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Reverse-Gentrification of the Literary World

Akashic Books

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City Mouse

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City Mouse is an irresistible debut that examines what it means to find your place, revealing unspoken truths about motherhood, friendship, and the thorny pursuit to have it all.

$15.95 $11.96

Available as an e-book for:


What people are saying…

“Lender’s enlightening, beautifully plotted novel dives deep into the notion of having it all while playing with the shallow notions of the American dream.”
Publishers Weekly

“Debut novelist Lender sharply portrays the corrupt privilege of upper-middle-class suburbanites, and with a twist of her pen, the Stepford Wives take the upper hand over their husbands . . . The climactic explosion takes everyone by surprise. A bracingly tart portrait of suburban hell.”
Kirkus Reviews

“A hilarious book about the city vs. suburbs divide.”
New York Post

“It’s not long before neighborhood secrets give way to scandal, proving that the grass—and the Astroturf—isn’t always greener on the other side of the white-picket fence.”
Star Magazine

“Pick this up if you’re taking the train to the beach for the day—you’ll be glad to get back to the urban chaos when you’re done.”
—Booklist Online

“With real estate prices on the rise, Jessica, Aaron and their kids are forced to ditch their chichi Manhattan digs for the suburbs. Though she had her worries, Jessica settles into her new normal with ease—but when she embarks on a moms-only trip with her new galpals, she ends up learning a few eye-opening lessons that spur her to reevaluate her life.”
OK! Magazine

“There’s a lot more going on out there than just mowing the lawn.”
New York Post, a Pat Kiernan “In My Library” pick

“If you’re looking for a book for backyard or beach reading now that the sun has finally come out, City Mouse . . . may be just the read you need.”
Rockland County Times

“The novel . . . examines the life of a young wife and mother grappling with her identity and where to call home, revealing unspoken truths about marriage, motherhood, and friendship.”
Cornell Human Ecology Magazine

“Lender’s debut novel is positively irresistible. It’s hilarious and insightful and just the type of book any city girl needs to tote to her vacation rental this summer . . . even with three kids in tow.”
Daytime Confidential

“This book is everything I don’t want my life to be, but sure don’t mind hearing about someone else living through it…This was a quick, easy read. It really makes you take a second look at your life and it’s a great reminder not to try to live up to other people’s standards. No one really knows what goes on in a marriage except the two people in it.”
Ramblings of a Marine Wife

“Stacey Lender’s debut novel tells us that she will be a permanent fixture in a Moms reading circle, her page turning book is not only a good read but up for a lot of discussion.”
The Baby Spot (Canada)

“This defines a beach read for me! So relatable to our own lives as it is all about mom trying to find out exactly where she fits in the in the scheme of suburbia–all that goes along with it. Plus, when a book is described as The Stepford Wives meets Bad Moms, how can you go wrong?”
Mom of the Year

“Perfect for summer reading . . . City Mouse gives readers a funny, sometimes scathing look into suburbia and all the thorny secrets that can often hide behind well-decorated walls and manicured lawns . . . A great read.”
The Mummy Chronicles

“Perfect for summer.”
Book I Think You Should Read

“The value of City Mouse lies in its exploration of the notion of ‘having it all.'”
The Cyberlibrarian

“This book was a hilarious and fun look into what it is like to deal with life in the suburbs.”
Mrs. Mommy Book Nerd

“If you enjoy human drama, and stories that pull you in, you will find this a great summer read.”
Seattle Pi

“Such a relatable book—even if you don’t live in the suburbs. Because we all want to fit in and have friends. Message of being true to yourself will stay with you even after you close the book!”
Heroes and Heartbreakers

“Looking for a good book to read poolside? Stacey Lender’s debut novel is just the book for a summer read . . . Humorous and light hearted.”
Just A BX Mom

“I do recommend this book for the ladies out there who are interested in another great example of ‘mommy-lit’.”
I’ve Read This

“City Mouse is a sharp and sophisticated novel of suburban life with a narrative voice that is equal parts witty, observant, and vulnerable. A wonderful debut!”
—Susan Isaacs, New York Times best-selling author

“For every city mom who fears death by suburbia—and for every suburban mom who wonders if it’s just her—this insightful, funny trip into the secrets behind those picket fences is required reading.”
—Maureen Sherry, author of Opening Belle

“City Mouse reminds mothers of that priceless lesson: the grass is always greener . . . and maybe even alcohol-soaked Astroturf. I tore through this book like a bored, competitive housewife tears through her Xanax.”
—Faith Salie, author of Approval Junkie


Description

The latest novel in Akashic’s Kaylie Jones Books imprint.

Priced out of their Manhattan neighborhood, Jessica and Aaron move with their young daughters to the one place Jessica swore she’d never go: the suburbs. But to Jessica’s surprise, life in the commuter belt makes a great first impression. She quickly falls in with a clique of helpful mom friends who welcome her with pitchers of margaritas, neighborhood secrets, and a pair of hot jeans that actually fit.

Still, it’s hard to keep up in a crowd where everyone competes for the most perfectly manicured home and latest backyard gadgets. And what’s worse, as the only working mom in her circle, Jessica sometimes feels disconnected and alone. So she’s thrilled when she’s invited to a moms-only weekend at the beach, which she assumes will mean new opportunities for real talk and bonding. Instead, the trip turns into a series of eye-opening lessons, and Jessica must decide if she’s strong enough to be honest with herself about the sort of life she really wants.

Kaylie Jones is the award-winning author of five novels and a memoir. She teaches writing at two MFA programs and lives in New York City.

Check out City Mouse on the subway, as part of NYC’s Books on the Subway giveaway!

Read interviews with Stacey Lender on Laurie Wolk’s the Sparkle Report newsletter and Mom Trends.

Watch and listen to interviews with Stacey Lender on FIOS 1 News, Cheddar Media, and Paperback Radio News.

City Mouse included in Book Riot‘s New Books newsletter for June 2017, Mom of the Year’s 20 Best Summer Books for 2017, and Liz & Liza’s Best Books of the Month roundup.

City Mouse included in Just a BX Mom’s “What A Mom Wants” Mother’s Day Gift Guide and Posh Mother’s Day Gift Guide.

City Mouse featured in Cornell Alumni Magazine.

Read Stacey Lender’s interview with Deborah Kahl.

City Mouse mentioned in Our Town and on Manhattan User’s Guide.

Watch Stacey Lender’s interview with Bold Business.

Listen to Stacey Lender’s interview with Helen Little on The Public Library Podcast

City Mouse author Stacey Lender contributed a piece to the New York Times‘s Metropolitan Diary feature — read it here!

As seen on ABC’s Modern Family episode, “Did the Chicken Cross the Road?” (November 2018)!:


Extras


Book Details

  • Paperback: 320 pages
  • Published: 6/6/17
  • IBSN: 9781617755255
  • e-IBSN: 9781617755613

Author

STACEY LENDER started her career as a roadie and rose through the ranks from luggage schlepper to marketing executive for entertainment brands including Radio City Music Hall, USA Network, Madison Square Garden, Sesame Street Live, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and One World Observatory at the top of One World Trade Center. She grew up in the suburbs of New York City with a god-awful perm and later graduated from Cornell University. Today she lives in Manhattan and Connecticut with her husband and two daughters, and has traveled to all fifty states. City Mouse is Stacey’s first novel. For more information, visit staceylender.com.

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