The Leaning Pile of Books is a feature in which I highlight books I got over the last week that sound interesting—old or new, bought or received in the mail for review consideration. Since I hope you will find new books you’re interested in reading in these posts, I try to be as informative as possible. If I can find them, links to excerpts, author’s websites, and places where you can find more information on the book are included, along with series information and the publisher’s book description.
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It’s been a while since one of these posts, both because I missed writing about books received as Christmas presents due to working on other posts and I hadn’t added anything to the TBR that wasn’t already covered in one of those posts until this past week.
But before I get to the new book, here’s what you might have missed since the last one of these posts:
- Review of The Gods Below (The Hollow Covenant #1) by Andrea Stewart — This is set in a fascinating world that continues to pay the price of a bargain forged between a god and mortal to save their world long ago, but I had some issues with the pacing and the individual characters’ stories were not all that compelling.
- Favorite Books/Media of 2024 & Year in Review — I shared some highlights from 2024: links to the Women in SF&F Month posts from April and discussion of my favorite books, both those released in 2024 and older books read during the year. (I also gushed a bit about Baldur’s Gate 3 because I still played it a lot in 2024 and just love it so much.)
- Anticipated 2025 Speculative Fiction Releases — I highlighted some books coming out this year that sound fantastic, including some epic fantasy, fantasy inspired by history and mythology, and more.
- Review of Mother of Rome by Lauren J. A. Bear — This is a standalone novel that reimagines the legend of Romulus and Remus by telling the story of their mother, Rhea Sylvia, and her cousin Antho. It’s mythical tale with gods and goddesses that’s about love and fighting for it, and it’s what I consider to be a good, solid book: one that I’m glad I read once but am unlikely to read again.
On to the new book arrival!
The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
This novella will be released on March 4 (hardcover, ebook, audiobook read by Gem Carmella). Excerpts from The River Has Roots are available on the Macmillan website and Cosmopolitan.
This is Amal El-Mohtar’s solo novella debut after co-authoring the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Award–winning novella This Is How You Lose the Time War with Max Gladstone. She has also won awards for her short fiction, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards.
The River Has Roots sounds rather intriguing: a murder ballad/love story featuring sisters and Faerie.
AN INDIE NEXT AND LIBRARYREADS PICK!
The River Has Roots is the hugely anticipated solo debut of the New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award winning author Amal El-Mohtar. Follow the river Liss to the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, and meet two sisters who cannot be separated, even in death.
The hardcover edition features beautiful interior illustrations and a foil case stamp.
“Half delicious murder ballad, half beguiling love story.” —Holly Black • “An absolute must-read.” —T. Kingfisher • “Every sentence sings!” —Sarah Beth Durst • “Utterly enchanting.” —Fonda Lee • “A story that outlasts itself.” —Alix E. Harrow • “Truly exquisite.” —Zoraida Córdova • “A beautiful, musical, and loving story.” —Emma Törzs
“Oh what is stronger than a death? Two sisters singing with one breath.”
In the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, dwells the mysterious Hawthorn family.
There, they tend and harvest the enchanted willows and honour an ancient compact to sing to them in thanks for their magic. None more devotedly than the family’s latest daughters, Esther and Ysabel, who cherish each other as much as they cherish the ancient trees.
But when Esther rejects a forceful suitor in favor of a lover from the land of Faerie, not only the sisters’ bond but also their lives will be at risk…
