Beyond beach books: ‘American Whitelash’ and ‘A Place for Us’
In search of something good to read? USA TODAY’s Barbara VanDenburgh scopes out the shelves for this week’s hottest new book releases.
‘A Place for Us’
By Brandon Wolf (Little A, nonfiction, out Saturday)
What it’s about: An LGBTQ+ activist and survivor of the Pulse shooting – the 2016 massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that killed 49 people – offers a powerful memoir of resilience in the face of adversity and the purpose he found after the tragedy.
The buzz: “His heartfelt book will appeal not only to LGBTQ+ readers, but to anyone committed to the fight for social justice for any marginalized community,” says Kirkus Reviews.
‘American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress’
By Wesley Lowery (Mariner, nonfiction)
What it’s about: The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist confronts the rise of white supremacy in the U.S. since Barack Obama was elected president in 2008 and places it within the wider context of American history.
The buzz: A starred Kirkus review calls it “a masterful blend of narrative history and empathetic reporting.”
‘Little Monsters’
By Adrienne Brodeur
(Avid Reader Press, fiction)
What it’s about: From the author of the 2019 memoir “Wild Game” comes a novel set on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where the Gardner family – grown siblings Ken and Abby and their brilliant but tortured father Adam – grapples with its trauma.
The buzz: A starred Publishers Weekly review calls it a “shimmering novel” and says “Brodeur distinguishes herself as a novelist of the first rank.”
‘Save What’s Left’
By Elizabeth Castellano (Anchor, fiction)
What it’s about: When Kathleen’s husband declares himself unhappy and leaves after 30 years of marriage, she moves to Whitbey, a small beach town, to find her own peace – and instead ends up at war with her neighbors over the Sugar Cube, the monstrous holiday home being built next door.
The buzz: “This witty send-up is a winner,” says Publishers Weekly.
‘Will They or Won’t They’
By Ava Wilder (Dell, fiction)
What it’s about: The author of “How to Fake It in Hollywood” returns with a new enemies-tolovers romance. Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy are madly in love onscreen in their hit TV show. Off-screen, they can’t stand each other since their secret fling fizzled. But the show’s final season forces them to get closer than ever.
The buzz: A starred Kirkus review calls it “a sexy, page-turning romance made for the silver screen.”