We have 10 copies of Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao to give away to 10 Riot readers!
Here’s what it’s all about:
Poornima and Savitha have three strikes against them: they are poor, they are ambitious, and they are girls. This searing debut novel is for readers of Rupi Kaur, as it follows two friends from India to America, who are driven apart by circumstance but relentless in their search for one another.
Go here to enter for a chance to win, or just click the cover image below:
Feminism will persist, but this sale ends today! It’s your last chance to get a limited-edition tee featuring historic feminists and women writers. We have 5 styles available, all for $19.99. You know what to do.
This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by The Reluctant Fortune-Teller by Keziah Frost, new from Park Row Books.
The Women’s Prize For Fiction Longlist
The UK Prize celebrating excellence, originality, and accessibility in writing by women throughout the world announced the 2018 longlist on International Women’s Day. The 16 longlisted fiction titles include The Idiot by Elif Batuman, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie, and, not missing a beat, Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward. Look for the shortlist on April 23.
New York Times Launches Overlooked With Overdue Obituaries For 15 Women
The section will feature new obituaries for those “who left indelible marks but were nonetheless overlooked.” Writers like Ida B. Wells who reported on lynchings in the Deep South, feminist poet Qiu Jin, Sylvia Plath, and Nella Larsen were included in the list of 15 “overlooked” women highlighted in the kickoff piece. White men have historically claimed the majority of the Times’ obituary space, and just over one in five of its subjects were female in the last two years.
Watch The Handmaid’s Tale Season 2 Teaser
Hulu released the teaser trailer for the second season of The Handmaid’s Tale. Count on being disturbed. Elisabeth Moss returns as one of the handmaids in the dystopian society of Gilead for the television series adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s novel. The first season won two Golden Globes. Season 2 premieres April 25 on Hulu.
Happy Friday, friends! Today we’ve got reviews of On A Red Station, Drifting and Year One, some complete fantasy series, the Lambda nominees, Sandman news, and more.
This newsletter is sponsored by EpicReads.
Perfect for fans of Illuminae and The Martian, this action-packed YA novel set in the near future will take readers out of this world and on a quest to become one of six teens sent on a mission to Jupiter’s moon. When Leo, an Italian championship swimmer, and Naomi, an Iranian-American science genius from California, are drafted into the International Space Training Camp, their lives are forever altered. After erratic climate change has made Earth a dangerous place to live, the fate of the population rests on the shoulders of the final six, who will be scouting a new planet. Intense training, global scrutiny, and cutthroat opponents are only a few of the hurdles the competitors must endure.
The Lambdas are coming! The Lambda Literary Award has announced this year’s finalists, and several personal favorites have made it to the LGBTQ Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror, including Amberlough, An Unkindness of Ghosts, and The Prey of Gods. So many congratulations are in order!
Beat the post-Black Panther doldrums: We’ve got a list of books that might scratch that same itch! I can personally cosign The Killing Moon, Zoo City, and Akata Witch.
Calling all dreamers: New Sandman comics are coming, with brand new creative teams.
Internationally fantastical: Here are 10 fantasy series with inspirations that span the globe. Regular readers of this newsletter will recognize Forest of a Thousand Lanterns and Sorcerer to the Crown, and there’s some overlap with the Black Panther list (hello again Akata Witch!).
It’s coming from inside the house: If you like to be creeped out by sentient architecture, have we got some books for you.
A new take on the Hero’s Journey: Rachel Hartman wrote a lovely essay about mythologizing your experience while writing. Author personal essays are a thing that I love, and this one is both insightful and provides some interesting context if you’ve read her books (I did love Seraphina).
From the Weird Cover Archives: It is perhaps not surprising that Philip K. Dick’s novels inspired a lot of bonkers cover art.
And now: space and the apocalypse, those classic SF/F standbys.
On A Red Station, Drifting by Aliette de Bodard
There’s a new book in the Xuya Universe: The Tea Master and the Detective, currently available in a limited, signed hardcover, ebook coming March 31. This was an excellent reminder that I’ve been meaning to talk about On A Red Station, Drifting, my first intro to the Xuya Universe, for basically as long as I’ve had this newsletter.
Set on a generations-old space station, the novella follows Station Mistress Quyen as she struggles to deal with an influx of refugees and the aging of the sentient AI that runs the ship. The Dai Viet empire is at war, and many of the station’s personnel have been called away by military service. Quyen is frazzled and cranky (and I do love a cranky protagonist), and her mood is only made worse by a high-handed relative, Linh, who shows up with other refugees. Linh is fleeing her own demons (and the law), and this novella follows Quyen and Linh as they try to find their footing in the upheaval that accompanies war.
On A Red Station, Drifting reminds us that no matter how far you are from the action, no one is left unscathed; it also gives us a window into a fascinating and vibrant, beautifully detailed new world. This was also the first book I ever read by De Bodard, and it made me a lifelong fan. Her ability to world-build is immense, and her prose is rich and vibrant with details. She also happens to be an excellent book recommender, as evidenced in her guest appearance on our Get Booked podcast.
De Bodard has a full history and chronology, with links to all the stories and novellas, on her site. Go forth and dive in!
Year One (Chronicles of The One #1) by Nora Roberts
It’s the end of the world, and a Chosen One will be born. While Nora Roberts has written paranormal romance before, this is her first foray into genre fantasy, and I enjoyed it. If you’ve read Roberts before, particularly her Circle Trilogy, you’ll recognize her style immediately. If you haven’t, you’ll find what many of her longtime readers rely on: her prose is accessible, her plotting is solid, and she loves to hop from character to character.
I’ve been describing this first installment in her new series as Stephen King’s The Stand except with magic and by Nora Roberts, and I stand (heh) by it. The world has been decimated by a magically-unleashed killer flu, and some of the survivors have discovered they possess strange new powers. Inevitably, some choose to use their powers for good — and some for evil. Starting in New York City, Year One follows a few of the survivors as they fight to find safety and protect themselves and their loved ones whilst dealing with crumbling infrastructure, evil sorcerers, and murky prophecies. This one goes on the “popcorn reads” shelf — it’s an immersive read, perfect for a snowy weekend.
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
I hope you’ll forgive me if I open this newsletter with a bit of self-promotion. This week, the nonfiction podcast I am co-hosting with fellow Rioter Alice Burton officially launched!
For Real will be coming out every other week, and focused on nonfiction book recommendations from a variety of angles. In our first episode we talk new books, recommendations for International Women’s Day, some fiction/nonfiction pairings, and what we’re reading right now.
Sponsored by YOUR STORY IS YOUR POWER by Elle Luna and Susie Herrick. Published by Workman Publishing.
On the heels of International Women’s Day, the celebration of strong women is at an all-time high and women everywhere are sharing their stories. Your Story Is Your Poweris the tool you need to understand and express your own personal story. Elle Luna, bestselling author of The Crossroads of Should and Must, team up with psychotherapist Susie Herrick, to present an inspiring and practical hands-on guide that will show you how to uncover your own story in order to live a more confident, unapologetic life. Beautifully illustrated throughout, Your Story Is Your Power is a personal, thoughtful, motivating book to help you take control of your future.
You can hear me say “super excited” enough times to warrant a drinking game, and accidentally throw some shade at Ken Burns, while Alice talks vaginas and Lord Byron – it’s very on-brand for us. I hope you’ll click through and give it a listen, or subscribe using your favorite podcast app!
Sherman Alexie and Sexual Harassment
Over the last couple of weeks, the #MeToo movement has finally arrived in the world of publishing. There are a lot of authors who have been called out in a variety of ways, but the one most relevant to this newsletter is Sherman Alexie. Initially, Alexie was anonymously accused of various harassing behaviors, then issued a strange statement in response. This week, NPR published a story in which several accusers went on the record about Alexie’s behavior, while others spoke anonymously sharing very similar experiences:
The women reported behavior ranging from inappropriate comments both in private and in public, to flirting that veered suddenly into sexual territory, unwanted sexual advances and consensual sexual relations that ended abruptly. The women said Alexie had traded on his literary celebrity to lure them into uncomfortable sexual situations.
I don’t have much commentary to add to this, other than it’s another story that just makes me really sad. I do wonder how this news will affect the immediate sales and long-term regard for his memoir, You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me, which up until now has been widely praised. Before these stories emerged, I would have pegged it as a front-runner for many of the year’s big awards – it was already awarded the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction from the American Library Association. Now? I’m not sure what might happen. This book and author may be a good test case for whether, in the long run, these kinds of accusations will have consequences. More to come, I am sure.
Nonfiction Over at Book Riot
Although the first week of March is a big one for new books, I’m going to wait to jump into March’s buzziest titles until next week. This week, I want to highlight some of my favorite recent nonfiction posts that we’ve been publishing over on Book Riot:
Ashley wonders if we are done with sweary self-help books yet. My guess is no… but I can see why she’s over it.
Ann writes about coziness concepts beyond hygge – ikigai, lagom, and more.
Want brief nonfiction to read over lunch? Emily suggests some short memoirs, available online, that will fit the bill.
Calling out sexism in the tech industry was, I think, one of the early pushes in the current #MeToo movement. Sophia recommends five books about women in tech to give you an overview of what’s happening there. I’ll add a personal endorsement to Reset by Ellen Pao, that one is excellent.
Looking for an essay anthology to round out your Read Harder list? I wrote up some of my favorites!
President’s Day is over, but presidential biographies are always in style. Kate recommends 44 of them to add to your reading list.
Celebrate Charles Darwin’s birthday, a little late at this point, with these books Aimee recommends.
Sad that the Winter Olympics are over? Emma suggested these books to get psyched about the Games, but they’re still good now.
Re-live the 1990s with these awesome books about 90s scandals that Elizabeth rounded up.
That’s it for this week, fellow readers. Don’t forget! There are just a few days left for you to head over to our Instagram account and enter to win $500 in Penguin Clothbound classics!
As always, find me on Twitter @kimthedork, and happy reading! – Kim
The time to hesitate is through. Today’s your last chance to buy 1, get 1 free on any combination of sweatshirts, adult tees, kids’ tees, and onesies.
The sale excludes our limited-edition Nevertheless, She Persisted tees, but they’re only $19.99 and available for just 1 more day! Get yours today.
Today’s Riot Rundown is sponsored by Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.
Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.
But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.
Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.
Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.
Hello again audiophiles,
I missed you! What have you been listening to?What did you have to stop listening to because it was so boring/awful/gruesome? Tell me all the things either on Twitter at msmacb and katie@riotnewmedia.com. A note on emails: I love when you send them and I read them all eagerly. I try to respond to all of them but time and the death of a horrifying number of brain cells in my errant youth sometimes prevent me from doing so. But I swear on the life of my fat little dog who you all know I love more than anything in the world, I read and cherish each and every one.
Sponsored by HarperAudio
A stunning novel-in-verse written and performed by award-winning slam poet, Elizabeth Acevedo
OK SENTIMENTALITY OVER
What I’m listening to: well, two things. Here’s what happened: I started listening to American War, which came out last year and has long been getting rave reviews. Here’s the problem: narrator Dion Graham has the goddamn sexist voice I’ve ever heard. Like, it is distractingly sexy. I couldn’t pay attention to what was happening in the book; it’s the first time that’s ever happened. SO, I moved on.
Now, I’m listening to Educated by Tara Westover. Westover’s family was Mormon and survivalist–-she didn’t set foot in a traditional classroom until she was 17 years-old. She’s now a PhD and Educated is the story of how she got there. I’ve just started but so far the narration (Julia Whelan) is great and I’m completely intrigued by the story.
New March Audiobooks
The Shape of Water by Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus; narrated by Jenna Lamia
Release date: 03-06-18
I haven’t seen the movie The Shape of Water but everyone I know who has, raves about it. I didn’t realize it was also a book until I started looking at the new releases but the site io9 claims it’s just as good. “Most movie novelizations do little more than write down what audiences see on the screen. But the novel that’s accompanying Guillermo del Toro’s new movie The Shape of Water is no mere adaptation. Co-author Daniel Kraus’ book and the film tell the same story, of a mute woman who falls in love with an imprisoned and equally mute creature, in two very different ways.”
Raw: My Journey into the Wu-Tang written and read by Lamont “U-God” Hawkins
Release date: 03-06-18
One of the founding members of the Wu-Tang Clan tells his story of how he went from a kid in Brooklyn, New York, to a founding member of one of the biggest hip-hop groups in history. U-God says, “It’s time to write down not only my legacy, but the story of nine dirt-bomb street thugs who took our everyday life – scrappin’ and hustlin’ and tryin’ to survive in the urban jungle of New York City – and turned that into something bigger than we could possibly imagine, something that took us out of the projects for good, which was the only thing we all wanted in the first place.”
Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure
written and read by Amy Kaufman
Release date: 03-06-18
I am immersed in pop culture enough to know that I am in the vast MINORITY of people who have never seen an episode of any of the Bachelor(ette) shows. BUT I am very, very pro guilty pleasures. And while I am not a member of Bachelor nation, the description of this book from the publisher kinda makes me think maybe I should be. “Bachelor Nation is the first behind-the-scenes, unauthorized look into the reality television phenomenon. Los Angeles Times journalist Amy Kaufman is a proud member of Bachelor Nation and has a long history with the franchise – ABC even banned her from attending show events after her coverage of the program got a little too real for its liking. She has interviewed dozens of producers, contestants, and celebrity fans to give readers never-before-told details of the show’s inner workings: what it’s like to be trapped in the mansion ‘bubble’; dark, juicy tales of producer manipulation; and revelations about the alcohol-fueled debauchery that occurs long before the fantasy suite.” Sounds a little like the Fire and Fury of the Bachelor-house, no (which I mean in the best possible way)?
The Nowhere Girls
by Amy Reed; narrated by Rebekkah Ross
Release date: 03-13-18
I am a huge fan of Amy Reed’s YA books and this one is about as timely as you can get. Following the rape of a classmate, three misfit students band together to avenge the crime and transform the misogynist culture around them. Man oh man, between the Time’s Up movement and the students in Parkland’s awesome activism, Nowhere Girls is a perfect listen.
Fisherman’s Blues written and read by Anna Badkhen
Release date: 03-13-18
The best journalism zeroes in on the micro to tell a story about the macro, and that’s exactly what this Fisherman’s Blues does. The impact of climate change on the planet is, and will continue to be unequivocally devastating. Anna Badkhen looks examines the devastation of a Senegalese Fishing community, whose economy and way of life has been decimated by overfishing and climate change. LitHub calls the book, “A[n] intimate, urgent, and compassionate narrative about how human and natural landscapes are being interrupted by the Anthropocene.”
Ginger Kid: Mostly True Tales from a Former Nerd written and read by Steve Hofstetter
Release date: 03-20-18
I’m super excited about this book for two reasons: I think there needs to be more YA nonfiction in general and there can never be too many books about kids and teens who feel like they just don’t fit in. If you can get a comedian or otherwise very funny person to write one of those books? Icing on the cake. “In Ginger Kid, popular comedian Steve Hofstetter grapples with life after seventh grade…when his world fell apart. Formatted as a series of personal essays, Steve walks his listeners through awkward early dating, family turbulence, and the revenge of the bullied nerds.”
Did I miss any exciting new releases? What are you looking forward to getting in your ears? Were you able to listen to American War without falling in love with a voice? Let me know!
Until next week,
~Katie
We have 10 copies of The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw to give away to 10 Riot readers!
Here’s what it’s all about:
The Salem witchcraft trials meet Practical Magic and “Hocus Pocus” in this seductive tale about three sisters who return every summer in order to exact their revenge on the town that killed them for witchcraft two centuries ago.
Go here to enter for a chance to win, or just click the cover image below:
Welcome to Check Your Shelf! This is your guide to all things book talk worth knowing to help librarians like you up your game when it comes to doing your job (& rocking it).
Check Your Shelf is sponsored by Podkin One-Ear by Kieran Larwood.
Middle earth for middle graders! Redwall meets Watership Down in this breakout new fantasy series of good vs. evil starring three young rabbit siblings who prove that anyone—even little rabbits—can achieve great things.
Bookish Curiosities
Do you take part in LibraryReads, the monthly list of best books selected by librarians only? Whether or not you read and nominate titles, we’ll end every newsletter with a few upcoming titles worth reading and sharing (and nominating for LibraryReads, if you so choose!). Links here will direct to Edelweiss digital review copies.
How great is this librarian cat enamel pin? Me-ow! You can snag one here for $10.
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Thanks for hanging out! We’ll see you back here in two weeks with another edition of Check Your Shelf.
–Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars on Twitter and Instagram.
Currently reading Educated by Tara Westover on audio.