Does "The Bell Jar" hold up over 60 years after it was first published? What lessons can we learn from Sylvia Plath's only full-length novel? Take a look at our review of Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar" by Eleanor Jones >> https://bit.ly/3Id066v

Sharing this new memoir about travel and agency of the self after the author connected with us on Threads. Check out Heidi K. Brown's "The Map I Draw: A Memoir of Travel as a Passport to Self" >> https://amzn.to/3JY1r1N

What’s your favorite literary fiction title right now? Maybe we can promo it in our newsletter.

A guy with severe depression and a string of failed jobs becomes a basketball coach at a high school for people with mental illness. I'm not a sports fan, but the premise intrigued me. Check out "Head Fake" by Scott Gordon > https://amzn.to/46cJOTm

We connected with the author of this recently published modern Hamlet that focuses on Ophelia, specifically the trauma of having a racist conservative father, underscored with the repercussions of 9/11. Check out Bridget Weldon's "Elsinore" > https://amzn.to/46mNtxT

On our list of The Best Young Adult Books is the reader-recommended series "The Nahx Invasions," a 2-book dystopian series by G. S. Prendergast. Check out our list here >> https://bit.ly/4kcafhB

My review of O Beautiful was just published on The Rauch Reviews. josephrauch.com/therauchrevi...

Every week I promote one literary fiction and one nonfiction book (usually memoir or political) in my newsletter. Drop yours here, and I’ll consider it. We prioritize hidden gems and self-published authors.

Found out about this interesting teen/horror-themed poetry collection by seeing the author on X. It's already getting great reviews! Check out "Sad Boy" by Chris Schneider > https://amzn.to/4lTDPZi

"The author paints himself as a cruel, ugly person from the get-go. Young Eire spends his idle hours inflicting cruel pranks on animals, as well as people with physical and intellectual disabilities." Read more from our review of "Waiting for Snow in Havana" by Carlos Eire > https://bit.ly/4lXto7c

What have you been reading lately? Post it here. If it’s underappreciated and within our scope, we’ll promote it on our newsletter and other social channels.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and at the Rauch Review, we're reading "Words Make a Way Through Fire: Healing After My Brother's Suicide" by Cyra Sweet Dumitru. Order this powerful memoir today > https://amzn.to/4mDgtbE

I'll be attending the Diwan conference in Dearborn on September 19. Say hi if you're there.

Calling my writer/author colleagues: I'm writing an article on whether it's possible to define "good writing" with any degree of objectivity. Do you have ideas of relatively objective good writing? If so, please tell me, and I'll see if I can feature you in the piece.

I want to be understanding about some of my friends preferring to read low-quality hyper commercialized smut over my own novels, but it's hard sometimes.

We published our list of the best young adult books including "The Other Side of Summer" by Emily Gale. After a bombing kills 13yo Summer’s brother, his guitar is somehow intact. She doesn’t think anything will lift her out of loneliness…until she plays the guitar. Read more> https://bit.ly/4kcafhB

Who’s your favorite literary author right now? If I haven’t heard of them, I’ll consider adding their books to my newsletter promo list.

Like me, Kyle is an author who loves reviewing books as well. Please support him by purchasing "Whalers," a literary/thriller novel about a teacher who becomes the prime suspect in a missing person case that rocks a town with a history of whaling > https://amzn.to/3VhSeUb

There is a power of reading about other people’s experiences with anxiety. The more open we are about how anxiety influences our lives, the better we’re able to normalize it and perhaps feel less alone. Check out our list of the best books about anxiety > https://bit.ly/4n7QNnr

Posted on Quora about the best book review websites, including Goodreads, Rauch Review, and a few of my favorite book blogs >> https://bit.ly/41Hez12

Any new under-the-radar poetry books I should be aware of?

Bristol connected with us on Bluesky to share her book, "Afterward." Check it out here > https://amzn.to/4fHs8n9 @bristolvaudrin.bsky.social‬

The Rauch Review's list of the best young adult books includes Nikki Grimes' "Ordinary Hazards." So many are victims of abusive caretakers, undertreated mental illnesses & betrayal. These hazards are ordinary. What isn’t ordinary: Grimes’ writing ability and journey > https://bit.ly/4kcafhB

Been spending more time on Quora, and I answered a thread about do's and don'ts when writing multiracial characters from my own writing experience. One of my thoughts: find references! Read more > https://bit.ly/4febX06

My colleague and I just finished writing the format for our theater reviews! Once I have budget, I'll be excited to start hiring freelance reviewers for select plays and musicals.

This week I’m looking for a hidden gem illustrated novel or memoir to promote in my newsletter. We include manga, manhwa, etc. Please leave recs!

In anime circles, the “Cowboy Bebop” name needs little introduction. A late 90s juggernaut that was instrumental in helping Japanese animation cross over to the West, the show spawned a manga series. Read more in our review >> https://bit.ly/47cReb4

Loving the "King of the Hill" revival and how they just made it season 14 in the regular show instead of making a new thing. Not a fan of Ronny Chieng voicing Kahn. Just get a non-celebrity Laotian voice actor who can do something realistic yet close to the OG.

We were looking for hidden gem memoirs, and Hannah reached out to us on Threads. Check out "I'll Pray For You: And Other Outrageous Things Said to Disabled People" by Hannah Setzer > https://amzn.to/40M9TGT

Recently saw a thread on Quora asking for advice on finding a literary agent. I pointed them to an awesome article by Rauch Review contributor Deena ElGenaidi. Check out the thread here > https://bit.ly/3He7ez2

The Rauch Review published our list of Best YA Books, including "The Ethan I Was Before" by Ali Standish. Because of a dare, Ethan’s best friend dies in an accident. Then he meets Coralee, who has secrets. Great for middle school - a time of transition. Check out the list > https://bit.ly/4kcafhB

I’m looking for underappreciated memoirs to promote in my newsletter. Please comment!

If a few thousand people joined The Rauch Review Patreon right now, we'd be profitable, and ads would barely be necessary. Consider it! Only $1 a month.

Sally Rooney has been popular since her first book. She was criticized for her simple prose, which has evolved. Her new book, “Intermezzo,” shows her ability to tackle more difficult writing styles. Read our review 🔗 https://josephrauch.com/therauchreview/reviews/intermezzo-review/

Suzanne told us about her short story collection via Threads, and we're so glad she did. It has a theme of traditional Japanese tales and lore, a favorite of mine. Check out "River of Dolls and Other Stories" > https://amzn.to/41cHYjq

What are some underrated books by famous authors?

A speculative poetry collection from an author I happened to see on X: "Mexicans on the Moon: Speculative Poetry from a Possible Future" by Pedro Iniguez. Check it out here >> https://amzn.to/3TN0KtP @pedroiniguez.bsky.social

One of my best friends got his YouTube channel past 100K subscribers. It's been really inspiring to watch his journey. When we met, both of us were full-time employees at the same startup. Now he works for himself and makes more money. I hope to do the same soon.

"'Captain Corelli’s Mandolin' is a great tale of love, of life, of Greece, of war and of peace. It’s art: colorful in its style, and insightful and accurate. It’s as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking." Read our review of Louis de Bernières' "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" 🔗 https://bit.ly/4lZ26xs

What’s your favorite literary fiction title right now? Maybe we can promo it in our newsletter.

"The competition to write is stiff, and it’s hard to know where to start. But writing a book and earning a living from your creative efforts is an ambition that is physically possible for many people." Get more advice for aspiring authors from Leif Gregerson >> https://bit.ly/40fhxta

Fitzpatrick reached out to us on threads, and I was happy to discover his novel about a snowstorm that creates a "winter cathedral" for a skiing duo. Snow is always a great setting for exploring universal human themes. Check out "The Fall Line" 🔗 https://amzn.to/4lSVBfz

The Rauch Review recently published our list of Best YA Books, including Adiba Jaigirdar's "The Henna Wars." The story explores topics ranging from LGBTQ/Muslim identity and cultural appropriation to romance and bullying. Read more 🔗 https://bit.ly/4kcafhB

Every week I promote one literary fiction and one nonfiction book (usually memoir or political) in my newsletter. Drop yours here, and I’ll consider it. We prioritize hidden gems and self-published authors.

"Life deprives many people of justice, closure, love, meaning and peace. The best books about the afterlife address this deprivation with wisdom and originality." See the Rauch Review's list of the best books about the afterlife 🔗 https://bit.ly/4041hLt

I met Laurie at an event celebrating the 25th anniversary of Mr. Beller's Neighborhood. She is a contributor, too. Her books have a unique combination of humor writing, illustration and wisdom. Check out "How to Make Mistakes On Purpose: Bring Chaos to Your Order" >> https://amzn.to/4lBpTTT

Glad to share that my response was selected for a recent Forbes article, "20 Questions To Ask A Prospective Web Dev Agency Before Signing." Check it out here 🔗 https://bit.ly/400XLRV @forbes.com‬

What have you been reading lately? Post it here. If it’s underappreciated and within our scope, we’ll promote it on our newsletter and other social channels.

I absolutely love short story collections, so I promote them as much as possible. Such an underappreciated format. Check out the Iowa Short Fiction Award Winner "Safe as Houses" by Marie-Helene Bertino > https://amzn.to/40r9MA7

For a quick, compelling read, check out the short fiction piece "The Doll Hospital," written by Claire Zajdel for the Rauch Review website 🔗 https://bit.ly/3GnM0OQ