San Diego Comic-Con: What We'll Be Watching
Today is the first day of one of the biggest conventions in the entertainment industry: San Diego Comic-Con. The SDCC is the OG comic-con, and initially kicked off in 1970 by a group of serious comic book, movie and science fiction fans. The one-day mini-con developed into a three-day affair (plus a Preview Night on Wednesday) that draws creators, writers, actors, producers and directors --- and nearly 130,000 attendees from all over the world. Comics, which were the original show draw, now stand in the shadows of the television and film industry.
Over the past handful of years, some major announcements have come out of the con. A slew of movie trailers are premiered, including many for future action/adventure blockbuster hits. Some notable ones from last year include Ready Player One (which I loved!), season two of “Stranger Things,” season two of “Westworld” and Justice League. In 2016, we saw previews for Suicide Squad, Snowden and Wonder Woman. Based on this history, it’s fair to say that we can realistically expect exciting things to be revealed this weekend.
The conference runs through Sunday. In addition to the hotly anticipated trailers (swirling rumors are saying It: Chapter Two, Aquaman, and maybe, just maybe, Wonder Woman 1984), there will be hundreds of talks and panels. According to the LA Times, some of the ones to look out for include a “Breaking Bad” 10th Anniversary Celebration with, most notably, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul. Wow, I can’t believe it’s already been 10 years! I predict that the video highlights from this would be worth watching, not only for nostalgia sake, but also for humor.
Another one worth following: the Venom panel. Based on the comic book character of the same name, hits theaters October 5th with Tom Hardy starring as Venom. Um, swooooon --- I always love a bad boy. The film will be directed by Ruben Fleischer --- he directed 2009’s Zombieland, which was very well-received. Composer Ludwig Göransson, whose most recent noteworthy work is Blank Panther, will score the movie. If that isn’t enough to get you on board, then check out the trailer. First released in late April, it already has over 65 million YouTube views. Needless to say, there’s a lot of look forward to with this.
Last, but not least, Stephen King’s new Hulu series “Castle Rock” will premiere to fans far and wide. Not only will there be a screening (to be a fly on that wall), Sissy Spacek (think: the original 1976 Carrie) and Bill Skarsgård (think: Pennywise in King’s 2017 It) will be in attendance for a post-screening Q+A. Word on the street is that there will be an immersive “Castle Rock” experience for fans --- jealous!
Speaking of conventions where fans gather, last week, some of our staff headed over to the annual ThrillerFest, which is held in NYC every July. Click here to read more about the event from The Book Report Network’s very own Rebecca Munro. She got to meet a very special someone whose series made it to HBO and whose name rhymes with forge tartan.
The contest portion of the 20SomethingReads.com Beach Bag of Books feature ended last Monday. Click here to see if you are one of the five lucky winners! And, if you still need some summer reading inspo, be sure to take a look at the included titles. They all make great beach, bath and bed reads.
While you’re patiently awaiting all the media news to break over the weekend, pick up one (or two!) of the following books:
Anne Tyler’s CLOCK DANCE is the story of Willa Drake, who can count on one hand the defining moments of her life. In 1967, she is a schoolgirl coping with her mother's sudden disappearance. In 1977, she is a college coed considering a marriage proposal. In 1997, she is a young widow trying to piece her life back together. And in 2017, she yearns to be a grandmother but isn't sure she ever will be. Then, one day, Willa receives a startling phone call from a stranger. Without fully understanding why, she flies across the country to Baltimore to look after a young woman she's never met, her nine-year-old daughter, and their dog, Airplane. This impulsive decision will lead Willa into uncharted territory. Surrounded by eccentric neighbors who treat each other like family, she finds solace and fulfillment in unexpected places. Note that B&N stores across the country are going to have a book club discussion about this book on Wednesday, August 8th from 7pm - 8pm. You can attend the discussion whether you are in a book club or not!
The New York Times bestselling mother-daughter duo of Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritellaare back with more hilarious, witty and true tales from their lives in I SEE LIFE THROUGH ROSÉ-COLORED GLASSES: True Stories and Confessions. Whether they are attempting to hike the Grand Canyon, setting up phone calls with their dogs, or learning what “adulting” means, Lisa and Francesca are guaranteed to make you laugh, cry and appreciate the funniest moments in life. Like the perfect glass of rosé, they’re always here to help you escape from your own busy, modern life and instead get lost in theirs. Read the USA Today interview with the mother-daughter duo!
In THE LIDO by Libby Page, Rosemary Peterson has lived in Brixton, London, all her life, but everything is changing. The library where she used to work has closed. The family grocery store has become a trendy bar. And now the lido, an outdoor pool where she has swum daily since its opening, is threatened with closure by a local housing developer. Twentysomething Kate Matthews has moved to Brixton and feels desperately alone. A once promising writer, she now covers forgettable stories for her local paper. That is, until she is assigned to write about the lido’s closing. As Rosemary slowly opens up to Kate, both women are nourished and transformed in ways they never thought possible.
Happy reading!
5 Things To Obsess About This Very Moment, in no particular order:
1. The film adaptation of THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY will premiere on Netflix on August 10th
2. New emojis are coming
3. Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet in the upcoming tearjerker Beautiful Boy, based on the 2008 book of the same name by David Sheff
4. The "Stranger Things" season 3 teaser
5. Instagram's You're All Caught Up feature
Happy reading,
Nicole Sherman
THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF AARON BROOM by A. E. Hotchner (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Michael Crouch
Street-savvy, almost-13-year-old Aaron Broom witnesses a robbery gone wrong in a jewelry store. To Aaron's shock, his father, a traveling watch salesman in the wrong place at the wrong time, is fingered as the prime suspect in the murder. Despite seeing the real killer flee the scene, Aaron can't do much to help in the moment. Undaunted, he enlists an unlikely band of friends and helpful adults to clear his father's name, including a world-weary paperboy, an aspiring teen journalist, a kindly lawyer, and a neighborhood friend with a penchant for baking. And as they dig into the details of the case, these unconventional detectives reveal a cover-up that goes much deeper than a jewelry-store heist gone sour. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
THE CABIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Paul Tremblay (Psychological Thriller/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Amy Landon
Seven-year-old Wen and her parents, Eric and Andrew, are vacationing at a remote cabin on a quiet New Hampshire lake. One afternoon, a stranger unexpectedly appears in the driveway. Leonard is the largest man Wen has ever seen, but he is young and friendly, and wins her over almost instantly. Leonard and Wen talk and play until Leonard abruptly apologizes and tells Wen, "None of what’s going to happen is your fault." Three more strangers then arrive at the cabin carrying unidentifiable, menacing objects. As Wen sprints inside to warn her parents, Leonard calls out: "Your dads won’t want to let us in, Wen. But they have to. We need your help to save the world." Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
CLOCK DANCE by Anne Tyler (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Kimberly Farr
Willa Drake can count on one hand the defining moments of her life. In 1967, she is a schoolgirl coping with her mother's sudden disappearance. In 1977, she is a college coed considering a marriage proposal. In 1997, she is a young widow trying to piece her life back together. And in 2017, she yearns to be a grandmother but isn't sure she ever will be. Then, one day, Willa receives a startling phone call from a stranger. Without fully understanding why, she flies across the country to Baltimore to look after a young woman she's never met, her nine-year-old daughter, and their dog, Airplane. This impulsive decision will lead Willa into uncharted territory. Surrounded by eccentric neighbors who treat each other like family, she finds solace and fulfillment in unexpected places. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
THE CON ARTIST by Fred Van Lente (Mystery)
Comic book artist Mike Mason arrives at San Diego Comic-Con, seeking sanctuary with other fans and creators --- and maybe to reunite with his ex. But when his rival is found murdered, he becomes the prime suspect. To clear his name, Mike will have to navigate every corner of the con, from zombie obstacle courses and cosplay flash mobs to intrusive fans and obsessive collectors, in the process unraveling a dark secret behind one of the industry’s most legendary creators. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
FROM THE CORNER OF THE OVAL: A Memoir by Beck Dorey-Stein (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Beck Dorey-Stein
In 2012, Beck Dorey-Stein was just scraping by in DC when a posting on Craigslist landed her, improbably, in the Oval Office as one of Barack Obama's stenographers. The ultimate DC outsider, she joined the elite team who accompanied the president wherever he went, recorder and mic in hand. On whirlwind trips across time zones, Beck forged friendships with a tight group of fellow travelers --- young men and women who, like her, left their real lives behind to hop aboard Air Force One in service of the president. But as she learned the ropes of protocol, Beck became romantically entangled with a consummate DC insider, and suddenly, the political became all too personal. Reviewed by Jane Krebs.
A GATHERING OF SECRETS by Linda Castillo (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Kathleen Mclnerney
When a historic barn burns to the ground in the middle of the night, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called in to investigate. At first, it looks like an accident, but when the body of 18-year-old Daniel Gingerich is found inside --- burned alive --- Kate suspects murder. Who would want a well-liked, hardworking young Amish man dead? Kate delves into the investigation only to find herself stonewalled by the community to which she once belonged. Is their silence a result of the Amish tenet of separation? Or is this peaceful and deeply religious community conspiring to hide a truth no one wants to talk about? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
HALF MOON BAY by Alice LaPlante (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Gabra Zackman
Jane loses everything when her teenage daughter is killed in a senseless accident. Sometime later, she makes one tiny stab at a new life: she moves from San Francisco to the seaside town of Half Moon Bay. She is inconsolable, yet is able to cobble together some version of a job, of friends, of the possibility of peace. And then, children begin to disappear. And soon, Jane sees her own pain reflected in all the parents in the town. She wonders if she will be able to live through the aching loss, the fear all around her. But as the disappearances continue, she begins to see that what her neighbors are wondering is if it is Jane herself who has unleashed the horror of loss. Reviewed by Megan Elliott.
I SEE LIFE THROUGH ROSÉ-COLORED GLASSES: True Stories and Confessions by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella (Humor/Essays)
Audiobook available, read by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella
The New York Times bestselling mother-daughter duo are back with more hilarious, witty and true tales from their lives. Whether they are attempting to hike the Grand Canyon, setting up phone calls with their dogs, or learning what “adulting” means, Lisa and Francesca are guaranteed to make you laugh, cry and appreciate the funniest moments in life. Like the perfect glass of rosé, they’re always here to help you escape from your own busy, modern life and instead get lost in theirs. Reviewed by Carole Turner.
THE LIDO by Libby Page (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Clare Corbett
Rosemary Peterson has lived in Brixton, London, all her life, but everything is changing. The library where she used to work has closed. The family grocery store has become a trendy bar. And now the lido, an outdoor pool where she has swum daily since its opening, is threatened with closure by a local housing developer. Twentysomething Kate Matthews has moved to Brixton and feels desperately alone. A once promising writer, she now covers forgettable stories for her local paper. That is, until she is assigned to write about the lido’s closing. As Rosemary slowly opens up to Kate, both women are nourished and transformed in ways they never thought possible. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.
THE MYTH OF PERPETUAL SUMMER by Susan Crandall (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Amy Rubinate
Tallulah James’ parents’ volatile relationship, erratic behavior and hands-off approach to child rearing set tongues to wagging in their staid Mississippi town, complicating her already uncertain life. She takes the responsibility of shielding her family’s reputation and raising her younger twin siblings onto her youthful shoulders. When betrayal and death arrive hand in hand, she takes to the road, headed to what turns out to be the not-so-promised land of Southern California. The dysfunction of her childhood still echoes throughout her scattered family, sending her brother on a disastrous path and drawing her home again. There she uncovers the secrets and lies that set her family on the road to destruction. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
THE NIGHT FERRY: A Konrad Simonsen Thriller by Lotte Hammer and Soren Hammer (Mystery/Thriller)
Sixteen children and four adults are killed in a devastating boat crash in Copenhagen. Detective Chief Superintendent Konrad Simonsen is called in, only to discover that this was no accident and that one of the passengers has a very personal connection to the homicide team. Reeling from this revelation and not knowing who to trust, Simonsen follows a trail that eventually leads him to Bosnia and a network of criminal misconduct. All evidence points towards one shady figure: a high-ranking army specialist with a suspicious past. But the more Simonsen digs, the further the truth slips from his grasp. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
A PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF THE VAMPIRE UPRISING by Raymond A. Villareal (Supernatural Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Christine Lakin, Robert Petkoff, Rene-Marie Villano, Jim Meskimen, Ron Butler, Taylor Meskimen, Maxwell Hamilton, Andrew Kishino, Karissa Vacker and Jeff Bottoms
The body of a young woman found in an Arizona border town, presumed to be an illegal immigrant, disappears from the town morgue. Then more bodies, dead from an inexplicable disease that solidified their blood, are brought to the morgue, only to also vanish. Soon, the U.S. government must come to terms with what they're too late to stop: an epidemic of vampirism. These changed people, or "Gloamings," rapidly rise to prominence in all aspects of modern society. Soon people are beginning to be "re-created," willingly accepting the risk of death if their bodies can't handle the transformation. But when a charismatic and wealthy businessman who recently has been turned, runs for political office, all hell breaks loose. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE SECRETS BETWEEN US by Thrity Umrigar (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Sneha Mathan
Poor and illiterate, Bhima had faithfully worked for the Dubash family, an upper-middle-class Parsi household, for more than 20 years. Yet after courageously speaking the truth about a heinous crime perpetrated against her own family, the devoted servant was cruelly fired. Bhima’s fortunes take an unexpected turn when her path intersects with Parvati, a bitter, taciturn older woman. The two acquaintances soon form a tentative business partnership, selling fruits and vegetables at the local market. As they work together, these two women seemingly bound by fate grow closer, each confessing the truth about their lives and the wounds that haunt them. Reviewed by Sonia Chopra.
A STEEP PRICE by Robert Dugoni (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Emily Sutton-Smith
The body of a young woman turns up in an abandoned well. Estranged from her family, the victim had balked at an arranged marriage and had planned to attend graduate school. But someone cut her dreams short. Solving the mystery behind the murder isn’t Tracy Crosswhite’s only challenge. The detective is keeping a secret of her own: she’s pregnant. And now her biggest fear seems to be coming true when a new detective arrives to replace her. Meanwhile, Tracy’s colleague, Vic Fazzio, is about to take a fall after his investigation into the murder of a local community activist turns violent and leaves an invaluable witness dead. Two careers are on the line. And when more deadly secrets emerge, jobs might not be the only things at risk. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
SUICIDE CLUB: A Novel About Living by Rachel Heng (Dystopian Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Gwendoline Yeo
Lea Kirino is a “Lifer,” which means that a roll of the genetic dice has given her the potential to live forever --- if she does everything right. But her perfect life is turned upside down when she spots her estranged father on a crowded sidewalk. His return marks the beginning of her downfall as she is drawn into his mysterious world of the Suicide Club, a network of powerful individuals and rebels who reject society’s pursuit of immortality, and instead choose to live --- and die --- on their own terms. In this future world, death is not only taboo; it’s also highly illegal. Soon Lea is forced to choose between a sanitized immortal existence and a short, bittersweet time with a man she has never really known, but who is the only family she has left in the world. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE SUMMER WIVES by Beatriz Williams (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Kristin Kalbli
In the summer of 1951, Miranda Schuyler arrives on elite, secretive Winthrop Island, still reeling from the loss of her father in the Second World War. When her beautiful mother marries Hugh Fisher, Miranda is catapulted into a heady new world of pedigrees and cocktails, status and swimming pools. Isobel Fisher, Miranda’s new stepsister, is eager to draw Miranda into the arcane customs of Winthrop society. Uneasy among Isobel’s privileged friends, she finds herself drawn to Joseph Vargas, who has enjoyed an intense, complex friendship with Isobel. As the summer winds to its end, Miranda is caught in a catastrophe that will shatter Winthrop’s hard-won tranquility and banish her from the island for nearly two decades. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
SUPERHERO ETHICS: 10 Comic Book Heroes; 10 Ways to Save the World; Which One Do We Need Most Now? by Travis Smith (Popular Culture/Sociology)
Millions of people around the world are heavily invested in the motivations, decisions and destinies of their favorite superheroes. In SUPERHERO ETHICS, Travis Smith investigates what they are saying and what messages about life they are communicating. Throughout the book, Smith frames his analysis around a single question: Which superhero embodies the kind of ethical character we should strive to emulate in today’s society? He arrives at his choice by structuring the book as a contest. He takes 10 top superheroes and pits them one against another, chapter by chapter. The hero who better exemplifies how we ought to live advances to the final round. By the end of the book, a single superhero emerges victorious and is crowned most exemplary for our times. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE BODY by Stephen King (Horror)
Audiobook available, narrated by Frank Muller
It’s 1960 in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine. Ray Brower, a boy from a nearby town, has disappeared, and 12-year-old Gordie Lachance and his three friends set out on a quest to find his body along the railroad tracks. During the course of their journey, Gordie, Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp and Vern Tessio come to terms with death and the harsh truths of growing up in a small factory town that doesn’t offer much in the way of a future. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
THE EVOLUTION OF CLAIRE (Jurassic World) by Tess Sharpe (Science Fiction)
The year is 2004, and Claire has been given the chance of a lifetime: the opportunity to intern at the Jurassic World theme park less than a year before it opens to the public. She is laser-focused, with her sights set on bettering the lives of all animals worldwide. But life at the park isn't all test-driving gyrospheres and falling head over heels for a fellow student named Justin...though she does that too. Rumors and suspicions flood the island, and Claire is determined to unravel the truth. Reviewed by Nelio Bugallo.
HOCUS POCUS AND THE ALL-NEW SEQUEL written by A. W. Jantha with illustrations by Matt Griffin (Paranormal Fantasy)
Shortly after moving to Salem, Massachusetts, Max finds himself in hot water when he accidentally releases a coven of witches, the Sanderson sisters, from the afterlife. Max, his sister, and his new friends must find a way to stop the witches from carrying out their evil plan and remaining on earth to torment Salem for all eternity. Twenty-five years later, Max and Allison's 17-year-old daughter, Poppy, finds herself face-to-face with the Sanderson sisters in all their sinister glory. It's a race against time as Poppy and her friends fight to save her family and all of Salem from the witches' latest vile scheme. Reviewed by Michael Crowe.
HOW TO DEAL: Tarot for Everyday Life written by Sami Main with illustrations by Marisa de la Pena (Nonfiction)
Sometimes you just need the universe to tell you whether your crush likes you or how to handle that awkward family situation or which life path is the best one for you. Sami Main breaks down how the cards relate to one another, explaining spreads for future readings and questions to ask the cards. And she takes you through all the Major and Minor Arcana, with colorful illustrations of the cards and detailed descriptions of what they mean. As Sami will teach you: The cards are here to guide you through life’s ups and downs --- you just have to understand what they’re trying to say. Reviewed by Flor H., Teen Board Member.
SPILL ZONE written by Scott Westerfeld with illustrations by Alex Puvilland (Graphic Novel)
Three years ago an event destroyed the small city of Poughkeepsie, forever changing reality within its borders. Uncanny manifestations and lethal dangers now await anyone who enters the Spill Zone. The Spill claimed Addison’s parents and scarred her little sister, Lexa, who hasn’t spoken since. Addison provides for her sister by photographing the Zone's twisted attractions on illicit midnight rides. Art collectors pay top dollar for these bizarre images, but getting close enough for the perfect shot can mean death --- or worse. Reviewed by Grace P., Teen Board Member.
SPILL ZONE: The Broken Vow written by Scott Westerfeld with illustrations by Alex Puvilland (Graphic Novel)
Three years ago an event destroyed the small city of Poughkeepsie, forever changing reality within its borders. Strange manifestations and lethal dangers now await anyone who enters the Spill Zone. Addison got close enough to the Spill Zone to touch it, literally. She survived the encounter, but came back changed. It turns out she's not alone. North Korea has its own Spill Zone, and a young man named Don Jae is the only one who made it out alive. Alive, but changed. Now Addison, Don Jae and, curiously, a rag doll named Vespertine, share an unholy bond and uncanny powers.
SWEET BLACK WAVES by Kristina Pérez (Fantasy)
Two proud kingdoms stand on opposite shores, with only a bloody history between them. As best friend and lady-in-waiting to the princess, Branwen is guided by two principles: devotion to her homeland and hatred for the raiders who killed her parents. When she saves the life of her enemy, he awakens her ancient healing magic and opens her heart. Fighting for what's right will set Branwen against both her closest confidant and the only man she's ever loved. Inspired by the star-crossed tale of Tristan and Eseult, this is the story of the legend's true heroine: Branwen. Reviewed by Katie T., Teen Board Member.
ZEN AND GONE by Emily France (Contemporary Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Amielynn Abellera
In Boulder, Colorado, Essence McKree feels older than any 17-year-old she knows because she has to care for her nine-year-old sister, Puck. When Essa meets Oliver, she is cautious at first, but Puck pushes Essa toward him. Together they explore Buddhism at the local zendo. Oliver agrees to accompany Essa on a three-day survival game in the mountains. Then she discovers that Puck has stowed away and followed them, and after a night in the mountains, Essa wakes to find Puck missing. Now Essa must rely on her newfound spiritual strength to save her sister’s life, and ultimately her own. Reviewed by Gabby B., Teen Board Member.
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