The Reading List

  • 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

  • The best of genre reading in 2018

    Coordinated by the American Library Association, each year a group of librarians from across the country form The Reading List Council with the goal to identify the year’s best books across eight genres. Here are the 2019 winners (for books published in 2018) in Adrenaline, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, and Women’s… Continue reading

  • A genre reading list for library insiders

    Chances are some of you haven’t heard of ALA’s Reading List Council, but trust me on this one: Their annual list of top books in several genres is a book lover’s gem. They pick the best in eight genres — including mystery, science fiction, and adrenaline (read: suspense/heart-thumping-page-turner) for adult readers. Librarians love that the Reading List is… Continue reading