Reading News Roundup

New Releases

Brunonia Barry, author of the Lace Reader (review), has another novel called The Map of True Places coming out in May.

A wild child after her mother takes her own life, Zee Finch grows up to become a highly regarded psychotherapist. Then a particularly difficult patient commits suicide. Barry's The Lace Reader was, of course, a huge hit last year, but this book feels quite different, so let's see what happens. With a one-day laydown on May 4; 250,000-copy first printing, seven-city tour, and reading group guide.

- via Library Journal

I'm no zombie fan, but James Knapp's upcoming State of Decay sounds like it puts an interesting spin on the genre.
- via Library Journal

While urban fantasy also ranks low on my genre preferences meter, I would have expected to at least be familiar with the author's name. Alas Simon R. Green appears to have snuck in under the radar with his Nightside series. And it sounds oddly like a mix of Alex Bledsoe and Anton Strout. And debut author N. K. Jemisin gets a starred review for her new book The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. I like it when the new kid on the block gets a starred review. Connie Willis revisits the world of her previous novels (The Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog) with her newest book, Blackout. This is one author and series that I really, really want to try out again. I just could not get into To Say Nothing of the Dog on my first try.
- via Library Journal
- via Suvudu

I highly doubt I will ever read Laura Resnik's Dopplegangster: An Esther Diamond Novel book, but how can I pass up a mention? I mean, Dopplegangster? It's just so much fun to type.
- via Library Journal

Alexandra Potter has a time-travel book, The Two Lives of Miss Charlotte Merryweather, coming in March that sounds a bit like a romance novel. I love time-travel, but I think I'll have my wife read this one first.
- via Library Journal

Steve Stirling (or S. M. Stirling if you prefer) is chugging away on his latest novel, A Taint in the Blood. For me, this urban fantasy is a big departure from his usual science-fiction/fantasy works. You can check out the first eight chapters of it here.

Contests

Rabbit and Bear Paws, one of the most under-appreciated comics out there, is running a coloring contest for kids. Click here for more info.

Movies

What's this? Brandon Sanderson has a movie option for Mistborn? Wowowowowow!

Quotes

Uber-author Pat Rothfuss sums up my feelings on Firefly being canceled with this simple quote:

Six years later I'm still pissed. I'll probably be pissed about Firefly until the day I die.