Sponsored by Mad Cave Studios' Young Adult Imprint Maverick.
Azarie wants to be able to show her true self. Noah wants his dream to be accepted. They find out that their paths intersect when it comes to one thing: Cosplay. Needle & Thread by David Pinckney, Ennun Ana Iurov, Micah Myers launches September 2021.
Hello, Thursday friends! I hope you are having a pleasant week. I know I am! I am eyeballs deep in a Columbo-viewing marathon and it is delighting me to no end. It’s my first time watching it, with the exception of a couple of episodes. I find it very relaxing to see all these actors I watched when I was a child in roles I have never seen them in before. And then after I watch all of Columbo, I think I’ll do a big 180 and watch The Nanny. But don’t worry, I am still reading books, too! (Who needs sleep?)
Which brings me to today’s newsletter: I have exciting news for you. (Two words: Mary Roach.) There’s adaptation news and book talk, plus I’ve included a picture of one of my naughty orange monsters, some trivia, and more! Whatever you are doing or watching or reading this week, I hope you good bob and we same place again very now. I’ll see you again on Monday. – xoxo, Liberty, Your Friendly Neighborhood Velocireader™
Trivia question time! In Rosemary’s Baby, what is Rosemary’s last name? (Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)
Deals, Reals, and Squeals!
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My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix will be a movie with Elsie Fisher, Amiah Miller, Cathy Ang, and Rachel Ogechi.
Jason Reynolds will serve as the inaugural Honorary Chair of Banned Books Week.
Here’s the finalists for the 2021 Hugo Award awards.
Here’s the first look at Noor, the upcoming novel from Nnedi Okorafor.
Brandy Colbert announced her next book: Black Birds in the Sky: The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.
Becky Albertalli’s The Upside of Unrequited will be adapted into a film.
And speaking of Becky Albertalli, here’s the cover reveal of Here’s to Us by Albertalli and Adam Silvera.
Bridgerton has been renewed for seasons 3 and 4 by Netflix.
The 1993 movie The Crush, which starred Alicia Silverstone, is getting a YA novel sequel.
Natalie Portman will star in HBO’s adaptation of The Days of Abandonment, based on the novel by Elena Ferrante.
Here’s the first look at the cover for Sally Rooney’s next novel Beautiful World, Where Are You.
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Gabriel Bump’s Everywhere You Don’t Belong will be adapted for television.
Jane Smiley’s Perestroika in Paris will be made into a film.
Hulu released the trailer for the final season of Shrill.
Hugh Laurie to adapt Agatha Christie’s Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?
Here’s a look at early images from Apple TV+’s upcoming adaptation of Lisey’s Story, based on the Stephen King novel.
Alice Feeney’s upcoming novel Rock Paper Scissors is being adapted for Netflix.
Dracula‘s Renfield is getting his own film.
Ron Howard and his brother Clint Howard are releasing a memoir: The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family.
Book Riot Recommends
At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and learn about a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week so you can add them to your TBR! (It will now be books I loved on Mondays and books I’m excited to read on Thursdays. YAY, BOOKS!)
Excited to read:
Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach (W. W. Norton & Company, September 14)
DO NOT ADJUST YOUR SCREEN. You are indeed reading that right—there’s a new Mary Roach book headed our way in the fall! Nerds, rejoice! If you are not familiar with Roach, she is a hilarious science writer who has tackled such interesting subjects in past books as death, the supernatural, and space. Not much is known about this book—I accidentally stumbled upon it while looking something else up—but the blurb says she investigates what happens to “bad” wildlife, such as animals who attack people, bears that break into cabins, and more. According to the blurb, it’s “an irresistible investigation into the unpredictable world where wildlife and humans meet.” I cannot wait!
But wait! I don’t want to get your hopes up too high yet. For a book that is supposed to be out in September, I find it odd that there’s no mention of it in the catalogs yet. So I wouldn’t be surprised if the date gets pushed back. That’s right, I built you up just to knock you back down. But please know that I am every bit as hopeful it really comes out in September as you are. Until then, keep your fingers crossed, and go back and read over Roach’s backlist.
What I’m reading this week.
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The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu
We Light Up the Sky by Lilliam Rivera
Bath Haus by PJ Vernon
Spy x Family, Vol. 1 by Tatsuya Endo
The Maid by Nita Prose
Song stuck in my head:
Souvenir by boygenius. (Also, I’m still really into listening to songs I loved when I was young. You can listen to a lot of them in this playlist I made!)
And this is funny:
I would like a Tyrannoborkus Rex for my birthday, please and thank you.
Happy things:
Here are a few things I enjoy that I thought you might like as well:
- Columbo: The other day I saw a picture of Peter Falk on Instagram, and I wondered, “Is Columbo streaming anywhere?” The answer was yes! (Peacock!) So I decided to have a marathon viewing this week. I’m about 1/3 of the way through the whole series, which involved 68 episodes spread out over almost 35 years when it originally aired. I know I saw a couple of the episodes in the 1980s, but for the most part, these are all new to me, and I must say, it’s a delight. They’re so low pressure, low violence, just a lot of fun. Plus the jolt of nostalgia that always comes with watching old shows.
- This is a Robbery and Made You Look: I am completely immersed in these stories. Please give me all your recommendations for art heist and forgery documentaries.
- Purrli: This website makes the relaxing sounds of a cat purring.
And here’s a cat picture!
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Zevon had a very important business meeting with the ghosts up close to the ceiling around 3 a.m. yesterday morning.
Trivia answer: Woodhouse.
You made it to the bottom! High five. Thanks for reading! – xo, L