Dearest Book Friends,
It’s Monday again, and I yet again have some big news to share with you! We got a new kitty over the weekend. Of course, no one will replace Phantom in our hearts, and we still miss him very much, but Murray was needing a new buddy, and we couldn’t say no to this sweet guy. So stay tuned til the end to catch a glimpse at our new baby. And in the meantime, I’ve got what you came for… book stuff!
Book Deals and Reveals
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Check out this gorgeous cover of Ross Gay’s upcoming essay collection Inciting Joy.
Here’s the cover reveal for Jennifer Maritza McCauley’s story collection When Trying to Return Home, out from Counterpoint Press on February 7, 2023.
And here’s the cover of Sophie Kim’s upcoming novel Last of The Talons. This one’s coming out in September, but you can read an exclusive snippet in Paste Magazine.
Cassandra Clare has revealed the cover of her new novel Chain of Thorns. Check it out!
You have to check out this cover reveal for the title alone. This is the cover reveal of Penny Reid’s Folk Around and Find Out, the second novel in Penny Reid’s Good Folk: Modern Folktales series.
Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick plans to publish a memoir aimed at young adult audiences with Scholastic. The release date is tentatively set for March 7th.
Culture Crave tweeted a new look at actors Tessa Thompson and Natalie Portman in the highly anticipated Marvel film Thor: Love and Thunder.
A television series based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go is in the works at FX.
A Barnes & Noble is being sued in Virginia Beach for carrying Gender Queer and other books.
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!
City of Likes by Jenny Mollen (Nancellebooks, June 14th)
I think we all try to pretend that we’re not, but who am I kidding? I’m clearly obsessed with social media. I spend a lot of time on Instagram, and I’m fascinated by the ways people curate their lives for public consumption. I mean, how is that not fascinating? How can you not be mesmerized by the sheen of social media?
I do have a point. And I’m getting to it. City of Likes is a book about social media. But it’s also a book about being a woman in contemporary culture and all that entails—female friendships, motherhoods, hustle culture, social media influencers, and so on. This book is entertaining, satirical, and it also feels incredibly real. Yikes.
Following the birth of her second chid, Megan Chernoff is having a bit of an identity crisis. Unemployed and adrift and looking for a fresh start, Megan moves with her family to New York City, where she meets Daphne. Daphne Cole is a glamorous, aspirational momfluencer. And for some reason Daphne wants to be Megan’s friend. Before Megan knows what hits her, she finds herself swept up in the world of influencers, attending exclusive parties and wellness rituals, and yes, reaping the thousands and thousands of followers on all of her social media accounts. But the deeper Megan becomes immersed in Daphne’s world, the more she loses herself and what truly matters.
What I’m Reading This Week
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Little Eyes by Samanta Schweblin
The Memory Librarian by Janelle Monáe
This is Not the Real World by Anna Carey
The Swan Gondola by Timothy Schaffert
Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda
Darling Girl by Liz Michalski
Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!
Monday Memes
Not directly book-related this week, but this does feel appropriate for today, especially if you’re reading this in the morning.
Other Things That Make Me Happy
Well, my new cat makes me happy! Check him out…
And Here’s A Cat Picture!
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It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for! Everyone, meet Remy, our new little kitten. We’re so excited to have him, and I’m extra excited to be able to share him with you.
Remy’s adventures will soon be taking him to Seattle, so stay tuned for more adventures with Remy the traveling tuxedo cat. And friends. Should I make a children’s book series?
Well, that’s all for Monday! I hope you have a great week. And we’ll talk again in just a few short days.
💙 Emily