Newsletters Dev – Page 1094

Covered In Blood, Holding A Weapon, With No Memory…

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date July 24, 2018

Hello mystery fans! This week I’m going with a theme since I realized I love the trope wakes-up-covered-in-blood-with-no-memory. It gives me a few mysteries at once: Did they or didn’t they? Who is the victim? Why did this happen? Basically, I am always in when a book has this element so if you agree, or are curious, here are some I’ve enjoyed.

Sponsored by Epic Reads

These three new novels, set in the perennially popular Fear Street world, are perfect for fans of Stranger Things!

Two Fear family weddings, decades apart… Each bride will find that the ancient curse that haunts the Fears LIVES ON. It feeds off the evil that courses through their blood. It takes its toll in unexpected ways, and allows dark history to repeat itself.

In this all-new Fear Street story, family ties bind sisters together—till DEATH do they part.

Controversial Blogger Found Covered in Blood and Holding a Knife (TW it’s been a while but I want to say child death)

The Last Day of Emily Lindsey by Nic Joseph: This was a good mystery that I don’t feel got the attention it deserved. Not only does detective Steven Paul get the case of a controversial blogger covered in blood holding a knife, but she’s drawn a symbol that is straight from his night terrors. Literally! That was enough “Whaaaaat?!” to keep me turning the page on this novel with alternating storylines. One is Paul with his kind-of-in-shambles life (divorce, work incident has his colleagues doubting his capabilities, his lifelong night terrors) and the other is a group of kids who are communally parented and are trying to solve a mystery of their own. This one works well for fans of past and present, detectives, and novels that mix adult and child point of view.

If You Wake Up Next to a Murdered Man Did You Do It?! (TW date rape)

The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian: This is the predicament flight attendant Cassie Bowden finds herself in. She knows she drinks too much and she knows she uses casual sex to escape but now she needs to find out if she’s a murderer… Another story that is told in alternating point of view with suspense that had me glued to the audiobook. And, yes, that’s all I’m giving you because I liked how this unfolded and why would I ruin that for you?

When You Have To Solve If Your Sister Is A Murderer?! (TW rape)

White Rabbit by Caleb Roehrig: Rufus’ half sister wakes up to an empty house, murdered boyfriend, and all signs point to her being the killer. Hoping to clear her name she offers to pay Rufus, desperately in need of money to help his mom out, to figure out what really happened. Except Rufus is not a Veronica Mars type teenager and this night has gotten him stuck with his ex-boyfriend–who broke his heart–and he’s still not over. A good mystery with a horror body count, that has a great main character to follow as he struggles through family, relationship, and anger issues.

Twisty Slow Burn Psychological Whydunnit (TW stalking/ suicide)

The Good Son by You-jeong Jeong, Chi-Young Kim (Translator): Yu-jin wakes up in his house covered in blood and finds his mother dead. He has no idea what could have possibly happened. Slowly the novel begins to reveal Yu-jin’s struggles with seizures, his relationship with his mother, and his childhood. The audiobook has a great narrator that really puts you inside Yu-jin’s mind as he tries to piece together as much as he can to fill in the gaps in his memory. Perfect for fans of “the secrets are gonna all come out” novels.

And next on my list to read for this trope, thanks to Rioters’ recommendations, are The Blood Whisperer by Zoë Sharp and Strange Sight (Essex Witch Museum Mystery #2) by Syd Moore. If you have a favorite let me know!

Recent Releases

A Noise Downstairs by Linwood Barclay (TBR: Psychological thriller.)

Little Girl Lost by Wendy Corsi Staub (Currently reading: Serial killer seems to have killed to put a plan in place to happen in the future. (Tw child rape)

The Boy At the Door by Alex Dahl (Currently reading: Boy with no parents upends a woman’s life who clearly has secrets.) (TW drug addiction/ mentions eating disorder/ domestic violence/ rape/ suicidal thoughts/ self-harm)

What Remains Of Her by Eric Rickstad (TBR)

Hangman (Fawkes & Baster #2) by Daniel Cole (TBR)

The Day of the Dead (Frieda Klein #8) by Nicci French (Final book in the London-based psychotherapist series.)

Atlanta Noir edited by Tayari Jones (Audiobook release is narrated by Bahni Turpin!!!)

The Long Drop by Denise Mina (Paperback) (Crime fiction for fans of true crime: Review) (Sorry I don’t remember TWs)

AND we’re giving away $500 of the year’s best YA fiction and nonfiction so far and you don’t want to miss this epicness!

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And here’s an Unusual Suspects Pinterest board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And in the meantime come talk books with me on Twitter, Instagram, and Litsy–you can find me under Jamie Canaves.

If a mystery fan forwarded this newsletter to you and you’d like your very own you can sign up here.

Today In Books

The 2018 Man Booker Longlist: Today in Books

Post author By Sharifah Williams
Post date July 24, 2018

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Workman Publishing, publisher of Engineering for Cats by Mac Delaney.

The Man Booker Prize 2018 Longlist

Has been announced. Those 13 books selected by a panel of five judges, up for the £50,000 Prize, include Warlight by Michael Ondaatje, The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner, and Washington Black by Esi Edugyan. A graphic novel, Sabrina by Nick Drnaso, has also been chosen for the first time. The shortlist will be announced on September 20.

Gender Bias In The Man Booker Shortlist

Speaking of the Man Booker: AI is clapping back at misogyny in the Man Booker shortlist. Well. What actually happened is, an IBM study that used artificial intelligence found an abundance of gender bias in works shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize between 1969 and 2017. This includes stereotypes in the descriptors used to identify the characters, their jobs, and their roles in the books. Quelle surprise.

WorldCon Programming Sparks Anger

Today, WorldCon took down their original program and released an apology in response to a hailstorm of tweets and high-profile public withdrawals from the science fiction convention. Across the Twitterverse, the SF community, particularly marginalized creators, pointed to serious issues with the programming, including misgendering a Hugo finalist, rejecting an #OwnVoices panel because members don’t know what #OwnVoices means, taking private Facebook photos for use in the program…this is just a sampling. Read up on it here.

And don’t forget–we’re giving away $500 of this year’s best YA books (so far)! Click here to enter.

In The Club

In the Club Jul 25

Post author By Jenn Northington
Post date July 24, 2018

Welcome back to In The Club, a newsletter of resources to keep your book group well-met and well-read. Let’s dive in.

We’re giving away $500 of the year’s best YA! Click here, or on the image below to enter:

The highest rated books on Goodreads have been tabulated! Using a range of criteria, Tasha crunched the numbers and came up with a list of 20 of the best rated titles. It’s a really fascinating list, and could definitely be useful in book club selection.
Book group bonus: Do your members use Goodreads? Do they rate titles? Do they pay attention to others’ ratings when selecting a book? How legit is the five-star system for ratings? I could go on and on, and I bet your group can too.

The Man Booker longlist has been announced! It’s one of the biggest prizes in the literary world, and this year has an interesting mix.
Book group bonus: If you were going to pick just one of the listed titles to read as a group, I’d go with Washington Black by Esi Edugyan (out Sept. 18 in the US), which I’ve been hearing amazing things about, or perhaps Sabrina by Nick Drnaso, which is the first ever graphic novel pick. You could also do your own reading bracket and see what book your group picks for the winner, vs. whatever the judges decide!

Just need a good laugh? We’ve got recommendations both for print and audio.
Book group bonus: Biggest of cosigns on Tara Clancy, Allie Brosh, and Samantha Irby. I’ve always wanted to do Hyperbole and a Half with a group — it’s an amazing memoir. It’s funny (the pet sections, OMG), heart-breakingly insightful about depression, and a graphic memoir in a very particular style, and that’s a fascinating combination to look at.

Speaking of graphics and lit! Do you love hockey? We have comics for you.
Book group bonus: Plan ahead! Hockey season is October through April, so you’ve got plenty of time to pick a GN (may I recommend Check, Please) and then decide on a game to attend with your club.

Here’s a musical I didn’t see coming: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is in development for a stage musical.
Book group bonus: Summer/early fall is the perfect time for a fun YA reread and rewatch. How does the movie stand up to the book? How would you turn it into a musical? Or do you object to the very notion? Discuss!

And speaking of YA: We talk a lot about YA crossovers these days, both in terms of YA books that adults read and adult books that teens are interested in. Here’s a post of recommendations for anyone who wishes their adult fiction felt like their YA favorites.
Book group bonus: For the readers in your club who love both adult and YA: do you look for different reading experiences from these categories? For those who only read one or the other: why/why not?

For those planning a Spooktober read, the NY Times asked a bunch of writers what books scared them — and the answers are gold.
Book group bonus: I will not be reading any of these books, thank you very much (I am a horror lightweight), but a brave group might do a read-along of one of these pairings.

And that’s a wrap: Happy discussing! If you’re interested in more science fiction and fantasy talk, you can catch me and my co-host Sharifah on the SFF Yeah! podcast. For many many more book recommendations (including the occasional book club question!) you can find me on the Get Booked podcast with the inimitable Amanda.

Your fellow booknerd,
Jenn

More Resources:
– Our Book Group In A Box guide
– List your group on the Book Group Resources page

Check Your Shelf

Tor Changes Library Sales, Great Summer Audiobooks, and More Library News

Post author By Kelly Jensen
Post date July 24, 2018

Welcome to Check Your Shelf! This is your guide to all things book talk worth knowing to help librarians like you up your game when it comes to doing your job (& rocking it).

Check Your Shelf is sponsored by Libby, the one-tap reading app from your library and OverDrive.

Whether you’re traveling around the world or relaxing on your couch this summer, Libby, the one-tap reading app from OverDrive will make sure you always have a good book with you. Instantly access thousands of eBooks and audiobooks for free from your library in just one-tap. Thanks to Libby and your library no matter what time it is or where you are, you’ll always have instant access to your next great reading adventure.

Libraries & Librarians

A New York City library card gets holders into awesome city museums. Do you do something similar with your local cultural institutions?
This partnership between Ohio libraries and LinkedIn is really smart.
I love this idea of starting a short story club, rather than a full-on book club.
If you missed seeing Michelle Obama at ALA in New Orleans back in June, here’s the video (skip to about 20 minutes if you want to get right into it).
Spain’s National Library is sharing videos of vintage recipes. Awesome.
I love how libraries are incorporating fitness programs. My concern is that some, like yoga or tai chi, being run by librarians who aren’t certified, screams injury potential and also potential lawsuit to me (I’m a certified yoga instructor and have to carry my own personal liability insurance, outside the insurance my studio holds — librarians, if you do these programs, bring in a local expert or pay for your staff to be certified properly to CYA). A walking club is brilliant and easy, without those concerns. Imagine a biweekly noon walking group with local companies and patrons who use part of their lunch hour to get in a little fresh air.
None of you will be surprised about these things librarians do at work (this would make a great social media post).
Tips for controlling your library holds list.
A year after Harvey, a number of Houston libraries are still closed.
Libraries: where the world’s memories are stored.
Surely, you read the Forbes piece. Here’s why it disappeared. And here’s why libraries are a lifeline for millions of Americans. You already know this.

Book Adaptations in the News

Peep some of the first images from PBS’s adaptation of Les Miserables.
There’s a Weetzie Bat adaptation coming.
Netflix ordered an adaptation of Midnight’s Children.
There’s a new Jane Austen adaptation coming.

Books in the News

Tor changes rules for libraries, making them wait for digital editions of titles. Bad move, Tor.
Eight MILLION dollars in rare books were stolen from the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh.
Lin-Manuel Miranda announces a GMorning, GNight! book.

By the Numbers

The Association of American Publishers released sales data from 2017, including the categories of books seeing sales growth. Have you seen similar in your collections?
Only 1% of books published in the UK for children featured a BAME character. Diversity in the US is not representative, but this is even more disheartening.
Americans are reading less. Or are they?

Award News

This year’s RITA awards were announced. Make sure you have these on shelf for your Romance readers. And here’s a bit more about the powerful speech given by one of the winners.
The Shirley Jackson awards have been named.
Eisner winners are here, too!
Details about the Alternate Nobel and the long list.
Here’s the Man Booker Long List for this year.

Level Up

Do you take part in LibraryReads, the monthly list of best books selected by librarians only? Whether or not you read and nominate titles, we’ll end every newsletter with a few upcoming titles worth reading and sharing (and nominating for LibraryReads, if you so choose!).

This month, I’m directing you to Becky Spratford’s piece that digs into not just the database I’ve created of adult reads eligible each month for LibraryReads, but also the database at EarlyWord by Nora Rawlinson.

I’ve made the decision to make the diverse adult titles database open to all, so feel free to add titles you’re aware of to it. I’ll go through periodically and clean up ineligible titles, duplicates, etc. Click here to access it.

This newsletter goes out after the deadline for September titles, so start keeping an eye on October titles and nominate them before August 20.

This is such a great shirt. $22 and up.

____________________

See you again in two weeks!

— Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars on Twitter and Instagram

The Goods

Live to Read, Read to Live

Post author By Rebecca Joines Schinsky
Post date July 24, 2018

Ending today! Order your limited-edition biker gang-inspired tee or tank.

What's Up in YA

Excellent YA Fantasy Series, Two Upcoming Book Recommendations, and More

Post author By Kelly Jensen
Post date July 24, 2018

Hey YA Fans: Let’s catch up on book talk from July.

We’re giving away $500 of the year’s best YA! Click here, or on the image below to enter:

If you haven’t yet, go and enter to win that bounty of YA books noted above. I picked them all out and it’s a heck of a library.

Since we’re reaching the end of July, let’s take a peek at this month’s YA book talk from Book Riot. Grab your TBR list because it’s going to get longer:

Five excellent fantasy YA series to inhale by the pool (or, you know, indoors if you don’t do outside stuff).
I love this round-up of recent fat positive YA books. Things are improving on the fat main characters front since I wrote about the lack of fat teens in YA a few years ago.
Because who doesn’t need some good YA horror reads?
Same goes for great summer YA reads.
Here are some solid adult books for YA readers.
Hello from outer space YA reads.
10 of the best quotes from Blood Water Paint that feel like a gut punch. I loved this book and hope for readers who haven’t picked it up, the quotes encourage you to do just that.
Must-read young adult romances. It might be cool for those who work in libraries or classrooms to do a display featuring these books, alongside a display featuring YA books with no romance (or very little).
YA books featuring queer people of color.
Have you added these July YA titles to your library holds list?
These issue-driven YA books would make awesome limited television series.
8 YA authors talk about the myths and fairytales they’d like to see adapted.
Adrienne Kisner, author of the debut novel Dear Rachel Maddow, talks about her book.
How a school librarian used Jason Reynolds’s Long Way Down to get some of his boys to read.
Here are over 150 YA books hitting shelves between July and September (whoa!).
And finally, here are some awesome award-winning YA books to up your reading game.

For Your Reading Radar…

Two books I’ve consumed lately I want to get on your reading radars!

I’ve never read a book in YA quite like Shannon Gibney’s forthcoming Dream Country. Out September 11, the book follows five different members of the same family through the generations, doing so both as a means of documenting their history but also as a means of highlighting the African diaspora. The book begins with a Liberian refugee teenager in modern Minneapolis, then transports readers back in time to Liberia, then back to slavery in America, then forward in time in Liberia. Each of the characters tells a part of history.

This book is remarkable in what it highlights, and Gibney includes a stellar author’s note at the end, talking about the immense research and work she put into it. Liberia, many may not know, became a place that many slaves who were freed returned to; those newly freed slaves used the same horrific tools of colonization and slavery used against them to the native people. Gibney weaves this painful history masterfully.

Reminiscent of Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing but for the YA reading crowd, this has some awesome crossover appeal (and readers who love Gibney’s book or Gyasi’s book will do well reading the other).

The second book is Our Stories, Our Voices: 21 YA Authors Get Real About Injustice, Empowerment, and Growing Up Female In America edited by Amy Reed and out August 14. This anthology highlights an incredible range of voices and experiences, all focused on growing up in a divided, challenged country.

I’m about half-way through at the time of writing, but these short, punchy essays are about action, about history, and about how these female-identifying writers have challenged themselves to be and to do better in their worlds. Standouts so far include an essay by Julie Murphy talking about why being fat made her political, Brandy Colbert writing about growing up one of the few black people in her Missouri town and why the town’s history played a part in that, and Maurene Goo talking about why she is an angry woman.

The only criticism of this collection is the lack of trans women included; trans women are acknowledged throughout the essays, but this hole is one worth nothing (especially as the essays have been by women of a myriad of backgrounds and experiences acknowledging their lanes and the lanes of others). That said, this collection will inspire today’s politically savvy and change hungry teen readers.

Cheap YA Reads

Grab ’em while they’re super affordable in e-format:

Internet Famous by Danika Stone will appeal to readers who love stories of life in the fandom. $3.

Isle of Blood and Stone by Makiia Lucier features an older teen and promises fantastical adventure. $3.

If you want something with a bit of a creepy edge, Dreamfall by Amy Plum is $2.

Romance + Roadtrip + Friendship = Margo Rabb’s delightful Kissing in America. $2.

____________________

Thanks for hanging out and we’ll see you back here on Monday, where I’ll reveal your picks for best of 2018 so far (& shout out books you’d like to see more love for).

— Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars on Instagram and Twitter

New Books

Hooray, It’s Time for New Books!

Post author By Liberty Hardy
Post date July 24, 2018

Happy Tuesday! I had a ton of fun participating in the 24-in-48 readathon this past weekend. I read a lot of great books, and I look forward to the Dewey’s Readathon this Friday. Whether you make it one hour or the full 24 hours, any amount of time spent reading is time well spent! I have some wonderful books to recommend today (maybe for the readathon?) and you can hear about several more great titles on this week’s episode of the All the Books! Rebecca and I talked about How To Love a Jamaican, I Can’t Date Jesus, Jell-O Girls, and more.

Sponsored by How to Love a Jamaican by Alexia Arthurs.

Cover of HOW TO LOVE A JAMAICAN by Alexia Arthurs Tenderness and cruelty, loyalty and betrayal, ambition and regret—award-winning author Alexia Arthurs navigates these tensions to extraordinary effect in her debut collection. Bestselling author Zadie Smith calls it “thrilling” and says “Alexia Arthurs is all too easy to love.” These intimate tales take on today’s important topics—race, class, immigration, teenage pregnancy, and gay culture. Sweeping from close-knit island communities in Jamaican to the streets of New York City and Midwestern university towns, these eleven stories—most never-before-published—form a portrait of a nation, a people, and a way of life. How to Love a Jamaican, available now.

America for Beginners by Leah Franqui

A mother from India takes a cross-country tour across America to find out what has happened to her beloved son in this heartsqueezing tale. Pival was devastated to hear her son had died suddenly in California, but now she’s on a mission to discover the truth, and she’s learning a lot about him through her journey across his adopted country with her bus companions, some immigrants themselves.

Backlist bump: Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue

City of Islands by Kali Wallace

Mara is a servant for the Lady of Tides, spending her time searching for treasures to please her. Her discovery of the unusual skeletons of ancient creatures leads the Lady of Tides to assign her a mission: sneak into the Winter Blade fortress. But what Mara discovers on her dangerous mission will change everything she knows about her home and its history.

Backlist bump: The Voyage to Magical North by Claire Fayers

Silent Hearts by Gwen Florio

An American aid worker and her local interpreter form an unexpected friendship amidst the increasing violence in Afghanistan. As they both work through the war, and later attempt to rebuild Kabul, their friendship grows even as the marked differences in their lives creates complexities in their relationship. Silent Hearts is a moving, hard-hitting novel of war, friendship, and loyalty.

Backlist bump: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseni

That’s it for me today – time to get back to reading! If you want to learn more about books new and old (and see lots of pictures of my cats, Millay and Steinbeck), or tell me about books you’re reading, or books you think I should read (I HEART RECOMMENDATIONS!), you can find me on Twitter at MissLiberty, on Instagram at FranzenComesAlive, or L itsy under ‘Liberty’!

Stay rad,

Liberty

The Stack

072418-Skin&Earth-The-Stack

Post author By Natalia Heroux
Post date July 24, 2018

Today’s The Stack is sponsored by Dynamite Entertainment.

Caught between romance and cults, gods and mortals, and just trying to find a good borscht, Enaia Jin is lead down a dark path by new lovers that reveal a twisted fantasy world and her own true nature.

Kissing Books

Suzanne Brockmann’s Glorious Burn-It-All-Down Speech Transcript

Post author By Jessica Pryde
Post date July 24, 2018

Sponsored by Kensington Publishing Corp. publisher of Dangerous by Minerva Spencer.

First in a series of Regency romances from Minerva Spencer that hits all the notes for readers seeking a fast-paced story, action, unique settings, and forward-thinking characters. In Dangerous, Minerva Spencer has combined the has all the rip-roaring adventure of Mary Jo Putney, the wit of Madeline Hunter, the fun of Tessa Dare, plus blazing sensuality, an arranged marriage of convenience, a possibly murderous marquess, and a heroine who is nobody’s doormat.

Folks, it almost feels like a new year. The world is still trash, but some kind of way Twitter over the last week has made me feel renewed. When does that ever happen?

News and Useful Links

The RITA/Golden Heart ceremony was last Thursday, and there were definitely some waves:

Alexis Daria won Best First Book for Take the Lead and I’m so excited for her!
Suzanne Brockmann was the recipient of the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award and her speech was fire.
While it was live broadcast, the recording hasn’t been posted yet. If you’d like to read a transcript, you can do that!
(Don’t forget: if her speech inspires you, don’t just buy Hot Target; buy a book by an author of color and a book by a queer author.
I might be compiling a personal list of folks who are now on my Fuck That Shit list if they responded poorly to the messages conveyed.
See the full list of award recipients.

PBS is producing an adaptation of Sanditon, Jane Austen’s unfinished, final novel, for Masterpiece.

Shonda Rhimes recently announced her upcoming projects with Netflix, and I have mixed emotions about the Bridgertons announcement. Shonda creates universes filled with people of all sorts, and Julia Quinn, however entertaining her books are, does not do that. I look forward to seeing what Netflix does with it?

Buzz Books 2018: Romance is out. Check out some previews from Shelly Laurenston, Priscilla Oliveras, Meg Tilly (!!!), and more.

Another week, another interview from Corey. This time, it’s with Cole McCade. His new book, Over and Over Again, came out this week.

Libro.fm is starting a new audiobook romance program! Have you checked it out yet?

Passes went on sale for next year’s BookLovers’ Con (the official replacement of RT Booklovers Con) on Monday. Have you gotten yours yet? The lineup is pretty fantastic.

And if that wasn’t enough, it looks like some end might be in sight for #cockygate. The most recent case has ended on a positive note, and it looks like the trademark will be cancelled. Let’s hope all the fallout that has come from this has been contained.

Deals

Delicious Temptation by Sabrina Sol is 99 cents!

Diana Muñoz Stewart’s I Am Justice is 1.99. Sisterhood of vigilante assassins, folks.

If you need more romantic suspense, Susan Brown’s The Crush is 2.99.

How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks is 99 cents, too! (If you need fun in your life.)

Over on Book Riot

Romance conventions are awesome. Have you ever been to one?

Why do we love heartbreaking romances so much? (And of course, we mean romances with a definite HEA but break us on the way there.) Let’s talk about a few that really work.

Avon announced a new partnership with RWA: the Beverly Jenkins Diversity Sponsorship.

Romances with Muslim protagonists? Yes, please.

Recs!

Has extreme hype ever turned you off from a book? That’s not what happened to me with this one—I just hadn’t gotten to it yet. But I do know several people who are avoiding it because it’s so popular, and couldn’t possibly live up.

I’m here to tell you that (in this case, at least) this is the wrong idea.

The Kiss Quotient
Helen Hoang

Stella has a dilemma. Her parents are warning her that they’re ready for grandchildren. They know she doesn’t like surprises, so they want to get her ready. There’s only one problem: Stella isn’t married. She doesn’t have a spouse, or significant other of any kind. She’s not very good at relationships. She’s abrupt, straighforward, and doesn’t always pick up subtle nuances. Many (though not all) people on the autism spectrum display these characteristics.

Stella’s biggest problem is that she isn’t good at sex. Maybe if she’s better at that, she can get the right kind of man. So she hires Michael, an escort working to provide extra support for his family, who’s going through some tough times. Michael is intrigued by Stella, and surprises himself by accepting her proposal to be her sex tutor. But eventually, she wants something more: a practice boyfriend.

That’s right.

A practice boyfriend.

Did someone say fake relationship? I think someone said fake relationship.

So yeah. This one’s magnificent, and definitely gives you that Captain America right-in-the-feels GIF in person.

But.

I will warn you: if you are on the spectrum or have any traits of neurodiversity (hell, even if you’re on the severe end of the introvert scale), there are scenes so vivid they could trigger…something. There’s a scene where Stella suffers from overstimulation, and I had to stop reading for a minute, just to pull myself together. Just a heads up.

newer cover of a girl like her by talia hibbert (Also, this is definitely not a perfect book; there are a few things that have been brought up in other reviews, like both characters’ shame in their situations—her autism and his sex work. If that’s a thing you don’t think you can read past, this might not be the book for you and that’s perfectly fine.)

When you’ve finished this one, if you haven’t read Talia Hibbert’s A Girl Like Her yet, that’s definitely the direction to go for more #ownvoices rep of an autistic woman. And it has a new cover!

New and Upcoming Releases

Casting Lacey by Elle Spencer (another fake relationship!)
Sweet on the Greek by Talia Hibbert (someday I will stop talking about her but today is not that day)
Cooper’s Charm by Lori Foster
Ghosted by Rosie Walsh
Imperial Stout by Layla Reyne
Brave for You by Crystal Lacy (July 27)
Dr. Strange Beard by Penny Reid (July 30)
Room Service by Rochelle Alers (July 31)
A Duke By Default by Alyssa Cole (July 31)(!!!!1!!)

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at jessica@riotnewmedia.com if you’ve got feedback or just want to say hi!

The Kids Are All Right

New Children’s Book Releases for July 24, 2018!

Post author By Karina Glaser
Post date July 23, 2018

Hey Kid Lit friends,

Interestingly, there are a few new picture books featuring cats coming out today. Also, books with Halloween themes and scary stories. Check out these new releases, all fresh on the bookshelves today. The book descriptions are from Goodreads, but I’ll add a if I particularly loved a title.

We’re giving away $500 of the year’s best YA! Click here, or on the image below to enter:

Picture Book New Releases

Cat Wishes by Calista Brill, illustrated by Kenard Pak

There’s no such thing as a wish.

Or is there?

In this playful fairy tale, ever-skeptical Cat learns that wishes can come true—and not always in the ways we expect. After all, true magic lies in our connections with others, not just in the wishes we make.

The Orca Scientists by Kim Perez Valice, with photographs by Andy Comins and the Center for Whale Research

Orcas have a reputation for being bloodthirsty, but that myth is being debunked as scientists learn more about these “killer” animals. Readers follow scientists in the Pacific Northwest who study the nuanced communication patterns, family structure, and socialization of orca whales, from marine biologists to specialists in the study of sound. With stunning photography and attention to field-based detail, The Orca Scientists paints a vivid picture of the individuals who have made it their life’s work to better understand orcas, as well as the whales they are helping to avoid extinction.

Big Box, Little Box by Caryl Hart, illustrated by Edward Underwood

Big box, little box
Shoe box, hat box . . .
Perfect for a cat box!

Join one cool cat and lots of fun boxes in this charming take on curiosity and friendship.

Bear’s Spooky Book of Hidden Things by Gergely Dudas

On Halloween night, Bear is hoping for all treats and no tricks. And he’d like lots of his very favorite treat: honeycomb! Bear is off on an adventure—through a pumpkin patch and a haunted house and a corn maze—to search for this sweet. Can YOU help Bear sort through all the tricks to uncover where his treat is hidden?

Lots of Cats by E. Dee Taylor

Margaret the witch is about to find out that taking care of a bunch of lively cats sounds like lots of fun…but it could turn out to be lots of trouble! In her debut as author-illustrator, E. Dee Taylor brings this magical book to life with humor, lots to spot in the art, and a great read-aloud rhythm.

Creature vs. Teacher: A Book of Rhyme by T. Nat Fuller, illustrated by Alex Eben Meyer

Playing on the popularity of benign monsters and mad scientists, Creature vs. Teacher is a gently irreverent book of rhymes with a deft narrative and a theme that is perfect for Halloween.

Middle Grade New Releases

Next Best Junior Chef: The Winner Is… by Charise Mericle Harper

Two talented junior chefs have sliced and diced their way into the finale of Next Best Junior Chef. This week’s theme: innovation. Which junior chef will rise to the top and earn the title of Next Best Junior Chef? And whose goose is cooked? Two contestants compete on- and off-camera, but only one will win the whole enchilada. This is a finale you won’t want to miss!

Babymouse Tales from the Locker: Miss Communication by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

Ping! Ping! The sound of texting is in the air. Everyone at middle school has a cell phone. Babymouse just has to get one, too. But having a phone is a lot of work! Building up a following on SoFamous, learning text lingo, keeping up with all the important koala videos . . . Babymouse is ready to tear her whiskers out. Why does it suddenly feel like she has no friends? Somehow, Babymouse needs to figure out how to stop worrying and love her smartphone . . . if Locker doesn’t eat it first.

Denis Ever After by Tony Abbott

Denis Egan is dead.

He’s okay with that. It’s been five years since he died, and the place where souls go is actually pretty nice. Sure, there are some things about his life and how it ended he can’t quite recall, but that’s how it’s supposed to be. Remembering could prevent Denis from moving on to whatever’s next. However, something is standing in his way. His twin brother Matt can’t let go of him, and as long as the living are holding on to his memory, Denis can’t rest in peace.

R.L. Stein Presents Scream and Scream Again! Spooky Stories from Mystery Writers of America

Read it if you dare! With twenty never-before-published scary stories from some of the most popular authors today—including Chris Grabenstein, Wendy Corsi Staub, Heather Graham, Peter Lerangis, R.L. Stine, Bruce Hale, Emmy Laybourne, Steve Hockensmith, Lisa Morton, Ray Daniel, Beth Fantaskey, Phil Mathews, Carter Wilson, Doug Levin, Jeff Soloway, Joseph S. Walker, Alison McMahan, Daniel Palmer, Tonya Hurley, and Stephen Ross—it’s sure to leave readers screaming for more.

The Turning by Emily Whitman

Aran has never truly fit in with his selkie clan. He was born in his human form, without a pelt to transform him into a sleek, strong seal. Each day he waits, left behind while his selkie family explores the deep ocean. What if his pelt never comes? Does the Moon even see him? Is he putting his clan at risk? When his mother undertakes a journey to the far north to seek help, Aran is left in the care of a reclusive human woman on remote Spindle Island. Life on land is full of more wonders—and more dangers—than Aran could have ever imagined. Soon Aran will be forced to decide: will he fight for his place on land, or return to his home in the sea?

Nightbooks by J.A. White

Alex’s original hair-raising tales are the only thing keeping the witch Natacha happy, but soon he’ll run out of pages to read from and be trapped forever. He’s loved scary stories his whole life, and he knows most don’t have a happily ever after. Now that Alex is trapped in a true terrifying tale, he’s desperate for a different ending—and a way out of this twisted place.

City of Islands by Kali Wallace

In a foggy archipelago called the City of Islands, twelve-year-old Mara has always been fascinated by the magic that drifts on the air as songs. But as a servant for the powerful Lady of the Tides, Mara must earn her keep by searching for magical treasures deep in the murky ocean. Then Mara finds the skeletons of strange hybrid creatures that haven’t existed in the city for centuries—all humming with a powerful spell-song. Convinced her discovery will earn her the opportunity to study magic, Mara shares them with the Lady. But instead of a reward, the Lady gives Mara a new challenge: to sneak into the island fortress, the Winter Blade.

Backlist Book Recommendations

Picture Book Recommendation: The Three Questions by Jon J. Muth

Young Nikolai is searching for the answers to his three questions:
When is the best time to do things?
Who is the most important one?
What is the right thing to do?
But it is his own response to a stranger’s cry for help that leads him directly to the answers he is looking for.
This profound and inspiring book is about compassion and being engaged in each moment.
With his stunning watercolors — and text that resounds with universal truths, Jon J Muth has transformed a story by Leo Tolstoy into a timeless fable for readers of every age!

Note from Karina: I heard my daughter and her teacher read this out loud to each other the other day, and I loved revisiting this old favorite. It’s a beautiful story about what it means to be alive and to do good in the world.

Middle Grade Recommendation: Drawing from Memory by Allen Say

Drawing from Memory is Allen Say’s own story of his path to becoming the renowned artist he is today. Shunned by his father, who didn’t understand his son’s artistic leanings, Allen was embraced by Noro Shinpei, Japan’s leading cartoonist and the man he came to love as his “spiritual father.” As WWII raged, Allen was further inspired to consider questions of his own heritage and the motivations of those around him. He worked hard in rigorous drawing classes, studied, trained–and ultimately came to understand who he really is.

Note from Karina: This is packaged like a picture book, but it is geared more for middle grade readers and up. Part graphic novel and part picture book, this memoir is gorgeous and tells so much about the life of the gifted artist and children’s book maker Allen Say.

I’d love to know what you are reading this week! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.

Until next week!
Karina

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