SAM&PAM's Book Radar

Title: The Capital of Dreams Author: Heather O’Neill Genre: Fantasy Fiction Publication Date: September 2024 This novel follows Sofia, a young girl living in the fictional country of Elysia during wartime. When the Enemy invades and occupies the Capital, Sofia is tasked with smuggling her mother's manuscript, a memoir celebrating Elysian life, out of the country. Sofia boards a train with other ch...

Mindmasters: The Data-Driven Science of Predicting and Changing Human Behavior , by Sandra Matz , is a non-fiction book published in 2025 . The book explores psychological targeting , a new technology that uses data to predict and influence human behavior. The author argues that this technology has the potential to be both beneficial and harmful , and that we need to understand how it works to ens...

The Evils We Keep" by Roland Blake . It is a psychological horror novel published in 2024 . The story follows Sally Lovett , a woman haunted by a dark past and trapped in a terrifying relationship with a man named Jason. Sally keeps a diary to document the strange and sinister events that unfold around her. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she discovers Jason's disturbing secret – he might be p...

The Naming of the Birds by Paraic O’Donnell is a mystery/detective fiction novel. The US edition was published in 2025 . The novel follows two interwoven narratives . The first follows a group of children who have been taken to an asylum after surviving a fire, and are given new names The second follows Inspector Henry Cutter and Sergeant Gideon Bliss of Scotland Yard, as they investigate a series...

The Perfect Home by Daniel Kenitz Genre Thriller Date of publication: January 2025 The Perfect Home is a thriller novel that follows the story of Dawn Decker, co-host of the hit home renovation show "The Perfect Home," who uncovers a sinister plot by her husband, Wyatt, that threatens the lives of their twin children. Dawn is forced to flee, seeking help from unexpected sources, including her estr...

The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard is an adult romantic fantasy novel published in January 2025 Suraya Saab is a young woman living in the poor desert city of Coban. Skilled in bladesmithing, she works for Vasha, a powerful lord in the House of Aldebaran, who is officially employed by the crown to work with regulated jādū . Suraya secretly practices jādū herself and has even incorporated it into...

This One Life by Amanda Prowse it's a Contemporary Fiction/Family Drama Date of Publication: 2025 This One Life tells the story of Madeleine , a successful woman in her late twenties, as she navigates the complexities of family, ambition, and motherhood. The novel shifts between the present day and flashbacks to eight years prior , when Madeleine, then a young and ambitious professional, discovers...

"Toleration: A Very Short Introduction" was written by Andrew R. Murphy published in 2025 . It is part of the "Very Short Introductions" series from Oxford University Press This book explores the complex history and future of toleration. It delves into the concept's emergence from early modern debates over religion , highlighting its evolution as a political practice that grants legal and politica...

The Heart of Winter . It was written by Jonathan Evison and be published in 2024 . It is a novel that tells the story of Abe and Ruth Winter, a couple who have been married for over 70 years. The story takes the reader back and forth between the present day and flashbacks to significant moments in Abe and Ruth’s lives together. The novel opens with Abe facing his final birthday and the likelihood...

From the Ashes of Gods . It is the first book in the Eighth Circle series by Katerina Speers . The copyright date is 2024 . It appears to be fantasy . The excerpt follows the story of Terena Luca and her brother, Croak, as they hunt for the Shroud of Faybhen. They find the shroud beneath the ruins of Agraboda, a city decimated by a plague centuries ago. Terena and Croak deliver the shroud to Duke...

"Confidential" by Mikołaj Grynberg . The book was published in 2025 , and the genre is fiction . This novel is a collection of interconnected short stories exploring family relationships, memories, and the lasting impact of the past, particularly the Holocaust, on subsequent generations. The stories feature recurring characters and themes, creating a tapestry of experiences that touch upon love, l...

"Homeseeking" by Karissa Chen . It is a novel published in 2025 . The story follows two childhood friends, Suchi and Haiwen , who grow up in Shanghai during a turbulent period in Chinese history. Their lives are shaped by war and displacement as they navigate love, loss, and the search for belonging The novel explores themes of identity, family, and the lasting impact of historical events on indiv...

"Our New Social Life: Science-Backed Strategies for Creating Meaningful Connection" is a self-help book written by Natalie Kerr and Jaime Kurtz and published in 2025 . This book aims to help readers improve their social lives by identifying and overcoming barriers to social connection. The authors provide research-based strategies for removing these barriers and living a more connected life. The b...

A Guide to Fake Dating Your Enemy by Nikki Bright is a romance novel copyrighted in 2024 . The story follows Natalie Mann and Samuel Warner , whose families have a long-standing feud. To help her brother start a relationship with Samuel's cousin, Natalie hatches a plan for them to fake date in order to force their families to get along. They start by pretending they have been secretly dating for m...

ROBERT LUDLUM’S THE BOURNE VENDETTA is a thriller novel by Brian Freeman published in 2025 . Jason Bourne is drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse when he learns about the existence of the Files , a mysterious database containing sensitive information that can be used for blackmail. Bourne’s pursuit of the Files takes him from London to Arizona to Estonia and finally back to the United States,...

"When the World Closed Its Doors: The Covid-19 Tragedy and the Future of Borders" , written by Edward Alden and Laurie Trautman , is a non-fiction book published in 2025 . The book examines the unprecedented closure of borders during the Covid-19 pandemic and its implications for the future by drawing on the authors' personal and professional experiences living near the US-Canada border. Through r...

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan is a fiction novel scheduled to be published in February 2025. It tells the story of Cate Kay, the creator of a bestselling book trilogy that was adapted into a hit film series . Cate Kay is a pseudonym , and the novel follows her journey as she decides to reveal her true identity after years of hiding from her past. The story begins when Cate, as a young...

99% Perspiration: A New Working History of the American Way of Life by Adam Chandler is a non-fiction book published in 2025 . The book explores the history and cultural impact of the deeply ingrained American belief that hard work and self-reliance lead to success, which the author refers to as the “American Abracadabra”. Drawing on historical analysis, cultural commentary, and personal anecdotes...

" Chaos Between: Mercy and Malice " was written by Taylor Goode . It is a fantasy novel published in 2024 . The story follows Jess Winters , a seemingly normal young woman who discovers she is a half-demon . After a life of hiding her true nature, she is thrust into the world of supernaturals and angels when a monstrous Ghoul attacks her town. Jess is then recruited by EXO , a demon-hunting organi...

"I'll Come to You" by Rebecca Kauffman . The book is a work of domestic fiction , published in 2024 . "I'll Come to You" is a novel that follows the lives of several families living in a small town. The story touches upon themes of family relationships, loss, memory, and the challenges and complexities of life. #FamilyRelationships, #MidwesternLife, #SmallTown, #Secrets, #Memory, #Loss, #Aging, #N...

"Mothers and Sons" written by Adam Haslett , published in January 2025 . The genre is likely literary fiction . "Mothers and Sons" tells the story of Peter, an immigration lawyer grappling with a challenging case involving a young Albanian man, Vasel . Peter is also dealing with the death of his father and a strained relationship with his mother, Ann . Ann, along with her partner Clare, runs Virid...

The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus is a novel by Emma Knight , published in 2025 . The book tells the story of Penelope Winters , a Canadian student studying in Edinburgh who visits the Scottish estate of her father's old friend, the famous author Elliot Lennox . While at Talmòrach, Pen becomes entangled in the complicated lives of the Lennox family. She develops an attraction to Sasha, the elde...

"Wife, Mother, Liar", a psychological thriller written by Sue Watson and published in 2025. The story follows Jill Wilson, a woman struggling to cope with the loss of her son, Leo. Jill believes that Leo's death was not an accident and becomes fixated on finding out the truth. Her search for answers leads her to a remote cottage in Wales where Leo went on a school trip before his death. During her...

"The Life of Herod the Great" by Zora Neale Hurston , published in 2025 . It is a historical novel about Herod the Great, a king of Judea in the first century BCE. The novel portrays Herod as a complex and multifaceted figure who defied the one-dimensional, villainous depictions of him in Jewish and Christian traditions. Hurston challenges the historical narrative of Herod as a cruel, illegitimate...

"What Is It Like to Be an Addict?: Understanding Substance Abuse" was written by Owen Flanagan and published in 2025 . It's a philosophical and scientific exploration of substance addiction. The book aims to explain substance addiction, according to the best philosophy and science, and to offer a humane and sensible ethics and politics of addiction. The book includes ten themes about addiction, co...