Sponsored by Baen Books
Avalon was thriving. The cold sleep colonists from Earth had settled on a verdant, livable world. The fast and cunning predators were under control, humans had power and the ability to make for all the necessities for life. They would survive. Or would they? Unbeknownst to the planet-bound humans, something was moving in the stars.
“…this work thoughtfully builds on the vision of the future…to the thrilling climax.” —Publishers Weekly *Starred Review
“…gritty, realistic, and exciting storytelling from authors who matched Michael Crichton back in the day for page-turning suspense.” —Booklist * Starred Review
Welcome to Check Your Shelf! This is your guide to help librarians like you up your game when it comes to doing your job (& rocking it).
The world is scary right now, friends. I hope everyone’s staying healthy.
Collection Development Corner
Publishing News
- Janet Evanovich and her Stephanie Plum series moves to Atria in an enormous 8-figure deal.
- Simon & Schuster is up for sale.
- As of right now, BookExpo and BookCon are scheduled to proceed as planned amidst coronavirus concerns. The London Book Fair, however, has been cancelled, as well as the Paris Book Fair.
- The Chronicles of Now is a site dedicated to short fiction based on headline news, and features authors such as Carmen Maria Machado, Sloane Crosley, and more. Learn more about it here.
New & Upcoming Titles
- John Bolton’s publication date has been pushed back until May while it’s reviewed by the National Security Council.
- Kevin Kwan (author of Crazy Rich Asians) has a new book coming out in July!
- Keep an eye on this debut novel by Zakiya Dalila Harris: The Other Black Girl is described as a satirical novel about race and authenticity in the workplace, and has just been sold to Atria in a seven-figure deal.
- Michael J. Fox is writing a new book: No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality.
- Rosie O’Donnell is helping Michael Cohen with a tell-all book about Trump.
- There’s going to be an illustrated edition of Tolkien’s Unfinished Tales.
- A first look at Alex North’s upcoming thriller, The Shadows. (Alex North wrote The Whisper Man last year, which was supremely creepy and a surprisingly emotional read.)
- New SFF for Spring 2020.
- March picks from Amazon, Bustle, Crime Reads (also psychological thrillers), LitHub (also SFF), The Millions, Paste (YA), PopSugar, Shondaland, Time, and Town & Country.
What Your Patrons Are Hearing About
- The Night Watchman – Louise Erdrich (Entertainment Weekly, New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post)
- Writers and Lovers – Lily King (Entertainment Weekly, LA Times, NPR, Washington Post)
- Legendary Children: The First Decade of RuPaul’s Drag Race and the Last Century of Queer Life – Tom Fitzgerald & Lorenzo Marquez (LA Times, Vulture, Washington Post)
- The Mirror and the Light – Hilary Mantel (The Atlantic, New York Times, NPR)
- Little Constructions – Anna Burns (NPR, Washington Post)
- These Ghosts Are Family – Maisy Card (Entertainment Weekly, New York Times)
- Separation Anxiety – Laura Zigman (New York Times, NPR)
RA/Genre Resources
- A guide to black romance novels.
- 10 years of queering SFF, from 2010 to 2020.
- Belletrist announces its next #WhyNotYA conversation about rewriting history and intersectional feminism.
- Escapist YA novels offer a breath of fresh air in the current political climate.
On the Riot
- March 2020 YA releases.
- 20 of the best Asian American YA novels to read in 2020.
- Why are so many scary books set in Maine?
All Things Comics
- The forthcoming Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker comic will include extended and deleted scenes not shown in the film.
- 5 comics for March 2020.
On the Riot
- 8 of the best women comics artists.
- This author’s ongoing relationship with Wonder Woman.
- The transformative power of anger through graphic novels.
Audiophilia
- How Lucy Ellmann’s 1000 page novel, Ducks, Newburyport, was transformed into a 45 hour (!!) audiobook.
- 17 audiobooks to listen to when all you want to do is zone out.
- Best audiobooks of March 2020.
On the Riot
- 7 nonfiction audiobooks about feminism.
- 5 must-listen poetry audiobooks by poets of color.
Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists
Children/Teens
- Book series from your childhood that are still putting out new titles.
- 13 YA books about social media.
- 16 teen novels that blend romance and revenge.
- 21 happily-ever-after YA rom-coms.
Adults
- 8 true stories of women who made their mark on history.
- Mr. Roger’s favorite books.
- Try these books if you liked My Sister, the Serial Killer.
- Must-read books by Latinx authors.
- Lesbian romance novels to read when you’re perpetually single. (Or any time!)
- 9 books to give your mom for Mother’s Day.
- 23 books by female authors to read ASAP.
- 7 illustrated novels for adults.
- Classic monster re-imaginings, if you’re a fan of the new Invisible Man film.
- Best books for burgeoning black feminists.
- 13 can’t miss historical fiction novels.
On the Riot
- 6 picture books about vehicles.
- 6 books for children’s yoga and mindfulness.
- 8 books about child prodigies.
- 5 books about homelessness to better understand the issue.
- Where to start with Keigo Higashino’s mystery novels.
- A reading guide for Ann Patchett.
- Books that make astonishing use of maps.
- 5 romantic time travel novels.
- Finding meaning in motherhood through reading (with recommendations!)
- Must-read mysteries and thrillers.
- Essential books about periods.
- 5 books that 5 books that celebrate male friendships.
- 9 nonfiction books about depression.
- 10 works of Korean literature in translation, for fans of Parasite.
Level Up (Library Reads)
Do you take part in LibraryReads, the monthly list of best books selected by librarians only? We’ve made it easy for you to find eligible diverse titles to nominate. Kelly Jensen created a database of upcoming diverse books that anyone can edit, and Nora Rawlins of Early Word is doing the same, as well as including information about series, vendors, and publisher buzz.
Catch you on Friday! Wash those hands!
Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter. Currently reading The Last Rituals by Yrsa Sigurdardottir.