Fiction
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The Romances of Baseball
We love our sports teams when they’re doing well, but that may turn to love/hate when they’re not, as disappointment and frustrations swell during losses. The ups and downs of a good romance novel can be just as emotionally fraught as an MLB season: the initial swell of attraction/love (winning streaks!), the pitfalls of actually… Continue reading
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New Fiction Roundup, October 2025
October finds lots of mystery, horror, and fantasy releases as we dip deeper into Fall. 10/7: All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles Zeb Wyckham, family outcast, nonetheless travels to a relative’s Gothic mansion, where he finds himself unwillingly part of an inheritance scheme. Forming a dubious alliance with his former lover, Zeb digs into… Continue reading
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4 Dark Academia Novels to Read This Fall
As daylight hours wane, the transition to fall is the perfect time to get absorbed in a novel that matches the energy of an eerie evening walk. The literary subgenre of dark academia explores themes of power and deceit, using the shadow of the ivory tower to set the tone for murders, hauntings and speculative… Continue reading
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Middle Grade Fiction that Adults & Kids Will Love
Will I ever outgrow my love for middle grade novels? I think not. And I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to, either! There’s something magical about middle grade novels. They depict the thrills and pains and stumbles that come along with growing up and discovering ourselves. They can tell stories of lives… Continue reading
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Recent Novels from Washington Authors
From Seattle to Spokane and everywhere in between, Washington is home to many great authors. Check out this (small) selection of 2025 fiction releases by Washington authors. Intemperance by Sonora Jha In this satirical novel out in October, a woman nearing her 55th birthday decides to hold a contest inspired by an Indian ritual in… Continue reading
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New Fiction Roundup, September 2025
September is back to school season, and whether that is literal for you or more figuratively just a time to return to more bookish pastimes, there are great new releases in September to check out. 9/2: To the Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage Steph Harper, member of the Cherokee Nation, has one goal: to… Continue reading
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Cool Reads for Summer Heat
Summer might be winding down, but the heat sure isn’t. Take a mental cool down with these summer reads, but reader beware: like the gorgeous, inviting waters of the Puget Sound, these pretty covers hide deep and sometimes dangerous undercurrents. In Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield, not all is fun in the sun for 18-year-old,… Continue reading
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Travel Through Time With These 4 Historical Fiction Novels
Sometimes we all need to take a break from our current world. A wonderful way to do this is to read historical fiction that transports us to a distant time and place, filled with rich details and fully developed characters. Perhaps this is escapism, but the best historical fiction not only teaches us about a… Continue reading
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Women in Translation
August is Women in Translation Month, an annual tradition that started in 2014 and seeks to celebrate and promote the work of women writing in languages other than English around the world. Consider reading one of these works of translated fiction by a female author. To Go on Living by Narine Abgaryan was originally written… Continue reading
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Hugo Award 2025 Finalists
Every year, the Hugo Awards celebrate some of the most exciting voices in science fiction and fantasy. This year, the ceremony will be right here in Seattle during Worldcon on August 16. From time travel and resurrected mammoths to graphic novels and YA adventures, the 2025 finalists offer something for every reader. This month, we’ve… Continue reading
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You Can Do It! Book Bingo Tips and Recs for the Final Stretch
It’s almost August – how’s your Book Bingo card coming along? If you need inspiration and recommendations for filling up those final (or first!) squares, we’ve got you. We asked a few veteran Book Bingo players for their favorite reads, and how they keep Book Bingo motivation strong through August. Tips included poetry, sticky notes,… Continue reading
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6 Titles for Mid-Summer Book Bingo Inspiration
It’s mid-July, which means we’re halfway through Book Bingo season and you have six solid weeks to read books in fun categories and fill up that bingo card. For the uninitiated, all summer long, The Seattle Public Library, Seattle Arts & Lectures and new partner, King County Library System, celebrate Book Bingo, a program that encourages… Continue reading
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Book Bingo NW 2025: Disability
One of the joys of Book Bingo is expanding reading beyond what you might ordinarily pick up, and hopefully discovering what Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop termed “mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors:” books that offer both opportunities for self-affirmation and insight into the experiences of those different from us. Within the Disability category, there is… Continue reading
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July and August 2025 Author Events at the Library
From a pop-up book sale to KUOW Book Club events to two programs that will show you that horror can be a summer genre, the Library’s upcoming book and author events will inspire and engage. We also have many amazing programs for kids and families, from magic to music to artmaking, which you can find… Continue reading
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Book Bingo NW 2025: Great Escapes
Perhaps more than any other Book Bingo category this year, Great Escapes invites personal taste and creativity into the conversation. A guidebook to somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit? A portal to a world you wish you could escape to? A memoir of around-the-world travel? A gripping thriller or sigh-worthy romance that gives you an… Continue reading
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Book Bingo NW 2025: Flower on the Cover or In the Title
Hopefully you won’t have a hard time finding a flower on the cover of a book! However, if you would like some suggestions for this summer’s Book Bingo, we rounded up some titles. Here’s a variety to interest you, from non-fiction to fantasy. First up is Marigold Mind Laundry by Jungeun Yun, translated by Shanna… Continue reading
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12 Ways to Enjoy Summer at the Library
Summer is here, and The Seattle Public Library is here for you. Head to your neighborhood library with your kids to pick up a Summer of Learning activity booklet, go to a fun program, check out some books, explore, and chill out! Here are 12 ways to turn up the summer fun and learning, library… Continue reading
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Celebrate Pride With Four Books of Queer Joy and Resistance
Pride month in Seattle is both a celebration and a call to action — a time to reflect on the legacy of queer and transgender people and how we can continue to fight for a more just, inclusive future. This month, the library and Charlie Hunts, owner of Charlie’s Queer Books in Fremont, are sharing books that… Continue reading