Welcome to The Book Briefing, your weekly catch-up on all the biggest moments from the literary world. From headline-making author news and award winners to viral bookish trends, anticipated updates, and exciting new releases, here’s everything readers have been talking about this week.
Hudson Williams’ favourite books are flying off shelves
'Heated Rivalry' star Hudson Williams has sparked a surge in sales after sharing a selection of his favourite reads on Instagram. According to Variety, titles including John Williams’ 'Stoner' and Kaveh Akbar’s 'Martyr!' have seen a spike in interest as fans rush to pick up books from the actor’s reading list.
Other recommendations include works by Joan Didion, Eve Babitz and Anne de Marcken, with readers across social media praising Williams’ literary taste and using his recommendations as inspiration for their own TBRs.
We've made it easy for you and created a collection that he would approve of.
Good news for Kobo lovers with new technology integration
An exciting new collaboration between Kobo and Storygraph was announced which means Kobo users get to enjoy amazing features like automatic reading updates on their Storygraph tracking and better syncing.
It’s the first time we’ve seen a partnership like this and exciting for those of us who are big fans of the graphs and stats offered up by Storygraph!
Novel about surveillance algorithims and nature takes home the Climate Fiction Prize
This year’s Climate Fiction Prize was announced and Helen Phillips took home the title with her speculative feminist novel, Hum, that looks at the age of AI in connection with exploring nature and community.
Her novel is a gripping reflection on climate change, that sparked from one moment where the author was walking home thinking about needing to buy dish cloths and then opened her phone to see paid advertisements for dish cloths being served up by her algorithims.
Straight on to our TBR it goes!
Ballad of Falling Dragons shoots straight to the top of the UK Bestseller list
It’s no surprise, but the sequel to When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker has already been making huge strides by selling impressive numbers all the over in the UK and hitting top spot in their bestseller print list. We are so happy to see amazing Kiwi authors being loved worldwide!
Callie Hart delays final 'Fae & Alchemy' book to 2027
Fans of 'Fae & Alchemy' series will have to wait a little longer for the trilogy’s conclusion, with the third book now set for release in September 2027 instead of its previously expected November 2026 publication date. Hart said the decision was made jointly with her publishers, Grand Central Publishing and Hodderscape, to give the finale the time and care it deserves.
The author explained that slowing down the writing process will allow her to further develop the story and deliver a fitting conclusion to one of fantasy romance’s most popular recent series.
'Mexican Gothic' gets graphic novel adaptation
Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s bestselling horror novel 'Mexican Gothic' is being adapted into a graphic novel, set for publication in 2027. Created in collaboration with writer Steph C. Solis, the adaptation will bring the eerie world of Noemí Taboada and High Place to life through artwork inspired by 1950s horror films and Italian giallo cinema.
Moreno-Garcia said the project offers a new way to experience the story, which became a breakout hit following its 2020 release and remains one of the most acclaimed gothic horror novels of recent years.
Francesca Wade wins 2026 Plutarch Award for biography
'Gertrude Stein: An Afterlife' was recognised for its fresh examination of the modernist writer’s life and legacy, exploring how Stein’s reputation was shaped after her death by figures including Alice B. Toklas, literary critics and biographers.
The Biographers International Organization praised the book’s innovative approach to biography, with judges describing it as a significant contribution to Stein scholarship. The title was selected ahead of a strong shortlist featuring biographies of James Baldwin, Kwame Nkrumah and Charlotte Brontë.
Hannah Grace announces new Maple Hills spin-off series
Hannah Grace has announced a brand-new series set in the Maple Hills universe, with the first book, 'Champagne Problems', scheduled for release on 16 February 2027. Described as a world of “glamour, fast cars and scandal”, the new 'In the Paddock' series will introduce a fresh cast of main characters while featuring appearances from familiar faces that fans of Maple Hills will recognise.
Grace also revealed plans for a global reader incentive tied to pre-orders and teased more announcements to come in the months ahead.
SATC star Jason Lewis reveals fantasy book project
After stepping away from social media and the public eye for three years, former 'Sex and the City' star Jason Lewis has revealed he has been working on an ambitious nine-book fantasy series.
Now living in Costa Rica, Lewis said he spends his days writing, surfing and studying Spanish, with the books structured as three interconnected trilogies exploring themes of idealism, corruption and redemption. Best known for playing Smith Jerrod, Samantha Jones’ boyfriend in 'Sex and the City', Lewis described the project as an epic fantasy inspired more by 'The Lord of the Rings' than traditional magic-based stories, and said he is currently seeking a publisher.
Alex Aster is writing Barbie’s first YA fantasy novel
Alex Aster, the bestselling author behind 'Lightlark', is officially stepping into the world of Barbie with 'Barbie: Dreamscape', the first original young adult novel centred on the iconic character.
Set in a magical fantasy world called Heartland, the story follows Barbie after she’s unexpectedly declared “Fateless” at her academy graduation, sending her on a journey to uncover hidden truths and forge her own destiny.
Blending Barbie with the romantasy and fantasy elements that have made Aster a BookTok favourite, the novel is already generating buzz ahead of its July 2026 release.
TOR announces highly anticipated follow up to The Devils
Prepare for another dark and twisted adventure thanks to the incredible brain of Joe Abercrombie! Publishers TOR announced last week that the sequel to The Devils will be released on May 11, 2027, and we can’t wait to get our hands on it.
The Heretics will continue on the darkly funny and bloody series that is set in an alternate medieval version of Europe. The first chapter sneak peak is already available over on the publisher’s website, and pre-orders are up on our website now.
Belle Burden’s divorce memoir sparks fresh debate online
Her bestselling memoir 'Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage' is continuing to fuel intense online discussion, with readers revisiting the details of her highly publicised divorce and debating the broader issues it raises around marriage, money and power.
Much of the conversation has centred on the financial arrangements Burden agreed to during her marriage and the vulnerabilities exposed after its sudden collapse, with many readers viewing the memoir as both a personal story and a cautionary tale.
The renewed attention highlights how 'Strangers' has evolved beyond a divorce memoir into a wider cultural conversation about relationships, privilege and financial independence.
That's all for this book briefing! For more bookish news, new releases, staff picks and plenty more from all the team at Book Hero, follow us on Instagram at @bookheronz and check back here on our blog as we post regularly!