Dear Book Friends,
Happy Monday, and once again, it’s time for another round of Book Radar! I’m back with more book news and a lot of fun new trailer news to share with you as well. Yay for the movies! Yay for books! Yay for Monday? Sure. Let’s do this.
Book Deals and Reveals
Get ready, because one of my most anticipated books of 2025 has entered the chat. Here’s the cover of Nat Cassidy’s When the Wolf Comes Home. It’s out from Tor Nightfire on April 22, 2025.
Speaking of 2025 books I absolutely cannot wait for, Grady Hendrix has a new one out on January 14, 2025. And People has the exclusive cover reveal! “Think Rosemary’s Baby set in a home for unwed mothers in 1970,” says publisher Berkley, about Hendrix’s latest, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls.
Let’s talk trailers. First up, here’s the trailer for the highly anticipated film Wicked, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Part I is out this November!
Here’s another highly-anticipated book adaptation that just got a trailer: It Ends with Us. The film, starring Blake Lively, is out in August.
Even more film adaptation news. Keira Knightley is set to star in the upcoming film adaption of Ruth Ware’s bestselling novel The Woman in Cabin 10 at Netflix. The film will be directed by Simon Stone.
Ken Follett will be publishing his next book with Hachette Book Group and Hachette UK in 2025. The book is not yet titled.
Today is the last day to take part in Libro.fm’s massive sale! Members always get 30% off sale audiobooks, but right now, all sale audiobooks on Libro.fm are 30% off for everyone (not just members). Just use the code NOTTODAYSATAN.
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!
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!
Prepare Your Shelves!
Tiananmen Square by Lai Wen (Spiegel & Grau, June 4)
Y’all know I’m really careful about the books I hype up when they’re over 500 pages. I know some people read books that long all the time, but for me, if I’m sticking with a book that long, it has to be worth it. Maybe a 500+ page book is appealing to you. Maybe you’re like me and the thought of diving into a longer book is daunting. Either way, all of this is to say Tiananmen Square is totally worth it, and you will devour every page. It’s a coming-of-age story set in the years leading up to the Tiananmen Square student protests.
Growing up in a working-class neighborhood in Beijing in the 1970s, Lai is mostly ignored by her parents, who seem preoccupied with other things. But after a childish prank lands her in trouble with the police, Lai sees the realities of the Chinese state and understands what her parents went through during the Cultural Revolution. We follow Lai as she learns about the world around her, falls in love with literature, and opens up her mind to revolutionary ideas.
It’s when Lai wins a scholarship to study at the prestigious Peking University that she really begins to fight against the Communist pressure of conformity. Here, Lai meets a group of individualists who are committed to living their lives as their most authentic selves. And as the events of 1989 unfold, Lai finds herself wrapped up in the protest.
Yes, this is a novel, but author Lai Wen is drawing heavily from her own life and experiences. Expect to learn a lot about a historical moment that maybe you remember, or maybe, if like me, you were just a wee baby in 1989, you’re finding out about for the first time. But what I enjoyed most about this one is following Lai’s journey and reconnecting with the hope and idealism of youth. (yeah, ok, I’m old now—I was a baby in the ’80s)
What I’m Reading This Week
The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
Come and Get It by Kiley Reid
Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet by Samantha Allen
Codename: Sailor V, Volume 2 by Naoko Takeuchi
Don’t Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones
Monday Memes
Here are a buncha random literary tweets, and they’re great. Twitter might be on fire, but the bookish memes keep coming.
And Here’s A Cat Picture!
And to finish off everything this Monday, we have Remy curled up in a tight ball. I love him! He loves all of you.
That’s all for Book Radar. See you on Thursday. Have a great week!