Casey McQuiston started writing their debut novel, the 2019 bestseller Red, White & Royal Blue, in early 2016 as a “Veep-esque affectionate send-up of American liberal politics,” according to this interview with the Los Angeles Public Library. The tone of the book changed, they explain, after the election, becoming more hopeful. Since its release, readers have been scrambling to find books that hit the same notes, because once you’ve read RWRB, you just need more. While some of us (ahem) read it a dozen times before moving on, other readers are looking for books like Red, White & Royal Blue after their first — and I’ve got some great reads for all of us!
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Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky is a classic novel about a young man, Raskolnikov, who plans and executes a murder in order to obtain money he feels his victim does not deserve, and about his subsequent psychological downward spiral when he is not caught. First published in 1866 as a serial story in The Russian Messenger, a literary periodical that was also publishing War and Peace around the same time — and would go on to also publish Dostoevsky’s novels The Idiot, Demons, and The Brothers Karamazov — the installments were subsequently published as a novel. Continue Reading
Colleen Hoover is a name you might recognize, whether it’s from BookTok, your local Barnes & Noble, or the New York Times Best Seller list. Her books have leapt in popularity in the last year or so, and nearly everyone is reading them, talking about them, and Bookstagramming them. If you’re unfamiliar with her work, you might be wondering what the draw is. If you’ve read Colleen Hoover books, you know why they’re so popular. Either way, once you’ve read all of her backlist, you might be looking for authors like Colleen Hoover. I’ve got 13 of them for you below — read on for more about Hoover’s books, or skip down to see the recs!
Cormac McCarthy, who died on June 13, 2023, is widely considered one of the great American writers. His body of work, which includes 12 novels, two plays, five screenplays, and short stories, is primarily in the genres of Southern Gothic, western, and dystopian. Loved this author? Keep reading for our list of more authors like Cormac McCarthy. 
Is horror romance a genre? Sort of! Let’s talk about what it means. Horror and romance are both genres that use tropes to build tension, leading up to a satisfying conclusion — albeit in (generally) different ways. 
In the 19th century, books set at school — especially boarding school — were immensely popular. Many of them were sweet coming-of-age stories about girls making lifelong friendships, and often they included (as most “juvenile” books at the time did) some sort of lesson or moral. There were exceptions, of course, such as The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, which is frequently cited as one of the first and best dark academia books (although it is not set in a school).
The romance genre has been flourishing for decades, if not centuries — while some trace the modern romance back to Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice, others put the start date at the outset of Georgette Heyer’s career in the 1920s, while still others only count the books that have been written since the mid-20th century, when Harlequin began publishing romance novels. No matter where you count from, the genre began as very white, very cis-hetero, mostly upper class, and always focused on conventionally attractive heroes and heroines; in other words, no people of color, no queer people, and definitely no fat people get to have a happy ever after!
Memoir is a booming genre right now, with a near-embarrassment of riches in the world of personal nonfiction. People love to feel a personal connection with other people, especially celebrities — and these days, that means the best memoirs cover far more than just actors and musicians, even expanding to include writers of other genres, for example. We humans love a good story, and when those stories are true? It’s a huge bonus.
Runaway hit novel Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, author of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, is a popular book club choice. You’ve likely already heard of this New York Times and IndieBound bestseller, which also made their list of notable 2022 books and was named a best book of the year by Time, Glamour, Amazon, and Goodreads — among other accolades — but if you haven’t, you’re in for a great read. It’s the perfect choice for book club discussion, and we’re here to help! Read on for our Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow book club questions, themes, and ideas for your next meeting!
2022 was an amazing year for book club books, and 2023 is shaping up to be just as great, if not even better! If you’re looking to scope out some of the best picks for your book club reads for 2023 (or maybe you want to start your own book club and are looking for books to excite and inspire), you need look no further than the best book club books 2023 has to offer (plus one from late 2022) that are sure to be hits with your book club members! These are the most anticipated book club books of the year, along with a few that might not be on your radar.