Author: Emily Martin

Patrick Rothfuss Returns to the World of the Kingkiller Chronicles and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date July 14, 2023

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It’s Monday, and it’s Barbie week!

Have I ever been more excited about a movie I’ve never seen? Doubtful. I got my nails painted florescent pink, and I am ready to go. But in the meantime, let’s talk books.

What do S.A. Cosby, Khaled Hosseini, Sarah Bakewell, and Yahdon Israel have in common? They’ve been guests on Book Riot’s newest podcast, First Edition where BookRiot.com co-founder Jeff O’Neal explores the wide bookish world. Subscribe to hear them and stay to hear Book Riot’s editors pick the “it” book of the month.

Book Deals and Reveals

the narrow road between desires book cover

Patrick Rothfuss returns to the Kingkiller Chronicle universe with The Narrow Road Between Desires, a reimagining of his stand-alone story “The Lightning Tree.” The book, illustrated by Nate Taylor, publishes on November 14, 2023, with DAW Books.

Tor.com also has the cover reveal of Carissa Broadbent’s The Serpent and the Wings of Night. This start of a new series will be out on December 5, 2023, from Bramble.

And here’s the cover reveal for the upcoming Defiant graphic novel. The new graphic novel comes from comic book artists Nikolas Draper-Ivey (Static: Shadows Of Dakota, Black Panther soundtrack cover) and Ray-Anthony Height (Marvel Comics’ Star Wars: Doctor Aphra) with editor Chris Robinson (Marvel Comics’ Black Panther).

Rap icon Jay-Z has announced a special exhibition at the Brooklyn Public Library entitled The Book of HOV.

BOOM! Studios is releasing a graphic novel adaptation of the official A.C.H. Smith novelization of the 1986 film Labyrinth.

Little Free Libraries has teamed up with Venables Bell + Partners to create the Unbanned Book Club.

Reader’s Digest has released a list of 100 of the best books of all time, including a mix of nonfiction and fiction of differing genres.

We’ve selected the best books of 2023 so far! From historical romance to queer stories to comedic horror, and more.

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!

Delighting velocireaders since 2017, Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. Start your 14-day free trial today.

Can’t Wait for This One

Make Me A Liar by Melissa Landers (Disney Hyperion, December 5)

Any time I hear a book compared to Veronica Mars, I’m 100% in. If you’re like me, then you’ll want to check out Melissa Landers’ Make Me A Liar, a book that’s like a sci-fi/fantasy version of everyone’s favorite amateur sleuth, Veronica Mars.

Tia Dante has the genetic gift of being able to transfer her consciousness into other bodies. Everyone at Harvey Davis High School knows about Tia’s special powers, and she’s got a reputation for using her gifts to help others. Whether it’s helping someone get revenge on a cheating ex or getting back at a bully, no job is too strange or awkward as long as it’s in the name of doing what’s right.

But then, one day, when Tia is off on a mission, someone else uses her body to commit a crime…murdering the town prosecutor. What’s worse, there is camera footage of Tia committing the murder, and she has no alibi. To find out who the real murderer is and prove her innocence, Tia will be forced to team up with her ex Nash Brock to crack the case.

What I’m Reading This Week

The Beast You Are by Paul Tremblay

Piñata by Leopoldo Gout

The Troop by Nick Cutter

Your Driver is Waiting by Priya Guns

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli

Orange by Ichigo Takano

Monday Memes

I’m sharing this for the Barbie side only, because screw reading what you think you’re supposed to read.

A Note About Milan Kundera

The Unbearable Lightness of Being is one of my favorite books of all time, and I went through a long period in college where I just tore my way through all of Milan Kundera’s books. Needless to say, I was very sad to hear of the author’s passing last Tuesday. Kundera, who published 10 novels, in addition to several short stories, essays, and poetry collections, was 94 at his time of death.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

I was away from home all day today, so this picture came from my husband. Serious FOMO. Look at the cute cat moments I missed out on today. Leaving home is for chumps.

See you on Thursday, friends!

Emily

Book Radar

Britney Spears Memoir Coming This Fall and More Book Radar

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date July 12, 2023

Sponsored by

Dear Book Friends,

Happy Thursday! Just think…next week at this time, we’ll all be watching the Barbie movie (or at least I will. I have my tickets for July 20). I can’t wait. In the meantime, I guess let’s talk about books. That’s what we’re here for! But wait…did you know Barbie is partially inspired by Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher. So it is book related! Ok, ok. I’ll move on.

Book Deals and Reveals

britney spears the woman in me book cover

Pop icon Britney Spears is releasing her much-anticipated memoir The Woman in Me on October 23.

Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions is releasing its first short story anthology. Out There Screaming “explores the worlds of horror, sci-fi, folklore & more through short stories crafted by Black authors.” It’s out on October 3.

Here’s the cover reveal of Mónica Mancillas’ debut middle grade novel Sing it Like Celia. With artwork from Mirelle Ortega and a design by Mary Claire Cruz, the book will be out from Penguin Kids in April 2024.

Superman: Legacy has added Nathan Fillion to its cast as The Green Lantern. Also joining the cast are Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl and Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific.

The official trailer for Wonka, starring Timothy Chalamet as Willy Wonka, has been released. Wonka hits theaters on December 15.

Jennifer Garner will be reprising her role as Elektra in the upcoming Deadpool 3 movie. Deadpool 3 is currently expected to hit theaters on May 3, 2024.

Nimona creator ND Stevenson announced on Twitter that copies of his graphic novel were sold out on Amazon following the release of Netflix’s film adaptation.

109-year-old Viola Ford Fletcher has published a memoir about growing up during the Tulsa Race Massacre. Don’t Let Them Bury My Story will be out on August 15.

Nnedi Okorafor has sold her novel The Africanfuturist to HarperCollins/William Morrow in a seven-figure deal. The book is scheduled for a winter 2025 release.

Book Riot Recommends

Delighting velocireaders since 2017, Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. Start your 14-day free trial today.

Prepare Your Shelves!

Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer (MIRA, August 29)

Can you believe it’s already time to start preparing ourselves for the next batch of romance novels for the holiday season, 2023? Where has the year gone? And yet…reading holiday-themed romcom books at the end of every year is one of my favorite things. And this one comes from Jean Meltzer, the author of the adorable novel The Matzah Ball. So yes, I’m constantly in an existential crisis as I think about the passage of time, but on the plus side, look at this book! It’s very exciting!

Avital Cohen’s chronic pain has forced her to set aside her dreams of becoming a photographer and her love life. She is doing everything she can to manage her family’s bakery, but she knows she needs help. So when handsome and charming Ethan Lippmann shows up at Best Babka in Brooklyn, Avital feels like she’s found the perfect person to help out around the bakery.

There’s only one problem…Ethan isn’t there to help. He’s there to spy on the bakery for his grandfather, the owner of a mass-produced kosher baked goods company. Ethan is there to steal the Cohen family secrets — especially their Pumpkin Spice Babka recipe. But the more time he spends with Avital, the more Ethan wants something different from his relationship with her.

Words of Literary Wisdom

“There is no value in simply being busy—everyone these days is busy. There is value in focus. In the satisfaction of control and the productivity of lucrative work.”

— The Whispers by Ashley Audrain

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.

So we’re already over halfway through the year (woo here comes my stress and anxiety about time passing once again). How are you doing on your reading goals? If you’re behind like me, there’s nothing a little readathon can’t fix. This summer, there are a ton of readathons going on all over BookTube. Unsure of where to start? Check out this guide to readathons happening in July!

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

a white cat and a brown cat laying on top of one another

Today, we have some guest stars in the newsletter! Everyone, meet Pizza Roll and Gwen. These two cuties belong to my friends Mary and Todd. I couldn’t get over how cute they look stacked on top of each other here, and I thought you all would enjoy them as well.

On that pleasant note, have a wonderful week, and happy week-before-Barbie!

Emily

Book Radar

RED, WHITE, & ROYAL BLUE Trailer Drops and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date July 7, 2023

Sponsored by

Hi Book Friends!

Welcome back for another Monday’s Book Radar. I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Mine was pretty chill. I watched all of The Good Place. I read some books. Super huge accomplishments. But sometimes it’s okay to not be productive, right? Let’s talk books.

But first, a quick question: What do S.A. Cosby, Khaled Hosseini, Sarah Bakewell, and Yahdon Israel have in common? They’ve been guests on Book Riot’s newest podcast, First Edition where BookRiot.com co-founder Jeff O’Neal explores the wide bookish world. Subscribe to hear them and stay to hear Book Riot’s editors pick the “it” book of the month.

Book Deals and Reveals

Crime Reads has shared the cover for Heather Levy’s upcoming novel Hurt for Me. The novel is out from Montlake on January 30, 2024.

Prime Video has just released the official trailer for the film adaptation of the bestselling book Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. The series starts streaming on Prime Video on August 11, 2023.

Knopf has bought the U.S. rights to Pulitzer Prize-nominated author Tommy Orange’s Wandering Stars. Knopf says Wandering Stars traces “the legacies of the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 and the Carlisle Indian Industrial School through to the shattering aftermath of Orvil Redfeather’s shooting depicted in There There.” The novel is out in March 2024.

Adult Swim’s adaptation of Junji Ito’s Uzumaki is still in the works.

Authors Mona Awad and Paul Tremblay filed a lawsuit against Open AI, ChatGPT’s parent company. The lawsuit claims that the company used their books to teach its AI tool about novels.

The 2023 Hugo Award finalists have been announced. This year’s selection is the most globally diverse so far.

Reese Witherspoon announced that her July Book Club pick is Yellowface by R.F. Kuang.

AIGA has announced the winners for the 50 Books | 50 Covers of 2022 competition, which highlights the best book covers of the previous year.

Book Riot Recommends

Delighting velocireaders since 2017, Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. Start your 14-day free trail today.

Can’t Wait for This One!

Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa (Feiwel & Friends, January 16, 2024)

Can you ever have too many Pride and Prejudice retellings? The answer is no. Can you have too many queer Pride and Prejudice retellings? Um… obviously not. Most Ardently is a YA queer retelling of P&P coming out at the beginning of next year, and it looks absolutely delightful.

Oliver Bennet is a trans boy who feels trapped. Trapped in a world that forces him to wear corsets and skirts and trapped by society’s expectations of him. The world expects him to be Elizabeth and to attend balls and social events until someone chooses him as their wife. But Oliver doesn’t want this life for himself. To escape the pressures of his everyday life, he finds time to sneak out of his home and head to the city dressed as a young gentleman.

This is how Oliver meets Darcy, a grumpy young man who was recently rude to Oliver (when he appeared as Elizabeth) at a party. But in the city, when Oliver can be Oliver, Oliver begins to see that Darcy is truly a kind boy who is warm and intelligent. And the more Oliver spends time with Darcy as his true self, the more Oliver dares to dream that this version of himself could become his whole reality.

What I’m Reading This Week

Piñata by Leopoldo Gout

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

The Troop by Nick Cutter

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

Tomie by Junji Ito

Your Driver is Waiting by Priya Guns

Monday Memes

I’ve seen this meme a lot, but this version speaks the most to me.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

Remy is all wrapped up in his toys today. Love seeing him chill in his hammock surrounded by other things he could play with. The true definition of spoiled.

Aaaaand…that’s all! See you Thursday!

Emily

Book Radar

Greta Gerwig to Direct Narnia Movie and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date July 5, 2023

Sponsored by

Dear Book Friends,

Welcome to Thursday! I hope you survived the 4th of July. My cats barely did, but here we are. Let’s talk about books?

Book Deals and Reveals

The Lineup has shared the cover of Gwendolyn Kiste’s The Haunting of Velkwood. It’s out from Saga Press in March 2024.

Amina Akhtar revealed the cover of her new novel Almost Surely Dead, coming from Mindy Kaling’s imprint Mindy’s Book Studio. Almost Surely Dead will be out on February 6, 2024.

Barbie and Little Women director Greta Gerwig is attached to direct a feature film version of The Chronicles of Narnia books for Netflix. Netflix acquired the film and TV rights to the Narnia book series in 2018.

Jada Pinkett Smith has revealed the title and the cover of her highly-anticipated upcoming memoir. Worthy is out on October 17, and Pinkett Smith will follow the release with a book tour.

Leslye Headland will be directing Netflix’s adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestselling novel The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

Netflix has officially released the teaser trailer for the second season of Heartstopper. Heartstopper season 2 premieres on Netflix on August 3.

The second official trailer for Dune: Part Two has been released. Dune: Part Two releases in theaters on November 3.

Prime Video has released the season 2 trailer for The Summer I Turned Pretty, a series based on the novels by Jenny Han. The first three episodes of season 2 of The Summer I Turn Pretty will be out on Prime Video on July 14. New episodes will follow weekly until the season finale on Friday, August 18.

Tokyopop has launched a new romance manga imprint named LoveLove.

Check out new titles from Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Sara Desai, and more in Book Riot’s July 2023 horoscopes.

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is starting its own publishing company. What will that mean for BookTok?

Book Riot Recommends

Delighting velocireaders since 2017, Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. Start your 14-day free trail today.

Prepare Your Shelves!

Burn the Negative by Josh Winning (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, July 11)

We love a horror/slasher set on a film set. Think The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman. Think Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth. Like, yeah, we have seen stories like Burn the Negative before, but there’s definitely more to be explored in thrillers, horror, and slashers surrounding movies. And this one definitely delivers. What’s more, it comes out next week, so prepare your shelves, and get ready for your favorite new summer thriller.

Burn the Negative is all about the remake of a classic slasher film called The Guesthouse. Laura Warren is a journalist reporting on the remaking of the film, even though she’s been trying to run away from the original for her entire life. In the original version of The Guesthouse released back in the ’90s, Laura played a little girl who had the unsettling gift of being able to tell when and how the Needle Man would kill people. Then eight people on the set of the film died in ways that mirrored the movie’s murders. The movie became a cult classic and subsequently ruined Laura’s life. Now as deaths begin to happen again around the cursed movie set, Laura goes on the run. But can she ever outrun the Needle Man?

Words of Literary Wisdom

“We get so used to twenty-four-year-old actors playing high school students, and we seem so mature in our own memories, that we forget actual teenagers have limited vocabularies, have bad posture and questionable hygiene, laugh too loud, don’t know how to dress for their body types, want chicken nuggets and macaroni for lunch. It’s easier to see the twelve-year-olds they just were than the twenty-year-olds they’ll soon be.”

— I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

What I’m Watching This Weekend

Okay, misleading, because I know normally this segment is about what I’m going to watch in the upcoming weekend, but the 4th of July holiday has me all wonky, so here’s what I’ve been watching instead of going out and celebrating the holiday. On the 4th, I went to see Past Lives, which is a beautiful movie, and it made me cry, and everyone should go see it! And I know I’m late to the game, but I was looking for something light and fluffy to watch at home, so I’ve started watching The Good Place at last.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

Murray doesn’t normally hide behind the Super Nintendo, but I guess this week was a special occasion. Either way, I thought it was cute. Also don’t ask me when the last time was that I played that Super Nintendo because it was waaaay before we moved to Seattle, and I don’t actually remember.

Today In Books

Ukrainian Novelist Victoria Amelina Dies After Being Wounded in Kramatorsk Strike: Today in Books

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date July 3, 2023

Sponsored by

Greta Gerwig Attached to Direct New Narnia Movie

Barbie and Little Women director Greta Gerwing is attached to direct a feature film version of The Chronicles of Narnia books for Netflix. Netflix acquired the film and TV rights to the Narnia book series in 2018. Since the acquisition, however, the streamer has yet to announce any projects based on the beloved book series. While no official announcement has been made, the New Yorker reported that Gerwig has a deal to direct two films in the C.S. Lewis franchise.

Netflix Releases Teaser Trailer for Heartstopper Season 2

Netflix has officially released the teaser trailer for the second season of Heartstopper. The series stars out actors Joe Locke as Charlie and Kit Connor as Nick and is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Alise Oseman, Oseman also created and scripted the series. Heartstopper season 2 premieres on Netflix on August 3.

Award-Winning Ukrainian Novelist Victoria Amelina Dies After Being Wounded in Kramatorsk Strike

The award-winning Ukrainian novelist, essayist, and war crimes researcher Victoria Amelina has died from injuries sustained in a Russian missile strike on a restaurant. The author was 37. Amelina set writing aside after the full-scale Russian invasion of 2022. Since then, she has focused on documenting war crimes and working with children on or near the frontline. Since her death, there has been an outpouring of tributes to Amelina’s life and activism. “Victoria Amelina was one of the kindest and most charitable Ukrainian writers who did much more for others than for herself,” novelist Andrey Kurkov said on Twitter. “She founded two literary festivals, in New York (Donbas) and in Kramatorsk, where her life was stopped by a Russian missile.”

July 2023 Horoscopes and Book Recommendations

Check out new titles from Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Sara Desai, and more in Book Riot’s July 2023 horoscopes.

Today In Books

DUNE: PART TWO Releases Second Official Trailer: Today in Books

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date July 2, 2023

Sponsored by

Amina Akhtar Reveals Cover of New Novel to Be Published by Mindy’s Book Studio

Amina Akhtar revealed the cover of her new novel coming from Mindy Kaling’s imprint Mindy’s Book Studio. Akhtar’s Almost Surely Dead follows a Pakistani American woman who disappears after a string of bizarre incidents. “Isn’t it beautiful?” Ahktar tweeted about the cover. “I’m beyond excited to have the @Mindykaling stamp of approval on this one!” Almost Surely Dead will be out on February 6, 2024.

Dune: Part Two Releases Second Official Trailer

The second official trailer for Dune: Part Two has been released. The trailer, which runs for a full three minutes, reveals Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and Chani (Zendaya) warring against the evil Harkonnens. The footage also shows Paul wrestling with being worshiped as a prophet, and it reveals a first look at Christopher Walken’s scheming Emperor. Dune: Part Two releases in theaters on November 3.

Study Shows Childhood Reading Habits Boost Brain and Mental Health in Teens

A recent study reveals that childhood reading for pleasure can enhance cognitive and mental health during adolescence. The research involved over 10,000 young adolescents from the U.S., and results showed that an optimal reading duration of 12 hours per week contributes to improved brain structure and mental health. Reading over 12 hours per week appeared to have no additional benefits. Professor Jianfeng Feng from Fudan University in Shanghai, China, and the University of Warwick, UK, said, “We encourage parents to do their best to awaken the joy of reading in their children at an early age. Done right, this will not only give them pleasure and enjoyment, but will also help their development and encourage long-term reading habits, which may also prove beneficial into adult life.”

Bookish Pride Mugs for Celebrating All Year Long

Pour your equalitea into these excellent bookish pride mugs all year long.

Today In Books

THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY Releases Season 2 Trailer: Today in Books

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date July 1, 2023

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Tokyopop Launches LoveLove Romance Manga Label with 4 New Titles

On Wednesday, Tokyopop launched a new romance manga imprint named LoveLove. The new imprint has launched with four new titles: Nikke Taino’s The Black Cat & the Vampire, Fumi Tsuyuhisa’s Undead: Finding Love in the Zombie Apocalypse, Troy Arukuno’s Sating the Wolf, and Ichika Yuno’s Lullaby of the Dawn. LoveLove will release the first volume of The Black Cat & the Vampire on October 10; the first volumes of Undead and Sating the Wolf will follow on October 24; the first volume of Lullaby of the Dawn comes out on November 14.

Author Michael Rosen Wins 2023 PEN Pinter Prize

Michael Rosen, author of more than 200 books for children and adults, has won the 2023 PEN Pinter prize. Judges called Rosen’s body of work “fearless” and said his books provide a “lesson in humanity.” The author will share the award with a Writer of Courage, who he will select from a shortlist of international writers that have actively defended freedom of expression. “I feel greatly honoured to have been offered the PEN Pinter prize,” said Rosen. “It immediately brings to mind the many people all over the world incarcerated, tortured or executed for being brave enough to write about what they perceive to be injustice.” Rosen will receive the prize during a ceremony at the British Library in October.

The Summer I Turned Pretty Releases Season 2 Trailer

Prime Video has released the season 2 trailer for The Summer I Turned Pretty, a series based on the novels by Jenny Han. The trailer also gave fans a first listen of Taylor Swift’s “Back to December” from her upcoming Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) album. The first three episodes of season 2 of The Summer I Turn Pretty will be out on Prime Video on July 14. New episodes will follow weekly until the season finale on Friday, August 18.

Australian Noir and the Best Australian Crime Fiction

Australia is a land of storytellers. From Outback noir to historical Australian crime fiction, these are the best in Australian mysteries.

Book Radar

What If Lara Jean Wrote Hate E-mails Instead of Love Letters? and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date June 30, 2023

Sponsored by

Hi Book Friends!

Happy Monday, and Happy July! I have to say, July is always a weird month for me. July 22 is my brother’s birthday, and if he were still alive he would be 36 this year. I love doing things throughout the month of July to honor my brother and celebrate his life, but it’s always a little bittersweet, and it’s always a month I lean into comfort as much as possible. So some things I have planned this month…Rewatching Heartstopper. Going to see Barbie, possibly multiple times (I already got my ticket for July 20). Getting vegan ice cream. Writing some new stuff. And yeah, reading a lot of books. So now that I put my July intentions out there, let’s talk books!

Book Deals and Reveals

Here’s the cover reveal for Axie Oh’s ASAP, the companion novel to the author’s YA novel XOXO. Oh’s new book hits shelves on February 6, 2024

What if Lara Jean of To All the Boys I Loved Before wrote hate e-mails instead of love letters? Then you’d have I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by Ann Liang. Here’s the cover reveal for Liang’s upcoming rivals-to-lovers YA romcom. It’s also out on February 6.

Soyoung Park’s critically-acclaimed South Korean YA duology has been translated into English by Joungmin Lee Comfort, and now Entertainment Weekly is sharing an excerpt and an exclusive cover reveal of Snowglobe.

USA Today announced on Twitter that the USA Today Booklist is back after its brief hiatus.

Warner Brothers and DC Studios have cast their Clark Kent and Lois Lane for the upcoming Superman: Legacy film, directed by James Gunn.

St. Martin’s Press has purchased North American rights to Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench. In the book, Dench will explore the many Shakespearean roles she’s played, including Ophelia and Lady Macbeth. It’s out in April 2024.

With the rise of fan fiction publishing and TikTok, microgenres — genres that have defined and specific plots — have reached new heights.

The trailer for Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is here! The movie will be released nationwide in theaters on September 8.

L.A. County Library will become the third major system offering digital library cards and ebook access statewide.

Grab your TBR. It’s about to explode with our roundup of summer 2023 YA books hitting shelves between July and the end of September.

Book Riot Recommends

Delighting velocireaders since 2017, Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. Start your 14-day free trail today.

Can’t Wait for This One!

While You Were Out by Meg Kissinger (Celadon Books, September 5)

It’s not something I’ve discussed at length in this newsletter, but I think we all know that the way we discuss and confront mental health issues in our society…could use some work. Pulitzer Prize finalist Meg Kissinger has spent the past two decades reporting on America’s mental health system. Now the author is releasing a very personal book about her family’s struggles with mental health.

Kissinger grew up in the 1960s in the suburbs of Chicago, and to the outside world, she had an ideal family situation. The Kissinger family consisted of eight kids and two loving, supportive parents. But behind closed doors, the family was dealing with difficulties invisible to the public eye. Kissinger’s mother struggled with anxiety and depression and was heavily medicated. Her father was often manic and violent, and many of her siblings also struggled with bipolar disorder and depression. Two of her siblings would end up dying by suicide. No one outside of the Kissinger family knew what they were secretly fighting against. The family refused to talk about it, and to everyone else, they seemed like warm, darkly humorous people who spent summer days having fun on the shore of Lake Michigan and winter holidays on the ski slopes.

In this memoir, Meg Kissinger explores the hidden struggles of her family and how that sparked her interest in a journalism career exposing America’s flawed history with mental health care. While You Were Out combines the best elements of memoir and investigative journalism to explore mental health and its treatment. It’s coming out this fall, and I can’t wait!

What I’m Reading This Week

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

Piñata by Leopoldo Gout

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing

Little Monsters by Adrienne Brodeur

Monday Memes

I think reading books your friend recommends to you should be considered its own love language. It truly means the world to me when friends read books I recommend to them.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

A lot of times, when I’m working at my computer, Murray likes to hop up and help me. So say thanks to Murray for helping me write this newsletter today. He was such a good helper. Look how proud he looks!

Thanks for hanging out, everyone! I’ll see you next time.

Emily

Today In Books

Jada Pinkett Smith Reveals Title of Upcoming Memoir: Today in Books

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date June 30, 2023

Sponsored by

New Podcast Explores Marvel Movies

The Wall Street Journal and editor Ben Fritz are releasing a new, four-part podcast series called With Great Power: The Rise of Superhero Cinema. The podcast will explore the 21^st century’s fascination (and fatigue) with superhero movies. Fritz will talk to a wide range of people on the podcast, from Avi Arad, former Marvel general counsel John Turitzin, and former Marvel Studios chairman David Maisel to former Sony Pictures movie chief Amy Pascal, former DC Entertainment president Diane Nelson and X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner. With Great Power will be part of The Journal, the flagship daily podcast of The Wall Street Journal. Episodes will be released on July 5, 6, 7, and 9 on all podcast platforms.

Jada Pinkett Smith Reveals Title of Upcoming Memoir

Jada Pinkett Smith has revealed the title and the cover of her highly-anticipated upcoming memoir. “I had so many people encourage me to write a book,” she told PEOPLE. “But I was believing that my journey was not a worthy journey. But when I saw it on paper — I couldn’t help but look at myself and say, wow. What a life.” The book is titled Worthy, because Pinkett Smith says “the journey itself is worthy. Every journey. And we’re all worthy while we’re in it, you know? And I think a lot of times so many of us lose the idea of our own self-worth. I wanted to write about my journey to self-worth in a real way. And it’s been a real struggle, and I think that that will be the part that will be most surprising to the reader.” Worthy is out October 17, and Pinkett Smith will follow the release with a book tour.

Leslye Headland to Direct Netflix Adaptation of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo for Netflix

Leslye Headland will be directing Netflix’s adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestselling novel The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Headland is the showrunner of the Netflix series Russian Doll, and she’s also directed feature films like Bachelorette and About Last Night. Liz Tigelaar wrote the script for the Evelyn Hugo adaptation. Liza Chasin is producing for 3Dot Productions, and Brad Mendelsohn will produce for Circle of Confusion. Jenkins Reid and Margaret Chernin will executive produce the project.

Never Too Young: Why Kids Deserve Queer-Friendly Libraries

The kids are more prepared than most adults to understand and expect acceptance for all in school libraries (and beyond!).

Today In Books

New York City Libraries Spared From $36 Million in Cuts: Today in Books

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date June 29, 2023

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Anthony Mackie Says He Wanted to Play Black Panther Before Landing the Role of Falcon

In a recent interview with Inverse, actor Anthony Mackie revealed that he tried to land the role of Black Panther back in the early 2010s. “I had been contacting Marvel a lot about Black Panther,” he explained. “I had written them letters. I was trying to find a way to make them make Black Panther. And I wanted to be Black Panther because growing up I fucking loved Black Panther.” Instead, Mackie was ultimately cast as Sam Wilson/Falcon in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the rest is history.

Soyoung Park’s New Dystopian Thriller is The Hunger Games Meets Squid Game

Soyoung Park’s critically-acclaimed South Korean YA duology has been translated into English by Joungmin Lee Comfort, and now Entertainment Weekly is offering a preview of the novel through and excerpt and an exclusive cover reveal. Park’s Snowglobe has been described as The Hunger Games meets Squid Game, and it grapples with issues of climate change, socioeconomic inequality, and personal identity. Snowglobe, the first part of the duology, hits shelves on February 27, 2024.

New York City Libraries Spared From $36 Million in Cuts

As the New York City Council’s budget deadline quickly approaches on Friday, it appears that the city’s libraries have been spared from $36 million in cuts. This news is according to a source involved in the budget negotiations. Leaders of the City Council threatened to walk away from negotiations to protest the proposed cuts. Over the past few months, library leaders warned that the proposed cuts would shut many branches down. Many voices came out in support of libraries, including celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker and Chelsea Clinton. In a statement on Wednesday evening, the City Council speaker, Adrienne E. Adams, said, “This successful outcome for the coming year’s budget is an achievement shared by all New Yorkers.”

28 of the Best Queer Fantasy Books

Find all the queer fantasy books you could ever want in this jumbo list featuring LGBTQ fantasy books.