Hey guys! It’s the Xennial Reader here and I’m excited to let you know what’s coming in 2023 for the site and EVERYTHING you can expect on the topics, books, and unsung authors we’ll be discussing. In the words of Lewis Skolnick: “It’s gonna be a great year!”
So what can you expect from me, the site, and our new YouTube channel this year?
Well, February kicks off the official launch of the “Xennial Reader” website, where we discuss – not review – book titles more in-depth, and take a deep dive into the themes and tropes that are presented. Since it’s the month of love, we’ll be discussing all things romance.
When it comes to the selection, we’re gonna make the room sizzle due to the many different books from the genre – old and new – that will come up. And I’m excited to discuss one of my favorite romance storytellers, Beverly Jenkins, and many of her amazing works. That’s right! We’re giving the queen her flowers NOW, while she’s still here. So be sure to get in on the discussion and share your favorite BJ novels.
We’re also going to be exploring some deeper topics involving the romance genre, like the typical tropes found that we love to see, along with some really problematic themes I found in some old Harlequin novels upon rereading them, like the justification of domestic abuse and the R-word in a plot. Yuck.
To wipe that bitter taste from our mouths, we’re gonna round out February by absolutely GUSHING over the ‘Loveswept’ collection, and talking about some of the superstar storytellers that came out of there.
In March we’ll be discussing a few poets and essayists that are filling my heart and raising my spiritual and mental vibrations, including essayist Roxanne Gay, researching the works of poet Morgan Harper Nichols, and reading ‘The Lost Arabs’ by Omar Sakr and ‘Tomorrow’s Woman’ by Greta Bellamacina. Just to see what they’re like.
In April, we’ll be exploring the silly and foolish acts found in books. I definitely want to take a deep dive into the stories found in ‘The Canterbury Tales’ and the lore behind ‘Turkish Fairy Tales and Folk Tales’ by R. Nisbet Bain (I’ve heard that there are some cultural inaccuracies in this book and I want to explore that further).
In May, I’ll be sharing my book hauls, including books that I recently scored in a B&N store shutdown sale, and titles I bought years ago but still have yet to read.
In June, I’ll be revisiting some of my favorite books from our youth. We’ll be going back in time, y’all! Remember the “Alice” books by Phillis Reynolds Naylor? I’m going to talk about her attempts to include more people of color as the series progressed, and rate just how well she executed it. Some other titles we’ll be doing a deep dive into are: “Maniac Magee”, “How To Eat Fried Worms”, and “The Unicorn Club”. (OMG… who remembers the “Sweet Valley High” series?) We’ll also go on a search to find more YA books starring BIPOC characters.
In July, we’ll talk about books that have been turned into movies and TV shows, including one of my favorite Christopher Pike books, “The Midnight Club” (thank God for Netflix), Kindred (yay Hulu!), A Day Late and A Dollar Short by Terri Macmillan and starring Whoopi Goldberg, Lovecraft Country, and The Color Purple.
For August, we’ll explore historical and research books, including what I’m currently looking up, and why these books are important from a future standpoint. (As well as why you should check them out if you’re researching that particular topic.)
In September, we’re highlighting unsung authors in Fantasy/Horror. This list includes the incomparable Carolyn Holland, author of the Brothers of the Dark Veil series, prolific author Delizhia Jenkins, and a few that I’m looking forward to adding to my repertoire, like Stephanie Bwa Bwa, Jessica Cage, and Talia Clay.
While it seems like we should be discussing the horror genre in October, instead we’re going to shed light on a real horror still plaguing many nationwide: domestic violence. During this month, I’m going to spotlight authors and books that do their part in spreading domestic violence awareness and helping victims recognize the signs and gain the courage to get out of a dangerous situation.
In November, I’ll be discussing some AMAZING books you probably haven’t heard of… and I few I just found out about, too. I’m going to talk about – and re-read – “The Justus Girls” by Evelyn “Slim” Lambright, Chocolate Sangria by Tracy Price-Thompson, and the works of Cixin Liu, just to name a few.
And finally, in December, we’ll be talking about YOUR suggestions for the best, most comfy stories to curl up with in your favorite chair with a cup of coffee, cocoa, or tea if you’re anything like me. So be sure to sign up for the newsletter and book club (it’s free!), and subscribe to the YouTube channel! The link is below!
So that’s it! I’m really excited to get into these book discussions with you, and I can’t wait to see you next time and hear your thoughts as well!
