Happy Thursday! I am finally over the plague, and so happy to be up and around again. And it’s spring! It’s so beautiful here in Maine. Things are turning green! (Er, the right things, nothing scary.) I have some fun stuff to share with you today. And I’ll be back on Monday with more great stuff to tell you. I hope whatever you’re doing, you have a great rest of your week, and remember to be kind to yourself and others. – xoxo, Liberty
Sponsored by JIMMY Patterson Books
Ari Helix has been chased her entire life. A fugitive refugee in territory controlled by the evil Mercer Corporation, Ari has always had to hide who she is. Until she crash lands on Old Earth, pulls a magic sword from its ancient resting place, and becomes the forty-second reincarnation of King Arthur. Then she meets Merlin, who has aged backward over the centuries into a teenager, and together they must break the curse that keeps Arthur coming back. Their quest? Defeat the cruel, oppressive government and bring peace and equality to all humankind. No pressure.
Oh! Before I get started, I have exciting news! For those of you who love to read (or love to give) picture books and chapter books, we’ve got a new podcast, hosted by author and BR contributor Karina Glaser and children’s librarian Matthew Winner! It’s called Kidlit These Days and you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or your favorite podcatcher.
Trivia question time! Who is the popular contemporary author who wrote a book claiming English painter Walter Sickert was Jack the Ripper? (Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)
Deals, Reals, and Squeals!
A Princess Bride musical is in the works. (I can’t wait for the show-stopping number Anybody Want a Peanut?)
Viola Davis is adapting Wild Seed by Octavia Butler for Amazon, and Nnedi Okorafor is writing the script!
Todd Mitchell’s forthcoming YA novel, The Naming Girl, will be a film directed by Jennifer Pheng.
The To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before sequel has a new director.
Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley will be back in a new series.
Graywolf Press will publish a new Claudia Rankine book.
New Angels in America audiobook to be narrated by the full cast of the Broadway revival.
Melville House will make the Mueller Report its first mass market publication.
Crazy Rich Asians’ actress Sonoya Mizuno will play the title role in the Mouse Guard adaptation.
An Asunda drama series based on the comics is in the works at HBO.
Del Rey is publishing its first Star Wars audio original.
A book tribute to Anthony Bourdain will be published in May.
Charlie Bennett will be a recurring character in S2 of You.
And a follow-up to Sex in the City is in the works.
Cover Reveals
Elton John revealed the cover of his upcoming autobiography, Me, in a YouTube video. (I am ridiculously excited for this book. Is anyone else?) (Henry Holt and Co., October 15)
Here’s the first look at Obviously: Stories From My Timeline by Akilah Hughes. (Razorbill, September 24)
Random House revealed Ali Wong’s upcoming memoir, Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, and Advice for Living Your Best Life. (Random House, October 15)
And here’s the first look at The Night Country, Melissa Albert’s follow-up to The Hazel Wood. (Flatiron Books, January 7, 2020)
Book Riot Recommends
At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and learn about a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week so you can add them to your TBR! (It will now be books I loved on Mondays and books I’m excited to read on Thursdays. YAY, BOOKS!)
Excited to read:
Erosion: Essays of Undoing by Terry Tempest Williams (Sarah Crichton Books, October 8)
If you have been hanging around Book Riot for a while, you know that me ‘n my ginger lifemate, Rebecca Schinsky, are HUGE fans of TTW. So the idea that we get a new book of essays is exciting x one million! If you’ve never read her before, you should pick one of her books up. She is one of the smartest, most considerate writers out there.
What I’m reading this week.
War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi
Naamah: A Novel by Sarah Blake
The Last Pass: Cousy, Russell, the Celtics, and What Matters in the End by Gary M. Pomerantz
And this is funny.
Trivia answer: Patricia Cornwell.
You made it to the bottom! High five. Thanks for reading! – xo, L