Fiction
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A Peek at Peak Picks – late September/October 2026
We’re back, with NINETEEN new Peak Picks coming your way over the next few weeks! In fiction, YA novelist Ríoghnach Robinson’s magnetic, undeniably clever debut for adults— perfect for fans of Sally Rooney and Emily Henry—captures the tender ache of two people caught between criticism and connection in Bad Words; Emily St. John Mandel (Station… Continue reading
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6 Great Books to Read in Translation This Fall
There are many lofty reasons to read translated literature: understanding other cultures, seeking out diversity, bragging to your bookish friends. But at the end of the day, there’s only one reason you really need: These books are good! Read on to discover suggestions from a former bookseller at Third Place Books and a librarian at… Continue reading
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Adult Fiction for Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15, celebrating the achievements, contributions, and perspectives of folks from Hispanic and Latina/o/e backgrounds. There are so many incredible recent books by Hispanic authors, including some in translation, and here we offer a small selection for your enjoyment. We Are Green and Trembling by Argentinian author… Continue reading
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Ahead of her Seattle Reads Events, Author Sara Nović Talks “True Biz”
Sara Nović is the author of “True Biz,” a New York Times bestselling novel about a seismic year at the River Valley School for the Deaf. “True Biz” is also the 2026 selection for Seattle Reads, The Seattle Public Library’s “one book, one city” program that started in 1998 and has since been replicated around the world. Nović… Continue reading
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Washington State Book Award Winners
The Washington Center for the Book just announced the winners of the 2026 Washington State Book Awards for works published in 2025 by writers from our wonderful state. Across genre, form, and audience, these winners represent outstanding titles by authors who currently live in Washington, as judged by other local authors, librarians, and booksellers. Creative… Continue reading
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Fiction for National Translation Month
September is National Translation Month, a time to highlight the works and contributions of authors from around the world, and the translators who make their work available to more readers. Check out this taste of recent fiction in translation. Delicious Hunger by Singaporean author Hai Fan uses the author’s background as a guerilla fighter in… Continue reading
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Teen Books for When You Need a Good Cry
Sometimes you don’t need to be enticed with romance, fantasy, or current events. Sometimes you just need a reason to feel and let tears flow. For when you feel that you need an excuse, or need to blame the book for your tears, check out these titles: To start us off, try out The Leaving… Continue reading
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Book Bingo NW 2026: Soothing
Book Bingo is a great time to be intentional about reading books you may have been putting off or exploring new titles that may become new favorites. If you are at the point in your Book Bingo journey where you have been reading many exciting and interesting books yet need a moment to catch your… Continue reading
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Book Bingo NW 2026: Horror
Summer beach reads don’t always have to be light. Sometimes, a horror novel can be just as fun. Horror novels have the power to pull you in and make your heart race; they can make you laugh, grimace, see the world in a new way, or all of the above. If you’re still working on… Continue reading
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Bands, Beats, and Books
Sunburns, poor acoustics, craning to see around someone’s too high lawn chair – outdoor concert season in the PNW is a unique slice of summer. With our place in music history secured thanks to early grunge, various venues across Seattle offering live music year-round, and with summer concerts taking our musical enjoyment to an 11, it’s hard not to have bands on… Continue reading
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Women Beyond the Verge of Collapse
Women are collapsing right and left on the covers of novels. I was first drawn to the trend by the humorous image on the cover of Emily Nemen’s Clutch, wherein a smartly-dressed woman is lying prone, immobile. If you love a women-pushing-forty-behaving-badly romp or you dig novels with rom-com wittiness minus the tropes, this despairing friend group… Continue reading
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13 Not-to-Miss Author Programs at the Library in Fall 2026
Get out your calendar! The Seattle Public Library has an incredible lineup of book-related events and author talks this fall, from the kickoff of the Jaipur Literature Festival Seattle to Seattle Reads events featuring “True Biz” author Sara Nović to an evening with Douglas Stuart, Booker Prize award-winning author of “John of John.” All Library events… Continue reading
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Book Bingo NW 2026: Myth & Legend
Whether you’re looking for a companion read to Chrisopher Nolan’s blockbuster adaptation of The Odyssey or filling in the Myth & Legend square on your Book Bingo card, this curated selection of recommendations has something for everyone. Dan Jones’ Queer Heroes of Myth and Legend: a Celebration of Gay Gods, Sapphic Saints, and Queerness Through the Ages Hidden in the margins of history books, classical literature,… Continue reading
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Book Bingo NW 2026: Hard-to-Love Protagonist
When it comes to challenging protagonists, I adore an angry, unhinged woman with an ax to grind – sometimes literally! If you support women’s wrongs, these four titles will leave you cackling, wincing in horror, or perhaps wondering, “Good for her?” Please enjoy these hard-to-love heroines for your book bingo square. Best Offer Wins by… Continue reading
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Book Bingo NW 2026: Outer Space
We hear from readers all the time that they read to escape, and what can be a bigger escape than an out-of-this world read? From nonfiction exploring the universe to science fiction on an interstellar ship, the Book Bingo Outer Space category lets you expand your reading to another dimension. Adina, the protagonist of Marie-Helene… Continue reading
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Fire Season: Writings on a Burning World
With the Spokane fires raging, Spain and France experiencing unprecedented wildfires, and Seattle smoke season upon us, it’s hard not to think about the new reality of summer wildfires and smoke. Reading can help us make sense of the world around us, and for better or worse, there’s no shortage of titles for all ages… Continue reading
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Freedom, flintlocks, and fantasy!
This year our nation reached a milestone anniversary – 250 years since we declared our independence, an act of defiance against one of the most powerful nations of the day. As we reflect on the courage, vision, and determination required to engage in a conflict against an empire for a future uncertain, one might start… Continue reading
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Book Bingo NW 2026: Unplug
This year’s Book Bingo Unplug category can certainly be used for a physical book read distraction-free, as the board says, but since we like to make categories as broad as possible, here are some other ideas for books that play with the “unplugged” theme: hands-on hobbies, off-the-grid living, and fostering in-person connection and attention. One… Continue reading