Newsletters Dev – Page 31 – getting it done!

Oprah’s Book Club or Death?

Post author By Katie McLain
Post date May 23, 2024

Sponsored by

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. This has been a week of unexplained catalog problems at work, and let me just say I’m very grateful for the upcoming three-day weekend…it’ll keep me from yeeting a computer out of a window. (And because I know my boss reads this newsletter, let me just emphasize that I’m kidding and I promise that nothing unexplained will happen to the catalog computer while she’s out of the building!) 🙂

Make this your most bookish summer yet with personalized reading recommendations from Tailored Book Recommendations! Our bibliologists (aka professional book nerds) are standing by to help you find your next favorite read. Get your recommendations via email, or opt to receive hardcovers or paperbacks delivered right to your door. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Get started today from just $18!

Libraries & Librarians

News Updates

NYC library leaders rally against the recent multi-million dollar budget cuts.

Cool Library Updates

How libraries support cycling during National Bike Month.

Worth Reading

A look at the old-fashioned library at the heart of the AI boom.

Book Adaptations in the News

“Irresponsible Netflix execs summon ‘Willy Wonka reality show’ into existence.” The headline says it all.

Kiera Knightley is starring in the Netflix film adaptation of Ruth Ware’s The Woman in Cabin 10.

Red, White, and Royal Blue is getting a (film) sequel, with stars Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez set to return.

The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 has been delayed until 2025.

A new adaptation of Hamlet starring Riz Ahmed is in the works.

Amazon reveals the first look at Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross.

Trailer for It Ends With Us.

10 sci-fi, horror, and fantasy books to read ahead of their upcoming adaptations.

Censorship News

What do book challenge forms look like?

Public school textbooks are the latest target for book banners.

Why book bans are bad for mental health.

Here’s an article from Amarillo College’s online news center about the ended partnership between Storybridge and the Amarillo Independent School District (TX).

The long wait to restore the First Amendment in Llano County (TX) libraries.

I knew there was a catch…while the majority of the challenged books at Fort Worth ISD (TX) have been returned to shelves, questions still remain about how much access students will have to said books.

Granbury ISD (TX) school board member Courtney Gore ran for her seat on an extreme GOP platform, and now she’s saying that she was lied to, and there is no evidence of student indoctrination. Well, no shit, Sherlock, and maybe if more of these people would do some actual research on these conspiracy theories beforehand (like they’re always yelling at other people to do), we wouldn’t be in this position. Anyway, she’s formed a support group for people who have been alienated by the GOP’s far-right tactics, but I really wish she would put more energy into supporting intellectual freedom and fighting back against the book banning she had previously campaigned for, but I guess that’s too much to hope for.

The lawsuit against the Escambia County school district (FL) for banning And Tango Makes Three has a trial date scheduled for early 2025.

At the beginning of next school year, Clay County (FL) parents will sign an “online, hybrid opt-in/opt-out form and select one of five options to control what books will be accessible for their children: unlimited access, general access, limited access, no access or daily email alerts.” This sounds unnecessarily complicated. And what happens if a parent DOESN’T complete the form? Is their child automatically barred from accessing the library?

Pinellas County School Board (FL) member Stephanie Meyer (no, not that one) has challenged Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk.

A New Hampshire bill is moving forward that would allow parents to opt their children out of “ any ‘instruction or program of’ sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression.”

Remember the Great Barrington (MA) teacher who threatened to file a lawsuit if the district and the town did not agree to mediation over her classroom being searched by police? Well, she filed a lawsuit.

(Paywalled): The South Western board president (PA) submitted a complaint against Flamer that ultimately led to it being banned at a Hanover-area middle school.

A federal appeals court ruled that Maryland parents can’t opt their children out of reading books with LGBTQ+ characters on the basis of religious rights.

Hanover County School Board (VA) has adopted a new policy for parents to indicate what level of access they’d like their children to have to classroom and library instructional materials. The one good thing about this is that it’s an opt-out system and if parents don’t submit the form, their children will automatically have full library access.

(Paywalled): Moore County School Board (NC) is facing a federal civil rights complaint after it ordered books featuring gay parents to be removed from elementary schools.

North Carolina parents push for a statewide ban on “explicit” books in schools.

The Alabama Public Library Service Board officially adopted the newly proposed rules that say libraries that do not restrict access to materials deemed sexually inappropriate by the APLSB could lose state funding. And now libraries must quickly restrict these “inappropriate” children’s books or risk $7 million in state funding. This is all kinds of bullshit.

Former Autauga-Prattville Public Library (AL) director Andrew Foster reached a settlement with the board over what he claimed was an unlawful termination.

Alabama’s bill that would have criminalized librarians for obscene comments has failed in the Senate.

“Three St. Tammany [LA] library board members removed after a years-long fight over book content are suing the parish council and one of its district representatives in an attempt to block their removal.“ Here’s a statement from the St. Tammany Library Alliance in support of the board members, and EveryLibrary has issued a statement as well.

Plaintiffs seek a permanent injunction of Arkansas’s blocked library obscenity law.

A group of time wasters in Daviess County (KY) have demanded a massive audit of the library’s materials, and now, months after the audit was completed, the group continues to take up a disproportionate amount of time at the monthly board meetings.

A surge in book challenges has Wisconsin school districts scrambling to keep pace.

A new Minnesota bill banning book bans has reached the governor’s desk.

Montana librarians made a silent but LOUD statement against the actions of the state library commission by refusing to show up for their annual meeting. This comes in response to the commission’s decision to sever ties with ALA, as well as the ridiculous hand-wringing over the implications of having a colorful organizational logo.

In related news, “Montana State Library Commissioner Carmen Cuthbertson on Friday compared the Montana Library Association to the Ku Klux Klan, claiming the organization sent an anonymous letter as part of boycotting a meeting.” Well alrighty then.

The Donnelly Public Library in Idaho is unable to comply with the new state legislation that requires libraries to relocate challenged or “inappropriate” materials to areas that are only accessible to adults, due to its tiny size. The library therefore announced that it will only be accessible to adult patrons 18 or older as of July 1, 2024, and all patrons will need to sign an agreement to use the library. I have no words.

Meanwhile, the Boise Public Library (ID) will be using the Miller Test to determine whether or not any books in the collection violate the new state legislation, which makes this whole farce completely pointless. If the book banners would just use the definition set by the Miller Test, WE WOULDN’T BE HAVING ARGUMENTS ABOUT PORNOGRAPHY IN LIBRARIES.

Breaking news: Uninformed Oregon resident April Bailey doesn’t understand how weeding or general collection development works.

“The local chapter of Moms for Liberty reached a settlement Tuesday with Yolo County [CA] in its federal lawsuit alleging the shutdown of a contentious meeting at a Davis library last year violated the group’s civil rights.”

After announcing a ban on same-sex parenting books last week, the Western Sydney Council in Australia decided to overturn the ban.

Books & Authors in the News

How do authors get famous? By being picked for Oprah’s Book Club, or…dying.

Numbers & Trends

The best-selling books of the week.

Award News

Caleb Azumah Nelson wins the Dylan Thomas Prize for Small Worlds.

Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck has won the 2024 International Booker Prize.

More than 200 authors have renewed their call for investment management firm Baillie Gifford, sponsor of the Baillie Gifford Prize for Nonfiction, to divest from fossil fuels, as well as “from companies that profit from Israeli apartheid, occupation and genocide.”

Pop Cultured

Only Murders in the Building gets a premiere date and a trailer.

Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous

Why do we still read books?

How “right” and “wrong” ways to be queer are changing fiction.

Inside Reese Witherspoon’s literary empire.

a brown tabby cat laying on its back and showing off its tummy

Well, that’s a tummy trap if I’ve ever seen one, but look at that face! He’s irresistible!!

Long weekend coming up! Hope the weather is good for everyone!

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.

The Stack

Summer Is Here, Let’s Read Comics

Post author By Eileen Gonzalez
Post date May 22, 2024

Sponsored by

Hello again! Hopefully, this week wasn’t too hard on you, and you are now prepared to enjoy a nice weekend — and, if you’re in the U.S., you have an extra weekend to look forward to.

Bookish Goods

Yuru Camp Hooded Blanket by DeskNeko

If you’re spending time outdoors this summer, take this blanket from the manga Laid-Back Camp with you to keep cozy! $104

New Releases

Hirayasumi Volume One by Keigo Shinzo

Unlike most people he knows, Hiroto is perfectly happy living a slow-paced, solitary life. The only companion he needed was an elderly neighbor, who ended up leaving him her house. But when Hiroto’s ambitious and stressed-out young cousin comes to stay, his peaceful life gets turned on its ear.

The Worst Ronin by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Faith Schaffer

Chihiro’s father is a revered samurai, but she has little interest in following in his footsteps…until she gets the chance to work with a legendary samurai-turned-ronin, Tatsuo. Can this mismatched pair learn to get along so they can complete their demon-killing mission?

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

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: summertime! The unofficial start of summer is coming up fast, so it’s the perfect time to break out comics like…

Flamer by Mike Curato

On the cusp of starting high school, Aiden spends the summer at camp. While there, he starts to realize things about himself that he’d rather not — specifically, that he might be gay, and that his feelings for one particular boy might be romantic. Flamer is a modern classic about discovering and accepting yourself.

Shirley and Jamila Save Their Summer by Gillian Goerz

Jamila, feeling lonely after moving to a new house, quickly latches onto the first friend she can find: Shirley, the local kid detective. When another neighborhood kid asks them to find his missing — perhaps stolen — pet gecko, Shirley and Jamila are on the case! And, as they track down the missing lizard, they might discover true friendship as well.

Whatever your plans are for this weekend — going to the beach, having a barbecue, fighting supervillains, or just hanging out — I hope you enjoy them!

~Eileen

Kissing Books

Pre-Summertime Vibes

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date May 22, 2024

Sponsored by

Welcome, or welcome back, to the Kissing Books newsletter. I’m PN Hinton, your guide to all things romance-related. Thanks for taking time from your day to give this a read! I hope this newsletter helps to brighten up your day just a little bit more.

I had a great time at the SKULLastic Book Fair last week, as expected. Even though there were tons of books I was interested in, I was good and only walked away with two books; What Moves the Dead and What Feasts at Night. I also fully admit that this was inspired by my recent watch of The Fall of the House of Usher which was, in my ever-so-humble opinion, beyond brilliant.

Bookish Goods

Romance Trope Ice Cream Coozie by MeaggieMoos

I happened across this when I was looking for a fun, bookish goody to share, and y’all…when I realized what it was, the scream of glee I gave out. An ice cream coozie? With romance tropes on it? Sign me up. This is perfect for curling up with a good book and ice cream, especially since you won’t have to worry about cold hands. $9

New Releases

Her Private Security Detail by Patricia Sargeant

Jeremiah’s latest assignment at his family’s security detail is protecting Symone from an unknown threat to her life and nonprofit. Although he’s attracted to the beautiful philanthropist, as his client, she is off limits. However, the imminent danger requires them to spend more time together, which makes it all the more difficult to keep their relationship professional.

Savor It by Tarah DeWitt

It’s summertime in Spunes and time for The Festival of Spunes. Sage and Fisher both have personal reasons for wanting to come out the champion this year and agree to partner up to take home the coveted top prize. As they spend more time together, what started out as a professional relationship quickly develops into more, and they realize that they don’t want summer or their partnership to end.

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

Riot Recommendations

Tinkering With Love by Aliyah Burke

After Dawson moves across the country for her dream job only to discover the position was given to someone else, she is understandably upset. When she’s told that there will be a wilderness retreat with the rest of the company, including Tully, the person who got her job, the situation gets worse. While she tries to remain standoffish, she finds herself succumbing to his charm and wondering what would happen if she lowered her walls with him. But secrets still exist between them and when they come to light, it could destroy the possibility of a happily ever after.

Fire & Ice by Rachel Spangler

After a professional mistake, reporter Max finds herself demoted to curling coverage to make amends. Callie is a curling skipper with dreams of making it to Team USA. She knows that coverage from Max will help pave the way and sets out to show Max the joy of the sport. She slowly begins to melt the ice around Max’s heart towards Callie and curling.

If you’re still yearning for some historical romances, this list has you covered.

Speaking of historical romances, take this etiquette quiz to see how you would fare in high society.

I had way too much fun with this ball gown generator.

Linda Lael Miller was one of my go-to romance authors as a wee book dragon. If you’ve never read her, these books are a good place to start.

And that’s all I have for y’all today. Since Monday is a holiday here in the US, you won’t hear from me again until next Thursday. Until then, you can always give me a follow over on Instagram under @pns_bookish_world to see my adventures in books. Until then, happy reading and stay hydrated.

Giveaways

052224-TheGodOfNishi-YuigahamaStation-Giveaway

Post author By Vivek Patel
Post date May 22, 2024

We’re giving away three copies of The God of Nishi-Yuigahama Station by Takeshi Murase to three lucky Riot readers!

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

Magical realism, heartbreak, and time travel blend into one in this Japanese literary debut, The God of Nishi-Yuigahama Station. Following the events of a freak accident at the Nishi-Yuigahama train station, rumors spread of a ghost with the power to send people back in time to that tragic day. A woman who lost her fiancé, a man who lost his father, and a boy who lost his unrequited love. What would you do if you had a second chance?

Book Radar

Get a Sneak Peek at BRIDGERTON Season 3 Part 2 and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date May 22, 2024

Sponsored by

Dear Book Friends,

Welcome to another wonderful Thursday of book talk. Today, I’m coming at you from the super scorching hot city of Austin, TX. Super excited to be here and to see my friend get married. But also, as I always do when I’m visiting a new city, I’m excited to check out some bookstores. If you have favorites, be sure to reach out and let me know! Now let’s talk books.

Book Deals and Reveals

The fifth novel in the Finlay Donovan series is coming soon! Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave is hitting shelves on March 4, 2025. You can preorder it now.

Have you finished Bridgerton Season 3, Part 1, and now you’re pining for Part 2? Here’s a brief teaser for what’s to come in the second half of the season. It releases on Netflix on June 13.

Netflix’s adaptation of Jo Nesbø’s Harry Hole series has found its lead. Tobias Santelmann (The Last Kingdom, Exit, and The Arctic Convoy) will star as the Nordic detective. Also heading the series is Joel Kinnaman (The Suicide Squad), who will play Tom Waaler, and Pia Tjelta (Made in Oslo) as Rakel Fauke.

Emma Törzs’ debut fantasy novel Ink Blood Sister Scribe is being adapted as a fantasy series by Amazon MGM Studios company.

Here’s the cover of Swordcrossed, a new enemies-to-lovers queer fantasy romance from Freya Marske. It’s out on October 10!

Celia Imrie has joined the cast of the movie adaptation of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club. Chris Columbus is attached to write the screenplay and direction. Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, and Ben Kingsley were also previously announced as stars.

Netflix’s The Sandman series has cast the remaining family members of The Endless for season 2. Destiny will be played by Adrian Lester, Delirium will be played by Esmé Creed-Miles, and Destruction, now referred to as “The Prodigal” by his siblings, will be played by Barry Sloane.

Mystery and thriller lovers, here are the most anticipated mysteries and thrillers coming out in 2024, according to Goodreads.

The 2024 Eisner Award nominees have been announced! Winners will be announced at San Diego Comic-Con during a gala awards ceremony on July 26.

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!

Can’t Wait for this One!

What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould (Wednesday Books, December 10)

Get excited, because in December, we’re getting a new YA novel from Courtney Gould, author of The Dead and the Dark. This one is being compared to Yellowjackets with a dash of Girl, Interrupted, which sounds…okay, fun is probably not the right word. But intriguing, certainly. Right up my alley, definitely. I can’t wait to pick this one up.

When Devin Green is abducted in the middle of the night and dragged into the woods with a group of equally confused teens, she’s surprised to discover her family has signed her up for an experimental therapy program. Two camp counselors explain to the group that they will all be tasked with surviving a 50-day hike through the wilderness. Ideally, the teens will learn how to fight their inner demons and come out on the other side as stronger, more well-adjusted versions of themselves. That is the idea, anyway.

But deep in the Idaho woods, Devin finds many unsettling surprises. She keeps getting these strange visions of people she knows aren’t really there. And the trees seem to have faces. Then the camp counselors go missing, and suddenly Devin is stuck with a group of people she barely knows, unsure of who she can trust, but totally reliant on each and every one of them for survival.

Words of Literary Wisdom

“Being alone isn’t a skill. It’s a disposition.”

— The Incendiaries by R. O. Kwon

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

The worst thing about leaving town is having to leave my cats at home. Seriously, I wish I could take them everywhere with me. Just look at this cute little freckled face resting so peacefully in my arms. Cats are actual angels!

And that’s all I have for you today, friends. I hope you have a gorgeous weekend, and I’ll see you Monday, after my friend gets married! Until then!

Emily

What's Up in YA

An Overnight Hit, A New Jason Reynolds Release, and More YA Book Talk and News: May 23, 2024

Post author By Kelly Jensen
Post date May 22, 2024

Sponsored by

Hey, YA Readers!

We just put together new patio furniture—I finally got my dream vintage-style steel set—and you better believe I’ll be parked there with a cold hops water reading as much as possible this long weekend. That’s a convenient intro to also note that there will be no newsletter on Monday. I hope you’ll be able to spend some extra time, long weekend or not, with a good read this weekend.

Let’s dig into this week’s new paperback releases and YA book news.

Bookish Goods

I Hope You Brought Books Doormat by TouchUpShop

If you’re doing a little home decorating and are looking for a bookish doormat—whether for outside your apartment or house or inside—may I suggest this one? It feels more accurate a welcome mat than one that just says welcome. Starting at $30, with different sizes from which to choose.

New Releases

There aren’t as many new paperback releases this week as there have been recently, but that’s not always a bad thing. You sometimes need a moment to catch your breath and catch up with that ever-growing TBR.

Here are two paperbacks out this week. You can catch the entire YA paperback roundup over here. As always, you might need to toggle your view.

Beating Heart Baby by Lio Min

When Santi accidentally leaked Memo’s song and it became an overnight hit, Memo — Santi’s best friend and romantic interest whom he only knows from the internet — disappears. Santi’s heart is broken.

Three years and a new high school later, it’s possible Santi has found Memo, but in a way he never anticipated nor dreamed.

This one’s for fans of enemies-to-lovers stories and features a significant trans character.

The Luis Ortega Survival Club by Sonora Reyes

Ariana Ruiz is an autistic girl with bold fashion choices. But because she’s so quiet, her classmates mostly don’t notice or pay attention to her. So when Luis begins to, Ari is excited because he’s cute and he’s popular.

The attention grows and one night, Luis and Ari have sex at a party. Ari didn’t say yes to this, but she also didn’t say no, and now she’s not sure how to feel about it. Except Ari doesn’t get time to process the experience because now she’s at the center of the rumor mill and being seen as easy.

So when a mysterious note appears in Ari’s locker, telling her she’s not alone in her experience with Luis, she’s intrigued. It leads her to find a group of students who want to take Luis down for his behavior. While this has helped Ari make some real and genuine friends, it also means she’s got to reckon with what happened that night in order to see justice.

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

YA Book News

Forbes has taken a crack at the top 30 greatest young adult novels of all time. It…doesn’t include a single Walter Dean Myers book and its pre-2010s books are quite limited. While it’s got incredible titles on it, what a bold proclamation to make when the list includes several middle grade and adult novels, too.
Here’s the cover and an excerpt from Jason Reynolds’s forthcoming fall YA book, Twenty-Four Seconds.
The trailer for the adaptation of My Lady Jane dropped this week.
Barnes & Noble named their Young Adult Book Award winner for 2024.
A plea for the adaptation of Monument 14 to still happen, as it’s been sitting undeveloped for several years now.
The most anticipated YA science fiction, fantasy, and horror reads for May and June.

As always, thanks for hanging out. We’ll see you on Saturday for your YA book deals, then we’ll be back next Thursday.

Until then, happy reading!

–Kelly Jensen

The Fright Stuff

It Takes Boo to Make Haunting Go Right: 8 Terrifying Horror Short Story Collections

Post author By Samm Saxby
Post date May 22, 2024

Sponsored by

This post is written by Liberty Hardy.

If you are reading this, it is probably safe to assume you enjoy being scared. WOO HOO! One of us! One of us! Horror stories are so much fun, especially when you can get a whole Gremlin-sized chunk of them at a time. It’s more bang for your “OH, F—!” Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer are almost upon us, which means camping (watch out for monsters!), beach visits (watch out for sharks!), and road trips (watch out for serial killers!). And a collection of stories is perfect for this time of year when you can read just one or two in between summer activities. So, we are offering you this list of eight terrifying horror short story collections to give you chills in the warm weather.

Obviously, what scares people is different for every person, and there are a LOT of amazing horror story writers out there — Stephen King and Shirley Jackson go without saying. They’re masters and two of the most famous scary storywriters. These books on this list are some more of our favorites, each book with varying terrors and turmoil to keep your brain twisting while you try to sleep. There’s a little something horrifying between these for all you ghouls and goblins, so hold on to your butts and get ready to get scared!

When Things Get Dark: Stories Inspired by Shirley Jackson edited by Ellen Datlow

Eighteen of today’s greatest writers of the murderous and macabre tackle Shirley Jackson with their tributes to the Queen of Horror. This book, edited by the legendary Ellen Datlow, includes tales by Josh Malerman, Carmen Maria Machado, Paul Tremblay, Stephen Graham Jones, Kelly Link, Cassandra Khaw, and Seanan McGuire. They’re filled with torment, hauntings, torture, dismemberment, unease, and a bowl of beef stew you should really avoid.

Ghost Summer: Stories by Tananarive Due

Welcome to Terror Town — population: you! These are 15 stories and a novella set around strange happenings in rural settings, and they’re all so unnerving that it’s hard to tell if it’s worse to go in the house, in the lake, or in the woods! This one is a freezer book, for sure. And Due’s most recent novel, The Reformatory, is one of the greatest recent horror novels and is based on a story mentioned in this collection.

Smashed by Junji Ito

Junji Ito is the king of horror comics. He manages to portray so much creepiness and disturbing imagery in each panel. This collection contains stories about bats (and not cute ones), ghosts, a haunted house, and more disgusting, frightening events than you can shake a stick at. If you’ve never read Ito before, you should know that nothing is off limits — and it’s all drawn out for you. When people want really messed up stuff to read, this is where we point them.

Entropy in Bloom by Jeremy Robert Johnson

If you like your horror on the more surreal side, JRJ is the author for you. These are like X-Files cases soaked in Red Bull inside Clive Barker’s skull. There’s a parasite making itself at home in a man’s body, extreme body modification, apocalypses, crime, and more. You will love and pet this collection and call George, and also wonder, “Jeremy Robert Johnson, wtf is wrong with you?!?” (Be sure to also pick up Skullcrack City!)

The Ones That Got Away by Stephen Graham Jones

Surely if you are a horror fan, you know of Stephen Graham Jones by now. He’s one of the most awesome writers of the 21st century. And so freaking prolific! Most recently, he published the Indian Lake horror trilogy about a horror-loving young woman and horror tropes. (I’m going to say horror again: horror.) This is one of his many collections, with literal heartbreak, a haunted baby monitor, a disaster after a shipwreck, things in the woods, and so, so many scares you’ll want to read this in public.

The Wide, Carnivorous Sky and Other Monstrous Geographies by John Langan

Another widely lauded horror writer of the last decade is John Langan. Some of these horror tales feature the familiar, like zombies, vampires, and werewolves, but all in frightening, unique takes. And there’s also plenty of flat-out weird and shiver-inducing stuff you have never imagined before. (And, if you want to read an excellent horror novel, be sure to grab Langan’s The Fisherman.)

This Strange Way of Dying: Stories of Magic, Desire & the Fantastic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a Book Riot favorite! Her last few novels have delivered vampires, curses, frightening fungi, and mad scientists. This is an older book, a weird and wild collection of tales inspired by Mexican folklore. There are legends involving scorpions, a skull tree, vampires, skin shedders, and possibly most frightening of all, giant penguins. (Come on, you know you’d freak if you encountered one.)

Revenge: Eleven Dark Tales by Yoko Ogawa, Stephen Snyder (translator)

And last but not least, what should already be being considered a modern classic. No Book Riot list of horror stories is complete without it! Ogawa did a complete 180 turn from her beautiful, sad novel The Housekeeper and the Professor with this collection of really messed up stories of…you know. R-E-V-E-N-G-E (Find out what it means to me…). There’s a new tenant who learns her landlord is a murderess; a surgeon interested in a singer’s unusual heart; a jealous lover plotting her beloved’s demise; a neglected house that is home to a collection of horrifying implements. All these connected tales and more comprise this creepy collection!

For more great horror book recommendations, check out 8 of the Most Polarizing Horror Novels Ever Written and Horror Comics That’ll Give You the Chills, and be sure to sign up for our horror newsletter The Fright Stuff!

The Stack

Comics About Taking a Different Life Path

Post author By Samm Saxby
Post date May 22, 2024

Sponsored by

This post is written by Eileen Gonzalez.

This has almost certainly happened to you: you find a routine that you like and are comfortable with, and you settle into it for what you hope is the long haul. Then, when you’re minding your own business, WHAM. Life decides to throw a curve right into your face, and you’ve got to find a new routine all over again — one that will undoubtedly get upended in due course.

Dealing with unexpected and unwanted changes — whether caused by health issues, familial expectations, societal norms, or personal goals — is just a part of life. It can be very stressful, but it can be exciting as well! Walking new paths allows you to learn more about yourself and the world. While it is frustrating if such a change prevents you from achieving a longed-for ambition, you can never tell when you might find a new dream to pursue or even a different path toward the original dream you thought you had to abandon.

From memoirs by real people who faced sudden challenges to stories that teach younger readers about the importance of forging their own identity, these eight comics offer heartfelt explorations of what it means to find your true purpose in life, even — and especially — when it is not the purpose you envisioned for yourself.

Art Club by Rashad Doucet

Dale loves art so much that he wants to make it his career. But, his parents and his vice principal all view art as a distracting hobby at best and urge him to spend his time on more serious subjects. Undeterred, Dale sets out to create a school art club and prove that his passion is worthy of respect, support, and nurturing — and makes some great new friends along the way, too.

Chef’s Kiss by Jarrett Melendez and Danica Brine

Ben really wants to be a writer. Perhaps more importantly, Ben’s parents want him to be one, too. But writing jobs are scarce, so he takes a temporary position as an assistant chef at a restaurant where the success of each dish is determined by the palate of the resident gourmand pig. Weird? Yes, but Ben soon finds himself feeling very at home there, especially thanks to his mentor, the handsome Liam. He might even stay on permanently…if he can face his parents’ disapproval, that is. A deluxe edition of this cute romance is available now!

Gaytheist: Coming Out of My Orthodox Childhood by Lonnie Mann and Ryan Gatts

If you had a choice between your family, religion, and everything you’ve ever known versus leaving it all behind to be yourself, what would you pick? That is the question Lonnie faced when he realized he was gay — and that the world was broader and more accepting than he could have ever imagined while growing up in a conservative Orthodox Jewish community.

I Don’t Want to Be a Mom by Irene Olmo

Like many girls, Irene grew up assuming that she would have children one day. But the older she got, the clearer it became: she had no interest in motherhood. Reaching that conclusion was just the first step in a journey that forced her to reckon with not just her own feelings but the intrusive opinions of a society that thinks it’s their right to tell women what to do and what to want.

Onion Skin by Edgar Camacho

Rolando hated his job designing online ads, but when he gets fired after breaking his arm, he doesn’t have another plan to fall back on. When his concerned roommates drag him out to a concert, he meets Nera, a free spirit who is also on the hunt for a more fulfilling career. Together, they decide to open a food truck and find themselves on the adventure of a lifetime!

Parenthesis by Élodie Durand

As a young adult, Judith began having seizures thanks to a tumor in her brain. Even after it is all over, the effect on her memory, her personality, and her life remains, leading her towards different experiences — for better and for worse — than she would have had otherwise. This award-winning graphic memoir shows how our reliance on our good health plays such a pivotal role in life and how the sudden loss of it affects us forever.

Spinning by Tillie Walden

Tillie spent most of her childhood training to become a competitive figure skater. Skating was almost literally her entire world — until a move to a new school showed her all of the other worthwhile things there are to pursue, including art and young love. But how do you give up something that has dominated your life for so long, even when that something has become an albatross around your neck?

Twin Cities by Jose Pimienta

The days of Fernando and Teresa doing everything together come to an end when the twins reach middle school. At that point, Teresa decides to attend school over the border in the United States, while Fernando prefers to stay in Mexico. As each sibling faces daunting new challenges, they come to realize that they can still rely on each other, even as their paths in life diverge.

Feel ready to take on the world yet? These gentle self-help books can guide you on your way!

True Story

Book Recs for AANHPI Heritage Month!

Post author By Kendra Winchester
Post date May 21, 2024

Sponsored by

From my spot on the couch, I can see my TBR wall. It spans across the sunroom, creating a nook that’s the perfect place for the Corgis to stash their toys. I deeply respect folks aspiring for a “zero TBR” as we call it in the bookish world. But for me, I know I will also have a host of volumes clamoring to be read. And I’m okay with that. It’s the middle of May and new releases keep coming! History, nature writing, cookbooks, and unconventional memoirs — this week has it all! How does one even start?

Bookish Goods

Embroidered I Closed My Book To Be Here Sweatshirt by Candacenegro

This might be the most delightful embroidered sweatshirt that I have seen yet! $20+

New Releases

The Story Game by Shze-Hui Tjoa

The Story Game is an imaginative personal narrative that starts with Hui telling stories to a little girl. Hui goes into detail about her marriage, her life as the child of immigrants, and her mental health. However, Hui struggles to remember certain events from her life. What is it that she can’t remember, and why is Hui telling this girl her story in the first place?

Heart of American Darkness: Bewilderment and Horror on the Early Frontier by Robert G. Parkinson

With a nod to Joseph Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness, author Robert G. Parkinson describes the imperialism that led to the settling of North America. Parkinson tosses out the rose-colored glasses and notes that the colonization of America was violent, ill-planned, and extremely destructive. Parkinson’s new book destroys the myth of the founding of the United States and reveals its dark history.

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

Riot Recommendations

This week for Riot Recs, we’re celebrating AANHPI Heritage Month!

Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by T Kira Madden

In one of my favorite memoirs of all time, T Kira Madden shares her experience growing up as a multiracial girl in Boca Raton, Florida. While she comes from a wealthy family, her parents experience addiction, causing a lot of emotional instability in her childhood. In college, she begins to realize that she’s queer, family secrets come to light, and she starts to understand herself in whole new ways. The prose is incredible, and each essay-like chapter is all-engrossing from the first few paragraphs.

Another Appalachia by Neema Avashia

As an Appalachian, I’m always looking for more stories from the region. One of my favorite Appalachian books this year is Neema Avashia’s Another Appalachia. In her memoir, Avashia shares the experience growing up as a queer South Asian woman in West Virginia. While Avashia loves her home state, being West Virginian is complicated. The same people she grew up with, who she considers as close as family, now declare how much they dislike immigrants. When she points out that she and her family are immigrants, these same people reply, “You and your family don’t count.” Avashia’s essays are a beautiful testament to the complex realities of being from Appalachia.

That’s it for this week! You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave, over on Instagram @kdwinchester, on TikTok @kendrawinchester, 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

Giveaways

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Post author By Vivek Patel
Post date May 21, 2024

We’re teaming up with Gungnir to give away a 1-year subscription to Tailored Book Recommendations (TBR) to one lucky winner!

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