Sponsored by Flatiron Books, publisher of Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia
A sweeping, masterful debut about a daughter’s fateful choice, a mother motivated by her own past, and a family legacy that begins in Cuba before either of them were born. Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia is a powerful novel from an incredible new talent.
Welcome to Check Your Shelf. I’m currently typing this without the use of my right pointer finger because I accidentally stabbed it with my husband’s razor while cleaning the bathroom. No stitches needed, but I’ve got two gauze pads taped around my finger, so typing is very annoying at the moment.
Collection Development Corner
Publishing News
HarperCollins is set to acquire Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
A Seattle firm is suing Amazon for fixing book prices.
Macmillan Children’s is adding a nonfiction imprint called Neon Squid. (“Neon Squid” would also make a great band name…)
New & Upcoming Titles
Activist Tarana Burke will publish her debut memoir, Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement, in September.
Actress Mena Suvari is publishing a memoir on July 27th.
Kate Middleton’s pandemic photography project Hold Still is becoming a book.
Diana Gabaldon has finished the ninth Outlander novel: Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone.
Here’s an early look at Lauren Groff’s upcoming novel, Matrix.
The best romance novels from March.
Weekly book picks from Crime Reads, LitHub, New York Times, People, and USA Today.
Monthly book picks from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bustle, Crime Reads, Entertainment Weekly, Gizmodo (SFF), LitHub (SFF), Shondaland, Time, Town & Country, and Washington Post.
USA Today’s spring book guide.
Must-read spring romance novels.
The most buzzed-about debuts of 2021 (so far).
What Your Patrons Are Hearing About
Beautiful Things – Hunter Biden (Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Washington Post)
Girlhood – Melissa Febos (New York Times, NPR, Washington Post)
The Final Revival of Opal and Nev – Dawnie Walton (Entertainment Weekly, New York Times, Washington Post)
A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance – Hanif Abdurraqib (New York Times, USA Today)
Of Women and Salt – Gabriela Garcia (New York Times, Washington Post)
Libertie – Kaitlyn Greenidge (New York Times, USA Today)
RA/Genre Resources
An essential reading list for Larry McMurtry.
From Sula to Luster: fiction’s new school of black women heroines.
A conversation with Sarah Pinborough about the controversial twist from Behind Her Eyes. This is good to keep in mind, because readers either LOVED it (me) or HATED it with the passion of a thousand fiery suns (my friend I recommended the book to).
On the Riot
The 5 finger fantasy rule: a plea for mercy from SFF authors. (I relate to just about everything in this article.)
If you haven’t met the New Release Index from Book Riot Insiders, you definitely need to check this out.
Cottagecore essential reading.
All Things Comics
John Lewis’ posthumous graphic novel Run: Book One will be released this summer.
On the Riot
A beginner’s guide to shonen manga.
10 dark, broody, and fun (!) comics for goths.
Where to start with Green Arrow comics.
5 of the best comics that tackle difficult topics.
Audiophilia
5 reasons to listen to fantasy on audio.
11 diverse audiobooks in verse.
On the Riot
How proof listeners make sure the audiobook matches the print.
8 epic family sagas on audio.
Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists
Children/Teens
Diverse YA fantasy books teens will obsess over.
17 YA plot twists you’ll never see coming.
These YA authors’ second novels are just as good as their firsts.
Adults
Women in STEM reading list.
8 nonfiction books about women trailblazers in male-dominated fields.
A reading list to close out Women’s History Month.
13 must read books for Trans Day of Visibility.
9 books about mental health and wellbeing that are actually helpful.
The 9 books that changed this reader’s relationship with their body.
13 thrillers that should be movies.
9 of the best campus novels.
SFF books with powerful women protagonists.
10 thrillers based on real-life events.
Travel to the Roaring Twenties with these historical mysteries.
25 historical fiction books to take you back in time.
7 autobiographies and memoirs that remind us of the messiness of memory.
15 BookTok recommendations you’ll read in a single sitting…then sob for days.
29 of the best poetry books, as recommended by acclaimed writers.
The best novels in verse to read right now.
On the Riot
14 LGBTQ board books to diversify your baby’s bookshelves.
20 public domain children’s books.
7 great children’s books about courage and bravery.
20 children’s books to read by AAPI writers and illustrators.
15 great middle grade books about friendship.
14 queer and BIPOC books from Arsenal Pulp Press to read right now.
12 essential books about Black identity and history.
Stories of Cubans and Cuban Americans.
6 books about American labor and the minimum wage.
6 insightful books about addiction.
8 of the best nonfiction books about girls from around the world.
4 of the best deep-dive nonfiction books.
5 favorite under-the-radar gems.
10 fascinating books like The Flight Attendant.
15 fangtastic vampire romance and romantic fiction books.
4 great romance books about Persephone and Hades.
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.
Don’t cut your fingertips this week, friends. See you on Friday.
—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.