Holiday Handsell 24
"Tia Williams is a superlative author constantly testing her own boundaries, innovating with each new book. Sparkling, heartbreaking and laugh-out-loud funny...Ezra and Ricki's love story is one for the ages." - NPR "Tia Williams is a go-to-author for epic love stories." - Marie Claire, A Most Anticipated Book of 2024
What readers are saying on Goodreads: "I am a Tia stan at this point. It was perfect." "Gave me all the feels, and even made me question my own personal goals." "Hands down one of the best stories of love I've ever read. A true masterpiece." "The perfect story of Black love and Black history. I feel like this book was written for my soul." "Atmospheric, haunting, beautiful, lyrical, I could wax poetic on this story forever and never do it justice."
Leap years are a strange, enchanted time. And for some, even a single February can be life-changing. Ricki Wilde has many talents, but being a Wilde isn't one of them. As the impulsive, artistic daughter of a powerful Atlanta dynasty, she's the opposite of her famous socialite sisters. Where they're long-stemmed roses, she's a dandelion: an adorable bloom that's actually a weed, born to float wherever the wind blows. In her bones, Ricki knows that somewhere, a different, more exciting life awaits her. When regal nonagenarian, Ms. Della, invites her to rent the bottom floor of her Harlem brownstone, Ricki jumps at the chance for a fresh beginning. She leaves behind her family, wealth, and chaotic romantic decisions to realize her dream of opening a flower shop. And just beneath the surface of her new neighborhood, the music, stories and dazzling drama of the Harlem Renaissance still simmers. One evening in February as the heady, curiously off-season scent of night-blooming jasmine fills the air, Ricki encounters a handsome, deeply mysterious stranger who knocks her world off balance in the most unexpected way. Set against the backdrop of modern Harlem and Renaissance glamour, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is a swoon-worthy love story of two passionate artists drawn to the magic, romance, and opportunity of New York, and whose lives are uniquely and irreversibly linked.
WINNER OF THE CHAUTAUQUA PRIZE - LONGLISTED FOR THE STORY PRIZE - NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR - Refinery29 - BookRiot "Fuses science, myth, and imagination into a dark and gorgeous series of questions about our current predicaments."--Anthony Doerr, author of All the Light We Cannot See A dystopian tale about genetically modified septuplets who are struck by a mysterious illness; a love story about a man bewitched by a mermaid; a stirring imagining of the lives of Nigerian schoolgirls in the aftermath of a Boko Haram kidnapping. The stories in All the Names They Used for God break down genre barriers--from science fiction to American Gothic to magical realism to horror--and are united by each character's brutal struggle with fate. Like many of us, the characters in this collection are in pursuit of the sublime. Along the way, they must navigate the borderland between salvation and destruction. NAMED A MUST-READ BOOK BY Harper's Bazaar - Entertainment Weekly - AM New York - Reading Women AND A TOP READ BY Elle - Fast Company - The Christian Science Monitor - Bustle - Shondaland - Popsugar - Refinery29 - Bookish - Newsday - The Millions - Asian American Writers' Workshop - HelloGiggles "Strange and wonderful . . . delightfully unexpected."--The New York Times Book Review "Completing one [story] is like having lived an entire life, and then being born, breathless, into another."--Carmen Maria Machado "Captivating."--NPR "Gripping."--Los Angeles Review of Books "[A] remarkable debut . . . Sachdeva is seemingly fearless and her talent limitless."--AM New York "This phenomenal debut short-story collection is filled with stories that bring the otherworldly to life and examine the strangeness of humanity."--Bustle "So rich they read like dreams . . . They are enormous stories, not in length but in ambition, each an entirely new, unsparing world. Beautiful, draining--and entirely unforgettable."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Playful, biting, and timely, this is a must-read."--Publishers Weekly, starred review England, 2022. There are 1.2 million human-size rabbits living in the UK. They can walk, talk, and drive cars, the result of an inexplicable Spontaneous Anthropomorphizing Event fifty-five years earlier. A family of rabbits is about to move into Much Hemlock, a cozy little village where life revolves around summer fetes, jam making, gossipy corner stores, and the oh-so-important Spick & Span awards for the best-kept village. Citing imaginary threats of overbreeding and a radical vegan agenda, the villagers decide the rabbits must go, and soon. But the Rabbit family aren't easily moved--and strike up an unlikely alliance with neighbor Peter Knox, who knew Mrs. Rabbit three decades earlier at university. With the ruling United Kingdom Anti-Rabbit Party's plans to forcibly rehome all rabbits to Wales, Peter finds himself drawn deeper into the Rabbit Way, and is about to question everything he has ever thought about his friends, his nation, and his species. Sometimes, it'll take a rabbit to teach a human about humanity . . .
The acclaimed national and international bestseller
"Epic, romantic, and enthralling from start to finish."--Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Caraval series
"An all-consuming work of literary fantasy that is breathtaking both for its beauty and its suspense."--BookPage, starred review
A captivating and romantic debut epic fantasy inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang'e, in which a young woman's quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.
Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin's magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.
Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor's son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.
To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream--striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.
Daughter of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic, of loss and sacrifice--where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.
An enchanting, fact-filled treasury for the dog lover in all of us, from A to Z
Dogpedia is your gateway into the astonishing world of dogs. Featuring dozens of alphabetical entries on topics ranging from the wonders of dog evolution to the intricate ways dogs communicate with humans and each other, this enticing, pocket-friendly collection helps you to see dogs with new eyes and celebrate the amazing tapestry of our shared existence. Explore the remarkable interplay between humans and dogs with every turn of the page and discover how dogs have played starring roles in history, literature, and art. Immerse yourself in fun facts about dog biology and behavior, from appeasement signals and barking to counter surfing, dominance, growling, scent marking, and zoomies. Learn what fossilized poop can tell us about the history of dog domestication, how dogs in Siberia evolved adaptations to help them thrive in a frigid climate, how dogs have been weaponized for war and colonization, and why we refer to dogs as curs, mutts, and hounds. Meet famous dogs such as Argos, Balto, Boji, and Laika, and marvel at the interwoven destinies of our species and the profound impact dogs have had on our evolution, culture, and everyday lives. With captivating drawings that bring the entries to life, Dogpedia uncovers the enigma of dogs, revealing hidden treasures behind every wagging tail.
"An instant classic from one of the most gifted storytellers of our time, Impossible Creatures is an astonishing miracle of a book." --Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal Winner for The One and Only Ivan The day that Christopher saved a drowning baby griffin from a hidden lake would change his life forever. It's the day he learned about the Archipelago--a cluster of unmapped islands where magical creatures of every kind have thrived for thousands of years, until now. And it's the day he met Mal--a girl on the run, in desperate need of his help. Mal and Christopher embark on a wild adventure, racing from island to island, searching for someone who can explain why the magic is fading and why magical creatures are suddenly dying. They consult sphinxes, battle kraken, and negotiate with dragons. But the closer they get to the dark truth of what's happening, the clearer it becomes: no one else can fix this. If the Archipelago is to be saved, Mal and Christopher will have to do it themselves. Katherine Rundell's story crackles and roars with energy and delight. It is brought vividly to life with more than 60 illustrations, including a map and a bestiary of magical creatures.
* An October 2023 ABA "Indie Next List" Pick.
* A Publishers Weekly's "Writers to Watch" (Fall 2023)
An entrancing and prismatic debut novel by Christine Lai, set in a near future fraught with ecological collapse, Landscapes brilliantly explores memory, empathy, preservation, and art as an instrument for recollection and renewal.
In the English countryside--decimated by heat and drought--Penelope archives what remains of an estate's once notable collection. As she catalogues the library's contents, she keeps a diary of her final months in the dilapidated country house that has been her home for two decades and a refuge for those who have been displaced by disasters. Out of necessity, Penelope and her partner, Aidan, have sold the house and its scheduled demolition marks the pressing deadline for completing the archive. But with it also comes the impending return of Aidan's brother, Julian, at whose hands Penelope suffered during a brief but violent relationship twenty-two years before. As Julian's visit looms, Penelope finds herself unable to suppress the past, and she clings to art as a means of understanding, of survival, and of reckoning.
Recalling the works of Rachel Cusk and Kazuo Ishiguro, Landscapes is an elegiac and spellbinding blend of narrative, essay, and diary that reinvents the pastoral and the country house novel for our age of catastrophe, and announces the arrival of an extraordinarily gifted new writer.
Additional reading:
Necessary Fiction presents "Research Notes" by Landscapes author Christine Lai (September 15, 2023): The Research Notes series invites authors to describe their process for a recent book, with "research" defined as broadly as they like.
Read an excerpt:
Electric Literature presents "An Archivist for the End of the World," an excerpt from Landscapes by Christine Lai, recommended by Ayşegül Savaş.
Interviews:
Across the Pond podcast: Christine Lai, "Landscapes" Nov 28, 2023
Christine Lai reads from her debut novel, Landscapes, and speaks with Across the Pond hosts Lori Feathers and Sam Jordison about the inspiration behind the various elements infused in the novel, from personal trauma, Turner's artwork, ownership, colonization, refugees, climate devastation, healing through art, and so much more!
Origin Story Podcast: Christine Lai Oct 3, 2023
In the episode "Christine Lai on How Art Endures Even After Apocalypse," Origin Story hosts Phillip Russell and Ben Thorp speak with the novelist about the release of her debut novel, Landscapes, our enduring relationship to art, the book's editing process, the experience of publishing, what she is working on next, and so much more!
Bookin' Podcast: Christine Lai Sep 24, 2023
"This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Christine Lai, who discusses her new novel Landscapes, which is published by our friends at Two Dollar Radio. Topics of discussion include novels about art, what you can learn about a character based on their attitude towards another character's art (through the lens of Nabokov's Pale Fire), whether a critic can ever become a part of the art they are criticizing, Penelope as a name in literature, documentation, climate fiction, capitalism and possession, and much more. Copies of Landscapes can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+."
Interview Magazine: Christine Lai Sep 13, 2023
Amanda Paige Inman, for Interview Magazine, spoke with author Christine Lai about her debut novel, Landscapes, the challenges of writing certain characters, ruins, diaries, missed connections, the joys of collecting, Lai's enduring fascination with country houses, and so much more.
Write or Die Magazine: Christine Lai Sep 12, 2023
For Write or Die Magazine, Nirica Srinivasan spoke with author Christine Lai about the seed for the story of her debut novel, Landscapes, how she settled on the unique structure of the book, background behind the novel's many references, art, objects, violence, the ruinous, future setting, and much, much more.
Publishers Weekly: Writers to Watch, Fall 2023 Jun 30, 2023
Matt Seidel, for Publishers Weekly, spoke with Christine Lai, author of the debut novel Landscapes--included as one of "this season's crop of promising debut fiction [offering] timeless human dramas from fresh perspectives"--about how her novel came to be written, her inspirations, and more!
Q&A with Christine Lai Dec 12, 2022
Eric Obenauf, editorial director of Two Dollar Radio, talked with Christine Lai about her debut novel Landscapes: "The role of the writer is not unlike that of the archivist, bringing together images and ideas, saving them from dispersal and placing them into a collection that lends them meaning." We hope you enjoy this fascinating interview!
The first history of the notebook, a simple invention that changed the way the world thinks.
We see notebooks everywhere we go. But where did these indispensable implements come from? How did they revolutionize our lives? And how can using a notebook help change the way you think? In this wide-ranging history, Roland Allen reveals how the notebook became our most dependable and versatile tool for creative thinking. He tells the notebook stories of Leonardo and Frida Kahlo, Isaac Newton and Marie Curie, and writers from Chaucer to Henry James; shows how Darwin developed his theory of evolution in tiny pocket books and Agatha Christie plotted a hundred murders in scrappy exercise books; and introduces a host of cooks, kings, sailors, fishermen, musicians, engineers, politicians, adventurers, and mathematicians, all of whom used their notebooks as a space to think--and in doing so, shaped the modern world.
In an age of AI and digital overload, the humble notebook is more relevant than ever. Allen shows how bullet points can combat ADHD, journals can ease PTSD, and patient diaries soften the trauma of reawakening from coma. The everyday act of moving a pen across paper, he finds, can have profound consequences, changing the way we think and feel: making us more creative, more productive--and maybe even happier.