Author: Emily Martin

Get Cozy with Horror Books?

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date October 13, 2023

Sponsored by

Horror fans, it’s me, Emily, your friend in all things frightful. The leaves are starting to turn, and it’s getting a little cooler outside; I’m starting to see the appeal of a cozier horror read. Especially with all the Practical Magic style witchy activities I got into over the weekend. What is cozy horror, you ask? I’ll have some examples for you down below.

Speaking of the cozy fall weather, now that autumn is here, it’s time to curl up with a great read and get cozy — whatever your version of cozy looks like. Whether it’s romance, creepy reads, modern classics, or escapist reads you crave, TBR can help you find the perfect books for your fall reading, with options curated to your specific reading tastes.

Bookish Goods

Go Away I’m Reading Blanket by EverythingAfterCo

Speaking of cozy, why not cozy up with a horror-themed blankie this fall and winter? This blanket features a skeleton and says “Go Away, I’m Reading,” because, sure, you want to be cozy, but that doesn’t mean you have to be nice about it. Available in three sizes starting at $40.

New Releases

The Girl Who Cried Diamonds & Other Stories by Rebecca Hirsch Garcia

Rebecca Hirsch Garcia’s debut short story collection explores the beautiful and grotesque aspects of living inside of a body, from a girl who is slowly losing her senses to another who produces valuable gems from her bodily fluids. This one is great for fans of Carmen Maria Machado, the perfect mix of fabulism and horror.

Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt

In this new queer horror novel, Frankie’s world is falling apart after her workplace was bombed by a transphobe. Now, Frankie deals with the trauma by partying, sleeping around, and hanging out with her new friend, Vanya. The two quickly fall into an intense friendship with one another, but the closer Vanya and Frankie get, the more Frankie grows suspicious that Vanya is hiding something from her. Something dark and impossibly evil.

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

Riot Recommendations

we have always lived in the castle book cover

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

We all know about cozy mysteries, but is there such a thing as cozy horror? Yes. The focus is less on violence, gore, and dark imagery, and more on atmosphere and general eeriness. Even though you’re immersed in a horror story, you still get the sense that everything is okay. Or is it?

A classic example would be Shirley Jackson’s novels like We Have Always Lived in the Castle. This is the story of Katherine “Merricat” Blackwood, who lives with her sister and uncle. Six years ago, Merricat’s family were victims of a horrible tragedy that left the three remaining members of the Blackwood family living alone in their estate, isolated from the rest of the community.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches cover

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

Cozy horror can also go a little sweet and heartwarming. As long as it’s also a little (or a lot) witchy. This is the story of a young witch named Mika who has to keep her magic identity a secret. But then she finds the Nowhere House, where three young witches need help learning how to control their powers.

How to Sell A Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

Grady Hendrix’s How to Sell A Haunted House strikes the cozy horror balance of eeriness, heartwarming family story, and humor (yes, cozy horror can be funny, too). Siblings Louise and Mark Joyner are totally different from each other and basically never speak. But when their parents die, Louise and Mark are forced back together to get their childhood home on the market. But something is strange in that house. Before their parents died, they taped newspaper over the mirrors and nailed the attic door shut. And that’s just the beginning.

Time to grab a cozy blanket and get to reading! I’ll see you next time, horror fans. In the meantime, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams, horror fans!

Book Radar

Gregory Maguire Returns to Oz with a Final WICKED Book and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date October 11, 2023

Sponsored by

Dear Book Friends,

How is your week going? Tomorrow is my birthday, and I’m so excited, because I’m going to Whidbey Island for the weekend. For my witchy people, that’s the filming location of the fall film classic Practical Magic. Pretty cool, I think. I will report back. In the meantime, let’s talk books.

Autumn is here, which means it’s time to curl up with a great read and get cozy — whatever your version of cozy looks like. Whether it’s romance, creepy reads, modern classics, or escapist reads you crave, TBR can help you find the perfect books for your fall reading, with options curated to your specific reading tastes.

Book Deals and Reveals

Kennedy Ryan has a sequel to Before I Let Go coming soon, and Cosmopolitan has an excerpt and the cover reveal! This Could Be Us will be out on March 5, 2024.

Here’s another exciting cover reveal—Archangels of Funk by Andrea Hairston. This “story of music, resistance, and acceptance” is out on May 7, 2024, from Tordotcom Publishing.

Here’s the cover reveal of Ijeoma Oluo’s Be A Revolution: How Everyday People Are Fighting Oppression and Changing the World—and How You Can, Too. It’s coming out in January with HarperOne.

Gregory Maguire is back with one final book in the Wicked series, and Entertainment Weekly has an exclusive excerpt from the novel. The Witch of Maracoor came out this week, so after you sample the story, visit your local bookstore to pick it up now!

Journalist Claire Atkinson has sold the North American rights to Murdoch: The Life and Business of This Century’s Media Master to Grand Central executive editor Karyn Marcus at auction. The book is set to be published in 2025.

Claire Anderson Wheeler’s debut novel, The Gatsby Gambit, was acquired by Viking at auction. Gráinne Fox, who brokered the deal, described the novel as “a clever, atmospheric mystery in the vein of The Christie Affair and Gosford Park,” featuring Jay Gatsby’s sleuthing younger sister, “the plucky and irresistible Greta,” who gets caught up in a murder mystery. The book is set for a fall 2024 release.

Roku has acquired the rights to The Spiderwick Chronicles after Disney+ declined to pick up the completed series. The eight-episode series will premiere on the Roku Channel in early 2024.

The Color Purple‘s musical film adaptation has a new trailer! The film hits theaters on December 25.

Mike Flanagan’s latest Stephen King adaptation, The Life of Chuck, is set to begin filming in Alabama next week.

Goodreads has released a list of the top 66 horror novels published in the past three years, according to its users.

Check out these 2023 mysteries and thriller novels that may not have crossed your path, and find out why they’re great!

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!

Book Riot has podcasts to keep your ears listening for days! Check them out and subscribe.

Can’t Wait for This One

a witch's guide to magical innkeeping book cover

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna (Berkley, April 7)

Since I was sharing my excitement for my witchy Practical Magic trip earlier in this newsletter, it seemed only right to share my excitement for another cozy witchy story coming out in 2024. A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping is another magical story from Sangu Mandanna, the bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.

After Sera Swan was exiled from her magical guild, the witch begrudgingly went from being one of the most powerful magic wielders in the world to helping her recently resurrected Aunt Jasmine run an inn in Lancashire. Accompanying her on her new adventure as an innkeeper is her talking fox friend with a villainous streak and a cold (but HOT) historian who might just hold the key to Sera reigniting her powers. All he has to do is help her decipher an old spell book. There’s just one problem. The historian also happens to be her one-night stand from years earlier. Oops.

Frankly, you had me at talking fox. I can’t wait for this one. It hits shelves on April 2, 2024. So, like…still nearly half a year away, but who’s counting?

Words of Literary Wisdom

“Niceness is all about what we do when other people are looking. Kindness, on the other hand, runs deep. Kindness is what happens when no one’s looking.”

— The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

What I’m Watching This Weekend

Speaking of Mike Flanagan, we’ve got another entry into the Flanaverse out on Netflix this weekend. The Fall of the House of Usher is getting great reviews, and I can’t wait to watch! Will you be watching?

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

I got to visit one of my favorite cat cafes this week! Neko Cat Cafe is super cute, and their Instragram is super funny/cute. Watch out: it’s Pawctober, which means it’s Elvira Season! Proceed with caution!

These two cuties are Kewpert Mayonnaise (top bunk) and Zest (bottom bunk). I’m obsessed.

Aaaaand…I hope you have a great weekend, friends! I’ll see you soon!

Emily

The Fright Stuff

You Want Scary? These Books Will Give You Scary

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date October 6, 2023

Sponsored by

Horror fans, it’s me, Emily, your friend in all things frightful. Have you made your trip to Spirit Halloween yet? I went last weekend and got my fun Halloween decorations, and I am now fully immersed in the season. Which means I am extra excited to talk about scary stuff this week. And today, I thought I’d share with you a few of the scariest books I have ever read in the spirit of the holiday.

And because Autumn is here, it’s time to curl up with a great read and get cozy — whatever your version of cozy looks like. Whether it’s romance, creepy reads, modern classics, or escapist reads you crave, TBR can help you find the perfect books for your fall reading, with options curated to your specific reading tastes.

Bookish Goods

Halloween Bracelets by BeccaBearsCraftyCrea

Why should Swifties have all the fun? Friendship bracelets should be for horror fans as well. These bracelets feature a lot of horror characters, including plenty of bookish ones! Have your pick! And for a limited time, they’re only $3.37.

New Releases

Wow, so many great new releases came out this past week. It was hard to choose which ones to share! But these are two I’m definitely excited about

A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand

A Haunting on the Hill is the first-ever authorized return to the world of Shirley Jackson’s classic horror novel The Haunting of Hill House. Holly Sherwin is a struggling playwright who has received a grant to develop her play The Witch of Edmonton. When she comes upon Hill House, she thinks it’s the perfect getaway spot to finish the play. Soon, Holly is joined by her girlfriend, Nisa, and a group of actors. But each person who enters Hill House brings with them ghosts of their own.

Out There Screaming, ed. by Jordan Peele

If Jordan Peele comes out with a horror anthology, well, you have to read it if you consider yourself a real fan of horror. This collection features terrifying new stories from Black authors, including Erin E. Adams, Violet Allen, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Maurice Broaddus, Chesya Burke, P. Djèlí Clark, Ezra Claytan Daniels, Tananarive Due, Nalo Hopkinson, N. K. Jemisin, Justin C. Key, L. D. Lewis, Nnedi Okorafor, Tochi Onyebuchi, Rebecca Roanhorse, Nicole D. Sconiers, Rion Amilcar Scott, Terence Taylor, and Cadwell Turnbull.

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

Riot Recommendations

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Stephen Graham Jones’ The Only Good Indians has disturbing imagery that will haunt you for a lifetime. This story follows what happens to Blackfoot Native American friends who took a hunting trip in their youth, made some mistakes, and upset a spirit in the process. Now, that spirit is out to seek revenge on the friends, one by one.

The Good House by Tananarive Due

Everyone has the scary things that freak them out the most. For me, it’s haunted house stories. After her son dies by suicide, Angela Toussant is looking to rebuild her law practice and her life. So she journeys to the family home where her son’s suicide took place, looking for answers. What she finds instead is an invisible, evil force that is driving people to acts of violence.

A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

If haunted house stories don’t scare the heck out of you, surely demonic possessions will. The Barretts are a seemingly normal family whose lives are torn apart when 14-year-old Marjorie exhibits signs of schizophrenia. But what if it’s demon possession? A local Catholic priest thinks it might be and offers to perform an exorcism. With Marjorie’s medical bills looming, the family agrees to film the whole thing for a reality TV show.

Okay, if these books don’t give you the creeps, then I don’t know what to say to you. Be sure to let me know what the scariest book you’ve ever read is. Hit me up and follow me on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams, horror fans!

Book Radar

Hugh Jackman is Writing a Memoir and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date October 6, 2023

Sponsored by

Dear Book Friends,

Happy Monday! Welcome to another incredible October week. The weather is crisp. The fall reading is well underway. I’ve had multiple pumpkin spice-flavored things. I’ve had a good month so far, and I hope you have too. Now, let’s talk books.

Book Deals and Reveals

Here’s the cover of Nita Tyndall’s YA thriller Have You Seen This Girl, designed by Julia Feingold. It’s out from HarperCollins on May 21, 2024.

Hugh Jackman is in the early stages of writing a memoir. “Hugh’s choosing to [write this book] now because he’s finally [being] honest with himself [and his] divorce,” says an inside source, “and this book is the first step.”

Speaking of memoirs, RuPaul has announced a new memoir. The House of Hidden Meanings is scheduled to be released on March 5, 2024.

Here are the finalists of the 2023 National Book Awards. Check out the complete list of finalists in five categories.

The Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to Norwegian novelist and playwright Jon Fosse.

Starz has handed out an eight-episode series order to The Hunting Wives, a thriller based on May Cobb’s book of the same name.

Adults have a lot to say about book bans, but here’s what kids had to say to NPR about banning books.

Book Riot Recommends

Book Riot has podcasts to keep your ears listening for days! Check them out and subscribe.

Prepare Your Shelves!

Gorgeous Gruesome Faces by Linda Cheng (Roaring Book Press, November 7)

It seems like ages ago that I was sharing the cover reveal of this stunning YA horror/thriller novel. And now the book is finally coming! I’m so excited. Think fun YA about a K-Pop rivalry, but also think sapphic and spooky. This is going to be a fun one.

After a scandal destroys 18-year-old Sunny Lee’s pop star career, all she can do is reflect on the past and what once was, back when she had her best friends. Sunny, Candie, and Mina used to be inseparable. But then Mina unexpectedly jumped to her death, and everything changed. Now, Sunny has a chance to attend a K-Pop workshop with Candie and get some answers. But instead of getting the closure she wants, Sunny finds herself haunted by strange visions, and the other competitors in the workshop start getting hurt.

What I’m Reading This Week

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas

What Kind of Mother by Clay McLeod Chapman

Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen

Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong

The Beast You Are by Paul Tremblay

People Collide by Isle McElroy

Monday Memes

The weather outside is cool, and it’s cozy inside. Is it the perfect weather for reading? Or something else?

And Here’s A Cat Pictures

Here’s another great pic of Remy, if I do say so myself! He’s so cute! He loves his cat tree! He’s in a lil cat tree bucket!

Thanks for reading, everyone! I will see you on Thursday, and in the meantime, have a wonderful week.

Emily

Book Radar

LeVar Burton Says Read Banned Books and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date October 4, 2023

Sponsored by

Dear Book Friends,

How is your October going? I’m so excited because this weekend, I’m going to go see Death Cab for Cutie and the Postal Service! My millennial heart is full! So, friends, if you want to get on my level this weekend as you’re reading your books, maybe listen to Give Up and Transatlanticism for your reading soundtracks. Let’s live in the same sound space! Let’s see how we feel on Monday. In the meantime, let’s talk books!

Book Deals and Reveals

Check out the (sexy) cover of C. Michelle Lindley’s The Nude, designed by Kelli McAdams at Atria. The novel will hit shelves in June 2024.

LeVar Burton says you should read banned books, and now you can wear that on a shirt. The money raised from the limited-run T-shirt will “support MoveOn’s work to stop book bans and build a world where everyone can see themselves in the pages of a book.”

Merriam-Webster has started a new online series called Word Choices, where celebrated writers share their quest to find the right words. The first episode features Celeste Ng and a discussion of her search for the right title for her novel Our Missing Hearts.

Here’s the trailer for Netflix’s adaptation Leave the World Behind, based on the novel by Rumaan Alam. The film is out on December 8!

As if October couldn’t get any better, we have more Heartstopper news! Netflix has confirmed that production for season 3 of Heartstopper is underway!

Entertainment Weekly is sharing an excerpt of Tessa Bailey’s recently released holiday rom-com Wreck the Halls. Wreck the Halls was published on October 3 and is available in bookstores everywhere!

Europa Editions has acquired world rights to Iranian novelist Shokoofeh Azar’s new novel The Gowkaran Tree in the Middle of Our Kitchen. The book is set to release in fall 2024.

Bonnie Kistler’s latest psychological thriller, Shell Games, has been acquired by Harper. The book will be published in July 2024.

Journalist and NPR host Celeste Headlee’s Freedom’s Daughters was acquired by Flatiron Books at auction. Flatiron says the book tells the story of Headlee’s great-grandmother Carrie Still Shepperson and “the post–Civil War generation of Black women who championed literacy and education as the foundations of freedom.” It’s out in spring 2026.

The award-winning, bestselling book All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr has been adapted into a Netflix miniseries. Here’s the trailer!

What new release should you read this month? Find out in Book Riot’s October 2023 horoscopes.

Book Riot Recommends

Book Riot has podcasts to keep your ears listening for days! Check them out and subscribe.

Can’t Wait for This One

I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by Ann Liang (Scholastic Press, February 6)

What if Lara Jean had sent hate letters instead of love letters? Then, instead of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, you’d have I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by Ann Liang. It’s out early next year, it sounds so fun, and I can’t wait!

For Sadie Wen, her public reputation means everything. She’s the perfect student, the school captain, the valedictorian, always with the perfect smile plastered on her face. How does Sadie stay so perfect in the public eye? She channels all of her frustrations into emails she’ll never actually send. She knows she can say whatever she wants in her emails about all of the people in her life who frustrate her because she’s never going to send them out. Until one day… boom. They go out into the world.

In a matter of seconds, Sadie’s perfect image is in tatters, and everyone at school knows what she really thinks of them. Especially her co-captain, Julius Gong, who has annoyed Sadie with his vanity, arrogance, and competitiveness since they were little kids.

Words of Literary Wisdom

“Potatoes make everything okay.”

— Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward

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.

It’s not too late to join Bookshop.org’s Fall into Reading Challenge! Grand Prize Winners will get a $250 Bookshop.org Gift Card and $250 donated to the bookstore of your choice. 10 Gold Prize winners will win a $50 Bookshop.org gift card. You also win for getting a Bingo! 10% off your next Bookshop.org order. If you fill out your whole card, you’ll get 20% off an additional order.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

I love when cats just flop on the floor like this. What does this little guy want? Look at his little face! I’m the #1 member of the Murray fan club. The president, the VP, the secretary, everything.

And that is all for today, everyone! Let’s meet back here on Monday!

Emily

The Fright Stuff

Happy Horror Birthday to My Fellow Spooky Season Babies!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date September 29, 2023

Sponsored by

Hello, my fright-loving friends! It’s me, Emily, here to guide you through the world of horrors on this day, October 2, 2023, the second official day of Spooky Season. It’s also officially my birthday month! Because as we all know, October birthdays last all month long. October babies, you know how it is.

In honor of all my fellow Spooky Season babies out there, I got a few birthday-themed treats thrown in for you today.

But before we get into it… Autumn is here, which means it’s time to curl up with a great read and get cozy — whatever your version of cozy looks like. Whether it’s romance, creepy reads, modern classics, or escapist reads you crave, TBR can help you find the perfect books for your fall reading, with options curated to your specific reading tastes.

Bookish Goods

Pennywise Birthday Card by CastleMcQuade

So…idk if I mentioned this yet but like…my birthday is coming up. So if you want to send me a card, this would be a great one for me. Or really for any horror fan in your life who has a birthday this month.

I’ll never forget Stephen King’s IT was one of my first adult novels. I read it when I was ten years old, and I felt so cool and grown up. So, this book will always hold a special place in my heart. I also love that this is based on the 1990 adaptation because little kid Emily also loved this movie and Tim Curry (and she had a huge crush on Jonathan Brandis, OK?)

Well. Anyway. This card is $5.50.

New Releases

find him where you left him dead book cover

Find Him Where You Left Him Dead by Kristen Simmons

Think Jumanji, but make it horror and make it inspired by Japanese yōkai. Owen, Madeline, Emerson, and Dax have survived to their senior year of high school. Their friend Ian, however, was not so lucky. The five friends started playing a game four years ago—a deadly game that they never finished after Ian’s death. Now they have one night to finish the game once and for all. If they don’t, they’ll be stuck in the world forever. But not everyone will make it through alive.

The Dead Take the A Train by Cassandra Khaw and Richard Kadrey

Cosmic horror fans will want to nab this one when it hits shelves this Tuesday (October 3). Set in a world filled with magic and monsters, The Dead Take the A Train follows thirtysomething Julie Crews, who has been trying to make a name for herself in the New York City magic scene. But her hunger for fame, power, and money draws the attention of a vengeful eldritch god.

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

Riot Recommendations

My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

This is one of my favorite horror books of all time, and FUN FACT: it all starts with a birthday party. That’s right. Gretchen and Abby become best friends after hanging out at Abby’s E.T.-themed roller rink birthday party, and the rest is history. But their friendship is truly put to the test when Gretchen becomes possessed by a demon. Yeah, evil demons are tough, but is the power of female friendship tougher? Spoiler: why yes, yes it is.

Scary Birthday to You! by R.L. Stine

Let’s keep the nostalgia train going with this birthday-themed Give Yourself Goosebumps book. You probably get the idea, but just in case, this series is a fun choose-your-own-path story where you get to decide what happens. If you’ve ever watched a horror movie and thought to yourself, “Hmm…I would make different decisions if I were in this situation,” well, this is the horror book for you. Of course, this book is appropriate for kids, but if you were a Goosebumps kid and are looking for a book that will remind you of your childhood while also reminding you of how old you’re getting, well, then Happy Birthday to YOU!

Happy horror birthday month to us, October babes! And to everyone else, have a wonderful Spooky Szn! I can’t wait to spend this October with all of you every Monday. In the meantime, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams, horror fans!

Book Radar

Alice Oseman Reveals Cover of HEARTSTOPPER Volume 5 and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date September 29, 2023

Sponsored by

Dear Book Friends,

I cannot contain my excitement. It’s finally October, and I’m feeling extremely festive! October is the month when I want everything to slow down so I can take in every joyous day of the best month of the year. But with all the fun stuff I have planned this month, I’m afraid it’s going to go by in a flash. So now, while we’re on the first Monday of the month, let’s all just take a moment. Breathe in. Enjoy that great October air. And just savor this gorgeous day. Are you with me? Let’s talk books.

Book Deals and Reveals

Get excited for this upcoming reality TV-based sapphic rom-com written by real-life couple Karelia and Fay Stetz-Waters. Karelia Stetz-Waters shared the cover reveal for Second Night Stand on Instagram. It hits shelves on May 21, 2024.

A group calling themselves Friends 4 Levine Querido have raised almost $110,000 in an auction to support the indie children’s publisher Levine Querido. LQ, which specializes in publishing books from BIPOC and LGBTQ authors, has been hit hard by book bans.

Sara El-Arifi has revealed the cover of her novel Faebound. It’s out from Penguin Random House on January 23, 2024.

At last, we’ve gotten a cover reveal for Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper: Volume 5! The graphic novel will be released in the U.S. on December 19, 2023.

Barnes & Noble has announced the 2023 Discover Prize Finalists. Last year’s prize went to Tess Gunty’s debut novel The Rabbit Hutch.

A Smithsonian museum has acquired a huge Phillis Wheatley collection that tells of the poet’s life as well as a country at odds with itself.

From new series to high fantasy, rom-coms to chilling horror, your guide to fall 2023 YA book releases has everything.

A survey conducted by Book Riot and the EveryLibrary Institute found that most parents think book bans are a “waste of time” and infringe on their parental rights.

Book Riot Recommends

Book Riot has podcasts to keep your ears listening for days! Check them out and subscribe.

Prepare Your Shelves!

Organ Meats by K-Ming Chang (One World, October 24)

Fasten your seatbelts because you’re in for a wild ride with K-Ming Chang’s latest, Organ Meats. It all starts when best friends Anita and Rainie visit an old sycamore tree and the stray dogs who live nearby. When the girls discover that the dogs can communicate with them, they also find out that they, too, have the power to turn into dogs. Anita convinces Rainie to turn into a dog with her; and to find their way back to each other, they tie red string collars around their necks.

But as soon as the girls become separated, all bets are off. Anita falls deep into a dream world filled with ghosts and bodily entrails. In the real world, as Anita’s mind strays further and further into her dreams, her body begins to rot. Now, Rainie must gather new organs to rebuild her friend’s body and keep her tethered to reality.

If this book sounds absolutely bananas, that’s because it is. But it’s also beautiful and grotesque and heartbreaking and brutal. And you can experience it for yourself later this month!

What I’m Reading This Week

What Kind of Mother by Clay McLeod Chapman

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas

Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen

Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong

The Beast You Are by Paul Tremblay

People Collide by Isle McElroy

Monday Memes

This was true for me, but then I discovered audiobooks. Just sayin’.

And Here’s A Cat Picture

Remy loves to flop around this cat tree. This is another one of those times I wish I could share a video because he likes to flop around from platform to platform like he’s a Slinky.

And with that, we’re already done with the first newsletter of October! How sad! Time is truly flying already! I hope you have a wonderful week, and I’ll see you on Thursday!

Emily

Book Radar

PRH Hits The Road with Banned Wagon Tour and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date September 27, 2023

Sponsored by

Dear Book Friends,

Welcome back for another Thursday Book Radar! How have you been this week? Today, I’m thinking of taking a walk and listening to an audiobook, and picking up some kind of seasonal coffee beverage. We’re fully leaning into the season, friends! This is the time when we bookish people thrive! I hope you’re living your best life. Let’s talk books.

Book Riot’s editorial team is writing for casual and power readers alike over at The Deep Dive! During the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, plus five mystery books from The Deep Dive. To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!

Book Deals and Reveals

Isabel Allende is making her picture book debut with Perla, the Mighty Dog, illustrated by Sandy Rodriguez. “I love dogs more than people because we have so much to learn from them,” Allende said in a statement. “Perla and Nico’s adventures are about the power of friendship, teamwork, and the magic hidden in our daily lives.” The book, which is the first in a series, will be published on June 4, 2024.

Penguin Random House is hitting the road with their Banned Wagon Tour! PRH, Freedom to Read Foundation, PEN America, and Little Free Library will hand out copies of banned books in some of the most affected communities across the country. Check out the schedule to see if the tour is coming to a city near you!

Here’s the cover reveal of a new debut historical fantasy coming out next year! Rosalie M. Lin’s Daughter of Calamity hits shelves next June.

Kennedy Ryan’s follow-up to Before I Let Go, entitled This Could Be Us, releases on March 5. The author tweeted, “Final stage of proofreading means ARCs will be available soon. OMG. Cannot wait for you to meet Soledad.”

Here’s the cover reveal of Jordan Morris and Bowen McCurdy’s Youth Group, a YA horror-comedy graphic novel. It’s out on July 16.

Kalie Holford’s YA debut, The Last Love Song, is a bi Mamma Mia-inspired book, out next April. Here’s the cover reveal!

Evil wizards, killer squids, and a garlic festival? Check out the cover of Caitlin Rozakis’s Dreadful, forthcoming June 2024, from Titan Books.

Literary Hub has shared the exclusive cover reveal of Amy Lin’s memoir Here After. It’s out from Zibby Books in March.

This week, Longwood University announced the finalists for the 2023 John Dos Passos Prize. Here is the shortlist.

Gen Z celebrity book clubs are starting to take off! How do these celebrities speak to younger readers in a way the established book clubbers like Oprah or Reese don’t?

Despite their popularity, bestseller lists are painfully boring.

Book Riot Recommends

Book Riot has podcasts to keep your ears listening for days! Check them out and subscribe.

Can’t Wait for This One

Bride by Ali Hazelwood (Berkley, February 6)

If you care about romance novels, like, at all, then you’ve definitely heard of Ali Hazelwood. You’ve probably read The Love Hypothesis. Maybe you also picked up Love, Theoretically, or one of her other STEMinist novellas. But now…get ready for a romance that’s taking Hazelwood in an entirely different direction. This one’s going to be so fun, and I can’t wait for February!

In this fantasy/paranormal romance, we follow Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest. In a move to form an alliance with the Vampyres’ dreaded enemies, Misery has reluctantly agreed to an arranged marriage with Lowe Moreland, an Alpha Werewolf. Lowe, like all other Weres, is wild and unpredictable. Unlike Vampyres, Weres are driven by emotions and impulses. Knowing how cold and calculated Vampyres can be, Lowe is certain this arranged marriage is not to be trusted. And he’s not wrong.

For Misery, there are plenty of reasons to go through with this marriage. And they’re not all ones the Vampyre council has approved. Misery is willing to go deep into the wolves’ den to get what she wants.

Words of Literary Wisdom

“Writing is such a solitary activity. You have no assurance that what you’re creating has any value, and any indication that you’re behind in the rat race sends you spiraling into the pits of despair. Keep your eyes on your own paper, they say. But that’s hard to do when everyone else’s papers are flapping constantly in your face.”

— Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

What’s Up in the Book Community?

BookTube is going mainstream! Famous BookTuber Jack Edwards will be hosting this year’s Booker Prize Livestream. “I’m so so thrilled to share that I’ll be hosting the official livestream for the Booker Prize 2023 on Sunday November 26th across mine and the Booker’s channels, in which one of these six glorious novels will be crowned the winner of this year’s prize!” Jack Edwards wrote in a statement on Instagram. “I discovered so many of my favourite books and authors because of this incredible prize which champions diverse, global, thought-provoking literature, so it’s an absolute privilege to get to be a part of the ceremony this year.”

New to Jack Edwards? Check out his YouTube channel here.

And Here’s a Cat Picture!

Cersei loves to position herself like this, straddling the couch with an arm and leg on either side. It’s very weird, but cute. And if you look closely, you can see Murray sitting behind her. His little orange face is poking up in the background.

I hope you have had a wonderful week, friends. The weekend is right around the corner. And then? October! We’re almost there! See you then!

Emily

The Fright Stuff

Bits of Horror You Might Have Missed Because 2023 is Speeding By Like a Bullet Train

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date September 22, 2023

Sponsored by

Hello, horror fans! It’s me, Emily, your friend in all things frightful. Or fiend, if you prefer. I know I’ve been super hyped about October, but on the other hand, it’s kind of scary how quickly September is flying by, isn’t it? Like, give us time to prepare, September! I haven’t even figured out my Halloween costume yet!

Because the year is just speeding by, I wanted to take a moment this week to recommend some horror books that came out in 2023 that you might have missed. And because life moves fast, I’m featuring three anthologies of short horror works so you can get your quick horror fix!

But real quick! Book Riot’s editorial team is writing for casual and power readers alike over at The Deep Dive! During the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, plus 5 mystery books from The Deep Dive.

To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!

Bookish Goods

Horror Care Package with Book and Extra Goodies by Bookages

Wanting fewer tricks and more treats this Halloween season? Why not gift yourself a little horror mystery package? As a Libra, I hate picking things out for myself and I love having other people chose things for me, so this is the ideal bookish goodie for me! What will be in your cute little horror care package? Order and find out…and definitely let me know, because like I said, I LIVE for a mystery box! $22

New Releases

Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig

What screams fall more than horror books and apple orchards? As the season changes to fall in the town of Harrow, the orchard is starting to sprout strange new fruit: apples so red they look black. Taking a bite from these apples makes you stronger, happier, more confident, more powerful. And with every bite, you only want to eat more. Soon, everyone in Harrow becomes obsessed with this new fruit. But what they don’t know is that the apples have a dark history.

And Then She Fell by Alicia Elliott

And Then She Fell tells the story of Alice, a young Indigenous woman who has just given birth to a baby girl named Dawn and has recently moved to Toronto with her white husband, Steve. Between all these changes in her life and the recent loss of her own mother, Alice feels lost. She has trouble connecting with her daughter, and her feelings of depression and self-doubt are hindering her from moving forward with her own work. When, on top of everything else, she starts hearing voices in her head and starts losing time, her husband tells her it’s all in her head. But Alice can’t help but feel that something is very wrong.

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

Riot Recommendations

cover of Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology; black with brightly colored illustrated cartoon border of flowers, snakes, and monsters

Never Whistle at Night, ed. Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.

This first collection just came out earlier this month! This dark fantasy/horror anthology features a collection of “wholly original and shiver-inducing tales” from Indigenous authors and an introduction from Stephen Graham Jones. Other authors include Darcie Little Badger, Cherie Dimaline, Rebecca Roanhorse, and many more!

Horrorscope: A Zodiac Anthology, ed. H. Everend

If you’re a fan of astrology, then you know that sometimes your fate written in the stars can be encouraging and enlightening. Sometimes, it can be downright horrifying. This anthology of dark fantasy poems and short stories, all inspired by the Zodiac, are for those latter times when destiny is less than kind.

Bound in Flesh: An Anthology of Trans Body Horror, ed. Lor Gislason

This cover really gives me the creeps! And the stories inside are even creepier. This anthology is a collection of horror short stories written by 13 different trans and nonbinary writers. Bound in Flesh includes stories by Hailey Piper, Joe Koch, Bitter Karella, and others.

Well, horror fans, that’s a wrap for this week! I’ll see you next week when it’s…oooooooh Octobeerrrrr (said in a ghost voice). In the meantime, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams, horror fans!

Book Radar

Tomi Adeyemi’s Long-Awaited Trilogy Finale is Coming Soon and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date September 22, 2023

Sponsored by

Dear Book Friends,

Happy Monday, and welcome to another round of Book Radar! I feel like I need a weekend from my weekend, but it’s going to be okay! We’ve made it through Monday before, and we’ll do it again. With the help of memes, book chat, and a good cat pic or two. Let’s do this, book friends.

Book Riot’s editorial team is writing for casual and power readers alike over at The Deep Dive! During the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, plus five mystery books from The Deep Dive. To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!

Book Deals and Reveals

We Need Diverse Books has shared the cover of Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Adiba Jaigirdar’s Four Eids and a Funeral. The romantic YA novel will be out on June 4.

Paramount Animation and Temple Hill is adapting Superworld, created and illustrated by Yarrow and Carrie Cheney, into an animated movie.

Author Jane Riordan has unveiled a new Winnie the Pooh character for her upcoming authorized sequel, Winnie-the-Pooh: Tales From the Forest.

Tomi Adeyemi is sharing the cover of Children of Anguish, the third and final book in her Legacy of Orïsha series. The highly-anticipated book will be published on June 25, 2024, through Macmillan’s imprint Henry Holt Books for Young Readers.

The 2023 Booker Prize shortlist has been announced! It is comprised of six novels that span the globe and the decades, all from authors new to the Booker Prize.

Reading advocate and icon Levar Burton will serve as the first actor to lead Banned Books Week as the honorary chair.

More than 150 artists, musicians, actors, and writers have signed an open letter decrying book bans across the country.

Lionsgate has dropped a full-length trailer for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, a feature film based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins.

Book Riot Recommends

Book Riot has podcasts to keep your ears listening for days! Check them out and subscribe.

Prepare Your Shelves!

The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young (Delacorte Press, October 17)

The Unmaking of June Farrow has a little bit of something for everyone. Mystery. Romance. Magic. Family drama. And if you love reading about all of those things (like most people do), then you’re in for a treat. This book from Adrienne Young, the author of Spells for Forgetting, is hitting shelves in just a few short weeks!

This book is set in Jasper, North Carolina, a small mountain town where the Farrow women have a thriving family farm…and a family curse that has followed them through several generations. But more than anything, the Farrow family is known for the rumors surrounding June Farrow’s mother and her strange disappearance. What happened to Susanna Farrow?

June is tired of the mysteries surrounding her family, and she’s determined to end the Farrow curse once and for all. In search of answers, June embarks on a strange magical journey and puts everything — even her own heart — on the line.

What I’m Reading This Week

Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

You, Again by Kate Goldbeck

Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong

The Beast You Are by Paul Tremblay

People Collide by Isle McElroy

Monday Memes

Love the celeb auction memes? Here are some literary ones!

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

an orange cat being held by a white person's hand

I love writing this newsletter for all of you, but you know what slows me down sometimes? Cats who hop into my lap and use my arms (the arms I need to write) as a little cradle.

But it’s cute, so at least I got a good pic out of it. I hope you enjoy.

And…you know what time it is. It’s time to wrap up Monday’s Book Radar! I wish you the best throughout your week.

Emily