| | | Hello Readers! | This week, we have First Impressions reviews of two unusual literary romances to share. | Dandelion Is Dead follows a woman who pretends to be her dead sister on a dating app, leading to a connection of surprising depth, while The Magic of Untamed Hearts by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland is a fun love story featuring a character of supernatural abilities. | In Editor's Choice, we review Margaret Atwood's long-awaited and thoroughly worth it memoir Book of Lives. We also share a "beyond the book" article on the role of women in cultural salons relating to Adam Morgan's biography of the game-changing editor and salon host Margaret Anderson, A Danger to the Minds of Young Girls. | Plus, explore even more titles in our indulgent Books About Books category, a book lover's paradise. | Thanks for reading, | The BookBrowse Team | | | Each month, we share books with BookBrowse members to read and review. Here are their opinions on two recently released titles. | | Dandelion Is Dead by Rosie Storey | "Rosie Storey's Dandelion Is Dead is chaotic, tragic, raw, and funny…Poppy is grieving the loss of her sister, Dandelion, and clinging to her partner in an unfulfilling relationship. As an escape, she pretends to be Dandelion on a dating app, meeting Jake, who is newly divorced and spending weekends with his son, Billy. When Dandelion and Jake meet, something clicks. Even though the story starts out slowly, it picks up nicely, with secrets, trauma, and a complex, emotionally rich narrative that is unwilling to follow a straight line. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I believe it would make a great selection for a book club." —Anke V. (Portland, OR) |
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| "Dandelion Is Dead is more than a romantic novel. It has psychological depth, exploring themes of complex grief and abandonment." —Susan T. (Kerrville, TX) | "As a reader sometimes I wanted to reach into the book and hug the characters, sometimes shake them, but always cared about and hoped for them. When an author is able to create that for this reader, it's the best a story can do." —Mary L. (Greeley, CO) |
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| | | The Magic of Untamed Hearts by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland | "Fiction, fantasy, and sexy romance all rolled into one very impressive narrative. Sky Flores and her sisters each have a unique, special power that enhances their lives, yet can arouse fear and apprehension in the 'normal' people who surround them…The book is a delightful journey of self-discovery and confidence-building. I think this book would be enjoyed by anyone who likes romance and fantasy. It's quirky, it's unpredictable, and it's fun. Now I need to read the other two volumes in the series." —Linda M. (Ocala, FL) | "I enjoyed this book! It's an interesting storyline and I love the connection to earth, science, and nature." —Mari A. (Grand Junction, CO) |
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| "The Magic of Untamed Hearts was an unexpected delight. There was so much about the novel that drew me in. I enjoyed the magical aspect, especially Sky's ability to communicate with creatures. I thought the characters were well-developed and relatable, particularly the Flores sisters…Sky definitely is one to remember." —Catherine O. (Altavista, VA) | | | | This issue of The BookBrowse Review contains reviews and "beyond the book" articles for 14 titles, including Book of Lives by Margaret Atwood, Palaver by Bryan Washington, and A Danger to the Minds of Young Girls by Adam Morgan. | We also bring you our Reading and Publishing Predictions: Book Trends to Watch for in 2026, previews of upcoming books, and more. | Not Yet a Member? Do you love to spend your reading hours immersed in captivating storytelling and intriguing ideas? |
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| Then a BookBrowse membership is for you! What you see on BookBrowse for free and in this newsletter is just a small part of what is available to members—for just $5.00/month! Join Today! | | | Book of Lives by Margaret Atwood | When publishing industry contacts first approached Margaret Atwood about writing her memoir, she demurred. As time passed, though, "the idea of a memoir acquired a lurid phosphorescent glow," she states. "Wasn't there something appealing in the idea? my sinister alter ego whispered. I could depict myself in a flattering light, casting a gauzy haze over my stupider or wickeder actions while blaming them on others. At the same time, I could thank my benefactors, reward my friends, trash my enemies, and pay off scores long forgotten by everyone but me. I could spill some beans, I could dish some tea." |
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| The result is Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts, published just weeks before the author's 86th birthday…and it's far more entertaining than her younger self imagined. … continued | Review by Kim Kovacs | | | | Women and the Cultural Salon | In Gertrude Stein's salon, where every Saturday the leading artists of the time gathered, along with writers, film directors, painters, sculptors, and even bullfighters, a portrait of Stein painted by none other than Picasso presided over the room, just as Stein dominated the space. This was the same circle in which Margaret Anderson moved during her Paris years, and she was a fixture of this very salon. Like Stein, Anderson was an editor and conversation-maker, a catalyst and promoter of ideas. But her interest in fostering creative exchange had begun long before Paris in the salons of Chicago, where The Little Review, the magazine she founded, first took shape. |
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| It was in one of these salons, that of Chicago Evening Post editor Floyd Dell and his wife, Margery Currey, that the idea for The Little Review was born. The couple routinely "hosted a group of proto-modernist poets, writers, actors, painters, professors, critics, and sculptors in Currey's one-room studio," where "writers and queer artists like Margaret could be themselves and support one another's ideas," as Adam Morgan writes in A Danger to the Minds of Young Girls. … continued | Article by Alicia Calvo Hernández | | | | | Book of Lives by Margaret Atwood and A Danger to the Minds of Young Girls by Adam Morgan, featured above, are just two of 160+ recommended titles in our Books About Books category, which is exactly what it sounds like. | Whether author memoirs like Atwood's, fresh takes on literary history like Morgan's, or fictional looks at writers and the publishing industry, these selections are perfect for book lovers who just can't get enough of their favorite thing. | This is one of 100+ themed categories available to BookBrowse members. Non-members can view a limited version of our category lists. |
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