I promised to share new books as the months roll in, and here are my June picks.
Wearing the Lion by John Wiswell (June 17) is not your typical Greek mythology retelling. Heracles (Hercules) reveres the goddess Hera because of his mother. The woman taught her child to love Hera because she knew that Heracles was one of many bastard sons that Zeus sired behind his wife, Hera’s back.
So naturally, Hera loathed Heracles. What began as mild bitterness grew until Hera finally took action, sending the furies to drive Heracles mad. At 384 pages, Wearing the Lion is tiny. It is also funnier and more heartwarming than one might expect.
The author’s objective is to humanize the mythical characters in the famous story of Hercules. A Far Better Thing by H.G. Parry (June 17) is a fantastical retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities in which faeries exist, but they can’t touch the physical realm, which is why they kidnap human children to do their bidding.
Sydney Carlton was one such child. The faeries who took him and replaced Sydney with a changeling. Now an adult, Sydney is a bitter alcoholic out for revenge against Charles Darnay, who’s living the life that should have been his. This book is historical fiction set during the French Revolution.
It seamlessly integrates fantasy into a dark and melancholic setting familiar to anyone who has read Dickens. Don’t expect heavy worldbuilding. Parry makes his faeries mysterious and unknowable. He does not dissect their existence in as much detail as some fantasy readers would like.
A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena (June 10) is the author’s debut novel, which should encourage you to temper your expectations. Vaselie Moran, the heroine, once danced in King Illian’s court. But then he framed her for a murder she did not commit, and Vasalie spent the next two years in a dungeon.
She was eventually granted her freedom because Illian wanted her to spy on a six-week royal gathering. If she succeeded, Illian would let her go. Vaselie was initially confident in her ability to execute the King’s orders. But then Illian’s demands became increasingly dangerous, compelling her to cross lines she thought she would never cross.
Now, her hope lies with Illian’s brother and his greatest adversary. But can she trust him with her life? Can she trust anyone? A Dance of Lies is not great by any stretch of the imagination. But if you are looking for mildly entertaining romantic fantasy to keep you occupied for a few days, this will do.
In The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater (June 25), the Avallon Hotel and Spa in West Virginia is as distant from WWII as one can get; at least it was until the State Department decided to hold captured Axis diplomats in the hotel. The general manager, June Porter Hudson, took pride in her ability to satisfy and delight every guest who walked through her hotel’s doors.
But the Nazi prisoners presented a unique challenge. Her staff would naturally oppose the notion of offering so many luxuries to the diplomats when so many of their sons were fighting Nazis at the front lines, and dying.
Equally troubling was the FBI agent charged with spying on the diplomats. It would not take long before he took an interest in the mysteries of the sweet water beneath the hotel, which could harm and heal in equal measure.
The Listeners is a slower novel. Some readers will appreciate the historical details the author injects into the story. Others will hate them. And that should do for now. Happy reading!
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