USA TODAY International Edition
Week’s picks feature stories of mothers, sisters, ‘ Humankind’
In search of something good to read? USA TODAY’s Barbara VanDenburgh scopes out the shelves for this week’s hottest new book releases.
1. “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett ( Riverhead, fiction, on sale June 2)
What it’s about: Bennett’s deeply compelling new novel depicts a Southern community born from the legacy of slavery and twin sisters of color who choose to live in two different worlds: one black and one white.
The buzz: “There are moments in ‘ The Vanishing Half ’ that stun with quiet power,” says a eeeg review for USA TODAY.
2. “A Burning” by Megha Majumdar ( Knopf, fiction, on sale June 2)
What it’s about: Three lives become entwined when Jivan, a poor 22- year- old Muslim girl living in the slums, is accused of executing a terrorist attack because of a Facebook comment.
The buzz: “This novel rightfully commands attention,” says a eeeg review for USA TODAY.
3. “The Book of Rosy: A Mother’s Story of Separation at the Border” by Rosayra Pablo Cruz and Julie Schwietert Collazo ( HarperOne, nonfiction, on sale June 2)
What it’s about: In this devastating memoir, Pablo Cruz shares her harrowing migration story. After her husband was murdered, the Guatemalan mother fled her country’s violence seeking asylum in the U. S.
The buzz: “This wrenching story brings to vivid life the plight of the many families separated at the U. S.- Mexico border,” says a starred review in Publishers Weekly.
4. “Humankind: A Hopeful History” by Rutger Bregman ( Little, Brown and Company, nonfiction, on sale June 2)
What it’s about: Dutch author and journalist Bregman’s argument is simple but radical: Most people are good, and we do ourselves a disservice by thinking the worst of others. Bregman argues that believing in human kindness is a foundation for lasting social change.
The buzz: “A powerful argument in favor of human virtue,” says a starred review in Kirkus Reviews.
5. “The Persuasion” by Iris Johansen ( Grand Central, fiction, on sale June 2)
What it’s about: This latest Eve Duncan thriller finds the former forensic sculptor’s daughter Jane in the cross hairs of a brilliant psychopath. Meanwhile, romance blossoms between Jane and her former lover, Seth Caleb.
The buzz: “Those who like their romantic suspense with a dash of the paranormal will be pleased,” Publishers Weekly says.