Category: Book Radar

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Book Radar

X,O KITTY Begins Production on Season 2 and More Book Radar!

Happy Monday, Book Friends!

Welcome to another Book Radar. I can’t believe it’s going to be May later this week. Who let this happen?!?! I’ve already shared so much news about 2025 books coming up, and I have more to share this week, including something for 2026! I am not well. The wheels of time, they keep turning. Let’s talk books though!

Book Deals and Reveals

lonely places book cover

Here’s the cover of Lonely Places by Kate Anderson. It’s out on October 29th from Flux Books.

X,O Kitty has begun filming season 2! And, they’ve added three more cast members: Audrey Huynh, Sasha Bhasin, and Joshua Lee have all joined the project.

Speaking of projects! The film adaptation of Andy Weir’s sci-fi novel Project Hail Mary has finally gotten a release date! The movie, starring Ryan Gosling, hits theaters on March 20, 2026.

Let’s check out another reveal. Here’s C.J. Cooke’s The Book of Witching. Appropriately, it’s out this October from Berkley.

Three of the four leading roles in the film adaptation of Richard Osman’s bestselling mystery The Thursday Murder Club have been cast! Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, and Ben Kingsley are all attached to the project. Chris Columbus is set to direct.

John Logan, the three-time Oscar-nominated writer of films such as The Aviator and Gladiator, will adapt Pulitzer Prize-winning author Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian novel into a feature film. The film will be directed by John Hillcoat.

Here are the most popular nonfiction books of 2024 so far, according to Goodreads. How many nonfiction titles from this list have you loved so far this year?

The 2024 Gotham Book Prize finalists have been announced! The Gotham Book Prize is given to the best fiction or nonfiction book published each calendar year that takes place in or is about New York City. The prize grants its winner $50,000.

More awards news. Here’s the shortlist for the 2024 Women’s Prize! Winners will be announced June 12.

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!

Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help with handpicked recommendations. Tell the Bibliologists at Tailored Book Recommendations about what you love and what you don’t. You can get your recommendations via email or receive hardcovers or paperbacks in the mail. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Plans start at just $18! Subscribe today.

Prepare Your Shelves!

housemates book cover

Housemates by Emma Copley Eisenberg (Hogarth Press, May 28)

Emma Copley Eisenberg, author of 2020’s The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia, has written her first novel! And it’s coming out next month (well, almost this month… omg it’s ALMOST MAY). So, it’s time to prepare your shelves, because this queer road trip story sounds really fun.

Leah and Bernie are two housemates living in Philadelphia who share a love of art and exploring the world around them through their art (Leah is a writer, and Bernie is a photographer). So of course, they’re both game to take a three-week road trip, documenting rural America through their photographs and written words.

But a road trip is never just about discovering the world around you. It’s also about discovering yourself. Through their journeys, Leah and Bernie meet all kinds of people from all different walks of life. People who challenge the two housemates to reflect on their own beliefs and their perspectives of the world and what they want from their lives.

What I’m Reading This Week

cover of the centre by ayesha manazir siddiqi

The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet by Samantha Allen

Monday Memes

You knew we were going to have to focus on Tortured Poets Department memes this week. Enjoy!

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

sleeping calico cat

My shy girl is sleeping right behind me as I write this, so I thought I would share! Look at this beautiful angel. I do it all for her.

And that’s all, book friends! See you Thursday!

Emily

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Book Radar

Deadpool and Wolverine Join Forces and More Book Radar!

Hi, Book Friends, and Happy Thursday!

So good to see you here for another Book Radar. And this Thursday, I have a lot of piping hot book tea for you. So pull up a chair, grab a cup, and let’s get to pouring and sipping.

Book Deals and Reveals

Deadpool and Wolverine movie poster

Deadpool and Wolverine are joining forces in Marvel’s first-ever R-rated movie, Deadpool & Wolverine. And the first trailer is out now! You can see the movie, starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, in theaters starting on July 26.

Speaking of collabs, writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Esad Ribic are releasing Aliens vs. Avengers this summer.

Farrah Rochon has announced a new novel! Bemused is the “untold origin story of the 5 Muses from Disney’s Hercules.” It’s out on January 7, 2025.

Crime Reads has shared an excerpt and a cover reveal for the upcoming cicada-pocalypse novel from Laurie L. Dove, Mask of the Deer Woman. It’s out from Berkley in January 2025.

Here’s the cover of Ravynn K. Stringfield’s novel Love in 280 Characters or Less. It features art by Kgabo Mametja and a design by Abby Granata. And it’s out on April 15, 2025!

Elliot Page’s Pageboy Productions has optioned the rights to author Eliot Schrefer’s 2021 novel The Darkness Outside Us.

PEN America has canceled its awards following a writer’s boycott over Palestine. Twenty-eight of the 61 writers nominated had withdrawn from consideration, including 9 of the 10 nominees for a $75,000 prize.

Here are the winners of this year’s Los Angeles Times Book Prize, presented to books in over 13 different categories.

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!

Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help with handpicked recommendations. Tell the Bibliologists at Tailored Book Recommendations about what you love and what you don’t. You can get your recommendations via email or receive hardcovers or paperbacks in the mail. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Plans start at just $18! Subscribe today.

Can’t Wait for This One!

castle of the cursed book cover

Castle of the Cursed by Romina Garber (Wednesday Books, July 30)

Looking for an unconventional beach read to drop in your bag this July? One that will keep you on the edge of your seat? Then get ready for Romina Garber’s dark gothic YA romance/horror, Castle of the Cursed.

Following the mysterious death of her parents, Estella is left alone and determined to be the one to uncover the person responsible for their deaths. As she spirals deeper into depression and survivor’s guilt, Estella agrees to travel overseas to her aunt’s home, la Sombra, a gothic castle in the small town of Oscuro, Spain. Oooh. Estella was looking for an escape, but she soon discovers la Sombra might be the missing key to all the secrets of her parents’ deaths.

Then she meets Sebastián. Sebastián is a boy with silver eyes who claims he is trapped in the castle. But that’s not the most disturbing thing about him. Most troubling of all, it seems like the only one who can see him is Estella. Is he a figment of her imagination? Or is something supernatural happening at la Sombra? And could he possibly help Estella find out what happened to her parents?

Words of Literary Wisdom

“But all these traits — style, hygiene, the ability to care for oneself and one’s home — are, in a man, considered exceptional, almost miraculous. Whereas in women, they are the bare minimum.”

— The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

orange and black cats on the couch

And before I go, here are two gorgeous sleeping kitties, living their best lives. Murray and Remy wish you a good night, and sweet dreams. No matter what time of day it is when you read this.

That’s all I’ve got for you! Have a fabulous weekend. Do something fun. Eat cookies. Drink plenty of water. Pet cats. Talk soon!

Emily

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Book Radar

CRAZY RICH ASIANS Gets the Broadway Musical Treatment and More Book Radar!

Hi, Book Friends!

How are we doing on this fine Monday? Spring weather has finally come to the Pacific Northwest, and I had a wonderful walk earlier today. The cats are enjoying watching all the tennis players outside. We’re having an okay spring so far. I hope you are, too. And now, let’s talk books.

Book Deals and Reveals

what wakes the bells book cover

Here’s the cover of Elle Tesch’s What Wakes the Bells. It’s a Dark Fantasy about a bell keeper, her sentient city, and the vengeful Saint her magical bell awakens. It’s out on March 11, 2025.

Here’s an excerpt from Liane Moriarty’s latest novel Here One Moment! It’s coming to bookstores everywhere on September 10.

Crazy Rich Asians is heading to Broadway! The project is currently in development with a book by Leah Nanako Winkler (God Said This), music by Helen Park (KPOP: The Musical), and lyrics by Amanda Green (Bring It On) and music producer Tat Tong.

Check out this cool YA romantic fantasy cover, A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya. It’s coming on December 17!

Netflix has released its first footage of the upcoming adaptation of Gabriel Garcia Márquez’s classic 1967 novel One Hundred Years of Solitude. The 16-episode series is set to premiere later this year.

Jake Tapper has sold North American rights to The Terrorist Detectives to Atria Books. Atria says the book tells “the unbelievable story of two assistant U.S. attorneys who, working with others in law enforcement, must race against the clock to build a case against a deadly al-Qaeda terrorist before he’s set free,” and explores “the sacrifices and limits of seeking justice in the war on terror.” The Terrorist Detectives is set for a fall 2025 publication.

Here are the winners of the 2024 Republic of Consciousness Prize. The prize aims to support small presses.

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!

Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help with handpicked recommendations. Tell the Bibliologists at Tailored Book Recommendations about what you love and what you don’t. You can get your recommendations via email or receive hardcovers or paperbacks in the mail. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Plans start at just $18! Subscribe today.

Prepare Your Shelves!

flawless girls book cover

Flawless Girls by Anna-Marie McLemore (Feiwel & Friends, May 28)

Anna-Marie McLemore is back with a queer YA horror novel about a strange finishing school and society’s expectations of women. It’s kinda like Stepford Wives, but gay. And even scarier.

The Soler sisters are known around polite society for being brazen and rebellious. Their grandmother isn’t much better, but she also understands that there are certain expectations on young girls, which is why she sends them off to a finishing school called Alarie House, in the hopes of turning them into respectable young socialites. But there’s something strange about the Alarie girls. They’re all just a little too perfect. Immediately, Isla gets the creeps and leaves the school, unable to finish the program. Renata, however, stays and thrives in the finishing school environment.

When Renata returns from the program, she is a little too pleasant to be around. Everything about her is unnervingly perfect, and Isla barely recognizes the sister she once knew. And then Renata disappears. Determined to figure out what’s going on in the Alarie House and what happened to older her sister, Isla reenrolls in the program to uncover the school’s secrets.

What I’m Reading This Week

horror movie book cover

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

Crossroads by Laurel Hightower

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi

Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet by Samantha Allen

Monday Memes

We know Zendaya serves on the red carpet. Now, here are books as some of the best 2024 ‘fits from the red carpet queen. Who else is excited about Challengers, btw?

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

tuxedo cat on lap with laptop in background

Check out this action shot of Remy cuddling on my lap while I write this very newsletter to you right now. Pretty cool, huh? Do you feel like you’re in the room with us right now?

And that’s all I’ve got for you today, friends! I hope you have an incredible week. Thanks for spending some time with me today. And I’ll see you on Thursday!

Emily

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Book Radar

Emily Austin Announces New Novel WE COULD BE RATS and More Book Radar!

Hi, Book Friends!

It’s Thursday, which means it’s time, once again, to talk books. It’s been a long week with lots of doctors appointments and other un-fun things (everything is okay), but I’m looking forward to taking a little break to talk to all of you. So let’s do this.

Book Deals and Reveals

at dark i become loathsome book cover

Here’s the cover of Eric LaRocca’s upcoming novel At Dark, I Become Loathsome. The cover artwork is by Sarah Sitkin, with a cover design/layout by Kathryn Galloway English. It’s out on January 28, 2025, from Blackstone Publishing.

I know, I can’t believe it’s already time for January 2025 cover reveals, but here’s another one: Alafair Burke’s The Note, “a story of three longtime friends whose girls’ weekend to the Hamptons goes terribly wrong.” It’s out on January 14, 2025.

Emily Austin’s new novel We Could Be Rats is set to be published in spring 2025 by Atria. The book is pitched as “a love letter to childhood, growing up, and the power of imagination.”

And here’s the cover of Paula Hawkin’s new thriller The Blue Hour. It’s out this October.

If you loved The Other Black Girl and Midsommar, make sure you check out Vincent Tirado’s We Came to Welcome You, out from William Morrow books this September. Here’s the cover reveal.

Nat Cassidy has announced his third novel, which he describes as “a little bit IT and Firestarter, a little bit Terminator 2, a little bit Le Guin, a little bit Koontz, a little bit Grimms, a little bit Twilight Zone, & a lotta bit gonna rip yer face off.” It’s called When the Wolf Comes Home, and it’s coming soon!

The film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us has been delayed. The movie will now open on August 9.

Book clubs are really having a moment right now. Are you part of a book club? What are your thoughts about the current boom?

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!

Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help with handpicked recommendations. Tell the Bibliologists at Tailored Book Recommendations about what you love and what you don’t. You can get your recommendations via email or receive hardcovers or paperbacks in the mail. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Plans start at just $18! Subscribe today.

Can’t Wait for This One!

rani choudhury must die book cover

Rani Choudhury Must Die by Adiba Jaigirdar (Feiwel & Friends, November 12)

I am so ready for a fun, cute, sapphic YA romance. Aren’t you? Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait for this one until November 12. But, you know, as I always say, with the way time works, November 12 will be here tomorrow. So, you might as well go ahead and prepare your shelves, because this one has it all — revenge, romance, comedy, hijinks, a science competition. You get it. Let me tell you about it.

Rani Choudhury can essentially do no wrong. At least, that’s what nearly everyone seems to think, and it’s exhausting for Rani’s ex-best fried, Meghna Rahman, who feels like she constantly has to live up to Miss Perfect. So when Meghna finds out she and Rani will both be competing in the Young Scientist Exhibition, she thinks this could finally be her chance to beat Rani at something.

Meanwhile, Rani just wishes her parents didn’t control every single aspect of her life. They tell her what to do about basically everything, from what she studies in school to who she dates. Rani is annoyed when her parents set her up with their family friend Zak. She’d rather focus on the upcoming science competition. What she doesn’t know is that Zak is also dating Meghna.

When the two girls find out Zak has been seeing both of them at the same time, they call a truce to take down the same enemy. Deciding to compete as partners in the European Young Scientist Exhibition, Rani and Meghna create an app that exposes cheaters. But, as I said, this is a sapphic romance, so you might have guessed what happens next. As Rani and Meghna work closely together, sparks begin to fly.

Words of Literary Wisdom

“Each thing we love takes a little piece of us whether we give it willingly or not. By the time we find the person we were meant to be with, we’re a honeycombed shell of what we once were. Each person we love turns us into the strange thing we become.”

— The Trees Grew Because I Bled There by Eric LaRocca

What I’m Watching This Weekend

You might have noticed, if you’re paying close attention, that I’ve been reading Liane Moriarty’s Apples Never Fall this week. I’m a fan of Moriarty’s books, and I’m a HUGE FAN of Alison Brie, so I’m excited to watch the mini-series based on the book over the weekend. If you want to watch along with me, it’s streaming on Peacock!

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

tuxedo cat on a bed, close up

It’s been a minute since I’ve given you a good close up of Remy’s cute little tuxie face. So here he is. He’s been going a little bananas this week because we’ve been gone a lot to doctor’s appointments. And I feel bad because I can’t tell him why! I’m so sorry, little guy. If I could quit everything and spend 24 hours a day playing with cats, I would! Wouldn’t we all?

Aaaand…I’m out! Have a wonderful weekend, friends!

Emily

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Book Radar

The Twistiest Mystery Marisha Pessl Has Ever Written and More Book Radar!

Hi, Book Friends!

Welcome to another Monday Book Radar. It’s been a great month for books so far, and I have a bunch of book news to share with you this week, so let’s just skip the small talk and get right to the book talk. Let’s go!

Book Deals and Reveals

darkly book cover

Marisha Pessl has announced her next novel, Darkly. The author told her followers on Instagram, “I am so proud of this book — it’s one of the most personal, twisty, gutting mysteries I’ve ever written and I cannot wait for you to survive every twist and turn — and live to tell the tale…” It’s out this November!

Tor Nightfire shared the cover of American Rapture by CJ Leede. The art is by Carly Janine Mazur, and the design is by Christine Foltzer. It’s out on October 15.

And Penguin Teen has shared the cover of Preeti Ghhibber’s upcoming revenge romance YA novel Payal Mehta’s Romance Revenge Plot. It’s out on September 24.

Clay McLeod Chapman has a new horror novel coming out in January 2025! Wake Up and Open Your Eyes is out from Quirk Books on January 7 and is available for preorder now.

Here’s the trailer for the upcoming Apple TV+ series Dark Matter, based on the novel by Blake Crouch. The first episode airs on May 8.

People has the exclusive cover reveal of Loreal Palmer’s upcoming memoir, Keep Living. It’ll be out on May 14.

Venus Williams has announced a new health and wellness book, STRIVE. The tennis star says she hopes to share the tips and tricks that helped her. It’s out on September 10.

And here’s the cover reveal for Homeseeking by Karissa Chen. It will be published by Putnam on January 7th, 2025.

Reactor has an exclusive cover reveal and excerpt from Alexis Henderson’s upcoming novel An Academy for Liars. This dark academia novel is out from Ace/Penguin Random House on September 17.

Here are the book club picks for April 2024. Which ones will you be reading?

The 2024 International Booker Prize shortlist has been announced! The International Booker Prize 2024 ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. EST on Tuesday, May 21st. The event will be live-streamed on the book prizes’ channels.

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!

Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help with handpicked recommendations. Tell the Bibliologists at Tailored Book Recommendations about what you love and what you don’t. You can get your recommendations via email or receive hardcovers or paperbacks in the mail. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Plans start at just $18! Subscribe today.

Prepare Your Shelves!

my darling dreadful thing book cover

My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna Van Veen (Poisoned Pen Press, May 14)

Do you think you’re close with your friends? Well! Imagine if you had a friend who could actually possess your body. The only thing that Roos Beckman likes about her life is Ruth, her spirit companion that only she can see. Roos uses her abilities to connect with the spirit world to conduct questionable séances where she and her mother feed on the vulnerability of people grieving their loved ones.

But everything changes for Roos when she meets Agnes. Agnes Knoop is a wealthy young widow who also has a spirit companion. Realizing that they are kindred spirits, Agnes invites Roos to come live with her at the crumbling estate she inherited from her dead husband. Agnes and Roos quickly form a deep bond with one another. When someone ends up dead, Roos’ sanity is questioned, and she’s forced to choose between her love for Agnes and her deep bond with Ruth.

This debut gothic novel is deliciously dark and wonderfully sapphic. And, while you could compare this to other gothic horror stories like Crimson Peak and The Warm Hands of Ghosts, I think this book is doing so many things that feel entirely new. See for yourself when this book comes out next month!

What I’m Reading This Week

while we were burning book cover

While We Were Burning by Sara Koffi

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

The Trees Grew Because I Bled There by Eric LaRocca

Crossroads by Laurel Hightower

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

Monday Memes

What’s the appeal of boarding school books? Do you think this is it? Let me know!

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

tuxedo cat yawning in front of bookshelf

This is my whole life right now. Remy being silly. Books. And marathoning The Traitors. Not the worst way to spend a weekend. Hope yours was good, too!

And now for the week ahead…I hope you have a wonderful one, and I’ll see you again on Thursday for another round of everything books!

Emily

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Book Radar

Amy Adams Stars in NIGHTBITCH This December and More Book Radar!

Hi, Booky Friends!

How are we doing on this fine Thursday? I’ve been home taking care of my husband a lot over the past several weeks, and you’d think I’d use this time to do more reading. And I have a little bit. But I’ve also been watching every season of The Traitors. I watched all the US ones, and now I’m on the UK show, and I’m moving on to Australia next. Anyone else into this show? Please reach out! But in the meantime, let’s talk books.

Book Deals and Reveals

a sunny place for shady people book cover

Hogarth Books has shared the “delectably spooky” cover of Mariana Enriquez’s upcoming short story collection, A Sunny Place for Shady People. It’s out on September 17!

Nightbitch is coming to theaters on December 6! This film adaptation of Rachel Yoder’s novel stars Amy Adams and was written for the screen and directed by Marielle Heller.

Angie Kim’s Happiness Falls is being made into a TV series! Ethan Hawke and his wife, producer Ryan Shawhughes, will executive produce the project.

Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant, and Emma Thompson are returning for Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy. Director Michael Morris is also returning for the project, and Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leo Woodall will also star.

Bestselling author Jennifer Weiner has signed with Verve for film and TV representation. “I’m thrilled to be working with Verve. I am so impressed by the energy and passion of the team, and excited about the possibilities of sharing my stories with audiences around the world,” Weiner said in a statement.

Read an exclusive excerpt from Daniel Aleman’s I Might Be in Trouble. This is Aleman’s first adult novel. It’s out this December.

Rupi Kaur is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of her bestselling poetry collection milk and honey with a new collector’s edition and a new cover! The new edition of the collection will include an additional chapter of poetry and illustrations, as well as a fresh introduction by Kaur. It’s out on October 1.

The ALA has released its report of the most-challenged books of 2023. Time to read all of them!

And now that we’re a quarter of the way through 2024 (WHAAAAT?), here are the best and buzziest nonfiction books of the year, so far.

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!

Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help with handpicked recommendations. Tell the Bibliologists at Tailored Book Recommendations about what you love and what you don’t. You can get your recommendations via email or receive hardcovers or paperbacks in the mail. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Plans start at just $18! Subscribe today.

Can’t Wait for This One!

the city in glass book cover

The City in Glass by Nghi Vo (Tordotcom, October 1)

If you haven’t picked up a Nghi Vo novel yet, here’s what you can expect: inventive and thought-provoking speculative fiction. Beautiful writing. Stories that redefine genre expectations. You think you know what you’re getting into, but you will be surprised. And that’s why I can’t wait for Nghi Vo’s latest, The City in Glass, coming out this fall.

Set in the fantasy city of Azril, The City in Glass is the story of an immortal demon named Vitrine. After the city is burned to the ground, Vitrine is left to mourn everything lost, with nothing but a book containing the names of those now gone and an angel that is now bound to her. Together, angel and demon will discover the secrets of Azril and rebuild the city together. But when war threatens to destroy everything they’ve built, Vitrine and her angel must work together to protect the city they’ve grown to love so much.

This is a story of rage, love, grief, and redemption. I have complete faith in Nghi Vo’s ability to build a compelling fantasy world in only 224 pages (we love a short fantasy novel — what a breath of fresh air). And I can’t wait to read this one!

Words of Literary Wisdom

“Man mistakes his own experiences as the canvas on which all truths are drawn.”

— The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

tuxedo and orange cat on a chair

You always have to share when two cats are chilling out together. Remy has such little brother energy, though. It’s very clear Murray was sitting here first and then Remy decided to sidle up next to him. Just look at who is relaxed here and who is a little unsettled, waiting for approval.

And that’s all for today, friends! See you Monday! Happy reading this weekend!

Emily

Categories
Book Radar

Ghosts and Ghostwriters in Samantha Allen’s New Novel and More Book Radar!

It’s Monday, Book Friends!

Welcome to it, and welcome to another week of book news, book chat, and all the book things. So grab a cup of coffee, get settled in a comfy chair, and let’s get into all things bookish. There’s a lot to talk about today, and I’m excited to get into it.

Book Deals and Reveals

cover of Roland Rogers Isn't Dead Yet

Zando has revealed the cover of Samantha Allen’s upcoming novel Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet. It’s the story of ghostwriter Adam Gallagher, who is helping A-list actor Roland Rogers come out of the closet once and for all. The catch? Roland Rogers is a ghost. This one is out on September 10.

I know there are a lot of Annihilation fans out there. So you’ll be excited to know that the fourth book in Jeff VanDerMeer’s Southern Reach series is coming! Check out the cover of Absolution. It’s out on October 22.

Author Melissa Blair is wrapping up her romantasy series, the Halfling Saga, with An Honored Vow, and People has all the details and a cover reveal. An Honored Vow will be published in 2025.

Olivia Wilde is set to direct the Margot Robbie-produced adaptation of Avengelyne, the comic book series created by Deadpool‘s Rob Liefeld and Cathy Christian.

Here’s the trailer for Turtles All the Way Down, the upcoming Max adaptation of John Green’s 2017 YA novel. The film will stream on Max starting on May 2.

The 2024 Pen/Faulkner Award winner has been announced! And, it’s What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jiménez. In addition to the award, Ramirez will be granted $15,000. The other finalists—Jamel Brinkley, Henry Hoke, Alice McDermot, and Colin Winnette— will receive $5,000 each.

Indie Bookstore Day is coming on April 27, and you can celebrate with Libro.fm! From 4/22 to 4/28, there will be a massive audiobook sale on the site, with many titles for $5 or less. Additionally, for the whole month, customers can get TWO free audiobook credits when they sign up for a new membership in support of their bookstore with the code SWITCH. Don’t forget to support your local bookstore! Five hundred Golden Tickets (good for 12 free Libro.fm audiobooks) will be hidden by participating partner bookstores on the 27th. Have fun, friends.

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!

Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help with handpicked recommendations. Tell the Bibliologists at Tailored Book Recommendations about what you love and what you don’t. You can get your recommendations via email or receive hardcovers or paperbacks in the mail. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Plans start at just $18! Subscribe today.

Prepare Your Shelves!

all things seen and unseen book

All Things Seen and Unseen by RJ McDaniel

Look, I am a sucker for a good haunted house novel. That’s what first drew me in to RJ McDaniel’s debut queer horror novel, but this book was much more character-driven and introspective than what I was expecting. This really worked for me and made it different from any other haunted house story I’ve ever read. In fact, calling it a haunted house book is boxing it in way too much. There’s a lot going on here. There’s also a magic forest! So like, definitely check this one out when it comes out later this month. You will not be disappointed.

But what is it about, you ask? All Things Seen and Unseen follows Alex Nguyen, a chronically ill college student whose life is quickly unraveling. Following a recent suicide attempt and a long hospitalization, Alex finds herself without a job, without a romantic relationship, without money to pay for school, and without a place to live. Then, she’s offered a lifeline in the form of a job housesitting for the summer at a mansion on a gulf island. But the mansion — surrounded by a mysterious (and possibly magic) forest and an unsettling, insular community — brings back traumatic memories Alex has long repressed.

What I’m Reading This Week

the sun sets in singapore book cover

The Sun Sets in Singapore by Kehinde Fadipe

Immortal Pleasures by V. Castro

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

The Trees Grew Because I Bled There by Eric LaRocca

Crossroads by Laurel Hightower

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

Monday Memes

Yeah, I really love astrology memes. Especially when they’re book-related. I will never not share. Especially when they feature Destiny’s Child. I hope you enjoy.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

Murray, an orange cat, is in a paper bag

Well, the cat is definitely NOT out of the bag today. Sorry, I had to.

Murray loves a good paper bag. They’re pretty much his favorite thing. Are your cats like this?

Friends, that’s the end of Monday’s Book Radar. I hope you have a beautiful week. See you Thursday!

Emily

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Book Radar

Austin Butler Signs on for Multiple Book Adaptations and More Book Radar!

Hi, Book Friends!

Happy Thursday, and welcome to another round of Book Radar excitement to send you into the weekend. After all, Thursday is Friday Jr., and Friday is basically the weekend, so here we are. Weekend Jr. Are we on the same page? Good. Let’s do this.

Book Deals and Reveals

the dark we know book cover

Reactor has shared the cover of Wen-yi Lee’s lyrical YA horror debut, The Dark We Know. It’s out from Gillian Flynn Books on August 13.

And Nerd Daily has revealed the cover and an excerpt for Libby Cudmore’s Negative Girl. This neo-noir thriller is out on September 10 from Datura Books.

Kelsey Horton at Delacorte has acquired the rights to the latest from Clay McLeod Chapman. In Shiny Happy People, a teen girl notices people around her becoming unnervingly upbeat after a new drug comes to town. It’s out in fall 2025.

Eight writers are the recipients of this year’s Windham-Campbell prizes, worth $175,000. The prizes are awarded across fiction, nonfiction, drama and poetry. Recipients include Deirdre Madden, Kathryn Scanlan, and Hanif Abdurraqib.

Jenna Bush Hager’s Read With Jenna book club pick for April is The Husbands by Holly Gramazio. Jenna told TODAY that the book is  “equal parts humor and love story.”

Joan Baez has announced her first-ever poetry book, When You See My Mother, Ask Her to Dance. It’s out on April 30.

Austin Butler is set to star in the upcoming adaptation of Caught Stealing, based on the book by Charlie Huston. Darren Aronofsky is attached to direct.

But there’s more Austin Butler news! The Elvis star will also play the role of a crime boss in the adaptation of Don Winslow’s novel City on Fire. Butler will also produce alongside David Heyman and Shane Salerno.

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!

Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help with handpicked recommendations. Tell the Bibliologists at Tailored Book Recommendations about what you love and what you don’t. You can get your recommendations via email or receive hardcovers or paperbacks in the mail. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Plans start at just $18! Subscribe today.

Can’t Wait For This One!

one-star romance book cover

One-Star Romance by Laura Hankin (Berkley, June 18)

I recently mentioned one of Laura Hankin’s books on Read This Book. I’m a big fan. And now the author of Happy & You Know It, A Special Place for Women, and The Daydreams is back with another one this June, and yep, I can’t wait.

One-Star Romance is the story of Natalie and Rob, two people who have absolutely nothing in common. But when Rob is the best man and Natalie is the maid of honor at their friends’ wedding, they’re both prepared to set their differences aside. Until right before the wedding, Natalie discovers that Rob has posted a 1-star review of her latest book.

The moment the wedding ends, Natalie and Rob do their best to avoid each other, but life keeps throwing them back together. As their friends celebrate buying a house and having kids, Natalie and Rob are forced to to see each other again and again and again. If someone wrote a negative review about your book, would you be able to forgive them, move past it, and possibly see your perfect match hiding behind the surface of your worst critic? Well, Natalie just might.

Words of Literary Wisdom

“People don’t see things and hear things as objectively as they might think. The visual and auditory information that enters the mind is distorted by experiences, thoughts, circumstances, wild fancies, prejudices, preferences, knowledge, awareness, and countless other workings of the mind.”
— Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

sleeping orange kitty in bed

Yes, it’s time for another pic of Murray sleeping peacefully in the bed with a recovering Ben somewhere underneath him. It’s quite the theme we’ve had going on this spring. I hope you enjoy.

And that’s all for now, friends. Have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you Monday!

Emily

Categories
Book Radar

Harry Styles-Inspired Novel Gets A New Cover and More Book Radar!

Hi, Book Friends!

Happy Monday, and happy April! I’ve said this before, but I love when a month starts on a Monday. It definitely feels like a full fresh start. I know April 1st is technically a “holiday” or whatever, but I’m not into the whole April Fool’s Day thing, so I’m going to skip it and get straight into the book news. This will all be real! Truly!

Book Deals and Reveals

the idea of you book cover

The Idea of You — the Harry Styles-inspired fanfiction that’s been adapted into a film starring Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine — has gotten a fresh new movie tie-in cover. You can buy the new version of Robinne Lee’s novel at the end of this month. The film premieres on Prime Video on May 2.

I wish this was an April Fool’s joke, but Olivia Colman will not be returning for Heartstopper: Season 3. “I couldn’t do number three. I couldn’t fit it in. I feel awful about that,” Colman, who played Nick Nelson’s mother Sarah, told Forbes. “I feel like I was part of one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever been part of.”

Here’s the cover reveal of Westfallen by siblings Ann Brashares and Ben Brashares. This time-travel mystery-thriller is out on September 17.

And here’s the cover of the memoir Pretty, written by Black trans writer KB Brookins. It’s out on May 28.

Stephen Curry is about to star in the first volume of a new graphic novel series, entitled Sports Superheroes Volume #1: Stephen Curry. The series is being published by Penguin Workshop in partnership with Curry’s multimedia company, Unanimous Publishing. The first volume is out on August 13.

Goosebumps actor Miles McKenna is writing a children’s book. The book, titled I Am NOT A Vampire, features illustrations by Riley Samels and will be out on May 6, 2025.

Rebecca Yarros has announced that the third book in the Empyrean series will be released on January 21, 2025. While Yarros has not offered any information about the book just yet, she has announced the title: Onyx Storm.

Paul Yoon has won the 20th annual Story Prize for his latest short story collection, The Hive and the Honey.

The finalists across 26 categories for the 36th annual Lambda Literary Awards have been announced. The winners will be announced at Sony Hall in New York City on June 11, 2024.

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!

Want to make your book club the best club? Sign up for our In the Club newsletter. In the Club will deliver recommendations for the best books to discuss in your book clubs. From buzzy new releases to brilliant throwbacks, the books highlighted in this newsletter will drive your book club discussions. We’ll also share some book club-friendly recipes and interesting bookish updates from all over. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations, plus community features. In other words, we’ll keep you well-met, well-read, and well-fed. Sign up today!

Prepare Your Shelves!

nosy neighbors book cover

Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson (Berkley, April 2)

This one is out tomorrow, so prepare your shelves immediately! Nosy Neighbors is a cozy mystery, but it’s also a little genre-defying. This story is more about the characters than it is about the mystery. And you won’t mind at all, because these characters are so fun.

Twenty-five-year-old Kat Bennett and seventy-seven-year-old Dorothy Darling might seem like complete opposites just by outside appearances. But, both of them are residents of Shelley House, and both of them have somewhat of a reputation for being cold and cantankerous. What’s more, both of them are hiding secrets.

Kat and Dorothy are the kind of neighbors who do their best to avoid one another, but after they discover that Shelley House might be demolished, and when Joseph, Dorothy’s nemesis and Kat’s landlord, is injured, the two both suspect foul play. And so they band together to find out what happened to Joseph and how they can save their home.

What I’m Reading This Week

diavola book cover

Diavola by Jennifer Thorne

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

The Sun Sets in Singapore by Kehinde Fadipe

Immortal Pleasures by V. Castro

Monday Memes

How has reading helped your vocabulary, book friends? No, really, HOW? Be honest.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

Ben (my husband) is still mostly in bed recovering from surgery, but he’s got a sweet little cuddle buddy in Murray. Look at his tiny sweet face. He looks so happy.

And that’s all for today, friends. Happy April! See you Thursday.

Emily

Categories
Book Radar

Fallon Book Club is Back and More Book Radar!

Happy Thursday, Book Radarites!

Y’all, I gotta say. Honesty corner. As March rolls to an end, I feel like my reading time has been losing steam. January, I came in hot. February was okay. March? I don’t know. I guess with all the other things going on this month, reading took a back seat. I’m hoping to get back on track as we look forward to April. How has your reading been going this month? Let me know! And now, other book things.

Book Deals and Reveals

Cosmopolitan revealed the cover of Iman Hariri-Kia’s novel The Most Famous Girl in the World. It’s out on September 17, 2024.

Kerry Washington and Elisabeth Moss are set to star in Apple TV+’s limited series adaptation of the Araminta Hall novel Imperfect Women. The book will be adapted by Annie Weisman.

Fallon Book Club is back, this time with a March Madness-style bracket of some of Jimmy Fallon’s favorite books for spring 2024. Voting is open now. Everyone is allowed to vote up to 10 times.

Prime Video is adapting the YA novel The Davenports by Krystal Marquis into a series. A search is currently underway for a writer.

Here’s the cover reveal for Rosie Talbot’s first graphic novel, Phantom Hearts. This book, which is called “A thrilling graphic novel with a supernatural murder mystery twist,” will be out this September.

And here’s the cover of Hailey Piper’s gothic vampire novel All the Hearts You Eat, featuring art by Julia Lloyd. It’s out on October 15.

The Last Thing He Told Me, a series based on the novel by Laura Dave, is getting a second season at Apple TV+. The second season will be based on Dave’s forthcoming sequel novel.

First Lady Jill Biden has written a children’s book about the White House cat, entitled Willow the White House Cat. It’s out this June.

MacMillan Audio has announced that Cynthia Erivo will narrate the audiobook version of Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi. The book will be released 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!

Want to make your book club the best club? Sign up for our In the Club newsletter. In the Club will deliver recommendations for the best books to discuss in your book clubs. From buzzy new releases to brilliant throwbacks, the books highlighted in this newsletter will drive your book club discussions. We’ll also share some book club-friendly recipes and interesting bookish updates from all over. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations, plus community features. In other words, we’ll keep you well-met, well-read, and well-fed. Sign up today!

Can’t Wait for This One!

my fairy god somebody book cover

My Fairy God Somebody by Charlene Allen (HarperCollins, December 3)

Okay, friends, this book sounds soooo good, but unfortunately, we’re going to have to wait until December for this one. Then again, with the way time works these days, December will be here tomorrow. Either way, I can’t wait for this one, and I think you’ll be excited about it too.

Ever since Clae was a baby, it’s just been her and her mom living together in the coastal city of Gloucester, MA, which is, let’s face it, a fairly white community. Clae is one of the only Black girls at her school. Between how little she knows about her father and how much of an outsider she feels in Gloucester, Clae feels so separated from her family history and herself.

But then she gets accepted into a summer journalism program in New York City, where her parents used to live together before she was born. Clae sees this as an opportunity to learn more about where she came from, who her parents were, and also perhaps more about a mysterious person she refers to as her “fairy god somebody.” With her new city friends Nze and Joelle, Clae explores the city with wonder and hope for answers.

Words of Literary Wisdom

“We often mistake love for fireworks — for drama and dysfunction. But real love is very quiet, very still. It’s boring, if seen from the perspective of high drama. Love is deep and calm — and constant.”

— The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

Nose freckles are on full display in this picture, so I had to share them with the world. Enjoy Murray’s freckly nose! We love you, Murray.

And that’s a wrap on today’s Book Radar. I’m so glad you’re here, and can’t wait to see you again on Monday! Farewell!

Emily