Newsletters Dev – Page 19 – getting it done!

History Meets Magic in These Historical Fantasy Reads

Post author By Rachel Brittain
Post date June 18, 2024

Sponsored by

Hi, historical fiction fans,

It’s always a joy to spend time with friends who are readers, and this past weekend I got to spend time–and get copious amounts of book recommendations–from several of closest reader friends. These are friends who have recommended books that I almost certainly wouldn’t have picked up otherwise, but wound up loving nonetheless. Books that were strange and wonderful. Books like The Regional Office is Under Attack, The Lonesome Bodybuilder, and The Need. If you have friends like that in your life, keep them close and keep the wonderfully weird book recommendations coming.

Learn something new, sharpen your skills, and expand your horizons with our Better Living Through Books newsletter. Better Living Through Books is your resource for reading material that helps you live the life you want. From self-help to cookbooks to parenting to personal finance, relationships, and more, Better Living Through Books has got you covered. If it’s part of life, it can be part of your reading life. Sign up for your free subscription to Better Living Through Books today, or become an All Access member starting at $6 per month or $60 per year and get unlimited access to members-only content in 20+ newsletters, community features, and the warm fuzzies knowing you are supporting independent media.

Bookish Goods

Books Save Lives Shirt from Elite Girl Tee

Remind everyone of the importance of books and the dangers of book bans with this great tee shirt from Etsy. $16.45

New Releases

The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks

In a world where a strange Wasteland has appeared between Beijing and Moscow and only a train provides safe passage between the two, a price must be paid for any who want to make the journey on the Great Trans-Siberian Express. The price can’t be paid in any form of known currency. But for the characters at the heart of this tale, they can only hope the price is worth it.

Daughter of Calamity by Rosalie M. Lin

Cabaret dancers’ faces are being stolen. Jingwen, who works at one of Shanghai’s finest clubs, worries she might be next. Her grandmother has always wanted her to become the next personal surgeon to the gang she herself serves, but in order to save herself and her fellow dancers, Jingwen will have to become something far more dangerous.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

Both our new releases have a magical bent this week, so let’s look at the wide wonderful world of historical fantasy books!

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

In a magical version of Edwardian England, a normal man and a magician must work together after a clerical error lands them in the same department. Their animosity isn’t even the worst of their problems when they discover a dangerous magical conspiracy threatening all of England.

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

When Casiopea accidentally frees an ancient Mayan god from her rich grandfather’s house, her life becomes infinitely more interesting—and more dangerous. The god has a quest for her, and as she ventures across Mexico during the Roaring Twenties to fulfill it, she discovers a side of herself she had always hoped to pursue.

That’s it for now, folks! Stay subscribed for more stories of yesteryear.

If you want to talk books, historical or otherwise, you can find me @rachelsbrittain on most social media, including Instagram, Goodreads, and Litsy.

Right now I’m reading When Among Crows by Veronica Roth. What about you?

Giveaways

061824-JuneEACHouse-Giveaway

Post author By Vivek Patel
Post date June 18, 2024

We’re teaming up with Bookperk to give away $250 gift card to Powell’s Books to one lucky winner!

Enter here for a chance to win, or click the image below!

Here’s a bit more from our sponsor: Bookperk is the place for readers! Fantastic deals, exclusive giveaways, bookish finds & more – delivered daily for free.

Swords and Spaceships

A Storm of Books

Post author By Alex Acks
Post date June 17, 2024

Sponsored by

Happy Tuesday, shipmates! It’s Alex, and I’ve got a double dose of new releases coming at you today, since June continues its absolute storm of books. I hope everyone had a lovely weekend — I played way too many video games, because the final installment of Destiny came out and just stuck the landing, story-wise. (One thing to love about this space wizard FPS is that there’s a massive amount of in-game text lore, which has now been collected into six print volumes.) If you didn’t have as much fun as me, hopefully you at least got more things crossed off on your to-do list! Stay safe out there, space pirates, and I’ll see you on Friday!

Bookish Goods

Trans Siberian Express Art Print by EmuDesigns

This art print is absolutely gorgeous. I love the style and color of it. And of course, I had trains on the brain because of one of the new releases (see below)! $25

New Releases

Rakesfall by Vajra Chandrasekera

In the midst of the Sri Lankan civil war, two children met and were bound indelibly together, first by a search for truth, and then by an act of violence that propelled their souls ever into the future. No matter how many lives they live, Annelid and Leveret will hold on to each other.

The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks

The Trans-Siberian Express is the only means of traversing the Wastelands, and its tickets are always sold out, its cars always filled with people who want to see the fantastic and terrifying creatures it will pass on its journey. On the last journey, something went terribly wrong, yet no one can remember what. And as the train departs again into the Wasteland, there is a stowaway — and one lifelong employee of the train service who can’t bring herself to turn her in.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

Two more new releases, coming your way!

The Runes of Engagement by Tobias S. Buckell and Dave Klecha

Fantasy is all fun and games until portals open in the sky and let forth a wave of dragons and trolls. It’s even less fun and games if you’re in a Marine platoon trapped on the wrong side of one of those portals, in a world that gives lie to every geek’s knowledge, and where the next mission involves a Very Important Princess.

Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen

At 18 years old, Aihui Ying finds her dreams of becoming an engineer like her father abruptly ended by his assassination. Pursuing answers, she poses as her own brother to enter the Engineer’s Guild…with a little unexpected help from a prince who has his own motivations. Ying’s mission brings her up against jealous engineers, competitive classmates, and then far deeper and scarier politics. Revenge may save her life — but it soon becomes clear that it will require her to betray her father’s memory.

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.

The Kids Are All Right

Summer, Basketball, And More Great Kids’ Books!

Post author By Margaret Kingsbury
Post date June 17, 2024

Sponsored by

Happy Tuesday, kidlit friends! And happy Juneteenth one day early. Both my daughter and I have the holiday off, but I’m not sure what we’re going to do to observe it yet. Books will indubitably be involved. Today, I review four summer-themed children’s books plus two great new releases.

Bookish Goods

Middle Grade Print by janemount

I include a book by Jane Mount below, so I thought I would pair it with this lovely middle grade print! $34+

New Releases

Wat Takes His Shot by Cheryl Kim, illustrated by Nat Iwata

This is a really fascinating picture book biography about Japanese American basketball player Wataru Misaka, who was the first player of color to play in the NBA. Even though Wat was shorter than the other players, his speed made him a star player in junior high and high school. When he went to college and joined the basketball team in 1943, the Utah college forced him to sleep under the bleachers, unwilling to give him a dorm room with a white student. Even though the crowd yelled insults at him, he proved himself an excellent player. He was drafted during WWII, and afterward, he was chosen by the New York Knicks to play.

Books Make Good Friends Activity Book by Jane Mount

I loved Books Make Good Friends the picture book, and now there’s an activity book to go along with it! It’s super neat. There are stickers, pop-out bookmarks, posters of book spines to decorate, pop-out bookmobiles to build, and so much more. I have one of the stickers on the back of my phone right now. It’s a perfect activity book to work on over the summer for virtually any age, from elementary school on up.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

The summer solstice is right around the corner, so I thought I’d round up some summer-themed children’s books!

Summer’s Magic by Kaitlin B. Curtice, illustrated by Eduardo Marticorena

This is a sweet Indigenous picture book about environmentalism and welcoming Grandfather Sun. Bo’s family has taught him to give thanks to Mother Earth and Grandfather Sun. As the summer solstice approaches, Bo notices people throwing trash at a local park. On the solstice, he has an idea. He gathers other children in the park, and they all clean up litter. In the evening, they have a picnic.

Summer Is Here by Renée Watson, illustrated by Bea Jackson

This is an evocative, lyrical celebration of all things summer. The young narrator loves the fresh fruit, pool days, and family cookouts that summer brings. It’s her favorite season of the year, and she wishes summer would stay. The vibrant illustrations depict gorgeous summery scenes full of Black joy.

Mama’s Library Summers by Melvina Noel, illustrated by Daria Peoples

This lovely picture book is based on the author’s childhood. Every summer, Mama takes the narrator and her sister to the library. They can only check out books about Black people. They get as many books as the library allows and take them home, devouring them as a family, then having book review contests. Memorable, collage illustrations accompany the text. An author’s and illustrator’s notes follow.

One Alley Summer by Anne Ylvisaker

This is a heartwarming middle grade novel-in-verse about the summer before middle school. Phee spends much of her day in a quiet alley, watching as the city passes by from the safety of a treehouse, journaling. The alley comes alive in her journal. When a new girl moves in nearby, Phee wonders if she should try to join the world. But the new girl’s snark makes it difficult to do so.

Over the weekend, my daughter and I went to a puppet show of Aesop’s Fables at our local library branch. Nashville Public Library has a phenomenal puppet troupe called Wishing Chair Productions. If you’re ever in town, you should check it out!

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

New Books

Hooray, It’s Time for New Books!

Post author By Liberty Hardy
Post date June 17, 2024

Sponsored by

Hello, my Tuesday friends! I hope you are all having a great start to your week. It has been a very busy one here in Maine, and I have been padding my spare moments with comics and children’s books. I read an upcoming picture book called The Baby Who Stayed Awake Forever by Sandra Salsbury, and it delighted me to no end. It’s out in March (sorry), but mark it down now! It’s a riot. I am also a new fan of the Batpig series and the Grumpy Monkey books. I don’t know how I have managed to miss out on Grumpy Monkey until now, but I am glad I finally read some, because I discovered his name is actually Jim Panzee, and that is amazing.

Today I have novels of messy family drama in a mother’s life, a young Black veteran’s struggles upon his return home from war, and a sparse, sharp story of art and identity. As for this week’s other new releases, at the top of my list of today’s books that I want to get my hands on are Bird Milk & Mosquito Bones: A Memoir by Priyanka Mattoo, 1974: A Personal History by Francine Prose, and The Memo by Rachel Dodes and Lauren Mechling. You can hear about more of the fabulous books coming out today on this week’s episode of All the Books! Emily and I talked about books we are excited about, including We Used To Live Here, Little Rot, and One-Star Romance.

Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo

For fans of messy family drama (and really, who isn’t?), Claire Lombardo is back with a new novel about motherhood, maturation, and life’s surprises. At 57, Julia Ames is finally starting to feel like she has a good handle on her life. But when you think it’s all going well is when the universe will getcha! Julia’s children both throw her curveballs, and the past has decided it isn’t ready for Julia to forget about it. As she tries to navigate current events without resorting to past behaviors, readers are treated to a realistic tale of what it means to be a parent with their own hopes and dreams, and problems. P.S. Good luck getting the Talking Heads song out of your head. (Read this while you get ready for Reese to adapt Lombardo’s first novel, if you haven’t already read that one!)

Backlist bump: The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo

God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer by Joseph Earl Thomas

I had the privilege of seeing Joseph Earl Thomas talk a few years ago, and he was such a compelling speaker! He had been talking about his incredible memoir then, and now he also has a novel — it is SO GOOD. It’s about a young Black man in Philadelphia trying to figure out his life after returning from service in the Iraq War. Joseph Thomas is working as an EMT and taking classes, but his time overseas has changed him in ways that not everyone in his life can understand. Not even Joseph Thomas is sure he understands, but Joseph Earl Thomas has certainly captured the nuances and complications of his character’s situation. Joseph Thomas’s observations, struggles, and heartbreaks drive this powerful debut about the life of a young Black man in America, and it is sure to be nominated for a gazillion awards.

Backlist bump: Sink: A Memoir by Joseph Earl Thomas

Parade by Rachel Cusk

And last, but not least, if you want to read an author all your favorite authors love to read, pick up a book by Rachel Cusk! Her latest is a format-bending story of a painter named G, who achieves great success in his midlife. It’s also about a painter named G in her twenties. There’s also the story of an attack on a woman in Paris, and one of children contemplating their mother after her death. But are these things all related or separate? And when did they happen? Cusk’s storytelling is deliciously cerebral and challenges the reader to decide what form the novel is taking, and what they believe art to be. I don’t mind putting in a little work when the writing is this good. (Be sure to also check out the Outline trilogy!)

Backlist bump: Second Place by Rachel Cusk

This week, I am reading The Swifts: A Gallery of Rogues by Beth Lincoln and illustrated by Claire Powell, and Invisible Kitties: A Feline Study of Fluid Mechanics or The Spurious Incidents of the Cats in the Night-Time by Yu Yoyo and translated by Jeremy Tiang. For viewing, the NBA Finals are still going on, and my husband and I also started watching Bodkin and the new game show The 1% Club. The song stuck in my head this week is “Pa Pa Power” by Dead Man’s Bones, which happens a lot. It’s just so catchy! (Also, if you didn’t already know, it’s Ryan Gosling’s band.) And here is your weekly cat picture: I recently picked up an adorable picture book called Cats Are a Liquid by Rebecca Donnelly and Misa Saburi, because they’re not wrong. Here, Zevon is seen sloshing over the sides of his bowl!

That’s all for this week! I appreciate you more than I can say, friends. Thank you for joining me each Tuesday as I rave about books! I am wishing you all a wonderful rest of your week, whatever situation you find yourself in now. And yay, books! See you next week! – XO, Liberty

“I’ve seen the life on this planet, Scully, and that’s exactly why I’m looking elsewhere.”—Fox Mulder, The X-Files (A great quote from one of the worst episodes, IMO. What a waste of M. Emmet Walsh!)

The Stack

Thematically Appropriate Comics for You Book Lovers

Post author By Eileen Gonzalez
Post date June 17, 2024

Sponsored by

Tuesday again! I hope you’re having a great week so far, but there’s no week so fantastic that it can’t be made even better with new comics!

Bookish Goods

Comic Book Box Storage by GrenadinStore

Looking for someplace special to keep all those comics? You can select a color and design to make this storage box your own! $64

New Releases

One Piece: Ace’s Story Volume Two by Sho Hinata, Tatsuya Hamazaki, Boichi, and Ryo Ishiyama

Just in case there wasn’t enough One Piece material out there to sate your appetite, here is the manga version of the piratical adventures of Ace, Luffy’s ambitious older brother!

Of Her Own Design by Birdie Willis, Nicole Andelfinger, Jess Taylor, and Fiona Marchbank

Brie wants nothing more than to write away her problems if only she could cure this writer’s block. When she finds such a cure, though, it has unexpected and possibly dangerous effects on her entire community. She might actually have to face her troubles head-on for a change!

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: bookstores! My favorite place! And one of yours, too, I bet.

The Haunted Bookstore: Gateway to a Parallel Universe Volume One by Shinobumaru and Medamayaki

Kaori loves spirits: she was raised by one, and the bookstore they run together serves as a portal to the spirit world, where they sell their wares to supernatural beings. But what will happen when a spirit-hating exorcist threatens Kaori’s family and livelihood?

Always Never by Jordi Lebre and Clémence Sapin

For four decades, Zeno, a bookstore owner, and Ana, the city mayor, have danced around each other, exploring their changing relationship without ever taking the step of settling down. As the years roll on, they remain determined to be together however they can until the fateful day when they will finally be united for good.

I hope that there is a trip to the bookstore in your near future!

~Eileen

Giveaways

061724-OlympicsBundle-Giveaway

Post author By Vivek Patel
Post date June 17, 2024

We’re giving away fifteen audiobook downloads of Far Beyond Gold by Sydney McLaughlin, Courage to Soar by Simone Biles, Killing the Image by Andre Ward to fifteen lucky Riot readers!

Enter here for a chance to win, or click the image below!

The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics kick-off this month! Celebrate with these golden audiobooks all written and narrated by Olympian athletes.

Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith by Olympic and World champion hurdler Sydney McLaughlin

Courage to Soar : A Body in Motion, a Life in Balance by Olympic gold-winning and record-setting American gymnast Simone Biles

Killing the Image: A Champion’s Journey of Faith, Fighting, and Forgiveness by Olympic gold medalist boxer Andre Ward

Check Your Shelf

What COVID Did to Fiction

Post author By Katie McLain
Post date June 17, 2024

Sponsored by

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. I knew this last weekend that I was in my mid-30s because I was partially relieved when my friend had to cancel our plans for Friday evening…we had tickets to a drag show in the city, but the show didn’t start until 10 p.m., and both of us agreed that 10 o’clock was probably too late for us to be out anyway. What thrilling lives we lead!

Attention librarians, booksellers, and book nerds! You can apply to become a Bibliologist for Tailored Book Recommendations and get paid for your bookish knowledge! TBR is a subscription-based book recommendation service where customers receive three hand-picked recommendations per quarter that are tailored to their specific reading likes and dislikes. Of special interest: bibliologists who can recommend across a variety of genres. Click here to read more and fill out an application.

Collection Development Corner

Publishing News

Now you can read the classics with AI-powered expert guides.

The rise of bookstores with a social mission.

New & Upcoming Titles

V.E. Schwab just signed a 7-figure book deal, with her next book being released in 2025.

Trump’s nephew Fred C. Trump III is releasing a memoir, out in July.

Sylvester Stallone has a memoir coming out in 2025.

3 new nonfiction books to commemorate Juneteenth.

The Ultimate Summer 2024 reading list.

Weekly book picks from Crime Reads, LitHub, New York Times, Parade.

June picks from The Guardian (thrillers), People, Reactor (YA SFF).

What Your Patrons Are Hearing About

Consent: A Memoir – Jill Ciment (New York Times, NPR)

Parade – Rachel Cusk (New York Times, Washington Post)

When the Clock Broke: Con Men, Conspiracists, and How America Cracked Up in the Early 1990s – John Ganz (New York Times, Washington Post)

The Uptown Local: Joy, Death, and Joan Didion: A Memoir – Cory Leadbeater (New York Times, Washington Post)

Just Add Water: My Swimming Life – Katie Ledecky (New York Times, People)

Hip-Hop is History – Questlove (The Guardian, Washington Post)

Beautiful Days: Stories – Zach Williams (Esquire, Washington Post)

RA/Genre Resources

Why the Pacific Northwest is the perfect setting for murder.

The lure of faraway places in crime fiction.

In defense of queer villains in stories.

Queering crime stories: establishing a new order in mysteries and thrillers.

What COVID did to fiction.

The American Novel has a major problem with fat people.

On the Riot

The best new weekly releases to TBR, plus the best weekly BIPOC and LGBTQ+ releases.

June 2024 book club selections.

The best book club books to read for Pride Month.

What books are being called the best of the year so far? Well, here are the best books according to Amazon.

What is a why choose romance?

All Things Comics

5 of this year’s best graphic novels make for perfect summer reading.

Excellent graphic novels for kids to read this summer.

Audiophilia

On the Riot

Libro.fm’s most pre-ordered audiobooks of summer 2024.

Audible’s top audiobooks of 2024 so far.

11 compelling nonfiction audiobooks for kids.

Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists

Children/Teens

30 great LGBTQ+ picture books.

Kids’ books about sisters and sisterhood.

LGBTQ+ books for tweens.

What to read while you wait for Sunrise on the Reaping.

14 YA suggestions to help you manifest bravery.

16 YA books to inspire your main character energy this summer.

Will reading these 12 YA books make you smarter?

Adults

Pride reading lists from Barnes & Noble, Kirkus, USA Today, Washington Post.

The best Father’s Day books for fiction & nonfiction-loving dads.

10 feminist crime novels subverting the “dead girl” trope.

5 of the best fashion memoirs.

15 enchanting romances with a touch of magic.

Short story recommendations when you only have a half hour.

Books with intense “Yes, Chef” vibes to get ready for Season 3 of The Bear.

Vintage VHS-inspired horror thrills and chills.

On the Riot

Pretty queer in pink: LGBTQ+ YA books with pink covers.

LGBTQ romantasy books that you probably aren’t hearing about on TikTok.

10 STEM-themed romances.

5 books about longevity to help you live a longer life.

Trans historical fiction books.

If you like that popular queer book, try this under-the-radar pairing.

Level Up (Library Reads)

Do you take part in Library Reads, the monthly list of best books selected by librarians only? We’ve made it easy for you to find eligible diverse titles to nominate. Kelly Jensen has a guide to discovering upcoming diverse books, and Edelweiss has a new catalog dedicated to diverse titles, which is managed by Early Word Galley Chatter Vicki Nesting. Check it out!

I was trying to roll out a sore spot on my back, but Jonesy had other ideas.

All right, friends. Back on Friday!

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.

Read This Book

Read This Book…

Post author By Patricia Elzie
Post date June 17, 2024

Sponsored by

Welcome to Read This Book, a newsletter where I recommend one book that should absolutely be put at the top of your TBR pile. Recommended books will vary across genre and age category and include shiny new books, older books you may have missed, and some classics I suggest finally getting around to. Make space for another pile of books on your floor because here we go!

Today’s pick is by a talented Black, queer, and trans writer, poet, and cultural worker from Texas.

Pretty: A Memoir by KB Brookins

Brookins writes, “Every day, I am assumed to be a Black American man, though my ID says ‘female,’ and my heart says neither of the sort.” This memoir, interspersed with poetry, contains Brookins’ own experiences of the particular flavor of marginalization that happens when a person is Black, queer, and trans. Some of this is exacerbated by religious community but don’t let anyone lead you to believe this marginalization doesn’t happen outside of those spaces as well. Brookins’ birth mother had them very young and they were adopted by and raised by another couple. These folks, their parents, are, according to them, very religious and very Texan.

My heart broke over and over, reading about the bullying and the discomfort of elementary school, and then I shook with rage reading about the sexual assault they suffered at the hands of teenage children of fellow church members. Needless to say, this book is an emotional read filled with multiple kinds of abuse and homophobia and transphobia but there is always, always hope written between the words.

For 60 years, the author’s family has had two gospel-singing troupes made of dozens of family members. The family is well-known in churches in the Fort Worth, Texas area and they write about the effects of this on them growing up. They also write about their eventual escape from the toxic culture that surrounded and terrorized them, which coincided with going to college. During all of this is their struggle to figure out who they are, where they belong, and who they belong with. Maybe I’m biased, but one of the reasons I always find Black queer memoirs so powerful is that there is always hope as the through line. If there was no hope, then the memoir wouldn’t exist. If there was no hope, then Black queer people would not exist.

I feel so fortunate that this book exists and I get to share it with you.

That’s it for now, book-lovers!

Patricia

Find me on Book Riot, the All the Books podcast, Bluesky, and Instagram.

Find more books by subscribing to Book Riot Newsletters.

Bookish Goods

Bookish Good of the Week: June 16, 2024

Post author By Erica Ezeifedi
Post date June 16, 2024

More Pride, Less Prejudice Tote Bag by LGBTeesCo

Keep the Pride celebrations going with this Jane Austen tote! This is also perfect for toting books ‘n’ things for any beach-related activities. $18+