"12 Day War" Meets 8 Year Anniversary

And some books thrown in

I really do want to be writing a breezy, happy email about books today. I want to send you all my top reads for summer and wish you a great day and have that be that. (And yes, I will add recs.)

But I went to sleep relieved about the ceasefire and woke up to the news about the attack in Be’er Sheva. Now I’m just confused about this “12 day war” and newly devastated as DMs from people who spent hours in safe rooms come in. What next?!

I also woke up to reminders that it’s Election Day in New York and felt a pit in my stomach remembering that someone I love posted yesterday in support of the antisemitic madman Mamdani.

What do I do with that? Do I text her today and beg her not to vote for him?! And yes, I will, but I know it will have no impact. How? And she’s super smart too. What happened!? How do all these smart, educated people buy into the propaganda?

And this is all with my first cup of coffee as the scorching sun sneaks up.

But I also woke up to a text from my mom: “Happy anniversary!” Today is Kyle’s and my wedding anniversary. Eight years ago today!

And, today is Kyle’s late mother’s birthday. Our wedding was eight years ago, before Covid took her, Susan, and his grandmother “Nene” and so many others. Before our world slid off its axis. When the upheaval in my own life, getting divorced and remarried with four children, was the biggest wave in my ocean.

Right after we got married.

Now, I keep trying to reconcile the beauty of summer outside, the season I look forward to all year, the blooming hydrangeas and sparkling seas, with the darkness in the world and in my feed.

But then I see videos of people happily strolling boardwalks in Tel Aviv and know that if everyone in Israel is boldly living life, then that’s what we all must do despite everything else. Right?

If you want to read thoughts, essays and poems from those directly impacted, go to

On Being Jewish Now

and subscribe there, too. We’ve been releasing almost daily missives sharing how people think and feel right now.

Podcast

So, I was going to take a few weeks off from doing podcasts to focus on writing my novel (up to 15,000 words but how will I ever finish if I don’t stop watching the news on Instagram?). After one week “off” from interviewing, I missed it too much, so I’ve added five slots a week for people I’d already invited on.

Why? I missed the ritual of prepping for podcasts, the joy of delving into books I know I’ll love, the fulfillment of learning from others. I’m hooked.

Today on Totally Booked with Zibby: Former Bachelorette Hannah Brown on The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain.

Giveaway: Une Femme Wines x Oh My Mahjong mahjong kit, tote, wines and more. Comment on our Instagram account @totallybookedwithzibby when we release the question of the day today!

Our June Listening Club for my podcast Totally Booked with Zibby is almost coming to an end. I released an episode a day every day in June with giveaways daily.

But with so many of you into it, we’re now gearing up for our July Listening Club — back to Monday - Friday releases. You can get weekly updates, access to giveaways, and a listening community. All June members are automatically carried over. Somehow my sign-up link isn’t working for this, but I’ll put it in the bio on the Totally Booked with Zibby Instagram so follow us there.

Retreats

We’re gearing up to announce a few more of our nationally-recognized reading retreats (covered in USA Today and the LA Times). Our next three destinations are:

October 3-5, 2025: Greenwich, CT in partnership with Athena Books

Dates TBD: Big Bear Lake, CA at the N+P resort (hopefully finalizing dates today)

April 23-28, 2026: Lisbon, Portugal

Interested!?

Signed Copies

Making sure you saw that we have a special Summer Reads Signed Copies Special at Zibby’s Bookshop. Get an adorable free tote when you get three or more signed copies while supplies last. Give books to friends!

Merch

We also have some new merch available at Zibby’s Bookshop including mugs, mini totes, and Sleepy Saturdays pajamas which I’m obsessed with. So soft! These jammies are a perfect gift for book lovers. They come in long-sleeve/pants and short-sleeve/shorts. Check it all out here.

Paperbacks

Love paperbacks for the beach? We’re releasing two new paperbacks today and launched two last month from Zibby Publishing of our previously published hardcovers.

Pick up copies of:

The Undercurrent by Sarah Sawyer

Exposure by Ava Dellaira

I Want You More by Swan Huntley

Pearce Oysters by Joselyn Takacs

New Releases

Next week, we’ll be releasing a poetry collection from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Miranda Cowley Heller whose novel The Paper Palace was one of my favorites. We’ll be publishing What the Deep Water Knows. It comes out on July 1st.

And we just released The Summer We Ran by Audrey Ingram which was a Book of the Month Club pick.

Hope you’ll support our titles. I started the publishing company to give authors the experience they deserve and to release books that make readers think and feel. Try one today!

Have a great day, everyone. Praying for safety and peace.