Just finished reading Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates, 1961, and I absolutely loved it! For a book with a slow pace I found it perfectly plotted with characters who were so rounded. None of them are wholly good or bad and none of them are particularly likeable which appealed to me. I thought I’d seen the film years ago but from the beginning it didn’t feel familiar so I guess it could’ve been one of those Netflix DVDs back in the day that arrived, sat around for a bit and got sent back unwatched! 🤣 So glad about that as I thought the writing was beautiful and devastating and I’m so relieved I didn’t know anything about it before going in, other than it’s considered a modern American classic #bookstodon@bookstodon
Today's release: AJ White's queer YA fantasy Shard de Voor.
Their queen missing, the allied kingdoms of Sanquous have forged an uneasy alliance with the Ilfannde as war rages across the land. Far away, in another realm, a young woman awakens to find her memory gone, along with her freedom. Who is her mysterious saviour...
If you work for an outlet or publication that’s pulling together an end-of-year book list, I’d love to get you a review copy of #OilBeach for consideration. Let me know! 🛢️ 🏖️ 📙
Best of 2023 from Candlewick Press ! Check all the beautiful picture books, middle grade and YA novels they published this year ! I love their books so much 😍
Staff make the call when it comes to deciding what's age-appropriate at their libraries. In Idaho, an organization called Parents Against Bad Books claims parents should have a say, while in Washington State, a proposal would require libraries to use a system like the one used by the movie industry, and in Florida, there's a formal challenge process under the "Don't Say Gay" law. NPR breaks down the situation.
QSFer Kell Shaw has a new queer urban fantasy out (ace, bi, gay, lesbian, trans FTM), Revenant Records book one: Feral Night.
Lukie’s father is trapped in the Underworld and it’s all her fault. Twenty years after her murder, Lukie has returned to life and is ready to go home, but her father isn’t willing to believe his beloved...
@bookstodon Notable new book releases in the U.S. for November 28, 2023:
The Story Collector (originally titled The Voice Collector),Iris Costello. [Dual Timeline WWII and present day. Historical fiction from three POV. Tenderly written, about the secrets we protect and keep for the sake of others.]
Secret Sparrow, Jackie French. [Based on true events, this is the story of a woman who played a vital technical role in WWI and got no credit for it.]
Godly Heathens, H.E. Edgmon.[Contemporary YA fantasy starring an Indigenous enby and a trans friend, who both discover that they're so much more powerful than they thought.]
The Old Gays Guide to The Good Life, Mick Peterson, Bill Myers, et al. [Charming and funny, instructive and celebratory, these stories capture a mood, a time, and a culture.]
The Kingdom of Sweets, Erika Johansen. [Dark and twisted retelling of The Nutcracker. A fresh take in this popular genre.]
We Must Not Think of Ourselves, Lauren Goldstein. [Based on the actual archives on the Warsaw Ghetto, this is a novel of resilience, fortitude, sacrifice, and most of all: defiant determination not to be erased from history. We need their stories.]
My newest podcast venture is on the SFF Audio podcast, where I join Jesse , Evan, Terence and Jonathan in a discussion of Robert A Heinlein's SIXTH COLUMN
Get your berets and espresso cups! This month on #BowieBookClub we read an art history class in a single book: Beyond the Brillo Box by Arthur C. Danto.
Today's review! Jake Monroe & the Case of the Missing Mermaid by Arthur Griffin:
"Well written. The trials and tribulations of being a PI, especially one with a paranormal caseload, are vividly portrayed. Recommended for romance readers who like their mysteries spiced with a little paranormal."
Huh. It just occurred to me that not everyone reads all the time. Like, there’s a bunch of people without books they’re reading right now. That concept is so bizarre to me. I’ve always got several books going. Ebooks, audiobooks and physical copies of books. If you don’t read anymore, when and why did you stop? No judgement. I’m genuinely curious. @bookstodon#bookstodon#books#reading#amreading
Irish writer Paul Lynch won the 2023 Booker prize for his dystopian novel, "Prophet Song." Two of his compatriots were on the shortlist and another two made the long list. For @TheConversationUS Orlaith Darling, a Ph.D. candidate at Trinity College Dublin, examines the "golden age" of Irish writing.