This week, we bring you a look at our current book club discussion of Ariadne, Jennifer Saint's fresh feminist take on Greek mythology.

In First Impressions, our reviewers have a lot of positive comments to share about Footnotes by Caseen Gaines, a historical account of Black theater.

Our Editor's Choice explores Jean Hanff Korelitz's The Plot, an intense literary thriller; the "beyond the book" article focuses on MFA programs, including the fascinating story of the CIA's involvement in the Iowa Writers' Workshop.

Plus, we have copies of The Girls in the Stilt House by Kelly Mustian to give away!

Very best,

Davina

Ariadne, Princess of Crete, grows up greeting the dawn from her beautiful dancing floor and listening to her nursemaid's stories of gods and heroes. But beneath her golden palace echo the ever-present hoofbeats of her brother, the Minotaur, a monster who demands blood sacrifice every year.

"Ariadne was a real treat... A longer version of the myth of the Minotaur allowed for the presentation of more background information, character development, and comprehension. I will definitely look for more books like this from Jennifer Saint!" - acstrine

"I adored this book. I loved the fact that it was written from two women's points of view and really added so many new dimensions to the classical myth." - barbarae

"I didn’t initially request this book thinking, ugh, Greek mythology? But I’m glad I was given a second chance. I loved the book! I also found myself researching every story that arose during the book. Very well written." - rebajane

Each month we give away books to BookBrowse members who live in the U.S. to read and review. Members who choose to participate receive a free book about every 3-4 months. Here are their opinions on one recently released title.

"I enjoyed this book very much. It is the story of the making of the all-Black Broadway show 'Shuffle Along' in 1921. It details how Eubie Blake, Noble Sissle, Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles overcame racism and many other obstacles to be able to bring the show to the stage. The book then follows the lives and pursuits of these individuals, both here and abroad, through the decades of the 20s, 30s, 40s and into the 50s. Mr. Gaines, the author, did an incredible amount of research to write about the events and people we read about, as evidenced by the massive amount of footnotes and the bibliography. Anyone interested in theater, music or performance of any kind would enjoy this book." - Mary B. (St Paul, MN)

"I must say I came to Gaines' book knowing absolutely nothing about the beginnings of Black theater and honestly, little about Broadway in general. With Gaines' easy to read style and vivid descriptions I found myself enthralled and rooting for the musical geniuses and their ambitious play." - Melissa S. (Rowland, NC)

"I learned much about the lives and struggles of Black performers in the '20s... I feel this would be a good book for book clubs and especially those who are dealing with social justice issues." - Ariel F. (Madison, WI)

Once the promising author of a novel the New York Times Book Review covered in its coveted "New & Noteworthy" section, Bonner's future as a great writer is on the wane. Arriving on campus at Ripley College in northern Vermont, his past literary promise is reflected by the old maxim that those who cannot do, teach. But when he meets student Evan Parker, he discovers that some plots do not fit into the neat constellation of story arcs known among the literati. Indeed, some shine so brightly they can blind a person to the dangers in telling them.

So begins The Plot, Jean Hanff Korelitz's inimitable and imaginative story-within-a-story that sinks its claws in early and doesn't let go until its unforgettable finish. Korelitz, author of several novels including You Should Have Known (adapted by HBO into a miniseries called The Undoing) explores the insular world of her own craft — writers and their ideas — via a chilling twist perhaps as clever as the one Evan Parker shares with Jacob Finch Bonner at an MFA program one fateful day. ... continued

The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing is a graduate-level degree earned by students who seek to pursue work as authors, editors, playwrights, or to teach at the college level.

One of the most prestigious and prominent MFA writing programs is the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop, the first creative writing degree program established in the United States in 1936.

A fascinating factoid about the Iowa Writers' Workshop is that it has ties to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). In 2014, Eric Bennett wrote an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education making the stranger-than-fiction claim that the CIA infiltrated the Iowa program in the 1960s to help spread anti-communist messages through literature. ... continued

Review and article by Peggy Kurkowski

Each month, we feature a variety of upcoming releases on the BookBrowse website. We decide which books to list through a careful, independent process, all with the aim of bringing you the best and most interesting new reads.

Next month's previews are now available for you to explore.

Non-members can view a limited number of previews, while members have full access.

Set in 1920s Mississippi, this debut Southern novel weaves a beautiful and harrowing story of two teenage girls cast in an unlikely partnership through murder—perfect for readers of Where the Crawdads Sing and If the Creek Don't Rise.

"Remarkable debut... [a] nearly flawless tale of loss, perseverance and redemption." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Classic Southern reading." - Library Journal

"An astonishingly assured debut, The Girls in the Stilt House draws you in, holds you spellbound, and will move you to tears. With emotional impact and gut-wrenching power, this unforgettable novel is the best book I've read in a very long time, and I'm sure I won't be the only one who thinks so. A triumph!" - Elizabeth Letts, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Finding Dorothy