Books Are My People Weekly Newsletter
out today, paperback releases and more!
This week’s newsletter is brought to you by Let Gravity Seize the Dead by Darrin Doyle.
Let Gravity Seize the Dead is a literary horror story with a blend of suspense, beauty, and terror. In 2007, Beck Randall moves his family into a cabin built in 1907 by his grandparents. The daughters Tina and Lucy discover that their ancestors have left an imprint of suffering and violence infused in the nature that surrounds them. Kelcey Ervick, author of The Keeper, writes, “Doyle’s rich and evocative words conjure other worlds, beyond this one, beyond life and death. Like the best of Poe…this book lures us in, alters our perception, and leaves us haunted.”
Check out Let Gravity Seize the Dead.
Dear Reader,
I hope everyone who celebrates enjoyed a nice 4th of July! Ours was spent with family in the pool, playing lawn games and barbecuing. I made a delicious and super easy stone fruit crumble with fruit that was about to go bad. Why don’t I make this more often? We’ve been experiencing some extreme heat in Los Angeles (my son is at Magic Mountain where it’s 117 degrees out!?) And because of the fires and fireworks, the air quality is awful. So I’m hunkered down with my books and art supplies. And inhaler. :)
Summer Guest Book Recommendation Series:
This week, Liz Moore, author of GOD OF THE WOODS recommends a favorite novel. I know I’ve been gushing about GOD OF THE WOODS all summer, but it truly is the perfect summer read for fans of literary suspense. Scroll down to read more about it in my book giveaway section below.
Have a listen to Liz’s recommendation! I’ve already placed her rec on my to-read list!
Save the Date: I’m hosting a FREE Book Covers: Chat and Draw event on Thursday, July 18th at 9 am PT over zoom. Register here or click on the image below.
We’ll talk about what we’re reading and loving as we draw book covers (real or imagined). This image is from our last Book Cover Chat in March. Even if you can’t attend, feel free to register and I will send you the recording along with a PDF of all of the books we discussed. I’ve already picked out which book cover I want to paint!
Let Me Help You Discover Books You Might Not Otherwise Read!
Out Today (I’ve starred the ones I’ve read)
This is the biggest book release day in July….buckle up.
*GOODNIGHT TOKYO by Atsuhiro Yoshida
A symphony of interconnected lives that offers a compelling reflection on life in modern-day metropolises at the intersection of isolation and intimacy in Yoshida's English-language debut. This one is a super quick read!
STATE OF PARADISE by Laura Van Den Berg author of I HOLD A WOLF BY THE EARS.
A heart-racing fun house of uncanniness hidden in Florida's underbelly.
LONG ISLAND COMPROMISE by Taffy Brodesser-Akner author of FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE.
An exhilarating novel about one American family, the dark moment that shatters their suburban paradise, and the wild legacy of trauma and inheritance.
ALL THIS AND MORE by Peng Shepherd author of THE CARTOGRAPHERS.
A novel about a woman who wins the chance to rewrite every mistake she's ever made... and how far she'll go to find her elusive "happily ever after." But there's a twist: the reader gets to decide what she does next to change her fate.
BAD TOURISTS by Caro Carver
Three tight-knit friends embark on an extravagant divorce trip to the Maldives where they can unwind and celebrate a new chapter in midlife--until they realize the resort of their dreams is harboring a killer.
DIE HOT WITH A VENGEANCE by Sable Yong
Journalist and former Allure editor Sable Yong debuts with a sharp-toothed and hilarious essay collection about beauty and vanity, examining their stigmatization in the cultural zeitgeist, and how to shift the focus to use both for powerful tools for self-exploration, interpersonal connection, and cultural change.
IT’S ELEMENTARY by Elise Bryant
A fast-paced, completely delightful new mystery about what happens when parents get a little too involved in their kids' schools.
THIS GREAT HEMISPHERE by Mateo Askaripour author of BLACK BUCK (a fantastic satire!)
A speculative novel about a young woman--invisible by birth and relegated to second-class citizenship--who sets off on a mission to find her older brother, whom she had presumed dead but who is now the primary suspect in a high-profile political murder.
THE HEART IN WINTER by Kevin Barry
Barry’s first novel set in America, a savagely funny and achingly romantic tale of young lovers on the lam in 1890s Montana.
UNTIL NEXT SUMMER by Ali Brady
You know I love a novel with a camp setting!
Two former best friends each find love at an adults-only summer camp in this romantic and nostalgic novel that proves "once a camp person, always a camp person.
MORE, PLEASE by Emma Specter
An unflinching and deeply reported look at the realities of binge-eating disorder from a rising culture commentator and writer for Vogue.
THE COIN by Yasmin Zaher
A bold and unabashed novel about a young Palestinian woman's unraveling as she teaches at a New York City middle school, gets caught up in a scheme reselling Birkin bags, and strives to gain control over her body and mind
THE ANTHROPOLOGISTS by Aysegul Savas
Unfolding over a series of apartment viewings, late-night conversations, last rounds of drinks and lazy breakfasts, The Anthropologists is a soulful examination of homebuilding and modern love, written with Aysegül Savas' distinctive elegance, warmth, and humor.
Paperback Releases:
ALL THE SINNERS BLEED by SA Cosby
A Black sheriff. A serial killer. A small town ready to combust.
HOW TO SAY BABYLON by Safiya Sinclair
Recounting the author's struggle to break free of her rigid religious Rastafari upbringing and navigate the world on her own terms.
ALL-NIGHT PHARMACY by Ruth Madievsky
Rachel Kushner meets David Lynch in this fever dream of an LA novel about a young woman who commits a drunken act of violence just before her sister vanishes without a trace.
CASSANDRA IN REVERSE by Holly Smale
Cassie can go back and change the past. One small rewind at a time, Cassie attempts to fix the life she accidentally obliterated, but soon she'll discover she's trying to fix all the wrong things.
A Few Logistics:
BOOK GIVEAWAY:
To Enter: Please be sure you are subscribed to my Substack and you are following me on Instagram and leave a comment on my Instagram GOD OF THE WOODS post by July 11th.
I will be taking a hiatus from Substack just for the month of August. What does this mean? You don’t have to do a thing. Paying subscribers won’t be charged for August, and I will still be sending out my weekly book recommendation newsletter.
Paid Subscriber Corner:
Book to Film Adaptation In July:
The Talented Mr. Ripley. Read the book. Watch the movie. Watch the series or any combination. We’ll meet up at the end of July to discuss.
Read With Me Series: We will be reading Caoilinn Hughes’s The Alternatives in September / October. I can’t wait to read this smart, witty, romp about four Irish sisters.
Online Writing, Reading and Art Events This Week (three things I love!)
Reading: Tuesday, July 9th at 11 am PT Kate DiCamillo!
Writing: Tuesday, July 9th 7 PM pt Story Structure and Pacing
Art: There’s a lot happening this week! I won’t be able to attend it all, but in an ideal world, here’s everything I’d do:
Tuesday, July 9th at 8 am PT Draw Bigfoot with
and TJ.FREE: Tuesday, July 9th at 10 am PT Drawing session with Odd Orange. Click this link and add your email to her mailing list to receiving a link to this free session.
Wednesday, July 10th at 7-9 AM PT: Elements in Landscapes Part I with
.FREE: Thursday, July 11th at 4pm PT
will be hosting her weekly Art Hang Party, drawing vintage beauty packaging. Click here to bookmark page.Thursday, July 11th 12: - 3 pm PT Collage Create Along Wild Kingdom with Peggy Kroll Roberts.
Friday, July 12th 2 - 3:30 pm PT Abstracting the Portrait with Paul Bailey at The Winslow Art Center
Here’s what I’ve been working on lately! I really like this piece….and I don’t say that about 99% of the art I make! I’m excited to see what it looks like in a frame.
I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week! Share what you’ve been reading below!
Welcome to my weekly book recommendation newsletter. You can learn more about me by visiting my introductory post here. Please consider purchasing recommended books through my Bookshop.org affiliate links. It’s a great way to support the show and an ethical way to support your local bookstore. (You can even buy books I don’t link in my shop!)
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Books Are My People: A Podcast Companion Newsletter
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Oh yes I do indeed! It’s how I get through so many books! It’s the best!
Thanks for the ART HANG PARTY! shout out! 🤗💖✨ And can’t wait for your Book Cover Chat & Draw! That sounds so fun!