Books Are My People Weekly Newsletter
out today, paperback releases and more!
Let Me Help You Discover Books You Might Not Otherwise Read! You can learn more about me by visiting my introductory post here.
Dear Reader,
I’ll have to write a separate post about what’s been happening in L.A. It’s too much to get into here, but let me just say, it’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced. And it hasn’t left me with much brain power for books, or anything else for that matter. Because I left my house (at this point, three times), I had to postpone my scheduled podcast guest, so, if you listen, you’ll notice there was no podcast this week. I was so looking forward to this conversation, but such is life. And I (think?) I will be back in two weeks, hopefully with the same guest. Thank you for your patience and understanding. (My husband says I used the word “I” too many times. But I am tired so I don’t care! :)
February will be an Independent Reading Month. March will be a Book to Film adaptation month. (TBD) April and May will be a Read with Me month (TBD)
Out Today: (I’ve starred the ones I’ve read)
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
Horror for the non-horror reader: I am by no means a horror reader, but I really do have a soft spot for Grady Hendrix.
At the Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida, unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, to give them up for adoption, and most important of all, to forget any of it ever happened. When 15 year-old Fern is given an occult book by a librarian, the girls at the house have power for the first time in their lives.
Listen to my interview with Grady Hendrix here.
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney
A thriller about marriage and revenge: A year after author Grady Green’s wife disappears, he is still overcome with grief and desperate to know what happened to her, so he travels to a tiny Scottish island to try to get his life back on track. Then he sees the impossible - a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.
Good Girl by Aria Aber
A coming of age story: Born in Germany to Afghan parents, nineteen-year-old Nila has spent her adolescence disappointing her family while searching for her voice as a young woman and artist. Then in the haze of Berlin's legendary nightlife, Nila meets Marlowe, an American writer whose fading literary celebrity opens her eyes to a life of personal and artistic freedom.
Frankie by Graham Norton
Post-War Ireland to 1960’s New York: Always on the periphery, looking on, young Frankie Howe was never quite sure enough of herself to take center stage.Then Damian, a young Irish caretaker, arrives at her London flat, there to keep an eye on her as she recovers from a fall. A memory is sparked, and the past crackles into life as Damian listens to the story Frankie has kept stored away all these years.
Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
A Sci-Fi book within a book: Disabled, disinclined to marry, Zelu has always felt like the outcast of her large Nigerian family. Then her life is upended when, in the middle of her sister's lavish Caribbean wedding, she's unceremoniously fired from her university job and, to add insult to injury, her novel is rejected by yet another publisher. With her career and dreams crushed in one fell swoop, she decides to write something just for herself. What comes out is a far-future epic where androids and AI wage war in the grown-over ruins of human civilization. She calls it Rusted Robots.
Vantage Point by Sara Sligar
For lovers of the TV show Succession: The old-money Wieland family has it all--wealth, status, power. They're also famously cursed. A shocking family drama full of suspense, Vantage Point carefully unravels a twisted web of family secrets and political ambition that raises questions about the nature of "truth" in our digital age.
Cold Kitchen by Caroline Eden
Craving a cozy memoir? Caroline Eden recalls food and travel in Eastern Europe and Central Asia from a basement Edinburgh kitchen, featuring a delicious recipe at the end of each chapter.
Confessions by Catherine Airey
Multigenerational novel: New York City, late September 2001, County Donegal, 1974, Burtonport, 2018, three related women are linked by family and fate, survival and revelation, examining the irresistible gravity of the past--how it endures through generations, pervasively present even when buried or forgotten.
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ART SHARE:
I was panic painting this toad from a free session I’d begun with Morgan from Odd Orange Stationary as my husband and I were deciding whether or not it was time to get out of our house. This was my first (and hopefully my last) experience panic painting.
Hoppy, I mean, happy reading. And sending big hugs to all of my Los Angeles subscribers. We will get through this.
Books Are My People: A Podcast Companion Newsletter
(click here to listen to the most recent episode of my book recommendation podcast.)
And, if you haven't yet, the greatest gift would be to rate my show, wherever you listen!
My continued prayers for all of you who are effected by the awful destruction of these fires.
Hi Karen,
This is so kind. Thank you for reaching out. I really appreciate it My plan was to write a little something to publish on Thursday, but, my computer isn’t working (I’m writing from my cell) so I’m off to the Apple Store today. It’s been a literal hellscape for so many people. We are so lucky to just be people with shattered nerves and no power. People have lost so much. It’s truly incomprehensible. Thanks again for your comment.