Category: Today In Books

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Today In Books

Rick Riordan Reveals the Cover of PERCY JACKSON AND THE CHALICE OF THE GODS: Today in Books

Stormzy’s #Merky Books Launches Literature Festival to “Inspire Young Creatives”

Grime star Stromzy’s #Merky Books imprint is launching a free festival, aiming to demystify publishing for aspiring writers. The festival, which will take place on April 22 and 23, will be headlined by musician Wretch 32, poet John Agard, and former children’s laureate Malorie Blackman. This is an expansion of a pop-up held by #Merky Books in 2019 and will consist of two days of workshops and masterclasses at the Roundhouse in London. There will also be career drop-in clinics held by Penguin Random House UK, a spoken-word performance with Sophia Thakur, Monika Radojevic, Caleb Femi and Yomi Ṣode, a panel discussion exploring the theme of girlhood with author Candice Brathwaite and playwright and screenwriter Theresa Ikoko, a conversation on mental health and resilience hosted by BBC Radio 1Xtra presenter Richie Brave, and more. The festival is sponsored by Netflix.

Rick Riordan Reveals the Cover of Percy Jackson and the Chalice of the Gods

Rick Riordan has unveiled the cover of his upcoming novel Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Chalice of the Gods. Riordan told Entertainment Weekly that the idea for the novel was partially inspired by the process of adapting the books for the Disney Show. The author said the book “was kind of my idea to sort of pitch something that might be of interest to Disney overall as a way of saying, ‘Well, what we could do is if you guys are open to doing a new TV show, maybe I could revisit Percy and do a new Percy book for the first time in umpteen number of years.'” The Chalice of the Gods will be out on September 26.

Here’s A First Look at Rosie Danan’s Supernatural Rom-Com Do Your Worst

Indiana Jones meets enemies-to-lovers meets supernatural rom-com in Rosie Danan’s latest novel Do Your Worst, and here’s a first look at the upcoming book. The novel follows the story of occult expert Riley Rhodes, who has been hired to break the curse on an infamous Scottish castle. There’s only one problem. Archeologist Clark Edgeware is fresh off a scandal and refuses to let a curse-breaker taint his reputation even further. And so he makes it his mission to make her time on the excavation site as miserable as possible. Do Your Worst is out from Berkley on November 14.

Storytel Review: A Standout Scribd Alternative — But With A Catch

Storytel is a standout Scribd alternative, but there’s a catch. In this Storytel review, we’ll explore that and more.

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HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS is Getting a Sequel: Today in Books

Gatsby, Featuring Music By Florence Welch, Will Premiere at A.R.T. in 2024

Gatsby, a brand-new musical stage adaptation of the classic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, will have its world premiere at the American Repertory Theater in 2024. The musical will feature music by Florence Welch with a book by Pulitzer Prize winner Martyna Majok. It will be directed by Tony Award winner Rachel Chavkin and choreographed by Tony Award winner Sonya Tayeh. Additional news about the musical to be announced soon.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas is Getting a Sequel Not Written by Dr. Seuss

65 years after Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! was published, the classic Christmas story is getting a sequel. This marks the first time the Grinch’s story has been expanded upon without Seuss, who died in 1991. The new book, How the Grinch Lost Christmas, will be written by Alastair Heim with art by Aristides Ruiz. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is one of the most beloved holiday celebration books of all time. Adding to that legacy with a sequel is a process we have carefully considered, and we love what the author and illustrator have created,” President and CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises Susan Brandt said in a press release. “We feel it will be yet another heartwarming piece of Seussian literature that will help families around the world grow their hearts three more sizes as they celebrate the holidays for decades to come.” How the Grinch Lost Christmas will hit shelves on September 5.

HBO Orders It Prequel Series Welcome to Derry

HBO Max given a straight-to-series order to a drama based on Stephen King’s horror novel It. Andy Muschietti (who made the film adaptations It and It: Chapter Two) will direct multiple episodes of the series, including the first episode. Also on board are filmmakers Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs. The new project has a working title of Welcome to Derry, and while many details about the series are still unknown, we do know that this will be a prequel to the original story. Of the upcoming series, Stephen King said, “I’m excited that the story of Derry, Maine’s most haunted city, is continuing, and I’m glad Andy Muschietti is going to be overseeing the frightening festivities, along with a brain trust including his talented sister, Barbara…Red balloons all around!”

The Big Five Aren’t Enough: Supporting Small Presses Supports Communities

Small presses know their communities and invest in the literature they specialize in, making a way for a wider range of books to be published.

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Marvel’s Fake Captain America Musical is Headed to a Real Stage: Today in Books

Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon Potentially Debuting at Cannes Film Festival

Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, is looking at a potential Cannes Film Festival debut. The film, which also stars Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons, Brendan Fraser, and Robert De Niro, would mark Scorsese’s first return to the festival with a film since 1985. Sources caution that no official offer has been made yet, and Thierry Fremaux, Cannes’s director, is still making final decisions about the festival’s lineup.

Marvel’s Fake Captain America Musical is Headed to a Real Stage

Rogers: The Musical — the fictional, over-the-top Broadway musical featured in the Disney Plus series Hawkeye — is headed to a real stage. Disney’s California Adventure Park will be premiere a “short one-act musical” version of Rogers in summer 2023. The Disney Parks account on TikTok shared a short video teasing the upcoming musical production.

Here’s the Cover Reveal for Isle McElroy’s People Collide

Electric Literature is sharing the cover for acclaimed writer Isle McElroy’s sophomore novel, People Collide. The novel follows Eli, who wakes up one morning in his wife Elizabeth’s body: “As Eli searches throughout Europe for his missing wife, he embarks on a no holds barred exploration of gender and embodied experience.” The novel’s cover was designed by Stephen Brayda with art by Tina Berning. People Collide will be released by HarperVia on September 19.

Underpaid and Overworked: A Look At Salaries and Benefits in Publishing

On paper, the publishing industry seems glamorous. But this façade belies the deep problems that persist, and one of them is the low pay.

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Rachel Howzell Hall, George Saunders, James Hannaham Among L.A. Times Book Prize Finalists: Today in Books

Netflix’s Mindhunter Not Being Renewed, According to David Fincher

Crime drama Mindhunter will not be renewed for a third season on Netflix, according to the show’s creator and executive producer David Fincher. “I’m very proud of the first two seasons. But it’s a very expensive show and, in the eyes of Netflix, we didn’t attract enough of an audience to justify such an investment,” Fincher told French publication Le Journal du Dimanche. Fincher reportedly planned to keep the series, based on the true-crime book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker, running for at least five seasons.

New Publisher Sibylline Press Celebrates Women Authors Over 50

New publisher Sibylline Press aims to celebrate women authors over 50, with plans to publish six books this fall. “We believe women, our Sibyls, are formidable especially when collaborating,” said publisher Vicki DeArmon. “Sibylline is a traditional publisher, but we’re giving our authors unheard of support and access in producing and collaboratively promoting their books. We’re a team. We also know that the better an author understands the industry, the better she can work within it and with us to achieve success for her book.” The complete list of Sibylline’s upcoming releases can be seen at sibyllinepress.com.

Rachel Howzell Hall, George Saunders, James Hannaham Among L.A. Times Book Prize Finalists

The finalists for the 43rd Los Angeles Times Book Prizes were announced earlier this week. Among the nominees for the annual literary awards were Rachel Howzell Hall, George Saunders, and James Hannaham. Additionally, the winners in three special categories were announced: James Ellroy will receive the Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement; the American Library Association’s Freedom to Read Foundation will receive the Innovator’s Award; and Javier Zamora will receive the Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose. The rest of the Book Prize winners, selected from among 56 finalists in 11 categories, will be announced in a ceremony on Friday, April 21, at USC’s Bovard Auditorium.

While We’re On the Subject: 10 of the Best Essay Collections

Expand your TBR and your brain power with 10 of the best essay collections! Information — it does a body good!

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New 1999 American Girl Dolls Include Book It! Accessories: Today in Books

Alison Brie and Jake Lacy Join Apples Never Fall Series on Peacock

Alison Brie and Jake Lacy have joined the cast of Peacock’s upcoming limited series adaptation of Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty. Both actors will play members of the Delaney family, who, per the official logline, “from the outside appear to be an enviably contented family. Former tennis coaches Joy (Annette Bening) and Stan (Sam Neill) are parents to four adult children. After decades of marriage, they have finally sold their famed tennis academy and are ready to start what should be the golden years of their lives. But after Joy disappears, her children are forced to re-examine their parents’ marriage and their family history with fresh eyes.” Brie stars at the oldest Delaney child, Amy Delaney, and Lacy will play the second oldest Delany child, Troy Delaney. The series is being filmed in Australia.

New 1999 American Girl Dolls Include Book It! Accessories

While everyone is freaking out that the latest historical American Girl dolls are from 1999, there are some accessories for the new dolls that nostalgic book-loving ’90s kids are going to want: Pizza Hut Book It! accessories. That’s right. You can nab an iconic red Pizza Hut cup for your dolls, along with a Book It! button, a mini-book, and of, course, a personal pan pizza: the pizza of choice for Book It! winners.

Florida Students Walk Out to Protest DeSantis Race Education Policies

On Thursday, hundreds of students at the University of South Florida, University of Florida, and Florida State University walked out in protest against Gov. Ron DeSantis and his policies concerning higher education. Some high school students also joined in the state wide protest against DeSantis’s plans to ban colleges and universities from having programs on diversity and critical race theory.

Why Winter is the Best Season for Reading

Is there a best season for reading? One book lover makes the case for winter as the perfect time to cozy up with books.

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Netflix to Adapt SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN: Today in Books

Florida Schools Reinstate Banned Roberto Clemente Book

A Florida school district has reinstated the children’s book Roberto Clemente: The Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates after a review to see if this and other titles violate new Florida laws limiting discussions about race. Because the book mentioned that Clemente once experienced racism, the book was pulled from Florida schools’ shelves and has been unavailable in the school district for over a year. The school district, which includes Jacksonville, Florida, received national criticism for pulling the book.

Netflix to Adapt Something is Killing the Children with Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese

German writer-creators Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese are working on an adaptation of the comic series Something is Killing the Children for Netflix. The series will tell the story of a small town plagued by monsters that eat children. The town’s only hope is a mysterious young woman with special powers who shows up to fight against the creatures. Something is Killing the Children is published by Boom! Studios and co-created by DC Comics writer James Tynion and Werther Dell’Edera.

Get a First Look at Beth Revis and Sara Raasch’s Fantasy Novel Night of the Witch

Entertainment Weekly has an exclusive first look at Beth Revis and Sara Raasch’s fantasy novel Night of the Witch, the first book in a planned duology. The story is about a witch who joins forces with a witch hunter to fight against those responsible for killing both of their loved ones. Night of the Witch is out from Sourcebooks Fire on October 3.

8 Cozy Video Games That Feel Like Reading A Book

These intricate, story-driven games will scratch the same itch as reading does. Be prepared to increase your TBP (To Be Played) pile!

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Two-Part Adaptation of Agatha Christie’s MURDER IS EASY Coming from BBC: Today in Books

Here’s the Cover of Justin Torres’ New Novel Blackouts

Literary Hub has revealed the cover of the new novel Blackouts by Justin Torres. Torres told Lithub he was unsure his vision for the cover would be realized, but that he loves Na Kim’s cover design for the book. He said, “I didn’t know I would be lucky enough to get Na Kim, who seemed to understand my vision, and found a way exceed that vision.” Blackouts will be published by FSG on October 10. You can preorder Blackouts here.

Julia Donaldson Ends James Patterson’s Reign as UK Libraries’ Most Borrowed Author

Crime writer James Patterson’s long-running streak as the most borrowed author libraries across the UK has now been broken by Julia Donaldson. Patterson spent 13 consecutive years at number 1. But data from Public Lending Right (PLR) shows that from July 2021 to June 2022, Donaldson was the most borrowed author overall, moving up from third place the year before. Julia Donaldson is the author of children’s books, including The Gruffalo and The Snail and the Whale.

Two-Part Adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder is Easy Coming from BBC

The BBC has unveiled a two-part adaptation of Murder is Easy by Agatha Christie. The series, which will consist of two hour-long episodes, will be produced by ITV Studios’ Mammoth Screen and Agatha Christie Ltd. The book is being be adapted by screenwriter Sian Ejiwunmi-Le Berreand, and the project will be directed by Meenu Gaur. Filming starts this summer and a casting announcement will be made soon.

How to Hold on to Your Love of Books When You Read for Work

Required readings often take the joy out of books. Here’s how to hold on to your love of books when you read for work.

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ChatGPT Fuels Boom in AI-Written Books on Amazon: Today in Books

The Marvels is Being Pushed Back to November

Nia DaCosta’s The Marvels has a new release date. The film was originally schedule to release mid-summer at the heart of the blockbuster season. Instead, The Marvels, starring Brie Larson as Carol Danvers, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau, and Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan, will now hit theaters on November 10th. Marvel Studios has also released a poster featuring the three leads.

New York Times Film Critic A.O. Scott Moving to Book Reviews After the Oscars

A.O. Scott, who has reviewed more than 2,200 films for the Times over the last 23 years, is shifting to The New York Times Book Review following the Oscars. According to a memo to Times staff released earlier today, Scott will now “write critical essays, notebooks and reviews that grapple with literature, ideas and intellectual life.” A Times spokesperson said that the outlet will be hiring another film critic.

ChatGPT Fuels Boom in AI-Written Books on Amazon

The ChatGPT artificial intelligence program, which can generate blocks of text from simple prompts, has fueled a sudden boom in AI-written books on Amazon. As of mid-February, there were more than 200 e-books on Amazon’s Kindle store that list ChatGPT as an author or co-author. That number is rising daily. Tutorials are springing up across the Internet to help people write their own books in ChatGPT in just a few hours.

Can You Guess the Sci-Fi Book Based on These 1-Star Reviews?

“I hope you like calendars that you never understand” and “Dull soup”: can you match the sci-fi novel to its 1-star reviews?

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Mona Awad Announces New Novel ROUGE: Today in Books

Roald Dahl Children’s Books Edited for Less Offensive Language

New editions of Roald Dahl’s books have been edited for less offensive language and more inclusivity. Publisher Puffin wrote in a statement included in the books, “The wonderful words of Roald Dahl can transport you to different worlds and introduce you to the most marvelous characters. This book was written many years ago, and so we regularly review the language to ensure that it can continue to be enjoyed by all today.” According to The Guardian, Puffin made the changes alongside the Roald Dahl Story Company and the company Inclusive Minds. The Roald Dahl Story Company spokesperson said “it’s not unusual to review the language used alongside updating other details.”

Mona Awad Announces New Novel Rouge

If you loved Mona Awad’s Bunny, listen up: Simon & Schuster will soon be publishing Awad’s latest novel Rouge. The publisher describes the novel as a “horror-tinted, gothic fairy tale about a lonely dress shop clerk whose mother’s unexpected death sends her into a warped pursuit of youth & beauty.” Rouge will be released on September 12.

Twitter Has Criticisms for Greta Thunberg’s New Book

Greta Thunberg released a new book entitled The Climate Book, and the Twitter community has thoughts. The main critique? That the book is printed on paper, when it would be better for the environment to publish an ebook. Comments following Thunberg’s announcement about the book ask, “Wouldn’t a PDF be better for the planet?” Others noted that shipping the book would require airplanes and trucks to deliver copies to physical bookstores. In additional to being available in print, Thunberg’s The Climate Book is currently available on audio and as an ebook.

8 of the Most Interesting Buildings That Are Now Libraries (and Bookstores)

From big-box stores and schools to banks and gymnasiums, here are some old buildings that were turned into libraries (and bookstores).

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New DAISY JONES AND THE SIX Trailer Released: Today in Books

Margeaux Weston Announces New Nonfiction Middle Grade Collection

Margeaux Weston, the nonfiction editor at the Hugo Award-winning literary magazine FIYAH, has announced a new nonfiction middle grade collection. Everything but Typical will highlight the lives of a diverse group of influential people who are also neurodivergent, including Simone Biles, Greta Thunberg, Armani Williams, Octavia Butler, and more. Weston tweeted, “I’m super excited to announce my upcoming book, a project super close to my heart! For all my neurodivergent kids, you are enough. Thank you @ericsmithrocks for pushing this project through! We did it!” The book is expected to publish in winter 2025.

New Daisy Jones and the Six Trailer Released Ahead of March 3 Premiere

Amazon has released a new trailer of Daisy Jones and the Six ahead of the series’ March 3rd premiere. The highly anticipated series is based on the best-selling novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid and stars Riley Keough and Sam Claflin. Will Harrison, Suki Waterhouse, Josh Whitehouse, Sebastian Chacon, Nabiyah Be and Tom Wright also star, with a special guest appearance by Timothy Olyphant. The series premieres on March 3 on Prime Video, with new episodes released every Friday through March 24.

Vermont Man’s Book Becomes a Bestseller After Daughter’s TikTok Goes Viral

Vermont author Lloyd Devereux Richards is now a bestselling author more than a decade after publishing his first novel, Stone Maidens, and it’s all thanks to his daughter’s TikTok account she created to promote his work. The first TikTok Marguerite Richards created about her father’s story was viewed more than 43 million times, and received more than 9.6 million likes. Since then, Stone Maidens has sold out on Amazon and reached number 1 on the site’s bestsellers list. “I’m grateful. I’m very happy,” Lloyd said about his surprise success. “I just can’t believe it.”

Cookbook Showdown: The Best King Cake Recipes, Tested

Want to make your own king cake this Mardi Gras? One home baker tested four king cake recipes to find out which cookbook takes the cake.