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Geek Girl Authority
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
New Release Radar: New Books Coming Out on June 10
There are a lot of new books coming out every week. With New Release Radar, I'll help you narrow down the week's new book releases into the titles you should get excited about. This week, I have 9 great new books to share with you, including Becky Albertalli's new release and a Godfather -inspired thriller. Read on! Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli Amelia Applebaum is not in love with moderately famous, chaotically bisexual YouTuber Walter Holland. She just invited him to prom—totally ironically. (Unless he says yes.) When a surprise meet-and-greet offers a chance to finally meet Walter, Amelia convinces her best friends to hit the road for one last adventure before graduation. Even Natalie, her newly single, guitar-strumming, cynicism-fueled best friend, is in. But somewhere between the playlists, gas station snacks, and promposals, Amelia starts to wonder: what if the butterflies she's chasing aren't for Walter at all? Becky Albertalli, the queen of Pride YA, is back with a new story of a fantastic, fully-realized friend group. Amelia, If Only is perfect for anyone who's ever had a slightly parasocial relationship with a celebrity. RELATED: New Release Radar: New Books Coming Out on June 3 A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena Framed for murder and imprisoned, former court dancer Vasalie Moran is offered freedom—if she spies for the king who betrayed her. But as his orders turn brutal and secrets unravel, Vasalie allies with his rival brother to stop a greater threat. Caught in a deadly game, she must choose who to trust and how far she's willing to go to survive. Brittney Arena's debut is filled with secrets, betrayal and hope. A Dance of Lies asks readers the question 'how far will you go for freedom?' Midnight Rooms by Donyae Coles In 1840s England, orphaned and ostracized Orabella Mumthrope is shocked when a wealthy stranger proposes marriage—and even more surprised when she accepts. Whisked away to his crumbling estate, she finds herself trapped in a decaying manor full of locked doors, eerie dreams, and terrifying secrets. As reality blurs and her sense of self begins to unravel, Orabella must uncover the truth before she disappears entirely. Midnight Rooms is perfect for fans of Catherine House , Mexican Gothic and Crimson Peak . Donyae Coles' first novel is deeply infused with Gothic sensibilities and a creeping sense of horror. RELATED: Book Review: In the Garden of Monsters King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby When Roman Carruthers returns to his small Virginia hometown after his father's suspicious car crash, he finds his family in chaos. His brother is deep in debt to criminals, his sister is overwhelmed and their crematorium business barely is staying afloat. As danger closes in, Roman uses his financial skills to strike a desperate deal with the gangsters, all while Neveah investigates their mother's long-ago disappearance. But the criminals don't realize just how far Roman will go to protect his family—because everything burns. King of Ashes is a Godfather -inspired Black Southern crime epic and dazzling family drama. Plus, S.A. Cosby's new book release has already been picked up for a Netflix adaptation, so you know you want to read it first. We Can Never Leave by H.E. Edgmon Every day, inhuman creatures awaken across the globe with no memories—and the Caravan exists to give them sanctuary. But when five teens wake to find their entire traveling community vanished, they must work together to uncover what happened, even as each harbors dangerous secrets of their own. As truths unravel, it becomes clear: this mystery isn't just about the Caravan's disappearance, but the haunting pasts each of them is trying to outrun. Equal parts fantasy, mystery and found-family drama, We Can Never Leave is an atmospheric queer YA fantasy. H.E. Edgmon's new book release details a search for belonging in a world that fears what it doesn't understand. RELATED: 6 More Trans and Nonbinary Writers to Check Out Palm Meridian by Grace Flahive After a terminal diagnosis and with most of Florida underwater, Hannah Cardin, a resident of a queer women's retirement resort, throws one final end-of-life party. With just hours left, Hannah hopes to reconnect with Sophie, the love she lost forty years ago. But as old secrets surface, she must decide whether she's truly ready to say goodbye. Spanning one unforgettable day and a lifetime of memories, Palm Meridian is a vibrant celebration of love, aging and the wild joy of living. Grace Flahive's debut is a big-hearted story perfect for fans of Less and The Wedding People . Six Wild Crowns by Holly Race In the kingdom of Elben, six queens are said to be all that stand between the realm and ruin. But beneath the surface of duty lies a web of ambition, magic and betrayal. As clever Boleyn schemes to become King Henry's favorite, and assassin-spy Seymour uncovers dangerous secrets, the two form an uneasy alliance that threatens to unravel the throne itself. With dragons, deadly court intrigue and sapphic longing, Holly Race's epic fantasy reveals that the true danger may lie in unexpected places. Six Wild Crowns is a twist on the real life story – and tragedy – of Henry VIII's six wives. RELATED: Sapphics With Swords: 6 Books Featuring Queer Lady Warriors Ordinary Love by Marie Rutkoski Emily seems to have the perfect life—an elegant home, a loving husband, two children. Beneath the surface, however, life cracks: a crumbling marriage, strained family ties and the lingering ache of a lost love. When she reunites with Gen, her bold, once-impoverished high school best friend turned Olympic star, their unresolved past ignites into something undeniable. Ordinary Love is a sweeping, emotional queer romance about the risks of vulnerability and the enduring power of first love. While she's known for YA fantasy, Marie Rutkoski's adult romance debut is a breathtaking story of second chances. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab María, Charlotte and Alice are three women separated by centuries but united by longing, defiance and a burning desire for freedom. In 1532 Spain, María seizes a dangerous chance to escape her fate; in 1827 London, Charlotte's encounter with a mysterious widow unlocks passion and peril; and in 2019 Boston, Alice's search for identity and vengeance uncovers buried truths. Their lives echo one another in a fierce exploration of power, survival and the cost of choosing yourself. Spanning centuries and continents, Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is a dark, addictive fever dream. I'll read anything V.E. Schwab writes, and this book is no exception. You can check out these new book releases at or your local bookstore. What June 10 new release are you most excited to read? Let us know below, and tune in next week to grow your TBR. 10 Books With Queer Protagonists to Read All Year Round
Times
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Two girls on the train — a twisted life-swap thriller
Two girls meet on a train. One of them is a spoilt brat who is being sent to an exclusive Swiss rehab centre to face up to the consequences of her wild behaviour. The other is an impoverished backpacker with her own secrets. Tabbi and Ruby hatch a cunning plan to swap identities. When the train reaches the station, each young woman steps on to the platform and into the other's life. It's only for six weeks until Tabbi's rehab stint is over … Isn't it? With so much 'young adult' fiction catering for the older end of the market, here is a deliciously twisted thriller aimed squarely at teenage girls. It's preposterous in the same way that the Blake Lively/Anna Kendrick film A Simple
CBS News
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Author Tia Williams on "Audre & Bash Are Just Friends," her new book for young adults
We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms. Please consider joining our Facebook group by CLICKING HERE. Find out more about the books below. Club Calvi is spotlighting a new young adult romantic comedy book by bestselling author Tia Williams. "Audre and Bash are Just Friends" is set in Williams' home borough of Brooklyn and features a character familiar to readers of her novel "Seven Days in June." In that book, Audre is the 12-year-old daughter of the female protagonist, Eva, and a student at an elite private school. "She's just a hilarious character," Williams said. "She's very wise and she has a side-hustle therapy business where she charges $25 to classmates to give them therapy sessions. She was just so funny and ended up being a fan-favorite. I got so many messages, 'Where is the rest of Audre's story? Where is she now? We want more.' I decided to follow her up four years later as a 16-year-old and give her a summer romance." Audre is still selling advice, but now finds she needs help. She seeks out Bash, the boy everyone is talking about. "He is the new guy in town," Williams said. "He's a bad boy and so handsome and so cool." Audre's issue is that she doesn't know how to have fun. She hires Bash to be her "funsultant," as Williams describes it. Audre is writing a self-help book titled "A Teen's Rules For Flourishing on This Dying Planet" with the hope it will help her get admitted to Stanford University. Mary asked Williams for some of her favorite "rules." "One of the sillier ones was: 'If you're wearing a light-colored dress and get caught in the rain make sure you are wearing nude panties or else your bright orange panties will show,' and she was speaking from experience," Williams said. "Also, 'If you run into a hot loner in the park and he drops a pearl of wisdom, don't write it off because he's good-looking and a player. He might be actually a sage.'" The book is not solely fun and games. Audre and Bash are also dealing with family issues. "They are both trying to navigate difficult relationships with parents, mental health issues, and the scary what-do-we-do-after-senior-year moment," Williams said. "It's a dance between the frothy, exciting, delirious feelings of new first love and some of the tougher aspects of being a teenager." You can read an excerpt and purchase the book below. The CBS New York Book Club focuses on books connected to the Tri-State Area in their plots and/or authors. The books may contain adult themes. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ "Audre & Bash Are Just Friends" by Tia Williams From the publisher: MEET AUDRE. Junior class president. Debate team captain. Unofficial student therapist. Desperately in need of a good time. MEET BASH. Mysterious new senior. Everybody's crush. Tall, floppy, great taste in jewelry. King of having a good time. It's the last day of school at Cheshire Prep, Brooklyn's elite academy-and Audre Mercy-Moore's life is a mess. Her dad cancelled her annual summer visit to his Malibu beach house. Now? She's stuck in a claustrophobic apartment with her mom, stepdad, and one-year-old sister (aka the Goblin Baby). Under these conditions, she'll never finish writing her self-help book-ie, the key to winning over Stanford's admissions board. Cut to Bash Henry! Audre hires him to be her "fun consultant." His job? To help her complete the Experience Challenge-her list of five wild dares designed to give her juicy book material. She'll get inspo; he'll get paid. Everybody wins. He isn't boyfriend material. And she's not looking for one. Can they stay professional despite their obvious connection? Tia Williams lives in Brooklyn. Little Brown "Audre & Bash Are Just Friends" by Tia Williams (ThriftBooks) $17 Excerpt: "Audre & Bash Are Just Friends" by Tia Williams Chapter 11 I am simply a girl asking a boy for help in reaching a goal, thought Audre as she strode toward Just Because. Nerves? None to see here. She told herself that Bash was just a guy she hired to perform a service. A means to an end. She was being proactive! Instead of sitting around, wallowing in self-pity because her life was in shambles, she was wrestling her personal drama to the ground! As she headed down the bustling sidewalk, she felt lifted by a powerful surge of confidence. But then, flashing across her brain, was a picture of his sculpted biceps flexing as he crossed his arms. And his sparklyeyed, megawatt smile. And she remembered that his (apparent) kindness felt weirdly at odds with his reputation. Hello, nerves. Something about him made her feel things— which was embarrassingly cliché. It's like he was AI designed to be crushworthy. When Sparrow said he looked at her and she felt a cosmic spark? For once, that girl wasn't being dramatic. Audre had felt the same thing. When his soulful gaze fell on her, she went all gooey. Clearly, he was cosmic with everyone. Maybe it was a trait he couldn't help, like freckles or a super-long second toe. He'd probably have sexual tension with a potted plant. No. Audre was too practical to let this meaningless attraction spiral into a Whole Thing. And, she reminded herself, he was almost certainly dating that Prospect Park girl. Besides, she suspected he only had two brain cells in his head. He could go from super engaged to checked out in seconds. Was he fried? Was she boring? Hard to say. But he could help with her book. Besides, feeling attraction wasn't the same as acting on it. And maybe it wasn't even attraction. Maybe it was just appreciation. Like admiring good art. Audre turned the corner on Degraw. And there was Bash. He was standing under the Just Because awning wearing striped swim trunks, a short- sleeve button- down (the buttons were pointless since the first three were undone), a rope necklace, and Nike slides. The top of his hair was tied into a knot. He looked like a person who lost their luggage on a tropical vacation. And yet he made Audre's stomach flip-flop. She swallowed hard and then tugged at her short smocked sundress. Was she too dressed up? Were the platform sandals too much? "Hey!" she called out. Bash looked up from his phone and saw her. His eyes widened and, from her vantage point, he seemed to freeze. Just for a moment, though. Then his face softened, and he flashed Audre a small, hesitant grin. It was a symphony of expressions. "Hey you," he said. "What's going on?" "Nothing much!" Her voice sounded strained. "That's wassup." They stood silent for a bit, fidgeting and looking at their feet. Finally, Bash spoke up. "Let's just start over. Like we're meeting for the first time." "Great idea!" "Are you a hugger? I'm a hugger." "Let's hug!" They embraced stiffly while managing to keep their actual bodies far from each other. She did note that the top of her head fit nicely under his chin. Bash pulled away, thrusting his hands in his pockets. "You look nice." "You too. Um . . . this isn't a date," she blurted out. Immediately, she wished for death. "Um . . . I know," he said, his eyes widening. "Damn. You're hella direct." "I don't know why I said that. I'm sorry. I just think boundaries are super important." "I'm aware it's not a date. I'm your fun consultant. Your funsultant." "You're funny." She lightly punched him on the shoulder and immediately felt like an idiot. "So. I'm excited to get started." "Me too, but I just wanna manage your expectations. I'm not as interesting as you think." Audre's face fell. "Please don't back out. You already agreed to help me. On this mortal plane, all we have is our word, Bash." "On this mortal plane." He tilted his head, mulling it over. "Bars." "Well, in third grade I won a citywide poetry contest," she offered awkwardly. He grinned. "Don't worry, Audre, I'm not backing out. I kinda feel like you're nervous. Excerpted from "Audre & Bash Are Just Friends" by Tia Williams. Copyright © 2025. Reprinted with permission of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved. Return to top of page
