July books we're excited about

Also this week: The new wave of post-Trump books, critics' picks and more

View this email online by Petra Mayer NPR Good grief, how is it JULY already? It feels as if last week I was raising a cautious toast to the new year, and today I'm sitting on the front stoop with an ice pop watching fireflies (it's only unpleasantly hot and stormy here, for which I count myself very lucky). Anyhow -- we're trying something a little new, starting right now: A monthly preview of some of the books we're especially excited for. From a reworking of the legends of the Round Table to a meditation on loneliness -- click here to find out what our critics are digging this July. Newsletter continues after sponsor message "A graphic novel about preteen kids who hoard cardboard and pretend to be beasts and monsters?" asks our kids' books columnist Juanita Giles. "Does Chad Sell live in my house? (If so, he's hiding really well)." Sell's new book The Cardboard Kingdom: Roar of the Beast looks like a cute story about kids playing pretend. But Giles says it's much more than that -- it's a story for little kids on the verge of being big, who might not be ready for that gigantic change. Read her review here. Donald Trump's presidency saw a host of tell-all books hit the shelves -- and now the post-Trump books are here. Our own Danielle Kurtzleben says that "judging from the excerpts that have been released, this first wave of post-presidency books is filled with behind-closed-doors details — such as, for example, how gravely ill Trump was with COVID-19." Kurtzleben has a roundup of some of the newest titles -- and a look at how the Trump era affected publishing. You can check that out here. Finally this week, reviewer Clare Marie Schneider says "plot does not anchor or propel" the stories in Clare Sestanovich's debut collection Objects of Desire, but that's their beauty. "The stories contain plot insomuch as real life contains plot: we make sense and meaning out of what we're given." Zoe Hana Mikuta's YA debut (we have a lot of debuts this week!) Gearbreakers pits a mecha pilot and a daring rebel against a menacing empire. Critic Caitlyn Paxson says the book has some flaws, but "readers looking for a different sort of mecha tale than the usual fare will find a lot to invest in." And critic Denny S. Bryce says that Blackout -- a new collection of YA romance tales from six best-selling Black authors, all set during a New York City blackout -- may have been written for young adults, but it's a "must-read for all generations." I hope books bring you what you need this week! — Petra Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WBEZ (edit station). What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: books@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Pop Culture, Code Switch and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Books emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy