Late fall and early winter arguably have the most dense concentration of holidays, which of course is why we refer to this time of year as “the holidays.” From Thanksgiving to Hanukkah to the Solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and finally the New Year, there are many holidays to be celebrated! And of course, there are books that take place on all of them. I’ve assembled nine of the best winter holiday books from the last few years, and it should come as no surprise that many of them are romance! The holidays are, of course, also known as cuffing season.
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Literary fiction is the category of fiction with the most slippery, “I know it when I see it” definition. For this list of 13 of the best new literary fiction books, I’ve focused on beautiful writing, universal themes of the human condition, and just plain old good books, regardless of genre. These are literary fiction titles from the last few years, with a focus on newer books. Looking to read these books with others? Check out our guide to running your own book club.Continue Reading
Historical fiction is popular across genres, from historical romance to historical mystery and crime, among many other sub-genres. So far 2023 is shaping up to be a stellar year for new historical fiction books, and we’ve got ten of the most highly anticipated titles for you! Ranging from World War spy stories to Regency romance, with heiresses, queens, and Rockettes as heroines, these ten new historical fiction books coming out in the first half of 2023 should hit the spot for your historical fiction cravings!
If you loved Emily Henry’s third romance novel, Book Lovers, you might be on the lookout for Book Lovers read-alikes. Whether you enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers romance, reading about city people in a small town setting, the gentle exploration of the ways grief can shape us, or the sweet familial love story alongside the steamy romance, we’ve got books for you. Here are eight romantic books like Book Lovers for you to enjoy while you wait for Henry’s next novel, Happy Place, out April 25.
Winter is coming here, and with it comes the urge to be cozy with a warm beverage and a good book. What could be better than to curl up with a book that is itself wintery? There are many ways to interpret that, of course, and I’ve gone with the most literal: books that take place in winter and/or in snowy locations. Many of these winter books will warm you from within, countering the weather outside. There’s variety in genre and tone, but all of these choices are among the best winter books from the last few years.
Since its release in September 2021, The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood has been a runaway bestseller, appeared on favorites lists all over the place, and been a darling of BookTok. If you loved it, too, you’re probably looking for more romance books like The Love Hypothesis to scratch the itch. Look no further! I’ve found eight romance novels that will give you the same things you loved about The Love Hypothesis — fake dating, science, academia, and so much pining — while also giving you something different to keep your reading fresh and exciting!
BookTok favorite Verity by Colleen Hoover is the perfect choice for any book club. You’ve likely already heard of this number one New York Times bestseller, USA Today bestseller, and Publishers Weeky bestseller — among other accolades — but if you haven’t, you’re in for a treat and a wild ride. Found on every TikTok table in bookstores across the USA, this novel is a perfect blend of romance and thriller, as many readers have come to expect from Hoover. Originally self-published in 2018, Verity was rereleased in 2021 by Grand Central Publishing. It’s a great choice for book club discussion, and we’re here to help! Read on for our Verity book club questions and ideas for your next meeting!
Looking for some last-minute book gift ideas? Whether it’s the holidays or an upcoming birthday, we all want the same thing: to give our loved ones a thoughtful, personal gift that they will actually enjoy! For some people, this is easy; some of us are naturals at gift-giving, and some people are easy to shop for. For other people, this is a challenge; some people are harder to shop for, and some of us either don’t enjoy shopping or put it off for other reasons, ranging from perfectionism to lack of funds.
The perfect read for young adult book clubs, LGBTQ+ book clubs, and any other book club looking for a fun book with serious themes is Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender! This YA novel is a Stonewall Book Award Honor title, one of Time’s 100 Best YA Books of All Time, a Booklist Editor’s Choice selection, and a Book Riot favorite. To get ready for your next book club meeting, check out our guide for how to run a book club, and then look over the Felix Ever After book club discussion questions we’ve prepared to help your discussion run smoothly!
Lynda Rutledge’s novel West with Giraffes is a new book club favorite! This historical coming-of-age novel is a best-seller and critically acclaimed, and it’s the perfect book club read. To get ready for your next book club meeting, check out our guide for how to run a book club, and then look over the West with Giraffes book club discussion questions we’ve prepared to help your discussion run smoothly!