This week, our First Impressions reviewers focus on novels for those who love books and everything surrounding them. Sarah Braunstein's Bad Animals centers on a librarian who loses her job and finds herself flailing, while Sulari Gentill's The Mystery Writer follows an aspiring author into a mystery laden with intrigue.
In connection with All Our Yesterdays by Joel H. Morris, a recent prequel to Shakespeare's Macbeth, we bring you a "beyond the book" article about the real-life Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
Calling all Amor Towles fans! The trailer for the upcoming TV series of A Gentleman in Moscow, starring Ewan McGregor, is out now. You can view it on the BookBrowse website along with coverage of the book.
Plus, we have previews of April releases, a new Wordplay, and copies to give away of Douglas Westerbeke's A Short Walk Through a Wide World.
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With best wishes,
The BookBrowse Team
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Each month, we share books with BookBrowse members to read and review. Here are their opinions on two recently released titles. | |
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Bad Animals
by Sarah Braunstein
"Bad Animals by Sarah Braunstein grabbed me on the first page and never let go. Maeve, an empty nester, loses her beloved job at the community library after being accused of an indiscretion involving a young patron. Consequently, Maeve is at loose ends...Bad Animals would engender a lively and thoughtful discussion for book clubs. I'm new to Sarah Braunstein's writing, and I'm eager to read more." —Diane S. (El Paso, TX)
"If you love to read about libraries and readers and writers, this book is for you. If you love brilliant, fresh writing, this book is for you. If you love a complex, unreliable narrator, this book is for you. If you worry about privilege, appropriation and who gets to tell whose story, this book is for you. If you want a propulsive, immersive read that simultaneously expands your mind by asking big questions, you need to read this book." —Helia R. (Goodlettsville, TN)
"The novel has feeling, humanity, mystery, comedic touches here and there. All in all, it was quite a nice surprise to have enjoyed it as much as I did." —Cynthia V. (New York, NY)
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The Mystery Writer
by Sulari Gentill
"A disappointed lawyer-to-be wants to be an author... Theodosia Benton, an Aussie Tasmanian, moves to the USA, where her brother relocated many years before... They live in Lawrence, Kansas, which seems to be an artist colony for aspiring authors. Not very exciting? How wrong you will find yourself as you follow Theo towards her goal. Intrigue is everywhere... A complex and riveting mystery evolves. Not finishing this book would be a mistake!" —Barry E. (Boynton Beach, FL)
"The Mystery Writer plays out so well in my mind that I could envision the plot unfolding on the movie screen, complete with eccentric characters and even more wild chase scenes. The novel cleverly explores how the author's pen can be mightier than any weapon. Reader beware!" —Giovanna I. (Harrison, NY)
"I enjoyed the story and appreciated the slower pace of the unraveling. Conspiracy theories and 'preppers' are a timely nod to modern culture. Seems like a book that would be a good book club choice." —Jane B. (Chicago, IL)
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The Real-Life Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
Joel H. Morris's novel All Our Yesterdays imagines the lives of Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth, before the events that unfold in Shakespeare's tragedy. Many are familiar with the tale but may not realize the couple are based on individuals who really did live in what is now Scotland during the eleventh century.
Scotland was known as the Kingdom of Alba from 900 to 1286 CE, and Macbeth (Mac Bethad mac Findláech, c. 1005–1057 CE) and his wife Gruoch (born c. 1015, death unknown) were both descended from Alba royalty through the line of Malcolm I (Máel Coluim mac Domnaill, d. 954). ... continued
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See Also: The Real Birnam Wood
Eleanor Catton's novel Birnam Wood and the guerrilla gardening group at its center draw their name from lines in Shakespeare's Macbeth, serving as the novel's epigraph. Birnam Wood is—or was—a real place in Scotland, located outside the village of Dunkeld in Perthshire. ... continued
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We know it can be tough to keep up with all the new books coming out every month, so we do the hard work for you. We've carefully selected 100+ of the most noteworthy books publishing in April and are continually updating our selections — check them out and get yourself on the library wait-list ahead of the crowd!
Non-subscribers can view books up to the current month and a limited selection of future months. If you don't already, you may also wish to subscribe to our Publishing This Week newsletter.
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Solve our Wordplay puzzle to reveal a well-known expression, and be entered to win a one-year membership to BookBrowse.
"N N I Good N"
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The answer to the last Wordplay: M T G Before I S
"Miles to go before I sleep"
This phrase originates from the final stanza of Robert Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening."
Frost's beloved poem is oft-quoted and oft-analyzed with interpretations ranging from the literal, that the speaker is stopping to appreciate nature while on a long journey that must be completed before he goes to bed; to the metaphorical, that the poem is about death, or even suicide.
Frost wrote it in 1922 on his farm in Shaftsbury, Vermont. ... continued
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A Short Walk Through a Wide World
by Douglas Westerbeke
From the Jacket
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue meets Life of Pi in this dazzlingly epic debut that charts the incredible, adventurous life of one woman as she journeys the globe trying to outrun a mysterious curse that will destroy her if she stops moving.
Praise
"Striking set pieces, stunning character work, and evocative, insightful prose make every page worth savoring. A hopeful tale of improbable friendships, whirlwind romances, and unexpected joy." —Kirkus Review (starred review)
"Westerbeke's poignant epic speaks to the challenges of knowing oneself and others in a world of endless change. This is unforgettable." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
About This Sweepstakes
We have up to 10 hardcover copies of A Short Walk Through a Wide World by Douglas Westerbeke to give away.
This offer will end on April 1 and is open only to residents of the USA, except for BookBrowse members who are welcome to enter wherever they live. If a member not resident in the US wins, they receive an extension to their membership.
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With so many new books published every month, it's difficult to find the standouts, the ones which are really worth your time. This is why hundreds of thousands of readers rely on BookBrowse to do the hard work of sifting though the multitude of titles to find the most promising new books, with a focus on books that entertain, engage and enlighten. | |
BookBrowse Highlights is one of our four free newsletters. We also offer Publishing This Week every Sunday, and Book Club News and Librarian News monthly.
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