Month: June 2019

ALA Votes To Remove Dewey’s Name From Award: Today In Books

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date June 25, 2019

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Waterhouse Press.

ALA Votes To Remove Dewey’s Name From Award

The ALA (American Library Association) voted to change the annual Melvil Dewey Award name because Melvil Dewey was anti-Semitic, racist, and a misogynist. You can read more about the decision, medal, and Dewey–yes, the decimal system guy–here.

Marvel Unveiled Stage Plays Aimed At Young Audiences

Marvel partnered with the Concord Theatricals company to create stage plays starring their superheroes set in contemporary situations young readers can relate to. The goal is for the plays to be easy to produce for educational institutions–for a fee of course. Check out the play covers for the plays starring Ms. Marvel, Thor, and Squirrel Girl, and learn more here.

The Most Read Books For The Goodreads Reading Challenge

If you set yourself a yearly reading goal you may be one of millions of users who keeps track using the Goodreads Reading Challenge. They just released the most read books so far–overall, nonfiction, and classics–from everyone’s challenges and hello, Michelle Obama taking #1! You can see all the books here.

In The Club

Please Don’t Get Me Arrested

Post author By Vanessa Diaz
Post date June 25, 2019

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

How goes it, friends, and what day is it?! The last week has been a blur of bookselling, reading, writing, family trips to the county fair, World Cup soccer matches, and some much needed sleep in between. I also finally watched Always Be My Maybe and wow, what a gem! I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of funny, inclusive romcoms.

While I make a list of all the other movies I’ve slept on so far this year (a long list: I’m always the last to watch things!), let’s review today’s club business. Let’s talk true crime and related fiction, knowledge gaps, and our uneasy relationships with problematic faves.

Ready? To the club!!

This newsletter is sponsored by Lifelines by Heidi Diehl.

For fans of Meg Wolitzer and Maggie Shipstead: Lifelines is a sweeping debut novel following an American artist who returns to Germany—where she fell in love and had a child decades earlier—to confront her past at her former mother-in-law’s funeral.

Exquisitely balanced, expansive yet wonderfully intimate, Lifelines explores the indelible ties of family; the shape art, history, and nationality give to our lives; and the ways in which we are forever evolving, with each step we take, with each turn of the Earth.

Question for the Club

June’s query is still going and it is:

One more week to send in your responses!

Listen, Linda: Last week’s episode of Read or Dead was all about Australian mystery, women writing in the mystery genre, and some news on Linda Fairstein. That last bit reminded me that I need to find the time and headspace to finally watch When They See Us.

Book Club Bonus: The Linda Fairstein news got me thinking and I have to admit: I know very little about the Central Park Five. I know the general gist of the injustice, but not enough to have a thoughtful conversation. This will be remedied soon.

I challenge you to find a thing you should know more about and get to knowing. It could be a historical moment, a cultural event, a headline, a humanitarian crisis: the possibilities are clearly plentiful. Decide as a book club that you’re going to educate yourself on that thing and pick a book to help you do so. Earlier this year my goal was to read up on Cuba’s complicated history; I’d love to discuss how decidedly not black and white that is in a book club setting.

Please Don’t Get Me Arrested – The following is a list of excellent true crime reads for book club. Now repeat after me: I will use these for book club and not as a blueprint… I will use these for book club and not as a blueprint… I will use these for book club and not as a blueprint….

Book Club Bonus: I really did ask myself, “Would it be weird if I suggested concocting poisons from A is for Arsenic as a book club activity?” I mean, it’s really just chemistry. Yay science! Since I’m really not trying to go down for a mass poisoning though, I do have an alternate suggestion.

Consider reading both a work of a true crime and a work of fiction inspired by said crime, then discuss one as it compares to the other. Which is ultimately more terrifying? Does reading the fictional version help make sense of the real thing? Yes, truth often is stranger than fiction, but sometimes fiction takes an already strange truth and turns the creepy way the %@*# up high.

Examples: Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi and The Girls by Emma Cline; The Trial of Lizzie Borden by Cara Robertson and See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt.

Perpetually Problematic: A recent piece from LitHub had me very much in my feelings, and not necessarily in a bad way. It’s a nuanced discussion of cancel culture and our relationship to the art of our problematic faves.

Book Club Bonus: Oof! This is an issue I go round and round and round with myself about: while it is very easy for me to cancel artists who’ve committed egregious acts of abuse or violence, there are still plenty of “less” offensive but undoubtedly problematic faves that I haven’t quite ditched. I don’t confess this last part flippantly; it’s a real source of conflict. I’m still navigating a lot of grey area in the whole “separate the art from the artist” conversation.

That is precisely what needs to happen here: conversation. Talk this issue out with your book group, perhaps after reading an old fave that you now know to be problematic now (and there are…. so many). Use this additional piece from Tor as a jumping board for the discussion. It might get uncomfortable, but face it head on. It’s essential that you (and we) do.

Suggestion Section

You and I have been hitting the club for awhile now and now eeeeeverybody wants in. Forbes wrote a piece on why news outlets are suddenly embracing the book club.

With more than enough celeb book clubs to go around, here’s why Entertainment Weekly is calling Jenna Bush Hager the queen of the book club.

Thanks for hanging with me today! Shoot me an email at vanessa@riotnewmedia.com with your burning book club questions or find me on Twitter and the gram @buenosdiazsd. Sign up for the Audiobooks newsletter, get it on the Read Harder podcast, and watch me booktube every Friday too.

Stay bad & bookish, my friends.
Vanessa

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

What's Up in YA

📚 Add These 2020 YA Novels To Your TBR Now

Post author By Kelly Jensen
Post date June 25, 2019

Hey YA Readers: Let’s talk 2020 reads!

“What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by Penguin Teen.

Eighteen-year-old Gu Miyoung has a secret—she’s a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox who must devour the energy of men in order to survive. Miyoung crosses paths with Jihoon, a human boy, being attacked by a goblin deep in the forest. Against her better judgment, she rescues the boy, losing her gumiho soul in the process. Miyoung and Jihoon develop a tenuous friendship that blossoms into something more. When a shaman tries to reunite Miyoung with her gumiho soul, the consequences are disastrous and reignite a generations-old feud . . . forcing Miyoung to choose between her immortal life and Jihoon’s.

It’s half-way through 2019, which means it’s the perfect time to begin pining for the YA books that’ll hit shelves next year. Certainly, we’ll be highlighting more books out this year, too, but there’s nothing nicer than planning even further ahead.

Take a peek at these six amazing-sounding YA titles you’ll be able to read next year. Since I (obviously!) haven’t read them yet, I’m pulling from Amazon descriptions. But you better believe I’ve just increased my TBR.

I’ve included beloved authors in this list, as well as new voices, to offer up a rich tapestry of stories.

Every Reason We Shouldn’t by Sara Fujimura (March 3)

Fifteen-year-old, biracial figure skater Olivia Kennedy’s Olympic dreams have ended. She’s bitter, but enjoying life as a regular teenager instead of an athlete… until Jonah Choi starts training at her family’s struggling rink. Jonah’s driven, talented, going for the Olympics in speed skating, completely annoying… and totally gorgeous. Between teasing Jonah, helping her best friend try out for roller derby, figuring out life as a normal teen and keeping the family business running, Olivia’s got her hands full. But will rivalry bring her closer to Jonah, or drive them apart?

The King’s Questioner by Nikki Katz (January 14)

Kalen is a mental picklock, able to access a person’s memories and secrets by touch. His skills make him the perfect questioner to the king, and he spends his days interrogating prisoners of the crown.

But when Kalen’s estranged childhood friend, Prince Cirrus, falls into a sudden coma, the king begs Kalen to intervene. By accessing Cirrus’s mind, Kalen saves his life―and uncovers a terrifying secret. The prince has a sister, banished long ago, and she is the key to the destruction or survival of the kingdom.

With the help of Cirrus and a silver-haired thief named Luna, Kalen must find the princess and bring her home. Or risk death at the hands of his king.

Not So Pure and Simple by Lamar Giles (January 21)

I’ve spent a good chunk of time looking for a description of this one and cannot find it as of this writing. But…it’s Lamar Giles and that cover is on fire. This is one of those “just trust me” situations.

A Phoenix First Must Burn edited by Patrice Caldwell (March 10)

In 2018, sixteen unique, distinctive voices on the cutting edge of young adult fiction embarked on a challenge: together, to depict the past, present, parallel, and future of the Black female and gender nonconforming (GNC) experience. Their goal was to weave worlds where Black women are centered, and the result is a stunning collaboration filled with stories of love and betrayal, folktales and magic, from retellings of legends to explorations of yet-to-be invented technologies. In fantasy and science fiction, these sixteen acclaimed authors introduce us to unforgettable characters like Solange, who sheds her skin nightly to transform into a ball of fire and fly above her Caribbean island, or Abigail Crow, a girl armed only with her smarts and her .38 who must defend her New Mexico homestead from marauders, or Mae Mitchell, a Brooklyn-born, space-bound alien interrogator. Witches and scientists, sisters and lovers, priestesses and rebels: the heroines of A Phoenix First Must Burn are on fire, and they shine brightly. You won’t soon forget their stories.

Reverie by Ryan La Sala (January 7)

Inception meets The Magicians, except with better wigs and a maniacal drag queen sorceress attempting to unravel the reality of Connecticut (yes, the state) and replace it with something…well something better than Connecticut.

Ryan La Sala’s debut fantasy is an #OwnVoices story following Kane Montgomery, a gay teenager piecing his life back together after an attack robs him of his memories. As Kane searches for who he was, he uncovers a war for the creative rights to reality itself, each battle played out in an imagined world turned real: a reverie.

Reveries are worlds born from a person’s private fantasies, and once they manifest they can only be unraveled by bringing their conflicts to resolution. Reveries have rules and plots, magic and monsters, and one wrong step could twist the entire thing into a lethal, labyrinthine nightmare. Unraveling them is dangerous work, but it’s what Kane and The Others do.

Or did, until one of The Others purged Kane of his memories. But now Kane is back, and solving the mystery of his betrayal is the only way to unite his team and defeat reality’s latest threat: Poesy, a sorceress bent on harvesting the reveries for their pure, imaginative power.

But what use might a drag queen sorceress have with a menagerie of stolen reveries? And should Kane, a boy with no love for a team that betrayed him, fight to stop her, or defect to aid her?

Reverie is about the seduction of escaping inwards, about the worlds we hide within ourselves, and the danger of dreams that come true.

*Note: this description comes from Goodreads because there’s simply not one at Amazon at the time of writing.

Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco (March 3)

Tala Warnock has little use for magic – as a descendant of Maria Makiling, the legendary Filipina heroine, she negates spells, often by accident. But her family’s old ties to the country of Avalon (frozen, bespelled, and unreachable for almost 12 years) soon finds them guarding its last prince from those who would use his kingdom’s magic for insidious ends.

And with the rise of dangerous spelltech in the Royal States of America; the appearance of the firebird, Avalon’s deadliest weapon, at her doorstep; and the re-emergence of the Snow Queen, powerful but long thought dead, who wants nothing more than to take the firebird’s magic for her own – Tala’s life is about to get even more complicated….

*Note: Goodreads description.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t also highlight my Hey YA podcast cohost Eric Smith’s 2020 novel, too. I got to read Don’t Read The Comments super early and loved it and I suspect you will, too.

Don’t Read The Comments by Eric Smith (January 28)

Divya Sharma is a queen. Or she is when she’s playing Reclaim the Sun, the year’s hottest online game. Divya—better known as popular streaming gamer D1V—regularly leads her #AngstArmada on quests through the game’s vast and gorgeous virtual universe. But for Divya, this is more than just a game. Out in the real world, she’s trading her rising-star status for sponsorships to help her struggling single mom pay the rent.

Gaming is basically Aaron Jericho’s entire life. Much to his mother’s frustration, Aaron has zero interest in becoming a doctor like her, and spends his free time writing games for a local developer. At least he can escape into Reclaim the Sun—and with a trillion worlds to explore, disappearing should be easy. But to his surprise, he somehow ends up on the same remote planet as celebrity gamer D1V.

At home, Divya and Aaron grapple with their problems alone, but in the game, they have each other to face infinite new worlds…and the growing legion of trolls populating them. Soon the virtual harassment seeps into reality when a group called the Vox Populi begin launching real-world doxxing campaigns, threatening Aaron’s dreams and Divya’s actual life. The online trolls think they can drive her out of the game, but everything and everyone Divya cares about is on the line…

And she isn’t going down without a fight.

Thanks for hanging out and we’ll see you again soon!

— Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars on Instagram and editor of (Don’t) Call Me Crazy and Here We Are.

New Books

Hooray, It’s Time for New Books!

Post author By Liberty Hardy
Post date June 24, 2019

Hello, sunshines and happy Tuesday! It’s time for another game of “OMG I’LL NEVER READ EVERYTHING I WANT BEFORE I DIE.” It’s a fun game, in which there are no losers, because trying to read everything is fun. (I mean, yes, ultimately our mortal coils shuffle off, that’s a drag. But that’s like 100, maybe 150 years from now, so don’t sweat it.) For today, I have a few amazing new releases to tell you about. And you can hear about more awesome reads on this week’s episode of the All the Books! Rincey and I discussed The Gone Dead, Evvie Drake Starts Over, Big Sky, and more great books.

Thanks so much for reading and enjoy your week! XOXO, Liberty

Sponsored by The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs, the new book from New York Times bestselling author Katherine Howe. On sale now from Henry Holt.

A magical bloodline. A family curse. Can Connie break the spell before it shatters her future? The new book from Katherine Howe, bestselling author of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. “There’s real magic in this book.” –Kathleen Kent. New York Times bestselling author Katherine Howe returns to the world of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane with a bewitching story of a New England history professor who must race against time to free her family from a curse.

the snakes by sadie jones The Snakes by Sadie Jones

This is a slow-burning mystery to kick off the summer, with an ending that you’re either going to love or hate. Newly married Bea and Dan decide to drop in on Bea’s brother, Alex, while driving through France. They find him in a strange situation, living alone in an empty hotel with a nest of snakes. And then Bea’s parents appear. Dan doesn’t understand why Bea has kept her parents from meeting him, but it appears their wealth may lie at the root of her issue. Whatever the reason, this is not going to be a fun family reunion for anyone.

Backlist bump: Listen to Me by Hannah Pittard

How Could She by Lauren Mechling

After a terrible break-up, Geraldine decides to leave Toronto and move to New York City, to be near her two oldest friends, Sunny and Rachel. But what looked like her friends having it all from her vantage in Toronto seems a lot more messy and boring up close. And as all three women struggle to make their lives work, the cracks in their friendship begin to show. It’s a funny, biting novel and the perfect summer read about frenemies!

Backlist bump: Rich and Pretty by Rumaan Alam

Murder in the Crooked House cover image Murder in the Crooked House by Soji Shimada, Louise Heal Kawai (translator)

Rincey talked about this when we recorded the podcast last week, and it sounded so bananas, I had to check it out for myself. And I can confirm: it’s bananapants. It’s like if the 1977 Japanese film House and the 1985 film Clue had a baby, and its nanny was Agatha Christie…on acid. I won’t lie, it’s not going to make sense, and despite the fact that the author tells you about 3/4 of the way in that you have what you need to know to solve it, no one will. But it’s a lot of fun getting there.

Backlist bump: The Tokyo Zodiac Murders (Pushkin Vertigo) by Soji Shimada, Ross Mackenzie (translator)

See you next week!

The Kids Are All Right

New Children’s Book Releases for June 25, 2019!

Post author By Karina Glaser
Post date June 24, 2019

Hey Kid Lit Friends!

Lots of great books coming out this week, perfect for summer reading! Take a look and let me know what you think. As always, if I’ve had the chance to read one of these books and loved it, I marked it with a . Please note that all descriptions come from the publisher.

Sponsored by Dynamite Entertainment

The adventure begins for children and adults alike, as the classic character Rainbow Brite comes to comics and brings a little color to your life! Wisp and Willow are best friends who live in a small town. They are inseparable, until one night Wisp discovers something is stealing the color from the world! To escape their grasp, Wisp must use her wits and the help of a new friend…from somewhere else.

Picture Book New Releases

Moth by Isabel Thomas, illustrated by Daniel Egneus

Powerful and visually spectacular, Moth is the remarkable evolution story that captures the struggle of animal survival against the background of an evolving human world in a unique and atmospheric introduction to Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection.

“This is a story of light and dark…”

Against a lush backdrop of lichen-covered trees, the peppered moth lies hidden. Until the world begins to change… Along come people with their magnificent machines which stain the land with soot. In a beautiful landscape changed by humans how will one little moth survive?

Future Astronaut by Lori Alexander, illustrated Allison Black (board book)

Does baby have what it takes to become an astronaut? That’s an affirmative, Houston! Discover all the incredible ways that prove baby already has what it takes to become an astronaut — from growing healthy teeth to eating from plastic packs to working in small spaces. Includes lots of fun astronaut facts to help prepare little ones for takeoff!

Nugget and Fang: Go To School by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Michael Slack

When Fang the shark is invited by his friends to attend Mini Minnows Elementary, he thinks it’s a great idea! But then his first day of school arrives . . . and suddenly, he’s not so sure. He’s not very good at reading or math. He doesn’t exactly fit in with his classmates. And the teacher looks crabby! Can Fang’s best friend, Nugget, and the other minnows turn things around and prove to him that school really is fang-tastic?

Bug Off! A Story of Fireflies and Friendship by Cari Best, illustrated by Jennifer Plecas

Lightning-bug-loving Maude wants to be a member of the Bug-of-the-Month Club in her new neighborhood, and decides that her entrance speech will be about fireflies. She reads, she researches, she prepares, and she delivers a speech that all the club members love―except for hard-to-please Louise. Louise won’t even let Maude in the club! So Maude vows to really let Louise have it for being so rude. But when she does, it’s not in the way anyone expects.

The New Kitten by Joyce Carol Oates, illustrated by Dave Mottram

As the only cat in her house, Cherie is accustomed to being showered with treats and affection. So when her family brings home a new kitten named Cleopatra, Cherie resents that she’s no longer the center of attention—and she can’t believe all the trouble that the kitten gets away with! Is one home big enough for two kitties?

Can Cat and Bird Be Friends? by Coll Muir

But there’s something special about this prey-and-predator pair…and they may just find that it’s our differences that bring us closer together. In a delightful picture book filled with pleasing banter and hilarious quips, rising talent Coll Muir creates the perfect unlikely friendship between unexpected creatures.

How to Walk a Dump Truck by Peter Pearson, illustrated by Mircea Catusanu

This vehicular spin on pet adoption features an unlikely pet: a dump truck. Kids will not only laugh, but learn. Just like a new pet, a new dump truck is a heap of responsibility, but it’s also loads of fun. Just remember: If you take care of it well, your dump truck will be your forever friend. Includes tips on: selecting the perfect leash at the hardware store; whether to feed your truck diesel or regular; cleaning up your truck’s messes at the dump; socializing with other trucks, and much more.

Chapter Book New Releases

Warren and Dragon: Scary Sleepover by Ariel Bernstein, illustrated by Mike Malbrough

Warren is a seven-year-old boy and Dragon is part stuffed animal, part fierce dragon, part best friend–depending on what part you believe most. And Michael is their new friend and next-door neighbor. When Michael invites them over to go “camping” in his basement, the dynamic duo don’t know whether they’re more excited or nervous about it. This is their very first sleepover. EVER. Sure, Michael promised there would be not one but two desserts to look forward to. But he also said he wants to swap–gulp–scary stories. Warren can think of nothing more embarrassing than calling his parents to pick him up early from a sleepover, but how is he supposed to fall asleep in a dark basement full of mysterious and unfamiliar noises?

Amelia Earhart and the Flying Chariot by Steve Sheinkin, illustrated by Neil Swaab

Siblings Abby and Doc have been racing through time to fix history after Abraham Lincoln, Abigail Adams, and Neil Armstrong started popping up in the wrong places, at the wrong times. When Amelia Earhart accidentally lands her plane in Ancient Greece, Abby and Doc partner with Kyniska, the first woman to win the Olympics, to get Amelia back on track to finish her first solo flight across the Atlantic.

Neil Armstrong and Nat Love Space Cowboys by Steve Sheinkin, illustrated by Neil Swaab

The students of Ms. Maybee’s class used to think history was boring, but that was before time started to get twisted! When a spaceship carrying Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin leaves 1969―and lands in 1869 Texas―cowboy Nat Love decides to trade in his horse for a trip to the moon. Can siblings Doc and Abby untwist history and get everyone back where they belong? Houston, we have a problem!

Middle Grade Books

The Pennypackers Go On Vacation by Lisa Doan

Mr. Pennypacker is cheap. But Mrs. Pennypacker has wrestled money for a vacation from his tightfisted grip, and the family is on their way to a Disney cruise. Charlie Pennypacker is thrilled to be going somewhere―an eleven story luxury cruise liner, 212-foot water slide, and an all-night buffet awaits! So Charlie thinks. The vacation is actually a Wisney cruise, which means a dilapidated fishing boat, fake Disney characters, no water slide, eggs for every meal, and his enemy Gunter Hwang, who has been brought along for thirty dollars a day. On top of that, the captain is on the run from sinister men in dark suits.

The Problim Children: Carnival Catastrophe by Natalie Lloyd

All siblings are capable of magic if they stick together. But trusting each other isn’t easy for the Problim siblings when neighbors like Desdemona and Carly-Rue O’Pinion are working double-time to turn the town against them. From catapulting cattle to runaway corndogs to spiders on the pageant stage, the Problim brothers and sisters are blamed for every catastrophe at this year’s carnival. And to top it all off, Mama Problim is missing! Can the seven siblings come together in time to save the carnival and rescue their mom from a villain even more dastardly than Desdemona? Or will they discover too late what it truly means to be a Problim?

Level 13: A Slacker Novel by Gordon Korman

Cameron Boxer, king of the slackers, has found something worth his time. By playing video games online in front of an audience he can find both fame AND fortune — especially with Elvis (a beaver who seems to love video games as much as Cam) at his side. The only problem? Things keep getting in Cam’s way. Like school. And the club he accidentally started. And the misguided people in his life who don’t think beavers should be playing video games. It’s going to take some trickery, some close calls, and a fierce devotion to slacking in order for Cam to get to his goal — conquering the game’s infamous Level 13. But if any slacker can do it, Cam can.

Nonfiction New Releases
*PB indicates picture book, MG indicates middle grade book

Samuel Morse, That’s Who! by Tracy Nelson Maurer, illustrated by el primo Ramon (PB)

Back in the 1800s, information traveled slowly. Who would dream of instant messages? Samuel Morse, that’s who! Who traveled to France, where the famous telegraph towers relayed 10,000 possible codes for messages depending on the signal arm positions―only if the weather was clear? Who imagined a system that would use electric pulses to instantly carry coded messages between two machines, rain or shine? Long before the first telephone, who changed communication forever? Samuel Morse, that’s who!

FBI Files: The Unabomber by Bryan Denson (MG)

The Unabomber was a lone-wolf terrorist who carried out fourteen bombings that left three people dead and another twenty-three injured. A cunning genius, he dodged his FBI pursuers for nearly two decades, terrifying Americans from coast to coast. Agent Kathy Puckett, a spy hunter and highly trained psychologist, served as the turning point in the FBI’s efforts to understand the mind of the faceless killer. Her insights helped send more than a hundred agents to a remote cabin in the mountains of western Montana on April 3, 1996. There the FBI captured Theodore J. Kaczynski, engineer of the most notorious bombing spree in U.S. history.

War in the Ring by John Florio and Ouisie Shapiro (MG)

Joe Louis was born on an Alabama cotton patch and raised in a Detroit ghetto. Max Schmeling grew up in poverty in Hamburg, Germany. For both boys, boxing was a way out and a way up. Little did they know someday they would face each other in a pair of battles that would capture the imagination of the world. In America, Joe was a symbol of hope to a nation of blacks yearning to participate in the American dream. In Germany, Max was made to symbolize the superiority of the Aryan race. The two men climbed through the ropes with the weight of their countries on their shoulders―and only one would leave victorious.

Graphic Novel New Releases

Dugout: The Zombie Steals Home by Scott Morse

Twins Stacy and Gina Cavallaro are rivals on the baseball field, each pitching for a different little league team. Gina is a sports whiz and the star of her crack team, while Stacy’s band of misfits hasn’t won a game all season. The battling sisters also happen to be the youngest in a long line of local witches. So when Gina’s magic spins out of control and her spell accidentally raises a zombie, the girls have to set aside their differences and figure out how to make everything going wrong, go right. And Stacy’s team of misfits-Billy, Sanchez, Levi, Beans, Paddy, Killroy, Gomez, and Boots-must band together to save the day!

Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel by Michael Moreci, illustrated by Stephen Gilpin

In 2001, audiences first met and fell in love with a twelve-year-old criminal mastermind named Artemis Fowl. Since then, the eight-book series about his adventures has sold over twenty-five million copies throughout the world. To coincide with the major motion picture coming from the Walt Disney Studios in August 2019, here is an all-new graphic novel adaptation of the book with crisp, accessible storytelling and clear, cinematic perspectives. Readers of all ages can now follow the siege at Fowl Manor between Artemis and the fairies in action-packed, full-color panels.

Fill out our survey and enter to win! We’re always trying to do things better here at Book Riot, so we would love your feedback on this newsletter. Click here to complete the survey and enter to win a $50 gift certificate to Amazon; contest will close on June 30 at 11:45pm

What are you reading these days? I want to know! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.

Until next time!
Karina

*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

Pennywise In Every Shot Of CHEERS Opening: Today In Books

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date June 24, 2019

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Libro.fm

Pennywise In Every Shot Of CHEERS Opening

For your nightmares: Jesse McLaren edited Pennywise, from Stephen King’s IT, into every opening shot of Cheers and it’s terrifyingly awesome. You can see it here.

Red Sonja Gets New Director!

Jill Soloway, creator of Transparent, will now be directing and writing the film adaptation of Red Sonja, the Marvel character created in 1973 by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith. Soloway will be the first nonbinary director for a comic film adaptation of this scale. Read more details here.

New Oxford Professor Of Poetry

In equally exciting and depressing news: Alice Oswald has become the first woman to serve as Oxford professor of poetry, which she won by a substantial margin. The position was established–wait for it… over 300 years ago. Learn more about Oswald, her poetry, AND the position’s past scandals here.

Swords and Spaceships

Swords and Spaceships for June 25

Post author By Alex Acks
Post date June 24, 2019

Happy Tuesday (particularly to all lovers of the fiber arts out there), and let’s take a moment to remember when the Glory Gospel Singers covered Cruel Angel’s Thesis because we can all use a little beauty in our lives. It’s Alex, with your weekly picnic basket of new releases and news (occasionally very snerk-worthy) from the internet!

This newsletter is sponsored by Doubleday.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Night Circus, a timeless love story set in a secret underground world–a place of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, and ships that sail upon a starless sea.

New Releases

Hexarchate Stories by Yoon Ha Lee – A collection of short stories set in the world of Ninefox Gambit.

The Iron Dragon’s Mother by Michael Swanwick – The half-human pilot of a sentient mechanical dragon is framed for the murder of her brother.

Wicked Fox by Kat Cho – Gu Miyoung is secretly a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox who devours the energy of men, living in modern Seoul. When she violates her own rules to save the life of a human boy named Jihoon, she loses the fox bead that is her soul in the process. Surrounded by dark forces, Miyoung faces a choice between retaining her immortal life and her developing relationship with Jihoon.

The Evil Queen by Gena Showalter – A young woman raised in the human realm discovers that she’s a fairy tale princess when she manifests the magical ability to commune with mirrors. Faced with betrayal after betrayal, she struggles against the dark side that wants her to be the Evil Queen that is Snow White’s greatest enemy.

The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs by Katherine Howe – Connie Goodwin, an expert on the history of witchcraft in America, has a secret: she’s the direct descendent of one of the women tried for witchcraft in Salem, and her ancestor was much more magical than history is willing to admit. Her research and clues from her mother lead her to discover a centuries-old deadly curse that threatens the life of her partner–and only she can solve the mystery.

News and Views

Time to hit the app store: Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is now available.

If you’re feeling the darker side of science fiction and fantasy short fiction, there are four excellent magazines you should check out.

The Red Sonja adaptation is getting back on track after Bryan Singer got (thankfully) ejected, now with Jill Soloway (who is nonbinary and created Transparent) at the helm.

Netflix promises not to make any more episodes of Amazon’s Good Omens series in response to the unintentionally hilarious petition from a trantrum-y US Christian group.

Slightly related, Michael Sheen (who plays Aziraphale) defended fanfiction on Twitter. What a good.

Looks like The Three-Body Problem is headed for a TV adaptation.

A brief history of Doctor Who’s missing episodes.

Here’s a great list of 8 queer fiction podcasts.

First play demo for Jedi: Fallen Order looks hopeful.

I agree with… most… of these 10 sci-fi-ish music videos that deserve to be remastered.

We’ve got a list of 10 books about AI taking over.

The Vitamin String Quartet covered the Jurassic Park theme and there’s a 16-bit video to go with it.

James Marsden and Amber Heard might be starring in the upcoming CBS All Access miniseries of The Stand.

See you, space pirates. You can find all of the books recommended in this newsletter on a handy Goodreads shelf. If you’d like to know more about my secret plans to dominate the seas and skies, you can catch me on the (Hugo-nominated!!!) Skiffy and Fanty Podcast or over at my personal site.

Canada Giveaways

062419-DearWife-CAGiveaway

Post author By Devin Service
Post date June 24, 2019

We have 5 copies of Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle to give away to 5 Riot readers!

Here’s what it’s all about:

From the bestselling author of The Marriage Lie and Three Days Missing comes a riveting new novel.

Beth Murphy is on the run. Escaping from her violent husband is something she has been planning for nearly a year, but Beth prefers to see it has her new beginning—a new look, new name, new city

A couple hundred miles away, Jeffrey returns home from a work trip to find out his wife, Sabine, is missing. Her abandoned car is the only evidence police have, and all signs point to foul play.

As police search for leads, the case becomes more and more convoluted. Where is Sabine? And who is Beth? The only thing that’s certain is that someone is lying, and the truth won’t stay buried for long.

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

Kissing Books

Julie Andrews is Going to Be in The Bridgertons

Post author By Jessica Pryde
Post date June 24, 2019

Happy Monday, folks! I am wrapping up my time at the American Library Association’s annual conference and I had a blast! I also ended up with way too many books that aren’t even romance for the most part and I’m not sorry. Though my bookshelves will be.

Sponsored by Read Bliss, presented by Harlequin.

Read Bliss is your video destination for all things romance and reading! Tune in to Read Bliss on YouTube every Tuesday and Friday for videos by romance fans, for romance fans―including book roundups, author interviews, trope spotlights, bookish DIY projects and more from Read Bliss’s team of romance BookTubers. Watch. Read. Love!

News and Useful Links

If you hadn’t heard, Judith Krantz died. She was a pioneer in the modern romance field writing novels like Princess Daisy that were a lot of people’s introduction to the genre.

Also, you know that Bridgerton series Shonda Rhimes is producing? Damme if the Grand Dame herself, Julie Andrews isn’t voicing Lady Whisteldown.

This isn’t so much news as “how great is this” but Sonali Dev, Uzma Jalaluddin, and Soniah Kamal were all in one place and it was awesome.

This is a great history thread.

Have you been thinking of trying a subscription box? Maybe check out the Bawdy Bookworms’ summer box.

Apparently, too many people asked Gail Carriger why she writes sexy books, besides the obvious “because it’s fun, duh” and she has some good stuff to say here.

June (and therefore Pride month) may be almost over, but it’s never a bad time to check out this amazing collection of queer reads.

And I just…I have to share this thread. It’s a must-read, no matter what your opinion on pool tables.

Deals

Looking for a suspense thriller that is also a romance? Hour of Need by Malinda Leigh is 1.99. The top Amazon reviews talk about how it’s swoony and full of character development and feelings, feelings, feelings, so this is definitely the romantic suspense novel for me. Right? Why wouldn’t you want a crime novel that also involves feelings?

Want to read something thrilling in a much different way? Holley Trent’s Three Strikes, which is part of the Den of Sin series, is 99 cents. Old friends? Who might take it further if one of them can bring them around? Yes, please.

Some Books I Talked About At ALA

As I mentioned before, I went to the American Library Association’s annual conference, which considering its size is pretty lackluster when it comes to romance. The publishers kinda push it, and somebody might propose a panel about it, but really it’s not something we talk about, and there aren’t lines on the exhibits floor like there are for thriller, genfic, and youth authors. Which is fine. Whatever. Publishers know we’re going to buy their books anyway, but we talk about more than purchasing at these events.

So while it wasn’t to the scale of everything else, I did get a chance to get my hands on some recent and upcoming books that are either romance or will appeal to romance readers.

The Key to Happily Ever After
Tif Marcelo

If you follow When in Romance, you know that Trisha absolutely loved this book. You might also know that I haven’t gotten to it yet. But a group of sisters running a business in DC while also dealing with love stuff sounds right up my alley to me. I’ll take it.

The Cottage on Rose Lane
Hope Ramsay

This is the first book in a series and Hope actually talked about the second one, but I am very curious about this book. Hope mentioned that she ensures that her small-town romances aren’t homogeneously white, and also don’t ignore racial tension and conflict in the South. This book, in particular, was interesting, since the hero is working to protect his Gullah heritage and land. So yeah, I know very little about this author, but am glad I came across her work (and her, since she’s a very nice person).

Song of Blood & Stone
L. Penelope

This isn’t a new book, or even a new-to-me book. The copy I got signed by the author is a previous version of the one that has been revamped and extended, soon to be released by St. Martin’s Griffin (who is doing some super awesome work to move up in the playing field of romantic stories published by the Big Five). But I can never walk away from this story of love and magic in an alternate 1920s universe, because damn. Of course I can’t.

First Earl I See Tonight
Anna Bennett

An artist and a grumpy earl do what they can to not fall in love and do it anyway? Sounds like the perfect book for me, seriously!

Welcome to Moonlight Harbor
Sheila Roberts

Once again, this wasn’t the book I got my hands on, but it is the first in Sheila Roberts’ most recent series, and that’s honestly the best I can do. I have no idea what this book or series is about because the author is so hilarious that I couldn’t keep track between her story and the story therein. Just know you’re gonna laugh your face off if her written word is anything like her presentation style.

Evvie Drake Starts Over
Linda Holmes

This book, which comes out this week, sounds like a combination of self-discovery, family relationships, and romantic relationships that we often categorize as “women’s fiction.” But there’s definitely a strong romantic element in this book that keeps showing up in my face and probably will continue to do so for a while. Did I mention it starts with Evvie planning to finally leave her husband, only to get the phone call that he’s been killed? And an athlete (not her husband) with a case of the Yips? So put all that together and see what you get.

Obviously, I have a huge problem with willpower, so I grabbed way more books than this. But you’ll probably hear about them as I read them, or at least pretend to.

What are you reading this week?

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, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

Giveaways

Win Six Months of Audible!

Post author By Jeff O'Neal
Post date June 24, 2019

We’re giving away six months of Audible to one reader who signs up for our Audiobooks newsletter! (If you’re already an Audible subscriber, you’ll get six credits—same if you’re new.)

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