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News

THE YEAR OF THE WITCHING by Alexis Henderson

Reviewers and fellow authors have continued to praise Alexis Henderson’s THE YEAR OF THE WITCHING. Most recently, author V. E. Schwab shared her excitement about this “feminist tale of the supernatural—and societal—forces that shape a puritanical world” that “swept [her] away” in Parade, and Book Riot included the novel on a list of “19 Black Feminist Books You Need In Your Library.” Ace published the book on July 21, 2020.

RUTHIE FEAR by Maxim Loskutoff

Maxim Loskutoff’s debut novel RUTHIE FEAR achieved a hat trick of three starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, and Publisher’s Weekly. Kirkus praises the book for its “resonant characters” and “great sense of place,” while Publishers Weekly writes: “[w]ith its humor and heart, Loskutoff’s harrowing tale offers a heroine to root for. This one hits hard.” Additionally, The Wall Street Journal’s Sam Sacks noted that “[Losuktoff’s] characters are wholly believable, reluctantly adapting to ‘the massive forces shifting around them,’” while The National Book Review hailed the book as “a big social novel with harrowing moments, one filled with empathy, surprises, and a compelling heroine." W. W. Norton & Company published the book on September 1, 2020.

THE STANDARDIZATION OF DEMORALIZATION PROCEDURES by Jennifer Hofmann

Jennifer Hofmann’s THE STANDARDIZATION OF DEMORALIZATION PROCEDURES has received a rave review the New York Times Book Review. They call it “a gripping debut novel” with “rhythmic prose [and] evocative descriptions of people and places.” Meanwhile, The Washington Post praises Hofmann’s ability “to create intricate illusions of certainty in the midst of derangement,” ultimately crafting “a rare novel that encourages you to read as though your sanity depends on it — just a little further, just a little faster." Little, Brown and Company published the book on August 11, 2020.

THE LOST BOOK OF ADANA MOREAU by Michael Zapata

Michael Zapata's debut novel THE LOST BOOK OF ADANA MOREAU has been nominated for a Heartland Booksellers Award in the Adult Fiction category. The joint venture from the Great Lakes and Midwest Independent Book Sellers Associations aims to “celebrate literature in the Great Lakes and Midwest, with content either about the region, or an author from our region." Booksellers from 12 states and 300 bookstores will vote on a winner, which will be announced October 15th, 2020. Hanover Square Press published the book on February 4, 2020.

IN DEFENSE OF LOOTING by Vicky Osterweil

Issac Chotiner interviewed Vicky Osterweil for the New Yorker’s website about her provocative new book IN DEFENSE OF LOOTING. Osterweil takes the opportunity to elaborate on her stance, saying, “I think a lot of people think that, in order for something to be political, people have to be yelling a slogan as they do it . . . [a]nd I don’t subscribe to that belief in political action . . . we are in a moment during those riots that is a generalized moment of anti-police action.” Bold Type Books published the book on August 25, 2020.

CAN’T EVEN by Anne Helen Petersen

Former BuzzFeed News culture reporter Anne Helen Petersen’s upcoming book, CAN’T EVEN, has received two starred reviews. Booklist writes: “This galvanizing read reminds readers that what seems impossible is absolutely not, especially for a generation with so little to lose. Meanwhile, Kirkus raves: “In articulate and persuasive prose . . . Petersen delivers a cogent explanation of the millennial landscape, incorporating in-depth research, interviews, and her own experiences to define the problems that millennials face as they attempt to live up to high, occasionally near-impossible expectations.” CAN’T EVEN has also been named a best book of Fall 2020 by Fortune, EW, and Book Riot, among others, and has been selected as an Amazon Best Book of September. HMH will publish the book on September 22, 2020.

WE KEEP THE DEAD CLOSE by Becky Cooper

Former New Yorker staff writer Becky Cooper’s WE KEEP THE DEAD CLOSE has received another glowing review from Library Journal. They write that “Cooper’s suspenseful, intensely intimate work casts a critical lens on institutional misogyny,” adding that the novel is “[s]ure to appeal to true crime readers, especially fans of Michelle McNamara’s I’LL BE GONE IN THE DARK.” Cooper also sat down for a Q&A with Publishers Weekly about the ten years’ worth of research she conducted for the book. Additionally, WE KEEP THE DEAD CLOSE has been named a recommended read for the fall by Town & Country, Refinery29, and several other outlets. Grand Central will publish the book on November 10, 2020.

LIFE EVENTS by Karolina Waclawiak

Karolina Waclawiak was interviewed on The Maris Review podcast about her new novel LIFE EVENTS. She reveals that her initial inspiration for the novel came from listening to a podcast about exit guides, or people who assist the terminally ill in navigating death. She says, “I became absolutely fascinated because I had never heard of this. I started thinking about, who does this? I went down a total rabbit hole of what this kind of world is.” Farrar, Straus & Giroux published the book on July 28, 2020.

ROYAL by Danielle Steel

The latest novel by Danielle Steel made its debut on the New York Times Bestseller list for the week of September 6th. It debuted at number 1 on the Combined Print and E-book Fiction list and at number 2 on the Hardcover Fiction list. Dell published the book on August 18, 2020.

TELL ME LIES by Carola Lovering

Deadline announced on Tuesday, September 1 that Emma Roberts has signed a first-look deal with Hulu, and the actress and Belletrist co-founder has set a TV adaptation of Carola Lovering’s TELL ME LIES as her first project, with Lovering serving as a consulting producer. Atria Books published the novel on June 12, 2018, and Lovering’s next novel, TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, will be published by St. Martin’s Press on March 2, 2021.