Sponsored by Carina Adores and The Hideaway Inn by Philip William Stover.
High school wasn’t the right time or place for their relationship to grow, but now, fifteen years later, a chance encounter changes both of their lives forever. “A brilliantly written LGBTQ+ take on the classic small-town romance, which beautifully celebrates inclusiveness while also delivering a boldly sensual love story that is effectively amplified by generous amounts of red-hot sexual chemistry and snarky wit.” —Booklist on The Hideaway Inn; Carina Adores is home to highly romantic contemporary love stories where LGBTQ+ characters find their happily-ever-afters.
Welcome to Check Your Shelf. I can’t start the newsletter without acknowledging the protests that are happening right now around the world in response to the murder of George Floyd. It seems wrong to jump into a collection development newsletter when the world is burning, but please take this as an opportunity to consider your library’s collections and what your library will do to stand for what’s right. This is not the time to stay silent or “neutral.”
I also found a few posts from the Book Riot archives that may be useful:
- 35 Must-Read Books About Racism
- So You Want to Be Woke: A Reading Guide for White People
- 8 Nonfiction Reads About Social Justice
- Why Public Libraries Should Support Black Lives Matter (this is mine from a few years ago)
- A Millennial Book List For Black Liberation
Now, on with the newsletter.
Collection Development Corner
Publishing News
- How the protests against police brutality are affecting bookstores in the Twin Cities.
- The National Book Festival will be going digital this year.
- Will China’s entry into US publishing lead to censorship?
- A NYC bookstore owner says that artificially high rent costs could mean the end for lots of city bookstores.
New & Upcoming Titles
- Francine Pascal (creator of the Sweet Valley High series) talks about her new adult thriller, Little Crew of Butchers.
- Sophie Kinsella announces a new book out October 27, Love Your Life.
- Robyn Carr announces a new Virgin River novel, the first in eight years.
- Debut crime novels for May 2020.
- 13 books to watch for in June.
- Upcoming summer picks from Barnes & Noble, Book Page (YA), LitHub, People, Time, and Vulture.
- Most anticipated crime novels of 2020: summer reading edition.
- 60 queer and feminist books coming this summer.
- 14 books by black authors to add to your summer reading list.
- 17 summer fantasy novels to preorder now.
What Your Patrons Are Hearing About
- The Vanishing Half – Brit Bennett (LA Times, New York Times)
- All My Mother’s Lovers – Ilana Masad (USA Today, Washington Post)
RA/Genre Resources
- If you didn’t get a chance to attend the BookExpo Online session on “Reader’s Advisory After Coronavirus”, here’s a summary. And here’s the link to the archived Facebook Live video from the session.
- The enduring popularity of traditional mysteries.
- A round table discussion on diversity in crime fiction.
On the Riot
- Exploring the thriller genre post–Gone Girl.
All Things Comics
- What quarantine innovations can tell us about the future of comics.
- Stormy Daniels (remember her?) is teaming up with TidalWave Productions for a Space Force comic series.
- Gorillaz is publishing a 120 page illustrated Gorillaz Almanac that collects artwork from the band’s 20+ year career.
On the Riot
- 50 best manga to read right now.
- 15 of the best comic books for kids.
- 5 more comics representing 5 more emotions.
Audiophilia
- 100 absorbing YA audiobooks that adults will enjoy too.
- Mystery & suspense audiobooks for kids and teens.
- 5 audio romances with unexpected revelations.
On the Riot
- 10 audiobooks under 10 hours.
- 6 fun and happy audiobooks.
- How to download Audible books to your Apple Watch.
Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists
Children/Teens
- 10 books about friendship for tween readers.
- Motivational YA books that will have you ready to take on the world.
- 9 YA books about love at first sight.
Adults
- 13 books packed with queer joy.
- 15 books to help you better understand and support your LGBTQIA+ kid.
- 9 books about the burden of female beauty standards.
- An anti-racist reading list.
- 25 books by Asian-American and Pacific Islander writers to read right now.
On the Riot
- 10 baby shower books you probably haven’t gifted yet.
- 5 children’s books about Latina trailblazers.
- Standalone YA fantasy novels.
- 25 of the top true crime titles on Goodreads.
- 8 North Korean defector and captivity stories.
- 9 books for those of us missing libraries and bookstores.
- 10 horror books that are great for book clubs.
- Pick up a new hobby with these crafty books.
Level Up (Library Reads)
Do you take part in Library Reads, 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.
Stay safe and stay well, everyone. Black Lives Matter.
—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter. Currently reading The First Prehistoric Serial Killer: and Other Stories by Teresa Solana.