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Happy Monday, star bits! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I am actually writing this a bit early because I am on vacation this week. So just think, it is entirely possible that as you read this I have been eaten by a dragon or flung into the face of the sun. (Don’t worry, if this is the case, my editors will adjust the info accordingly.) For my time off, I am planning to do a LOT of reading and finish up my rewatch of Warehouse 13. And then I was thinking I would try Person of Interest, because so many people have recommended it.
Moving on: I have some exciting book news for you today. Not a lot today, but it’s good stuff. I also have a look at a charming upcoming holiday romance, plus cover reveals, a terrible pun, an orange minotaur in the labyrinth, and trivia! Let’s get started, shall we?
Here’s Monday’s trivia question: What mystery series character was born on May, 5, 1950? (Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)
Deals, Reals, and Squeals!
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Greta Lee will star in, write, and produce a series adaptation of Cathy Park Hong’s Minor Feelings.
We’ve got a giveaway for a chance to win an iPad Mini! Enter here.
Reese Witherspoon’s Where the Crawdads Sing adaptation is set for release in June 2022.
Here’s the cover reveal for The Archer by Shruti Swamy.
Sanditon has been renewed for seasons 2 and 3 at PBS.
Henry Golding will star opposite Dakota Johnson in Netflix’s Persuasion remake.
Brandy Colbert announced her next book, a Parent Trap-inspired middle grade novel.
Here’s the cover reveal for These Deadly Games by Diana Urban.
Adam Silvera is adapting his novel They Both Die at the End as a series.
Blake Lively and Diablo Cody are teaming up for an adaptation of Lady Killer.
Kaitlyn Dever will star in a revisionist take on Romeo & Juliet.
Here’s the cover reveal for Battle of the Linguist Mages by Scotto Moore.
Chris Lowell is joining Elsie Fisher and Amiah Miller in the adaptation of My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix.
Book Riot Recommends
At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and learn about a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week so you can add them to your TBR! (It will now be books I loved on Mondays and books I’m excited to read on Thursdays. YAY, BOOKS!)
Loved, loved, loved:
The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer (MIRA, September 28)
Oh my stars and kittens, I loved this book to pieces! It’s just so delightful, you’re going to love it. I actually guffawed, which is not something my species is known to do.
Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt has a secret: she writes bestselling Christmas romance novels under a pseudonym. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem, but Rachel is the daughter of one of New York’s most respected rabbis, and she’s certain her parents wouldn’t approve of their Jewish daughter’s love of Christmas. And she really does love Christmas—she has a whole locked room in her home filled with Christmas trees and decorations.
Rachel’s secret has been treating her really well for years now. She makes enough money to live in a fabulous Manhattan apartment and her career working from home is helpful, because Rachel has a chronic illness that often makes it hard for her to go out. But then her publisher drops a bombshell: her last few Christmas romances haven’t been doing very well, so they’re not going to sign another contract for more. What they want instead is a Hanukkah romance. At first Rachel is distressed—what is romantic and magical about Hanukkah, she cries? But then she hears about an event called The Matzah Ball. It’s a swanky charity event held on the last night of Hanukkah. Maybe that’s where she’ll get her inspiration.
But there’s another big problem: The Matzah Ball is the brainchild of Rachel’s childhood summer camp love, Jacob Greenberg. Rachel and Jacob haven’t seen each other since that summer when Jacob broke her heart. But Rachel really needs inspiration if she’s going to continue writing books for her publisher, so she swallows her pride and asks Jacob for a ticket. Unfortunately, there’s a problem: the event is 100% at capacity. But he has a few tickets set aside for volunteers. If Rachel agrees to help set up the event, she can have a ticket. So she agrees. And as she spends more time with Jacob, old feelings return. But so do misunderstandings and hijinks. Will Rachel get her real-life holiday romance?
As I said, this book is so delightful! Rachel is awesome. She’s smart, funny, and takes no shit. This is an #ownvoices novel: Meltzer also has myalgic encephalomyelitis, or chronic fatigue syndrome, as it is commonly known, and this book does a great job imparting information about the illness as well as having Rachel explain what it is like for her to live with it. Meltzer also includes an informative section about myalgic encephalomyelitis at the end of the book.
I liked that the conflict between Rachel and Jacob when they were young felt real, not just an excuse to break them apart. I think it’s hard sometimes with HEAs to come up with a good reason to split characters up. It’s also a really, really funny book! There’s an amazing scene involving a Matzah Ball mascot costume and a daycare of unruly children, and Jacob’s bubbe is awesome. And Rachel’s idea of a therapist is so, so great. (I can’t say more.) If you love charming romance novels, or just like fun, this is a wonderful book for readers year-round.
(CW for mentions of chronic illness, cancer, and loss of a parent.)
What I’m reading this week.
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Cackle by Rachel Harrison
The Fields by Erin Young
No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality by Michael J. Fox
1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows: A Memoir by Ai Weiwei
Spin Me Right Round by David Valdes
Groan-worthy joke of the week:
Why did the math book look so sad? Because of all of its problems.
And this is funny:
And now you have the song stuck in your head, too.
Happy things:
Here are a few things I enjoy that I thought you might like as well:
- Infinity Train: Someone sent me a DM on Instagram (thank you, nice person!) to recommend this super-weird show and so far, I am digging it. Kate Mulgrew is a talking cat!
- Warehouse 13: I have circled back to this older Syfy show. I find the sci-fi shows like The Librarians, Stargate, STNG, etc, to be extremely comforting these days.
- Lantanas: It’s mostly beautiful here in Maine now, which means it is time to go to the greenhouse and acquire my favorite flowering plant. Lantanas come in lots of colors but my favorite are the Froot Loops-colored ones that seem to make the hummingbirds in our area very happy.
- Purrli: This website makes the relaxing sounds of a cat purring.
And here’s a cat picture!
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Farrokh looks like he’s trying to find Jared and his baby brother at the end of Labyrinth.
Trivia answer: Kinsey Millhone.
Remember that whatever you are doing or watching or reading this week, I am sending you love and hugs. Please be safe, and be mindful of others. It takes no effort to be kind. I’ll see you again on Thursday. xoxo, Liberty