MONSTERS WALK BESIDE US ALL … AND SOMETIMES LURK WITHIN.
In her past, the Important Man took away Jacey’s brother. Now Jacey has David, who sometimes transforms into a terrifying beast. Together, they’ve found a way to live – hunt down those who prey on the vulnerable. But the Important Man is still out there – and Jacey and David are about to run into him again. By bestselling author Paul Cornell & artist Sally Cantirino!
AVAILABLE NOW! www.vaultcomics.com
“Really looking forward to it” – Neil Gaiman, author of The Sandman, American Gods, Anansi Boys, Good Omens, Coraline, and more
The eagerly awaited sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling Oathbringer, from an epic fantasy writer at the top of his game, Rhythm of War is the latest volume in the acclaimed Stormlight Archive—now in paperback. After forming a coalition of human resistance against the enemy invasion, Dalinar Kholin and his Knights Radiant have spent a year fighting a protracted, brutal war. Now, as new technological discoveries begin to change the face of the war, the enemy prepares a bold operation that could shatter more than just fragile allegiances.
Book Riot is teaming up with BookClubbish to giveaway a Fall New Release Pack including the following titles: Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian, The Great Glorious Goddamn of it All by Josh Ritter, The Booksellers by Michelle Gable, You Can Go Your Own Way by Eric Smith . Simply fill out the form and subscribe to the BookClubbish newsletter for a chance to win!
Here’s a little more about BookClubbish: BookClubbish is a book club for people with or without a book club! Sign up to the newsletter to get fun bookish content, reading recommendations, and giveaways delivered right in your inbox.
If you’ve been looking forward to Universal Studio’s upcoming adaptation of the musical Wicked, which is an adaptation of the novel by Gregory Maguire, you’re going to have to wait a little bit longer. Wicked was set to begin filming in Atlanta in March 2022, but now production has been pushed to June, and the project is moving to Universal’s studios in the United Kingdom. Universal has been working towards developing a live-action version of Wicked since 2004, a year after the musical debuted on Broadway. While Wicked still doesn’t have an official green light, producers Marc Platt and David Stone, along with director Jon M. Chu have been told to move forward with the project. Wicked will be the first production filmed at Universal’s recently built Sky Studios in Elstree.
Riverhead to Release Three Abdulrazak Gurnah Titles
That didn’t take long! Dune is officially getting a sequel. In a Tweet on Tuesday, Legendary Entertainment announced the news: “This is only the beginning… Thank you to those who have experienced @dunemovie so far, and those who are going in the days and weeks ahead. We’re excited to continue the journey!” Dune: Part 2 will hit theaters on October 20th, 2023.
“Critical Race Theory” is the New Satanic Panic in Right Wing Politics
The start of an epic new fantasy series, Children of Blood and Bone meets The Little Mermaid in this West African inspired historical fantasy debut by Natasha Bowen that is perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir and Roseanne A. Brown. Simi is a Mami Wata—a mermaid—bound by the laws of gods and charged with blessing the souls of slaves lost at sea. But when Simi does the unthinkable and saves the life of a boy instead, she finds herself in the deepest trouble at the bottom of the sea.
Hello my book witches!
Halloween is right around the corner, and we’re still in full Book Radar-ween mode. What does that mean? Lots of thrills and chills in today’s Book Radar, plus all of the other book goodies you’re wanting to get you through your Thursday.
So grab your candy corn, your apple cider, your pumpkin spice lattes, and let’s settle in for some creepy Book Radar-ween goodness one more time before the weekend.
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!
Alright, horror fans. Just in time for Halloween, I’ve got at horror novel that you’re going to absolutely die for. And… you’re going to have to wait ’til July 2022 to get your hands on it. But do you want to hear something truly scary? July 2022 will be here sooner than you think. Because time is constantly moving, and it stops for no one. Try not to think about that too much, though. Just keep adding to your TBR shelves as if you have all the time in the world. After all, who knows? Maybe we can keep reading when we’re ghosts.
And now that I’ve set the tone for this dark horror read, let me tell you what it’s about. T. Kingfisher’s next novel What Moves the Dead is a retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic “The Fall of the House of Usher.” What did I tell you? Perfect for Halloween, right? Well. You still have to wait.
When retired soldier Alex Easton finds out that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they rush to Madeline’s ancestral home in the countryside of Ruritania. What they’ll find there at the Usher home, however, will chill them to the bone. The house is overgrown with fungi and possessed wildlife, and the dark lake that surrounds it seems almost alive. Furthermore, Madeline and her brother Roderick both seem highly disturbed, and Madeline keeps talking to strange voices in the night. What is happening to the Ushers and their home? With the assistance of a British mycologist and an American doctor, Alex is determined to find out.
Words of Literary Wisdom
“No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream. Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills, holding darkness within; it had stood so for eighty years and might stand for eighty more. Within, walls continued upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone.”
My iPhone is constantly telling me I spend too much time staring at my screen, which is honestly so rude. But this means I spend a lot of time scrolling around the online book community: BookTube, Bookstagram, BookTok, BookLinkedIn (JK. That’s not a thing… I don’t think). You get the idea. Don’t have the time, energy, or the will to do all of that yourself? No problem. I got you. In this weekly section of Book Radar, we’ll take a look at something cool, interesting, and/or newsy that’s going on in the book community.
Well, podcast fans, this week I want to share with you that Book Riot is launching a brand new podcast! Adaptation Nation is a podcast all about literary adaptations. That’s right, Book Riot is taking on your favorite literary adaptations, including new releases, old favorites, underrated gems, and interesting messes. We’ll dive into how the books and adaptations themselves came to be: publication and production backstories, casting what-ifs, critical reception, and more, to answer that ever-burning question: was the book actually better (and does that question even matter)?
Up first, Jeff, co-host of the Book Riot podcast, and Amanda and Jenn, hosts of Get Booked, will be breaking down the sci-fi classic DUNE and the new adaptation. Subscribe on your podcatcher of choice starting November 1!
Your Weekend Reading Soundtrack
It’s time for part 2 of your Halloween reading soundtrack. Put this bad boy on while you’re reading over the weekend, or while you’re giving out candy, or while you’re getting ready to hit the streets in your best costume. Whatever you’re up to, have the best and happiest and safest Halloween! Don’t forget to hug a black cat.
And Here’s A Cat Picture!
Speaking of black cats! This seemed like a good time to kick it back to the picture that started it all. About a year ago around this time, I saw my local pet shelter post this picture of a tiny little kitten who was looking for a home. And the rest is history. Now this cute little bat cat is ours.
We love you, Phantom! We’ve had you for almost a year, so happy almost gotcha day!
And that’s it for Book Radar-ween! Once again, I hope you have a happy, safe, and fun Halloween. And I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Liora has spent her life in hiding, knowing discovery could mean falling prey to the king’s warlock, Darius, who uses mages’ magic to grow his own power. But when her worst nightmare comes to pass, Darius doesn’t take her. Instead, he demands that her younger sister return to the capital with him. To make matters worse, Evran, Liora’s childhood friend and the only one who knows her secret, goes missing following Darius’s visit, leaving her without anyone to turn to. To find Evran and to save her sister, Liora must embrace the power she has always feared.
Hey YA Readers!
Let’s catch up on the latest in YA book news and new YA books. I hope you’ve got your favorite treats ready to celebrate Halloween this weekend and some excellent reads, too.
YA Book News
Here are Publishers Weekly’s best of 2021 YA books. It’s a pretty solid list! The only big one missing (IMO, of course) is A Sitting in St. James.
Please note that with supply chain issues, paper supply challenges, and the pandemic more broadly, publication dates are changing at a pace I can’t keep up with. Some release dates may be pushed back. If a book catches your attention, the smartest thing to do right now is to preorder it or request it from your library. It’ll be a fun surprise when it arrives. This goes, too, for any books you might be planning to purchase for the holidays — the sooner you pick up the hard copies, if that’s your preference, the better.
This roundup of books about coming of age in the 90s isn’t entirely YA, but there are a number of great YA books on this list.
Take this Twilight quiz and see what you do — or don’t — remember about the series.
‘Tis the season to burn a delicious candle while you’re reading, and this YA Reader candle — orange, sandalwood, coconut scented — is perfectly fitting. $10.
Thanks for hanging out, and we’ll see you on Saturday with some ebook deals!
— Kelly Jensen,
@heykellyjensen on Instagram.
(psst: did you know both (Don’t) Call Me Crazy and Body Talk, my two most recent anthologies, are on sale for the low price of $2 this month in ebook format? Now you do!).
In this sexy, sophisticated romantic comedy, two women juggle romance and career across continents. After a blizzard leaves her stranded in Spain, museum courier Charlotte takes the opportunity to reunite with her grad school crush Adrianna. One night becomes three and three nights become a hot and adventurous long-distance relationship when Charlotte returns to the States. But when art historian Adrianna plots her next career move just as Charlotte finally opens a door in academia, distance may not be the only thing that keeps them apart. Perfect for fans of Meryl Wilsner’s Something to Talk About.
Last weekend, I participated in Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon and had a great time! I stuck to mostly queer horror and otherwise Halloween-ish reads, and I had a lot of success. The Luminous Dead is an excellent creepy sapphic sci fi read (especially to absorb all 400 pages in basically one sitting), When I Arrived at the Castle is a disturbing sapphic vampire graphic novel that is equal parts horror and erotic, and Mooncakes was just as delightful as everyone always says it is.
An Asexual, Queer Found Family Historical YA Novel
I usually write a general post or a list in this space, but I just read a fascinating queer book I had to talk to you about. It also has an asexual main character, and this is Asexual Awareness Week, so it’s all coming together!
I picked up The Reckless Kind by Carly Heath for the November 2nd episode of All the Books. I couldn’t resist the premise: an asexual, queer found family, M/M romance YA novel set in 1904 Norway? Now that’s something I haven’t read before.
Luckily, it completely lived up to my hopes. It has three point of view characters: Aster, Gunnar, and Erland. Aster is an asexual (and probably aromantic?) girl who’s deaf in one ear and has Waardenburg Syndrome. She doesn’t really fit in to their small town, but she finds community and meaning in theater. There, she befriends Gunnar and Erland.
Gunnar is a Fuglestad, a “heathen” family. They’re vegetarians, they don’t go to church, and they’re generally considered outsiders — except that they’re also the only place to get your horses shoed, and they’re also the town’s de facto veterinarians. Gunnar also loves the theater — and Erland. It’s not long before the two start a secret love affair.
Erland comes from a wealthy French family who shower him in wealth (they built the playhouse for him), but also expect him to uphold their family’s values and behave in a particular way. Erland has no interest in those expectations, though, or his wealth. He is devoted to Gunnar, and nothing else matters to him.
In short succession, though, the three find themselves in a very difficult situation. (This all happens in the first few chapters.) Gunnar’s mother dies, and Gunnar loses his arm in the same accident. Their family’s farm is in debt, and they’ll soon lose it. Aster breaks off her engagement to a man she has no feelings for, and he attacks Gunnar in his rage, seriously injuring and possibly paralyzing him. Erland walks away from his family (and their money) to stay with Gunnar. Now it’s just the three of them, trying to figure out how to survive — and to save the Fuglestad farm.
I was fascinated by how this book is simultaneously completely unique and yet feels familiar — what could be more wholesome than a plan to save the family farm? Especially when the only answer is for them to win the annual horse race to take home the cash prize. I loved the family they built together, taking care of each other even when it’s difficult.
I do want to give some content warnings for violence, injury, and suicide ideation. More specifically, Gunnar has a very difficult time adjusting to his disability, and he makes frequent morbid “jokes” and considers himself a burden to the people around him. The author mentions in the author’s note that she drew on her own experiences with lumbar spine trauma and wanted to represent the whole complex experience of disability and chronic pain.
This is a fascinating and heartwarming read that I think would be perfect for the holidays — it builds up to the Christmas horse race, and the themes of found family are perfect for the colder months when you want something cozy. Even though this deals with prejudice, violence, and grief, it’s a hopeful book that also celebrates queerplatonic relationships and queer love in general.
Dreaming Of You by Melissa Lozada-Oliva (Queer Novel in Verse)
This is a novel in verse about Melissa, a young Latinx poet who, at a low point in her life, is given the ability to bring a celebrity back from the dead. She picks Selena, of course. It discusses Latinidad, obsession, and queer identity — plus she performs karaoke in hell.
Tink and Wendy by Kelly Ann Jacobson (Bisexual YA Fantasy Retelling)
“What happens when Tinker Bell is in love with both Peter Pan and Wendy?” This is the story of Tinker Bell mourning Peter Pan and Wendy’s deaths, and recounting to Wendy’s granddaughter the whole sorry story that landed her here. It rotates between past and present of their love triangle, along with excerpts from Neverland: A History.
Another Kind by Cait May and Trevor Bream (Non-Binary Middle Grade Fantasy Graphic Novel)
The six kids in Another Kind are not exactly human, but they have made a family for themselves, tucked away in a hidden place. But then their safe world is broken open, and they’ll have to find a way avoid The Collector, a monster searching for them. This has two non-binary characters.
Until We Fall by Nicole Zelniker (Trans Woman Fiction)
That’s it for me this week! Until next time, you can find me at the Lesbrary as well as on Twitter @danikaellis. You can also hear me on All the Books on the first Tuesday of the month, read my Book Riot posts, and watch my weekly New Releases videos on the Book Riot Youtube channel. You can bet I sneak in as many queer titles as I can.
Katie has it all: the successful home makeover show with her sweet-natured husband Damian; the adorable tween daughters; and a designer mansion. But out of the spotlight, reality TV isn’t reality. Her marriage is disintegrating, her daughters despise her, and all her money can’t repair the damage. Now, with Damian ready to quit after one last holiday episode, Katie can kiss her artificial world goodbye. But if there’s one thing a pro like Katie knows how to do, it’s negotiate. From bestselling author J. Courtney Sullivan comes a sharp-witted new short story. Prime members read and listen free.
Hello, Audiophiles! This is not a drill—fall has reached the South Carolina Lowcountry! I repeat, fall is here! For the first time I exited the house and thought about putting on a jacket. Did I? No, of course not. It’s still in the 70s. But the leaves are changing, and I feel the need to add pumpkin spice to everything.
Having been born in a stifling hot Arkansas summer, Gwen has never experienced the cold before. So far, she’s not exactly a fan. This may be why she tolerated her new vest so well. She’s also graduated from chewing my books to chewing my book cart.
Fall fashion styled by Gwen
Recent Listens!
After reading Nusrah Javed’s list “8 New Witchy Audiobooks”, I got bit by the witch book bug. I needed them all RIGHT NOW. So this past week, I read a couple witchy books that both tackle the witch books in different ways. ‘Tis the (spooky) season, am I right?
Witch Please by Ann Aguirre is a delightfully implausible romance between Danica, a half-blood witch with the ability to fix any machine out there, and Titus, a grieving man who has just started a bakery called Sugar Daddy’s. When we learn that Titus is a virgin, I have to admit, I definitely got Hocus Pocus vibes. The book is a delightful romance, but I missed some of the humor and wit in the dialogue from writers like Talia Hibbert or Lyssa Kay Adams. But audiobook narrator Ava Lucas does a fantastic job bringing as much pazzazz as she can to her performance.
Now I must confess, I had never read Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman. Since I may be the last witch-loving audiobook listener to have picked up this book, I’ll just say that I found it delightful and quirky in all of the best ways. Perhaps it’s the trend to love all things 90s right now, but I loved the mood of the small-town vibes, plus the weird magical happening from a man buried underneath some greenery. I even made some Sims after Sally and Gillian, the two sisters in the novel. I adored Christina Moore’s narration and can’t wait to pick up the next book next year.
Do you have any witchy book recommendations for me?
One of my favorite anthologies about disability has now been adapted for young adults! Disability rights activist Alice Wong has created a version of Disability Visibility for young people, giving the adults in their lives a chance to have an importance of discussion of disability allyship. But for me, I’m excited the most about how disabled, chronically ill, Deaf, and neurodivergent teenagers will be able to see themselves in these pages.
Miosotis Flores wants a dog more than anything else. But her grandfather wants her to care about school, so they strike a deal. If she does better in school, she can adopt a dog. I am already so deeply invested in this story and I haven’t even started listening yet.
I mean, you see the title and that Alan Cumming is narrating his own memoir. Do you really need to know what it’s about? Okay, so if it isn’t a slam dunk for you already, this book follows Cumming’s time in Hollywood and how he recovered from a mental breakdown in his late 20s. Full of humor and heart, this book is sure to deliver everything we expect from Cumming’s writing.
Narrated by Alan Cumming (Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld and Macbeth: A Novel by A. J. Hartley and David Hewson)
All-star husband and wife duo are back under their pseudonym Nicci French with another fascinating mystery centered around a woman and her young daughter. When Tess’s young daughter comes back from her time with Tess’s ex and his new wife, Tess tries not to suspect the worst. But when her little girl shows Tess a drawing and says, “He did kill her,” Tess’s world begins to turn upside down.
Pedro, Luna, and Rafa think their lives are complicated enough already, but when an alien enters the picture, things begin to get even more wild. The three teenagers struggle to survive while also trying to figure out how to warn others about the inevitable future.
“We Need to Stop Asking the Question, ‘Do Audiobooks Count As Reading?’” – I’ve been thinking about this question, and how people continue to ask it, for almost as long as I’ve been listening to audiobooks. But, honestly, I’m so tired of answering it, particularly from my place as a disabled person who uses audiobooks as an accessibility tool. So here are some thoughts.
She’s young, single, and about to achieve her dream of creating incredible video games. But then life throws her a one-two punch: a popular streamer gives her first game a scathing review. Even worse, she finds out that same troublesome critic is now her new neighbor! A funny, sexy, and all-too-real story about gaming, memes, and social anxiety. Come for the plot, stay for the doggo. Volume 1 of Let’s Play collects the first 23 chapters of the Eisner-nominated webcomic phenomenon with over 5 million subscribers.
Welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. Hope your spirit is doing well. I’m P.N. Hinton, your companion through the world of romance. Whether or not this is your first time or you’re a regular I’m glad to have y’all here.
Halloween is this Sunday! There’s not a whole lot on my planner this year besides visiting my sister and my weekly (virtual) movie night with friends. Whether you’re trick or treating or cuddling up with loved ones to watch some horror movies (family friendly or otherwise) I hope that you have a great time.
Romance Reflection
I came across this remembrance which was connected to this longer thread and there’s a lot of food for thought here. Most of the problems people have with romance are the ‘unrealistic’ expectation it portrays of relationships and, frankly, how women experience sex.
However, very little is ever said about the unrealistic expectations that a large part of sci-fi gave to its fans. No one had problem with the rampant and, some would argue, weird sex that was displayed there. In reality, it all boils down to the differences in the male and female gaze on sex. It’s very telling how the die-hard fans have no problem with the unhealthy depiction of women and sex in old-school sci-fi, while sneering at the healthy depiction in romance novels. And it’s not a good take to have.
Again, it’s okay to like older media; just be willing to turn that mirror around to it and admit that it has a lot of red flags and problematic tendencies that wouldn’t hold up today.
And Sil’s got some spooky romances just in time for Halloween.
Also, there’s still a little bit of time to get your swag celebrating our 10th anniversary!
Around the Web in Romance
Tessa Dare put out this long post about some of the concerning language selected for the Portuguese translation of Romancing the Duke and it was a bit heart-breaking for multiple reasons. This situation shines a much needed light on the consideration that has to be given to translations in general. While I understand the desire to get as close to the phrasing as possible, either way, sometimes direct translations can lead to more problems in the long run.
In the spirit of Halloween, check out this thread to Build Your own Monster Romance. Apparently, mine involves the Kraken which would be… an interesting pair up.
Romance for Roe went live on October 25th! A group of 36 romance authors got together for a collection of short stories that you can download for a donation to either Planned Parenthood and/or Naral. Because I have always been and will always be ‘Team Their Body, Their Choice’.
Speaking of school, a high school romance club would have been the bee’s knees for a young me. I mean, I kind of had an impromptu one with one of my friends since we both loved them but still something like this would have been amazing.
Recommendations
Typically, I am a seasonal reader. I try to focus on specific books at certain times of the year. And while that doesn’t stop me from reading a fall or scary story in Spring, it feels extra special to me when I read books in the season that they’re set in. In honor of Halloween, this week’s recommendations either take place around the holiday or have a strong supernatural spin to them.
Pia loves October and Halloween, largely due to the fact that her family owns a pumpkin patch. What she’s less fond of is children, which is why she almost brushes off her initial attraction to Lila. The child with Lila is her nephew though that she is helping take care of while her brother recovers from an accident. With the added responsibilities of being a caretaker for both people, she doesn’t feel she has time for romance and almost lets Pia get away as well. Will both women be able to ignore the initial misgivings they had of one another to find a Halloween happily ever after?
When he gets a call from his Great-Aunt Sophie’s lawyer telling him she left him a house, down on his luck Noel doesn’t ask any questions. When he gets there though he finds that the house is in serious need of repair. It also comes with Ruby, the ghost of the woman that his family stole the house from and who is determined to get her revenge on the family line, no matter how attractive she may find Noel. This one is heavy on the ghost and light on the romance but since it is a Jackson, you know the sex scenes will absolutely sizzle off the page.
Cameron loves Halloween and, by extension, Halloween Fest. When the annual celebration is threatened by an ‘evil’ investor, he will stop at nothing to make sure it doesn’t happen. Parker is a dragon shifter who finds his fated mate in horror fan Cameron which is why he allies himself with Cameron’s plan to save Halloween and the festival. However, when the truth comes about, will Cameron be able to look past both those factors and still work together to save not just the farm but their romance?
When I next see you, it will the first of November. We’re almost through the year y’all! I hope that your weekend goes well and I’ll be back Monday. Until then, give me a follow under @PScribe801 on Twitter for more of my bookish ponderings.
