Our Summer of Love is rolling along! We hope you’ve had a chance to dig in to all of our great love-themed reads so far, particularly the extended excerpt of Sandhya Menon’s When Dimple Met Rishi!

We’ve been talking a LOT about this much-buzzed book (which incidentally, recently added New York Times bestseller to its list of accolades!) but this week, we wanted to learn a little more about the mind(s) behind the book. To that end, Sandhya and her editor Jennifer Ung shared with us this little glimpse behind the scenes:

SANDHYA: I always get asked if I’m a Dimple or Rishi (I get flak for this because I’m totally a mix of the two, but people don’t seem to believe me)! Now it’s time for you to tell us which one you are, Jen!

JEN: Dimple, for sure. I was and continue to be a stubborn Asian-American girl who refuses to wear make-up, who should maybe listen to her mother more than she’d like to admit. Also I drink so much iced coffee it practically runs in my veins.

SANDHYA: It was delightful for me, as a huge rom-com fan, to write an Indian-American rom-com. Can you tell me why you wanted to edit a romantic comedy?

JEN: I devoured romantic comedies as a teen (and currently, as an adult), so it felt natural to want to pursue them as a YA editor. There are just so many opportunities in rom-coms for the characters to explore big questions that extend so far beyond the romance at hand — What do I want in a future? What does family and tradition mean to me? Etc. — and the good ones always do so in way that still feels simultaneously meaningful and bright and hopeful. I think that’s the thing: Rom-coms always give me hope, and for that reason alone, I’ll never stop loving them.

Also of note, most of the rom-coms I loved as a teen were overwhelmingly white, and so it means a lot to me that Dimple stars two Indian-American teens, front and center, falling in love and figuring out their futures, to hilarious and heartwarming results.

SANDHYA: This is pretty self-serving, but can you tell me what you thought when you read my first draft? I ask because I was *really* nervous about you seeing it for the first time since we hadn’t worked together yet.

JEN: This is somewhere in my email archives, I’m sure, but as soon as I finished your first draft, I believe I sent you an email with the subject line “i am sobbing” (no capitalization, punctuation, probably no content in the actual email). I was truly taken off guard by how remarkable, how earth-shaking, it was to read an experience that so closely reflected my own. It was one of the first times I’ve ever read a book and felt so deeply seen. I don’t think I’ll ever find the perfect words to articulate how important that felt. But it was wonderful, and my hope is that many children of immigrants read Dimple and feel something close to that.

SANDHYA: I think I know the answer to this question, but if you could only eat one food for the rest of your life what would it be? (My money is on cheese popcorn!)

JEN: I actually get this question a lot (so random, I know), and so I didn’t even have to think about it. Salmon sashimi! In this hypothetical situation, I’m assuming mercury poisoning is not a concern?

And yes, cheese popcorn is a very close second. You know me too well.

Now how about some questions for you? Other than Dimple and Rishi, of course, who was your favorite character to write?

SANDHYA: Ashish! I love-hated his sassiness and little jock brother cockiness so much. But he was also really vulnerable and needed his big brother, the juxtaposition of which made me want to simultaneously shake him and hug him. 🙂

JEN: What’s been your favorite part of the publication process so far? (Other than working with me, natch. ;))

SANDHYA: Working with you by far! Oh, shoot, you said “other than.” 😉 Definitely seeing the enthusiasm of readers grow as more and more people got the ARC and then the finished copies! Those emails from people who finally saw themselves in a light, funny YA? Incomparable.

JEN: As you know, we’ve gotten to the point in our working relationship where we communicate our emotions and thoughts to each other almost exclusively via dog memes. What’s your favorite dog breed, and why? (This will also be helpful to know for future correspondence!)

SANDHYA: Omg definitely golden retrievers. I’m a little obsessed.

JEN: If you could only drink one iced beverage for the rest of your life, what would it be?

SANDHYA: Caramel frap, because I keep things simple! (Otherwise I get confused.)

Philippa Gregory’s written MANY a bestselling novel and been proclaimed “the queen of royal fiction” by USA Today. You might be familiar with The Other Boleyn Girl which has been adapted into a movie, or perhaps with The White Queen, the inspiration for the critically acclaimed miniseries now airing on Starz. But what many people aren’t aware of is that in recent years, Philippa’s tried her hand at YA with the Order of Darkness series.

Philippa Gregory’s Order of Darkness series is full of the medieval secrets, intrigue, and romance that she’s become known for. We’re featuring Changeling, the first book in the series, as a free read until June 12, and it couldn’t be a better time to start this gripping series since a new bind-up with the first three books in the series will be on sale next week (June 13), AND there’s still an as-yet-untitled fourth and final book in the series coming early 2018!

To whet your appetite a little more, here’s an overview of the series from Philippa:

The story begins with Luca Vero; accused of heresy and expelled from his monastery, he is recruited by a mysterious stranger to record the end of the days. His first mission takes him to a nunnery where the women are showing terrible signs of possession under an imprisoned Lady Abbess – Isolde. Thrown together by danger, Luca and his true friend Frieze, alongside Isolde and her companion Ishraq, embark on a daring journey across Europe, as they uncover the secrets of Order of Darkness, racing to stay ahead of the end of the world. Breaking the journey in Piccolo, Luca finds a place filled with superstitious fears: of the unknown, of the forces of the sea and sky, of strangers. Still with him are his loyal friend and servant, Frieze, and his clerk, Brother Peter, as well as the Lady Isolde and her mysterious servant-companion Ishraq. The five of them are followed into the town by a huge children’s crusade, led by a self-proclaimed saint. Its young leader promises that the sea will part before them, and allow them to walk dry-shod all the way to Jerusalem. Luca and Lady Isolde are swept up in the growing excitement; but something dangerous is brewing far out to sea.  Onwards to Venice where Luca Vero and his friends are plunged into the heady whirlwind of the world’s busiest marketplace, where everything – and everyone – is for sale. Their mission from the Pope is no protection: this city has its own laws. Meanwhile, the Lady Isolde is in more danger than ever, and her feelings for Luca are becoming more intense. As the friends face the unknown dangers of magic and alchemy, the crimes and politics of the city may become the least of their worries. The powers they confront are not of this world …

Want to know a little more about Philippa? She recently gave us some insight into her writing habits and some of her “favourite” things:

While writing…

Do you stay at home, write in a café or go somewhere else?

I can write anywhere, and I do write anywhere. The only time I have to by in my study is when I am doing detailed research in documents or books which are not online.

Do you have a go-to snack?

Dry roasted peanuts

Do you take regular breaks?

Not consciously but I wander about during the working day and do other things.

Do you edit as you go along?

Yes, I start every day re-reading what I wrote the day before and rewriting.

Favourite…

Social media platform? FB

Historical figure? Currently, Jane Grey

YA Book? Philip Pullman, His Dark Materials.

Character from Order of Darkness? Freize, I love Freize, he’s so unexpected.

Random Questions…

If you could travel back in time to any decade, when would it be?

Late Medieval England – so wonderful to ride through.

If you could give your sixteen-year-old self some advice, what would it be?

Honestly, it’s going to be OK.

If you could take one thing on a desert island, what would it be?

My e book reader and an infinite supply of reading.

On Order of Darkness…

Do you consider writing to be fun?

I’ve had such fun with this series which is set in the 1460s during the rapid expansion of the Ottoman Empire. Led by Sultan Mehmed II, who was just 21 years-old when he conquered Constantinople (now known as Istanbul), the Ottomans’ land grab was unprecedented, and it was a terrifying threat to Christians in Europe. A time of deep superstition and fear, the Church believed that the Ottoman strength represented the rise of Satan and that this indicated that the end of the world was coming.

I’ve been reading (or really rereading) Lord of Shadows and thinking a LOT about parabatai. Emma and Jules’ relationship in Lord of Shadows takes some complicated turns, but at the end they’re always going to be parabatai, and that’s a bond that lasts forever. Honestly, parabatai are one of my favorite things about the world of the Shadowhunters. The idea that two people can be bound together by an oath in which they swear to fight side by side, lay down their lives for one another, and have an everlasting and platonic love, is a sweet one. Parabatai are more than best friends, different from romantic lovers — they’re basically platonic soulmates. I mean, check out the oath they have to take:

Entreat me not to leave thee,
Or return from following after thee—
For whither thou goest, I will go,
And where thou lodgest, I will lodge.
Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.
Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried.
The Angel do so to me, and more also,
If aught but death part thee and me.

Now that’s commitment! Now that I’m back in the world of the Shadowhunters, I’ve been imprinting Shadowhunter mythology everywhere. Specifically, I’ve been thinking about some fictional characters who might be parabatai if they were Shadowhunters. I’ve come up with seven pairs that I think fit the bill. For the sake of this exercise, I’ve removed the qualification that they have to be bound before they turn 18 — we can assume if they were really in the Shadowhunter universe, fate would have found a way to bring them together sooner. Check out the list, and then let me know who else you think might be parabatai in the comments below!

Holmes and Watson – Sherlock Holmes

Well, duh. This one’s such a given its even referenced in Lady Midnight and Lord of Shadows.  Holmes and Watson always have each other’s back, and will go to pretty much the ends of the Earth with one another. Even if they bicker (like, constantly) they trust each other 100%, like true parabatai would.

James Potter and Sirius Black – Harry Potter

James and Sirius are best friends, prank partners, and brothers in arms. James took Sirius in after Sirius was disowned by the Black family, and made Sirus the godfather to his only son. And when James died, it literally sent Sirius into a sort of mental break. Losing a parabati is described as feeling like losing a part of yourself, and that’s definitely how Sirius feels after James’ death. Ugh. My heart!

Marlin and Dory – Finding Nemo

Okay, this one might be controversial, but hear me out. Marlin and Dory are definitely parabatai. They went on not one, but two trips to the end of the world for each other. “Whither thou goest, I will go,” anyone? They totally trust each other, and they’re basically a surrogate family. That sounds like parabatai to me.

Hawkeye and Black Widow – Marvel Cinematic Universe

The relationship between Clint and Natasha is complicated, but these two would do pretty much anything for each other. Clint spared Nat’s life for reasons Nat isn’t even sure of — he saw something good in her, that’s for sure. Nat’s the only one who knows about Clint’s secret family, and he’s naming a kid after her. Sure, they’re partners in SHIELD, but they’re bonded in a way that goes beyond best friendship.

Mako and Raleigh — Pacific Rim

The literal concept of Pacific Rim is pretty much the definition of parabatai. A person you’re so close to that you have a literal, neural connection. You can trust them to literally be inside your head. While a bunch of Jaeger pilots are related or married, Mako and Raleigh are strangers before the events of the movie. But they have a connection and a similarity that makes them drift compatible — and also definitely makes them parbatai.

Willow and Xander — Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Willow and Xander are childhood best friends and sure, at one point they maybe had a small mutual romantic thing going on. But their love is way stronger and more important than just romantic love. Xander’s love for Willow literally saves the world when Willow goes all magic-addict evil at the end of Season 6. These two never doubt or ditch each other. That’s true parabataiship.

Bill and Ted — Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure

Listen, a friend who’s willing to go interdimensional time traveling with you so you don’t fail a history paper and go to military school is a true parabatai. No contest.

Can you think of any other would-be parabatai? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Monday!

This Memorial Day week, if you’re not enjoying the outdoors and barbecuing or gallivanting around on a summer vacation (or even if you are and need a brief respite from your crazy family to escape to a fictional world), we’ve got you covered as always!

Kicking it off today, we’ve got some historical fiction with Changeling, the first book in legendary author Philippa Gregory’s foray into YA, the Order of Darkness series. Travel back to 1453 and follow Isolde and Luca across a medieval Italian landscape as they investigate dark and dangerous dealings, from witchcraft in a nunnery to werewolves in the forests. It’s the perfect time to embark on this epic journey—in just a few week’s time (June 13, to be precise), you’ll be able to pick up this great bind-up of the first three books in the series, and then come Spring 2018, the final and as-yet-unnamed fourth book will be hitting bookstores everywhere!

Then for a change of pace, give Thomas E. Sniegoski’s Savage a try. On the small island of Benediction, a hurricane has brought devastating winds, risings tides…and something else. Something deadly; something that will transform all the things that creep, crawl, and flutter into instruments of terror and death. If you’re a fan of James Patterson’s Zoo, or of anything from Stephen King, Savage will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. Bonus: when you find yourself unable to put it down until it’s finished, you’ll be able to go right into the sequel, Monstrous, on sale May 30!

Then, in keeping with our weekly summery reads, we’ve got two more for you this week. First, for a sweet (and sexy) read, there’s Terra Elan McVoy’s The Summer of Firsts and Lasts, a story about three sisters and one life-changing summer. Then, for a little light sci-fi/comedy, there’s Tom Lombardi’s My Summer on Earth, a humorous and cool debut novel about a sixteen-year-old alien learning what it’s like to be human.

Finally, last week’s reads are still available and last week was a HUGE week with the release of Cassandra Clare’s LORD OF SHADOWS! We’ve got extended excerpts of both Lady Midnight AND Lord of Shadows, the first two books in Cassandra Clare’s Dark Artifices series. Then we’ve also two summery reads from last week: How My Summer Went Up in Flames from Jennifer Salvato Doktorski, the story of impulsive teen Rosie on a cross-country road trip with her neighbor and his two friends as punishment for setting fire to her cheating ex-boyfriend’s car, and Summer of Yesterday from Gaby Triana, the romantic fantasy summed up as “Back to the Future meets Fast Times at Ridgemont High.”

Find out more about this week’s reads:

Guys. I cannot even begin to express how totally, and completely in love I am with Lord of Shadows. I mean, check out this book description:

Emma Carstairs has finally avenged her parents. She thought she’d be at peace. But she is anything but calm. Torn between her desire for her parabatai Julian and her desire to protect him from the brutal consequences of parabatai relationships, she has begun dating his brother, Mark. But Mark has spent the past five years trapped in Faerie; can he ever truly be a Shadowhunter again?

And the faerie courts are not silent. The Unseelie King is tired of the Cold Peace, and will no longer concede to the Shadowhunters’ demands. Caught between the demands of faerie and the laws of the Clave, Emma, Julian, and Mark must find a way to come together to defend everything they hold dear—before it’s too late.

It sounds amazing….AND IT REALLY IS!! Emma, dating Mark? The Unseelie King rising up against the Shadowhunters? AHH! I’m still freaking out about it all!

I’ve been so caught up in thinking about it that I’ve actually been daydreaming at work, casting the movie version of the book in my head. I love dream casting movies — it’s so fun to imagine today’s hottest stars taking a whack at your favorite literary characters. And while there’s been a Mortal Instruments movie and a TV show, the characters from the Dark Artifices don’t appear in those (yet, at least). So we can let our imaginations run a little wild!

In honor of Lord of Shadows, I’ve decided to share my Dark Artifices dream cast. Do you think I nailed it? Am I way off base? Am I totally missing the absolute perfect person to play Jules? Share your thoughts and dreamcasts in the comments!

Emma Carstairs: Anya Taylor-Joy

Anya Taylor-Joy is the perfect mix of sweet and sharp to play Emma. She broke through pretty recently with major roles in two great horror flicks — The Witch and Split. Split in particular showcases her range — she’s both heartbreakingly vulnerable and incredibly calculated and whip-smart. She’s a great choice to capture Emma’s humor, as well as her struggles with grief during her attempt to avenge her parents. Plus she totally rocks Emma’s long, blonde locks.

Jules Blackthorn: Nick Robinson

Nick Robinson’s got a sensitive side that would make him a great choice to play artistic Jules. Plus, he’s poised to become Hollywood’s next big hit — especially considering his starring role in this summer’s Everything, Everything.

Mark Blackthorn: Tye Sheridan

Mark Blackthorn is older than his brother Jules, but living in the faerie world has slowed his aging, making twenty-year-old Sheridan a good fit for a (technically) 21-year-old character. Sheridan has showed off his complex acting skills in films like The Tree of Life. Plus, he’s already been in a serious action movie, starring as Cyclops in XMen: Apocolaypse.

Cristina Mendoza-Rosales: Callie Hernandez

Callie Herandez is up-and-coming in a big way. She already snagged a supporting role in Briefly-Best-Picture-Winner La La Land, and she’s starring in the new Alien movie. A role like Cristina would be the perfect fit for her.

Kit Rook: Corey Fogelmanis

Corey’s most famous for his role on Girl Meets World, and he’d be perfect as the young and mysterious Kit Rook. In the first book, Kit, who believed himself to be a mundane, learns he’s actually descended from Shadowhunters. Kit’s a young kid thrust suddenly into a world he doesn’t know — and Corey’s charm and youth make him ideal for capturing that.

Diana Wayburn: Lupita Nyong’o

First, let me just say this: Lupita Nyong’o is in my dream cast for every movie ever made, because Lupita Nyong’o is great. But Lupita would make an especially fantastic Diana! Let’s not forget that Emma once described Diana as the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen — an apt description of Lupita Nyong’o if I ever heard one.

Kieran: Ezra Miller

Kieran’s an inhuman beauty with high cheekbones and thick, magical hair. That is also an incredibly accurate way to describe Ezra Miller. Plus, it’ll be fun for Ezra to continue expanding his status as an action star — what better way to follow up playing The Flash than having some fun in the world of the Shadowhunters?

The Unseelie King: Tom Hiddleston

The Unseelie King is the king of the faeries and Kieran’s father. While he was only mentioned in Lady Midnight, he’s a bigger part of Lord of Shadows. Hiddleston has played some iconic villains before — Loki, anyone? — and can lend some real weight to the role. Makeup would have to make half of his face disfigured, but if anyone can pull that look off, it’s totally Hiddleston.

True crime’s been so hot lately and we love it! So when our friends from Efran Films, a production company based out of NYC, reached out to us recently to let us know they were on the search for a host for a new true crime series, we were pretty excited! Alas, while a lot of us here WISH we could take them up on it, we’re not quite ready to leave our current jobs in pursuit of cable television stardom….but we thought perhaps some of you might be! Here’s all of the info we’ve got below, but you’ll need to move quickly—they’re looking for submissions by this Friday, May 26th! If you apply, drop us a comment and let us know!

NOW CASTING A PASSIONATE HOST FOR A TRUE CRIME SERIES

Are you an amateur sleuth or a murder mystery junkie?

Are you an active member of a true crime group/podcast?

Have you ever tried to solve a cold case on your own?

Efran Films, an Emmy award-winning production company based out of NYC, is currently seeking a young host who has a verifiable passion for crime for a series on a cable network. A background in communications, law, journalism, forensics, or criminology is a huge plus! We’re also accepting submissions from people who are YouTubers, podcasters, true crime junkies or amateur sleuths.

This is a PAID opportunity. You must be willing and able to travel around the country and talk about sensitive source material with witnesses, police and family members of victims. Each episode will have the host talking about a particular crime case that happened somewhere in the country. They’d talk about the facts of the case and have their own input on it as well.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please complete the questionnaire and send us a 2 minute video of you talking about yourself (the first 30 seconds) and a particular crime case you are currently passionate about (1.5 minutes)— and not one of the top ten cases that’s been covered extensively in the media. We want to see how you can speak to a story, review the facts and information about it and also have your own opinion on it. If you have other videos that exist of you online that showcases you on camera talking about any topic (school project, professional shoot and/or home video) please also include those links. Smartphone videos are totally fine but please be close enough so we can hear and see you. Please keep the video to 2 minutes as saying everything you need in that amount of time is part of us seeing your potential.

Please create your personal video and the linked questionnaire by this Friday, May 26th. If you need an extension or have any questions, please reach out to efranfilmscasting@gmail.com.

We do NOT download videos so please upload your video submission to YouTube or Vimeo or similar site and send us a link as noted in the questionnaire. If it’s password protected, please provide us with that as well.

Here’s the Casting Questionnaire

Thank you so much and we look forward to your submission!

Happy Monday!

And what a glorious Monday it is! Why? Because this week…

LORD OF SHADOWS WILL FINALLY BE OUT!!!!

Tomorrow (May 23) is the big day, though you can start reading our excerpt right now to whet your appetite! Chances are good that if you’re reading this, you’re already more than familiar with author Cassandra Clare’s world of the Shadowhunters but on the off chance you’re visiting Riveted for the first time and have somehow never crossed paths with any of Cassie’s novels, don’t dive into Lord of Shadows just yet! You’ll need to at LEAST start with Lady Midnight, the first book in the Dark Artifices series, and we’re featuring an excerpt of it now so you can jump right in. In fact, here are six reasons why you should start reading it! Really though, if you’re new to the world of the Shadowhunters, you should go all the way back to the beginning and start with City of Bones and the rest of The Mortal Instruments series, and then you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t ALSO read Clockwork Angel and the Infernal Devices trilogy, but we digress…..

All caught up on Shadowhuntery goodness, or—gasp—maybe Cassandra Clare’s books aren’t for you?! It’s cool, we get it, and we’ve always got options for you! As we’ve been getting closer to summer, we’ve been featuring summery reads to get us all in the proper mindset and we’ve got two more this week. First, check out How My Summer Went Up in Flames from Jennifer Salvato Doktorski: when impulsive teen Rosie sets fire to her cheating ex-boyfriend’s car and is served with a restraining order, her parents send her on a cross-country road trip with her neighbor and his two friends. Then, we’ve got Summer of Yesterday from Gaby Triana: Haley’s not happy to be stuck on summer vacation with her dad and his new family…until she experiences a seizure that transports her back in time to 1982!

If those aren’t enough for you, we’ve still got last week’s reads! Check out the extended excerpt of Laurent Linn’s Draw the Line, the story of quiet artist Adrian and his alter ego, the Renaissance-art-inspired superhero of his own design, Graphite. Dive into some Shaun David Hutchinson with the extended excerpt of We are the Ants, about abductee Henry Denton who’s been given a frightening ultimatum from his alien tormentors, or check out the full read of FML about a party, a plan, and a kiss that can change everything! Or read either of last week’s summer reads, The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler and Fifteenth Summer by Michelle Dalton. The Summer of Chasing Mermaids follows a talented singer who loses her voice but finds the romance of a lifetime, while Fifteenth Summer is about a romance that should last a lifetime…but may only get one summer.

Find out more about this week’s reads:

Happy Monday!

It’s the beginning of a new week, which means you’re due for some new reads! We’ll start with the extended excerpt of Draw the Line by Laurent Lin, which will finally be available in paperback tomorrow (May 16)! In Draw the Line, talented artist and self-proclaimed sci-fi geek, Adrian, gets spurred into action when a hate crime occurs in his small town. Though he prefers to stay quiet and concentrate on creating his own world through the Renaissance-art-inspired superhero of his own design, Graphite, Adrian must step out of the shadows and into the real world to decide what kind of person he truly wants to be—no matter the risk. Intriguing right? Take this quiz and find out which character you are from Draw the Line!

Then, we have some great reads by Shaun David Hutchinson. First, there’s the extended excerpt of We Are the Ants in celebration of the release of the paperback, which also releases tomorrow (May 16)! Next, there’s the full read of FML, available both for your enjoyment and so you can remember what an amazing writer Shaun is. The first is the story of Henry Denton, who must decide if the world is worth saving. The second is about a party, a plan, and a kiss that can change everything!

Next, we’re happy to confess that we consider it our duty to get you in a summer-ready mindset. How? With summer-y reads of course! Our two summer reads this week are Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler, and Fifteenth Summer by Michelle Dalton. Summer of Chasing Mermaids follows a talented singer who loses her voice but finds the romance of a lifetime. Fifteenth Summer is about a romance that should last a lifetime but may only get one summer.

Finally, last week’s reads are still available for one more week! Check out the extended excerpt of Reaper by Kyra Leigh, the story about a girl who must reap three souls to get to Paradise. Then take a look at the full reads of In Honor by Jessi Kirby (think: road-trip romance), Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson (think: family, love, and loss), and Clean by Amy Reed (think: rehab, recovery, and self-discovery).

Find out more about this week’s reads:

Happy Monday!

With the reads we have lined up for this week, we just KNOW you’re going to discover something you’ll love!

Let’s begin with the extended excerpt of Kyra Leigh’s Reaper, which will be available in bookstores everywhere tomorrow (May 9)! What would you give up if a life hung in the balance? When sixteen-year-old Rosie Wolf dies, she learns that she must reap three souls before she can move on to Paradise. But nothing is ever simple when love, life, and death are involved—especially when they’re intertwined.

Next we’re celebrating the five year anniversaries of three amazing books from three amazing authors! These are books that you may have missed when they were new, but we’ve reread them and guarantee they’re still just as riveting now. Enjoy the full reads of In Honor by Jessi Kirby, Clean by Amy Reed, and Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson. In Honor explores loss, friendship, and romance. Clean follows five teens and their self-discovery in rehab. And Second Chance Summer examines the power of family, hope, and heartbreak.

Plus, last week’s reads are still available for one more week! First, there’s the extended excerpt of Jenny Han’s Always & Forever, Lara Jean (the third book in Jenny’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy that surprised everyone when it was announced). Then there’s the extended excerpt of One Cut by Eve Porinchak (the first book in the new Simon True series that follows “Real stories. Real teens. Real crimes.”). Next, there’s the extended excerpt of the delightful Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch (the New York Times bestselling novel about a girl who spends a summer in Italy). Finally there are the full reads of Rebecca Serle’s When You Were Mine (a very creative retelling of Romeo & Juliet) and Anna Davies’ Wrecked (a reimagining of The Little Mermaid)!

Find out more about this week’s reads:

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon is a hot topic right now. Chances are, you’ve already heard of it, but if not, here’s what it’s about:

Dimple Shah has it all figured out. With graduation behind her, she’s more than ready for a break from her family, from Mamma’s inexplicable obsession with her finding the “Ideal Indian Husband.” Ugh. Dimple knows they must respect her principles on some level, though. If they truly believed she needed a husband right now, they wouldn’t have paid for her to attend a summer program for aspiring web developers…right?

Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. So when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program as him—wherein he’ll have to woo her—he’s totally on board. Because as silly as it sounds to most people in his life, Rishi wants to be arranged, believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself.

The Shahs and Patels didn’t mean to start turning the wheels on this “suggested arrangement” so early in their children’s lives, but when they noticed them both gravitate toward the same summer program, they figured, Why not?

Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways.

Can’t get enough of When Dimple Met Rishi? Sandhya has you covered: she’s created a quiz so you can find out if you’re a Dimple or a Rishi! Take the quiz and let us know your results in the comments!