Summer Book Club: Week 6

Plus, we've hit the 2,000 subscriber mark!

Thank you for making it to August with me in this summer, summer, summertime reading adventure — sorry but I had to channel Will Smith and date myself for a second. For real though, even if you’ve simply followed along, I’ve enjoyed having you here. I have so many little tidbits of news to share about my books and authors I adore, so stay tuned. But before I get into my author life, here’s a bit about my reading life.

I rounded out July by finishing the lovely Little Monsters by Adrienne Brodeur. I read the book while my 13-year-old was at sleepaway camp, a nice escape from missing him all the way up in Maine. My little girl and I got some special one-on-one time though, lots of extra squeezes sent her way, but I digress…

Set in Cape Cod in present day, Little Monsters reminded me a bit of Christina Clancy’s The Second Home, only Clancy’s The Second Home had a stronger plot altogether. (BTW The Second Home was my favorite book of 2021. Love that Christian Clancy!)

Little Monsters is getting monster praise (sorry, had to) for its complicated family saga, which echoes her first book, a memoir, called Wild Game. It was definitely compelling, the characters read even and insightful, the novel was good. I recommend it. Honestly, I might have raved about it except that the day after finishing it, I started the bestselling R.F Kuang’s Yellowface. So enrapt in that novel I barely remembered anything I read before.

I almost didn’t read Yellowface because I read so many interviews with the author, I heard her on NPR and national TV, and it made me feel as though I knew the story. But publishing friends kept texting me: “Did you read Yellowface?” So I bought it and read half of it in one sitting.

Oh. My. Goodness. What a crazy, complicated provocative story. I do not want to tell you anything more about it at all, but if you haven’t read it, I’ll say what my publishing friends said to me. You have to read it!

In other author news…

A highlight of last week was when I visited the brand new Barnes and Noble near our summer cottage. When I walked in, my novel On Gin Lane was front and center. Like I literally would have bumped into the display if I kept walking another ten steps from the front door. I signed books, they sold straight away (really!) and the friendly and ultra-kind booksellers ordered a dozen more for me to come back to sign this week. See below! Those moments mean so much to an author. I had a similar experience when Burton’s Bookstore in Greenport had my novel in the window last month. My kids made fun of me when I found myself dabbing at the corners of my eyes. What can I say? Writers cry at everything.

I was also asked to write a guest post for one of my favorite bookish newsletters, which appears today on So Novelicious. My article is titled: “Books That Made Me Want to Write,” and explores all of the novels that made me want to become an author. If you don’t know about So Novelicious, Books & Reading, & More Books, go take a look at what Gayla is doing over there. Lots of great links and book recs.

Oh, and did you notice that Dear Fiction got a new look! See our new logo I designed below. Love! If you’d be willing to share this newsletter with a friend, I’d really appreciate it. Dear Fiction recently hit the 2,000 subscriber mark and I’m hoping to spread the word. I’m always looking for more bookish friends to join the conversation! Click the share button with someone you know who loves to read!

And now…on to a dear friend

In other author news, my writer friend Jackie Friedland has a new novel coming out at the end of the month called The Stockwell Letters. Kirkus, which is infinitely cranky in their reviews of just about every beloved novel, gave it a glowing one, calling it a “historical page-turner.” Jackie will be dropping in for a Q and A later in the month, but in the meantime, consider pre-ordering this book! I had a chance to read an early copy and really loved it.

Final Book Club + A Surprise

Oh my marbles. I nearly forgot. I’m halfway through the next book: Ann Patchett’s Tom Lake, and I’m already ready to gush. Please read with me so we can talk about it next week. Also, in August, expect an insider’s tour of Martha’s Vineyard where my first novel Summer Darlings was set. That’s a post I look forward to writing, too.

Happy lazy days of August, everyone!

xo

Brooke