Author: Emily Martin

Categories
Book Radar

Read an Excerpt from Rebecca Serle’s New Novel and More Book Radar!

Hi, Book Radar Readers!

Friends, it’s Monday, and honestly, last week was a long week, so I hope this week goes better. For everyone! Even if you had a good week last week, I hope your week is better this week. With lots of books, of course. Let’s talk books.

Book Deals and Reveals

cover of When Mimi Went Missing by Suja Sukumar

Here’s a cover reveal and an exclusive excerpt from the upcoming YA novel When Mimi Went Missing by Suja Sukumar. This debut novel is out from Soho Teen this November.

Excited to read the latest from Rebecca Serle, author of One Italian Summer? Here’s an excerpt from Expiration Dates, which hits shelves on March 19.

Matt Haig has sold the rights to his new novel The Life Impossible to Viking. The publisher says the novel is “a story of hope and the life-changing power of a new beginning.” It will be out this September.

Sarah Pinborough has sold North American rights to her gothic thriller We Live Here Now to Flatiron Books. The book will be published in summer 2025.

Natasha Lyonne and Simon Baker have joined the cast of Klara and the Sun, an adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel, directed by Taika Waititi.

Libby has announced their new book awards, along with the finalists. Winners will be announced on March 12th at 7 p.m. EST.

Speaking of awards, here are the finalists for the 2024 Bram Stoker Awards, presented by the Horror Writers Association.

Anything But You, the recent adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, has grossed $189 million globally, making it the second highest-grossing live-action Shakespeare adaptation ever. This movie comes in under Baz Luhrman’s Romeo + Juliet, which grossed $300 million when accounting for inflation.

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!

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Prepare Your Shelves!

james by percival everett book cover

James by Percival Everett (Knopf, March 19)

Okay, it’s almost March, so that means it’s time to start looking forward to March releases. And I’m so excited about this one. Just to make sure we’re all on the same page, have you seen the Academy Award-nominated movie American Fiction? Well, it’s based on the novel Erasure by Percival Everett. And yes, it’s a favorite of mine. So, if you didn’t know it and/or you haven’t read it, I’m going to let you pause and take a second to add it to your TBR. Then come back here when you’re done.

Okay, you did it? Great. Welcome back. Percival Everett has a lot of bangers (23 so far, to be exact), and I always look forward to new releases from this author, but this one sounds especially good.

Everett’s 24th novel is a perceptive and often hilarious retelling of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of the enslaved Jim. Just as in Mark Twain’s classic novel, this novel follows Jim and Huck Finn’s journey by raft down the Mississippi River. But this version sheds new light on Jim’s character and his fight for agency.

What I’m Reading This Week

the cover of Thornhedge by T Kingfisher

Thorn Hedge by T. Kingfisher

The Book of X by Sarah Rose Etter

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Codename: Sailor V by Naoko Takeuchi

Family Family by Laurie Frankel

Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby

Monday Memes

Jane Austen fans, do y’all relate to this? Because I definitely remember this feeling.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

ginger cat cuddling

Hey, you know what the best thing about having a cat is? Besides everything?

Cats are so good at knowing when you’re having a bad day and cuddling up and purring on you and making you feel better. Murray is always a velcro cat, but he was especially good at taking care of me this week. I really don’t know how people do life without animals. Y’all are stronger than I am.

Okay then! We’re coming into this week with positive energy, and I’m looking forward to every day of it. I hope you are, too. See you on Thursday, friends.

Emily

Categories
Book Radar

Richard Osman Publishing New Crime Series and More Book Radar!

Hi, Book Friends!

Welcome to another Thursday Book Radar! I’m coming to you from my kitchen with a cup of coffee and a tuxedo cat in my lap. What a great way to start the day, with a coffee, and a cat, and talking to you. Let’s do this.

Book Deals and Reveals

beautiful dreamers book cover

Here’s the cover of Beautiful Dreamers, the forthcoming novel by Minrose Gwin. It’s out from Hub City Press on August 27.

Richard Osman, author of the Thursday Murder Club novels, is releasing a new crime series called We Solve Murders, which will introduce father-in-law and daughter-in-law detective duo Steve and Amy Wheeler. It’s out this fall.

We have a lot of YA cover reveals this week, thanks to Epic Reads. Here’s the cover of Till the Last Beat of My Heart by Louangie Bou-Montes. It’s out on September 10.

Black Mirror meets Superstore in the YA novel Aisle Nine by Ian X. Cho. Check out the cover here. This one’s coming at you on September 24.

More September YA releases! Here’s the cover of Kendare Blake’s Warrior of Legend, out on September 17.

Let’s keep the YA cover reveal ball rolling! On October 29, we’re getting Loni Crittenden’s The Ancient’s Game, inspired by African Diasporic folklore. Here’s the cover, designed by Catherine Lee, with art from Jeryce Dianingana.

We’re getting a sequel to Lena Jeong’s And Break the Pretty Kings this year. Here’s the cover, designed by Chris Kwon and illustrated by Priscilla Kim. It’s out on October 29.

The Oscar-nominated animated film Nimona is now available to watch for free on YouTube!

LeVar Burton is set to release not one but two new books! Burton’s publisher, Pantheon, says the actor, director, and podcast host will release an inspirational memoir on how to be your authentic self in 2026 and a book on the importance of reading in 2028.

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!

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Can’t Wait for This One!

the eyes are the best part book cover

The Eyes are the Best Part by Monika Kim (Erewhon Books, June 25)

I know I briefly mentioned this book at the end of last year, because it is definitely one of my most anticipated books of 2024. And it’s a debut novel, which means we’re getting an exciting new voice in horror fiction this year. It’s also being described as Crying in H-Mart meets My Sister, the Serial Killer. Those are some pretty amazing comps, so I am all in.

I also want to take a moment to shout out this cover, because it’s really making me feel a lot of things. Intrigued. Disgusted. Concerned. Disturbed. You get the idea.

But what is it about? Well, it’s a psychological horror story with lots of family drama. When her father leaves unexpectedly, Ji-Won is forced to keep the rest of her family together and care for her grieving mother. Then Ji-Won’s mother tells her eating fish eyes could bring them good luck, so Ji-Won tries it. Now, all she can think about is eating eyes. And not fish eyes this time. Human ones.

Words of Literary Wisdom

“The problem with compromise is that, often, everybody loses. You sit on the fence for so long that you discover you’ve built a kingdom on it.”

— Gwen and Art are Not in Love by Lex Croucher

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.

Okay, I just can’t get enough of this Cait Corrain story. I’m a little obsessed. And since we last talked about this, an article was published that sort of apologizes for Corrain’s behavior. I’m not going to post the link to the article because I don’t think we should support that narrative. But I will link to some YouTubers talking about it, because that’s more my speed:

Enjoy? That feels like a weird thing to say. But enjoy.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

a photo of a calico cat curled up on a couch beside the remote

Have you been watching this season of Love is Blind? Because Cersei and I have been watching! Here’s a pic of her last night on the couch with us watching the show. You can tell she’s very invested. Can you guess who her favorite couple is? Maybe I’ll do a big reveal next week.

And that’s all friends! Have a beautiful weekend. I’ll see you soon.

Emily

Categories
The Fright Stuff

Ghost Stories and Other Scary Stuff

Horror fans, hello! I’m back with more horror talk for you on this fabulous Monday. I’m hanging here with my orange cat Murray, which is perfect because, fun fact: all cats believe in ghosts. And we’re talking about ghost stories this week. Let’s go.

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

the green ribbon bookmark

The Green Ribbon Magnetic Bookmark by artMARRRT

If you’re a real horror fan, then you know the story of the green ribbon. And you probably still have nightmares about it. Now you can continue to have those nightmares, no matter what book you’re reading, because you can use this magnetic bookmark. Only $6!

New Releases

the warm hands of ghosts book cover

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

Here’s a new ghosty book to get us started: the supernatural historical horror novel The Warm Hands of Ghosts. During the First World War, Laura Iven is a combat nurse who is discharged only to find out shortly after that her brother Freddie died in combat. Only, Laura is sure it isn’t true. Searching for the truth, Laura returns to Belgium in search of her brother. Everywhere, people whisper about ghosts in the trenches. Laura wonders if her brother really is still alive or if something else has happened to him.

what feasts at night book cover

What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher

Also out now is the highly anticipated sequel to What Moves the Dead. Retired soldier Alex Easton has escaped the Usher manor and heads to their family’s hunting lodge in the country of Gallacia. But when they arrive, nothing is as it should be. The caretaker has died, and there is talk in the village of a horrible monster who has taken residence there.

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

Riot Recommendations

Beloved Book Cover

Beloved by Toni Morrison

Let’s talk ghost stories. Specifically, ghost stories by Black authors in honor of Black History Month. And while this might seem like an obvious pick, we can’t talk about ghost stories without talking about Beloved, one of my favorite novels of all time. Set after the Civil War, this unforgettable novel is the story of a formerly enslaved woman named Sethe who is haunted by the ghosts of her past (both literal and metaphorical).

the good house book cover

The Good House by Tananarive Due

Here’s another chilling ghost story about a woman facing the traumas of her past. Angela Toussant has lost her son to suicide, and she has decided to return to the same home where her son died. When it comes to death by suicide, there really are no satisfying answers to make the grief any easier. And yet Angela is hoping to find closure. Instead, she finds a sinister presence that drives people to acts of violence.

Enjoy your ghost stories, and I’ll see you next week to talk more horror books. In the meantime, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams, horror fans!

Categories
Book Radar

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS Meets NEEDFUL THINGS in New Lamar Giles Novel and More Book Radar!

Hello Book Friends!

Welcome to another Monday edition of Book Radar. Today, we’re going to do all the things you’d expect from a Monday Book Radar. We’re going to talk about books. We’re going to laugh together over bookish memes. We’re going to feast our eyes upon beautiful book covers. Of course, we’re going to look at cat pics. It’s going to be a good time.

Book Deals and Reveals

ruin road book cover

I’m so excited to share the cover of Lamar Giles’ Ruin Road, which is personally one of my most anticipated reads of the year. Over at Paste, there’s a cover reveal and an excerpt, so be sure to check that out! This YA horror/thriller, which is described as Friday Night Lights meets Needful Things, will be out in September. The cover designer is Maeve Norton, and the cover artist is Lola Idowu. 

Romance fans, here’s the cover reveal of Yours Truly by Katie Shepard. This novel about “renovating the family B&B with your ex-husband, his movie star ex-boyfriend, and their dozen screaming fangirls” is out on September 3.

And here’s the cover of Justine Pucella Winans’ middle grade horror novel Wishbone! The cover was designed by John Candell with an illustration by George Bletsis. It’s out on September 17.

This next one is a supernatural romance coming out on October 8, and the cover is super cute! So check out the cover of Haunt Your Heart Out by Amber Roberts.

Is sci-fi more your speed? Check out the cover of the dystopian sci-fi romance The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew. The author describes the novel as follows: “In 2460 Boston, a girl who sells her emotions to wealthy clients deals a bit of illegal happiness on the side. But a handsome rookie is determined to arrest her…if he doesn’t fall in love with her first.” It’s out from Joy Revolution on October 8.

Netflix has renewed Survival of the Thickest for a second season. The series, based on Michelle Buteau’s essay collection of the same name, stars Buteau, Tone Bell, Tasha Smith, Garcelle Beauvais, and Michelle Visage.

We’re getting a new book from Sabaa Tahir this year! Heir is hitting shelves on October 1!

The cast for Marvel’s Fantastic Four has been announced! The movie stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards (aka Mr. Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm (aka the Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm (aka the Human Torch), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm (aka the Thing). The Fantastic Four is set for a July 25, 2025 release.

Speaking of Marvel, here’s the official trailer for the new X-Men animated series for Disney+. It’s out on March 20!

Reese Witherspoon is producing a film adaptation of Curtis Sittenfeld’s novel Romantic Comedy. The film will be written by Jordan Weiss and Dan Brier. Curtis Sittenfeld and Ashley Strumwasser will also executive produce, with Lauren Neustadter producing.

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!

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Prepare Your Shelves!

tender beasts book cover

Tender Beasts by Liselle Sambury (Margaret K. Elderberry Books, February 27)

Everyone, I am fully steeped in the world of Liselle Sambury at the moment. I’m currently reading this novel and eagerly anticipating its release a week from today so that we can all discuss how much we love it together. And I do think you’re going to love it, especially if you love dark academia and YA that’s just a little bit (or, ok, a lot a bit) creepy. So prepare your shelves, because this is a good one.

When a classmate is murdered at Sunny Behre’s private school, everyone looks to Sunny’s youngest brother, Dom, who was previously found guilty of second-degree murder. Dom swears he is innocent, and while Sunny isn’t sure she believes him, she promised her mother she would take care of her little brother. Together, Sunny and Dom race to prove his innocence, a mission that becomes all the more urgent as more and more dead bodies are discovered.

What I’m Reading This Week

siri who am i book cover

Siri, Who Am I? by Sam Tschida

The Book of X by Sarah Rose Etter

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher

Tender Beasts by Liselle Sambury

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Monday Memes

Y’all. I can’t tell you how much Belle from Beauty and the Beast was goals for me as a child. And the more I grow into my bookish adult self, the more I realize, much like Ariel’s incredible (but physically impossible) hair flip out of the water, everything Disney sold us about being a bookish beauty WAS A LIE.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

orange cat on a striped pillow

So, on Valentine’s Day this year, Ben and I went to Neko Cat Café for a special Meowentine’s Day Celebration! The kitties made us Valentines and special sugar cookies with sweet kitty messages on them. It was a good time. But obviously, after all of that hard work, the kitties were very tired. DJ Silly Goose here just remained passed out on this pillow for the entirety of his visit! Meowentine’s Day is not for the faint of heart!

And…that’s all! I hope you have a wonderful week!

Emily

Categories
Book Radar

Kate McKinnon to Write a Novel and More Book Radar!

Hi, everyone!

I hope your week has been going well. Did you have a nice Valentine’s Day? After a quick little jaunt to Nashville, I’m back home in Seattle and ready to dive into another Thursday edition of Book Radar. So let’s do this.

Book Deals and Reveals

babysitters club graphic novel cover

Scholastic Graphix has announced two new comic adaptations of The Baby-sitters Club, based on the novels by Ann M. Martin. The Baby-sitters Club: Kristy and the Walking Disaster by Ellen T. Crenshaw is scheduled for a September release. The Baby-sitters Litter Sister: Karen’s Grandmothers by DK Yingst is scheduled for October. Get a first look at both of the books here!

SNL alum Kate McKinnon is writing a debut novel aimed at readers aged 8 through 12. The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science will be published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, a division of Hachette Book Group, on October 1.

The Color Purple, the movie musical starring Fantasia Barrino, Colman Domingo, Taraji P. Henson, and Halle Bailey, will be streaming on Max starting on February 16.

Despite a report earlier this week that the project was scrapped, Hulu’s TV adaptation of Sarah J. Maas’s romantasy book series A Court of Thorns and Roses is still a go. For now.

Tiny Reparations Books has secured North American rights to two new books by National Book Award–longlisted author LaToya Watkins. The first book, The Book of Chuck, will be published in spring 2026.

Tia Williams has sold North American rights to two new novels to Grand Central. The publisher says the first book is about “a woman employed by a search-engine company who accidentally sparks a worldwide search for the sexy stranger she made a deep connection with on a flight.”

Here’s the cover of Matt Haig’s The Life Impossible. It’s out on September 3.

Dictionary.com has released a list of new and updated words for 2024. Which words are your favorite?

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!

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Can’t Wait for This One!

exhibit book cover

Exhibit by R.O. Kwon (Riverhead, May 21)

If you read R.O. Kwon’s bestselling debut novel, The Incendiaries, then you’re probably already eagerly awaiting this one. R.O. Kwon’s sophomore novel Exhibit is a lot of everything I love. Complicated female relationships. Characters with intense artistic passions. And check out this amazing cover designed by Vi-An Nguyen. Because, while we should never judge a book by its cover, it never hurts to read a book with a gorgeous one.

Exhibit follows the story of Jin Han, a brilliant young photographer, and Lidija Jung, a beautiful ballerina who has left her company under mysterious circumstances. The two meet at a party and end up talking all night. As they talk, Jin and Lidija become so comfortable with one another that Jin actually reveals her biggest secret: a family curse that is meant to remain hidden at the risk of death. But now that the curse is out in the open, the two become entangled in one another’s lives, and nothing for either woman will ever be the same.

Words of Literary Wisdom

“Society wants us to look for the approval of men in everything we do. Self-care is the radical act of dressing and living for ourselves.”

— Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

a black cat and an orange cat cuddling

Today, I leave you with this cat puddle. Because there’s nothing better than a cat cuddle puddle. Enjoy.

And have a wonderful weekend, friends. Thanks for being here!

Emily

Categories
The Fright Stuff

Have a Frightful Feb. with YA Horror by Black Authors

Hi, horror fans! It’s me, Emily, your weird friend who only talks about scary stories and makes everyone uncomfortable.

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

If you’re also that person in your friend group, then you’re in the right place. And this week, I’ve got more books by Black authors to recommend to you for Black History Month. Plus, a whole bunch of other fun stuff. Let’s do this.

Bookish Goods

ghostly vanilla soy wax melts

Ghostly Vanilla Soy Wax Melts by PlumTreeIllustration

Want to create the perfect spooky reading vibe? I love these soy wax melts. Yeah, they’re a little scary because they’re ghosts and all. But (correct me if I’m wrong), idk, they’re also really cute. They’re striking a good balance for me. $14

New Releases

out of body book cover

Out of Body by Nia Davenport

YA horror is kinda the focus of this week’s newsletter, if you haven’t noticed. And the release of this new one from Nia Davenport was definitely the inspiration. Seventeen-year-old Megan desperately wants to find a group of friends, but she doesn’t really feel like she fits in with anyone. Until she meets LC. Everything with LC seems so easy, and the two quickly become best friends. Then, one day, Megan wakes up to discover she’s no longer in her own body and that everything she thought she knew about her friend is actually a lie.

Your Shadow Half Remains by Sunny Moraine cover

Your Shadow Half Remains by Sunny Moraine

Here’s a horror novel you should add to the top of your TBR pile, especially if you love The Last of Us and/or Bird Box. The world has been infected, and if you look into anyone’s eyes, you will almost certainly face a violent death. Riley hasn’t looked at a human face for a long time, but her desire for connection has her curious, especially when a new neighbor moves in down the street. Ellis seems like the kind of woman Riley could really enjoy getting to know. But the closer Riley gets to Ellis, the more her paranoia starts to take over.

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

Riot Recommendations

You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight cover

You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron

We’re still focusing on Black horror novels for Black History Month, and this week, I have two excellent YA horror books to share with you! This is one I actually JUST FINISHED reading, so this rec is hot off the presses. At Camp Mirror Lake, you can live out your favorite horror movies. Guests pay to be scared at this full-contact horror attraction. For Charity Curtis, it’s the summer job of her dreams, playing the “final girl” at the camp and recreating scenes from the classic slasher film Curse of Camp Mirror Lake. But then, on the last weekend of the season, Charity’s co-workers start disappearing. And when one ends up dead, Charity begins to wonder if she’s becoming a final girl in real life. Now, if Charity and her girlfriend Bezi want to survive the night, they’ll have to figure out who is killing off all the campers and what the killer wants.

delicious monsters book cover

Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury

I am so obsessed with this cover, but guess what? The book is good, too! Bonus! Daisy sees dead people, so in navigating life in Ontario, she’s completely unsurprised by the amount of ghosts she sees walking the city. But her boyfriend breaking up with her? Now that is surprising. So when her mother inherits a secluded mansion, Daisy jumps at the chance for an escape to a quieter life. But the house — and what’s inside it — might be more than all of Daisy’s experiences with the supernatural have prepared her for. Flash forward to ten years later. Brittney’s desperate to get away from her abusive mother, and she’s quite certain that the book her mother wrote about a “Miracle Mansion” is a total sham. So, what does Brittney decide to do? She takes her popular web series Haunted on location to the mansion to find out what happened there ten years earlier and expose her mother’s lies.

See? Isn’t it fun talking about horror for a little bit? Stay weird, friends, and I’ll see you next week. In the meantime, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams, horror fans!

Categories
Book Radar

Here’s A First Look at TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN and More Book Radar!

Hello, Book Radar Family!

As promised, I am writing to you from Nashville, TN. Although I flew here from Seattle, I think I brought the rain with me. Sorry to all the Nashville locals. Anyway, I’m here with some book content for you to feast your eyes upon on this fine Monday morning. So, let’s get to it.

Book Deals and Reveals

We're Alone book cover

Electric Literature shared the cover of Edwidge Danticat’s new essay collection, We’re Alone. It’s out from Graywolf Press on September 3.

Here’s a first look at Isabela Merced in the upcoming adaptation of John Green’s Turtles All the Way Down. The film, directed by Hannah Marks, will be on Max this spring.

Nancy Drew meets Miami Vice in The Sherlock Society by James Ponti, and School Library Journal has the cover reveal! This first book in a new middle grade series will be out September 3.

And here’s the cover of The Enchanted Hacienda by J.C. Cervantes. This coming-of-age debut releases on May 21.

Interview with the Vampire is back for a second season! Here’s the trailer for season 2, which premieres on AMC and AMC+ on May 12.

Speaking of season 2s, Percy Jackson and the Olympians has been renewed for a second season on Disney+!

Tia Williams’ bestselling novel Seven Days in June is being adapted into a series for Prime Video. The series does not have a release date yet.

Paramount+ has revealed a first look at their adaptation of A Gentleman in Moscow, based on the novel by Amor Towles. The series, starring Ewan McGregor, premiers on March 29.

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!

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Prepare Your Shelves!

moon of the turning leaves book cover

Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice (William Morrow, February 27)

If you somehow missed Waubgeshig Rice’s Moon of the Crusted Snow back in 2018 (which, yes, seems like a lifetime ago), you have exactly *checks watch* a few weeks to catch up with that one before the sequel hits the shelves. And if you love horror, apocalyptic, and/or post-apocalyptic fiction, then you definitely should. Moon of the Crusted Snow is an award-winning novel that gave me the creeps in the best way, and this one is going to be equally as unsettling (and I mean that as a compliment). You won’t want to miss it.

Moon of the Turning Leaves follows a community of Anishinaabe people who work to survive off of the land after the collapse of society. But resources are starting to run low, and Evan Whitesky will have to lead a group of volunteers on a dangerous mission to reclaim their ancestral home. The land is cruel, and travel will be hard, but there’s much more to fear out in the wilderness aside from the elements.

What I’m Reading This Week

cover of Rouge by Mona Awad, showing a red rose against a black background. a smoky red flame is floating up from the middle of the rose

Rouge by Mona Awad

The Book of X by Sarah Rose Etter

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher

Tender Beasts by Liselle Sambury

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Monday Memes

It’s Monday, which means it’s meme time. And personally, from now on, I want all my bookish memes to have Reneé Rapp in them.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

orange cat with book

I was packing for my trip, and Murray decided to pose with my current read! Thanks for being such a good book model, Murray! I love you! And I miss you!

Aaaand…that’s all, friends. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your week, and I’ll see you on Thursday!

Emily

Categories
Book Radar

Lizzie and Darcy Solve Crimes and More Book Radar!

Hi, Book Friends!

Guess what? I’m heading out to Nashville tomorrow for a surprise work trip, but before I do all of that, I wanted to check in with all of you and talk to you about books. Just so you know, next time you hear from me, I’ll be in Nashville. Pretty cool. Alright, let’s do this.

Book Deals and Reveals

in want of a suspect cover

Lizzie and Darcy are back to solve another mystery in Tirzah Price’s new novel, In Want of A Suspect. This is the first in a new spin-off series featuring everyone’s favorite couple from Pride and Premeditation. It’s out on November 12.

AMC has ordered a third season of their supernatural anthology series, The Terror. This season will be based on The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle.

Speaking of horror, Richard Chizmar has revealed the cover of his new novel Memorials. It hits shelves on October 22.

Electric Literature has the exclusive cover reveal of The Empusium by Nobel Prize-winning author Olga Tokarczuk. The novel, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones, will be published by Riverhead on September 24.

And here’s the cover reveal of Jessica Vitalis’ Unsinkable Cayenne, a historical novel in verse out from Greenwillow/HarperCollins on October 29th.

Anna Diop is set to star opposite Corey Hawkins and Willem Dafoe in the upcoming film adaptation of Walter Mosley’s The Man in My Basement, directed by Nadia Latif.

Here’s the teaser trailer for Dark Matter, based on the novel by Blake Crouch. It premieres on Apple TV on May 8.

America Ferrera’s feature directorial debut, I Am Not Your Mexican Daughter, is in development at Amazon MGM Studios’ Orion Pictures. The film, based on Erika Sánchez’s New York Times bestselling novel, will be written by screenwriter Linda Yvette Chávez.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Emily Nussbaum has announced her new book about reality TV entitled Cue the Sun! It’s out on June 25.

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!

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Can’t Wait for This One!

lies and weddings book cover

Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan (Doubleday, May 21)

You’ve heard of Kevin Kwan. And you’ve definitely heard of the international bestselling novel Crazy Rich Asians. Now Kwan is back with a page-turner of a romance with a beautiful, tropical setting.

Rufus Leung Gresham is seemingly the perfect catch. He’s the future Duke of Greshambury and the son of a former Hong Kong supermodel. But he also has a mountain of debt. And so his mother gives him one option: attend his sister’s wedding at a luxury eco-resort and seduce a woman with money. 

Now, his only question is who to choose from the long list of fabulous guests, including sultans, barons, and oligarchs. There’s French hotel heiress Solène de Courcy; there’s venture capital genius Martha Dung; but then there’s also Eden Tong. Eden is the true love of Rufus’s life, but she has nothing near the kind of wealth that Rufus needs to marry into to save his family fortune.

When a volcano erupts and destroys the wedding, secrets are revealed, and all of the Gresham family plans to go up in flames.

Words of Literary Wisdom

“Without the sun, what’s the moon? Just a rock in the outer dark. Its illumination just a trick. Just a trick from the sun’s light, which it steals. And that’s what Beauty is too.”

— Rouge by Mona Awad

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

orange cat in a box

It’s Mardi Gras season, and while we were very excited about getting the king cake, Murray was, of course, more excited about the king cake box!

Shout out to Gambino’s for the king cake. This was delicious, and yes, they deliver nationwide!

Alright, everyone! See you soon, Nashville. Have a great weekend!

Emily

Categories
The Fright Stuff

Celebrate Black History Month with Horror Reads!

Happy Monday, Horror Fans! This is the day we talk about all things scary, spine-tingling, and spooky. Some people might dread Mondays, but how can we when we have so much horror content to look forward to? And on that note, let’s see what this week has in store for us, yeah?

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Bookish Goods

mary shelley backpack

Mary Shelley Backpack by PenumbraPlace

You love horror, so why not wear the mother of horror on your back? This Mary Shelley backpack features the author’s image and signature on a durable, quality backpack. $78

New Releases

Cover of The House of Last Resort by Christopher Golden

The House of Last Resort by Christopher Golden

Oooh, I do love a haunted house story, and this one feels like a fresh twist on the genre. American couple Tommy and Kate Puglisi buy a home in a small Italian town called Becchina, but things feel off from the moment they move in. Between the secret rooms, the strange noises, the locked doors, and whispers throughout the village, something just doesn’t seem right in this house. And then they discover the house was once owned by the Church and that strange things happened there.

cover image for Almost Surely Dead

Almost Surely Dead by Amina Akhtar

This horror/psychological thriller novel mixes true crime with South Asian folklore. And it is a book from Mindy Kaling’s new imprint, Mindy’s Book Studio. One year ago, Dunia Ahmed was just a normal New Yorker. She was the daughter of Pakistani immigrants and a successful pharmacist. But then she went missing, and now she’s the subject of a true crime podcast. What really happened to Dunia? It’s not what you’d expect.

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

Riot Recommendations

cover of The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

As we all know, February is Black History Month, so all month, I’m going to share some of my favorite horror books written by Black authors. So, if you don’t see your favorite this week, just know there are more recs coming. I feel like first, I have to shout out the latest from Tananarive Due! The Reformatory is set in Gracetown, Florida, in the summer of 1950. Robert Stephen Jones Jr. is sent to Gracetown School for Boys after kicking a white boy’s leg. Robert thinks he’s just being sent to a reform school, but Gracetown is something much more than that. It’s a segregated school that is haunted by the boys who have died there.

Book cover of House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson

House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson

I don’t feel like this book gets talked about enough, but it is so atmospheric and creepy and such an excellent exploration of classism and poverty (that, unfortunately, feels very relevant to contemporary life). Marion Shaw was raised in poverty. Now, she longs to escape the difficulties of city life, but she sees no way out. Could a newspaper ad searching for a bloodmaid be her way out? Marion knows very little about the position or the far north where she will have to travel, but she applies anyway. As the newest bloodmaid at the notorious House of Hunger, Marion meets Countess Lisavet, who presides over a court of hedonism. Marion is eager to please her mistress, who is both charismatic and terrifying. But when her fellow bloodmaids begin to go missing, Marion realizes she must learn the rules of the House of Hunger, or her own life will soon be at risk.

Thanks so much for tuning in to The Fright Stuff this week! I’m here because you’re here, and I’m so happy we can come together and talk horror every Monday. Until next time, you can follow me (and message me) on Instagram at emandhercat. Sweet dreams!

Categories
Book Radar

Film Director Pedro Almodóvar Publishing Short Story Collection and More Book Radar!

Happy Monday, Book Friends!

Who among you celebrates Mardi Gras? Well, king cake season is upon us, and I’ve given up on finding a decent king cake in Seattle. They’re fine, but they’re overpriced and not quite the same as getting the real deal shipped from New Orleans. So I’m now trying to decide once and for all what my favorite New Orleans king cake is. Do you have favorites? Let me know. And if you’re curious, I can come back after Mardi Gras to let you know who won out this year. In the meantime, we’re here to talk about books. So, let’s hop to it.

Book Deals and Reveals

rani choudhury must die book cover

Check out the US cover of Adiba Jaigirdar’s Rani Choudhury Must Die. The cover features an illustration by Jani Balakumar and is designed by Samira Iravani. It’s out on November 12.

Here’s the cover of the Jewish YA novel Night Owls by A.R. Vishny. It’s out from HarperTeen on September 17.

Cosmopolitan shared the cover of Elle Kennedy’s The Dixon Rule. This book, the second in Kennedy’s Campus Diaries series, will be out on May 14.

And here’s the cover of the sapphic rom-com A Bánh Mì for Two by Trinity Nguyen. It’s out on August 27.

Spanish film director Pedro Almodóvar is publishing a debut collection of short stories. The Last Dream, translated from the Spanish by Frank Wynne, will be out from HarperVia on September 24.

Author Stephanie Wrobel pays tribute to the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, in her new thriller novel The Hitchcock Hotel. Entertainment Weekly has all the details, including a cover reveal. It’s out on September 24.

FX has ordered a limited series adaptation of Patrick Radden Keefe’s book Say Nothing. Michael Lennox will direct.

Amy Adams is in talks to star alongside Jenna Ortega in the upcoming adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun. Taika Waititi is set to direct the project, which should begin filming soon.

Here are the 100 most popular romances, according to Goodreads. How many of these have you read?

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!

2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!

Prepare Your Shelves!

the book of love book cover

The Book of Love by Kelly Link

Friends, I am SO EXCITED to share this one with you because I am such a huge fan of Kelly Link’s weird, magical, and often unnerving short stories. And now, for the first time, we’re getting a full novel. And yeah, she is a chonky one. But this is so worth the journey. If you’ve never experienced Kelly Link before, you are in for a treat.

Laura, Daniel, and Mo are already dead, but a year after their disappearance, they mysteriously reappear at their high school in the seaside community of Lovesend, Massachusetts. But they are not alone. Their music teacher, Mr. Anabin, is there as well. He seems to know the secrets behind their disappearance and why they’ve been brought back. And he will reveal all if they complete three magical tests.

What I’m Reading This Week

notes on a silencing book cover

Notes on a Silencing by Lacy Crawford

The Last Word by Taylor Adams

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

Tender Beasts by Liselle Sambury

Rouge by Mona Awad

The Book of X by Sarah Rose Etter

Bookish Memes

Sopranos fans, here are 12 books that would be on Carmela Soprano’s TBR. She was always one of my fave characters.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

ginger cat with perfect pink toe beans

How lucky are we to have the toe beans on full display in this photo? There’s really nothing cuter than cat beans. Murray’s are so beautiful and pink too! But we love beans of all colors here.

Anyway, I could talk about beans all day. And I have. And I will again. But for now, I’ll let you run. I hope you have an amazing week, and I’ll see you on Thursday!

Emily