The Little Big Things Musical on Stage, Book Riot on Book Bans, Obituary Notes for Julie Garwood and Carol Higgins Clark, All the Light We Cannot See on Netflix, One Piece on TV, Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs, Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men by Molly Harper, and Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches by Kate Scelsa

Happy Summer Solstice, Book Dragons! Welcome to the longest day of the year, where I'm glad that I can stay indoors reading and with the AC on to keep me from sweating and sneezing in the outdoors! It's been a very trying, tiring and busy month so far, with my husband in the hospital and finally coming out of the hospital only to have to go on dialysis three times a week. Taking care of him and keeping the household running has been more than a full time job, so I've been reading a lot less than I usually do, because I have less time to myself. That said, here are lots of tidbits I've saved up and some book reviews afterward, as usual. Keep cool, dragons!

This sounds amazing...I always look forward to seeing what plays or musicals are adapted from novels. Though chances are I won't see them, unless they're filmed for a streaming service, I still think it's exciting to read a book and wonder if someone will adapt it to the stage...the theater major in me always rejoices. 

On Stage: The Little Big Things Musical

Linzi Hateley and Alasdair Harvey have joined the cast of the new British musical The Little Big Things https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJscFSJxewI6ahlKht0Sw~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6iTW8SkpoMLg-gVdw, based on the 2017 memoir by Henry Fraser. Playbill reported that Luke Sheppard (& Juliet) will direct the production, which begins previews September 2 prior to an official opening September 14 in London. Performances are currently scheduled through November 25.

The cast also includes Ed Larkin as Man Henry Fraser and Jonny Amies as Boy Henry Fraser, along with Linzi Hateley, Alasdair Harvey, Fran Fraser, and Andrew Fraser. Additional casting will be announced. The Little Big Things has music by Nick Butcher (Loved Before), lyrics by Butcher and Tom Ling (Techies: The Musical), and a book by Joe White (Blackout Songs).

This is a very cogent argument against the current state of bigotry and intolerance that's resulting in ridiculous book bans in places like Texas and Florida. The South really doesn't need more racism/sexism and homophobia, which has been steeped in their society for far too long. It's just shameful.

Book Riot's Kelly Jensen on Book Bans

Libraries have been under constant attack now going on almost three years. Rising fascism, combined with unmitigated bigotry from groups like Moms for Liberty (and dozens of others) has led to an astounding number of book bans, alongside attempts to fully defund one of the most precious public institutions and defenders of the First Amendment in the United States. But no libraries nor library supporters are going down without a fight. If anything, advocates are pushing back harder than ever to make it clear that libraries are for everyone.

With Pride officially here, it seems fitting to emphasize the fact that libraries exist to meet the needs and interests of all people, from birth to the elderly. Not all books in the library are for everyone, but everyone should be able to find a book that suits them. No one person gets to dictate what can or cannot be in the library nor what any individual can or cannot have access to. Despite the right wing dog whistles about porn in the library or about library workers grooming young people, the fact of the matter is those individuals are choosing to offload their duties as parents to guide their children in appropriate reading material by demanding the removal of books they don’t like from shelves. For claiming not to coparent with the government, they sure want the government to do the parenting so that they do not need to have tricky conversations with their kids about why they do not want them to read or access certain materials. That is their code of parental rights. What doesn’t fall underneath that is demanding that material be made inaccessible for all people. Kelly Jensen

Another great author died recently...I used to read Julie Garwood books back when I was in my early 20s. I also loved the Hallmark adaptation of For the Roses.

Obituary Note: Julie Garwood

Julia Elizabeth Garwood, known in the publishing industry as bestselling author Julie Garwood https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJscFSKkL8I6ahlKkp_Ew~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6iTWJH3poMLg-gVdw, died June 8. She was 78. Garwood wrote more than 30 novels; more than 40 million copies of her books are in print in 32 languages. She began her career writing historical romances before adding contemporary romantic suspense novels to her repertoire. She was working on her 36th novel for adults at the time of her death.

Garwood studied history and nursing in college. Her interest in writing and enthusiasm for history led her to write a YA book, A Girl Named Summer, and her first historical novel, Gentle Warrior (1985). Her novel For the Roses (1995) was adapted into a Hallmark Hall of Fame production, Rose Hill, which starred Jennifer Garner, Vera Farmiga, and Justin Chambers. In 2000, Garwood turned to writing contemporary romantic suspense novels, beginning with Heartbreaker.

Her other titles include The Prize, Honor's Splendour, Saving Grace, and Prince Charming, as well as the Crown's Spies, Lairds' Brides, Highlands' Lairds, Claybornes of Rose Hill, and Buchanan-Renard-MacKenna series.

"I want my readers to laugh and cry and fall in love," Garwood once said. "Basically, I want them to escape into another world for a little while and afterwards to feel as though they've been on a great adventure."

And Another famed author has died way too soon. She was only a few years older than I am...RIP CHC.

Obituary Note: Carol Higgins Clark

Carol Higgins Clark https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJscFSMku8I6ahkIxtyTA~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6iTXpOnpoMLg-gVdw, "who as a young woman retyped manuscripts by her mother, the famed mystery writer Mary Higgins Clark, before going on to become a bestselling suspense novelist herself," died June 12, the New York Times reported. She was 66. Clark wrote more than a dozen novels of her own and several others with Christmas themes in collaboration with her mother, who died in 2020.

Starting out as an aspiring actress, Carol Higgins Clark "eventually accumulated a handful of credits in movies, several of them based on her mother's books," the Times noted. In 1975, while home for the summer from Mount Holyoke College, another career opportunity appeared when she bailed her mother, who was just beginning her suspense-writing career, out of a jam.

"She had her first suspense novel coming out, and had to get her second one in to her agent," Clark told NPR in 2008. "It was before computers, and she didn't know how she was going to get it retyped in time, so I did it. And that's really what got me into it, because I had talked to her about the characters and the plot. And I did that for a number of her books, which was great for me to learn about how to write."

As her mother's books gained popularity, Higgins Clark "continued to act as a sounding board--doing research, helping her make dialogue for younger characters more authentic, and more" the Times wrote. In 1986, when Mary Higgins Clark's Where Are the Children? was adapted into a film, Carol Higgins Clark had a small role as a television reporter. Over the next 28 years she continued to appear in movies, many of them made for TV, based on her mother's books, including A Cry in the Night (1992), in which she played a leading role.

That same year marked her own debut as a novelist with Decked, which introduced private investigator Regan Reilly. Her other titles include Snagged (1993) and Twanged (1998). She and her mother first collaborated on Deck the Halls (2000), which brought together Regan Reilly and one of Mary Higgins Clark's characters, Alvirah Meehan--a character Carol essentially raised from the dead.

"I had murdered off Alvirah in my first book," Mary Higgins Clark told Newsday in 2000. "Carol insisted I get her out of the coma. She said: 'You have a great character here and you're killing her? That's really bad writing.' "

Carol Higgins Clark was often asked if her mother ever gave her any advice. She generally gave the same answer: "She said, 'If someone's mean to you, make them a victim in your next book.' "

I'm excited for this premier on Netflix. I enjoyed the book a great deal and I'm hoping that the TV series lives up to Doer's elegant prose.

TV: All the Light We Cannot See

Netflix has released the latest trailer for Shawn Levy's Netflix limited series, All the Light We Cannot See https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJscFSMku8I6ahkIxtwEw~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6iTXpOnpoMLg-gVdw, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by  Anthony Doer, Deadline reported. The project, which premieres November 2, stars Aria Mia Loberti, Mark Ruffalo, Nell Sutton, Lars Eidinger, and Marion Bailey.

Levy directs all four episodes, written by Steven Knight, and produces under his 21 Laps Entertainment banner alongside Dan Levine and Josh Barry. Joe Strechay serves as associate producer, blindness and accessibility consultant.

I used to watch the animated version of One Piece with my son Nick when he was younger. I became a big fan. I hope the live-action version is as fun and full of adventure.

TV: One Piece

 Netflix has released a teaser trailer for One Piece https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJscFSNleoI6ahkI012Gw~k1yJoKXvhs8x6iTX5SipoMLg-gVdw, a live-action series adapted from one of the bestselling manga titles of all time, by Eiichiro Oda. Deadline reported that Iaki Godoy stars as Monkey D. Luffy, along with the Straw Hats played by Mackenyu (Roronoa Zoro), Emily Rudd (Nami), Jacob Romero Gibson (Usopp), and Taz Skylar (Sanji).

The cast also includes McKinley Belcher III, Morgan Davies, Aidan Scott, Vincent Regan, Jeff Ward, Craig Fairbrass, Langley Kirkwood, Celeste Loots, Alexander Maniatis, Ilia Isorelýs Paulino, Chioma Umeala, and Steven Ward. Steven Maeda and Matt Owens serve as writers, executive producers and showrunners. Oda, Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements also executive produce. One Piece is produced by Tomorrow Studios and Netflix in partnership with Shueisha.

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs is an urban/magic realism/fantasy novel that is this month's Good Morning America book group pick. While I'm not always enamored of  celebrity book group picks, this one, which is about magical books and libraries, stood out as something that would be right up my alley. Unfortunately, there was a lot of blood and abusive horror elements to the book that were off-putting for me, as I'm not a fan of the horror genre, or being grossed out by blood and death in general. Here's the blurb:

In this spellbinding debut novel, two estranged half-sisters tasked with guarding their family’s library of magical books must work together to unravel a deadly secret at the heart of their collection—a tale of familial loyalty and betrayal, and the pursuit of magic and power.

For generations, the Kalotay family has guarded a collection of ancient and rare books. Books that let a person walk through walls or manipulate the elements—books of magic that half-sisters Joanna and Esther have been raised to revere and protect.

All magic comes with a price, though, and for years the sisters have been separated. Esther has fled to a remote base in Antarctica to escape the fate that killed her own mother, and Joanna’s isolated herself in their family home in Vermont, devoting her life to the study of these cherished volumes. But after their father dies suddenly while reading a book Joanna has never seen before, the sisters must reunite to preserve their family legacy. In the process, they’ll uncover a world of magic far bigger and more dangerous than they ever imagined, and all the secrets their parents kept hidden; secrets that span centuries, continents, and even other libraries . . .

In the great tradition of Ninth House, The Magicians, and Practical Magic, this is a suspenseful and richly atmospheric novel that draws readers into a vast world filled with mystery and magic, romance, and intrigue—and marks the debut of an extraordinary new voice in speculative fiction.

This is something that also put me off of Lev Grossman's Magician novels and, though I watched them all, his Magicians TV streaming series. The idea that magic would only be used for the most selfish and horrific reasons, and that people would be more than willing to maim, abuse and outright kill children and young adults to benefit from these children's magical powers is sickening and disgusting to me, and it really takes all the beauty and joy out of magic for these authors to debase the practice in such a way. Grossman added a soupcon of sexism and racism to his books to make them even more loathesome, but while Torzs has a lesbian main character and also has a person of color in the book, I still felt her POV on magic, magical books written in blood (often on human hide...ewww) and the painful aspects of going through mirrors or wards, or even removing someone's memories made magic seem ugly and cruel, instead of beautiful and wonderous. Also, the romance touted in the blurb was a very light thread in the plot, so much so that it could have been excised without being missed at all. This is why I find referencing this book to Alice Hoffman's Practical Magic series is wrong on all fronts. Hoffman makes magic seem like a joy and something to be devoutly hoped for...Hoffman's prose is also orders of magnitude better than Torzs'. Still, it was an engrossing tale, and I'd give it a B-, and recommend it to horror or dark fantasy fans.

Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men by Molly Harper is a southern paranormal romance that I should have known would end up being as stupid and stereotypical as any poorly written romantic fiction.  I rolled my eyes so many times at the "meddling mamas" and "outrageously poor taste" tropes that I nearly lost an eyeball.  Of course,the women are "b*tchy" and the men are redneck, racist and sexist drunkards, but having them do everything relating to the wedding in such a broad comical fashion was like watching the supernatural version of Hee Haw, a show I never really found entertaining or amusing. Here's the blurb: Following Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs, the second in a hilarious, smart, sexy romantic series about an out-of-work librarian who is turned into a vampire.

With her best friend Zeb’s Titanic-themed wedding looming ahead, new vampire Jane Jameson struggles to develop her budding relationship with her enigmatic sire, Gabriel. It seems unfair that she’s expected to master undead dating while dealing with a groom heading for a nuptial nervous breakdown, his hostile werewolf in-laws, and the ugliest bridesmaid dress in the history of marriage.

Meanwhile, the passing of Jane’s future step-grandpa puts Grandma Ruthie back on the market. Her new fiancé, Wilbur, has his own history of suspiciously dead spouses, and he may or may not have died ten years ago. Half-Moon Hollow’s own Black Widow has finally met her match.

Should Jane warn her grandmother of Wilbur’s marital habits or let things run their course? Will Jane always be an undead bridesmaid, never the undead bride?

Combining Mary Janice Davidson’s sass and the charm of Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse novels, this is an incredibly satisfying read for fans of paranormal romantic comedy. 

Despite the hype of the blurb, there is NOTHING smart about this book. Nor is there much to compare it to Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse books, which really are funny and fascinating (I would take umbrage were I Harris). The prose is immature and overly simplistic, and the plot is as easy to follow as a two-ingredient recipe. Don't bother with this dumb bunny of a book, which I'm giving a C- out of pity. 

Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches by Kate Scelsa is a romantic supernatural fantasy with lesbian protagonists that is really a YA LGBTQ romance that the publishers are trying to break out of that genre by calling it "coming of age" instead of YA. The prose in this novel is steady and sturdy, and rolls along on a well-thought -out plot that doesn't hesitate or waste time. Here's the blurb:

A witchy, atmospheric lesbian contemporary romance set in Salem—from the acclaimed author of Fans of the Impossible Life. Perfect for fans of Nina LaCour and Becky Albertalli.

Seventeen-year-old Eleanor is the last person in Salem to believe in witchcraft—or to think that her life could be transformed by mysterious forces. After losing her best friend and first love, Chloe, Eleanor has spent the past year in a haze, vowing to stay away from anything resembling romance.

But when a handwritten guide to tarot arrives in the mail at the witchy souvenir store where Eleanor works, it seems to bring with it the message that magic is about to enter her life. Cynical Eleanor is quick to dismiss this promise, until real-life witch Pix shows up with an unusual invitation. Inspired by the magic and mystery of the tarot, Eleanor decides to open herself up to Pix and her coven of witches, and even to the possibility of a new romance.

But Eleanor’s complicated history continues to haunt her. She will have to reckon with the old ghosts that threaten to destroy everything, even her chance at new love.

Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches is an atmospheric and romantic coming-of-age about learning to make peace with the past in order to accept the beauty of the present.

Though I generally like YA romances, I found Eleanor too sulky and off-putting as a protagonist. She had very little self esteem and was too busy being almost autistic in pushing people away, all because of a failed love affair with a horrible girl who had a history of taking girls as lovers and then humiliating them as soon as she was bored with them. So Eleanor can't trust because she's been a victim of Chloe's machinations. While this is understandable to an extent, Eleanor takes it way too far, and she also feels hemmed in by her mother's chronic illness, when throughout the book, her mother's best friend seems to be the go-to caregiver, and it would seem that her mom is doing her best to free her daughter to have any kind of life she wants...in other words, the only one holding Eleanor back is Eleanor. Whiny and mean teenage girls are such a tired trope, that I feel I need to give this book a B- , and only recommend it to those who don't laugh at the drama inherent in a group of teenage girls as a coven of justice-seeking witches.