Hi, Book Radarites!
Welcome to another Thursday Book Radar. I am still coming to you from the hospital, so please keep thinking healing thoughts for my husband, and thank you to everyone who has reached out with well wishes. Y’all are the best. Anyway, let’s talk books, because I have thoughts and feelings about book stuff today, friends.
Book Deals and Reveals
Here’s the cover reveal of the latest from Haruki Murakami! The City and Its Uncertain Walls is out from Knopf on November 26.
Dolly Parton is publishing her first-ever cookbook, Good Lookin’ Cookin, and it’s already a #1 bestseller on Amazon only hours after the book’s announcement. It’s out on September 17.
Zando is launching a new romance imprint this summer. The imprint will be called Slowburn, a nod to the “slow burn” romance trope. Slowburn plans to publish two to three titles annually through 2026, and then four to six titles each year after that.
Despite the author’s request that the novel be destroyed, Gabriel Garcia Márquez’s Until August will be published this March, nearly 10 years after Márquez’s death.
Oscar-winning actor Al Pacino has announced a new memoir, Sonny Boy. The book is out from Penguin Random House this October.
The latest adaptation of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot will skip the theaters and go directly to streaming, premiering exclusively on Max later this year.
Sarah Paulson is set to play author Glennon Doyle in an upcoming TV adaptation of the best-selling memoir Untamed.
What are you reading for book club this month? Here’s what all the big book clubs will be reading for March.
The longlist for the 2024 International Booker Prize has been announced! The winning book will be awarded £50,000, which is split between the author and translator. Shortlisted books receive £5,000. The shortlist of six books will be announced on April 9, and the winner will be announced on May 21.
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!
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Can’t Wait for This One!
A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston (Berkley, June 25)
Who’s looking forward to summer? I know a lot of y’all are big summer people. I am very much NOT. But I do love reading a fun romance in the summer. Especially when it’s got a little bit of magic in it. Especially when I can read this magical summer romance somewhere with air conditioning. This one is out June 25, and it’s a whole vibe and an absolute must-read for feel-good summer romance lovers.
Elsy Merriweather is a bibliophile who has decided that love interests in books are way more appealing than any love interest she’s ever had in real life. After all, fictional boyfriends never break your heart. And so she happily escapes into the fictional world of Eloraton, the town where her favorite romance series takes place. Eloraton is a cute little town where the weather always matches your mood, the local candy store sells deliciously sweet honey taffy, and everyone gets their storybook ending. That is, until the author died before finishing the latest novel.
Then on the way to Elsy’s annual book club retreat, her car breaks down, and she finds herself stranded…in Eloraton. At first, Elsy doesn’t understand how she can be in this fictional town. But then she realizes she’s been summoned here to help the late author finish the final Eloraton novel. There’s only one problem: Eloraton’s grumpy bookstore owner doesn’t want that novel to be finished.
Words of Literary Wisdom
“Toads are capable of sarcasm, but their blood runs too cold for hysteria.”
— Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
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.
Something weird is going on in the book world. Remember last year when Colleen Hoover planned an It Ends with Us coloring book and it got canceled and everyone was so outraged?
Well, now there’s an It Ends with Us nail polish collection, and everyone is excited about it. I am really confused. Why is this any better than the coloring book idea? Is it just because people like nail polish more than they like coloring books? Feel free to reach out and let me know your thoughts.
And Here’s A Cat Picture!
Did anyone order a sleepy cat this Thursday? This week has been long, and clearly, Murray is feeling the full weight of it. What an exhausting month March has been. I feel you, Murray.
Anyway, everyone, I hope you have a lovely weekend. I’ll see you on Monday!