by Ashley Dickson-Ellison (@teachingtheapocalypse)
Here are three books coming out today that I am excited to read!
Kalin Bayron's Cinderella Is Dead
Description from Publisher:
"Girls team up to overthrow the kingdom in this unique and powerful retelling of Cinderella from a stunning new voice that's perfect for fans of A Curse So Dark and Lonely.
"It's 200 years after Cinderella found her prince, but the fairy tale is over. Teen girls are now required to appear at the Annual Ball, where the men of the kingdom select wives based on a girl's display of finery. If a suitable match is not found, the girls not chosen are never heard from again.
"Sixteen-year-old Sophia would much rather marry Erin, her childhood best friend, than parade in front of suitors. At the ball, Sophia makes the desperate decision to flee, and finds herself hiding in Cinderella's mausoleum. There, she meets Constance, the last known descendant of Cinderella and her step sisters. Together they vow to bring down the king once and for all--and in the process, they learn that there's more to Cinderella's story than they ever knew . . .
"This fresh take on a classic story will make readers question the tales they've been told, and root for girls to break down the constructs of the world around them."
Why I want to read it: I'm always here for a twisted fairy tale, and I love dystopian stories that challenge the myths and commonly told stories of our world. And the description got me at the mention of Brigid Kemmerer's A Curse So Dark and Lonely, which I absolutely loved! Can't wait to read this one!
Kate Stayman-London's One to Watch
Description from Publisher:
"Real love . . . as seen on TV. A plus-size bachelorette brings a fresh look to a reality show in this delightful, razor-sharp debut.
"Bea Schumacher is a devastatingly stylish plus-size fashion blogger who has amazing friends, a devoted family, legions of Insta followers—and a massively broken heart. Like the rest of America, Bea indulges in her weekly obsession: the hit reality show Main Squeeze. The fantasy dates! The kiss-off rejections! The surprising amount of guys named Chad! But Bea is sick and tired of the lack of body diversity on the show. Since when is being a size zero a prerequisite for getting engaged on television?
"Just when Bea has sworn off dating altogether, she gets an intriguing call: Main Squeeze wants her to be its next star, surrounded by men vying for her affections. Bea agrees, on one condition—under no circumstances will she actually fall in love. She’s in this to supercharge her career, subvert harmful beauty standards, inspire women across America, and get a free hot air balloon ride. That’s it.
"But when the cameras start rolling, Bea realizes things are more complicated than she anticipated. She’s in a whirlwind of sumptuous couture, Internet culture wars, sexy suitors, and an opportunity (or two, or five) to find messy, real-life love in the midst of a made-for-TV fairy tale. In this joyful, wickedly observant debut, Bea has to decide whether it might just be worth trusting these men—and herself—for a chance to live happily ever after."
Why I want to read it: I love works that challenge and question "traditional" beauty standards and the structures that uphold them, and this one sounds like a compelling deep dive into the backstage of reality TV. This one looks fascinating and fun, and I'm excited to read it!
Tiffany D. Cross's Say It Louder: Black Voters, White Narratives, and Saving Our Democracy
Description from Publisher:
"A breakout media and political analyst delivers a sweeping snapshot of American Democracy and the role that African Americans have played in its shaping while offering concrete information to help harness the electoral power of the country’s rising majority and exposing political forces aligned to subvert and suppress Black voters.
"Black voters were critical to the Democrats’ 2018 blue wave. In fact, 90 percent of Black voters supported Democratic House candidates, compared to just 53 percent of all voters. Despite media narratives, this was not a fluke. Throughout U.S. history, Black people have played a crucial role in the shaping of the American experiment. Yet still, this powerful voting bloc is often dismissed as some “amorphous” deviation, argues Tiffany Cross.
"Say It Louder! is her explosive examination of how America’s composition was designed to exclude Black voters, but paradoxically would likely cease to exist without them. With multiple tentacles stretching into the cable news echo chamber, campaign leadership, and Black voter data, Cross creates a wrinkle in time with a reflective look at the timeless efforts endlessly attempting to deny people of color the right to vote—a basic tenet of American democracy.
"And yet as the demographics of the country are changing, so too is the electoral power construct—by evolution and by force, Cross declares. Grounded in the most-up-to-date research, Say It Louder! is a vital tool for a wide swath of constituencies."
Why I want to read it: This couldn't be a more timely and important issue. This work promises to be a powerful and important examination of where we are with the voting world today. I'm currently reading Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You (Jason Reynolds's YA remix of Ibram X. Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning), and that amazing book has made me even more interested in examining exactly where we are with voting in America today.
I'm also excited about Alexis Hall's Boyfriend Material and Melissa Bashardoust's Girl, Serpent, Thorn, both of which I've heard great things about on Bookstagram.
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