Hi reading pals,
I regret to inform you (and me) that I’m still in a reading rut. I’m pretty sure it’s because I’m in an uncertain place with the book I’m currently writing. My attention span isn’t what it usually is for non-A+ books. And if a book is an A+, I almost don’t want to read it for fear I’ll explode—POOF!—into a black cloud of jealousy and self-doubt. I’m not proud of that.
Also, I’ve been reading in little snatches—20 minutes here or there—instead of my usual weekday evening or weekend morning binges where I might get through half a book in one sitting. I’m learning these small windows just don’t work for me. Luckily, I have a long flight back from London on Thursday and I’m hoping to find my reading groove over the Atlantic.
All that’s to say, this month’s reviews are on the light side (one measly book; but I have a couple more in progress for July already), but there are plenty of new releases for your radar and book-to-screen news below, too.
Books I loved in June:
THE PARIS NOVEL by Ruth Reichl (Bookshop | Amazon)
Who is this for? Foodies who have a worldwide restaurant bucket list.
This novel by a former NYT food critic was a cozy hug. Boring, straitlaced Stella travels abroad after her mother wills her a small sum of money with the condition it must be spent on a trip to Paris. Set in the 80’s, the novel’s Paris is a throwback, ditto the experience of traveling pre-internet. The book had me yearning for a European getaway sans phone and a reservation at every restaurant mentioned in the book (all of which are real; only some of which are still around). Another favorite aspect of Reichl’s books is how she weaves real historical figures through her stories (in this one: famed Shakespeare & Co proprietor George Whitman, author James Baldwin, painting model Victorine Meurent, and more).
It was also incredibly special to read this after seeing Ruth speak about the real-life story that inspired this book at an event I attended in early May at the Charleston Library Society. This interview with the author on the Cherry Bombe podcast is a good proxy.
New Release Radar:
Phew, I’m relieved we made it through the release-heavy spring months. Is it just me, or do you also feel like 8 million books you want to read came out in June? I have these July releases on my radar, but I’m also going to be using the summer and fall to catch up on titles I missed earlier this year and my backlist TBR as new releases slow to a trickle as we near the election.
July 2: BREAKING THE DARK by Lisa Jewell (Bookshop | Amazon): I read my first Lisa Jewell book in May and loved it. She’s on a pretty regular book a year schedule (respect/awe), so imagine my surprise that this year’s release is in partnership with Marvel using the Jessica Jones character who has retired from superhero-ing and moves to a small English village only to get sucked into… I’m not sure what? Solving a cozy mystery? Begrudgingly saving people? Will this veer more Lisa Jewell or Marvel Cinematic Universe? I have so many questions…
July 2: THE GOD OF THE WOODS by Liz Moore (Bookshop | Amazon): Set in 1975, this book about the hunt for a wealthy camper who goes missing from her bunk at an Adirondacks summer camp came highly recommended by when she joined the pod for our 2nd half of the year reading preview episode.
July 2: WHOEVER YOU ARE, HONEY (Bookshop | Amazon): This dystopian novel is pitched as Stepford Wives in Silicon Valley. Honestly, say no more.
July 9: HUMOR ME by Cat Shook (Bookshop | Amazon): A late night show assistant finds mentorship from a friend of her late mother’s, who is determined to take her under her wing (and set her up with her son…). I’m drawn to anything with a tie-in to the NYC stand-up comedy scene, and can’t wait to check this one out.
July 9: LONG ISLAND COMPROMISE by Taffy Brodesser-Akner (Bookshop | Amazon): The newest novel from the author of FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE follows a family whose patriarch is kidnapped from his driveway in a wealthy Long Island enclave and held for ransom. Forty years later, as the family comes together for a funeral, has the family been able to put the past behind them? (I assume no…)
July 16: THE LOST STORY by Meg Shaffer (Bookshop | Amazon): I adored this author’s 2023 debut and am excited for her follow-up, which is inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia. This one follows two men who disappeared in a forest for six months as children, one of whom is now investigating a new, similar disappearance.
July 16: WHERE ARE YOU, ECHO BLUE? By Hayley Krischer (Bookshop | Amazon): A dual POV novel following a famous child star who goes missing on the eve of Y2K and the ambitious journalist and fan trying to find her. I’ve seen ample comps to DAISY JONES, but the flap copy also invokes a lot of young Drew Barrymore. This one sounds super juicy!
July 16: THE BRIGHT SWORD by Lev Grossman (Bookshop | Amazon): This book about oddball Arthurian knights doesn’t sound up my alley at all, but after THE MAGICIANS (one of my all-time favorite series), I’ll try anything Grossman writes.
July 23: SLOW DANCE by Rainbow Rowell (Bookshop | Amazon): I’ve heard good things about the first adult romance by this acclaimed YA author. Two high school best friends everyone assumed would end up together… didn’t. Until they run into each other as lost adults at a wedding and everything’s changed.
July 30: THE WEDDING PEOPLE by Alison Espach (Bookshop | Amazon): A woman whose life has fallen apart is mistaken for a wedding guest at a historic Newport, RI hotel and becomes the type-A bride’s unlikely confidante. Goodreads seems to agree this is a cozy comfort read.
Books to Big Screen News:
Here’s the latest book adaptation news on my radar. Publicists, producers, bookish insiders: if you have tips for next month, my inbox is open (beccafreemanbooks@gmail.com).
Laura Dern and Margaret Qualley are set to star in FOREVER, INTERRUPTED, the latest Taylor Jenkins Reid adaptation, which is in the works at Netflix.
I’m so glad there’s an adaptation of Lisa Jewell’s NONE OF THIS IS TRUE in the works. First off, I loved this book, but second of all, my hairdresser and I were trying to fan cast it a few weeks ago and coming up blank.
Start stockpiling tissues now, there’s also an adaptation of audiobook narrator extraordinaire Julia Whelan’s novel MY OXFORD YEAR coming to Netflix. It sounds like this one’s decently far along: it has a script already in revisions, and now this casting news.
Filming for PROJECT HAIL MARY is officially underway! Also, I was deeply charmed that Greta Gerwig stopped by set (presumably to lend the movie’s star, Ryan Gosling, some Ken-ergy).
Why do studios keep dropping adaptation news before a book comes out? Presumably to build buzz. But do people really care if they haven’t read the book yet? Anyways, back in March it was announced that the Lucy Foley’s latest novel, THE MIDNIGHT FEAST, is going to be a TV series.
Pecival Everett’s novel JAMES—a retelling of Huckleberry Finn from the enslaved Jim’s point of view—is getting a splashy movie adaptation. Stephen Spielberg is executive producing and Taika Watiti is in talks to direct.
The QUEENIE adaptation—based on Candace Carty’s 2019 novel—has begun streaming on Hulu, except I haven’t heard a peep about it. Have you watched? Did you like it?
Emily Henry announced that HAPPY PLACE is being adapted into a TV series for Netflix with J.Lo’s production company. Talk about things I didn’t have on my 2024 bingo card. Do you think EmHen has had a zoom call with Jen? Do you think Jen made Ben read it before picking up the rights? These questions threaten to break my brain.
And that’s this month’s book report. Until next time.
Becca
Cat Shook is one of my favorite authors!! Glad to see Humor Me on this list. Her debut If We’re Being Honest is also 🔥🔥
I so appreciate this report! Very excited to hear about My Oxford Year! I added The Paris Novel and Slow Dance to my TBR.