Categories
Giveaways

122123-Dec.EACPushes-2023-Giveaway

We’re partnering with Dragons & Spaceships to give away a pair of AirPods Pro!

Enter here for a chance to win, or click the image below!

Here’s a bit more from our partner: Dungeons & Spaceships – For the Fans, By the Fans. We keep a close eye on the horizon of fantasy and scifi books, ensuring you’re the first to know about shifts in the genre, upcoming releases, and author interviews. Step into a realm where magic meets machinery, where dragons soar amongst the stars, and where every week is a new journey. Join the adventure!

Categories
Read Harder

7 Short Books You Can Squeeze In Before the End of the Year

Hello, everyone! First, a quick introduction. My name is Danika, and I’ll be helming the Read Harder ship this year. I’ve been writing for Book Riot since 2015, and I’ve been working here full time as an Associate Editor for just shy of three years. I am a co-host on All the Books, and I also write the LGBTQ books newsletter Our Queerest Shelves.

I’ve watched Read Harder grow and change over the years — can you believe this is the TENTH YEAR of the challenge?? — but a couple things always stay the same. One is that the challenge pushes us to diversify our reading in all senses of the word, helping us to discover our new favorite books that we never would have picked up otherwise. The other is the community of passionate, well-read, compassionate readers that has sprung up around Read Harder. That’s why I’m so excited to have a central place for this community, so we can have our own cozy, supportive, moderated corner of the internet to ourselves.

But it’s not time for Read Harder 2024 yet! We still have a little bit left of 2023 to go! Have you finished your Read Harder 2023 tasks? Are there any you’re hoping to squeeze into the last week or so of the year? Or are there other reading goals you’re hoping to reach by the end of December 31st? Let’s chat in the comments!

Obviously, numbers aren’t everything in our reading lives, but the Goodreads Challenge is popular for a reason. It’s fun to try to reach that goal you set at the beginning of the year. And if it’s looking like you’re just shy of meeting it, then this post is for you: here are some of my favorite short reads that you can squeeze in before the end of 2023. These are all under 200 pages, ordered from longest to shortest.

the cover of The Truth About Stories

The Truth About Stories by Thomas King (184 pages)

This is one of my favorite books of all time; I think about it frequently. It’s also a quick read, and you can even listen to King’s original lectures instead. This collection of essays/lectures explores the nature of storytelling, specifically looking at the kinds of stories told about Indigenous people in North America. If you’re reading this, you’re passionate about books and stories. This book will leave you thinking about the power and importance that the kinds of stories we listen to and tell have.

cover of Spear by Nicola Griffith, showing a red silhouette or a person on horseback emerging from a blurred image off white trees emerging from a chalice

Spear by Nicola Griffith (184 pages)

This is a gorgeous, queer, Welsh take on King Arthur. Getting used to the Welsh names might take a little while, but after that, this is a precisely plotted novella that packs an expansive story into a small page count. It follows a main character who grows up isolated, with a deep connection to nature. Then, she disguises herself as a man and decides to head to King Arthur’s court to try to become a knight. There are also a few illustrations included! Be sure to read the author’s note at the end for an exploration of the nature of Arthuriana.

Check out all seven recommendations at Book Riot! Let’s chat in the comments: Did you set a Goodreads Challenge this year? Do you think you’ll be completing it? How many books are you hoping to read in 2024?

Categories
What's Up in YA

Your Favorite YA Books of 2023: YA Book Talk, December 21, 2023

Hey YA Readers!

We’ll have one more non-deals newsletter before the end of the year, so this isn’t so much a “see you in the new year” send-off as it is a look back at all of the great reading we did this year. We’ll look ahead when we get to that final newsletter.

Are you looking for the perfect gift for that bookish special someone in your life this holiday season? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help! Here at TBR, we pair our customers with a professional book nerd (aka bibliologist) who just gets them. They fill out a survey and then sit back and relax as we pick books just for them. We’ve got three levels — recs-only, paperback, and hardcover — and you can gift a full year or one time, so there are options for every budget! Get all the details at mybtro.com/gift

Today, I’ve got your picks for favorite YA reads of the year, as well as the books you wish had gotten a little bit more love. Let’s dive right on in.

Bookish Goods

red socks that have bookshelves on one foot and "I Heart Books" on the other.

I Love Books Socks by FridaySockCo

It’s sock o’clock around here, and what better way to keep your feet cozy than with a fun pair of bookish socks? I love these, especially because they aren’t matching. Grab a set for $14.

Your Favorite 2023 YA Books

Thanks to everyone who submitted picks for their favorite YA book of 2023 and/or their pick for one they wished to get a little more attention. I’ve tallied everything up and present to you two fun, diverse lists.

Let’s begin with your favorite 2023 YA. There’s something here for every kind of reader and more; I don’t think we’ve seen these books replicated on every other best of list (to be fair, I think this year’s best of lists have been more wide-ranging than in the past, too. That’s a good thing!).

In descending order from most nominations to least, here are your top 10 favorite YA books published in 2020. Note that there were a lot of different books nominated, so “least” nominations and “most” nominations for this list do not differ much. Again, that’s a good thing and an interesting one. Lots of favorites to enjoy!

favorite books cover collage.

Check and Mate by Ali Hazelwood

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli

favorite ya books of 2023 cover collage

Throwback by Maurene Goo

Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley

Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler

top books 2023 ya cover collage

Manslaughter Park by Tirzah Price

Something Close to Magic by Emma Mills

cover collage of top ya books for 2023

Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

Shouting Out “Under The Radar” 2023 YA

Sometimes, people leave comments or thoughts with their votes. It’s not required, but when it’s in there, I do read it (shout out to those of you who said your favorite read of 2023 wasn’t published in 2023—I see you!). One of the comments that stood out to me came from someone who nominated their own book. In most cases, I don’t like self-nominations since they can and have been abused in the past. But in this case, the nominator brought up that thanks to the HarperCollins strike, their book and many others, which were published early in 2023, didn’t get the social love they may have otherwise received. This isn’t a complaint about the strike but rather that the response to hold off on reviews, etc., worked, but it might have meant some of the mid-list titles may have been missed a little more this year.

Of course, that writer’s book has been popped in here and for an additional reason: they alone weren’t the only nominators of it.

I don’t want to limit this list to 10. Y’all nominated so many good books, and there’s no reason to stop there. Here are 15 of the books you read and hoped would get a little more love this year. I did remove the titles that hit The New York Times Bestseller list and/or major book awards this year, but otherwise, it’s all you!

This list is alphabetized rather than in any ranking order. There were several books nominated for this list, which landed on the favorites list, too.

underrated books cover collage

All That Shines by Ellen Hagan

An Appetite for Miracles by Laekan Zea Kemp

Bianca Torre is Afraid of Everything by Justine Pucella Winans

The Blood Years by Elana K. Arnold

Dear Medusa by Olivia A. Cole

Forty Words for Love by Aisha Saeed 

2023 underrated ya books cover collage.

My Dear Henry: a Jekyll & Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron

One Last Shot by Kip Wilson

Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian

Something More by Jackie Khalilieh 

Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis

Unholy Terrors by Lyndall Clipstone

ya books deserving of more attention cover collage

What Stalks Among Us by Sarah Hollowell

Wolfwood by Marianna Baer

Your Plantation Prom is Not Okay by Kelly McWilliams

Yay! I hope you’ve added some books to your TBR. Even as someone who lives and breathes YA books, some of these were a surprise to me (or a reminder of how 2023 has had a LOT of good books).

As always, thanks for hanging out, and we’ll see you again for deals on Saturday.

There will be no newsletter on Monday for the holiday.

Until later, happy reading!

–Kelly Jensen, currently reading and loving A Suffragist’s Guide to the Antarctic by Yi Shun Lai

Categories
Giveaways

121923-Dec.EACPushes-2023-Giveaway

We’re partnering with Cearnach Grimm to give away a choice of eReader (Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Libra 2, or Nook Paperwhite) to one lucky winner!

Enter here for a chance to win, or click the image below!

Here’s a bit more from our sponsor: Cearnach Grimm is the creator of the hilariously captivating world of The Runebreakers which garners more than one million social media views per week. He writes fantasy and sci-fi, and revels in D&D. Join and dive deep into the behind-the-scenes of Cearnach Grimm’s writing process and discover new artifacts and characters for your D&D party.

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Book Radar

All of the Best Things of 2023 and More Book Radar!

Hi Book Friends!

Well, this is it. We’ve reached the final two Book Radar newsletters of 2023. So with that in mind, I’m taking this newsletter to focus on my favorite books of 2023. And for the next one, we’ll look ahead to my most highly anticipated books of 2024. Sound fun? Let’s end this year on a good note. Are you ready?

But first, a quick reminder: The holidays have arrived, and so has our new paperback level at TBR! If you (or a reader you know) are just over-carrying around bulky hardcovers or are looking for a more budget-friendly option, we’ve got you. Check out all the offerings at mybtro.com/gift, and give personalized reading recommendations customized for any and every reader.

Book Deals and Reveals

sanctuary book cover

Here’s the cover of Sanctuary by Valentina Cano Repetto, coming April 2024 from CamCat Books. This one is going to be great for fans of The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas, The Stroke of Winter by Wendy Webb, The House in the Orchard by Elizabeth Brooks, and The Winter Guest by W. C. Ryan.

A new novel from Alexander Chee is coming in 2025: Other People’s Husbands, a novel about a “queer Korean American novelist who returns to his alma mater as a visiting writer,” will be out from Mariner Books.

Alice Feeney has also announced a new novel. The thriller author’s seventh novel, Beautiful Ugly, out from Flatiron Books, is coming soon!

And here’s the cover of upcoming memoir Pretty by KB Brookins. “This book is unlike any other project I’ve attempted,” Brookins told Electric Lit. The cover was designed by Chip Kidd, with artwork by Anita Kunz.

If you’re excited about the new Mr. and Mrs. Smith series, then here’s a rom com novel you should check out in 2024: Jewel Me Twice by Charish Reid. The cover features art from Monika Roe. It’s out in July!

Aria Fiction has revealed the cover of The Big Day by Aliya Ali-Afzal. This “funny, heartwarming novel about a British-Asian mother and daughter who clash over plans for the bride’s Big Day” is out on June 6.

The Book Saves Lives Act has been introduced to US Congress. The Books Save Lives Act would ensure trained librarians in every school and classify book bans as federal civil rights violations.

Romance fans, have you read the best romance novels of 2023? Check out Entertainment Weekly‘s top 10 romance novels of the year to see if there are any you missed.

Book Riot Recommends

Hi, welcome to everyone’s favorite segment of Book Radar called Book Riot Recommends. This is where I’ll talk to you about all the books I’m reading, the books I’m loving, and the books I can’t wait to read and love in the near future. I think you’re going to love them too!

Best Books of 2023

cover of Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah  

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah — This is the best dystopian fiction I’ve read in some time and one of the most important books to come out in 2023. If you only read one book on this list, make sure it’s this one. I read this book around the 4th of July this year, and considering all of the messed up stuff going on in the world and in our country right now, a pointed attack on American violence and the prison industrial complex was the perfect seasonal read.

Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez — This one wins for best cover of 2023, in my book. At 608 pages, Our Share of Night was quite the time investment, but this dark horror novel/family saga was so worth it. I will never be able to get these characters out of my head.

What Kind of Mother by Clay McLeod Chapman — Clay McLeod Chapman’s horror fiction is always wildly inventive, with imagery that will give you nightmares. There’s something beguiling and terrifying about water and the things that live within. It’s something that has always scared me, and this book really taps into those fears.

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward — Catriona Ward is another all-time favorite of mine. Ward specializes in psychological horror that will leave your brain in knots, and Looking Glass Sound is her mind-bendiest novel yet. In fact, I’m still unraveling what really happened in this twisty novel, but I loved every word of it.

Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling by Elise Bryant — And now for something entirely different. Sometimes the most healing read for the soul is a sweet, heartwarming contemporary YA rom-com. It’s one of my favorite genres, and Elise Bryant’s Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling was the best I read all year. Reggie and Delilah are such fun characters, and I loved that their love story was about so much more than falling for each other. It was about learning to fall for yourself.

What I Loved Watching in 2023

Yes, I read a lot in 2023, but I also watched a lot of movies and TV. Here are some of my favorite things I watched in 2023.

The Last of Us — Have you heard of a lil HBO show called The Last of Us, starring the Internet’s boyfriend Pedro Pascal? No? Crawl out from under that rock and watch it now. I cried watching pretty much every episode. No big deal.

May December — Someone give Charles Melton the Oscar right now! We don’t have to wait for the awards ceremonies. I loved this movie, and it’s now streaming on Netflix!

Heartstopper I can’t get enough Heartstopper. Season 2 was wonderful. I just picked up my copy of Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper: Volume 5. And… season 3 just wrapped! Will Heartstopper also be one of my favorite things of 2024? Probably.

Priscilla — Sofia Coppola’s adaptation of Priscilla Presley’s memoir Elvis and Me was visually stunning from start to finish. And again, A+ acting. It’s now available to rent, but I’m probably going to have to buy this one.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-VerseEveryone saw this, right? RIGHT?

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

You know it’s winter because Remy has decided the dryer is a fun place to sleep. Dangerous, but fun. And is life worth living if you’re not living on the edge? (Disclaimer: yes, yes it is worth living.)

Alright, friends! That’s it for looking back on 2023. It’s all looking forward from here on out. What were your favorite things of 2023? Let me know!

Emily

Categories
Kissing Books

Have a Gentle Holiday, Y’all

Hey y’all! Welcome, or welcome back, to the Kissing Books newsletter. I’m PN Hinton, here to share my love of the romance genre with like-minded readers through a myriad of ways.

Last weekend, I went to a surprise party for my Uncle’s 70th birthday party. I’m pleased to say that it was a genuine surprise for him and he was so happy to see everyone there celebrating his birthday. He’s actually a Christmas baby, but it was decided to celebrate before then for obvious reasons. While I didn’t enjoy the turnaround day trip, because that’s never fun, I did enjoy my time with my family.

Speaking of Christmas, there will be no newsletter this Monday or the following one due to the holidays. But you can still look forward to hearing from me on those Thursdays!

And last but not least, reminder that Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help with the perfect bookish gift! We pair our customers with a professional book nerd (aka bibliologist) who just gets them. They fill out a survey and then sit back and relax as we pick books just for them. We’ve got three levels — recs-only, paperback, and hardcover — and you can gift a full year or one time, so there are options for every budget! Get all the details at mybtro.com/gift.

Bookish Goods

Merry Bookmas Tshirt

Merry Bookmas T-Shirt by BlueRoseDesign

This seems perfect to wear come Christmas Eve or Christmas morning, especially if you have new books waiting to be opened and read. $15+

New Releases

cover of Miami Marriage Pact

Miami Marriage Pact by Nadine Gonzalez

Gigi needs a husband fast in order to access her inheritance. She thinks that chef Myles is the perfect candidate. After a passionate wedding night, their faux marriage starts to develop into a real one that could result in a happily ever after for them. That is, of course, provided they are able to overcome the jealousy surrounding them, determined to break them apart.

cover of Because You Asked

Because You Asked by A.E. Bennett

Isolda has never really known love, since once she gave her husband an heir, she was promptly ignored. When she’s left widowed and discovers that there is another arranged marriage in her future, she runs away in search of solitude. Eustace, who is also widowed, has opened a secret clinic to help the women of the Realm receive basic healthcare. When the two women cross paths, they are surprised by the attraction that blooms between them and have to work on balancing that while also fighting those powers that would seek to control them.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

In honor of Christmas being so close and it being a week before we will meet again, I wanted to leave you with even more holiday romances to curl up with whenever you have downtime in the possibly busy coming days.

cover of The Holly Dates

The Holly Dates by Brittainy Cherry

Holly hasn’t given up on romance despite the road bumps she’s encountered in her life, including getting left at the altar on Christmas Eve. Kai has sworn off romance due to bad experiences. When he notices Holly showing up at his restaurant with a different date every night, his grumpiness grows so much that he offers to help her find a suitable partner if for no other reason than to get her to go somewhere else. Over the next weeks, Holly’s confidence grows substantially. This change has the added effect of making her more appealing to Kai, leaving him to wonder if he is really over love after all.

cover of A Holiday by Gaslight

A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews

In order to help ensure her family doesn’t end up cast out in the streets, Sophie has resigned herself to marrying outside of her class. However, after two months of being courted by the cold Edward, she’s not sure if she will be able to go through it and ends it, much to the chagrin of those around her. In an effort to give him one last chance, she invites Edward to her home for Christmas to prove to her that if they marry, her life won’t be somber and sad. And once they get to know each other better, they wonder if their first impressions were wrong and if there is hope for a good love match for them.

Check out these romances that take over the course of just one day.

And that’s all for today. As another reminder, there will not be a newsletter send on Monday so it will be one week before you hear from me again. However, you can still give me a follow over on the bird app under @PScribe801 or on Instagram under @pns_bookish_world. Until then, happy reading and stay hydrated.

Categories
The Stack

Comics for a Winter’s Night

Solstice is upon us, which means it gets dark really early these days, but don’t worry: just switch on the light and keep on reading those comics!

Related: we have a new paperback level at TBR! If you (or a reader you know) are just over-carrying around bulky hardcovers or are looking for a more budget-friendly option, we’ve got you. Check out all the offerings at mybtro.com/gift, and give personalized reading recommendations customized for any and every reader.

Bookish Goods

Three different angles of a tumbler featuring a full-color image of Ryan Reynold's Deadpool against a backdrop of black-and-white comic book panels

Deadpool 20 oz Skinny Tumbler by TranquilTreasures101

Getting your mouth that close to the real Merc with a Mouth is probably unsanitary, but this tumbler should be safe, and it looks great besides! $30

New Releases

Great Yokai War Guardians Vol 1 cover

The Great Yokai War: Guardians Volume One by Yusuke Watanabe and Sanami Suzuki

The Yokai are Japan’s guardian spirits, but even they can do nothing against the invading kaiju. Instead, they turn to Kei, a descendant of a successful monster hunter, to save the day. If you enjoyed the movie of the same name, you’ll probably get a kick out of this manga, too!

Dark Knights of Steel Vol 2 cover

Dark Knights of Steel Volume Two by Tom Taylor and Yasmine Putri

It’s the DC universe, but not the one you know! On an alternate Earth, set in medieval times, the arrival of a mysterious spaceship (betcha can’t guess whose) spells trouble for three kingdoms. Our heroes will have to fight (with swords!) for their lives and their beliefs in this continuation of an exciting Elseworlds story.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: ice skating! Winter will officially be upon us starting tomorrow. In other words, it’s the perfect time to do, or at least read about, a little skating.

Knight of the Ice Vol 1 cover

Knight of the Ice Volume One by Yayoi Ogawa

Kokoro is one of the most successful figure skaters in the world…but only because his best friend Chitose always recites a spell from his favorite anime to help him focus before each competition! Everything is going fine until Chitose’s career takes her out of town right before a big event. Can Kokoro perform without her presence and support?

book cover spinning by tillie walden

Spinning by Tillie Walden

What do you do when you realize that the one driving passion of your life isn’t really what you want to be doing? That is the question Walden had to grapple with when, after a decade of competitive figure skating, she discovered that there were other places where she might fit in better. Making the switch was difficult but, in the long run, right for her.

A white Havanese curled up in a dog bed with a Lamb Chop toy under her head. The bed is covered in a Christmas-themed blanket, and her eyes are half-closed.

I leave you with this picture of my dog Poppy all cuddled up and waiting for Santa Paws. Have a great Christmas, a great Festivus, a great solstice, and/or a great week!

~Eileen

Categories
In The Club

The Best Book Club Books of 2023

Welcome to In The Club, a newsletter of resources to keep your book group well-met, well-read, and well-fed.

Now that we’ve come to the end of the year, I wanted to review some of the best books that were chosen by various book clubs (like Roxane Gay’s Audacious Book Club, Reese’s Book Club, or the Subtle Asian Book Club).

The 11 books below are a mix of nonfiction and fiction, with dystopian realities and romance hopefulness. Some get into heavy topics, while others keep it light. No matter which ones your book club ends up reading, their stories will stick with you.

Nibbles and Sips

cheesecake topped with caramel and pecans

Pecan Pie Cheesecake by Natalie | Parsley and Icing

As Southern and pecan pie-loving as I am, I’m surprised I’ve never had a pecan pie cheesecake. Which may be just as well because it sounds like it might be habit-forming for me.

You’ll need the usual cheesecake things, like cream cheese, sugar, butter, eggs, sour cream, and graham cracker crust, as well as butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, bourbon, vanilla extract, and more for the pecan portion.

For a full list of ingredients, visit Natalie’s site or watch the Instagram post.


Cover of Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

Book Clubs: Audacious, Jenna Bush

This National Book Award finalist comes from the author of Friday Black, and tells the bloody story of Loretta Thurwar and “Hurricane Staxxx,” two women who are friends, lovers, and popular Chain-Gang All-Stars. As All-Stars, they’ve fought against other prisoners in lethal battles to win shortened sentences through a highly contested program that’s run through the controversial Criminal Action Penal Entertainment organization in a (not so) alternative United States. Loretta nears the day she’ll finally be free, but the burden of all she’s done — and still has to do — weighs heavily on her in this damning look at America’s prison industrial complex and culture of violence.

a graphic of the cover of Poverty, By America by Matthew Desmond

Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond

Book Clubs: Audacious,Vibe Check

Desmond is the Pulitzer Prize-winning sociologist and author of Evicted, and with his latest, he asks why the U.S. is the richest country on earth with more poverty than any other democratic nation. Through research and original reporting, Desmond shows how the financially secure leech off the poor, securing their own comfort through the sacrifice of those in lower socioeconomic classes. He also gives ways for us to change — by becoming poverty abolitionists, we can make it so that everyone has the chance to have their basic necessities met.

a graphic of the cover of Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H.

Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H

Book Clubs: Sapph-Lit and the Audacious Book Club

Lamya, like so many people who have marginalized identities, grew up feeling on the outside of everything. When, as a young teen, she develops a crush on a female teacher, she at first tries to hide it. But then, as she reads the Quran, she finds familiarity — the characters she reads about don’t seem to fit within the heteronormative boundaries that have been making her feel ill at ease. As she grows up, eventually moving to New York City in early adulthood, her faith, along with her sense of self as a queer Muslim woman, grows. I’ve never read the Quran, but I love reading about different interpretations of religious texts.

cover of Commitment by Mona Simpson

Commitment by Mona Simpson

Book Clubs: NYPL and WNYC

After having risked so much for her children — including illegally entering them into a wealthy public school — Diane Aziz’s last act as a parent is to drive her son Walter to college at UC Berkeley. Then, she falls into a deep depression and enters into a state hospital. Diane’s best friend tries to keep things together for her other children, but it’s tough going — Walter may not be able to continue with school because of finances, his sister Lina risks it all in order to keep up with her wealthy classmates, and Donny, the little brother, is slowly drifting into a life of drugs and listless days at the beach.

cover of The Covenant of Water

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

Book Clubs: Oprah

The bestselling author of Cutting for Stone pens a family saga spanning more than 70 years. The story of a girl who would come to be known as Big Ammachi — which essentially translates to “Big Momma” — twists and turns, intertwining as the waterways do that her and her would-be family live in Southern India. Big Ammachi’s family, part of a Christian community with a long history, will be as gifted as they are cursed, with the curious incidence of drowning being a common theme reoccurring through the generations. Starting in 1900, we experience the change and advancements time brings as Big Ammachi experiences them.

Yellowface cover

Yellowface by R. F. Kuang

Book Clubs: Marie Claire, Reese, and Audacious

I’m sure y’all have been seeing this one everywhere. It’s definitely one of the It Books of the year, which I love for several reasons. One being its unflinching look at race within the publishing industry. When June Hayward’s peer Athena Liu dies in an accident, she impulsively takes the literary star’s unfinished manuscript as her own. As the book catapults her into literary relevance — a marked difference from her previous status — her image as a writer becomes more and more racially ambiguous. But Athena isn’t so easily forgotten, and June — now Juniper Song — sees the dead woman’s shadow wherever she goes.

the cover of An Island Princess Starts a Scandal

An Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana Herrera

Book Clubs: Amor en Páginas

This sapphic 19th-century romance follows Manuela del Carmen Caceres Galvan, who is living it up one last summer in Paris with her two best friends before she becomes trapped in a future loveless marriage. It’s during this time in Paris that she meets the business-savvy Duchess of Sundridge, Cora Kempf Bristol, who tries to tempt her to sell a piece of land she said she’d never part with. But Manuela agrees to sell on the condition that the duchess spend the summer with her. What follows are nights of reawakened passions and days full of art admiration. Cora is the happiest she’s ever been, but is she happy enough to cause one of the biggest scandals in Paris is the question.

a graphic of the cover of How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair

How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair

Book Clubs: Today Book Club

Memoirs and other writings by poets are some of my favorite books to read, and in How to Say Babylon, Sinclair lends her poet’s voice to the story of her upbringing. In it, she recounts life as a child reared by a militant Rastafarian father, who projected his oppressive patriarchal views on the women and girls in his household. In an effort to avoid Western influences, her and her sisters’ clothing is restricted, as is the scope of their education and who they can socialize with. But through her mother, Sinclair, and her sisters learned through books and poetry, which helped her to develop her own singular voice.

cover of Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter 

Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter

Book Clubs: Marie Claire

The horrors of capitalism are on full display in Ripe. Cassie has gotten her dream job at a Silicon Valley startup but is also seriously regretting it. The people she works with are toxic, entitled, and downright criminal — and once her bosses start requiring she engage in illegal activity, too, the black hole that’s always been with her, that gets stronger through her depression and anxiety, feels closer than ever.

cover of Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

Book Clubs: Good Morning America, Eclectix

Here, the author of the award-winning Miracle Creek writes a mystery that asks some interesting questions. When the father and son of a biracial Korean and white family don’t come home on time from a walk, the rest of the family doesn’t immediately call the police. But when Mia’s 20-year-old brother, Eugene, comes through the door bloody and without their father, they know that something’s wrong. Eugene is a witness to what happened but is unable to speak. As time passes and the window for finding their father alive shrinks, we learn of the intricacies of the Parksons’ lives, including the secrets that may be connected to the father’s disappearance.

cover of Minor Detail by Adania Shibli, translated Elisabeth Jaquette

Minor Detail by Adania Shibli, translated Elisabeth Jaquette

Book Clubs: Subtle Asian Book Club

(Content warning)

This award-winning novel takes place in the summer of 1949, a year after 700,000 Palestinians were displaced. A young Palestinian woman is captured by Israeli soldiers, assaulted, and buried in the sand. Years later, a woman becomes transfixed on this piece of history — this “minor detail” that has been forgotten by everyone else.

Are you looking for the perfect gift for that bookish special someone in your life this holiday season? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help! Here at TBR, we pair our customers with a professional book nerd (aka bibliologist) who just gets them. They fill out a survey and then sit back and relax as we pick books just for them. We’ve got three levels — recs-only, paperback, and hardcover — and you can gift a full year or one time, so there are options for every budget! Get all the details at mybtro.com/gift

Suggestion Section

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I hope this newsletter found you well, and as always, thanks for hanging out! If you have any comments or just want to connect, send an email to erica@riotnewmedia.com or holla at me on Twitter @erica_eze_. You can also catch me talking more mess in our In Reading Color Substack as well as chattin’ with my co-host Tirzah Price on the Hey YA podcast.

Until next time,

Erica

Categories
True Story

Books to Read Over the Holidays

We celebrate Christmas in my house, and my husband’s family is spending the holiday this year at our house. The Corgis will, of course, be the stars of the holiday (like they are every year, to be honest). As a group, the Winchesters also ADORE all things food and cooking, and this year’s holiday meal planning has been all we can talk about for weeks. (For those wondering, it’s lamb, roasted brussels sprouts with pine nuts, roasted cauliflower with dates, garlic herb goat cheese, smashed red potatoes, and pavlova for dessert.)

But as a dedicated introvert, I’m always looking for spare moments to sit with a good book and take a breather. So today, I’m featuring a couple of titles perfect for those spare moments to yourself. But first, bookish goods!

Are you looking for the perfect gift for that bookish special someone in your life this holiday season? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help! Here at TBR, we pair our customers with a professional book nerd (aka bibliologist) who just gets them. They fill out a survey and then sit back and relax as we pick books just for them. We’ve got three levels — recs-only, paperback, and hardcover — and you can gift a full year or one time, so there are options for every budget! Get all the details at mybtro.com/gift

Bookish Goods

a photo of two open book earrings on a brown backing

Open Page Stud Earrings by MooniqueDesigns 

I saw these and fell in love. They are just the cutest, tiniest earrings. Perfect. $12

New Releases

We’ve entered the quiet week of new book releases. So this week, I’ll be featuring some of the big releases you won’t want to miss.

a graphic of the cover of My Name Is Barbra by Barbra Streisand

My Name Is Barbra by Barbra Streisand

At 992 pages, Streisand’s new memoir is quite the tome. It’s perfect for the Streisand fan in your life, even if that’s yourself.

a graphic of the cover of The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History by Ned Blackhawk

The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History by Ned Blackhawk

Winner of the National Book Award, The Rediscovery of America centers Indigenous Peoples in its coverage of the history of North America, beginning far before Columbus arrived on its shores.

Looking for more new releases? Check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

a graphic of the cover of Opinions: A Decade of Arguments, Criticism, and Minding Other People's Business by Roxane Gay

Opinions: A Decade of Arguments, Criticism, and Minding Other People’s Business by Roxane Gay

Opinions collects the work of Roxane Gay, and includes celebrity profiles, advice columns, cultural criticism, and opinion pieces. I have enjoyed Gay’s writing since I first read her essay collection Bad Feminist. But it can be hard to keep up with all of her pieces that have been published in different outlets over a decade. But now, the best of her published writing from across the internet is all in one place! She interviews artists like Janelle Monáe, and writes about the legacy of Chadwick Boseman’s portrayal of Black Panther. She strikes a beautiful balance of vulnerability and relatability, writing essays that have just the right amount of personal touch. This collection is perfect for stolen moments at holiday parties or family dinners.

a graphic of the cover of The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin

The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin

Somehow, The Creative Act was never on my radar until Read Spotted Newt bookstore owner Mandi Fugate Sheffel told me that it was one of her favorite books of 2023. (You can listen to her other picks on the latest episode of Read Appalachia.) She explained how, as someone who is working on her own memoir (due out of University Press of Kentucky in ‘25), Rubin’s book made her rethink how she viewed creativity and what it looks like in people’s lives. Of course, I immediately went and bought a copy. It’s a beautiful meditation on the creative life, and the chapters are divided in a way that makes it perfect for readers to sit and muse over in those quiet moments between holiday activities.

a photo of Dylan, a red and white Pembroke Welsh Corgi, wearing red Christmas jammies and a Christmas collar. He's sitting in front of a Christmas tree.
Dylan in His Jammies for his first Christmas

That’s it for this week! You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave, over on Instagram @kdwinchester, or on my podcast Read Appalachia. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.

Happy Reading, Friends!

~ Kendra

Categories
Past Tense

My Favorite Historical Fiction Books of 2023

Hi, historical fiction fans!

As we draw ever closer to the end of the year, and questions like “How?” and “Wasn’t it 2020 just a few weeks ago??” plague us all, the inundation of Best Of lists begins. I’m sure you’ve already seen Book Riot’s list of the Best Books of 2023, but this week, I want to talk about the best historical fiction of 2023. This is by no means a definitive list, merely a sampling of a few of my favorites this year.

Are you looking for the perfect gift for that bookish special someone in your life this holiday season? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help! Here at TBR, we pair our customers with a professional book nerd (aka bibliologist) who just gets them. They fill out a survey and then sit back and relax as we pick books just for them. We’ve got three levels — recs-only, paperback, and hardcover — and you can gift a full year or one time, so there are options for every budget! Get all the details at mybtro.com/gift

Bookish Goods

Picture of a triangular wooden book holder on a nightstand with an open paperback book laying on top to hold its spot.

Wooden Book Holder from COLwoodcraft

If you can never find a bookmark or remember what page you stopped on the night before, this triangular wooden book holder is for you. $47.50

Riot Recommendations

There’s always a real dearth of new releases in December, so instead of covering new books this week, I’m going to share four of my favorite historical fiction books published in 2023.

The Bookbinder Book Cover

The Bookbinder by Pip Williams

I adored Pip William’s book about the making of the Oxford English Dictionary, The Dictionary of Lost Words, so I was so excited to find out she was writing another historical fiction book set in England during WWI, this time following the bookbinders of Oxford. It lived up to my expectations and then some.

Did you hear about kitty karr Book Cover

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul

I love a good dual-time-line historical fiction novel with a mystery, and while I clued into what was going on in this one pretty quickly, it didn’t make the journey any less enjoyable. When the daughters of a famous—and wealthy—Black family are named as the heirs for Kitty Karr, a late White movie star who was always close with the family, rumors swirl. Do they really deserve to have even more money? And why would Kitty leave her money to them in the first place?

Vampires of El Norte Book Cover

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas

Isabel Cañas writes wonderful supernatural historical gothic fiction, and Vampires of El Norte lives up to its predecessor, The Hacienda. When childhood sweethearts are reunited after years apart, violence—and vampires—threaten to ruin their second chance at love.

The Glutton book cover

The Glutton by A.K. Blakemore

This historical account of what an infamous 18th century Frenchman’s life might have looked like, from his inauspicious birth to the accident that Blakemore imagines gave him his famously insatiable appetite. It’s a fascinating read based on true events.

That’s it for now, folks! Stay subscribed for more stories of yesteryear.

If you want to talk books, historical or otherwise, you can find me @rachelsbrittain on Goodreads, Instagram, and Litsy, my favorite bookish social media.

Right now, I’m reading The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo. What about you?