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Welcome to Check Your Shelf. Last night, I defied my introverted nature and hung out a friend’s backyard party, where I only knew a few people. However, there was another librarian sitting at my table, and we quickly bonded by sharing our worst tales from the trenches, gossiping about local library drama, and comparing collection budget lines. You know, typical 4th of July conversation. Still, it was fun to meet someone new and see friends I hadn’t seen in person in at least a year. And now my introverted self is taking a bit of a breather…
So, anyway, buckle up because this newsletter is LONG. Like, full-to-bursting with new books and book list resources. Like, you don’t even know.
Collection Development Corner
Publishing News
People of Color in Publishing and Latinx in Publishing collaborated on an online survey in 2018 to study reports of racism experienced in the publishing industry. The results have just now been released, and (spoiler alert): there’s a LOT of work to do.
Simon & Schuster launches a Black celebrity imprint, 13A, which is a reference to the Constitutional amendment that abolished slavery.
New & Upcoming Titles
Scribner purchases Jennifer Egan’s new book, The Candy House, which is billed as a sister novel to A Visit From the Good Squad.
Harper Voyager picks up Janelle Monáe’s debut Afrofuturistic short story collection.
Justina Ireland and Tessa Gratton are co-authoring a new YA fantasy duology!
Morgan Jerkins announces her next novel.
Saeed Jones announces an upcoming poetry collection.
Linda Holmes (author of Evie Drake Starts Over) teases a new book on Twitter.
USA Today’s Susan Page is writing a biography of Barbara Walters.
Indie speculative fiction picks for June.
10 new LGBTQ books to celebrate Pride.
27 LGBTQ+ YA books to preorder.
Weekly book picks from Crime Reads, LitHub, New York Times, and USA Today.
July picks from AV Club, Barnes & Noble, Brightly (children’s/YA), Bustle, Crime Reads, Entertainment Weekly, Gizmodo (SFF), Good Morning America, Kirkus Reviews, NPR, Oprah Daily, Popsugar (general, mystery/thriller, romance), and Washington Post.
Summer book picks from BookBub (romance), CBC, and USA Today.
The best books of 2021 (so far) from Chicago Tribune and Entertainment Weekly.
What Your Patrons Are Hearing About
Falling – T.J. Newman (Entertainment Weekly, New York Times, Popsugar)
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – Quentin Tarantino (The Guardian, New York Times, Washington Post)
Objects of Desire – Claire Sestanovich (Electric Lit, NPR)
Blackout – Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon (NPR)
Survive the Night – Riley Sager (USA Today)
RA/Genre Resources
The first wave of post-Trump books fight to make sense of the chaos.
Readalikes for Survive the Night by Riley Sager.
On the Riot
5 more 2021 LGBTQ+ horror books for Pride.
The best books out this week for your TBR.
15 must-read July children’s book releases, 10 July YA releases, and 5 July 2021 horror novels.
5 new books to transport you to the beach.
The best books you’ve never heard of (Summer 2021 edition).
15 adult fiction books from BookFest that go straight to the TBR pile.
Must-read YA romances releasing July – December 2021.
5 captivating new books that reimagine classic stories.
How to keep track of new releases.
Short story collections as portals to literary magazines and other writings.
In defense of a messy queer book: because “good representation” is exhausting.
All Things Comics
2020 North American comic sales grow to $1.28 billion.
The century of Captain America: a brief history of a beloved comic.
On the Riot
Celebrate the fourth by watching Batman punch Nazis.
Manhwa vs. manga: what’s the difference?
15 LGBTQ graphic novels for middle graders.
Audiophilia
Publishers Weekly lists its Fall 2021 audio announcements.
The best LGBTQIA+ listens by queer authors.
Mystery audiobooks narrated by the 2021 Golden Voices narrators.
June’s bookseller-recommended audiobooks.
AudioFile’s best audiobooks of June.
3 ways to become a better reader with audiobooks.
Self-published audiobooks are the next great entrepreneurial side hustle.
On the Riot
Where to find free audiobooks.
6 of the best Appalachian audiobooks.
Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists
Children/Teens
10 books that preschoolers love to read over and over again.
Books to show kids how to be a friend.
18 LGBTQ+ YA novels by BIPOC authors.
Adults
10 notable LGBTQ novels to educate and entertain.
An essential Pride reading list.
40 LGBTQ+ books to read now and always.
13 books with bisexual leads.
7 must-read books written by Latin-American immigrants.
9 novels about women fighting for a more just society.
9 larger-than-life books that will remind you of musicals.
12 LGBTQ+ characters in crime fiction.
7 mystery novels where the crimes are motivated by books.
8 books about dark desires that will crush you.
9 books about being unemployed or underemployed.
Light reads for any time of the year.
5 dark SFF novels that will make you laugh out loud.
6 stories that find drama in utopian settings.
8 SFF books that reimagine literary classics.
On the Riot
8 books for kids with big goals.
Crime & mystery books by Latinx authors.
4 great LGBTQ+ nonfiction books for Pride.
18 of the best trans fantasy and sci-fi books.
6 SFF books with genderfluid characters.
9 contemporary romances starring visual artists.
10 of the best revenge novels.
4 mystery & thriller books that blend genres.
4 adult fiction books that are perfect for rereading.
20 of the best books about video games.
6 books about different kinds of relationships and their impact.
6 books about nuclear energy.
Level Up (Library Reads)
Do you take part in Library Reads, the monthly list of best books selected by librarians only? We’ve made it easy for you to find eligible diverse titles to nominate. Kelly Jensen created a database of upcoming diverse books that anyone can edit, and Nora Rawlins of Early Word is doing the same, as well as including information about series, vendors, and publisher buzz.
Whew. Did you make it through? Well, if so, I’ll catch you all on Friday. If not…well, hopefully you’ll make it through before the next newsletter comes out! Stay literally and figuratively cool, everyone!
—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter. Currently listening to The Ninja Daughter by Tori Eldridge.