Two breathtaking books about love lost and tranquility found
Plus YA myth retellings and two podcasts I guested on
Hey, readers!
I am making fantastic progress in my Paperback Summer Reading Guide. Over the last 10 days I’ve found three books I am extremely excited to put in the guide and am currently in the middle of another very fun book I haven’t seen anywhere else. I love having a reason to pick up books that have been on my list for a long time and searching for under-the-radar gems that I think FictionMatters readers will love.
Of course as the same time I’m eyeing all the new releases hitting shelves and feeling like I’m missing out on all the big books of the moment. I think I’m going to work in one new release a week to maintain some balance. So tell me, what brand new book should I read next?
This week in books.
This week I read…
The Words That Remain by Stênio Gardel, translated by Bruna Dantas Lobato. This slim book won the National Book Award for translated literature last year and we chose it as our Buzzy Book of the Month for February because sometimes we like a different kind of buzzy title. The narrative follows a man in his 70s who has carried around a letter from a former lover for decades, unopened and unread because he is illiterate. In his older age, he has learned to read in order to finally confront this relic from his past and as he considers when and how to approach this letter, we learn more details and traumas from his past. It’s a beautiful story about regret, redemption, and the impact of marginalization. I have to admit that the writing style in this book is one that I know is good, but that I personally don’t love. I’m not quite sure how to describe it other than somewhat impressionistic. It requires you to interpret a lot of subtext, and I had a hard time falling into it. At the same time, I also recognize that perhaps I wasn’t supposed to fall into it. This is the type of writing that stops you in your tracks and makes you really consider the words on the page. Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm
Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh. My second time reading Brideshead I found it to be both much more complicated and much more profound than my first experience with it, and I can see this becoming a book I return to throughout my life to take different things from it. The novel begins mid-WWII when Captain Charles Ryder learns that his unit will take up residence at Brideshead Castle, a place where he has spent many happy days with the Flyte family. As he returns to Brideshead, the memories of languid youthful days and profound midlife loss return to him, and he tells us the story of this home and its people. Waugh himself was rather conservative—a devout Catholic convert and a supporter of an aristocratic way of British life. I was worried that those aspects of the book would keep me at a distance as a reader, but I never felt like Waugh was trying to put his beliefs onto me. Instead, I found it to be a story about someone searching—searching for belonging and love and purpose and beauty—and the foibles and missteps that search takes. On top of that, I just enjoyed the ride. The tone of this book reminded me of some of my favorite contemporary TV shows. You know the ones that start out biting and hilarious and by the last episode you’re weeping and can’t believe how much you feel for these characters? That is this book and I thought it was lovely. We’ll be discussing this book on Novel Pairings at the end of the month, so make sure you’re subscribed! Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm
Now I’m reading…
Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare and lots and lots of PSRG potentials.
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Links I love.
I was on the 10 Things to Tell You podcast this week talking about reviewing books and sharing some books I’ve enjoyed recently.
I also got to talk to Kyle, creator of the Bookum app, about being a bookish content creator, my writing process, and my (IMO) brilliant idea for book influencer marketing. You can watch that here.
Constance Grady breaks down the ACOTAR craze. (Vulture)
Authors are having to do more and more to market their books. Should it be this way? (Vox)
6 young adult mythology retellings. (NYT)
I’m pretty into this new NYT book recommendation page. (NYT)
I’m so excited to read this book! (Guardian)
End notes.
This week in views, listens, eats, and moments of joy.
I started watching Love is Blind while I complete more mindless work tasks like creating book graphics. I’ve skipped the last few seasons and I’m enjoying the absolute ridiculousness of it all.
Louise has been really into reading Frog and Toad and wow is it nice to do some readalouds with a real narrative.
This episode of Sarah’s Bookshelves Live about BookTok was fascinating. Should I get on TikTok now??
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Happy reading!
Sara
If you get a chance to take Louise to see the Frog and Toad musical do it! In a couple years maybe, but it is so fun. Or you could get the soundtrack now. I feel like it’s the only kids theater I remember from when my daughter was little.
I just started Love is Blind too! I had to wait for all the episodes to be released so I can binge it to my heart's content!
Enjoyed your convo on 10 Things. I also listened to that Booktok episode this week, I'm always curious about what's going on over there. It was an interesting discussion, though something that didn't quite square with me was the talk of diversity.
I don't dispute there is diversity on BookTok, there surely is, just as there is on all platforms, but I do wonder how a platform entirely algorithm dependent manages to push diverse content. Algorithms seem to always rely on what's popular, not what's different, so... I'm skeptical to say the least!
Curious whether you have any thoughts on this part of the discussion or whether you noted this as well? I almost want to go back and relisten to see how this convo lands on me a second time. I'm currently in a bit of a spiral over algorithms generally AND in the middle of Filterworld so, I might be especially sensitive to this topic at the moment, haha!