Author: Emily Martin

Reading Our Way Into 2022 and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date December 22, 2021

Book Deals and Reveals

Here’s the cover reveal of Tanvi Berwah’s upcoming novel Monsters Born and Made. This South-Asian inspired fantasy featuring sea monsters (yes!) will be out on September 6th, 2022.

Madeline Miller has announced on Instagram that her current novel-in-progress is a retelling of the myth of Persephone.

The Princess Bride meets You’ve Got Mail in Megan Bannen’s upcoming novel The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy. Check out the cover reveal here!

And here’s the stunning cover reveal of Tanya Guerrero’s upcoming middle grade novel Adrift. This one’s also out on September 6th, 2022. What a good day for books that will be!

Solaris has announced their acquisition of The Death I Gave Him by Em X. Liu, a queer, locked-room sci-fi mystery inspired by Shakespeare’s Hamlet. This one’s also coming out in September of 2022, so maybe it’s just going to be a great month.

Here’s a first look at Ingrid Rojas Contreras’ upcoming memoir The Man Who Could Move Clouds, which will be hitting shelves in July.

The African Speculative Fiction Society has announced their 2021 Nommo Award Winners.

The 2021 Hugo Award Winners have been announced! Check out the full list of winners and finalists!

Here are the New York Public Library’s top checkouts of 2021.

Book Riot Recommends

I’m a Contributing Editor at Book Riot, I write the Today in Books newsletter, and I’m a Bibliologist for Book Riot’s Tailored Book Recommendations subscription service. I also have a PhD in English, so I’m basically a doctor of books. Books are my life, in other words, so in this section of the newsletter, let me share with you some upcoming books I’m super excited about. And I think you will be too!

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

Favorite Books of 2021

Since this is the last newsletter of the year, instead of highlighting one book for you, I’ve got 10. I’m recommending 5 of my favorite books of 2021, and then I’m going to tell you the 5 books I’m most looking forward to in 2022. Fire up those TBRs.

In the Event of Contact by Ethel Rohan — An incredibly moving collection of short stories all about the struggles of creating human connections. A perfect read for these strange pandemic times.

This is Not the Jess Show by Anna Carey — This one is an incredibly fun genre-bending YA novel that’s perfect for us millennials who are feeling nostalgic for My So-Called Life and all things 90s.

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward — Such a unique, dark horror/thriller novel with surprising twists that felted earned. It was also funny! And it part of it was narrated by a black cat who reminds me a lot of my little Phantom.

Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia — How do you write a moving family saga that brings readers to tears in under 300 pages? This. Exactly like this. I can’t stop thinking about this one.

White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson — This is YA horror done 100% right. I loved everything about this chilling haunted house novel/social thriller. Now I need everyone else to read it so we can talk about it.

Most Looking Forward to These Books in 2022

I’ve chatted about a lot of these books already. And if I haven’t said enough about them yet, then you’ll probably hear a lot more about them soon, so for now, I’m just listing 5 of the books I’m most excited to read in 2022 (in no particular order) along with their release dates.

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey — July 19th, 2022 from Tor Books

How to Sell A Haunted House by Grady Hendrix — July 12, 2022 from Berkley

You Made A Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi — May 24, 2022 from Atria Books

Cherish Farrah by Bethany C. Morrow — February 8, 2022 from Dutton

Moon Witch, Spider King by Marlon James — February 15, 2022 from Riverhead Books

2022 Book Challenges

As 2022 approaches and you’re setting your reading goals, you’re probably also considering what reading challenges you might take on. I’ve already talked to you about the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge, but if you want even more challenges for yourself (I know I do), here are some other ones you might want to check out!

Reading journals are another great way to find fun reading challenges or come up with ways to challenge yourself. The American Library Association has teamed up with Sourcebooks to create reading journals to challenge you in 2022: 52 Award-Winning Titles Every Book Lover Should Read, 52 Diverse Titles Every Book Lover Should Read, and 52 YA Titles Every Book Lover Should Read. These are great journals to include to supplement your other reading goals for the year.

For me, there are books on each of the American Library Association lists that I’ve already read, but there are other books on the list that I know I definitely need to get to. And there are others I hadn’t even heard of before. So I’m going to be using these to see how many I can get to throughout the year. I know the point is to finish the list by the end of the year, but I see myself using them throughout the years, slowly checking things off as I work my way through other challenges as well. And that’s the great thing about journals. You can use them however you want.

What challenges are you taking on in 2022? Or are you more of a mood reader? Let me know!

Your Weekend Reading Soundtrack

Got New Year’s Eve plans? We’re having a couple of friends over for champagne cocktails and board games. Keeping it chill, trying to keep it to a small gathering. But we still need our New Year’s Eve getting ready soundtrack, because I’m still wearing a cute dress and doing my hair and make-up. This is my favorite holiday, after all. Feel free to pop this one on while you’re getting ready for New Year’s Eve night, while you’re hanging out on New Year’s Eve, while you’re finishing up your last few books to meet your goals for 2021, or, you know, whenever. I hope you enjoy.

And Here’s a Cat Picture!

Is… this where cats go?

Murray seems to think so. Every morning (and only in the mornings), Murray likes to hop in the sink and make it his bed while I’m making my coffee and breakfast. I know I should tell him no, but it’s so cute? I’m the worst.

And with that, we say goodbye to Book Radar for 2021. I can’t wait to see you again in 2022. Sending you all so much love and good wishes for your holiday season and the new year!

💚 Emily

Today In Books

Madeline Miller Writing a New Novel About Persephone: Today in Books

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date December 21, 2021

Sponsored by A Scheme of Sorcery by Disabled non-binary YA Fantasy Fiction Novelist Ennis Rook Bashe

Dolly Parton to Headline Audiobook Cast of Her Debut Novel with James Patterson

Dolly Parton will headline the audiobook cast of her debut novel Run Rose Run, which she cowrote with author James Patterson. Parton will read the part of Ruthanna Ryder, a beloved country music icon attempting to retire, and Kelsea Ballerini will read the role of Ruthanna’s protégée. Parton said: “I’m thrilled to share the news that Ruthanna’s fledgling counterpart in the story, a brilliant young singer/songwriter with a mysteriously dark past, is narrated by Kelsea Ballerini, who I knew from the beginning could bring the right balance of vulnerability, ferocity, and sparkling wit to the character AnnieLee.” Run Rose Run will be published in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook on March 7th, 2022.

Solaris to Publish Queer Sci-Fi Hamlet Retelling by Em X. Liu

Solaris has announced their acquisition of The Death I Gave Him by Em X. Liu, a queer, locked-room sci-fi mystery inspired by Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Debut author Em X. Liu said of the novel, “The Death I Gave Him is an alchemic mixture in its own right—born out of the copious liner notes in my copy of Hamlet, biochemistry equations from my senior’s thesis, a healthy dose of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the night I watched Ex Machina three times in a row, and my enduring love of manic, overambitious blond protagonists as instilled in me by encountering Death Note at a formative age. I’m absolutely galvanized that it’s found a home at Rebellion, pointy bits and all.” The novel is set for publication in September 2023.

Madeline Miller Writing a New Novel About Persephone

Yesterday on Instagram, Madeline Miller, author of Circe and The Song of Achilles, announced that her current novel-in-progress is a retelling of the myth of Persephone. Miller posted a close-up picture of her current draft and wrote, “Some news about my current novel-in-progress. I know I said I was working on the Tempest. Turns out the Tempest is going to have to wait. She grabbed me with both hands. #persephone.”

8 Audiobooks Longlisted for the Pen America Awards

PEN America awards nearly $350,000 each year. Here are just a few standouts on audiobook that have been longlisted for this awards season.

Today In Books

Steven Moffat Gives Us A Glimpse into His Adaptation of THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE: Today in Books

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date December 20, 2021

AMC Studios Snags Rights to Rebecca Roanhorse’s Black Sun

AMC Studios has snagged the rights to Rebecca Roanhorse’s pre-Columbian fantasy saga Black Sun. The show is being adapted for TV with Roanhorse and The Walking Dead showrunner Angela Kang executive producing. Black Sun is the first fantasy novel in a new series inspired by the civilizations of the Americas before the arrival of Europeans. The second book of the series Fevered Star is coming out in April 2022.

Maia Kobabe, Author of One of the Most Banned Books in the US, Addresses Controversy

Maia Kobabe’s award-winning book Gender Queer: A Memoir is currently one of the most banned books in the United States, and now the author is speaking out about the controversy. The 2019 novel is a fully-illustrated book that tells Kobabe’s story from adolescence to adulthood, confronting the confusion of adolescent and the difficulties of being nonbinary in a world that sees gender as man and woman. Gender Queer has been challenged and/or removed in schools across at least 11 states. While Kobabe agrees that some of the illustrations in the book might not be appropriate for elementary school aged students, the author argues that the illustrations are “integral” to showing readers an experience growing up outside of cisgender and heterosexual norms. “It’s very hard to hear people say ‘This book is not appropriate to young people’ when it’s like, I was a young person for whom this book would have been not only appropriate, but so, so necessary,” Kobabe said. “There are a lot of people who are questioning their gender, questioning their sexuality and having a real hard time finding honest accounts of somebody else on the same journey. There are people for whom this is vital and for whom this could maybe even be lifesaving.” Kobabe went on to tell other queer and non-binary authors who are afraid of their work being challenged: “Don’t let this make you afraid.”

Steven Moffat Gives Us A Glimpse into His Adaptation of The Time Traveler’s Wife

A new adaptation of Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife is coming to HBO and HBO Max in 2022. While you wait for the new show to come out, director Steven Moffat is giving fans a glimpse into his adaptation of the beloved novel. Steven Moffat is probably best-known for his work as the showrunner, writer, and executive producer of the television series Doctor Who. He even based a Doctor Who episode, “The Girl in the Fireplace,” on The Time Traveler’s Wife. As a fan of the novel, how does he think other fans will feel about the upcoming TV series? Moffat says, “I was watching it this morning and wondering what an absolute purist would make of this… It tells the same story. I’m not going to change that. Sometimes, you see an adaptation of a book, and it just feels as though you chopped up the book into six hours and fed it through. I don’t think that honors the original. You’ve got to really make it a beast that survives in its new environment, and television is a different experience from a novel. The thing I’ve always been very keen to say is, you’re not correcting it, you’re not fixing what was once wrong. You are adapting it to a new landscape; that’s all you’re doing. Hopefully, the television show feels the same as reading the book.” You can check out the rest of his interview and an exclusive image from the tv show here.

Book Riot Will Match Your Donations to EveryLibrary to Challenge Censorship

Help dismantle book censorship in the new year by donating to EveryLibrary with our matching campaign.

Today In Books

Patrick Rothfuss Reads the Prologue to THE DOORS OF STONE: Today in Books

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date December 18, 2021

Sponsored by Disney Publishing Worldwide

The African Speculative Fiction Society Announces 2021 Nommo Award Winners

The African Speculative Fiction Society has announced their 2021 Nommo Award Winners. The award is named after the Nommo, twin primal spirits in Dogon cosmology. The awards have four categories for best Novel, Novella, Short Story, and Graphic Novel. In 2021, the winner for best Novel (The Ilube Nommo Award for Best Speculative Fiction Novel by an African) was The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi, Best Novella went to Ife-Iyoku: The Tale of Imadeyunuagbon by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, Best Graphic Novel went to Moon Girls by Nana Akosua Hanson, and the Short Story winners were tied. Both “Rat and Finch are Friends” by Innocent Chizaram Ilo and “Behind Our Irises” by Tlotlo Tsamaase took home the prize. The winners were announced at WorldCon 2021 in Washington DC, USA, today, December 17, 2021. You can see the full list of nominees here.

Patrick Rothfuss Reads the Prologue to The Doors of Stone

Fantasy author Patrick Rothfuss promised his fans that he would read the prologue to his much-anticipated upcoming novel The Doors of Stone if they raised a certain amount of money for his WorldBuilder charity. When the fans came through, Rothfuss stayed true to his promise. When Rothfuss live streamed his reading, he got 10,000 concurrent live viewers. You can watch the author read The Doors of Stone prologue, “A Silence of Three Parts,” here. The novel does not have a release date yet.

Leigh Bardugo Announces “A Little Grishaverse Treat”

On Good Morning America earlier this week, Shadow and Bone author Leigh Bardugo announced “a little Grishaverse treat” coming in 2022. On Instagram, Bardugo wrote, “This morning I got to announce Demon in the Wood, a Darkling prequel and the first ever Grishaverse graphic novel on @goodmorningamerica. (thank you, GMA!) We’ve expanded the original short story and every page is brought to beautiful life by @dcpender’s stunning art. DitW takes place hundreds of years before the start of Shadow and Bone, before the Second Army, before General Kirigan, when the Darkling was just a young man gifted with an extraordinary power. Pre-order links in my stories Happy holidays, Grishaverse family 🖤✨🌙 More to come soon!” Demon in the Wood, written by Leigh Bardugo and illustrated by Dani Pendergast, hits shelves on September 27th, 2022.

Can the 1982 Island Trees Case Impact Today’s Censorship?

If you’re keeping up with today’s book censorship news, the Island Trees case is one Supreme Court case you should familiarize yourself with. Here’s information on that, and more book censorship news from the week.

Today In Books

Elizabeth Olsen and Husband Robbie Arnett Write Kids’ Book About Self-Care: Today in Books

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date December 17, 2021

2 Williamson County School Districts Risk Losing Funding Due to Book Controversies

Two school districts in Williamson County might be excluded from receiving a portion of $14 million in federal funding under the CARES Act because of recent controversies about books. Williamson County Commissioner Valerie Covey explained that the court would not approve the funding for the districts in Leander and Round Rock because of the way they handled certain books in the school systems. “I think we send a clear message to school districts that we’re not okay with sharing our tax dollars with people who put smut in the room,” Covey said. “It’s ridiculous.” The commissioner went on to say that they planned to hold off on distributing funding until they could meet with these districts and get “some resolution.” If you live in the United States and wish to do your part to speak out against the commissioners’ decision, you can find instructions to file a complaint here.

Elizabeth Olsen and Husband Robbie Arnett Write Kids’ Book About Self-Care

Actress Elizabeth Olsen and her husband Robbie Arnett have written a kids’ book all about self-care. The couple’s debut children’s book Hattie Harmony: Worry Detective will be published by Viking Children’s Books on June 28, 2022. Hattie Harmony: Worry Detective will be the first book in the couple’s new series, illustrated by Marissa Valdez. The books will follow Hattie Harmony, a “Worry Detective,” who helps her friends overcome their anxieties. “Robbie and I couldn’t be more thrilled to introduce the world to Hattie Harmony,” Olsen told PEOPLE in an exclusive statement. “Inspired by the picture books we adored as kids, we hope that Hattie will become a friend and a welcomed reminder to be kind to yourself and to each other.”

Marlon James Offers a Peek Inside the World of Moon Witch, Spider King

Moon Witch, Spider King, the sequel to Marlon James’ fantasy novel Black Leopard, Red Wolf, is coming out in 2022. Now, ahead of the book’s release, the author is offering an exclusive look inside his world-building process, and the map he created for the book’s hardcover edition. “Fantasy must introduce the reader to a new world, but it also has to ground it quickly enough that they’re able to live and breath in it,” James says of his world-building process. Moon Witch, Spider King hits shelves on February 15th, 2022.

Reading Rainbow Live Announces Theme and Cast of First Episode

Reading Rainbow Live, the new version of the beloved Reading Rainbow series, has announced details of their premiere live event, which will take place early 2022.

Book Radar

Leigh Bardugo’s Got a New Grishaverse Treat Coming in 2022 and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date December 17, 2021

Sponsored by Flatiron Books publisher of Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez.

A blazing talent debuts with the tale of a status-driven wedding planner grappling with her social ambitions, absent mother, and Puerto Rican roots—all in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

Dear Bookland Residents,

I hope you are all having an okay day and that you’re planning to take some time off this week. As for me? I’m going to try my best, but I’m one of those people who thrives on being busy, so we’ll see! I definitely want to sneak in a Home Alone viewing at some point this week. I haven’t watched it this season yet, and everything just feels off. Anyway, we’re not here to talk about Home Alone. We’re here to talk about books. So here are some book things for you.

💚 Emily

Book Deals & Reveals

Last Thursday, Leigh Bardugo announced some big news on Good Morning America and on Instagram: “A little Grishaverse treat coming next year! This morning I got to announce Demon in the Wood, a Darkling prequel and the first ever Grishaverse graphic novel.” This one’s out in September 2022.

Francine Pascal’s young adult series Sweet Valley High is getting a TV adaptation from Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz, the duo that turned the Gossip Girl books into a hit show.

Here’s the cover reveal for Rebel Skies, the first novel in a new YA fantasy series, written by Ann Sei Lin. Expect this one out on May 5th, 2022.

On Instagram, Sarah Grunder Ruiz revealed the cover of her upcoming romance novel Luck and Last Resorts, out from Berkley Romance on August 9th, 2022.

Penguin Teen’s got a cover reveal and a sneak peek of The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen, a new novel by Isaac Blum that’s described as “The Chosen meets Darius the Great.”

YA thriller author Karen M. McManus is back with a new dark campus thriller entitled Nothing More to Tell, and here’s first look at the cover and first chapter of the novel.

The editors over at Buzzfeed News have chosen their picks for the best books of 2021.

Reading Rainbow Live, the new version of the beloved Reading Rainbow series, has announced details of their premiere live event, which will take place early 2022.

Former president Barack Obama has announced his favorite books of 2021.

The K-pop band BTS is creating a webcomic and webnovel called 7Fates: CHAKHO, and the teaser trailer has just been released.

Acclaimed author, critic, and feminist bell hooks died last week, surrounded by her loved ones. She was 69 years old.

Book Riot Recommends

Prepare Your Shelves!

Violeta by Isabel Allenda (Penguin Random House, January 25, 2022)

This one is a no-brainer, but it case you’ve somehow made it this close to 2022 and still haven’t added this to your TBR list, here’s your wake up call. Award-winning/New York Times bestselling author Isabel Allende has got a new novel coming your way at the end of January, and you won’t want to miss out on it.

This sweeping novel is the life story of Violeta del Valle, who was brought into the world on a stormy day in 1920. Her life, which spans one hundred years, is marked by many extraordinary events. Through letters Violeta writes to her grandson, she looks back at a life spent living through World War II, the Spanish flu, the Great Depression, the tragic loss of friends and family members, and much more.

Like many readers, I came to this author first through her novel House of the Spirits, a magical realist story in which Allende explores her family’s own personal history through the fictional family of the Truebas. Allende is uniquely gifted at weaving personal history with big historical moments in time and imbuing these important moments with a hint of magic. Yes, Violeta is a very different novel from House of the Spirits. But this is a novel that feels very much in the spirit (forgive my pun) of Allende’s classic. If you love those qualities about Allende’s writing and you love House of the Spirits, you will love Violeta too.

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

What I’m Reading This Week

Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch by Rivka Galchen

Several People are Typing by Calvin Kasulke

A History of Wild Places by Shea Earnshaw

Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby

We Have Always Been Here by Lena Nguyen

Monday Memes

Okay, so this isn’t a bookish meme, but this is big meme news, so I felt like I should share. Keanu Reeves has finally spoken out about the Sad Keanu meme. What’s his explanation? Well, read to find out.

Other Things That Make Me Happy

Recipe December continues. This seems like a simple enough thing to make, but it’s really not. My husband’s birthday was last week, and he always wants me to make an apple pie. Here’s the recipe I used, and I think it turned out pretty great!

And Here’s a Cat Picture!

a black cat perched between the top of a fridge and a cabinet. On the fridge is a kitten-theme calendar, and next to the fridge is a tabby cat resting on a cat tree

Did you know that December is National Cat Lover’s Month? It’s our month, people!! Well, every month in this house is National Cat Lover’s Month, but now the rest of the nation is recognizing us! If you’re wondering, yes I have already ordered my Kitten Lady calendar for 2022. And if you haven’t gotten one yet, you totally should! Murray and Phantom love Kitten Lady and think you should too!

Thanks for tuning in on this fine Monday, book friends! I hope you have a wonderful week. I hope you read good books. Pet soft cats. Cuddle sweet pups. Do what makes you happy.

💚 Emily

Today In Books

GOSSIP GIRL Team Is Adapting SWEET VALLEY HIGH Books: Today in Books

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date December 16, 2021

Sponsored by ThriftBooks - Shop the Best Books of 2021 at the best prices at ThriftBooks.com.

Here’s a First Look at Karen M. McManus’ Dark Campus Thriller Nothing More to Tell

YA thriller author Karen M. McManus is back with a new dark campus thriller entitled Nothing More to Tell, and here’s first look at the cover and first chapter of the novel. The novel, which will be out August 30, 2022, is set at the Saint Ambrose School. Beloved teacher Mr. Larken’s dead body is discovered by three students in the woods behind the school. Brynn used to attend the school, and now she’s starting an internship at a true crime show. She’s hoping her former schoolmates will help her figure out what happened to Mr. Larkin. But the more she unravels the mystery of the murder, the more she realizes she’s closer to the murder than she realized.

Gossip Girl Team Is Adapting Sweet Valley High Books

Francine Pascal’s young adult series Sweet Valley High is getting a TV adaptation from Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz, the duo that turned the Gossip Girl books into a hit show. The new show is called Sweet Valley, and it will air on the CW. The show will be written by by Ashley Wigfield, who previously worked with Savage and Schwartz on Marvel’s Runaways, Looking for Alaska, and the Gossip Girl reboot.

Barry Jenkins Gets Amazon Love He Deserves with Underground Railroad Book

While critics loved director Barry Jenkins’ series adaptation of the Colson Whitehead novel Underground Railroad, the show was shutout at the 2021 Emmys, and Amazon has faced criticism for their lackluster handling of the limited series’ release. Now, the streaming platform has commissioned a promotional book for the show, including exclusive essays, photography, and art that celebrates the process and the people involved in bringing the story to the screen. The book is free to access and widely accessible in digital form. The entire 174-page “The Underground Railroad” digital publication can be accessed here.

Feminist Author bell hooks Has Died

Acclaimed author, critic, and feminist bell hooks died yesterday, surrounded by her loved ones. She was 69 years old.

Book Radar

Alice Feeney Announces New Novel DAISY DARKER and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date December 15, 2021

Book Deals and Reveals

If, like me, you devoured Alice Feeney’s 2021 novel Rock, Paper, Scissors, then you’ll be excited to know she has a new novel coming out in 2022 from Flatiron Books. Earlier this week, Alice Feeney took to Instagram to announce her new book Daisy Darker. She wrote, “Books are like children for authors, we’re not really allowed to have favourites, but this is mine.”

John Legend is joining Zando as a publisher with his own imprint, Get Lifted Books.

LGBTQ Reads has an exclusive cover reveal of Roan Parrish’s upcoming queer holiday romance, The Holiday Trap, which releases from Sourcebooks on September 6, 2022!

Here’s the cover for Walking Dead star Norman Reedus’ debut novel, The Ravaged. It’s coming out April 5, 2022.

Holly Black’s debut adult novel is coming out May 3, 2022! And earlier this week, the author shared the cover for The Book of Night on Buzzfeed.

Here’s the cover reveal for Danielle Jackson’s upcoming romance novel The Accidental Pinup, which is coming out in July 2022 from Berkley.

Can’t wait for Jennifer Egan’s new companion novel for A Visit from the Goon Squad? Entertainment Weekly has an excerpt of the upcoming novel The Candy House that you can read right now!

Mike Flanagan has announced 20 new cast members for his upcoming series Fall of the House of Usher. New cast members include Samantha Sloyan, Rahul Kohli, Henry Thomas, T’Nia Miller, Kate Siegel, Sauriyan Sapkota, Zach Gilford, Katie Parker, Michael Trucco, Malcolm Goodwin, Crystal Balint, Kyleigh Curran, Paola Nuñez, Aya Furukawa, Matt Biedel, Daniel Jun, Ruth Codd, Robert Longstreet, Annabeth Gish and Igby Rigney.

The mystery of who wrote the fantasy novel A Broken Blade has taken over BookTok. Before the answer is revealed, let’s take a look at the clues.

Take a look at the top 10 books of 2021 as selected by the New York Times. Find out what they picked and how their list compares to other best of lists this year.

Book Riot Recommends

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

Can’t Wait for This One

Cherish Farrah by Bethany C. Morrow (Dutton Books, February 8, 2022)

So I’m setting up my cute little reading journal for 2022, and one of the spaces in the beginning of the journal asked me to list 10 of my most anticipated books of 2022. I know what you’re thinking: how the heck does one narrow down their most anticipated list to list 10 titles? Well, somehow I did it, and yes, as you’ve probably guessed by now, Cherish Farrah by Bethany C. Morrow made my top 10 list of the most anticipated books of 2022.

It’s YA. It’s being described as “social horror.” And it’s from an author who I’ve read and enjoyed not once but twice before (specifically, Mem and A Song Below Water). I haven’t read this one yet, but based on the description alone, I feel like this might end up being my favorite from Bethany C. Morrow yet. Also just look at this cover. I love it.

This novel is told from the perspective of seventeen-year-old Farrah Turner, who is the only Black girl at her country club that also has Black parents. The other Black girl at the country club is her best friend Cherish Whitman, but she was adopted by white parents. Farrah called her best friend WGS (that stands for White Girl Spoiled). When Farrah’s family is hit with money problems, she sees this as her opportunity to get an inside look at how Cherish’s family lives. So she goes to stay with the Whitmans, and the longer she stays there, the more she becomes obsessed with their way of life and doing whatever she can do to stay as long as possible. Despite her parents warnings that something is terribly, terribly wrong a the Whitman house.

What is going on with the Whitmans? I don’t know, but I can’t wait to read and find out!

Don’t forget you can get three free audiobooks at Audiobooks.com with a free trial!

Words of Literary Wisdom

“In my early twenties, it had never occurred to me that the women who gained their power from beauty were indebted to the men whose desire granted them that power in the first place. Those men were the ones in control, not the women the world fawned over. Facing the reality of the dynamics at play would have meant admitting how limited my power really was—how limited any woman’s power is when she survives and even succeeds in the world as a thing to be looked at.”

— My Body by Emily Ratajkowski

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.

Soooo… you know how people turn to BookTok for book recommendations these days? Well. Earlier this week, author Rebekah Weatherspoon tweeted an interesting thread. Rather than summarizing, I’m going to let the words speak for themselves.

Weatherspoon tweeted: “I’m hesitant to tweet about this for a couple reasons. But a couple months ago a few people on booktok mentioned that they felt that people were recommending books they hadn’t actually read just to keep up with the algorithm. Last night I saw a Tiktok hyping up a book, using points that didn’t actually apply to that book. In the comments people were raising questions, like baby did we read the same book??? Turns out the person who made the video hasn’t read the book.”

Check out the rest of the thread to read more about what happened. But Weatherspoon ends by saying there’s no easy solution to this problem. Social media has become a huge part of the book promotion process. Publishers can’t ignore BookTok. And people on BookTok are going to respond to algorithms so that they get the most viewers possible. But what does this mean for the book industry and what authors get attention? If you have thoughts/feelings, I’d love to hear them!

Your Weekend Reading Soundtrack

Can you believe I haven’t put together a holiday playlist for y’all yet? (yes I say y’all) Well it’s time. Pop this bad boy on when you’re decorating or making cookies. And yes, it’s the perfect soundtrack for when you’re reading your holiday rom coms. A couple of personal favorites from 2021? The Holiday Switch by Tif Marcelo (which, yes, is a different book than The Holiday Swap, but I’ve also heard this one is good), and The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer. And if you’re like, “Ew, romance,” well. This isn’t a book from 2021, but Secret Santa by Andrew Shaffer is super fun holiday horror set in a publishing company. Whatever you’re reading, this playlist will work for you. Probably. IDK.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

I’m back with my cats, y’all! And they’ve been so cuddly. I don’t know if they’ve always been this cuddly or if they just missed me extra. Or maybe it’s just cold outside. Anyhow, I’ll take it. Here’s a pic of Murray because it was his birthday earlier this week. I tried to get him to look alive, but he wasn’t into it. Trust me, he’s living his best life. We got him treats and catnip bubbles and a remote control mouse toy. He is spoiled rotten.

That’s all I’ve got for you today, friends! Thank you for making Book Radar a part of your day today. You’re all wonderful. Have the best weekend.

💚 Emily

Today In Books

Amazon Adapting Viral Fantasy Novel THE ATLAS SIX: Today in Books

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date December 15, 2021

Politics and Prose Bookstore Employees Move to Unionize

Employees at the three Politics and Prose bookstores in Washington, D.C. have decided to unionize. In doing so, Politics and Prose employees are joining a growing labor movement of retail workers across the country. If the bookstores employees are successful, theirs will be the only bookstore in the District with a unionized workforce. There are over 100 employees across the bookstore’s three locations, and organizers believe that 55 will be eligible for the union. “Politics & Prose has long been considered a progressive and inclusive bookstore,” said workers in a joint statement, “and our decision to unionize is a natural next step in the company’s ongoing effort to put our shared values into practice.” Owners have said that they won’t recognize the union until a majority of staff voted in a formal election, which some believe buys management time to disparage unionizing. Politics and Prose co-owner Bradley Graham responded to the worker’s statement in an email saying, “We’ve always valued the opportunity to work directly and collaboratively with you to solve problems and address your needs, from the professional to the personal. We believe a union at P&P would make our workplace more transactional, less personal, and less flexible.”

Amazon Adapting Viral Fantasy Novel The Atlas Six

Amazon has won the small-screen rights to fantasy novel Olivie Blake’s The Atlas Six, which went viral on TikTok earlier this year. Now, the streaming platform is adapting the novel as a series with London-based production company Bright Star, founded by The Crown producer Tanya Seghatchian and Cold War producer John Woodward. The Atlas Six was originally self-published via Kindle Digital Publishing. However, after the novel went viral on the social media site TikTok, with over 11M mentions, the novel’s instant popularity sparked a bidding war. Tor won the rights to the novel and is now publishing a revised and edited version with new illustrations in March 2022. The second book in the trilogy is set to be released in fall 2022.

Amanda Lohrey Wins $80,000 Fiction Prize for Her Novel The Labyrinth

Amanda Lohrey’s eighth novel The Labyrinth has won the $80,000 2021 Prime Minister’s Literary award for fiction. Judges praised Lohrey’s novel for its “considerable literary artistry,” and they described the 74-year-old Tasmanian author and academic as “a writer of uncompromising artistic purpose who is never content for the novel to be mere entertainment.” The Labyrinth has previously won both the 2021 Miles Franklin and the Voss literary prizes. Lohrey was not present at the ceremony. Instead, her literary agent Lyn Tranter accepted the award on the writer’s behalf and delivered a prepared acceptance speech that targeted the University of Sydney. “Australian literature has never been richer or more diverse,” Lohrey wrote. “So it was a great shock when our oldest university – Sydney – recently abolished its chair of Australian literature. I look forward to the day when the university re-establishes an institution that any self-respecting nation should be proud to showcase.”

2022 Comics and Graphic Novels to Add to Your TBR

2022 is almost here! Get ready for a new year of reading with these twelve comic books and graphic novels you won’t want to miss in 2022.

Today In Books

Photograph of the Rossettis Taken by Lewis Carroll Up for Auction: Today in Books

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date December 14, 2021

Sponsored by Disney Publishing Worldwide

Librarian Pulls Hollow Book off Shelf and Unravels a Mystery

Librarian Devon Tatton had no idea she was about to uncover a mystery when she was looking through old travel books from the Greater Victoria Public Library’s central branch collection in August. When she picked up Handpicked Tours of North America: A Motorist’s Guide to Scenic Routes and Fascinating Places in Canada and the USA, she discovered a library within the library. Check out more about what she found and her response over at Capital Daily.

Photograph of the Rossettis Taken by Lewis Carroll Up for Auction

An “extremely rare” photograph of the Rossettis taken by author Lewis Carroll will be up for auction later this week. In October 1863, Charles Dodgson, better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, visited the Rossettis at their home in Chelsea, London. The photograph that’s up for auction is a picture Carroll photographed on this trip, a picture of the poet and painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti playing chess, while his sister Christina, the poet, looks on. The picture was taken in the garden of Dante Gabriel’s house. “It’s such an intimate photograph, to see the two of them playing chess together, and the sisters looking on,” said Ian Ehling, director of fine books and manuscripts at Bonhams, where the photograph is being auctioned. “Carroll was an intimate reader of Rossetti’s books, so that’s probably how the friendship came about, and then he himself was of course a very gifted amateur photographer throughout his life.”

Buzzfeed Names Their Picks for the Best Books of 2021

The editors over at Buzzfeed News have chosen their picks for the best books of 2021. Their selections cover fiction and nonfiction and include works such as Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness by Kristen Radtke, A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance by Hanif Abdurraqib, What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad, Afterparties by Anthony Veasna So, and many more.

The Mystery of the Anonymous Fantasy Author Taking Over BookTok

The mystery of who wrote the fantasy novel A Broken Blade has taken over BookTok. Before the answer is revealed, let’s take a look at the clues.