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Riot Rundown

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Book Radar

Javier Bardem in LYLE, LYLE, CROCODILE and More Book Radar!

Welcome to another Monday, book friends! Who read something good this weekend? *raises hand* I never, ever, ever, ever get tired of books. My order from my local indie bookstore arrived, so I had shiny books to read, and I also read some great upcoming titles that you’ll be hearing about in the future. I had also wanted to watch The Mysterious Benedict Society this weekend, because Tony Hale 5-eva, but I ran out of time. Have you seen it? I hope it’s great!

Moving on: I have a lot of exciting news for you today! I also have a look at a space horror novel coming in 2022, plus cover reveals, a terrible pun, my precious little orange monster, and trivia! Let’s get started, shall we?

Here’s Monday’s trivia question: What new novel is based on the true story of Belle da Costa Greene? (Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)

Deals, Reals, and Squeals!

cover of Homeland Elegies: A Novel by Ayad Akhtar

Kumail Nanjiani will star in and executive produce a limited series adaptation of Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar.

Tin House announced that Hanif Abdurraqib has been named a Tin House editor-at-large.

An Ursula K. Le Guin stamp is being issued July 27.

Javier Bardem will star in the adaptation of Bernard Waber’s Lyle, Lyle Crocodile.

Here’s the first look at Glory by NoViolet Bulawayo.

The trailer for the second season of The Witcher has been released.

Peacock announced a reality dating series inspired by Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Jamie Lynn Spears is releasing a memoir in 2022.

Saoirse Ronan will star in the adaptation of Foe by Iain Reid.

Here are the 2021 CWA Dagger Award Winners.

There’s a trailer now for the Stephen King-inspired series Chapelwaite.

Here’s the cover reveal for Heaven Is a Place on Earth: Searching for an American Utopia by Adrian Shirk.

Robert Redford, George R.R. Martin adapting Tony Hillerman crime novels for AMC.

things we lost in the fire

A film adaptation is being made from the short story Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enriquez.

There’s an adaptation of The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware in the works.

Here’s the cover reveal of Mercy Street by Jennifer Haigh.

Andy Serkis is recording the Lord of the Rings audiobooks.

Here’s the cover reveal of Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives by Mary Laura Philpott.

Take a peek at The Woods Are Always Watching by Stephanie Perkins.

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 couple with you each week so you can add them to your TBR! (It will now be books I loved on Mondays and books I’m excited to read on Thursdays. YAY, BOOKS!)

Loved, loved, loved: 

Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes (Tor Nightfire, January 25, 2022)

One of my favorite storylines, which happens in almost every sci-fi show eventually, is the abandoned/missing/haunted spacecraft. You know, where the heroes come upon a supposedly unmanned vessel and it’s super creepy, and possible haunted and/or not actually abandoned? I love it when that happens!

Dead Silence is one such story, and it rocked my world! It’s like Event Horizon meets Avenue Five. Claire Kovalik and her beacon repair crew are getting ready to return to Earth when they pick up a strange distress signal. Upon investigation, they find the Aurora, a famous luxury space-liner that has been missing since its first voyage more than twenty years ago. No one knows where it went or what happened aboard the ship. And now here it is.

This is the epic salvage score of their dreams for Claire and the crew, but once they board the Aurora, it quickly becomes a nightmare. I’m not going to spoil what it is that they find. I’ll just say it’s soooooo creepy. The book is action-packed, and I liked how things shook out in the end. It has a present-day story line that went places I wasn’t expecting while detailing what Claire and her crew faced while exploring the ship. Hooray for scary space boats!

(CW for violence, murder, and gore.)

What I’m reading this week.

cover of noor by nnedi okorafor

Noor by Nnedi Okorafor 

Pay Dirt Road by Samantha Jayne Allen

Joan Is Okay by Weike Wang

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Groan-worthy joke of the week: 

How do you row a canoe filled with puppies? With a doggy paddle.

And this is funny:

This dog is hilarious.

Happy things:

Here are a few things I enjoy that I thought you might like as well:

  • Leverage: I am about 13 years behind in starting this show, but I like it! It’s like The Librarians without magic, but also with Christian Kane.
  • Phineas and Ferb: I am finally getting around to watching this! I like Perry the Platypus the best, although I also enjoy Ferb’s Silent Bob vibes.
  • Purrli: This website makes the relaxing sounds of a cat purring.

And here’s a cat picture!

orange cat on a multicolored rug

Sometimes Farrokh can sit still and behave, but not very often.

Trivia answer: The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Remember that whatever you are doing or watching or reading this week, I am sending you love and hugs. Please be safe, and be mindful of others. It takes no effort to be kind. I’ll see you again on Thursday. xoxo, Liberty

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Today In Books

Melissa’s Story and Sharpie Activism: Today in Book

‘Censor’ Director Prano Bailey-Bond to Hełm Feminist Horror ‘Things We Lost in the Fire”

Good news for fans of the Mariana Enriquez’s short story collection Things We Lost in the Fire–the eponymous short story is going to be adapted for film by the same director and co-writers of the film Censor, which was a hit at Sundance. It’s a feminist horror story about women who take control of their lives and futures in the face of male violence. The book was originally published in Argentina before being translated into English and published in the U.S.

Melissa’s Story And Sharpie Activism

Alex Gino is the kidlit author whose debut, published under the title George, has gained many accolades and awards. It tells the story of Melissa, a transgender kid who is trying to find a way to come out to the world, and finds her courage through friendship and a school performance of Charlotte’s Web. Many readers have criticized the title of the work, which puts focus on Melissa’s birth name rather than the name she chooses for herself, and Gino responds with an explanation of why the title was chosen, and encouragement for readers to retitle their own copies.

Javier Bardem To Star In Sony’s Adaptation Of Classic Children’s Book ‘Lyle, Lyle Crocodile’

Do you remember the picture book Lyle, Lyle Crocodile by Bernard Waber? The 1965 picture book is getting the feature film treatment, with Sony to adapt and Javier Bardem to star in the film. Not much is known yet about the adaptation, but the original story follows a crocodile named Lyle who happily lives with a family in NYC…until one day a neighbor suggests he belongs in a zoo instead.

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Giveaways

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We’re giving away a Kindle Oasis to one lucky reader! To enter, just sign up for our Daily Deals email and get the day’s best book sales right in your inbox.

This sweepstakes is open to residents of the United States (excluding Puerto Rico and all other US territories). Entries will be accepted until 11:59pm, July 31st, 2021. Winner will be randomly selected. Complete rules and eligibility requirements available here.

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Riot Rundown

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Today In Books

THE ALCHEMIST Begins Production This Fall: Today in Books

Batman: The Long Halloween Gets a New Follow-Up Comic

On Thursday, DC Comics announced that they will be publishing a special follow-up issue to Batman: The Long Halloween by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Tim Sale. “Twenty-five years ago, Tim Sale and I set out to tell a mystery tale of how Gotham City went from crime to freaks,” Loeb said in a statement. “The result was Batman: The Long Halloween. We’re thrilled to be back at DC revisiting some of our favorite characters all the while revealing that you may not know the whole story.” Very few details have been announced about the upcoming 48-page special comic, but you can expect it on stands on October 12th, just in time for Halloween!

The Alchemist Begins Production This Fall

Westbrook Studios, Netter Films, and PalmStar Media have announced that filming for The Alchemist will begin this September in Morocco. Sebastian de Souza, Tom Hollander, and Shohreh Aghdashloo are set to star in the upcoming film, which is an adaptation of Paulo Coelho’s fable-like novel The Alchemist. The film’s production team includes Will Smith and Jon Mone for Westbrook Studios; Frakes and Raj Singh for PalmStar; and Gil Netter for Netter Films. You can expect to see The Alchemist released near the end of 2022.

Chatto & Windus Publishing NoViolet Bulawayo’s Second Novel

Chatto & Windus will be publishing author NoViolet Bulawayo’s second novel Glory. The novel, which is inspired by the fall of Robert Mugabe, is being described as “punchy, funny, and piercing.” This novel is the follow up to Bulawayo’s 2013 debut novel We Need New Names, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and the Guardian First Book Award. The novel won a Betty Trask Award, Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award, Hurston-Wright Legacy Award, the Etisalat Prize and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for First Fiction. Glory will be published on April 7th, 2022.

Scripp’s New Spelling Bee Winner Makes History

Fourteen-year-old Zaila Avant-garde from New Orleans, Louisiana, is the winner of the Scripp’s Spelling Bee. Here’s how she’s made history with this win.

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Kissing Books

We’re Half-Way There

Hello again romance readers. I’m PN Hinton, your companion for the world of romance. I hope your spirit is doing well today. If you’re new to the Kissing Books newsletter, welcome and enjoy your stay. If you’re a long-time reader, welcome back; it’s good to see you again. 

It’s the start of the work week as well as the third week in July. This means we’re halfway through the month and the summer. You would think that with being super close to the level of Mario 3 where the sun is actively trying to kill us in my area, the serotonin would be off the chain. But, it’s not true. In actuality, I’ve been in a bit of a funk lately. Not sure why to be honest so I’m just waiting for it to pass. In the meantime I’ve been searching for things that bring me joy to help boost those levels.

One is the Loki series. I’m loving everything about it, including the title character. No, I don’t want to unpack what it may mean for my overall mental well-being. Also, Let’s Play is back on WebToon. I may or may not have actually squealed out loud when the Season 3 Premiere launched. If you want to play catch up with it, you have two full seasons and over 100 episodes to do so.

Sometimes, it’s the little things that get you through the day, which get you through the week, which gets you through the month, which gets you through the year. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: self-care is important, so make sure that you’re doing something to make yourself happy during these trying times.

In Book Riot Romance

If you fell in love with Emily Henry’s Beach Read last year, Silvana has got some read-a-likes for you that may peak your interest.

Speaking of read-a-likes, if you’re big into Sarah J. Maas fan you can also check out this list of authors who give off similar vibes, courtesy of Neha.

There’s also this ode to ‘Mass Max’ by Jess for your reading consideration.

Around the Web in Romance

Christina Milian is starring in a new rom-com called Resort to Love coming soon to Netflix and it looks amazingly adorable. I agree with everything that this tweet says with regards to Christina’s recent run in rom-com movies. No disrespect to Meg Ryan, but it’s time we had a new rom-com darling and Milian has the chops to fill those proverbial shoes. And that fact that it’s a woman of color just makes it even more *chef’s kiss*. And, no matter what people may say, everyone, on some level, loves a good punny title.

Summer may be almost over but you can still check these books off your reading bucket list.

If you’re big into YA like yours truly, here is another list of highly anticipated novels is this genre coming soon to a shelf near you.

And, as we are over the midway point of there, here is a round up of some of the best romance novels so far this year.

New Releases & Deals

Some of the new books hitting our shelves this week: How Sweet It Is by Dylan Newton (which I loved), While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory, It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey, and The Calyx Charm by May Peterson, and Unbridled by D. Jackson Leigh.

As for deals, you can pick these up for $1.99 (deals are active as of the time of writing this newsletter): Next in Line for Love by Harper Bliss, All In with the Duke by Ava March, Forbidden Promises by Synthia Williams, Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare, and Just One Night by Kyra Davis.

And if you’re looking for a new device to read these on, don’t forget to enter our giveaway for a Kindle Oasis!

And on that note, here’s where we end our time together for today. Catch up with me over on Twitter under @PScribe801. See ya Thursday.

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Today In Books

Here’s Why 2017 Short Story CAT PERSON is in the News Again: Today in Books

Manga Sales Soar to an All-Time High in 2020

A recent analysis by ICV2 shows that sales of manga hit an all-time high in 2020, with sales in North America reaching nearly $250 million. This number is much higher than it has been in any previous year, including 2007, which was the last peak for manga sales in recent years. ICV2 speculates that the recent surge of manga sales is all thanks to the pandemic. People stayed home and watched anime programs on steaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max. And of course then these same anime fans wanted to purchase the manga their favorite shows were based upon. 2020’s most popular manga title was Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, with a record-breaking 82 million copies sold. Other popular series included Kingdom, One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Attack on Titan.

Here’s Why 2017 Short Story “Cat Person” is in the News Again

The short story “Cat Person,” originally published in 2017 in the New Yorker, is going viral again. Why are people talking about this short story this time? A woman named Alexis Nowicki has written an essay for Slate in which she explains how the story “Cat Person,” written by previously unknown author Kristen Roupenian, stole details from her personal life. After contacting Roupenian to ask about the story, Nowicki discovered that Roupenian had looked through Nowicki’s social media accounts to gather details to use in the short story. Nowicki’s essay has sparked a huge debate online about the ethics of using people’s real lives and real stories in fiction.

LoveAudio Campaign Returns with Online Events

The Publishers Association’s annual audiobook campaign #LoveAudio is returning for a fifth year this month with several online events. The campaign will run from July 12th to the 16th. Events include a “How to Get Into Audio Publishing” event run by the Publisher’s Association on July 13th. On July 14th, Hachette will host “Opening the Book,” which will focus on what it’s like working in audio and digital publishing. Additionally, BookMachine is running an online Q&A session with Bookwire and Hera Books on July 14th. The Publishers Association will also be launcing a list of “Best New Voices” in audiobook publishing. If you’d like to find out more about #LoveAudio week and how you can join the campaign, visit www.loveaudio.org.uk/getinvolved.

Everything We Know About the Ursula K. Le Guin Stamp

On July 27, the United States Postal Service (USPS) will release a new stamp honoring author Ursula K. Le Guin. Here’s everything we know about the Ursula K. Le Guin stamp.

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The Kids Are All Right

Fantastic New Nonfiction Books for Children (and Adults!)

Hi Kid Lit Friends,

I know I just did a nonfiction picture book post a couple of months ago, but there have been such great new ones that I had to share more!

Unbound: The Life and Art of Judith Scott by Joyce Scott and Brie Spangler, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

This book is a gift. Filled with gorgeous art and illustrations, the book tells the story of Judith Scott, who was born with Down Syndrome, was deaf, and never learned to speak. Institutionalized until her sister grew up and brought her to live with her family, she then was enrolled in art classes and discovered her passion and talent for mixed media.

Sharice’s Big Voice: A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman by Sharice Davids and Nancy K. Mays, illustrated by Joshua Manyeshig Pawis-Steckley

This new picture book tells the story of one of the first Native American women to be elected to Congress as well as the first LGBTQ congressperson to represent Kansas. When she began her campaign, many people doubted that she could win because of how she looked, who she loved, and where she came from. But Sharice persisted, and this is her story.

Dr. Fauci: How a Boy from Brooklyn Became America’s Doctor by Kate Messner, illustrated by Alexandra Bye

This great biography begins with Anthony growing up in Brooklyn, delivering prescriptions via blue Schwinn bike to customers from his father’s pharmacy. When he went to college, he studied medicine and then went on to serve under seven presidents, tackling some of the most challenging public health crises. This informative and interesting book is an excellent introduction to the man who became famous during the COVID pandemic.

She Persisted: Florence Griffith Joyner by Rita Williams-Garcia and Chelsea Clinton, illustrated by Alexandra Boiger

This chapter book is the perfect story to read leading up to the summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. Considered the fastest woman of all time, Florence Griffith Joyner, also known as Flo Jo, set two world records in 1988 that still stand today. But getting there wasn’t easy, and Flo Jo had to overcome many challenges along the way. Her story is sure to inspire young readers to pursue their dreams.

Unforgotten: The Wild Life of Dian Fossey and Her Relentless Quest to Save Mountain Gorillas by Anita Silvey

This fantastic book follows the life of Dian Fossey, who in 1963 spent all her savings and took out a loan to to go to Africa. While she had no formal science training, she happened to meet paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey, who helped her pursue her goal of studying animals in the wild. Fossey set up a research camp and threw herself into tracking and observing mountain gorillas. Over the next 18 years, Fossey got closer to gorillas than any human ever had before.

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The Fright Stuff

If I’m Going to Swelter, At Least Make it Gothic

Hey‌ ‌there‌ horror fans, ‌I’m‌ ‌Jessica‌ ‌Avery‌ ‌and‌ ‌I’ll‌ ‌be‌ ‌delivering‌ ‌your‌ ‌weekly‌ ‌brief‌ ‌of‌ ‌all‌ ‌that’s‌ ‌ghastly‌ ‌and‌ ‌grim‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌world‌ ‌of‌ ‌Horror.‌ ‌Whether‌ ‌you’re‌ ‌looking‌ ‌for‌ ‌a‌ ‌backlist‌ ‌book‌ ‌that‌ ‌will‌ ‌give‌‌ you‌ ‌the‌ ‌willies,‌ ‌a‌ ‌terrifying‌ ‌new‌ ‌release,‌ ‌or‌ ‌the‌ ‌latest‌ ‌in‌ ‌horror‌ ‌community‌ ‌news,‌ ‌you’ll‌ ‌find‌ ‌it‌ ‌here‌ in‌ ‌The‌ ‌Fright‌ ‌Stuff.

If there is one good thing about the atrocious heatwaves that have been bombarding us periodically up here in New England (and I do mean only one thing), it’s that the heavy, humid heat puts me in a mood for books of a similar… atmosphere? And there’s no subgenre of horror that does, “slowly being suffocated by the air you breath, was that a ghost touching me or just a hot breeze” like the Southern Gothic. Okay, so that’s rather underselling a subgenre that tackles such weighty themes as racism, classism, the consequences of burying your secrets, and the desperation of a once lofty family tree crumbling to dust. Plus there’s an emphasis in the Southern Gothic on ghosts both figurative and literal, and a fondness for crumble manors rotting with memories that I find infinitely appealing.

So grab your fans and a glass of something cold, and let’s get creepy!

Spook Lights: Southern Gothic Horror by Eden Royce

When diving headfirst into a new subgenre and/or a new author, I always like to start with a collection. Short fiction is such a fantastic way to gauge an author’s range or a subgenre’s flavor. You get the opportunity to discover both in Eden Royce’s fantastic collection of southern gothic horror stores. As the book’s synopsis suggests, Royce’s specialty is lavishly Gothic settings that set the stage for the sinister and strange, and as someone who really appreciates a perfectly wrought setting I am certainly a fan. If you enjoy Royce’s collection too, be sure to pick up the second installment, Spook Lights II, or check out Royce’s middle grade Southern Gothic, Root Magic!

Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo

I’m just going to keep sobbing out my love for this book. Summer Sons doesn’t come out until September so I’ve still got two long months to talk it up before you can get your hands on it, and I will take every possible opportunity! It’s deliciously, gorgeously Gothic. It’s queer. It’s heartbreaking and healing at the same time. It’s about love and grief and all the other emotions that tangle us up as human beings and I am obsessed. I want to crawl inside this book and live. Andrew and Eddie have always been together, bound by a shared secret and a dark gift. Until Eddie gets accepted early to their graduate program, leaving Andrew to trail six months behind. When Eddie kills himself shortly before Andrew is supposed to join him, he carves a hole in Andrew’s life, dragging a trail of secrets in his wake. The circumstances of his death are murky, and the deeper Andrew digs the more he realizes how little he knew about Eddie’s new life without him. All around are strangers, and none stranger than the haunt that stalks his shadow, haunting Andrew with the possibility that Eddie’s death was not what it seemed.

Beware the Wild by Natalie C. Parker

We don’t have a lot of swamps up here. We have bogs. They aren’t as nice, though I imagine that they’re just as good for hiding bodies (or worse things). Whatever the reason, there is definitely a fixed connection between the quintessential Southern swamp and the Gothic. Particularly when it’s a swamp that makes people disappear (and not just when they’re dead). For instance, Sterling’s brother Phin, who disappears into the town swamp one morning following an argument. But Phin doesn’t just vanish into the swamp. He vanishes from the memories of the town altogether. Everyone but Sterling has forgotten he exists, or that in his place a mysterious girl called Lenora May clambered up out of the depths. So it’s up to Sterling to discover who Lenora May truly is, and how she can get her brother back.

Ghost Summer by Tananarive Due

I thought we’d end this list the way we started, with an incomparable collection of Southern Gothic horror short fiction. From hauntings, to monsters, to buried secrets and dark family histories, Ghost Summer is full of rich gothic settings and creeping horrors. Also, zombies! For a more familiar Southern Gothic experience you’ll want Gracetown, one of the four thematic sections of the collection, comprised of “The Lake”, “Summer”, and the titular novella “Ghost Summer”. But all 15 stories in the collection (well, fourteen and a novella) have something to keep horror readers well fed.

Fresh From the Skeleton’s Mouth

Still need more Southern Gothic in your life? Go forth an peruse this list of 12 of the best Southern Gothic titles over at Book Riot!

Nightfire has posted their June rundown of the best horror short fiction and poetry if you’re looking for scares, as well as a list of July’s shiny new releases!

Did you see that the nominees for the 2020 Ladies of Horror Fiction Awards were announced? If you want your TBR thoroughly supplied, be sure to check out their nominee lists for Best Debut, Best Novella, Best Novel, Best Middle Grade Horror, Best Graphic Novel, and Best Collection.

Dawn Kurtagich’s The Teeth in the Mist (one of my favorite YA horror books of all time, complete with evil goat) is getting a sequel! 2023 is a long time away but I can wait! (Not patiently, mind you, but I can wait!)

As always, you can catch me on twitter at @JtheBookworm, where I try to keep up on all that’s new and frightening.