News - Book Reviews

News - Book Reviews

February 12, 2021

CROSSING THE LINE by Kareem Rosser received an enthusiastic review from InsideHook. Jason Diamond writes: “Rosser is humble and honest. His sensitivity comes across throughout the book. Vulnerability is exactly what gives CROSSING THE LINE its strength; Rosser not holding anything back is the key quality that makes this first-time author’s words worth your time.” The book was also selected as a Publishers Weekly Book of the Week: "Rosser debuts with the captivating story of how he came to be a champion polo player. This remarkable and inspiring story shines." St. Martin’s Press published the book on February 9, 2021.

February 12, 2021

New reviews are in for Lucy Ives’s short story collection COSMOGONY, celebrating its inventiveness and intellectualism. Kirkus praises: "A dozen improvisatory narratives from a mind that just won't stop… Everything a grad student in semiotics could dream of is here." Meanwhile, Booklist writes: "Ives has the rare ability to boomerang reality totally out of whack before calling it home in an even purer form." Soft Skull will publish the book on March 9, 2021.

February 12, 2021

EVERYTHING NOW by Rosecrans Baldwin received a glowing blurb from YOUR HOUSE WILL PAY author Steph Cha. She writes: “I was born in Los Angeles and intend to die here—there’s no place in the world I love more. I'm also constantly furious about the many ways it falls short of its promise. Rosecrans Baldwin has taken on the unwieldy task of portraying this unique, enormous city in all its overlapping, contradictory layers, and incredibly, he succeeds. With vivid stories and a ready knowledge of local literature and history, he captures the sunshine and noir of 21st Century L.A.: both the multitudinous roar of life and the untenable, unconscionable inequality.”
MCD will publish the novel on June 15, 2021.

February 5, 2021

CLOUDMAKER by Malcolm Brooks received a starred review from Library Journal. They write: “With a nod to Ivan Doig’s straightforward folksy style, this impressive second novel after PAINTED HORSES tells an earnest, heartfelt family story with laugh-out-loud humor, deep-seated family conflicts, and distressing coming-of-age crises. Enthusiastically recommended.” Grove Press will publish the book on March 9, 2021.

February 5, 2021

Alex McElroy’s THE ATMOSPHERIANS continues to receive wonderful praise in advance of its May publication. Pulitzer Prize-nominated author of IN THE DISTANCE Hernan Diaz calls the book “[r]arefied, unstable, charged,” and “[a] sophisticated farce about alienation [that] takes our absurd age seriously –which is to say it laughs, darkly, in its face.” Meanwhile, WHY VISIT AMERICA AND HYBRID CREATURES author Matt Baker deems McElroy’s work “[a]n astonishing vision. Every page contains a new wonder, another breathtaking surprise. This novel satisfies a hunger you might have never even realized was there.” Atria Books will publish the novel on May 18, 2021.

February 5, 2021

Daniel Loedel’s debut novel, HADES, ARGENTINA, is featured in the New Yorker’s Briefly Noted section for its February 8 issue. The magazine praises the way in which “this haunting historical novel…weaves betrayal and sacrifice together so intricately that one cannot be disentangled from the other.” Riverhead Books published the book on January 12, 2021.

February 5, 2021

Jen Silverman’s WE PLAY OURSELVES is featured on the New York Times Book Review’s shortlist. Reviewer Ginny Hogan writes: “WE PLAY OURSELVES offers a delightful, satirical glimpse into the entertainment industry and the price of fame…Silverman balances wit with earnestness, the laugh-out-loud moments highlighting the absurdity of writing — whether plays, films or poetry, the genre she skewers most adroitly in a pitch-perfect parody of an overhyped ingénue.” The novel is also featured on February must-read lists for O, the Oprah Magazine and The Millions, and Book Riot selected it as the Capricorn pick for its “February 2021 Horoscope Book Recommendations.” Random House will publish the book on February 9, 2021.

February 5, 2021

Georgia Clark’s delightful new rom-com, IT HAD TO BE YOU, has received three more glowing endorsements. #1 New York Times bestselling author of 28 SUMMERS Elin Hilderbrand raves: “IT HAD TO BE YOU is the book-equivalent of a perfect first date. It’s instantly engaging, fun, inclusive, big-hearted and most importantly, it’s smart. Georgia Clark is a fierce talent and her storytelling powers are on full display here. I’m SMITTEN with this novel. Highly highly recommended!” MUSICAL CHAIRS author Amy Poeppel deems the book “delightfully festive…like attending a spirited, joyful wedding,” and I’M FINE AND NEITHER ARE YOU author Camille Pagán calls it “unexpected in the best possible way…[with] a perfectly imperfect cast of characters, just the right mix of humor and heart, and a plot that will have you flipping the pages as fast as you can read.” Emily Bestler Books will the novel on May 4, 2021.

February 5, 2021

Author and activist Sarah Schulman provided a glowing blurb for Olivia Laing's forthcoming EVERYBODY. She writes: "EVERYBODY is a riveting and fascinating innovative historiography of 20th century Euro-American radical thought. Olivia Laing's eagle eye connects previously dispersed impulses to understand and express with her lucid writing, revealing mostly Jewish, Female, and Black desires for radical social transformation through sexuality, liberation and the body. Brainy, open-hearted and bold." W.W. Norton & Company will publish the book on May 4, 2021.

February 5, 2021

WHY WE BELIEVE by Agustin Fuentes was reviewed by the Journal of Anthropological Research. Jonathan Marks writes: “Fuentes articulates his ideas in thoughtful chapters on religion, economy, and love. A reliable anthropological foundation for theologians and philosophers to work with.” Yale University Press published the book on September 24, 2019.