Categories
Kissing Books

Smash the Patriarchy, Read Romance

Well, the total eclipse of the heart has finally happened, and now we can move on with our lives (and hopefully, with our eyes intact as well).

Sponsored by The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare

Since his return from war, the Duke of Ashbury has continued to seek justice, menacing London ne’er-do-wells by night. But now he is needs an heir – and a wife to produce one. When seamstress Emma Gladstone appears in his library wearing a wedding gown, he decides immediately that she’ll do. His terms are simple: they will be husband and wife by night only, and once she’s pregnant with his heir, they never need share a bed again. But Emma is no pushover, and once she’s seen the man beneath the scars, he can’t stop her from falling in love.

Looking for ways to drop your well earned money? Here are a few things you can try:

  • The Ripped Bodice now has a Patreon! Support them from afar (and get a few perks) and keep the love alive whether you can get to the brick and mortar shop or not.
  • Smart Bitches, Trashy Books has all kinds of new merch, including the awesome Slayer of Words t-shirt, mug, etc., proceeds for which will go to Doctors Without Borders, Beverly Jenkins’ charity of choice
  • They also have these excellent “Smash the Patriarchy, Read Romance” mugs.

In other news, there is apparently going to be a romance anthology based on Alexander Hamilton’s battalion coming soon. You will definitely hear from me when there is more to share.

In…less exciting news, there has been some discussion about a forthcoming book announced by Carina Press in which an educator starts a romantic relationship with a student. The publishing company has since announced that they will be reviewing the book for sensitivity, but a lot of people think it shouldn’t even have gotten past the pitch phase, what with the whole high school teacher/student thing, even if the student is not a minor. I’ve been known to pick up taboo, but I am personally not down for that particular one (probably in part because I have worked at a high school and that is not a level of trust I could see any of my teachers breaking). What do you think?

Bustle has been recognizing Romance Awareness Month, and has been posting some pretty awesome articles, including this one in romance authors’ own words.

Speaking of romance authors’ own words, the daily posts on the Read a Romance Month site are great for anyone, whether you’re a romance reader or not. They’re particularly great when you need something heartwarming and pick-me-up-y.

Over on Book Riot:

Erin recommended a few historical romances for people who get tripped up by the language and terminology in historicals.

Danika wrote about how Harry Potter helped guide her on her own queer journey, courtesy of Draco/Harry fanwork.

Rachel pulled together a fantabulous list of things (more things!) you can add to your collection in a special romance edition of Book Fetish. (PS–NSFW!)

And finally, while it’s not directed at romance readers, we could all do more to support our favorite authors. Here’s a quick list of things we can do!

And now, recs!

I’ve been in a sort of “real American heroes” mode, recently, so here are a few recs of books featuring military men across American history!

Be Not Afraid
Alyssa Cole

Named for the words allegedly said by Crispus Attucks, the man of African and Wampanoag descent who shed the first blood for the Revolution, Be Not Afraid tells the story of Elijah and Kate, two people on opposite sides of the American Revolution for very different reasons. Elijah fights for the Patriots, having made a deal with his owner to fight in his stead in exchange for land, livestock, and freedom. Kate, on the other hand, is one of many enslaved people who have taken the Brits up on their offer to manumit them if they join their side. The love story is brief but heartfelt, and my only issue with the story is just that—it’s TOO SHORT. It was written as part of a Revolutionary anthology, For Love & Liberty.

Through the Storm
Beverly Jenkins

When we first meet Raimond Le Veq and Sable Fontaine (if you’ve read Forbidden you might be familiar with the latter), the pair are on separate paths. Raimond is a high ranking officer in the Union Army (confusing white soldiers to no end) and Sable is ready to be free. Fate throws them into each other’s paths as they each serve the Union in their own ways, until they meet again after the war. Their situation in New Orleans is incredibly different from where they found themselves in battle, but Sable takes to the Gens du Colour society—and the Le Veq family in particular—like a pro. If only the pair could get over themselves enough to make their love work.

North To You
Tif Marcelo

This one goes a bit of a different route than the historicals. In San Francisco, Camille Merino runs a food truck that is a culmination of her dreams. While checking out a food-centered event, she literally runs into an old flame, and the heat is still there. Drew Bautista is in town on leave from the Army, ready to help his family rebrand their restaurant. He’s hoping that this month will help restore his relationship with his father, who has never accepted that he joined the Army instead of the family business. Every relationship in this book is magical, from siblings to parents to friends, and there are recipes for Filipino food in the back matter. Just so you know.

Dear Aaron
Mariana Zapata

Do you like the slowest of slow burns? This is the book for you. At nearly five hundred pages, it’s the longest of the book recs this week, though the first half is written correspondence—letters, emails, IMs, etc. Ruby has “adopted” a soldier for letters and care packages, having learned from a sibling that Army life is pretty lonely. Aaron is deployed somewhere—she isn’t sure where. After a rocky start, the pair easily outstrip the assigned one email a week and maybe a care package, and even without prose, their feelings for each other are apparent to the reader (even if they aren’t quite as apparent to Ruby). If you like hopeless characters who just need to talk to each other (and eventually do), this is your story. Zapata also doesn’t shy away from including talk of deployment, military life, and the necessary life decisions that might come up as a soldier.

Currently Reading:

The Unsung Hero
Suzanne Brockmann

Okay, so there are 20 Troubleshooters books, and I’ve had the first one for years. Being still in the mood, I decided to try it out. Navy SEAL Tom Paoletti is on leave after a head injury on the job, and there’s no better place to spend some of it than with his granduncle, Joe. Of course, time with Joe means time with his BFF Since The War (double-yew, double-yew, eye, eye), Charles, who has terminal cancer. Tom can’t help but hope that he might run into Charles’ daughter, Kelly. So far in my reading Brockmann is primarily setting the scene, with Tom having spotted an international terrorist while on recovery leave, but I hear there’s going to be some shenanigans, so here’s looking at you, kid.

Deals!

Are you ready for a new segment of Kissing Books? Here are a few choice books that are currently deal-priced on Amazon!

CD Reiss’s Bombshell is 1.99 right now! I don’t usually go for nanny/single father, but this one was so fricking sweet.

A Bollywood Affair, by Sonali Dev, is 2.99 right now. It’s the perfect blend of angst and “aww” and will set you upon the path of reading everything Sonali has out right now—which at last count is only at three, but there’s another coming out next year.

180 Seconds by Jessica Park is 1.99. (Okay, this is the last famous person/not famous person deal.)

And if Through the Storm wasn’t enough Civil War/awesome women doing awesome things for you, Alyssa Cole’s An Extraordinary Union is 2.99!

How often do you find Gilded Age romance? Joanna Shupe’s Magnate, the first in her Knickerbocker series, is 1.99.

Recent and Upcoming Releases:

And finally, some books that have recently come out or are coming out soon:

Heat Wave, Elyse Springer

Spectred Isle, KJ Charles

The Duchess Deal, Tessa Dare

Mr. Big, Delancey Stewart (8/29)

My Fair Lover, Nicole Jordan (8/29)

Breakfast in Bed, Rochelle Alers (8/29)

Deacon, Kit Rocha (8/29)

Sanctuary, Rebekah Weatherspoon (8/29)

Okay, so that’s a lot. I’ve got to get back to reading, and I’m sure you do, too.

In the meantime, 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!

Categories
New Books

Middle School Rocks, Middle Age Slumps, and More New Books!

Today is an AMAZING day for books! The last book in William Ritter’s Jackaby series hits the shelves, Sue Grafton is finally on ‘Y‘ in the Kinsey Malone series, and it’s the release day of what will probably be my favorite book of the year: The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne!

I have a few fantastic new titles to tell you about here today, and as always, you can also hear about several more great books on this week’s episode of the All the Books! Rebecca and I talked about a few amazing books we loved, including The Heart’s Invisible Furies, Stay With Me, and The Futilitarians .

This week’s newsletter is sponsored by Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin.

From the bestselling author of The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry comes another perfect fable for our times — a story about women, choices, and recovering from mistakes. Young Jane Young’s heroine is Aviva Grossman, a Congressional intern who makes the life-changing mistake of having an affair with her married boss — and blogging about it. She becomes a talk-show punchline; she is slut-shamed. How does one go on after this? A smart, funny, and moving novel about what it means to be a woman of any age, Young Jane Young captures our current political climate and the double standards of life for women.

the first rule of punkThe First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez

As if moving to a new school isn’t hard enough, twelve-year-old Malú accidentally crosses the school’s queen bee and violates the dress code on the first day. Malú wants to live by her father’s advice to be herself, but it’s hard when she’s told being herself doesn’t work at this school. So she does something she knows will help her feel better: she starts a punk band with a group of other misfits. This is a charming book about fitting in and fighting for what you believe.

Backlist bump: Ask My Mood Ring How I Feel by Diana López

the arsonistThe Arsonist by Stephanie Oakes

Holy cats, there is so much going on in this book, it’s almost easier to just wave Muppet arms and yell, “READ IT!” than to explain it. But let me try: Molly is a teenager with a father on death row. Pepper is a Kuwaiti immigrant with epilepsy and the world’s laziest seizure dog. And Ava is a long-dead resistance fighter. Here’s how they go together: When Molly receives a mysterious package, it leads her to Pepper and a chance to solve Ava’s decades-old murder. As they race to find all the pieces of the puzzle, they’ll realize that maybe someone is leading them to the answers for their own reasons, and perhaps the answers they find are for different questions entirely. This is a big, weird, twisty novel, and I loved it!

Backlist bump: The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes

eastman was hereEastman Was Here by Alex Gilvary

It is 1973 and Alan Eastman’s life is crumbling apart. His wife has taken their children and left him, he’s now living with his mother in New Jersey, and he feels like his best years are behind him. When he receives a call from an old rival with a job opportunity to cover the end of the Vietnam War, he sees it as a chance at redemption. But once he reaches Saigon, Eastman learns that wherever you go, there you are: He’s the same person with the same problems, just in a different country. Eastman Was Here is a darkly humorous, poignant novel about aging, love, and keeping up with a changing world, from one of today’s best young writers.

Backlist bump: From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant by Alex Gilvary

(Also out today is Brian May’s book about Queen, called Queen in 3-D, which I haven’t seen yet but I am going to buy the hell out of it! I figured some of you would also be excited about this news.)

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 Litsy under ‘Liberty’!

Stay rad,

Liberty

Categories
This Week In Books

Harry Potter Character Myers-Briggs Personality Types: This Week in Books

Which Harry Potter Character Myers-Briggs Type Are You?

Well I did not expect to get Hagrid, but you are who you are. Now where did I put that baby dragon? Geekology designed a fun and fantastic Harry Potter MBTI chart. If you don’t know your Myers-Briggs type, there’s also a link to the test on the page. Are you sweet-natured, gullible INFP Luna Lovegood? Pessimistic, self-confident INTJ Draco Malfoy? Only one way to find out.

I Hate Chemistry, But I Love This Periodic Table Of Literary Villains

It’s a chart frenzy, my friends! I would need the after-school tutorial to properly understand these elements if this periodic table of literary villains wasn’t pure entertainment. The funnest part (for us, not for them)? They’re ranked here according to a version of Dante’s circles of hell. Clever, clever book nerds. See where classic villains, including Grendel and his mother, Count Dracula, and Lady Macbeth, fit in.

N.K. Jemisin Is On Fire

The news this week was that N.K. Jemisin won her second Hugo in a row for Best Novel, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished by an author since Lois McMaster Bujold won in 1991 and 1992. Jemisin, who won the award for The Obelisk Gate this year, also became the first black person to win the Hugo award for Best Novel with the first book in The Broken Earth trilogy, The Fifth Season. Jemisin’s win, and the strong showing from women this year, came as a huge relief after the nightmare of the puppies… (Psst! This wasn’t in the Hugo news, but we also learned that The Fifth Season is going to be adapted for television!)

White Supremacists Harass Bookstore

Where on the villains chart shall we place the “alt-right” trolls who entered radical bookstore Bluestockings to plant copies of Milo Yiannopoulos’ book on their shelves, and proceeded to act aggressively toward staffers when they were asked to leave? The individuals made taunting statements, and baited the volunteer staffer to call the police. Meanwhile, Bluestockings responded admirably and posted a statement detailing the awful situation. Let’s put the trolls next to Satan on the chart–“Not today!”

Thank you to If The Creek Don’t Rise by Leah Weiss for sponsoring this week’s newsletter.

Sadie Blue has been a wife for fifteen days. That’s long enough to know she should have never hitched herself to Roy Tupkin, even with the baby.

Sadie is desperate to make her own mark on the world, but in remote Appalachia, a ticket out of town is hard to come by, and hope often gets stomped out. When a stranger sweeps into Baines Creek and knocks things off kilter, Sadie finds herself with an unexpected lifeline…if she can just figure out how to use it.

Categories
Giveaways

Win a Copy of THE CLOCKWORK DYNASTY by Daniel Wilson!

 

We have 10 ARCs of The Clockwork Dynasty by Daniel Wilson to give away to 10 Riot readers!

Here’s what it’s all about:

An ingenious new thriller that weaves a path through history, following a race of human-like machines that have been hiding among us for untold centuries, written by the New York Times bestselling author of Robopocalypse.

Get it here or just click the cover image below:

Categories
Riot Rundown

082017-PortraitOfVengeance-Riot-Rundown

Today’s Riot Rundown is sponsored by PORTRAIT OF VENGEANCE by Carrie Stuart Parks.

Gwen Marcey has done a good job keeping the pain of her past boxed up, but as she investigates the case of a missing child in Lapwai, Idaho, details surface that are eerily similar to her childhood traumas. What’s going on?
No one knows more about the impact of the past than the Nez Perce people of Lapwai. Gwen is an unwelcome visitor to some, making her investigation more difficult. Questions pile up, answers come slow—and the clock is ticking for a missing girl.
As Gwen’s past and present collide, she’s in a race for the truth.

Categories
Swords and Spaceships

Swords and Spaceships Aug 25

Happy Friday, cyborgs and centaurs! I’m writing this a week in advance as I prepare to go on a 10-day family vacation, so instead of news we’re focusing on reading lists! Today we’ve got a pair of teenage superheroes courtesy of Dreadnought and The Epic Crush of Genie Lo, mythological reads, Italian speculative fiction, and more.

cover of The Dire King by William RitterThis newsletter is sponsored by The Dire King by William Ritter.

In the epic conclusion to the bestselling Jackaby series, the Sherlockian detective of the supernatural and his indispensable assistant, Abigail Rook, face off against their most dangerous, bone-chilling foe ever. EntertainmentWeekly.com calls the series “fast-paced and full of intrigue.” The Dire King is filled with everything fans could hope for: new mythical creatures, page-turning action, surprising plot twists, romance, and an apocalyptic battle that will determine the fate of the world.

While you’re waiting for American Gods to come back, here are some other books based on gods and mythology to keep you occupied. I am delighted to cosign Hot as Hades, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, Servant of the Underworld, and The Song of Achilles. (The others I just haven’t read yet — must get on that.)

For the internationally inclined, here’s some speculative fiction translated from Italian. 13th century Sardinia plus demons? DO WANT!

Also international: here’s a list of dystopias from around the world. I’ve read and loved both LoveStar and The Queue, if you’re looking for a starting point!

Why don’t fantasy characters ever get divorced? I hadn’t considered this question until I read this piece (which is odd when you consider that I myself am divorced). It’s a valid point — if we can have grimdark and fantasy noir, can’t we also bust up the “one true love” and “happily ever after” tropes?

We all need a LEGO BB-8.

How about some ebook deals?
– Go old-school: Hercules My Shipmate by Robert Graves, his magical retelling of the story of Jason and the Argonauts, is $1.99.
– Remember Silvia Moreno-Garcia, of “The Craft meets Mexico City meets the 80s” ? She’s got a vampire novel called Certain Dark Things and it’s on sale for $2.99!
– Finally ready to dive into Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha trilogy? Six of Crows is $2.99.

Since picking up Miles Morales I’ve been on a teen superhero kick, so that’s what you’re getting today. Sorry not sorry!

Dreadnought (Nemesis #1) by April Daniels

dreadnought by april daniels coverI picked up Dreadnought because of the blurb on the front cover, which reads:

“I didn’t know how much I needed this brave, thrilling book until it rocked my world. Dreadnought is the superhero adventure we all need right now.”―Charlie Jane Anders, author of All the Birds in the Sky

Having blazed through it in a day and a half, I could not agree more. Dreadnought is the hopeful, funny, sharp, insightful, occasionally devastating superhero story I didn’t know I needed.

Teenager Danny Tozer is hiding behind a mall, painting her toenails, when a superhero crash-lands and dies next to her. She’s hiding because no one can know she’s painting his toenails, and she’s painting her toenails because it’s the only way to express the truth: that Danny is a girl trapped in a male body. As the dying superhero’s mantle is passed on, it remakes Danny’s body. Along with super strength and super speed, Danny also is now finally, visibly, a young woman. It’s everything she’s been dreaming of! She wants nothing more than to use her powers for good and have everyone see her for who she really is.

But that’s not as easy as it should be. Her parents, particularly her emotionally abusive father, are not on board. The superhero organization in town turn out to be a bunch of jerks. Danny’s best friend does not deal with her transition well, to put it mildly. She doesn’t know how to handle her super powers or the varied and conflicting expectations of those who know she has them. And, of course, there’s a cyborg supervillain on the loose.

The action sequences are great; the emotional sequences are even better; the characters climbed right into my heart and brain. And the second book is out! Sovereign, here I come.

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by FC Yee

epic crush of genie lo coverMeet Genie Lo. She’s a Type A, hard-working high school student with her eye on the prize: a scholarship to a Top Tier college, then a job with lots of money. She’s got an admissions counselor, her extra curriculars, and a plan, and nothing is going to stand in her way. Except, of course, for this new guy who shows up, claims to be the reincarnation of the Monkey King from Chinese mythology, and tries to convince her that she has to help him fight demons.

This book is incredible amounts of fun. Genie’s a great protagonist, and her journey from disbelief and anger at this intrusion into her life into acceptance of her situation and her powers works on multiple levels. The demon battles are satisfying and well-paced, and Genie’s emotional struggles are believable and appropriately complex. Sun Wukong, the Monkey King and Genie’s irritating-but-also-attractive new crush, brings a trickster sense of humor leavened with the occasional gravitas one might expect from an ancient reincarnated being. Genie’s friends and family add depth both to her character and to the plot itself.

How many ways can I convince you to pick up this book? If you’re looking for great Asian-American representation in YA: pick it up. If you’re looking for an action-packed summer read with a no-nonsense heroine: pick it up. If you’re looking for a mythologically-inspired fantasy story: pick it up. If you’re looking for a reluctantly-romantic love story: pick it up! Seriously, pick it up.

And that’s my story for the day! 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 you can find me on the Get Booked podcast with the inimitable Amanda.

May the odds be ever in your favor,
Jenn

Categories
Giveaways

Win a Stack of Great Comics!

 

We’re giving away this rad stack of comics from our book mail!

Entries are open internationally and will be accepted until 11:59pm, Tuesday, August 22nd. Winner will be randomly selected.

Go here to enter for a chance to win, or just click the image of the loot below. Good luck!

Categories
The Kids Are All Right

Children’s Books To Read After Charlottesville

Hi Kid Lit friends,

I know a lot of us are reeling after the events of Charlottesville. I have been reading news coverage and looking at the disturbing images of white supremacists, Nazis, and white nationalists marching and perpetuating violence and yelling hate, and my instinct is to shield my kids from seeing what’s happening. But I also believe that the more our kids know about the evil in the world, the better they will be able at seeing it and calling it out and fighting for justice when they witness it.

Annotated brings you the story of the world’s most glamorous librarian. Download it for free on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or your podcast player or choice.

https://twitter.com/The_Pigeon/status/896500805372596224

Ashley Bryan is an author I turn to over and over again for the wisdom in his books and gorgeous paintings. His Caldecott Honor book Freedom Over Me is one of the most powerful stories I have ever read about the evils of slavery. The book is based on the Fairchilds Appraisement of the Estate document from July 5, 1828 where eleven slaves are listed for sale with the cows, hogs, and cotton. From that document, Ashley humanizes each slave listed, writing about their daily lives but also of their dreams.

A page from Freedom Over Me by Ashley Bryan

Ekua Holmes’ illustrations in Out of Wonder by Kwame Alexander are gorgeous and powerful. They are a celebration of life, and when paired with the poetry of Kwame Alexander, Chris Colderley, and Marjory Wentworth, the effect is stunning. Here are some of the interior pages:

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I love Kwame’s exhortation to “Be brave, like a new seed bursting with extraordinary promise.”

When heartbreaking events happen, I always turn to All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Marla Frazee. The illustrations and words tell of an interconnected, diverse world that we all contribute to and engage in. When I read this book to my kids, I cannot help but believe that love and peace and justice will triumph over evil.

The Blessing Cup by Patricia Polacco was the first picture book that made my younger daughter aware of the discrimination and religious persecution of Jewish people. In the story, a young Russian girl living in the early 1900s live in fear of the Czar’s soldiers. Reading this book reminded me that we need to fight for religious and political freedoms every day.

Come With Me (Penguin Random House, 9/5), written by Holly M. McGhee and illustrated by Pascal Lemaitre, is about the immediate aftermath of 9/11. While the news tells over and over about anger and hatred, a little girl finds that her own voice and actions have the power to make the world a better place.

There are thousands of children’s books that speak to courage and love, tolerance and justice. Check out these links for more recommendations:

What else can we do? I’ve been filling up my Little Free Library with books every day so the kids in my neighborhood can have all the access to books they want. Over on Twitter, @veronikellymars is encouraging people to fund classroom literacy projects. Click the tweet below for links to the classrooms needing funding and ongoing updates.

https://twitter.com/veronikellymars/status/895999617611034625

New Releases

I’m so excited about Tuesday because one of my favorite books of the year is coming out! The First Rule of Punk (Viking, 8/22) by Celia C. Pérez is about twelve-year-old Malú, a Mexican-American girl who moves to a new state with her mom (who Malú calls “Super Mexican”). As Malú adjusts to her new school, she works on her zines (which are cleverly inserted into the book itself) and starts a punk band with other school misfits. I loved this book, and I guarantee you will too!

Another title I’ve been waiting to hit the shelves is Kat Greene Comes Clean (Charlesbridge, 8/22), a story about a fifth grader named Kat who lives in New York City and who (like all middle grade kids!) has a lot going on. Not only is she dealing with middle grade drama, but her mom starts getting more and more obsessive with cleaning. This was an honest portrayal of OCD, and a great middle grade title to add to your list.

Ebook Deals

Spy School by Stuart Gibbs is only $1.99 for Kindle! (The fifth book in the Spy School series, Spy School Secret Service, comes out on October 10th!)

Another awesome ebook deal: $2.99 for Mary Poppins!

 

Right now I’m reading Miles Morales by Jason Reynolds (a great upper middle grade/YA read after the Charlottesville events). Tell me what you’re reading! I’m on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or send me an email at karina@bookriot.com. Have a great week!

Until next time,
Karina

Izzy and our newest cat family member Nala wholeheartedly recommend The First Rule of Punk!

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

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Categories
Book Radar

GOOD OMENS, THE FIFTH SEASON, and More Exciting Adaptation News!

Happy Monday, you glorious book nerds. Hope you had a great weekend and read lots of great books! Be excellent to each other. – xoxo, Liberty

Sponsored by GONE TO DUST by Matt Goldman

A brutal crime. The ultimate cover-up. How do you solve a murder with no useable evidence?

A woman has been found murdered in her bedroom, her body covered with the dust from hundreds of emptied vacuum cleaner bags, all potential DNA evidence obscured by the calculating killer.

Praised by Lee Child as “a perfect blend of light touch and dark story,” and Harlan Coben as “Irreverent and insightful…sure to become a fan favorite,” Gone to Dust is the debut private eye murder mystery you don’t want to miss.

Start Reading Gone to Dust today!

Deals, Reals, and Squeals!

cover of The Changeling by Victor LaValleThe My Cousin Vinny sequel is coming to the big…book?

The Changeling by Victor LaValle to become a television series!

The sequel to Julie Murphy’s Dumplin’ has been announced: it’s Puddin’! And speaking of Dumplin’, Odeya Rush has joined the cast of the film version.

Sanaa Lathan cast as lead in Netflix’s adaptation of best-selling novel Nappily Ever After.

Bryan Fuller teased a Hannibal revival on Twitter.

Michael Sheen, David Tennant to star in Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s Good Omens.

N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season to be developed as a TV series!

the beast is an animalRidley Scott will produce the film version of The Beast is an Animal.

St. Vincent to direct female-led film adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Amazon Studios and Warner Bros. teaming up a film version of The Goldfinch.

The Lying Game by Ruth Ware is going to be a movie.

Channing Tatum will produce and star in Bloodlines, based on the upcoming book from author Melissa Del Bosque.

Cover Reveals

Here’s the cover for Reaper at the Gates, the next book in Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember In The Ashes series. (April 10, 2018)

Cover for the new Meg Wolitzer novel, The Female Persuasion, coming next year! (April 3, 2018)

Here’s the first look at Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews. (May 8, 2018)

And here’s the cover for Laura Sebastian’s Ash Princess. (April 24, 2018)

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!

phoebe and her unicornPhoebe and Her Unicorn in the Magic Storm by Dana Simpson (Oct. 17, Andrews McMeel Publishing): Phoebe and Marigold Heavenly Nostrils are back in their sixth book, but instead of a collection of comics, this one is a graphic novel! Phoebe and Marigold must discover what is causing the town’s crazy weather and depleting the magic supply. This one has a lot more of Sam, and of Phoebe’s nemesis, Dakota (and her troll minions.) As always, it’s super charming and fun. You don’t have to have read the other books to follow this one (but omg you should!)

where the past beginsWhere the Past Begins: A Writer’s Memoir by Amy Tan (Oct. 17, Ecco): Love the novels of Amy Tan? Then you’ll love to read about her childhood and influences. Love reading books where writers discuss their craft? Then you’ll love learning about Tan’s process and how she brings memory into her work. She’s a wonderful writer, and it’s a delight to have a work of nonfiction from her. It’s a win for everyone, really.

And This is Funny…

Game of Thrones joke + cat picture = perfection.

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Win a Prize Pack of Audiobooks!

 

Whether they’re cleaning out their backpacks, finishing their chores, or simply lounging, just about any time is a great time for kids to turn on an audiobook and get ahead in their reading.

We have a Penguin Random House Audio prize pack to give away, which includes: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, The Pearl by John Steinbeck, and The Time Machine by H.G. Wells.

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