January is already well underway, but there’s still the rest of 2024! This calendar features bookish images for each month that fit within seasonal themes. $30
(Though it’s on sale for $23 at the time of writing this!)
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It’s Monday, which means I’m back, horror fans! It’s time to chat about everything going on in horror at the moment. And I just have to say I’ve already read some really exceptional horror books this year. Which ones, you ask? I will tell you, but first, let’s chat new releases and things.
2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!
Is your year of reading also off to a great start? You know what thing that could make it better? This 4-pack of horror-themed bookmarks featuring famous slashers in the shape of knives. What’s not to love? $18.
If you love gothic horror, this YA novel is going to be for you. After Libby is diagnosed with bipolar III, she and her family are looking for a fresh start and a little normalcy in their lives. But when they move to their new home, it turns out to be anything but normal. Between the rumors about the disappearances connected to the house and the strange boy who lives next door, Libby knows something is wrong. But her mother refuses to accept anything that would thwart their dreams of a new beginning.
Wilderness horror fans will want to pick up a copy of Jenny Kiefer’s This Wretched Valley. Dylan, Clay, Sylvia, and Luke are determined to be the first people to climb a newly discovered cliff in the Kentucky wilderness. Seven months later, the climbers’ bodies are discovered. Only Dylan is still missing. What happened to the four friends?
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
In the first few weeks of 2024, I’ve already read some amazing backlist horror books, including the manga Black Paradox by Junji Ito. In this book, a group of people meet online and make plans to end their lives together. Instead, they open up a portal to another world, and their lives are changed forever.
Here’s another incredible backlist title you should definitely check out if you haven’t already! This cosmic horror story is a poignant meditation on grief and depression. And it all starts when Thiago and Vera get a strange Alexa-like technology called Itza. At first, the Itza just does weird things, like ordering dildos for the house. But then there are weird scratching sounds in the wall. And Thiago starts having strange nightmares about a door.
I hope your January has been going as well as mine. Enjoy your reading this week, and I’ll see you next Monday. Until then, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams, horror fans!
Welcome to the Kissing Books newsletter. If you’re a regular reader, I’m glad to see you again. Or, if this is your first time here, I’m glad that you joined us. I’m PN Hinton, and I’ll be your guide through all things romance-related.
2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!
I recently had the realization that the last full work week I did was the first full week in December. This means it’s been over a month since I didn’t at least have one half day, and that this is my first full working week of the new year. Honestly, I’m not sure how I’ll survive it because I got used to those short weeks very quickly. Call me dramatic if you must because I own it, but yeah…adulting amirite?
As mentioned earlier, I’m still struggling to get use to being at work five days a week, and so I’m definitely living for these vibes. In fact, I may try to plan some kind of bookish slumber party this year to wear this at, and of course, I will be matching with my friends. That’s what the different color options are for! $14.
After watching her mother struggle after her father’s death, Anne has decided to forgo love altogether. This decision has earned her a reputation for being a bit of an ice queen, which she is fine with. But when she needs a favor from her longtime friend Hart, he agrees only on the condition that she attend a holiday party with him at his grandfather’s. There he is sure he can convince her to let down her guard and give their love another chance to flourish.
When Joel and Maya both show an interest in the same book at the Solstice bookstore, it ignites a conversation between the two. Once they start talking, they realize they were childhood neighbors with feelings that couldn’t be fully explored before Joel moved away. Now that life is giving them a second chance to explore these feelings, will they give into temptation, or will the associated hurt of their life experiences cause them to let it pass them by?
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
One of the best bookish events I attended last year was the one for Mazey Eddings’s YA debut, Tilly in Technicolor. While I haven’t read it yet, I do know that color palettes play a large role in the story, which got me thinking about how important the idea of having a favorite color is.
Let’s be honest; we all know at least one Purple Girl, and if you don’t, then chances are you’re her.
From clothes, to household appliances, and any and all types of accoutrements, color plays an important part in our day-to-day lives. This idea is so true that Pantone even picks a color of the year annually.
Which leads us to this week’s recommendations. Today, we’re going to honor 2023’s color, which was Viva Magenta, and on Thursday, we will focus on 2024’s Peach Fuzz. Please note for both, I tried to get as close to the shade as I could, but some liberties may have been made. Enjoy!
Shortly after Sophie returns home to Toronto, it is revealed that she never graduated from matchmaking school. As such, no one wants to hire her. Desperate for clients, Sophie stumbles across a club known as the Old Ducks, seven septuagenarians who have given up on love. She takes it upon herself to help them all find love, all the while battling her overbearing and belittling mother, learning to love herself, and finding a love of her own.
After Lexi mistakes firefighter Dyson for a strip-o-gram, she is beyond mortified. To her surprise, rather than run screaming for the hills, Dyson instead asks her to be his fake girlfriend to help him win a bet, something she agrees to. Despite them only pretending to date, the chemistry between them is undeniable, which leads to real feelings developing between the two of them.
And that’s all I have for y’all today. I’ll be back in your inboxes Thursday and in the meantime you can find me over on Instagram under @pns_bookish_world and Twitter under @PScribe801. Until then happy reading and stay hydrated.
Dear Book Friends,
Hello, and welcome to another Monday edition of Book Radar. I’m here to bring you all the buzz on all the books. I know I mentioned it in the last newsletter, but wow. It’s really cold here right now. I made a giant pot of soup and have been surviving off of it for the past several days. You want the recipe? Here you go. Enjoy. And now books.
Did you see this coming? Keanu Reeves has written a sci-fi novel with China Miéville. “I’m very excited for the opportunity to announce that I’ve partnered with one of my favorite authors, China Miéville, on the novel The Book of Elsewhere,” Reeves shared with GMA in a video announcement. “The series tells the story of an immortal warrior’s fight through the ages, and I love the world of BRZRKR so much that I wanted to explore it further, and I thought one of the best ways to do that is through a novel.” The book comes out in July.
Here’s the cover reveal of The Boy from Two Worlds, Jason Offutt’s sequel to The Girl in the Corn. It’s out from Camcat Books this June.
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Netflix is releasing a 14-episode series adaptation of One Day by David Nicholls. One Day premieres February 8.
Random House will publish Lisa Marie Presley’s posthumous memoir in collaboration with Presley’s daughter, actress Riley Keough. The book will be out this October.
Simon & Schuster has acquired the world rights to Bill Maher’s What This Comedian Said Will Shock You. It’s set for a June release.
Here are the most popular books on Goodreads in the last decade, including all sorts of genres and authors.
Zadie Smith, Paul Murray, and Naomi Klein are among the authors who have been shortlisted for the Writers’ Prize, which was formerly known as the Rathbones Folio Prize.
Here it is! Book Riot’s most anticipated books of 2024! Be sure to look for mine in the list. 😉
Hi, welcome to everyone’s favorite segment of Book Radar called Book Riot Recommends. This is where I’ll talk to you about all the books I’m reading, the books I’m loving, and the books I can’t wait to read and love in the near future. I think you’re going to love them too!
2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!
Raise your hand if you love a good second-chance romance! We’ve got a good one coming very soon, so prepare your shelves. Also, I have to shout out this cover because it is a vibe.
Anyway! Singer-songwriter Riley Wynn became an overnight sensation after she released a breakup album featuring a hit single no one can get enough of. But when her ex-husband claims the song is about him, Riley is determined to set the record straight. And so she contacts her old college flame, Max Harcourt, the guy the song is really about.
When Riley asks Max to go public as the real inspiration for the song, he will only agree under one condition. He wants to go on tour with her. As the two travel the country together, they begin to wonder if what was in the past shouldn’t stay in the past. And, well, you know how these things go! Lots of chemistry and fireworks, etc.
You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron
Out There Screaming, edited by Jordan Peele
Biography of X by Catherine Lacey
Where You End by Abbott Kahler
Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin
The Golden Globes memes are hitting, and these bookish ones are really, really hitting.
My goal this week is to cuddle up with a blanket and a book and a cat, and well…dreams are coming true!
Hopefully, you got some book and cat cuddle time over the weekend as well. If not, hey, it’s Monday, but take a break! You’re allowed!
Happy Sunday, kidlit friends! Are your kids participating in any reading challenges this year? Kelly Jensen told me about this cool Smokey Bear Reading Challenge that we’re definitely going to participate in. It asks kids to read about wildfires and the environment and make a pledge to help protect forests against wildfires. If you’re looking for some book ideas, Karina rounded up four last year.
2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!
Today I review some of my favorite cozy middle grade graphic novels as well as two great new picture book releases.
If you have kids who love dragons, you should check out these cute reading dragon stickers! $5+
This is a really special historical fiction picture book about a young African American girl, Lettie, who is searching for her lost brothers. She reads the newspaper ads written by other African Americans after the Civil War who are searching for their loved ones, and she saves money to write her own ad. Keller includes real ads that were written by African Americans post-Civil War in search of their loved ones who had been separated due to enslavement and war. It’s essential reading to accompany conversations about post-Civil War history and the personal ramifications of the enslavement of African Americans.
This sweet picture book is a poem about how a young girl realizes during the COVID-19 pandemic that people are her favorite places. Though she misses them, she’s thankful she has ways to connect with them still. COVID-19 is never explicitly mentioned, so children experiencing a move away from loved ones or experiencing a prolonged illness will also appreciate this picture book.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
In winter, I love to read cozy graphic novels. They’re a great way to resist winter depression. Here are four middle grade cozy graphic novels to read.
This is the graphic novel that inspired this list! I checked it out from the library after Eileen Gonzalez recommended it in Book Riot’s comic book newsletter, The Stack. I adored it! I could not stop smiling while I read. It’s about 12-year-old Cici, who has just moved from Taiwan to Seattle. She so misses her A-má (grandmother) and their time spent cooking together. She wants A-má to visit for her 70th birthday, but she can’t afford the plane ticket. To earn the money, Cici enters a kid’s cooking contest. LaMotte and Xu have another collaboration coming out in April of this year, Unhappy Camper. I can’t wait to read it!
This is a sweet and slim yet powerful graphic novel about a boy, Bình, who is being bullied at school because of his Vietnamese heritage. He fights back but then gets into trouble with the school. Immediately after, his parents take him and his sister on a silent Buddhist retreat that is supposed to help with meditation. Bình’s swirling thoughts and worries initially prevent him from meditating, but a nun’s stories about Siddhartha and Buddha’s past lives inspire him. I actually recommended this to my therapist recently, ha!
This is the first book I think of whenever anyone says the word “cozy.” It’s an absolutely adorable and quiet fantasy series about Greta, a blacksmith’s apprentice, learning more about tea dragons as she befriends the shy Minette. Kay O’Neill is a great read in general for cozy middle grade graphic novels.
I haven’t read the Garlic graphic novels yet (there are two), but they are number one on my TBR. When the hesitant Garlic hears about a vampire who has moved into the forest surrounding her vegetable village, she knows she needs to protect her veg friends. But can she find the courage? The illustrations look so cute and charming!
I’ve had two pieces published in School Library Journal recently that I wanted to share. In a piece about the Schneider Family Book Award celebrating its 20th anniversary, I interviewed Dr. Schneider and many winning authors. It’s one of the few awards for disability representation, and it was an honor to write the piece.
I also wrote about the essential role sensitivity readers play in children’s publishing. I sometimes work as a sensitivity reader, and I’m happy I had a chance to explore what sensitivity readers do. I see a lot of misconceptions in the media!
If you’d like to read more of my kidlit reviews, I’m on Instagram @BabyLibrarians, Twitter @AReaderlyMom, Bluesky @AReaderlyMom.bsky.social, and blog irregularly at Baby Librarians. You can also read my Book Riot posts. If you’d like to drop me a line, my email is kingsbury.margaret@gmail.com.
All the best,
Margaret Kingsbury
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2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Fill out the form above, and you will be entered to win. All you have to do is sign-up for our Read Harder newsletter (no purchase necessary).
Hey YA Readers!
Like that, we’ve reached the halfway point of January. This is one of my least favorite months of the year, so I’m not especially sad to see it slip by. It’s been a busy month of preparing for the year, and now, I’m ready to actually live the year.
2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!
Let’s dive into this week’s new releases. Since we are halfway through the month and have had some other fun new releases hit shelves that I haven’t yet talked about, this newsletter is double the new books content. There are two anthologies releasing today that I want to shout out, some graphic novels from earlier this month, and, of course, the usual novel releases.
Want an easy and fun way to keep track of your reading–without losing track of what you’re currently reading? Enter this fun bookmark where you can log your year in books. $4 and available in many colors.
Two very different new novels to highlight today–one for our fantasy fans and one for our fans of realistic YA. You can grab the entire list of new YA hardcover releases over here and keep scrolling for *even more* new releases.
This one is being pitched as Circe for YA readers, and it is a feminist retelling of Medusa from Rick Riordan’s rad imprint.
Manisha, 16, runs from monsters. It was monsters (and men) that caused the dispersal of her people. She should be safe as a Priestess in the floating temples, but she’s not.
Pratyush is a monster slayer and favored by the King. Every kill he makes adds a year to his life. But he doesn’t want to have this duty anymore.
When Manisha and Pratyush connect, they see a possibility to change the trajectory of each of their lives. Their plans go awry, though. But in the rebirth of both, they reclaim power and their respective futures.
This one has in the description that there is a sexual assault that happens, so heads up for folks who like to know.
Alix Leclaire and her best friend Jeanne are going to graduate and land incredible work in the arts in Paris. Alix as a feather artist, and Jeanne, a record contract. But then Jeanne dies, and Alix is at a complete loss.
Alix then feels the spirit of Jeanne pushing her to take risks. To behave as Jeanne would, were she still around. This leads Alix to step out of her comfort zone….though perhaps into the hands of challenges she could never anticipate.
This is a story about art, grief, and defining your own future.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Now let’s look at a rad work of nonfiction, a comic, and two anthologies which have all published so far this month. There’s something here for every kind of reader.
This book, put together by two powerhouse authors, is about the period between World War I and World War II when flying became an American obsession. That included an obsession in the Black community, too, even if their options were much more limited. But a crew of Black Americans, men and women, in Chicago, came together to build their own flying club and airfield on the south side. They trained and educated future Black pilots alongside white pilots in those years.
There are photos throughout as well, really bringing this incredible piece of history to life.
Now for our graphic novel, which looks so fun!
Chelsea has been trying to shake the reputation she has, thanks to her dad. They live in New Orleans, and he runs a paranormal removal company. It’s a new school year, and Chelsea is feeling good as she’s finally made friends with the popular crowd.
But then she finds herself in trouble and as punishment, she’s spending the summer working with her dad. She’s not thrilled, especially when she discovers that she might be good at the job because she can actually see ghosts.
Things get more complicated when Chelsea meets a ghost named Oliver and wants to help save him from being stuck inside the mansion that she’s supposed to be helping to destroy spirits from.
All of the stories in this anthology center around Desi weddings. Among the stories are a curse that becomes prophetic, a soulmate whose words can appear on the skin of their beloved, a girl discovering the meaning of true love, a boy debating whether or not to betray his parents, and more. The collection includes stories from Prerna Pickett, Syed Masood, Tashie Bhuiyan, Aamna Qureshi, Payal Doshi, Sarah Mughal, Noreen Mughees, and Anahita Karthik.
One more YA anthology for your TBR is this little gem, which looks like it might actually publish next week (so go ahead and preorder to request it from your library). I am someone who loves a good sports story, so I know I’m eager to dive into these 16 stories about girls in sports. It’s got a strong roster of contributors, including Carrie S. Allen, Sara Farizan, Juliana Goodman, Maggie Hall, Leah Henderson, Sarah Henning, Naomi Kanakia, Miranda Kenneally, Yamile Saied Méndez, Cam Montgomery, Marieke Nijkamp, Amparo Ortiz, Aminah Mae Safi, Kayla Whaley, and both of the editors, Dahlia Adler and Jennifer Iacoppelli.
Whew, are we ever in for some good reading!
I’ll see you later this week with some new paperbacks and YA book news. Until then, may you be reading your next favorite book.
–Kelly Jensen, currently reading The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly
Here in South Carolina, we’ve been experiencing A LOT of rain, so most of us have been bunkering down to avoid all of the flooding around the upstate. For me, this meant MORE reading time. Of course, Dylan and Gwen refused to go outside to do the business. How dare the weather ruin their immaculate schedule? Poor little creatures. At any rate, if you’re bunkering down because of rain or snow, I have some excellent books for you to check out. But first, bookish goods!
2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!
I saw this and knew I needed one. I love a novelty light, and this one is perfect to give your library that cozy feel. $45
In his memoir, Shoji Morimoto started his own freelance business as a rental person. He’s paid to accompany people during surgeries, to restaurants, and even sees them to the train stations.
Sports fans will love this biography of one of the best rising athletes of our time, Naomi Osaka. Find out about the story of Osaka’s incredible talent on the court and her dreams for the future.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
In Good Talk, Mira Jacob describes how her son asked her why his Jewish paternal grandparents would vote for Trump, a man who hated immigrants like Mira and her parents. This question launches her into even more questions that she’s not quite sure how to answer. She works through these conversations in Good Talk, illustrating them on the page and giving readers a fuller picture. I read this graphic memoir while waiting for a delayed flight at the airport. I felt consumed and barely even noticed spending the extra four hours surrounded by disgruntled passengers.
Roz Chast’s parents have lived in the same apartment for decades. As her parents age, she begins to think through how she will care for them when they get older and how she wants to spend as much time with them as possible. But her parents want to have nothing to do with any of these conversations. With her classic sense of humor, Chast captures the ridiculous moments of a very difficult time in her life. This graphic memoir is so good; no wonder it was a finalist for the National Book Award.
That’s it for this week! You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave, over on Instagram @kdwinchester, or on my podcast Read Appalachia. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.
Happy Reading, Friends!
~ Kendra
Happy Friday, shipmates! It’s Alex, and I’ve got new releases, and a couple of books I consider to be my favorite airplane reads. And wowie, I hope you’re all warmer than I am. We’re in the cold weather now, what we locally call “Stock Show Weather” because it feels like there’s always a nasty cold snap when the National Western Stock Show is happening. It’s not as bad as it could be — at least we’re not into negative numbers — but I’m sure sticking under a warm blanket with a book this weekend. Stay safe (and warm) out there, space pirates! I’ll see you on Tuesday.
2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!
Let’s make the world a better place, together. Here are two places to start: Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund, which provides medical and humanitarian relief to children in the Middle East regardless of nationality, religion, or political affiliation; and Ernesto’s Sanctuary, a cat sanctuary and animal rescue in Syria that is near and dear to my heart.
This is just a delightful T-shirt — bookworm versus bookwyrm, amiright? It comes in a variety of fun colors, too! $18+
The Mathuran Republic teeters on the edge of oblivion after too many violent clashes with the Magadhan Empire. A senator and his wife set plans that span nations into motion, hoping to save their home from destruction — but they are not the only players on this political game board, and they soon find that gold and loyalty run out shockingly quickly.
Harrow has come to Salizar’s as a place to hide after her clan was slaughtered — and maybe forget her past. Then, a monster with wings and power and no memory of who he is or where he came from arrives. Harrow recognizes someone who knows a loneliness like hers, and so she chooses him, working to unbury his secrets — something that will put them both in terrible danger.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
My mom hopped on an airplane yesterday to visit family, and that got me thinking about a good airplane read. In my opinion, you want a book that’s just fun and an easy read to help the time pass quickly. So here’s a couple I’d take on a plane flight any day.
Roen is a schlubby IT guy who lives a very normal life…up until he suddenly acquires a voice in his head. Worse, it’s an alien named Tao riding along with him — and Tao’s got a mission to stop his people’s ancient enemy, the Genjix, before they sacrifice all humanity. Since he’s just a voice in Roen’s brain, well, looks like Roen needs to train up to be the ultimate secret agent. No problem, right?
This — and I mean this in the most positive possible way — reads like an epic D&D campaign got turned into a gripping and fun-as-heck novel, in which an orc rogue who decides she doesn’t want to be a sacrifice to a nameless god acquires an employer, loses said employer, but then gains an elven wizard girlfriend.
See you, space pirates. If you’d like to know more about my secret plans to dominate the seas and skies, you can catch me over at my personal site.