We are giving away $50 to spend at your favorite indie bookstore!
Go here to enter for a chance to win, or just click the cover image below.
This sweepstakes is open to residents of the United States (excluding Puerto Rico and all other U.S. territories). Entries will be accepted until 11:45pm, November 30, 2019. Selected bookstore must sell electronic gift cards. Winner will be randomly selected. Complete rules and eligibility requirements available here.
Sponsored by Read Harder Journal, a reading log for tracking your books and reading outside your comfort zone!
This smartly designed reading log consists of entry pages to record stats, impressions, and reviews of each book you read. Evenly interspersed among these entry pages are 12 challenges inspired by our annual Read Harder initiative, which began in 2015 to encourage readers to pick up passed-over books, try out new genres, and choose titles from a wider range of voices and perspectives. Each challenge includes an inspiring quotation, an explanation of why the challenge will prove to be rewarding, and five book recommendations that fulfill the challenge. Get your copy (or one for the reader in your life for the holidays) here!
Hi Kid Lit Friends,
It’s the last Tuesday of November, and I am feeling very grateful for all of you readers. Looking for books of gratitude for your young readers as you head off to Thanksgiving celebrations? Check this list out. In the meantime, take a look at today’s new releases. And on Sunday, keep an eye out for my picks for the best middle grade books from 2019, perfect for gift giving. There are so many good ones!!!
Board Book New Releases
San Francisco ABCs by Mr. Boddington’s Studio
This board book teaches the letters of the alphabet with illustrations of people, places, and things unique to the beautiful city by the bay. It is the perfect gift for anyone who loves San Francisco!
Backlist bump: ABC NYC by Joanne Dugan
Picture Book New Releases
Fix That Clock by Kurt Cyrus
The old clock tower used to stand tall and proud. Now, it’s rusty, dusty, moldy, musty. A construction team decides to turn zigzags into squares and get the clock chiming again. But wait: What will happen to all the animals who have made this dilapidated clock their home?
Backlist bump: The World is Not a Rectangle: A Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid by Jeanette Winter
You Loves Ewe! by Cece Bell
Hilarity meets homonyms in this high-comedy companion to I Yam a Donkey by Cece Bell. A persnickety spud, Yam, introduces the grammar-challenged Donkey to a new friend, Ewe, a lady sheep. The confusion between “ewe” and “you” results in a fabulously funny series of who’s-on-first misunderstandings, even though Yam explains the concept of homonyms to Donkey clearly enough for the youngest of readers to understand.
Backlist bump: Please, Baby, Please by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Who Wants To Be A Pirate? by Bridget Heos, illustrated by Daniel Duncan
Well, writer Bridget Heos and illustrator Daniel Duncan welcome you aboard Captain Parrot’s pirate ship! Captain Parrot is here to tell you about the life of a real swashbuckler from the Golden Age of Piracy (1650-1730). From danger to the doldrums, Who Wants to Be a Pirate? has all the need-to-know facts. And don’t worry about walking the plank―strap in for fun and join Captain Parrot’s pirate crew!
Backlist bump: Pirate Princess by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, illustrated by Jim McElmurry
Juno Valentine and the Fantastic Fashion Adventure by Eva Chen, illustrated by Derek Desierto
It’s school picture day and Juno Valentine is having a fashion emergency! Her mom wants her to wear fabulous florals, her dad wants her to wear rainbow ruffles, but Juno’s not sure what to choose. And just when Juno thinks her conundrum couldn’t get any more complicated, her little brother, Finn, disappears into the magical hall of shoes!
Backlist bump: Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe by Deborah Blumenthal, illustrated by Laura Freeman
Something For You by Charlie Mylie
A mouse’s friend is sick. What can he do to help her? He’ll go get her something! But what? Something little? Something to share? Or something just for her? When his search doesn’t go as planned, our mouse realizes that the best gift to give is something he’s had all along.
Backlist bump: Alfie by Thyra Heder
Bear Is Awake! by Hannah E. Harrison
Suddenly “awake” in the middle of winter, a “big bear” explores a “cozy cabin,” which Bear of course “enters excitedly.” But the cabin isn’t empty–a little girl lives there. So begins an unlikely friendship and an unexpected adventure as the girl attempts to figure out what a bear is supposed to be doing in the winter. (Hint: It’s not eating pancakes or visiting the library!)
Backlist bump: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
Chicken of the Sea by Viet Than Nguyen and Ellison Nguyen, illustrated by Thi Bui and Hien Bui-Stafford
A band of intrepid chickens leave behind the boredom of farm life, joining the crew of the pirate ship Pitiless to seek fortune and glory on the high seas. Led by a grizzled captain into the territory of the Dog Knights, they soon learn what it means to be courageous, merciful, and not seasick quite so much of the time.
Backlist bump: Maria Theresa by Petra Mathers
Middle Grade Nonfiction
Spies, Lies, and Disguise: The Daring Tricks and Deeds That Won World War II by Jennifer Swanson, illustrated by Kevin O’Malley
In the late 1930s, times were desperate. The world found itself at war again, less than twenty years after the first World War had ended. No one could quite believe it. And no one wanted it. The leaders of every country involved were left with no choice. They had to try to end the war as fast as possible, using whatever means they could.
Frontlist bump: Infinite Hope: A Black Artist’s Journey from World War II to Peace by Ashley Bryan
Activity Book New Release
Incredible LEGO Creations: From Space by Sarah Dees
Turn your bucket of LEGO® bricks into fun new space expeditions―complete with epic spaceships, kooky aliens and cool vehicles! Bestselling author and unmatched LEGO® mastermind Sarah Dees is back with 25 new, out-of-this-world projects to launch playtime to a whole new level.
Backlist bump: The Lego Ideas Book by Daniel Lipkowitz
What are you reading these days? I want to know! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.
Have you checked out Book Riot’s Kidlit These Days podcast yet? I co-host it with my friend, school librarian Matthew Winner. We chat about the intersection of children’s books and what’s going on in the world today. Give it a listen and let us know what you think!
Until next time!
Karina
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Sponsored by Workman Publishing.
In 2018, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest woman ever to be elected to Congress. Her commitment to speaking truth to power and her ability to shape the national conversation have made her one of the most fascinating political figures of our times. The new book AOC: Fighter, Phenom, Changemaker recounts how a 28-year-old Latinx democratic socialist and bartender from the Bronx ousted a ten-term Congressman against all odds and the remarkable life story that got her there. AOC is a celebration of the congresswoman, examining who she is, what she stands for, and the movement that she’s building.
Happy Tuesday, readers! It’s the last November week of the decade! Which sounds wild, when you say it out loud. Forgive me for mentioning the end of the decade so much these last few weeks, but it’s an enormous passage of time that I still can’t wrap my mind around!
What I can wrap my mind around is books! I have a few of today’s great reads for you to check out below. And you can hear about great releases from 2019 that make wonderful gifts on this week’s episode of the All the Books! Tirzah and I discussed American Spy, Cats Are a Liquid, Gideon the Ninth, and more!
And now, it’s time for everyone’s favorite gameshow: AHHHHHH MY TBR! Here are today’s contestants:
Tiny Love: The Complete Stories of Larry Brown by Larry Brown
Brown was a highly regarded Southern writer, who taught himself the craft. His collections garnered him a lot of praise, including the Mississippi’s Governor’s Award For Excellence in the Arts, and he is considered an influence on many of today’s writers. This is the first complete collection of all his stories, including his few genre works, since his death in 2004. If you like authors such as Donald Ray Pollock, Harry Crews, William Gay, or Daniel Woodrell, you’ll love Larry Brown.
Backlist bump: Big Bad Love by Larry Brown
Fleabag: The Scriptures by Phoebe Waller-Bridge
There are very few people on the planet who haven’t heard of Fleabag, the outstanding Emmy award-winning series, which originated as a one-woman play. This is the original script, with commentary by Waller-Bridge. The Fleabag phenomenon is huge, and this makes a great gift for the Fleabag lover in your life. Deluxe editions come with the Hot Priest.*
*No, they do not.
Backlist bump: Fleabag: The Special Edition by Phoebe Waller-Bridge
… And Other Disasters by Malka Older
Older, best known for her amazing Centenal Cycle trilogy, has released a collection of short fiction and poetry about the future. She discusses otherness, identity, and compassion in possible future existence. In Older’s imagination midwives form a community on a new planet; a young scientist visits a dying Earth (I love a ruined Earth story!); a robot is built to experience empathy; and more.
Backlist bump: Infomocracy: Book One of the Centenal Cycle by Malka Older
See you next week!
xx,
Liberty
Shakespeare Gets Algorithmed
It has been believed that Shakespeare worked with a ghostwriter to complete Henry VIII, but who that uncredited author was has remained debatable among historians. Enter an algorithm: “Petr Plecháč of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague trained an algorithm to identify patterns in language and rhythm in all three playwrights’ works written during the same time period as Henry VIII.”
Idris Elba Adapting
Idris Elba’s production company will adapt a forthcoming book from #Merky Books, Stormzy’s publishing imprint. Teaching My Brother To Read by Derek Owusu will be adapted for television and tells the story of “Owusu as he tries to connect with his brother, who was increasingly getting into trouble, by offering him £50 ($64) for every book he reads.” Somebody pay me $64 per book I read, please and thank you.
New Book Club App
While Bookclubz has had a site for a while, it just launched an app for Android and iOS to help you keep your book club organized. You can manage invites, create polls, and keep track of all the books your group has read and rate the books. Did I mention it’s free?
Sponsored by BookClubbish
Check off your holiday shopping list with the best books for friends and family.
Deck the halls with books and holly! Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-books! Cozy up with a mulled beverage and fuzzy socks, book lovers. We’re in the festive spirit and invite you to join us for Holiday Reading Day.
From books to snuggle up with to bookish gift guides, we have a full day of holiday content lined up for you today. Crank up the heat with a holiday romance or escape the family drama with these immersive reads. Use these tips and tricks to make your reading extra cozy and pair a perfect book with a tasty snack. Need gifting inspiration? Check out these gift ideas for bookworms and writers and this roundup of 2019’s most giftable books.
Come get in on all the holiday reading cheer by heading over to bookriot.com!
It’s that time of year! Check out Book Riot’s 2019 holiday gift guide for all sorts of bookish gifts for the readers in your life. From mugs to books to art prints, we’ve got you covered for budgets one and all. Check out the gift guide here, or click below. Happy gifting!
Sponsored by Read Harder Journal, a reading log for tracking your books and reading outside your comfort zone!
This smartly designed reading log consists of entry pages to record stats, impressions, and reviews of each book you read. Evenly interspersed among these entry pages are 12 challenges inspired by our annual Read Harder initiative, which began in 2015 to encourage readers to pick up passed-over books, try out new genres, and choose titles from a wider range of voices and perspectives. Each challenge includes an inspiring quotation, an explanation of why the challenge will prove to be rewarding, and five book recommendations that fulfill the challenge. Get your copy (or one for the reader in your life for the holidays) here!
It’s the last KB of November, y’all! I just got home from seeing Anastasia, and now I’m craving some prewar 20th century historical romance. I’ll let you know what I find.
News and Useful Links
Beverly Jenkins announced last week that her book Forbidden has been optioned by Sony Pictures Television. How much are we jumping up and down, but also hoping she has enough say in production that they get it right?
Also holy moly was Ms. Bev having a week because THIS COVER.
Sarah Wendell from Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, put together a list of her favorite 2019 romances for The Washington Post and she was just as distracted by the gorgeous embroidery artwork (by Sarah K. Benning) that graces it as we were. The list is pretty good, too.
If queer holiday stories are your thing, check out this list of all the queer holiday novellas being published by Ninestar Press this winter. One of them revisits Mark and Gabe from Bumper to Bumper, which I talked about a few months ago.
I’m not sure we can all handle the vast influx of cover reveals for books we have to wait months for, but it was an exciting week for covers, including the one for the first book in Kit Rocha’s Mercenary Librarians series and the last book in Adriana Herrera’s Dreamer series. And Meryl Wilsner’s debut, out in spring. Oh, and Jessie Mihalik’s next one, too. And that’s not even all of them that dropped this week.
Did you know you could still get a “History, Huh?” t-shirt?
Jen wrote this great article for Kirkus about the increased visibility of diverse historical romance. We’ve still got a long ways to go, though.
And in romance-adjacent news, I’m happy to tell you that you can now stream the most recent Great Performances episode, the all-Black Shakespeare in the Park production of Much Ado About Nothing led by the incomparable Danielle Brooks, on PBS.org or the PBS app. You’re welcome.
Deals
If you have been living for Kennedy Ryan titles but have already burned through her most recent duology, go back to 2014 with When You Are Mine, which is 1.99 right now. It’s got the same intensity and feels as her newer books, and a whole three more books in the series.
Recs!
I love a good Pygmalion story. Blame it on Rex Harrison and my grandmother never saying no to small Jess and the two-tape VHS of My Fair Lady. (Side note: I read George Bernard Shaw’s version in grad school and am not sure which ending I like better. But that’s in part because I hate Freddy more than Higgins. Which one do I want to most unleash upon poor Eliza? Who can say. And Henry’s monologue at the end of Pygmalion is perfect. But ugh, Freddy. See?)
Um. Anyway. Pygmalion.
There’s nothing like a twist on the traditional glow-up tale, and the one I read last week is my new favorite kind of makeover: the Rakeover!
My Fake Rake
Eva Leigh
Grace and Sebastian met four years ago at their prestigious lending library and became immediate friends. Even though she’s utterly enmeshed in herpetology and he’s strictly about anthropology, they’ve found that they benefit greatly from their shared geekery. Unbeknownst to each of them, their friendship is supplemented by strong attraction. Of course, neither will tell the other because reasons. When Grace is set upon by her father to find a spouse, Grace can only think of one person, who is unfortunately not Seb. It’s another scientist she has a major crush on….except he sees her as nothing more than a colleague. The only way to score him as a husband before his upcoming expedition to Greenland is to make him see. By having someone else woo her, of course.
That someone else? Our dear, bespectacled, darling dork Sebastian. Who also has massive social anxiety, if that’s a thing you need to know. But he’ll do anything for Grace, even learn how to be a society rake. Good thing his BFF The Duke is there to help him out.
This book is sweet, and funny, and sexy; that combination is enough to draw this reader who isn’t usually about that Friends-to-Lovers life. You will be yelling at these adorable idiots for the duration of your stay in Leigh land, but it’ll be so worth it at the end.
Do you have a favorite Pygmalion-style romance?
As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at wheninromance@bookriot.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!
Isolated in a remote mansion in a central European forest, Laura longs for companionship – until a carriage accident brings the secretive and increasingly volatile Carmilla into her life. Modern master of horror Carmen Maria Machado transforms Le Fanu’s classic vampire story for a contemporary audience as no one else could.
One of my favorite moments on my podcast was when we were closing out an episode and I said, “When shall we three meet again?” and my co-host said, “In thunder, lightning, or in rain?” and the third said, “ALL HAIL MACBETH.”
Obviously, this is a reference to the Weird Sisters of Shakespeare’s tragedy, the Scottish play, and I would like to go on record to say that even though I have had warts on my elbow, I have had them removed, and I thereby reinstate my status as MAIDEN. Not matron. Not crone. MAIDEN, y’all. Also, for the record, the Weird Sisters have never looked weirder than in Justin Kurzel’s film adaptation. See?
That said, there’s just no spookier season than autumn, right, when all the witch lore surfaces. I’m Mary Kay, your Virgil, and in this week’s edition of The Fright Stuff, Book Riot’s newsletter about the latest and greatest in horror, I’ll be guiding you through the circle of hell about witches and witchcraft, specifically.
Ear worm: “Season of the Witch” Lana Del Rey cover, originally performed by Donovan.
Fresh Hells: (FKA new releases)
The Magical Writing Grimoire by Lisa Marie Basile
So, Lisa Marie Basile, founder of Luna Luna Magazine and online community, divides that space into LIGHT and DARK, but her newest book is “part guided journaling practice” and “part interactive magical grimoire.” It’s not horror per se, but it is about witches, about how to manifest your dreams into reality. If you’re into this idea, check out Basile’s book, Light Magic for Dark Times, too. And although these books might be horror-adjacent, the content on Luna Luna definitely delves into the scary.
Toil & Trouble by Augusten Burroughs
All in a tone befitting the other memoirs of Augusten Burroughs, this book of nonfiction chronicles the narrator’s trials to reconcile his powers with descending of a long line of witches. His mom said it was all okay, and he believed her. For a while.
The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman
I’ve told y’all about this book before, but it really bears repeating on a theme like this one. Chapman’s novel chronicles the urban legend of a witch and her daughter who were burned at the stake… and they are very particular about their reputations. When their story gets retold irresponsibly, it does not go well for the storyteller–this book is the ULTIMATE campfire story because, well, its curse is contagious.
Crypt Keepers: (FKA horror from the backlist)
“The Revenge of Hannah Kemhuff” by Alice Walker, in her collection of short stories, In Love and Trouble.
I LOVED teaching this short story by the inimitable Alice Walker. Not only is she a force of nature, but this story in particular has a deep loathing toward race relations in the Jim Crow south, and the subsequent victory is the most delicious thing. You’re going to love it.
Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
Sunny is an American albino girl living in Nigeria, and when she realizes she has magical powers, she joins up with other “free spirits” to defeat a career criminal who also knows magic. This is a fun YA book that uses witchcraft for good.
Voodoo Dreams by Jewell Parker Rhodes
If you want to know more about Marie Laveau, the character played by Angela Bassett on American Horror Story: Coven, then you should check out this novel IMMEDIATELY. Laveau is worshipped and feared by all races, beautiful, immortal, and truly cast perfectly in the ageless beauty of Angela Bassett.
I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem by Maryse Condé
This novel features Tituba, perhaps one of the most famous individual witches at Salem, West Indian slave and alleged witch. It expands on what is historically known about this infamous figure, imagining the life of a woman whose full story has been all but ignored.
News:
Want to see places and artifacts dedicated to the history of witches? Look here.
What happens when Angela Carter gets summoned at a seance? Read this here to find out.
Don’t forget to cast your vote for the Goodreads best books of 2019! Choose wisely in the horror section….
Speaking of Goodreads, check out this article where Carmen Maria Machado discusses her new, horrific memoir.
And congratulations to Gabino Iglesias for winning the Wonderland Award for his horror noir novel Coyote Songs.
Y’all got to see this Renaissance werewolf art.
I’m Mary Kay, and I have been your MAIDEN Weird Sister and guide through this circle of hell. Happy Thanksgiving, and until next week, you can follow me on Instagram or Twitter, and definitely do get up with me if you have recommendations or special requests!
Your Virgil,
Mary Kay
Sponsored by All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney, with Fierce Reads.
Allie Abraham has it all going for her—she’s a straight-A student, with good friends and a close-knit family, and she’s dating popular, sweet Wells Henderson. One problem: Wells’s father is Jack Henderson, America’s most famous conservative shock jock, and Allie hasn’t told Wells that her family is Muslim. It’s not like Allie’s religion is a secret but her parents don’t practice and raised her to keep it to herself.
But as Allie witnesses Islamophobia in her small town and across the nation, she decides to embrace her faith—study, practice it, and even face misunderstanding for it. Who is Allie, if she sheds the façade of the “perfect” all-American girl?
Daniel Craig Retires From Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Ian Fleming’s super spy will have to find another actor to play him onscreen. Daniel Craig, who donned the tuxedo for the first time in 2006’s Casino Royale, will wrap up his time as James Bond with 2020’s No Time to Die.
Overdue Book Returned After 76 Years
Elaine Wilk checked Mrs. Miniver out from her high school library, but neglected to return it. Now, the book has found its way back to her hometown thanks to Elaine’s daughter, Kasia. It just took 76 years.
Yeah, He Really Did That
Marriage can be challenging. But there’s really no excuse for terrorizing a spouse through books, as you may have seen in this season of The Crown. If you were hoping that Lord Snowdon’s mean notes hidden in Princess Margaret’s reading material were fiction themselves, I’m sorry to share this article explaining the historical basis.
