Categories
Today In Books

WAKANDA FOREVER Trailer Reveals the New Black Panther: Today in Books

2 Men Targeted A School Librarian and They’re Not Facing Any Consequences

After middle school librarian Amanda Jones spoke out against book censorship at a school board meeting in Livingston Parish, Louisiana this past July, she received death threats and harassing messages. At the meeting, Jones said, “While book challenges are often done with the best intentions, and in the name of age appropriateness, they often target marginalized communities such as BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and people of color] and the LBGTQ community. They also target books on sexual health and reproduction.” By the next day, conservatives started claiming that Jones was trying to provide sexually explicit materials to children. Michael Lunsford, the executive director of right-wing nonprofit Citizens for a New Louisiana, and Ryan Thames, who runs a politically conservative Facebook page called Bayou State of Mind, both spoke out against Jones on Facebook. Their statements claimed that Jones was advocating pornography in libraries and teaching children sexual acts.

In August, Jones filed a lawsuit against Lunsford and Thames, seeking damages and asking a judge to bar them from posting about her on Facebook. But last week, Judge Erika Sledge dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that Lunsford and Thames were merely stating their opinion. In response to the ruling, Jones said, “I’ve lost all faith in the judicial system. The judge’s ruling has opened the door. People are definitely going to feel more empowered to harass educators online.”

Black Stars Reimagine Iconic Hollywood Movie Moments in New Photo Book

In the new book Black Hollywood: Reimagining Iconic Movie Moments by Carell Augustus, over 65 black actors are reimagining iconic Hollywood movie moments. With this book, Augustus aims to reinvigorate readers’ appreciation of the past while also asking questions about representation in media. Augustus told Entertainment Weekly, “[Black people] understand the power of seeing someone who looks like you doing something incredible, and being recognized for it. Black Hollywood is not just a book for Black people, it’s a book for all people about Black people. About the dreams we were never told we could achieve. About the places we were never told we could go. And now, finally, about how we can get there.” Black Hollywood hits shelves on October 4th.

Wakanda Forever Trailer Reveals the New Black Panther

Today, Marvel released the full trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and the new trailer reveals the new Black Panther who will replace King T’Challa, following the untimely death of Chadwick Boseman. The trailer gives fans their first look at the new Black Panther in their full costume, and it seems to confirm that a woman will be taking up the mantle of the iconic superhero. While the identity of the new Black Panther has not been revealed, many fans speculate that it will be Shuri, T’Challa’s younger sister. We’ll know for sure on November 11th, when Black Panther: Wakanda Forever finally hits theaters.

October 2022 Horoscopes and Book Recommendations

New month, new October horoscopes and book recommendations! Check out titles from Celeste Ng, Veronica Roth, and more.

Categories
In Reading Color

Voodou Queens, Morally Gray Witches, and New Releases!

Welcome to In Reading Color, a space where we focus on literature by and about people of color.

It’s officially October, which means I have started watching/reading all the spooky things! Spooky vibes are what led to me randomly watching the new Interview with the Vampire show this past weekend and it is so good. Like, I was upset there were only two episodes, and ended up watching the original movie with Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise. I have to say, as much nostalgia as I feel for the original movie, it definitely had some plot holes and the acting in the new show is so far way, way better overall. I’m excited to see Claudia make her debut this weekend!

Bookish Goods

Voodoo Queen Bookmark

Voodoo Queen Bookmark by BookishHeaux

I love the designs of this shop’s bookmarks (the thigh! the moon! the snek!) and have several of these. $5

New Releases

Our Missing Hearts Book Cover

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

Bird is 12-years-old and has been living under an increasingly oppressive American government with his father, a former linguist. In addition to censoring, authorities have just started being allowed to take children away from people who disagree with them, many of whom are of Asian descent. When Bird gets a mysterious letter, he begins on a journey to find his absent mother, whose poetry he has spent years distancing himself from. The gag is that this premise doesn’t sound too far off from reality.

A Minor Chorus by Billy-Ray Belcourt 

A Minor Chorus by Billy-Ray Belcourt 

I love novels written by poets, and Belcourt has won awards for his poetry. In this latest book, a queer Indigenous doctoral student wavers on the border between his old life, his childhood on the reservation, and the new academic one he’s trying to establish. Throughout the book, he’s reminded of Jack, a cousin who was in a toxic lifestyle involving police and drugs, an outcome that is not rare for Indigenous people living under the legacy of colonialism. He soon finds out that the escape he was hoping academia would be also has its consequences for people of color.

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

Riot Recommendations

As I mentioned before, it’s October, so I’m just going to be reveling in all the spooky things. First up: witches!

Cover of The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

Immanuelle is a young woman living in a puritanical society who tries to be as pious as possible as a way to atone for her mother having a child— her— with someone outside of her race. One day she comes to find herself in the woods that surround her town, where the Prophet killed four witches. The spirits of the witches give Immanuelle a gift, and she learns that the woods were once a sanctuary for her deceased mother. She also learns that there are secrets about the Church and the town that will reshape how she views everything.

violet made of thorns book cover

Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen

Violet influences the court with her prophecies, which is all well and good, except she sometimes lies. She had been looking for a way to prevent Prince Cyrus from firing her once he’s crowned when the king asks her to lie about a prophecy concerning Cyrus’ love life. Obvi her morally gray self doesn’t have a problem fibbing, but doing so in this case awakens a curse which threatens the future of the kingdom. As she tries to save herself and the kingdom, she also seems to be falling for a certain prince…

Thanks for reading; it’s been cute! If you want to reach out and connect, email me at erica@riotnewmedia.com or tweet at me @erica_eze_. You can find me on the Hey YA podcast with the fab Tirzah Price, as well as in the In The Club newsletter.

Until next week,

Erica

Categories
The Kids Are All Right

Hurricanes, Kittens, Litter, And More!

Happy Tuesday, kidlit friends! It is gorgeous outside here in Tennessee. My desk window looks out to a beautiful tree whose leaves are turning orange, and it’s such a lovely view. This past week has seen no new illnesses (yay!), and I made a huge donation of picture books to my daughter’s preschool. It’s been a nice week, and I’m looking forward to spending the weekend outside! However, while it’s been lovely here, I know many areas have been devastated by recent hurricanes. I hope everyone is safe and that cleanup and recovery happen swiftly!

Bookish Goods

Stamp Washi Tape Book Lovers by RobotDanceBattle

Stamp Washi Tape – Book Lovers by RobotDanceBattle

This washi tape is too cute. My daughter would manage to use it all up within ten minutes. $6

New Releases

Book cover of The Antiracist Kid by Jewell

The Antiracist Kid by Tiffany Jewell, illustrated by Nicole Miles (middle grade)

Written by a Black Montessori educator and anti-racist activist, this nonfiction for upper elementary and middle school ages is an engaging, accessible, and essential read. Jewell defines terms, provides real-life scenarios where anti-racist tactics are needed, shows kids how to spot racism in a variety of settings and forms, and more. The illustrations are so fun and engaging, and I love that it includes brief comic sections.

Cover of This Story is Not About a Kitten by Seve

This Story is Not About a Kitten by Randall de Sève, illustrated by Carson Ellis (picture book)

My daughter and I are suckers for cat books, and this picture book is one of my favorites of the year. When a girl, a mom, and their dog discover a kitten under a car, they unknowingly set off a chain of events that will not only help the kitten find a new home but will also bring a community together. It’s beautifully illustrated by Carson Ellis, and the repeated lines of the story make it a really engaging read aloud.

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

Riot Recommendations

After the recent hurricanes devastating parts of Florida, Puerto Rico, and Canada, I know many kids will have questions about hurricanes. These four books all address hurricanes in various ways.

Hurricane by John Rocco (picture book)

A young boy’s favorite place in the world is the dock near his house, where he fishes and enjoys watching nature. When a hurricane hits his town, the dock is decimated. He sets out to rebuild the dock by himself, but as neighbors notice his efforts, they lend a hand until a new dock is built. This beautifully illustrated picture book also includes backmatter about how hurricanes are formed.

Cover of Up and Adam by Zapata

Up and Adam by Debbie Zapata, illustrated by Yong Ling Kang (picture book)

After Adam, who has down syndrome, hears the mayor on TV ask everyone to pitch in on clean-up efforts around town after a major storm, Adam loads up his wheel barrel, calls for his dog, and sets out to pitch in and help. Everyone is so worried, and Adam finds many ways he can lend a hand. While this picture book doesn’t specify what kind of storm wrecks Adam’s town, the story definitely applies to the aftermath of a hurricane.

Cover of Hear the Wind Blow by Doyle

Hear the Wind Blow by Doe Boyle, illustrated by Emily Paik (picture book)

This lyrical nonfiction picture book describes the Beaufort wind scale, from a gentle wind to a tumultuous hurricane. After the hurricane, the community comes together to rebuild. Backmatter includes more information about the scale and wind speeds. It’s a lovely STEM picture book.

Cover of Ninth Ward by Rhodes

Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes (middle grade)

This award-winning middle grade novel takes place during Hurricane Katrina. Twelve-year-old Lanesha lives with Mama Ya-Ya in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward. Both have magical abilities despite being unrelated: Mama Ya-Ya can see into the future, and Lanesha can see ghosts. Days before Hurricane Katrina hits, Mama Ya-Ya predicts its arrival. Now it’s up to Lanesha to help her community.

A letter about littering for The Kids are All Right

I had a very proud mama moment today. Marian and I were discussing what the word “disgusted” meant, and after giving her a few examples and showing her people’s disgusted faces on Google images, she declared, “I’m disgusted by litter.” She then immediately demanded we write letters asking our neighbors not to litter, and to make it fun, she taped a valentine on top so it could be a lift-the-flap letter, lol! The handwriting pictured here is my own; her words and her illustration. We made 10 letters in all. This afternoon she wants to hand them out. I’m thinking we’ll head toward the library and hand them out there. Her first act of activism! The kids truly are all right.

If you’d like to read more of my kidlit reviews, I’m on Instagram @BabyLibrarians, Twitter @AReaderlyMom, 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.

Until next Tuesday!

Margaret Kingsbury

Categories
The Stack

Comics in Space!

October 4 is the start of World Space Week! Some may call it the final frontier, but I think it’s also a great place to set a comic book. If you are not already convinced of that fact, hopefully I can persuade you by the end of this newsletter!

Bookish Goods

A Star Wars-themed wall clock made from a vinyl record

Star Wars Vinyl Record Clock by LaLisaStudio

This is hands down the coolest way to tell time in all the galaxy. $70

New Releases

Leon the Extraordinary cover

Leon the Extraordinary by Jamar Nicholas

The first in a new series, this children’s comic tells the story of Leon, an ordinary boy who dreams of being a superhero despite his lack of powers. When a new phone app turns his classmates into zombies, Leon gets the chance to prove he has what it takes to save the day!

the cover of Hollow

Hollow by Shannon Watters, Branden Boyer-White and Berenice Nelle

This is a queer, modern retelling of Washington Irving’s classic The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. When Izzy Crane moves into town, she has already convinced herself that there is no such thing as ghosts. But the longer she stays, the more obvious it becomes that something is wrong in this strange little town…

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

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: space! I love space! These comics show how amazing (and scary) it can be.

Space Story cover

Space Story by Fiona Ostby

Leah and Hannah are two earthlings in love. But with Earth becoming less hospitable by the day, one — and only one — of them is able to leave the planet for the safety of space. Separated by unfathomable distances and obstacles, can Hannah and Leah find their way back to each other?

Cover of Far Sector by N.K. Jemisin

Far Sector by N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell

Meet Sojourner “Jo” Mullein, the newest Green Lantern. She has been assigned to investigate a gruesome murder in the City Enduring, where emotions have been suppressed and no crimes have been committed for centuries. What she finds will shatter the City Enduring’s peaceful image and force its government to realize that their way of preventing unrest does more harm than good.

Wherever you are in time and space, don’t forget to take a minute to look up at the sky. You may not see a superhero, but the clouds or the stars are always worth admiring.

~Eileen

Categories
Swords and Spaceships

Decidedly Witchy Vibes

Happy Tuesday, shipmates! It’s Alex, here for your first newsletter of October — it’s got a decidedly witchy vibe, and I could not be happier. I’m sorry to say I started off the best month of the year feeling like hot trash because I got my COVID booster and flu shot on the same day…but the good news is, I don’t have to do that again any time soon, and now I’m all ready for the autumn and winter! If you haven’t gotten your Omicron-flavored booster yet, I highly encourage you to do so, and as always, get your flu shot!! Stay safe out there, space pirates, and I’ll see you on Friday.

Let’s make the world a better place, together. Here’s somewhere to start: NDN Collective and Jane’s Due Process.

Bookish Goods

Black Cat Bookends

Black Cat Metal Bookends by UniqueDeskShop

It’s October, and there’s a witchy theme to this newsletter, so what belongs more than some bookends that look like a cute black cat for keeping all those witchy books in? $36

New Releases

Cover of River Woman, River Demon by Jennifer Givhan

River Woman, River Demon by Jennifer Givhan

Eva Santos Moon is a practitioner of brujería and curanderisma and a Chicana artist who is suffering from blackouts, a feeling of being disconnected, and plain old creative block. Then her husband is arrested for murder, and she’s soon under suspicion as well. The stress dredges up fragmented memories of an eerily similar murder in her childhood, and Eva begins to question if she was involved in both murders. Her only hope is to use her abilities as a bruja to protect herself and her family — and confront her past.

Cover of The Witch in the Well by Camilla Bruce

The Witch in the Well by Camilla Bruce

Hundreds of years ago, several young children went missing in a small town and a young woman named Ilsbeth Clark was accused of causing these disappearances with witchcraft. In the modern day, an author and social media influencer named Elena and her ex-childhood friend Cathy clash over ownership of Ilsbeth’s story — and become quite literally haunted by it in the process.

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

Riot Recommendations

Since we’re in our first newsletter of October and I’m giving myself a softball, I just want to tell you about two of my favorite recent spooky books!

Cover of The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

This book still haunts me with its gorgeous prose and intensity. Immanuelle lives in an isolated religious cult where her very existence is blasphemous because she’s the daughter of an outsider — and her mother took some very dark actions because of it. The Darkwood that surrounds her home of Bethel still harbors the spirits of four powerful witches the Prophet killed, and they give Immanuelle the journal of her now-dead mother, who consorted with those witches. At first Immanuelle is shocked, but soon she begins to understand the rage of the witches — and who deserves to receive it.

Cover of Nothing but Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw

Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw

A group of thrill-seeking friends is brought together to celebrate the impending wedding of two of their number in a crumbling Heian-era mansion that’s haunted by the ghost of a lonely bride who was never joined with her own husband. And as the ghost begins to weave her spell, the group is all too ready to fracture, under pressure from its own secrets.

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.

Categories
New Books

New Books for the First Tuesday of October!

Hello, my friends. Another amazing book-filled Tuesday is here to topple our TBRs! I hope you had a chance to get some reading in over the weekend. I read a lot of upcoming comics, mostly collected issues in trade form. My brain was delighted. As for today’s books, at the top of my list of books to buy are The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn, The Storyteller’s Death by Ann Dávila Cardinal, and By the Time You Read This I’ll Be Gone (Murder, She Wrote #1) by Stephanie Kuehn. I haven’t read any of the Murder, She Wrote tie-ins for adults, but for some reason, I am really excited about this YA novel!

Now, today’s books: I do these first Tuesday megalists because the first Tuesday of each month has so many new releases, and it’s fun to round some of them up. Below, you’ll find titles (loosely) broken up into several categories, to make it easier for your browsing convenience. I hope you have fun with it! And as with each first Tuesday newsletter, I am putting asterisks *** next to the books that I have had the chance to read and loved.

And speaking of today’s great books, for this week’s episode of All the Books! Danika and I discussed some of the wonderful books that we’ve read, such as Our Missing Hearts, A Scatter of Light, Such Sharp Teeth, and more.

Biography and Memoir

cover of The Future Is Disabled by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinh; illustration of a clock face with people representing the numbers

The Future Is Disabled: Prophecies, Love Notes and Mourning Songs by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

David Smith: The Art and Life of a Transformational Sculptor by Michael Brenson

You Are Home by Catana Chetwynd

The Family Outing: A Memoir by Jessi Hempel***

I’ve Had to Think Up a Way to Survive: On Trauma, Persistence, and Dolly Parton (American Music Series) by Lynn Melnick

Mirror in the Sky: The Life and Music of Stevie Nicks by Simon Morrison

Token Black Girl: A Memoir by Danielle Prescod

When They Tell You To Be Good: A Memoir by Prince Shakur***

Making a Scene by Constance Wu***

Fiction

cover of Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng; image of a feather breaking apart into flying birds

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng***

The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn

The Strange Inheritance of Leah Fern by Rita Zoey Chin***

The Storyteller’s Death by Ann Dávila Cardinal

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese

A Minor Chorus by Billy-Ray Belcourt***

A Place to Land by Lauren K. Denton 

The Invincible Miss Cust by Penny Haw 

Life Is Everywhere by Lucy Ives 

The White Hare by Jane Johnson

Billie Starr’s Book of Sorries by Deborah E. Kennedy

The Night Ship by Jess Kidd

cover of The Hero of This Book by Elizabeth McCracken; large font with illustration of a woman in one of the 'O's in 'Book'

The Hero of This Book by Elizabeth McCracken***

Weasels in the Attic by Hiroko Oyamada, David Boyd (translator)

Nights of Plague by Orhan Pamuk, Ekin Oklap (translator)

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

Blood Red by Gabriela Ponce, Sarah Booker (translator)

It Falls Gently All Around and Other Stories (Pitt Drue Heinz Lit Prize) by Ramona Reeves 

Utopia by Heidi Sopinka

Bilbao–New York–Bilbao (Spatial Species) by Kirmen Uribe, Elizabeth Macklin (translator)

Which Side Are You On by Ryan Lee Wong***

Want to read books from this newsletter? You can, for free! Get three free audiobooks with a trial to Audiobooks.com. Claim your 3 free audiobooks now!

History

American Midnight: The Great War, a Violent Peace, and Democracy’s Forgotten Crisis by Adam Hochschild

Middle Grade

cover of Sisterhood of Sleuths by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman; illustration of outline of two young women with magnifying glasses standing in front of buildings

Sisterhood of Sleuths by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

The Antiracist Kid: A Book About Identity, Justice, and Activism by Tiffany Jewell and Nicole Miles

A Rover’s Story by Jasmine Warga

Mystery and Thriller

Jackal by Erin E. Adams***

Blackmail and Bibingka (A Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery) by Mia P. Manansala

The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict 

Book of Knives by Lise Haines

The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James 

Cocoon by Zhang Yueran, Jeremy Tiang (translator)

Nonfiction

cover of Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions by Francesca T. Royster; photo of several Black musicians

Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions by Francesca T. Royster

Life Is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way by Kieran Setiya 

Cooking from the Spirit: Easy, Delicious, and Joyful Plant-Based Inspirations by Tabitha Brown

Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America by Cody Keenan 

A Lovely Girl: The Tragedy of Olga Duncan and the Trial of One of California’s Most Notorious Killers by Deborah Holt Larkin

Breathless: The Scientific Race to Defeat a Deadly Virus by David Quammen

Romance

When Life Gives You Vampires by Gloria Duke

Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle 

Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy

Once Upon a December by Amy E. Reichert 

Sci-fi, Fantasy, and Horror

cover of Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison; illustration of a wolf against a blood red full moon

Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison***

Queer Little Nightmares: An Anthology of Monstrous Fiction and Poetry by David Ly and Daniel Zomparelli

It Came from the Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror edited by Joe Vallese

Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty 

The Witch In The Well by Camilla Bruce

Freeway: La Movie by Jorge Enrique Lage, Lourdes Molina (translator)

A Dowry of Blood by S. T. Gibson***

The Revivalists by Christopher M. Hood

All These Subtle Deceits (Black Wells Book 1) by C. S. Humble 

cover of The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler; illustration of a black octopus reaching out against a blue background

The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler

It Rides a Pale Horse by Andy Marino 

Curse of the Reaper by Brian McAuley

Dark Carnivals: Modern Horror and the Origins of American Empire by W. Scott Poole***

Kalyna the Soothsayer by Elijah Kinch Spector

Lute by Jennifer Thorne

Young Adult

A Scatter of Light by Malinda Lo

Anne of Greenville by Mariko Tamaki

The Empress of Time (The Keeper of Night, Book 2) by Kylie Lee Baker

cover of By the Time You Read This I'll Be Gone (Murder, She Wrote #1) by Stephanie Kuehn; burning note with a skull forming in the smoke

By the Time You Read This I’ll Be Gone (Murder, She Wrote #1) by Stephanie Kuehn

The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera

After Dark with Roxie Clark by Brooke Lauren Davis

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

close up from the side of an orange cat yawning really wide; photo by Liberty Hardy

This week: I’m currently reading Laid-Back Camp by Afro (thank you, Danika), The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi, and Witch King by Martha Wells. Outside of books, I have been rewatching the first season of Abbott Elementary for like the third time, and I started Home Economics as well. (And I am waiting for all of Bad Sisters to go up before I start it.) The song stuck in my head is “Goodbye Horses” by Q Lazzarus. (I am sorry to hear that she passed away a few months ago.) And of course, there’s a cat photo: When I see the cats show off all their teeth like this when they yawn, I am glad they are small-ish and (mostly) on my side.

Thank you, as always, for joining me each week as I rave about books! I am wishing the best for all of you in whatever situation you find yourself in now. And yay, books! – XO, Liberty ❤️

Categories
Check Your Shelf

Lots of Firsts in 2023

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. I am relieved to report that the cough I’ve had since testing positive for COVID is apparently nothing to worry about. However, there is a small part of me that’s a little cheesed off whenever I go to the doctor and they’re like “Yeah, you’re totally fine.” I’m like, “I’M NOT MAKING IT UP, I SWEAR.” But now I get to spend this week reassuring all of my coworkers that I’m not about to keel over from coughing, I swear.

Anyway…books?

Collection Development Corner

Publishing News

Court dismisses “implausible” price-fixing suits against Amazon and the Big 5 publishers.

HarperCollins Union files an unfair labor practice charge against HarperCollins.

New & Upcoming Titles

Tom Hanks will publish his debut novel next year.

Ali Hazelwood is publishing her first YA novel, Check & Mate, next year.

Rachel Howzell Hall is publishing her first fantasy novel next fall.

Former US Capitol Police Chief Steven A. Sund has a book coming out in January about the January 6th insurrection.

Here’s a look at Kelly Ripa’s Live Wire: Long Winded Short Stories.

And here’s a look at the upcoming Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman.

First look at White House photographer Pete Souza’s new book The West Wing and Beyond.

The best new true crime books out now.

Weekly book picks from Bustle, Crime Reads, LitHub, New York Times, and USA Today.

September picks from Amazon, Vanity Fair.

October picks from Barnes & Noble, Epic Reads, New York Time, The Root, and Tor.com.

Fall 2022 picks from Buzzfeed (memoirs), OprahDaily (fiction, nonfiction)

What Your Patrons Are Hearing About

The Furrows: An Elegy – Namwali Serpell (LA Times, New York Times, Shondaland)

Making a Scene – Constance Wu (People, Today, Vanity Fair)

When McKinsey Comes to Town – The Hidden Influence of the World’s Most Powerful Consulting Firm – Walt Bogadanich & Michael Forsyth (New York Times, Washington Post)

Less is Lost – Andrew Greer (NPR, Washington Post)

Stay True: A Memoir – Hua Hsu (LA Times, Shondaland)

Best of Friends – Kamila Shamsie (Electric Lit, LA Times)

Our Missing Hearts – Celeste Ng (SF Chronicle)

RA/Genre Resources

Where to start with the work of Langston Hughes.

On the Riot

The best weekly new releases to TBR.

10 new queer horror novels to read this fall.

From monsters to mayhem: 9 types of horror plots.

How Vivien Chien’s Noodle Shop series made this reader love cozy mysteries again.

If you liked this book, you DEFINITELY shouldn’t read…

All Things Comics

Blade loses its director two months ahead of production.

10 of the most underrated manga for romance fans.

On the Riot

On rereading and slowing down with YA graphic novels.

Comics for goths and goth wannabes.

I don’t usually feature quizzes, but I love Peanuts so much…which Peanuts character are you? (I’m Marcie, although some days I feel like Sally… “YOU OWE ME RESTITUTION!!”)

Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists

Children/Teens

17 slightly scary Halloween picture books for kids.

15 books to bridge the gap between middle grade and YA.

13 YA books that don’t make you choose between romance and scifi.

8 YA books with Afro-Latinx representation you’ll love.

Adults

Barnes & Noble booksellers pick their favorite horror reads for October.

15 romantic suspense books to send chills down your spine.

5 genderbent SFF retellings and reimaginings.

Psychological thrillers with gobsmacking twists. (I love being gobsmacked.)

A ballet reading list.

A reading list of fictional diaries.

5 SFF books about the aftermath of the apocalypse.

8 novels about monstrous mothers.

9 books to make you cry, every time.

7 essential books about Marilyn Monroe.

25 essential fantasy novels.

Want to read books from this newsletter? You can, for free! Get three free audiobooks with a trial to Audiobooks.com. Claim your 3 free audiobooks now!

On the Riot

10 of the best Halloween read-alouds for elementary school kids.

11 of the best picture books for social-emotional learning.

15 must-read YA novels that center Black boys.

YA books about teens working in indie bookstores.

20 must-read witchy mysteries and thrillers.

8 authors that make you feel taken care of.

9 books for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Books for art fans.

20 must-read genre-blending literary fiction books.

12 awesome books translated from Arabic.

15 of the best small-town romance books.

8 of the best horror books by Latine authors.

The most popular horror novels of the last 5 years, according to Goodreads.

Readalikes for Only Murders in the Building.

12 sad romance novels.

Unique nonfiction to add to your TBR.

12 short horror novels under 300 pages.

9 literary fiction novels similar to Transcendent Kingdom.

10 compelling series where Book 2 is even better than Book 1.

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 Nora Rawlins of Early Word has created a database of upcoming diverse titles to nominate, as well as including information about series, vendors, and publisher buzz.

black and white cat laying in a person's lap with its front paw stretched out

Here’s the part where I complain about how Dini has been extra snuggly with Blaine, and not with me. I mean, look at that little Doodle face! And those toe beans! Unlike Gilbert, he’s very particular with his snuggles, so you have to be prepared for when the mood strikes.

All right. I’ll check in again on Friday. Peace out, peeps.

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter. Currently reading The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

Categories
Giveaways Uncategorized

100322_ReadingTheStars_Giveaway

We’re giving away a copy of Book Riot’s Reading the Stars with an Obvious State celestial print, notebook, and tote bundle to one lucky reader.

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

Reading the Stars by Book Riot will help you better understand how your zodiac sign shapes your reading life. Reading the Stars offers book recommendations to help you build on your strengths, explore areas of growth, understand your own sign, and learn about others. Publishers Weekly calls Reading the Stars “an ideal gift for bookworms with a celestial bent.”

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Epic Update: October 3, 2022

Hello and happy Monday, Epic friends! We hope the new season is off to an Epic start for you.

No announcements at the moment, so let’s dive into our reading chat!

I get to be your What Are You Reading guide through October (universally known as the best month of the year)?? It’s an honor, friends, a true honor!

Spooky Season calls for an exploration of horror. It’s an experiment that I’ve been lightly exploring in my reading life: where do I fall on the spectrum of scary? It’s true that I do tend to gravitate toward books that have a smidgen of darkness — I love a reading moment where I find myself holding my breath, maybe with a couple hairs standing on end — but it’s a delicate balance. I don’t want a book that will make me sleep with the light on. I don’t want a story that is creepy just to be creepy.

I know that I do love a gothic vibe and I do love when the creepy, dark element draws from — but does not demonize — folklore or legend. I love an ambiguous darkness that is not synonymous with evil.

Lapvona Book Cover

In September, I unintentionally tested some of those boundaries. First with Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh. This one was not at all what I expected. I was thinking it would be more folkloric, and once I had finished it, I could see it for the bleak sort of fairy tale that it is and appreciate that mastery in crafting it. But I’ll tell you, with each page turn I was hoping with all my might that the story was going to take a drastic turn. It’s gruesome, disturbing, morbid. It feels folklore-adjacent in that it’s like a window into the worst parts of medieval life with elements of a pre-Disneyified fairy tale, but while I can handle uncomfortable moments throughout a book, this one had zero moments of relief and seemed to be daring me to DNF (which, respect).

Next, I tried The Witch in the Well by Camilla Bruce (which comes out October 4th). This one was much more my scene. What starts as a feud between two very unlikable characters — a “spiritual” wellness influencer-type and her (jealous) childhood best friend — over their shared interest in the history and legend of their town’s witch(?) many centuries ago, ends up with them both getting in far over their heads. This book built to the dark parts, and because it’s somewhat epistolary (written entirely in journal entries and Facebook posts), I loved that for much of the story I couldn’t rely on the narrators to know what was real and what was a dramatization.

Finally, I just finished reading The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward. I can’t explain my full feelings about this one without spoilers. Much of the twist of this story is specifically something that bothers me as horror story material. However, if it must be done, I feel like Catriona Ward did a pretty good job of ending it on a note that I could feel okay with. I do love a story that keeps me disoriented and guessing until the end, and this one certainly delivered in that regard.

But I’m not sure if I’m going to continue the horror into October (you never know, my reading queue system leaves much of that up to fate). What I do know is that up next I’m finally going to complete Octavia’s Earthseed duology. I read Parable of the Sower a little over a year ago and needed a good year to sit with it before continuing on — I wonder how I would have felt about it in 1993 because in 2021 it felt a little too close to home. So with a deep breath, I’m diving into Parable of the Talents.

Are you having a scary reading month? What are you reading? Let us know in the comments!

— Caitlin

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Read This Book

Read This Book…

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!

Today’s pick is a very dark take on Peter Pan that makes a perfect October read.

Book cover of Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas

Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas

Wendy Darling lives in a small coastal town in Oregon at the edge of the woods. She is terrified of the woods and with good reason. At the start of the book it is her 18th birthday and around five years since she was found alone in the woods. Six months prior to that she and her two younger brothers had gone missing and only she turned back up. She remembers nothing, except that the woods terrify her.

On her 18th birthday another child went missing. Any time a child goes missing in the town, the cops want to interrogate Wendy, who clearly already has a lot of trauma. This recent abduction makes two kids currently missing (aside from her brothers lost years ago).

Wendy’s best friend Jordan is a constant support in her life and the only one that Wendy can share things with. Lately, Wendy has been unintentionally drawing things. For example, if she has a pen in her hand to make a list or sign a receipt or take notes she suddenly spaces out and when she gets her attention back, she sees that she has drawn a tree. A big, gnarly tree that she doesn’t recognize. Or that she has drawn a boy. The same boy, each time. An imaginary boy who ends up being Peter Pan.

Peter shows up, which is already a problem because he’s not supposed to be real and asks Wendy to once again help him find and reattach his shadow. The shadow has grown beyond only mischievous and is straight up evil. Peter believes the shadow has to do with the missing children.

This book is incredibly creepy and really, really good. Content warnings for child abduction and violence against children including gun violence.

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That’s it for now, book-lovers!

Patricia

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