Thanks so much to Katie for filling in while I was dealing with hurricane Ian! Thankfully, my family and I are fine, but much of Florida and the Lowcountry has been devastated, so if you’re interested in learning how you can help recovery efforts, you can find more information here.
This past week, I’ve done nothing but clean, cook, and listen to audiobooks. There’s something about fall that makes me want to hear every kind of spooky story possible. With that said, two memoirs jumped out at me, demanding my attention. But before we get to this week’s Riot Recommendations, it’s time for new books!
Bookish Goods
Intuitively Chosen Tarot Card Bookmark by Aethereal Books
Perfect for spooky season, these tarot card book marks are adorable. Plus, they’re shiny! $8
New Releases
Savor: A Chef’s Hunger for More by Fatima Ali with Tarajia Morrell
Like much of the food-loving world, I adored Fatima Ali on Top Chef. She had so much spunk and passion for cuisine. Ali died from a rare form of bone cancer, leaving the world bereft of her vibrant spirit. Savor is her last testament, her ode to food and a love for life.
Catching the Light (Why I Write) by Joy Harjo
Incredible memoirist and former U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo is back with her thoughts on the act of writing. Her prose feels like a meditation, a treatise on the beauty of writing poetry. I love writers describing why they write and what their art means to them. I can’t wait to pick this one up!
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Making a Scene by Constance Wu
Fresh Off the Boat and Crazy Rich Asians star Constance Wu went viral when she tweeted that she was disappointed that Fresh Off the Boat was renewed for a sixth season. After receiving such intense backlash, Wu left social media and her mental health began to spiral. She ended up entering a mental health facitility for depression and suicidal ideation. Now she’s returned to the public eye with this new collection of essays. Wu writes about her life as the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants living in Richmond, Virginia. And if you love audiobooks, Wu performs her memoir, creating that perfect pairing when a writer performs their own work.
Stay True by Hua Hsu
New Yorker writer Hua Hsu writes about his young adult years in college meeting his friend Kevin. Hsu describes the unique magic of college life, feeling like the world is stretching before you with endless possibilities. Hsu details his days trying to find the most unique, the most well-thought out piece of cultural knowledge that would prove he understood culture more than anyone else. But Kevin didn’t seem to care that Hsu felt he had something to prove. Despite all odds, and incredible differences, Hsu and Kevin became great friends. Hsu’s writing is incredible, succinct, just the right amount of stylized beauty and depth of content.
That’s it for this week! You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave or over on Instagram @kdwinchester. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.
Happy reading, Friends!
~ Kendra