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A Mysterious, Transformative Summer
Historical romance, an ambitious prequel, boxing fiction, and more ...
BookBrowse Highlights
Hello Readers!
This week, our book club members discuss The Lamplighter’s Bookshop by Sophie Austin, a light historical romance with a charming bookish backdrop, and Hazel Gaynor’s Before Dorothy, a Wizard of Oz prequel that imagines the earlier life of Auntie Em.
In Editor’s Choice, we review The Slip by Lucas Schaefer, a captivating work of literary fiction about a teenager’s mysterious disappearance in ‘90s Texas, boxing, and much more.
In connection with our coverage of Megan Giddings’ speculative novel Meet Me at the Crossroads, we bring you a “beyond the book” reading list of more books in the “magical portals” subgenre.
And be sure to check out the July books we’re looking forward to!
Thanks for reading,
The BookBrowse Team
Book Club Discussions
Discussions are open to all! If you’d like to participate, you can do so by creating an account here. Please note that discussions can contain spoilers.
The Lamplighter’s Bookshop by Sophie Austin
From the Jacket When Evelyn Seaton answers an advertisement for an assistant at a forgotten bookshop in York, she is not the only one with something to hide. There she meets the enigmatic and prickly William Morton, an aspiring writer keeping secrets of his own. But when the walls that Evelyn has built around herself start to crumble, there is only one person she can turn to. From the Discussion “Having been in a reading slump for over two weeks, this book was just what I needed. Light, historical, about a bookshop, and a little romance thrown in.” —Sandi |  |
“I was drawn in by the detail of the period…I think anyone who likes historical fiction, especially books set in the UK, would enjoy this book.” —Susan_W1
See what people are saying in response to this question: William tells Evelyn, “The longer you go without seeing someone, the harder it is to remember why you were so angry with them…” (p. 185). Do you agree with him? Why or why not?
Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor
From the Jacket Long before Dorothy visits Oz, her aunt, Emily Gale, sets off on her own grand adventure, leaving gritty Chicago behind for Kansas and a life that will utterly change her, in this transporting novel from New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor. Bursting with courage and heart, Before Dorothy tells the story of the woman who raised a beloved heroine, and ponders the question: what is the true meaning of home? From the Discussion |  |
“At first, I wasn’t sure how much I would like this story of Auntie Em and ‘Before Dorothy,’ wondering if a prelude could really hit the mark for me, as a Wizard of Oz fan. But I ended up loving it! On the cover of the book, Kristin Harmel is quoted as saying it is ‘enchanting’ and that is how I felt, throughout the book.” —Shirl
“In the original book, Auntie Em is portrayed as a hard woman with little or no color, however, this interpretation brings warmth to her character.” —Carol_N
See what people are saying in response to this question: Emily’s mother keeps the pamphlet about Kansas with a dream of going there one day, and Emily shares her sense of destiny to move there. Why do you suppose this is? Where do you most long to visit, or move to? Is there a place you’re pulled toward?
For Members
This issue of The BookBrowse Review contains reviews and "beyond the book" articles for 16 titles, including Endling by Maria Reva, Awake in the Floating City by Susanna Kwan, and Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy. We also bring you Our 2025 Summer Reading List: 11 Books for the Beach, previews of upcoming releases, author interviews, and more. Not Yet a Member? Do you love to spend your reading hours immersed in captivating storytelling and intriguing ideas? |  |
Then a BookBrowse membership is for you! What you see on BookBrowse for free and in this newsletter is just a small part of what is available to members — for just $5.00/month! Join Today!
Editor’s Choice
The Slip by Lucas Schaefer
Nathaniel, a troubled Jewish sixteen-year-old from Newton, Massachusetts, was sent to spend the summer of 1998 in Austin, Texas with his uncle Bob Alexander, a University of Texas history professor, after being suspended for fighting. The summer was meant to be transformative for Nathaniel, and it fulfilled that promise. His Uncle Bob arranged a volunteer opportunity for him at the Shoal Creek Rehabilitation Center, where David Dalice, a Haitian-born former boxer, mentored him. It seemed Nathaniel was finally taking a turn for the better, from caterpillar to butterfly, as everyone hoped he would, until August 8, when he vanished. … continued Review by Letitia Asare |  |
Beyond the Book
Books About Magical Portals
In Megan Giddings' novel Meet Me at the Crossroads, magical doors appear around the world, offering an entry into another dimension. The modern portal fantasy genre, where a magical entryway leads to another world, dates back to classic works like The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Alice in Wonderland. But as novelist and critic Alice Nuttall points out, portal fantasies "arguably predate the novel form itself; legends about travels between the Nine Realms in Viking mythology, or journeys to the land of fairies in Celtic myths, could be viewed as early portal fantasies." Here are some worth checking out … continued Article by Jillian Bell |  |
July Books We’re Excited About
Summer isn’t only about beach reads, and really, you can read anything you want on the beach. Titles being released this July include books weighty in content, size, or both, and here are just a few. This short list of fiction and nonfiction features narratives that leave their unique mark on the past, spanning the lives of the Romantic poets, World War I, the Salvadoran civil war, and 1980s London. Follow our coverage of some of these and many other recommended reads in our digital magazine. … continued |  |
Summer Sale
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