Author: Tirzah Price

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Today In Books

Tennessee Bill to Ban LGBTQ+ Books from Schools One Step Closer to Law: Today in Books

Mena Suvari Writes Memoir About How She ‘Lost Herself To Sex, Drugs, And Bad, Often Abusive Relationships’

Actress Mean Suvari has written a memoir called The Great Peace, which will release from Hachette in July. The actress, who is known for her roles in American Pie and American Beauty, writes about growing up in the 1990’s and coming of age amongst the pressures of Hollywood.

‘Bridgerton’ Breakout Regé-Jean Page Will Not Appear in Season 2

Sad news for fans of the Duke of Hastings from Bridgerton: Regé-Jean Page will not appear in season 2. Although each season of the hit Netflix show is expected to focus on a different Bridgerton sibling and their romance, fans hoped to catch glimpses of Page after his happily ever after, but it’s not to be. The next season will focus on oldest Bridgerton sibling, Anthony, and his search for his viscountess.

Republicans’ Bill to BAN BOOKS That Even Mention LGBT People From Tennessee’s Schools Passes Subcommittee

In a worrying turn, a Republican bill in Tennessee that would ban all books that even mention LGBTQ+ people from schools has passed out of a subcommittee. The bill is now headed the to house. Tennesseans can and should contact their state representatives to protest this censorship, and all readers should be on the lookout for similar bills appearing in their own states.

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What's Up in YA

Your Weekend YA Book Deals

Hey, YA fans! It’s the weekend and that means it’s time to read! If you’re looking for something amazing to immerse yourself in this weekend, we’ve got you covered with some great book deals. These deals were active as of writing this, but they might not last, so grab them while you can!

Hunted by the Sky by Tanaz Bhathena is a gorgeous-looking YA fantasy and the first in a duology and it’s just $3! Read it before the sequel is out in June!

Looking for a YA historical novel? The Paper Girl of Paris by Jordyn Taylor is $2, and Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys, now titled Ashes in the Snow, is $3.

Looking to finally dive into some completed duologies? Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim is $2.

I’m a big fan of Caleb Roehrig and his debut Last Seen Leaving is $3.

Start a new fantasy trilogy by Julie Kagawa! Shadow of the Fox is $2.

For all you horror fans out there, Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand is $2.

The Diviners by Libba Bray, the first book in a deliciously creepy series I’ve loved, is $4.

Maybe you want something mind bending with an unusual structure? Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart is it, and $2.

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit by Jaye Robin Brown is $2–it’s a really delightful read and if you enjoy it, be sure to look for her new book out later this month.

Want to celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday later this month? Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills is a great novel for that! It’s $3.

Happy reading!
Tirzah

Thanks to Peachtree Publishing Company for making today’s newsletter possible!

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The Kids Are All Right

Kidlit Deals for March 31, 2021

Hey there, kidlit pals! It’s the last day of March already, and I hope it’s “out like a lamb” for you! I have another great bunch of deals, with plenty of delightful picture book deals in the mix! As always, snag them while they’re hot, because these deals won’t last long!

Pete the Cat: Big Easter Adventure by James Dean is $2, the perfect buy for anyone celebrating Easter this weekend!

Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug by Jonathan Stutzman and Jay Fleck is just $2!

Some Places More Than Others by the one and only Renée Watson can be yours for under $5.

They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel is a Caldecott Honor book, and it’s only $2.

Speaking of picture books perfect for spring, Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal is $4.

Rain Before Rainbows by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and David Litchfield is a lovely book about hard times for $1.

Happy reading!
Tirzah

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What's Up in YA

YA Book News and New YA Books for April 1, 2021

Hey, YA friends!

Happy April to you all! No fooling, I’ve got some amazing news, some sad news, and lots of great new releases, so let’s dive in!

YA Book News

First the sad news: Beverly Cleary has died at age 104. She’s best known for her children’s literature, of course, but she also wrote Fifteen and a handful of younger YA books.

Sarah J. Maas shared the news that her A Court of Thorns and Roses series is being adapted into a TV show for Hulu!

Get excited because the full Shadow and Bone trailer is here! I am so ready to eat waffles and marathon this show.

YA adjacent but, have you heard of The Irregulars on Netflix? It’s not based on a YA novel, but it’s about a group of teens who team up with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson to solve supernatural mysteries. Check out the trailer! It’s streaming on Netflix now.

New YA Books

With You All the Way by Cynthia Hand (I read and loved an early copy of this one!)

Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo

All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O’Donoughue

She’s Too Pretty to Burn by Wendy Heard

Bone Crier’s Dawn by Kathryn Purdie

Tigers, Not Daughter by Samantha Mabry (paperback)

Seven Endless Forests by April Genevieve Tucholke

Down World by Rebecca Phelps

Prom Theory by Ann LaBar

A Time of Fear: America in the Era of Red Scares and Cold War by Albert Marrin

On Book Riot This Week

Hannah writes about the dearth of YA lit in translation and not seeing American experiences reflected in YA from abroad.

YA books about beauty pageants beyond Dumplin‘!

This week we celebrated Trans Day of Visibility with five new YA books starring trans teens you should have on your radar.

Thanks for hanging out! I’ll be back this weekend with some great YA book deals!

Tirzah Price

Find me on Book Riot and Instagram!

Thanks to Wattpad Books, publisher of Down World for making this newsletter possible!

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What's Up in YA

YA Stands Up for AAPI

Hi, YA readers!

Tirzah Price here, and I’m taking over for Kelly temporarily while she’s on maternity leave! I’m really excited to be in your inboxes, shouting about my one true love, aka YA books! I hope we’ll have a lot of fun together!

This past week on Instagram you might have noticed the hashtag #StandUpForAAPI, which was started by Bookstagrammer Michelle Jocson and author Suzanne Park. It’s a campaign that aims to elevate AAPI voices and books, and encourages people to take action to combat racism, particularly towards Asian American and Pacific Islander individuals in the wake of the Atlanta shooting. Bookstagrammers and authors alike shared books, links, calls to action, and their stories. Definitely hop over to Instagram and peruse the hashtag if you want to learn more, but I thought I’d also take a moment to highlight some YA books by AAPI authors that I love and recommend.

Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi

This is one of my favorite reads of the year, and it’s about two Korean-American sisters named Jayne and June who barely talk, despite the fact that they both left their small Texas town for NYC as soon as they graduated from high school. Now Jayne is in college and barely getting by and June is a hedge fund manager on Wall Street. When June faces a health crisis, she turns to Jayne, and the sisters have to confront their past in order to move forward.

The Silence of Bones by June Hur

June Hur is actually Canadian Korean, but don’t sleep on this book! It’s a brilliant historical novel set in Joseon in 1800, and stars Seol, an indentured servant to the police bureau. When she’s called to a crime scene where the victim is a murdered noblewoman, she’s drawn into a mystery that could have serious ramifications on her own life. I loved this story set in a time and place that I’ve not read much about, and I am eagerly anticipating Hur’s next book, The Forest of Stolen Girls!

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

Speaking of great historical fiction! I loved this novel about Lily, a queer teen growing up in 1950’s San Francisco. She lives in Chinatown and doesn’t yet have the words to explain how she knows she’s different, but when she and a classmate sneak out to the Telegraph Club, they discover a community of queer women who change their lives. Bonus: Malinda Lo writes in so many genres! I loved her fantasy debut Ash, and her mystery/thriller A Line in the Dark as well!

It’s Not Like It’s a Secret by Misa Suguira

Misa Suguira’s debut has a place in my heart. It’s about Sana, a Japanese American teen who is uprooted from Wisconsin to California for her dad’s job. In California, she has friends who are also Asian for the first time, and a new crush on a girl who just might like her back. But she also is keeping a big secret: She knows her dad is cheating on her mom. This is a beautiful coming of age story about identity, relationships, and love. I am also desperate to get my hands on her new book, Love & Other Natural Disasters, which is out in June.

Written in the Stars by Aisha Saeed

Aisha Saeed’s debut YA novel is about Naila, a Pakistani American teen who has grown up knowing that her conservative parents plan on arranging her marriage. When they learn that she’s been dating Saif in secret, they whisk her away to Pakistan for a family trip…and then Naila learns that they’ve found someone for her to marry right away. The trip turns harrowing as Naila must find a way home. Bonus: If you want something a little lighter, pick up Yes, No, Maybe So by Aisha Saeed and Becky Albertalli.

This is by no means a complete or even comprehensive list–just some books that I loved! I also visited a bookstore for the first time in months last week (masked up and socially distant!), and I picked up A Pho Love Story by Loan Le and A Taste for Love by Jennifer Yen, which I can’t wait to read. If you can’t afford to make an book purchases right now, may I suggest requesting some new AAPI YA books from the library, or checking out some titles that are on the shelves?

And if you need more suggestions, check out 18 Great 2021 YA Books by AAPI Authors To Look For!

Thanks for hanging out!
Tirzah Price

Thanks to You Don’t Have to Be Everything: Poems for Girls Becoming Themselves by Diana Whitney, published by Workman for making today’s newsletter possible!

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Today In Books

Saying Farewell to Beverly Cleary: Today in Books

Why Did Dav Pilkey And Scholastic Decide They Will No Longer Publish THE ADVENTURES OF OOK AND GLUK, KUNG FU CAVEMEN FROM THE FUTURE?

Dav Pilkey, the author of Captain Underpants and Dog Man, announced earlier this week that he and his publisher Scholastic have decided to cancel all publications of his book The Adventures of Oof and Gluk, Kung Fu Cavemen from the Future. Pilkey apologized for the harmful racist stereotypes depicted in the book, and pledged to donate his earnings from the book to various charities, including The AAPI and WeNeedDiverseBooks.

Beverly Cleary, Beloved Portland Author, Dies At Age 104

Beverly Cleary, the much beloved author of Ramona the Pest, Dear Mr. Henshaw, and over fifty more children’s books, has passed away at the age of 104. She was inspired to write about ordinary kids having adventures when she worked as a children’s librarian, and those books spawned a huge cast of beloved characters that are still in print today and reference many Portland, OR landmarks.

A Court of Thorns and Roses Is Being Adapted For TV!

The news was spilled that Sarah J. Maas’s bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses series is being developed into a TV show for the streaming service Hulu. Maas is set to adapt the series with Ron Moore (creator of the Outlander TV show adaptation).

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The Kids Are All Right

Kidlit Deals for March 24, 2021

Hey there, kidlit pals! I hope that you’re having a great first week of spring and that things are starting to look green wherever you are! I have a great round of book deals that will help you get a jumpstart on your spring reading, but make sure you grab them while you can, as these book deals never last long.

Astronauts: Women on the Final Frontier by Jim Ottiavani and Maris Wicks is a great graphic nonfiction title about the first women in space, and it’s just $3!

The Adventures of Nanny Piggins is a fun new series starter by R.A. Spratt and illustrated by Dan Santat, and it’s just $2.

Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke, a novel by the author of Inkheart, is $4.

Bayou Magic by Jewell Parker Rhodes is $2.

Unstoppable Octobia May by Sharon Flake is a middle grade historical mystery that’s just $4.

Brand New School, Brave New Ruby by Derrick D. Barnes and Vanessa Brantley Newton is a series starter for just $4.

Want a wonderful heist novel? The Great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson is a great middle grade mystery for just $4.

Do you have a mystery lover on your hands? Super Puzzletastic Mysteries: Short Stories for Young Sleuths from Mystery Writers of America has a ton of great short stories by amazing authors such as Chris Grabenstein, Lamar Giles, Bruce Hale, Stuart Gibbs, and more!

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis is great historical novel from a legendary middle grade author, and it’s just $5.

Happy reading!
Tirzah

Categories
Today In Books

All About the Upcoming Star Wars Holiday Anthology: Today in Books

How Star Wars‘ New Anthology Will Explore Holiday Cheer In The Galaxy Far, Far Away

A Star Wars holiday anthology? Why not! Star Wars: Life Day Treasury – Holiday Stories From a Galaxy Far, Far Away by George Mann and Cavan Scott will release later in 2021, and it will explore all of the various ways that the midwinter holidays are celebrated in the Star Wars universe. Check out the cover.

Independent Bookstore Day Is Saturday, April 24

Each year independent bookstores celebrate Independent Bookstore Day on the last Saturday in April. This year’s celebration might look a bit different, but you can still expect fun, exclusive merchandise, and incentives if you participate. For example, Libro.fm is giving away audiobooks to anyone who spends $15 or more at an indie. Check out all the cool details on the IBD website.

Author Julie Berry Re-Launching The Book Shoppe In Medina, NY As The Author’s Note

Author Julie Berry (who has written The Lovely War, The Passion of Dolssa, and more) has purchased The Book Shoppe in her hometown of Medina, NY and is re-luanching it as The Author’s Note. They will be closed to in-person business while they renovate, but are open online! You can support them by shopping their online store and buying gift cards, which can be redeemed in person and online.

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Read This Book

Read This Book: The Initial Insult by Mindy McGinnis

Welcome to Read This Book, a newsletter where I recommend one book that I think you absolutely must read. The books will vary across genre and age category to include new releases, backlist titles, and classics. If you’re ready to explode your TBR, buckle up!

Today’s pick is a thriller that had me going “WTF?!” in the best way possible, but just a heads up: There’s discussion of animal harm, child neglect, and drug use.

The Initial Insult by Mindy McGinnis

Seven years ago, Tress Montor’s parents disappeared, and she was dumped on the doorstep of her neglectful grandfather, who runs a not-entirely-legal “zoo” of dangerous creatures that have no business living in their small Midwestern town. Tress burns to know what happened that night, and knows that one person might be able to tell her: her former best friend, Felicity Turnado. Tress’s parents were driving Felicity home when they disappeared, but Felicity claims to not have any memory of what happened to them. Seven years have passed, and when Tress is finally pushed to her limit, she decides that she’ll make Felicity talk…by bricking her up in a coal chute of an abandoned house in the woods while a Halloween party rages on. Tress figures if she can’t scare Felicity into telling the truth, then at least she’ll have revenge.

For those astute readers, yes, this book is a retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado,” and the Poe references abound in this book, which is the first in a planned duology. It’s rather remarkable how the plots, themes, and imagery of Poe’s most famous short stories translate so well to a YA thriller set in the rural Midwest, where poverty and class play a major role in the power dynamics. I was immediately drawn in by the mystery of where Tress’s parents could have gone, but I stayed for the fascinating dual POV and back and forth between Tress and Felicity, whose one-time friendship gave them a strong bond but is now broken, and who both remember and view different events throughout their lives in markedly different ways. We see that even though they’re very different, even though they both have turned to very different vices and survival tools, they’re both motivated by shame and fear, but an inability to voice that shame and fear has set them on a memorable collision course. This almost felt like a will-they-or-won’t-they friendship story where I wanted desperately for them to make up and repair their relationship, but McGinnis leaves you hanging…and I mean that most sincerely, because this book has a true cliffhanger ending.

I know that this might not be a book for everyone (especially for those readers who will want to wait until book two comes out next year and not endure months of waiting!), but I was utterly engrossed by the darkness of the story, the resilience of the characters, and the compelling writing.

Bonus: The audiobook is extra great!

Happy reading!
Tirzah

Find me on Book Riot, the Insiders Read Harder podcast, All the Books, and Twitter. If someone forwarded this newsletter to you, click here to subscribe.

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The Kids Are All Right

Kidlit Deals for March 17, 2021

Hey there, kidlit pals! Happy St. Patrick’s Day to those who celebrate! And even if you don’t celebrate, then here’s something you can get excited about–kidlit book deals! Once again I have a round up of ten great reads you’ll want to snatch up, but make sure you so do ASAP, as these deals never last long!

The award-winning Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai is just $5.

Dusti Bowling’s humorous Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus is just under $5.

For a moving book about a girl living with disordered eating, pick up Good Enough by Jen Petro-Roy for $5.

I, Cosmo by Carlie Sorosiak is a book about a dog trying to keep his family together, and it’s just $1.

Pick up The Dark Lord Clementine by Sarah Jean Horwitz for $2, if you want a funny read!

The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart is about a kid with a mission to reach the top of Mt. Rainier, and it’s a steal at $4.

Your semi-regular reminder that Front Desk by Kelly Yang is under $5, and totally and completely worth every penny.

Wringer by Jerry Spinelli is a modern classic, and it’s $5.

Newbery winner Erin Entrada Kelly’s debut novel Blackbird Fly is just under $5!

And The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes if $2–snag it before you pick up the sequel, Billy Miller Makes a Wish, out in April!

Happy reading!
Tirzah