Aqilah Rahman
The month of May has arrived, and with it are a variety of new book releases. Here’s a look at eight new books releasing this month, including a story about a plane that crashes into the ocean with its passengers trapped inside, an island paradise where its citizens are reborn to start a new life, and four contestants who are invited to a private island to win a highly valuable manuscript.
DROWNING: THE RESCUE OF FLIGHT 1421 by TJ Newman
Just a few minutes after taking off, Flight 1421 crashes into the Pacific Ocean. In the midst of the emergency evacuation, an engine explodes and the plane begins to flood. Twelve passengers survive but they are trapped as the plane sinks to the bottom and rests on the edge of an underwater cliff.
Among the survivors are engineer Will Kent and his 11-year-old daughter Shannon as they struggle with rapidly diminishing oxygen levels while being waist-deep in water. Their survival depends on a massive rescue operation led by professional diver Chris Kent – Shannon’s mother and Will’s estranged wife.
SECOND SHOT by Cindy Dees
Highly skilled assassin Helen Warwick is set to retire at the age of 55, though not of her own accord.
The silver lining is that she gets to reconnect with her grown children after years of being distant due to her line of work, but her plan goes haywire when she gets attacked at her son’s home. She sets off to find the mastermind while keeping her job a secret from her family.
THE BOOK THAT WOULDN’T BURN by Mark Lawrence
Evar Eventari has lived his entire life trapped in an enormous library, together with his siblings and two android-like beings who occasionally assist them.
Meanwhile, Livira Page lives in a small desert village until it gets destroyed by a vicious group known as the sabbers. Livira is brought to the city as a refugee where she is sent to train at a massive library. The story alternates between Evar and Livira’s perspectives.
THE FERRYMAN by Justin Cronin
The archipelago of Prospera is an island paradise hidden from the rest of the word. Its citizens live long, fulfilling lives with a monitor embedded in their forearms which measures their health and wellbeing in percentage.
When the figure drops below 10 per cent, the citizens retire and are sent off to the Nursery island where they prepare for their next life with a renewed body and memories wiped clean. As the ferryman, Proctor Bennett is responsible for the smooth transfer of the retired citizens to the Nursery. When it’s time for his father to retire, his father says something unsettling and Proctor begins to doubt everything he knows while rumors of a rebellion are spreading.
YELLOWFACE by RF Kuang
Athena Liu is a critically acclaimed writer who dies after an unfortunate incident right in front of her old college friend June Hayward, who then takes Athena’s latest manuscript about Chinese labourers during World War I. June sends the edited draft to her agent as her own work, published under an ethnically ambiguous name.
When the book is released, June’s reputation as a writer shoots up immediately but her newfound fame comes at a heavy price, and one wrong step could expose her as a fraud in the publishing industry as she tries to justify her actions.
THE COLLECTED REGRETS OF CLOVER by Mikki Brammer
After witnessing her teacher’s death at an early age, Clover Brooks becomes curious about death. Now a death doula living in the New York City, Clover guides her clients through the last days of their lives, providing support and companionship until their time runs out.
Dedicated to her profession, Clover keeps mostly to herself and avoids forming meaningful relationships with people around her. Her pets keep her company and her only friend is her elderly neighbour Leo. Upon meeting 91-year-old Claudia, Clover starts to reflect on her life as she helps to fulfil Claudia’s last wish.
THE WISHING GAME by Meg Shaffer
As a child neglected by her parents, Lucy Hart found comfort in books especially the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson. Now a young adult, Lucy works as a teacher’s aide at an elementary school and wants to adopt seven-year-old Christopher, a dream that seems impossible without sufficient funds. By a stroke of luck, her favourite author Jack announces a contest to win the one and only copy of his new book, and Lucy is one of the four contestants. Winning the contest could secure a future for Lucy and Christopher. Lucy jumps at the opportunity to visit the private Clock Island where she meets the other contestants and must solve a series of games and riddles to win the contest.
THE EAST INDIAN by Brinda Charry
Young orphan Tony leaves his hometown in East India to start a better life in London. However, he is kidnapped and finds himself in America as a servant alongside others who are also in the same situation as him. As he adapts to the new environment, Tony makes friends and dreams of life as a free man.
