Category: Book Radar

Dear Book Friends,

With every passing day, I feel more and more stressed out. Not just because personally, I’m going through a big move but also because… well… *gestures at the world* Look at this place. This year, as an American, 4th of July feels less celebratory for me than ever before as I keep finding less and less to love about this country. So while I’m moving, I’m thinking to myself can I really move far enough? Is there another planet I can move to and just start over? Is anyone else feeling this way? I hate to be negative and start our week on that kind of note, but hey, I’m just trying to be real with y’all. Yes, even though I’m moving north, I’m still going to say “y’all.” Anyway, you wanna hear about books?

Book Deals and Reveals

Nerd Daily’s got an exclusive cover reveal and excerpt from Maxym M. Martineau’s upcoming novel, Shadows of the Lost. This one comes out on June 6th 2023 from Sourcebooks Casablanca and will be available to pre-order soon.

Barnes & Noble is releasing a special exclusive edition of Aiden Thomas’ new novel The Sunbearer Trials. This version boasts an exclusive cover and one chapter hand-annotated by the author.

Here’s the cover reveal of the US edition of Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung, translated by Anton Hur.

And Reese’s Book Club has the exclusive cover reveal of Lauren Blackwood’s next novel, Wildblood.

Kate Winslet will be starring in and executive producing Trust, a limited series based on Hernan Diaz’s best-selling novel, which was published in May from Riverhead Books.

Pushcart Prize–winning author Sanam Mahloudji has sold the rights to her debut novel, The Persians, to Scribner. The book is scheduled for a spring 2024 release.

Nancy Drew spinoff Tom Swift has been canceled after one season.

Shadow and Act has an exclusive preview of Zawe Ashton and Freida Pinto in the upcoming film Mr. Malcolm’s List.

Paul Tremblay explains how cult band Hüsker Dü inspired his latest horror novel The Pallbearers Club.

Attorney Tim Anderson has filed a lawsuit against Oni Press, publisher of Gender Queer, as well as author Maia Kobabe.

Here are EW’s picks for the best books of the year (so far).

Annually, the The American Institute of Graphic Arts announces the 50 best book covers of the previous year. Here are the 2021 winners.

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!

Prepare Your Shelves!

What I’m Reading This Week

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Siren Queen by Nghi Vo

This is Not the Real World by Anna Carey

Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

Monday Memes

This is often me when I’m trying to tell you all about a book I loved. Why is it so much easier to write about stuff you hate? Is hate truly stronger than love?

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

We’re finishing off Monday strong with an action shot of the two brothers bathing one another. Or I guess Remy is doing most of the bathing in this case. But I think Murray is enjoying it? He seems very relaxed.

And that just about wraps up Book Radar for today. I hope you’re staying safe and you’re doing as well as you can be under our current circumstances. Remember to breathe.

💙 Emily

Hi everyone,

How has your week been? I missed y’all on Monday! Things have been hectic over here with moving and my cat still not feeling well and then there’s all of the stuff going on in the news. Everything just feels very overwhelming right now. But I’m trying to find moments to breath and I hope you are too. Right now, I’m rewatching Community, my comfort show. And of course, I’m reading. And now here’s Book Radar! Consider this part 2 of the mid-2022 wrap up. Enjoy.

Book Deals & Reveals

Here’s the cover reveal of Justine Pucella Winans’ Bianca Torre is Afraid of Everything, “a campy thriller about an anxious nonbinary lesbian birder who accidentally witnesses a murder most fowl.” This one’s out April 11th, 2023 from Clarion.

The anime adaptation of Junji Ito’s manga Uzumaki has been delayed once again, the creators announced.

Zoe Washington is back! Here’s the cover reveal for Janae Marks’ On Air with Zoe Washington, coming out on February 14th, 2023.

Next up, the cover reveal of the latest novel from LAMDA Award-winning author M-E Girard. Then Everything Happens at Once is releasing from HarperCollins on January 31st, 2023

Strand, the legendary New York City bookstore located near Union Square, has teamed up with Brooklyn Roasting Co. to add an in-shop coffeehouse.

Jason Schwartzman is the latest addition to the cast of Lionsgate’s Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Schwartzman is set to play Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman, the host of the 10th Hunger Games and ancestor to Caesar Flickerman.

Authors are protesting Amazon’s ebook return policy, claiming the system allows readers to “steal” from self-published authors.

Ahead of the release of The Rings of Power, Amazon’s TV series prequel to The Lord of the Rings, a new collection of Tolkien’s writings on Middle-earth’s Second Age will be released.

Angie Thomas’s sophomore novel, On The Come Up, is getting a film adaptation, and here’s the film’s first teaser trailer.

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!

Books You Might’ve Missed in 2022 So Far

I shared some of my favorite and most-anticipated books last week. Now this week, let’s take a look back at some of the smaller press books that came out in the first half of 2022 that might be under your radar:

Close-Up by Michelle Herman — If you love a story about complex family relationships and friendships with beautifully drawn characters, pick this one up.

Little Foxes Took Up Matches by Katya Kazbek — A stunning debut novel that reads like a modern folktale. A coming-of-age story told with empathy and humor and just a pinch of magic.

Constellations of Eve by Abbigail Nguyen Rosewood — This novel is one love story, told three different ways. With each life-altering event, this love story fractures and moves in different directions, and we follow each possible path.

When I Sing, Mountains Dance by Irene Solà — One of my personal favorite titles of the year and an unmissable novel in translation told through multiple perspectives. This one is just as much about the setting and the land as it is about the characters.

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.

As promised, I’m back with roundup #2 of “Mid Year Book Freakout Tag” videos! These includes some of my fave BookTubers. I hope you enjoy them!

• Bowties & Books
• Jan Agaton
• Katie Colson
• Books and Lala
• A Clockwork Reader

What I’m Watching This Weekend

In times of stress, I return to my forever favorite, Community. If you haven’t watched this gem yet, it’s on Netflix and Hulu. If you have watched it, watch it again with me! It’s the funniest show ever, and it have some of my favorite people in it, including Alison Brie and Donald Glover.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

Well here’s a new one: a cat picture within a cat picture. Here’s Remy and Murray chilling in a cat tree. And above them? That’s a painting I painted of my sweet kitty Josie Monkey Puddingston, who was my cat and best buddy for thirteen wonderful years. Now he watches over the kitty community with wisdom and dignity.

I know. I’m a super talented painter. You don’t have to tell me. I went into the wrong business. I should have become a cat portrait artist.

And on that (sarcastic) note, I will bid you goodbye! I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

💙 Emily

Hello, kittens!

It’s me, Liberty! I am stepping in for Emily today and am very excited about it. I can’t believe it has been almost a year since I passed the Book Radar torch to her. Mostly because I still panic that I am forgetting something on the days that I used to write the newsletter, lol. I wonder if it will ever go away. But now here I am, getting ready to rock your Monday with a bunch of bookish goodness. Let’s get to it, shall we?

Book Deals & Reveals

Gabrielle Zevin’s fantastic new novel Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow hits shelves on July 5th. But you can play a computer game based on the poems of Emily Dickinson now, just like the one created by one of her characters in the novel!

I am so excited for this “off-kilter fairy tale set in a funeral parlor”: here’s the cover reveal for House of Cotton by Monica Brashears.

Al Pacino thinks Timothée Chalamet should star in the Heat prequel based on the new upcoming novel, Heat 2 by Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner.

Zoe Kazan, whose grandfather Elia Kazan directed a film version of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, will directed a limited series starring Florence Pugh.

Here’s the cover reveal for Mermaid and Pirate by Tracey Baptiste and Leisl Adams. (Related: have you read The Jumbies yet? That’s a great series!)

*Trumpet sound* Presenting the the 2022 Boston Globe–Horn Book Award winners.

Here’s the teaser trailer for the adaptation of My Policeman by Bethan Roberts, starring a new talent named Harry Styles. 😉

Newbery winner Linda Sue Park has launched an imprint with Clarion Books, part of HarperCollins Children’s Books.

And just look at this cover reveal for Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything by Justine Pucella Winans!

Schitt’s Creek writer Monica Heisey has a debut novel coming in January 2023. It’s Really Good, Actually. No, really, that’s the title.

Blumhouse Television will adapt the new novella by Paula Hawkins. And they will also team up with Jamie Lee Curtis for an adaptation of Lizzie Johnson’s recent book Paradise: One Town’s Struggle To Survive an American Wildfire.

Book Riot Recommends:

At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and learn about a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a few with you today that I am excited to read! GIMME GIMME GIMME.

The Curator by Owen King (March 7, 2023): This book has magic cats in it. That’s all I need to know.

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff (January 17, 2023): And all I need to know about this one is that Alexander Chee keeps raving about it!

I Keep My Exoskeletons To Myself by Marisa Crane (January 17, 2023): I know it’s only June of 2022, but I am already declaring this the best title of 2023.

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson (January 17, 2023): This one is being compared to Knives Out, which always makes me excited to read a book. I want a kooky family murder mystery!

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto (March 14, 2023): From the author of the Dial A for Aunties series comes a mystery about an elderly shopkeeper who decides to solve a murder.

What I’m reading this week.

Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid (From the author of Daisy Jones & the Six, Malibu Rising, etc.)

The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older (So excited for a new book from her!)

A Day of Fallen Night: A Roots of Chaos Novel by Samantha Shannon (A standalone prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree!)

My Darkest Prayer by S. A. Cosby (His first novel is being re-released in paperback!)

The Crane Husband Kelly Barnhill (This will be her THIRD release in a year when it comes out.)

Song stuck in my head:

“Sweet City Woman” by Stampeders. I had an Adam Sandler movie marathon several weeks ago while I was sick and this has been stuck in my head on and off since I watched Little Nicky. (I know, I know. But Rhys Ifans is so beautiful in that movie.)

And this is funny:

I love this Instagram account called Natural Habitat Shorts, in which they make funny little animated movies about animal facts. Related: Watch for 100 Animals That Can F*cking End You by Mamadou Ndiaye, coming July 5th. It’s full of wild facts.

And here’s a cat picture:

Look, it’s Farrokh! You probably see him every week in the New Books! newsletter, but here is some bonus content. We get these cardboard flats to carry groceries, and started playing a game to see how many we could stack up before he wouldn’t climb inside. Turns out, it’s never too many. In fact, the ones on the bottom have started to rip under the weight, lol.

That’s it for me today! It was fun sitting in for Emily today. It has been a while since I went hunting for book news. I will see you around the internet!

🥰 Liberty

Hello Book Pals!

I know we’re nearing the mid-point of the year, so consider today’s Book Radar newsletter are mid-2022 check-in. How are you doing? Have you done anything fun? Read anything good? Most importantly, have you survived? I would love to hear about it. Let me know! And until then, here’s a little look at what’s up in books.

Book Deals & Reveals

Let’s start with an adorable cover reveal. It’s Boba Time for Pearl Li! is Nicole Chen’s debut middle grade novel, and it’s coming out on February 28th, 2023.

And here’s the cover reveal for Kyla Zhao’s The Fraud Squad, a novel about a woman who schemes her way into Singapore high-society in order to get her dream job.

Here’s the cover reveal for Moses Ose Utomi’s YA fantasy novel Daughters of Oduma, featuring a song from the book’s album. This novel is out on February 7, 2023.

Léa Seydoux has been cast as Lady Margot in Warner Bros. and Legendary’s Dune: Part Two.

A new Marvel comic that reimagines Miles Morales as Thor is receiving a huge backlash for its stereotypical portrayal of a Black characters and a Black neighborhood.

Gill Hornby’s historical fiction novel Miss Austen is being adapted into a four-part miniseries on PBS Masterpiece.

Netflix has adapted How to Change Your Mind, Michael Pollan’s book about his experiences with psychedelic drug therapy, into a four-part documentary series.

The American Library Association has named George M. Johnson as the honorary chair of the upcoming Banned Books Week, which runs from September 18th to 24th.

This year’s winner of English PEN’s PEN Pinter Award is Malorie Blackman, best known for her YA series Noughts and Crosses.

A new report on the reading habits of Americans reveals that over 50% of adults have not finished a book in the last year.

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!

Favorite Books of 2022 (So Far)

So I’ve read a fair amount of books so far this year. Not as many as I was hoping I’d get to at this point in the year. But if you’ve been around for a while, then you know some personal life stuff has come up that got in the way. So it goes for everyone. Anyway, for the 2022 books I’ve read so far this year, here are my faves:

Sundial by Catriona Ward

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey

Wahala by Nikki May

Queerly Beloved by Susie Dumond

Cold by Mariko Tamaki

I’ve written about all five of these books at some point in the newsletter. But if you haven’t picked up these five books yet, these are the ones I’d recommend you read. What’s your favorite book of 2022 so far? Let me know!

Books I’m Most Looking Forward to in the 2nd Half of 2022

I’ve been really, really vocal about how excited I am for The Weight of Blood, the latest from Tiffany D. Jackson. But in case you missed it, this is hands down the book I’m most excited about reading in 2022, and it’s coming out in September from Harper Collins.

Also coming out in September is another YA horror novel I can’t wait to get my hands on. And that’s The Getaway by Lamar Giles.

Other books that are topping my most anticipated list for the remainder of 2022:

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher (July 12)

The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones (August 9)

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy (August 9)

The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings (August 9)

Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales (December 6)

Again, feel free to reach out and let me know what you’re most looking forward to in the second half of 2022!

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.

Speaking of middle-of-the-year wrap-ups, BookTube is full of them right now. A lot of BookTubers are doing the “Mid Year Book Freakout Tag.” Here are some of my faves:

• withcindy (always a favorite)
• Nakia’s Hideaway
• Myonna Reads
• Jordaline Reads

I’m sure that there will be even more released as the month goes on, and I’ll be sure to pop them in here next week. But these should keep you entertained for now.

And Here’s A Cat Picture

Since we’re looking back at 2022 so far while also looking forward to what 2022 will bring us in the second half of the year, I thought this picture was appropriate.

Here is Remy looking outside the window into the sun but also looking back at me to make sure I’m paying attention. It’s a metaphor. For 2022. Right?

Anyway, that is all I’ve got for you today! I hope you’re having a wonderful 2022 so far, and let’s finish this year out stronger than we started! Or, you know, just do you.

💙 Emily

Hello Book Friends!

How was your weekend? It’s still hot here, but at least we got to go to New Orleans over the weekend. So we were still hot, but we were somewhere fun. Look, in case I haven’t made it clear, I hate summer. That’s all there is to it. I know that’s a hot take (pun intended), but it is what it is. Anyhow, let’s talk books. Something we can all (mostly) agree on.

Book Deals and Reveals

Tordotcom has revealed the cover of The Mimicking of Known Successes, a gaslamp murder mystery and sapphic romance from Malka Older, out on March 7th.

Here’s the cover reveal of Spell Bound, the upcoming novel from F.T. Lukens, the New York Times bestselling author of In Deeper Waters and So This Is Ever After. Coming at you on April 4, 2023.

Nerd Daily’s got the cover reveal of The Sweet Spot by Amy Poeppel, which is releasing on February 14th, 2023.

Here’s the cover of MTV’s 16 and Pregnant YA novel, written by LaLa Thomas. MTV Books will publish the novel in January, and it’s available for preorder now.

LGBTQ sales have increased over the past few years and show no sign of slowing down, with Adam Silvera’s They Both Die at the End leading the charge.

Pretty Little Liars is back, in the form of Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, a new series set to premiere on HBO Max on July 28th. And HBO Max has dropped the first teaser trailer.

Just a few weeks following his tea with the Queen of England, it has been announced that Paddington Bear is set to star in Paddington in Peru, the third installment in his hit franchise.

Lady Gaga is in talks to play Harley Quinn opposite Joaquin Phoenix in the upcoming follow-up to 2019’s Joker. The sequel film is also set to be a musical, with a working title of Joker: Folie à Deux.

As mentioned last week, James Patterson said in an interview that white men authors face “another form of racism” and that it is difficult for them to get writing jobs. Here’s what authors have been saying about Patterson’s comments.

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!

Prepare Your Shelves!

What I’m Reading This Week

All the Bad Apples by Moira Fowley-Doyle

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Siren Queen by Nghi Vo

The Perfume Thief by Timothy Schaffert

This is Not the Real World by Anna Carey

Good Rich People by Eliza Jane Brazier

Monday Memes

Here’s a nice collection of book-related tweets that are extremely relatable. Tag yourself. I’m the person who panics whenever someone asks me what my favorite book is.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

The cat tree is a very popular destination for these cats, especially my orange boy Murray. Here’s one where he looks especially relaxed but also still like a weirdo.

And with that, we’ve reached the end of Book Radar for Monday! I hope you’ve had a good time. I certainly have. Now off to do more Monday things.

💙 Emily

Dearest Book Friends,

I hope you’ve been having a great week! It’s been in the high 90s all week down here in Mississippi and also we’re getting lots and lots of rain. Summer in the south is really something, and I’m not going to miss it at all after we move. Speaking of, we’re getting closer and closer to our moving day! And we’re getting excited. The cats have no idea what they’re in for, but we’ll worry about that on another day. For now, let’s talk books

Book Deals and Reveals

LGBTQ Reads has an exclusive cover reveal of Anna-Marie McLemore’s latest novel Self-Made Boys. The book is a trans reimagining of The Great Gatsby, publishing on September 6, 2022 as part of Feiwel & Friends’s Remixed Classics series.

Jess Sutanto has announced her next book: Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. The novel is scheduled for a March 2023 release.

Here’s the new trailer for the Netflix adaptation of Persuasion, which premieres on the streaming platform on July 15th.

Reese Witherspoon announced the release of her new children’s book Busy Betty, which will hit shelves this fall.

Spiegel & Grau has acquired North American rights to A Heart That Works, a memoir by actor Rob Delaney. The book will be published in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook, read by the author, on November 29.

Alexis Hall’s novel Glitterland is getting a brand new cover. This new edition of the novel is available for preorder and will be released January 2023.

And here’s the cover reveal of Sarah Underwood’s sapphic reimagining of The Odyssey, entitled Lies We Sing to the Sea. This one’s out from Harper Teen in March 2023.

Fellow D&D fans, there’s finally a romance novel for us! Elise Bryant’s upcoming YA rom com follows the story of a D&D Dungeon Master and the lead singer of a punk band as they fall in love through chance meetings on holidays over the course of one year. Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling comes out on January 31, 2023.

Michael Gray Bulla’s debut YA novel If I Can Give You That is coming out in February 2023, and here’s the cover reveal!

Penguin Random House’s Dial Press imprint has acquired world rights to a currently untitled memoir by Chelsea Handler. The published described the book as “a hilarious and romantic account of Chelsea’s path from worshipping at the altar of autonomy and self-reliance to falling in love and becoming a tender, open-hearted, committed-at-all-costs girlfriend.”

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!

Can’t Wait for This One!

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

Words of Literary Wisdom

“The thing about losing someone is that it doesn’t happen just once. It happens every time you do something great you wish they could see, every time you’re stuck and you need advice. Every time you fail. It erodes your sense of normal, and what grows back is decidedly not normal, and yet you still have to figure out how to trudge forward.”

— The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

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.

Of course, you know I had to acknowledge the Internet backlash against James Patterson and his comments about how hard it is to be a white person.

If you’ve somehow missed this, here’s a rundown of what James Patterson said last weekend. Of course, there was an immediate response from the book community on Twitter. Needless to say, Patterson’s comments did not go over well. And yes, the author has since apologized for the remarks, but I’m not sure you can put that racist genie back in the bottle, Jimmy. My heart does go out to the struggle that millionaire white men go through every day.

What I’m Watching This Weekend

Well, I haven’t yet watched the new season of Stranger Things. Why? Because Ben and I are rewatching the first three seasons before we dive into Season 4. So no spoilers! I’ve been trying to avoid all Stranger Things talk. After all, we’re still on our Season 1 rewatch right now, so give us time!

JUSTICE FOR BARB!

And Here’s A Cat Picture

So since I’ve been told by multiple people that this photo should be Murray and Remy’s album cover, I have to ask. What’s the name of their band? What kind of music is it? And what’s the name of this album? Let me know.

If you’re wondering about my sweet little Cersei, she’s still on the mend. Her ankle is doing better, but the medicine is making her feel sick, so she’s not really wanting to eat now. Anyway, hopefully I’ll have better news to report next time.

For now, I hope you have a great weekend, and I’ll talk to you next week!

💙 Emily

Dear Book Friends,

How is your Monday going? It’s been kind of hectic here (more on that later), and we’re counting down the days to our big move. So if you’ve got any recommendations for books and movies set in Seattle (besides Fifty Shades of Grey) to get me more excited about this move, let me know. In the meantime, I’ve got book stuff to share with you.

Book Deals and Reveals

Here’s the cover reveal of Mae Coyiuto’s upcoming YA rom com novel Chloe and the Kaishao Boys. This book follows the story of a Chinese-Filipino girl whose dad sets her up on arranged dates to convince her to stay home for college. It’s out from Penguin Teen on March 7, 2023.

Here’s another upcoming rom com cover reveal: In Priyanka Taslim’s The Love Match, a Bangladeshi-American teen fake-dates the match arranged for her while crushing on another boy. And then she ends up falling for both guys. Out January 3, 2023.

And LGBTQ Reads has an exclusive cover reveal for Gwendolyn Clare’s speculative YA novel In the City of Time, out from Feiwel & Friends on November 29th.

And here’s another YA cover reveal! Check out the cover of You Wouldn’t Dare by Samantha Markum, out from Wednesday Books on March 28, 2023.

Tordotcom Publishing has released the cover of The Keeper’s Six by Kate Elliott. The publisher describes the book as follows: “A world-hopping, bad-ass, spell-slinging mother sets out to rescue her kidnapped son from a dragon lord with everything to lose.”

Amazon Studios and Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment have announced that they are developing a limited series based on The Deviant’s War: The Homosexual vs. The United States of America.

Entertainment Weekly has the exclusive reveal of the cover for the next Heartstopper comic: The Heartstopper Yearbook, coming this fall.

Audiobook sales are up for the tenth straight year. Here are the results from a few studies detailing audiobook listener habits.

Warner Bros. dropped the first trailer for their upcoming DC Comics film Black Adam, starring Dwayne Johnson as the titular character.

A candidate for Massachusetts’s Secretary of State is traveling to public libraries to secretly video their Pride displays.

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!

Prepare Your Shelves!

What I’m Reading This Week

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Siren Queen by Nghi Vo

The Perfume Thief by Timothy Schaffert

This is Not the Real World by Anna Carey

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

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

Monday Memes

Okay here’s that Kate Middleton meme everyone is loving right now… but make it bookish.

Other Things That Make Me Happy

Y’all know I’m just watching Love Island every day now, so that’s what’s making me happy. Watching Love Island. Texting my friends about Love Island. Saying Love Island things like “I’ve got a text!” and “I’m loyal, babe,” and “You’re 100% my type on paper.”

If you don’t watch Love Island, like… what even do you do in the summer?

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

Friends and fellow cat lovers, I need everyone to send my sweet Cersei their well wishes right now. My poor angel girl hurt her ankle, and she’s going to be recovering for the next couple of weeks.

I really hate when cats are in pain, because there’s really no way to tell them why this is happening to them. I wish I could assure her we’re doing everything we can to make her feel better as soon as possible! We love her so much.

So anyway, keep my sweet girl in your thoughts this week. Hopefully she’ll be feeling back to new soon enough.

Other than that, thanks so much for reading. And I hope you have a wonderful week.

💙 Emily

Dear Book Friends,

How’s it going? Me, I’ve just been doing the usual. Chilling with my cats. Reading books. Writing things. Nothing new to report here. But I do have a bunch of fun book news to share with you, so let’s just get down to business. Oh, and hey, happy Thursday.

Book Deals and Reveals

Oprah Winfrey has chosen 19-year-old Leila Mottley’s debut novel Nightcrawling for her next book club pick. Mottley is the youngest author to ever be selected for Oprah’s Book Club, which was founded in 1996.

Holly Black has announced a new Elfhame duology series starring Oak. Here’s the cover reveal of the first book in the duology, The Stolen Heir. This book will be available on January 3rd, 2023.

And here’s the cover reveal for Palo Alto: A History of California Capitalism and the World, from Malcolm Harris, the author of Kids These Days. This one’s out from Little, Brown, and Co. in February 2023.

For fans of second chance romances, here’s the cover reveal of For Twice in My Life by Annette Christie. This book follows the story of a woman who gets a second chance at love when an accident causes her boyfriend to forget their recent break-up. This one’s also coming at you in February 2023, also from Little, Brown, and Co.

Sotheby’s is auctioning a fireproof version of The Handmaid’s Tale. Proceeds will help PEN America’s efforts to fight book banning.

Netflix has finally set a premiere date for the highly-anticipated series adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman. You can catch the premiere on August 5th, and get more details about the series (and see the trailer) here.

Hulu’s half-hour comedy series adaptation of Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed has cast Kathryn Hahn to star.

Looking for great listens for your summer adventures? Here are 10 of the most popular preordered books over at Libro.fm.

Approximately 30 Amazon employees disrupted the company’s annual raising of the pride flag event at the Amazon headquarters in Seattle in protest of the company’s continued sale of anti-trans books. 

Do you enjoy Book Riot’s Read Harder Challenge? Well, here’s the Pride edition of the challenge.

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!

Can’t Wait for This One

Words of Literary Wisdom

“We believe the one who has power. He is the one who gets to write the story. So when you study history, you must ask yourself, Whose story am I missing? Whose voice was suppressed so that this voice could come forth? Once you have figured that out, you must find that story too. From there you get a clearer, yet still imperfect, picture.”

— Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

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.

We’re not quite halfway through the year just yet, but a lot of places are coming out with their Best Books of the Year (so far) lists already. Curious to see what books are making it onto these lists? Ranging from middle grade fantasy to adult literary fiction and romance, here are Barnes & Noble’s top 10 books of 2022 so far. And here’s Time’s list. Book Riot’s very own list is coming up soon, so keep your eyes peeled.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

Little Remy is making himself at home.

This was Phantom’s favorite sleeping space, in this little bread basket bed in the sunlight. Now Remy has adopted it. Of course Remy isn’t replacing Phantom at all. He has his own special place in our hearts. But it’s nice to see him carrying on some of the things that Phantom loved most. It makes my heart happy.

And that’s all I have for you today, friends. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

💙 Emily

Hello, book friends!

It’s been a hectic week already and it’s only Monday. Don’t you just love weeks like that? But… I get the feeling that my reading life is sort of leveling out and getting back to normal. I don’t want to jinx it, but I might be in whatever the opposite of a reading slump is. A reading…rise? Anyway, I hope you had a wonderful weekend and that your Monday is going well. Here’s all the book stuff I have for you today.

Book Deals and Reveals

Tor Nightfire has released the cover of The Spite House, the upcoming Southern Gothic horror novel that’s being described as The Babadook meets Head Full of Ghosts. If that sounds exciting to you (it does to me), you can preorder this book now. It will be out in February 2023.

Here’s the cover reveal for An American Story by Kwame Alexander, which will be out in January 2023. 

Star Wars fans, here’s the cover reveal for the upcoming novel Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis. The novel is set after the events of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. This one is out August 16th.

Several first editions annotated by authors are up for auction to raise funds for English PEN, a human rights organization that champions freedom of expression and defends writers at risk of persecution.

Libro.fm is giving away free audiobooks each Friday, from June 1st through August 31st as part of their “Summer Fridays” giveaway series.

Author Lisa Taddeo has shared a first look at Showtime’s television adaptation of Three Women, based on her bestselling nonfiction book.

The Red, White, & Royal Blue movie has cast its Alex and Prince Henry.

Emerging #LGBTQIA+ writers, SinC is now taking submissions for the annual Pride award, a $2000 grant.

Mindy Kaling has partnered with Amazon Studios to launch her own “story studio,” and here are the first books she’s selected for partnership.

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!

Prepare Your Shelves!

What I’m Reading This Week

Siren Queen by Nghi Vo

Book of Night by Holly Black

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

Darling Girl by Liz Michalski

The Perfume Thief by Timothy Schaffert

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Monday Memes

Shameless plug alert: if you haven’t checked out my “Which American Girl Are You?” quiz yet, go do it and let me know who you get.

Why am I telling you this? Because I do really love American Girl dolls. I grew up with the dolls and reading their books. And so I’ve been loving these American Girl Outfit Report Cards on hellicity_merriman‘s Instagram. Check out this one for Molly. Here’s Samantha‘s. And here’s my favorite American Girl doll, Felicity.

Other Things That Make Me Happy

Seriously, I feel like all I’ve been doing is reading this week, so the main thing that’s been making me happy is books. But okay, here’s a random recommendation. If you’re looking for a vegan protein bar, I’ve been loving the No Cow chocolate sprinkled donut bars. You’re welcome.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

Look at these two good brothers! Becoming friends! Remy has no fear and is ready to be friends with all of the cats. As you can see, Murray is a little more cautious. As for Cersei? Yeah she’s not interested. Like. At all.

But anyway. To cat friendship!

And on that note, I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day, and I’ll catch you back here on Thursday. Bye, friends!

💙 Emily

Hi everyone!

For those of you in the US, I hope you had a wonderful holiday break. And for those who aren’t in the US, I’m sorry I missed you all on Monday. If it makes you feel any better, I was just at home working on things. I didn’t even get to read that much! But I did collect some book news to share with you…

Book Deals and Reveals

Greta Thunberg has tweeted the cover of her upcoming book The Climate Book. “The Warming Stripes graphic by @ed_hawkins on the cover shows the dramatic heating of the planet in recent decades,” Thunberg wrote. “The book contains essays from over 100 leading experts and voices.” This one’s out in October.

Diverse Books has an excerpt and cover reveal of the upcoming YA novel There Goes the Neighborhood by Jade Adia. The book will be released on March 7, 2023 by Disney-Hyperion.

In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly, writer Si Spurrier teases what’s coming for David Haller in the new series Legion of X.

Rachel Zegler of West Side Story has been cast as the female lead Lucy Gray Baird in Lionsgate’s adaptation of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

U.K. broadcaster ITV is adapting Hideo Yokoyama’s Six Four into a four-part crime thriller, and Grey’s Anatomy star Kevin McKidd is set to star alongside Boiling Point’s Vinette Robinson. 

Turkey is currently experiencing an economic crisis and rampant inflation, which is causing publishing houses to struggle to release new books as books become costlier to produce.

Harper will be publishing a nonfiction book by Quentin Tarantino on October 25th. The book is entitled Cinema Speculation.

Oprah Daily has another exclusive cover reveal! This time, they’re revealing the cover for Nam-Joo’s dystopian novel Saha.

Mariner Books has won North American rights to Emily Layden’s Once More from the Top. The novel, which is being pitched as “Gillian Flynn meets Daisy Jones and the Six, is scheduled for a 2024 release.

Leslie Mann and Tim Robbins have left the Amazon adaptation of The Power. Both roles will be recast.

R.L. Stine is releasing new horror stories for kids and teens this summer.

Akwaeke Emezi has announced that they are taking a break from writing, “to execute other worlds outside of books, and although I’ll return to books, I’ll be a different beast when I do.”

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

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!

Can’t Wait for This One

Words of Literary Wisdom

“History, memory is by definition fiction. Once an event is no longer present, but remembered, it is narrative. And we can choose the narratives we tell—about our own lives, our own stories, our own relationships. We can choose the chapters we give meaning.”

— One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

What I’m Watching This Weekend

It’s been a while since I chatted with you all about what I’ve been watching, mostly because I’ve been so busy settling in with the new cat and getting ready for a big cross-country move. But I am watching some things this weekend. As an avid Ewan McGregor fan (my favorite movie of all time is Moulin Rouge), I’m so excited that the Obi Wan Kenobi show has finally dropped on Disney+, so I plan to catch up on that this weekend.

I’ve avoided spoilers up until this point, so I’m excited to dive in with zero expectations (aside from, you know, continuing to love everything Ewan McGregor does).

Are you watching? Would love to hear your thoughts… after the weekend. Give me time to catch up.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

Remy is really making himself right at home!

I have to share with everyone that tonight, Murray lovingly bathed Remy for the first time. I tried to be cool about it because I didn’t want the cats to think it was that big of a deal, but inside I was throwing a huge party. I really, really want these cats to become buds.

Anyway, that’s all for now! I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll catch you back here on Monday, I hope.

💙 Emily