structure, propulsivestorytelling and emotional
gut-wrenching power are certainto make the names a modern
classic.
Renee (27:02):
Oh, that sounds good.
That sounds like a reallycompelling creative premise.
I don't know that, have weheard?
I don't know if I've heardanything about, or like a book
that does that I know it soundslike sliding doors, Take
someone's name and then givethem three different paths in
(27:23):
life.
Brett Benner (27:23):
Yeah.
It's weird because what was thatbook that came out?
I think it was last year or theyear before.
I don't know why I thought ofthis because it's almost like a
speculative thing where everyonegot a string in their box
Renee (27:34):
the measure.
Brett Benner (27:35):
the measure.
I don't know why I thought ofthat because it's not really
that it is like you said, Ithink it's closer to, to me, it
sounds closer to sliding doors,but I think it sounds really,
really, really, reallyinteresting.
So.
Renee (27:46):
Oh, these are all sound great.
Brett Benner (27:48):
This is an amazing group.
And like I said, like weliterally could have kept going
and we might have to do, wemight have to come back and do a
second half of the year for thefall because there'll be the
glut then.
I feel like we get up throughJune and then maybe you have a
break in July and theneverything comes out for
September, like the biggies.
Renee (28:06):
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
This was fun I mean, I can talkabout potential new releases
forever.
I first of all, we all, we haveto read these actually, and then
we'll find out what we thoughtof them.
Maybe when we come back and talkabout,
Brett Benner (28:20):
would be an interesting thing.
We can come back, discuss whatwe thought about the books we
originally thought we wereexcited about, and then talk
about what else is coming andwhat we think might work for us.
Renee (28:31):
yeah.
Because I also really.
Imagine that they're going tohave, the summer loaded up
Brett Benner (28:37):
Sure.
Sure.
Renee (28:39):
the
Brett Benner (28:40):
And how to navigate it and how to navigate
those summer reads withoutfalling into the trap of the big
books that are just a bigdisappointment.
Renee (28:48):
I know we're going to have to stay on track, Brett.
Brett Benner (28:51):
We are.
Well, this is fantastic.
We could, like I said, we couldtalk about these books forever.
And, um, luckily we don't haveto worry about it because
they're going to keep comingout.
Publishing seems to be great,and, and booming.
So, happy new year, everybody.
I hope it's a prosperous andwell read year for all of you.
I hope you have manageable TBRsthat are ready to go.
(29:12):
And hopefully we've just givenyou 10 titles that you can
continue to expand your TBRswith.
Cause that's what we all love isan endless TBR where we can all
stay frustrated and be like,I'll never get through them, but
they look really good.
Renee (29:24):
Exactly.
Exactly.
Well, thanks for having me.
This was fun.
Brett Benner (29:30):
Thank you so much.
It was great having you.
And, and we'll talk soon.
Renee (29:34):
Okay.
I'll talk to you later.
Bye.
Brett Benner (29:37):
And of course, all the books that Renee and I
talked about today are availableup on my bookshop.
org page.
So please check that out andplace your pre orders for any of
those books that will be comingout in the next few months.
I will be back next week with myfirst author interview of 2025.
Thanks for listening.
And again, if you like whatyou're hearing, give this show
(29:57):
five stars on your podcastplatform of choice.
I would really appreciate it.
And I will see you all nextweek.
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