Author: Vanessa Diaz

In the Club – 12/18

Post author By Vanessa Diaz
Post date December 17, 2019

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Welcome to In The Club, a newsletter of resources to keep your book group well-met, well-read, and well-fed.

People of the club: it’s the last In the Club newsletter of the year! I’m playing that Adele song from the Skyfall soundtrack (This is the end… hold your breath and coooount… to ten…) as I put this together, taking dramatic pauses in which I gaze outside a window for no other reason than because I am extra as a person. Rest assured, it’s not really the end for us: me and all of my Spanglish ridiculousness will be right back in your inbox on January 8th! Until then, enjoy this list of some of my favorite book club themes with book suggestions for each.

Have a fantastic holiday season, end of year, and end of decade, friends. I wish you all the love, laughter, and lots of libros.

To the club!!

Rich People Problems Book Club – Indulge in a read where people with monies and privilege make poor decisions and lament the “tragic” hand they’ve been dealt. Serve yourself a healthy portion of this delicious schadenfreude with a cold glass of sparkling wine, or better yet: a steaming cup of tea.

Suggestions: The Nest by Cynthia d’Aprix Sweeney, Rich and Pretty by Rumaan Alam, Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan, Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

Get Your Sh*t Together Book Club – We all have an area in our lives where we need to do better. Pick a thing: health, finances, professional development, conversations about race, communication in relationships, etc. Find a relevant read to ~~read you to filth~~ help you make meaningful change. Si se puede!

Suggestions: So You Want to Talk About Race Ijeoma Oluo, Radical Candor by Kim Scott, Live Richer Challenge by Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche, Drop the Ball by Tiffany Dufu

Black Girl* Magic Book Club – Ok, I have Feelings about pageantry. I am also positively living for the #blackgirlmagic that is sweeping all the titles this year! Inspired by this majesty of melanin, let’s have a Black Girl Magic edition of book club.

Suggestions: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (and/or its sequel: Children of Virtue and Vengeance), Tiny Pretty Things by Dhonielle Clayton & Sona Charaipotra, The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden, Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

*I use “girls” here in reference to the Black Girl Magic movement, but I am here for all the beautiful black magic along the entire gender spectrum

Case of the Did-Ya-Knows Club – Pick a book that will have you out here acting like Hermione Granger with your know-it-all self. Take this opportunity to learn more about a thing that interests you, or maybe find a new thing to obsess over.

Suggestions: How to Hide an Empire by Daniel Immerwahr, Stiff by Mary Roach, These Truths by Jill Lepore, Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything by Lydia Kang and Nate Pedersen

Steamy McSexy Times Book Club – Read romance, yo. Period. Historical, contemporary, paranormal, sports, fantasy, gothic, time-travel: so many options! For the purposes of Steamy McSexyTimes Club, try a work of erotic romance. Discuss what the sexy times look like in terms of heat level, but also how the book handles consent in light of the times in which we be livin’. Careless Whisper playing in the background is suggested but not required.

Suggestions: Hate to Want You by Alisha Rai, For Real by Alexis Hall, Taking the Lead by Cecilia Tan, Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren

Latinx Love in this Club – Read books by writers of color, queer authors, disabled authors- all of the authors not traditionally given the space they deserve! Here I’m suggesting Latinx reads because I’m just so damn proud of my people and want to champion their work.

Suggestions: In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado, Dealing in Dreams by Lilliam Rivera, Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, The Book of Lost Saints by Daniel Jose Older

Foodie Friends Book Club – You know I had to sneak this in! I love me a cooking book club. Instead of a piece of fiction or a straight up cookbook, pick a food memoir or work of food writing and whip up a menu inspired by your reading.

Suggestions: Buttermilk Graffiti by Edward Lee, Blood, Bones & Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton, Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl, Where I Come From: Life Lessons from a Latino Chef by Aaron Sanchez

Thanks for hanging with me today! Shoot me an email at vanessa@riotnewmedia.com with your burning book club questions or find me on Twitter and the gram @buenosdiazsd. Sign up for the Audiobooks newsletter, get it on the Read Harder podcast, and watch me booktube every Friday too.

Stay bad & bookish, my friends.
Vanessa

More Resources:
– Our Book Group In A Box guide
– List your group on the Book Group Resources page

Audiobooks

Audiobooks – 12/12

Post author By Vanessa Diaz
Post date December 12, 2019

Sponsored by Read Harder Journal, a reading log brought to you by Book Riot

Created by Book Riot, this smartly designed reading log consists of entry pages to record stats, impressions, and reviews of each book you read, and is a GREAT GIFT for readers this holiday season. Evenly interspersed among these entry pages are 12 challenges inspired by Book Riot’s annual Read Harder initiative, which began in 2015 to encourage readers to pick up passed-over books, try out new genres, and choose titles from a wider range of voices and perspectives. Indulge your inner book nerd and read a book about books, get a new perspective on current events by reading a book written by an immigrant, find a hidden gem by reading a book published by an independent press, and so much more. Each challenge includes an inspiring quotation, an explanation of why the challenge will prove to be rewarding, and five book recommendations that fulfill the challenge. Get one for yourself or for the readers in your life at bookriot.com/readharderjournal

Hola Audiophiles! This is one of our last newsletters together in 2019! I’m getting ready to fly south for the winter like a little Mexican mallard duck. I don’t know if that metaphor works, I just really love mallard ducks and alliteration. Before I get back to packing for the holidays in San Diego, let me tell you about December’s new releases and lots of great “best of” stuff.

Ready? Let’s audio.

New Releases – December 2019 (publisher descriptions in quotes)

Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi, narrated by Bahni Turpin (December 3)- YASSS the sequel to that lil’ ol book that barely any people read called Children of Blood and Bone. We return to Orïsha with Zélie and Amari where magic has been restored, but the bad guys are just as powerful as the good guys and civil war is on the horizon. “Zelie must fight to secure Amari’s right to the throne and protect the new maji from the monarchy’s wrath.”

Narrator Note: BAH *claps* NI *claps* TUR *claps* PIN.

A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld (December 3)- I’ve had various Nalini Singh works on my TBR for way too long! Maybe I’ll start with this thriller set in a remote town on the West Coast of New Zealand, “where even the blinding brightness of the sun can’t mask the darkness that lies deep within a killer….”

Narrator Note: Where do I start? She’s narrated both The Huntress and The Alice Network by Kate Quinn, Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin, all of Deborah Harkness’ work, and much, much more.

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado, narrated by the author (December 19) – I just started an audiobook ARC of this one, and even at just over five hours, I know it’s going to punch me in the gut. It’s Machado’s memoir, an “engrossing and wildly innovative account of a relationship gone bad, and a bold dissection of the mechanisms and cultural representations of psychological abuse. ”

Narrator Note: You know what I’m going to say: I love when authors narrate their own work. This is a stellar example of getting it right: it sort of feels like I’m listening to slam poetry, and at other times like I’m just listening to a friend tell me about her most precious pain.

The Wicked Redhead by Beatriz Williams, narrated by Dara Rosenberg and Julie McKay (December 10) – Beatriz Williams is on a roll these days! This is, what, her third book in a couple of years? This one is a “Jazz Age tale of rumrunners, double crosses, and true love, spanning the Eastern seaboard from Florida to Long Island to Halifax, Nova Scotia.”

Narrator Note: I loved Dara Rosenberg’s narration of Louisa Morgan’s The Witch’s Kind, and just saw she’s also credited with narrating something called Assault and Pepper. That tickles me.

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, narrated by Nicole Lewis (December 31)- This one comes with muppet-arm praise from Liberty (who read it in print), a “compelling and big-hearted story about race and privilege, set around a young black babysitter, her well-intentioned employer, and a surprising connection that threatens to undo them both.”

Narrator Note: Nicole Lewis does great work! Some of her notables include What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons and Gayle Forman’s I Have Lost My Way.

The Wives by Tarryn Fisher, narrated by Lauren Fortgang (December 30)- Oh boy, this thriller sounds like a doozy. A woman has an arrangement with her husband wherein he has two other wives. She thinks she’s ok with it, but what had happened was… she befriends one of the wives without telling her who she is and discovers in the process that maybe her husband (their husband) isn’t who she thinks he is.

Narrator Note: Lauren Fortgang has narrated several Leigh Bardugo books, including her smash hit The Ninth House.

Latest Listens

Welp, I am deceased, and Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson with narration by Marin Ireland is the cause. No one told me what the hell this thing was about (I love when that happens), but you’d think that cover would have given it away…

The gist: Lillian and Madison were boarding school BFFs, but that all changed when a scandal (AAAH I want to tell you what happens so bad!) forced Lillian to leave school. Years later, Lillian’s life is sort of whatever while Madison is now a wealthy politician’s wife. After years of barely speaking, Madison sends Lillian a letter that’s like, “Hey girl, I need your help. Will you pop by the ol’ mansion? K thanks.”

What Madison needs is for Lillian to be her nanny, but there’s a liiiiitle catch. The kids she’ll be watching are her husband’s ten-year-old twins from a previous marriage. And oh yeah: they spontaneously combust when they get mad or agitated. No big deal! The narration is SO fantastic, lots of great Nashville accents that don’t feel gimmicky, and a perfect cadence. All that is paired with a hilarious story about kids on fire and rich people problems and Privilege with a capital P that’s also heartwarming in the end.

Proppiest of props to Contributing Editor Jamie for recommending it to me AND to the several of you who emailed me to say, “YES. Do it. Read that!” Good job, audiofiles.

From the Internets

Libro.fm just released their gift guide and I’m living for these categories! Fave is probably “For that friend who thinks they want to be a nanny” and the accompanying rec for Nothing to See Here for reasons listed above. Bahahaha.

Best audiobooks of the year lists from Libro.fm, Wired, Overdrive, Paste, and Audible.

Some excellent small press audiobooks to give as gifts this year

That’s all I got today! Shoot me an email at vanessa@riotnewmedia.com with audiobook feedback & questions or find me on Twitter and the gram @buenosdiazsd. Sign up for the In The Club newsletter, peep the Read Harder podcast, and watch me booktube every Friday too!

Stay bad & bookish, my friends.
Vanessa

In The Club

In the Club – 12/11

Post author By Vanessa Diaz
Post date December 11, 2019

Sponsored by Read Harder Journal, a reading log brought to you by Book Riot

Welcome to In The Club, a newsletter of resources to keep your book group well-met, well-read, and well-fed. We’ve only got two more newsletters together in 2019 and that is just bonkers, isn’t it? I want to chat with you about a book club challenge this week, and also share this meme with you because I am shamelessly obsessed with a tiny green creature from a show I’ve never seen.

Now that I’ve recovered from my laughing fit, to the club!!

Persist!

Today is the first “meeting” of our latest installment of Persist, our feminist book club run entirely on Instagram! If you don’t get to join today, stop by next week. Here’s a lil’ reminder of the schedule, and remember: ya girl is hosting.

Reading Harder

We recently announced the list of tasks for the 2020 Read Harder Challenge! I shared some reflections from the 2019 challenge as well as advice for approaching the 2020 challenge here, looking like a budget Masterpiece Theater host in my giant fuzzy robe and my velvet wingback chair.

I thought I’d use one of the last In the Club newsletters of 2019 to officially invite you to the challenge! Though you certainly don’t have to dedicate 100% of your book club reading to accomplishing the challenge (I mean… props to you if you do), consider using a few of the individual tasks when selecting your club picks. Here are a few quick recs!

Task #2: Read a retelling of a classic of the canon, fairytale, or myth by an author of color

You’ve heard me rave about Helen Oyeyemi’s Gingerbread, a book that’s way harder to describe that it should be and that plays on the stories of gingerbread we know from classic tales. This is a thing Oyeyemi is so great at: taking a story you know, melting it down, and molding it into a new, mind-bendy piece of art. That’s precisely what she does in Boy, Snow, Bird, a reimagining of what you know as Snow White. Get ready to talk race, vanity, and family secrets.

Task #16: Read a doorstopper (over 500 pages) published after 1950, written by a woman

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s possible to recommend books you despise, it is. And now let me tell you why you should read Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch. It’s about a young New Yorker who loses his mother in a tragic accident that he miraculously survives. He’s grieving when he’s taken in by the super wealthy family of a friend, and thus gets pulled into an underworld of art and money. This brick comes in at 700+ pages and is one of those reads that people seem to either love or hate, the perfect type of read for meaty, juicy book club talk. I wanted to throw it at a wall when I was done, but I also see why a lot of people like it. Go! Read! Discuss!

Task #17: Read a sci-fi/fantasy novella (under 120 pages)

I’m cheating here, don’t at me: my suggestion here is over 120 pages (176) but I can’t not recommend it! Please, please read The Deep by Rivers Solomon, Daveed Diggs, William Hutson and Jonathan Snipes, a novella inspired by a song from rap group clipping. (whose members are the latter three of that author list). It’s about a water-dwelling people descended from pregnant African women who were thrown overboard from slave ships. They’ve survived thus far by forgetting their traumatic memories, memories that are held by their historian, Yetu, at great personal cost. The writing, the whole concept, the audiobook narration by Daveed Diggs: it’s all good.

Suggestion Section

The Nashville Scene’s book club recs come from some of their local musicians.

Calling all book lovers, beer drinkers, and rebels: the Pages to Pints book club in Bemidji, MN invites you to talk about your favorite books over a cold one.

A librarian starts a kid lit-focused book club for seniors to help them connect with their grandkids and other young readers. I love this!

Stay bad & bookish, my friends.
Vanessa

More Resources:
– Our Book Group In A Box guide
– List your group on the Book Group Resources page

Audiobooks

Audiobooks – 12/05

Post author By Vanessa Diaz
Post date December 4, 2019

Sponsored by Kacen Callender’s audiobook, Queen of the Conquered (narrated by Krystel Roche) and brought you by Hachette Audio!

An ambitious young woman with the power to control minds seeks vengeance against the royals who murdered her family, in a Caribbean-inspired fantasy world embattled by colonial oppression. Read by Krystel Roche, this one-of-a-kind story from Kacen Callender is a “brilliant analysis of power and privilege” (Justina Ireland), a diverse fantasy that all audiobook fans won’t be able to hit pause on!

Hola Audiophiles! I’m still not quite over the fact that it’s already December. There’s less than one month left until the end of the year and the decade! Since publishing slows way the heck down this time of year, I’m switching things up and doing one batch of December releases next week. Today, in the spirit of the season, let’s talk gifting for audiobook lovers like you and I.

Ready? Let’s audio.

This “I Paused My Audiobook To Be Here” t-shirt comes in lots of different colors. $22

Your favorite audiophile can sip their coffee, tea, hot buttered rum, etc from this Audiobook Worm mug. $21

This All Books Count book enamel pin doubles as a cute little weapon for when the book snobs come calling. Just kidding, I’m totally not encouraging violence. $11

For the coffee-lovin’ audiophile, this super soft “Audiobooks & Coffee” t-shirt. $24

For those souls brave enough to use AirPods (I *would* lose them and cry), customize a case to put those bad boys in. $17

These little leather earphone cases are great for regular ol’ earphone users like me. Might cop that green one for myself! $23

Personalize one of these mini bluetooth speakers for easy listening. $25

And of course, give the gift of audiobooks! Most audiobook retailers offer one month, three month, six month, and twelve month varieties. Choose from companies like Audible, Audiobooks.com, Scribd or Libro.fm.

Bonus! For all my fellow Libro.fm faithful, gift any three-month tier membership or higher and you’ll get the audiobook of Circe by Madeline for free! Plus you get to support indie bookshops. Everybody wins.

Stay bad & bookish, my friends.
Vanessa

In The Club

In the Club – 12/04

Post author By Vanessa Diaz
Post date December 4, 2019

Sponsored by our giveaway of a Kindle Paperwhite

To enter, just click here and sign up for our Daily Deals newsletter and get notified about the best book sales, every day.

Welcome to In The Club, a newsletter of resources to keep your book group well-met, well-read, and well-fed. It’s December, clubbers! We’re wrapping up the year and the decade. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for a reset! I’m really looking forward to a year in which I don’t get swine flu.

But first, let’s talk about a book club idea involving 2019’s top titles.

To the club!!

Nibble and Sips

Today’s club theme is basically, “I’ve been meaning to get to that,” and we’re taking that into our snacks as well. Take this opportunity to indulge and give into a craving, or maybe whip up a dish (or dishes) that you’ve been wanting to try for some time and just haven’t for one reason or another. For me, that would probs entail a really decadent rose-flavored cake recipe that both thrills and intimidates me.

Tell me what you come up with!

I’ve Been Meaning to Get to That

I recently shared that I don’t base my reading on literary awards; I don’t go out of my way to read award winners if I’m not already interested in the book(s).

With that being said, I would be interested in starting off 2020 (or wrapping up 2019 if I somehow find the time) by reading an award-winning title that’s been sitting on my TBR. Do this with book club, sort of like how folks go back and watch Oscar Award nominees/winners. Here are some suggestions.

Trust Exercise by Susan Choi – 2019 National Book Award for Fiction

Everyone I know who has read this has either emphatically expressed how much they loved it or gone a little blank in the face and gone, “Huh.” Set in the early 1980s at a competitive performing arts high school, it’s apparently so full of twists and shocking turns that you can’t really talk about it without spoiling it. It explores that blurry area between adolescence and adulthood, the obsessiveness of first love, and gets into some #MeToo territory.

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones – 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction

I’ve talked about this amazing book a few times now and want to say yet again what an amazing book club selection it would make. A young black newlywed couple’s lives are rocked when the husband is wrongly convicted and imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit.

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo – 2019 Booker Prize

This one I know I need to get to because you know I love all things London AND it’s written by a woman of color. It’s “a love song to modern Britain, to black womanhood, to the ever-changing heart of London” as told through the everyday lives, loves, and struggles of twelve different characters.

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood – also the 2019 Booker Prize LOL

I don’t really have to tell you about this one, right? Decide for yourself whether this sequel to The Handmaids Tale is worth the hype, specifically hype of a literary award variety.

The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom – 2019 National Book Award for Nonfiction

For some nonfiction, try this NBA winner. I started this awhile ago and then got swine flu and abandoned all reading, but the more I read about it, the more I think I need to pick it back up. It’s a haunting memoir that takes place inside a New Orleans shotgun house, chronicling a century’s worth of family history.

Suggestion Section

Circe is PBS’ December book club pick.

E! rounded up a gaggle of celebrity book club picks for December: Reese, Oprah, Emma, and more.

Join me for Persist!! The countdown is on for our winter installment of our feminist book club. Get the book and meet me on the gram starting December 11!

Stay bad & bookish, my friends.
Vanessa

More Resources:
– Our Book Group In A Box guide
– List your group on the Book Group Resources page

The Goods

Book Riot’s Best Books of 2019!

Post author By Vanessa Diaz
Post date December 2, 2019

As 2019 (and the decade!?) comes to a close, we’ve been reflecting on all the books we loved, read, and couldn’t stop talking about this year. Enter Book Riot’s guide to the best books of 2019! We’ve got something for lovers of every genre and readers of all ages, and best-sellers along with hidden gems. Check out the guide here, or click below. Enjoy!

In The Club

In the Club – 112719

Post author By Vanessa Diaz
Post date November 26, 2019

Sponsored by Read Harder Journal, a reading log for tracking your books and reading outside your comfort zone!

This smartly designed reading log consists of entry pages to record stats, impressions, and reviews of each book you read. Evenly interspersed among these entry pages are 12 challenges inspired by our annual Read Harder initiative, which began in 2015 to encourage readers to pick up passed-over books, try out new genres, and choose titles from a wider range of voices and perspectives. Each challenge includes an inspiring quotation, an explanation of why the challenge will prove to be rewarding, and five book recommendations that fulfill the challenge. Get your copy (or one for the reader in your life for the holidays) here!

Welcome to In The Club, a newsletter of resources to keep your book group well-met, well-read, and well-fed.

It’s Thanksgiving week, clubbers! For those of you who celebrate, may your plates be full and your gatherings drama free. Since the holidays are officially upon us, I thought I’d switch things up this week and hit you with a gift guide. Read on for a collection of gifty things for your book club fam or any other reader in your life. All of these are $25 and under, so they’re budget friendly too.

To the club!!

For the well-read, dangerous creatures of book club: this vintage silver spoon bookmark. $12.00.

These book club girl gang enamel pins are so cute! $11.73.

This set of book lovers coaster set would look great at a club meeting, just saying. $20.00.

Give the gift of cozy with these fun bookish socks bearing what is basically the book lover’s mantra. $10.36.

This “between the pages of a book is a lovely place to be” print is fantastic on its own, or pair it with a cute little plant. $12.00.

Bring a little bling to the club with a book club charm bracelet. $18.00.

This “just one more chapter” keychain is a sweet little treat. $16.95.

Because wine is occasionally a part of wine club (insert devious smile here), these book lover wine charms are a pretty touch. $16.95.

This Teacup & Books print for clubbers who enjoy a cuppa. $24.50.

What happens at book club stays at book book club! Gift this charming mug as a reminder. $13.60.

Suggestion Section

All about Bookclubz, an app that seeks to make book club life a smoother one.

Good Morning America’s next book club pick is Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Virtue and Vengeance.

I’ve heard a lot of reasons/excuses for not reading the book club book, but this is a first: a Brooklyn mom was too busy sexting to read the book.

Stay bad & bookish, my friends.
Vanessa

More Resources:
– Our Book Group In A Box guide
– List your group on the Book Group Resources page

Events

It’s Holiday Reading Day at Book Riot!

Post author By Vanessa Diaz
Post date November 25, 2019

Shop the 2019 Holiday Gift Guide!

Post author By Vanessa Diaz
Post date November 25, 2019

It’s that time of year! Check out Book Riot’s 2019 holiday gift guide for all sorts of bookish gifts for the readers in your life. From mugs to books to art prints, we’ve got you covered for budgets one and all. Check out the gift guide here, or click below. Happy gifting!

Audiobooks

Audiobooks – 112119

Post author By Vanessa Diaz
Post date November 20, 2019