Andrea G.
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Book Groups: What to Read Next
Welcome to a semi-regular series that answers the question: What should my book group read next? The titles featured were chosen for their complexity and ability to sustain a discussion, as well as for having enough copies at the Seattle Public Library (as of this posting) for a book group of 8-12 members to place… Continue reading
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Mid Summer Staff Book Bingo Recommendations
It should come as no surprise that library staff love Book Bingo as much as patrons do. Many of us also read along during the summer, seeking out great titles to fill each category. In that spirit, I asked staff for some of their favorites so far this summer. You can find a full list… Continue reading
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Book Bingo NW 2026: World Cup Country
This summer, two of the biggest competitions are in Seattle. That’s right, I’m talking about the FIFA World Cup, and Book Bingo! In a brilliant moment of crossover potential, Book Bingo has a category for FIFA World Cup Country! Read on for suggestions on what to pick up, or check out a longer list in our catalog: Book Bingo NW 2026: World Cup Country. … Continue reading
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New Fiction Roundup – June 2026
Summer reading season begins! 6/2: Blunt Instrument by Amy BloomWhen a largely disliked professor is murdered, Dell Chandler – former English professor, current private investigator – is called in to sift through departmental squabbles and student complaints to solve the murder before bad PR can damage the school’s reputation. (mystery) 6/2: The Disaster Gay Detective… Continue reading
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New Fiction Roundup, May 2026
Can you feel it? Summer reading season is right around the corner! As you plan vacations and staycations, long weekends or surprise rainy days inside, here are some new fiction releases to take along. 5/5: The Calamity Club by Kathryn StockettIn 1933 Mississippi, an orphan and two women fallen on hard times band together with… Continue reading
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Celebrate National Poetry Month
This April is the 30th anniversary of National Poetry Month! Celebrate all month long by exploring the poetry booklists below, or sign up forr a Poem-a-Day from poets.org. National Poetry Month 2026New poetry readers looking for a place to start or avid poetry lover looking for something new should explore this list of recent award… Continue reading
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New Fiction Roundup, April 2026
April showers us with reading options aplenty, from thrillers to examinations of interpersonal relationships, farm life, and beyond. 4/7: American Fantasy by Emma Straub Reluctantly, 50-year old newly divorced Annie is on a cruise with her sister, a cruise featuring the boy band of her youth. As a repressed part of herself is unlocked by alcohol, nostalgia, and a sense of possibility,… Continue reading
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Cemetery Walks
Death is a frequently fraught topic, deeply tied to cultural and religious customs, philosophy, and fear. And so, walking around a cemetery can tell you a lot about a place and a people. What a treat, then, to find four recent books that invite us into the lives of final resting places around the world.… Continue reading
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New Fiction Roundup, March 2026
There’s plenty of new fiction to be excited about in March, from haunted houses to family sagas and a vengeful Anne Boleyn, from local authors (Kim Fu) to returning favorites (Louise Erdrich, Yann Martel), and much more! 3/3: Lake Effect by Cynthia D’Aprix SweeneyIn a sleepy 1977 Rochester neighborhood, a copy of The Joy of… Continue reading
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2025’s Best in Genre Fiction
This January, librarians from across the country met to debate the best books published in 2025 for adults. The Notable Books List highlights literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry; the Listen List is all about outstanding audiobooks; and The Reading List, which I want to highlight, gathers outstanding genre fiction across eight genres: Adrenaline (aka thrillers, adventure stories), Fantasy, Historical Fiction,… Continue reading
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New Fiction Roundup, February 2026
2/3: How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee ThompsonRom-com meets slasher flick when a speed dating event turns into a bloodbath and friends Jamie and Laurie will have to use all their knowledge of genre tropes to get out alive … and maybe find love on the way. (romance thriller) 2/3: The… Continue reading
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2025 Staff Faves: Adult Nonfiction
Each year we ask our staff across the library for their favorite books published in the current year. Featured below are some of the nonfiction books that multiple staff loved! Find the full list of staff faves in our catalog: Seattle Staff Faves 2025: Nonfiction. One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by… 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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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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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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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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Hispanic Heritage Month 2025
Hispanic Heritage Month honors the histories and cultures of Latino/Latina/Latinx Americans with ancestry in Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. It is celebrated annually from September 15 to October 15. Librarians at the Seattle Public Library have created some lists to help readers discover and celebrate these voices, with select titles featured… 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