Author: Tirzah Price

V.E. Schwab’s Queer Vampire Series Coming to Netflix: Today in Books

Post author By Tirzah Price
Post date October 18, 2020

Read This Book: The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware

Post author By Tirzah Price
Post date October 15, 2020

Sponsored by Saga Press, publishers of Rebecca Roanhorse’s Black Sun.

BLACK SUN, the new epic fantasy novel from New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Roanhorse, is “a must read for fans of N.K. Jemisin… and those who love George R. R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series but want more diverse worlds.” Inspired by the indigenous civilizations of the Americas before European colonization, BLACK SUN reads like a political thriller mixed with prophecies, warring matriarchies, and forbidden magic.

Welcome to Read This Book, a weekly 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!

This week’s pick is by one of my favorite authors, perfect for this creepy season!

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware

Content warning: Child death, but I don’t remember anything else

Ruth Ware gets called the modern day Agatha Christie a lot, and while I agree that some of those comparisons are valid (she writes awesome mysterious books that don’t ever get too gruesome, and they’re absolutely addicting!), not all of Ware’s books are traditional mysteries. This novel is more along the lines of horror–but again, not gruesome.

The story follows Rowan, an overworked London preschool worker who lands an incredible nannying job looking after three young children in a beautifully restored Scottish manor with a high-tech home management and security system, deep in the countryside. Room and board is covered, and if she stays a full year, she’ll receive a generous payout. It’s her dream job, until it turns into a nightmare. The children don’t seem excited that she’s there, urging her to leave before she’s barely settled in. Then, the parents immediately leave on business trips, and she’s left alone in a house full of creepy sounds and unexplainable break-ins. As stranger and stranger things happen, Rowan finds herself reaching her breaking point, until a terrible tragedy occurs.

This novel is written in the form of a confessional letter from Rowan to her lawyer, so you start the story knowing that someone died and Rowan is being blamed for it–but no one knows if she’s truly at fault. This is a great framing technique that immediately sets the scene and gives the reader plenty of chills, and I love how the tension is slowly and then swiftly ramped up. I also loved how Ware takes a situation that seems like a salvation and quickly turns it on its head. While there is certainly a mystery at the heart of this book (what’s going on, and who—or what—wants Rowan to leave?), I would classify this novel as horror light, with a thriller-like plot, ideal for anyone who loves The Turn of the Screw or who has been enjoying watching The Haunting of Bly Manor on Netflix, but with an updated and technological twist.

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.

The Kids Are All Right

Kidlit Deals for October 14, 2020

Post author By Tirzah Price
Post date October 14, 2020

Sponsored by Emporia State University’s School of Library & Information Management

The Masters of Library Science program at Emporia State University is an ALA accredited program that offers you the flexibility of online classes while also giving you a community of peers to build your professional network. Through a combination of online and face to face instruction, students are able to form deep connections to the course work, professors, other students, and practicing professionals in libraries. ESU offers a quick and affordable way to earn your MLS, with most students completing their degree in two years – even while working a full-time job! To learn more, visit our website at www.emporia.edu/slim

Hey kidlit pals, welcome to your weekly round of kidlit deals! This week’s batch is full of amazing fantasy and some awesome creepy reads just in time for Halloween! As always, these deals won’t last long, so snag them while they’re hot!

The Big Nate 3-Book collection is just $5! Three books for just $5 is such a great deal.

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia is just $1, which is an incredible deal! Perfect for Rick Riordan fans!

Did you love Enola Holmes on Netflix? Read the first book, The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer, for just $3.

Calling all Howl’s Moving Castle fans! Sequel House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones is $5.

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden is the perfect creepy read for the season at just $3.

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

Need a great fantasy? Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor is $3.

The Borrowers by Mary Norton is a classic, and just $2.

Greenglass House by Kate Milford is just $2.

Newbery Award winner The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman is $5.

Happy reading!
Tirzah

Today In Books

U.S. Authors Declare “Trans Rights Are Human Rights”: Today in Books

Post author By Tirzah Price
Post date October 11, 2020

Sponsored by Grand Central Publishing and Iris Johansen’s CHAOS

Stephen King, Margaret Atwood And Roxane Gay Champion Trans Rights In Open Letter

In response to J.K. Rowling doubling down on her anti-trans rhetoric, over 1,200 authors and publishing professionals in the U.S. have signed an open letter affirming trans rights, including Roxane Gay, Stephen King, Margaret Atwood, John Green, and Angie Thomas. This comes on the heels of a similar letter of support of trans rights from Irish and UK authors. Author Maureen Johnson organized this letter movement as a show of support and to bring awareness to Rowling’s transphobia.

Bette Green Dies At 86

The author of The Summer of My German Soldier has passed away. Bette Green was the critically acclaimed author of many books for teens and kids that were noteworthy for addressing anti-Semitism, domestic violence, and homophobic violence before these issues were commonly discussed in teen literature. As a result, her books were often banned in schools and communities, but she was undeterred, knowing that her work was important. She leaves behind an impressive backlist of work for readers to discover and enjoy.

‘Green Lantern’ Series Gets Greenlight At HBO Max

HBOMax has ordered ten episodes of a brand new Green Lantern series that will feature multiple Lanterns throughout the years, showcasing a diverse array of characters! The series will be written by speculative novelist and TV writer Seth Grahame-Smith (the writer behind Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunte r) and Marc Guggenheim.

Read This Book

Read This Book: The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Post author By Tirzah Price
Post date October 8, 2020

Sponsored by The End of the Day by Bill Clegg.

Bill Clegg returns with a deeply moving, emotionally resonant second novel about the complicated bonds and breaking points of friendship, the corrosive forces of secrets, the heartbeat of longing, and the redemption found in forgiveness.

To celebrate the spookiest month of the year and my newfound love of horror, this week’s pick is a creepy book!

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Content warning: Lots of animal death and peril, some body horror

The Only Good Indians is about four Blackfeet men who, before the book even begins, go elk hunting at the end of the season. It’s the week before Thanksgiving and winter is coming, and they aren’t having much luck. They’re tempted to cross over into elders’-only territory, knowing the consequences could be dire if they’re caught. But they’re unable to resist the temptation and the need for meat, so they take a chance, not knowing that by crossing over onto this land and stumbling upon a herd, they’ll awaken a force that becomes bent on revenge ten years later.

I loved the bleak early winter setting of this book, and how every single word evokes dread and suspense in the reader. The author explores stereotypes about Native people that persist in society as he opens the book by revealing where the men end up: one dies outside of a bar over a drunken misunderstanding and act of violence, one leaves the reservation they grew up on and marries a white woman, and the other two men stay, but find their lives moving in different directions. Jones slowly leads the reader to each man and reveals their fate as they realize that it’s not the Blackfeet elders or game wardens they need to fear for their past mistake, but an inhuman force they inadvertently disturbed. This novel examines the power and importance of tradition and rites, and the consequences that can befall a person and everyone around them when certain rites and boundaries are disrespected. I loved that this book looks at a community and far-reaching effects of these men’s actions. It also had one of the most tense chase scenes that I’ve ever read–I promise, it’s not what you’re expecting!

Bonus: The audiobook was narrated by Shaun Taylor-Corbett and it was 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.

The Kids Are All Right

Kidlit Deals for October 7, 2020

Post author By Tirzah Price
Post date October 7, 2020

Sponsored by Emporia State University’s School of Library & Information Management

Hey kidlit pals! Welcome to October! I hope you’re enjoying this spooky season, and if you’re looking for something creepy to read, then I have some great deals for you! As always, these deals won’t last, so snag them while they’re hot.

Tis the season! Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker is just $3.

We Dream of Space by Newbery winner Erin Entrada Kelly is just $2!

Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol is a great in-between middle grade and YA graphic novel that’s only $3.

For another great creepy book, get The Thickety by J.A. Jane for $4.

Cub by Cynthia L. Copeland is a fun graphic novel that’s only $2.

Bayou Magic by Jewell Parker Rhodes is $3.

Snag Wonderland by Barbara O’Connor for $3.

A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean can be yours for $4.

Some Places More Than Others by Renee Watson is just under $5.

The Storm Keeper’s Island by Catherine Doyle is a series starter, and is on sale for under $5.

Vote Duck for President by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin! It’s just $2.

For some nonfiction reading, pick up Resist: 35 Profiles of Ordinary People Who Rose Up Against Tyranny and Injustice by Veronica Chambers for $2.

Happy reading!
Tirzah

Book Radar

The Obamas Adapt ADA TWIST, SCIENTIST and More Book Radar!

Post author By Tirzah Price
Post date October 5, 2020

Read This Book: Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks

Post author By Tirzah Price
Post date October 1, 2020

Sponsored by Black Heroes of the Wild West from TOON Books.

This graphic novel by James Otis Smith celebrates the extraordinary true tales of three black heroes who took control of their destinies and stood up for their communities in the Old West. Born into slavery, Mary Fields became famous as “Stagecoach Mary,” a cigar-chomping coach driver who never missed a delivery. Bass Reeves, the first black Deputy US Marshal west of the Mississippi, was one of the wiliest lawmen in the territories. Bob Lemmons lived to be 99 years old and was so good with horses that the wild mustangs on the plains of Texas took him for one of their own.

It’s finally October, so my pick this week has to be the book that gives me the most cozy fall feelings: Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks.

This is a super charming graphic novel about Josiah and Deja, two work best friends at the pumpkin patch where they pick up some extra cash each fall. But this is no ordinary pumpkin patch–it’s the Disneyland of pumpkin patches, where fall glory abounds! It’s Halloween, the last night of the season, but also Josiah and Deja’s last night working together, as they’re seniors who will be off to college next year. Deja wants Josiah to finally ask out his crush, and she concocts a plan to give Josiah his chance–if he can find his courage!

I dare you to pick this book up and not be grinning by the time you finish it! Rowell and Hicks have created a fall paradise for those who are in love with the season, and this book is full of charm and laughs, and illustrated in gorgeous fall hues. I loved the friendship between Josiah and Deja–she nudges do-gooder Josiah to get outside of his comfort zone, and he patiently indulges Deja in her desire for alllll the amazing fall snacks the pumpkin patch has to offer as they are sent on a bit of a scavenger hunt to find his crush. This allows readers to take a delightful journey through the pumpkin patch and all it has to offer, although Josiah and Deja’s journey is thwarted by a wayward goat, some misbehaving youths, and a crush that’s always just out of reach. By the end, you have a deeper appreciation for their friendship, and Josiah and Deja even learn a thing or two about their relationship.

The transience of the season is also a big theme in this book, especially as Josiah and Deja are facing some changes ahead and Josiah in particular has a hard time letting go. But with humor and heart, Rowell and Hicks show readers that it’s okay to say goodbye to a wonderful thing, and even while you’re mourning the end of an era, sometimes the saddest endings lead to the best beginnings.

I recommend grabbing your favorite fall beverage and cuddling up with this book. You might want to even buy a copy, because reading this book might become your new fall tradition!

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.

Book Radar

There’s a Romance Novel About COVID and More Book Radar!

Post author By Tirzah Price
Post date September 30, 2020

Sponsored by Carina Adores and The Love Study by Kris Ripper.

Like, comment, fall in love. Don’t miss this funny, charming new romance by Kris Ripper! “A sweet treat.” –Publishers Weekly. Carina Adores is home to highly romantic contemporary love stories where LGBTQ+ characters find their happily-ever-afters.

Hi friends! Happy first day of October! In the immortal words of Anne Shirley, I’m so happy I live in a world where there are Octobers. I plan on toasting the new month with mugs of cider and cuddling in my sweaters. I might get wild and make a pot of soup!

I’ve got lots of excitement for you today, so let’s dive in!

Trivia question: What town in Connecticut is the setting of Ann M. Martin’s The Babysitters Club?

Deals and Squeals

The Uglies adaptation now has a star and an executive producer in Joey King!

The Booker Prize winners will now be announced on November 20, to make room for a busy week in the book world: Barack Obama’s memoir will be out November 17, and the National Book Award winners will be announced the following day!

Phoebe Robinson announced the first two books to be published under her new Tiny Reparations imprint! You can read an excerpt of one of the books at Kweli Journal.

It’s Banned Books Week! Check out the most challenged books of the last ten years.

Netflix has won the rights to adapt A Note of Explanation, a recently discovered novel by Vita Sackville-West.

Twitter is all abuzz about the new romance novel Kissing the Coronavirus by M.J. Edwards. I have no words.

Riot Recommendations

Want to read: Karolina and the Torn Curtain by Marlya Szymiczkowa

I loved Mrs. Mohr Goes Missing earlier this year, and I’m so excited to see that the sequel will be hitting shelves next spring! This series follows Zofia, a professor’s wife in 1890s Krakow who can’t ever help herself when a mystery emerges. This time, one of her maids goes missing and is found dead, so Zofia works with the police to figure out what’s going on!

What I’m reading this week:

Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee

The Accident Season by Moïra Fowley-Doyle

The Return by Rachel Harrison

Trivia answer: Stoneybrook

And since it’s October, here are a few of my favorite bookish October things:

Anne Shirley October Bookmark

Fall Fangirl Candle

Rainbow Rowell’s Ode to Autumn Printable

Stay cozy, bookish friends!
Tirzah

The Kids Are All Right

Kidlit Book Deals for September 30, 2020

Post author By Tirzah Price
Post date September 30, 2020

Sponsored by Love is Powerful by Heather Dean Brewer and LeUyen Pham.

Mari is getting ready to make a sign with crayon as the streets below her fill up with people. “What are we making, Mama?” she asks. “A message for the world,” Mama says. “How will the whole world hear?” Mari wonders. “They’ll hear,” says Mama, “because love is powerful.” Inspired by a girl who participated in the 2017 Women’s March in New York City, Heather Dean Brewer’s simple and uplifting story, delightfully illustrated by LeUyen Pham, is a reminder of what young people can do to promote change and equality at a time when our country is divided by politics, race, gender, and religion.

Hi kidlit pals! Welcome to another round of great book deals. I’m excited to see that October is almost upon us, and this week’s book deals definitely reflect the shift towards spooky season! If you’re itching for a spooky kidlit read, then definitely keep scrolling! If not, then don’t worry–there are plenty of adventure, fantasy, and contemporary stories for you here, too.

As always, prices change without notice. Snag these book deals while they last!

Pages & Co.: The Bookwanderers by Anna James and Paola Escobar is $2. Start a new series!

The Miraculous by Jess Redman is $3.

Dear Girl: A Celebration of Wonderful, Smart, Beautiful You! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Holly Hatam is a cute picture book, and it’s only $4.

The Menagerie by Tui T. Sutherland is a great series starter that’s just $2, and by the author of Wings of Fire!

Crenshaw by the one and only Katherine Applegate is just $2!

Want something spooky for the season? The Oddmire: Changeling by William Ritter is $2.

Based on a Native American legend, Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac is just $3.

Moving Target by Christina Diaz Gonzales is an action-packed middle grade adventure set in Rome, and it’s $4.

The Last Kids on Earth (and all the sequels!) by Max Brallier are just $2–read them before you see the Netflix show!

Want to start reading the iconic Diary of a Wimpy Kid series? The first book is just $3.

Happy reading!

Tirzah