Sharifah and Jenn give their picks for the best books to give this holiday season. This episode is sponsored by The Spectral City by Leanna Renee Hieber and the Book Riot Read Harder Journal. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS here, or via Apple Podcasts here. The show can also be found on Stitcher here. Books Discussed: The Broken Earth Trilogy by NK Jemisin The Machineries of Empire series by Yoon Ha Lee Rise of the Empress duology by Julie C Dao (tw: child abuse) The Traitor Baru Cormorant and The Monster Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson (tw: institutionalized homophobia, assault, etc) Witchmark by CL Polk The Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells Rosewater by Tade Thompson (here's our Book Club episode) How Long til Black Future Month by NK Jemisin Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (tw: child abuse) Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi Circe by Madeline Miller (tw: rape) Mem by Bethany C. Morrow The Completed Binti Trilogy by Nnedi Okorafor Prime Meridian by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Freshwater by Awaeke Emezi (tw: rape; self-harm) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss the deaths of William Goldman and Stan Lee, the World Fantasy Award winners, sci-fi and fantasy romances, and more. This episode is sponsored by Enclave by Thomas Locke and Dragonshadow by by Elle Katharine White. News William Goldman has died. Stan Lee has also passed away. Congrats, World Fantasy Award Winners! New Erin Morgenstern book coming! Rolling in the Deep adaptation for Mira Grant   Books Discussed Silver Silence by Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling Trinity #1) The Unleashing by Shelly Laurenston (Call of Crows #1) Radio Silence by Alyssa Cole (Off the Grid #1) Tiger Eye by Marjorie M. Liu (Dirk & Steele #1) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss Dracula marginalia, the Discworld adaptation, the NOMMO awards, and the best opening and closing lines of SFF. This episode is sponsored by Jade City by Fonda Lee; Lost Arrow, Book I of The Kalelah Series by Marshall Ross; and Fantastic Beasts: The Magizoologist’s Discovery Case. News Terry Pratchett’s The Watch lands at BBC NOMMO Award winners! London Library Discovers Bram Stoker's Dracula Notes Scribbled In Margins Of Its Books Naomi Watts cast for GoT prequel   Books Discussed A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle An Easy Death by Charlaine Harris (tw: rape) The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin (tw: harm to children) The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende (TW: Rape; child abuse) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this first-ever book club episode, Sharifah and Jenn discuss Rosewater by Tade Thompson. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss multi-platform media, Nnedi Okorafor's nonfiction, and The Twilight Zone, and recommend novellas. This episode is sponsored by TBR, On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden, and Putting the Science in Fiction.   News Discussed An ambitious multi-platform launch Liz Gorinsky, formerly of Tor, is starting her own publishing company. Nnedi Okorafor is doing a nonfiction book! Follow-up: The reboot trailer for Twilight Zone mostly just makes me want to rewatch original Twilight Zone.   Books Discussed On a Red Station, Drifting by Aliette de Bodard (Listen to her on Get Booked!) The Black God’s Drums by P. Djèlí Clark Prime Meridian by Silvia Moreno-Garcia A Taste of Honey by Kai Ashante Wilson (tw: homophobia, family abuse) (Read his piece on writing dialect in fiction) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss TV shows for The Wheel of Time, Circe, and Narnia, and talk about their favorite witches. This episode is sponsored by The Devil's Thief, His Fair Assassins Trilogy, and In the Night Wood by Dale Bailey.   Book Club pick:Rosewater by Tade Thompson   News: Amazon has picked up the Wheel of Time TV show, and signed a big deal with Neil Gaiman. Circe by Madeline Miller has been optioned! Netflix is making new Narnia shows. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina trailer is great.   Books Discussed: Witches of New York by Ami McKay (tw: violence against women) Mama Day by Gloria Naylor Plus also this post: https://bookriot.com/2017/04/18/100-must-read-books-witches/ All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya   BONUS ROUND: Fav Witchy Movie Hocus Pocus (Hocus Pocus book!) Practical Magic (Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss The Twilight Zone reboot, a bunch of Avatar: The Last Airbender news, time travel favorites, and more. This episode is sponsored by TBR, The Caged Queen by Kristen Ciccarelli, and Upgrade Soul by Ezra Claytan Daniels. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and guests Brea Grant and Mallory O'Meara of the Reading Glasses podcast discuss SFF Chia pets, the series adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House, and recommend books about dead people. This episode is sponsored by Legendary by Stephanie Garber and Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS here, or via Apple Podcasts here. The show can also be found on Stitcher here.   News: The Haunting of Hill House Netflix adaptation Stranger Things, Ghostbusters, and Predator Chia Pets are headed our way   Books Discussed: Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson (YA urban fantasy) The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo (literary fantasy) Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon Zone One by Colson Whitehead Sabriel by Garth Nix See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss the Hugo winners, a tabletop RPG for The Expanse, His Dark Materials casting, favorite trilogies, and more. This episode is sponsored by Ball Lightning by Cixin Liu, Mirage by Somaiya Daud, and Nightblood by Elly Blake.   News: A historic win for NK Jemisin at the Hugos The Expanse is getting a tabletop RPG Ursula K. Le Guin Sci-Fi ‘Nine Lives’ Gets Movie Adaptation BBC His Dark Materials adaptation casts witch queen Serafina Pekkala  New HARRY POTTER Books (Including a Hogwarts Pop-Up) Coming This October   Books Discussed: Machineries of Empire by Yoon Ha Lee (Ninefox Gambit, Raven Stratagem, Revenant Gun) (R)evolution series by Stephanie Saulter (Gemsigns, Binary, Regeneration) -- trigger warning: hate crimes The Broken Earth series by NK Jemisin (Fifth Season, Obelisk Gate, Stone Sky) Graceling Realm series by Kristin Cashore (Graceling, Fire, Bitterblue) Binti trilogy by Nnedi Okorafor (Binti, Home, The Night Masquerade) His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jenn and guest Swapna Krishna discuss Star Trek news, adaptations, the Arthur C. Clark Awards, and recent debuts. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot Insiders, Garrison Girl by Rachel Aaron, and Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley. News: MORE PICARD IS HAPPENING! WorldCon update: the programming looks better. Discovery of Witches finally has a US broadcaster and we’re still confused. Geneva Robertson-Dworet is adapting Andy Weir's novel ‘Artemis’. Arthur C Clarke Award winner announced.   Books Discussed An Ocean of Minutes by Thea Lim (July 10) (tw: sexual assault) Witchmark by CL Polk (June 19) Suicide Club by Rachel Heng (July 10) Markswoman by Rati Mehrotra (January 23) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss new books from Becky Chambers and NK Jemisin, Worldcon, the World Fantasy Awards, school stories, and more. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot Insiders, Suicide Club by Rachel Heng, and Contagion by Erin Bowman.   News: New books are coming from Becky Chambers and NK Jemisin! What is going on at Worldcon? Update: Voting closed on July 31, 2018. Mary Robinette Kowal led a team updating the programming. Anne Rice’s ‘The Vampire Chronicles’ In The Works At Hulu World Fantasy Award finalists announced   Books Discussed Galaxy Game by Karen Lord (tw: domestic violence) The Poppy War by RF Kuang (tw: graphic violence including rape) Never Let Me Go by Kazou Ishiguro Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and guest Nikki Vanry discuss Stranger Things books and more Star Trek, copyrighting, poorly planned merch, and SFF audiobooks. This episode is sponsored by Recommended and our Best of the Year YA Giveaway.   News Discussed: Stranger Things books and comics are coming! Star Trek: TNG to Possibly Return as Alex Kurtzman Oversees Expansion of Star Trek On TV Pulp novelist of harem fantasy novels wants to trademark “dragon slayer”, and then there was this #quantumgate thing. In terrible ideas--Handmaid’s Tale Wine, and Handmaid’s Tale lingerie.   Books Discussed: The Bees by Laline Paull, narrated by Orlagh Cassidy Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older, narrated by Anika Noni Rose Warcross by Marie Lu, narrated by Nancy Wu The Devourers by Indra Das, narrated by Shishir Kurup and Meera Simhan See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss Harlan Ellison, A Discovery of Witches, the Locus Award winners, and recommend some sci-fi sub-genres. This episode is sponsored by our $500 YA Giveaway and Book Riot Insiders. News: Ron Howard might add to Willow. Harlan Ellison is Dead. Locus Awards Winners! A Discovery of Witches trailer is here but still doesn’t have a US air date or network. Question from Karen: "Over the past three years my friends and I have spent the month of July reading and talking about Science Fiction books - we call it Sci-Fi July. For the last two years I've made a BINGO card with 24 categories to help "guide" our reading a bit throughout the month (this was totally inspired by the Read Harder Challenge). I'm copy+pasting our big list of past categories and some of our ideas for 2018 at the end of this e-mail, but I'd LOVE to get some suggestions from you two for new sci-fi categories to help us stretch our reading this summer!" Books: Science Fantasy: All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders Alternate History: Servant of the Underworld by Aliette de Bodard YA Science Fiction/Video Games: Warcross by Marie Lu Sci-Fi Mystery: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (Dirk Gently #1) by Douglas Adams See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss adaptations for Carmen Maria Machado and Victor LaValle, a cosplay ball, aspirational characters in SFF, and more! This episode is sponsored by The Robots of Gotham by Todd McAulty, Prisoner of the Crown by Jeffe Kennedy, and Becoming the Dragon by Alex Sapegin, translated by Elizabeth Kulikov. News Her Body & Other Parties is getting adapted for TV The Changeling is being adapted by FX Cosplay ball! There might be a GoT prequel series   Books Discussed Circe by Madeline Miller Lirael by Garth Nix Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee Sunshine by Robin McKinley Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jenn and guest Alex Acks, a.k.a. Alex Wells, discuss the Nebula winners, the upcoming Lord of the Rings series, and more, and recommend cozy reads. Wells is a Book Riot contributor and author of Hunger Makes the Wolf, Blood Binds the Pack, and Murder on the Titania and Other Steam-Powered Adventures. This episode is sponsored by Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner and our $500 bookstore gift card giveaway. News Follow up: Amazon did save The Expanse The Nebula Award winners were announced Check out the Nommo Awards for African Speculative Fiction Zack Snyder wants to make The Fountainhead as a movie Aragorn might be the star of the LOTR series   Books Discussed The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers Provenance by Ann Leckie Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells The Tea Master and the Detective by Aliette de Bodard The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss books about the arts, SF/F TV news, the Ursula Le Guin documentary, and more. This episode is sponsored by Legendary by Stephanie Garber and our bookstore gift card giveaway.   News She-Ra Update! Ursula K. Le Guin Documentary Expanse cancelled Note: post-recording, The Expanse was indeed picked up by Amazon Netflix doubling down on SF/F   Books Discussed The Chimes by Anna Smaill Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan (trigger warning: self harm/suicide) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Ursula Le Guin's electronica album, immortality in SF/F, and more. This episode is sponsored by Vicious by V.E. Schwab and Annotated.   News Star Wars takes a step forward with a black female director Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery gameplay discussion Ursula K Le Guin's electronica album 'Game of Thrones' Book 6 'The Winds of Winter' Won't Publish This Year   Books Discussed My Soul to Keep by Tananarive Due (trigger warnings: racism, lynching, sexual assault, harm to children) Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty Circe by Madeline Miller The Book of Phoenix by Nnedi Okorafor (trigger warning: self-harm) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss the Lost in Space reboot, Jacqueline Carey's latest book news, Mary Shelley, and lady vengeance. This episode is sponsored by Reborn by Lance Erlick and The City of Lost Fortunes by Bryan Camp. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS here, or via Apple Podcasts here. The show can also be found on Stitcher here. You can enter the mystery giveaway here.   News Discussed You can watch the new Mary Shelley Trailer. And there's a new edition of Frankenstein being published. Jacqueline Carey is retelling Kushiel’s Dart from Joscelin’s perspective. Follow-up: The HP game is coming April 25! There's a Lost In Space reboot   Books Discussed The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir Midnight Robber by Nalo Hopkinson (trigger warning: child abuse and sexual assault) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Please enjoy this bonus excerpt, courtesy of the Recommended podcast, featuring Robin Sloan recommending Octavia Butler's Parable of The Sower. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss the Hugo Award nominees, zombie raccoons, a new Arthurian adaptation, and more. This episode is sponsored by Shattered Roads by Alice Henderson and Libby. You can enter the mystery giveaway here.   News The 2018 Hugo Nominees Neil Gaiman Is Bringing the Gormenghast Fantasy Series Back to Television Zombie raccoons?! Frank Miller taking on Arthurian legend in new illustrated YA novel and it already has a TV deal.   Books Discussed Rebecca Roanhorse, "Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience™" (Nebula nominee) Her Body And Other Parties, Carmen Maria Machado (Winner of the National Book Critics Circle's John Leonard Prize) trigger warnings: violence against women including sexual assault “Fandom for Robots” by Vina Jie-Min Prasad (Hugo/Nebula) “Carnival Nine” by Caroline M. Yoachim (Hugo & Nebula) The Merry Spinster by (Daniel) Mallory Ortberg See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss Serena Williams, geek extraordinaire; Pottermore lay-offs; the Nightflyers adaptation; steampunk; and more! This episode is sponsored by Hot and Badgered by Shelly Laurenston and the Book Riot Store. News: Pottermore editorial staff firing Serena Williams loves Avatar: The Last Airbender and Korra GRRM's Nightflyers Trailer Three Body Problem possibly getting adapted by Amazon Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series reportedly to cost $500 million Books Discussed: Gail Carriger (Parasol Protectorate) Girl Genius by Phil and Kaja Coglio (online) Everfair by Nisi Shawl The Sea Is Ours anthology Monstress by Marjorie M. Liu, Sana Takeda Boneshaker by Cherie Priest See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss Discworld and His Dark Materials adaptations, cover kerfuffles, and science fiction and fantasy in translation. This episode is sponsored by The Glass Blade by Ryan Wieser and Scribesby James Wolanyk.   News: Terry Goodkind’s hates his new cover… And then doubled down. Terry Pratchett’s ‘Discworld’ Set For TV Adaptation His Dark Materials’ Adaptation Casting   Books Discussed: Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi, translated by Jonathan Wright Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, translated by Olena Bormashenko See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss the Nebula nominations, Black Panther, their favorite series, and more. This episode is sponsored by The Shape of Water by Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus, and The Philosopher’s Flight by Tom Miller.   News Discussed: This year’s Nebula nominations have been announced Black Panther Is A Box Office Smash!!!! Bonus: great round-up of thread on the African cultures featured in and inspiring Black Panther Sam Raimi to direct Name of the Wind adaptation? Shape of Water review Books Discussed: Swordspoint/Tremontaine by Ellen Kushner and now lots of other folks (related: Serial Box got a round of funding) Pluto by Naoki Urasawa and Ozamu Tezuka Discworld by Terry Pratchett (but particularly the Tiffany Aching series) The Patternist series by Octavia Butler See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss Firefly books, Star Wars news, writing retreats, and long books that are worth the read. This episode is sponsored by The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert and Your One and Only by Adrianne Finlay.   News: Firefly is getting books! Live-action Sword in the Stone might have a director Benioff & Weiss to write Star Wars films Star Wars Writers/Directors dominated by white men Solo: A Star Wars Story Trailer George R.R. Martin starts 'Worldbuilder Scholarship' for aspiring fantasy, sci-fi writers   Books Discussed: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delaney Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (out March 6) Seveneves by Neal Stephenson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss Ursula K. Le Guin and lots of adaptation news, and recommend weird westerns. This episode is sponsored by The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert and Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh.   News: Ursula K. Le Guin Has Died The Voldemort fan-made movie Hogwarts Mystery game trailer Bidding War for MaddAddam trilogy adaptation Bryan Fuller is working on an Anne Rice TV series   Books Discussed: The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin The Earthsea Cycle River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey The Gaslight Dogs by Karin Lowachee Daisy Kutter: The Last Train by Kazu Kibuishi The Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi Six-Gun Snow White by Catherynne M. Valente See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.