book awards

  • 2025’s Best in Genre Fiction

    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

  • The Best of Genre Fiction From 2024

    The Best of Genre Fiction From 2024

    This January, librarians from across the country met to hash out the best books published in 2024 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 focus on today, highlights outstanding genre fiction in eight genres: Adrenaline (aka thrillers, adventure… Continue reading

  • A look back at 2023’s best genre fiction

    A look back at 2023’s best genre fiction

    This January, librarians from across the country met to hash out the best books published in 2023 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 focus on today, highlights outstanding genre fiction in eight genres:… Continue reading

  • A librarians’ guide to the best in recent genre fiction

    A librarians’ guide to the best in recent genre fiction

    Each year, groups of librarians from across the country meet to discuss and select the best books from the year before. The Notable Books List presents literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry; the Listen List is all about outstanding audiobooks; and the Reading List, which I want to tell you about today, highlights outstanding genre fiction… Continue reading

  • The Best in Genre Fiction: 2021

    This January, groups of librarians from across the country met up virtually to hash out what they think were the best books published last year. The Notable Books List features literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry; the Listen List is all about outstanding audiobooks; and The Reading List, which I want to tell you about today, highlights outstanding genre fiction… Continue reading

  • A guide to exploring new genres

    Each year, groups of librarians from across the country hole up in a room (this year, a virtual room) to discuss and select the best books from the year before. The Notable Books List features literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry; the Listen List is all about outstanding audiobooks; and The Reading List, which I want… Continue reading

  • A reading list for readers looking to broaden their horizons

    Are you a reader who would like to explore some new genres, but don’t know where to start? Fret not, librarians have got you covered. At the American Library Association Midwinter conference in January, a number of different committees met to discuss and honor books published in 2019. There was the Notable Books List, honoring… Continue reading

  • #BookBingoNW2018: Award-Winning Authors

    I’m sure you have heard of the Newbery Medal, Man Booker Prize, Hugo Award, and many, many other author awards. In addition to these well-known awards, let me introduce you to a few newer ones and their winning authors. Black Caucus American Library Association (BCALA) Literary Award, established in 1994, recognizes African American authors in… Continue reading

  • Awards that recognize fiction’s impact on society and culture

    Awards that recognize fiction’s impact on society and culture

    This past week two interesting, perhaps lesser-known book awards were given: The 83rd Annual Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards and the inaugural Aspen Words Literary Prize. The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognize fiction, nonfiction and poetry books that have made important contributions to our understanding of racism and human diversity. The 2018 recipients are: Fiction: Sing, Unburied, Sing… Continue reading

  • Washington State Book Awards finalists for 2017!

    Take a look at this lineup of stellar authors from Washington state! These 32 books, published in 2016, are finalists in the 2017 Washington State Book Awards. Find the full list later in this blog post, or if you’re itching to place holds right away, check out the WSBA 2017 finalists in adult categories and… Continue reading

  • Hey, our pick for the Dublin Literary Award made the shortlist!

    Do you follow the International Dublin Literary Awards? Here’s why you should: Public libraries around the world nominate books for the award, and you love public libraries. A healthy mix of U.S. and international novels make both the longlist and the shortlist, and you’ve been looking for suggestions for some of the best international fiction.… Continue reading