Hopping into Spring!

[View this email online]( [NPR Books]( April 8, 2023 by [Meghan Collins Sullivan]( This week – books that bring joy, and new tales from some well-known names. Meghan Collins Sullivan/NPR As we move solidly into spring, with days growing longer and warmer, here at NPR Books we have pulled together some fun titles that we hope will add encouragement to your lighter spirits. In D.C., where our reviewer Bethanne Patrick lives, the cherry trees have blossomed and everyone’s eager to get outside. For some, this includes finding a green space, laying out a blanket and lying down to read. Patrick has a roundup of new mysteries and thrillers that includes virtual travel to 1950s London, 1920s Manhattan, 21st-century Finland, and more. Happy al fresco reading! --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Meghan Collins Sullivan/NPR Art and magic so often go hand in hand. It makes sense — art has the power to transform and to transport, whether through a theatre production, a painting, or some other form. It also seems right, then, that when we imagine magic, we often envision it as a sort of creative act. Reviewer Caitlyn Paxon says these five new YA releases all explore both art and magic as the means to heal trauma, communities — and even worlds. And daughters and sisters are at the heart of three new fantasy novels that spin fresh narratives from old folklore. Supernatural bargains and shapeshifting transformations are just the beginning of the many fairytale motifs that these books use to explore the depths of the family relationships we are born into and those we build by choice — and some we can only hope to survive. Meanwhile, several authors you just might be familiar with have new works out. Nicole Chung, best-selling debut author of All You Can Ever Know, about her adoption by white parents and upbringing in a mostly white area of the U.S., has written a new memoir. A Living Remedy chronicles her struggles with the ideas of class and family as she deals with the medical and care and, eventually, deaths of her adoptive parents. Critic Kristen Martin reviews the book [here]( and you can listen to Chung’s interview with Steve Inskeep [here](. Jeannette Walls, the author of the widely acclaimed memoir The Glass Castle about her childhood being raised by non-conforming parents, just published a debut novel. Reviewer Keishel Williams calls Hang the Moon -- which transports us into the life of a female bootlegger during Prohibition -- “brilliant and effervescent.” Read the review [here](. And while Susanna Hoffs isn’t known for her novels, she is known for spinning tales through music. The singer and guitarist who rose to fame with the Bangles in the 1980s has now written a debut novel, This Bird Has Flown. And critic Michael Schaub says “It's a smart romantic comedy that proves that Hoffs' immense writing talent isn't just confined to songs.” Read more [here](. Don’t forget to take a listen to NPR’s authors interviews on our Book of the Day podcast, too! This week we’ll be talking with Lizzie Stark, Nicole Chung, Ari Tison, Sathnam Sanghera, Colleen Oakley and Rachel Eve Moulton. You can find us [here](. Enjoy the weekend! Meghan --------------------------------------------------------------- Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Listen Live]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [books@npr.org](mailto:books@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) 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]( [NPR logo]