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LeVar Burton Sued for Using READING RAINBOW Catchphrase: This Week in Books

Post author By Sharifah Williams
Post date August 10, 2017

When You Sue LeVar Burton for Using the Reading Rainbow Catchphrase; When You Have No Soul

Whoever is leading WNED-TV Buffalo, New York’s campaign to sue LeVar Burton for using the catchphrase, “But you don’t have to take my word for it,” must not have been raised on Reading Rainbow. Because how could you? Burton has used the phrase on his new podcast for grown Rainbow readers, LeVar Burton Reads. Let’s get real, WNED, Burton is Reading Rainbow.

Oh, Palahniuk, You Strange, Interesting Human

I want to spend a day inside Chuck Palahniuk’s head. Wait, no I don’t. Wait, yes I do. Hmm. Palahniuk is certainly an Eccentric, so are we even surprised that he hid a time capsule in his former home? Well, the current owners found Chuck’s Horcrux, and in it…a signed copy of Fight Club, some family photographs, and more randomness. I have a sneaking suspicion Palahniuk was disappointed when he heard the news. Disappointed that a strange, unconventional future society of curiously haunted Portlandians didn’t stumble upon it. Plant another and give it maybe 10 years.

Pearl-Clutchers Strike Again

After Brandon James/Princess Onya Mann applied to host a drag queen story hour at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library in Charlotte, North Carolina, a conservative citizen group called Keep NC Safe lashed out on Facebook. “Males dressing in women’s fashion or in a feminine manner is shameful and that sort of shameful behavior should not be sanctioned by public libraries,” said one commenter (as someone passed around the smelling salts, I imagine). I hope Keep NC Safe never applies to host story hour because won’t somebody think of the children?

The “Let’s Pretend It Doesn’t Exist” School of Survivalism

“I find it very telling how little these worlds that are so much about power and oppression and ways of resistance also magically somehow have solved race,” said Daniel José Older in a Vulture article titled, “Why Don’t Dystopias Know How to Talk About Race?” The article examines the inexplicable absence of conversations about race in dystopian storytelling, where the genre seems to rely on the concept that things get so dire and survival becomes so important that other issues (like, you know, the small matter of racism) are superseded. Yeah, suspension of disbelief is not go.

Thanks to Other Press for sponsoring this week’s newsletter. Read The Die is Cast, the first book of the Leona trilogy, by the “queen of Nordic noir” Jenny Rogneby.

This best-selling Scandinavian thriller follows its troubled heroine as she investigates a high-profile robbery for Stockholm’s Violent Crimes Division. A hardboiled crime novel, filled with unexpected twists and turns, featuring an unusual heroine. Leona makes for gripping reading while challenging feminine norms and questioning what is behind the choices we make. Millennium Series author David Lagercrantz calls Jenny Rogneby “the new queen of Nordic noir.”

Giveaways

Win a Copy of THE END OF THE WORLD RUNNING CLUB by Adrian Walker!

Post author By Jeff O'Neal
Post date August 10, 2017

We have 10 copies of The End of the World Running Club by Adrian Walker to give away to 10 Riot readers!

Here’s what it’s all about:

#1 International Bestseller!

When the world ends and you find yourself stranded on the wrong side of the country, every second counts. No one knows this more than Edgar Hill: over five hundred miles of devastated wasteland stretch between him and his family. To get back to them, he must push himself to the very limit—or risk losing them forever.

His best option is to run. But what if his best isn’t good enough? A powerful postapocalyptic thriller, The End of the World Running Club is an otherworldly yet extremely human story of hope, love, and the endurance of both body and spirit.

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

Riot Rundown

081017-Leona-Riot-Rundown

Post author By Devin Service
Post date August 10, 2017

Today’s Riot Rundown is sponsored by Other Press. Read The Die is Cast, the first book of the Leona trilogy, by the “queen of Nordic noir” Jenny Rogneby.

This best-selling Scandinavian thriller follows its troubled heroine as she investigates a high-profile robbery for Stockholm’s Violent Crimes Division. A hardboiled crime novel, filled with unexpected twists and turns, featuring an unusual heroine. Leona makes for gripping reading while challenging feminine norms and questioning what is behind the choices we make. Millennium Series author David Lagercrantz calls Jenny Rogneby “the new queen of Nordic noir.”

Swords and Spaceships

Swords and Spaceships Aug 11

Post author By Jenn Northington
Post date August 9, 2017

Happy Friday, slayers and spacefarers! Today we’re talking about the Mercy Thompson series and Miles Morales, plus action heroines, kids fantasy books, space colonization, and more.

This post is sponsored by Vanguard by Ann Aguirre.

Ann Aguirre’s bestselling Razorland saga continues with Vanguard!

Adventures almost never go according to plan, and when Tegan understands what her heart truly wants, it might change her life forever. . . .

We have an amazing new shirt celebrating four bad-ass ladies of science fiction and fantasy, and you could win one! That giveaway closes this Sunday, 8/13, so get clicking.

It’s not looking good for our future on Europa: icy planets like it might skip a habitable period altogether, even if there is increased heat available from their suns. Back to the space-colonization drawing board…

Vulture has declared the 11 most influential action heroines; how do we feel about this list? I can’t quite decide — it does have Ripley from Alien and Letty from The Fast and Furious, but where is Leia the Huttslayer?

In adaptation news, China Mieville’s The City and the City is coming to TV! BBC Two has adapted it into a four-part drama. I don’t know how to feel about David Morrissey as Borlú, but I am all about Mandheep Dillon for Corwi. Also, I need to reread it immediately.

Last week on SFF Yeah we talked about middle-grade fantasy and sci-fi, and this week has provided a 100 Best Middle-Grade Fantasy Books post as the perfect follow-up.

And of course, some whimsy: Powerpuff/Avengers mash-up perfection!

In today’s reviews, we’ve got urban fantasy and a superhero novel (which, come to think of it, is not that far from urban fantasy).

The Mercy Thompson series: Moon Called, Blood Bound, and Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

While I’m not a regular reader of urban fantasy, I am a diehard fan of a few series in particular. Kate Daniels what what! And there’s no way I can stop reading the Dresden Files now that we’re so close to the end. So it was with surprise I found I had been missing out on a great one: the Mercy Thompson books by Patricia Briggs. Thanks to the Insiders Forum, I have been shown the error of my ways.

Mercy Thompson is an auto mechanic with her own small shop, her ex-boss is some kind of gremlin, her neighbor is the Alpha of the local werewolf pack, one of her clients is a vampire, and she herself is a walker — she can turn into a coyote basically whenever she wants. Supernaturals represent! Humanity is only marginally aware of them, of course; while the Fae have gone public, werewolves and vampires are still undercover, and Mercy herself isn’t eager to share her magical nature with anyone, be it local law enforcement or other beings. She’s led a pretty low-key life since she left her adopted werewolf family, and she’s trying to keep it that way. (Good luck with that, Mercy.)

What immediately sets Mercy apart from many other UF hero/ines is her lack of grumpiness. I love me a good cranky protagonist, but it’s nice to have a change of pace from time to time. She’s pragmatic; she’s tough without being isolated or prickly; she’s got friends and, while family is complicated for her, she’s built her own found family. She’s stubborn and independent, but knows when to back off and when to rely on others for help. She’s got even got a sense of humor! If you can’t tell, I adore her.

Moon Called is, as you might guess from the title, focused on werewolves; Blood Bound deals with vampires, and Iron Kissed with the Fae. While I could have used a heads-up about the rape sequence in Iron Kissed (consider yourselves warned!), on the whole I have enjoyed the Hel out of these books. The supporting characters are multidimensional, diverse, and important to the plot development; the ethnic representation is handled respectfully in as far as I am able to judge; and Mercy is the kick-ass heroine of my heart. While her path grows increasingly dark from book to book, and her life becomes more and more complex, she retains her spirit, her sense of humor, and her immense compassion and humanity. I just picked up Book 4 from the library, and look forward to continuing on.

Miles Morales by Jason Reynolds

For the record, I have never read a Miles Morales comic and am not a Spider-Man fan in general. The odds of me watching a Spider-Man movie or read a Spidey comic are very low. (Although I will admit that Tom Holland’s turn in Civil War made that fight scene an all-time favorite.) So why did I pick up this novel? Because I’ve read Jason Reynolds before, and was curious to see what this award-winning YA writer would do with a licensed character.

The answer is, what he does best! Miles, his family, and his friends are amazing: they are complicated, messy, real characters. Basically any chapter in which two people were having a real conversation was immediately my favorite scene, whether it was Miles and his parents, barbershop banter, roommate hijinks with Ganke, awkward flirting — it’s all there on the page, and all fantastic. Miles’s doubts and fears about his own role and abilities as a superhero feel genuine, and I would have loved to see this thread developed even further! Reynolds also takes a hard look at systemic racism, the prison industrial complex, and its affect on young people of color, which is not something you see every day (any day??) in comics.

If Miles Morales has a flaw it’s that Reynolds is new to writing about superheroes, and the action sequences show it. But for me, the characters were well worth the read.

And that’s all she wrote! 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.

Live long and prosper,
Jenn

Audiobooks

Secret Identity Audiobooks

Post author By Katie MacBride
Post date August 9, 2017

Good morning, audiobook fans!

Quick reminder if you are a Book Riot Insiders subscriber–-I’ll be hosting an audiobooks chat on the Insiders Slack today and every second Thursday of the month at 1 PM (10 AM, if you’re a West Coastie like me).

081417 What’s Up in YA: Contemporary YA Takes On Jane Austen, The Most Popular YA Books Last Year, and More YA Book Talk

Post author By Kelly Jensen
Post date August 9, 2017

Hey YA readers!

This week’s edition of “What’s Up in YA?” is sponsored by PageHabit — use code “RIOT” for 10% off your first box.

PageHabit is offers a monthly YA book box curated and annotated by authors for the most diehard bookworms. Each box comes with an exclusive, author-annotated new release, a written letter from the author, a bonus short story, fun bookish goods and membership into an active online book community of over 18,000 members. For every box purchased, PageHabit makes a donation to support children’s literacy around the world, so you can read well and do good. Readers can choose from seven genres including Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Horror and more. Get 10% off your first box with code “RIOT”.

Let’s take this lazy, hazy mid-late summer day to catch up on the latest YA talk from Book Riot over the last month. Grab your TBR or pop open your favorite bookish app and get ready to scribble down a ton of titles you’ll want to read.

A request for YA books about soccer led to a round-up of all things YA soccer books.
Dig into these 100 must-read inclusive science fiction and fantasy YA reads.
Time for a little social justice in YA lit, with some nonfiction reads as well as some fiction titles.
Robin McKinley: an ode to a pioneer of YA lit.
Historical YA fiction gets the Buy, Borrow, Bypass treatment. Which of these titles are worth your time and which should you leave on the shelf?
Some of the Book Rioters are enjoying a read along of Tamora Pierce’s Tortall series. Here’s one of the posts to go along with the read along, which links back to the starting post for anyone itching to take part.
How being a parent led one reader to YA books.
Chances are if you like Meg Cabot, you’ll also like Jenny Carroll. Or if you like Eva Darrows, you might like Hillary Monahan. Because they’re the same people.
Yes! Here for as much info as possible about the adaptation of Jenny Han’s To All The Boys.
I love this round-up of books for readers in that odd “in-between” stage of middle grade and YA. This is actually something worth thinking about more broadly and, perhaps, digging into in a future newsletter. Why is that 12-14 age group so underserved? Or is it that they have so many options because they fall between middle grad and YA reading that it can be hard to find that right segment of books for them?
If you love Sansa Stark, then these books should be up your alley.
Lift your spirits with these YA rom coms.
A huge and awesome round-up of Asian American protagonists in YA lit.
Amazon let me have at some of their data (!) and from it, I pulled together a list of the most popular books in each state and US territory that was published last year. It was kind of surprising to see what came out on top again and again and again.
5 contemporary Jane Austen YA retellings.
And finally, a guest post on the topic of political resistance in teen lit.

Want a good YA book deal? I dug through Kindle’s monthly deals to find a few worth picking up.

Note that you may need to toggle your format to “ebook” when you click the links below.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo is a whopping $1.99.

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit by Jaye Robin Brown is $1.99. This has had so many tremendous positive reviews that if it weren’t already sitting on my shelf, I’d one click so fast.

Entwined by Heather Dixon is $1.99 and a retelling of “Twelve Dancing Princesses.”

____________________

Thanks for hanging out and we’ll see you again next week. Perhaps we’ll even talk about one of my favorite things: microtrends. AKA, the weird coincidences that keep popping up in books that aren’t enough to constitute a full-on trend but that are too odd not to talk about.

–Kelly Jensen, @veronikellymars

currently reading The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed and just finished (and adored!) Like Water by Rebecca Podos.

Kissing Books

What You Missed at RWA, Romance Recs, and More

Post author By Jessica Pryde
Post date August 9, 2017

Happy August! How’s your reading life!

Happenings in Romancelandia

So much has happened since our last talk. The RWA conference concluded, the RITAs were announced, and Beverly Jenkins, Slayer of Words, made us all bawl on our computers if we were relegated to watching the live stream of her Lifetime Achievement acceptance speech from home.

Sponsored by Kissing Max Holden by Katy Upperman

After his father’s stroke, Max Holden isn’t himself. As his longtime friend, Jillian Eldridge only wants to help, but she doesn’t know how. When Max climbs through her window one night, Jill knows she shouldn’t let him kiss her. But she can’t resist, and when they’re caught in the act by her dad, Jill swears it’ll never happen again. Because kissing Max Holden is a terrible idea. . . . But not kissing Max is easier said than done.

Will Jill follow her heart, and allow their friendship to blossom into something more, or will she listen to her head and stop kissing Max Holden once and for all?

Also, Andrew Grey got the Centennial award for publishing one hundred novels. He’s the first m/m and also the first male author to have received it. How awesome is that! (Have you read his work? I’ll admit I haven’t yet, but man, I’ve got some reading to do!)

One thing we got as RWA-left-behinders was constant access to #notRWA. There were some awesome threads and conversations happening on twitter. These included:

Suleikhaaaaaa! Dayum girl. Tell it.
Corey Alexander on presentation of trans characters
How to write with a day job

For the complete list of #notRWA threads.conversations, check out this blog post by the fabulous Olivia Dade.

And for a little bit of the fun side of Twitter, this exchange leaves us…wanting. Wanting all the things.

Have you seen the cover reveal for Alyssa Cole’s A Princess in Theory? I can’t stop looking at it. Wanna know something else? You can buy that dress. AND IT HAS POCKETS.

Speaking of cover reveals…Sanctuary is coming, and man. Drool. Droooooooool.

Over on Book Riot

Kate included an “ugly cry-o-meter” in her list of favorite friends-to-lovers romance.

Read about Susan Mallery’s thoughts on small town settings and more.

Do you like Jane Austen retellings? Read about a new Persuasion retelling.

How about some book recs?

One True Pairing
Cathy Yardley

You know what kinds of books I love? Books featuring super dorky characters. Books where one of the protagonists is a famous person and the other is not. Books that take place around fan conventions. Books where the connection is fast and intense, but still believable. You know what One True Pairing is? ALL OF THESE. While it’s the second book in Yardley’s Fandom Hearts series, this can still be read as a standalone (and man, I still haven’t read Level Up). Hailey and Jake are one of my favorite couples of recent recollection. Jake is a sweetheart who just loves his stupid Supernatural-reminiscent cable fantasy show and wants to be a part of it, but he needs something to keep him interesting to the public and the producers. Good thing Hailey is there offering to be his pretend-girlfriend, and their chemistry is already off-the-charts hot. Hailey comes equipped with some of the greatest friends and family around, which makes this adorable read even better.

Beyond the Rules
Anna Del Mar
(August 14)

I finally stopped ignoring the call of Opal Carew’s ridiculously punny titles and read Drilled the other day, which was fun in its own way, even though occasionally it felt like it was originally written as a two-person relationship and then Carew decided to split her billionaire into two. After that few hours of fun, I was still in poly mode, and decided to try an author I hadn’t read before.

Enter three ex-Navy SEALs and a hacker. The three military men, Zar, Tanner, and Aiden, live in a gorgeous, secluded home in the wilds of Montana, and Nina has just crashed her plane trying to escape some baddies. She’s pretty banged up, and the three nurse her back to health, all the while agreeing that she might be the one they’ve been waiting for. They made a pact while still in the military, and sharing every aspect of their lives is the central part of that pact. And well, it looks like Nina might be the one they could all fall for. Her commitment issues might have something to say about that. This book is long, but characters are well developed, and relationships are as well. I tend not to connect as well with polyamorous relationships in which everyone involved isn’t one big puppy pile of love, but the three men have a different kind of relationship, and I could appreciate that (and they’re not brothers, if that’s one of your squicks).

(I’d also like to include the fact that as I started reading this, my husband and I started rewatching The Last Ship and the Zar in my head is a yummy combination of Eric Dane and Adam Baldwin. The others I had to create on my own.)

Currently reading:
Illegal Contact
Santino Hassell
(August 15)

I’m not very far into this one, but so far, it’s got pure Hassell quality going for it. So far, it’s got the same feel as the Five Boroughs books as far as set in real life. But gosh, I hope it’s not going to be as real. (Legit: I was sobbing in the middle of Interborough the other day. Sobbing.) Even a book that starts with a star athlete in an ankle bracelet can be fun, right? Or at least a little light?

We’ll see.

And for some recent and upcoming releases:

Within a Captain’s Soul, Lisa A. Olech

Heat Wave, Elyse Springer

The Scandal of it All, Sophie Jordan

Permanent Ink, Avon Gale

Two Dukes and a Lady, Lorna James (8/14)

Unexpected, Jenny Frame (8/15)

King of Code, CD Reiss (8/21)

The Duchess Deal, Tessa Dare (8/22)

Okay, that’s it for me! Happy reading! (I know I’ll be.) 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!

Giveaways

Badass Broads of Science Fiction and Fantasy T-Shirt Giveaway!

Post author By Jeff O'Neal
Post date August 8, 2017

Not gonna lie, I’m pretty into our newest Badass Broads of SFF t-shirt. This week, we’re giving one away!

The giveaway is open internationally, one entry per email address. Winner will be notified via entered email.

Ok, go here to enter for a chance to win, or just click the image below!

Unusual Suspects

The Best “Past is Gonna Get’Cha” Mysteries & Kindle Deals!

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date August 8, 2017

Hi my fellow mystery fans! I realized that many of the books I was recently reading had a similar theme where a character(s) past had come back to get them–dun dun dun!– so I rounded-up some of my favorites from recent releases for you.

In the Club Aug 9

Post author By Jenn Northington
Post date August 8, 2017

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

This newsletter is sponsored by Impossible Views of the World by Lucy Ives, published by Penguin Press.

Stella Krakus, a curator at Manhattan’s renowned Central Museum of Art, is having the roughest week in approximately ever. Her soon-to-be ex-husband (the perfectly awful Whit Ghiscolmbe) is stalking her, a workplace romance with “a fascinating, hyper-rational narcissist” is in free-fall, and a beloved colleague, Paul, has gone missing. Pulsing with neurotic humor and dagger-sharp prose, Impossible Views of the World is a dazzling debut novel about how to make it through your early thirties with your brain and heart intact.

Let’s talk about the canon: specifically, some books by women of color that should be added to it, plus their current-canon read-alikes. I love this list and these picks, and can imagine a ton of great discussions around them. Highly recommended reading!

Does your book group need more murder? (We’re not here to judge.) Here are 5 crime must-reads out this month that might just fit the bill, including a science-fictional murder mystery, a new female detective in Stockholm, a stand-alone from Karin Slaughter, and a debut from the show-runner of Bones.

Related: how about some murderesses? Here’s a list of 10 female killers, ranging from Medea to Misery.

Let’s flip this script. What about ladies who solve the crimes, specifically sassy teen ladies? Here’s a list of Veronica Mars read-alikes (for real, though). Tirzah has specific comparisons for you, including some Logan GIFs, which I am sure you will be as delighted by as I was.

Read like Gabourey Sidibe! The actress and newly-minted author is a book nerd, and here’s a collection of her picks from Instagram to prove it. What I love about this is that it’s primarily nonfiction and true crime.

Need help finding trans authors in your favorite genre, whatever that might be? We’ve got a post for that. Constance has assembled recommendations across kids books, nonfiction, sci-fi, mystery, travel writing, poetry — it’s very extensive, and very handy!

Does your book group need more sharks? (What book group does not, I ask you.) Live/read every week like it’s Shark Week, with this round-up of everything from encyclopedias to memoir to an alterna-Western.

How about some fiction from South Africa? Rabeea has three recommendations for you, including an homage to Mrs. Dalloway that I could not add to my TBR list fast enough.

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 new 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