Today’s The Stack is sponsored by Gallery 13
In this moving graphic memoir, Eisner Award-winning writer and artist Michael Kupperman traces the life of his reclusive father—the once-world-famous Joel Kupperman, Quiz Kid. That his father is slipping into dementia—seems to embrace it, really—means that the past he would never talk about might be erased forever.
This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Clara Voyant by Rachelle Delaney.
Tom Wolfe (1931-2018)
The literary world is remembering journalist, novelist, and sharp dresser Tom Wolfe, who passed away in New York this week. Contributor Sarah S. Davis notes that “more coverage of Wolfe’s passing is in The Washington Post, Rolling Stone, and New York magazine, three publications he wrote for during his life.”
New Anne Frank Pages
Did you know that Anne Frank’s notebooks are removed from storage only every 10 years? During the most recent examination, researchers at the Anne Frank House were able to use new photo-imaging technology and discovered two previously concealed pages that demonstrate Frank’s developing literary tone.
Nobody Is Laughing
The Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize, the UK’s only prize for comic fiction, will go unawarded this year. The judges lament that of the sixty-two novels under consideration, exactly zero got more than a “wry smile” out of them. And no, they are too polite to release the longlist.
Hey YA Fans: Time to talk mind stuff.
“What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by All Of This Is True by Lygia Day Penaflor from Epic Reads.
“Devious, delicious, and gasp-worthy.”
– Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces
In this genre-defying page-turner from Lygia Day Peñaflor, four teens befriend their favorite YA novelist, only to find their deepest, darkest secrets in the pages of her next book—with devastating consequences. Perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying—and told as a series of interviews, journal entries, and even pages from the book within the book—this gripping story of a fictional scandal will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which serves to raise consciousness about the importance of mental health, whether or not you struggle with illness. Mental health has been a passion of mine for many years, particularly when it comes to adolescents. As someone also struggling with a pair of disorders, it’s not just an interest; it’s a personal experience.
Find below a small selection of recent YA books — pubbed in the last year or so — that take on mental health and do so in thoughtful and moving ways. Please not that no every depiction of mental health in any medium will ever perfectly capture an individual’s experience. Mental illnesses present in myriad ways, so what rings true for one person may not ring true for another. There is no single way to “get it right.” But it’s by reading and seeing the wide array of depictions that we’re better able to empathize and understand their challenges.
I’ve copied descriptions from Goodreads and included my own notes below each title.
The Art of Starving by Samuel J. MillerMatt hasn’t eaten in days.
His stomach stabs and twists inside, pleading for a meal. But Matt won’t give in. The hunger clears his mind, keeps him sharp—and he needs to be as sharp as possible if he’s going to find out just how Tariq and his band of high school bullies drove his sister, Maya, away.
Matt’s hardworking mom keeps the kitchen crammed with food, but Matt can resist the siren call of casseroles and cookies because he has discovered something: the less he eats the more he seems to have . . . powers. The ability to see things he shouldn’t be able to see. The knack of tuning in to thoughts right out of people’s heads. Maybe even the authority to bend time and space.
So what is lunch, really, compared to the secrets of the universe?
Matt decides to infiltrate Tariq’s life, then use his powers to uncover what happened to Maya. All he needs to do is keep the hunger and longing at bay. No problem. But Matt doesn’t realize there are many kinds of hunger… and he isn’t in control of all of them.
This book would do extremely well with fans of Shaun David Hutchinson. Intense, challenging, and a powerful look at the way an eating disorder can cause havoc on thinking.
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X. R. PanLeigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: When her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird.
Leigh, who is half Asian and half white, travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. There, she is determined to find her mother, the bird. In her search, she winds up chasing after ghosts, uncovering family secrets, and forging a new relationship with her grandparents. And as she grieves, she must try to reconcile the fact that on the same day she kissed her best friend and longtime secret crush, Axel, her mother was taking her own life.
Pan’s debut explores grief in depth, though it also taps into what it is like to live knowing one of your closest loved ones died because of their mental illness. Leigh’s exploration of her mother’s past is never a means of figuring out why she died; rather, it’s a way for Leigh to find meaning in the life her mother led and find a way to work with her grief, rather than against.
Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca ZappiaIn the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, and friendless. Online, she’s LadyConstellation, the anonymous creator of the wildly popular webcomic Monstrous Sea. Eliza can’t imagine enjoying the real world as much as she loves the online one, and she has no desire to try.
Then Wallace Warland, Monstrous Sea’s biggest fanfiction writer, transfers to her school. Wallace thinks Eliza is just another fan, and as he draws her out of her shell, she begins to wonder if a life offline might be worthwhile.
But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and even her sanity—begins to fall apart.
Anxiety! More specifically, this book explores social anxiety in a way that really understands the conflicts one can feel when they have an online life that looks one way and an offline life which they don’t feel looks the same. This one will appeal to readers who loved — or were frustrated by! — Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl.
History Is All You Left Me by Adam SilveraWhen Griffin’s first love and ex-boyfriend, Theo, dies in a drowning accident, his universe implodes. Even though Theo had moved to California for college and started seeing Jackson, Griffin never doubted Theo would come back to him when the time was right. But now, the future he’s been imagining for himself has gone far off course.
To make things worse, the only person who truly understands his heartache is Jackson. But no matter how much they open up to each other, Griffin’s downward spiral continues. He’s losing himself in his obsessive compulsions and destructive choices, and the secrets he’s been keeping are tearing him apart.
If Griffin is ever to rebuild his future, he must first confront his history, every last heartbreaking piece in the puzzle of his life.
A deeply moving look at life with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder — and a reminder than OCD is a serious illness, not just a personality quirk.
Little & Lion by Brandy ColbertWhen Suzette comes home to Los Angeles from her boarding school in New England, she isn’t sure if she’ll ever want to go back. L.A. is where her friends and family are (along with her crush, Emil). And her stepbrother, Lionel, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, needs her emotional support.
But as she settles into her old life, Suzette finds herself falling for someone new…the same girl her brother is in love with. When Lionel’s disorder spirals out of control, Suzette is forced to confront her past mistakes and find a way to help her brother before he hurts himself–or worse.
How do you live with and love someone who struggles with bipolar disorder? Colbert explores this question with realistic characters and an excellent look at what it means to love someone who struggles.
This Impossible Light by Lily MyersFifteen-year-old Ivy’s world is in flux. Her dad has moved out, her mother is withdrawn, her brother is off at college, and her best friend, Anna, has grown distant. Worst of all, Ivy’s body won’t stop expanding. She’s getting taller and curvier, with no end in sight. Even her beloved math class offers no clear solution to the imbalanced equation that has become Ivy’s life.
Everything feels off-kilter until a decision to change the way she eats gives her a boost in confidence and reminds Ivy that her life is her own. If she can just limit what she eats—the way her mother seems to—she can stop herself from growing, focus on the upcoming math competition, and reclaim control of her life. But when her disordered eating gives way to missed opportunities and a devastating health scare, Ivy realizes that she must weigh her mother’s issues against her own, and discover what it means to be a part of—and apart from—her family.
Readers who love Laurie Halse Anderson’s moving Wintergirls will appreciate this verse novel about a girl struggling with an eating disorder.
Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise GornallAt seventeen, Norah has accepted that the four walls of her house delineate her life. She knows that fearing everything from inland tsunamis to odd numbers is irrational, but her mind insists the world outside is too big, too dangerous. So she stays safe inside, watching others’ lives through her windows and social media feed.
But when Luke arrives on her doorstep, he doesn’t see a girl defined by medical terms and mental health. Instead, he sees a girl who is funny, smart, and brave. And Norah likes what he sees.
Their friendship turns deeper, but Norah knows Luke deserves a normal girl. One who can walk beneath the open sky. One who is unafraid of kissing. One who isn’t so screwed up. Can she let him go for his own good—or can Norah learn to see herself through Luke’s eyes?
Great for readers who love Nicola Yoon’s Everything Everything, Gornall explores agoraphobia, anxiety, and compulsive disorder in this gut-punch of a read.
Looking for more resources for YA and mental health? I put together a guide to great YA books about depression, and fellow Book Rioter Lucas has created a list of YA books to get the conversation about mental health rolling.
I’d be remiss not to mention my forthcoming YA nonfiction anthology, (Don’t) Call Me Crazy: 33 Voices Start The Conversation About Mental Health, takes on the subject as well. It hits shelves October 2, where it’ll be available in time for Mental Health Awareness Week.
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Thanks for hanging out and we’ll see you again back here next week!
Hey there audiobook fans,
The other day, I received an email from MacMillan letting me know that they were “digging through our archives we came across a familiar name listed among our narrators – CHADWICK BOSEMAN!”
For the uninitiated, Chadwick Boseman plays the Black Panther character in the Marvel films. Before he was delighting fans on the big screen, however, he narrated the audiobook version of Upstate by Kalisha Buckhanon.
Sponsored by LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT by Becky Albertalli
In this #1 New York Times bestselling sequel to the acclaimed Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, we follow Simon’s BFF Leah as she grapples with changing friendships, first love, and senior year angst.
From the publisher, Upstate takes place in New York during the ’90s and is a series of letters between teenagers Antonio (Chadwick Boseman) and Natasha (Heather Simms) who are in love and filled with big plans. In the first letter we find out that Antonio is accused of a horrific crime and is sent to jail. As the audiobook progresses we get snippets of some of their heartbreaking struggles in their childhoods, hear the love and support they have for each other, and can hear Antonio’s case unfold.” Listen to a sample of the audiobook here. https://soundcloud.com/macaudio-2/upstate-by-kalisha-buckhanon-audiobook-excerpt
So that’s pretty cool, and got me thinking about famous audiobook narrators. I’ve talked a lot about actors who narrate their own memoirs or novels, but for this list, I thought I’d try for actors narrating books you might not expect. What do I mean by that? No actors narrating their own books and no actors narrating books they’ve starred in the movie adaptation of (looking at you, Anne Hathaway/Princess Diaries). And with one or two exceptions, I tried to pick audiobooks I haven’t talked about before (for example, by now most of you are aware that Claire Danes narrates The Handmaid’s Tale because I’ve mentioned it in this newsletter no less than 109,278 times).
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Alire Saenz; narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Alright, I thought I would get the one that most people might know already out of the way first. It is actually physically impossible for me to not include this audiobook because it’s one of the best books ever narrated by my (imaginary) boyfriend. So many things I love all in one audiobook! If you’re not familiar with Aristotle and Dante, it’s a YA novel (but one of the YA novels where adults really should give it a chance because it’s perfect and sweet and heartbreaking). When two teenage boys meet at the pool one summer “they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.”
Casanova by Giacomo Casanova and Benedict Cumberbatch
I don’t really know anything about Casanova except for the way his name is used in popular culture, so I don’t know why I found it so hilarious he has a memoir (or a collection of writing or whatever it is) and that Benedict Cumberbatch narrates said memoir, but I do. That said, there’s no doubt that Cumberbatch could narrate just about anything and we would all listen with rapt attention. So if he’s reading the words of the OG Casanova (who apparently took seventeen years to write his memoir)? Yeah, I’m here for that.
SPEAKING OF DUDES WITH GREAT ACCENTS: How did I not know that Alan Cumming narrates Scott Westerfield’s Leviathan? Definitely adding this to my list. Here’s what Cumming himself says about the novel, “It’s a really fascinating revision of the origins of the first world war, and the opposing sides’ war machines – which they either oil, or feed!”.
Meryl Streep reads Nora Ephron! Two brilliant, talented powerhouse women come together in creative excellence with the audiobook of Ephron’s novel Heartburn. “Seven months into her pregnancy, Rachel Samstat discovers that her husband, Mark, is in love with another woman. The fact that the other woman has “a neck as long as an arm and a nose as long as a thumb and you should see her legs” is no consolation. Food sometimes is, though, since Rachel writes cookbooks for a living. And in between trying to win Mark back and loudly wishing him dead, Ephron’s irrepressible heroine offers some of her favorite recipes.” You can kinda see how Streep’s voice acting talent would be perfect for this, right? (Also the other night I was watching Jeopardy, as I do every night because I love it so much, and Alex Trebek claimed that Nora Ephron is one of his favorite authors. I’m not 100% sure I believe that, but I would like to).
In the mood for one of the Classics? If there’s any way you’re going to get through Leo Tolstoy’s 864-page Anna Karenina, you can’t go wrong bringing actress Maggie Gyllenhaal along for the ride. Fortunately, she narrates the hefty novel about a woman’s loveless marriage and tragic extra-marital affair.
This is what Gyllenhaal had to say about the novel and her experience narrating the audiobook: Anna Karenina is one of my favorite books. But when I agreed to read it for Audible, I had no idea how much work it would be, how intense it would be, and how deeply I would fall in love with it. There were places where I thought ‘if I don’t give Alexey Alexandrovitch the respect that he deserves in my reading of this scene, a critical part of the book will be ruined. If I don’t give EVERYONE the utmost respect and understanding, I’m not doing justice to this brilliantly compassionate book.’ But at the same time, I also wanted to have a light touch in the way I played the different characters, so that the magnificence of the novel could shine through. I feel like performing this novel is one of the major accomplishments of my work life – it was so challenging and so deep, a real pleasure.”
I came across a great list of famous narrators on the website i09. I stole two of their descriptions for the newsletter, but it’s definitely worth checking out the whole list here.
To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee; narrated by Sissy Spacek
“If you’re looking to reconnect with the memory of [To Kill a Mockingbird], listening to Spacek’s soft, slightly fragile voice narrating it is the perfect way to do it. Spacek’s voice is plain, self-assured, and calm, and, unlike the voices of many narrators, manages a southern accent without sounding forced or ridiculous
A Rage in Harlem by Chester Himes; narrated by Samuel L. Jackson
“Chester Himes is not as well known as Raymond Chandler, but should be. He was an award-winning hardboiled detective writer who had a style and a sense of humor—although not a comforting sense of humor. A Rage in Harlem is the first in a series of nine books that explore the methods of Harlem detectives Coffin Ed Johnson and Gravedigger Jones. Samuel L. Jackson has one of the most recognizable voices in the English-speaking world, and he’s become America’s Cool Dad, so hearing him read this story of doomed love, betrayal, con-artistry, and murder is bizarrely comforting. (If that’s not your style, he’s also the voice of God in The Bible Experience: New Testament.)”
Alright, audiophiles, what are your famous-person-narrated audiobooks? Or do you think that concept is overrated? Let me know at katie@riotnewmedia.com or on twitter at msmacb.
Until next week,
~Katie
This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Geekerella by Ashley Poston, published by Quirk Books.
Kristen Stewart To Adapt Lidia Yuknavitch’s Memoir
Kristen Stewart is taking on feature films, starting with an adaptation of Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir, The Chronology of Water. According to a Festival de Cannes interview, Stewart is making the film this summer. She’s writing the screenplay, but the starring role will go to a to-be-determined actor.
A Massive Beastie Boys Book
Speaking of memoirs, Beastie Boys will release a 600-page book this fall. Beastie Boys Book follows the band’s career, and includes contributions from Amy Poehler, Colson Whitehead, Spike Jonze, Wes Anderson, photographs, and even a cookbook from chef Roy Choi.
Waterstones Sparks The Ire Of Indies
Waterstones is in hot water with independent bookstores. Booksellers are accusing the company of opening unbranded shops that masquerade as independent bookstores in areas where indies already exist. Owners of these indies say Waterstones’ actions go against earlier comments made by the company’s chief executive James Daunt, that the chain’s smaller shops are being opened in towns that wish they had indies, but don’t.
Hello mystery fans! I recently read a delightful memoir about a secretary who worked for MI5 in her late teens and I decided to recommend some true crime books for readers who shy away from the nonfiction crime section because of too much violence.
Sponsored by Poisoned Pen Press
In the second book in the Somebody’s Bound to Wind Up Dead Mystery series, Allie and Tom now reside in a rented nine-thousand-square-foot lakeside mansion and have started the T&A Detective Agency to solve “mysteries of the heart” by using Tom’s lottery winnings. Their first case is funny with lots of sparkle and includes a sinister, twisty plot. Fans of romantic, comic mysteries will be delighted.
Delightful Spy Memoir!
Mi5 and Me: A Coronet Among the Spooks by Charlotte Bingham: Most spy novels/films are dark, and at the very least, thriller-ish. This memoir is not that, in a completely surprising and delightful way. Charlotte Bingham was summoned into her father’s office when she was 18 and he revealed to her that he worked for MI5 as a spy. That was the first bomb he dropped. The second being that he was forcing her to work for MI5. Since this happened in England in the 1950s and Bingham was not 21 yetm she was forced to do as her parents said. Unlike me–who would have been thrilled to discover this news–Bingham became quite amusingly dramatic and tried to literally catch pneumonia to get out of the job. Her health remained in tact, and the book follows as she works for MI5, lives in a house regularly visited by spies, and wishes that communism would just stop so there would be no need for her father’s job and he could just be a normal wealthy father like her friend’s dads. This honestly read like a British comedy series to me and I adored every second of it–and it really should be turned into a series.
More Spying, But This Time: “Welp, That Didn’t Work Out!”
The Spy Who Couldn’t Spell: A Dyslexic Traitor, an Unbreakable Code, and the FBI’s Hunt for America’s Stolen Secrets by Yudhijit Bhattacharjee: This is a true story about a man who’d spent his life feeling like he had to prove his intelligence and ends up coming up with an ill-advised plan as a response to feeling suffocated by his life. I was really interested in how the book shows what the FBI process really is when they suspect a traitor amongst them–spoiler: not what TV/film shows. And no, no one jumped from one roof building to another to get away. I also loved the puzzle solving and the bits about the history of codes.
Especially For Bibliophiles!
The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession by Allison Hoover Bartlett: This was super interesting for me in the details about rare books and the people Bartlett got to know, like a bookstore owner obsessed with stopping book thieves. The main thief in question is John Charles Gilkey, who it seems steals rare books because of his love of books–I suspect he just feels entitled to the things he wants more than anything. The “detective” is really a bookstore owner, Ken Sanders, who takes it upon himself to play detective and catch book thieves–if you’ve ever worked retail you know how frustrating it is to deal with merchandise loss. Gilkey and Sanders make for a great cat-and-mouse narrative–that really happened.
Recent Releases
A Howl of Wolves (Sam Clair, #4) by Judith Flanders (Currently reading: A witty, murder mystery starring an amateur sleuth dating a Scotland Yard detective.)
The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll (Author of Luckiest Girl Alive –listen to excerpts from the audiobook here)
Pairing a Deception (A Sommelier Mystery #3) by Nadine Nettmann (Cozy mystery)
Odd Numbers (Hanne Wilhelmsen #9) by Anne Holt, Anne Bruce (Translator) (Paperback) (Great, dark Norwegian procedural series.)
Mister Memory by Marcus Sedgwick (Paperback) (Historical fiction mystery)
Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.
Until next time, keep investigating! And in the meantime come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, and Litsy–you can find me under Jamie Canaves.
If a mystery fan forwarded this newsletter to you and you’d like your very own you can sign up here.
Diving into comics can be confusing—sourcing single issues, figuring out where to start with a series, parsing cross-overs and universe resets—so Book Riot often recommends graphic novels as a jumping-in point. We’ve selected five recent GNs that make excellent cross-over material for traditional book readers who want to introduce some art to their reading lives. We’re giving the whole stack away to one reader.
Go here to enter for a chance to win, or just click the image below. Good luck!
Welcome back to In The Club, a newsletter of resources to keep your book group well-met and well-read. Let’s dive in.
This newsletter is sponsored by Park Row Books, publisher of We Own The Sky by Luke Allnutt.
Rob Coates feels like he’s won the lottery of life. There is Anna, his incredible wife, their London town house and, most precious of all, Jack, their son, who makes every day an extraordinary adventure. But when a devastating illness befalls his family, Rob’s world begins to unravel. Suddenly finding himself alone, Rob seeks solace in photographing the skyscrapers and clifftops he and his son Jack used to visit. And just when it seems that all hope is lost, Rob embarks on the most unforgettable of journeys to find his way back to life, and forgiveness.
Have you read a Cuban American lately? Here are 5 that Barnes & Noble recommends, to which I would like to add Cecilia Rodríguez Milanés’ Oye What I’m Gonna Tell You.
Book group bonus: Pair a reading of one (or several!) of these with some episodes of One Day at a Time, which follows a military veteran, single, Cuban-American mother and her family — it is my new favorite sitcom.
Speaking of TV: Do you miss Glee? Did you know that a bunch of the actors from Glee have written books? Here you go.
Book group bonus: Celebrity books: love them? Hate them? Memoirs yes, fiction no? Depends? This is a topic with a lot of possible mileage!
Who needs a book for book group? Instead, just fight I MEAN discuss these unpopular bookish opinions, as well as your own!
Book group bonus: If you’re concerned about people getting personal, write out the unpopular opinions on scraps of paper and toss them in a box/bowl ahead of time. That way no one has to own them!
The Aunts have arrived! The aunts from A Discovery of Witches, that is — photos went up on EW last week. If your group hasn’t already picked up this (really fun) witchy series, now is a great time to start, since the show starts airing this fall.
Book group bonus: I love a good fancast. Have everyone pick their own best casting and compare/contrast.
Listen, it’s not just about fashion. I got obsessed with the Met Gala when I started reading author Genevieve Valentine’s red carpet recaps, so to my mind they were always bookish. Laura agrees, and paired looks from this year’s Gala with book covers!
Book group bonus: You could probably fall down a really great rabbithole of discussion about this year’s theme, the looks that walked the runway, and/or trends in cover design. Enjoy!
May the Force be with you as you try to figure out which Star Wars books you should read. But if you need a little extra help, we’ve got some recommendations.
Book group bonus: Definitely you should read a couple and then plan a (re)watch of The Last Jedi. Very definitely.
And that’s a wrap: Happy discussing! If you’re interested in more science fiction and fantasy talk, you can catch me and my co-host Sharifah on the SFF Yeah! podcast. For many many more book recommendations (including the occasional book club question!) you can find me on the Get Booked podcast with the inimitable Amanda.
Your fellow booknerd,
Jenn
More Resources:
– Our Book Group In A Box guide
– List your group on the Book Group Resources page
Today’s Riot Rundown is sponsored by The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo.
Clara Shin lives for pranks and disruption. When she takes one joke too far, her dad sentences her to a summer working on his food truck alongside her uptight classmate Rose. Not the carefree summer Clara had imagined.
But maybe Rose isn’t so bad. Maybe the boy crushing on her is pretty cute. Maybe Clara feels invested in her dad’s business.
What if taking this seriously means Clara has to leave her old self behind? With Maurene Goo’s signature warmth and humor, this is a relatable story of falling in love and finding yourself in the places you’d never thought to look.
I fear writing anything to screw up our less-than-eventful week in Romancelandia. Our favorite friend is still out there, somewhere, but she doesn’t appear to have shown her face since that inadvisable attempt at gaining sympathy. No one else has tried to tear down romance in anything beyond the usual way. And folks are out there taking steps and making bounds.
Sponsored by Geekerella by Ashley Poston, published by Quirk Books.
Cinderella goes to the con in Geekerella, a fandom-fueled YA twist on the classic fairytale.
Elle lives and breathes Starfield, the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching. When she sees a cosplay contest for the new movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the cosplay ball and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Prince Carmindor. Teen actor Darien Freeman has dreamed of playing Carmindor, but Starfield fans have already written him off as another dumb heartthrob. As the con approaches, Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets Elle. . .
News and Useful Links
Alyssa Cole and the fab folks at The Ripped Bodice appeared in Marketplace to talk about diversity and romance.
Jackie Lau informed her husband’s family she was a romance author by appearing on national Canadian television (with Sarah MacLean and Jaime Green). How about that.
Robin Lovett wrote a heartwrenching, amazing article for Publisher’s Weekly about picking up romance while coping with PTSD.
#rombklove is still happening.
Deals
Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips is 1.99 right now. It may not be football time, but physics professor heroines are always in season.
Love Me Deeper by Aja Cole is 2.99. If you finished Wanna Bet and want some more “in love with my best friend” or if you are in the need for more fake marriage romance, this is a good place to start.
A bunch of books by Jackie Collins, including Chances, are 1.99. I have never read her, but I know her lengthy history within and outside of the romance community.
Quarterly reminder that Hamilton’s Battalion, with novellas from Rose Lerner, Courtney Milan, and Alyssa Cole, is 4.99.
Over on Book Riot
Is your emotional book buying changing the world? Nikki’s totally is.
Have you read Far from the Madding Crowd? Do you agree with these choices?
If you’re a stats kind of person, the Bookly App might be fun to try. Me? I’m afraid of them. Or just of falling behind. (We won’t talk about when my last entry for the great spreadsheet takes place.)
Recs!
It’s RT week! (FYI, I’m writing this on Monday in preparation for heading up to Reno, so if something has happened between now and Thursday…we’ll talk about it next week.)
During our last When in Romance conversation, I made the decision to work on filling some gaps in my reading, because dang, there were a lot of books and authors I hadn’t read before, and there were some significant holes I needed to fill in my experience. Instead of going for the individual winning books, however, I decided I would start with a book by each of the Career Achievement Award winners.
Why do you all let me make these decisions?
Too Much Temptation
Lori Foster
I went on a borrowing spree and this was the first one that floated my boat. Noah walks in on his fiancee having sex with another man and breaks off the engagement. His grandmother, who practically arranged the marriage, gets so upset, she disowns him. Grace, his grandmother’s assistant, rushes to Noah’s aid, because she’s loved him forever. It takes Noah getting really drunk and seeing Grace, wet and adorable, before he remembers that he totally has the hots for her and tells her so. But Grace, our sweet Grace, has self-esteem issues that she takes as matter-of-fact knowledge. Noah makes her see his way, which is fine with her; his way means she gets to have lots of sex with him, which is the only thing he wants after his breakup. It’s not like anyone would marry her anyway. (OKAY. So, I really enjoyed this book but I have issues with the way the fat rep was approached. She’s like “I’m fat” or “women my size”, and he’s all like “what did I tell you” and “you’re not overweight, you’re gorgeous” and NO. But I will allow the book to be a product of its time with its answering machines and secrets and lack of black people in a southern town, and let myself enjoy the other parts of the book.)
I’m also making headway with:
Summer Vows by Rochelle Alers
Y’all know how much I like a forced proximity romance, and this one involves the headstrong CEO of a Florida recording company and the man reluctant to be her bodyguard. There is a pretty traumatic shooting early on in the book, but Ana is an awesome heroine and I’m sticking around for her. Also. Did you know Rochelle Alers has written over fifty novels, novellas, and shorts in less than the time that I’ve been alive? This is a well-deserved recognition!
Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh
I KNOW. How have I not read this book? I’ll tell you a secret: I’ve owned it for years. But I was hesitant to pick it up after being less-than-thrilled by Rock Addiction. Nevertheless, it’s been a while since I enjoyed a good paranormal, and since the worldbuilding in Silver Silence is the best of the year, it’s a good a time as ever to dive back in.
Lord of the Fading Lands by CL Wilson
I am not far into this book, but I can tell I’m going to like the worldbuilding here, too. I’m not sure about the romance yet, but we’ll see.
Secrets of Bella Terra by Christina Dodd
Crime and romance don’t usually go together well for me, but the hinted-at quarrel to come in this family vineyard story seemed like a compromise after looking through Dodd’s backlist featuring revenge and deception. If you’ve been following this newsletter long, you’ve probably noticed I’m not super huge on romantic suspense. I dip my toe in here and there, though, so we’ll see how this one works.
Delicious by Shayla Black
I have read Shayla Black, but Delicious looks like the perfect book to remind me of her style. Restauranteur cum exotic dancer heroine plus guest chef hero equals what sounds like fireworks to Jess. If there’s one thing I do remember about Shayla Black’s style, it’s that it’s deliciously sexy. So while I will be on the lookout thanks to some worrisome reviews about Luc’s emotional treatment of Alyssa, I hope this one is just as yummy as it looks.
Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt
This is another one I’ve had for a while, and this is a great reason to bring it back out of the woodwork. Not only does it take place prior to the Regency period, but it also features a woman who works—always a good find in historical British-set fiction. This one also starts pretty dark, but I’m prepared for the rest that might come.
I hope this is a successful endeavor; getting at least one title by each of these authors under my belt is important to my goal to know everything there is to know ever.
Or something.
As long as I don’t get distracted by Wanna Bet. What am I saying; I totally will.
New and Upcoming Releases
His Cocky Valet by Cole McCade (YES. This is a thing that was birthed out of a need to be petty, and the reviews are all positive.)
Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan
How to Marry a Werewolf by Gail Carriger
Grumpy Fake Boyfriend by Jackie Lau (May 22)
The Controversial Princess by Jodi Ellen Malpas (May 22)
As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at jessica@riotnewmedia.com if you’ve got feedback or just want to say hi! (Also, if you’re going to be at RT, definitely hit me up!)