Welcome to Check Your Shelf. I’m getting this newsletter out a little early so I can enjoy Memorial Day weekend! Hope yours was great!
Make this your most bookish summer yet with personalized reading recommendations from Tailored Book Recommendations! Our bibliologists (aka professional book nerds) are standing by to help you find your next favorite read. Get your recommendations via email, or opt to receive hardcovers or paperbacks delivered right to your door. And with quarterly or annual plans available, TBR has something for every budget. Get started today from just $18!
Collection Development Corner
New & Upcoming Titles
New romance novels for a steamy summer.
Cover reveal for Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave.
Cover reveal for Intermezzo by Sally Rooney.
20 new books that should be best-sellers.
Summer reads from Kirkus, NPR, Parade, Time, USA Today.
Weekly book picks from Crime Reads, LitHub, Wall Street Journal.
What Your Patrons Are Hearing About
Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy – Elizabeth Beller (New York Times, Washington Post)
You Like it Darker: Stories – Stephen King (Star Tribune, USA Today)
Lies & Weddings – Kevin Kwan (New York Times, Washington Post)
RA/Genre Resources
On the problem of comp titles.
All 77 of Stephen King’s books ranked.
How cozy mystery books combine crime with comfort.
Beyond the aesthetics of dark academia.
Get started reading Linda Lael Miller.
The essential Don DeLillo.
5 places to find classic sci-fi by women.
On the Riot
The best YA books coming out this summer, according to Goodreads.
10 of the best recent picture books.
New LGBTQ+ books out this week for adults and children/teens.
The best weekly BIPOC releases, plus 5 under-the-radar BIPOC titles for May.
The best new book releases to TBR.
Historical fantasy books for your book club.
The ultimate updated guide to YA short stories.
Why are elderly protagonists having a moment?
All Things Comics
7 graphic memoirs by Asian American authors.
14 cool Canadian illustrated books to read right now.
15 graphic novels for kids by Asian authors and illustrators.
On the Riot
Comics about taking a different life path.
Audiophilia
10 new audiobooks for spring 2024.
Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists
Children/Teens
The ultimate summer reading list for kids ages 6-8.
Adults
15 novels to celebrate the return of Bridgerton.
16 books by Asian Latinx authors to read for AAPI Heritage Month.
25 essential Stephen King short stories.
5 of the best books about West African cities.
Studio Ghibli movie-to-book pairings.
On the Riot
8 fantasy books with forbidden romance.
8 books about intergenerational friendships.
8 terrifying short story collections.
The most unhinged fictional characters ever written.
’80s horror novels that aged badly, and a few ’80s horror novels that aged well.
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 has a guide to discovering upcoming diverse books, and Edelweiss has a new catalog dedicated to diverse titles, which is managed by Early Word Galley Chatter Vicki Nesting. Check it out!
Dini has resigned himself to his fate of being Jonesy’s butt pillow.
Well, that’s all I’ve got for today. Check back on Friday!
—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.