Categories
Unusual Suspects

A Delicious Cozy Mystery 🍦🔪

Hello mystery fans! I have three mystery books perfect for escape-reading, depending on your mood: cozy, historical, fun thriller. Also, for fellow horror/Gothic/suspense fans, I just finished the audiobook for Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and you should definitely pick that one up to hit your creepy-house-vibes craving (TW suicide/rape).

A Deadly Inside Scoop (An Ice Cream Parlor Mystery #1) by Abby Collette: This was exactly what I needed to read to destress. Bronwyn Crewse is a great-at-marketing MBA grad who moves back to her hometown to take over the family ice cream shop. It was originally started by her grandparents and her plan is to bring it back to its old glory, but she’s going to have a lot of challenges, including opening up during a snowstorm and other pesky things, like finding a dead guy. And her father is a suspect.

Clearly she isn’t going to have any of that, so she’s going to have to figure out who the murdered man was, who murdered him, and why. But first, she’s gotta keep thinking up the most delicious ice cream flavors to entice customers, and you may need to use the book’s pages to wipe the drool while reading the descriptions. Seriously, keep a pint of ice cream handy; you’re going to have a craving. This is perfect if you need a gentle read, following a woman with a great support system and family. And bonus for being a really good audio listen.

Vera Kelly Is Not A Mystery (Vera Kelly #2) by Rosalie Knecht: Here’s a super good character driven series that goes from 1960s CIA spy novel to PI novel. Vera Kelly is having a rough time: she’s left the CIA; her girlfriend has dumped her, which Kelly didn’t even see  coming; her job has fired her for being a lesbian. What’s a woman to do? Apparently, put an ad in the paper about your services as a PI.

Kelly’s first case is finding the son of Dominican exiles who ended up in the New York foster care system and has since disappeared. Between her favorite local bar, and a bartender she likes, to the Dominican in search of answers, we get to know more of Kelly as she struggles to make sense of the past and find balance between her reserved demeanor and search for found family. If you’re looking for a cold war spy series not like the others and enjoy dry witted, clever women trying their best to find their way, this is your next great read! (TW alludes to teen predator/ homophobia/ mentions past suicide, no detail)

You Can’t Catch Me by Catherine McKenzie: This was the perfect balance of not too ridiculous so I can stay focused and care, and not too realistic where it’s dark and not fun. Which is why I always pick up McKenzie’s books; I’m always guaranteed a hook I can’t look away from, and then a fun ride. Basically, exactly what I was looking to read right now. It also managed to hit upon so many things that I am just naturally drawn to, starting with a cult.

Which is Jessica Williams’ past, having escaped a doomsday cult she was born into. That was 12 years ago, when she was eighteen and escaped with the help of a man who became a mentor, and a crush in the process. Now, she’s the woman known all over the internet for having copy/pasted someone else’s story as her own. So she’s been fired and publicly dragged. She decides to go to Mexico and disconnect from the world for a while, which only makes things worse because she very naively plays a game in the airport with a woman who has her same name. That game was a setup for that other “Jessica Williams” to steal her identity and empty out her bank accounts.

It’s only a matter of time before it occurs to Jessica Williams 1 to find out if this little game had been played before and if there were other victims, then leading her to those women who, all together, devise a trap… You get the current plot line as the Jessica Williamses team up to catch the fake one and get justice–or at least their money back; the past life of Jessica Williams 1 growing up in the cult, her support group with other cult members, and her relationship with the man who saved her. (TW child predator, past not graphic/ suicide past, detail, note/ child abuse/ alludes to past rape, no detail)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. See 2020 upcoming releases. An Unusual Suspects Pinterest board. Get Tailored Book Recommendations!

Until next time, keep investigating! In the meantime, come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, and Litsy–you can find me under Jamie Canavés.

If a mystery fan forwarded this newsletter to you and you’d like your very own you can sign up here.

Categories
What's Up in YA

This Week’s YA Book News and New YA Books

Hey YA Readers!

A lot of really great stuff to share this week with you. It’s not necessarily all easy reading, but important, timely, and vital. (And yes, some fun news, too).

YA Book News

 

This Week’s New YA Books

Publication dates, as has been the refrain for months, may have shifted, but this should be pretty up-to-date. A * means I’ve read and recommend the book!

*Brave Face by Shaun David Hutchinson (paperback)

The Circus Rose by Betsy Cornwell

Dogchild by Kevin Brooks

Fake Plastic Girl by Zara Lisbon (paperback, series)

Fake Plastic World by Zara Lisbon (series)

The Forest Queen by Betsy Cornwell (paperback)

I’ll Be The One by Lyla Lee

The Kinder Poison by Natalie Mae

The Missing Season by Gillian French (paperback)

Sarah Bernhardt: The Divine and Dazzling Life of the World’s First Superstar by Catherine Reef (I’m eager to read this — there are so few biographies of women through history in YA!).

Smooth by Matt Burns

Soaring Earth by Margarita Engle (paperback)

You Say It First by Kate Cotugno

YA on Book Riot

Thanks for hanging out, and we’ll see you again on Monday!

— Kelly Jensen, @heykellyjensen on Instagram and editor of Body Talk, (Don’t) Call Me Crazy, and Here We Are.

Categories
New Books

Hooray, It’s Time for New Books!

It’s time for another Tuesday full of books! There are several amazing new books out today. At the top of my list of today’s titles that I want to read are The Kinder Poison by Natalie Mae and Tiananmen 1989: Our Shattered Hopes by Lun Zhang, Adrien Gombeaud, and Ameziane.

You can also hear about some of the amazing new books coming out that I did get to read on this week’s episode of the All the Books! Tirzah and I discussed Saving Ruby King, I’ll Be the One, The Lightness, and more great books.

As always, I am wishing the best for all of you in whatever situation you find yourself in now. Please stay safe and wear a mask as we slowly transition out of quarantine. I care about you meeps!

Now, onto books. Today is actually a list of my favorite books of the year so far. Between the ever-shifting release dates and the books I already discussed on this week’s podcast, I found myself without any titles to recommend today. So I thought I would make you a great big list of books I love. Enjoy!

we ride upon sticksWe Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry

Heathers meets The Craft in this audacious novel about the 1989 Danvers High School Falcons field hockey team, who decide to explore their town’s roots by using witchcraft to have a winning season.

Parakeet by Marie-Helene Bertino

A bride-to-be talks to a parakeet, who is inhabited by the ghost of her dead grandmother, as she tries to rectify past events and get ready for her future.

Days of Distraction by Alexandra Chung

A young woman’s internal observations and experiences of life as an Asian American are sharp and heart-crushing. The writing is reminiscent of Jenny Offill.

The Eighth Life: (for Brilka) by Nino Haratischvili, Charlotte Collins (Translator), Ruth Martin (Translator)

An award-winning, 936-page epic saga spanning a century of Russian and Eastern European history, told through the lens of one family. This is the heavy family saga you’re going to want to spend the winter with.

The Return by Rachel Harrison

This is a colossal mind-bonk about friendship, wrapped in the weighted blanket of a horror novel. It’s the story of four best friends, and what happens when one disappears for two years, only to return with no memory of what happened.

Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong

This is part memoir, part cultural criticism, about racialized consciousness in America. Hong describes her own experiences as the daughter of Korean immigrants to discuss racial identity in this country. It’s so fantastic.

Wow, No Thank You.: Essays by Samantha Irby

Irby is back with another book of essays about life, work, relationships, health, and more. She is the funniest writer I have read, and this is her funniest collection so far. She is also so Queen of TMI, so be ready.

All Boys Aren’t Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto by George M. Johnson

Journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson discusses his childhood and teen years as a young queer Black man, including the trauma he suffered at the hands of bullies, his first sexual experience, and his time in college.

Weird: The Power of Being an Outsider in an Insider World by Olga Khazan

This is exactly as advertised: Khazan explores what it means to be weird, and how people can use their ‘weirdness’ to their advantage. I don’t think I have ever identified with a book more.

things in jarsThings in Jars by Jess Kidd

A pipe-smoking detective searches for a missing supernatural child in Victorian London, with the help of her seven-foot-tall housemaid and the tattooed ghost of a pugilist.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

A case worker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth visits a home to determine whether six dangerous magical children are likely to bring about the end of the world.

Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker

This is the nonfiction book everyone will be talking about all year. It’s the true story of twelve siblings, six of whom were diagnosed with schizophrenia, and the contributions the family made to the study of mental illness over the last several decades.

Deacon King Kong by James McBride

McBride returns with his first novel since The Good Lord Bird in 2013, which won the National Book Award. This one is about a cranky old church deacon who murders a local drug dealer, and how the killing affects different people involved.

Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor, Sophie Hughes (Translator)

A dark, violent, and brilliant novel about the death of the town’s “witch” and the hunt for explanations and the killer.

Long Bright River by Liz Moore

This crime novel about a missing sister and a mysterious string of murders. Moore is a genius at everything she does, and I hope she does a novel in every genre.

Beheld by TaraShea Nesbit

A fantastic historical novel based on the first murder that took place in the newly established colony of Plymouth, Massachusetts among the Mayflower pilgrims.

New Waves by Kevin Nguyen

This is a quietly lovely and sad novel about two friends, and race, grief, friendship, and our digital footprint.

riot babyRiot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi

A fantastic and fantastical look at race in America, the Los Angeles riots, and mass incarceration as you’ve never seen it before. This book haunts me.

The Unsuitable by Molly Pohlig

A fiercely feminist Gothic novel of manners and body horror, that portrays spinsterhood, self-image, and mental illness in Victorian times.

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

A perfect debut about race, privilege, white guilt, power, money, and love, that starts with a young black woman being confronted when she takes the white child she is babysitting into the grocery store, and every chapter ratchets up the tension and the hard truths from there.

This Town Sleeps by Dennis E. Staples

A wonderful debut about a young queer man who becomes involved with an old classmate, and the truth behind a haunting on an Ojibwe reservation.

real lifeReal Life by Brandon Taylor

And this is another fabulous debut novel, set over the course of a weekend, as a young gay man from Alabama tries to figure out his life at a Midwestern university.

Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang

This graphic memoir follows a season of the high school basketball team at the school where Yang used to teach. It’s funny, thoughtful, and moving.

Run Me to Earth by Paul Yoon

This is a gorgeous, heart-punching book about war, perseverance, and loss, set during historic conflicts in Laos that are not often mentioned in books.

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

This is a funny and sharp send-up of Hollywood tropes and Asian stereotypes, about Willis Wu, who sees himself as the Generic Asian Man of his own life.

Thanks for reading! xx

Categories
Today In Books

Librarians Step Up As Contact Tracers: Today In Books

Librarians Step Up As Contact Tracers

With the libraries closed in San Francisco, dozens of librarians have turned their skills and desire to be helpers to virtually training, through the University of California, as contact tracers for COVID-19. “Librarians are an obvious choice for the job, says Fagundes, who normally works at the information desk of the San Francisco Main Library. They’re curious, they’re tech savvy, and they’re really good at getting people they barely know to open up.”

Book On Trump To Reveal Tax Document Leak

The Daily Beast has reported that Mary Trump, Donald Trump’s niece, will be publishing a tell-all this summer in which she reveals, among other things, herself as the person who had leaked Donald Trump’s taxes to The New York Times. “Details of the book are being closely guarded by its publisher, Simon & Schuster, but The Daily Beast has learned that Mary plans to include conversations with Trump’s sister, retired federal judge Maryanne Trump Barry, that contain intimate and damning thoughts about her brother, according to people with knowledge of the matter.” Too Much And Never Enough will release on August 11th.

Working Together

Forty Iowa colleges and universities came together for a joint membership with Open Textbook Network in the ongoing effort to make higher education more affordable. “Working with the Open Textbook Network and our postsecondary partners across Iowa ensures faculty have access to resources needed to maximize learning and minimize financial burden on students.”

Great Initiative!

The #BlackoutBestsellerList and #BlackPublishingPower initiatives urge readers to buy two books by Black authors from June 14-June 21st in an effort to amplify Black voices.

Categories
The Kids Are All Right

New Children’s Book Releases for June 16, 2020

Hello readers!

Welcome to your weekly pick of the best new releases in the world of children’s literature. Book release dates are still a bit up in the air at the moment, with a lot of books being pushed back, so that means I get to share with you some more backlist bumps. Hurrah! I’ll include them at the end of the newsletter, and I hope you enjoy (re)discovering some new/old friends.

Antiracist Baby by Ibram X Kendi, illustrations by Ashley Lukashevsky

(I am so ready for this book I cannot tell you). Antiracist Baby provides an easy and accessible route into critical conversations, and does with a lot of care and eloquence. The artwork is bold and bluntly brilliant, and the text is deeply accessible. It’s amazing, I love it.

American Immigration: Our History, Our Stories by Kathleen Krull

The history of American immigration is a history of stories, and this nonfiction text pays tribute to those immigrants by telling their stories. These stories show the progress that has been made, and the progress that is still yet to be made – a potent thing to do in our present day clime. This is a richly detailed volume, full of careful sourcing and detailed timelines, perfect for beginning and supporting conversations in this area.

Bloom by Anne Booth, illustrated by Robyn Wilson-Owen

Anne is one of those authors who writes with such a lot of kindness, so I’m excited to see what she does with Bloom – the story of a beautiful flower and the girl who loves it. She talks to it every morning on the way to school, but when the owner of the flower yells at her, the flower does not open. Frustrated, he asks the girl to talk to it and tell it how much she loves it…

Look Up! by Nathan Bryon, illustrated by Dapo Adeola

(Backlist bump!). Rocket is going to be the greatest astronaut / space traveller / star-catcher that there’s ever been. And when there’s a meteor shower due, she’s determined to watch it. The only problem is that her elder brother Jamal would rather be gaming than taking her to the park. Will Rocket make it in time?

Featuring some lovely family dynamics, a vivid and hilarious protagonist, plus a nice shout to Mae Jemison, this is adorable. Plus you’ve just got enough time to read it before picking up the sequel – Clean Up! – which is out in July.

Another by Christian Robinson

(Backlist bump!) Where to begin with this rather beautiful wordless classic? A girl sets off on an adventure to a strange new world where she meets her doppelgänger and so much more…

This is such a wonderful, brilliant thing. The artwork is fearless and contemporary, paying tribute to the world of modern art whilst carving a space all of its own.

 

Okay, that’s everything for this week! I will return in seven days with more lovely new picks for you from the world of children’s books. Between then and now, you can stay in touch with me via social media (let’s talk about Eloise and Nanny….), on my website, or over on the biweekly literary fiction podcast Novel Gazing.

Happy reading!

Louise.

Categories
Check Your Shelf

Books For Dads That Aren’t Just About World War II

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. My library begins its first week of curbside services today, so keep your fingers crossed and spare a few extra good thoughts for my coworkers and me!


Black Lives Matter Resources

Pride Resources


Collection Development Corner

Publishing News

New & Upcoming Titles

What Your Patrons Are Hearing About

RA/Genre Resources

On the Riot


All Things Comics

On the Riot


Audiophilia

On the Riot


Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists

Children/Teens

Adults

On the Riot


Level Up (Library Reads)

Do you take part in Library Reads, the monthly list of best books selected by librarians only? We’ve made it easy for you to find eligible diverse titles to nominate. Kelly Jensen created a database of upcoming diverse books that anyone can edit, and Nora Rawlins of Early Word is doing the same, as well as including information about series, vendors, and publisher buzz.

Stay safe and stay well, everyone. Black Lives Matter.

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter. Currently reading The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling.

Categories
Swords and Spaceships

Swords and Spaceships for June 16

Happy Tuesday, shipmates. The hits just keep on coming, huh? Alex here, and I’ve got some new releases and some news items if you need something to escape into for a bit. The power might be fighting us as hard as it can, but you can’t keep good space pirates down. Unfurl the black flag, keep the powder dry, and eyes up to the horizon!

A thing that made me smile: Geolgical baking!

Looking for non-book things you can do to help in the quest for justice? blacklivesmatter.card.co and The Okra Project

New Releases

Note: There do not appear to be any authors of color on the new release lists for this week I have access to. (Just gonna gently set down the link for FIYAH’s Black SpecFic Report portal here.)

Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre by Max Brooks – In the wake of Mount Rainier’s catastrophic erruption, the Greenloop Massacre was almost forgotten… until the journals of one of its victims came to light. The bloody, terrifying truths revealed in those journals are many, but the most earth-shattering is that Bigfoot walks among us, and is not friendly.

The Unconquered City by K.A. Doore – It’s seven years after the hungry dead rose in an event called the Siege, the city of Ghadid remains unbowed, protected by its militia against the ever-increasing waves of flesh-hungry guul. Illi, trained to be an elite assassin in that militia, must face her inner demons and her past when a general from a neighboring nation arrives searching for the source of the guul–and in that search, the unearths a terrible secret hidden at the edges of Ghadid.

The Grand Tour by E. Catherine Tobler – A collection of stories of Jackson’s Unreal Circus and Mobile Maramalade. The steam train that brings the circus mysteriously to town might seem ancient, but its metal confines lead to destinations beyond the imagination, just waiting for the right visitor. The circus is a place where you can be whoever–or whatever–you want.

The Kinder Poison by Natalie Mae – Zahru is a lowly girl with magic that only allows her to commune with animals; she believes she’s fated to work in the royal stables until her magic runs dry and she dies. When the Crossing, a deadly race across the desert, is invoked to determine the next heir to the throne, Zahru sneaks into the palace for a night to enjoy the revelry. But one mistake puts her between the feuding heirs and directly in the middle of the Crossing–but not as a contestant. She’ll be the human sacrifice the triumphant heir will make at the end of the contest.

The Lightness by Emily Temple – After her father disappears while on a meditation retreat, Olivia follows him to the mountains to find out what happened. She signs up for a summer program for troubled teens at his last known location, the Levitation Center. She’s drawn to a trio of fast friends who are determined to achieve enlightenment this summer and learn to levitate.

Hella David Gerrold – Hella is a world that’s earned its name, home to dinosaur herds, mile-high trees, and a climate so vicious and extreme that the human colonists who live there have to migrate twice a year to escape it. A neuroatypical young man with real-time access to the colony’s computer become the bridge between the residents of Hella and a ship of refugees from Earth that arrives unexpectedly. Can a barely self-sufficient colony take the burden of a thousand new people, bringing with them many of the problems they were fleeing?

News and Views

Because we need joy to fuel the fire, the People of Colo(u)r Destroy… special issues of Lightspeed are now FREE.

New Star Wars anthology alert! From a Certain Point of View strikes back.

A delightful low-budget remake of Alien.

Sarah Pinsker’s A Song for a New Day has been optioned for television.

The next Doctor Who audio series is going to be about Rory, and what he was doing that whole time he was sitting around and guarding a giant box.

Hans Solo, ranked.

A history of slash in six ships.

Deep structures in the Earth! Geology is awesome!

How do neutrinos get their mass?

Kathy Sullivan was the first woman to walk in space, and now she’s the first woman to visit the Challenger Deep.

On Book Riot

15 Paranormal Mystery Books to Read Right Now

You can win a copy of Agnes at the End of the World by Kelly McWilliams

Enter before the end of the month and you could win a 1-year subscription to Audible or a $250 Barnes and Noble gift card.


See you, space pirates. You can find all of the books recommended in this newsletter on a handy Goodreads shelf. If you’d like to know more about my secret plans to dominate the seas and skies, you can catch me over at my personal site.

Categories
Book Radar

THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN Will Now Debut on Disney and More Book Radar!

Happy Monday, book fiends! I know I say it often, but wow, the time goes by so fast. I have been reading like whoa, and also watching a lot of Bob’s Burgers. I cannot decide which of the Belcher children is my favorite. I am tempted to say Louise, because we seem to have similar temperaments, but I really love Gene and Tina, too. (Don’t make me choose!) I hope that you’ve also been able to squeeze in some time to relax and read something wonderful.

Whatever you are doing or watching or reading this week, I am sending you virtual hugs. Please be safe, and remember to wear a mask and wash your hands. And please be mindful of others. It takes no effort to be kind. I’ll see you again on Thursday. – xoxo, Liberty

Here’s Monday’s trivia question: The book Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family was made into what famous film? (Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)

Deals, Reels, and Squeals! 

Gabrielle Union is adapting the memoir All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson.

Jeff Daniels will narrate the audiobook of Jim Carrey’s upcoming novel.

This Is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay is being adapted into a television show.

Sarah Kuhn announced her upcoming YA novel.

And here’s the announcement for Aliette de Bodard’s next book.

The One and Only Ivan will debut exclusively on Disney+ on Aug. 21.

Del Rey announced a new Star Wars anthology.

A Song For A New Day by Sarah Pinsker is being made into a television series.

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!

Excited to read:

The Cold Vanish: Seeking the Missing in North America’s Wildlands by Jon Billman (Grand Central Publishing, July 7)

Yes, it’s morbid, but I am in the mood for true crime, and this looks super intriguing. It’s about people who have gone missing in North American parks, and the people who search for them. That’s all I know. I just got a copy a few minutes ago, so I’ll let you know how it goes!

What I’m reading this week:

a declaration of the rightsA Declaration of the Rights of Magicians by H.G. Parry

Kitchen Curse: Stories by Eka Kurniawan

The Patient Assassin: A True Tale of Massacre, Revenge, and India’s Quest for Independence by Anita Anand

Camouflage: The Hidden Lives of Autistic Women by Sarah Bargiela and Sophie Standing

Fortune’s Pawn (Paradox Book 1) by Rachel Bach

Pun of the week: 

What did the mayonnaise say when somebody opened the refrigerator? “Hey, close the door! I’m dressing!”

Here’s a cat picture:

Happy things:

Here are a few things I enjoy that I thought you might like as well:

Trivia answer: Goodfellas.

You made it to the bottom! Thanks for reading! And tune in Thursday for a review of the amazing book I just read this weekend. (I need a little more time to gather my thoughts!) – xo, L

Categories
Kissing Books

Read All About THE BRIGHTEST DAY

We’re officially halfway through June. The movement continues. My reading has improved; how about yours?

Let’s talk Romancelandia.

News and Useful Links

There’s a new romance line coming soon. I don’t know much about the company developing it, but I hope they’re doing their due diligence to produce quality material.

NATURAL HAIR ON A DRAWN COVER. I love.

How many of these have you read?

Adriana Herrera had some interesting thoughts on writing anti-racist romance and the philosophy of Frantz Fanon. I love Twitter. I really do.

Do you follow Gail Carriger’s books? She just posted a cover reveal and excerpt for her new m/m paranormal.

Talia Hibbert wrote about Kennedy Ryan’s Queen Move. 

Katrina Jackson is doing a pretty awesome giveaway through June 30. You want this.

She also pulled together a list of queer romance by Black authors.

These are great questions to ponder.

There are a bunch of virtual conferences going on this summer, including Romance Slam Jam, which is happening next week. It requires payment, but it looks like they’ve got tiered payment for readers, writers, and folks who want to reserve space for next year.

Who wants a short short?

Beverly Jenkins told us on Twitter that a bunch of her backlist is coming on audio! But we don’t have any info on what titles or when, so I guess we’ll just sit pretty while we wait.

Deals

Know what’s a good deal? Four stories for 12.99. While The Brightest Day is sadly no longer available in digital format (though you can get three of the four stories—Let It Shine, Drifting To You, and Amazing Grace—individually), it’s worth it to get in print if you read it. These romances are all related to Juneteenth, the day we celebrate the last enslaved people learning about the Emancipation Proclamation. Two years later. But that’s a whole other thing to talk about. You can read a bunch of historicals celebrating the day as well as Black love for a pretty nice price.

Recs

Do you know what’s a fun way to get out of a reading slump? Manga. Once you know the right way to read it, a standalone romance manga is just perfect for a couple of hours. The difference in medium activates different mental muscles, I think. Either way, I have been reminded how much I love manga. But…only if it’s standalone.

I Married My Best Friend to Shut My Parents Up
Kodama Naoko

I mean, with a title like that, who wouldn’t pick it up, amirite? The premise is definitely one of my tropetonites, medium be damned. Morimoto is frustrated with her parents’ constant inquisitions about her love life. And she knows they’ll have endless things to say about any man she brings home. So when her good friend (who is an out lesbian and—also!—has a pretty huge crush on her) needs a new place to live, she offers to move in and common-law marry her. Their live-in relationship doesn’t particularly start on the best foot, but their relationship slowly starts to build. It’s just…so sweet. Adorable, even.

CW: Bad parental response to f/f relationship.

If the comics medium isn’t your thing, though, I’ve got another delightful, easy, fake relationship story for you. I’ve talked about it before, but hey, it’s been awhile.

cover of Man vs. Durian by Jackie LauMan vs. Durian
Jackie Lau

Peter hates durian, but Valerie loves it. He’s willing to give it the vaguest chance, for her, because he can’t help but like her. And Valerie likes him enough to ask him to pretend to be her boyfriend, because her parents think she’s dating a doctor. Who…doesn’t exist, obviously. There is a lot to unpack about why she doesn’t want to be in a real relationship and why he doesn’t particularly feel like ambition is necessary. But it’s all done in a wildly fun way, just like all of Jackie Lau’s books. You want fun and easy with a side of real, drop into Man vs. Durian.

And of course I’ll take this moment to remind you that Xeni: A Marriage of Inconvenience is a thing that exists. But will also remind you that there is a strong grief component to the plot.

What are your go-to slump busters? Or your favorite marriage of convenience/fake relationship stories?

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at wheninromance@bookriot.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

Categories
What's Up in YA

YA Mugs Are Like Hugs

Hey YA Readers!

Worst subject of a newsletter ever, right? I’ve got little in me, as I’m waiting for my third cuppa morning tea to kick in and help me find my genius.

Today, as a means of bringing a little light to your inbox, let’s honor that tea (or coffee or water or whatever you like to drink) with a YA-themed mug.

I’ve pooled a few that caught my eye and I hope some of them catch yours, too.

There are so many goods out there for the Sarah J. Maas fandom, including this mug that reads “My friends are with me and I am not afraid.” $14 and up.

 

I’m a big fan of this popular YA books mug. You have some options with this one, too, for what size mug you need. $20 and up.

 

This mug is for all the Six of Crows fans. $15 and up.

 

If you have real feelings about fictional characters, you’ll want to snag this sweet little camping style mug. $18.50.

 

Red Rising isn’t technically a YA book, but so many YA readers love it that not including this Sevro mug would feel weird. $14.50 and up.

 

Reading Rainbow ftw. $19.

The Narnia fans will know this. $27.

 

Whether or not you’ve read Serpent & Dove, the sentiment of this YA book mug is a solid one. $15 and up.

And last, but not least. . .

Stay Gold. $20 and up.


Thanks for hanging out, and we’ll see you later this week!

— Kelly Jensen, @heykellyjensen on Instagram and editor of Body Talk, (Don’t) Call Me Crazy, and Here We Are.