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 8 Best Romances About Returning Home
You’ll find all kinds of hometowns among these dreamy love stories: Hallmark-style snowy villages at the holidays, big cities with an intimate family vibe, farming towns touched by a little magic, far-flung hometowns that require flying across the globe, and a beachside cottage that proves home is more of a state of mind than an actual place you grew up. Many of these are second-chance romances where returning home involves running into a former love interest and finding out the spark between them is still going strong. In some cases, a familiar place leads the protagonist to an unfamiliar face. If you love stories involving family, quirky towns, and strong character growth arcs, these romances about returning home are for you.
The Next Taylor Jenkins Reid Novel & More New Book News
Book lovers, it’s time to gather ’round to share the hottest book gossip and revel in all of the exciting book news. Sure, the world might be on fire, and the rest of the news cycle might be dire, but at least we have a few nuggets of book news to carry us through the rest of this chaotic month. So take a break from your doom-scrolling and comfort yourself with a little bit of book cheer.
A Memoir of a Beloved Trans Activist, Author, and Artist
I read this incredible memoir about a month before Cecilia Gentili died in February 2024. She was a beloved trans activist, sex worker, author, artist, and community organizer. I had only heard of her peripherally before reading this slim and powerful book. As soon as I finished it, I set out to read every word she’d ever written. Her voice is singular and wonderful: funny, sharp, scathing, and full of love. Her death is devastating—for her loved ones, and for so many trans and queer people who were impacted by the work she did. Reading this book is one small way to honor her life.
The Best New Books Out This Week
We’ve hit the time of year when there seems to be a new best-of list every week, and honestly, I’m not mad at all. This week, we’ve been treated to Barnes & Noble’s Book of the Year (James by Percival Everett), TIME’s 100 Must-Read Books of the Year, and Amazon’s Best Books.
Now while these lists provide great opportunities to look back at the year, we’ve still got more books coming out—some of which are by pretty heavy hitters. Discussed in more detail below, there’s new Haruki Murakami, Rebecca Yarros, and Robin Wall Kimmerer.
8 New Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Speculative Fiction Books by Indigenous Authors
These recently released novels in the sci-fi, fantasy, and general speculative fiction realms written by Indigenous authors show the breadth of ways in which Indigenous authors are working in these genres. Some of these novels are classic high fantasy stories or technology-driven science fiction plots that are often associated with the genre, while others fit into the broader category of speculative fiction, which can include fantastical and/or futuristic elements in a variety of ways.
