Categories
Swords and Spaceships

Post-Apocalyptic Novels Where Women Do the Things

Hello SFF fans! Amanda Nelson here, Executive Editor of Book Riot, filling in for Jenn while she’s on vacation! In this edition of Swords and Spaceships, I want to talk about the end of the world.


Sponsored by Hollywood Dead by Richard Kadrey

Life and death takes on an entirely new meaning for James Stark, aka, Sandman Slim. He’s back from Hell and trailing more trouble in his wake. To return to L.A., he had to make a deal—an arrangement that came with a catch. While he may be home, Stark isn’t quite himself . . . because he’s only partially alive.

There’s a time limit on his reanimated body, and unless Stark can find his targets, he will die again—and this time there will be no coming back. Stark knows he can’t do this alone. Meet new friends, and unexpected old faces, in Hollywood Dead.


I’ve been on a kick this year of randomly picking up post-apocalyptic sci-fi centered on women’s stories: women taking power, women leading, and (perhaps most interestingly) what reproductive health would look like at the end of civilization. All of these books take different views of what the apocalypse would look like for women: some are more hopeful than others, some more violent. All of them involve women having to defend themselves with weapons of some kind, even if that weapon is their own body. Here are three notable picks (trigger warnings for all three for harm to children and violence, including sexual violence):

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison

A flu-like illness decimates the human population, but kills women at a higher rate than men and sends the stillbirth rate to 100%. Our heroine, a midwife at a California hospital, is one of the rare female survivors. She disguises herself as a man and sets out to…well, live. Along the way, she raids pharmacies and dispenses birth control to the women she meets, trying to save them all from a fate of having to give birth (which they likely won’t survive), and which will result in a dead child. Elison’s future where men outnumber women ten to one or more is brutal and frightening, mostly because it exposes how thin the veneer of personhood women have now. Would extreme circumstances strip us of it that quickly? This book is like if Station Eleven had an exponential increase of conversation about IUDs (which is awesome), AND the main character is queer.

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

In a post-apocalyptic world where the end didn’t come suddenly (a pandemic, a bomb, an asteroid) but over time (class oppression, climate change, racism), a young woman starts a new religion based on the idea that the only god worth worshiping is change. Add to the mix the fact that she’s hyper-empathetic: she literally feels the physical pain of the people around her, making self-defense…complicated. Lauren is wise beyond her years and manages to gather together a rag-tag group of followers and refugees looking for peace and togetherness in a rough and violent world.

the powerThe Power by Naomi Alderman

Patriarchy is built upon the presumption that men are physically more powerful than women, but what if that were suddenly reversed? Girls begin developing the ability to send electricity through their hands, shocking and killing at a touch. The power spreads to older women, and soon all girls are born with it. Would women descend into the same brutality and violence that male-dominated societies based on physical strength are characterized by? I will say that this book is very binary in its view of gender and sex (what would happen to a non-binary person in this scenario?), but it’s an interesting thought experiment.

That’s it for me in this edition! I’ll be back at the end of the week for more SFF talk, and Jenn will be back in two!

-Amanda

Categories
The Goods

Introducing the Read Harder Journal!

Whether you’re an old pro at Book Riot’s annual challenge or simply looking for some news to expand your literary horizons, the new Read Harder journal is for you!

With plenty room to track your reading and record your responses, it also includes 12 tasks specifically designed to help enrich your reading life, complete with recommendations for each one! Order yours today.

Categories
Unusual Suspects

A Character I Will Forever Keep Thinking About

Hello mystery fans! It is the first week of a new month which means TONS of new books get published–happy book dance! I have for you this week a great procedural, a suspenseful page-turner, and an excellent crime novel perfect for fans of true crime podcasts.


Under My Skin by Lisa Unger cover imageSponsored by Under My Skin by Lisa Unger, new from Park Row Books

Bestselling author Lisa Unger delivers an addictive psychological thriller about a woman on the hunt for her husband’s killer.  

What if the nightmares are actually memories? It’s been a year since Poppy’s husband, Jack, was brutally murdered. In the immediate aftermath, Poppy spiraled into an oblivion of grief, disappearing for several days only to turn up ragged and confused.

The case was never solved, and those lost days continue to haunt her. As her vivid nightmares intensify into daily blackouts, she starts to lose track of what is real. But her terrible dreams might hold the key to what really happened to Jack…


Great Procedural: Who Started A Fire That Killed A Family? (TW child deaths/ suicide)

Skies of Ash by Rachel Howzell Hall cover imageSkies of Ash (Detective Elouise Norton #2) by Rachel Howzell Hall: Homicide detective Lou Norton has a new case: a fire that killed a wife and her two children. Between the wife’s strange 911 call, the son having been an arsonist, and the husband/father who is acting strange, Lou has plenty to look into. She’s also stuck with her partner, Colin Taggert, who she still feels she needs to spend time babysitting and, well, she works in a boys club. I really love this series, which focuses first on the solving of the mystery while also giving just the right amount of time to Lou’s personal life (that cheating husband is back) and her relationships/interactions with her friends, family, and coworkers. If you’re a fan of procedurals, you should be reading this series. (It is not confusing to start here if you skipped the first in the series, but it does give away the solve and continues stories about Lou’s personal life.)

Excellent Crime Fiction PERFECT For Fans of True Crime Podcasts (TW child abuse/ pedophilia/ attempted suicide mentioned)

Sadie by Courtney Summers cover imageSadie by Courtney Summers: This book kind of destroyed me. And not in the destroyed-me-and-then-put-me-back-together-again way. It destroyed me and left me staring off into the void as it was meant to, and I would have applauded if I thought Summer would have heard it. This book is lots of things, but for me the brilliance was in two things: Summers’ ability to tell a page-turning white knuckle story; her shining a light on the darkest corners of our true crime obsession while/by keeping the violence in her novel just off the page. Sadie, a smart mouthed stubborn young woman, sets off to find her little sister’s killer. Her plan: to kill him. With no money, friends, and a stutter that makes communicating with strangers difficult it’s a near impossible mission. Sadie’s chapters alternate with a radio personality who has started a podcast about Sadie and her sister’s murder and is trying to find Sadie… If you’re looking for a fantastic read you won’t be able to put down, and like a gut punch, do not miss Sadie. She’s a character I will forever keep thinking about.

Pinborough Always Delivers A Page-Turner! (TW child murder/ domestic abuse/ child abuse/ molestation)

Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough cover imageCross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough: Told in multiple point of view, the novel focuses on three people: Lisa, an overprotective mother; Ava, Lisa’s teenage daughter; Marilyn, Lisa’s coworker and best friend. Lisa’s entire life focuses around her daughter and her work. She’s very private and intends to keep things that way. Clearly she has a secret… Ava is in high school, a swimmer, has a close group of girlfriends and a boyfriend. And also a secret: the older man she’s been talking to online… When Ava and Lisa’s pictures end up in the news, their lives are suddenly threatened, which has long reaching consequences that affect Marilyn… If you like page-turners that focus on the characters and their lives this was a great read. If you are a fan of Behind Her Eyes, this does not have that level of bonkers twist–which I do not say as a knock on this book at all because this book is not written to have that kind of moment. But it bums me out to see readers not have a great reading experience solely because of an expectation, so go into this one as a new character-driven suspense.

Recent Releases (Reinforce your TBR shelves!)

The First Prehistoric Serial Killer and Other Stories by Teresa Solana cover imageThe First Prehistoric Serial Killer and Other Stories by Teresa Solana, Peter Bush (Translation) (Currently reading: I started this, and it’s ridiculous noir short stories and I’m loving it. The first story is literally the title where a caveman is trying to solve which caveman is the serial killer in their cave.)

Idyll Hands (Thomas Lynch #3) by Stephanie Gayle (Currently reading: a small town procedural told in alternating point of view in the ’70s and the late ’90s about a body found in the woods, a rookie’s missing sister, and a long ago found bone.)

When the Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica (TBR: I’m a big fan of Kubica and her suspense stories so this is very high on my list! It’s about a young woman whose social security number raises a red flag leading her to discover a shocking detail…)

Gravesend by William Boyle (Currently reading: I’m a big fan of Boyle’s character driven crime writing and this one starts with revenge so I’m a happy reader at the moment.) (The Lonely Witness review)

Leave No Trace by Mindy Mejia cover imageLeave No Trace by Mindy Mejia (Currently reading: A really interesting read so far about a speech therapist at a mental health facility where a teenager has been brought in who has been missing since a camping trip ten years previously…) (TW suicide/ mentions self-harm)

The Boy at the Keyhole by Stephen Giles (TBR: I know comps lie a lot but also I’m a sucker and this said “in the vein of Shirley Jackson” so I’m gonna read it!)

The Cats Came Back (A Magical Cats Mystery #10) by Sofie Kelly (TBR: A cozy mystery with a librarian and her magical cats!)

Field of Bones (Joanna Brady #18) by J.A. Jance (For procedural fans)

An Act of Villainy (Amory Ames #5) by Ashley Weaver (For historical mystery fans)

And we want to hear all about your reading habits! Tell us in our Fall Reader Survey and you could win a $100 gift certificate to the Book Riot store!

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest 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.

If a mystery fan forwarded this newsletter to you and you’d like your very own you can sign up here.

Categories
Giveaways

Win a Copy of LIT CHAT, a Conversation Game for Book Lovers!

 

We have 5 copies of our bookish conversation game, Lit Chat, to give away to 5 lucky Book Riot Readers.

Each of the 50 cards in this conversation deck is printed with two reading-themed questions (100 questions total). Some invoke books that are tied to memories (name your favorite childhood picture book); others prompt you to choose ideal reading material for a hypothetical situation (if you were stranded on a desert island, what book would you want with you?). Some of them aim to get people comparing their favorite (and not-so-favorite) characters or authors, and others engage in popular debates amongst readers (name a movie adaptation you liked and defend your choice). Created to give readers of all persuasions an excuse to talk about books, ideas, and life itself, this deck is a great addition to any booklover’s shelf.

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

Categories
New Books

First Tuesday of September Megalist!

Hold on to your pumpkin spice-flavored hats – here comes fall reading! The season is kicking off with an AMAZING number of great books this first Tuesday new release day, and I can’t wait for you to see the big list below. Two words: WOW. ZA.


Sponsored by LITTLE COMFORT by Edwin Hill

Follow a brilliant amateur investigator as she unravels the truth behind two grifters preying on Boston’s elite—perfect for fans of The Talented Mr. Ripley.


You can hear about several of today’s new books on this week’s episode of the All the Books! María Cristina and I talked about a few amazing books we loved, including Small Fry, Cats vs. Robots, Terra Nullius, and more.

(And like with each megalist, I’m putting a ❤️ next to the books that I have read and loved. But there are soooo many more on this list that I can’t wait to read!)

Oh, and don’t forget that Book Riot wants to hear about the ins-n-outs of your reading life – come share them with us in our Fall Reader Survey!

the wonder that was oursThe Wonder That Was Ours by Alice Hatcher ❤️

All This I Will Give to You by Dolores Redondo, Michael Meigs (translator)

Open Mic Night at Westminster Cemetery by Mary Amato

The Rule of One (The Rule of One Series) by Ashley Saunders and Leslie Saunders

Ponti by Sharlene Teo

Gravesend by William Boyle ❤️

The Accidental War: A Novel (Praxis) by Walter Jon Williams

The Girl in the Locked Room: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn

In Her Bones by Kate Moretti

the good neighborThe Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King ❤️

Mortals and Immortals of Greek Mythology by Françoise Rachmuhl and Charlotte Gastaut

24 Hours in Nowhere by Dusti Bowling ❤️

Hunting Houses by Fanny Britt and Susan Ouriou

Worlds Seen in Passing: Ten Years of Tor.com Short Fiction by Irene Gallo ❤️

Black Queer Hoe (BreakBeat Poets) by Britteney Black Rose Kapri

Citizen Illegal (BreakBeat Poets) by José Olivarez

Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, Viviana Mazza (translator)

Tell Me You’re Mine by Elisabeth Norebäck

terra nulliusTerra Nullius by Claire G. Coleman ❤️

The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White

The Wildlands by Abby Geni ❤️

Not Even Bones by Rebecca Schaeffer

Small Fry by Lisa Brennan-Jobs ❤️

Santa Bruce (Mother Bruce) by Ryan T. Higgins

Tales of Valhalla: Norse Myths and Legends by Martyn Whittock and Hannah Whittock

The Chrysalis by Brendan Deneen ❤️

Monster City: Murder, Music, and Mayhem in Nashville’s Dark Age by Michael Arntfield

After the Winter by Guadalupe Nettel, Rosalind Harvey (Translator) ❤️

The Parting Gift: A Novel by Evan Fallenberg

john womanJohn Woman by Walter Mosley ❤️

Leave No Trace: A Novel by Mindy Mejia

Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough ❤️

The Songaminute Man: A Tribute to the Unbreakable Bond Between Father and Son by Simon McDermott

Three Little Lies by Laura Marshall

Hole in the Middle by Kendra Fortmeyer ❤️

Lyric McKerrigan, Secret Librarian by Jacob Sager Weinstein and Vera Brosgol

The Lost Queen by Signe Pike ❤️

Dare You to Lie by Amber Lynn Natusch

I’d Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel

the boy at the keyholeThe Boy at the Keyhole by Stephen Giles ❤️

The Reincarnated Giant: An Anthology of Twenty-First-Century Chinese Science Fiction (Weatherhead Books on Asia) by Mingwei Song (Editor), Theodore Huters (Editor)

Lake Success: A Novel by Gary Shteyngart

Business Pig by Andrea Zuill ❤️

Feminasty: The Complicated Woman’s Guide to Surviving the Patriarchy Without Drinking Herself to Death by Erin Gibson

The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell ❤️

Ignite the Stars by Maura Milan

Call Them by Their True Names: American Crises (and Essays) by Rebecca Solnit

Never Ran, Never Will: Boyhood and Football in a Changing American Inner City by Albert Samaha

Sadie by Courtney Summers cover imageSadie by Courtney Summers ❤️

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker

The Golden State by Lydia Kiesling ❤️

Good Rosie! by Kate DiCamillo and Harry Bliss

American Journal: Fifty Poems for Our Time by Tracy K. Smith ❤️

We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices by Wade Hudson (Editor), Cheryl Willis Hudson (Editor)

Vanishing Twins: A Marriage by Leah Dieterich ❤️

Chicken by Lynn Crosbie

Still Life with Monkey by Katharine Weber ❤️

Check Out the Library Weenies: And Other Warped and Creepy Tales (Weenies Stories) by David Lubar

Foe: A Novel by Iain Reid ❤️

kevin powellMy Mother. Barack Obama. Donald Trump. And the Last Stand of the Angry White Man. by Kevin Powell

I Should Have Honor: A Memoir of Hope and Pride in Pakistan by Khalida Brohi

A Room Away From the Wolves by Nova Ren Suma ❤️

Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren

The Cats Came Back (Magical Cats) by Sofie Kelly

Lights! Camera! Alice!: The Thrilling True Adventures of the First Woman Filmmaker by Mara Rockliff and Simona Ciraolo

The Crossroads by Alexandra Diaz

And The Ocean Was Our Sky by Patrick Ness, Rovina Cai (Illustrator)

The Forbidden Place by Susanne Jansson

two dark reignsTwo Dark Reigns (Three Dark Crowns) by Kendare Blake

Hilda and the Hidden People: TV Tie-In Edition 1 by Luke Pearson and Stephen Davies

The End of the Moment We Had (Japanese Novellas) by Toshiki Okada and Samuel Malissa

Click Here to Kill Everybody: Security and Survival in a Hyper-connected World by Bruce Schneier

Human Hours: Poems by Catherine Barnett ❤️

Patient X: The Case-Book of Ryunosuke Akutagawa by David Peace

When the Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica

Oh My Goth (Harlequin Teen) by Gena Showalter

Cats vs. Robots 1: This Is War by Margaret Stohl and Lewis Peterson ❤️

The Piranhas: The Boy Bosses of Naples by Roberto Saviano, Antony Shugaar (translator)

Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen by Sarah Bird ❤️

The Frangipani Tree Mystery (Crown Colony) by Ovidia Yu

Kickdown: A Novel by Rebecca Clarren

On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope by DeRay Mckesson

The First Prehistoric Serial Killer and Other Stories by Teresa Solana and Peter Bush

Power to the Princess by Vita Weinstein Murrow and Julia Bereciartu ❤️

That’s it for me today! If you want to learn more about books new and old (and see lots of pictures of my cats, Millay and Steinbeck), or tell me about books you’re reading, or books you think I should read (I HEART RECOMMENDATIONS!), you can find me on Twitter at MissLiberty, on Instagram at FranzenComesAlive, or Litsy under ‘Liberty’!

Stay rad,

Liberty

Categories
The Kids Are All Right

New Children’s Book Releases for September 4, 2018!

Hey Kid Lit friends,

Yay, it’s the first Tuesday of the month, and you know what that means. SO MANY NEW BOOKS! As usual, the book descriptions are from Goodreads, but I’ll add a ❤ if I particularly loved a title.


Sponsored by Disney Publishing Worldwide

Twenty years ago, all the evil villains were stripped of their powers and banished from the kingdom of Auradon to the Isle of the Lost. Mal learns from her mother, Maleficent, that the key to true darkness, the Dragon’s Eye, is located inside her scepter in the forbidden fortress on the far side of the island. She’ll just need a little help from her “friends.” In their quest for the Dragon’s Eye, these four kids begin to realize that just because you come from an evil family tree, being good ain’t so bad.


Picture Book New Releases

❤ Business Pig by Andrea Zuill

Right from the start, everyone at the barnyard could tell Jasper wasn’t like his siblings: “I believe what we have here is a gen-u-WINE Business Pig!” No wallowing in the mud or rooting for grubs for Jasper; he’d rather help with the bookkeeping or conduct a meeting. Though everyone at the animal sanctuary loves him, Jasper longs for a forever home. But no matter how many business cards he hands out, no one wants to adopt him. Can this above-average pig find his special person to cut deals with?

❤ Lyric McKerrigan, Secret Librarian by Jacob Sager Weinstein, illustrated by Vera Brosgol

When an evil genius has a diabolical plan to destroy every book on the planet, who has the tome-toting page power to thwart his dastardly scheme? Lyric McKerrigan, Secret Librarian! She’s got the gadgets. She’s got the disguises. And she’s always got the right book at the right time. It’s a good thing, too, because Lyric McKerrigan is the world’s last hope!

❤ Turning Pages: My Life Story by Sonia Sotomayor, illustrated by Lulu Delacre

As the first Latina Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor has inspired young people around the world to reach for their dreams. But what inspired her? For young Sonia, the answer was books! They were her mirrors, her maps, her friends, and her teachers. They helped her to connect with her family in New York and in Puerto Rico, to deal with her diabetes diagnosis, to cope with her father’s death, to uncover the secrets of the world, and to dream of a future for herself in which anything was possible.

❤ The Thank You Book by Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated Stephanie Graegin

Thank you isn’t just for learning manners.
It’s also for when something wakes a
little hum
a little happy huminside you
and you want to answer back.

The Thank You Book explores the many ways we can be thankful for the pleasures great and small that await us every day. Tender and poetic, it reflects on the role gratitude can play in our lives and celebrates the powerful impact it can have on us.

❤ Grandmother’s Visit by Betty Quan, illustrated by Carmen Mok

Grandmother lives with Grace’s family. She teaches her how to measure water for rice. She tells her stories about growing up in China and together they savor the flavors of her childhood. Grandmother says goodbye when she drops Grace off at school every morning and hello when she picks her up at the end of the day. Then, Grandmother stops walking Grace to and from school, and the door to her room stays closed. Father comes home early to make dinner, but the rice bowls stay full. One day, Grandmother’s room is empty. And one day, Grandmother is buried. After the funeral, Grace’s mom turns on all the outside lights so that Grandmother’s spirit can find its way home for one final goodbye.

Big Brother Peanut Butter by Ashley Spruill

Peanut Butter’s mom has a bun in the oven, and Peanut Butter is going to be a big brother! He’s pretty excited, but also a little bit scared. Just what does a big brother do? Luckily, Peanut Butter has just the right friends to ask. Apple Pie has two little brothers, Blueberry and Cherry, and she makes it look easy. Cucumber is definitely a cool older sibling to little Dill Pickle. And Big Cheese is clearly an important friend to ask. But do any of them know how to teach Peanut Butter what to do? Will any of them be able to help him crack this nut?

T-Rex Time Machine by Jared Chapman

When two hungry dinosaurs jump into a time machine, they’re transported to an unbelievable, magical, surreal future: RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW! On the T. Rexes’ madcap voyage into the unknown, they encounter the many wonders of the modern world: Police cars! Phones! Microwaves! They don’t know how they’ll get home—but why would they want to? Acclaimed author and illustrator Jared Chapman combines two favorite kid topics—time travel and dinosaurs—with bold colors, big jokes, and a hilarious escapade. This raucous, laugh-out-loud adventure will delight the very young and keep older readers giggling long into the future.

So Many Sounds by Tim McCanna, illustrated by Andy J. Miller

Listen! Do you hear a sound? Noises come from all around.
Soft and gentle, loud and clear. Oh so many sounds to hear! So Many Sounds is a wonderful rhyming read-aloud featuring everyday sounds and a refrain that children will love repeating. The playful text and illustrations are sure to delight little ones while also inviting them to pay more attention to the world around them.

A Prayer for the Animals by Daniel Kirk

May all of the animals of the earth
And the animals of the sky
And the animals of the sea
Be at peace.

This lyrical picture book from bestselling author and illustrator Daniel Kirk encourages young children to be kind to all the animals of the world. Kirk’s loving and hopeful verse blesses and gives warm wishes to farm animals, house pets, wild animals, and other creatures.

❤ A Home in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

Perfect for fans of Goodnight Moon, The Runaway Bunny, and Big Red Barn, this never-before-published picture book from beloved children’s book author Margaret Wise Brown tells the comforting, snowy story of animals seeking shelter from the cold in a big warm barn. Brought to beautiful life by Caldecott Medalist and multiple award winner Jerry Pinkney, this is a must-have for every child’s library and is perfect for cozy wintertime readings.

❤ Africville by Shauntay Grant and Eva Campbell

When a young girl visits the site of Africville, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the stories she’s heard from her family come to mind. She imagines what the community was once like ―the brightly painted houses nestled into the hillside, the field where boys played football, the pond where all the kids went rafting, the bountiful fishing, the huge bonfires. Coming out of her reverie, she visits the present-day park and the sundial where her great- grandmother’s name is carved in stone, and celebrates a summer day at the annual Africville Reunion/Festival.

Three Grumpy Trucks by Todd Tarpley, illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees

Whirr! Whomp! Grind! Chomp! How long can three busy trucks keep it up before…MELTDOWN? Three toy trucks have big plans for their day at the playground: digging and lifting, building and shifting. But then they start to get tired…and hot…and hungry….They’re GRUMPY! When they throw a total truck tantrum, will anyone be able to calm them down?

The Goodnight Train Rolls On! by June Sobel, illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith

When a herd of poky sheep slows the Goodnight Train to a crawl, the Engineer’s quick thinking (and counting!) has them rolling along in no time—until one tricky sheep sends the train and its sleepy passengers tossing and turning! The clickety-clack cadence of the poetic text is sure to lull listeners to sleep, but not before they take in the candy-colored landscapes full of delightful Dreamland details to discover. All aboard!

❤ Look at Me! Wild Animal Show-Offs by Jim Arnosky

Meet the show-offs! With their wacky eyebrows, beautiful patterns, and bright feathers and scales, many animals seem to be saying: “Look at ME!” That behavior certainly won’t protect them from predators, so why do they do it? Jim Arnosky explores a multitude of creatures from across the globe to reveal the reasons behind their attention-grabbing behavior. His spectacular art, including amazing gatefolds, presents brilliantly colored poison arrow frogs of the rainforest; the breeding plumage of egrets and peacocks; the impressive antlers of deer and elk; the threatening hoods of cobras; the balloon-like displays of African bullfrogs; and the dramatic color transformation of spawning fish.

Fangsgiving by Ethan Long

It’s the fourth Thursday of November, and the members of Fright Club are cooking up something spooky . . . a Thanksgiving feast! But when Vlad’s family arrives unexpectedly, they put their own spin on each of the dishes. Now, the rolls are as hard as headstones and the turkey has been cooked to death. Vlad loves his family, but they’ve made a mess of their meal! Can this monster-filled family come together to save their feast and celebrate what the holiday is truly about?

 

Chapter Book New Releases

The Oregon Trail: The Race to Chimney Rock by Jesse Wiley

In book one of this exciting choose-your-own-adventure series, it’s 1850 and your first goal is to get your family, covered wagon full of supplies, and oxen to Chimney Rock on time. But hurry—you’ll need to make it through the rugged mountains before winter snow hits. Plus, there are wild animals, natural disasters, unpredictable weather, fast-flowing rivers, strangers, and sickness that will be sure to stand between you and your destination! Which path will get you safely across the prairie? With twenty-two possible endings, choose wrong and you’ll never make it to Chimney Rock on time. Choose right and blaze a trail that gets you closer to Oregon City! This four book series continues with Danger at the Haunted Gate, The Search for Snake River, and The Road to Oregon City.

 

Middle Grade New Releases

❤ Tight by Torrey Maldonado

Bryan knows what’s tight for him–reading comics, drawing superheroes, and hanging out with no drama. But drama is every day where he’s from, and that gets him tight, wound up. And now Bryan’s friend Mike pressures him with ideas of fun that are crazy risky. At first, it’s a rush following Mike, hopping turnstiles, subway surfing, and getting into all kinds of trouble. But Bryan never really feels right acting so wrong, and drama really isn’t him. So which way will he go, especially when his dad tells him it’s better to be hard and feared than liked?

❤ The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor by Sonia Sotomayor

Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic and third woman appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States, was a young girl when she dared to dream big. Her dream? To become a lawyer and a judge. As Justice Sotomayor explains, “When I was a child my family was poor and we knew no lawyers or judges and none lived in our neighborhood. I knew nothing about the Supreme Court and how much its work in reinterpreting the Constitution and the laws of the United States affected peoples’ lives. You cannot dream of becoming something you don’t even know about. That has been the most important lesson of my life. You have to learn to dream big dreams.”

The Splintered Light by Ginger Johnson

Ever since his brother Luc’s disappearance and his father’s tragic death, Ishmael has lived a monotonous existence helping his mother on their meager farm where everything is colorless. Until one morning a ray of light fragments Ishmael’s gray world into something extraordinary: a spectrum of color he never knew existed. Emboldened, Ishmael sets out to find answers hoping his long lost brother might hold the key.

The Girl in the Locked Room by Mary Downing Hahn

A family moves into an old, abandoned house. Jules’s parents love the house, but Jules is frightened and feels a sense of foreboding. When she sees a pale face in an upstairs window, though, she can’t stop wondering about the eerie presence on the top floor—in a room with a locked door. Could it be someone who lived in the house a century earlier?

Undercover Princess by Connie Glynn

Lottie Pumpkin is an ordinary girl who has spent her life longing for the extraordinary. Ellie Wolf is the crown princess of Maradova, who wants nothing more than a chance at an ordinary life. When fate puts Lottie and Ellie in the same dorm room at the prestigious Rosewood Hall, there’s only one solution: for the girls to swap identities, and live the lives they’ve always dreamed of. But at Rosewood, a secret never stays secret for long. Someone in the school is on to them—and if the truth is revealed, the results may be more treacherous than they ever expected.

The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden

Seventh-grader Zoey has her hands full as she takes care of her much younger siblings after school every day while her mom works her shift at the pizza parlor. Not that her mom seems to appreciate it. At least there’s Lenny, her mom’s boyfriend—they all get to live in his nice, clean trailer. At school, Zoey tries to stay under the radar. Unfortunately, she’s not totally invisible, and one of her teachers forces her to join the debate club. Even though Zoey resists participating, debate ultimately leads her to see things in a new way: her mom’s relationship with Lenny, Fuchsia’s situation, and her own place in this town of people who think they’re better than her. Can Zoey find the courage to speak up, even if it means risking the most stable home she’s ever had?

Cats vs. Robots: This Is War by Margaret Stohl and Lewis Peterson

The Robot Federation and the Feline Empire have been at war for eons. And now that fight is coming to a tiny primitive planetoid…Earth. The mission for both cats and robots: retrieve the Singularity Chip. With it, cats can live past their nine lives, and robots are granted eternal battery life. Meanwhile, twin siblings Max and Min Wengrod are as different as can be. Min always gets good grades, and she loves to read and build robots. Max hates school, and prefers to play games and spend time online with friends. When Max rescues two kittens and is determined to keep them, Min is horrified that these furballs could ruin her chances at the Battle of the Bots competition.

❤ The Third Mushroom by Jennifer L. Holm

Ellie’s grandpa Melvin is a world-renowned scientist . . . in the body of a fourteen-year-old boy. His feet stink, and he eats everything in the refrigerator–and Ellie is so happy to have him around. Grandpa may not exactly fit in at middle school, but he certainly keeps things interesting. When he and Ellie team up for the county science fair, no one realizes just how groundbreaking their experiment will be. The formula for eternal youth may be within their reach! And when Ellie’s cat, Jonas Salk, gets sick, the stakes become even higher. But is the key to eternal life really the key to happiness? Sometimes even the most careful experiments yield unexpected–and wonderful–results.

Voyage of the Dogs by Greg Van Eekhout

Lopside is a Barkonaut—a specially trained dog who assists human astronauts on missions in space. He and the crew aboard the spaceship Laika are en route to set up an outpost on a distant planet. When the mission takes a disastrous turn, the Barkonauts on board suddenly find themselves completely alone on their severely damaged ship. Survival seems impossible. But these dogs are Barkonauts—and Barkonauts always complete their mission.

Dodger Boy by Sarah Ellis

In 1970 Vancouver, thirteen-year-old Charlotte and her best friend, Dawn, are keen to avoid the pitfalls of adolescence. But life becomes more complicated when the girls meet a Texan draft dodger who comes to live with Charlotte’s Quaker family. Tom Ed expands Charlotte’s horizons as they discuss everything from war to civil disobedience to women’s liberation. Grappling with exhilarating and disturbing new ideas, faced with a censorship challenge to her beloved English teacher and trying to decode the charismatic draft dodger himself, Charlotte finds it harder and harder to stick to her unteen philosophy, and to see eye to eye with Dawn.

❤ 24 Hours in Nowhere by Dusti Bowling

Welcome to Nowhere, Arizona, the least livable town in the United States. For Gus, a bright 13-year-old with dreams of getting out and going to college, life there is made even worse by Bo Taylor, Nowhere’s biggest, baddest bully. When Bo tries to force Gus to eat a dangerously spiny cactus, Rossi Scott, one of the best racers in Nowhere, comes to his rescue—but in return she has to give Bo her prized dirt bike. Determined to buy it back, Gus agrees to go searching for gold in Dead Frenchman Mine, joined by his old friends Jessie Navarro and Matthew Dufort, and Rossi herself. As they hunt for treasure, narrowly surviving everything from cave-ins to mountain lions, they bond over shared stories of how hard life in Nowhere is—and they realize this adventure just may be their way out.

❤ Sabotage Stage Left by Casey Lyall

Spring (musical) fever has hit the Grantleyville Middle School Drama Club! Since Ivy Mason is busy with the production, she decides to take a break from sleuthing, while Howard Wallace keeps things running smoothly with their detective agency. Then, just a few weeks before showtime, suspicious things start happening backstage: missing costumes, damaged props, and too many other mishaps to be coincidental. Ivy calls in Howard and their crew to take on the case. Howard tries to lay low and quietly sniff out the perp, but he’s soon brought into the spotlight when he’s framed as the saboteur! Can the team of intrepid P.I.s clear Howard’s name and catch the culprit before the curtain falls on the big show?

After Zero by Christina Collins

Elise carries a notebook full of tallies, each page marking a day spent at her new public school, each stroke of her pencil marking a word spoken. A word that can’t be taken back. Five tally marks isn’t so bad. Two is pretty good. But zero? Zero is perfect. Zero means no wrong answers called out in class, no secrets accidentally spilled, no conversations to agonize over at night when sleep is far away. But now months have passed, and Elise isn’t sure she could speak even if she wanted to―not to keep her only friend, Mel, from drifting further away―or to ask if anyone else has seen her English teacher’s stuffed raven come to life. Then, the discovery of a shocking family secret helps Elise realize that her silence might just be the key to unlocking everything she’s ever hoped for…

The Great Shelby Holmes and the Coldest Case by Elizabeth Eulberg

Being friends with a super sleuth isn’t easy, especially when she’s nine years old, four feet tall, and full of attitude. But for eleven-year-old John Watson, being friends with Shelby Holmes is just the adventure he’s looking for. After Watson’s online journal chronicling his and Shelby’s case-closing abilities attracts the attention of a newspaper reporter, the pair becomes a small “media sensation” in their Harlem neighborhood. So it’s no surprise (at least, to Shelby!) when the article lands them a new client–a figure skating coach whose star athlete, Jordan Nelson, is receiving strange, threatening messages, written entirely in code. There’s no one better to crack the cipher than dynamic duo Shelby and Watson! But to gather information, Shelby decides that they’ll have to go undercover . . . as an award-winning pair skating team.

 

Nonfiction New Releases

Grandpa and the Library by C. Ian White

Every day, young Charles White’s mother takes him the Chicago Public Library, where the librarians look after him until she picks him up again after work, at six o’clock. At the library Charles looks carefully at the picture books the librarians give him and also at the people around him, later drawing what he sees on scraps of paper at home. He learns to be patient and observant—and, by watching art students painting in the park, how to mix and use oil paints. As he grows into an artist, he paints the people he sees and admires. Ultimately, Charles becomes a great artist whose works now hang in museums throughout the United States.

The Making of America: Abraham Lincoln by Teri Kanefield

The third installment of the Making of America series, Abraham Lincoln, tells of one of our most beloved presidents. Born in a cabin deep in the backwoods of Kentucky, growing up in a family considered “the poorest of the poor,” Lincoln rose to become the sixteenth president of the United States. As president, he guided the United States through the Civil War, helped end slavery in America, and strengthened the federal government. Unlike other biographies, the Making of America series goes beyond individual narratives linking influential figures to create an overarching story of America’s growth.

❤ Path to the Stars: My Journey from Girl Scouts to Rocket Scientist by Sylvia Acevedo

A meningitis outbreak in their underprivileged neighborhood left Sylvia Acevedo’s family forever altered. As she struggled in the aftermath of loss, young Sylvia’s life transformed when she joined the Brownies. The Girl Scouts taught her how to take control of her world and nourished her love of numbers and science. With new confidence, Sylvia navigated shifting cultural expectations at school and at home, forging her own trail to become one of the first Latinx to graduate with a master’s in engineering from Stanford University and going on to become a rocket scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

❤ Never Too Young: 50 Unstoppable Kids Who Made a Difference by Aileen Weintraub, illustrated by Laura Horton

From Picasso, who changed the art world forever, to Malala Yousafzai, the brave teen who was shot for advocating education for girls, the 50 kids profiled in Never Too Young! will inspire and empower young readers. Some, like Anne Frank, Ruby Bridges, and Stevie Wonder, are prominent figures, while others are lesser known though their achievements are just as compelling. They come from a variety of historical periods and backgrounds, and have made an impact in politics, sports, the arts, science, and more.

❤ We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices by Edited by Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson

What do we tell our children when the world seems bleak, and prejudice and racism run rampant? With 96 lavishly designed pages of original art and prose, fifty diverse creators lend voice to young activists. Featuring poems, letters, personal essays, art, and other works from such industry leaders as Jacqueline Woodson (Brown Girl Dreaming), Jason Reynolds (All American Boys), Kwame Alexander (The Crossover), Andrea Pippins (I Love My Hair), Sharon Draper (Out of My Mind), Rita Williams-Garcia (One Crazy Summer), Ellen Oh (cofounder of We Need Diverse Books), and artists Ekua Holmes, Rafael Lopez, James Ransome, Javaka Steptoe, and more, this anthology empowers the nation’s youth to listen, learn, and build a better tomorrow.

Picturing America: Thomas Cole and the Birth of American Art by Hudson Talbott

Thomas Cole was always looking for something new to draw. Born in England during the Industrial Revolution, he was fascinated by tales of the American countryside, and was ecstatic to move there in 1818. The life of an artist was difficult at first, however Thomas kept his dream alive by drawing constantly and seeking out other artists. But everything changed for him when he was given a ticket for a boat trip up the Hudson River to see the wilderness of the Catskill Mountains. The haunting beauty of the landscape sparked his imagination and would inspire him for the rest of his life. The majestic paintings that followed struck a chord with the public and drew other artists to follow in his footsteps, in the first art movement born in America. His landscape paintings also started a conversation on how to protect the country’s wild beauty.

 

Backlist Book Recommendations

Chapter Book Recommendation: Jenny and the Cat Club by Esther Averill

In Greenwich Village an orphaned black cat lives happily with her master, a sea captain. Still, the gentle Jenny Linsky would like nothing more than to join the local Cat Club, whose members include Madame Butterfly, an elegant Persian, the high-stepping Macaroni, and stately, plump Mr. President. But can she overcome her fears and prove that she, too, has a special gift?

Note from Karina: I absolutely adore Jenny Linsky and her adventures. There is a whole series of books about her, so if you like this one definitely check out all the other ones. 

Middle Grade Recommendation: Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata

kira-kira (kee ra kee ra): glittering; shining Glittering. That’s how Katie Takeshima’s sister, Lynn, makes everything seem. The sky is kira-kira because its color is deep but see-through at the same time. The sea is kira-kira for the same reason. And so are people’s eyes. When Katie and her family move from a Japanese community in Iowa to the Deep South of Georgia, it’s Lynn who explains to her why people stop on the street to stare. And it’s Lynn who, with her special way of viewing the world, teaches Katie to look beyond tomorrow. But when Lynn becomes desperately ill, and the whole family begins to fall apart, it is up to Katie to find a way to remind them all that there is always something glittering — kira-kira — in the future.

Note from Karina: This is such a lovely middle grade book (it also won the Newbery Medal). It is poetic and beautiful, and I love the writing. 

Nonfiction Book Recommendation: Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann Petry

Harriet Tubman was born a slave and dreamed of being free. She was willing to risk everything—including her own life—to see that dream come true. After her daring escape, Harriet became a conductor on the secret Underground Railroad, helping others make the dangerous journey to freedom.

Note from Karina: I found this biography so gripping and interesting – I read it in one sitting and then passed it on to my ten-year-old who already read it in one sitting. This updated edition includes a foreward by Jason Reynolds and new art by Kadir Nelson.

 

We want your thoughts!

Book Riot is conducting a fall reader survey, and we want to know your thoughts! Please take a few minutes to answer a brief questionnaire.

 

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 week!
Karina

Izzy and the stack of new releases out today!

*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
Riot Rundown TestRiotRundown

090418-TearMeApart-Riot-Rundown

Today’s Riot Rundown is sponsored by Tear Me Apart by J.T. Ellison from MIRA Books.

Competitive skier Mindy Wright is a superstar in the making until a spectacular downhill crash threatens her racing career and her life. During surgery, doctors discover she has leukemia, and a stem cell transplant is her only hope. But when her parents are tested, a frightening truth emerges. Mindy is not their daughter. The race to save Mindy’s life means unraveling years of lies. Was she accidentally switched at birth or is there something more sinister at play? The search for the truth will tear a family apart…and someone is going to deadly extremes to protect the family’s deepest secrets.

Categories
The Stack

090418-GhostMoney-The-Stack

Today’s The Stack is sponsored by the Magnetic Collection from Lion Forge.

When Chamza, a young Arab woman, rescues Lindsey, a young London student, a friendship begins. Before she knows it, Lindsey is drawn into a world of vast wealth and intrigue; her new friend seems to have ties to political movements and revolutionaries throughout the Islamic world, but it is not clear what their agenda might be, or where her great wealth comes from. Could it be the fabled legendary lost treasure of Al-Qaeda, supposedly amassed through insider trading prior to 9/11? The political thriller Ghost Money: Death in Dubai is in stores now from Lion Forge!

Categories
Kissing Books

Sweet Summer Love and New Releases

How is it September? It was just June, I swear. But I am happy for Fall release season. As someone who doesn’t leave near many deciduous trees, it’s really the best way to watch the seasons change—well…that and pumpkin spice.


Sponsored by Kensington Publishing Corp.

Bridesmaids meets Magic Mike in Stripped, a hot contemporary romance set in New York City from exciting new Latinx voice Zoey Castile. Skilled, sculpted, and sexy, the men of adult entertainment are the kind of guys a woman reserves for her fantasies, not her reality. But is there more to these professional hotties than meets the eye?  Robyn Flores is about to find out when she discovers a sequined thong in her laundry and her upstairs neighbor Zac comes to collect. The next time he turns up unexpectedly? He’s the stripper at her best friend’s bachelorette party!


News and Useful Links

Heard about Romance Class but not sure what it is? Check out their new website! (And here’s a nice rundown of what’s there by resident RC author Mina V. Esguerra.)

Are you a writer? Anna Zabo is giving an online workshop on worldbuilding.

Alyssa Cole’s most recently announced novella looks like everything I’ve been waiting for. Forreal. Is it 2019 yet?

Another LA Review of Books essay! This time, it’s by Cat Sebastian. (They’ve got a whole romance-themed issue out, FYI. They’ve put a few of them up on the site.)

Did you know Alexis Daria used to be a cosplayer?

Learn more about Talia Hibbert, including the fact that she’s going to be expanding her author name pool for different subgenres what.

And I haven’t done a lot of digging on this new app, but it looks like there might be a new way to read romance (and other things).

Deals

cover of beautiful lawman by sophie jordanHave you read Sophie Jordan’s contemporary romance? If you’re looking to try one out, Beautiful Lawman is 99 cents right now.

If you’re looking for a fun mystery with an element of romance, Denise Grover Swank’s Deadly Summer is 1.99.

TJ Klune is one of those authors whose names I know but whose books I keep not reading. Well, Wolfsong is 1.99 and someone on Amazon called it the best shifter book they’ve ever read. So I bought it.

And if you’re looking for some good romantic suspense, Piper J. Drake’s Hidden Impact is 1.99 right now.

Over on Book Riot

What’s your romance audiobook match?

I don’t have a KU membership, but I might consider it for these books (many of which are already on my to-read list anyway).

Have you voted on a book for the first When In Romance book club?

And come share the ins-n-outs of your reading life in our Fall Reader Survey!

Recs!

As we pass Labor Day and the joys of summer, now is a good time for some summer nostalgia, right? It’s not too late? I hope not, because I’ve got some recs that are great for the Dying Sighs of Summer (she says from Arizona, where it’s finally dropped to the low nineties).

cover of feels like summer by six de los reyesFeels Like Summer
Six de los Reyes

While this book opens at a summer music festival, Summer Storm, the majority of the book takes place in Manila. But that’s okay, because the real meaning of summer is acted out in that part of the book: three months of making the wrong choices for yourself and taking advantage of a situation that is only supposed to be temporary. Then, the days get shorter, the nights longer, and you yearn for those days.

Okay, Feels Like Summer isn’t quite that maudlin. Sorry.

Jett is a woman who gets what she wants. And after taking a deal to be an up-and-coming lead singer’s girlfriend for five minutes (a far too brief fake relationship, in my opinion!), she and said singer, Adrian, hit it off and spend the night together. It’s…not a great night. But when Adrian shows up to apologize, they decide to endeavor on a no-strings sex-only relationship to help him get over his ex, the reason Jett was needed at Summer Storm in the first place. She doesn’t do dating, and Adrian is pretty great in bed, so this is perfect for her. And it’s going to end, which is always good. Right?

cover of heat wave by elyse springerIf you finish that one and are looking for another intense, sexy book about a summer rebound fling, check out Elyse Springer’s Heat Wave.

And if the brief time at the music festival puts you in the mood for more of that setting, well the first thing you should do is read more of the Summer Storm books, including Sounds Like Summer (the first book in the Summer Storm series) and Summer Crush (which features novella by Reyes, Jay E. Tria, and Tara Frejas).

Then, once you’ve read those, check out Body Rocks by AM Arthur. The whole Off-Beat series is darling AF, but this one takes a lot of advantage of the music festival setting.

cover of a summer for scandal by lydia san andresConversely, if you want some sweet summer love between childhood sweethearts with some nice beach action, definitely pick up Damaged Goods by Talia Hibbert. It says “Ravenswood 1.5” but it’s a whole damn book. (I say “sweet summer love” like it’s not angsty as all getout. It’s angsty as all getout. but so darling and precious.)

And if you’re looking for writers going at it with their words and people getting dumped intp bodies of water, look no further than A Summer for Scandal by Lydia San Andres.

What are your favorite books of summer?

New and Upcoming Releases

cover of undue influence by jenny holidayUndue Influence: A Persuasion Retelling by Jenny Holiday
Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren
Stripped by Zoey Castile
Kiss the Girl by Tara Sivec (and yes, it’s named after a Disney song for a reason)
Bastard Prince by Nana Malone
Made to Hold You by Elle Wright
Second Time Sweeter by Beverly Jenkins
Sugar Vol 1 by Matt Hawkins, Jenni Cheung, and Yishan Li
Intercepted by Alexa Martin (Sept 11) (Yes, that one is finally coming out)

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at jessica@riotnewmedia.com if you’ve got feedback or just want to say hi!

Categories
In The Club

Bookish Holidays for Your Book Club to Celebrate

Hola, libro lovers! Welcome to In The Club, a newsletter of resources to keep your book group well-met and well-read.

It’s September! Fall is almost here… kinda? I live in San Diego so it might just be 90 degrees through Halloween. *shrug emoji* Guess I should put these boots and scarves away.


Sponsored by Epic Reads

Growing up in a conservative African American family in Texas, Taja struggles with her family expectations, a changing body, and a handsome new boyfriend as she tries to discover her own identity. Lyrical and literary, Tamani’s debut is a strikingly honest and genuine exploration of family, religion, sexuality, and how we define self-worth. Now available in paperback, Calling My Name is a must-read for fans of Jacqueline Woodson.


More importantly, it’s that time of year when book releases start to rain down from the sky at a pace almost too dizzying to keep up with. But we wouldn’t be true bookworms if we didn’t try, would we? So let’s get started!

Book Riot wants to hear from you! Click here to take our super-fast Fall Reader Survey and be entered to win a $100 gift card to the Book Riot store!

Holiday! Celebrate! – Did you know that September is National Library Card Sign Up Month and Be Kind to Writers and Editors Month? Huzzah! Wondering what other bookish holidays exist throughout the month and year? Check out this sweet calendar of bookish holidays to maximize your celebratory fun.

  • Book Club Bonus: Plan your book club around one of these festive days/weeks/months. Some of them are perhaps too wide/general for book club, but some would make for awesome inspiration. Read a comic for National Comic Book Day on the 25th of this month, or read a mystery in October for one of my faves: Mystery Series week.

Alternative Prizes – The New Academy has announced the alternative Nobel Prize in Literature shortlist for 2018! Four finalists were chosen from the original list of 47 authors and the winner will be announced on October 12th.

  • Book Club Bonus: Pick a work by of the four shortlisted authors for your book club. While any of the four authors’ works would certainly spark some healthy book chat on their own, discuss the works within the framework of #metoo. These writers were after all selected by an organization whose very existence was necessitated when allegations of sexual misconduct brought about the collapse of a major literary institution. I’d love to hear some deep book club chat on Murakami’s Men Without Women, for example. Discuss!

A Few Coins for Jane Austen – A first edition of Pride and Prejudice is going up for auction and I totally want it!

Me: What was that? It’s almost $24,000? Cool cool cool. I’ll get right on that.
Narrator: She did not get right on that.

  • Book Club Bonus: Consider a classics remix for book club. Take a classic that you love and look for a modern retelling. If you have the time, maybe read both the original and the remix, or just the remix – you do you, boo. There are so many good ones to choose from! I would love to get my girlfriends together to compare and contrast Jane Eyre vs. Jane Steele – what we loved, what we hated, what was oddly distorted or creatively updated.

Book Club Gets Lit – Oooh snap. Guess what? I’ve got a second giveaway for you! Ten lucky Book Riot Readers will peach won a copy of our bookish conversation game, Lit Chat. Enter here to win!

  • Book Club Bonus: A round of Lit Chat is the perfect book club meeting activity! You’re all book lovers, obvi. Use this as in ice breaker if it’s your first time meeting, or just add a fun little interlude to your book discussion with this bookish conversation starter.

Book Recs Written in the Stars – We’ve all been there: you’ve searched your soul, your book club and your TBR for what to read next and you can’t just decide on a title. Did you ever think to let your astrological sign do the picking for you? Maybe it’s time you do! I’m loving the Scorpio pick and can’t wait to get into it!


That’s all for today, book people. Stay tuned for recs for Hispanic Heritage month in next week’s newsletter – I can’t wait to spread the Latina bookworm love!

Stay bad & bookish, my friends.
Vanessa