FALL SPOTLIGHT: JAS HAMMONDS

Kay Ulanday Barrett

Were you a big reader as a kid? Are there any formative books you remember from your youth or any adults who influenced you as a reader or writer? I was a huge reader as a kid. My mom would set a one-book limit whenever we went inside a bookstore, but I’d always find a way to bargain for more! My most formative books were always the contemporary novels of regular teens falling in love, navigating high school, and balancing family, friendship, and growing pains. Sharon M. Draper’s November Blues, Jodi Lynn Anderson’s Peaches series, Jason & Kyra by Dana Davidson, and the Alice McKinley series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor were all books I read over and over and still have on my shelves.

Jas Hammonds’ debut novel, We Deserve Monuments (Roaring Book Press, Nov. 29), is a spellbinding tale of queer romance, racism, and dark family secrets. Our starred review calls it a “love story—romantic and familial—that is a mustread.” Hammonds answered our questions via email.

How did you land on the title for your book? This book had several different working titles that I always knew deep down weren’t right. None of them encapsulated the bittersweet feelings that thread my main character’s journey of getting to know the horrible and beautiful truths rooted in her family history. We Deserve Monuments does. The title can be taken literally. Yes, there are so many important people who will never see the pages of a history book, but it’s also a nod to the way we as Black people often have to give ourselves flowers and recognition because other folks won’t do it for us. And also recognizing how certain physical places can hold more significance than a simple statue, such as the patch of wildflowers where you first fell in love. Or that rickety swing on your grandma’s front porch. A treehouse hidden deep in the woods for only you and your friends. Those places matter, as do the people who inhabited them. Who is your ideal reader for We Deserve Monuments? We Deserve Monuments is ultimately a love story for queer Black girls, biracial girls, and Black families, so I hope my novel finds its way to them first. But ideally, this book is for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider in their own family. It’s for the ones who attempt to isolate themselves because they think they’re not worthy of friendship or love. It’s for anyone who has experienced the anticipatory grief of knowing you have limited time with a loved one left—the ones who anxiously keep glancing at the clock ticking away.

What fall release(s) are you most looking forward to reading? There are so many! Britney S. Lewis’ debut, The Undead Truth of Us, is a beautiful story about grief and zombies. I’m excited for Aislinn Brophy’s How To Succeed in Witchcraft because Sapphic witches? Yes, please! Also, Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution by Kacen Callender. I’ve been a fan of Kacen’s work for years, so all of their books are auto-buys for me.

Interview by Francesca Vultaggio

Rogers, Andrea L. Illus. by Jeff Edwards Levine Querido (320 pp.) $19.99 | Oct. 4, 2022 978-1-64614-179-1

A chilling story collection following a sprawling Cherokee family through many generations. Starting with Ama Wilson in 1839 and ending in 2039, this spooky speculative assortment features stories from times historical, present, and yet to come. Although each of Cherokee author Rogers’ stories could stand alone (and versions of some were previously published individually), placing them in chronological order and thus in dialogue with each other results in a thematically richer read and allows readers the delight of tracing the family trees in the frontmatter to situate the characters in relation to other protagonists. Ama’s opening story, set during a forcible relocation to Indian Territory, sets the tone: Ama thinks her family’s main worries are Texas Rangers and disease; she also faces a supernatural nightmare. The tight focus on families and the specificity of their experiences, along with the matter-offact text, directly address the way persecution of the Cherokee Nation morphs over the decades. Rogers’ grounded, smooth writing style—juggling first-, third-, and even second-person points of view—makes magical elements (from milder hauntings to monsters like vampires, werewolves, and zombies) as threatening as human villains. The stakes remain high: The short story format means any character one meets could later die. Exquisite white-on-black line art from Cherokee artist Edwards sets the eerie mood. The use of the Noto Sans Cherokee typeface and Edwards’ hand-drawn Cherokee syllabary beautifully integrates written language into the book’s design.

(glossary) (Horror. 12adult)

Shusterman, Neal Simon & Schuster (432 pp.) $19.99 | Nov. 8, 2022 978-1-5344-9997-3 Series: Arc of a Scythe

Welcome back to the post-mortal utopia of the Arc of a Scythe series. In the original trilogy, Shusterman posited that even a true utopia is imperfect thanks to human nature. Here, he returns to the Thunderhead’s world with a collection of shorter works that explore moments before, during, and after the end of the Scythedom. While some stories need only basic contextual knowledge of the world, most are directly related to Citra’s and Rowan’s experiences: prequel tales of teenage Scythe Marie Curie (gleaning the last corrupt politicians) and Carson Lusk (later Scythe Goddard and unpleasant from the start); stories focused on Citra’s brother, Ben, and on the sister of the first gleaning Rowan attends in Scythe (2016); and even one from the perspective of the Cirrus, the multifaceted AI offspring of the Thunderhead. The always accomplished, straightforward writing is at its best when it moves away from the larger Scythe-Thunderhead politics and instead focuses on humanity, art, and love in a world without natural or accidental death. Standouts include “The Mortal Canvas,” focused on the first (and maybe last) post-mortal artist, and the slyly humorous “Meet Cute and Die,” about the niece of a domineering and needy Scythe in Britannia.

One for the legions of fans of this world. (Science fiction. 14adult) (This review is printed here for the first time.)

Silvera, Adam Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins (416 pp.) $17.99 | Oct. 4, 2022 978-0-06-324080-3

Crowds gather across the United States for the launch of Death-Cast, a company that promises to change the world by predicting the deaths of everyone who subscribes in this prequel to They Both Die at the End (2017).

Orion Pagan, an aspiring author with a heart condition, hopes his phone won’t ring at midnight, but he knows DeathCast’s call is coming soon. Unlike Orion, Valentino Prince, a model on the verge of his national debut, has no reason to anticipate Death-Cast’s call and isn’t sure if he believes the company’s claims. By coincidence or fate, their lives collide at a party in Times Square, and a single, historic phone call alters the courses of their futures. This heart-pounding story follows the final day of the first Decker, or person who is going to die, and the national chaos of Death-Cast’s premiere. Silvera crafts a web of intricately interconnected character perspectives and conflicts around Orion and Valentino. Apart from Valentino and his twin sister, who are presumed White, most of the characters are Latine, including White-passing Orion, whose family is Puerto Rican. The story confronts heavy topics like grief, abuse, and religious faith with complexity and care. Despite the presumed inevitability of a fatal end to the central romance between Orion and Valentino, Silvera subverts the trope of punishing gay characters with violent tragedy. Familiarity with the original book provides additional context and depth but isn’t essential to understanding the plot.

A rush of emotion and suspense. (Speculative fiction. 1318)

Smith, Mark Text (272 pp.) $13.95 paper | Oct. 11, 2022 978-1-922330-79-6

An Australian boy passionate about surfing is drawn into community activism in this contemporary work with a strong sense of place. Seventeen-year-old Hesse Templeton lives with his mum in rural Shelbourne on Victoria’s west coast. He works at the surf shop owned by Theo Turnbull, a father figure and old friend of his dad’s. Seven years ago, Hesse’s father drowned in a surfing accident, but this tragedy hasn’t dampened Hesse’s enthusiasm for the sport. His quiet life changes when enigmatic Dutch exchange student Fenna De Vries arrives, and Hadron, a powerful local employer, announces they are selling the coal mine and power station. Despite his shyness with girls, Hesse forms a tentative bond with Fenna, drawing jealous attention from aggressive alpha male Jago Crothers. Meanwhile, Shelbourne Action, a grassroots environmental group his mother is involved with, is controversially campaigning to have the power plant closed. As Hesse grows increasingly educated—and concerned—about the harmful impact of fossil fuels, he becomes a youthful spokesperson (albeit a self-conscious and nervous one) for the movement. He also must reckon with the effect the closure would have on two of his best mates, Muslim refugees whose families are among many residents financially dependent on the plant. This quietly powerful novel explores the inner growth and external impact of a teen on the cusp of adulthood. Hesse’s uncertainty as he navigates his expanding awareness of life’s complications will resonate with many readers. Main characters are White.

enduring themes. (Fiction. 1218)

Smith, Tommie & Derrick Barnes Illus. by Dawud Anyabwile Norton Young Readers (208 pp.) $19.95 | Sept. 27, 2022 978-1-324-00390-8

“We had to be seen because we were not being heard.” Gold medalist Smith teams up with award-winning creators Barnes and Anyabwile to vividly share the freedom dreams that inspired his iconic protest at the 1968 Olympics. Born in Texas to sharecropping parents, Smith and his large family followed the Great Migration that sent thousands of Black families out of the Deep South. Landing in California, he navigated racist misconceptions from peers and authority figures alike. Arriving at San Jose State at the height of the civil rights movement, Smith met like-minded friends who balanced athletic excellence with a commitment to justice. After achieving gold and bronze, respectively, in the 200-meter sprint, Smith and John Carlos arrived at the podium prepared to make a global statement protesting racial injustice. During the playing of the U.S. national anthem, they raised black-gloved fists in support of impassioned ideals that emerged from the Black student–led Olympic Project for Human Rights. Smith navigated post-Olympics professional repercussions and remained committed to his principled stance; decades later, reverence for his protest would return in the form of honors and awards, yet the struggle to upend racial injustice continues. The blackand-white illustrations’ realism echoes the visual influences of the Black Power period. Art and text present an unflinching look at the physical and verbal racist violence of the time. This evocative undertaking extends histories of 20th-century Black struggles for new generations, reminding us to continue to be brave, courageous, and organize for change.

Authentic and inspiring. (Graphic nonfiction. 1218)

Summers, Courtney Wednesday Books (352 pp.) $18.99 | Sept. 13, 2022 978-1-250-80836-3

All 16-year-old Georgia Avis ever wanted was to be an Aspera girl. It’s during the summer that Georgia’s dream of working at members-only resort Aspera comes true—but at a terrible cost and against the wishes of her late mother. After she finds the body of 13-year-old Ashley James, raped and dumped by the roadside, Georgia becomes entangled with Matthew and Cleo Hayes, Aspera’s impossibly beautiful and rich owners, who take her under their wing. Although her first job there seems to be run-of-the-mill admin work and not quite what Georgia knows she deserves, she believes it is only a matter of time until her beauty takes her places. But even while she navigates this world of privilege and power, glamour and deceit, trying to carve a place for herself, she joins forces with Nora, Ashley’s charismatic older sister, to find the culprit. Summers’ latest masterful thriller takes on the world of wealth and privilege to examine questions of power, predatory behavior, and, ultimately, complicity, and agency. Readers are witnesses to a long process of grooming and to what Georgia—a naïve, earnest kid—instead believes she is experiencing. This dissonance in perspective makes for a heartbreaking, brutal, and devastatingly realistic novel. Hopeful notes come with the budding romance between Nora and Georgia. Most characters are White.

A bold, unflinching, and utterly enthralling novel. (Thriller. 1418)