Manga & Graphic Novels You Need to Read | Coming out Perfect by Richard Mercado

Manga & Graphic Novels You Need to Read | Coming out Perfect by Richard Mercado

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Ever wondered what a graphic novelist reads for fun? This week we're stepping outside our usual romance and mystery lanes to talk graphic novels and manga with debut author Richard Mercado. Richard Mercado joins the podcast to talk about his debut YA graphic novel Coming Out Perfect (pitched as Heartstopper meets Mean Girls), his journey from indie zine-maker in the Philippines to Scholastic Graphix author, and his process for plotting a graphic novel from script to thumbnails to final art. Then he shares five graphic novel and manga recommendations — perfect for readers looking to branch into visual storytelling, or longtime manga fans looking for their next read. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED Coming Out Perfect by Richard Mercado — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4wqtppC] | YA Graphic Novel / LGBTQ Contemporary Roaming by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/44fE76t] | Graphic Novel / Contemporary Honey and Clover by Chica Umino — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3RfX7yK] | Manga / Josei / Coming-of-Age Please Be My Star by Victoria Grace Elliot — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4wxbnCp] | YA Graphic Novel / Contemporary Romance Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4aykSbR] | Literary Fiction | Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4y1Jp3b] | Literary Fiction / Short Stories ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS * [00:00] Welcome & intro to Richard Mercado * [00:00] Richard introduces himself, his debut graphic novel Coming Out Perfect * [01:00] Filipino and Puerto Rican cultural parallels; parental acceptance themes * [01:30] Elevator pitch for Coming Out Perfect * [04:00] Richard's path from indie zine cartoonist in the Philippines to Scholastic Graphix * [07:00] How Richard builds a graphic novel — outline, script, thumbnails, art * [11:00] Book recommendations begin * [11:30] Roaming by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki * [15:00] Honey and Clover by Chica Umino * [17:00] Please Be My Star by Victoria Grace Elliot * [19:00] Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata * [21:00] Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte * [23:00] Where to find Richard online & outro JOIN THE CONVERSATION Subscribe to our Substack [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/] for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/]) Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog [https://www.whattoreadnext.com/] | YouTube: What to Read Next [https://www.youtube.com/@WhattoReadNextBlog] Subscribe & leave a review!

Sci-Fi Romance Recs With Formula Zero's Author Meredith Lanzen

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Ever wondered what happens when Formula 1 gets launched into zero gravity — and thrown in a childhood-best-friends-to-lovers arc for good measure? Debut author Meredith Lanzen joins us to talk about her sci-fi sports romance, Formula Zero. We dig into how a Drive to Survive rabbit hole turned into a book deal, why she wanted her leads to be equals on the racetrack, and her go-to recommendations for readers who love character-driven sci-fi, banter-heavy urban fantasy, and rom-coms with real emotional depth. If you love found family, slow-burn trust, and worlds that feel just a little bit magic around the edges, this episode is for you. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED Formula Zero by Meredith Lanzen — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3QHcz6V] | Sci-Fi Romance / Sports Romance | Audio ✅ Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3R18vON] | Sci-Fi Romance | Audio ✅ The Last Sun by K.D. Edwards — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4eX7lfd] | Urban Fantasy | Audio ✅ The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4wvsEvG]| Contemporary Romance / Rom-Com | Audio ✅ Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3T46HoV] | Sci-Fi Fantasy Mystery | Audio ✅ ⏱️TIMESTAMPS * [00:00] Intro & welcome * [01:00] Meredith's side quests: jigsaw puzzling, sourdough * [02:00] The Formula 1 obsession begins * [03:00] Discovering F1 via Drive to Survive; the writing journey starts * [04:00] The idea for Formula Zero is born * [06:00] Why she wanted her racers to be true equals * [08:00] Formula Zero plot: Clark & Julian's fractured friendship * [10:00] The fake-friendship PR twist * [11:00] Favorite sci-fi elements & comfort rereads * [13:00] Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell * [14:00] The Last Sun by K.D. Edwards * [16:00] The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun * [19:00] Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir * [21:00] Where to find Meredith online JOIN THE CONVERSATION Subscribe to our Substack [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/] for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/]) Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog [https://www.whattoreadnext.com/] | YouTube: What to Read Next [https://www.youtube.com/@WhattoReadNextBlog] Subscribe & leave a review!

Lindsay Hameroff on Writing Rom-Coms & Second Chances

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Rom-com author Lindsay Hameroff joins us to talk Wegmans obsessions, writing her first single-mom heroine, and the books that turned her into a romance reader for life. Lindsay Hameroff — author of Till There Was You and Never Planned on You — stops by to talk about her new release Rewrite the Stars, a second-chance summer romance between a semi-retired actress and the sexy contractor renovating her lake house. We dig into why she writes '90s-and-2000s-style rom-coms, what it's like writing a neurodivergent-parenting storyline drawn from her own life, and her go-to recommendations for readers who want books that make them laugh and swoon — perfect for romance and rom-com fans looking for their next beachy, feel-good read. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS * [00:00] Welcome & intro to Lindsay Hameroff * [00:30] Lindsay's background: teacher to full-time writer * [02:00] Wegmans tangent + Alisha Rai's grocery-family series rec * [04:00] From Stephen King to romance: Lindsay's reading journey * [05:00] Writing humor during the pandemic, joining Twitter * [07:00] Threads vs. Substack as writer communities * [07:30] Deep dive: Rewrite the Stars — premise & single-mom heroine * [08:30] Writing a neurodivergent-parenting storyline * [10:00] Why it's the perfect summer/beach read * [11:00] What Lindsay loves in rom-coms (needs to be funny!) * [11:30] Rec: Red, White & Royal Blue * [13:00] Rec: A Love Song for Ricki Wilde * [15:00] Rec: Practice Makes Perfect * [16:00] Rec: The Seven Year Slip * [16:30] Rec: Happy Place (the "controversial" pick) * [18:00] Rec: Married with Benefits * [19:00] Where to find Lindsay online * [19:30] Outro 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED Rewrite the Stars by Lindsay Hameroff — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4vOsy2k] | Contemporary Romance, Second Chance, Summer Read | Audio ✅ Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4vivZgC] | Romance, LGBTQ+, Political Rom-Com | Audio ✅ A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3RjOjI8] | Romance, Magical Realism, Contemporary | Audio ✅ Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3T2A4YF] | Contemporary Romance, Small Town, Frothy | Audio ✅ The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4aBRAck] | Romance, Magical Realism, Time Slip | Audio ✅ Happy Place by Emily Henry — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3SYVIwX] | Contemporary Romance, Friends to Lovers | Audio ✅ Married with Benefits by Ellie Palmer — Buy on Amazon | Rom-Com, Marriage of Convenience | Audio ✅ JOIN THE CONVERSATION Subscribe to our Substack [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/] for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/]) Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog [https://www.whattoreadnext.com/] | YouTube: What to Read Next [https://www.youtube.com/@WhattoReadNextBlog] Subscribe & leave a review!

7 Books to Read If You're Obsessed With Love Island

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Still thinking about recouplings, Casa Amor twists, and the text that ruined someone's summer? Same. So this week we're doing a full villa walkthrough — in book form. This solo episode rounds up the best Love Island–inspired reads out right now: one juicy nonfiction deep dive into the show itself, five rom-coms that borrow the format's chaos (bombshells, recouplings, and all), and one dating-show read with a body count. Perfect for anyone who wants their reality TV obsession to last past finale night. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS * [00:00] Intro: Love Island obsession + reality-TV-inspired book trend * [00:01] Enter the Villa — nonfiction deep dive * [00:03] Reality Bites — STEM scientist on a dating show * [00:04] Hot Summer — queer Love Island rom-com * [00:05] Coupling Up — twin swap chaos * [00:06] Palm Villa — classic Love Island wish-fulfillment * [00:06] Stranded in Paradise — enemies-to-lovers producers * [00:07] Reality Check — dating show + murder mystery * [00:08] Substack teaser + outro 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED Enter the Villa: The (Unauthorized) Reality Behind Love Island by Anna Peel — https://amzn.to/3QYDo6tBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3QYDo6t] | Nonfiction Reality Bites by Amy Mass — https://amzn.to/3ThvBBqBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3ThvBBq] | Romance / STEM Rom-Com Hot Summer by Elle Everhart — https://amzn.to/3QW01sbBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3QW01sb] | Romance / Queer Coupling Up by Jo Lyons — https://amzn.to/4y4zKZqBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4y4zKZq] | Romance | KU ✅ Palm Villa by Ashley Hartley — https://amzn.to/3RhZcKzBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3RhZcKz] | Romance | KU ✅ Stranded in Paradise by Portia Mcintosh — https://amzn.to/4eXRD3sBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4eXRD3s] | Romance / Enemies-to-Lovers | KU ✅ Reality Check by Kara Loo and Jennifer Young — https://amzn.to/3QBTnaJBuy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3QBTnaJ] | Romantic Mystery JOIN THE CONVERSATION Subscribe to our Substack [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/] for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/]) Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog [https://www.whattoreadnext.com/] | YouTube: What to Read Next [https://www.youtube.com/@WhattoReadNextBlog] Subscribe & leave a review!

Mystery Rom-Coms, Jersey Shore Murder & the Millennial Mystery Trend | Liz Lawson

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. What happens when a journalist with a nose for a story, a caterer with a glow-up, and a Jersey Shore murder collide? Enemies-to-lovers chaos — and we are here for it. In this episode, I'm chatting with Liz Lawson, author of the adult debut It Happened One Murder — a mystery rom-com packed with second-chance romance, a murder that needs solving, and all the messy feelings of your mid-20s. We talk about Liz's journey from writing emotional YA to crafting this genre-mashup mystery, why the "millennial mystery" is having such a moment, and what it really feels like to move back home in your 20s when life doesn't go according to plan. Plus, Liz shares what she's been reading lately — including a buzzy weird-girl lit pick and a memoir about rich people behaving very badly. 📚 BOOKS MENTIONED It Happened One Murder by Liz Lawson — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4eMAg5s]| Mystery Rom-Com, Second-Chance Romance | Audio ✅ Famesick by Lena Dunham — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4vAE2WP] | Memoir | Audio ✅ (author-narrated) Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4eOBf5c] | Literary Fiction / Weird Girl Lit A Killer for Christmas by Kim Harrington — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3QskswZ] | Holiday Mystery Rom-Com | (forthcoming at time of recording) The Most Wonderful Crime by Ally Carter — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4weRcZt] | Mystery Romance Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden — Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/4wdolF5]| Memoir | Audio ✅ (author-narrated) ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS * [00:00] Welcome & introduction — Liz Lawson's adult debut It Happened One Murder * [00:01] Liz's author journey — from YA to adult fiction * [00:02] Writing The Agathas with Kathleen Glasgow & the pivot to mystery * [00:03] Why Liz decided to write for adult readers * [00:04] The YA market's identity crisis — what's changing and why * [00:05] The rise of millennial mysteries and genre-mashup cozies * [00:07] What it really feels like to be in your mid-20s — and how that shaped It Happened One Murder * [00:09] Harriet's story: journalism, moving home, and family dysfunction * [00:10] Nick's story: loyalty, culinary dreams, and the catering business * [00:11] The murder wall — and Laura's real-life career as a white-collar crime investigator * [00:13] Why white-collar crime makes for the juiciest stories * [00:15] The second-chance romance plot — ghosting, glow-ups, and unfinished business * [00:17] Liz's current reads: Famesick by Lena Dunham * [00:17] Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash & the weird-girl lit trend * [00:18] A Killer for Christmas by Kim Harrington & The Most Wonderful Crime by Ally Carter * [00:20] Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden — rich people, divorce, and drama * [00:22] Where to find Liz Lawson online JOIN THE CONVERSATION Subscribe to our Substack [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/] for exclusive recommendations. (wtrnblog.substack.com [https://wtrnblog.substack.com/]) Follow & Subscribe: What to Read Next Blog [https://www.whattoreadnext.com/] | YouTube: What to Read Next [https://www.youtube.com/@WhattoReadNextBlog] Subscribe & leave a review!