Month: December 2017

Holiday Money? Here Are Tons of Mystery Recs!

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date December 22, 2017

Hello fellow mystery lovers! Happy Kwanzaa! Hope you had a merry Christmas/Nochebuena! And happy almost new year—don’t let the door hit you on the way out, 2017! First, if you want to opine on this here newsletter: Here’s What I Think About Unusual Suspects (quick questionnaire). And now, if you’ve gotten some money, or just need some retail therapy to survive the end of the year, I’ve collected a bunch of suggestions for all types of reading preferences. Oh, and if you missed it Book Riot is giving away 20 (TWENTY!) of the books we picked as best of 2017! Good luck!

Sponsored by Home Sweet Home by April Smith, new in paperback from Vintage Books.

This riveting epic drama follows the Kusek family from New York City to America’s heartland, where their dream life turns into a nightmare, as they are caught up in the panic of McCarthyism, a smear campaign, a sensational trial, and, ultimately, murder. From the widely praised author of the FBI Special Agent Ana Grey series and A Star for Mrs. Blake.

If you’re looking for cozy mysteries here are Rioter Sarah Nicolas’ 25 Absolute Best picks.

Or you want some noir to read: Liberty has 9 recommendations for you! And I’d also add Steph Cha’s Juniper series which starts with Follow Her Home.

If you’re looking for a great graphic novel with gorgeous art and a wonderfully unique detective My Favorite Thing is Monsters was one of Book Riot’s Best of 2017 picks. Plus, the second part comes out next year so now’s the perfect time to read the first volume.

If queer ladies solving crime is your jam, Rioter Trizah Price has great recommendations for you.

If mystery and thriller audiobooks is your thing, Amanda Nelson has 10 excellent picks for you and Kristy Pasquariello has 8 thrilling recommendations revolving around a missing person.

Love How to Get Away With Murder? Mya Nunnally has recommendations for you. I also recommend Marcia Clark’s newest series that starts with Blood Defense and follows criminal defense attorney Samantha Brinkman.

There’s also my 9 picks for Best Mystery & Thrillers published this year. And here’s my 13 picks for 2016.

I also listed 5 Japanese crime writers that should be on your radar.

If paperbacks is your preferred reading choice Swapna Krishna has 5 picks for you.

(Sherlock season 4 spoilers) Deepali Agarwal put together a list of female sleuths to read in response to Sherlock’s season 4.

If quiet, personal mysteries sounds interesting Beth O’Brien has some recommendations.

If you love psychological thrillers but not the usual formulas Rabeea Saleem has 5 suggestions for you.

Kindle Deals:

The Cutaway by Christina Kovac is $1.99 (thriller with TV producer MC)

Wednesday the Rabbi Got Wet (The Rabbi Small Mysteries) by Harry Kemelman is $1.99 (cozy mystery)

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And if you like to put a pin in things here’s an Unusual Suspects board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And in the meantime come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, and Litsy–you can find me under Jamie Canaves.

The Kids Are All Right

25 Children’s Books To Look Forward To In 2018

Post author By Karina Glaser
Post date December 22, 2017

Hi Kid Lit friends!

For the last kid’s lit newsletter of 2017, I thought I’d shout out some of the titles I’m super excited about for 2018.

We’re giving away a stack of our 20 favorite books of the year. Click here to enter, or just click the image below.

Picture Books

They Say Blue by Jillian Tamaki (Abrams Books for Young Readers, 3/13/18)

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. This book is full of vibrant colors and energy. “My favorite line: Black is the color of my hair. My mother parts it every morning, like opening a window.”

Libba: The Magnificent Musical Life of Elizabeth Cotten by Laura Veirs, illustrated by Tatyana Fazlalizadeh (Chronicle, 1/16/18)

I am a sucker for picture book biographies, and this one about Elizabeth Cotten is beautiful. Libba was a young girl when she picked up a guitar for the first time, but since she was left-handed she played it upside down and backwards. By age eleven, she had written Freight Train, a song now known all around the world.

Sometimes You Fly by Katharine Applegate, illustrated by Jennifer Black (HMH Books for Young Readers, 4/3/18)

My favorite part of this book is the author’s biography, where she writes, “Before Sometimes You Fly became the book you are holding in your hands, it was rewritten hundreds of times.” A beautiful book sure to become a favorite for those who love Oh, The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss.

Life Doesn’t Frighten Me by Maya Angelou, illustrated by Jean-Michel Basquiat (Abrams Books for Young Readers, 5/8/18)

A perfect pairing between Maya Angelou’s gorgeous poem and Jean-Michel’s Basquiat’s haunting street art.

“Shadows on the wall
Noises down the hall
Life doesn’t frighten me at all”

Love by Matt de la Pena, illustrated by Loren Long (G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 1/9/18)

“In the beginning there is light
and two wide-eyed figures standing
near the foot of your bed,
and the sound of their voices is love.”

I cry every time I read this book. Listen to the author and illustrator discuss the book and their collaboration here.

Be A King by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by James E. Ransome (Bloomsbury, 1/2/18)

I read this book out loud to my kids, and they were really touched by the illustrations and the tangible ways they can emulate the example of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A lovely book not just about the iconic civil rights figure, but about the roles we all play in creating a world of justice and peace.

Free As A Bird: The Story of Malala by Lisna Maslo (HarperCollins, 1/23/18)

There are many biographies of Malala Yousafzai, but I especially love this one. The illustrations are lovely. There is a spread in here with Malala lying down with red flowers around her, with the words, “Carry on with your dreams.” Simply stunning.

Grandma Gatewood Hikes The Appalachian Trail by Jennifer Thermes (Abrams Books for Young Readers, 5/8/18)

I am fascinated by people who hike the Appalachian Trail, and this story of Emma “Grandma” Gatewood is so inspiring. At age sixty-seven, she became the first woman to hike the 2,160-mile Appalachian Trail alone. Gorgeous maps fill this lovely and informative picture book.

Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Qin Leng (Balzer + Bray, 1/23/18)

Oh, this book is wonderful! I’m excited for young readers to be introduced to amazing Jane Austen through this picture book. The illustrations are captivating with much to explore, and the words make me want to reread all of Jane’s books again.

Chapter Books

Jasmine Toguchi: Drummer Girl by Debbi Michiko Florence, illustrated by Elizabet Vukotic (Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, 4/3/18)

If you’ve read this newsletter in the past, you know that I LOVE Jasmine Toguchi! In this latest installment, Jasmine takes up the taiko drums for the local talent show. Can she make the taiko as cool as the other talents her friends (and enemies) have?

Bat and the Waiting Game by Elana K. Arnold, illustrated by Charles Santosa (HarperCollins, 3/27/18)

If you haven’t read A Boy Called Bat yet, stop everything and go get that one and read it first! Bat and the Waiting Game is the sequel, and it is just as charming and sweet as the first book.

The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters: The Uncanny Express by Kara LaReau, illustrated by Jen Hill (Abrams Books for Young Readers, 1/9/18)

Another sequel here, and again, go read the first one (The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters: The Jolly Regina). I love author Kara LaReau’s humor and her unlikely “bland” heroines who always seem to make every experience new, amusing, and inviting.

The Heat is On (The Next Best Junior Chef) (2/3/18) & The Winner Is… (The Next Best Junior Chef) (7/24/18) by Charise Mericle Harper, illustrated by Aurélie Blard-Quintard (HMH Books for Young Readers)

The first book in this series, Lights, Camera, Action! came out this year, and readers will be excited to see that the next two books will be released in 2018. Based on hit TV series like Top Chef, this series tracks four kids as they go through a competition with one contestant being eliminated with each book. Who will last until the end?

Road Trip with Max and His Mom by Linda Urban, illustrated by Katie Kath (HMH Books for Young Readers, 4/17/18)

The follow-up to Weekends with Max and His Dad, this new book continues with Max and his mom planning a road trip. I loved this book and am crossing my fingers for more in this series.

Middle Grade Books

A Sky Full of Stars by Linda Williams Jackson (HMH Books for Young Readers, 1/2/18)

This is the sequel to Midnight Without a Moon, Linda Williams Jackson’s debut novel. Set in Mississippi in the 1950’s, Rose Lee Carter lives with her sharecropper grandparents. In the first book she grapples with the murder of Emmett Till, a young man who is convicted and then killed for whistling at a white woman. In the sequel, Rose continues to struggle with staying in the south when opportunities arise for her to go north, while also feeling caught between the mounting racial tension and differing ways her friends want to address the injustice. This book is gorgeously written and the author is a much needed voice in children’s literature.

Hope in the Holler by Lisa Lewis Tyre (Penguin Random House, 1/9/18)

I was immediately drawn in by the cover on this one. Right before Wavie’s mom dies, she gives Wavie a list of instructions: Be brave, Wavie B! You got as much right to a good life as anybody, so find it! But little did Wavie’s mom know that events would conspire to bring Wavie back to Conley Hollow, the Appalachian hometown her mother tried to leave behind.

Takedown by Laura Shovan (Wendy Lamb Books, 6/19/18)

I am so looking forward to this book coming out! It is about two wrestlers, Mikayla and Lev, who are paired to train together in their wrestling team. While Mikayla struggles with being the only girl on the team, Lev struggles with doubt and anxiety as the championships get closer.

The Girl Who Drew Butterflies by Joyce Sidman (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2/20/18)

I first read this book a few months ago and promptly shared my love for it with my local librarian, who used to work inatthe New York Botanical Garden library and who loves Maria Merian. This biography is stunning; I learned so much about this pioneer, one of the first naturalists to study live insects and document the metamorphosis of the butterfly.

Stanley Will Probably Be Fine by Sally J. Pla (HarperCollins, 2/6/18)

We need more characters like Stanley Fortinbras in children’s literature! Stanley struggles with anxiety, which prevents him from making friends, trying new things, and participating in a much anticipated comics trivia scavenger hunt. I loved this book and have already recommended it to many kids who struggle with anxiety.

The Unicorn Quest by Kamilla Benko (Bloomsbury, 2/6/18)

This is a story about two sisters who find the magical land of Arden through a ladder in a fireplace, but they arrive to discover Arden in turmoil. A fun, fast-paced fantasy story with wraiths, magical guilds, and unicorns.

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani (Dial Books for Young Readers, 3/6/18)

An epistolary novel about a girl growing up in 1947 after India’s separation into two countries: India and Pakistan. Half-Muslim, half-Hindu, Nisha doesn’t know where she belongs, and when her family leaves to seek safely Nisha goes on a journey of self-discovery.

Facing Frederick: The Life of Frederick Douglass by Tonya Bolden (Abrams Books for Young Readers, 1/9/18)

A terrific biography of Frederick Douglass, focusing on his roles as a statesman, suffragist, writer, and newspaperman. So far this book has garnered three starred reviews, and it does not surprise me at all. I loved reading this wonderfully written, compelling book.

March Forward, Girl by Melba Pattillo Beals (HMH Books for Young Readers, 1/2/18)

This is a powerful memoir about Beals’ early journey to champion for equal rights. Along the way, she became an acclaimed journalist, a best-selling author, and the recipient of this country’s highest recognition, the Congressional Gold Medal.

Class Action by Steven B. Frank (HMH Books for Young Readers, 4/3/18)

I loved Steven’s debut middle grade book, Armstrong and Charlie, and his sophomore book is just as hilarious, important, and touching as his first. I recommend this for fans of Gary Schmidt, Gordon Korman, Richard Peck, and Andrew Clements.

Did you know that Book Riot is giving away a stack of our 20 favorite books of the year? Click here to enter.

That’s it for me this week! Do you get some extra reading time during the holidays? I’d love to find out what books are on your list! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com. The Book Riot Kids newsletter is taking next week off, but we’ll be back on January 7th (my birthday!).

See you next week!
Karina

Izzy was very helpful as I compiled this list of 2018 books!

*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!*

Today In Books

Major Grant Awarded to Promote Diversity in Publishing: Today in Books

Post author By Sharifah Williams
Post date December 21, 2017

Literary Agency Dedicated To Diverse Voices Receives Major Grant

The Good Agency, a new literary agency dedicated to championing under-represented voices in publishing, is receiving a grant for over half a million pounds. The grant comes from Arts Council England as part of ACE’s Ambition for Excellence Project, which offers grants funded by the National Lottery. ACE literature director Sarah Crown called the grant “a significant first step in the Arts Council’s commitment to promoting and sustaining diversity in the publishing sector.”

The Writing Community Aids Matthew Salesses’ Family

Individuals from the Asian American writing community are working to aid author Matthew Salesses’ wife, Cathreen, who was diagnosed with cancer. The diagnosis arrived shortly after the birth of the Salesses’ second child. Author Margaret Rhee has organized a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the family as Cathreen undergoes treatment in South Korea for stomach cancer.

Ovid Pardoned For Mysterious Crimes

Rome’s city council has lifted a sentence that banished Ovid from Rome. The pardon arrived on the 2,000th anniversary of the poet’s death. It’s remains unclear what crime he committed that sent him to a remote town on the Black Sea. Of the crime, Ovid wrote that he “must be silent about” it, lest he “re-open the wounds.”

We’re giving away a stack of our 20 favorite books of the year. Click here to enter.

Season 1 of our new podcast series Annotated is complete! Each episode is about 20 minutes long and is great for fans of podcasts like This American Life. Go here to check it out, or just click the image below:

TestRiotRundown

TestRiotRundown – Date Unknown

Post author By 4956wpczar
Post date December 21, 2017

We’re giving away a stack of our 20 favorite books of the year. Click here to enter, or just click the image below.

In The Club

In The Club Dec 27

Post author By Jenn Northington
Post date December 21, 2017

Welcome back to In The Club, a newsletter of resources to keep your book group well-met and well-read. Let’s dive in.

This newsletter is sponsored by Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig.

Meet Ginny Moon. She’s mostly your average teenager—she plays flute in the school band, has weekly basketball practice and reads Robert Frost poems for English class. But Ginny is autistic. And so what’s important to her might seem a bit…different.

Full of great big heart and unexpected humor, Ludwig’s debut introduces the lovable, wholly original Ginny Moon who discovers a new meaning of family on her unconventional journey home.

The first of our picks for the Read Harder Challenge 2018 are rolling in! We’ve got true crime and posthumously published book suggestions for those of you looking to get a head start.

It doesn’t have to be the holidays to do a bookish gift exchange! For whenever you want to do one, here are some tips on how to run one.

You know what pairs great with food? Food history! Everyone at Book Riot is talking about The Cooking Gene, and I personally am very ready for a Cheddar themed book group meet-up.

Need a good bookish game for your next meeting? Inspired by the “name of your fantasy series” tweet, Kelly decided to create games to find everything YA, from your superhero identity to the fantasy kingdom you’ll take over to your mixtape title and beyond. For the record, my YA Travel Adventure is Mars, via blue hedgehog. Tallyho!

Feeling nostalgic? We asked and Rioters answered, giving us 13 favorite books set in the 80s. Speaking of mixtapes, what an excellent opportunity to create and share a playlist with your group!

Need some inspiration in these dark days? Ann rounded up 15 books about badass women from history, and each title looks at a group of women — from science to sports to pirates and much more. A lot of these are also gorgeous objects physically; might be time for a discussion about your favorite design elements in books!

Looking for shorter, lighter reads? Kelly put together a list of YA paperbacks (actually physically lighter!) that would make great contenders for your early 2018 group discussions.

And that’s a wrap: Happy discussing! 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 (including the occasional book club question!) you can find me on the Get Booked podcast with the inimitable Amanda.

Your fellow booknerd,
Jenn

More Resources:
– Our Book Group In A Box guide
– List your group on the Book Group Resources page

Swords and Spaceships

Swords and Spaceships Dec 22

Post author By Jenn Northington
Post date December 21, 2017

Happy Friday, vampires and Vogons! Today we’ve got some sequel news, food and drink and book pairings, more best-ofs, and some TV options for your holiday break.

This newsletter is sponsored by Eve of the Pharaoh by R.M. Schultz.

MYSTERY, FORBIDDEN LOVE, AND GRAND ADVENTURE.

The legendary Hall of Records waits, undiscovered since ancient Egypt …

Young Gavin Caywood’s afflicted life has never involved deciphering illusions concealed in shadow and light, unearthing the dead, or exhuming sunken tombs in crocodile-infested waters.

Young Horemheb from ancient Egypt also desires to alter fate. He inspires Gavin through a lost tale that spans eons and cultures, weaving their lives together. Frightening enemies, magic, unexpected friendship, betrayal, love, and death emerge at every turn. But if either of them are to survive, they must choose between life, love, and the revealing of secrets from the ages.

Another 2017 “best of”: over at SyfyWire, Swapna picked her top 10 SFF of 2017. I am notoriously terrible at assembling these kinds of lists but if you’ve been following along at home, you’ll know that I also loved several of her picks!

A thing I didn’t know I had feelings about: what is the right order to read The Chronicles of Narnia? Ultimately I agree with Mari, but it might just be because that’s the order that I read them in as a child.

For Ernest Cline fans: Ready Player One is getting a sequel! Surprising given how neatly tied up the first book was, but perhaps less surprising when you consider the bump the book has gotten from the forthcoming movie.

Where do heroes come from? This piece breaks down princess and chosen one tropes, and has some excellent food for thought regarding elitism and the fantasy genre.

For all my Nnedi Okorafor fans: While we wait for Night Masquerade, Danielle has some adult beverage pairing suggestions for Binti!

Eat, drink, and be merry with books: I love this list of food-based fantasy books from Unbound Worlds.

Need some escapist feels? Jessica recommends three fantasy romance series. If I wasn’t already elbow-deep in Nora Roberts’ Circle Trilogy, I’d be picking up one of these.

Excited about Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water? Angel’s got some readalike suggestions for while you’re waiting or after viewing. (Mini-review: I saw it and I am still too busy processing bits of it to give a final verdict but: wow, what a visually gorgeous piece of cinema!)

As the year winds down and we contemplate our over-stacked TBR piles, I thought you might enjoy some binge-watching options!

Marvel’s Runaways (available on Hulu)

Trigger warnings for the show: attempted rape; child and spouse abuse.

Y’all, I am having so many feelings about this TV adaptation of Runaways. I’ve got Volumes 1-5 (Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona) on my shelf, as well as Dead End Kids. (Note to self, must check out the Stevenson run sometime soon.) When they put out the first trailer, my excitement ran away with me. And now that the first seven episodes are out, I am hooked.

If you’re not familiar, the show follows a group of affluent teenagers in California who discover that their parents are actually murderous super-villains. MAJOR BUMMER. The casting is solid; while I wish they had gone with a true plus-size actress for Gert, rather than the round-faced but otherwise petite Ariela Barer, they nailed Karolina, Molly, and Alex. They might even have done too good a job with Alex; the actor playing him is so likable that I am not sure I can handle it. No spoilers here, but if you have read the books you know of what I speak.

Even if you’re not familiar with the comics, I encourage you to dive into the show. The writers have clearly considered an audience new to the characters, and are playing with the original material in interesting ways. So far I’m on board with most of the changes; they’ve added some new depth and introduced variables that I am curious to see play out. Some reviewers and comics-fans are impatient with the pacing of the plot, but I’m enjoying the character development and world-building. That said, if you require a quickly paced show, it might not be for you. Unfortunately, the show hasn’t yet corrected for some of the more problematic aspects of the comic — see this piece (SPOILERS AHOY) for details. But with lots of plot left, there’s room for growth. I’ll be over here glued to my screen with my fingers crossed — especially considering the cliffhanger at the end of Episode 7.

3% (available on Netflix)

I just recently started watching 3%, and the first two episodes alone put other sci-fi shows to shame. Inclusive casting, a compelling premise, a talented cast — this show deserves all of your eyeballs.

Set in a dystopian future where the vast majority of humanity live in destitution and poverty, each year 20-year-olds are given a chance to be tested to go to the Offshore, where everything is wealth and comfort. Only 3% of candidates succeed — and it’s not because that’s how many are worthy, regardless of what the Selection Process would have you believe. Following both the current batch of candidates and the creeptastic officials running the tests, the show is full of mind-games, conspiracies, and back-stabbing galore.

It’s eerie, violent, and disturbing in the ways of the best dystopias. The range of characters is a delight and a rarity, and the pacing allows us to see individual backstories as well as the events of the test itself. While there’s currently only one season available, it has been renewed for a second season and hopefully 2018 will be bringing us more episodes. A note: while I don’t personally recommend watching the dubbed version, both subtitles and dubbed versions are available.

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.

Happy holidays to you and yours,
Jenn

True Story

Spring 2018 Memoirs and Biographies, Plus Biographies on Audio

Post author By Kim Ukura
Post date December 21, 2017

We’re giving away a stack of our 20 favorite books of the year. Click here to enter, or just click the image below.

In case you missed it, I’ll share the news again – Book Riot’s Read Harder 2018 Challenge is alive! I was happy to see that a lot of the tasks could be completed with a work of nonfiction, but there are a few that I’m particularly excited about – a book of true crime, a celebrity memoir, a book of social science, and an essay anthology. One of my reading goals for 2018 is to actually finish Read Harder, so expect to hear a bit more about that as the year progresses.

Nonfiction News!

Publisher’s Weekly put together a list of spring 2018 memoirs and biographies. There are several good ones in their top ten including a new book from one of my favorite essayists, Leslie Jamison (Recovering, out April 3 from Little Brown).

This week, Ta-Nehisi Coates did what many of us wish we were strong enough to do – delete his Twitter account. According to Entertainment Weekly, Coates was in the middle of a debate with a fellow intellectual, Cornel West. It does seem like that kind of discussion has a better platform than Twitter.

Electric Literature put out their best nonfiction of the year list, which also looks excellent. A few of the heavy-hitters are on there, there are also a few quirkier books that haven’t popped up on other lists so far. Check it out!

Book Riot Links!

Carina Pereira shares some of the excellent biographies she listened to on audio this year – I’ve got quite a few of them on my list!

Holiday party season is almost over, but this list of seven nonfiction books to make you sound smart at parties by Molly Wetta is worth bookmarking for later.

Rebecca Hussey put together a list of the best genre-bending nonfiction of the year, several of which weren’t on my radar at all.

Kate Scott’s round-up of 24 amazing feminist books coming in 2018 is mostly nonfiction, and all of it sounds incredible.

Ready to make 2018 your year? Raych Krueger suggests self-help audiobooks to help you “untrash” 2018.

Cheap Books!

There are some excellent Kindle deals this month for nonfiction lovers. A few that I’ve read and can wholeheartedly recommend are

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly for $2.99
Yes, Please by Amy Poehler for $3.99
The Romanov Sisters by Helen Rappaport for $3.99

And don’t forget! Book Riot is giving away 20 of our favorite books of the year, pulled from the votes in our Best Books of 2017 list. Readers of this newsletter will probably be excited about Hunger by Roxane Gay, One Day We’ll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter by Scaachi Koul, The Fact of a Body by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich, We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates and You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie. Click here to enter!

And with that, I’m signing off for 2017. Thank you so much for reading and sharing your thoughts this year. I’m looking forward to 2018!

– Kim Ukura, @kimthedork

Riot Rundown

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Post author By Devin Service
Post date December 21, 2017

We’re giving away a stack of our 20 favorite books of the year. Click here to enter, or just click the image below.

New Books

20 Upcoming Books to Mark Down on Your TBR

Post author By Liberty Hardy
Post date December 20, 2017

Last newsletter of 2017! 2018 hits the ground running, new books-wise, but for this last Tuesday of the year, there isn’t a whole lot going on, so instead I’m going to list several upcoming titles I’m looking forward to in the new year. And I’d like to say a great big thank you to all of you who join me every week in getting excited about books. MWAH!

Your Favorite Audiobooks!

Post author By Katie MacBride
Post date December 20, 2017

Hey audiobook lovers,

Y’all came through big time! You sent me your favorite listens of the year and there were so many fantastic responses that I’m splitting them up between this week and next week’s newsletter. This week, I’m highlighting the crowd favorites–-the books that had several votes and next week I’ll give you the whole big honkin’ list. (So I know what I’m doing with my next 60 Audible credits…)

BUT FIRST: You want to win the Rioters’ 20 favorite books? OF COURSE you do! Enter to win them here.

Crowd favorites

There were a few titles that stood out because so many people said they were among their favorites of the year.

Artemis by Andy Weir, narrated by Rosario Dawson

This was at the top of the list for many of you–-and a handful of you had the same reason: Rosario Dawson’s narration. While many of you liked the plot of Weir’s debut novel, The Martian, better but simply raved about Dawson’s narration.

The protagonist of the novel, Jazz, is a resident of the only colony on the moon. But life on the moon is tough (especially if you’re not super rich) and folks do what they need to do to get by. For Jazz, that means sometimes…taking things that don’t technically belong to her.

And then she comes across the opportunity to commit what seems like the perfect crime. Time for a moon heist!

It likely the folks at Audible know they’ve got a hit on their hands because they’ve got a whole bunch of extra stuff on the site to accompany the audiobook, like this “Unofficial Guide to Artemis” PDF.

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, narrated by Trevor Noah

This had the most votes of any one book and if you listen to it for roughly 30 seconds, you’ll understand why. Growing up bi-racial in (post?) Apartheid South Africa was tough for Trevor Noah, but he reflects on his childhood with as much warmth as seriousness, and you’re fully on board right away. At the risk of being a cheeseball, it’s also just really inspiring to follow Noah from the kid who feels like he doesn’t fit in, to hosting one of the most popular late-night shows on television. And couldn’t we all use some feel goods these days?

Reader Dana says, “This was excellent for so many reasons, but mainly because of Noah’s narration. He’s wonderful. The story is moving and eye-opening as well. It’s getting a lot of good press and deservedly so. I recommend that anyone who wants to read this book should check out the audiobook. I can’t imagine it without Noah’s voice.”

Gentleman’s Guide to Vice & Virtue, The by Mackenzie Lee, narr. Christian Coulson

“Henry “Monty” Montague wants to have one last hedonistic hurrah before he has to take over his family’s estate. So he and his crush and best friend, Percy, go on a yearlong escapade before they settle into adulthood. “But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.”

As for the narration, one reader says, “I’d listen to Christian Coulson read the back of a shampoo bottle.”

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

I’ve raved about this title so many times that I’ll try to keep it brief here. When 16-year-old Star Carter witnesses the murder of her childhood friend at the hands of a police officer, the two worlds she’s been oscillating between collide. It’s a great, important story in its own right It’s an important and compelling story and listen to what the Audible Editors’ have to say about the audiobook.

“Every now and then a book comes along that speaks to your soul. Angie Thomas’ debut novel, The Hate U Give, is one such book. Each editor here has listened, and the feeling afterwards is unanimous – this is one of the best performances we’ve ever encountered…

Narrator Bahni Turpin manages to give voice to such a broad and rich cast of characters, each with their own authentic perspective, demonstrating the power of performance to bring new depth to a complex social issue. We believe this is truly the definition of required listening.”

I honestly don’t think a better review is possible. And it’s well deserved.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, narrated by Jason Reynolds

“An ode to ‘Put the Damn Guns Down’, this is National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestseller Jason Reynolds’ fiercely stunning novel that takes place in 60 potent seconds – the time it takes a kid to decide whether or not he’s going to murder the guy who killed his brother.” The book is narrated by the author, which is exactly what one reader found so compelling about it. She said, “I specifically wanted to listen to this to hear the author’s narration and I wasn’t disappointed. Such a powerful listen.”

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, narrated by Nick Offerman, David Sedaris, and a million other people

Emily, an editor at Audible says, “the listener finds himself in the Georgetown Cometary, where young Willie Lincoln has been laid to rest and his grieving father (the president) keeps returning in a state of stumbling and stricken shambles, to the shocked confusion of the self-unaware dead. Perhaps most interestingly, the real events of the time (those things happening outside of the graveyard) are depicted entirely through historical snippets and citations so that the listener comes eventually to realize that these are also merely the impressions of the dead, even if not fictional.” As for me, I was sold on this audiobook as soon as I realized Nick Offerman was one of the narrators. One of you said that this was among the books that “weirdly made you look forward to your commute,” which is a ringing endorsement if I’ve ever heard one.

And finally, I’m embarrassed to say that I hadn’t even heard of this series and so many of you raved about it. The Themis series. The first book in the series, Sleeping Giants, is described as “An inventive debut in the tradition of World War Z and The Martian, told in interviews, journal entries, transcripts, and news articles, Sleeping Giants is a literary thriller fueled by a quest for truth – and a fight for control of earthshaking power.” Kirkus said of the book,“This stellar debut novel…masterfully blends together elements of sci-fi, political thriller and apocalyptic fiction….”, and most importantly, a newsletter reader said, “I need the next one ASAP!!”

I’ll get you the full list next week.

Happy holidays/winter/cozy book weather,

~Katie