Category: Book Radar

MURDERBOT Series Starring Alexander Skarsgård Coming to Apple TV+ and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date December 15, 2023

Sponsored by

Happy Monday, Book Friends!

We’re nearing the end of the year, and I’m so ready to sit back for a few days, wrap up some reading, watch more bad Christmas movies, and live my best December life. What are you up to for the holidays? Are you reading 5,000 Christmas rom-com books like I am? Let me know!

Book Deals and Reveals

Crime Reads has shared the cover and an excerpt from Elise Bryant’s It’s Elementary. It’s out from Berkley in August 2024.

And here’s the cover of Sarah Pearse’s The Wilds. It’s out on July 16, 2024.

Nicola Yoon’s first adult novel, One of Our Kind, is coming out on June 11, 2024. Check out the cover here.

Alexander Skarsgård will star in the upcoming 10-episode series adaptation of Martha Wells’ The Murderbot Diaries. Murderbot will be available to stream on Apple TV+.

Paddington is set to get a musical theater adaptation! The newly announced show — which has the working title Paddington: The Musical — will open in the UK in 2025.

Here’s Autostraddle’s list of the best queer books of 2023, including everything from horror to nonfiction, graphic novels to poetry.

These are the 2024 YA book-to-film adaptations you’ll want on your to-be-seen list, as well as some possible upcoming adaptations.

Here are the highest-rated celebrity memoirs of the last few years.

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!

Are you looking for the perfect gift for that bookish special someone in your life this holiday season? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help! Here at TBR, we pair our customers with a professional book nerd (aka bibliologist) who just gets them. They fill out a survey and then sit back and relax as we pick books just for them. We’ve got three levels — recs-only, paperback, and hardcover — and you can gift a full year or one time, so there are options for every budget! Get all the details at mybtro.com/gift.

Prepare Your Shelves!

Family Family by Laurie Frankel (Henry Holt and Co., January 23)

It’s time to get excited and prepare your shelves for January 2024 releases. Remember when January 2024 seemed super far away? Well. Here we are. And this is one of the January books you’re going to want to read, especially if you love literary fiction and family dramas.

India Allwood’s dreams are coming true. Sort of. She’s always wanted to be an actress, and now she’s starring in a prestige feature film about adoption. But India hates that the film’s story is the same old adoption tragedy story. Not every story of adoption is a sad story. What about all of the happy adoption stories? Why are those never told?

As someone who is an adoptive mom in real life, she wants the world to know the truth about adoption. And so when she’s asked by a journalist, she tells the truth about the movie. She thinks it’s bad. Almost as soon as the words are out of her mouth, India finds herself under fire in the media. With people coming at her from every direction, India knows it’s time to turn to her family for help.

What I’m Reading This Week

cover of Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaludding and Marissa Stapley

Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward

This Spells Love by Kate Robb

A Winter in New York by Josie Silver

Lone Women by Victor LaValle

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

Bookish Memes

Okay, this week, we’re going with memes from The Office, which never go out of style!

And Here’s a Cat Picture!

Remy and Murray, a tuxedo cat and an orange cat, cuddled up so close on my reading chair.

Here’s one of my favorite cat pictures of the past year. Just look at Remy and Murray cuddled up so close on my reading chair. They’re the best!

That’s Monday’s Book Radar, friends! I hope you have a great week.

Emily

Book Radar

Bikini Kill’s Kathleen Hanna Announces REBEL GIRL Book Tour and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date December 13, 2023

Sponsored by

Hi Book Pals!

It’s a big week here in our household because it was my husband’s birthday yesterday. And we celebrated by going to not one but two bookstores. Oh, and maybe even more importantly, it was our cat Murray’s birthday the day before. My little orange angel is four years old! So happy birthday week to two of the most special people in the whole world. And on with the books!

Book Deals and Reveals

Let’s start with a gorgeous cover reveal! Check out the cover of A Love Like The Sun by Riss M. Neilson. It’s out from Berkley on June 11.

Literary Hub has singled out the 139 best book covers of 2023.

And here are the 12 book covers The New York Times calls the “edgiest, catchiest, most creative book jackets of the year.”

Bikini Kill’s Kathleen Hanna has announced a U.S. book tour in support of her new memoir Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk. The book will be out on May 14, and a portion of all ticket sales from the tour will be donated to the nonprofit Peace Sisters.

Jeffery Deaver has a new series coming out with Thomas & Mercer. The first book in the series, Fatal Intrusion, will be out in fall 2024.

Olivia Dade’s paranormal romantic comedy ZomRomCom is being called The Last of Us meets My Roommate Is a Vampire. And it’s out from Berkley in summer 2025!

Speaking of romance, Judith Rosen’s Bookstore Romance is coming out from Brandeis University Press in early 2025. The author calls the book “a celebration of love—and of bricks-and-mortar bookstores—told through the stories (in words and pictures) of couples who chose to get engaged, and sometimes married, in bookstores.”

Dictionary.com’s choice of Word of the Year nods to the prominence of AI in 2023 — and where it falls short.

Get your TBR ready and feast your eyes on all these fabulous new book releases coming in 2024.

Book Riot Recommends

Can’t Wait for This One!

I Was A Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones (S&S/Saga Press, July 16)

Y’all know the drill with Stephen Graham Jones by now. He’s always releasing multiple works per year, and I’m always going to send all of them straight to the top of my TBR list. I don’t know how this author does it, but he writes fast and he writes exceptionally well. And there’s nothing quite like a Stephen Graham Jones horror novel. If you’ve read his books, you know what I mean.

Yes, the third and final novel in Stephen Graham Jone’s Indian Lake Trilogy, The Angel of Indian Lake, is coming out in March. But only three months later, we’re getting a fresh new standalone in I Was A Teenage Slasher. Lamesa, Texas is a small town in west Texas where everyone knows everyone else’s business. And in 1989 in Lamesa, a young teenager named Tolly Driver will be cursed to kill others for revenge.

This story is told from the close perspective of a killer, as Tolly Driver writes his autobiography. Stephen Graham Jones is a master of character studies, and I’m so excited to meet his newest protagonist.

Words of Literary Wisdom

“Florida’s soil is soaked with so much blood, it’s a wonder the droplets don’t seep between your toes with every step, Mama used to say.”
— The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

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.

If you’ve been following recent book news, then you know what story we have to talk about this week, friends. First-time author Cait Corrain has lost her book deal after posting fake negative reviews on other authors’ books on Goodreads. Corrain’s book agent, Rebecca Podos, also said she has cut ties with Corrain. The author has issued an apology on X Twitter. You can read more about the story here. Or if you’re more of a BookTube person, here’s a quick explanation.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

We’ve got to end today’s newsletter by wishing Murray a HAPPY BIRTHDAY one more time! Happy birthday, sweet orange angel! Here’s to being four and more wonderful than ever! And many more years to come!

Okay, friends, that’s where we wrap up this newsletter today. I’ll see you on Monday. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Emily

Book Radar

Here are the Winners of the Goodreads Choice Awards and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date December 8, 2023

Sponsored by

Hi Book Friends!

Happy Monday. It’s a new week full of possibilities, and it’s Hanukkah, so Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate! This week is also my husband’s birthday, which he doesn’t care about, but it’s a holiday to me. So happy birthday, Ben! And happy birthday to all the Sags out there. Okay, enough celebrating. Let’s talk books.

Book Deals and Reveals

Goodreads has announced its winners of the annual Goodreads Choice Awards. Winners include Yellowface by R.F. Kuang for Best Fiction and The Woman in Me by Britney Spears for Best Memoir.

Them shared their 23 favorite LGBTQ+ books of 2023, including The Risk It Takes to Bloom by Raquel Willis and Falling Back in Love With Being Human by Kai Cheng Thom.

Tor.com has shared the cover of New Adventure in Space Opera, a short fiction anthology edited by Jonathan Strahan. It’s out on August 13, 2024, from Tachyon Publications.

And here’s the cover reveal of Cally Fiedorek’s Atta Boy. It will be published by University of Iowa Press on April 2, 2024.

Hunger Games actor Tom Blyth is set to star in the upcoming film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms. The movie is directed and written by Michael Winterbottom and will star Blyth as protagonist Frederic Henry.

Here’s the trailer for the upcoming Netflix series adaptation of Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben. The series stars Michelle Keegan, Adeel Akhtar, Richard Armitage, Joanna Lumley, Emmett J. Scanlan, and Dino Fetscher. It’s set to premiere on the first of January.

Brigid Kemmerer’s debut adult trilogy has been acquired by Avon at auction. Avon says the “romantasy-centered” series will feature “a princess with a secret” along with a “darkly handsome warrior king” and an “assassin” tasked with killing them both — even though he’s the princess’s childhood friend and first love. The first book in the trilogy is set for a summer 2025 release.

Here are the books being read by all of the book clubs this month, as well as how to take part in the discussion.

And here are Libro.fm’s most popular audiobooks of 2023, including celebrity memoirs, romantasy, a literary thriller, and more.

Book Riot Recommends

The holidays have arrived, and so has our new paperback level at TBR! If you (or a reader you know) are just over-carrying around bulky hardcovers or are looking for a more budget-friendly option, we’ve got you. Check out all the offerings at mybtro.com/gift, and give personalized reading recommendations customized for any and every reader.

Prepare Your Shelves!

Lucero by Maya Motayne (Balzer + Bray, December 26)

I feel like I got an ARC of this book foreeeever ago, and it’s finally coming out at the end of this month. I’m so excited for you all to finally get to read the last book in Maya Motayne’s Nocturna/Forgery of Magic trilogy. So get ready, and prepare yourselves, because it’s coming!

Lucero picks up after Sombra’s return. Castallan and Englass are on the brink of war, and Finn and Alfie must work together to restore balance in magic and save the world. But with Sombra’s shadows lurking around every corner and their own magic becoming more and more unpredictable, this will be no easy feat.

I’m keeping this summary simple because if you haven’t read the first two books in this series, you have exactly two weeks to do so before this one comes out. Enjoy!

What I’m Reading This Week

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward

Making it So by Patrick Stewart

This Spells Love by Kate Robb

A Winter in New York by Josie Silver

Lone Women by Victor LaValle

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

Bookish Memes

This is one of my new favorite bookish meme accounts, not gonna lie. So you might see a lot of posts from this one in the near future. Anyway, here are some Saltburn bookish memes.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

Remy has gotten into the habit of sitting in my lap in the mornings while I work on these newsletters. So anyway, he says hi. This is him sitting here right now. So cute! What a good helper!

Alright, friends. I hope you have a wonderful week, and I’ll see you next time!

Emily

Book Radar

THE GUARDIAN Names the Best Crime and Thrillers of 2023 and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date December 6, 2023

Sponsored by

Hi Book Friends!

How has the first week of December been going for you? I’m trying to get all of my last-minute 2023 reads in before my end-of-the-year wrap-up. Stay tuned for that. In the meantime, let’s look at what’s going on and coming up in the book world!

Book Deals and Reveals

New Ruth Ware alert! Here’s the cover of Ruth Ware’s upcoming novel, One Perfect Couple. This one’s giving serious Agatha Christie And Then There Were None vibes. It’s out on May 21, 2024.

Here’s the cover of Rebecca Fraimow’s Lady Eve’s Last Con. This sapphic sci-fi rom-com releases on June 4, 2024.

Electric Literature has the exclusive cover reveal of Catalina by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio. It’s out from One World on June 18, 2024.

Get a sneak peek of Ashley Poston’s A Novel Love Story over at Cosmopolitan. Read an excerpt now, and get ready for the release on June 25, 2024.

Horror fans, check out the cover of Heidi Honeycutt’s I Spit On Your Celluloid, “a first-of-its-kind celebration” of women’s contributions to horror films. The book includes a foreword by Pet Sematary and Urban Legends: Bloody Mary director Mary Lambert. It’s out in August.

The Guardian has named its picks for the best crime and thriller novels of 2023!

The Atlantic has also chosen its best books of 2023! They also featured their list in the One Story to Read Today newsletter. Sign up for it here.

Goodreads Staff, from the CEO to their Visual Editor, weighed in on their favorite reads from 2023. It’s a diverse, fun list.

And here’s the list of The New Yorker‘s Best Books of 2023, including nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. It highlights buzzy and lesser-known books alike.

Every year, Oxford University Press names their word of the year that represents the mood and ethos of our current time. Here is 2023’s.

The Los Angeles Times is using December to look back at the best and biggest cultural moments of 2023, including their top reads of the year.

Here’s another best-of list. This one’s from Esquire, which includes both familiar and unique picks.

Book Riot Recommends

It’s happening, readers — we’re bringing paperbacks! Whether you (or a reader you know and love) hate carrying around bulky hardcovers, you’re on a budget, you want a wider range of recommendations or all of the above, you can now get a paperback subscription from TBR, curated just for you by one of our Bibliologists. The holidays are here, and we’ve got three different levels for gifting (to yourself or others) to suit every budget. Get all the details at mytbr.co.

Can’t Wait for This One!

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay (William Morrow, June 25)

When Paul Tremblay’s coming out with a new novel, you’d better believe it’s going to the top of my TBR list, and this one is ESPECIALLY exciting for me because I’m a horror movie girlie. And look at this cover! Ominous! Exciting! Intriguing? What’s this one about, you ask? Well, lemme tell you.

Back in 1993, a group of young filmmakers spent four weeks making an art-house horror film that would become a cult classic…even though only a few scenes from the film were ever released to the public. And yet, somehow, the movie became a fascination for film fans everywhere. And now, three decades later, there are talks of creating a major Hollywood reboot.

Only one member of the film’s original cast is still alive. The man who starred in the film as “The Thin Kid” has vivid memories of just how strange the filming process was. And just how dangerous. As he attempts to help the big-budget remake get underway, memories of the original filming and all of its mysteries and secrets come flooding back. And the past and the present begin to blur.

Words of Literary Wisdom

“Life is just so damn complicated, isn’t it? A series of random coincidences and chance meetings that add up to a lifetime.”

— A Winter in New York by Josie Silver

What’s Up in the Book Community?

You know I love the book Communitea series. But this video was especially good, so I wanted to make sure to point it out to you. Recently, Jess Owens posed the question: “Is TikTok turning publishing into fast fashion?” What do you think? Check out the video, and let me know!

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

We’re ending today’s Book Radar with a classic Murray-in-the-bed photo. This bed went through three cat homes before it got to me. My coworker’s cat didn’t like it, so she passed it on to another coworker. That cat didn’t like it either. But guess who loved it? This agreeable guy. It’s his new favorite place to sleep!

And that’s all for today, friends! Have the best weekend.

Emily

Book Radar

John Green and Jodi Picoult Sue Iowa Over Book-Banning Law and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date December 4, 2023

Sponsored by

Hi Book Friends!

Welcome to another Book Radar Monday! I hope you had a lovely weekend. I cannot tell you how RELIEVED I am that November is behind us and that we’re on to December. I’m ready for the holiday vibes. My Christmas tree is up. Let’s do this.

(Speaking of the holidays! Are you looking for the perfect gift for that bookish special someone in your life this holiday season? Tailored Book Recommendations is here to help! We’ve got three levels — recs-only, paperback, and hardcover — and you can gift a full year or one time, so there are options for every budget! Get all the details at mybtro.com/gift.)

Book Deals and Reveals

Brandon Sanderson has a new standalone novel coming in March, and here is the cover reveal! You can preorder The Sunlit Man now.

Penguin Random House and several bestselling authors, including novelists John Green and Jodi Picoult, are part of a lawsuit challenging Iowa’s new book banning law that prohibits libraries and classrooms from having practically any book that depicts sexual activity.

Marcela Fuentes’ debut novel Malas is coming out on June 4, and ahead of its release, we’re getting a cover reveal. The author describes the novel as “a story of passion and revenge, the kinship between two women living on the Texas Mexico border, and a curse that reverberates across generations.”

Here’s another exciting cover reveal for an upcoming debut novel. Lauren Ling Brown’s Society of Lies will be published by Bantam on August 13.

Another debut? Here’s the cover of Jenna Satterthwaite’s Made For You, designed by Elita Sidiropoulou. It’s out from Mira on July 2.

Entertainment Weekly has shared the cover of Kristy Greenwood’s The Love of My Afterlife, a romance novel that explores the possibility of finding love after death. It’s out on June 3!

AudioFIle has released its 53-title list of the best audiobooks of 2023, which are spread out across 9 categories.

A list of the best-selling indie books of 2023 has been released by Bookshop.org. It includes everything from self-help to monster romance.

Book Riot Recommends

Prepare Your Shelves!

Airplane Mode by Shahnaz Habib (Catapult, December 5)

As you get ready to hop on a plane and travel over the holidays, make sure you pick up a copy of this book. It’s out tomorrow, so don’t even worry about preparing your shelves. Just put this one straight into your carry-on bag.

Airplane Mode is a collection of essays by Indian author and translator Shahnaz Habib. These travel essays explore the history and implications of travel from the perspective of a woman of color raised in a developing country. Through these essays, Habib explores the question, “what does it mean to be a joyous traveler when we live in the ruins of colonialism, capitalism and climate change?” Habib’s essays cover everything from passports to Western consumerism to guidebooks to the concept of wanderlust itself. Airplane Mode is at once curious, optimistic, humorous, and analytical, and it’s the perfect nonfiction read to round out your TBR list at the end of the year.

What I’m Reading This Week

A Winter in New York by Josie Silver

The Only One Left by Riley Sagar

Making it So by Patrick Stewart

This Spells Love by Kate Robb

Codename: Sailor V by Naoko Takeuchi

Lone Women by Victor LaValle

The Christmas Orphans Club by Becca Freeman

Bookish Memes

Where are my What We Do in the Shadows fans? I absolutely loved this Instagram reel “Books as What We Do in the Shadows quotes.” I have watched it several (and I mean several) times.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

Here’s a cute lil sleepy boy in a cat tree. Look at his little white whiskers! He’s actually meowing at me right now, and I think he’s saying “Tell your Book Radar friends to have a happy Monday.” Thanks, Remy!

So yeah! Go have a happy Monday, and we’ll talk on Thursday, yes?

Emily

Book Radar

Froot Loops Offers Free Children’s Books Online and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date November 29, 2023

Sponsored by

Dear Book Friends,

Welcome to the final day of November, and as always, it’s a tough one for me. This day marks six years since I lost my brother to cancer. I know reading about grief and loss is uncomfortable, but it’s important for me to remember him on this day and every day and to honor him in some way. So we will go one with Book Radar as usual, but first, I just have to say: I love you, Adam. I’ll miss you forever. Everyone go watch The Lion King today in honor of my brother. He used to listen to that soundtrack every night before bed.

Book Deals and Reveals

Here’s the amazing cover of Mallory Marlowe’s debut romantic comedy, Love and Other Conspiracies, designed by Vikki Chu. It’s out from Berkley Romance on August 20, 2024.

Conservatives are currently boycotting Froot Loops and its parent company, Kellogg’s. And that’s because, in Canada, Froot Loops boxes are including access to an online repository of “free diversity and inclusion content” for children, according to a website dedicated to the initiative.

Rebecca Yarros signed a deal with Montlake to write two standalone contemporary romance novels. The first book is set to publish in 2025.

Ebony LaDelle, author of Love Radio, will be releasing her first adult novel, You’ve Got a Place Here Too, with Ballantine. The book is set for a 2025 release.

The Nerd Daily has shared the cover of M.J. Rose’s upcoming time-travel adventure novel Forgetting to Remember. This one is out on March 26, 2024.

Read an excerpt of Tessa Bailey’s new rom-com The Au Pair Affair, and check out the cover over at Cosmopolitan! It’s out from Avon on July 16, 2024.

Apple Books has launched its 2023 year in review, now available on iPhone and iPad within the Read Now tab under Top Picks.

Matt Smith has signed on to star as the title character in the television adaptation of Nick Cave’s 2009 novel The Death of Bunny Munro.

Meanwhile, Paul Greengrass has been hired to adapt the film adaptation of T.J. Newman’s novel Drowning.

After releasing their 100 Notable Books of 2023, The New York Times has narrowed it down to their top 10 Best Books of 2023.

Here are the sci-fi and fantasy titles getting the most recognition in best-of-the-year lists and award shortlists!

Book Riot Recommends

Power up your reading life with thoughtful writing on books and publishing, courtesy of The Deep Dive. Over at our Substack publication, you’ll find timely stories, informed takes, and useful advice from our in-house experts. We’re here to share our expertise and perspective, drawing from our backgrounds as booksellers, librarians, educators, authors, editors, and publishing professionals. Find out why the bestseller list is broken, analyze some anticipated books, and then get a free subscription for weekly content delivered to your inbox. You can also upgrade to paid-for bonus content and community features connecting you to like-minded readers.

Can’t Wait for This One!

Come and Get It by Kiley Reid (January 30, 2024)

It’s time to finally shout out my most anticipated novel of 2024, and I feel so lucky because I don’t have to wait that much longer! This one, being at the end of January, is just almost right around the corner, which means it’s almost time to prepare our shelves. If you read Kiley Reid’s debut novel Such A Fun Age, then you’re probably just as excited about Come and Get It as I am. Such A Fun Age was a wild page-turner, but not in the way you’d expect. I could not put the book down because I was so nervous and weirdly excited to find out what cringey thing the characters would do next. And just like Reid’s first one, Come and Get It is a novel focused on social commentary, dynamic characters, and a story you won’t be able to pull yourself away from.

Set in 2017 at the University of Arkansas, Come and Get It is about senior resident assistant Millie Cousins. Millie is trying to graduate and save up enough money to buy a house. When visiting professor Agatha Paul offers Millie an interesting opportunity to help conduct research about weddings for her new book, Millie thinks it sounds like an easy way to make a little bit more cash. But after a student prank turns sinister, Millie finds herself on the brink of losing everything she’s worked so hard for.

Words of Literary Wisdom

“As I get older I see more and more how fluid a thing time is. There are so many ways to slip in and out of it. The wonder is that we ever stick in the now.”

— Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward

What I’m Watching This Weekend

Here’s a fun thing I do every Christmas. I watch twelve new Christmas movies and rate them using my patented (not really) Christmas scale. How Christmassy are this year’s offerings? Time will tell! But here’s a list of some of the new holiday movies coming out this year that I might be watching this weekend.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

Here’s sweet little Cersei Anne with a toy bird. I know you are probably thinking about booping her cute little pink nose right now. But it’s a trap. You should know with cats it’s always a trap.

And that’s all I have for you today, friends. I hope you have a wonderful day and a beautiful weekend. Sending you all love!

Emily

Book Radar

You Might Have to Wait A While for Rebecca Yarros’ Next Empyrean Book and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date November 24, 2023

Sponsored by

Hi Book Friends!

I know we haven’t talked since last Monday, and it feels like FOREVER ago! How was your holiday break, if you had one? Did you get the chance to read and take some time for yourself? For me, the weekend was all about finishing up some books and cuddling with cats. Oh, and going full Christmas. Yep, it’s officially time. But before all that, let’s talk books.

Book Deals and Reveals

Yulin Kuang is a writer and director who has adapted multiple Emily Henry works, but now she’s published a romance novel that’s all her own. How to End A Love Story is out on April 9, but you can read an excerpt from the upcoming novel now.

Rebecca Yarros says it might be a minute before we get the third book in the Empyrean series. “I have a release date,” Yarros says. “I just can’t tell you yet.” The second novel in the series, Iron Flame, was released earlier this month.

Electric Lit has the exclusive cover reveal for Loose of Earth by Kathleen Dorothy Blackburn. The memoir will be published by University of Texas Press on April 16, 2024.

Cosmopolitan is sharing the cover and an excerpt from Karen McManus’ Such Charming Liars. The novel will be released on July 30, 2024.

And here’s an exclusive cover art reveal and preview of Amy Chu and Soo Lee’s graphic novel Carmilla: the Last Vampire Hunter. This second volume will be available in bookstores on July 9, 2024.

Tor.com is sharing the cover of In the Shadow of Their Dying by Anna Smith Spark and Michael R. Fletcher. This novella will be available from Grimdark Magazine March 19, 2024.

Here’s the cover reveal of Kelly Murashige’s debut novel The Lost Souls of Benzaiten. This is the story of one young girl’s desire to transform into a robot vacuum cleaner. I get it. I’m jealous of my Roomba every day. This one’s out on July 23, 2024.

NPR has released their massive list of the best books of the year, which features a unique interface for book recommendations.

Project Gutenberg’s AI audiobook project is yet another instance of AI encroaching on the book industry. But how do the audiobooks sound?

Who better to know the best books of the year than the librarians at the biggest library system in the country? Here are the best books of 2023, according to the New York Public Library.

Book Riot Recommends

Prepare Your Shelves!

Flores and Miss Paula by Melissa Rivero (Ecco Press, Dec 5)

I’m so excited about this book because when I was a child, I had a teacher named Miss Paula. And I loved her so much that I asked my mom to name my little brother Miss Paula. True story.

But really, there are so many reasons to prepare your shelves for Melissa Rivero’s Flores and Miss Paula. Maybe you read and loved Rivero’s debut novel The Affairs of the Falcóns. Maybe you love complicated mother/daughter stories. Maybe you want to read more immigrant stories. Or maybe witty and heart-warming contemporary fiction is your thing. For me, I’m checking all of the above.

Flores and her mother, Paula, live together in a tiny apartment in Brooklyn. But just because they live in close proximity to one another doesn’t mean they’re close. Martín, Flores’ father, and Paula’s husband, died three years ago, and the mother-and-daughter duo have never truly recovered from that loss. Then, one day, Flores discovers a hidden note her mother wrote to her father: “Perdóname si te falle. Recuerda que siempre te quise.” (translation: “ Forgive me if I failed you. Remember that I always loved you.”)

With this new discovery, the rift between Paula and Flores grows even larger as suspicions grow and memories come back to them. And on top of that, the two find out that they are going to be forced to move. With everything going on, this mother and daughter will have to learn to talk with each other and confront their complicated past if they ever hope to move forward.

What I’m Reading This Week

Codename: Sailor V by Naoko Takeuchi

Out There Screaming, ed. by Jordan Peele

This Spells Love by Kate Robb

Making it So by Patrick Stewart

Lone Women by Victor LaValle

The Christmas Orphans Club by Becca Freeman

Bookish Memes

This meme really resonated with me. I won’t tell you what book it was, but maybe if you know me, you can guess. And I know you probably all have a book (or several) in your past that this meme will remind you of. It’s okay.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

Bowie, a fluffy orange and white cat, at the at café Poescafé in Belgium.

Everyone! I did go to a cat cafe while I was in Leuven, but I haven’t shared pictures yet. So here you go!

This little sweetie is Bowie. He was so cute and fluffy and, as you can see, totally chill. If you ever find yourself in Leuven in Belgium, be sure to go check out Poescafé. Super cute little cat cafe. Friendly cats. Tasty drinks. Etc.

And with that, another Book Radar has ended. I’ll see you on Thursday! Have a wonderful week.

Emily

Book Radar

Laura Hankin Announces New Book and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date November 17, 2023

Sponsored by

Dear Book Friends,

Happy Monday, and happy Thanksgiving holiday week for those of you in the US. I’m still coming at you from Belgium. I went to Bruges yesterday, which was fun! But I’m heading back soon, so next time you see me, I’ll be back in boring ‘ole America. But for now, let’s chat books.

Book Deals and Reveals

Here’s the cover of Paul Tremblay’s upcoming novel Horror Movie! It’s out in June 2024.

What would you do if you had to walk down the aisle with a guy who’d given your book a 1-star review? If you’re author Laura Hankin, you write a new book. One Star Romance is coming June 18, 2024, and is available now for preorder.

More exciting cover reveals! Here’s the cover of Cate Baumer’s The Faithful Dark, a new gothic fantasy for fans of The Foxglove King and One Dark Window. It’s out on April 2, 2024.

Erika Robuck’s Prohibition-era novel The Last Twelve Miles releases on June 24, and here’s the gorgeous cover. It’s available for preorder now.

Aimee Nezhukumatathil has a new essay collection coming out! Here’s the cover of Bite by Bite: Nourishment and Jamborees, which features illustrations by Fumi Nakamura. It’s out in May 2024.

Chaotic matchmaking? Childhood friends to lovers? Found family? Check out Swati Hegde’s Match Me if You Can, out on June 4, 2024.

And here’s the official cover reveal of Karmen Lee’s The 7-10 Split, a sapphic romance out from Harlequin Books on May 21, 2024.

Sarah Street’s sapphic “Little Red Riding Hood” retelling A Sea of Wolves is also coming in May 2024, and here’s the cover reveal!

The 2023 National Book Awards were announced during a ceremony hosted by LeVar Burton. Here are the winners.

Here we go, book lovers. Announcing Book Riot’s picks for the best books of 2023!

Book Riot Recommends

We’re here to enrich your reading life! Get to know the world of books and publishing better with a subscription to The Deep Dive, Book Riot’s staff-written publication delivered directly to your inbox. Find a guide to reading logs and trackers, hear about why the bestseller list is broken, analyze some anticipated books, and more from our familiar in-house experts. Get a free subscription for weekly content delivered to your inbox, or upgrade to paid-for bonus content and community features connecting you to like-minded readers.

Prepare Your Shelves!

Seven Minutes in Candyland by Brian Wasson (Quill Tree Books, December 12)

December is the perfect month to read a YA rom-com about candy, wouldn’t you agree? Thankfully, we’re getting Brian Wasson’s debut novel Seven Minutes in Candyland in just a few short weeks on December 12.

This adorable rom-com follows sophomore Kalvin Shmelton, who has a little business going, selling candy at school. It’s the perfect way to make a little extra money. His classmates love the candy, and it keeps Kalvin far away from the drama. That is…until his crush, Sterling Glistern, waltzes into his candy supply closet.

Suddenly, Kalvin finds himself running a whole new side hustle: relationship therapist. He only meant to let Sterling know what a jerk she was dating, but when you’re good at something, news travels fast in the world of high school. Soon, Kalvin is supplying way more than sweet treats to broken hearts who are hungry for thoughtful relationship advice. But while on the outside, Kalvin might seem like he has it all together, not everything is as it seems.

What I’m Reading This Week

Making it So by Patrick Stewart

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Out There Screaming, ed. Jordan Peele

This Spells Love by Kate Robb

Codename: Sailor V by Naoko Takeuchi

Life Ceremony by Sayaka Murata

Bookish Memes

Wuthering Heights is my absolute favorite book of all time, so I was excited to see this excellent collection of Wuthering Heights/Brontë memes. Hope you enjoy!

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

I can’t believe this, but I forgot to wish Remy a HAPPY BIRTHDAY. He turned two on November 9. Look at this cute little Scorpio king! Happy belated birthday, Remy! I love you so much!

And that’s all I’ve got for you today, friends. I hope you have an amazing week. I hope you have a wonderful week. Have a wonderful holiday. Be kind to yourself. Remember that you don’t have to earn your food. And I’ll see you soon!

Emily

Book Radar

Vote for Goodreads’ Best Books of 2023 and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date November 15, 2023

Sponsored by

Dear Book Friends,

Hello from Belgium! I got to check out a bookstore in Leuven yesterday, and I was excited to see all the fun book covers in different languages. And yeah, they had some English-language books as well. I was able to refrain from buying anything, but I always love a bookstore, no matter where I am. I’m sure you, of all people, would understand this.

Book Deals and Reveals

Here’s a cover reveal and excerpt from one of my most anticipated books of 2024, The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim. It’s out on June 25, 2024, from Erewhon Books.

Voting is now open for Goodreads’ Best Books of 2023! You can vote in the opening round from now until November 26. The final round will start on November 28 and last until December 3. Winners will be announced on December 7.

Hugo Award-winning author duo James S.A. Corey—the pen name of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck—has announced a new sci-fi trilogy. The series will start with The Mercy of the Gods, which will be out next summer.

John le Carré’s son Nicholas Cornwell is bringing his father’s beloved spy protagonist, George Smiley, back to the page. Publisher Penguin Random House (PRH) has announced a currently untitled novel by Nicholas Cornwell that’s set in the decade between the end of le Carré’s The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and the beginning of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. It’s set to release next fall.

Here’s an extended excerpt of Erika Johansen’s The Kingdom of Sweets. This reimagining of The Nutcracker is out from Dutton on November 28.

Netflix has unveiled a first look at the Dead Boy Detectives series, based on Neil Gaiman and Matt Wagner’s Vertigo comics. The premiere date has yet to be announced.

Time has just posted their 100 Must-Read Books of 2023, including literary fiction, poetry, celebrity memoirs, and more.

Stay in the know. These are the most popular books trending on TikTok right now, including plenty of romantasy reads!

Barnes & Noble has announced their Book of the Year for 2023 — plus the inaugural winner of their Author of the Year award.

We Need Diverse Books has launched a new website dedicated to Indigenous children’s and YA books called Indigenous Reads Rising.

The New York Times and New York Public Library have announced their best illustrated children’s books of 2023.

Book Riot Recommends

Indulge your inner book nerd and join a community of like-minded readers looking to expand their knowledge and their TBR. Subscribe to The Deep Dive, where Book Riot’s editorial staff draws from their collective expertise to bring you compelling stories, informed takes, tips, hacks, and more. Find out why the bestseller list is broken, analyze some anticipated books, and explore the great wide world of books and publishing. Get a free subscription for weekly content delivered to your inbox, or upgrade to paid-for bonus content and community features.

Can’t Wait for This One!

Like Love by Maggie Nelson (Graywolf Press, April 2, 2024)

Maggie Nelson is an award-winning author whose writing defies classification. She writes poetry, essays, art criticism, memoir, queer theory, and much more all in one. Like many others, I have been wowed by her books, especially The Argonauts, and now her latest book, Like Love, collects 20 years of the author’s work into a collection of essays and conversations.

Through these essays, Nelson covers a wide range of topics, but she comes back to a lot of the core topics that interest the author: feminism, queer issues, the nature of art and creativity, and love and friendship. These essays give us insight into Nelson’s life, her way of thinking, and the creative process of writing some of her most beloved works, like The Argonauts and Bluets. This book won’t be out until April 2024, but it’s definitely one worth looking forward to! It’s going to be a must-read in the upcoming year.

Words of Literary Wisdom

“I seized the opportunity and asked him what I needed to learn about film acting. He thought for a moment and then said, ‘You must understand, Patrick, the camera photographs thoughts.’ Simple but profound. No matter what kind of acting you’re doing, you of course have to think. But the camera gets closer to you than any audience member ever will. What might be missed onstage, the camera will absolutely see.”

— Making it So by Patrick Stewart

What’s Up in the Book Community?

You know I love sharing a readathon, and Gabby Reads’ horror/thriller-themed readathons are some of my favorites. The whole idea is to make Halloween/spooky season a whole year-round affair, and this time, we’re talking Winterween, friends! This one’s starting in January. And we have a theme: Wicked Winterween. Check out all the details here!

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

a photo of a black cat in a doorway meowing

I’m not at home right now, as I’ve mentioned, but my husband sent me this pic of Remy earlier today. I’m sure he’s crying about wanting treats, but I’d like to pretend he’s missing me. I miss him too!

And that’s all I’ve got for you all today, friends. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Get plenty of rest. Read lots of books. Don’t forget to drink water. Eat your fruits and veggies. Do you.

Emily

Book Radar

Critical Role Announces Prequel Novel by Cassandra Khaw and More Book Radar!

Post author By Emily Martin
Post date November 10, 2023

Sponsored by

Happy Monday, Book Radar Friends!

And greetings from Belgium. Maybe I’ll find some cute cats here to send you pictures of. We all know that’s the highlight of travel for me. Finding new cats and visiting new bookstores. We’ll see what I can find! In the meantime, let’s talk books.

Book Deals and Reveals

bells hells what doesnt break book cover

Critical Role has announced their latest project with Penguin Random House, Bells Hells: What Doesn’t Break, a prequel novel written by horror author Cassandra Khaw. It’ll be out July 2024!

Here’s the cover reveal of Danez Smith’s upcoming poetry collection Bluff, designed by Mary Austin Speaker, with artwork by Devan Shimoyama. It’s out from Graywolf Press on August 20, 2024.

Netflix is finalizing details of Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia. They are hoping to commence production in 2024.

Oprah Daily has announced their picks for the best books of 2023. Books include Angie Kim’s Happiness Falls and The Unsettled by Ayana Mathis, among others.

These are the books all of the book clubs are reading this month. Grab a copy and learn how to join in.

To celebrate all things nonfiction November, here are some of the best nonfiction audiobooks from 2023 to try.

Spotify now offers audiobooks as part of its premium subscription service and has a catalogue of over 200,000 audiobooks from various genres.

Two major wins for libraries this week. Patmos Public Library is finally being funded after two previous losses and Pella Public Library retains its independence.

Book Riot Recommends

Prepare Your Shelves!

Our Cursed Love by Julie Abe (Wednesday Books, December 12)

Okay. There are a couple of things I love about this book. First, look at this cover. It’s gorgeous. Secondly, I love that this book is giving Fifty First Dates/Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind vibes. But in Japan. It’s also just the perfect cute, sweet, heartbreaking YA romance/fantasy to keep you feeling warm and fuzzy during these cold months. And it’s coming out in December, so prepare your shelves!

Remy and Cam are best friends, but Remy has always felt like their relationship could be something more. And what better place to finally confess her feelings than Japan, on their winter vacation? But in Tokyo, Remy and Cam discover a secret magical apothecary, where they take a love potion…that makes Cam forget who Remy is. Not the outcome Remy was hoping for! Now she has until midnight New Year’s Eve to get Cam to remember her, or they will be forgotten to each other forever.

What I’m Reading This Week

Ankle Snatcher by Grady Hendrix

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Out There Screaming, ed. by Jordan Peele

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

Making It So by Patrick Stewart

This Spells Love by Kate Robb

Bookish Memes

Oops, sorry. I have more Taylor Swift bookish memes for you this week. I hope you’re enjoying.

And Here’s A Cat Picture!

orange cat in fluffy cat bed in front of book shelf

Alert! Murray has a new cat bed and he loves it. And check out his little Calcifer cat toy. They’re almost the same color.

And that’s all for today, friends. I hope you have the best week. Do at least a few things that are kind. Be kind to yourself. Read books. Drink water. But most importantly, don’t listen to me and do what you want. I’ll see you on Thursday.

Emily