UCONN | December 17, 2024
Traveling Shoes: The Story of Willye White, US Olympian and Long Jump Champion by Alice Faye Duncan is a 2024 Honor Book. This is awarded by the Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute.
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Publishers Weekly | December 16, 2024
Chloe
Connie Briscoe. Amistad, $30 (224p) ISBN 978-0-06-333856-2
In this entertaining riff on Rebecca from bestseller Briscoe (You Never Know), a young chef embarks on a whirlwind romance with a billionaire. Angel is taking a break from her restaurant job in Washington, D.C., to work as a private chef on Martha’s Vineyard when she meets billionaire Everett Bruce. Enchanted by Everett’s down-to-earth demeanor, Angel falls for him quickly. Just before her job ends and she returns to D.C., Everett proposes marriage, and Angel eagerly accepts. The two then embark on an emotionally chilly trip to Europe, but Angel hopes they’ll spend more time together at Riverwild Estate, Everett’s enormous home in Potomac, Md., which is run by his prickly sister, Ida. As the new Mrs. Bruce, Angel is forbidden from entering the Riverwild room once inhabited by Everett’s first wife, Chloe, who died by suicide over a year ago. With Everett growing more distant, Angel searches for details about Chloe’s death, fearing she won’t like what she finds. Readers familiar with the Daphne du Maurier novel won’t be particularly surprised by the twists and turns of the plot, and the ending arrives rather abruptly. Still, Briscoe folds some perceptive class critiques into her intoxicating blend of romance and suspense. This offers plenty of gothic pleasures. Agent: Victoria Sanders, Victoria Sanders & Assoc. (Mar.)
/film | December 12, 2024
/Film can confirm that "Universal Monsters: The Mummy" — a reimagining of 1932's "The Mummy" starring Boris Karloff — is rising up and shambling into comic shops next year.
"Universal Monsters: The Mummy" will be written and drawn by Faith Erin Hicks, who is partnering with colorist Lee Loughridge. Hicks is a two time Eisner Award winner (think the comic Oscars), taking home the Best Publication for Kids award in 2014 (for "The Adventures of Superhero Girl") and 2019 (for "The Nameless City").
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December 2, 2024
Kjersti Herland Johnsen has been getting some terrific press coverage lately for Christmas at Glitter Peak Lodge. Check it out:
AARP.ORG: Murder and Mistletoe? We're in! Holiday Mysteries Offer Cozy Chills
GOODREADS: ’Tis the Season for Brand-New Holiday-Themed Reading
BOOKWORM SEZ (nationally syndicated newspaper columnist): It's what you want for your ho-ho-holidays: Christmas romance books and more by various authors
Finally, Shelf Awareness had this to say in its book review:
This gentle romantic mystery, set amid the incomparable beauty of Norway, makes for a delightful literary vacation.
Booklist Online | November 7, 2024
Eli and the Uncles
By Jehan Madhani.
Illus. by Rashin Kheiriyeh.
Nov. 2024. 32p. Candlewick, $18.99 (9781536228113). PreS-Grade 2.
REVIEW. First published November 1, 2024 (Booklist).
In this delightful showcase of wholesome masculinity, little Eli gets to spend a day with his eight stylish and talented uncles: Mahmoud the storyteller; Salim the chef; Hanif the singer; Aman the dancer; Riz the comedian; Farouk and Aziz, who love to argue; and Nooru, “world champion nap-taker.” What make each of these uncles truly special, however, are their eight long and diversely fabulous beards, which flirt with the fantastical in their larger-than-life presentations. While Madhani’s upbeat text doesn’t provide much explicit narrative tissue, simply introducing each uncle one by one and then taking readers through Eli’s farewells, the illustrations tell the story of a long, busy, fun-filled day, as each uncle shines on a dedicated spread, showing off their individual talents, always in a group setting. The result is a genuinely festive atmosphere and something akin to a fashion show, collectively providing a treasure trove of beautiful, brown masculinity. Kheiriyeh’s characters burst with energy and color, a palette of hot pinks and beachy blues lending a feminine edge to these stunning men and their endlessly elegant beards. The unfettered affection on display among the uncles and their nephew doubles down on the book’s unmistakable message about the many things that men (and boys) can and should be proud of being: playful, pretty, and powerful, all at once.
— Ronny Khuri
Booklist & School Library Journal | November 1, 2024
Brown Girl, Brown Girl by by Cozbi Cabrera has earned two great book reviews:
“…vibrant, moving illustrations from Cabrera that celebrate Black and brown girls in moments of strength and joy. Images of young women of color sharing dreams and wins and building community provide an inspiring backdrop for this powerful rhyming poem.” — Booklist. Click here to read the review.
“This gorgeously illustrated poem celebrating and elevating brown girls is a solid choice for picture book collections.” — School Library Journal. Click here to read the review.
Kirkus Reviews | October 28, 2024
Kirkus Reviews just put out a terrific review of When Alexander Graced the Table by Alexander Smalls and Denene Millner!
★"Smalls and Millner’s pitch-perfect dialogue imbues the various characters with life. The joy of cooking—and family—brought to brilliant life." — Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
Follow the link above to learn more.
Southern Indie Booksellers Alliance | October 24, 2024
Brown Girl, Brown Girl is a Southern Independent Booksellers Association pick for their 2024 November/December “Read This Next” (RTN) Kids List!
Esquire | October 23, 2024
We recently caught up with the restaurateur and writer to talk about The Contemporary African Kitchen—“a book,” as he put it, “that I’ve been writing all my life.”
The Contemporary African Kitchen, the latest book from Alexander Smalls (out now), represents a cultural landmark and a professional milestone. Created in collaboration with writer Nina Oduro, the entrepreneur behind Dine Diaspora, it gathers recipes from chefs throughout the African continent—from Ghana and Uganda, Cameroon and Zambia, Burundi and Ethiopia, Nigeria and Senegal.
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Barnes & Noble | October 17, 2024
The Barnes & Noble list of the best mystery books of the year included This is Why We Lied by Karin Slaughter.
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USA Today | October 6, 2024
Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine media company hosted its second annual Shine Away conference on Oct. 5-6, featuring a myriad of panels and activations to bring hundreds of guests together to connect and learn from one another.
DéLana R.A. Dameron, author of Redwood Court, attended. Redwood Court was a Reese's Book Club pick in February.
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black Enterprise | September 20, 2024
This Haitian-American author vows to set aside her fear and use her voice and privilege
Francesca Momplaisir has authored a thought-provoking opinion piece for Black Enterprise.
It always strikes me when I’m at a loss for words as a writer. It only happens when I’m afraid, and over the past weeks, I’ve found myself, my tongue, paralyzed with fear once again as Haitian people, my people, are being vilified and victimized.
We are under attack by a former president and right-wing Republicans – racist and xenophobic extremists – spewing hate, perpetuating lies, and issuing threats of violence against Haitian immigrants in Ohio whom they’ve accused of abducting and eating cats and dogs. My fear reached its height when I saw the KKK flyer commanding immigrants to go back to where we came from. The KKK? In broad daylight, in public, on social media?
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Publishers Weekly | September 16, 2024
Eli and the Uncles
Jehan Madhani, illus. by Rashin Kheiriyeh. Candlewick, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-5362-2811-3
Eli’s eight uncles live together in one house, and every summer Eli spends a day with them in this gleeful excursion from Madhani and Kheiriyeh. Watercolor, acrylic, and colored pencil illustrations show Eli running toward a house crammed with elaborately bearded uncles, “very big and very tall,” all portrayed with brown skin. Uncle Mahmoud “tells the best stories,” Uncle Salim cooks Eli’s favorite foods, Uncle Hanif sings, Uncle Aman dances, Uncle Riz tells jokes, Uncles Farouk and Aziz argue, and Uncle Nooru naps. Following these events, “eight uncles and one Eli” eat dinner together before Eli heads home. In an epic farewell chain, Eli kisses each uncle, while text details the qualities of their beards. (Uncle Mahmoud’s is “short and nicely groomed”; Uncle Salim’s is “so long and curly that Eli gets a little lost in it.”) It’s an affectionate, rhythmically told sequence that underlines time spent individually and collectively. Ages 3–7. (Nov.)
Austin Monthly | September 5, 2024
Best Author: May Cobb
It’s been a banner year for this local author, who’s making her mark in Texas and Tinseltown. In addition to publishing her fifth novel, The Hollywood Assistant, May Cobb served as executive producer for the adaptation of her popular book The Hunting Wives, which will become an eight-episode STARZ series with Malin Akerman and Brittany Snow. Featuring sex, murder, and misbehaving housewives, the upcoming drama is destined to be must-see TV.
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SLJ | August 27, 2024
They say the publishing world moves slow. I say it moves as fast as you need it to, depending on the circumstances.
Take a look at the description of Leslé Honoré and Cozbi A. Cabrera’s upcoming Brown Girl, Brown Girl and the words “Kamala Harris” will jump out at you immediately. . . .
One might justifiably argue that the time has never been better for this book to come out. But where precisely did it come from? I had the chance to ask some questions of its author and illustrator and they were quick to tell me its origin story:
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GMA | August 20, 2024
Bestselling author Karin Slaughter talks about the 12th book in the Will Trent series.
Follow the link above to watch the TV inteview.
Fox5 Atlanta | August 13, 2024
In the latest novel in Karin Slaughter's Will Trent series, the GBI special agent is on a honeymoon getaway that quickly turns into a murder mystery. The bestselling author joined Joanne Feldman to talk about the highly-anticipated ''This Is Why We Lied.''
Follow the link above to watch the TV inteview.
First for Women | August 2, 2024
Known for her complex, chilling crime thrillers, bestselling author Karin Slaughter has sold more than 40 million books worldwide and many of her novels have been adapted into hit TV shows, from Netflix’s ‘Pieces of Her’ starring Toni Collette to ABC’s ‘Will Trent.’ Slaughter’s forthcoming novel, This is Why We Lied, out August 20th, is the 12th installment of her fan-favorite Will Trent book series, which follows Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Will Trent. Throughout Slaughter’s long-running series Trent is usually solving cases in Atlanta, but her upcoming book transports readers to an entirely new setting: McAlpine Lodge. This remote backdrop is partly inspired by Slaughter’s own real-life experience living in a secluded cabin in the North Georgia Mountains where she says she does all of her writing.
Yesterday, FIRST’s editor-in-chief, Liz Vaccariello, learned all this and more when she sat down with Slaughter ahead of her book’s release later this month. They discussed her beloved Will Trent character, her first favorite mystery book and how she prepares when writing a new novel.
Follow the link above to learn more.