Latest news with #SpringBookChallenge
USA Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Need a new book? 10 new releases you can read right now from romance to thriller
Need a new book? 10 new releases you can read right now from romance to thriller What do a ghost-conjuring chef, a fast-food employee and a world-renowned dying artist have in common? They're the topics of some of our favorite new books from May, of course. Check out the titles we recommend this month, including new Stephen King, a swoony new romantasy bestseller and the book that Fredrik Backman said could be his last. Or, take a look at the titles we're most excited about this summer. Plus, there's still time to read for USA TODAY's Spring Book Challenge, where you could win a $100 gift card to just by filling out our bingo card. What should I read next? 10 new books from May Summer is just around the corner, and it's time to get your TBR ready for beach reading and vacations. From dystopian tales to steamy romance, here are the titles we think you should pick up at your local bookstore or library. 'The Emperor of Gladness' by Ocean Vuong 'The Emperor of Gladness' has all the poetic meditations and lyricism of Vuong's 'On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous,' but with a lovable cast of found family characters that practically leap off the page. In it, a young man about to commit suicide is stopped by an elderly woman with dementia. What results is an unlikely friendship, a fast-food job that reunites him with his cousin and a new supportive, quirky community. 'Aftertaste' by Daria Lavelle This dark comedy set in the culinary world follows a Ukrainian American chef who can conjure spirits of the dead by cooking their favorite foods. Haunted by the death of his father and yearning to use his powers for good, Kostya opens a restaurant where loved ones reunite over one last meal. With carefully crafted depictions of grief and mouth-watering culinary adventures, this is the perfect novel for the always hungry and for fans of 'The Bear.' 'My Friends' by Fredrik Backman Told in two timelines, Backman's heartwarming latest is about four childhood friends and one transformative summer. Their bond inspires a painting that eventually becomes, decades later, the most famous painting in the world. In the present, a teenager who cherishes that painting finds herself in unexpected ownership of the original. Her cross-country journey to learn how the artwork came to be connects surprising roads in her own life and the painting's subjects. 'Can't Get Enough' by Kennedy Ryan In 'Can't Get Enough,' ambitious, goal-oriented Hendrix Barry is thriving in most aspects of life, but caring for her aging parent means she doesn't have time for romance. But then she meets tech mogul Maverick Bell, and the one man she can't have seems to be the perfect match. 'Things in Nature Merely Grow' by Yiyun Li Writer and professor Li meditates on the loss of her two sons – both from suicide, seven years apart. Li searches for the words that might fill the loss of Vincent at age 16 in 2017 and James at age 19 in 2024. 'Things In Nature Merely Grow' is less of a book about grief and more a tribute to radical acceptance and the lasting power of memory. 'Immaculate Conception' by Ling Ling Huang Twisty dystopian horror 'Immaculate Conception' follows art students whose work and study are upended by artificial intelligence. Grappling with her artistic purpose and jealous of her friend Mathilde's global success, protagonist Enka comes across a new technology that would let her enter Mathilde's mind, inextricably linking the co-dependent friends. 'Never Flinch' by Stephen King King deviates from his terrifying horror to pen a detective novel in 'Never Flinch.' This mystery thriller puts beloved character Holly Gibney at the forefront, now working for a celebrity women's rights activist whose lecture tour is under threat by a violent mystery assailant. At the same time, Holly helps her police detective friend with a serial killer on a revenge mission. 'Along Came Amor' by Alexis Daria This steamy romance is the third and final installment of Daria's 'Primas of Power' series. When Ava Rodriguez's now ex-husband leaves her to chase dreams that don't include her, she tries to embrace her new singleness in a one-night stand with Roman Vázquez. Type-A Roman is laser-focused on building his empire, so he initially agrees to her no-strings-attached, no-feelings situationship. That comes crashing when the pair run into each other at Ava's family function. 'Shield of Sparrows' by Devney Perry This new romantasy series, billed for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros, sees a forgotten princess changing her fate. She's never meant to rule, only to obey her father. But after an encounter with a legendary monster hunter and a prince upends her life, she realizes she can make her own rules, becoming the warrior she was meant to be. 'How to Be Well' by Amy Larocca Everyone knows a 'well woman' – the spiritual, skincare aficionado who is just one cog in the machine of the multibillion-dollar wellness industry. Journalist Larocca touches on her own experience getting sucked into wellness culture before ripping back the curtain at the science behind it, as well as the standards of American womanhood driving the profits. Support AAPI authors all year: 10 new books by Asian authors to read Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY's Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you're reading at cmulroy@
USA Today
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
You could win $100 just by reading: How to enter USA TODAY's Spring Book Challenge
You could win $100 just by reading: How to enter USA TODAY's Spring Book Challenge The flowers are blooming, the weather is warming and it's time for another round of our book bingo challenge. Back by popular demand, you could win a $100 gift card just by reading this spring. Our printable bingo card has categories across genres to expand your reading goals and is open from now until June 30. Our last winner was Alison Vornsand, a reader from New Jersey, who was able to cross off bingo squares after reading "Onyx Storm" by Rebecca Yarros (a 2025 release), "Reckless" by Lauren Roberts (in a series) and "The Spanish Love Deception" by Elena Armas (set in a country you've never visited), among others. Now if your TBR pile has you feeling lucky, we'd love to see your submission. Here's how to enter USA TODAY's Spring Book Challenge. Click here for a printable version of the bingo board. How to participate in USA TODAY's Spring Book Challenge To submit your bingo card, fill out this entry form and let us know your contact information and what books you've read to complete the challenge. Be sure to read all instructions and only fill the form out once. Our Spring Book Challenge runs through June 30. Anyone who participates and submits their bingo card will be entered into a gift card giveaway. The winner will be notified via email within five business days of the drawing. Check out the full contest rules here. You must be 18 or over to enter. The challenge includes intentionally varied bingo spaces so readers of all genres can participate. For example, you could read five books and clear the entire top row, or take advantage of the free space in the middle and check off four other boxes. Just know that each box needs to correspond to a different title – no counting one book in multiple boxes! Here's an example of how I would fill it out: Romance: "Story of My Life" by Lucy Score About wildlife: "Raising Hare" by Chloe Dalton Free space Suggestion from a friend: "Everything is Tuberculosis" by John Green AAPI author: "Boat Baby" by Vicky Nguyen We'd love it if you also tagged us on social media (@usatodaylife) with your filled out bingo card yourself (here's how I made this on my Instagram story with screenshotted photos of book covers), but remember you still have to fill out the entry form for a chance at the giveaway. Looking for your next great read? USA TODAY has you covered. Taste is subjective, and USA TODAY Books has plenty of genres to recommend. Want a buzzy new title? Check out these new books released in March. Are mysteries your thing? Try these titles similar to "Verity" by Colleen Hoover or see if you're brave enough for one of our favorite horror novels. Or if you want something with lower stakes and loveable characters, see if a "cozy mystery" or "cozy fantasy" book is for you. If you want the most popular titles, check out USA TODAY's Best-selling Booklist. Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY's Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you're reading at cmulroy@
