#Most anticipated books June 2023

[hope-for-olicity]

My Most Anticipated Books for June 2023!

My most anticipated books of June 2023! 

June 2nd: Imagine Me and You by Lynn Camden

June 6th: Someday I’ll Find You by C. C. Humphreys, We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian, Ciao For Now by Kate Bromley

June 13th: Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

June 20th: Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke

June 27th: The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston, A Dish Best Served Hot by Natalie Caña and Lexi Lets Go by Mary Warren

[dkehoe]

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: My Top 5 Most Anticipated Book Release- June'23

This is a special Memorial Day edition of my Top 5. Thursday is June 01 and I haven’t even looked at the book release lists until now aaahhhhh! Ok, OK, I got this! Accepting the challenge of culling through all of the many books because of course, June is a HUGE summer book release month, I’ve narrowed it down to my top 5. Here goes! #5 BOOK RELEASE A Jill Shalvis romance is like mac and…

[theinquisitxor]

2024 Anticipated Book Releases

I thought I had a lot of anticipated book releases for 2023, but 2024 is also proving to be a year of many books I'm excited about too. These are all the books I'm looking forward to in the first half of the year!

January:

-A Fragile Enchantment by Alison Saft: (Jan 2nd) rom-com fantasy about a dressmaker hired to make the royal wedding dress, but she starts to fall for the prince instead.

-Mislaid in Parts Half-Known Wayward Children 9) by Seanan (Jan 9th) The second to last book in this novella series, this one featuring dinosaurs!

-The Atlas Complex (The Atlas Series #3) by Olive Blake (Jan 9th) the final books to this magical dark academia trilogy, and I've been excited for this one since the ending of book 2.

-Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands (Emily Wilde 2) by Heather Fawcett (Jan 16th) The second book in this new historical fantasy series, in which Emily and Wendall go on a new adventure in the Austrian Alps. This is one of my most anticipated books of the year.

-City of Stardust by Georgia Summers (Jan 30th) this is a new fantasy debut that sounds similar to The Starless Sea and features a woman descending down into a subterranean world to try and break a generational curse.

-House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City 3) by SJM (Jan 30th) I've been enjoying SJM's crescent city books the most of all her series, and I'm looking forward to this one after how book 2 ended.

February

-The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden (Feb 13th) This is possibly my most anticipated book of the year, and Katherine Arden's newest adult release. A historical fiction (and a little magical realism?) set in Europe during WW1 following a combat nurse trying to find her (presumably) dead brother.

-The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown (Feb 13th) A debut magical realism fantasy set in NYC with books, bookstores, and a mystery book. I've heard many good early reviews of this one.

-What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher (Feb 13th) This is a follow up novella to What Moves the Dead following Alex Easton in a new horror adventure. This one has such a cool cover.

-The Briar Book of the Dead by AG Slatter (Feb 13th) A coven of witches keeps a town and the border between realms safe.

March

-A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft (March 5th) I'm very excited to get two new Allison Saft books in 1 year. This is a dark academia fantasy about two rival scholars trying to figure out who killed their mentor. Sapphic romance too I believe.

-The Prisoner's Throne by Holly Black (March 5th) This is the conclusion to The Stolen Heir, and I'm looking forward to the seeing more of the characters from the original series make an appearance in this one.

-The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo (March 19th) This is a spooky queer horror novella set in 1920s Appalachia. Small town religiosity and something sinister creeping in the woods? This just sounds like a novella I'd enjoy.

-Song of the Huntress by Lucy Holland (March 21st) A new book from Lucy Holland, also set in magical ancient Briton. A warrior queen falls into trouble and teams up with the Wild Hunt to save her kingdom. Sapphic/queer romance.

-The Hedewitch of Fox Hall by Anna Bright (March 24th) a fantasy romance book set in medieval Wales as a hedge witch and prince team up to help prevent magic from fading away. The cover of this book is so beautiful!

April

-The Familiar by Leigh Barduo (April 9th) I don't really know much about this one, other than it is a new adult novel by Leigh Bardugo set in 1400s Spain. Also one of my most anticipated releases of the year.

-Song of Six Realms by Judy Lin (April 23rd) A young adult fantasy about a musician who goes to the Duke of Dreams's realm and must help stop a disaster.

June

-Running Close to the Wind by Alexandra Rowland (June 13th) A new high seas fantasy that was directly inspired by OFMD and Terry Pratchett. This is very queer and seems like it's going to be a lot of fun.

-Foul Days by Genovena Dimova (June 25th) A slavic fantasy story about a witch who has to team up with a detective as she is being hunted by her ex, the Tsar of Monsters. I've heard some very good early reviews of this book too.

-Children of Anguish and Anarchy (Children of Blood and Bone 3) by Tomi Adeyemi (June 25th) I honestly don't know if I'm going to read this anytime soon, but I've been waiting for this final book for almost 4 years now, so I just want to see how the series ends.

I think that's it for now! Release dates tend to change, and I'm sure I will be adding or editing this list as the new year starts. I'd love to hear of any new releases you are excited for!

Second half of 2024/To be determined:

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T Kingfisher (August)

The Mercy of Gods by James SA Corey (August)

The Whisper Between Worlds by Amanda Foody (TBD)

Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid (TBD)

[nicholsroy]

April updates & May goals

Blog | Monthly updates

Hello! Me again. I come bearing some updates from the past month or so. Nothing major, but I'm happy to report steady progress on most fronts.

In April, I printed out the first 100 pages of LIFE IN BLACK AND WHITE's manuscript for its final consistency read prior to querying! 🎉

LIFE IN BLACK AND WHITE progress updates

Act I: ~90% complete. Edits/partial redrafting remain on three chapters (10, 11 and 15) and minor alterations, which I’m hoping to get done entirely this weekend, remain on three chapters (8, 19, and 21). If things continue to progress at the current rate, I anticipate being able to start consistency reading Act I later this month. Yay!

Act II: ~75% complete. No progress to report as I focused entirely on Act I in April/early May.

Query prep: As mentioned in last month’s update, a batch of test queries will be sent out once Act II is 90% complete. This being said: I plan to complete Act I’s consistency read prior to further progress on Act II (unless strong inspiration strikes me for Act II edits between now and then, of course) so I can send Act I out to those very patient readers who have been waiting to read this version for months now.  

Other writing

I have one flash piece (horror) on submission, and another (suspense) entered in a contest (results in mid-June for that).

I have two prose poems on submission.

I will be participating in another flash fiction contest beginning at the end of this month.

Some scattered drafting for THE DOTTED LINE has occurred between editing sessions for LIFE IN BLACK AND WHITE. As of now I still intend for THE DOTTED LINE to become my main WIP after the completion of LIFE IN BLACK AND WHITE’s edits – I know I will need to focus on something else while I’m querying, plus I would certainly like to actually finish this draft at some point. You know how it is.

Reading

I have read 12 books so far in 2024 (ie. the same number I read over the entirety of 2023), and have changed my goal from 20 books to 30 books for the year.

Read in April (a few of these were already mentioned in the last, very late, update):

WHEN THE STARS ALIGHT by Camilla Andrew

IF WE WERE VILLAINS by M.L. Rio

THE SANGUINE SORCERESS by Camilla Andrew

THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY by Oscar Wilde

Currently reading:

ANGELS BEFORE MAN by Rafael Nicolás

Up next:

THE DARKNESS OUTSIDE US by Eliot Schrefer (this month’s book club pick)

DEAD GIRLS DON’T SAY SORRY by Alex Ritany

MY DARK VANESSA by Kate Elizabeth Russell

THE BONDS THAT BIND US by Stephanie Johnson

[summersfirstsnow]

Mid-Year Book Meme (2023)

@sixappleseeds said that anyone who wanted to could do this so I have decided that includes me

1. Best Book You’ve Read So Far in 2023? I've read a lot of good books this year! Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh was a good read, the Will Darling trilogy by KJ Charles was also really good. My favourite debut so far is To Shape a Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose. Some others will be used later but have a right to be here too.

2. Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far in 2023? The Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson! Nice fun sequel novella that ties up some loose ends and lets readers spend more time with the characters (and the house, which has Opinions).

3. New Release You Haven’t Read Yet, But Want To? The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon is next on my list. And on my library borrows pile.

4. Most Anticipated Release For Second Half of 2023? Moon of the Turning Snow by Waubgeshig Rice is definitely up there, as are A Power Unbound by Freya Marske and The Salvation Gambit by Emily Strutskie.

5. Biggest Disappointment? Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall, which made me feel like my brain was being eaten by gummy worms. In a bad way.

6. Biggest Surprise? A Half-built Garden by Ruthanna Emrys! I was expecting to like it, but I wasn't expecting how often I just... think about it apropos of nothing now. It's one of the first cli-fi stories that is optimistic but avoids becoming too saccharine for my taste.

7. Favorite New Author? Terry Pratchett is kind of new to me, I had read Nation but this was my first time picking up Discworld books. KJ Charles is the other new author whose work I've read quite a bit of this year.

8. Newest Favorite Character? I don't have that many characters that I'm WILDLY attached to any characters that I read about this year. Emily Wilde from Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries is very good. I like that she's better at relating to fae than humans due to autism social awkwardness of no particular diagnosis I'm sure.

9. Newest Fictional Crush? *flashback to that time everyone thought I was lying when I said I didn't have a crush on anyone during an icebreaker due to my brain going completely blank* Uhhh...

10. Book That Made You Cry? And This is How to Stay Alive by Shingai Njeri Kagunda, in the The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2021 collection definitely brought tears to my eyes (older sibling FEELINGSSSSS etc), but the last book had me an utter wreck was last year when I read Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir.

11. Book That Made You Happy? The Luminaries by Sarah Dennard was fun and made me laugh as I liveblogged it for my friends. A Half-built Garden also merits a second mention because it was nice to find a book in the genre that didn't make me either deeply despairing or violently annoyed.

12. Favorite Book Adaptation You Saw This Year? I guess Nimona wins by default, I don't think I've watched any other adaptations.

13. Favorite Review You’ve Written This Year? I guess my June reading list wins by default also because I don't think I've written any other reviews.

14. Most Beautiful Cover? The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty has a gorgeous cover, I like that it looks kind like it's printed from woodcuts almost.

15. What Books Do You Need To Read By The End of The Year? The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill is on my list.

And I'm tagging: @lloonlloon, @notpuckconnolly, and whoever else wants to do it!

[bookcub]

Mid-Year Book Freakout 2023

@readingbooksinisrael and @logarithmicpanda tagged me!!

1. Best book you’ve read so far this year.

this is very hard because ive read so so so many good books this year, but since this says best and not favorite so either kindred by octavia butler or spinning silver by naomi novik. expertly crafted, beautifully written, compelling characters. . . i highly recommend both of these books

(im also excluding rereads because then i would be here all day)

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far this year

ive only read a few sequels but they were fantastic. i will go with kingdom of copper and empire of gold by sa chakraborty. i binged this whole series in two weeks. some of the best worldbuilding, and one of the only political fantasies i have gotten invested in. im sad i didnt read it sooner but im delighted i have it in my life now!

3. New release you haven’t read yet

mmmm the witch and the vampire is a queer rapunzel and that could be sooooo fun, i love a queer fairy tale retelling. godkiller also looks very good.

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

you would think it would be the new pat rothfuss book but bast is not my fave so im more pumped for the ashfire king by chelsea abdullah. another high fantasy that is very compelling and quite fun!!

5. Biggest disappointment

gotta be legends and lattes by travis baldree, which i heard fantastic things about but my expectations were all wrong. i found it quite boring unfortunately. i expected it to be funnier and for more character depth. i don't think the book is bad i just dont find it very special.

6. Biggest surprise

seven days in june by tia williams

7. Favorite new author (debut or new to you)

MARGARET OWEN!!! little thieves and painted devils were marvelous, and i am absolutely her target audience!! fairy tale retelling with a twist ft an aspec main character??? how could i hate this book?? anyways, shes on my automatic read list and i follow her now! i need to read her earlier duology soon!!

8. Newest fictional crush/newest favorite character

vanya from little thieves is my absolute favorite, i adore her, she has a fantasticly distinct voice and filled with such relatable emotions. i am obsessed with her

9. Book that made you cry

i cry a LOT in books. most recently, the magic fish by trung le nguyen and my reread of the lunar chronicles but i cried at a lot of these previously mentioned books.

10. Book that made you happy

the magic fish also made me so happy, i cried with happy tears but also as previously stated, little thieves 🥰🥰🥰

tagging: @druggeddraccus @flyingcrowbar @aliteraryprincess @corvidaedream (no pressure!!)

[elizmanderson]

Henlo :3

I'm currently reading the Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher, and it was bugging me that I didn't know why Amir was flinching when Edna touched him, so (based on Akida's hijab and Amir's prayer rug) I looked into customs of Islam and learned some stuff and I just want to say thanks for having so many different kinds of lives in this book (: I always appreciate learning real world stuff in fun ways.

thank you so much for reading! I had a lot of help with Amir's character from Muslim friends who kindly answered my questions and/or read early drafts and gave me feedback. I'd like to take this opportunity to recommend a couple Muslim authors and their books*!

Adiba Jaigirdar is an auto-buy author for me! three of her books are queer YA romance - The Henna Wars, Hani & Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating, and The Dos and Donuts of Love (the last one is coming out in June) - but she also has A Million to One, which is a heist story set on the Titanic. that one just released in December, so I haven't read it yet, but I'm SO EXCITED for it. check out Adiba's books on her website.

Priyanka Taslim is a fellow 2023 debut whose book I looked forward to for ages, and it did not disappoint! The Love Match is pitched as a Bangladeshi-American YA romance that will appeal to fans of Jane Austen (and also it will appeal to tea-lovers everywhere). it has fake dating, complicated family dynamics, and a love triangle that really kept me guessing. Priyanka also has an adult novel, From Mumbai With Love, anticipated to release early in 2024, so add it on GoodReads now. check out Priyanka's website here.

Kataru Yahya is another fellow debut whose book is alas not out yet, but I can't wait to read it! Home Is a Silhouette is a loose, contemporary retelling of Beauty & the Beast that is set in Ghana. If you haven't seen the cover yet, be sure to take a look, because it's ridiculously gorgeous. add the book on GoodReads now, and check out Kataru's Linktree here. (she is also a poet, and some of her poetry is linked on Linktree if you're interested!)

Aamna Qureshi is the definition of "it's about the range": if you're looking for an author who can do contemporary, fantasy, long-form, short-form - look no further. The Lady or the Lion and The Man or the Monster (a YA fantasy duology retelling of the story "The Lady or the Tiger") are out now. keep an eye out for When a Brown Girl Flees (2023), If I Loved You Less (2024), and My Big, Fat, Desi Wedding (edited by Prerna Pickett, 2024) if you prefer contemporary! see more details on Aamna's website.

Khadijah VanBrakle is another fellow debut, and her book comes out next month! Fatima Tate Takes the Cake is recommended for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Ibi Zoboi (um, YES) and is yet another debut with an absolutely gorgeous cover that I'm obsessed with. if you like coming-of-age stories that are gritty yet hopeful, be sure to give this one a look. see more details on Khadijah's website!

*I write adult contemporary fantasy, and you'll notice this list is like. mostly YA contemporary/YA romance with a sprinkling of YA fantasy. that is because, as much as I love adult fantasy and writing in the adult fantasy space, most of what I read in general tends to be YA, and most of what I've read since the pandemic started leans romance (because low stakes and a guaranteed HEA are exactly what I have needed since the pandemic started).

[viscountessevie]

ARC/Reviews Masterlist

ARCs

Reviews can also be found on my StoryGraph

COMING SOON: Unladylike Rules of Attractions by Amita Murray In the highly anticipated sequel for Unladylike Lessons, comes Anya Marleigh's book! Anya is Lila Marleigh's second sister and the musically inclined heroine of this book. She is a court singer and sitar player in Queen Charlotte's royal court. Anya soon comes into a large inheritance which has her involved with the executor of her new fortune, Lord Damian Ashton. Lord Ashton's banter with her is the least of her problems when she becomes embroiled in a murder case.

2023 ARCs

Unladylike Lessons in Love by Amita Murray Release Date: 30th May 2023 A realistic historical women's fiction centred on a really cool Indian heroine who runs a gambling hall. The book gives a deep dive into the working class and immigrants of the Regency era with a side of romance

Clytemnestra's Bind by Susan C. Wilson Release Date: 15th June 2023 A Greek Tragedy in every sense of the word that will have you sobbing - a prequel to Clytemnestra's story in the Trojan War.

A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales Release Date: 27th June 2023 A murder mystery set in the Regency era that's a parody of itself and the Austen-universe, so much so that you can match each character to their Austen counterpart. It has a side of romance with a dashing Indian detective.

An Upper West Side Story by Rachel Cullen Release Date: 6th July 2023 A modern chick-lit/coming of age for 20-somethings set in 2004 and follows a group of four neighbours whose lives intersect together in various ways.

I Do, I Don't by Joy Argento Release Date: 11th July 2023 A contemporary sapphic romance novel about a reality show producer and her programmer for the show who unexpectedly has to step in as a lead.

The Wrong Family by Ellery Kane Release Date: 30th August 2023 A mystery novel a 30-something orphan woman gets involved with a rich family in Lake Tahoe after trying to find her father. Things start to go awry as soon as she arrives and the family's fingers start pointing to her.

Roomates by Ola Tundun Release Date: 20th September 2023 A debut novel about a roommates to lovers pairing with a seemingly perfect girl whose life is really a mess and a playboy who has to change his ways when the perfect girl comes crashing into his apartment with an offer he can't refuse.

Hunt on Dark Water by Katee Robert Release Date: 7th November 2023 A contemporary romance novel set in the fantasy world of Threshold. Tensions rise between a witch named Evelyn and sea Captain Bowen as they journey across realms and find out secrets that have them questioning everything.

2024 ARCs

The Boyfriend Subscription by Steven Salvatore Release Date: 26th March 2024 A contemporary queer retelling of Pretty Woman involving Cole Vivien, the CEO of their version of OnlyFans and Teddy Hughes, a botanist who has lost both his husband and his business. The two meet on a fateful night in New York and come up with a proposition to be a faux couple to satisfy what they each need.

Reviews

Paused: The Dark Olympus by Katee Robert [Edited: 28th Dec 2023 - Paused indefinitely for the time being]

Stone Heart - Medusa/Calypso Neon Gods - Persephone/Hades Electric Idol - Psyche/Eros Wicked Beauty - Helen/Patroclus/Achilles Radiant Sin - Cassandra/Apollo

[tm-trx]

currents.24/2023

selections from my week in media [11-17 june 2023]

[anticipating]

The SHINee comeback is so close I can taste it. The skirt suits in the teaser photos they dropped this past week killed me dead. They all look gorgeous.

[listening]

Bouncy / ATEEZ - I’m not sure what I love most about it. Hongjoong’s electric blue hair? The goat? Conga line choreo? Chipmunk effect? Mingi in that hat? Yes to all of it. (But especially the goat.)

[reading]

Heart of the River by meyari - Jiang Yanli pov MDZS elementals fix-it AU - Stayed up way too late reading, but boy was it worth it.

Horns of Light by Morlin Lorenz - A darling little graphic novel about a young cow and her quest for horns. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is very sweet, with a touch of fantasy. I have the Kickstarter book, but I’ve linked the webtoon comic.

Old-Fashioned Cupcake by Sagan Sagan - The English language edition of the manga was released this week.

[watching]

Big Dragon - A quick and easy rewatch for when I couldn’t concentrate on new stuff. It was so much better the second time, without the expectations I had going into it and knowing in advance the general tone and quality I was in for. This is why I rewatch shows. They are almost always better the second time through (especially if I originally watched week to week.) I don’t know if we’ll be getting a season two, but I’d love to see the two leads do another project together.

Bokura no Shokutaku, ep 10.5 - I am a bit disappointed we didn’t get the epilogue from the manga. They followed the rest of the book so closely, that I was sure we’d get that last glimpse of the future. Other than that, I liked it as much as the rest of the show. I’m going to miss this little family.

King the Land - Lee Junho! Yoona! Together in a chaebol kdrama! I’ve been looking forward to this since it was announced last year and the first episode did not disappoint. The first ep covered a lot of groundwork, but I think it did it well. We’ve got a good sense of who Yoona’s character is (less so with Junho’s - I have so many questions) and an even better idea of the worlds that they inhabit and how they will intersect. I’m going to really enjoy watching it this summer.

Love Tractor - I’m enjoying it, despite the uneven tone. This might be another one I like better on rewatch when I can run through the episodes all at once.

Shigatsu no Tokyo wa (April in Tokyo is) - I love this show so far. My first impression is that it’s beautifully filmed and the two leads are very comfortable with each other. They’re so easy with each other, it’s a joy to watch them. And the young actors in the flashbacks are also very good. I’m excited to see where the story goes and am resisting looking up the manga it’s based on to see what I’m in for.

Step By Step - Episode 8 was a rollercoaster: a painful break-up; a delightful “not date-date”; moody sunbathing; drunken crying in a bar; and the best lightbulb moment to cap it all off.

previous Currents posts

[novelstorian]

June 2023 Upcoming Book Releases | Most Anticipated Books

Hey, friends! A new month = new book releases!  This month’s Most Anticipated list might be the shortest list of book releases that I have ever had on this blog– which might be a good thing, considering I still have a mile long TBR (to-be-read) list.  That being said, I am so excited for lot’s of the titles featured on this list. I cannot wait to hopefully discover some new favourite books or…

[mydarlinginej]

2023 is on the horizon, and with it, comes new books! check out my most anticipated 2023 releases (january - june) in my latest blog post!!

[thetrial]

hiii bee 💙 20 (/ any upcoming releases you're looking forward to?) & 6 & which russian brick is up next?

hey ve <3

20. What was your most anticipated release? Did it meet your expectations?

my most anticipated book was definitely the spear cuts through water by simon jimenez, who wrote perhaps my favourite book of 2021, the vanished birds. it was published in august, but i have not read it yet for silly reasons so i can't say how it stands up to my expectations which i think are modest (enjoy myself while reading)

bonus book i was looking forward to (a lot less than the spear cuts through water, it has to be said) and did actually read (upon release!) which is babel by rf kuang but you know how i feel about it.

anticipated releases in 2023: i think for the first time in my life i am very out of tune with the current literary world & new releases. if there is a book i am looking forward to can't remember. i read so much this year and perhaps more than ever balanced contemporary with 'classics' and i guess i overwhelmingly enjoyed those more (or stuck with them more often). so i will read books as i come across them but i am mostly on the lookout for the old and bridging gaps in my knowledge.

6. Was there anything you meant to read, but never got to?

i'll skip the banal answers you probably know very well to books i distantly planned to read 'soon' and didn't: long live the post horn (vigdis hjorth), sorrowland (rivers solomon; author of my favourite book of 2018), vile bodies (evelyn waugh), all the horses of iceland (sarah tolmie), parable of the sower (octavia e butler), tears of the trufflepig (fernando a flores) and breakfast for champions (kurt vonnegut) + to the lighthouse (virginia woolf) which i hoped to reread at this juncture in my life. also everything on my nonfiction shelf (most of which i at least tried to read), perhaps in particular the climate change section as well as ghosts of my life and wanderers a history of women walking.

i don't think the next brick will be russian per se. besides la vie mode d'emploi which is a bulgakov 2020 nominee [books i vaguely wish to read but never remember, mostly 'classics', named for my intention to read the master & margarita in 2020. recent winners include in de ban van de ring, the brothers karamazov and the book the endeavour is named for], i think ulysses daily (ulysses om 't uur?) is perhaps the funniest possible outcome of the serialised email format, something that occured to me about a week too late this june. so maybe this year i finally read ulysses. if we're doing strictly russian: doctor zhivago but it's not very high on my list. oh i heard such high praise of against the day namely that it's disco elysium adjacent. the people on r/discoelysium book recommendations are NEVER wrong

some lighter/more recent long books (600+ pages) i hope to get to: the secret commnwealth (sequel to book of dust), jonathan strange & mr norell, perdido street station, the books of jacob, utopia avenue. how many pages is the silarmilion. 300 something pages. well it's an honourary brick. 2023 i sprout a whole new set of issues that can be related to the sirmamillion

[libertyreads]

Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag--

1. What is the best book you’ve read so far this year? Both Greymist Fair by Francesca Zappia and The Foxglove King by Hannah F. Whitten are tied for my highest rated books read this year. They’re new releases for this year that definitely need more readers. 2. What is the best sequel you’ve read so far this year? The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren made it to the top of the list for sequels this year. Technically it’s a companion series so you don’t have to read book one, but it IS a series. 3. What is a new release you haven’t read yet but want to? I’m usually really good about reading new releases as my preorders come in. But the one I’m putting for this answer is one that I hadn’t heard of before it came out. The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda. Definitely one I’m going to try to get from the library. 4. What is your most anticipated release for the second half of the year? The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I don’t even have to look at my preorders to know this is my number one. 5. What is your biggest disappointment of the year so far? Low, Volume 1: Delirium of Hope. This was a comic that I was SO excited to read but was so overly sexualized. 6. What is your biggest surprise of the year so far? I have really enjoyed reading all of the Fence comics. I thought there was a chance I would enjoy them, but I didn’t realize I would get so invested. 7. What is your new favorite author? The only new to me author that really stood out to me was Hannah F. Whitten who wrote The Foxglove King which I really enjoyed earlier this year. 8. What is your newest fictional crush? I don’t believe in fictional crushes now that I’m a grown woman who reads a lot of books across multiple different age ranges. But I’ll say my favorite male love interest at this point would be Connor Prince from The True Love Experiment. 9. What is your newest favorite character? Elias from The Curse of Broken Shadows by Laura Winter. He’s a big guy with an even bigger heart. This book was such a surprise for me. I’m so hopeful that book two comes out next year. 10. What is a book that made you cry? I don’t think I’ve read anything that made me cry this year. I’m sure it’ll happen at some point. I’ve never gone a full year without crying at something I’ve read. 11. What is a book that made you happy? I had such a fun time reading all of the Fence comics in June. I really didn’t think it would be for me but it’s so cute and sweet and reminds me so much of Check, Please. I absolutely HAVE TO get the novels read at some point this year. 12. What is your favorite book to movie adaptation you’ve seen so far this year? I think the only book to movie adaptation I’ve seen so far this year is the second season of Shadow and Bone.  13. What is the most beautiful book you’ve bought this year? I bought a beautiful edition of The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood which I don’t think I’ll get around to reading this year, but hopefully next year. It’s a beautiful green leather cover that I loved. 14. What books do you really need to read by the end of the year? I’d love to read all the books that were on my TBR on the last day of 2022. Anything I bought during 2023 would be a nice bonus. The overall goal is still to get my physical TBR down to 10 books.

[popentertainment-moviereviews]

THE FLASH (2023)

Starring Ezra Miller, Sasha Calle, Michael Keaton, Michael Shannon, Ron Livingston, Maribel Verdú, Kiersey Clemons, Antje Traue, Temuera Morrison, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Rudy Mancuso, Luke Brandon Field, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Jeremy Irons, Nicolas Cage, George Clooney and Ben Affleck.

Screenplay by Christina Hodson.

Directed by Andy Muschietti.

Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. 144 minutes. Rated PG-13.

The Flash was always my favorite DC superhero (with the possible exception of Superman), so even though I’m well past my comic book phase, I’ve been keenly waiting for this film. Of course, it turned out to be a longer wait than most anticipated.

It’s sort of a tough time for the speedster. The CW television series of The Flash just limped off the air a few weeks ago, long after the show had jumped the shark, going from a terrific series to one that was barely watchable over the last few seasons.

The character has been on the outskirts of the DC film universe for a while, appearing in Justice League and doing cameos in Batman v. Superman and Suicide Squad. However, this film has been on hold for a while now – for several reasons. Original plans had it being released in 2018, but a whole series of issues slowed down the speedster.

First of all, the film shuffled through a whole series of potential directors and script revisions. They finally settled on director Andy Muschietti (right off his successful helming of two films based on Stephen King’s IT), but even with Muschietti on board, it was planned to get wide release a year ago.

However, that was right at the time of the DCEU shift from the old Zack Snyder universe to the new conception of the franchise helmed by James Gunn. There were quite a few rumors that the Flash film would be scrapped, both because it was part of the old guard, and also because star Ezra Miller had often been in the news because of a disturbing series of personal and legal issues over recent years.

In fact, honestly, to a certain extent the film was more anticipated because it was going to feature the return of Michael Keaton as Batman, resuming the role for the first time since Batman Returns (1992). In fact, more than even the lead character, I have a feeling that Keaton’s participation in the film was the reason that this film survived and is finally reaching theaters.

It's a good thing that it did, because The Flash is the best DC film since… well… the first Shazam! Of course, this says as much about the overall quality of DCEU efforts as it does about the quality of The Flash. Still, while far from perfect, The Flash is a mostly quite enjoyable time-travel adventure with lots of fun Easter eggs for fans.

Sadly, one of the slight disappointments of the film is Ezra Miller’s performance and Barry Allen / The Flash. In fairness, Miller has many funny moments, but overall he plays the role a bit too broadly, almost like a Randy Rainbow parody of the character. With all of his other issues, it will be interesting to see if Miller continues to play the role in future projects.

The Flash is another one of those comic book films that revolves around a multiverse (I wonder if there will ever be another superhero film that actually stays in one time thread), and while the idea is kind of overdone by now, The Flash does some fun things with it. We get to revisit lots of different variations of superheroes over the years, with Michael Keaton’s Batman and Michael Shannon’s General Zod standing out as fun casting returns.

It's probably best that you go into The Flash not knowing too much of the plot, so I’ll not delve into the storyline too much to avoid dropping any potential spoilers here. The only thing you really need to know is that the nearly two and a half hours of The Flash zips by in an exciting and fun blur, and it’s definitely worth the time.

Jay S. Jacobs

Copyright ©2023 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: June 16, 2023.

[lgbtqreads]

any 2023 MG debuts that you’ll be preordering?

I don't know about preordering, since I'm not personally a big MG reader, but here are a whole bunch on my radar: https://lgbtqreads.com/2022/12/12/most-anticipated-middle-grade-books-january-june-2023/

[roadhomewebsite]

Ebook, Digital Audiobook Use Up 286% in K-12 Schools Since 2019; 20% since 2022 Ebook, Digital Audiobook Use Up 286% in K-12 Schools Since 2019; 20% since 2022 Since 2019, digital ebooks and audiobooks have seen a 286% growth since 2019, based on checkouts. In their latest annual report, OverDrive–which powers the apps providing digital ebooks, audiobooks, and more in school and public libraries–found that use of these resources in schools are up, based on data from 62,000 schools worldwide. No longer are digital books becoming normalized in schools, they are indeed the norm.“The State of K-12 Reading” looks at how students in kindergarten through 12th grade are engaging with digital reading. Utilizing anonymized data from the Sora app during the 2022-2023 school year, OverDrive has compiled some of the first research on the digital reading habits of young readers.A total of 165.7 million sessions were initiated with Sora, showcasing an 8% rise in accessing digital resources over the previous year. Even more than simply logging into the app, the data show that kids using books more than ever as well, with a 3.4% increase in the total number of books read.The difference in a year for both digital book and digital audiobook borrowing is impressive. A total of 19.4 million ebooks were borrowed by K-12 students in the 2022-2023 school year, compared to 16.2 million the previous year. That represents a 20% increase. For audiobooks, 2.4 million were borrowed in 2022-2023, compared to 2.1 million the prior year, representing a 17% increase.A total of 22.3 million digital items–books, audiobooks, magazines–were borrowed by K-12 students in the 2022-2023 school year.Check Your Shelf Newsletter Sign up to receive Check Your Shelf, the Librarian’s One-Stop Shop For News, Book Lists, And More.Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox.The top states for students borrowing ebooks were Texas, New York, California, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts–none of which are particularly surprising given their student populations and the way their states operate with digital access–while the top states for digital audiobook borrowing were Texas, New York, Utah, California, and Wisconsin. Ease of access via school-supported apps no doubt has played a role in getting books in various formats to students interested in them.Regional differences in reading preferences from OverDrive’s report.Young people across the country flocked to similar genres and themes in their reading. The most popular nationwide were comics and graphic novels, followed by humorous fiction, fantasy, then biography and autobiography. Depending on the region of the country, though, there were differences in the popularity of other genres. The northeast preferred sociology, while the southeast and southwest preferred sports and recreation. The midwest and the west enjoyed YA romance, while the pacific northwest learned into nature.Even more consistent in popularity were audiobook genres read by K-12 students. Humor topped the list, followed by fantasy, comics and graphic novels (yes, on audio!), fiction, and mystery reads. The western region accessed romance novels slightly more than mysteries.OverDrive also looked at when students were accessing digital materials via the Sora app, too. The averages are kind of surprising–you might anticipate summer months to be the lowest in usage, and they are by number of students borrowing books, but they rank among the highest in terms of how long students are reading. The average reading time on the app was highest in July (4.6 hours), followed by June (2.6 hours), and March (2.3 hours). The data might be explained by digital programs that incentivize summer reading via the app.Data on unique users each month from OverDrive’s report.So what are the kids reading? If you’ve spent any time with young people, you won’t be surprised. Juvenile fiction, consisting of books for elementary and middle schoolers, is the top category of borrowed materials.

Juvenile fiction makes up 23% of all checkouts via Sora, and 86% of the top juvenile ebooks are part of a series. Of those, 56% of the books checked out are titles in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Big Nate, Dog Man, The Baby-Sitters Club Graphix, and Smile round out the top five.For non-series books, the top five titles are Drama, Ghosts, New Kid, Forget Me Not, and Serpientes de cerca (Snakes Up Close). You can see the popularity of graphic novels here, as well as humor books. It is especially noteworthy that one of the top books is in Spanish, as it is likely easier for many students to access books in Spanish via digital books than physical in their libraries for many reasons.For young adult books, the top checkouts included Heartstopper Volume 1, The Silver Eyes, One of Us Is Lying, Naruto Volume 1, and The Summer I Turned Pretty. Again, comics and series books dominate the list.Students do have access to a catalog of titles published for adults as well, though those are primarily available to high school students. What’s popular among those titles is also not surprising: 56% of the top borrows are for comics and graphic novels.And when looking at the top borrowed titles across all categories on Sora, comics show up, as do familiar characters and a staple of both classroom study and American literature more broadly:Of course, digital reading and resources have been a sticking point in the ongoing book banning crisis. Mississippi banned Hoopla and OverDrive apps from anyone under the age of 18 without explicit parental permission in July 2023, and California’s Orange Unified Schools banned the Sora app itself after parental complaints about the content available via the app (it was reinstated). A similar ban over digital access to books happened late last year in Pulaski County Schools in Arkansas, though again, access has been reinstated.The OverDrive report is a reminder that it’s not just adults who benefit from the availability of ebooks and digital audiobooks in libraries. It’s students, too, who can access materials for education and entertainment from their laptops, their tablets, and their cell phones. And students are doing just that–the data show they’re doing their homework while also picking up books for the fun of it.Will the ongoing era of book banning impact ebooks? Absolutely. But will ebooks and digital audiobooks continue to grow in their use and widespread availability? Absolutely.You can read the full report on K-12 student reading habits here. If you are in an area experiencing rampant book bans or where access to digital apps like Sora have been choked, know there are opportunities nationwide to borrow from broad, diverse, and inclusive collections. You can discover those public libraries offering access to banned books here. Ebook, Digital Audiobook Use Up 286% in K-12 Schools Since 2019; 20% since 2022 Global - BLOGGER - #Global