Newsletters Dev – Page 23 – getting it done!

Murder Mystery Puzzle Book Murdle tops UK Christmas Bestseller Chart

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date December 28, 2023

Sponsored by

Hello, mystery fans! Wishing you all safe travels into 2024.

It’s happening, readers — we’re bringing paperbacks! Whether you (or a reader you know and love) hate carrying around bulky hardcovers, you’re on a budget, you want a wider range of recommendations, or all of the above, you can now get a paperback subscription from TBR, curated just for you by one of our Bibliologists. The holidays are here, and we’ve got three different levels for gifting (to yourself or others) to suit every budget. Get all the details at mytbr.co.

Bookish Goods

Acrylic Book Vase for Flowers by LaVieLenteStyle

Clever. ($33 — color options available)

New Releases

And one more round of something a little different to end the year: two great literary titles from this year — from authors with fantastic backlists — whose 2023 releases also had crime/mystery blended in. So, while these are not mystery books, if you are looking to try a literary novel or already read the genre, the “mystery” bit I mention below may entice you.

The Fraud by Zadie Smith

This is historical fiction (late 1800s England) based on the real Tichborne case, which questioned whether the heir to a very wealthy family was, in fact, the person he claimed to be.

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

This historical novel takes you to Pennsylvania to a Jewish and African American immigrant neighborhood, Chicken Hill, during the ’20s and ’30s. But the novel opens in the ’70s when a skeleton is unearthed at the bottom of a well…

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

Riot Recommendations

Let’s end the year with two adaptations from this year worth a watch!

Triptych (Will Trent #1) by Karin Slaughter

For fans of dark procedurals!

Book: A serial killer is brutally murdering women, and since Det. Michael Ormewood hasn’t caught the killer yet, and Will Trent, who works for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Special Criminal Apprehension Team, is brought in.

Adaptation: aired on ABC and is streaming on Hulu (second season coming in February 2024). Will Trent (Ramón Rodríguez) is a special agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigations who grew up in the foster care system and has a special bond with Angie Polaski (Erika Christensen), an Atlanta PD Homicide Detective whom he grew up with. The show handles dark cases — but airs at 10 p.m. on ABC, which should give you an idea of what it’s allowed to show — gives past and present personal lives of the characters (including an adorable dog) and should be enjoyable for fans of thrillers, murder mysteries, and “partner” detective shows.

The Gold: The real story behind Brink’s-Mat: Britain’s biggest heist by Neil Forsyth and Thomas Turner

For fans of heists!

Both are written by Forsyth, but I’m not sure which came first, the book or the series? Either way, the book gives the real story for the series: the Brink’s-Mat millions, stolen in the ’80s from a storage facility in London, which at the time was the biggest theft in Britain’s history.

The series The Gold, aired on BBC One, and is now streaming on Paramount+.

News and Roundups

Liberty and Tirzah chat favorite 2023 fiction on All The Books! — including Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby, Happiness Falls by Angie Kim, A Long Stretch of Bad Days by Mindy McGinnis, Scorched Grace by Margot Douaihy, and Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley. (100% great choices!)

FOX orders Kristin Kreuk’s Canadian crime drama for 2024-25 season

Yup, yup, will watch: “Another high-profile title is Self Reliance (Jan. 12), a comedic thriller written and directed by New Girl’s Jake Johnson, who also stars in the film alongside Anna Kendrick and Andy Samberg (as himself). Johnson’s character gets wrapped up in a reality game in which he has to outrun assassins trying to kill him.” What’s New on Hulu in January 2024

Greta Gerwig once picked her favorite crime movie

Tampa Bay Times: Best Books of 2023

Murder mystery puzzle book Murdle tops UK Christmas bestseller chart

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. See 2023 releases and upcoming 2024 releases. Check out this Unusual Suspects Pinterest board and get Tailored Book Recommendations!

Until next time, keep investigating! In the meantime, come talk books with me on Bluesky, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and Litsy — you can find me under Jamie Canavés.

If a mystery fan forwarded this newsletter to you and you’d like your very own, you can sign up here.

True Story

Goodbye, 2023!

Post author By Kendra Winchester
Post date December 28, 2023

Sponsored by

As 2023 comes to a close, I’ve been gathering my list of 2023 releases I definitely want to roll over into 2024. I love the challenge! Plus, it’s the time of year when book lovers across social media are sharing some of their favorite books of the year. They are making my TBR so much longer, in the best possible way. So today, I’m sharing some of my favorite books of the year that you definitely won’t want to miss.

Bookish Goods

Bookshop Greeting Card by Phoebe And June

This is such a beautiful greeting card, my goodness. It’s perfect to send to a friend or just to keep for yourself to frame on the wall. $4

New Releases

A couple of my 2023 releases that I want to roll over into 2024.

Once a City Said: A Louisville Poets Anthology edited by Joy Priest

Poet Joy Priest has collected a range of poetry from her hometown, Louisville, Kentucky, including some prose poetry, deeply personal memoir-in-poetry entries, and experimental pieces. She truly brings together the best literary talent of the city.

Pageboy: A Memoir by Elliot Page

A lot of us had been anticipating this book for so long! Trans actor Elliot Page describes his experience growing up and starting his acting career before he came out. He performs the audiobook himself, and I will definitely be going that route.

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

Riot Recommendations

Tar Hollow Trans: Essays by Stacy Jane Grover

Stacy Jane Grover grew up in Southeastern Ohio, not really viewing herself as Appalachian. But as she moved through the world —transitioning as a teen, falling in and out of love, and trying to find a career— she slowly began engaging with the idea. Grover illustrates a way of being that we don’t often read in literature. Much of trans history focuses on urban centers, but Grover tells a different story of growing up with her family having a different understanding of who she was. Her grandfather just called her “shy,” which in her region of Appalachia just meant a sort of difference that was accepted, if not understood.

Hijab Butch Blues: A Memoir by Lamya H

Lamya H figured out she was gay as a teenager in a Muslim school while living in a country in the Middle East. When she moved to America for university, she began to slowly come to terms with her sexuality and what that might mean for her life as a Muslim person. However, she constantly ran into non-Muslim people who told her she couldn’t be Muslim AND queer. That’s not how it worked. Lamya disagreed, finding her own way of being as a queer Muslim. Lamya structures her memoir around different figures from the Qur’an, weaving together figures from her faith with her own story.

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

Swords and Spaceships

Tea Served With a Side of Revenge

Post author By Alex Acks
Post date December 28, 2023

Sponsored by

Happy Friday, shipmates! It’s Alex, and I’ve got a second installment of 2023 standalones for your perusal and enjoyment. And…this is it — the last newsletter of the year. I won’t get into detail, but 2023 has really sucked for me on a personal level, so I am beyond glad that we’ll soon see it only in the rearview mirror. Whether you had a rotten year like I did, or a great one, I think it’s safe to wish that 2024 will bring better things for us all. Stay safe out there, space pirates, and I’ll see you in 2024!!

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.

Bookish Goods

Gingerbread Dragon Sculpture by ArtByAelia

The dragons will continue until morale improves. We had a dragon made out of gingerbread, but here’s a helpful little guy who is here to dispose of your extra holiday cookies. #helping, truly. $67

(Not) New Releases

The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa

The war between the Holy Vallbaran Empire and the Ominirish Republic has ended, not that scribe Enitan really cares. Her ambition is to quit her day job and dedicate herself fully to her tea business…until her lover is assassinated and Imperial agents kidnap her sibling. With tea tray in hand, she embarks on a mission of rescue — and revenge.

The Great Transition by Nick Fuller Googins

Thirty years after the worst of the climate crisis begins to truly ravage the globe, society has been remade by the so-called Great Transition into something imperfect, but still potentially utopian. But when a dozen climate criminals are publicly assassinated, a young woman whose parents were involved in that world-changing movement must go searching for her mother Kristina, who is one of the suspects in this crime.

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

Riot Recommendations

And here are excellent standalones, part the second!

The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei

With the climate collapsing, Earth sends a single ship out to carry humanity’s last hope, crewed by eight people who will birth the next generation in deep space. But halfway to their destination, a bomb kills three of the crew and knocks the ship badly off course…and Asuka is the only witness and therefore chief suspect.

The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz

Destry is part of the environmental rescue team terraforming Sask-E, the newest generation of her family to have done so. But then she discovers a city in a volcano, which should not exist, let alone be populated by people. This is just the first thread she tugs — and soon the tapestry of her life is unraveling.

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.

Giveaways

122823-Dec.EACPushes-2023-Giveaway

Post author By Vivek Patel
Post date December 28, 2023

We’re partnering with Dragons & Spaceships to give away a pair of AirPods Pro!

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

Here’s a bit more from our partner: Dungeons & Spaceships – For the Fans, By the Fans. We keep a close eye on the horizon of fantasy and scifi books, ensuring you’re the first to know about shifts in the genre, upcoming releases, and author interviews. Step into a realm where magic meets machinery, where dragons soar amongst the stars, and where every week is a new journey. Join the adventure!

Read This Book

Post author By Tirzah Price
Post date December 28, 2023

Sponsored by

Welcome to Read This Book, a newsletter where I recommend one book that I think you absolutely must read. The books will vary across genre and age category to include new releases, backlist titles, and classics. If you’re ready to explode your TBR, buckle up!

Happy almost New Year! For my last recommendation of 2023, I am recommending one of my favorite reads of the year! It truly is a beautiful and funny novel, and it deals with some really tragic circumstances. Content warning for school shootings, PTSD, and trauma recovery.

Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow

Most kids wouldn’t be thrilled to move to a National Quiet Zone, where internet, radio, and microwaves are banned…but seventh-grader Simon is more than okay with his family’s move. No internet means that he can start over at his new school and not worry about his new classmates googling him and discovering that he’s pretty well known—as the only kid in his fifth-grade class to survive a school shooting. Grin and Bear It, Nebraska, is certainly a unique place, and Simon finds himself making two new friends and weathering the challenges of a new home while keeping a big secret. But even in a place where there’s no internet, the past will inevitably catch up with him.

This is the funniest book about the aftermath of a traumatic book you’ll ever read. Simon has an upbeat, lightly sarcastic personality, and he can tell a good story. He uses this humor to deflect attention and as a coping mechanism when life gets tough. At the beginning of the story, he doesn’t really reveal what he endured two years earlier, but readers will pick up on the clues he drops, especially based on his phobias and fears. The friendships he makes, particularly with a girl named Agate, are really lovely. Agate doesn’t fully understand what Simon is going through, but her sensitivity and kindness prove invaluable, especially when she hooks him up with a golden retriever puppy to foster as part of his service dog training. (Don’t worry, nothing happens to the dog!)

I also really loved the relationship between Simon and his parents. His dad is a deacon and musician and tries to be sensitive to Simon’s needs. His mom is a funeral director and mortician, and she has a slightly dark sense of humor but is fiercely protective. Simon very much feels like the school shooting is a tragedy that happened to him, but as Bow demonstrates, this sort of crime affects an entire family, and his parents are doing their best to hold them all together. As Simon processes his trauma and learns how to deal with unexpected curveballs (including tornado sirens, a very mean peacock, a plan to fake an alien message, and a lot of emus), they’re with him every step of the way. This book broke my heart and made me cry, but it also made me laugh aloud, and I was rooting for Simon every step of the way.

Happy reading, and happy New Year!
Tirzah

Find me on Book Riot, Hey YA, All the Books, and Instagram. If someone forwarded this newsletter to you, click here to subscribe.

Check Your Shelf

Pledge to Read Less?

Post author By Katie McLain
Post date December 28, 2023

Sponsored by

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. I hope everyone had a healthier holiday than my husband’s side of the family this year…we had six or seven people sick or injured leading up to Christmas, including a couple hospital visits. Thankfully, everyone seems to be okay, but I’m just hoping no one else comes down with anything!

Libraries & Librarians

News Updates

The New York Times has sued OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement.

OverDrive releases their most-borrowed books of 2023.

Library Journal has rounded up a bunch of “Top 2023 Checkout” lists from public libraries.

Book Adaptations in the News

Read Erasure before you watch American Fiction.

Censorship News

The highlights and lowlights from 2023 in censorship news.

“Keller ISD [TX] trustee Ruthie Keyes stepped down from the school board during a discussion on whether to allow chaplains to volunteer in classrooms.” It’s all part of the same agenda, folks.

(Paywalled): Orange County School District (FL) pulls 673 books from library shelves.

Escambia County Public Schools (FL) have made over 1000 books off-limits to students. Meanwhile, a federal judge will begin hearing arguments pertaining to the book banning lawsuit filed against ECPS in January.

Hernando County Public Schools (FL) have banned six books as of their December board meeting, including The Hate U Give, which board member Mark Johnson described as “‘nasty, nasty, vulgar, filthy.’” Yes, that is an actual quote from an adult person.

SAD 51 (ME) board votes to keep Gender Queer at Greely High School library. “‘I feel like I’m a better person for having read this book,’ board member Kim Vine said. ‘I took this process very, very seriously.’”

Nearly 200 people attended the December board meeting for the Cuba Circulating Library (NY), many in favor of retaining This Book is Gay in the teen section. One speaker said that it wasn’t censorship to move the book from the teen collection to the adult collection because teens still had access to the adult collection…so why move it, then? On the other end of the spectrum, this person gave a very powerful statement: “Suzanne Flierl, a member of the leadership team for the Cattaraugus-Allegany Liberation Collective and a mother to members of the LGBTQ+ community, spoke about how she had raised her children in a household that was ‘religiously and politically conservative’ and added that she later realized that ‘putting that much restriction on her children traumatized’ them. ‘I wish that this and other books were available to my children at the time,’ Flierl said. ‘It was much needed but unattainable at home.’”

Three new board members have joined the Rockwell Falls Public Library board (NY). The library has been closed for three months after two of its three staff members resigned due to public harassment over a drag queen story hour, and three previous trustees left as well.

The Quarryville Public Library (PA) continues to lose funding from conservative townships because they have LGBTQ books in their collections.

Many of the books targeted by members of the Pine-Richland School Board (PA) have very low circulation numbers.

(Paywalled): The Carroll County School Board (MD) has asked for public input on defining “sexually explicit content.” Yeah, this is going to go well.

Some of the new Fairfax County (VA) school board members were sworn in on a stack of banned books.

This Arlington County (VA) librarian is pushing back against book bans.

“The Alabama Public Library Service has launched its new online portal that allows for parents, concerned citizens and organizations to flag specific books they deem inappropriate for children.” We’ve seen this type of behavior from other ultra-conservative states/government agencies, but to see a state’s library association set up a snitch hotline like this really hits hard.

“Local pastor Paul Thompson asked the board to reconsider its decision on Gender Queer, although library policy states the results of reconsideration decisions stand for five years.” This is in Dothan, Alabama.

(Paywalled): The Lafayette Parish Public Library (LA) has canceled its ALA membership.

After withdrawing from the Central Arkansas Library System’s “tech card program” at the beginning of the 2023 school year, the Pulaski County Special School District is reinstating access, albeit with a new parental approval form.

Two years of efforts to ban books are taking a toll on school librarians. The article focuses on librarians in the Wentzville School District (MO), but this story could apply to school librarians anywhere in the country.

The St. Charles County Library (MO) will remove books that contain sexually explicit photos.

The Pickaway County Library Board (OH) will keep the book Making a Baby in the children’s section.

(Possibly paywalled): The Brainerd School Board (MN) upheld the decision to retain Empire of Storms, and days later, they voted to keep Queen of Shadows as well.

(Paywalled): The Grand Forks Public Library (ND) has fielded its first book challenges in years thanks to a recent library obscenity law passed in April.

“Leavenworth School District Board of Education [KS] voted 4-3 this week to pass revisions to an education policy that bans ‘gender identity’ and ‘sexual orientation’ references in the district’s elementary library books.” So, if a book specifies that a character is male or female, that will automatically be banned, right? Or any mention of heterosexual marriage? Do we want our school children indoctrinated with discussion of sexual orientation like this?? (I’m being facetious, but really, I’m not. If they’re going to make ridiculous policies like this, they need to be upfront with their bigotry and say the quiet parts out loud.)

The Davis School District (UT) is reviewing the Quran under the school’s “sensitive materials” policy.

West Ada School District (ID) quietly pulled 10 titles from library shelves and is considering 44 other titles for removal, thanks to the ratings posted on BookLooks.

Books & Authors in the News

Here’s what’s entering the public domain in 2024.

Numbers & Trends

These are the highest-rated books from every country.

Pop Cultured

32 detective shows you may have forgotten about.

Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous

When the world is dark, how do you rekindle your light?

On the Riot

Why this Rioter is pledging to read less in 2024.

two black cats asleep with their butts touching

Dini has made it his personal mission to annoy the living daylights out of Gilbert this week, but I did manage to get a snuggly photo of them the other day.

All right, friends. I’ll see you in 2024! Stay healthy!

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.

The Stack

Happy Impending New Year, Comics Fans!

Post author By Eileen Gonzalez
Post date December 27, 2023

Sponsored by

You made it through another year, and given the kind of years we’ve been having, that’s not nothing. Let’s celebrate the good parts of 2023 — namely, the comics we got to read!

Bookish Goods

Used English Manga Mystery Box by TheMagesEmporium

Why not end the year by giving some gently used books a home and going on a date with some manga? $20

Eileen’s Favorite Reads of 2023

That’s right, instead of spotlighting new releases or themed Riot Recommendations, I’m going to share with you four of my favorite comics that I read this year. To be clear, these weren’t published in 2023; I just happened to read or reread them this year and wanted to share (or re-share) them with you!

Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu

I read the entire webcomic online years ago, but this was the year I finally bought the second volume after leaving Volume One languishing alone on my shelf for too long. I am delighted to report that this comic, about a figure skater joining his college hockey team and falling in love with its troubled captain, remains disgustingly adorable.

Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte and Ann Xu

How is this so cute! How! Cici is a little girl who has just moved from Taiwan to America and is having trouble fitting in. She wants more than anything to celebrate her grandma’s birthday together, but how can she earn the money for her grandma’s plane ticket? Enter a cooking contest, of course! I thought the ending was a bit abrupt, but other than that, flawless.

Far Sector by N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell

I originally read this on DC Universe Infinite and was so blown away by the characters, the art, the world-building, and the complex murder plot that I was compelled to buy a physical copy. Introducing Jo Mullein as a badass new Green Lantern, Far Sector is how all superhero comics should be.

Miss Quinces by Kat Fajardo

Finally, this is another adorable comic that highlights another culture. The last thing Sue wants is to have a quinceañera celebration, where she has to wear a poofy dress, dance, and give speeches. But when her mother says she will finally let Sue go to camp with her friends if she goes through with it, Sue reluctantly does so and ends up learning a lot about tradition, family, and herself.

Most of my faves this year were pretty bright and happy, and I hope they cheer you up a little too as we close out the year. If the comics aren’t your bag, I hope this picture of my dog Poppy nomming on one of her favorite toys will do the trick. Catch you next year, nerd friends!

~Eileen

Kissing Books

Goodbye, 2023!

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date December 27, 2023

Sponsored by

Welcome, or welcome back, to the Kissing Books. I’m PN Hinton, here to share my love of the romance genre with like-minded readers through a myriad of ways.

Y’all, this is the last newsletter of 2023! I know I sound like a broken record, but I can’t believe that 2024 is only three days away. Overall, this year was rough for me for multiple reasons, although December was mostly good, something for which I’m grateful for. So, it is with the most cautious of optimisms that I am looking forward to 2024. I am manifesting all the positivity and needed changes, even if there will be growing pains. Such is life, though, and my hope is that at the end of it all, I’ll be closer to the person I’m supposed to be and the life I’m supposed to have.

As a reminder, there will not be a send on Monday, so you won’t hear from me again until the 4th of January.

Bookish Goods

Mini Reading Journal by thepeachypolkadot

With New Year’s around the corner, a lot of us are likely thinking of bookish goals for 2024. If you’re one who prefers a physical record, this travel-friendly journal is a good way to keep up with what you’re reading next year, including your thoughts and feedback on it. $16

New Releases

Before we dive into today’s new releases, I messed up last week, and the new releases I sent for last Thursday actually came out this week. Oof. I got a bit turned around in the calendar. However, I made sure that today’s mentions are ones that are releasing this week. (Triple-checked the dates, I did!)

Paternity Payback by Sophia Singh Sasson

Willa has the opportunity to interview Jack, which would help with her journalism career. However, he is also the man who broke her heart years prior, so she has more than a few reservations about it. Still, she uses her charm to try to get him to reveal some of his secrets. But soon, desires and other secrets come to the light, including the daughter that came from their affair and Willa never told Jack about.

Second Duke’s the Charm by Kate Bateman

Dowager Duchess Tess’s husband died on their wedding night, and while that left the young woman well off financially, it also left her a virgin. She wants to experience that type of pleasure, but she is not interested in giving up her independence for it. Justin didn’t want to be a Duke, but since he inherited the title, he will fulfill the task. He sees Tess as the perfect candidate for a marriage of convenience. When Tess’s secret career as a spy for Queen Charlotte starts to affect their marriage, Jack finds himself feeling he can’t trust his wife even as desire and love begin to blossom between them.

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

Riot Recommendations

For the last recommendation of this year, I’m going to recommend two books that surprised me with how much I liked them. I know how that sounds; since I’m not in the habit of reading books, I won’t enjoy it. I always expect to enjoy the books I pick up. But whenever I enjoy a book more than I expected to, it makes them stick out in my mind just a little bit more.

Rather than give a synopsis of said titles, I’m going to elaborate a bit on why I enjoyed them to the extent that I did.

Role Playing by Cathy Yardley

Have I recommended this book before? Yes. Am I doing it again? Absolutely, because this book was amazing, and I was blown away with how much I enjoyed it. Not only is it a later-in-life romance, but there is so much diverse representation here that it really stands out. If you haven’t read it yet, be sure to rectify that soon: you won’t regret it.

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

While overall I have enjoyed everything by Ali, I will admit that I was a bit underwhelmed by her second novel. So, I went into this with tempered expectations and was surprised with how much it resonated with me. I identified with Elsie on multiple levels, and Jack to me, is the best hero in any of her books so far.

And that’s all I have for y’all today. Another reminder that there will not be a send on Monday due to the holiday, so it will be a week before we meet again. In the meantime, you can find me over on the bird app under @PScribe801 and Instagram under @pns_bookish_world. Until then, happy reading and stay hydrated. I’ll see you in 2024.

What's Up in YA

Elite Revenge, Adaptations, and More YA Book Talk and News: December 28, 2023

Post author By Kelly Jensen
Post date December 27, 2023

Sponsored by

Hey YA Readers!

I hope that you are enjoying a good book or two during this weird, liminal time of the year. After struggling to read much in the latter part of this year, I’ve been really digging in this month, and it has been so welcomed.

Let’s dive into this week’s new book releases and YA book news. We’ll keep it short and sweet so you can get back into your current read.

Bookish Goods

Enamel Bookworm by MHTPins

I can’t think of a cuter little bookworm than the one you can use as a bookmark. Look at its tiny little face! Grab this enamel bookworm for $18.

New Releases

Though there was no newsletter on Monday with this week’s hardcover releases, there were only 2 new hardbacks to hit shelves. Both were part of an ongoing series—Lucero by Maya Motayne and Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross.

I’m going to stick with the usual Thursday route and highlight two paperbacks that were released this week since we do have a few more of those to choose from.

As always, you can snag the full list of hardcovers here and paperbacks here. The new lists for winter releases will drop very soon!

Queen Bee by Amalie Howard

Lady Ela Dalvi was betrayed by her best friend Poppy over a boy three years ago. Ela was sent away, and her reputation was tarnished over it—the boy was, after all, son of a duke.

Now, three years later, Ela wants revenge. Poppy has been rising in the elite ranks, and Ela can’t let that stand any longer.

Her plan is to disguise herself as a mysterious heiress and start to show up at elite events. Can she bring down her former best friend, or will she find herself falling hard for the boy who started this entire problem?

The Silence That Binds Us by Joanna Ho

May’s parents put a lot of pressure on her as she’s still not the Chinese Taiwanese American daughter they want her to be. Her beloved brother Danny is, so his acceptance into Princeton pleases their mom and dad. But Danny secretly struggled with depression, and when he dies by suicide, the family experiences grief they could never imagine. The only thing making it worse is how the community responds with racism and hatred. May works through these challenges with her writing—the thing her parents didn’t see as valuable—and she’s taking back her and her family’s story.

This book explores mental health, racism, and the challenges of finding your voice.

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

YA Book News

We have a director for the adaptation of The Children of Blood and Bone.
The team behind the adaptation of My Life With the Walter Boys will be adapting the author’s Heartbreakers YA book series into a television series. I can’t remember if this was in last week’s news, but My Life With the Walter Boys will also get a second season.
Notable YA science fiction, fantasy, and horror from 2023.
Why Netflix’s Uglies based on the Scott Westerfeld books is taking so long to come out.

And with that, we’re closing out 2023. You’ll see deals hit your inboxes on Saturday as usual, but otherwise, I’ll talk to y’all again in 2024.

Until then, happy reading!

–Kelly Jensen, currently listening to Dolls Of Our Lives: Why We Can’t Quit American Girl by Mary Mahoney and Allison Horrocks

Book Radar

2024 is Going to Be a Great Year and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date December 27, 2023

Sponsored by

Dear Book Friends,

Welcome to the final Book Radar newsletter of 2023. It’s been a fun year, and I thank you for being here with me for it. Last week, we looked at some of the best books of 2023. Now, as we get close to the New Year, it’s time to look at what we’re looking forward to in 2024. Are you ready?

Book Deals and Reveals

Electric Lit shared an exclusive cover reveal of Housemates by Emma Copley Eisenberg. The cover was designed by Lynn Buckley. The novel will be published by Hogarth on May 28th, 2024.

Hulu Japan has announced that it is producing a live-action adaptation of Yukito Ayatsuji’s The Decagon House Murders (Jukkakukan no Satsujin). It has not been revealed whether it will be a film or a series, but it will debut in March.

Here’s the cover reveal of Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid. This feminist retelling of Macbeth is set to be released on August 6, 2024.

Here are the biggest TikTok book recommendations of 2023. Surprise: Colleen Hoover didn’t make the cut this year.

From history books to award-winning literary fiction to memoirs, here are the books Barack Obama named as his favorites of 2023.

Surveying the data reported from 19 public libraries across the country, here are the top 10 most popular books in 2023.

New year, new audiobooks! With 2024 just around the corner, here are 10 of Libro.fm’s most pre-ordered books of winter 2024.

Book Riot Recommends

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!

Most Anticipated Books of 2024

The Eyes are the Best Part by Monika Kim — This debut horror novel is at the very top of my TBR list for 2024. After the death of her father, Ji-Won is the one who has to keep her family together. But she can’t stop thinking about eating eyes.

Come and Get It by Kiley Reid — If you read Kiley Reid’s debut, Such A Fun Age, you’re probably excited for this January release just as much as I am. Millie Cousins is a college student just hoping to get by. So when visiting professor Agatha Paul offers Millie an interesting research opportunity that pays well, how can she refuse?

The Hunter by Tana French — Every Tana French novel is an absolute must-read for me. There’s no one out there consistently writing mysteries as good as hers. Period. In this sequel to The Searcher, former Chicago police officer Cal Hooper has moved to rural Ireland to retire and build a life with a local woman named Lena. He also forms a bond with teenager Trey Reddy. But then Trey’s father comes back into the picture. And along with him, he brings an English millionaire and a scheme to help the whole town get richer.

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay — I’m already expecting this Paul Tremblay novel to be one of my favorites of the year. Yes, expectations are high, but this premise sounds so good. Back in 1993, a group of young filmmakers spent four weeks making an art-house horror film that would become a cult classic despite the fact that it was never released. Now, three decades later, there are talks of a major Hollywood reboot.

Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé — Here’s a YA novel I can’t wait to read in 2024. Sade Hussein is a high school student who just transferred to the elite and prestigious Alfred Nobel Academy boarding school for her junior year. But when Sade’s roommate goes missing, everyone suspects the new girl has something to do with it.

Can’t Wait to Watch in 2024

Here are some book adaptations that I’m super excited to see in 2024!

American Fiction — This one is technically already out, but it gets a wide release in January, which means most of us will get to see it in 2024. This is an adaptation of the novel Erasure by Percival Everett, so if you haven’t read this novel, check it out now before you see the movie!

Heartstopper: Season 3 — This one is self-explanatory, yes? Heartstopper seasons 1 and 2 were absolute delights, and I can’t wait for the third season, which just wrapped filming.

Wicked – Okay, so I haven’t actually read the novel Wicked, but I’m a big musical theater nerd, and I love this musical. Wicked, Part 1 is out in November 2024. It’s a while from now, but I’m marking my calendar all the same.

Bridgerton: Season 3 —The third season of Bridgerton will explore the long-awaited romance between Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton. Part 1 premiers on Netflix on May 16th, and Part 2 on June 13th.

A Gentleman in Moscow — Here’s another novel I need to read before the adaptation comes out! But I love anything Ewan McGregor does, so I’m totally on board with this one. The series will be available on Showtime at some point in 2024.

And Here’s A Dog Picture!

Here’s something a little bit different. I was dogsitting this week, and I got a cute little pic of these two together. The tall guy is Monty, and the little guy is Sammy.

And yeah, you might notice I was reading Heartstopper: Vol. 5 with the guys. 2023 has been the year of complete Heartstopper obsession for me!

Anyway, that’s all for 2023, friends. See you next year!

Emily