Categories
Giveaways

Win a Copy of THE LINE BECOMES A RIVER by Francisco Cantú!

 

We have 10 copies of The Line Becomes A River by Francisco Cantú to give away to 10 Riot readers!

Here’s what it’s all about:

For Francisco Cantú, the border is in the blood: his mother, a park ranger and daughter of a Mexican immigrant, raised him in the scrublands of the Southwest. Haunted by the landscape of his youth, Cantú joins the Border Patrol. He and his partners are posted to remote regions crisscrossed by drug routes and smuggling corridors. Plagued by nightmares, he abandons the Patrol for civilian life. But when an immigrant friend travels to Mexico to visit his dying mother and does not return, Cantú discovers that the border has migrated with him, and now he must know the whole story.

Go here to enter for a chance to win, or just click the cover image below:

 

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Riot Rundown

110517-RightWhereWeBelong-Riot-Rundown

Today’s Riot Rundown is sponsored by Right Where We Belong by Brenda Novak.

A moving story about rebuilding your life when you’ve got nothing left to lose, from New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak. Savanna Gray’s “perfect” life unraveled when her husband was arrested for attacking three women. She seeks refuge in Silver Springs, at a farmhouse that needs a little TLC. Familiar with the struggle of starting over, Gavin Turner steps up when Savanna needs help fixing things—even when those things go beyond the farmhouse. Unwilling to repeat past mistakes, Savanna resolves to keep her distance. But it’s hard to resist a man whose heart is as capable as his hands.

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Today In Books

Amazon in Talks to Make a a LORD OF THE RINGS Series: Today in Books

 

Amazon Considering a Lord of the Rings Series

Talks are very early, so we don’t know much, but Amazon is reportedly talking to Warner Brothers about bring Middle Earth to the internet as a series. Every streaming service is looking for their Stranger Things or Game of Thrones, and a sprawling epic like Tolkien’s masterpiece certainly has the scale. But are we ready for a new adaptation? It’s been just 14 years since The Return of the King won the Academy Award for Best Picture. What about Dune instead, Jeff Bezos?

 

Canada’s Indigo Bookstore Coming to America

I’m really interested in this. Canada’s largest bookstore chain, Indigo, has totally revamped its business by combining books with an extensive selection of sidelines to create what they call “a cultural department store.” I think there is room in the U.S. for an innovative and aggressive book chain, and Indigo sure seems like they have an idea that could work. They currently have 89 stores in Canada, and they say they will try opening 4 or 5 stores in the U.S. to see how it fares. Here’s hoping it goes well.

 

Drinking Booze, at least a little, Helps with Foreign Language Proficiency

In a boon to leisure travelers everywhere, a recent study found that drinking a moderate amount of alcohol improves foreign language proficiency. Here’s how the test went: Germans students who were studying Dutch were split into two groups, some getting water and some getting beer. Then, they were recorded having conversations in Dutch, then those recordings were scored by native Dutch speakers who didn’t know which recordings were by which group. The result? The slightly-tipsy Germans scored better.

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Today in Books is sponsored by Unbound Worlds.

Build your library with a collection of classic science fiction and fantasy novels from Unbound Worlds! Fall is in full swing, and it’s the perfect time to cozy up with some classics. Unbound Worlds is giving away thirty-two books from timeless sci-fi and fantasy authors like Philip K. Dick, T.H. White, Anne McCaffrey, and Samuel R. Delaney, plus some bookish swag from Out of Print! Enter here for a chance to win.

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Giveaways

Win a Copy of THE WALKING DEAD: THE OFFICIAL COOKBOOK AND SURVIVAL GUIDE!

 

We have 5 copies of The Walking Dead: The Official Cookbook and Survival Guide to give away to 5 Riot readers!

Here’s what it’s all about:

The Walking Dead: The Official Cookbook and Survival Guide details the skills and recipes you need to survive (while avoiding being eaten) during a walker apocalypse. Inspired by the hit AMC television series, the book features recipes for meals featured on the show, plus food and drinks inspired by key characters and locations, along with expert information on foraging, hunting wild game, and outdoor cooking. Featuring familiar treats like Carl’s pudding, Carol Peletier’s baked goods, and Hershel’s spaghetti, this is the ultimate gift for fans and walker-wary survivalists alike.

Go here to enter for a chance to win, or just click the cover image below:

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Book Radar

The Paper Bag Princess is Headed to the Big Screen and More Book News!

Hello, November! and hello, book lovers! Have you finished all your candy?I have some delightful bookish goodness for you below. Hope you’re reading something marvelous! Enjoy your week, and be excellent to each other. – xoxo, Liberty


Sponsored by Unbound Worlds

Build your library with a collection of classic science fiction and fantasy novels from Unbound Worlds! Fall is in full swing, and it’s the perfect time to cozy up with some classics. Unbound Worlds is giving away thirty-two books from timeless sci-fi and fantasy authors like Philip K. Dick, T.H. White, Anne McCaffrey, and Samuel R. Delaney, plus some bookish swag from Out of Print! Enter for a chance to win.


Deals, Reals, and Squeals!

the paper bag princessElizabeth Banks will direct The Paper Bag Princess. (Read this book immediately if you haven’t already.)

Jacqueline Woodson will publish two new books with Riverhead.

Zachary Levi to star in Shazam adaptation.

Roxane Gay shared news of deals and an upcoming book she edited.

Megan Abbott’s new novel, Give Me Your Hand, will be out in July.

Nova Ren Suma and Emily X.R. Pan announced a serial YA anthology.

And speaking of Nova and anthologies, she’ll be part of a new YA anthology of Jewish writers, headed out way in 2019. And Sona Charaipotra has a new book coming and more kids’ book news!

if beale street could talkBrian Tyree Henry joins Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk.

Kimberly Peirce to direct This Is Jane for Amazon.

Fox buys Snow Blind drama based on comic.

Julianne Moore will play Gloria Steinem in her biopic.

Haruki Murakami’s short story, Burning, has been made into a film.

Jane the Virgin‘s novel is coming for real.

Cover Reveals

EW has the first look at the new Buffy the Vampire Slayer middle-grade book series. (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, September 2018)

The cover for Bash Bash Revolution by Douglas Lane is out. (Night Shade Books, March 6, 2018)

Jeff Giles reveals the cover for Edge of Everything sequel, The Brink of Darkness. (Bloomsbury, July 3, 2018)

 

Sneak Peeks!

love simonThe first look at Love, Simon!

And here are some fabulous peeks at Crazy Rich Asians!

A sneak peek at the new Jumanji film!

 

 

Book Riot Recommends 

At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week!

how to write an autobiographical novelHow to Write an Autobiographical Novel: Essays by Alexander Chee (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, April 24, 2018)

If nothing else about the coming year excites you, at least be happy we have a new Alexander Chee book! And it’s nonfiction! I love his novels, but he is also wicked smart, and has many insightful, thoughtful things to say about the world. He is a beacon in troubled waters, and I feel like I’m learning to become a better human when I read him.

children of blood and boneChildren of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (Henry Holt and Company for Young Readers, March 6, 2018)

BELIEVE THE HYPE. This trilogy landed a HUGE deal, and for good reason (er, at least for the first book): It’s a wildly fantastical (and fantastic) tale of magic, royalty, and vengeance that tackles real issues, like racism and prejudice. What an epic nerdpurr. Be ready to see this book everywhere. Oh ya, did I mention it’s 600 pages long? GIANT FANTASY GOODNESS FTW.

And this is funny.

Raccoons + Oscar Wilde = LOLOLOLOLOL

Categories
Today In Books

Updates on Roxane Gay’s Next Book: Today in Books

News From Roxane Land

This morning, Roxane Gay posted an image of the cover for her next book! And the Table of Contents, which reveals a stellar list of contributors, including Gabrielle Union and Ally Sheedy. Not That Bad is an anthology of first-person essays tackling rape, assault, and harassment, edited by Gay (she also contributes an essay). The anthology is out May 2018 so keep an eye out, and be ready to put it on hold because it’s going to fly.

Haruki Murakami “Barn Burning” Adaptation Picked Up By Finecut

Finecut picked up international sales right to Burning, Lee Chang-dong’s adaptation of Murakami’s short story “Barn Burning.” The story about a Japanese writer who has a strange encounter with a mime/model, her boyfriend, and arson was originally published in The New Yorker. Yoo Ah-in stars as Jong-soo, a temporary parcel man, alongside Steven Yeun of The Walking Dead, and newcomer Jong-seo.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor Working On 3 Books For Young People

Sotomayor will adapt her best-selling memoir My Beloved World for middle-graders. She’ll also collaborate with illustrators Lulu Delacre and Rafael Lopez on a picture-book autobiography about important books she came across in her life and a picture book about “childhood differences,” respectively. You can pick up the first two books next fall, and her collaboration with Lopez will be out in 2019.

Don’t forget, we’re giving away $500 to the bookstore of your choice! Click here to enter.


Sponsored by DoorBeeDesigns – $15 off with coupon code BOOKRIOT!

This is the perfect gift for any book lover! You choose the bookshelf color, the authors/titles, and the size. Text is machine embroidered, it will not fade or peel like other materials will. Available in a variety of sizes from wall hangings to king size quilts. My products are made to order with high quality fabric. No two quilts will be the same. Visit www.DoorBeeDesigns.etsy.com to see reviews from others who have bought this or any one of my other items. I have a solid 5 star review and pride myself in high quality work with excellent customer service.

Categories
The Kids Are All Right

Middle Grade Steampunk Books, New Releases, and More!

Hi Kid Lit friends,

I first became acquainted with the term “steampunk” a few years ago. According to Wikipedia, “Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction or science fantasy that incorporates technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery.”

After I became familiar with what the term actually meant, I started seeing it everywhere in children’s literature. Here are some great new middle grade steampunk adventures.


Sponsored by Penguin

Life after the zombie apocalypse is pretty good for 13-year-old Jack Sullivan: he lives in a mind-clobberingly cool tree fort with his best friends, speeds through town playing Real-Life Mario Kart, has a crew of monster buddies, battles zombies on the regular, and generally treats life like it’s a videogame!

One problem: it’s hard convincing his friends that everything is great when they’re being hunted by a monstrous Nightmare King and an ancient evil who won’t rest until Earth has been devoured. Crud!


Race to the Bottom of the Sea by Lindsay Eager
When her parents, the great marine scientists Dr. and Dr. Quail, are killed in a tragic accident, eleven-year-old Fidelia Quail is racked by grief — and guilt. But Fidelia is forced out of her mourning when she’s kidnapped by Merrick the Monstrous, a pirate whose list of treasons stretches longer than a ribbon eel. Her task? Use her marine know-how to retrieve his treasure, lost on the ocean floor. But as Fidelia and the pirates close in on the prize, with the navy hot on their heels, she realizes that Merrick doesn’t expect to live long enough to enjoy his loot. Could something other than black-hearted greed be driving him?

Ghosts of Greenglass House (sequel to Greenglass House) by Kate Milford
Welcome back to the irresistible world of Greenglass House where thirteen-year-old Milo is, once again, spending the winter holidays stuck in a house full of strange guests who are not what they seem. There are fresh clues to uncover as friends old and new join in his search for a mysterious map and a famous smuggler’s lost haul.

The Shadow Cipher by Laura Ruby
It was 1798 when the Morningstarr twins arrived in New York with a vision for a magnificent city: towering skyscrapers, dazzling machines, and winding train lines, all running on technology no one had ever seen before. Fifty-seven years later, the enigmatic architects disappeared, leaving behind for the people of New York the Old York Cipher—a puzzle laid into the shining city they constructed, at the end of which was promised a treasure beyond all imagining. By the present day, however, the puzzle has never been solved, and the greatest mystery of the modern world is little more than a tourist attraction.

The Wonderling by Mira Bartók
Welcome to the Home for Wayward and Misbegotten Creatures, an institution run by evil Miss Carbunkle, a cunning villainess who believes her terrified young charges exist only to serve and suffer. For the Wonderling, an innocent-hearted, one-eared, fox-like eleven-year-old with only a number rather than a proper name — a 13 etched on a medallion around his neck — it is the only home he has ever known. Richly imagined, with shimmering language, steampunk motifs, and gripping, magical plot twists, this high adventure fantasy is the debut novel of award-winning memoirist Mira Bartók.

Timeless: Diego and the Rangers of the Vastlantic by Armand Baltazar
You’ve never seen Earth like this before: continents reshaped, oceans re-formed, cities rebuilt, and mountains sculpted anew. Dinosaurs roam the plains alongside herds of buffalo, and giant robots navigate the same waters as steam-powered ships. This is the world Diego Ribera was born into. The past, present, and future coexisting together. In New Chicago, Diego’s middle school hallways buzz with kids from all eras of history and from cultures all over the world. The pieces do not always fit together neatly, but this is the world he loves.

Woundabout by Lev Rosen, illustrated by Ellis Rosen
In the wake of tragedy, siblings Connor and Cordelia and their pet capybara are sent to the precariously perched town of Woundabout to live with their eccentric aunt. Woundabout is a place where the mayor has declared that routine rules above all, and no one is allowed to as questions–because they should already know the answers. But Connor and Cordelia can’t help their curiosity when they discover a mysterious crank that fits into certain parts of the town, and by winding the crank, places are transformed into something beautiful.

 

Picture Book New Releases (All releasing 11/7!)

Inky’s Great Escape by Casey Lyall, illustrations by Sebastià Serra (Sterling Books)

Red Again by Barbara Lehman (HMH Books for Young Readers)

Hortense and the Shadow by Natalia O’Hara and Lauren O’Hara (Little, Brown)

Look! What Do You See? by Xu Bing, illustrated by Becca Stadtlander (Penguin Random House)

Betty’s Burgled Bakery by Travis Nichols (Chronicle)

Read the Book, Lemmings! by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Zachariah O’Hora (Little, Brown)

 

Middle Grade New Releases! (All releasing 11/7!)

Victoria: Portrait of a Queen by Catherine Reef (HMH Books for Young Readers)

The Kindness Club: Designed by Lucy by Courtney Sheinmel (Bloomsbury)

The Devlin Quick Mysteries: Digging for Trouble by Linda Fairstein (Penguin Random House)

Cici’s Journal: The Adventures of a Writer-in-Training by Joris Chamblain, illustrations by Aurelie Neyret (First Second)

The Doldrums and the Helmsley Curse by Nicholas Gannon (HarperCollins)

The Lost Frost Girl by Amy Wilson (HarperCollins)

Daniel Coldstar: The Relic War by Stel Pavlou (HarperCollins)

 

Around the web…

Beverly Cleary Titles Go Retro, via Publisher’s Weekly

Best Children’s Books Quotes, via Book Riot

20 Excellent Audiobooks for Preschoolers, via Book Riot

The Ultimate Guidebooks for the Minecraft Super Fan, via Brightly

 

Ebook Deals!

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes, $1.99

Little Blue Truck’s Christmas by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Jill McElmurry, $2.99

 

I’ve been reading some great books lately! My favorite picture book of the week is This is How We Do It by Matt Lamothe. I picked up a great middle grade graphic novel, Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani. And finally, at the suggestion of Book Riot’s own YA mastermind Kelly Jensen and children and teen book buyer at the New York Public Library Christopher Lassen, I started the YA nonfiction book Vincent and Theo by Deborah Heiligman (it’s amazing!).

Don’t forget about Book Riot’s huge bookstore giveaway – $500 to the bookstore of your choice! Enter here.

That is it for me this week! I’d love to know what you are reading this week! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.

Until next time,
Karina


Why yes, I did give out books instead of candy to trick-or-treaters.

*If this e-mail was forwarded to you, follow this link to subscribe to “The Kids Are All Right” newsletter and other fabulous Book Riot newsletters for your own customized e-mail delivery. Thank you!*

 

Categories
Giveaways

Win a Library of Science Fiction and Fantasy Classics!

 

Build your library with a collection of classic science fiction and fantasy novels from Unbound Worlds! Fall is in full swing, and it’s the perfect time to cozy up with some classics. Unbound Worlds is giving away thirty-two books from timeless sci-fi and fantasy authors like Philip K. Dick, T.H. White, Anne McCaffrey, and Samuel R. Delaney, plus some bookish swag from Out of Print! Enter for a chance to win.

Go here to enter for a chance to win, or just click the image below. Good luck!

 

 

Categories
Today In Books

Audible’s Most Popular Tiles From the Past 20 Years: Today in Books

Audible’s Most Popular Titles From The Past 20

Audible just released its most popular titles from the past 20 years (how has it been around that long?). It’s an interesting, though not altogether surprising list. Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson at the number two spot what? Guess what spot The Girl on the Train holds. You probably guessed correctly. You’ll also find old standards Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, and George R.R. Martin there. It’s worth a look and maybe even a listen.

Condé Nast Will Shutter Teen Vogue In Print And Lower Magazine Frequencies

Teen Vogue has been killing it lately, but anyone following their political coverage, think pieces, and activism by way of print will have to transition over to digital. Condé Nast is ending print runs of the teen magazine and lowering the frequencies of many of their other magazines. The publisher is cutting 80 jobs and slashing the budgets of low performing mags. No comment on these recent cuts and the end of Teen Vogue’s print run from Condé, but this is the latest in what has been a turbulent phase of reorganization for the publisher.

Marvel Cut A Thor: Ragnarok Scene Confirming Valkyrie’s Bisexuality

Tessa Thompson who plays Valkyrie in the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok movie said a scene showing a glimpse of a woman walking out of Valkyrie’s bedroom was cut from the film because it distracted from vital exposition. Thompson, who has been vocal about how important it is that her portrayal of Valkyrie stay true to the character’s bisexuality, had pitched the scene to Marvel Studios and director Taika Waititi. The thing is, representation is important. And in my experience as a Marvel moviegoer, those films could do with a little less exposition. I’m sorry, that was some shade.

Don’t forget, we’re giving away $500 to the bookstore of your choice! Click here to enter.


Thank you to Chicago Review Press, publisher of Pinball Wizards by Adam Ruben, for sponsoring today’s newsletter.

Pinball Wizards: Jackpots, Drains, and the Cult of the Silver Ball by Adam Ruben tells the dynamic story about America’s quintessential arcade game. By visiting pinball museums, gaming conventions, pinball machine designers and even pinball factories, Adam attempts to discover what makes the world’s best players so good. The book also explores the history of the game, as well as its invention, defeat and recent resurgence in American culture today.

Categories
Swords and Spaceships

Sword and Spaceships Nov 3

Happy Friday, sky captains and snow monsters! Today we’ve got reviews for Prosperity and Girls Made of Snow and Glass, some Buffy read-alikes, magical realism, Kingkiller Chronicles news, and more.


This week’s newsletter is sponsored by PageHabit.

Page Habit box imagePageHabit offers monthly FANTASY and SCIENCE FICTION book boxes curated and annotated by acclaimed authors for the most diehard bookworms. Each box comes with an exclusive, author-annotated new release, a written letter from the author, a bonus short story, fun bookish goods and instant membership into an active online book community of over 20,000 members.

Get FREE SHIPPING on your first box with code “RIOT”.


For my fellow Slayer fans: here’s a list of books to read if you liked Buffy, in which Sharanya lays out her reasoning very well. How was The Immortal Rules not on my radar prior to this point?! Must remedy immediately.

We who are about to spend time with our families salute you: Ars Technica put together a list of new sf/f releases to help you escape this holiday season. Cosign on Null States and the JY Yang novellas!

What’s better than space or magic? Space AND magic! I love Alex’s list of 9 books that have both, with extra points for use of “handwavium.”

Ah yes, the perennial question: “What is magical realism?” Not only does Leah break it down here, but she gives you 100 must-reads from everyone’s favorite genre to argue about!

As you might have heard, the TV adaptation of Patrick Rothfuss’s Kingkiller Chronicles is moving forward! It’s got a network, Showtime, and Lin-Manuel Miranda continues to be excited about lutes (he’s doing music for the show). While you’re waiting for this to, you know, exist, here are one Rioter’s favorite quotes from the series so far.

It’s never too early to start planning your holiday nerdy gift-giving (or to get yourself some goodies): here are some excellent options, including a topographic Earthsea map (EXTREME HEART EYES).

How about some ebook deals?  Trickster’s Choice and Trickster’s Queen by Tamora Pierce are both $1.99 right now, if you feel live revisiting Tortall. The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig is also $1.99, which is a time-traveling adventure story on a boat (hello, wheelhouse).

Today’s review books both tackle known quantities in SF/F and upend them in fantastic ways; get ready to fall head over heels.

Prosperity by Alexis Hall

Prosperity by Alexis HallProsperity is the bawdy, queer, steampunk/Lovecraft adventure story I didn’t know I was craving. Tentacle monsters, phlogiston, airships, some very steamy interludes, and lots of (Cockney?) slang await you in the Prosperityverse.

Good-hearted guttersnipe Dil (short for Picadilly) cheats the wrong man in a card game that will change his life. After getting shot by the man in question — Milord, whose own morals are seriously questionable — Dil is rescued by the crew of the aethership Shadowless. And what a crew it is: the very sparkly captain, the opium-befuddled navigatrix, the handsome defrocked priest, and the ever-cranky and murderous Milord. As Dil tries to decide his next steps (and falls in love), one adventure after another befall the crew and he must decide where his allegiance lies. From Dil’s own personal apocalypse to the possible end of the world, there is action aplenty, as well as a beautiful portrayal of finding your family.

Readers who dislike dialect might want to steer clear — while Dil does occasionally clarify a word or two, you have to be willing to hang with his verbal stylings. What might actually be historical slang and what Hall made up would require more linguistic knowledge than I have, but it didn’t slow me down one bit. And while this is not a romance, there are several explicit sex scenes; proceed according to your personal blush-o-meter. If, like me, you can’t get enough of these characters and this world, you’re in luck: Liberty and Other Stories continues the story of the Shadowless crew. Happy sailing!

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust

Girls Made of Snow and GlassThis book has been pitched as “Frozen meets The Bloody Chamber” and while I couldn’t quite imagine what that meant, I was very curious. Having read it, I can now tell you that it means snow-related powers and women working through constraints imposed by men for their own gains. It’s also an imaginative and inclusive retelling of Snow White featuring both LGBTQ+ and POC characters, and I enjoyed it immensely.

Told in parallel narratives that move back and forth in time, the story follows Mina, who at 16 decides that her best chance at a good life is to marry a widowed king, and Lynet, 15-year-old daughter of that king. Mina’s own father, an emotionally abusive and manipulative magician, gave her a heart of glass when she was a child. What he doesn’t realize is that he gave her powers as well. All Lynet’s father wants is for her to grow up to be just like her long-deceased mother, regardless of who Lynet is on the inside. As each struggles to find a way forward, they are set against each other — but their story doesn’t end there.

As Lynet falls in love for the first time, with the court surgeon Nadia, and Mina starts to understand what love actually is, they rewrite the fairytale we know into something new. Bashardoust takes the dark heart of Snow White and gives it room to shine.

And that’s a wrap! You can find all of the books recommended in this newsletter on a handy Goodreads shelf. If you’re interested in more science fiction and fantasy talk, you can catch me and my co-host Sharifah on the SFF Yeah! podcast. For many many more book recommendations you can find me on the Get Booked podcast with the inimitable Amanda.

Your fellow booknerd,
Jenn