Newsletters Dev – Page 34 – getting it done!

Keira Knightley to Star in THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10 Film Adaptation at Netflix

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date May 16, 2024

Sponsored by

Hello, mystery fans! I got my hands on advanced reader copies for two upcoming mysteries I’m really excited about — Exposure by Ramona Emerson and Alter Ego by Alex Segura — so those, a giant pile of graphic novels, and some classic horror novels are my current reading plans.

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!

Bookish Goods

Cozy Pot Reading Book by CraftIRL

This is an adorable ceramic plant pot! Options: size, adding drainage, book color. ($16)

New Releases

Perfect Little Monsters by Cindy R.X. He

For fans of YA mysteries where all the friends are suspects!

Dawn Foster’s life has dramatically changed recently: following her parents being injured in an accident, the family has moved from California to Wisconsin to live with an aunt. Dawn attempts to fit in by joining the cheerleading team, but after a party, one of the girls is dead and the rest are brought in for questioning…

Disturbing the Dead (A Rip Through Time #3) by Kelley Armstrong

For fans of historical mysteries with time travel and past and present procedural timelines!

In our present time, Mallory Atkinson was a homicide detective who went to visit her grandmother in Edinburgh, got attacked in an alley, and woke up in 1869 in the body of housemaid Catriona Mitchell (the first book)! What is a detective to do? Solve crimes in a different era while trying to figure out what is happening. Her current case: A host disappears during a mummy unwrapping…

If you want to start at the beginning of the series, pick up A Rip Through Time.

Looking for more new releases? Check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Here are two very different from each other backlist titles that have amateur sleuths and are not cozy mysteries.

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara

This great adult crime novel starts as a coming-of-age mystery and ends in noir territory, with children as lead characters who keep things upbeat while exploring dark themes. Children are disappearing, and the police don’t seem to care enough to search properly. Nine-year-old Jai thinks he can find his missing classmate being that he has watched enough procedurals to be a proper sleuth. He convinces fellow schoolmates Faiz and Pari to help solve whether a bad djinn or a bad person is behind the missing person cases. and so they set off across the city to get answers.

The audiobook narrators — Indira Varma, Himesh Patel, and Antonio Aakeel — are fantastic!

(TW child, domestic abuse/ child deaths)

A Death of No Importance (Jane Prescott #1) by Mariah Fredericks

This is a historical mystery set in 1910 NY that follows Jane Prescott, a ladies’ maid for the rich turned sleuth. Jane, who was raised by her uncle who ran a home for rescued women, finds herself needing to get answers when two people she knows are suspects in the murder of her mistress’s fiancé. The world of the upper class in the house Jane works in is contrasted by the world outside as anarchists fight for working conditions for the lower class in the city.

News and Roundups

Cross Trailer: Amazon Reveals First Look at Aldis Hodge as James Patterson’s Legendary Black Detective

Library of Congress Centers for the Book Choose ‘Great Reads’ Titles for Each State, Territory for 2024 National Book Festival

Amazon MGM Lands Elizabeth Rose Quinn’s Unpublished Novel Follow Me

Mr. & Mrs. Smith Renewed for Season 2 at Amazon

The 2024 Barnes & Noble Children’s & Young Adult Book Award Winners

12 Book Club Picks For May 2024, From #ReadWithJenna to NYPL’s Teen Banned Book Club

Keira Knightley to Star in The Woman in Cabin 10 Film Adaptation at Netflix

Only Murders In The Building Season 4 Gets Premiere Date & Trailer With Melissa McCarthy Joining Cast

Murder in a Small Town lands Alert‘s timeslot on Fox in fall 2024

Browse the books recommended in Unusual Suspects’ previous newsletters on this shelf. See upcoming 2024 releases and mysteries from 2023. 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.

Read This Book

Read This Book…

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date May 16, 2024

Sponsored by

Welcome to Read This Book, your go-to newsletter if you’re looking to expand your TBR pile. Each week, I’ll recommend a book I think is an absolute must-read. Some will be new releases, some will be old favorites, and the books will vary in genre and subject matter every time. I hope you’re ready to get reading!

Have you revisited Sailor Moon since it first came out in the ’90s? It really holds up. I loved the anime and the manga back in the day. Around the time of the pandemic, I rewatched the original series and picked up the newer Eternal Editions of the manga, and I’ve been 100% back in the Sailor Moon fandom since then. I’ve posted about it on Book Riot. But whether you’re already a huge fan of Sailor Moon or you’ve never heard of it before, here’s a great place to start. And it’s a manga you might have missed!

Codename: Sailor V by Naoko Takeuchi

Before there was Sailor Moon, there was Sailor V. The series first appeared as a one-shot in the manga magazine RunRun in 1991. I wonder if author Naoko Takeuchi could have possibly known then that she was about to launch one of the most popular manga series of all time. And it all started right here, with a young 13 year-old girl named Minako Aino, who just wants to find a boyfriend and fall in love.

What she finds instead is a white cat with a crescent moon on his forehead. What’s more, this cat can talk. He says his name is Artemis and that Minako is actually Sailor Venus, a guardian of the planet Venus whose duty it is to protect Earth. Whaaaat? With the help of Artemis and her magical pen that helps her transform into the Soldier of Justice: Sailor V, Minako fights against the Dark Agency and protects the world from evil. So much for searching for a boyfriend after school!

As Minako learns more about her true identity and her mission, she discovers that there are other Sailor Guardians like her, and so the ending of this series expertly sets up the beginning of the series we all know and love, Sailor Moon. Sailor Venus realizes that to truly save Earth, she will have to set out to find her companions, the other four Sailor Guardians, as well as the Moon Princess.

Sailor Moon diehards, if you’re wondering why you maybe missed this manga series before, it might have been because it was never released in English in the ’90s. In fact, English-speaking fans didn’t have an opportunity to read a translated version until 2011. Now with the Eternal Editions, you can read the whole Codename: Sailor V series in two volumes. And I just have to say, these are absolutely stunning.

Everyone talks about how Naoko Takeuchi’s manga, featuring strong (but beautifully flawed) teenage girls (and talking cats), is so empowering and uplifting. But I feel like we’re not talking enough about how gorgeous her illustrations are. I had to own all of these Eternal Editions (both Codename: Sailor V and aaallll the Sailor Moon volumes) because each one features all-new holographic cover illustrations and giant colored images throughout. It’s so gorgeous. If I could, I would buy two so I could cut up one and put it all over my wall. Unfortunately, I’m not a 13-year-old girl anymore, so that’s not really socially acceptable home decor…but I’ve thought about it.

If you’ve never thought about picking up Codename: Sailor V before, this edition is the one to get. Start the best-selling manga series where it all began, and learn a lot more about everyone’s favorite Libra Sailor Guardian, Sailor Venus (yay Libras!).

Happy weekend reading, bibliophiles! Feel free to follow me on Instagram @EmAndHerCat, and check out my other newsletters, The Fright Stuff and Book Radar!

Swords and Spaceships

Queer Tales of Monsters, Angels, and Other Creatures

Post author By Alex Acks
Post date May 16, 2024

Sponsored by

Happy Friday, shipmates! It’s Alex, and I’ve got new releases and two queer short story anthologies for you to check out. We’re past Mother’s Day in Colorado now, which means that it’s time for us to finally start planting flowers. (Before Mother’s Day, chances are that you’re going to get a freeze coming in to ruin your day.) It’s been really cool to have a garden again, and plants, and the chance to think about trees and the like. It’s going to be a long-term project, but I’m bringing color and botanical diversity to this yard! Stay safe out there, space pirates, and I’ll see you on Tuesday!

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

Pride Bookshelf Stickers by BackroadsBookstore

These cute stickers come with books in different colors for each pride flag — and each has a different little potted plant with it too. I love them. $3

New Releases

The Dangerous Ones by Lauren Blackwood

Jerusalem is a Saint, gifted with the powers of a demi-god and the physicality to match. She fears nothing and has but one goal: revenge on the vampires who enslaved and murdered her family. Yet she finds herself teaming up with the Ancient Vampire Alexei on the Union’s side to fight the Confederates, and together they might well change the course of the war.

Til Death Do Us Bard by Rose Black

Logan “The Bear” Theaker hung up his axe a year ago and has settled in for a life of quiet domesticity with his bard husband, Pie. But when Pie abruptly vanishes, Logan doesn’t hesitate to follow — especially when he finds out that Pie has been blackmailed into stealing an artifact that can create and control an undead army. But the deeper Logan goes into the rescue, the more secrets he uncovers, until he’s wondering if he will be able to save his marriage even if he does save his husband.

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

Riot Recommendations

We’ve got a brand new queer short story anthology, and I’m recommending another that isn’t quite as new-to-the-shelf shiny but still just as good!

We Mostly Come Out at Night: 15 Queer Tales of Monsters, Angels & Other Creatures edited by Rob Costello

Trans and queer authors bring you 15 short stories about being the monster and what that might mean.

We’re Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction (2020) edited by C.L. Clark & Charles Payseur

This anthology contains 15 queer speculative fiction short stories that were published in 2020.

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.

Check Your Shelf

The Strange Lives of Book Husbands

Post author By Katie McLain
Post date May 16, 2024

Sponsored by

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. My husband sent me this TikTok and all I can say is please…please…don’t be late to work on the first day of summer reading.

Libraries & Librarians

News Updates

Inside libraries’ battle for better eBook access.

Book Adaptations in the News

Universal Television has acquired the rights to Jana Monroe’s memoir, Hearts of Darkness: Serial Killers, The Behavioral Science Unit, And My Life As a Woman In The FBI.

Alice Sadie Celine will be adapted for film.

The Maze Runner is getting a reboot.

Andy Serkis is directing and starring in the latest Lord of the Rings project: The Hunt for Gollum.

First look at The Lady in the Lake.

Here’s the trailer for the film adaptation of Wicked.

And here’s the trailer for The Rings of Power Season 2.

Censorship News

How to prepare for Pride Month in libraries this year.

OK, Groomer: a reporter’s dispatch from the trenches of the gender and sexuality wars in schools across the US portends a perilous future for LGBTQ teens.

Here’s who is behind the battle of the school book fairs.

The long history of censorship in prisons.

Fort Worth ISD (TX) released a list of books returning to library shelves after a nine-month review. (This may be paywalled.)

Montgomery County (TX) libraries are dealing with a group of book banning activists that call themselves “Two Moms and Some Books.”

The Cy-Fair ISD school board (TX) removes mentions of vaccines, climate change, and cultural diversity from textbooks. (This may be paywalled.)

A new coalition of Christian nationalist groups is mobilizing congregations to take over Texas school boards.

The Hernando County School Board (FL) voted to permanently remove 20 of 21 challenged titles, overturning the decisions made by 13 different committees to retain the books.

Stratford (CT) school librarians face unemployment as the town weighs budget cuts.

North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District (NJ) voted to retain Let’s Talk About It.

Five of the six books challenged in the Transylvania County School District (PA) will remain on shelves. (The sixth book is still being reviewed.)

Warwick School District (PA) is discussing changes to the school’s book challenge policy.

A member of the New Hanover County School Board (NC) wrote an opinion piece about the activism being promoted in statewide “Battle of the Books” programs.

A proposed budget would eliminate all school librarian positions in Franklin County (NC), and yes, this is 100% tied to censorship efforts.

The state of book bans: South Carolina is poised to get worse.

The National Women’s Law Center filed two civil rights complaints against Georgia and Florida school districts for censoring inclusive books.

Librarians and advocates sue to block restrictive new Alabama library policies.

EveryLibrary supports the plaintiffs in the Autauga-Prattville Lawsuit against discriminatory library policies. Meanwhile, the interim director has pulled 60 books for review based on a list from a right-wing book ban group, but don’t worry!! The interim director says that the books haven’t actually been removed from the library – just taken out of the catalog. (This same director also refused to talk to the Alabama Political Reporter because she considers them “fake news.” Real great leader they’ve got over there).

A Huntsville (AL) librarian speaks out on a bill that could penalize librarians.

The Arkansas State Library Board on Friday voted down two motions to withhold state funding from libraries suing the state until litigation is concluded.

The New Orleans Public Library made changes to their youth library cards in response to new legislation that requires libraries to have a procedure in place to prevent kids from checking out potentially inappropriate materials. Parents now have to re-up their kids’ library cards as a result of this new policy, which means a ton of kids are going to lose library access because their parents aren’t able to get them to the library to renew the cards.

The Enid Public Library board (OK) has banned Pride displays this year, marking the third year of battles over LGBTQ displays.

Colorado lawmakers have passed an anti-book ban bill that now sits on the governor’s desk.

Garfield County (CO) library board appointments drew a crowd of protestors after county commissioners took over the selection process.

“Wyoming’s largest school district is considering a library book procurement policy for controversial sexually themed materials that, if passed, would likely be the strictest in the state.” This is Laramie County School District No. 1.

“The Larsen-Sant Public Library in Preston [ID] will temporarily restrict public access to its building starting Monday in response to a new law that opens libraries to lawsuits if minors access inappropriate content on the shelves.”

Related: Library officials in Idaho say that the new state law about harmful material is “vague and difficult to implement.” As it was designed to be.

The Ketchikan School Board (AK) voted to retain Red Hood by Elena Arnold.

(Paywalled): “Copycat” book bans: How US activists are impacting Australian libraries.

“A Sydney council has voted to place a blanket ban on same-sex parenting books from local libraries in a move the New South Wales government warns could be a breach of the state’s Anti-Discrimination Act.”

Books & Authors in the News

Nobel Prize-winning author Alice Munro has died at 92.

Writers who have withdrawn support from PEN America for the organization’s response to the war in Gaza organized their own event: Freedom to Write for Palestine. Related: what’s wrong with PEN America and why we need it to survive.

Colson Whitehead pulls out as a commencement speaker at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, which he said is due to the school’s leadership decision to use police force to disperse a group of students protesting the crisis in Palestine.

Colleen Hoover is a wildly successful author, so why has she stopped writing?

Numbers & Trends

The most-read books on Goodreads last week.

The best-selling books of the week.

Award News

The CWA Daggers shortlists have been announced.

Barnes & Noble reveals their Children’s & Young Adult Book winners.

The 2024 Locus Awards finalists have been released.

Pop Cultured

Michelle Yeoh is starring in Amazon’s Blade Runner 2049 sequel series.

Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous

TikTok and the National Literacy Trust (NLT) are partnering to bring 20 bookshelves to 11 UK areas. “The partnership entails TikTok paying for books that will be selected by NLT youth volunteers, and placed in areas that have high foot traffic, like around youth clubs and community centers.”

CNN does a deep dive into the concept of the “beach read.”

Against the objectification of books.

The strange lives of “book husbands.”

I know Jonesy’s tummy is a trap, but when he rolls over and looks this adorable, I can’t help myself!

Okay, friends. It’s the weekend! Have a good one, and I’ll be back on Tuesday.

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.

Giveaways

051624-EACInternalPushes-May2024-Giveaway

Post author By Vivek Patel
Post date May 16, 2024

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

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

Here’s a bit more from our sponsor: We believe creators deserve a spotlight, a gateway to the broad, energized audiences hungry for journeys of inspiration, tales of might, and sagas of magnitude… adventures that challenge and delight.‍

We live the attitude of punk rock, manifested by the power of subversive storytelling. GUNGNIR knows that today’s fresh creators are 21st Century philosophers, provocateurs, and mythmakers.. Their voices, ideas, and inspired views of society will ignite the conversations that shape tomorrow.

We’re here to stand watch as new worlds grow. The first and best defense against the mundane dark might seem like a blade. But at GUNGNIR…we know the right story can cut even deeper.

Kid Lit Giveaways

051624-ThePumpkinPrincessAndTheForeverNight(pre-pub)-KidlitGiveaway

Post author By Vivek Patel
Post date May 16, 2024

We’re giving away 20 advance reader copies (ARCs) of The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night by Steven Banbury to 20 lucky Riot readers!

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

In this spooky yet heartwarming adventure, Eve flees an unpleasant orphanage and is saved by the fabled Pumpkin King. Accepting the offer to become his daughter, she is whisked away to the misty Hallowell Valley—home to witches and vampires, ghosts and goblins, and all that go bump in the night. But just when she believes she’s found her place among the undead, a sinister scheme unearths itself, threatening to take everything from Eve unless she can stop it.

Enter to win an ARC of this Indies Introduce selection, perfect for fans of Nevermoor and the hit series Wednesday.

The Stack

Time Flies When You’re Reading Comics

Post author By Eileen Gonzalez
Post date May 15, 2024

Sponsored by

Is it Thursday again already? Didn’t we just have one last week? Oh, well, at least now I have another excuse to talk about comics (like I need an excuse!).

Bookish Goods

Super Hero Inspired Wallet by EtraLeather

What more heroic way to safeguard your hard-earned cash and cards? Now 20% off! $16

New Releases

Choose Your Own Adventure: Forecast from Stonehenge by Stephanie Phillips and Dani Bolinho

Remember these books? Now they come in graphic novel format! Head on over to England and get to the bottom of the mysterious Stonehenge with help — or hindrance — from the bizarre characters you meet. What you do is up to you!

I Want to End This Love Game Volume Two by Yuki Domoto

Yukiya and Miku have made a game of their feelings by saying they love each other and then pretending not to mean it. Who will crack and admit their love first? What will be the breaking point? A date, perhaps, or a hand-holding contest, or maybe just those three simple words: “I love you?”

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

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: a race against time! Stories are more exciting when a character has to work against a ticking clock to meet their goals.

The Secret of the Ravens by Joanna Cacao

The Raven Quests seemed like the ideal way for impoverished siblings Liza and Elliot to make their fortune. But the Quests prove more dangerous than they realize, and with Liza’s life on the line, Elliot must risk it all to help her before it is too late. Who will prevail: Elliot, or the poison coursing through his sister’s body?

The Matriarchs by LouAnne Brickhouse, Jennifer Rea, and Renae De Liz

A council of superpowered, female immortals has set themselves an important goal: find an end to male violence. But what happens when some on the council decide that the only “cure” is to kill all men? The dissenters will have to act fast — and confront their own terrible actions — to save them.

We’re really racing towards the weekend now, but don’t forget to enjoy the good stuff along the way, even if it’s as small as a nice birdsong or a pretty flower!

~Eileen

Kissing Books

Brewing Up Love

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date May 15, 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.

Tomorrow is the SKULLastic Book Fair and the excitement cannot be contained. Not only will I pick up a few new books, but I will be hanging out with two of my besties and having a brew or two. What better way to start the weekend?

Speaking of books, I’m still working on Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places, which will be released next week. I also started Looking for Sign, the upcoming release from Book Riot’s own Susie Dumond.

Bookish Goods

Metal Library Card Bookmarks by LavenderCloudStudio

As a lifelong library lover, I couldn’t resist sharing these. They are just too cute and super affordable. So if you have trouble picking just one, you can treat yourself and get all three guilt-free. $5

New Releases

Tiny Truths by Teralyn Mitchell

After his fiancée dumps him, Zane decides he is through with love. Unfortunately, his family missed that memo and keep trying to find him his next match. To avoid getting roped into date after date, he says he is dating his best friend, Rhiannon. When this gets back to Rhiannon, she goes along with the charade, figuring that, if nothing else, Zane would owe her a big favor. But when real feelings start developing during their fake relationship, the two are left wondering what comes next.

Cabin Fever by Tagan Shepard

Morgan is hopeful that her first national trade show will prove to be a profitable endeavor. Then she learns that her professional rival Shelby is also there, which dashes those dreams. When a snowstorm results in canceled flights, Morgan is fortunate enough to get the last rental car and kindly offers to give Shelby a ride home. The bad luck doesn’t stop there, and the two women find themselves stranded in a cabin with a wrecked car and no cell reception. However, as the two spend more time together, feelings between them begin to take root and have them questioning if they are for real or a byproduct of their circumstances.

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

Riot Recommendations

I don’t know about y’all, but the exhaustion has been real for me as of late. I’m almost always tired, no matter how much sleep I get. It’s to the point where if I don’t have at least one caffeinated beverage in the morning, I am severely regretting it by the time the afternoon comes.

While tea will do the trick, coffee is usually the default drink. In honor of the delicious beverage, I’m recommending some romances that center around a coffee shop. If you prefer tea, you can expect some tea-themed romances with the next send. Enjoy!

Sweetly Swirled by M. L. Spann

Bri is going through a rough patch in her life and finds it difficult to remain optimistic. One of the bright spots in her life is her visits to her local coffee shop to see Jayce, the handsome barista. When he hears about her troubles, he offers her a job at the shop. He also asks for her help winning back his ex-girlfriend. Bri agrees to both, even though she holds a candle for Jayce. Once he gets to know her more, Jayce appears to have changed his mind, as the looks he gives Bri are as hot as the coffee they serve.

Living La Vida Mocha by H.M. Shander

When Cara’s seemingly perfect life comes crashing down, she walks into Coffee Loft for a sugary drink as a pick-me-up. She’s surprised to find that the barista is Carter, the college classmate who left for Europe before she could reveal her feelings for him. While the attraction is still there, 13 years is a long time, and neither are the same person they were back then. Will this be the opportunity for a second chance, or will this chance encounter end up with them parting ways again?

Take this poll to see how your trope preferences match up with others.

If you’ve been looking into diving into Molly Harper, here is the chronological list for her Half Moon Hollow series.

While I know that the statement made here is likely very true, I’m still going to try.

And that’s all she wrote for today. I hope that the time between now and when we meet again is kind to you. If you want snippets of me between the sends, then you can always give me a follow over on Instagram under @pns_bookish_world. Until then, happy reading and stay hydrated.

Book Radar

RED, WHITE, AND ROYAL BLUE Gets a Sequel and More Book Radar

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date May 15, 2024

Sponsored by

Hi, Book Radar-ites!

How are we doing these days? I’ve been playing the new Childish Gambino on repeat ALL WEEK and I am not well. It’s so good. I feel like we’ve gotten a lot of good music in 2024 already. If you have a favorite 2024 release, let me know about it. We can talk about things other than books sometimes. But okay…let’s get to the books.

Book Deals and Reveals

Here’s the cover of Nalo Hopkinson’s upcoming book Jamaica Ginger, illustrated by Joshua Mays. It’s out this October.

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay, HarperCollins is releasing a new, pink version of the essay collection. The new edition will be available on August 6.

Red, White & Royal Blue, the adaptation of Casey McQuiston’s bestselling novel, is getting a sequel. Matthew López has returned to write the script, and Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez are also set to return.

Heartstopper‘s season 3 release date has been confirmed in a new teaser trailer. Fans can watch the show on Netflix starting on October 3.

Here’s the new trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Ring of Power season 2. The new season releases on August 29th on Prime Video.

American Girl Doll fans! Mattel has announced the re-release of three American Girl Classics: Kirsten, Addy, and Josefina.

Check out this year’s winners of the Barnes & Noble Children’s & Young Adult Book Awards.

Author Lauren Groff has opened up a bookstore to combat surging book bans in Florida. The Lynx is now open in Gainesville, FL.

Nobel Prize-winning author Alice Munro has died at the age of 92. Penguin Random House Canada’s chief executive, Kristin Cochrane, said in a statement, “Alice Munro is a national treasure — a writer of enormous depth, empathy, and humanity whose work is read, admired, and cherished by readers throughout Canada and around the world. Alice’s writing inspired countless writers too, and her work leaves an indelible mark on our literary landscape.”

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!

I Am the Dark that Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea (Henry Holt, November 12)

We know the world of ballet can be a scary place. We’ve seen it in multiple movies (Black Swan… Abigail…) and we saw it in Jamison Shea’s novel I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me. Now we’re returning to that world of horror in a sequel, coming out this November, and I can’t wait!

Following the incident (trying to avoid spoilers here) at the Palais Garnier a few months ago, Laure has decided to set her ballet shoes aside and put the past behind her. But now Laure is just spiraling. The only thing that gives her any solace is going out, partying, and drowning out her memories and feelings of despair.

Then one night when Laure is out drinking, she stumbles across a dead body, and she realizes she won’t be able to just leave the past behind. Somewhere deep below the streets of Paris, there is a dark underworld pulsing with blood. Laure may be a monster, but she’s not the only monster in this city.

Words of Literary Wisdom

“Mourning is sometimes a dull ache that won’t leave, and other times it’s like pricking your finger on a needle hidden in a shopping bag.”

— Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanagh

What’s Up in the Book Community?

My iPhone is constantly telling me I spend too much time staring at my screen, which is honestly so rude. But this means I spend a lot of time scrolling around the online book community: BookTube, Bookstagram, BookTok, BookLinkedIn (JK. That’s not a thing…I don’t think). You get the idea. Don’t have the time, energy, or the will to do all of that yourself? No problem. I got you. In this weekly section of Book Radar, we’ll take a look at something cool, interesting, and/or newsy that’s going on in the book community.

How do you feel about illustrated romance covers? Personally, I love them. I think they’re cute. But apparently, some people have issues with them. Thoughts?

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

The sun is finally out here in Seattle, which means the cats are out and they’re enjoying the tennis players and the birds and the rabbits and the bugs. They are so pleased. Hopefully you’re getting sunny weather as well!

And that’s all for today, everyone. I hope you have a lovely weekend. I’ll see you real soon.

Emily

What's Up in YA

A Ghost Tour Business and More YA Book Talk + News: May 16, 2024

Post author By Kelly Jensen
Post date May 15, 2024

Sponsored by

Hey, YA Readers!

No intro this time around. Let’s get right into the meat and potatoes—paperback releases and YA book news.

Bookish Goods

’70s Pride Bookmark by MagicandMeaning

This bookmark popped up when I was working on a post for next month about Pride goods…and whether you see it as explicitly Pride themed or not, this retro rainbow bookmark is so fun. I might end up buying one for myself. $5, with choices on how you want your corners and tassels.

New Releases

There are a lot of paperback releases this week. May’s been a busy month. Don’t miss the rest of this week’s new YA paperbacks over in the mega roundup. As always, you might need to toggle your view when you click the link to get to the paperback edition.

Funeral Songs for Dying Girls by Cherie Dimaline

Winifred lives in an apartment above the cemetery office with her father, who works at the crematorium. Her mother died when she was young and is buried in the graveyard. It’s not weird for Winifred, and on the precipice of her 16th birthday, she’s found a routine for a good, lazy summer. One of the things she does is visit the neglected graves with her dog. It’s not weird except it does begin rumors around town that the cemetery is haunted.

This, Winifred thinks, is an opportunity to help bolster business for her dad. If there are ghost tours, that’s good money. The problem is, of course, keeping the ruse up and, well, ensuring her father doesn’t actually believe that Winifred’s mother is alive and well in ghost form.

And then it’s possible an actual real ghost is haunting the place.

I’ll Take Everything You Have by James Klise

Joe comes to Chicago in 1934 in order to make enough money to save the family farm. He’s been set up at a hotel job, and he decides to take part in a con coordinated by his cousin in order to make a lot of money really fast. As he’s in on the scheme, Joe befriends two guys who expose him to things he’s never seen: a rich queer life in the city.

But Joe soon finds himself in big trouble. Between the con and being caught up in danger with the cops and gangsters, he knows he’s gotta get out of town. Leaving, though, means deciding who he truly wants to be.

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

YA Book News

Where we’ve seen an acceleration in YA books being published this month, the opposite seems to be true in YA news. It’s a quieter week in stories!

Here’s all of the new YA science fiction and fantasy hitting shelves this month.
Season 3 of The Summer I Turned Pretty has been pushed to 2025.
Peep the finalists in the young adult category for the Locus Awards.
There’s a new comics imprint for young adults called Holler, whose focus is “trends-driven” stories. I’m…curious about that.
The Outsiders adaptation hits Broadway.

As always, thanks for hanging out. We’ll see you on Saturday with some stellar deals.

Until then, happy reading!

–Kelly Jensen, currently reading Time and Time Again by Chatham Greenfield