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Welcome to Today in Books, our daily roundup of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media and more.
Walmart gets cheeky
If you’ve ever wanted to turn your book club into an episode of Hot Ones, now’s the time. Walmart, the big-box retailer traditionally committed to family values, has developed a line of hot sauces inspired by spicy romance novels. Made in collaboration with Melinda’s Hot Sauces, the limited-edition Spicy Books set includes five 5oz bottles of varying levels of heat and retails for $14.98. Walmart prepared the Caliente seasonings as a surprise for screenwriter Yulin Kuang, who will adapt two novels by Emily Henry (Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation) and whose own debut How to End a Love Story was released in April. Stay tuned for the next culinary companion program, James Patterson’s “mysterious” meat Spam commercial.
You know, I always have this thing with me
When someone talks about always having a book with them, they’re usually talking about reading on the go. You know, the romantic comedy you pull out of your purse in the doctor’s waiting room, the audiobook you put on while sitting in the carpool line, the e-reader you shamelessly reach for during the seventh-inning break. Austin Kleon takes it a step further and stocks a variety of books in his house so he’s never short of something to read, even at family dinners. (Kleon says he gets criticized for the fact that his family often reads while eating, but that sounds pretty nice to me.)
This gets me thinking: What does “always have a book with you” mean to you? I constantly vacillate between a “main book” for reading on the couch, a bath book (self-explanatory), and an audiobook for driving and housework. Share your idiosyncratic reading habits in the comments.
What the critics say about the It ends with us Adjustment
It ends with usbased on the viral TikTok hit by Colleen Hoover (remember her?), officially hits theaters tomorrow, but screenings quietly began earlier this week, and critics’ reviews quickly followed. If you’re more interested in the phenomenon than the content, The Hollywood Reporter has summarized a number of the early reviews.
I saw a screening last night and I think if you liked the book (I didn’t) you’ll probably like the movie too. If you’re looking for cinema, this isn’t it. Stay tuned for more on an upcoming episode of the Book Riot Podcast.
The cats of Book Riot have book recommendations for you
We’re not all childless cat ladies here at Book Riot—some of us have dogs—but we know that nothing goes better with cats than books. And since today is International Cat Day, you know what happens next.
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