Categories
Giveaways

Win a Copy of THE ROMANCE READER’S GUIDE TO LIFE by Sharon Pywell!

 

We have 10 copies of The Romance Reader’s Guide to Life by Sharon Pywell to give away to 10 Riot readers!

Here’s what it’s all about:

Following two sisters in their pursuit of passion and independence, this is a genre-bending novel that is part coming-of-age, part historical fiction, with elements of mystery and paranormal. When one of the sisters goes missing, the other must put aside her books to find her—and start living.

Go here to enter for a chance to win, or just click the cover image below:

Categories
Today In Books

Mariah Carey is Writing a Memoir: Today in Books

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Little, Brown and Company, publisher of Circe by Madeline Miller.


Mariah Carey Is Writing A Memoir

According to Page Six, Carey’s rep has confirmed that she is writing a memoir. She’s been in the news this week after disclosing to People her bipolar II disorder. The news of an upcoming memoir will not only have her fans ecstatic but also be a huge push for open discussion concerning mental illness and removing the stigma. However, she’s currently in the studio working on her next album so it’ll probably be a pretty good wait until it hits shelves.

Crime Novels Are Now UK’s Top Selling Genre

Since Nielsen’s records began, this is the first time crime fiction has outsold literary fiction. By how much you wonder? In 2017 crime fiction sold 18.7m compared to literary fiction’s 18.1m.

First Trailer: Watch Elle Fanning As Mary Shelley

The film follows Mary Shelley as a young woman, 16-year-old Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin. It’s the period of her life when she fell in love with Percy Shelley and wrote Frankenstein. Alas, she was not praised and revered for her writing but found herself having to prove it was her work and not her husband’s. Mary Shelley is set to release in theaters on May 26.

 

And don’t forget to enter to win 15 of the year’s best mysteries so far!

Categories
Book Radar

Ann Leckie Announces a New Fantasy Series and More Book Radar

Hello, you glorious word hoarders! There is a ton of exciting stuff for me to share with you today, so I’m going to get right to it! I hope everything in your world is marvelous and you have something wonderful to read. Enjoy your upcoming week, and be excellent to each other. – xoxo, Liberty

P.S. Don’t forget that Book Riot is giving away 15 of the year’s best mysteries so far! Enter to win here.

Here’s this week’s trivia question: What novel ends with the line, “It is a far better thing I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known”? (Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.)

Deals, Reals, and Squeals!

cover image: a very dark black and white image of a house with shrubs in frontHBO Docs bought the rights to Michelle McNamara’s I’ll Be Gone in the Dark.

Jenny Han announced the premiere date of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.

‘New’ JRR Tolkien book to be published in 2018.

The female-led, sci-fi thriller The Hidden Girl, a short story by Ken Liu, is being adapted for the screen

AMC orders ten episodes of Joe Hill’s NOS4A2.

David Yoon’s Frankly in Love acquired by Penguin Young Readers.

Apple to develop series based on Isaac Asimov’s Foundation trilogy.

Nafiza Azad’s first book is on the way!

Wesley The Owl book is getting a screen adaptation by The Jim Henson Company.

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani ChokshiParamount Pictures is adapting Aru Shah And The End Of Time. ( I *loved* this book!)

John Krasinski is adapting Cecil Castellucci’s short story We Have Always Lived on Mars.

Mariah Carey is writing a memoir.

Clare Beams has a new novel coming! (I loooooove We Show What We Have Learned.) 

Paul Tremblay’s The Cabin At The End Of The World is headed to the screen.

Kyle Chandler replaces George Clooney in the Catch-22 lead role.

Megan Abbott’s Dare Me is coming to television!

Cover Reveals

Book Riot has the first look at Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri. (Orbit, November 13)

Here’s the look at the new Nic Stone: Odd One Out. (October 9, Crown Books for Young Readers)

First look! Ann Leckie has a new fantasy trilogy on the way. The first, The Raven Tower, is headed our way in early 2019.

Sneak Peeks

you by caroline kepnesLifetime rolled out the first trailer for You, based on the thriller by Caroline Kepnes.

It’s Frankenstein’s 200th anniversary, and there are a ton of Frank-related things headed our way, including a Mary Shelley film starring Elle Fanning.

Here’s our first look at Jason Statham as chum: The trailer for THE MEG has arrived.

Here’s a listen of the audio of Not That Bad, the forthcoming anthology edited by Roxane Gay.

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 I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week!

the descent of monstersThe Descent of Monsters (The Tensorate Series) by JY Yang (July 31, Tor.com)

The third book in the Tensorate series is coming and rejoice! For it is as wonderful as the first two books. This time there’s an escaped experiment, a lot of carnage, and an investigator who must figure out what really happened. I love these wildly imaginative stories so much!

Give Me Your Hand cover image: black background with yellow rose on fireGive Me Your Hand by Megan Abbott (July 17, Little, Brown and Company)

I adore Megan Abbott and devoured this new one in one sitting! It’s about two high school friends, a horrible secret, and a newly formed rivalry a decade later. Kit thought she had out the truth about Diane behind her, but when Diane turns out to be Kit’s competition for a new position at the lab, all Kit’s hidden feelings about their past are about to boil over.

What I’m reading this week.

a blade so blackA Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney

The Infinite Blacktop by Sara Gran

Washington Black by Esi Edugyan

Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts) by L.C. Rosen

For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Helig

Non-book-related recommendation.

Did you know Ben & Jerry’s have a line of non-dairy ice cream and it’s DELICIOUS? I eat vegan, so this is exciting for me, but my bf is a total carnivore and he also agrees they’re amazing. My favorites are Cinnamon Buns and Chunky Monkey. (Cuz you know I’ve tried them all.)

And this is funny.

Favorite Sean Penn novel joke.

Trivia answer: A Tale of Two Cities.

Categories
Today In Books

The Year Will 1923 Enter Public Domain: Today in Books

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by The Bruno Johnson Series by David Putnam.


1923 Will Enter Public Domain

In 2019, a full year of copyrighted works will enter public domain for the first time in 20 years. These works include Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie, and more. Not to mention movies and music. Get those eReaders ready and prepare to see classic characters and stories reimagined.

Talking About Comey’s Memoir

Entertainment Weekly rounded up a few of the numerous and varied discussions around the upcoming memoir, A Higher Loyalty, by former Director of the FBI James Comey. From the pee tape controversy to loyalty oaths, the book provides yet another (disturbing) behind-the-scenes look at what’s going on in Trump’s White House. The New York Times‘ former chief book critic Michiko Kakutani even returned to the publication to review the memoir.

Head Of Nobel In Literature Resigns

More news from the Swedish Academy and the Nobel Prize in Literature: Sara Danius, the first woman to serve as head of the Academy, stepped aside on Thursday night. A temporary head was appointed in her place. Of the Academy’s stance on the sexual harassment allegations against an individual attached to the group, Danius said, “Caring for a legacy must not mean an arrogance and distance to society at large.” Click here for the full story.

 

And don’t forget to enter to win 15 of the year’s best mysteries so far!

Categories
Check Your Shelf

Special Edition: Celebrating You For National Library Week!

Happy National Library Week to each and every one of you, regardless of country of origin. At Book Riot, we celebrated libraries all week long, and we wanted to send you a special edition of “Check Your Shelf” to remind you the power of your work. Find some of our pieces from this week, from posts past, and some other fun finds from this week of library love. If you can’t get the Tweets included here to populate in your inbox, click the time stamp and they’ll pop up for you.

Enjoy!

https://twitter.com/college_library/status/983357664276221952

 

https://twitter.com/halseanderson/status/983666635159560193

 

 

https://twitter.com/amlibraries/status/984475241337540609

 

 

https://twitter.com/POETSorg/status/983358884520710144

 

 

https://twitter.com/LousyLibrarian/status/983361271360827392

 

 

Grab One ASAP…

Up in the Book Riot Store, you can snag a Hogwarts House specific library-themed tee. But if you want one, you have to grab it fast: the sale ends on Sunday.

____________________

Thanks for all you do, librarians and library lovers. We’ll be back with our regular edition of curated news and pieces of interest for you next Friday.

–Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars on Twitter and Instagram

 

Categories
Giveaways

Win a Copy of THE PERFECT MOTHER by Aimee Molloy!

 

We have 250 early audio downloads of The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy to give to 250 lucky Riot readers!

Here’s what it’s all about:

They call themselves the May Mothers. Twice a week, with strollers in tow, they get together in Prospect Park, seeking refuge from the isolation of new motherhood; sharing the fears, joys, and anxieties of their new child-centered lives.

Unfolding over the course of thirteen fraught days and culminating in an exquisite and unexpected twist, The Perfect Mother is the perfect audiobook for our times—a nuanced and addictive story that exposes the truth of modern mothers’ lives as it explores the power of an ideal that is based on a lie.

Go here to enter for your chance to win, or just click the cover image below:

Categories
The Kids Are All Right

Tips for Reading Aloud to Kids

Hey Kid Lit friends!

One of the most frequent questions I receive from fellow parents is, “How do you get your kids to read so much?” My kids are voracious readers; they read while eating breakfast, they read on the subway, and they read while walking on New York City streets (with me occasionally having to confiscate their books when they neglect to put them down when crossing the street).


Sponsored by Candlewick Press

Judy Moody is the perfect protagonist for today’s early chapter book readers. The curious, exuberant third-grader is smart but not a great speller; she loves science but is also artistic; she is caring but cranky; and she’s honest. She is as multifaceted and complicated as the children who read about her. The award-winning series by Megan McDonald and Peter H. Reynolds was first published in 2000, there are now 34 million books about Judy and her little brother, Stink, in print worldwide, in twenty-eight languages. With an exciting series relaunch in 2018, a whole new generation of readers can discover this plucky heroine.


I attribute my daughters’ love of reading to all the hours my husband and I have spent reading aloud to them. My first memory of reading to my kids was way back when I was pregnant. I read Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats to my older daughter starting when I was six months pregnant. And when she was born, we read to her immediately, before she had strong enough neck muscles to hold her head up.

Two years later, my second daughter was born, and as the years went by my husband and I continued to read to them. Not just at bedtime, but all of the time. And now that they are eight and ten years old, I still read to them even though they have been independent readers for years. Yesterday on the subway we read a picture book, Islandborn by Junot Diaz and illustrated by Leo Espinosa, and at night we are reading The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt (a book that makes me cry A LOT). My ten-year-old said, “Mama, you really, REALLY like this book. I can tell because you cry at the sad parts and at the happy parts.”

There is an art to reading out loud; I heard once that reading out loud is like a performance. Here some of the tips I have collected over the years from teaching, reading to my kids, and learning from read-aloud experts:

Listen to audiobooks. There are so many wonderful audiobook narrators, and I have learned so much about reading aloud by listening to audiobooks! Here are some audiobooks with stunning performances:

Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan, narrated by Mark Bramhall, David deVries, MacLeod Andrews, and Rebecca Soler

See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng, narrated by Kivlighan de Montebello,‎ Brittany Pressley,‎ Graham Halstead,‎ Michael Crouch,‎ Jason Culp

The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste, narrated by Robin Miles

The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary by Laura Shovan, narrated by Jonathan Todd Ross,‎ Kevin R. Free,‎ Jessica Almasy,‎ Almarie Guerra,‎ Jill Frutkin,‎ Cherise Boothe,‎ Rachel Botched

Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper; narrated by Heather Alicia Simms

 

 

Check out this episode by Corrina Allen on the Books Between podcast. Corrina, a fifth grade teacher and a huge book advocate, talks through how she reads out loud to her kids and students. She gives a great example of how she differentiates between the characters, using a passage from The Wild Robot by Peter Brown.

Check out the Read Aloud Revival website! Read aloud advocate and educator Sarah Mackenzie has tons of great resources on her website, including a bestselling book called The Read-Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections With Your Kids, a podcast, a blog, and much more. She shares book lists, book recommendations, and advice on reading aloud. I love all of her resources!

Practice, practice, practice! I think a big part about being good at reading aloud as an adult is to leave any pride at the door and just get into the moment. I mean, come on. Look at the Obamas, the masters of the read aloud! Listen to how they read Where the Wild Things Are here!

U.S. first lady Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama act out scenes from the children’s book ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ as they preside over the annual Easter Egg Roll at the White House in Washington March 28, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst (link)

 

New Releases!

All of these books release this Tuesday unless otherwise noted. The book descriptions are from Goodreads, but I’ll add a ❤ if I particularly loved a title.

Picture Book New Releases

❤ Moon by Alison Oliver (HMH Books for Young Readers)

Like many children, Moon leads a busy life. School, homework, music lessons, sports, and the next day it begins again. She wonders if things could be different. Then, one night, she meets a wolf. The wolf takes Moon deep into the dark, fantastical forest and there she learns to howl, how to hide, how to be still, and how to be wild. And in that, she learns what it’s like to be free.

Mama’s Belly by Kate Hosford, illustrated by Abigail Halpin (Abrams)

As a curious little girl awaits the arrival of her baby sister, she asks Mama many questions: “Will she have freckles?” “Will I have to share my blanket?” She helps Mama and Dad prepare to meet her little sister, singing her songs and knitting her a new blanket. But the most important part of getting ready is taking care of Mama. When Mama can’t see her toes, she counts to make sure there’s still ten. When Mama’s tired, she draws her a picture and gives her hugs. An honest and gentle exploration of the excitement and anxiety kids feel when welcoming a new family member.

❤ The Golden Thread: A Song for Pete Seeger by Colin Meloy, illustrated by Nikki McClure (HarperCollins)

Pete Seeger once sang that if he had a golden thread, he would use it to weave people from all over the world to one another. That golden thread, for Pete, was music. Born into a family of traveling musicians, Pete picked up his first instrument at age seven. From then on, music was his life, whether he was playing banjo for soldiers during World War II, rallying civil rights activists and war protesters with songs such as “We Shall Overcome,” “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?,” and “If I Had a Hammer,” or leading environmental efforts to clean up the Hudson River.

❤ Fox and Chick: The Party by Sergio Ruzzier (Chronicle)

Fox and Chick don’t always agree. But Fox and Chick are always friends. With sly humor and companionable warmth, Sergio Ruzzier deftly captures the adventures of these two seemingly opposite friends. The luminous watercolor images showcased in comic-book panel form will entice emerging readers, while the spare text and airiness of the images make this early chapter book accessible to a picture book audience as well.

Magnolia’s Magnificent Map by Lauren Bradshaw, illustrated by Wednesday Kirwan (Cameron Kids)

Deep in the shade of a walnut grove stands a tall tree house. A delightful group of friends gathers here. They call themselves the Walnut Animal Society. Their mission is to create and to always remain curious. The Walnut Animal Society is busy preparing for a very special event. The Society Soirée comes just once a month, when the night is clear and the stars are bright. Tonight it is Magnolia the Bunny’s turn to share. Everyone is excited. Everyone but Magnolia, that is. It has taken her months of exploring and sketching and picture-snapping to create her latest map—a map of the walnut grove. There’s just one problem. Her map isn’t finished. Magnolia’s map is missing a spot. Will she finish it in time?

 

Middle Grade New Releases

❤ Every Shiny Thing by Cordelia Jensen and Laurie Morrison (Amulet Books)

In this beautifully constructed middle-grade novel, told half in prose and half in verse, Lauren prides herself on being a good sister, and Sierra is used to taking care of her mom. When Lauren’s parents send her brother to a therapeutic boarding school for teens on the autism spectrum and Sierra moves to a foster home in Lauren’s wealthy neighborhood, both girls are lost until they find a deep bond with each other. But when Lauren recruits Sierra to help with a Robin Hood scheme to raise money for autistic kids who don’t have her family’s resources, Sierra has a lot to lose if the plan goes wrong. Lauren must learn that having good intentions isn’t all that matters when you battle injustice, and Sierra needs to realize that sometimes, the person you need to take care of is yourself.

❤ Road Trip with Max and His Mom by Linda Urban, illustrated by Kathy Kath (HMH Books for Young Readers)

Third-grader Max is heading off on a road trip with Mom. With miles to travel, cousins to meet, and a tall roller coaster to ride (maybe), it will be an adventure! But Max always spends weekends with Dad; will Dad be okay if he’s left behind? And will Max be brave enough for all the new explorations ahead of him?

The Girl With More Than One Heart by Laura Geringer Bass (Abrams)

When Briana’s father dies, she imagines she has a new heart growing inside her. It speaks to her in her Dad’s voice. Some of its commands are mysterious.

Find Her!  it says. Be Your Own!  

How can Briana “be her own” when her grieving mother needs her to take care of her demanding little brother all the time? When all her grandpa can do is tell stories instead of being the “rock” she needs? When her not-so-normal home life leaves no time to pursue her dream of writing for the school literary magazine? When the first blush of a new romance threatens to be nipped in the bud?

A Friendly Town That’s Almost Always By The Ocean by Kir Fox & M. Shelley Coats (Disney-Hyperion)

Welcome to Topsea, the strangest place you’ll ever visit. In this town, the coves are bottomless and the pier has no end in sight. There’s a high tide and a low tide… and a vanishing tide. Dogs are a myth, but mermaids are totally real. And seaweed is the main ingredient in every meal-watch out, it might just start chewing you back! New kid Davy definitely thinks Topsea is strange. His mom keeps saying they’ll get used to life in their new town-it’s just the way things are on the coast! But after his first day at Topsea School, Davy finds himself wondering: Why is his locker all the way at the bottom of the school swimming pool? Why can’t anyone remember his name? (It’s Davy!) And why does everyone act like all of this is normal?!

 

In the news…

Q&A with Jewell Parker Rhodes (via Publisher’s Weekly)

The Silence: The Legacy of Childhood Trauma by Junot Diaz (via The New Yorker) *please be advised that there is adult content in this article*

This week I’m reading Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor. This is what Ursula K. LeGuin said about the book: “There’s more imagination on a page of Nnedi Okorafor’s work than in whole volumes of ordinary fantasy epics.” I’m sold!

My kids and I have been reading through poetry, and I adore Caroline Kennedy’s collection, Poems to Learn by Heart. We are taking Kennedy’s exhortation seriously; I asked my kids if they wanted to memorize some poems, and they did. They started with memorizing one, and they kept going.

As I mentioned before, I read Islandborn by Junot Diaz, illustrated by Leo Espinosa, and we loved it. I adore the way the book talks about memory, home, and community.

Book Riot has another great giveaway for newsletter subscribers: enter to win 15 of the year’s best mysteries so far!

FYI – If you’re looking for another middle grade audiobook recommendation, Robin Miles narrated the middle grade book I wrote, The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street. Robin Miles is a truly masterful narrator, and I feel like I learned more about my characters when listening to her read it.

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

We are getting seriously cloudy weather in New York City, and recently we got a sunny morning so Nala and I camped out by the window and read Out of Left Field, a feminist middle grade baseball story set during the Cold War, by Ellen Kluges. Five out of five stars!

*If this e-mail was forwarded to you, follow this link to subscribe to “The Kids Are All Right” newsletter and other fabulous BookRiot newsletters for your own customized e-mail delivery. Thank you!*

 

Categories
Today In Books

Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Remains Rediscovered: Today in Books

This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by Pegasus Books’ A Necessary Evil by Abir Mukherjee.


Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Remains Rediscovered

The Kubla Khan author’s remains had been moved, and their location forgotten in the church where visitors can find plaques memorializing Coleridge. But a recent excavation revealed his coffin, and the coffins of his family members, in a wine cellar located right under an inscription that reads, “Beneath this stone lies the body of Samuel Taylor Coleridge.” The church hopes to renovate the space to allow visits into the cellar.

Lumberjanes’ First Original Graphic Novel

BOOM! Studios announced an original graphic novel from the world of Lumberjanes. Lumberjanes: The Infernal Compass will explore the relationship between Lumberjane Scouts Molly and Mal. This is the first original graphic novel from the comic series; it will be written by Eisner Award nominee Lilah Sturges and illustrated by polterink. An official release date has not been announced.

2018 Man Booker International Prize Shortlist

The Man Booker International Prize shortlist of six books was released. The prize “celebrates the finest works of translated fiction from around the world,” and awards £50,000 to be divided equally between the author and translator. Shortlisted works include Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi (Iraq), translated by Jonathan Wright; and, The White Book by Han Kang (South Korea), translated by Deborah Smith. Click here for the full list.

 

And don’t forget to enter to win 15 of the year’s best mysteries so far!

Categories
Unusual Suspects

Fans’ Expectations Ruined the Chances for More SHERLOCK

Hi mystery fans! Anyone else watch the premiere of the BBC’s Killing Eve? I didn’t realize I was craving a good cat and mouse thriller until I was bummed the episode had ended and I didn’t have more. I did however know I was craving more Sandra Oh and I love her character–also, the both arms asleep has possibly, maybe, uh, happened to me. I’d say “don’t judge” but seriously, judge away.


Sponsored by American by Day by Derek B. Miller

A gripping and timely novel that follows Sigrid—the dry-witted detective from Derek B. Miller’s best-selling debut Norwegian by Night—from Oslo to the United States on a quest to find her missing brother


On Book Riot and Around the Internet:

Tana French has an upcoming novel!!!

This story about a librarian discovering the secret code elderly patrons use is delightful. And also a perfect way to start a mystery novel–hint, hint mystery writers.

Bustle put together The 20 True Crime Books On Goodreads With The Highest Ratings From Users

In news that sounds like a Bones episode: The mystery of the mummy’s head: How the FBI helped crack a 4,000-year-old case

If you haven’t already entered Book Riot is giving away 15 (fifteen!) awesome mystery/thrillers that have released this year.

Adaptation News:

cover image: a very dark black and white image of a house with shrubs in frontMichelle McNamara’s true crime I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (review) will be an HBO docuseries. It is going to give me nightmares but I am going to watch it–during the day.

If you’ve been dying for the adaption of J.K. Rowling’s Cormoran Strike novels, C.B. Strike mini series(trailer),  to come to the U.S. there’s a good chance you’re going to be happy and then a bit bummed about this news. Yay: it’s coming this June to the U.S. Possibly bummed: it’s going to Cinemax–which I’m not sure many people have? *whispers I didn’t know it still existed

Fans expectations ruined the chances for more Sherlock seasons on BBC, at least according to Martin Freeman: “Being in that show, it is a mini-Beatles thing,” says Freeman. “People’s expectations, some of it’s not fun any more. It’s not a thing to be enjoyed, it’s a thing of: ‘You better f—— do this, otherwise you’re a c—.’ That’s not fun anymore.” Ah, the joys of intense fans.

For fans of The Sinner (trailer), USA Network’s adaptation of Petra Hammesfahr‘s novel, it has officially been renewed for a second season. They seem to be expanding out from the original source material and will give the detective a new case to solve. Based on their statement about staying consistent with the feel of the show I expect another dark whydunnit. As for streaming the first season, Netflix appears to have an actual page for the show without a “play now” button so I’m assuming it’s coming soon.

In reverse adaptation news (novelization) Joseph Fink’s podcast Alice Isn’t Dead is becoming a novel. In the podcast truck driver Keisha is searching for her missing wife Alice who was presumed dead but Keisha keeps seeing her in the background of news reports. The novel will release October 30th, and you can read an excerpt  and listen to the podcast while you wait.

Interviews:

David Grann, author of Killers of the Flower Moon, answers questions on PBS.

Kindle Deals:

Land of Shadows cover image: sunrise LA city image blended into a dark street image with a silhouette of a person walkingLand of Shadows (Detective Elouise Norton #1) by Rachel Howzell Hall is $2.99! (If you’re looking to start at the beginning of a detective series it’s great–review) (A Little Q&A with Rachel Howzell Hall)

The Lost Ones by Sheena Kamal is $1.99! Just in time for the sequel, It All Falls Down, coming out in July. (For fans of thrillers– review)

The Night Manager by John le Carré is $2.99!

The Fourth Monkey (4MK Thriller #1) by J.D. Barker is $1.99 Also in time for the sequel releasing in July. (For fans of procedurals, serial killers, and horror–review)

And wow the collection (books 1-3) of Amy Stewart’s Kopp Sisters series is $3.99! (That’s ALL 3 ebooks for $3.99) (All the Books review)

My Week In Reading:

cover image: silhouette of two people in a forest holding flashlights everything washed in blue colorsI am a monster and have tossed aside a bunch of books this week, le sigh. But I am reading Steph Cha’s Dead Soon Enough–I really enjoy this modern noir series. I started reading White Rabbit by Caleb Roehrig which made me realize I can’t say no to the wakes-up-holding-knife-next-to-dead-body-but-has-no-memory plot. So far it has notes of horror and is a bit soapy, which I’m here for. And from the library–ensuring I will not have a relaxing weekend–I got A False Report: A True Story of Rape in America by T. Christian Miller. Hope you’re all reading something excellent!

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.

Categories
True Story

It’s Raining New Nonfiction, Hallelujah!

I don’t know about you, but April always feels like the month of the year where the world of books first goes from exciting to overwhelming. My “books to watch for” list suddenly seems too long, my library holds start coming in at a furious pace, and my bookshelves seem to shudder under the weight of the books I’ve bought since the new year… #bookpeopleproblems


Sponsored by The Neuroscientist Who Lost Her Mind by Barbara K. Lipska

As a deadly cancer spread inside her brain, leading neuroscientist Barbara Lipska was plunged into madness—only to miraculously survive with her memories intact.  In the tradition of My Stroke of Insight and Brain on Fire, this powerful memoir recounts her ordeal, and explains its unforgettable lessons about the brain and mind.


To keep you all in the same state of (mostly joyous) book overwhelm as I am, this week’s newsletter is going to be entirely devoted to new books coming out in early April. Here are eight that I would dearly love to Drop Everything And Read.

The Recovering by Leslie Jamison – This book is my most-anticipated book of April, and most anticipated book of the year. In the book, Jamison writes about her own experiences with alcoholism, partnered with an exploration of addiction stories and the recovery movement. If this is near as good as The Empathy Exams, it’ll be stellar.

The Opposite of Hate by Sally Kohn – As a current CNN (and former Fox News) commentator, Sally Kohn has butted heads with colleagues on divisive issues while still remaining friendly. That makes her an excellent person to explore the science, psychology, sociology surrounding hatred.

The Library by Stuart Kells – Who doesn’t love a library? This book is a tourist-y look at libraries around the world, and the stories of their creators, collections, and secrets. Given that it’s National Library Week, this one seems like an especially great book to pick up ASAP.

The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein – Books about strange jobs is one of my genre kryptonites, so of course I am intrigued by the story of “one woman’s extraordinary life in the business of death, decay, and disaster.”

The Displaced, edited by Viet Thanh Nguyen – This collection of essays by refugee writers seems especially timely right now. The contributors are from all over the world – Mexico, Bosnia, Iran, Afghanistan, Soviet Ukraine, Hungary, Chile, Ethiopia, and others – and offer personal stories about what it means to be seeking home.

The Hope Circuit by Martin E.P. Seligman – This book is a memoir by the founder of the Positive Psychology movement, exploring why he chose to study optimism, the stories behind some major psychological finds, and his personal struggle with depression. Sounds fascinating!

Sharp by Michelle Dean – This book is a mix between biography, literary criticism, and cultural history, looking at 10 women who are united by the idea of being sharp, or being able to “cut to the quick with precision of thought and wit.” Her list of subjects, which includes Joan Didion, Dorothy Parker, and Nora Ephron, looks so good!

Can’t Help Myself by Meredith Goldstein – A memoir about an advice columnist who can’t seem to get her life together might sound cliche, but I think this book sounds charming. In this memoir, Goldstein writes about her reservations about marriage and family, and the way the community around her daily column comes together in the face of tragic news.

Topple Your Digital TBR

Finally, I’ve got some Kindle deals that you don’t want to miss this month.

Want to read more Kelly Corrigan after finishing her awesome new book, Tell Me More? Her previous book, The Middle Place, is on sale for $2.99

Learn more about Zimbabwe with Peter Godwin’s excellent memoir When a Crocodile Eats the Sun by $2.99.

If chunky history is your jam, then be sure to snag Stephen Ambrose’s Undaunted Courage, a ultimate story of Lewis and Clark, for $3.99.

And as if all that great nonfiction isn’t enough, Book Riot is doing another giveaway – follow this link to be entered in a drawing for 15 of the year’s best mystery/thrillers!

Find me on Twitter @kimthedork, and co-hosting the For Real podcast here at Book Riot. Happy reading!