Sponsored by TorDotComPublishing (@TorDotComPub).
Andrea Hairston’s award-winning alternate history adventure transports readers to turn-of-the-20th-century America, where diverse audiences hunker together in dark theatres to marvel at flickering images. Redwood, an African American woman, and Aidan, a Seminole Irish man, journey from haunted Georgia swampland to a “city-of-the-future” Chicago. They’re gifted performers and hoodoo conjurors, struggling to call up the wondrous world they imagine, on stage and screen, and in wounded hearts. The power of hoodoo is the power of the community that believes in its capacities to heal. Their search for a place to be who they want is an exhilarating, painful, magical adventure.
Dear Book Friends,
It’s been a big week in book news, I’m excited to say. And so many good books came out this week, too. I’m feeling optimistic about February and maaaaybe even about 2022 in general. How ’bout you? Let me know! And with that, let’s get on with the book talk.
❤️ Emily
Book Deals and Reveals
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Courtney Summers’ new YA thriller I’m The Girl is coming out from Wednesday Books on September 13th! On Instagram, Summers writes: “We live in a world that enabled Jeffrey Epstein. With I’M THE GIRL, I’m coming for its throat.”
Here’s the cover reveal for the US release of Catriona Ward’s novel Little Eve. This book is out from Tor Nightfire on October 11th.
Oscar and Emmy nominee Taraji P. Henson will star as Shug Avery in The Color Purple, which is set to be released on December 20, 2023.
Here’s a first look at Sienna Miller in David E. Kelly’s adaptation of Anatomy of a Scandal, a limited series for Netflix.
Did someone say sapphic YA rom com? Here’s the cover reveal for Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales. This one’s out in December.
Alice Wong, editor of the essay anthology Disability Visibility, has just announced her debut memoir, Year of the Tiger. This memoir is “roaring your way” September 6th.
Here’s the cover reveal for A Taste of Magic, a middle grade inner city magic school novel by J. Elle. You can preorder this book now, and it’s coming out August 30th!
The film adaptation of Taylor Adams’ snowy thriller No Exit will be released on Hulu later this month, and the streaming platform has finally released the first trailer.
Former studio executives Foster Driver and Zoe Kent are working on an adaptation of LGBT-themed sci-fi YA novel The Temperature of Me and You at Disney+, via their newly launched Driver+Kent Media.
2nd grader Dillon Helbig’s hand-drawn book has become quite a hit at a library in Boise, Idaho.
Make sure to get your own Read Harder Book Journal from Book Riot to track your reading for the year!
Book Riot Recommends
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!
Can’t Wait for This One
Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel (Redhook, April 26th)
Not enough people are talking about this one yet. But when it comes out, I think this is going to be the book everyone’s talking about. Fans of feminist retellings of mythology will have to pick this one up. And even if that’s not your thing yet, it probably will be after you read this book.
Kaikeyi is a retelling of the Indian epic Ramayana from Queen Kaikeyi’s perspective. As a child, Kaikeyi is the only daughter of the kingdom of Kekaya, raised on stories about benevolent and powerful gods. And yet when Kaikeyi calls upon the Gods for help rescue her from a life where she’s only valued for her eligibility for marriage, no Gods answer her. In search of independence, Kaikeyi becomes a powerful warrior and diplomat, determined to create a world where she and women like her are respected. Unfortunately the path Kaikeyi has chosen for herself has disrupted the will of the gods, and there will be consequences.
Need more reasons to pick this debut novel up? For one, Kaikeyi is asexual, and I love that we’re starting to see more books with nuanced asexual representation. Also, while we’ve seen plenty of retellings of Western fairy tales and mythology, I feel like we don’t get as many reimaginings of classic works like Ramayana (note: there are some out there though, and if you’re curious about this book, and want to read more, this is a a good list!). Kaikeyi will be out from Redhook in April!
Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!
Words of Literary Wisdom
“Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.”
— The Maid by Nita Prose
What’s Up in the Book Community?
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.
If you’re following BookTok, it’s probably no surprise to you that BookTok is giving bookstores a major boost. At The New Future conference on January 28th, Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt said the “thrilling” growth of BookTok is encouraging more young people to buy from physical bookshops. Now bookshops are getting in on the action and creating their own BookTok accounts. As major booksellers start jumping on the BookTok train, will it ruin the magic? I guess only time will tell!
Your Weekend Reading Soundtrack
After reading Margaret and the Mystery of the Missing Body last week, I feel like it’s time to revive those old Tori Amos albums, especially since she’s about to be on tour again. From the Choir Girl Hotel is my personal favorite.
And Here’s A Cat Picture!
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Today I have a special cat picture for you, because today my dear friend had to say goodbye to her sweet kitty Edward. Edward was a gentle, loving cat who will be missed by everyone who knew him. We love you, Edward, and we will miss you so much. Everyone hold your kitties close and cherish every moment with them.
I hope everyone has a happy, safe, restful weekend.
❤️ Emily