Newsletters Dev – Page 46 – getting it done!

Honey Badger Don’t Give a Shift

Post author By Katie McLain
Post date April 22, 2024

Sponsored by

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. It’s a somber start to the week over here – Blaine and I attended a funeral on Sunday for a friend of his family who passed away far too young. It put a lot of things into perspective, and reminded me again of how important it is to make memories with the people you love.

Collection Development Corner

Publishing News

Viola Davis and her husband have launched a new publishing venture.

The problem with BookTok. Plus, love, hate, or fear it, TikTok has changed America.

How Congress is regulating AI, plus Rep. Adam Schiff (CA) newly introduced bill that would require tech companies to reveal which copyrighted works were being used to train their generative AI systems.

Amazon is filled with garbage eBooks. Here’s how they get made.

Publishers are scouring the world of fan fiction to find the next hit author.

On the myth of the middle-class writer.

On independent publishers and small press practices.

New & Upcoming Titles

Nancy Pelosi is publishing a new book about her tenure as Speaker of the House, called The Art of Power.

Marisha Pessl is publishing a YA novel this fall, her first novel in 6 years.

Venus Williams announces a new health & wellness book being published this fall.

Rebecca Yarros has a standalone novel coming out this fall.

Clay McLeod Chapman has a new horror novel coming out in January 2025: Wake Up and Open Your Eyes.

Julianne Hough is publishing her first novel this summer.

Check out the description for Nat Cassidy’s When the Wolf Comes Home: “This book is a little bit IT & FIRESTARTER, a little bit TERMINATOR 2, a little bit Le Guin, a little bit Koontz, a little bit Grimms, a little bit Twilight Zone, & a lotta bit gonna rip yer face off.” Sign. Me. Up.

And this one! “If you like suburban horror, enjoyed Midsommar or The Other Black Girl, you’re going to love this!” We Came to Welcome You by Vincent Tirado.

Here’s the cover for Paula Hawkins’ upcoming novel, The Blue Hour.

And here’s the cover reveal for Alafair Burke’s The Note, out in January 2025.

Another cover reveal: Eric LaRocca’s At Dark, I Become Loathsome.

2024 is a year of literary true crime.

5 new mysteries & thrillers for spring.

The best books of 2024 so far.

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

April picks from Reactor (YA SFF), Vanity Fair.

Barnes & Noble has their May picks for adults, teens, and children.

What Your Patrons Are Hearing About

Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder – Salman Rushdie (Atlantic, Guardian, New York Times, NPR, Washington Post)

My Beloved Monster: Masha, the Half-Wild Rescue Cat Who Rescued Me – Caleb Carr (LA Times, New York Times, Washington Post)

When I Think of You – Myah Ariel (NPR, People)

Muse of Fire: World War I as Seen Through the Lives of the Soldier Poets – Michael Korda (New York Times, Washington Post)

RA/Genre Resources

Why Tom Ripley continues to fascinate readers.

On the Riot

The best new weekly releases to TBR.

The best new fantasy books for your book club.

All Things Comics

Marjane Satrapi talks about her upcoming graphic nonfiction book Woman, Life, Freedom, about the women’s liberation movement in Iran.

On the Riot

YA graphic novels & comics for Spring 2024.

Audiophilia

Enthralling historical fiction audiobooks for tweens.

Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists

Children/Teens

Queer YA romance novels.

Adults

A reading list for The Tortured Poets Department.

What to read next for Arab American Heritage Month.

7 books about unconventional situationships.

20 books that will redefine your relationship with food and the planet.

4 books to make you fall in love with poetry.

5 of the best books to understand modern China.

19 great books about Hollywood you may have missed.

13 books about Passover.

15 charming Southern small town romances.

8 late bloomer romances.

20 true crime books to tease your curiosity.

Is your TBR built by shame? Kirkus has a list for you: 20 books you really should have read by now.

On the Riot

Books about reading.

8 useful books on how to increase your attention span.

The strangest romance novels you’ll ever read.

Horror poetry collections that are both engaging and eerie.

7 books by autistic authors to pick up for Autism Acceptance Month.

Level Up (Library Reads)

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

a brown tabby cat and a black cat pawing at each other

Are these two titans engaging in an epic battle for dominance? Or two knuckleheads taking out their afternoon hunger on each other while they wait for their snack?

Well, that’s it for today. I’ll be back on Friday.

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.

Giveaways

042224-AprilEACGiveawayPush-Giveaway

Post author By Vivek Patel
Post date April 22, 2024

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

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

Here’s a bit more from our sponsor: Immerse yourself in the gripping world of mystery, crime, and unexpected sweetness with our exclusive newsletter, Crime & Chocolate. Tailored for the discerning aficionado of intrigue and supense, this newsletter is your monthly gateway to the latest and greatest in crime, mystery, and thriller novels. Join us on a journey through the shadows, where every page turned is a step deeper into the unknown.

Read This Book

Read This Book…

Post author By Patricia Elzie
Post date April 22, 2024

Sponsored by

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

Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help with handpicked recommendations. Tell the Bibliologists at Tailored Book Recommendations about what you love and what you don’t. You can get your recommendations via email or receive hardcovers or paperbacks in the mail. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Plans start at just $18! Subscribe today.

Today’s pick is a retelling of an American classic that I never knew I needed, but now that I’ve read it, I don’t know how I lived without it.

James: A Novel by Percival Everett

This book is a retelling of Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the point of view of James, also known as Jim, the runaway enslaved man and Huck Finn’s companion during his adventures down the Mississippi River. If you have read any of Everett’s other work, then you know you are in store for a hilarious, clever, gut-wrenching, punch-in-the-face book.

When this book starts, you immediately know what the character James is about. He is intelligent and knows how to read, illegally consuming books from the Judge’s library. James is astute enough to know not to show any of his hand, carefully speaking to white folks in the manner in which they expect a simple enslaved person to speak. He teaches this to his children, not only the correct “incorrect” grammar but also the ways in which to speak according to social structure.

It’s clear that James has a soft spot for Huck. When James catches wind that he (James) may be sold to another enslaver, he runs away. He doesn’t really have a plan, and while understandably more than a bit panicked, he’s confident he can figure something out. Huck Finn comes along, and so now James is navigating a situation where he’s constantly having to keep himself and Huck safe while also doing the extreme code-switching he has perfected and formulating a plan to somehow liberate his wife and children.

While it is not necessary to have read Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn before reading this book, if you want an absolutely sublime reading experience, I suggest you read (or reread) it and then read James immediately after. I never thought I’d be suggesting that anyone read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, yet here we are.

Content warnings for racist violence (isn’t it all violence?), murder, other violence, and a host of other things that come along when talking about slavery without romanticizing it. This book also contains perhaps the funniest exchange I have ever read, an exchange that is the pinnacle of comedy, and it rendered me speechless for a good ten minutes after reading it.

That’s it for now, book-lovers!

Patricia

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

Find more books by subscribing to Book Riot Newsletters.

Bookish Goods

Bookish Good of the Week: April 21, 2024

Post author By Erica Ezeifedi
Post date April 21, 2024

Nightstand Book Holder by COLwoodCraft

Upgrade your bedside table game with this nightstand book holder — available in several finishes. $40+

Giveaways

042024-Saving6-Giveaway

Post author By Vivek Patel
Post date April 20, 2024

We’re giving away three copies of Taming 7 by Chloe Walsh to three lucky Riot readers!

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

Taming 7 is an epic and unforgettable love story in the international bestselling and TikTok-phenomenon The Boys of Tommen series, from Chloe Walsh.

Tommen’s cheekiest lad, Gerard ‘Gibsie’ Gibson, has always been a comedian, but inside he is haunted by events of the past and he uses humor to cope, hiding his true self from the world.

Claire Biggs, the epitome of sunshine, has always loved Gibsie, her brother’s friend and her favorite neighbor. She has always seen a side to him that no one else seems to notice. She becomes determined to tame her wild-at-heart childhood best friend.

Kissing Books

Ranch-Style Love

Post author By P.N. Hinton
Post date April 19, 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 the time from your day to give this a read! I hope that this newsletter helps to brighten up your day just a little bit more.

This weekend is Independent Bookstore Day! All book dragons rejoice! I had a blast last year celebrating and I’m looking forward to it. This year’s plans are nowhere near as ambitious. I’m only planning on visiting a handful of stores with a cap of only one book at each stop. Will I stick to this? Only time will tell, but I’ll update y’all next time on the outcome.

Bookish Goods

I Want a Cowboy Sticker by BlissfullyBookedCo

I’ve been reading romances for a long time, but I’ve always had a soft spot for cowboys. It could be due to being a Southern girl — there’s just something about someone who knows how to work a ranch that is just oh-so-attractive. The price for this sticker starts at $3.

New Releases

Fake It Till You Make It by Siera London

When bubbly Amarie ends up stranded in a small town, her only work option is with the local and grumpy veterinarian Eli. When Eli names Amarie as an investor to keep the practice from going into foreclosure, the two set aside their differences to save the clinic while also trying to ignore the connection that is rapidly developing between them.

Finders Keepers by Sandra Kitt

Olivia never expected to find millions of dollars hidden in the walls of the house her late aunt left her. While this money would bring a welcomed change to her life, she wants to be sure it’s on the up and up. When FBI agent Sloan shows up to question her about the money, there is an instant mutual attraction. But, both are aware that they need to solve the mystery of the money before anything permanent can happen.

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

Riot Recommendations

In keeping with today’s bookish good theme, I’m recommending some cowboy/rancher romances. Enjoy!

A Thorn in the Saddle by Rebekah Weatherspoon

When Lily-Grace meets Jesse for the first time, she is instantly at odds with him. Not only is he trying to prevent her widowed father from dating his grandmother, but he is also extremely hot-tempered. However, when she sees a more vulnerable side of Jesse at a community date auction, she begins to see him with different eyes. Soon, the two find themselves drawing closer to one another and a happily ever after neither expected.

Tipping the Barrel by BA Tortuga

When an accident leaves barrel racer Cheyenne without her horse, she returns home to tend to her external and internal scars. This also brings her into contact with first love and cowgirl Evie, and she wonders if this unfortunate accident will lead to a second chance with her. However, Evie hasn’t forgotten the heartbreak she felt when Cheyenne left her behind and isn’t sure she’s willing to risk her heart again.

Just for the Summer is one of my current reads because I can’t seem to get enough of Abby Jimenez. If you’re also looking for some read-a-likes, check out this list here.

Plan a vacation and get your BookTok trope.

A mobile romance only bookstore? Yes, please!

And that’s all I have for y’all this fine Monday. I’ll be back in your inboxes on Thursday with a fresh newsletter, and in the meantime, you can find me posting over on Instagram under @pns_bookish_world. Until then, happy reading and stay hydrated!

The Fright Stuff

Remember 2020? It Was a Scary Year

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date April 19, 2024

Sponsored by

Hello, horror fans! Welcome to another Monday, which means it’s time for another new Fright Stuff newsletter. Let’s talk scary stuff today and every Monday, yeah? No real theme for you today; we’re just talking scary stuff in general. Hooray.

Bookish Goods

Frankenstein Planter by DolittleDorks

Yes, I know this version of Frankenstein is totally invented by the movie and is not representative of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. But this planter is still bookish, and so cool. And it’s spring, so it’s time for us to make our horror lives a little more plant-y, don’t you think? $26 for just the planter. $38 for the planter + succulent. I’m in love.

New Releases

Immortal Pleasures by V. Castro

From V. Castro, the author of The Haunting of Alejandra, comes a horrifying new tale of an ancient Aztec vampire who travels the modern world avenging conquered peoples, reclaiming their stolen artifacts, and returning them to their homelands. Malinalli’s travels take her to Dublin, where she searches for stolen Aztec skulls that are connected to her own past. But in this city, she finds something unexpected — two mortal men who speak to Malinalli’s other desires in different ways.

All Things Seen and Unseen by RJ McDaniel

Alex Nguyen is a chronically ill college student whose life is quickly unraveling. Following a recent suicide attempt and a long hospitalization, Alex finds herself without a job, without a romantic relationship, without money to pay for school, and without a place to live. Then, she’s offered a lifeline in the form of a job housesitting for the summer at a mansion on a gulf island. But the mansion — surrounded by a mysterious (and possibly magic) forest and an unsettling, insular community — brings back traumatic memories Alex has long repressed.

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

Riot Recommendations

Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth

2020 was a year, wasn’t it? It feels like yesterday and yet…it feels like another world entirely. That year, I was so thankful for people who were still creating art. So this week, I wanted to highlight books that came out that year. This one is an all-time fave. Brookhants School for Girls is an old boarding school with a troubled and mysterious past, which includes many mysterious deaths. One hundred years have passed since the horrors that befell the school took place, and writer Merritt Emmons has written a book celebrating the queer, feminist history of the school that was so cursed. Her book inspires a horror film adaptation of the story.

The Deep by Alma Katsu

A book about the Titanic, but make it ghosts. Yes, really. On the Titanic’s maiden voyage, several of the passengers are convinced the ship is haunted. Years later, one of those passengers — Annie Hebbley — survives but cannot remember the details of what happened on the Titanic. Now, she’s working as a nurse on the sixth voyage of the Titanic’s sister ship, the Brittanic. And suddenly, all of the memories are coming back to haunt her.

And that’s it for this Monday of random horrors collected and delivered straight to your inbox. I hope you have a wonderful week, and I will see you very soon. Yes, that was ominous on purpose. Until then, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams, horror fans!

Book Radar

CRAZY RICH ASIANS Gets the Broadway Musical Treatment and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date April 19, 2024

Sponsored by

Hi, Book Friends!

How are we doing on this fine Monday? Spring weather has finally come to the Pacific Northwest, and I had a wonderful walk earlier today. The cats are enjoying watching all the tennis players outside. We’re having an okay spring so far. I hope you are, too. And now, let’s talk books.

Book Deals and Reveals

Here’s the cover of Elle Tesch’s What Wakes the Bells. It’s a Dark Fantasy about a bell keeper, her sentient city, and the vengeful Saint her magical bell awakens. It’s out on March 11, 2025.

Here’s an excerpt from Liane Moriarty’s latest novel Here One Moment! It’s coming to bookstores everywhere on September 10.

Crazy Rich Asians is heading to Broadway! The project is currently in development with a book by Leah Nanako Winkler (God Said This), music by Helen Park (KPOP: The Musical), and lyrics by Amanda Green (Bring It On) and music producer Tat Tong.

Check out this cool YA romantic fantasy cover, A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya. It’s coming on December 17!

Netflix has released its first footage of the upcoming adaptation of Gabriel Garcia Márquez’s classic 1967 novel One Hundred Years of Solitude. The 16-episode series is set to premiere later this year.

Jake Tapper has sold North American rights to The Terrorist Detectives to Atria Books. Atria says the book tells “the unbelievable story of two assistant U.S. attorneys who, working with others in law enforcement, must race against the clock to build a case against a deadly al-Qaeda terrorist before he’s set free,” and explores “the sacrifices and limits of seeking justice in the war on terror.” The Terrorist Detectives is set for a fall 2025 publication.

Here are the winners of the 2024 Republic of Consciousness Prize. The prize aims to support small presses.

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!

Prepare Your Shelves!

Flawless Girls by Anna-Marie McLemore (Feiwel & Friends, May 28)

Anna-Marie McLemore is back with a queer YA horror novel about a strange finishing school and society’s expectations of women. It’s kinda like Stepford Wives, but gay. And even scarier.

The Soler sisters are known around polite society for being brazen and rebellious. Their grandmother isn’t much better, but she also understands that there are certain expectations on young girls, which is why she sends them off to a finishing school called Alarie House, in the hopes of turning them into respectable young socialites. But there’s something strange about the Alarie girls. They’re all just a little too perfect. Immediately, Isla gets the creeps and leaves the school, unable to finish the program. Renata, however, stays and thrives in the finishing school environment.

When Renata returns from the program, she is a little too pleasant to be around. Everything about her is unnervingly perfect, and Isla barely recognizes the sister she once knew. And then Renata disappears. Determined to figure out what’s going on in the Alarie House and what happened to older her sister, Isla reenrolls in the program to uncover the school’s secrets.

What I’m Reading This Week

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

Crossroads by Laurel Hightower

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi

Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet by Samantha Allen

Monday Memes

We know Zendaya serves on the red carpet. Now, here are books as some of the best 2024 ‘fits from the red carpet queen. Who else is excited about Challengers, btw?

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

Check out this action shot of Remy cuddling on my lap while I write this very newsletter to you right now. Pretty cool, huh? Do you feel like you’re in the room with us right now?

And that’s all I’ve got for you today, friends! I hope you have an incredible week. Thanks for spending some time with me today. And I’ll see you on Thursday!

Emily

The Kids Are All Right

Verse Novels, Spices, And More Great Kids’ Books!

Post author By Margaret Kingsbury
Post date April 19, 2024

Sponsored by

Happy Sunday, kidlit friends! In the odd way things happen sometimes, my daughter and I read Tar Beach and an interview with Faith Ringgold just days before her death at the age of 93. My heart goes out to her family and friends, and I’m so glad we have these cherished pieces of her art and creativity.

Today, I review some of the phenomenal middle grade novels-in-verse I’ve been reading lately, plus two excellent new Asian American picture books.

Bookish Goods

Jabberwocky Book Cover Print by PrintableBookArt

Since I’m reviewing poetry today, I decided to pick a poetry-themed print. As an infant and toddler, my daughter loved the “Jabberwocky” poem and had parts of it memorized for a while. No idea why it struck her fancy so much, but the poem has a special place in my heart now! $13

New Releases

The Spice Box by Meera Sriram, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat

Rishi’s family has a cherished spice box his grandmother filled with spices as a young girl in India where she dreamt of becoming a chef. He loves hearing stories about his heritage whenever he opens the spice box. Paati is coming for a visit, and Rishi wants to use spices from the box to make potato curry with his dad for Paati. But when he trips and falls, he accidentally breaks the box. This is a lovely picture book about South Asian heritage, cooking, and familial love and forgiveness. Back matter includes a description of spices in the spice box and a recipe for potato curry.

We Who Produce Pearls by Joanna Ho, illustrated by Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya

This gorgeous, poetic picture book is a powerful homage to Asian American identity and history. It’s the kind of picture book that defies age categories and will be enjoyed by adults and children equally. Each poem opens with “We who ________” and explores ways Asian Americans have dreamed, sought, cultivated, persisted, and more. The accompanying illustrations are bold and vivid. Extensive back matter includes discussion questions, starting points for further research into Asian American history, and author and illustrator notes. It’s a beautiful ode to Asian American cultures.

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

Riot Recommendations

I’ve been reading a ton of excellent middle grade novels-in-verse lately, and since this month is National Poetry Month, I thought I would round up a few of my favorites! I love verse novels. They’re often very accessible reads that also grapple with heavy emotions and topics.

Louder Than Hunger by John Schu

I listed this as one of my most anticipated 2024 reads in a newsletter last year, and let me say, it did not disappoint. It will be on my list of favorite 2024 releases, without a doubt. It’s a gorgeous verse novel about a 13-year-old boy, Jake, with anorexia, depression, and OCD, which Schu based on his own experiences. Jack just wants to disappear, but the people who love him — like his grandmother, divorced parents, and a friend he makes — want him to stay. His family sends him to an in-patient treatment facility for help, and he spends most of the next year there. This novel recounts his experiences in verse. Reading this basically ripped my heart out. I cried so much!

Hands by Torrey Maldonado

I don’t see Torrey Maldonado on lists that often, but he’s one of my favorite middle grade authors. This slim and accessible verse novel is a really moving and nuanced take on toxic masculinity. Trev used to create art with his hands, but when his stepfather hits his mother and goes to jail for it, he decides he needs to use his hands to box instead. That way, he can protect his family. But his mom and sister want him to keep making art. I love the community of Black male role models that Trev has surrounding him and offering support.

Kin: Rooted in Hope by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Jeffery Boston Weatherford

In this beautiful historical novel-in-verse, Carole Boston Weatherford attempts to trace her ancestry as far back as she can, reimagining her ancestor’s lives through poems. She manages to trace them to a plantation in Maryland and even finds a reference to one of her ancestors in one of Frederick Douglass’s writings. She doesn’t let the lack of archival evidence stop her from imagining what the past looked like. I got to listen to a panel with Weatherford hosted by School Library Journal in February, and I loved listening to her speak about writing this novel. She spoke of her process of listening to her ancestors speaking to her and the necessity of creative license when facts run cold, particularly for historical renderings of African American history. Her son, Jeffery Boston Weatherford, illustrates with stunning scratchboard art.

No Matter the Distance by Cindy Baldwin

This lovely middle grade novel-in-verse is the first traditionally published book about a tween with cystic fibrosis by an author with cystic fibrosis. Penny has several things complicating her life right now: her best friend is moving away, she needs to write a poem about herself for the school poetry contest, there’s a dolphin stuck in the creek that runs through her backyard, and she’s experiencing a bad CF flare. She and the dolphin bond, but she knows the dolphin needs to find her way back to her pod. Baldwin’s writing is just wonderful. I don’t have CF, but I do have lots of respiratory disorders, and I really identified with Penny.

My daughter had the brilliant idea to have all her stuffed animal cats help with chores around the house so they could earn their allowance. I love how carefully she placed the cat’s paws. Most of them were quite helpful and earned enough to buy snacks, but some of them took cat naps on the job and went sadly snack-less.

If you’d like to read more of my kidlit reviews, I’m on Instagram @BabyLibrarians, Twitter @AReaderlyMom, Bluesky @AReaderlyMom.bsky.social, and blog irregularly at Baby Librarians. You can also read my Book Riot posts. If you’d like to drop me a line, my email is kingsbury.margaret@gmail.com.

All the best,

Margaret

Giveaways

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Post author By Vivek Patel
Post date April 19, 2024

We’re giving away three bundles of audiobooks to three lucky Riot readers!

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

Encounter imaginative worlds and creatures straight from myth, level up while you clean the house… No matter what worlds you like to explore, this giveaway has audiobooks for every sci-fi and fantasy lover. This giveaway includes The Last Phi Hunter, Warbreaker’s Rise: A LitRPG Adventure, Immortality Starts with Generosity, and Sunken Spaceship.