Books

I love subscription boxes. I consider it a person failing of mine that I will pay mightily to have a stranger send me things they have decided I want. But it’s like presents! I love presents! And I have to say, after spending an entire year reading only books from bookish subscription boxes, many of

Across four decades, the Texan author Joe R Lansdale has been spinning dark tales. We love them. They’re full of desperate, dangerous villains, damaged heroes and heroines, wild schemes and unlikely hopes – all of it marinated in the author’s gentle sense of irony. And there’s no sign that he’s letting up. Next year will

Peyote Trip is an office drone on the Fifth Floor of Hell, which resembles a particularly soul-crushing corporation. But a promotion is within Peyote’s grasp, and all he has to do is snag a fifth soul from the wealthy Harrison family. Peyote sets out with Calamity, his potential new workplace bestie, to snare his final

There are a lot of reasons to increase one’s information literacy and as we age, it may become even more important that we review how to evaluate useful information from information meant to mislead. For some, we may also work with older populations and may want to consider how to help them improve their information

Kevin Chen’s dark and eerie novel opens with a question: “Where are you from?” This seemingly simple question reverberates throughout Ghost Town, and though its many characters are all desperate for an answer, satisfaction eludes them. Watching them try—as they tumble through their lives and wrestle with their complicated relationships to both home and family—makes

Joe R Lansdale is a legend in the crime fiction genre. Horror, comic books and Westerns too. His Hap and Leonard series is second to none for gritty, brutal, gonzo Southern noir, but done with a ladle of nuance, plenty of feeling and a touch of black humour. Nobody writes quite like JRL and it’s

Quinta has spent the seven years since her mother died searching for a curiosity shop called the Vermilion Emporium. With her last breath, Quinta’s mother gave her a vial of moonshadow and told Quinta that she would find its purpose there. When she finally finds the magical shop, it’s down an alley and around a

The Young Adult Library Services Association has announced their Teens’ Top Ten winners of 2022. These books were nominated and voted on by teenagers (ages 12-18) in book groups in 16 schools and libraries, and all the titles were published in 2021. YALSA also has an annotated version of the list available for download, making

Reacher is back. A few years ago that would have been great news, but now it means the controversy will be reignited. Have you made your mind up yet? Are the brothers’ co-authored Reacher novels living up to the high standard Lee Child previously set with this beloved long-running series, or do you struggle with

I didn’t used to read manga — or romance, or fanfiction. Despite happily consuming YA contemporary and other book that are often judged by literary snobs, I had my own genre hangups. I wasn’t a romance person — until I read Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert and I realized how good it

Susan Dennard kicks off a darkly magical, action-packed new series with The Luminaries, which introduces a mysterious world filled with monsters. It’s the story of a teen girl named Winnie Wednesday and her quest to rejoin the secret organization of monster hunters who keep her town—and the world—safe. Dennard chatted with BookPage about her novel’s

Don’t check that calendar: it is only October, not the end of the year. Regardless, many outlets seem to be racing to see who can release their best of the year lists fastest. Barnes and Noble already posted their Best Books of the Year list earlier this month, but they have just posted a separate

It comes as something of a shock to realise that John Rebus has been around for 35 years – he first appeared in Knots and Crosses, way back in 1987. A Heart Full of Headstones is the irascible ex-cop’s 24th outing in print and these days he’s really feeling his age. Rebus is pushing 70

The Mennonite community is at once an evangelizing religious group and a “tribe.” As novelist Sofia Samatar (A Stranger in Olondria) explains, the tribe consists of the white descendants of its Swiss, German and Dutch founders, but the religion is growing fastest in Africa. Samatar embodies that duality: Her white American mother met her Black

It’s difficult to have a conversation with Ross Gay and not think of a moniker he’s picked up over the years: “the happiest poet around.” Gay is relaxed, genial and clearly excited about his second essay collection (and sixth book overall), Inciting Joy. With its 14 chapters, or “incitements,” covering subjects as disparate as death

Hell of a Mess is number four in American indie author Nick Kolakowski‘s Love and Bullets series featuring Fiona and Bill, a married couple who are also New York criminals. Think Nick and Nora, but fighting for crime rather than against it. Fiona is all-action, great with a gun and cool in a heist. Bill

Poet Ross Gay’s powerful sixth book and second collection of essays, Inciting Joy, opens with an imaginary house party to which people bring their sorrows as plus-ones. Soon the living room becomes a raucous dance floor, and in the middle of this unexpected mirth, Gay poses two central questions: What incites joy? And more importantly,

If your dream is to be a bestselling crime author then maybe Lee Child has the advice you need to take your work to the next level. Launched today by BBC Maestro, Writing Popular Fiction with Lee Child covers the power of storytelling, nailing the opening sentence, creating convincing characters, understanding the publishing process and

Twelve-year-old Lula Viramontes longs to be heard. She’s scared to use her raspy voice to stand up to her volatile Papá, who has decided that Lula and her sister will stop attending school so they can work in the grape fields of Delano, California. Lula is also worried about her Mamá, whose sudden illness has

It was only a matter of time before the “Don’t Say Gay” bill of Florida and the wave of similar anti-LGBTQ+ bills passed throughout the country made its way to the federal level. Congressman Mike Johnson (Louisiana) introduced the “Stop the Sexualization of Children” Act into the House this week. The bill would “prohibit the

After the blistering heat of the summer, isn’t it reassuring to know that crime fiction authors have cold, cold hearts? And it shows this week here in our news column where we lead off with a brand new author for you from Iceland. Deceit by Jónína Leósdóttir could be what lovers of Nordic noir are

Christina lives in Grangeview, Texas, population 12,000, where she’s used to being one of the only Asian American students in her classes. She’s dealt with teachers who struggle to pronounce her last name and classmates who make fun of her lunch. When she explains that her dad is from Thailand, another student corrects her: “I

“We have all seen where these far-left thinking groups are going and taking our country. It will continue to get worse if we ALL don’t support each other and take a stand against what we know is wrong, honor God, and take a stand for our children and future generations. I thank you for your

The Norwegian detective William Wisting returns this October as BBC Four airs season two of this popular Nordic noir programme on UK screens for the first time. There are eight episodes to savour, appearing on BBC Four up until 5 November and available to watch here on iPlayer. Wisting is the creation of Norwegian author

Author Marina Budhos has previously explored the experiences of immigrants, particularly Muslim teens after 9/11, in two acclaimed YA novels, Ask Me No Questions and Watched. We Are All We Have is set in 2019, after the U.S. Department of Justice implemented a zero-tolerance policy toward illegal immigration. The novel follows 17-year-old Rania, whose late

There’s a twist in the air, can’t you feel it? Just a moment ago, you were picking up a loaf of French bread from the local patisserie and all was well with the world, but now? Is that a sinister sneer from the vicar across the lane?  You think that perhaps you should carry on

You only think you know the story of the three billy goats who wanted to cross the bridge and the troll who tried to stop them. In The Three Billy Goats Gruff, acclaimed author Mac Barnett and Caldecott Medalist Jon Klassen create a wickedly funny retelling that breathes new life into the classic story. The

Gabrielle Blair is the author of Ejaculate Responsibly, a new book out this week described as “moving the abortion debate away from controlling and legislating women’s bodies and instead directs the focus on men’s lack of accountability in preventing unwanted pregnancies.” On October 13th, she tweeted about some “book drama” happening around this title: several

“No, no, don’t bother yourself with that independently published nonsense.” That’s what the big publishers might want you to think. They have experienced editors and publishers, well-oiled and financed marketing machines and big cheque books (or should that be PayPal accounts, these days?) to lure in the most talented writers. Simon McCleave doesn’t care. With

This deceptively simple picture book explores the emotions we feel when friendships end. Deborah Underwood’s story focuses on Walter, a rodent-ish fellow with white fur, round ears and a long pink tail. Walter’s best friend is Xavier, a yellow duck-like creature whose feet and flat beak are green. The two friends do everything together. They