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Journals, scrapbooks, water bottles, laptops, bookmarks, stationary—what can’t you improve with a few gorgeous stickers? And with over 1,000 exquisite stickers of bookish-themed art and author quotes, you will truly find something for everyone and everything.
Philomel, an imprint for Penguin Young Readers, announced this week that Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has a new picture book coming out this year on January 22nd. Sotomayor’s book Just Help! How to Build A Better World is all about giving to others and was inspired by the community spirit of Sotomayor’s own family. The book will feature illustrations by Angela Dominguez. In a statement about her new book, Sotomayor said, “I believe that children, with their energy, optimism, and creativity, have the power to fix the many problems with which we adults are leaving them…I hope my book, with Angela Dominguez’s beautiful illustrations, will encourage children to use their power to help one another and begin changing their communities.”
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anthony Doerr’s epic war novel All the Light We Cannot See is being adapted as a limited series for Netflix. The four-part series will be produced by Shawn Levy’s 21 Laps Entertainment, and Levy will also direct all the episodes. The adaptation is written by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders). The producers are now casting for the series, and they are encouraging actresses who are blind or low-vision to apply for the lead role of Marie-Laure.
Five writers from across Canada have made the shortlist for the CBC Nonfiction Prize. The winner will be announced on September 29th and will receive $6,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts. The winner will also attend a two-week writing residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. All finalists have had their work published on CBC books and will receive $1,000. You can read their stories on the website now.
Libraries are starting to go fine free! How has COVID-19 impacted this movement?
Sponsored by Hold Me Down, dark psychological suspense by Clea Simon, October 5, 2021
Gal, a onetime rock star, is back in Boston to play a benefit when she sees a familiar face in the crowd. When that man is found dead the next day and a friend charged, Gal starts an informal investigation, and as the memories flood back she finds she must reexamine her own wild life, her perceptions of the past, and an industry that monetizes dysfunction. In her Massachusetts Book Award “must read” World Enough, Clea Simon explored the dangers of nostalgia. In Hold Me Down she follows the beat to a darker, deeper tale of love, music, and murder.
Dear book friends,
It’s officially Libra season, and I don’t know about you, but I am thriving. Living my best life. Reading all the books. Wearing all the sweaters. Buying all the pumpkin spice. My husband says I should use this good energy during Libra season to get rid of some of the books that won’t fit on my shelves. You can probably guess how I responded to that. I don’t need this kind of negativity in my life. I need more shelves. Not fewer books. I’m glad we’re all on the same page.
Anyway, it’s fall. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and I’m so excited to be here today. Let’s get into all the Book Radar goodness.
❤️ Emily
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Here’s the cover reveal for The Obsidian Butterfly, the third and final novel in Lani Forbes’ The Age of the Seventh Sun series. You can also read an excerpt from the first chapter too!
Read an excerpt of the next big fantasy debut, Lizz Huerta’s The Lost Dreamer, out next spring.
Lena Waithe and Gillian Flynn are starting their own book imprints with Zando, an independent publishing company.
Simon & Schuster has announced a new series of virtual author events, AuthorFest. It all starts with Bob Woodward and Robert Costa discussing their new book Peril.
Eva Longoria is developing a new sci-fi series based on Carlos Hernandez’s award-winning book Sal & Gabi Break the Universe for Disney Branded TV.
Here’s the cover reveal for Casey McQuiston’s upcoming mystery romance novel I Kissed Shara Wheeler.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr is going to be adapted as a limited series on Netflix.
Elsie Chapman’s young-adult novel Caster is getting a film adaptation from Paramount.
Netflix has now acquired the rights to all of Roald Dahl’s works. This is the streaming company’s biggest content deal to date.
Author Sara Gran is launching a new independent publisher Dreamland Books.
We’ve got some pretty exciting trailers this week! First up, here’s the trailer for the upcoming Netflix film Passing, based on the novel by Nella Larsen.
Also, here’s the trailer for the upcoming A24 film The Tragedy of Macbeth, starring Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand.
I’m a Contributing Editor at Book Riot, I write the Today in Books newsletter, and I’m a Bibliologist for Book Riot’s Tailored Book Recommendations subscription service. I also have a PhD in English, so I’m basically a doctor of books. Books are my life, in other words, so in this section of the newsletter, let me share with you some upcoming books I’m super excited about. And I think you will be too!
You know, thanks to Community, I can’t see the date October 19th without thinking to myself, “That’s October 19th.” If you’re unaware, October 19th is more than a date. It’s a feeling within us all. “Whenever a kitten tried to crawl into a box on YouTube, that’s October 19th. Whenever a stranger reaches out his hand to another stranger and says, ‘hello, brother,’ that’s October 19th.” And when a brand new historical fiction novel about chess set during WWII is released, that’s also October 19th.
If you’re not following my extended and obscure Community reference, what I’m trying to say is The Last Checkmate by Gabriella Saab comes out on October 19th, and you should prepare your shelves. Saab’s debut novel is the story of Maria, an avid chess player and a member of the Polish underground resistance in Nazi-occupied Warsaw. After she is captured by the Gestapo, they imprison her in Auschwitz and her family is sent to their deaths. The camp guards are amused by Maria’s chess abilities and they start playing against her as a means of entertainment. Maria knows they’re only keeping her alive until she is no longer of interest to them, so she plays chess against them as if her life depended on it, because it does. But Maria is smart, and she has a plan to take down the sadistic camp deputy Fritzsch.
The Last Checkmate is a heartbreaking story that isn’t an easy read; however, it is beautifully written, thoroughly researched, and ultimately inspiring. While Maria herself is not based on a real-life historical figure, Saab’s fictional story was inspired in part the very real Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz, a group of women who were forced to use their musical talents to entertain camp guards. If you’re a history buff, you’ll recognize other real historical figures, places, and moments in this story too. The Last Checkmate is the perfect mix of historical accuracy and imagination. Exactly what you want from historical fiction.
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Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
Sailor Moon: Eternal Edition 5 by Naoko Takeuchi
Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo
Mercury Boys by Chandra Prasad
White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson
I always post this on Monday, so why don’t I call this “Monday Memes”? Still unclear.
I can’t help myself. I love Great Gatsby-themed memes.
I don’t know if I’ve made it clear yet. But the general fall vibes everywhere are making me extremely happy. And even though I have zero Halloween plans, I’m starting to think about what book-related Halloween costumes I can wear while I sit at home at watch Beetlejuice with my cats.
Here are a few Halloween costume ideas I’ve found on Book Riot to get us thinking. And here are a few more. I’ll keep searching over the next few weeks and report back.
Keep checking out Purrli. It’s there for you even when your own cat refuses to snuggle.
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Welcome to Top Bunk/Bottom Bunk with Murray and Cersei!
I think this is probably standard for cats all around the world, but 1pm-4pm at my house is cat nap time. So as I’m writing this, the cats are sleeping. Yes, I am super jealous.
How often do I wish I could be a cat? On a daily basis. Especially when they’re sleeping like this.
Well, that’s all! Happy Monday and HAPPY FALL!
❤️ Emily
Sponsored by Macmillan Audiobooks
Book Riot is teaming up with Macmillan Audio to giveaway a year membership to Libro.fm to one lucky winner. To enter, simply fill out the form and subscribe to Macmillan’s Hear, Here newsletter for a chance to win. Here’s a little bit more about Macmillan’s Hear, Here newsletter: Discover the latest audiobooks from new-to-you authors and authors you love. Plus, enjoy giveaways, excerpts, and more.
Welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter y’all. I’m P.N. Hinton, your guide to the world of romance novels. I hope your spirit is doing well today. Whether it’s a backlist, new release, or an under the radar delight, I aim to help you find a book or two that you can get lost in. If you’re new to the Kissing Books newsletter, welcome and enjoy your stay. If you’re a long-time reader, welcome back; it’s good to see you again.
Meg Cabot retweeted this defense of romance and again, you’ll find no disagreement from me. However it did get me thinking about a few things, mainly why is this still a topic that comes up? I’m not joking when I say it seems like I see some variation of this declaration from the romance lovers on Twitter every other week. And it is usually rooted in someone else making an equally declarative and negative statements toward the genre.
So my question now is….who exactly are the negative naysayers trying to convince at this point?
Look, we get it. You don’t like romance. Say it once and be done. That would be enough for me. That should be enough for me. I’m not someone who tries to convince or convert someone to anything. Especially if their mind seems to be set on that way of thinking. And this is in anything.
However, this continued poking at it makes me think that most do like romance. It’s just, for whatever reason, they just don’t want to admit it. And so they keep on shouting it from the mountain top in the hopes of making it true. Which sure; there is a sort of power in manifesting something vocally. And if you don’t want your friends to make fun of you for what you like, you may be tempted to be loud about it. But then, that’s more on you and the company you keep. And, if you do like it, that’s on you to make that definitive line in the sand to let them know you will not take their guff on it, if it gets to the point of being mean.
I’ve mentioned before how, for the most part, I don’t like science fiction and or fantasy much. Sure, there are a few outliers, but overall, it’s just not for me. I have a whole branch of friends that are hardcore D&D players, and I have to consistently remind them that genre is not for me whenever they try to make recommendations. Do they press me? Sometimes. But it always ends up with, “I like what I like” with a tone and a face that indicates that I’m not going to discuss this any further and the nice is about to be turned off.
Alternatively, these negative naysayers could really not like the genre, which again is fine. But you don’t have to make a point of saying it all the freaking time. Leave it at, “I don’t like that genre” and don’t speak on it again unless someone asks you. Then, take a slight page from the genre and K.I.S.S; meaning, keep it simple, sweetie. Hardcore fans of any genre don’t care why people don’t like it enough for you to go on an hour-long tirade about what you feel is wrong with it, much like you probably wouldn’t like to hear that from a non-fan of your favorite genre.
Just a little food for thought.
Coffee shops and romance? Those are a few of my favorite things! No apologies if that song is now stuck in your head.
Have you ever wondered how romance novels are made? I know I have a time or two so I was happy to see that brief history on it.
Bi Visibility Day has since passed but, as with anything else, you can read bisexual positive books any time!
Not that we need another reason to not romance novels, but here’s a reminder that you can also learn new things from them. It’s just not for smoochy times.
As a general rule, I don’t like camping. I’m a glamping girl all the way. That said, I don’t mind the trope.
Odd couples are also a good trope! Because we all know opposites attract, amirite? I am also not sorry for that ear worm.
If you were a fan of Duke I’d Like to F… from last year, here is some fan art capturing the couples in the collection.
Looking for historical romances outside of Regency England? Here ya go! Please note that while some of these books do take place in England, it is outside the Regency period, hence the title.
Here are some of the new releases hitting our shelves this week!
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The Lights on Knockbridge Lane by Roan Parrish (I read and loved this sweet M/M holiday romance)
Bewitched Alpha by Susi Hawke
Just a Little Married by Reese Ryan
Kiss of Karma by Louise Lennox
Wicked Daddy by Bianco Cole
Stern and Playing with Desire by Brenda Jackson (with a bonus story from Reese Ryan!)
And here are some of the deals. Please note that these prices were active as of the writing of this newsletter.
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If I Never Met You by Mharir McFarlane ($1.99)
Coming Up for Air by Amanda Meuwissen ($0.99)
The Checklist by Addie Woolridge ($1.99)
Stick a Cork in It by Rich Amooi ($1.99)
Southern Comfort by Sandra Kitt ($0.99)
The Promise of a Kiss by Synthia Williams ($1.99)
The Heir by Johanna Lindsey ($1.99)
That’s all I have for you this week. The next time we meet, we’ll be saying good-bye to September. I hope that this month treated you well. If you want to have more of me between the editions, give me a follow over on Twitter under @Pscribe801. See y’all Thursday!
Sponsored by Penguin Teen
Deliciously macabre and utterly decadent.” —Kerri Maniscalco, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Stalking Jack the Ripper. In this dark and twisty mystery, a teenage girl starts a new life as a grave robber but quickly becomes entangled in a murderer’s plans. After her best friend Kitty mysteriously dies, orphaned seventeen-year-old Molly Green is sent away to live with her “aunt.” When Molly arrives, she discovers her aunt is very much real, exceedingly wealthy, and with secrets of her own. Secrets and wealth she intends to share—for a price.
Hey there horror fans, I’m Jessica Avery and I’ll be delivering your weekly brief of all that’s ghastly and grim in the world of Horror. Whether you’re looking for a backlist book that will give you the willies, a terrifying new release, or the latest in horror community news, you’ll find it here in The Fright Stuff.
Well, folks, I played myself. I usually delight in providing you with lists of books and then hearing from folks about which titles they just had to buy. Relishing the long distant cries of broken book bans everywhere. Such a sweet sound. Only this week, it’s my poor bank account begging me to cease and desist. I have discovered my self-control (shelf-control?) kryptonite: sapphic spec fic. All other things I can resist except, apparently, sapphic protagonists and either epic world building or chilling horror. Or both, obviously. Both is good.
I’ve shared my love of sapphic horror before on The Fright Stuff, particularly titles from the pantheon of well known reader favorites. But this week I really wanted to spotlight some other recent sapphic horror titles that are well worth having on your reading list!
So hot off the presses that the ink’s barely dry, Ame’s To Break a Covenant is about an ex-mining town capitalizing on its haunted past to bring in the tourism money that’s keeping the town alive, and a group of girls determined to discover the mystery behind the strange phenomena that plague their town. Moon Basin’s haunting supposedly stems from the violent deaths of sixteen people the day the mine exploded and touched off an underground fire that burns still. Now only New Basin is left. Clem and Nina, best friends since childhood, and on the verge of being something more, are joined by Lisey and Piper as they journey deep into the abandoned mines of Moon Basin in search of the truth.
I love Machado’s work, so I was beyond excited when I found out she would be contributing to the 2020 Hill House comic series! Her graphic novel, The Low, Low Woods, is about two teenagers, El and Octavia, who are best friends that grew up in the tiny town of Shudder-to-Think, Pennsylvania. A strange forgetting illness has begun to affect the inhabitants of the town, stealing their memories as horrors stalk the streets of a town on fire. Its long burning coal mines abandoned but still aflame (sense a theme here?). When El and Octavia are infected, the two take it upon themselves to investigate the dark mysteries of their town before they loose themselves forever.
This one probably sways the most towards dark fantasy, rather than being more fully horror. Our heroine Jessamyn hears the voice of her estranged grandmother, now a mysterious deity who is determined to make use of Jessamyn to settle a vengeful score. With that, plus the existence of a whole strange world full of danger, gods, ghosts, and secrets, I think there’s plenty here to keep dark fiction readers intrigued. And while I freely admit that I haven’t read Black Water Sister yet, the reviews I’ve seen suggest there might even be a few scenes that are down right, graphically scary. Cho described Black Water Sister as “A stressed zillennial lesbian fights gods, ghosts, gangsters & grandmas in 21st century Penang”, and I mean honestly what better inducement can I offer?
I will never miss a chance to include zombies on absolutely any list where I can fit them. Particularly these days, when zombie apocalypse novels have taken on an additional shade of emotional significance. There’s something extra cathartic about a plague with a physical manifestation that you can actually fight. I doubt that comes as much a relief to Taren and Joy, though, as the hospital they work at is suddenly overtaken with the living dead. With a soured “almost romance” hanging between them, the two find themselves unable to avoid one another, trapped in the hospital with a group of other survivors. Their only way out is to work together and fight their way free. Which makes this a bit of an awkward time to find themselves falling in love. Did I specifically make room for this book because I am absolutely obsessed with the idea of the horror romance? Pfft. Of course I did.
So this one might also fall more under the umbrella of dark fantasy, but it has plenty of creepy, Gothic goodness to sate horror readers. In This Poison Heart, Briseis finds herself spending the summer at the dilapidated estate of her dead aunt, surrounded by its vast gardens. There, Bri hopes that she will learn to control her extraordinary gift: the ability to grow plants from seed to full bloom with just a touch of her hand. But the estate is old, and dark, and one of its gardens is comprised of nothing but the world’s most deadly plants. As she falls into creating tinctures and elixirs for those who come to the estate seeking help, Bri meets Marie, a young woman keeping dark secrets, who knows more about the estate than she is letting on.
Speaking of queer horror in general, that wonderful terrible book that ruined my life (yes I’m talking about Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo) comes out next week and Unabridged Bookstore will be holding a virtual event to celebrate on Monday the 27th! That’s tonight folks!
October 19th TorDotCom Publishing is hosting an event to celebrate the publication of Zin E. Rocklyn’s fantastic cosmic horror novella, Flowers for the Sea!
It’s finally fall, which means Book Riot is ramping up its production of creepy good fun to make sure you’re Halloween reading seasons are well supplied. For shiny new YA horror to haunt your nights, check out this list by Kelly Jensen or stock up on indigenous horror with a little help from Ann-Marie Cahill.
As always, you can catch me on twitter at @JtheBookworm, where I try to keep up on all that’s new and frightening.
Sponsored by The Robber Girl by Franny Billingsley
Part literary mystery, part magical tour de force—an incantatory novel of fierce beauty, lyricism, and originality. The Robber Girl has a good dagger. Its voice in her head is as sharp as its two edges that taper down to a point. She and her dagger will ride with Gentleman Jack into the Indigo Heart to claim the gold that’s rightfully his. But instead of gold, she finds a dollhouse cottage with doorknobs the size of apple seeds. She finds two dolls who give her three tasks, even though she knows that three is too many.
Hi Kid Lit Friends!
This morning I was going through my upcoming and new release bookshelf, and I realized there are quite a few new chapter books that would be great for newly independent readers. This is a genre that I get very excited about because it’s when kids start getting really into reading! I know it can be tricky to find books for this age group, so I’m so happy to see some new releases that young readers will love.
This is such a sweet chapter book filled with charming illustrations on each page. It’s about a young girl named Sona who is used to having lots of people around: Amma, Appa, Thatha, Paatti, and so many others. When Amma tells Sona that she will be a big sister, Sona isn’t so sure about having to share all the special people in her life with a new baby. Can Sona learn how to be a good big sister?
When the student council announces that their next fundraiser will involve a school dance, Jada isn’t so excited. She has no idea how to dance! Can Jada figure out how to not embarrass herself at the dance while also raising awareness for the fundraiser and making a difference in her community?
This delightful book is perfect for early elementary readers who are trying to figure out a confusing a complicated world. Audrey enters second grade with lots of optimism, but then second grade doesn’t turn out to be as great as she thought it was going to be. To make matters worse, a new student enters the class and Audrey isn’t Audrey anymore. She’s Audrey L, because the new student is also named Audrey! Is Audrey doomed to be second best at everything?
The second book in the Blackberry Farm series is as sweet as the first one. Becket Branch’s birthday wish is a dog and his twin brother Nicholas’s birthday wish is for a cat. They head to the shelter, but the dog Becket chooses isn’t the outgoing and friendly like he wanted. The dog turns out to be scared and shy. And while Nicholas wants a cat that is quiet and loves to be indoors like him, the cat he takes home ends up being outgoing and loves being the farm greeter. Was getting these pets a mistake?
Fans of Dory Fantasmagory will love Bad Nana! Filled with quirky illustrations with pops of neon pink, this book is funny, goofy, and silly. Seven year old Jeanie had two grandmothers. One is sort of normal, but the other one is bad. And Jeanie quite likes Bad Nana even though Bad Nana sometimes gets them into bad scrapes! This is such a fun book!
What are you reading these days? Let me know! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.
Also, did you know that the fifth book is the Vanderbeekers series is out now? The Vanderbeekers Make a Wish is about family mysteries, unexpected guests, and a found letter. I hope you enjoy it!
Until next time!
Karina
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We’re giving away five copies of The Leopard Behind the Moon by Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev to five lucky Riot readers!
Enter here for a chance, or click the image below!
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There are three important laws in Ezomo’s village: Don’t go to The Valley, don’t go out at night, and never, ever, ever open the magical door that protects them all. But when Ezomo encounters the leopard believed to have killed his father, he and his best friends embark on a journey that leads them past the boundaries set by their elders.
With his friends by his side, Ezomo chases after the leopard, certain that it has the power to cure all. But in the process, he discovers the truth about his village. And that cautionary tales exist for a reason.
Sponsored by Inkyard Press
When Jenna Dallas and Adam Cole find Colleen O’Dell’s body floating off the shore of their coastal town, the community of Gardiners Bay is shaken. But even more shocking is the fact that her drowning was no accident. As Jenna and Adam search for the truth they soon discover that everyone in Gardiners Bay has a secret. As lies unravel, the truth starts to blur. Only one thing is certain: somebody must take the fall.
Sponsored by Rebecca Rode’s TIDES OF MUTINY
Lane Garrow has a secret—one that could get her killed. A life at sea hiding as a captain’s boy is all she knows, but things start to fall apart when an old pirate enemy comes after her father. And there are rumors that her father was once a pirate as well. Enter a mysterious prince! Can Lane protect herself and find a way to live her dream? Bestselling author Rebecca Rode reminds us that sometimes it takes a pirate to save the world.
