Dear Book Friends,
Guess what? I’m in Virginia today. Yes, the travel continues! I don’t think I’ve mentioned this before, but if you’re wondering why I’ve been traveling, here’s the deal. I teach barre classes, and sometimes I get shipped off to other places to teach there. I’ve met some really fun people, and I’ve gotten to listen to a lot of audiobooks during my travels. So, so far so good. I feel very grateful to be doing this, even though I’m tired today. But not too tired to give you that good, good book content. Let’s chat.
💙 Emily
Book Deals and Reveals
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Journalist Ernest Owens’ debut novel The Case for Cancel Culture will be out from St. Martins Press on February 21st, 2023, and here is the cover reveal.
LAIKA, the studio behind Coraline and ParaNorman, have announced that their next stop-animation project currently in production is based on the book Wildwood by the Decemberists lead singer and songwriter Colin Meloy.
Starscape has acquired, at auction, P. Djèlà Clark’s middle grade debut Abeni’s Song. Publication is planned for summer 2023.
Netflix has canceled its superhero series Raising Dion after two seasons.
Here’s the cover reveal of Rafael Frumkin’s CONfidence, which will be available for preorder in June!
Check out Stephen King’s unsettling new story “Finn” on Scribd.
There’s a woman-owned, exclusively romance bookstore opening up in Canada! The bookstore is called Happily Ever After, and while they’re online only for now, their tweet promises that “we will be popping up all over Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area throughout 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!
Prepare Your Shelves!
Siren Queen by Nghi Vo (May 10th, Tordotcom)
I know talked this one up a little bit when the cover was first revealed way, way back. But now Nghi Vo’s new novel is coming out next week, and so it seemed like high time to sing this author’s praises once again. If you’ve never read a Nghi Vo novel before, you’re in for a treat. The worlds she creates in her fiction—whether fantasy or more closely connected to home—are wildly inventive. And her prose is stunning. What more could you ask for?
Set during the golden age of Hollywood, Nghi Vo’s latest novel Siren Queen is the story of Luli Wei, a beautiful and talented young actress who is hungry for stardom. But roles for Chinese American women in Hollywood are limited. And Luli lives in a world where the monsters of Hollywood are not figurative. They are very, very real. The movie business runs on a system that sacrifices young starlets like Luli. It’s a system that deals in blood bargains and ancient magic. But Luli doesn’t care. She’s willing to do whatever it takes to see her face on movie screens—even if it means becoming a monster herself.
See what I mean about her worlds being inventive? I promise you’ve never read a story about old Hollywood like this one. Honestly, there’s no story about anything that’s quite like this one, but you get the idea.
What I’m Reading This Week
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Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey
Queerly Beloved by Susie Dumond
Sundial by Catriona Ward
A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw
Monday Memes
Love Sex and the City? Love reviewing books? Me too. You get me. So like me, you’ll love this series of memes “Things I’ve Said in Book Reviews: SATC edition.”
And Here’s A Cat Picture
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It’s been a whole week since y’all have gotten a Murray pic, so here he is!
This a look at my typical work day, folks. Me, sitting at my computer, and Murray snuggling in my lap, requiring me to hold him with both arms which means… this newsletter is written with my pinky so as not to disturb the kitty. Y’all get it.
Alright, well… I’m going to go. You can hang here a little longer, but… I’m leaving. See you next time! Thanks for hanging with me on a Monday!
💙 Emily