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Court Blocks Merger of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster and More Book Radar!

Hi Book Friends!

Well, it’s November, and while I’m sad October has come to an end, there are a few good things happening this month. First of all, NaNoWriMo is in full swing and I’m off to a good start. If your participating, let me know about it. Accountability buddies are key to getting this done, people! Also, Taylor Swift just announced she’s going on tour and I am DETERMINED to go. Exciting things! And there’s exciting book news too, so let’s talk about it.

Book Deals and Reveals

a guide to the dark book cover

Well, this book just sounds amazing, and I’m excited to share it with you. Here’s the cover reveal for A Guide to the Dark, which according to author Meriam Metoui’s tweet, is a “YA debut about two best friends in love and the motel room that wants to kill them.” It’s coming at you in July 2023.

A Federal Court has blocked Penguin Random House’s acquisition of one of its main rivals, Simon & Schuster.

The 2021 Shirley Jackson Awards winners were announced at an in-person event on Saturday, October 29, 2022. Winners included Stephen Graham Jones’ My Heart is a Chainsaw for best novel and Flowers for the Sea by Zin E. Rocklyn for best novella.

Next up, here’s the cover reveal of Jane Wong’s debut memoir Meet Me Tonight in Atlantic City, out from Tin House this spring.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, the actor who has already made a name for himself in DC projects like Aquaman and HBO’s Watchmenis in talks to star in Wonder Man, Marvel’s latest Disney+ series.

More Marvel news! Marvel’s third Ant-Man film, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, has cast The Good Place‘s William Jackson Harper. The actor’s exact role in the upcoming film is being kept tightly under wraps.

Amazon Studios has released the first stills from its upcoming holiday romcom Something from Tiffany’s, starring Zoey Deutch and Kendrick Sampson.

The estate sale for Joan Didion is running until November 15th and includes her writing desk, artwork, and her book collection.

Wondering what to read in November? Look to the stars! Here’s your November 2022 horoscope and book recommendation.

Are you celebrating Nonfiction November? Here’s what it is and how to celebrate.

Book Riot Recommends

I’m a Contributing Editor at Book Riot, I write the Today in Books newsletter, and I’m a Bibliologist for Book Riot’s Tailored Book Recommendations subscription service. I also have a PhD in English, so I’m basically a doctor of books. Books are my life, in other words, so in this section of the newsletter, let me share with you some upcoming books I’m super excited about. And I think you will be too!

Can’t Wait for This One!

lone women book cover

Lone Women by Victor LaValle (One World, March 21st)

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I feel like it’s been a minute since we got a good, creepy Western/Horror genre mash-up. And this one is from Victor LaValle, author of The Changeling, The Ballad of Black Tom, The Devil in Silver…you get the idea. This is a big deal. We are excited.

Lone Women takes readers into the American West, where the expanse of land is wide enough to hold a big secret…or is it? The year is 1915. Adelaide Henry is on the run after her secret sin killed her parents and forced her to leave her hometown of Redondo, California. Her journey will take her to Montana to be one of the “lone women” who will take advantage of the government’s offer of free land for those who can cultivate it.

But Adelaide isn’t alone. With her, she carries an enormous steamer trunk that must always stay locked. Because when the trunk gets unlocked, people around her start disappearing. The locked trunk holds the secrets to Adelaide’s past. And that secret she’s keeping locked away might also be the only thing keeping her alive.

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Words of Literary Wisdom

“A part of me always dreamed of this, never having to work again, moving far away from everyone I knew. In the mountains no one was trying to gauge themselves against me. It was just snow, trees, the mountain sky, and the whipped disks of clouds above the peaks. The town below me, well within view. And full of strangers, which was what I wanted. If I was left alone then there was no one for me to hate.”

This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno

What I’m Watching This Weekend

Y’all I just finished watching From Scratch and I cried my eyes out. Even though I read the memoir by Tembi Locke and I was prepared, I was not prepared. It hit me like a ton of bricks and then it was over and I am not okay.

So while I’m emotionally recovering from that, I figured I would watch The Midnight Club, a horror series about terminally ill people. So far, I’m still sad! But I’m committed.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

black cat curled upon an office chair

So this is how it works. If I get up from my chair to do something, Remy takes over the chair. So here I am working on the edge of my seat. All so I don’t disturb this little boo. My cat people get it. You don’t disturb a cat. Period.

Anyway, that’s all for today. I hope your November is off to a good start. I wish you the best of luck in all of your weekend endeavors. See you soon.

Emily