The Best New Books Out This Week
Welcome to The Best of Book Riot, our daily round-up of what’s on offer across our site, newsletters, podcasts, and social channels. Not everything is for everyone, but there is something for everyone.
The Best New Books Out This Week
Now, even at the end of March, we’ve still got some bangers to discuss. For starters, there’s the translated poetry collection of Uto-Aztecan legend Nezahualcóyotl that I’m super excited about: Lamentations of Nezahualcóyotl: Nahuatl Poems by Nezahualcóyotl, illustrated byCuauhtémoc Wetzka and translated by Ilan Stavans. If you’re a seasonal reader, it will come in clutch for April’s celebration of poetry.
In Praise of Black Performance
Today’s book recommendation was awarded the 2022 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction, the 2021 Gordon Burn Prize, and was a 2021 National Book Award Nominee. I finally picked it up this summer, after years on my TBR, and my god, what a read! Abdurraqib is a phenomenal writer, as many of his loyal readers can attest. Written with deep reverence and intense curiosity, this book instills the same feelings in readers throughout each chapter.
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March’s Best Book Club Books
Usually, I do a roundup of some of the most notable book club-friendly books coming out each month at the beginning of the month, but I’m switching things up a bit for March. I thought that this roundup could be more reflective than prescient, and it’s a little more convenient for readers since all the books should be out.
The books below are ones that I’ve heard all manner of book people talk about, recommend, and review, and they’re perfect for book club conversations. In them, you’ll find a (satisfying) new take on vampires by Stephen Graham Jones, a survivor’s real-life account, and even a cult.
6 New Trans Romances to Read and Preorder Now
Continuing in my series of recommendation posts for the 2025 Trans Rights Readathon, today I’m focusing on the bonus prompts trans joy and trans romance. I’ve mostly focused on new trans romances that came out in the last year or are coming out later in 2025, but I also threw in a couple bonus not-so-new romances. This is a mix of YA and adult romances. Let me know in the comment which trans romance books you recommend!
Indiana Congressman’s Staff Asks Library to Call Police on Constituents
I’ve rounded up a handful of important news items that library staff and library supporters should be aware of. I’m not going to lie: this post is pretty low on warm fuzzies, but these are all important topics to be aware of. And after you finish reading, feel free to get yourself a little treat.
