#marathon reading

(Undisclosed website Screenshot vs WEBTOON Screenshot)

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The summer is NOT almost over, no matter what the calendar says. There’s still time to marathon a bunch of books, and we have a few series we think you must start before the summer departs. You’re welcome!

1.     The His Fair Assassins trilogy (soon to be quintuplet!) by Robin LaFevers

This trilogy can be summed up in one simple sentence: assassin nuns in medieval France.  Oh, and Death is their master. These books are basically like The Young Elites meets Arya Stark’s time with The Faceless Men (if you’re a Game of Thrones fan like we are.) They’re dark, steeped with rich and bloody history of medieval warfare, packed with court intrigue and action, and so, so, romantic. (Seriously, the swoons here will remind you of how you felt with Alina and the Darkling. You know, if you’re into that sort of thing.)

You meet Ismae in Grave Mercy, who joins the convent of Saint Mortain to escape an arranged marriage; Sybella, the most gifted of all the assassins, who has a terrible secret, in Dark Triumph; and in Mortal Heart, Annith discovers her power comes with a great cost, and will alter their destinies forever.

If you haven’t checked out this series yet, this summer is the perfect time to try, because Robin Lafevers is gifting us with TWO MORE BOOKS in this series!

2.     The Undertow Trilogy by Michael Buckley 

The title to this series makes it obvious where these books are begging to be read: at the beach! And you’ll need the sunshine, too, because this story is dark with lots of shadowy characters to contend with. Part sci-fi, part dystopian, this trilogy explores what would happen if aliens showed up on Earth—but they didn’t come from the sky?

Lyric Walker watches as the Alpha, ocean warriors, ascend from their watery depths on to Coney Island. Factions immediately break out as the government tries to separate the humans from the Alpha…except that Lyric has met their crown prince, Fathom, and wants to be with him. We won’t spoil what happens in Raging Sea, or Heart of the Storm, but we will say that athor E Lockhart said of this series "Allegorical and romantic, [Undertow] reads like an action movie with especially awesome CGI."  There’s your summer blockbuster! 

3.     Jessica’s Guide to Dating On the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

If you wish Vampires would come back into YA, don’t stress: they’ve been here all along. This duology is an oldie but a goody about Jessica Parkwood, a regular girl trying to get a life during her senior year of high school. But her plan changes when she meets Lucius Vladescu, who tells her not only is she actually a long-lost vampire princess, he’s her one true love. (Dreamy, right?) The Princess Diaries with a paranormal twist, Jessica can’t resist the allure of her new vampire life—and when someone threatens it, she’ll do anything to stop them. If part of you still wants to live out your fantasy of becoming a vampire princess, there’s no time like the present to discover Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, and the sequel, Jessica Rules the Dark Side. 

4.     Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel

Court intrigue, gilded palaces, betrothals, secret entrances, corsets and crowns and thrones, oh my! We love a good royal YA, and this series is one you may not have read yet but totally should. When a sixteen year-old girl is coaxed into posing as a lady in waiting during King George I’s reign, she thinks she’s made it big. But then she discovers that the girl she’s pretending to be might have been killed…and she could be next! The next two books, Dangerous Deceptions and Assassin’s Masque follow Peggy throughout her time in England, as she survives royal scandals, murder attempts, and heartbreak. Fans of The Winner’s Curse trilogy will love these books!

5.     Croak by Gina Damico

If you take your sunshine with a bit of doom and gloom, check out Croak by Gina Damico! This series is a darkly humorous take on a rebellious teenage girl forced to spend a summer on her Uncle Mort’s farm. But her bad summer is about to become a bit more fun: that is, if finding out the real family business is Grim Reaping, and she’s next in line for the job. The series gets even more twisted when Lex finds out that she can damn the souls she reaps, which scares even the toughest of dead-soul collectors. If you love Neal Schusterman’s Scythe, Zac Brewer’s books, and a little humor alongside your darkness, this is the one for you.

Less than ten days from our marathon reading of It Can’t Happen Here and we’re so pleased to announce that DigBoston is our media sponsor for the event!

They’ve interviewed our own Carissa Halston about marathon readings, the First Amendment, and the role writers play in defending democracy:

“The tenets of democracy speak directly to freedom, but US laws and legal documents have often been written (or interpreted) according to a privileged bias, so, for every right and civil liberty we’ve got, there have been at least two amendments that had to be introduced later to make it clear that women and people of color are also entitled to that basic human right. To that end, in any country where democracy is touted as the foundation of society, the writers of that country need to chronicle the many ways democracy fails. Who democracy fails and how often and why. It’s deadly important information, especially when democracy fails so many people on a regular basis.”

They also asked their readers to suggest more novels about fascism, so once we’re done at the Booksmith on 4/1, we’ll all have more to read.

(Isn’t that always the way?)

Don’t forget to RSVP on Facebook so we’ll know to save you a seat—and some pizza and coffee and maybe some cake—and we’ll see you next week!

If you didn’t know, Aforementioned Productions is based in Boston. We’ve lived in a few cities now (Boston, New York, Baltimore), and Boston has our heart. So, late last year, we had immense pleasure of receiving news that we’ve received an organizational grant from the Boston Cultural Council for 2017. It covers a small portion (5%) of our operating costs, but it still feels rewarding to be recognized by this city that has meant so much to us.

The best part of that grant is that we’ll get to spend it on all the great authors and performers whose work we want to support, like Krysten Hill, whose galvanizing new chapbook, How Her Spirit Got Out, is already in its third printing. She’ll be reading next month at Brookline Booksmith with Ben Berman, so if you’re in Boston, and you missed her release party and her inspiring reading at the Boston Public Library for the GB Writers Resist event in January, you won’t want to miss this event!

Also, because we love the crew at the Booksmith, we’re especially excited to announce that they’ll be hosting our marathon reading of It Can’t Happen Here! So, please join us for an event of literary resistance when the fine crew at Brookline Booksmith will be hosting us overnight, March 31 at 7pm-April 1 at noon (ish). Readers include AP founders Carissa Halston and Randolph Pfaff, as well as Shuchi Saraswat, Josh Cook, Catherine Parnell, Kurt Klopmeier, Karen Locasio, Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich, Aaron Devine, Maria Hugger, Julia Kennedy, Sam Cha, Simeon Berry, and more! This event is free and open to the public, and will involve resistance, subversive classic literature, a table of books you’re going to want to buy, plus free cupcakes (and probably wine). So, join us at Brookline Booksmith at the end of next month and stay up all night while we read Lewis’s sharp-sighted and sharp-tongued classic about one journalist’s fight against fascist America.

And if you need another reason, check out this promo image, designed by our ringleader and AP co-founder, Carissa Halston:

A slightly-edited collective response to Zoe Leonard’s I want a president

by Manhattan College students in Marisa Lerer’s Roots Art, Senior Seminar, and Modern Art courses.

I want a president who pulls all-nighters to figure out how to make college affordable for everyone.

I want a president who is concerned about every subject at the same level and who promotes science and art in the same way.

I want a president who creates a cabinet position for a Secretary of Culture.

I want a president with values, not an agenda.

I want a president who doesn’t subscribe to religion.

There's no marathon reading like it. Over 150 talented writers, actors and artists read Moby Dick aloud continuously for three days. 

Moby­ Dick Marathon NYC returns for Second Biennial Reading, November 14, 15, and 16, 2014 at the Ace Hotel New York, South Street Seaport Museum, and Housing Works Bookstore Cafe

Come watch over 150 readers, including Touré, jamiatt, Phil Klay, Téa Obreht, Nathaniel Philbrick, whatwouldlynnetillmando, Alex Karpovsky, MattKish, Leslie Jamison, and many more. 

Organized by the wonderful amandabullock, mollyrosequinn and Polly Kertis.