It’s probably clear enough that as a literary agent and writer, I’m crazy about books. I’m guessing that if you’re following me here or on Twitter or elsewhere, that you are as well, making you all absolutely brilliant and tasteful and MY KIND OF PEOPLE! Thus, I thought you might be interested in this spate of book-and-library-themed books. And please, please, please add to this list in comments. My TBR pile, while threatening to collapse the second floor of my house straight down to the foundation, can never truly be high enough! In fact, if you comment below, your name will be entered to win an audio download of THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY (name drawn next week).
In order of publication:
THE INVISIBLE LIBRARY by Genevieve Cogman…this novel has everything. Seriously. Fans of Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes, The Librarians, steampunk or just a great read will love this book. Just check out the cover copy:
The first installment of an adventure featuring stolen books, secret agents and forbidden societies – think Doctor who with librarian spies!
Irene must be at the top of her game or she’ll be off the case – permanently…
Irene is a professional spy for the mysterious Library, which harvests fiction from different realities. And along with her enigmatic assistant Kai, she’s posted to an alternative London. Their mission – to retrieve a dangerous book. But when they arrive, it’s already been stolen. London’s underground factions seem prepared to fight to the very death to find her book.
Adding to the jeopardy, this world is chaos-infested – the laws of nature bent to allow supernatural creatures and unpredictable magic. Irene’s new assistant is also hiding secrets of his own.
Soon, she’s up to her eyebrows in a heady mix of danger, clues and secret societies. Yet failure is not an option – the nature of reality itself is at stake.
INK AND BONE by Rachel Caine (coming July 7th)…what a wonderful, tense, amazing start to a new series with a Harry Potter-esque flavor and yet a world all it’s own. I can’t find the words to do it justice, so I’ll again defer to the cover copy:
In an exhilarating new series, New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time.…
Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.
Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.
When he inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn.…
[Doesn’t that sound awesome?]
And while we’re on the topic of Rachel Caine, have you all read her incredible PRINCE OF SHADOWS? It’s a retelling/reimagining of ROMEO AND JULIET from the point of view of Benvolio, who’s got some secrets and intrigues all his own. Yes, I know, this is a play rather than a book, but since I first read it in that form (as a Penguin Classics paperback, I believe), I’m counting it toward my book-and-library-themed books!
ALICE by Christina Henry (coming in August, and not nearly soon enough!)…her publisher starts their cover copy with, “A mind-bending new novel inspired by the twisted and wondrous works of Lewis Carroll…” I can’t think of a better one-liner. This novel is psychological, brilliant, gritty, unique, brilliant…oh, did I say that already? The copy continues:
In a warren of crumbling buildings and desperate people called the Old City, there stands a hospital with cinderblock walls which echo the screams of the poor souls inside.
In the hospital, there is a woman. Her hair, once blond, hangs in tangles down her back. She doesn’t remember why she’s in such a terrible place. Just a tea party long ago, and long ears, and blood…
Then, one night, a fire at the hospital gives the woman a chance to escape, tumbling out of the hole that imprisoned her, leaving her free to uncover the truth about what happened to her all those years ago.
Only something else has escaped with her. Something dark. Something powerful.
And to find the truth, she will have to track this beast to the very heart of the Old City, where the rabbit waits for his Alice.
[Also if you like Lewis Carroll and Alice in Wonderland, you HAVE to check out Gena Showalter’s White Rabbit Chronicles, available now!]
What else, book folk?
Lucienne Diver's Drivel 
By my own logic, I should add Neil Gaiman’s Sandman graphic novel A Midsummer Night’s Dream http://www.amazon.com/Sandman-No-Dream-Country-Midsummer/dp/B0033B9V5I/.
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I love Jim C. Hines’ Libriomancer series that mixes books and magic. http://www.amazon.com/Libriomancer-Magic-Ex-Libris-Book/dp/0756407397/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_z
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Oh, there’s also Martha Grimes’s FOUL MATTER, which I’ve been wanting to read for going on forever. Maybe I’ll take my next vacation to actually do it! http://www.amazon.com/Foul-Matter-Martha-Grimes/dp/0451212932/
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The Missing Chapter, A Nero Wolfe mystery by Robert Goldsboro, continuing the Rex Stout series.
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You are the winner! (Sorry this took me a little longer than anticipated.) If you’ll e-mail me at lucienne . diver @knightagency.net (withouth any spaces), I will send you the download code!
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Wow! I had sort of forgotten about this. Thanks!
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INK AND BONE, INK AND BONE! >.> Ah hem. Sorry I’m really excited for that release!
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Absolutely okay to use your outside voice when cheering about books!
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When talking libraries in genre, how can you avoid talking about “L-Space” in Pratchett’s Discworld novels? 🙂
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I hang my head that I have not read Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels. I know, I know, it’s enough to have me drummed out of the sf/f field. I promise to remedy this in 2015, especially now that I know about L-Space!
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