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Air date: June 25, 2023
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JESSICA
Hi, this is Jessica Russell. I’m the Assistant Director of Collection Services at Sno-Isle Libraries. And welcome to Book Buzz.
Today we'll journey in search of answers to a family mystery and dive into a thoughtful romantic comedy. First, we're going to hear from Programming Service Coordinator Anne as she takes us to the rural south. Over to you, Anne.
ANNE
Thanks, Jessica. Diary of a Misfit by Casey Parks will appeal to anyone who likes a good, real-life mystery or enjoys memoirs.
When Casey Parks came out as a lesbian in college, she assumed her life in the rural South was over. Her mother shunned her, but her conservative grandmother shared an intriguing story about her childhood friend Roy Hudgens.
Roy was a musician who was allegedly kidnapped as a baby and a quote "woman who lived life as a man" unquote. Her grandmother implored, "find out what happened to Roy". Casey took her grandmother's request to heart and brings us along on her life-changing journey to unravel the mysteries of Roy's life while confronting a few ghosts of her own. This part memoir, part investigative reporting tale will have you wondering, "will we ever learn the truth about Roy's life?"
With an enormous heart and an unrelenting sense of vulnerability, Parks writes about finding oneself through someone else's story and about forging connections across the gulfs that divide us. Diary of a Misfit by Casey Parks was interesting and a surprisingly open interviews with the people who knew Roy leave you feeling like you're right there with them in small-town Louisiana.
JESSICA
Thanks, Anne. This story sounds fascinating. I can't wait to add it to my to-be-read list as someone who also grew up in Louisiana.
Next we're going to get a little ghostly with Digital Experience Manager Jackie Parker. Take it away, Jackie.
JACKIE
Thanks, Jessica. The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston is perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Sophie Cousens. Those who love the romantic comedies with a touch of introspection. Florence is doing what she's always wanted to do, writing romances far away from the phantoms of her past. But few know what she's achieved. She's the ghostwriter for an acclaimed bestselling author. The problem? After her recent breakup she hasn't been able to write. The book she owes is nowhere near done and her new editor wants it tomorrow. How can she keep writing when she no longer believes in happy endings?
She's preparing herself for her latest failure, the dissolution of a career, when she gets pulled back to her hometown for the first time in a decade for her father's funeral. The one person who always believed in her and with whom they shared the gift of seeing ghosts. But it isn't the ghost of her father she sees when she gets home. It's the ghost of her new editor. The one she kissed the night before she left and he doesn't know what happened.
This book sparkles and charms while managing to balance both embracing and subverting rom-com expectations. And ultimately, The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston is for those who want to believe in hope and love despite disappointment and loss.
JESSICA
Thanks, Jackie. This sounds hauntingly charming.
Our recommendations this week are Diary of a Misfit by Casey Parks and The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston.
Join us next time, when we’ll explore more great reading recommendations--interesting books you can find at your local bookstore or at your local library.
Until then, I’m Jessica Russell from Sno-Isle Libraries.
Thanks for joining us for Book Buzz on KSER.
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