|
May the Force Be With You
Today is a very special day for very many people (read as: Star Wars fans). It’s the fourth of May and its #StarWarsDay. While I’m definitely a fan, I’m not as big of a fan as a lot of folks out there. I know that there are levels of force fandom that I haven’t even fathomed, but what I do see is an already passionate and huge community and that’s pretty cool. The eighth installment of the series, The Last Jedi, is set to hit theaters December 15th --- you can peep the trailer here. It’s also Carrie Fisher’s final appearance in a film (still sad that she passed away last December) and it’ll be oh so bittersweet to see Princess Leia one last time. You can count on there being a handful of fun events leading up to the release, and one that caught my eye is worth mentioning. It's perfect for concert lovers and those in the NYC/Tri-state area --- the New York Philharmonic's Star Wars: Film Concert Series. Needless to say, it looks awesome. Tickets went on sale to the public today, so click here to learn more --- and may the force be with you.
Yesterday’s Google doc hack reminded me that internet privacy is more of a privilege than a right these days, and the World Wide Web can be a super scary place. The whole ordeal brought me back to one of my favorite shows on the air these days --- “Mr. Robot.” Maybe you’ve heard of it and maybe you haven’t. In any case, it’s definitely worth checking out if you woke up to your internet safety yesterday. The drama-thriller series on USA focuses on modern-day hackers and their attempt to bring down the largest corporate conglomerate. I’m warning you now that it may fuel your cyberspace fears, but Rami Malek’s performance is a tour de force that should not be missed (he took home the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor - Drama in 2016). Season 3 premieres in October, so catch up now if you need to, and until then, remember to check yourself, protect yourself and change your passwords often.
Speaking of TV shows, “The Handmaid’s Tale” premiered last week on Hulu to glowing reviews. If you’ve been living under a rock, the show is based off of Margaret Atwood’s 1985 dystopian book of the same name in which the US government is overthrown by a totalitarian dictatorship, leaving the class system incredibly divided and women’s rights inordinately limited. Elisabeth Moss (Peggy from “Mad Men”) plays the narrator and protagonist of the series, Offred, alongside Alexis Bledel (Rory from “Gilmore Girls”). I’m only one episode in, and so far it’s excellent. Click here to see the New York Times roundup of reviews for the show. If you already read THE HANDMAID’S TALE and you’re looking for other Atwood titles to binge, click here.
Done with dystopian? No worries. Here are some other titles to check out:
In Leah DeCesare’s FORKS, KNIVES, AND SPOONS, there are three kinds of guys: forks, knives and spoons. That is the final lesson that Amy York’s father sends her off to college with, never suspecting just how far his daughter will take it. Clinging to the Utensil Classification System as her guide, Amy tries to convince her skeptical roommate, Veronica Warren, of its usefulness as they navigate the heartbreaks and soul mates of college and beyond. Beginning in 1988, their freshman year at Syracuse University, Amy and Veronica meet an assortment of guys --- from slotted spoons and shrimp forks to butter knives and sporks --- all while trying to learn if the UCS holds true.
Lisa Jewell tells the story of single mom Alice Lake, who finds a man sitting on the beach outside her house in a windswept British seaside town in I FOUND YOU. He has no name, no jacket, and no idea how he got there. Against her better judgment, she invites him inside. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Lily Monrose has only been married for three weeks. When her new husband fails to come home from work one night, she is left stranded in a new country where she knows no one. Then the police tell her that her husband never existed. Twenty-three years earlier, Gray and Kirsty are teenagers on a summer holiday with their parents. An enigmatic young man soon starts paying extra attention to Kirsty. Something about him makes Gray uncomfortable --- and it’s not just that he’s playing the role of protective older brother.
LETTERMAN: The Last Giant of Late Night by Jason Zinoman is all about the man who redefined the modern talk show with an ironic comic style that transcended traditional television in a career spanning more than 30 years. While he remains one of the most famous stars in America, he is a remote, even reclusive, figure whose career is widely misunderstood. In LETTERMAN, Jason Zinoman mixes groundbreaking reporting with unprecedented access and probing critical analysis to explain the unique entertainer’s titanic legacy. Moving from his early days in Indiana to his retirement, Zinoman goes behind the scenes of Letterman’s television career to illuminate the origins of his revolutionary comedy, its overlooked influences, and how his work intersects with and reveals his famously eccentric personality.
Done with dystopian and looking for something a little more...spiritual? Scroll down to read more about MATERIAL GIRL, MYSTICAL WORLD.
Happy reading!
5 Things To Obsess About This Very Moment, in no particular order:
1. Chris Pratt and Baby Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 hitting theaters tomorrow
2. The disaster that was/was not Fyre Festival
3. Cinco de Mayo festivities
4. Netflix's new "Making a Murderer" is "The Keepers"
5. The book-to-screen adaptation of CRAZY RICH ASIANS now has a cast
--- Nicole Sherman
Featured Title: MATERIAL GIRL, MYSTICAL WORLD by Ruby Warrington
MATERIAL GIRL, MYSTICAL WORLD: The Now Age Guide to a High-Vibe Life by Ruby Warrington (Personal Growth)
Utterly transporting and stylish, MATERIAL GIRL, MYSTICAL WORLD takes you on an unforgettable journey through modern spirituality --- from meditation and tarot to astrology --- guided by wise and witty tastemaker Ruby Warrington, founder of The Numinous.
Inspired by the consciousness-shifting traditions that have moved seekers for generations, MATERIAL GIRL, MYSTICAL WORLD is a fabulous adventure in the “Now Age” --- a sophisticated upgrade on cosmic thinking, from healing crystals to doing your dharma, for women who know that a closetful of designer shoes can happily coexist with a deeply meaningful life.
Set against the backdrop of author Ruby Warrington’s own transformative path from her dream job as an influential fashion journalist to creating The Numinous, the high-style, high-vibe online magazine about spirituality for modern women, MATERIAL GIRL, MYSTICAL WORLD invites readers on a colorful journey to discover their own path to personal enlightenment in every area of life --- from love, sex and relationships to fashion, beauty, health and wellness.
Combining the wit and charm of a modern-day Carrie Bradshaw with the stylish soul of Elizabeth Gilbert, Warrington shows us that it is within our power, right now, to create a life that is both intentional and fabulous --- while also contributing to a major shift in global consciousness.
From how to survive and thrive at Burning Man to creating rituals that celebrate the Divine Feminine to exploring the shaman in you, MATERIAL GIRL, MYSTICAL WORLD is an inspiring call to arms for women looking to find their authenticity and voice in business, relationships and spirit, from Brooklyn to London to Venice, CA, and Black Rock City and beyond. A writer to watch, Warrington bestows on readers her wry, winning and ultimately wise take on modern life.
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE by Elizabeth Strout (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Kimberly Farr
Here are two sisters: One trades self-respect for a wealthy husband, while the other finds in the pages of a book a kindred spirit who changes her life. The janitor at the local school has his faith tested in an encounter with an isolated man he has come to help; a grown daughter longs for mother love even as she comes to accept her mother’s happiness in a foreign country; and the adult Lucy Barton (the heroine of MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON, Elizabeth Strout's celebrated New York Times bestseller) returns to visit her siblings after 17 years of absence. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
BEARTOWN by Fredrik Backman (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Marin Ireland
A tiny community nestled deep in the forest, Beartown is slowly losing ground to the ever encroaching trees. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, built generations ago by the working men who founded this town. And in that ice rink is the reason people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be better than today. Their junior ice hockey team is about to compete in the national semifinals, and they actually have a shot at winning. Being responsible for the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and the semifinal match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made, and like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
THE BOY IN THE EARTH written by Fuminori Nakamura, translated by Allison Markin Powell (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, narrated by Brian Nishii
As an unnamed Tokyo taxi driver works a night shift, picking up fares that offer him glimpses into the lives of ordinary people, he can’t escape his own nihilistic thoughts. Almost without meaning to, he puts himself in harm’s way; he can’t stop daydreaming of suicide, envisioning himself returning to the earth in obsessive fantasies that soon become terrifying blackout episodes. The truth is, his long-estranged father has tried to reach out to him, triggering a cascade of traumatic memories. As the cab driver wrestles with the truth about his past and the history of violence in his childhood, he must also confront his present, which is no less complicated or grim. Reviewed by Austin Manchester.
EVERY NIGHT I DREAM OF HELL by Malcolm Mackay (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Angus King
Nate Colgan is a violent man, a “smart muscle” for the Jamieson organization. But now, with its most powerful individuals either dead or behind bars, things within the organization are beginning to shift. When Nate is reluctantly appointed its new “security consultant,” he can little imagine how things are about to unravel. It begins with an execution, and soon the various factions within the organization are sent into chaos. But out of the confusion comes one clear fact: a new group has arrived in Glasgow, and in their quest for power they are prepared to ignite a war. But who is behind the group? And why has the calculating Zara Cope --- the mother of Nate's child --- suddenly appeared back in town? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE FIX by David Baldacci (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Kyf Brewer and Orlagh Cassidy
Amos Decker witnesses a murder just outside FBI headquarters. A man shoots a woman execution-style on a crowded sidewalk, then turns the gun on himself. Decker and his team can find absolutely no connection between the shooter and his victim. Enter Harper Brown. An agent of the Defense Intelligence Agency, she orders Decker to back off the case. The murder is part of an open DIA investigation, one so classified that Decker and his team aren't cleared for it. But they learn that the DIA believes solving the murder is now a matter of urgent national security. Critical information may have been leaked to a hostile government --- or worse, an international terrorist group --- and an attack may be imminent. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
FORKS, KNIVES, AND SPOONS by Leah DeCesare (Fiction)
There are three kinds of guys: forks, knives and spoons. That is the final lesson that Amy York’s father sends her off to college with, never suspecting just how far his daughter will take it. Clinging to the Utensil Classification System as her guide, Amy tries to convince her skeptical roommate, Veronica Warren, of its usefulness as they navigate the heartbreaks and soul mates of college and beyond. Beginning in 1988, their freshman year at Syracuse University, Amy and Veronica meet an assortment of guys --- from slotted spoons and shrimp forks to butter knives and sporks --- all while trying to learn if the UCS holds true. Reviewed by Allison Sharp.
GOLDEN PREY by John Sandford (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Richard Ferrone
A Biloxi, Mississippi, drug-cartel counting house gets robbed, and suitcases full of cash disappear, leaving behind five bodies, including that of a six-year-old girl. Lucas Davenport --- who now works for the U.S. Marshals Service --- takes the case, which quickly spirals out of control, as cartel assassins, including a torturer known as the “Queen of home-improvement tools,” compete with Davenport to find the Dixie Hicks shooters who knocked over the counting house. Things get ugly really fast, and neither the cartel killers nor the holdup men give a damn about whose lives Davenport might have saved; to them, he’s just another large target. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
GONE WITHOUT A TRACE by Mary Torjussen (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Emily Pennant-Rea
Hannah Monroe's boyfriend, Matt, is gone. His belongings have disappeared from their house. Every call she ever made to him, every text she ever sent, every photo of him and any sign of him on social media have vanished. It's as though their last four years together never happened. As Hannah struggles to get through the next few days, with humiliation and recriminations whirring through her head, she knows that she'll do whatever it takes to find him again and get answers. But as soon as her search starts, she realizes she is being led into a maze of madness and obsession. Step by suspenseful step, Hannah discovers her only way out is to come face to face with the shocking truth. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
I FOUND YOU by Lisa Jewell (Psychological Suspense)
Audiobook available, read by Helen Duff
In a windswept British seaside town, single mom Alice Lake finds a man sitting on the beach outside her house. He has no name, no jacket, and no idea how he got there. Against her better judgment, she invites him inside. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Lily Monrose has only been married for three weeks. When her new husband fails to come home from work one night, she is left stranded in a new country where she knows no one. Then the police tell her that her husband never existed. Twenty-three years earlier, Gray and Kirsty are teenagers on a summer holiday with their parents. An enigmatic young man soon starts paying extra attention to Kirsty. Something about him makes Gray uncomfortable --- and it’s not just that he’s playing the role of protective older brother. Reviewed by Katherine B. Weissman.
LETTERMAN: The Last Giant of Late Night by Jason Zinoman (Biography/Entertainment)
Audiobook available, read by Michael Goldstrom
In a career spanning more than 30 years, David Letterman redefined the modern talk show with an ironic comic style that transcended traditional television. While he remains one of the most famous stars in America, he is a remote, even reclusive, figure whose career is widely misunderstood. In LETTERMAN, Jason Zinoman mixes groundbreaking reporting with unprecedented access and probing critical analysis to explain the unique entertainer’s titanic legacy. Moving from his early days in Indiana to his retirement, Zinoman goes behind the scenes of Letterman’s television career to illuminate the origins of his revolutionary comedy, its overlooked influences, and how his work intersects with and reveals his famously eccentric personality. Reviewed by John Bentlyewski.
MARSHALL'S LAW by Ben Sanders (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by George Newbern
Ex-undercover cop Marshall Grade is hiding out in California when he learns that federal agent Lucas Cohen has survived a kidnapping. Cohen was Marshall’s ticket into witness protection, and his captors have a simple question: Where’s Marshall now? Marshall’s undercover work gave him a long list of enemies, and the enemy in this case is a corrupt businessman named Dexter Vine. Vine is almost broke, in debt to people even worse than himself, and he wants to settle old scores while he has time. He’s hired Ludo Coltrane --- a nonchalant psychopath and part-time bar manager --- to find Marshall at any cost. Ludo is no stranger to killing, but his associate, the cash-strapped ex-con Perry Rhodes, may prove more of a liability than an asset. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
NEVERTHELESS: A Memoir by Alec Baldwin (Memoir)
Audiobook available, performed by Alec Baldwin
In NEVERTHELESS, Alec Baldwin transcends his public persona, making public facets of his life he has long kept private. He introduces us to the Long Island child who felt burdened by his family’s financial strains and his parents’ unhappy marriage; the Washington, DC, college student gearing up for a career in politics; the self-named "Love Taxi" who helped friends solve their romantic problems while neglecting his own; the young soap actor learning from giants of the theater; the addict drawn to drugs and alcohol who struggles with sobriety; the husband and father who acknowledges his failings and battles to overcome them; and the consummate professional for whom the work is everything. Reviewed by Sarah Jackman.
NO EASY TARGET by Iris Johansen (Thriller)
Audiobook available, narrated by Elisabeth Rodgers
Raised off the grid in an abusive home, Margaret Douglas’ only escape was the nearby forest where she sought refuge. There, she discovered a strange gift: the ability to understand animals and to communicate with them. But her abilities have not gone unnoticed, and there are those who would use them for their own purposes. Determined not to be a pawn in anyone’s game, every time someone gets too close, Margaret uproots her life and outruns them. When CIA operative John Lassiter breaks into Margaret’s apartment, she vanishes again, but Lassiter has good reason to be persistent. As a CIA operative, he owes his life to his men, one of whom is being held captive by an unrelenting enemy --- an enemy who has set his sights on Margaret. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
THE RED HUNTER by Lisa Unger (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Julia Whelan
Claudia Bishop’s perfect life fell apart when the aftermath of a brutal assault left her with a crumbling marriage, a newborn daughter, and a constant sense of anxiety about the world around her. Now, looking for a fresh start with a home restoration project and a growing blog, Claudia takes on a crumbling old house --- one that unbeknownst to her has an ugly history and may hide long-buried secrets. For Zoey Drake, the defining moment of her childhood was the horrific home invasion murder of her parents. Years later, she has embraced the rage that fuels her and is ready to face the demons from the past. These two women are on a collision course, because Zoey’s past nightmare and Claudia’s dreams for her future take place in the very same house. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
ROUGHNECK by Jeff Lemire (Graphic Novel)
Derek Ouelette’s glory days are behind him. His hockey career ended a decade earlier in a violent incident on ice, and since then he’s been living off his reputation in the remote northern community where he grew up, drinking too much and fighting anyone who crosses him. But he never counts on his long-lost sister, Beth, showing up one day out of the blue, back in town and on the run from an abusive boyfriend. Looking to hide out for a while, the two siblings hunker down in a secluded hunting camp deep in the local woods. It is there that they attempt to find a way to reconnect with each other and the painful secrets of their past...even as Beth’s ex draws closer. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
A WELCOME MURDER by Robin Yocum (Mystery)
After his unspectacular professional baseball career ends with a knee injury in Toledo, Ohio, Johnny Earl gets busted for selling cocaine. After serving seven years in prison, all he wants to do is return to his hometown of Steubenville, retrieve the drug money he stashed before he went to jail, and start a new life where no one has ever heard of Johnny Earl. However, before he can leave town with his money, Johnny is picked up for questioning in the murder of Rayce Daubner, the FBI informant who had set him up on drug charges in the first place. Then his former prison cellmate shows up --- a white supremacist who wants the drug money to help fund an Aryan nation in the wilds of Idaho. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
WHAT IT MEANS WHEN A MAN FALLS FROM THE SKY: Stories by Lesley Nneka Arimah (Magical Realism/Short Stories)
Audiobook available, read by Adjoa Andoh
In “Who Will Greet You at Home,” a woman desperate for a child weaves one out of hair, with unsettling results. In “Wild,” a disastrous night out shifts a teenager and her Nigerian cousin onto uneasy common ground. In "The Future Looks Good," three generations of women are haunted by the ghosts of war, while in "Light," a father struggles to protect and empower the daughter he loves. And in the title story, in a world ravaged by flood and riven by class, experts have discovered how to "fix the equation of a person" --- with rippling, unforeseen repercussions. This debut collection explores the ties that bind parents and children, husbands and wives, lovers and friends to one another and to the places they call home. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.
180 SECONDS by Jessica Park (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Arielle DeLisle
Allison is determined to keep others at arm’s length. But as she begins her third year in college, she finds it increasingly difficult to disappear into the white noise pouring from her earbuds. Allison is roped into a social experiment just off campus. She finds herself in front of a crowd, forced to interact with a complete stranger for 180 seconds. Neither she, nor Esben Baylor, the dreamy social media star seated opposite her, is prepared for the outcome. The intensity of the experience overwhelms Allison and Esben in a way that unnerves and electrifies them both. Allison embarks on a journey to find out if what she and Esben shared is the real thing. Reviewed by Jessica K., Teen Board Member.
BANG by Barry Lyga (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Charlie Thurston
Sebastian Cody did something horrible, something no one --- not even Sebastian himself --- can forgive. At the age of four, he accidentally shot and killed his infant sister with his father's gun. Now, 10 years later, Sebastian has lived with the guilt and horror for his entire life. With his best friend away for the summer, Sebastian has only a new friend, Aneesa, to distract him from his darkest thoughts. But even this relationship cannot blunt the pain of his past. Because Sebastian knows exactly how to rectify his childhood crime and sanctify his past. It took a gun to get him into this. Now he needs a gun to get out. Reviewed by Audrey Slater.
DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING by Tricia Levenseller (Historical Fiction/Fantasy)
Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map --- the key to a legendary treasure trove --- 17-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship. More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King. Reviewed by Sabina Z., Teen Board Member.
DEFY THE STARS by Claudia Gray (Science Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Nate Begle and Kasey Lee Huizinga
Noemi Vidal is 17-years-old and sworn to protect her planet, Genesis. She's willing to risk anything --- including her own life. Abandoned in space for years, utterly alone, Abel has advanced programming that's begun to evolve. He wants only to protect his creator, and to be free. Noemi and Abel are enemies in an interstellar war, forced by chance to work together as they embark on a daring journey through the stars. Their efforts would end the fighting for good, but they're not without sacrifice. The stakes are even higher than either of them first realized, and the more time they spend together, the more they're forced to question everything they'd been taught was true. Reviewed by Makayla H., Teen Board Member.
IT WASN’T ALWAYS LIKE THIS by Joy Preble (Mystery)
Audiobook available, narrated by Jennifer Grace
In 1916, Emma O’Neill is frozen in time. After sampling an experimental polio vaccine brewed on a remote island off St. Augustine, Florida, she and her family stop aging --- as do the Ryans, her family’s business partners. In a way, this suits Emma fine because she’s in love with Charlie Ryan. Being seventeen forever with him is a dream. But soon a group of religious fanatics, the Church of Light, takes note. Drinking the elixir has made the O’Neills and Ryans impervious to aging, but not to murder --- Emma and Charlie are the only ones who escape with their lives.
ROYCE ROLLS by Margaret Stohl (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Erin Spencer
Sixteen-year-old Bentley Royce seems to have it all: an actual Bentley, tuition to a fancy private school, lavish vacations, and everything else that comes along with being an LA starlet. But after five seasons on her family's reality show, Rolling with the Royces, and a lifetime of dealing with her narcissistic sister, Porsche, media-obsessed mother, Mercedes, and somewhat clueless brother, Maybach, Bentley wants out. Luckily for her, without a hook for season six, cancellation is looming and freedom is nigh. Reviewed by Juliette G., Teen Board Member.
THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING by Erin Chack (Nonfiction/Essays)
Audiobook available, narrated by Erin Chack
BuzzFeed senior writer Erin Chack hits you in the guts, the feels and the funny bone all at once with this collection of personal essays that reads like Sloane Crosley for the Snapchat generation. In turns hysterically funny and heartbreakingly poignant, Erin recounts everything from meeting her soulmate at age 14 to her first chemotherapy session at age 19 to what really goes on behind the scenes at a major Internet media company. Reviewed by Rebecca D., Teen Board Member.
UNEARTHLY THINGS by Michelle Gagnon (Supernatural Thriller)
Audiobook available, narrated by Michi Barall
After losing her parents in a tragic accident, surfer girl Janie Mason trades the sunny beaches of Hawaii for the cold fog of San Francisco and new guardians --- the Rochesters. The only person she can relate to is Daniel, a fellow surfer. Still, something isn’t right in the Rochester mansion. Then John, the black sheep of the family, returns after getting kicked out of yet another boarding school. Soon Janie finds herself torn between devil-may-care John and fiercely loyal Daniel. Just when she thinks her life can’t get any more complicated, she learns the truth about why the Rochesters took her in. Reviewed by Sally Tibbetts and Killian Walsh.
THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED by Becky Albertalli (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Arielle DeLisle
Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love. No matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can’t stomach the idea of rejection. So she’s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful. Then a cute new girl enters Cassie’s orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly’s cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly's totally not dying of loneliness --- except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie's new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. If Molly can win him over, she'll get her first kiss and she'll get her twin back. Reviewed by Danielle F., Teen Board Member.
|
