Fiction
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So, You Wanna Join a Cult? A Primer.
Cult stories seem to be having a bit of a moment in our cultural consciousness (go figure), usually the weirder the better. From the ancient Greek Mysteries to Charles Manson to Midsommar, humanity’s cultural landscape is littered with cults. They equally fascinate and repel, highlighting how our deepest longings to belong can so easily be… Continue reading
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Time is Fake!
“Happy” “New” “Year”? Celebrating the passage of time freaks me out. I feel unsettled by the acknowledgement that humans assign numbers and meaning to our spins through space and time. And we don’t even all use the same calendar! Time feels increasingly fake to me. I spent most of my college astronomy class either fighting… Continue reading
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6 Books That Take Place in One Day
Stories with compressed timelines of 24 hours, with some flashbacks thrown in, take center stage here to showcase just how much one day can really make a difference. “One Day: The Extraordinary Story of an Ordinary 24 Hours in America” by Gene Weingarten starts with the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist choosing dates out of a hat. He… Continue reading
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What Seattle Read in 2025: The Library’s Most Popular Checkouts
It’s always fascinating to compile The Seattle Public Library’s top checkouts for the year to get a sense of what’s been on the minds of Seattle’s readers. In 2025, they turned closer to home and explored local voices — perhaps not surprising given the state of national dialogue. Several of our most checked-out print books… Continue reading
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While You Wait: Heated Rivalry
Perhaps you are enjoying the new television series Heated Rivalry. Maybe you have watched every episode as it has been released, read this interview with the actors and this one too. You probably found this interview with Chala Hunter, the intimacy coordinator for the series, fascinating. Perchance you even started learning Russian for free with… Continue reading
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2025 Staff Faves: Adult Fiction
Each year we ask our staff across the library for their favorite books published in the current year. Below you will find some of the fiction books that stood out to library staff in 2025. Find the full list of staff faves in our catalog: Seattle Staff Faves 2025: Fiction, Part 1 and Seattle Staff… Continue reading
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Family Drama, Secrets, and Second Chances: 5 Fiction Picks for Fans of Dysfunctional Families
Every family has its cracks – some small enough to laugh about, others deep enough to reshape a life. Fiction has always given us a safe way to explore the relationships that challenge us, comfort us, and occasionally derail the holiday dinner. These five novels from our new Lake City Branch display, Dysfunctional by Design… Continue reading
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2025 Horror Fiction Picks
Explore the world of horror fiction with some of our librarians’ favorites! These titles were chosen as Peak Picks earlier this year and can now be found in our regular collections. They capture a wide range of horror subgenres, from historical to the weird and cosmic. Here you’ll find Gothic tales, witches, carnivals, social and… Continue reading
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2025 Staff Faves: Teen Books
Every year, we ask staff members around the library system what their favorite reads published this year were. 2025 is no different, and we have a stellar lineup of fiction and graphic novels. Graphic novels first: Cat Companions Maruru and Hachi began in 2024, but volumes 3 through 5 were published this year. The… Continue reading
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Fractured Fairy Tales and Female Antiheroes, 5 Readalikes for Fans of Wicked
Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them? These stories reinvent well-known stories and turn fairy-tale tropes inside out. Once-overlooked characters learn about themselves and grow their magical powers, and good and evil can depend on your perspective. In Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher, an unassuming third-born princess allies with… Continue reading
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The Year’s “Best Of:” for Both the Dilettante and the Obsessive
Do you have a stack of magazines waiting to be read? Are bookmarked articles haunting you? Do you wish someone would just tell you the best ones that you should definitely read? Well you’re in luck – this is your reminder to explore the best in essays, articles, and short stories with annual compilations. Put… Continue reading
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5 Fiction and Nonfiction Books that Dive Into AI
If representations of AI in fiction are starting to feel eerily plausible to you, you’re not alone! AI suddenly seems to be everywhere — in your phone, in your browser, offering tech support and an uncanny form of virtual friendship. How did this happen, where is it headed and what will it mean for humanity?… Continue reading
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New Fiction Roundup, November 2025
Surreal stories, character studies, family sagas and more await you in November’s new releases. 11/4: Bitter Honey by Lolá Ákínmádé In 1978, Nancy immigrates from Gambia to Sweden; in 2006, Nancy’s daughter Tina is representing Sweden at the Eurovision contest. But long buried secrets and a complicated mother-daughter relationship threaten to upend both their lives. (general fiction) 11/4: Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite Eniiyi has grown up with… Continue reading
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Book Buzz: 2026 Global Reading Challenge Books
Across Seattle, fourth and fifth graders are getting excited about books — specifically, eight books that range from a story about a 10-year-old sock detective to a graphic novel about an all-girls, hijab-wearing basketball team. This year’s Global Reading Challenge books have been selected! The Global Reading Challenge is a 31-year-old reading incentive program that’s… Continue reading
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Dark and Disturbing: 8 Horror Novels by Women
In the tradition of local award-winning author Sadie Hartmann’s newest release, “Feral and Hysterical: Mother Horror’s Ultimate Reading Guide to Dark and Disturbing Fiction by Women,” Hartmann and SPL Reader Services librarian Genesee Rickel share two lists featuring chilling tales written by women. As in the book, these lists are curated to work in conversation… Continue reading
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Washington Horror Novelists
Spooky stories abound this season, including four recent books by Washington authors. Whether set locally or farther afield, enjoy this scary, atmospheric reads. The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel CañasPlague has broken out in 1765 Mexico, and Alba Díaz has fled with her family to a remote village near the silver mine owned by… Continue reading
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Get Cozy with a Cat Book
It’s officially fall, when the weather gets colder and nothing sounds better than cuddling up with a book and a cat. Here are some cozy cat books to enjoy this season, ideally to be read with a purring cat companion. Cat’s People by Tanya Guerrero Cat, a stray cat living on the streets of New… Continue reading
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Horror Stories for Teens – October 2025
Lots of great horror novels for teens have come out in the last year. Here are eight of the best to enjoy this spooky season! (MS = middle school) Gigi Griffis’ creepy novel And the Trees Stare Back follows Vik and her little sister Anna, who has been missing in the cursed forest for five… Continue reading