Author: Emily Martin

Here’s the Cover of Justin Torres’ New Novel Blackouts

Literary Hub has revealed the cover of the new novel Blackouts by Justin Torres. Torres told Lithub he was unsure his vision for the cover would be realized, but that he loves Na Kim’s cover design for the book. He said, “I didn’t know I would be lucky enough to get Na Kim, who seemed to understand my vision, and found a way exceed that vision.” Blackouts will be published by FSG on October 10. You can preorder Blackouts here.

Julia Donaldson Ends James Patterson’s Reign as UK Libraries’ Most Borrowed Author

Crime writer James Patterson’s long-running streak as the most borrowed author libraries across the UK has now been broken by Julia Donaldson. Patterson spent 13 consecutive years at number 1. But data from Public Lending Right (PLR) shows that from July 2021 to June 2022, Donaldson was the most borrowed author overall, moving up from third place the year before. Julia Donaldson is the author of children’s books, including The Gruffalo and The Snail and the Whale.

Two-Part Adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder is Easy Coming from BBC

The BBC has unveiled a two-part adaptation of Murder is Easy by Agatha Christie. The series, which will consist of two hour-long episodes, will be produced by ITV Studios’ Mammoth Screen and Agatha Christie Ltd. The book is being be adapted by screenwriter Sian Ejiwunmi-Le Berreand, and the project will be directed by Meenu Gaur. Filming starts this summer and a casting announcement will be made soon.

How to Hold on to Your Love of Books When You Read for Work

Required readings often take the joy out of books. Here’s how to hold on to your love of books when you read for work.

The Marvels is Being Pushed Back to November

Nia DaCosta’s The Marvels has a new release date. The film was originally schedule to release mid-summer at the heart of the blockbuster season. Instead, The Marvels, starring Brie Larson as Carol Danvers, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau, and Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan, will now hit theaters on November 10th. Marvel Studios has also released a poster featuring the three leads.

New York Times Film Critic A.O. Scott Moving to Book Reviews After the Oscars

A.O. Scott, who has reviewed more than 2,200 films for the Times over the last 23 years, is shifting to The New York Times Book Review following the Oscars. According to a memo to Times staff released earlier today, Scott will now “write critical essays, notebooks and reviews that grapple with literature, ideas and intellectual life.” A Times spokesperson said that the outlet will be hiring another film critic.

ChatGPT Fuels Boom in AI-Written Books on Amazon

The ChatGPT artificial intelligence program, which can generate blocks of text from simple prompts, has fueled a sudden boom in AI-written books on Amazon. As of mid-February, there were more than 200 e-books on Amazon’s Kindle store that list ChatGPT as an author or co-author. That number is rising daily. Tutorials are springing up across the Internet to help people write their own books in ChatGPT in just a few hours.

Can You Guess the Sci-Fi Book Based on These 1-Star Reviews?

“I hope you like calendars that you never understand” and “Dull soup”: can you match the sci-fi novel to its 1-star reviews?

Roald Dahl Children’s Books Edited for Less Offensive Language

New editions of Roald Dahl’s books have been edited for less offensive language and more inclusivity. Publisher Puffin wrote in a statement included in the books, “The wonderful words of Roald Dahl can transport you to different worlds and introduce you to the most marvelous characters. This book was written many years ago, and so we regularly review the language to ensure that it can continue to be enjoyed by all today.” According to The Guardian, Puffin made the changes alongside the Roald Dahl Story Company and the company Inclusive Minds. The Roald Dahl Story Company spokesperson said “it’s not unusual to review the language used alongside updating other details.”

Mona Awad Announces New Novel Rouge

If you loved Mona Awad’s Bunny, listen up: Simon & Schuster will soon be publishing Awad’s latest novel Rouge. The publisher describes the novel as a “horror-tinted, gothic fairy tale about a lonely dress shop clerk whose mother’s unexpected death sends her into a warped pursuit of youth & beauty.” Rouge will be released on September 12.

Twitter Has Criticisms for Greta Thunberg’s New Book

Greta Thunberg released a new book entitled The Climate Book, and the Twitter community has thoughts. The main critique? That the book is printed on paper, when it would be better for the environment to publish an ebook. Comments following Thunberg’s announcement about the book ask, “Wouldn’t a PDF be better for the planet?” Others noted that shipping the book would require airplanes and trucks to deliver copies to physical bookstores. In additional to being available in print, Thunberg’s The Climate Book is currently available on audio and as an ebook.

8 of the Most Interesting Buildings That Are Now Libraries (and Bookstores)

From big-box stores and schools to banks and gymnasiums, here are some old buildings that were turned into libraries (and bookstores).

Margeaux Weston Announces New Nonfiction Middle Grade Collection

Margeaux Weston, the nonfiction editor at the Hugo Award-winning literary magazine FIYAH, has announced a new nonfiction middle grade collection. Everything but Typical will highlight the lives of a diverse group of influential people who are also neurodivergent, including Simone Biles, Greta Thunberg, Armani Williams, Octavia Butler, and more. Weston tweeted, “I’m super excited to announce my upcoming book, a project super close to my heart! For all my neurodivergent kids, you are enough. Thank you @ericsmithrocks for pushing this project through! We did it!” The book is expected to publish in winter 2025.

New Daisy Jones and the Six Trailer Released Ahead of March 3 Premiere

Amazon has released a new trailer of Daisy Jones and the Six ahead of the series’ March 3rd premiere. The highly anticipated series is based on the best-selling novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid and stars Riley Keough and Sam Claflin. Will Harrison, Suki Waterhouse, Josh Whitehouse, Sebastian Chacon, Nabiyah Be and Tom Wright also star, with a special guest appearance by Timothy Olyphant. The series premieres on March 3 on Prime Video, with new episodes released every Friday through March 24.

Vermont Man’s Book Becomes a Bestseller After Daughter’s TikTok Goes Viral

Vermont author Lloyd Devereux Richards is now a bestselling author more than a decade after publishing his first novel, Stone Maidens, and it’s all thanks to his daughter’s TikTok account she created to promote his work. The first TikTok Marguerite Richards created about her father’s story was viewed more than 43 million times, and received more than 9.6 million likes. Since then, Stone Maidens has sold out on Amazon and reached number 1 on the site’s bestsellers list. “I’m grateful. I’m very happy,” Lloyd said about his surprise success. “I just can’t believe it.”

Cookbook Showdown: The Best King Cake Recipes, Tested

Want to make your own king cake this Mardi Gras? One home baker tested four king cake recipes to find out which cookbook takes the cake.

I Am Legend Producer Says New Sequel Will Follow Alternate Ending

Producer Akiva Goldsman has some major updates to share about the upcoming I Am Legend sequel. In a recent interview with Deadline, Goldsman shared that the film will use the original movie’s alternate ending. In the alternate ending, available on the DVD, Will Smith’s character Dr. Robert Neville escapes to freedom rather than sacrificing himself. Goldsman, who is serving as co-writer and producer of the film, explained that the new movie will “trace back to the original Matheson book… What Matheson was talking about was that man’s time on the planet as the dominant species had come to an end. That’s a really interesting thing we’re going to get to explore. There will be a little more fidelity to the original text.” Smith will return for the sequel and star alongside Michael B. Jordan.

Shonda Rhimes and Julia Quinn Team Up for Queen Charlotte Novel

Just days after Netflix announced a release date for the upcoming Bridgerton spin-off series Queen Charlotte, Shondaland has announced another expansion to the “Bridgerverse”: Queen Charlotte is getting her very own book. The novel Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story was written by the show’s creator and executive producer Shonda Rhimes, and Bridgerton book series author Julia Quinn. The book will be available on Tuesday, May 9th, a few days after the series premiere on May 4th.

Jimmy Choo Unveils New Collection in Honor of Sailor Moon 30th Anniversary

In honor of the 30th anniversary of the beloved anime/manga series, Jimmy Choo has launched a collection inspired by Sailor Moon. The collection was assembled by Jimmy Choo’s creative director, Sandra Choi, whose goal was to pay homage to Naoko Takeuchi’s manga and its influence on pop culture. The collection includes boots, platforms, pumps, sneakers, bags, and even an LP of Sailor Moon-inspired tracks put together by Honey Dijon.

Celebrate Black Love with these Black YA Romances

Celebrate love with these excellent Black YA romances. Whether you like friends-to-lovers, time loops, queer love or more, there’s a read for you.

George M. Johnson and Leah Johnson Sign Seven-Figure Book Deal

Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group has signed a seven-figure, two-book deal with George M. Johnson and Leah Johnson. There’s Always Next Year, the duo’s first collaboration, is set to release in 2025. The novel is a contemporary YA romcom following two cousins — Andy and Dominque — working to fix their love lives in time for the New Year. “This book is special because as a Black queer teen, I had no representation of love,” George M. Johnson said in a statement. “While others went to the prom with their sweethearts, I could only dream of my day where I got my happy ending. This book does that.” Leah Johnson said that she hopes to support queer youth through her writing: “My hope is that by continuing to put this type of work out in the world, and being loud and visible queer authors, we can affirm to young people everywhere that their stories do now, and will always, matter.”

Woman Who Paid Photographer $100 for Photos Now the Face of an Erotic Novel

Christian Demeritt, a Florida native who is now an actress in California, took headshots 13 years ago and later discovered her likeness being used on an erotic novel. Demeritt documented her discovery in a series of TikTok videos last month. Her likeness has also been used in training modules and breast reduction advertisements. Demeritt admits she didn’t read the fine print when booking the photographer. “I understand that I signed something that I did not completely understand,” she said. She cautions others, “Make sure you read the fine print and don’t act out of desperation.”

Netflix Releases Shadow and Bone Season 2 Trailer

Netflix has released the full trailer for season 2 of Shadow and Bone. The highly anticipated second season, which is based on Leigh Bardugo’s bestselling novels, will pick up with Alina’s newly-discovered sun-summoning powers. Alina will work toward perfecting her powers to fight against the Darkling. “The most wonderful thing about Season 2 is that we get to advance the story of these characters that we’d left in precarious positions at the end of Season 1,” showrunner Eric Heisserer said at Netflix’s Tudum event. “There’s a lot of potential for them this season.” Season 2 will premiere March 16th on Netflix.

Books About the Waco Seige on Its 30th Anniversary

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Waco Siege. These books explore the story behind the deadly standoff.

Amanda Gorman Announces Second Children’s Book Something, Someday

Amanda Gorman has announced her second children’s book Something, Someday, which will be released on September 16 by Viking Children’s Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers. With her second children’s book, Gorman hopes to send a message to young readers that everyone has the power to make a difference and create change. “I wrote Something, Someday to show that though it might be difficult, when we work together, even the smallest acts of kindness can lead to the largest positive change,” said Amanda Gorman in a statement. Something, Someday follows Gorman’s debut picture book, Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem. For her new book, Gorman is partnering with Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Honor-winning illustrator Christian Robinson. Of the book, Robinson said, “This book was an honor to illustrate, and it’s my hope that it encourages young readers to be the change they want to see in the world.”

How to Train Your Dragon Live-Action Adaptation Coming in 2025

A live-action adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon is heading to theaters in 2025. Dean DeBlois, who wrote and directed the animated trilogy, will be returning to write and direct the new adaptation, based on the books by Cressida Cowell. The new film is slated to release on March 14, 2025.

Author George M. Johnson’s Family Fights Back Against Book Bans

Queer Black author George M. Johnson’s memoir All Boys Aren’t Blue has seen their memoir banned in at least 29 school districts. But when Johnson’s family found out the author’s book was facing a ban at a public library in New Jersey, they showed up to fight against it. Last week, Glen Ridge United Against Book Bans invited Johnson to attend its library board of trustees meeting. Unable to attend, Johnson instead asked their mom and two aunts to appear in their place.

At the meeting, Johnson’s mother, Kaye Johnson, read a statement prepared by her child to defend their work: “Our books are not introducing teens to hard topics. They are simply the resource needed so they can understand the hard topics they are living out day to day… As a Black queer person, I know what it’s like to read books that don’t tell my story. So in this hunt to protect teens, does it ever cross your mind that removing or restricting this life-saving story for LGBTQ students only harms them more or how removing this life-saving story for Black teens harms them? Or do you not care? That’s really what this fight is over — removing LGBTQ stories and Black stories. If you don’t want your child to read it, that’s fine, you have every right to allow your child not to read, but you don’t get to trample on the rights of parents like my mother and my aunts.”

The statement was met with applause from the audience. After hearing from Johnson’s family and other community members, the Glen Ridge Public Library Board of Trustees voted unanimously to keep Johnson’s book and the others in circulation. 

The Dark Corner of BookTok: All the Horror Books That Scare the Sh*t Out of HorrorTok

Love BookTok? Love horror? Find the best books on HorrorTok now to scare the sh*t out of you and make you say “What did I just read?!”

New Book from Bill Watterson Coming in Fall 2023

There’s a new book for adults coming from Bill Watterson, bestselling creator of Calvin and Hobbes, and caricaturist John Kascht. For The Mysteries, Watterson and Kascht abandoned their old art styles and created a whole new style working together. The book will be available on October 10.

American Library Association Rainbow Round Table Announces Top 10 Book List

The Over the Rainbow committee of ALA’s Rainbow Roundtable has chosen their Top 10 Book List. The committee considered 298 titles in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry featuring the diversity of queer identities. This year, due to recent challenges making queer literature less accessible, the committee has decided to share their top 10 list, an annotated short list, and a list of all the titles considered. You can find the short list here and the full list here.

Read an Excerpt of Ali Hazelwood’s New Novel Love, Theoretically

Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis, is back with a new enemies-to-lovers STEMinist romance novel entitled Love, Theoretically. And you can now read an excerpt from the upcoming novel here. Love, Theoretically will be published by Berkeley on June 13.

These Books Made Us Feel So Seen

From tales of growing older to adjusting to motherhood to experiencing disability — here are some books that make us feel seen.