Author: Liberty Hardy

Happy Monday, kittens! I hope you are having a good Monday and not a Garfield-like Monday. Is anyone going to watch Shadow and Bone on Netflix? It premiered last week, but I haven’t read any reviews of it yet. (Mostly because I am lazy, lol.) I read the books, but I am not sure about watching the show yet. Let me know what you think, darklings.

Moving on: I have some exciting book news for you today. Not a lot today, but it’s good stuff. I also have a look at a delightful upcoming middle grade fantasy novel, plus cover reveals, a terrible pun, an upside-down orange fur dragon 🙃, and trivia! Let’s get started, shall we?

Here’s Monday’s trivia question: Emma Donoghue’s The Wonder is set in what country? (Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)

Deals, Reals, and Squeals!

Louise Erdrich’s The Night Watchman has won the Aspen Words Literary Prize.

Stephen King shared the amazing cover for Road of Bones, the upcoming novel by Christopher Golden.

LisaGay Hamilton has joined the cast of the new adaptation of The Lincoln Lawyer.

The International Booker Prize has announced its 2021 shortlist.

A third season of Mindhunter might happen after all.

The Grimoire of Grave Fates, a new YA fantasy novel told in interconnected points of view by 18 acclaimed young adult authors, will be published in partnership with We Need Diverse Books.

Thomasin McKenzie & Sian Clifford will star in the BBC adaptation of Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life.

Here’s the cover reveal of Dear Memory: Letters on Writing, Silence, and Grief by Victoria Chang.

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen is being made into a series by Netflix.

Book Riot Recommends 

At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and learn about a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week so you can add them to your TBR! (It will now be books I loved on Mondays and books I’m excited to read on Thursdays. YAY, BOOKS!)

Loved, loved, loved: 

The Midnight Brigade by Adam Borba (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, September 7)

This is a delightful middle grade fantasy book about friendship, fears, and chasing your dreams. Carl Chesterfield’s life in Pittsburgh changes quite a bit when his father, a bridge worker, decides to quit his job and follow his dream of owning a food truck. Following your dreams? Good. Carl’s father’s cooking? Bad. His father’s less than stellar food means that the family’s finances are in danger, and they could lose their house. But Carl is afraid to tell his father how he really feels about the food.

Carl has also made two new friends: Bee, his crush and a fellow student whose food critic mother has the ability to sink Carl’s father business; and Teddy, another student who invites Carl to be a member, along with Bee, of his monster hunting club: The Midnight Brigade. Because something really big has been leaving scratches on the bridges of Pittsburgh, and the kids think it might be a monster.

And only Carl knows what might be causing it. Did I say he made two new friends? I meant three new friends. Because Carl has a secret new friend: Frank, a 20-foot troll who lives under the bridges of Pittsburgh (of which there are 400!), who Carl accidentally met late one night. Will Carl be able to keep the truth of Frank hidden from his monster-hunting friends while also helping save his father’s business?

I loved this book! It has charm and humor, but also a wee bit of ridiculousness. I thought Carl’s dilemmas were handled really well, as was the friction between Bee and Teddy, whose divorced parents are dating. And the story of Carl’s parents and the strain of a new business and the threat of losing their home is a very real thing. And I loved Frank, who was once a proud bridge troll (but he only ate one human, once, a long time ago! He promises!) but now wanders the world because of a tragic accident in his past. I highly recommend this book for kids, adults, and teachers, especially!

(CW for mention of suspenseful situations, historical tragedy, divorce, and anxiety.)

What I’m reading this week.

White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson

Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe

Don’t Call it a Cult: The Shocking Story of Keith Raniere and the Women of NXIVM by Sarah Berman

This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno

Find You First by Linwood Barclay

Groan-worthy joke of the week: 

I was going to tell a time-traveling joke, but you guys didn’t like it.

And this is funny:

TOO REAL.

Happy things:

Here are a few things I enjoy that I thought you might like as well:

• The Chase: Somehow, I have gone many years without hearing of this game show, but now I am all in. It’s a quiz show in which contestants go up a man with an IQ of 155, who is referred to as “The Beast.” (He is a formidable man, yes, but his nickname is actually a literal translation of his surname ‘Labbett.’) I hate all the fake posturing and insults, but I love the trivia questions, because I love learning things in small, easily ingestible bits. The first two seasons are currently streaming on Netflix, and you can catch a new season on ABC starting June 6th.
• My Noise: A very comprehensive catalog of sounds to liven up the background noise or lull you to sleep.
• Purrli: This website makes the relaxing sounds of a cat purring.

And here’s a cat picture!

My little pineapple upside-down cake.

Trivia answer: Ireland.

Remember that whatever you are doing or watching or reading this week, I am sending you love and hugs. Please be safe, and be mindful of others. It takes no effort to be kind. I’ll see you again on Thursday. xoxo, Liberty

Happy Thursday, kittens. I hope you are all as well and safe as you can be. How many of you have been taking advantage of all the virtual book events are being offered right now? I am so into them, I watch one almost every day. Recently, I’ve seen talks with Kelly Link, Kevin Brockmeier, Patrick Radden Keefe, and Anand Giridharadas. It’s exciting because I can see/participate in events I wouldn’t have been able to normally, because of location. I’m going to be part of another one soon, this time with Rafe Posey on May 18th! I hope that virtual events are something that continue after we go back to “normal’. If you haven’t checked any out, I suggest visiting the website of your favorite bookstore or favorite authors to see what’s going on.

Moving on to today’s newsletter: I have exciting book news for you, plus there’s adaptation news and book talk, and I’ve included a picture of one of my ridiculous orange monsters, some trivia, and more! Whatever you are doing or watching or reading this week, I hope you good bob and we same place again very now. I’ll see you again on Monday. – xoxo, Liberty, Your Friendly Neighborhood Velocireader™

Trivia question time! Ruth Rendell wrote books under what pen name? (Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)

Deals, Reals, and Squeals!

Ava DuVernay is adapting the Wings of Fire books by Tui T. Sutherland as an animated series for Netflix.

Dakota Johnson will star in a new adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion.

Here’s the cover reveal of Saad Z. Hossain’s Kundo Wakes Up.

Emilia Clarke of Game of Thrones fame has written her first comic book!

Here’s the cover reveal of Flowers for the Sea by Zin E. Rocklyn.

Dove Cameron and Jordan Fisher will star in the adaptation of Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith.

Here are the winners of the 36th annual Whiting awards.

Disney is launching its Hyperion Avenue imprint.

Here’s the cover reveal of Nina: A Story of Nina Simone by Traci Todd and Christian Robinson.

A new documentary about Patricia Highsmith is on the way.

Here’s the first look at Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins.

You can buy (me) Agatha Christie’s home for £2.75m.

The winners of the 2020 L.A. Times Book Prizes have been announced.

Book Riot Recommends 

At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and learn about a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week so you can add them to your TBR! (It will now be books I loved on Mondays and books I’m excited to read on Thursdays. YAY, BOOKS!)

Excited to read: 

The Peculiarities by David Liss (Tachyon Publications, September 7)

I read A Conspiracy of Paper a long time ago, but must admit to not having read any other Liss books. However, between that wild cover (BUNNY!) and this description—”…absurdist comedic romp combines strange bedfellows with murderous creatures, resulting in an unexpectedly delightful consequences.”—I want to read it so bad! It’s about a young boy in Victorian times whose brother might be sinister, whose best friend has died under mysterious circumstances, and who thinks the rumors of “peculiarities” living in the London fog might actually be true. I am hoping for something like Natasha Pulley or Sarah Perry when I read it. It sounds great!

What I’m reading this week.

The Perishing by Natashia Deón

Find You First by Linwood Barclay

The Pessimists by Bethany Ball

The Neighbor’s Secret by L. Alison Heller

This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno

Song stuck in my head:

The Trapeze Swinger by Iron & Wine. Every few months, I circle back to this song and listen to it on repeat for days. It’s over nine minutes long and is an incredible story that makes me want to cry every time, but in a way that I enjoy. (Also, I’m still really into listening to songs I loved when I was young. You can listen to a lot of them in this playlist I made!)

And this is funny:

Best editor’s note is best.

Happy things:

Here are a few things I enjoy that I thought you might like as well:

• The Chase: Somehow, I have gone many years without hearing of this game show, but now I am all in. It’s a quiz show in which contestants go up a man with an IQ of 155, who is referred to as “The Beast.” (He is a formidable man, yes, but his nickname is actually a literal translation of his surname ‘Labbett.’) I hate all the fake posturing and insults, but I love the trivia questions, because I love learning things in small, easily ingestible bits. The first two seasons are currently streaming on Netflix, and you can catch a new season on ABC starting June 6th.
• My Noise: A very comprehensive catalog of sounds to liven up the background noise or lull you to sleep.
• Purrli: This website makes the relaxing sounds of a cat purring.

And here’s a cat picture!

Maybe this giant cat will shrink in the wash.

Trivia answer: Barbara Vine.

You made it to the bottom! High five. Thanks for reading! – xo, L

Happy Monday, star bits! I hope you all have had a pleasant weekend. I cannot say what kind of weekend I have had, because I am actually writing this a bit early. I’m headed to get a vaccine shot on Saturday, and I wanted to get all my work out of the way so I could just relax for the weekend. I bet you can’t guess what my plans are. SPOILER: It’s reading books! I have some great books lined up, as you’ll see below.

Moving on: I have some exciting book news for you today. Can you believe we’re finally getting a new Hanya Yanagihara?!? I also have a look at a deliciously dark thriller, plus cover reveals, a terrible pun, a naughty orange gremlin, and trivia! Let’s get started, shall we?

Here’s Monday’s trivia question: “I am a coward. I wanted to be heroic and I pretended I was. I have always been good at pretending.” These are the opening lines of what book? (Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)

Deals, Reals, and Squeals!

Steph Curry has chosen The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna for his book club.

Here’s the newest trailer for the adaptation of The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead.

Hanya Yanagihara’s third novel will publish in early 2022.

Here’s the first look at the ninth novel in Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander saga.

Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson is going to be a series.

Elizabeth Acevedo is publishing her first novel for adults.

Mckenna Grace and Lexi Underwood have joined the cast of the series adaptation of R.L. Stine’s Just Beyond.

Here’s the cover reveal of Fools In Love: Fresh Twists on Romantic Tales edited by Ashley Herring Blake and Rebecca Podos.

Foz Meadows announced a new novel.

Here’s the first look at Far from the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson.

Here’s the cover reveal of Dava Shastri’s Last Day by Kirthana Ramisetti.

Fabien Frankel has joined the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon.

Anika Noni Rose has joined the Let the Right One In Showtime pilot.

Book Riot Recommends 

At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and learn about a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week so you can add them to your TBR! (It will now be books I loved on Mondays and books I’m excited to read on Thursdays. YAY, BOOKS!)

Loved, loved, loved: 

The Collective by Alison Gaylin (William Morrow, November 2)

This is a really dark thriller, but I also thought it was really well done. (But remember before you get to the content warnings at the bottom that I told you it was dark, because there are a LOT of warnings.)

Five years ago, the college student responsible for Camille’s teenage daughter’s death was acquitted. The loss of her daughter coupled with getting no justice for her death has left Camille angry and reeling. Her marriage has crumbled, many of her friends have stopped calling, and she looks to alcohol for comfort while she obsesses over her daughter’s killer. Until the day she’s invited to a website for grieving mothers. There, she finds other women like herself to talk to, women who do not want to “move on” or “get over it.” They are able to openly discuss their revenge fantasies about the people responsible for the death of their children without fear of judgement.

And then Camille gets a special invitation: what if those revenge fantasies could become a reality? Suddenly she finds herself involved in anonymous vigilante justice, carrying out small tasks that help add up to large outcomes. But when Camille starts to worry that vengeance may not actually be the answer, will she be able to leave the group with her life?

This is a very dark, compelling thriller. It has a kind of Strangers on a Train feel, but with a lot of people involved, instead of two. I really liked how the internet and technology played a role in the collective’s work. I also thought it made great points about grief. Who decided there was a limit to how long people can grieve? Gaylin also highlights very real occurrences, such as the lack of justice for many victims. I also thought it was a great ending, but I think it’s going to be a divisive one. I am excited to hear what other people think about it! Now, here come those warnings I told you about.

(CW for mentions of child murder, suicide, sexual assault, and bullying; loss of a child, car accidents and death caused by car, murder, drowning, chemical use and abuse and death by overdose, death by medical negligence, grief, trauma, and death by falling.)

What I’m reading this week.

Seven Demons by Aidan Truhen

This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno

The Neighbor’s Secret by L. Alison Heller

The Pessimists by Bethany Ball

The Girls Are Never Gone by Sarah Glenn Marsh

Groan-worthy joke of the week: 

How do celebrities stay cool? They have many fans.

And this is funny:

This could be his author photo.

Happy things:

Here are a few things I enjoy that I thought you might like as well:

• This is a Robbery and Made You Look: I am completely immersed in these stories. Please give me all your recommendations for art heist and forgery documentaries.
• Columbo: The other day I saw a picture of Peter Falk on Instagram, and I wondered, “Is Columbo streaming anywhere?” The answer was yes! (Peacock!) So I decided to have a marathon viewing this week. I’m over 1/3 of the way through the whole series, which involved 68 episodes spread out over almost 35 years when it originally aired. I know I saw a couple of the episodes in the 1980s, but for the most part, these are all new to me, and I must say, it’s a delight. They’re so low pressure, low violence, just a lot of fun. Plus the jolt of nostalgia that always comes with watching old shows.
• Purrli: This website makes the relaxing sounds of a cat purring.

And here’s a cat picture!

Millay in the middle of the mayhem.

Trivia answer: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein.

Remember that whatever you are doing or watching or reading this week, I am sending you love and hugs. Please be safe, and be mindful of others. It takes no effort to be kind. I’ll see you again on Thursday. xoxo, Liberty

Hello, Thursday friends! I hope you are having a pleasant week. I know I am! I am eyeballs deep in a Columbo-viewing marathon and it is delighting me to no end. It’s my first time watching it, with the exception of a couple of episodes. I find it very relaxing to see all these actors I watched when I was a child in roles I have never seen them in before. And then after I watch all of Columbo, I think I’ll do a big 180 and watch The Nanny. But don’t worry, I am still reading books, too! (Who needs sleep?)

Which brings me to today’s newsletter: I have exciting news for you. (Two words: Mary Roach.) There’s adaptation news and book talk, plus I’ve included a picture of one of my naughty orange monsters, some trivia, and more! Whatever you are doing or watching or reading this week, I hope you good bob and we same place again very now. I’ll see you again on Monday. – xoxo, Liberty, Your Friendly Neighborhood Velocireader™

Trivia question time! In Rosemary’s Baby, what is Rosemary’s last name? (Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)

Deals, Reals, and Squeals!

My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix will be a movie with Elsie Fisher, Amiah Miller, Cathy Ang, and Rachel Ogechi.

Jason Reynolds will serve as the inaugural Honorary Chair of Banned Books Week.

Here’s the finalists for the 2021 Hugo Award awards.

Here’s the first look at Noor, the upcoming novel from Nnedi Okorafor.

Brandy Colbert announced her next book: Black Birds in the Sky: The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

Becky Albertalli’s The Upside of Unrequited will be adapted into a film.

And speaking of Becky Albertalli, here’s the cover reveal of Here’s to Us by Albertalli and Adam Silvera.

Bridgerton has been renewed for seasons 3 and 4 by Netflix.

The 1993 movie The Crush, which starred Alicia Silverstone, is getting a YA novel sequel.

Natalie Portman will star in HBO’s adaptation of The Days of Abandonment, based on the novel by Elena Ferrante.

Here’s the first look at the cover for Sally Rooney’s next novel Beautiful World, Where Are You.

Gabriel Bump’s Everywhere You Don’t Belong will be adapted for television.

Jane Smiley’s Perestroika in Paris will be made into a film.

Hulu released the trailer for the final season of Shrill.

Hugh Laurie to adapt Agatha Christie’s Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?

Here’s a look at early images from Apple TV+’s upcoming adaptation of Lisey’s Story, based on the Stephen King novel.

Alice Feeney’s upcoming novel Rock Paper Scissors is being adapted for Netflix.

Dracula‘s Renfield is getting his own film.

Ron Howard and his brother Clint Howard are releasing a memoir: The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family.

Book Riot Recommends 

At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and learn about a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week so you can add them to your TBR! (It will now be books I loved on Mondays and books I’m excited to read on Thursdays. YAY, BOOKS!)

Excited to read: 

Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach (W. W. Norton & Company, September 14)

DO NOT ADJUST YOUR SCREEN. You are indeed reading that right—there’s a new Mary Roach book headed our way in the fall! Nerds, rejoice! If you are not familiar with Roach, she is a hilarious science writer who has tackled such interesting subjects in past books as death, the supernatural, and space. Not much is known about this book—I accidentally stumbled upon it while looking something else up—but the blurb says she investigates what happens to “bad” wildlife, such as animals who attack people, bears that break into cabins, and more. According to the blurb, it’s “an irresistible investigation into the unpredictable world where wildlife and humans meet.” I cannot wait!

But wait! I don’t want to get your hopes up too high yet. For a book that is supposed to be out in September, I find it odd that there’s no mention of it in the catalogs yet. So I wouldn’t be surprised if the date gets pushed back. That’s right, I built you up just to knock you back down. But please know that I am every bit as hopeful it really comes out in September as you are. Until then, keep your fingers crossed, and go back and read over Roach’s backlist.

What I’m reading this week.

The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu

We Light Up the Sky by Lilliam Rivera

Bath Haus by PJ Vernon

Spy x Family, Vol. 1 by Tatsuya Endo

The Maid by Nita Prose

Song stuck in my head:

Souvenir by boygenius. (Also, I’m still really into listening to songs I loved when I was young. You can listen to a lot of them in this playlist I made!)

And this is funny:

I would like a Tyrannoborkus Rex for my birthday, please and thank you.

Happy things:

Here are a few things I enjoy that I thought you might like as well:

• Columbo: The other day I saw a picture of Peter Falk on Instagram, and I wondered, “Is Columbo streaming anywhere?” The answer was yes! (Peacock!) So I decided to have a marathon viewing this week. I’m about 1/3 of the way through the whole series, which involved 68 episodes spread out over almost 35 years when it originally aired. I know I saw a couple of the episodes in the 1980s, but for the most part, these are all new to me, and I must say, it’s a delight. They’re so low pressure, low violence, just a lot of fun. Plus the jolt of nostalgia that always comes with watching old shows.
• This is a Robbery and Made You Look: I am completely immersed in these stories. Please give me all your recommendations for art heist and forgery documentaries.
• Purrli: This website makes the relaxing sounds of a cat purring.

And here’s a cat picture!

Zevon had a very important business meeting with the ghosts up close to the ceiling around 3 a.m. yesterday morning.

Trivia answer: Woodhouse.

You made it to the bottom! High five. Thanks for reading! – xo, L

It’s Monday!!! Wow, that was fast. I hope everyone had a successful weekend of reading. I managed to get a few new books under my belt, and I watched a couple of documentaries on Netflix. (Why didn’t anyone tell me there was a He-Man documentary???) My plans for the week are to read more books (of course), find more wild documentaries to watch, and to keep watch on the burrows under the bushes in my yard to see if there are any baby woodchucks yet!

Before I jump into today’s newsletter, I want to thank you for joining me each week. Wring Book Radar is so much fun, and I appreciate everyone who reads it. (Socially distanced hugs for you all!) And if you’re so inclined, it would be a great help if you shared the sign up link with other people you think would enjoy it too. Your support means a lot to me, and I thank you.

Moving on: I have some exciting book news for you today and a look at a fun space opera, plus cover reveals, a terrible pun, a naughty orange gremlin, and trivia! Let’s get started, shall we?

Here’s Monday’s trivia question: Who wrote the ten-volume novel Jean-Christophe? (Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)

Deals, Reals, and Squeals!

Stacey Lee’s The Downstairs Girl to be developed as a series.

Here are the 2021 Young Lions Fiction Award finalists.

And here are the winners of the 2021 PEN America Literary Awards.

Here’s the first look at I Love You but I’ve Chosen Darkness, the new novel by Claire Vaye Watkins.

Two books by Kennedy Ryan are going to be made into limited series.

Here’s the cover reveal of The Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities: New Stories About Mythic Heroes edited by Rick Riordan.

Here’s the final trailer for The Woman in the Window with Amy Adams.

Here’s the cover reveal of People from My Neighborhood: Stories by Hiromi Kawakami and translated by Ted Goossen.

Here’s the trailer for the new adaptation of The Mosquito Coast.

Tom Holland will star in a new series based on The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes.

And Benedict Cumberbatch will star in a remake of The 39 Steps.

Book Riot Recommends 

At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and learn about a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week so you can add them to your TBR! (It will now be books I loved on Mondays and books I’m excited to read on Thursdays. YAY, BOOKS!)

Loved, loved, loved: 

You Sexy Thing by Cat Rambo (Tor Books, September 7)

I had been trying to get my hands on this for months, ever since I read that it was like “Farscape meets The Great British Bake Off.” And now I have read it, and it is indeed great! But I would say it is more like Farscape meets the movie Big Night.

Niko Larson is a former Admiral in the Grand Military of the Hive Mind. She now runs a restaurant, The Last Chance, with several others who had been under her command at the TwiceFar space station on the edge of the galaxy. When the book opens, the restaurant is getting ready to receive a very important food critic, whose glowing recommendation could launch their restaurant into the stratosphere. So of course, it’s going to be one of those days. While trying to get the foods needed to impress the critic, Niko also receives a mysterious package, and a huge party including Niko’s former boss requests a last-minute reservation that she can’t turn away. Could anything else go wrong?

Yes, it can! Because just as dinner gets underway, the space station is attacked and Niko and her crew wind up on a sentient spaceship called You Sexy Thing. The ship thinks Niko and her crew are stealing it, so it charts a course for the galactic prison. Niko and her crew have four days to convince the ship not to take them to jail, while also dealing with the contents of that mysterious package AND an evil space pirate. Will they ever get back to their restaurant?

This book is a lot of fun. It wasn’t quite as silly as I was expecting from the description, and the plot was a lot more intricate, but it was still plenty funny and fun! There’s lots of wisecracks, action, ghosts, pirates, aliens, politics, and foodie talk. Niko’s crew is comprised by beings from other worlds, including a 12-tentacled alien, a Jawa-like little priest with a big prophecy for Niko, and rambunctious twin brothers who shape-shift into lions. There’s also a lot of backstory involving Niko and her time in the Hive Mind, and a particular incident.

If you like space operas, talking ships, and lots of outer space action, this is a perfect read to mark down on your TBR now!

(CW for space violence and action, war, and death.)

What I’m reading this week.

Somebody’s Daughter: A Memoir by Ashley C. Ford

Bath Haus by PJ Vernon

The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu

The Maid by Nita Prose

Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart

Groan-worthy joke of the week: 

Why do bees have sticky hair? Because they use a honeycomb.

And this is funny:

I wish my cats would do this.

Happy things:

Here are a few things I enjoy that I thought you might like as well:

• This is a Robbery and Made You Look: I am completely immersed in these stories. Please give me all your recommendations for art heist and forgery documentaries.
• Star vs. the Forces of Evil: This has my favorite theme song of any show ever.
• Purrli: This website makes the relaxing sounds of a cat purring.

And here’s a cat picture!

There is no place in my house that Zevon hasn’t conquered.

Trivia answer: Romain Rolland.

Remember that whatever you are doing or watching or reading this week, I am sending you love and hugs. Please be safe, and be mindful of others. It takes no effort to be kind. I’ll see you again on Thursday. xoxo, Liberty

Happy Thursday, star bits! I hope you all had a chance to check out all the absolutely fabulous new releases that dropped on Tuesday. One could just read April 6th releases for the rest of the year and never run out! I’m giddy just thinking about it. WELL DONE, AUTHORS!

Moving on to today’s newsletter: I don’t have a lot of news for you today, but what I do have is exciting. There’s adaptation news and book talk, plus I’ve included a picture of one of my sassy orange monsters, some trivia, and more! Whatever you are doing or watching or reading this week, I hope you good bob and we same place again very now. I’ll see you again on Monday. – xoxo, Liberty, Your Friendly Neighborhood Velocireader™

Trivia question time! How many times does the word “castle” appear in the text of We Have Always Lived in the Castle? (Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)

Deals, Reals, and Squeals!

Deesha Philyaw’s The Secret Lives of Church Ladies has won the 2021 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.

Elin Hilderbrand’s Summer of ’69 is being made into a series.

Dave Grohl is publishing a memoir.

Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine has joined the cast of The Lincoln Lawyer.

Here’s the first look at Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé.

Queen Sugar season 6 adds new cast members.

Here’s the first look at the cover of Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout.

Blindness by José Saramago has been adapted for Broadway.

The Walking Dead‘s final season will premiere in August.

Four more actors have been added to the cast of Killers of the Flower Moon, including singers Jason Isbell and Sturgill Simpson.

Book Riot Recommends 

At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and learn about a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week so you can add them to your TBR! (It will now be books I loved on Mondays and books I’m excited to read on Thursdays. YAY, BOOKS!)

Excited to read: 

Fan Fiction: A Mem-Noir: Inspired by True Events by Brent Spiner with Jeanne Darst (St. Martin’s Press, October 5)

A noir novel based on actual events that happened to Brent Spiner, aka Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation, written by the actor himself, was not something I knew I wanted until I learned about it.

It’s a fictionalization of a series of disturbing letters and a mysterious package that Spiner received in 1991. It ended up involving Paramount Security, the LAPD, and even the FBI. And the book supposedly features appearances by all his beloved costars. I am first and foremost glad that nothing bad happened to him. And now I am wildly curious to find out all the details!

What I’m reading this week.

Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart

The Rock Eaters: Stories by Brenda Peynado  

Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson

Gutter Mage by J.S. Kelley

A Calling for Charlie Barnes by Joshua Ferris

Song stuck in my head:

On the Radio by Chip Taylor. This Regina Spektor cover has broken my brain. (Also, I’m still really into listening to songs I loved when I was young. You can listen to a lot of them in this playlist I made!)

And this is funny:

Someone has been adding Paddington to movies.

Happy things:

Here are a few things I enjoy that I thought you might like as well:

• Nailed It! The fifth season of this baking competition show is up on Netflix now and I can feel my blood pressure dropping just writing about it.
• 3rd Rock from the Sun: I have spent the last few years rewatching shows from when I was younger. But I am now starting the fourth season of 3rd Rock, of which I had only seen the first season previously, and I’m delighted. It isn’t that it’s a great show—because it isn’t—but it’s fun to see all the young actors (Baby Jim Beaver! Baby Linda Cardellini! Younger Garry/Jerry/Larry/Terry/Barry from Parks and Recreation!) and the pop culture references, many of which make no sense now if you weren’t alive in the 1990s. Nostalgia has a scientifically proven calming effect on your brain. I’m having so much fun, I may only watch old shows I haven’t seen for the next several months.
• Purrli: This website makes the relaxing sounds of a cat purring.

And here’s a cat picture!

Strike a pose.

Trivia answer: One.

You made it to the bottom! High five. Thanks for reading! – xo, L

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Can you tell that I am typing this even faster than normal? That’s because I am racing to finish my work so I can start reading You Sexy Thing by Cat Rambo! I have been clamoring for this book since I first learned of its existence eight months ago. It’s being called “Farscape meets The Great British Bake Off” and I could not be more excited if I swallowed a cat and broke out in kittens! If it is as amazing as it sounds, I’ll be sure to tell you about it in next Monday’s newsletter.

Moving on: I have some exciting book news for you today and a look at a delightfully demented thriller, plus cover reveals, a terrible pun, an upside-down orange monster, and trivia! Let’s get started, shall we?

Here’s Monday’s trivia question: Who was the historical figure who inspired the poet Percy Shelly to write his poem Ozymandias?(Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)

Deals, Reals, and Squeals!

Six more cast members, including Lori Petty, Daniel Zovatto, and David Cross, have been added to the Station Eleven series.

Regé-Jean Page will not appear in season 2 of Bridgerton; Charithra Chandran and Rupert Young have joined the cast.

Join in to support the Asian American Writers’ Workshop’s upcoming events.

Join Rioter Tirzah Price for the launch of her first book, Pride and Premeditation!

Sarah Michelle Gellar will star in the series Hot Pink, which is based on What Girls Are Made Of by Elana K. Arnold.

A Breaking Bad art book is on the way.

Here’s the cover reveal of The Lost Girls: A Vampire Revenge Story by Sonia Hartl.

Andrea Riseborough, Stephen Graham and Sindhu Vee have joined the Matilda remake.

Patti Smith will share new writing in a substack newsletter.

Diana Gabaldon has finished the ninth book in the Outlander series.

Noah Emmerich and Kim Dickens have joined the cast in Netflix’s adaptation of The Good Nurse.

Book Riot Recommends 

At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and learn about a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week so you can add them to your TBR! (It will now be books I loved on Mondays and books I’m excited to read on Thursdays. YAY, BOOKS!)

Loved, loved, loved: 

For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing (Berkley, July 20)

This is a viciously fun little read! Teddy Crutcher has won Teacher of the Year at the esteemed Belmont Academy, but he secretly hates most of his students and coworkers. He has single-handedly plotted behind the scenes to ruin the future prospects of a few students and a couple of his coworkers.

And then one of the parents of a student is poisoned at a school event. Were they the intended victim? Was Teddy the poisoner? It’s hard to say because HOLY CATS, there are so many people hiding secrets and so many revenge plots being carried out in this book! It’s told from five points of view, including another teacher, a former student, and a current student, but it doesn’t make it confusing at all. It makes it fun, really. It’s almost like a reality show, where the most horrible person gets away with murder.

I thought Downing’s last two books were really ridiculous, but fun, but I found this one to be even better. It’s superbly plotted and paced, and also still ridiculous. But in an awesome way. What a bunch of devious people! And there are so many reveals, you will get to the end of the book not even realizing you had heard a bunch of clues and significant details along the way and then SURPRISE! If you’re looking for a deliciously nasty thriller, this is it!

(I’m sorry, I read this a long time ago and somehow forgot to mark down my notes, so off the top of my head, content warnings for violence, murder, home invasion, illegal surveillance, poisoning, black mail, and infidelity. But you should do more research before reading it if you are worried about more possible warnings.)

What I’m reading this week.

You Sexy Thing by Cat Rambo 

A Calling for Charlie Barnes by Joshua Ferris

Reprieve by James Han Mattson

Tell Me How to Be by Neel Patel

Moon and the Mars by Kia Corthron

Groan-worthy joke of the week: 

Dogs can’t operate MRI machines. But catscan.

And this is funny:

I feel attacked.

Happy things:

Here are a few things I enjoy that I thought you might like as well:

• Nailed It! The fifth season of this baking competition show is up on Netflix now and I can feel my blood pressure dropping just writing about it.
• 3rd Rock from the Sun: I have spent the last few years rewatching shows from when I was younger. But I am now starting the fourth season of 3rd Rock, of which I had only seen the first season previously, and I’m delighted. It isn’t that it’s a great show—because it isn’t—but it’s fun to see all the young actors (Baby Jim Beaver! Baby Linda Cardellini! Younger Garry/Jerry/Larry/Terry/Barry from Parks and Recreation!) and the pop culture references, many of which make no sense now if you weren’t alive in the 1990s. Nostalgia has a scientifically proven calming effect on your brain. I’m having so much fun, I may only watch old shows I haven’t seen for the next several months.
• Star vs. the Forces of Evil: My love of all things Alan Tudyk right now has led me to another rewatch of this fabulous cartoon.
• Purrli: This website makes the relaxing sounds of a cat purring.

And here’s a cat picture!

A special order of upside-down air biscuits.

Trivia answer: Ramesses II.

Remember that whatever you are doing or watching or reading this week, I am sending you love and hugs. Please be safe, and be mindful of others. It takes no effort to be kind. I’ll see you again on Thursday. xoxo, Liberty