Hey, readers!

Today, I am thrilled to share with you that my brand new website, complete with a seriously stunning rebrand, is live! I have been dreaming about updating my site for over a year now, but this new FictionMatters hub is beyond anything I could have imagined.

As FictionMatters has expanded to include this weekly newsletter, a book club, a related podcast, and more, I knew I needed a virtual home to house all my projects in a space that conveys my values and passions. I was so lucky to find an incredibly designer in Jenna of Absolute Jem, who completely understood my vision, my brand, and me! In collaboration with Jenna, I now feel like the FictionMatters brand has a cohesive identity and can grow to become a cozy virtual space for book lovers everywhere.

The new site has lots of information about the FictionMatters Book Club and Novel Pairings podcast. It will also host my reinvigorated blog, and I am feeling so inspired to write again!

On the blog.

This week I wrote a post sharing 9 of my personal practices for feeling readerly and getting the most out of my books.

I also revisited some older posts and rediscovered some old favorites, like my favorite book-to-movie adaptations and the 25 books that defined my last decade in reading.

I am so excited to start writing reviews, book lists, and other posts for my revamped blog! If you have any suggestions or things you’d like to see on the FictionMatters blog, you can let me know in this form or by emailing me directly.

This week in books.

This week I read…

• Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid. This is going to be a big book this summer, and for good reason. Malibu Rising is about the Riva siblings—four twenty-somethings with an absent rockstar father, a difficult past, and an unbreakable bond. The book alternates between a year-by-year depiction of the romance between the Riva kids’ parents, Mick and June, and the present timeline of 1983 which takes place in the 24 hours leading up to and through the annual Riva family end-of-summer party. I really enjoyed this book, and I have to give Jenkins Reid credit for writing another slump-buster. She knows how to structure a book in a way that makes it impossible to put down. While I enjoyed the first half of this book more than the second and found the writing to be only okay, I flew through it and absolutely loved the four main characters. I definitely recommend pre-ordering this and adding it to your beach bag for when you need a book that is utterly unputdownable. Preorder on Amazon | Preorder on Bookshop

• The Book of Tokyo ed. by Michael Emmerich, Jim Hinks, & Masashi Matsuie. A few FictionMatters Book Club members have been encouraging me to check out the City in Short Fiction series for a while now, and I finally picked one up! As with most anthologies, I enjoyed some stories more than others, but what I really appreciated was the chance to explore different authors’ views of the city and getting a taste of contemporary Japanese fiction. I’m hoping to add one of these collections into my regular reading rotation. Next up for me is The Book of Gaza. Amazon | Bookshop

• I also read and enjoyed this YA novel based on Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale and this beautiful story of forbidden love.

Now I’m reading…

• I just went requested a bunch of upcoming releases on NetGalley, but I still haven’t decided what to read next! I’m torn between Joanne Tompkins’ What Comes After and Paula McLain’s When the Stars Go Dark.

• I’m still slowly making my way through this classic and I just downloaded this historical fiction on audio.

Links I love.

I really need George R.R. Martin to focus on finishing The Winds of Winter and put aside the side projects, like, ummm…, Broadway musicals?

11 books the New York Times recommends this week, plus 6 books that are now in paperback.

Elizabeth Acevedo is one of my favorite YA authors and I enjoyed learning more about her reading life in her NYT By the Book interview.

Love this list of anticipated spring releases. This one is great too!

Phoebe of Read & Wright has some great recommendations for books set in New England.

I’m looking forward to watching this new Hemingway documentary.

Middle grade March is over, but it’s always a good time to pick up a great middle grade read about friendship.

This mini-memoir about names, culture, and identity is a must-read.

I’m swooning over Madewell’s spring line.

End notes.

Watching: We’re back on our streak of watching action-adventure movies. We watched all three of the newest Star Trek movies, and sprinkled in a little Godzilla vs. Kong for good measure.

Listening: I’m not an avid Popcast listener, but I’ve been low on podcasts recently so I went downloaded Knox and Jamie’s episode on book to screen adaptations. It was fun!

Making: Breakfast sandwiches. They’re the perfect food for every meal.

Loving: Spring cleaning! Ok I never actually love cleaning, but I’m enjoying letting go of unnecessary clutter.

Readers, thank you for your continued support as I launch the blog and expand my bookish world. For questions, comments, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com or responding directly to this newsletter. I love hearing from you!

If you’re looking for more book recommendations and delightful bookish community, consider supporting FictionMatters on Patreon.

And if you enjoyed today’s newsletter, please forward it to a book-loving friend. That’s a great way to spread bookish cheer and support the newsletter!

Happy reading!

Sara

This email contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting FictionMatters!