Literature

This originally appeared in our Today in Books daily newsletter, where each day we round up the most interesting stories, news, essays, and other goings on in the world of books and reading. Sign up here if you want to get it. _______________________________________- How Fall Became The Big Season in Book Publishing We got an

“Shabbat is the best day of the week and today is the best best day of all.” So begins Joyful Song, a cheerful contemporary story celebrating Jewish naming traditions, from the award-winning team of Lesléa Newman and Susan Gal.   Zachary, the story’s narrator, is a new big brother—and especially proud to be pushing the carriage

Amazon is having a book sale May 15-20th, including deals on both physical (hardcover and paperback) books as well as Kindle titles. Some of these sales have started early, though. You can browse them on the Amazon Book Sale page, or you can check out our curated list of deals below. These are all popular

Summer vacation has arrived, and with it the euphoric urge to pack a bag and hit the road (or skies. Or sea). But what is a well-traveled LGBTQIA+ person (or ally!) to do when the same old vacation spots have gotten a bit too-well trodden? Let Out in the World: An LGBTQIA+ (and Friends!) Travel

Happy May, everyone! I hope you’re getting nice weather where you are. We’ve been alternating between rain and sunny skies here — often on the same day — as spring is wont to do. Luckily, both rain and sun are reading weather. This week, I shared some recommendations for task #10: Read a historical fiction

Apples Never Fall Challengers was all about competition and the drive to be the best. Competing with lovers and friends is one thing, but what if the conflict was within your own family? Apples Never Fall stars a tennis dynasty, made up of two retired stars—Stan and Joy—whose four adult children also played professionally. When

Erica Ezeifedi, Associate Editor, is a transplant from Nashville, TN that has settled in the North East. In addition to being a writer, she has worked as a victim advocate and in public libraries, where she has focused on creating safe spaces for queer teens, mentorship, and providing test prep instruction free to students. Outside

Welsh author Carys Davies (West) is still breaking into American readership, but it won’t take her long. Her latest historical novel, Clear, which thoughtfully explores a passionate friendship set against religious and civic changes in mid-19th century Scotland, is bound to expand her audience. John Ferguson is a poor Presbyterian minister struggling to provide for

Oprah has announced her 105th book club pick, and it’s Long Island by Colm Tóibín. As you might have guessed, it’s set on Long Island. It follows Eilis Lacey, an Irish immigrant married to an Italian American with a large family. It’s a follow-up to Tóibín’s 2009 Brooklyn, which was long-listed for the Man Booker

Cat Sebastian’s latest queer historical romance is a love letter to resilience and the power of bravery. Set in 1960 New York City, the same midcentury journalism milieu of Sebastian’s 2023 novel, We Could Be So Good, You Should Be So Lucky tells the story of shortstop Eddie O’Leary and journalist Mark Bailey, both of

Historical fiction is a genre that balances entertainment and education. It can be a light-hearted romp that happens to be set in a different time period without getting too bogged down in specific historical details, or it can be a meticulously researched story that fills in the gaps of a historical figure’s life. Either way,

Pulitzer-winning novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen (The Sympathizer) takes his first foray into children’s books with Simone, a thoughtful and emotionally intense family story set during the California fire season. Simone, a young Vietnamese American girl, is dreaming of floating in the ocean when she is awakened by her mother (whom she calls M&aacute, the only

Kelly is a former librarian and a long-time blogger at STACKED. She’s the editor/author of (DON’T) CALL ME CRAZY: 33 VOICES START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH and the editor/author of HERE WE ARE: FEMINISM FOR THE REAL WORLD. Her next book, BODY TALK, will publish in Fall 2020. Follow her on Instagram @heykellyjensen. View

The Mystery Writers Association have announced their winners for the best mystery fiction and nonfiction. Books honored with the Edgar Award were published in the prior year. This is the 78th annual award. In addition to a slate of awards for the books themselves, several other honors are bestowed at the Edgar Awards presentation. R.

Welcome to Today in Books, where we report on literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more. The Brag is Coming From Inside the House Book Riot’s Kelly Jensen has spent the last few years becoming a leading name in book banning coverage, and we couldn’t be prouder to see her named as one

★ My Season of Scandal Julie Anne Long exquisitely captures sensuous, romantic longing in My Season of Scandal. Country miss and physician’s daughter Catherine Keating is embarking on a London society husband hunt from the charming Grand Palace on the Thames boardinghouse. Living one floor above her is Lord Dominic Kirke, a fiery, justice-seeking politician

Colleen Hoover’s Verity is being adapted by Amazon MGM Studios. Nick Antosca (The Act, Hannibal TV series) and Alex Hedlund (Chucky, As Above, So Below) are set to produce, with Hillary Seitz (Insomnia) script writing. Verity, along with other Colleen Hoover books, has enjoyed time as one of BookTok’s darlings. It’s spent months on bestsellers lists

A Series of Un/Natural/Disasters by Cheena Marie Lo If you were pressed to categorize a book of poetry on your bookshelf as fiction or nonfiction, would you choose fiction? Most people probably would. Poetry has a reputation for being airy and fantastical, for dwelling in the realm of emotions and dreams, not in the “real

It might be Star Wars Day on Saturday (look at the date), but that’s not the only fun celebration this weekend. It’s also Free Comic Book Day. Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) is an annual event put together by the North American comics industry to encourage readers to discover new comics and make their way

Marigold Claude is the least talented woman in her artsy family. She’s resigned to her fate as a spinster, flouncing away from suitors and fleeing balls to dance barefoot with spirits beneath the full moon. So when her grandmother offers Marigold the chance to be the next Honey Witch, the protector of the isle of