Author: Liberty Hardy

Happy Monday, my little book dragons. And happy August, somehow. I would like July back, please, because THAT WAS SO FAST. As you read this newsletter today, I am on vacation and hopefully reading, or at least relaxing, and most likely talking to my cats. (They never talk back, they’re so rude.) While I am out, the amazing Jamie Canavés will be here to fill in for Book Radar on Thursday—a big thank you to her in advance. If you aren’t already familiar with Jamie, she writes the Book Riot mystery newsletter Unusual Suspects!

Moving on: I have exciting news for you today! I also have a look at a fabulous upcoming fantasy novel, plus LOTS of cover reveals, a terrible pun, a silly upside-down cat, and trivia! Let’s get started, shall we?

Here’s Monday’s trivia question: What sport is the subject of Megan Abbott’s thriller Dare Me? (Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)

Deals, Reals, and Squeals!

Paramount Pictures has acquired the rights to Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children series.

A Jaws-themed musical may be opening in 2022.

Here’s the cover reveal of The Blood Trials by N. E. Davenport.

Delroy Lindo will star in the Anansi Boys adaptation.

Here’s the first look at John Le Carré’s final novel.

Here’s the cover reveal of The Two Wrong Halves of Ruby Taylor by Amanda Panitch.

Tracey Ullman will narrate the next David Sedaris book.

Here’s the cover reveal for It Dies with You by Scott Blackburn.

Leslie Odom Jr. and Ellen Burstyn will star in the new Exorcist film trilogy.

The PBS children’s show Arthur is ending with its 25th season.

Octavia Butler’s Fledgling to be adapted for HBO by Issa Rae, Lovecraft Country writers.

Here’s the cover reveal of Chloe Cates Is Missing by Mandy McHugh.

Snowpiercer has been renewed for a fourth season.

And Sweet Tooth has been renewed for a second season.

Here’s the cover reveal for Scorpica by G.R. Macallister.

DeWanda Wise will star in Showtime’s Three Women adaptation with Shailene Woodley.

Here’s the cover reveal of 1,000 Coils of Fear by Olivia Wenzel.

Here’s the cover reveal of The League of Gentlewomen Witches, the sequel to The Wisteria Society for Lady Scoundrels by India Holton.

Book Riot Recommends 

At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and learn about a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week so you can add them to your TBR! (It will now be books I loved on Mondays and books I’m excited to read on Thursdays. YAY, BOOKS!)

Loved, loved, loved: 

Forging a Nightmare by Patricia A. Jackson (Angry Robot, November 23)

There’s one thing I want to tell you about this book right up front. One, I read it without reading the description so I was pleasantly surprised a bunch of times, so if you want to experience that as well, stop reading now.

Still here? Okay! So this is a dark urban fantasy novel about an FBI agent who is sent to investigate a serial killer whose victims all have six fingers and six toes, believed to be Nephalims, or fallen angels. Michael Child’s search for a murderer leads him to a Marine sniper, Anaba Raines, who is not who she first appears to be. And he also uncovers something shocking about himself.

But Michael isn’t going to have much time to process all this new information, because he’s almost constantly fighting with holy and unholy beings. If you ever wondered what it would be like if Good Omens was mashed up with The Black Stallion, with a dash of Loki, then this is the book for you! It’s funny and dark (heads up that the opening scene is super gruesome) and pretty much filled with non-stop action. I loved the characters, especially Anaba, and also all the appearances made by characters from religion and mythology. I hope we get another book in this world!

What I’m reading this week.

Chorus by Rebecca Kauffman

Yonder by Jabari Asim

The Stand by Stephen King

Nuclear Family by Joseph Han

Mercy Street by Jennifer Haigh

Groan-worthy joke of the week: 

How does the moon cut his hair? Eclipse it.

And this is funny:

It’s an accurate description.

Happy things:

Here are a few things I enjoy that I thought you might like as well:

• Whose Line Is It Anyway? I discovered eight seasons streaming on HBO Max, so I am indulging my lifelong crush on Ryan Styles.
• Purrli: This website makes the relaxing sounds of a cat purring. (Why do I include this every time? Because it’s really that helpful.)

And here’s a cat picture!

Zevon is the most relaxed, possibly boneless, cat I’ve ever met.

Trivia answer: Cheerleading.

Remember that whatever you are doing or watching or reading this week, I am sending you love and hugs. Please be safe, and be mindful of others. It takes no effort to be kind. I’ll see you again on Monday. xoxo, Liberty

Happy Thursday, star bits! What’s the rumpus? Have you been watching LeVar Burton as the guest host on Jeopardy this week? I love him so much. If I ever met him, I would totally act like Troy on Community. I bet every book lover feels the same way. Also, I forgot how much I love Jeopardy. And now that we have cable, I can tape every episode and fill up the DVR and never get around to actually watching them. I am living the dream!

Moving on to today’s newsletter and book talk: I have a lot of fun news, including adaptation deals, a lot more book cover reveals, and a look at an upcoming Groundhog Day-ish novel I am excited to read. Plus I’ve included a picture of one of my shelved cats, some trivia, and more! I love writing these newsletters and I appreciate your support so much. Whatever you are doing or watching or reading this week, I hope you goodbob and we same place again very now. – xoxo, Liberty, Your Friendly Neighborhood Velocireader™

Trivia question time! What late author’s recently released collection of letters covers her college years through her death at age forty-eight? (Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)

Deals, Reals, and Squeals!

Octavia Butler’s Parable Of The Sower is being adapted as a film.

Here are the new Eisner Award winners!

Here’s the first look at Michaela Coel’s new book Misfits.

A Milne estate-sanctioned Winnie-the-Pooh prequel is on the way.

Alfonso Gomez-Rejon will direct a film adaptation of The Fortress of Solitude by Jonathan Lethem.

Here’s the cover reveal of Whitesands: A John Dark Case by Johann Thorsson.

Judy Heumann’s memoir Being Heumann is being made into a film.

Here’s the red band (read: NSFW) trailer for the Stephen King-inspired series Chapelwaite.

And speaking of Stephen King, Pam Grier has joined the Pet Sematary prequel.

The 2021 Booker Prize longlist has been announced.

Here’s the first official trailer for the Dexter revival.

And here’s the first trailer for the last season of The Walking Dead.

Here’s the cover reveal of Erika Robuck’s new novel, Sisters of Night and Fog.

Here’s the cover reveal of Only a Monster by Vanessa Len.

Book Riot Recommends 

At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and learn about a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week so you can add them to your TBR! (It will now be books I loved on Mondays and books I’m excited to read on Thursdays. YAY, BOOKS!)

Excited to read: 

End of the World House by Adrienne Celt (Simon & Schuster, April 19, 2022)

I don’t think I can properly convey just how excited I am about this upcoming novel! I loved Celt’s last two books, The Daughters and Invitation to a Bonfire. And how can I resist a blurb that calls it “Groundhog Day meets Ling Ma’s Severance“??! It’s about best friends whose friendship has become challenging now that one has moved away. To try and save their friendship, they take a vacation together to Paris. But on a special private tour of the Louvre, they become trapped in the museum and forced to relive the day over and over. SIGN ME UP NOW, PLEASE. I can’t wait to read this!

What I’m reading this week.

The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould 

Spirits Abroad: and Other Stories by Zen Cho

Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen

The Shining by Stephen King

Bibliolepsy by Gina Apostol

Song stuck in my head:

After the Curtain by Beirut. I love this song! Thank you to the last episode of season one of Miracle Workers for reminding me. (Also, I’m still really into listening to songs I loved when I was young. You can listen to a lot of them in this playlist I made!)

And this is funny:

Everything is funnier with cats.

Happy things:

Here are a few things I enjoy that I thought you might like as well:

• Ted Lasso: I REPEAT: SEASON TWO HAS STARTED!!!!!!
• Purrli: This website makes the relaxing sounds of a cat purring. (Why do I include this every time? Because it’s really that helpful.)

And here’s a cat picture!

Zevon gets excited whenever there’s an empty bookcase shelf for even a minute. He can sense them from anywhere in the house.

Trivia answer: Shirley Jackson.

You made it to the bottom! High five. Thanks for reading! – xo, L

Hooray, it’s Monday! It’s a new week, which means new books and book news. I am busy finishing up a bunch of my work before I take a vacation next week. I am pretty excited! I’m not going anywhere, but I am planning to catch up on a few backlist titles and further my Stephen King re-readathon. Right now, I am on ‘Salem’s Lot, his second novel. Only a few more to go, right? 😝

Moving on: I have exciting news for you today! I also have a look at a wonderful book about the craft of writing, plus LOTS of cover reveals, a terrible pun, my little folded orange monster, and trivia! Let’s get started, shall we?

Here’s Monday’s trivia question: Belmont Academy is the name of the private school in what recent thriller? (Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)

Deals, Reals, and Squeals!

Shailene Woodley will star in Showtime’s series based on Three Women by Lisa Taddeo.

The Nightmare Before Christmas is getting a manga sequel from Disney.

Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen’s podcast will be a book: Renegades: Born in the U.S.A.

Here’s the first look at Michaela Coel’s new book Misfits.

Tochi Onyebuchi is writing a Black Panther series.

Here’s the cover reveal for Chorus by Rebecca Kauffman.

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman will be a limited series.

Here’s the cover reveal of You’ve Changed: Fake Accents, Feminism, and Other Comedies from Myanmar by Pyae Moe Thet War.

There’s a new Dune trailer. And here’s a look at the HBO Max television series Dune: The Sisterhood, which is a prequel to Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming film.

Here’s the cover reveal of And Then I Woke Up by Malcolm Devlin.

The Stephen King short story Strawberry Spring is being adapted into a podcast.

Here’s the cover reveal of Believe Me by Tahereh Mafi, the fifth book in the Shatter Me series.

Here’s the cover reveal for Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur.

Watch the teaser trailer for Y: The Last Man.

Here’s the cover reveal of Runaways by Michael Seidlinger.

Here are the 2021 World Fantasy Award Finalists.

Here’s the cover reveal of In a New York Minute by Kate Spencer.

Here are the winners of the Kitschies.

Here’s the cover reveal for Omar Rising by Aisha Saeed.

Here’s the trailer for the animated series The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf.

The Night Agent by Matthew Quirk will be a Netflix series.

Book Riot Recommends 

At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and learn about a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week so you can add them to your TBR! (It will now be books I loved on Mondays and books I’m excited to read on Thursdays. YAY, BOOKS!)

Loved, loved, loved: 

Never Say You Can’t Survive by Charlie Jane Anders (Tordotcom, August 17, 2021)

Despite the fact that I put tens of thousands of words down in posts and newsletters each week, for some reason I still have a hard time thinking of myself as a writer. Still, occasionally I get an urge to write even more words, words about things I made up in my brainpan. But I don’t know how to get them out of my head!

Charlie Jane Anders is a wildly successful writer, with several great books under her belt already, such as All the Birds in the Sky and Victories Greater Than Death. In this splendid book, she talks about writing but without making you feel like you’re reading a book to learn something. Instead, it feels like a cozy chat with a funny, smart, supportive friend, who is telling you stories about their life.

Anders offers anecdotes from her own life and tips to help you get your own writing started or help shape a work in progress. The world is a scary place, and Anders beautifully explains how you can help your heart and your mind get through it by using your imagination. It’s exactly what we need right now.This book was a great big sparkly kick to the gray cells. After reading it, I feel one hundred times more confident that when I am ready, I will be able to wrestle the words from my brain!

What I’m reading this week.

The Love Con by Seressia Glass

Bibliolepsy by Gina Apostol

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel 

‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

The White Ship: Conquest, Anarchy and the Wrecking of Henry I’s Dream by Charles Spencer

Groan-worthy joke of the week: 

I didn’t understand the joke about boxing. I guess I missed the punch line.

And this is funny:

I feel A T T A C K E D.

Happy things:

Here are a few things I enjoy that I thought you might like as well:

• Ted Lasso: SEASON TWO HAS STARTED!!!!!!
• Schmigadoon: This is more delightful than I can say.
• Purrli: This website makes the relaxing sounds of a cat purring. (Why do I include this every time? Because it’s really that helpful.)

And here’s a cat picture!

Hey, if Zevon is comfortable, then that’s all that matters.

Trivia answer: For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing.

Remember that whatever you are doing or watching or reading this week, I am sending you love and hugs. Please be safe, and be mindful of others. It takes no effort to be kind. I’ll see you again on Thursday. xoxo, Liberty

Welcome to the almost-end of the week, book friends. I hope you’ve been having a great one so far. I myself was excited Monday by the announcement of a new Emily St. John Mandel book. But that excitement was nothing compared to how excited I was when I actually got the book a little later that day. I was like “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.” No, really. You probably heard me. 😂

Moving on to today’s newsletter and book talk: I have a lot of fun news, including adaptation deals, a lot more book cover reveals, and a look at an upcoming essay collection I am excited to read. Plus I’ve included a picture of my orange monsters and their Muppet twins, some trivia, and more! I love writing these newsletters and I appreciate your support so much. Whatever you are doing or watching or reading this week, I hope you goodbob and we same place again very now. – xoxo, Liberty, Your Friendly Neighborhood Velocireader™

Trivia question time! What recent YA fantasy novel takes place in Allward? (Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)

Deals, Reals, and Squeals!

Marjan Kamali’s The Stationery Shop is being developed for HBO.

Here’s the cover reveal for The Merciless Ones, the sequel to The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna 

Viola Davis has written a memoir, which will be released in 2022.

Knopf announced that a new novel is coming in 2022 from Emily St. John Mandel: Sea of Tranquility.

Patricia Highsmith’s diaries will be available to the public for the first time.

Byung-hun Lee will produce and star in Maureen Goo’s I Believe In A Thing Called Love for Netflix.

Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, is publishing a memoir.

Ocean Vuong has a new collection of poetry coming in 2022: Time is a Mother.

Reese Witherspoon’s newest YA pick for her book club is The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee.

Charlize Theron will have a hand in helping develop The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix for HBO Max.

Here’s the cover reveal for Nuclear Family by Joseph Han.

Here’s the first trailer for The Last Duel, based on the book by Eric Jager.

The winner of the Tonight Show Summer Reads is The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz.

Here’s the cover reveal for Heartbroke by Chelsea Bieker.

Here’s the cover reveal for Diamond Park by Phillippe Diederich.

Here’s the cover reveal of Sundial by Catriona Ward.

Book Riot Recommends 

At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and learn about a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week so you can add them to your TBR! (It will now be books I loved on Mondays and books I’m excited to read on Thursdays. YAY, BOOKS!)

Excited to read: 

Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives by Mary Laura Philpott (Atria Books, April 12, 2022)

Mary Laura Philpott is one of my favorite people to follow on Twitter, and I loved her last essay collection I Miss You When I Blink. So I was wildly delighted to learn she has a new essay collection on the way. It will deal with events of the last year, plus Frank the Turtle, a turtle who started visiting Philpott’s yard a couple years ago. No lie, he crawls up to her home and knocks on the door. He is a regular visitor now, and even has a lady friend. And that’s really Frank on the front cover! You can read about the cover shoot here. And in the meantime, check her out on Twitter and read her last book. I promise, she is a funny delight.

What I’m reading this week.

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

Mirror Girls by Kelly McWilliams

The White Ship: Conquest, Anarchy and the Wrecking of Henry I’s Dream by Charles Spencer 

‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King 

Far from the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson

Song stuck in my head:

The Greatest by Sia. (Stupid cable commercial.) (Also, I’m still really into listening to songs I loved when I was young. You can listen to a lot of them in this playlist I made!)

And this is funny:

A glimpse of me in the future.

Happy things:

Here are a few things I enjoy that I thought you might like as well:

• Schmigadoon: This is more delightful than I can say.
• Purrli: This website makes the relaxing sounds of a cat purring. (Why do I include this every time? Because it’s really that helpful.)

And here’s a cat picture!

My little furry Waldorf and Statler. It’s funny because it’s true.

Trivia answer: Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard.

You made it to the bottom! High five. Thanks for reading! – xo, L

Happy Monday, friends! I hope you had a lovely weekend. It was my birthday yesterday, and I had such a nice day. I ended up with a lot of Stephen King books to kick off my SK rereadathon. And I visited a bookstore, which is something I have only done three times in the last sixteen months, so that was amazing. Thank goodness my local indie was doing deliveries this past year!

Moving on: I have exciting news for you today! I also have a look at an excellent YA novel coming in 2022, plus cover reveals, a terrible pun, my precious little orange monster, and trivia! Let’s get started, shall we?

Here’s Monday’s trivia question: Where do the members of the Thursday Murder Club hold their weekly meetings in The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman? (Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)

Deals, Reals, and Squeals!

Robert Downey Jr. will co-star in Park Chan-wook’s adaptation of The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen.

Loki has been renewed for season 2 at Disney+.

Janicza Bravo will direct newcomer Mallori Johnson in a pilot for FX based on Kindred by Octavia E. Butler.

Megan Follows is narrating a new Lucy Maud Montgomery audiobook.

Colin Kaepernick and Scholastic announced a multi-book deal for children’s books.

HBO Max is developing two more Game of Thrones animated shows.

Amber Tamblyn’s new books will feature essays from America Ferrera, Amy Poehler, Jia Tolentino, Samantha Irby, and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, and more.

Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden is being adapted for the screen.

Here’s the cover reveal of Portrait of an Unknown Lady by Maria Gainza, Thomas Bunstead (translator).

And here are this year’s Tonight Show summer reads nominees.

Book Riot Recommends 

At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and learn about a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week so you can add them to your TBR! (It will now be books I loved on Mondays and books I’m excited to read on Thursdays. YAY, BOOKS!)

Loved, loved, loved: 

This Golden State by Marit Weisenberg (Flatiron Books, March 1, 2022)

What does the world look like when you’ve lived your life on the run? Poppy doesn’t know why her family has been running her whole life, never settling down in one place very long, using different names, escaping in the night. It’s the only life she and her little sister have known. The Winslow family only has each other, so they have to trust and protect one another.

But it isn’t easy for Poppy and her sister. They have to leave behind the starts of new friendships over and over, and they have very few possessions. But then her parents take them to California, and things are different. They have a whole house instead of a motel room, and Poppy is allowed to take a summer course about computers. It’s here she meets a young man with secrets of his own—and starts to fall for him. Poppy is tired of running, and tired of not knowing who her parents really are, so she submits an online DNA test, hoping to find their real name. But the consequences of her actions will be much, much bigger. Will Poppy ever get to be a regular kid?

I thought this was a great family on the run story, with the 21st century updates, like the girls not having cell phones or being able to use the internet, and the DNA test. It felt like a very real family in a real situation, and my heart ached for all of them.

(CW for stressful situations, and mentions of violent crime, illness, and death.)

What I’m reading this week.

Far from the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson

Agatha of Little Neon: A Novel by Claire Luchette

Act Like You Got Some Sense: And Other Things My Daughters Taught Me by Jamie Foxx 

The King of Infinite Space by Lyndsay Faye

Carrie by Stephen King

Groan-worthy joke of the week: 

What did one hat say to the other? “Stay here! I’m going on a head.”

And this is funny:

I’m laugh-crying because it’s true.

Happy things:

Here are a few things I enjoy that I thought you might like as well:

• Purrli: This website makes the relaxing sounds of a cat purring. (Why do I include this every time? Because it’s really that helpful.)
• Night Court: We just got cable at my house (I know right?? I feel like I’m in a hotel, lol.) The thing about cable is that there are TOO MANY CHOICES. I scroll through and end up watching old sitcoms instead of any newer offerings. Recently, it has been Night Court, which is not a great show, but it’s fun to see these actors and also laugh at what used to pass for storylines. I’ve also checked out episodes of Barney Miller, and Benson.

And here’s a cat picture!

🎵 Stretchy cat, stretchy cat, what are they feeding you… 🎵

Trivia answer: The Jigsaw Room.

Remember that whatever you are doing or watching or reading this week, I am sending you love and hugs. Please be safe, and be mindful of others. It takes no effort to be kind. I’ll see you again on Thursday. xoxo, Liberty

Happy Thursday, star bits! I am back today to help delightful bookish items make their way through your eyeballs and into your brain. I’ve had a rainy, but great, week so far here in Maine. I’ve read some great books, one of which I will share with you on Monday. And I am contemplating rereading all of Stephen King’s books, because sure, why not, lol? I haven’t read some of the earlier ones since middle school, so it should be interesting. This week, I’ve also made my way to the fourth season of Leverage, and I’m getting ready for my birthday on Sunday. I’m planning on taking the whole day to read and eat delicious food. Yay, birthday week!

Moving on to today’s newsletter and book talk: I have a lot of fun news, including adaptation deals, a lot more book cover reveals, and a look at an upcoming essay collection I am excited to read. Plus I’ve included a picture of my stretchy orange monsters, some trivia, and more! I love writing these newsletters and I appreciate your support so much. Whatever you are doing or watching or reading this week, I hope you goodbob and we same place again very now. – xoxo, Liberty, Your Friendly Neighborhood Velocireader™

Trivia question time! A character named Nella runs a secret shop in eighteenth-century London in what bestselling 2021 novel? (Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)

Deals, Reals, and Squeals!

The Obamas are adapting Blackout for Netflix.

Speaking of the Obamas, former President Barack Obama released his summer reading list.

Here are Book Riot’s favorite books of the year so far.

Marie Benedict announced her new novel: Her Hidden Genius, about the woman who discovered the double helix of DNA.

Rosamund Pike is narrating Paula Hawkins’ new audiobook.

The Center for Fiction released its 2021 First Novel Prize longlist.

The Wheel of Time series is going to be a movie trilogy now, too.

Check out the cover reveal for Operation Sisterhood by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich.

Here are more additions to the Pet Sematary sequel.

Jennifer Carpenter will return for the Dexter revival.

Here’s the cover reveal of Survive the Dome by Kosoko Jackson.

Hear LeVar Burton read his novel Aftermath for the first time.

Here’s the first look at Stars and Bones by Gareth L. Powell, which features a talking cat.

Here’s the cover reveal for Piñata by Leopoldo Gout.

Here’s the first look at This Rebel Heart by Katherine Locke.

Here’s the cover reveal for End of the World House by Adrienne Celt.

Book Riot Recommends 

At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and learn about a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week so you can add them to your TBR! (It will now be books I loved on Mondays and books I’m excited to read on Thursdays. YAY, BOOKS!)

Excited to read: 

The Crane Wife: and Other Essays by CJ Hauser (Doubleday, July 12, 2022)

As you can imagine, I spend a lot of time looking up stuff about books on the internet, and I often find something wonderful that I didn’t expect to find while researching something else. That is the case with this book, The Crane Wife, from CJ Hauser. What a delightful surprise!

Hauser is the author of the wonderful novel Family of Origin, which came out a few years ago. After the novel’s release, she wrote an essay called The Crane Wife, which received a lot of buzz, and it is included here in this forthcoming book of essays. The book is being compared to Cheryl Strayed, and is comprised of essays “around which to explore the narratives of romantic love we are taught and which we tell ourselves.” BRING IT ON.

What I’m reading this week.

Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama: A Memoir by Bob Odenkirk

Just Like The Other Girls by Claire Douglas

Forging a Nightmare by Patricia A. Jackson

Joan Is Okay by Weike Wang

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

Song stuck in my head:

Rise & Shine by Mr. Gnome. (Also, I’m still really into listening to songs I loved when I was young. You can listen to a lot of them in this playlist I made!)

And this is funny:

Andrew McCarthy for the win.

Happy things:

Here are a few things I enjoy that I thought you might like as well:

• Leverage: I am about 13 years behind in starting this show, but I like it! It’s like The Librarians without magic, but also with Christian Kane.
• Purrli: This website makes the relaxing sounds of a cat purring.

And here’s a cat picture!

Zevon and Farrokh enjoy calisthenics.

Trivia answer: The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner.

You made it to the bottom! High five. Thanks for reading! – xo, L