Category: Today In Books

Anthony Mackie Says He Wanted to Play Black Panther Before Landing the Role of Falcon

In a recent interview with Inverse, actor Anthony Mackie revealed that he tried to land the role of Black Panther back in the early 2010s. “I had been contacting Marvel a lot about Black Panther,” he explained. “I had written them letters. I was trying to find a way to make them make Black Panther. And I wanted to be Black Panther because growing up I fucking loved Black Panther.” Instead, Mackie was ultimately cast as Sam Wilson/Falcon in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the rest is history.

Soyoung Park’s New Dystopian Thriller is The Hunger Games Meets Squid Game

Soyoung Park’s critically-acclaimed South Korean YA duology has been translated into English by Joungmin Lee Comfort, and now Entertainment Weekly is offering a preview of the novel through and excerpt and an exclusive cover reveal. Park’s Snowglobe has been described as The Hunger Games meets Squid Game, and it grapples with issues of climate change, socioeconomic inequality, and personal identity. Snowglobe, the first part of the duology, hits shelves on February 27, 2024.

New York City Libraries Spared From $36 Million in Cuts

As the New York City Council’s budget deadline quickly approaches on Friday, it appears that the city’s libraries have been spared from $36 million in cuts. This news is according to a source involved in the budget negotiations. Leaders of the City Council threatened to walk away from negotiations to protest the proposed cuts. Over the past few months, library leaders warned that the proposed cuts would shut many branches down. Many voices came out in support of libraries, including celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker and Chelsea Clinton. In a statement on Wednesday evening, the City Council speaker, Adrienne E. Adams, said, “This successful outcome for the coming year’s budget is an achievement shared by all New Yorkers.”

28 of the Best Queer Fantasy Books

Find all the queer fantasy books you could ever want in this jumbo list featuring LGBTQ fantasy books.

Heartstopper Has a Surprise Planned for London Pride

The Pride in London Parade will take place this Saturday, July 1st, and Netflix’s Heartstopper has teased that they have a surprise for their UK fans at the parade. “Hi Heartstopper fans!” a graphic on Instagram reads. “If you’re coming to Pride in London, look out for us. We’ve got a surprise for you.” The caption goes on to explain that the cast of Netflix’s adaptation of Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper will be in the parade. Then, after the parade, they have “something pretty great planned for the Trafalgar Square stage.”

The USA Today Booklist is Back!

USA Today announced on Twitter that the USA Today Booklist is back after its brief hiatus. The tweet reads, “Our weekly list, which tells you what bookworms are *actually* reading, has returned with 150 titles that are flying off shelves across independent bookstores, major chains and online retailers.” USA Today says their goal with their booklist remains the same: to “provide book lovers with the best, most accurate snapshot of what people are reading by showing which titles are selling.” You can check out the Booklist here!

James Gunn Has Chosen Clark Kent and Lois Lane for DC Studios’ Superman: Legacy

Warner Brothers and DC Studios have cast their Clark Kent and Lois Lane for the upcoming Superman: Legacy film, directed by James Gunn. After months of audition tapes and in-person screen tests, DC co-chairs Peter Safran and Gunn have chosen David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. With the leads finally cast, Gunn will now be looking to cast Superman’s arch-nemesis Lex Luthor and other supporting characters, such as Kent’s friend Jimmy Olsen. Gunn will be directing the upcoming film from a script he wrote based on the DC characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

From Fan Fiction to TikTok: Long Live the Microgenre

With the rise of fan fiction publishing and TikTok, microgenres — genres that have defined and specific plots — have reached new heights.

Nicolas Winding Refn to Reinterpret Enid Blyton’s Famous Five Books for the BBC

Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn will be adapting Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books for the BBC. Refn, director of Drive, Only God Forgives, and The Neon Demon, will be the creator and executive producer of the mini-series, which has begun production. “All my life I’ve fought vigorously to remain a child with a lust for adventure,” Winding Refn said in a statement. “By reimagining the Famous Five, I am preserving that notion by bringing these iconic stories to life for a progressive new audience, instilling the undefinable allure and enchantment of childhood for current and future generations to come.”

Jennifer Lawrence Opens Up About Being Turned Down for Twilight

Recently, on an appearance on The Rewatchers podcast with Bill Simmons, Jennifer Lawrence reflected on how she was rejected for a role in Twilight and how that affected her career. “My life would’ve been totally different,” Lawrence said. “I mean, the work is still the same because I felt similar when I was doing Hunger Games. I have to churn out movies in between so that I’m not only known for this franchise. I was still in a franchise, so I was still trying to counteract the franchise-ness, and I would still be doing that if I was in Twilight.” While Lawrence will not be appearing in the upcoming Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, the actress said she wouldn’t turn down the possibility of returning to Katniss Everdeen one day.

Raven Book Store in Lawrence, KS to Host a Queer Book Fair for Adults

The Raven Book Store is hosting a queer adult book fair and pride mixer that the store says will be reminiscent of a Scholastic Book Fair. The free event will take place on Thursday, June 29, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. According to the Raven Book Store website, the event will include “refreshments, snacks, and all the queer books and goodies (think stickers, totes, and other swag) your heart could desire.” The Raven, which has queer owners, managers and booksellers, is partnering with Transgender Kansas, the Lawrence Public Library and the Sexual Trauma and Abuse Care Center for the event, with the goal of showing that Raven is a “safe space where our queer friends can come to hang out, experience joy, and simply be, with no greater pretenses.”

New Horror Manga and Manhwa to Check Out in 2023

These new horror manga and manhwa will thrill, chill, and leave you with horrifying images that will haunt your nightmares — in the best way.

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to Write a Book on Leadership

Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has announced she is writing a book that will focus on leadership rather than politics. “I didn’t want to write a book that hauled over the internal politics of the last five years, and then someone convinced me that I didn’t have to,” Ardern wrote on Instagram. “That maybe it might be worth expanding on some of things I talked about in my valedictory instead – like the idea you can be your own kind of leader and still make a difference. And so that’s what I’m planning to do.” Ardern did not announce a release date for the book, but she did say that she was working with a team of publishers — Penguin in New Zealand and Australia, Macmillan in Britain, and Crown in the United States.

Colleen Hoover Addresses Controversy Around It Ends With Us Casting

It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover is addressing the casting controversy surrounding Sony’s adaptation of her best-selling novel. Fans seem disappointed that Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni have been cast in the lead roles, when the actors are considerably older than the characters they are betraying. In It Ends with Us, Lily is 23 and Ryle is 30. Lively, who is playing Lily, is 35 and Baldoni (Ryle) is 39. Hoover said that despite the backlash, she is “extremely happy” with the casting choices and that she actually wanted to age the characters up in the movie. “Back when I wrote It Ends With Us, the new adult [genre] was very popular. You were writing college-age characters. That’s what I was contracted to do. I made Lily very young. I didn’t know that neurosurgeons went to school for 50 years,” Hoover explained. “There’s not a 20-something neurosurgeon. As I started making this movie, I’m like, ‘We need to age them out, because I messed up.’ So, that’s my fault.” Fans have also criticized Lily’s outfits in the upcoming film. To that, Hoover said, “I don’t remember describing outfits at all. I don’t care what they have on.”

Authors of Gay Penguin Book Banned in Florida School Sue Over Don’t Say Gay Law

The award-winning children’s book, And Tango Makes Three, which features a same-sex penguin couple, was recently banned from Lake County School District in Florida due to LGBTQ+ content. Now the authors of the book, Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, along with the families of several students, are suing the school district and Florida’s board of education. According to The New York Times, Richardson and Parnell’s lawsuit argues that the Don’t Say Gay restrictions violate their first amendment rights to free speech. Furthermore, they claim the school district “cited no legitimate pedagogical reason for its decision” to ban the book. Richardson said that Tango is similarly age-appropriate to the children’s book Make Way for Ducklings. The only difference? Tango has two dads. Richardson told The New York Times, “There is no substance to any claim that it’s harmful or inappropriate at any age for children to learn that we [LGBTQ+ people] exist.”

How to Get Free Books for Your School Library (And How to Use Them to Host a Book Fair)

Some tips from a school librarian on getting access to free books for your school library, and using those books to put on a book fair.

Blumhouse TV Lands Rights to Adapt Clémence Michallon’s The Quiet Tenant

Blumhouse TV is adapting Clémence Michallon’s debut novel The Quiet Tenant for the small screen. The novel, which was published this month by Knopf, was recently described by The New York Times as an “expertly paced psychological thriller.” It tells the story of a serial killer, as narrated by those close to him: his 13-year old daughter, his girlfriend, and his victim. “I read Clémence’s novel in one sitting and was riveted. The story has all the elements of a great screen adaptation,” said Jason Blum, Founder and CEO of Blumhouse. Michallon will executive produce on the project.

Georgia Teacher Fired for Reading Children’s Book About Acceptance in Class

Elementary school teacher Katie Rinderle has been fired under Georgia’s Protect Students’ Rights Act after reading a book about acceptance in her classroom. Rinderle read the international, best-selling children’s book My Shadow is Purple to her 5th grade gifted class at Due West Elementary School in Cobb County, Georgia. After the reading, the class discussed the book’s message of acceptance of oneself and others and wrote “shadow” poems to self-reflect. The district fired the elementary school teacher for introducing “divisive concepts” in the classroom, although they’ve refused to answer what “divisive concepts” means. Rinderle is now working with her union, the Georgia Association of Educators and the Goodmark Law Firm, to fight her unjust termination.

Here’s the Cover of Iron Flame, the Sequel to Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

The sequel to Rebecca Yarros’s bestselling fantasy novel Fourth Wing is coming out later this year, and Books-A-Million has tweeted the cover of the new novel! Yarros’s Iron Flame, the second book in the Empyrean series, will be releasing on November 7. It’s available for preorder now.

15 of the Best New Cozy Mysteries Coming Out in the Second Half of 2023

Grab your TBR. You’ll be adding a whole host of great upcoming cozy mysteries to it for a delightfully murder-y summer and fall.

Nimona Creator Says Netflix’s New LGBTQ+ Animated Series Has A Powerful Trans Message

Speaking to Hollywood Reporter, ND Stevenson, the creator of Nimona, says the upcoming Netflix series adaptation will keep hold of the important trans message at the heart of its story. Stevenson says Nimona “is a character with a lot of pain and anger at her heart, and that’s why she exists. When I made her, I was doing it for my own catharsis.” Nimona is a futuristic fantasy comic that was published as a graphic novel by HarperCollins in 2016. Netflix’s adaptation will be available to stream starting June 30.

Hasan Minhaj Asks Barack Obama Who Really Curates His End-of-Year Lists

In a recent interview, comedian Hasan Minhaj sat down with former president Barack Obama to discuss many topics, including the truth behind Obama’s end-of-year lists. “I need you to look me in the eyes and be honest with me,” Minhaj asked Obama. “Mr. President, when you do your end-of-the-year lists, do you really read all those books, watch all those shows and listen to all those songs?” Obama immediately replied, “I do.” The former president continued, “Look here’s the bottom line of my playlists, and my book lists and my movie lists: I am very scrupulous about making sure this is stuff I actually like… Unless I’m actually listening to it, watching it, reading it, I won’t put it on there.” Minhaj then asked Obama what would have happened if he didn’t choose his wife’s book, The Light We Carry, as one of his favorite books of 2022. Obama responded, “Well that would be foolish, because we share a bank account.”

Carnegie Medal for Children’s Books Goes to a Translation for the First Time

Welsh writer Manon Steffan Ros has won the 2023 Yoto Carnegie medal, marking the first time a translated book has won in the prestigious award’s 87-year history. Ros’s young adult novel The Blue Book of Nebo is set in a post-apocalyptic Wales. Originally published in Welsh, the book was translated to English by the author herself. Judges described the novel as “heartbreaking” and “rich with Welsh heritage.” Ros said she is “absolutely delighted” to have won this award: “I used to see the word Carnegie on the cover of my favourite books when I was a child, so this means a great deal to me.”

Diving Into the Sub-Genre of Oceanpunk

Get to know the world of all things oceanpunk with this guide to the sub-genre and some of the titles it encompasses.

Stephen Graham Jones’s Angel of Indian Lake: Read an Excerpt Now

Crime Reads is sharing the cover and an excerpt from Stephen Graham Jones’s Angel of Indian Lake, the exciting conclusion to the horror author’s Indian Lake Trilogy. This new novel sees Jade Daniels returning home to Proofrock only to find the Lake Witch still haunting her hometown. The Angel of Indian Lake is out from Saga Press on March 26, 2024.

Bookforum is Returning Months After Its Closure

The literary criticism magazine Bookforum is returning in August with a new publishing partner: The Nation. The literary magazine originally closed in December. Bhaskar Sunkara, president of The Nation, announced on Thursday that Bookforum’s relaunch would mark a return to form. The Bookforum team is confident that The Nation will be the right partner for the quarterly magazine’s relaunch. “They know how to run magazines,” Michael Miller, Bookforum’s editor-in-chief, said. “Bhaskar himself has worked on a number of magazines, and The Nation has been around since 1865.”

Marvel and Random House Announce “What If…?” Adult Novel Series

Random House Worlds, an imprint of Random House, has announced a collaboration with Marvel Entertainment for an adult novel series that will explore the classic Marvel tradition of What If…? storytelling. The series will launch in 2024 with three titles: What if… Loki Was Worthy? by Madeleine Roux will be out on March 12, 2024. What if… Wanda Maximoff and Peter Parker Were Siblings? by Seanan McGuire will be out in July 2024. And What if… Marc Spector Was A Host to Venom? by Mike Chen is out in October 2024.

Teens Provide Tips for New Dungeons & Dragons Players

Tips from teens for new Dungeons & Dragons players to make the game even more fun and exciting.

Cadwell Turnbull Reveals Cover of We Are the Crisis

Tor.com has shared the cover of Cadwell Turnbull’s long-awaited sequel to No Gods, No Monsters, entitled We Are the Crisis. The novel is forthcoming November 7, 2023 from Blackstone Publishing. Turnbull has also sold another trilogy to Blackstone Publishing. Book 1, Transmentation | Transience, is expected to release in fall 2024. Turnbull is writing the trilogy as a part of Darkly Lem, “five authors in an impeccably-tailored trenchcoat (Josh Eure, Craig Lincoln, Ben Murphy, Cadwell Turnbull, and M. Darusha Wehm).”

Ferndale Library Staff Grateful for Support in Wake of Anti-LGBTQ Stunt

Earlier this month, staffers at the Ferndale Area District Library in Michigan were surprised to discover that 35 LGBTQ books put out on Pride Month displays had all been checked out and replaced with religiously-themed books. Assistant Library Director Jordan Wright said, “Our first reaction was to get other LGBTQ books we have in the library and put them on the displays in the youth and children’s sections.” Staffers purchased new copies of the books that had been checked out and managed to replace three-quarters of the books on their own.

Ferndale Library staffers later discovered that their library had been the target of a “Hide the Pride” campaign. The library then reached out to their followers on Facebook to ask for support by purchasing books from a list of about 40 titles on an Amazon wish list, or buying the books locally and dropping them off in person. Wright says the library has since closed down their wish list and no longer needs books donated. “We got more copies than we could have possibly imagined,” Wright said. “Overall, Ferndale has been enormously supportive. We’re really grateful to our community for their moral support and their financial support.”

Bridgerton Star Nicola Coughlan Teases “Romantic” Season 3

In a recent interview with People, Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan said if she could summarize the new season in one word, it would be “romantic.” Season 3 of Bridgerton will focus on Coughlan’s character Penelope Featherington and her budding romance with her best friend and longtime crush Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). “I always look at the three seasons like this. I think season 1 was about passion, season 2 was about longing and season 3, I think it’s romance all the way,” Coughlan said. “It’s just so romantic.”

A-Z Queer YA Recommendations for Pride

From Annie on My Mind to Zara Hossain Is Here, this alphabet of queer YA recommendations is perfect for Pride month!

Read an Excerpt from Rachel Lynn Solomon’s Business or Pleasure

Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of The Ex Talk, is back with a new, fun romcom. And ahead of its release, Entertainment Weekly is sharing an excerpt from the book, entitled Business or Pleasure. This sex-positive friends with benefits romcom follows the story of an awkward one night stand that turns into a surprising business opportunity. Business or Pleasure is out from Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House, on July 4.

Wednesday‘s Emma Meyers to Star in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

Wednesday breakout star Emma Meyers has been cast as the leading role of Pip Fitz-Amobi in the upcoming BBC adaptation of Holly Jackson’s YA murder mystery novel series A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. “I am so unbelievably excited that Emma is our Pip. She is phenomenal and this role was truly always meant to be hers,” Jackson said in a statement. “And we found our perfect Ravi in [newcomer Zain Iqbal]. I can’t wait for us all to be able to watch their scenes. I smile every time I see them together, because I know that we’ve pulled off the impossible, and Emma and Zain are the only two people I would trust to bring these characters to life. Everyone’s going to be just as thrilled as I am.” The six-episode series will be directed by Dolly Wells from a screenplay written by Poppy Cogan, Zia Ahmed, Ajoke Ibironke, and Ruby Thomas.

Hello Sunshine Partners with TikTok to Bring Underrepresented Stories to Life

TikTok is teaming up with Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine to sponsor the next chapter of Reese’s Book Club’s LitUp Writer Fellowship Program. LitUp aims to “give underrepresented female storytellers funding, mentorship, and marketing.” The TikTok community will be able to follow the program on the @ReesesBookClub TikTok channel. In a statement, Reese Witherspoon said, “We are thrilled to work with TikTok and the #BookTok community to expand our LitUp initiative, where we will work together to continue identifying, elevating and amplifying underrepresented storytellers and bring their stories to life.”

The Most Requested LGBTQ+ Books in Classroom Libraries — And How to Help via DonorsChoose

Make an impact this month by supporting these classrooms asking for LGBTQ+ books for their students via DonorsChoose.

Lashana Lynch to Star Opposite Eddie Redmayne in The Day of the Jackal

Lashana Lynch will be starring opposite Eddie Redmayne in the Peacock and Sky series adaptation of Frederick Forsyth’s The Day of the Jackal. The series is described as “a bold modern reimagining” of both the novel and 1973 film adaptation while still remaining “true to the DNA of the original story while delving deeper into the chameleon like ‘anti-hero’ at the heart of the story in a high octane, cinematic, globetrotting ‘cat and mouse’ thriller set amidst the turbulent geo-political landscape of our time.” Lynch most recently starred as the teacher Miss Honey in Netflix’s Matilda musical film. She’s also set to star as Bob Marley’s wife Rita Marley in an upcoming Paramount biopic.

Jon Hamm Confirms He Was Originally Meant to Star in Gone Girl

Jon Hamm has confirmed that he was originally meant to star in the 2014 film adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl. Of course, the role of Nick Dunne in the film ultimately ended up going to Ben Affleck. But on a recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Hamm said that he was up for the role but had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts with Mad Men. “It was meant to be me,” Hamm confirmed. “But we had to film the continuing adventures of Mr. Draper.” Hamm also joked, “The main character in Gone Girl is from St. Louis, and Poor Ben, a Boston guy, had to wear a Cardinals hat. He was not very happy about it.”

Shortlist Revealed for Australia’s Prestigious Miles Franklin Award

Six authors have been shortlisted for the 2023 Miles Franklin award, Australia’s highest literary honor. Announced on Tuesday, the six books up for the $60,000 prize are Jessica Au’s Cold Enough for Snow, Robbie Arnott’s Limberlost, Yumna Kassab’s The Lovers, Fiona Kelly McGregor’s Iris, Shankari Chandran’s Chai Time at the Cinnamon Gardens, and Kgshak Akec’s Hopeless Kingdom. Each shortlisted writer will receive $5,000. The winner will be announced on July 25.

Queer Indie Bookstore Splits Profits with LGBTQ Authors

A new queer indie bookstore is splitting profits with LGBTQ authors and spreading queer joy and literacy with a rainbow book bus.