books with stories

21 Incredible Books Based on True Stories

Beulah Maud Devaney

Beulah Maud Devaney has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, New Statesman, Buzzfeed and New Internationalist. Read her literary newsletter here . Follow her on Twitter: @TheNotoriousBMD .

View All posts by Beulah Maud Devaney

Books based on true stories are ideal for when facts leave off and a little imagination (and outright speculation) is needed to fill the gaps in a story or a reading list.

From the teenage concubine who ruled China for 47 years and the gorilla who lived most of his life in a shopping mall to the Borden axe murders, here are 21 of the best books based on true stories.

1. The Good People  by Hannah Kent

True story: In mid–19th century Ireland a woman called Anne Roche was tried for the murder of Michael Leahy, a young boy. Roche claimed that Leahy was a changeling and was eventually acquitted.

2. Empress Orchid by Anchee Min

True story: Empress Dowager Cixi was a concubine who rose to power during the late Qing dynasty and ruled China for 47 years. This is a fictional account of how she managed it.

3. Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart

True story: Constance Kopp was one of the first women to become a deputy sheriff in the USA. After becoming the victim to a crime herself (nothing grim, I promise) Constance joined forces with her sisters to bring the perpetrator to justice, and ended up with a job on the New Jersey police force.

4. Beautiful Exiles by Meg Waite Clayton

True story: Legendary war reporter Martha Gellhorn fell in love with Ernest Hemingway while she was covering the Spanish Civil War in Madrid. The two of them toured the world and inspired Clayton to write this fictionalized account of their relationship.

5. Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward

True story: In late August, 2005, Ward decided to visit her family in small town Mississippi, prior to starting teaching at the University of Michigan. That decision placed her right at the heart of Hurricane Katrina.

6. Arthur and George by Julian Barnes

True story: 1903 was the year of the ‘Great Wyrley Outrages’, when a number of cows, horses and sheep were “slashed”. Suspicion feel on George Edalji, a local man of Parsi-heritage who did three years hard labour for the crime before he was proved innocent by Arthur Conan Doyle. Yes, the Sherlock Holmes guy.

7. See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt

True story: In 1892 the infamous Borden axe murders rocked the U.S. and the one of the daughters of the house (Lizzie Borden) was the prime suspect. This novel was longlisted for the 2018 Women’s Prize for Fiction.

8. The Man Who Walked Away by Maud Casey

True story: Albert Dadas had the misfortune to be a psychiatric patient in the 19th century. Unable to find a diagnosis for his compulsion to wander (often ending up in a new country with no memory of getting there), Dadas spent decades searching for a cure.

9. Murder on the Orient Express   by Agatha Christie

True story: The kidnapping and murder of the 20-month-old Charles Lindburgh heir made international headlines, and the case was still hotly debate two years later when Christie used it as inspiration for  Murder on the Orient Express .

10. Without a Country by Ayşe Kulin

True story: During World War II the Turkish government offered asylum to a number of Jewish academics, including Hungarian Professor Philipp Schwartz. In Without A Country, author Kulin explores how Schwartz and his family escaped the Nazis and made a home for themselves in Turkey.

11. The Revenant by Michael Punke

True story: In 1823 fur trapper Hugh Glass was (some might say justly) mauled by a grizzly bear and left for dead by his companions. Despite not having any supplies, Glass survived and tracked down the men who had abandoned him.

12. A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

True story: During the Second Sudanese Civil War (1987–2005) over 40,000 boys were displaced by the fighting and left to roam the country in search of shelter. In this YA novel, Park weaves one of the boys stories with that of a contemporary Sudanese girl.

13. Miss Burma by Charmaine Craig

True story: Craig’s mother was crowned Burma’s first beauty queen, shortly before the country became a dictatorship. This is the story of how generations of Craig’s familiar navigated this tumultuous time in Burma’s history.

14. Schindler’s List by Thomas Keneally

True story: During the Holocaust Krakow business man Oskar Schindler saved the lives of over 1,200 Jewish Poles by employing them in his munitions factory. Keneally won the International Booker Prize for his fictional retelling of Schindler’s war years.

15. A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James

True story: An attempted assassination attempt on reggae legend Bob Marley inspired this Booker prize–winning novel from James.  A Brief History of Seven Killings spans decades and continents, tracking the repercussions of the botched murder.

16. The Girls by Emma Cline

True story: In 1968 the Manson Family murdered five people at the behest of their charismatic leader; Charles Manson. The fact that three of the Family were young girls attracted a lot of media attention and in  The Girls Cline has imagined the story from their POV, although she denies that it is a direct retelling.

17. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

True story: Ivan was a Congolese gorilla who was captured as a baby and spent 27 years on exhibition at a mall in Washington. This fictional story, told from Ivan’s point of view, covers those years and his eventual escape.

18. Orphan Number Eight by Kim van Alkemade

True story: Dr. Alfred F. Hess was a doctor at the New York Hebrew Infant Asylum in the early 20th century. Hess conducted medical experiments on the orphans in his care and in Orphan Number Eight he is given a fictional counterpart: Dr. Mildred Solomon.

19. In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

True story: Patria, Minerva, Maria Teresa, and Dedé Mirabal were four sisters who bravely opposed Dominican Republic dictator Rafael Trujillo (El Jefe) in the late 1950s. Three of the sisters were assassinated and became important feminist symbols for Dominicans like Julia Alvarez.

20. Every Man for Himself by Beyrl Bainbridge

True story:  Every Man for Himself is composed of four parts, one for each day of HMS Titanic’s ill-fated maiden voyage. The fictional narrator meets many of the prominent real life passengers on the Titanic and watches as they struggle to cope with the maritime disaster.

21. Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

True story: In 1666 the English village of Eyam responded to the plague ravaging Europe by shutting itself away from the rest of the world. Brooks writes from the point of view of Anna, a maid living in the village during the quarantine.

Want even more books based on true stories? Check out our list of the best true crime books here .  

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While fictionalizing real world events can attract debate (as with the controversy surrounding Viola Davis’s star turn as the leader of a real, all-female warrior tribe in the 2022 film The Woman King ), the real danger is in telling one story and expecting that to suffice. We need more stories, more perspectives, and more art examining real events through different vantage points and lenses. Fiction has the power to humanize the past, bringing to life stories of those whom historical archives may have misrepresented, or ignored entirely. In honor of this power (and in celebration of the 2023 National Book Awards finalists), we're gathering some of our favorite novels from the past few years that take true stories to imaginative new heights.

The Acrobat , by Edward J. Delaney

If Hollywood ever had royalty, Cary Grant was it. With good looks, charisma, talent, and sophistication in unparalleled combination, the actor, who began his career as a circus performer, remains one of the United States’ most indelible screen idols. And yet that gilded persona masked a myriad of contradictions. Even after he became a great actor, the working-class Englishman born Archibald Alexander Leach experienced a tremendous darkness he long struggled to conquer. This fictionalized and sympathetic biographical novel focuses on a turbulent period when Grant turned to experimental LSD therapies to address his troubles by journeying inward.

The Christie Affair , by Nina de Gramont

Like many of the characters she invented, Dame Agatha Christie was once the center of her own unhappy domestic intrigue. Just hours following her husband’s announcement that he was leaving her and marrying his mistress, developments to which she strenuously objected, Christie left her dog and her daughter at home and disappeared without explanation. That evening, her car was found abandoned in a ditch. Soon the whole nation was captivated and her errant husband under suspicion. Though she was found safe in a hotel after being missing for 11 days, little is known of what happened to Christie in the interim. It’s the one mystery she refused to solve to public satisfaction. De Gramont imagines what might have transpired, filling in the gaps of the scandal and adding a murder mystery enriched by psychological suspense.

Sister Mother Warrior , by Vanessa Riley

On the surface, a historical novel depicting the role of women in the Haitian revolution would seem to have little in common with Viola Davis’s blockbuster The Woman King. But these works share a common DNA. Both are fictionalizations of the lives of female legends of the Kingdom of Dahomey. While the movie is a larger-than-life heroic depiction of women warriors who fought against French colonizers in the country now known as Benin, the novel is a meticulously researched and more intimate portrait of a pivotal time in history when a Dahomey soldier became one of two key female figures in the Haitian fight for freedom.

Winter Work , by Dan Fesperman

This masterful novel blends espionage, domestic drama, and murder. The fall of the Berlin Wall marked the final coda to the Cold War and ushered in massive geopolitical and social change. But those events also impacted the lives of millions of people in more intimate ways. In addition to shifting the borders of nations, it dismantled the state spy apparatus known as the Stasi, putting a treasure trove of sensitive secrets up for grabs, and precipitating a mad scramble by potential state buyers including the USA and the Soviet Union. This multilayered murder mystery captures what happened in the region formerly known as East Germany both on a political level—including how the cache of secrets ultimately found its way to the CIA—and a personal one, showing how these world events affected individuals, from the perspective of an unusual protagonist, a sympathetic East German spy with a complicated and messy home life.

Lady Joker, Volume 1 , by Kaoru Takamura

Obliterating the line between literary and crime fiction, a Japanese legend makes a riveting English language debut. This epic novel sold more than a million copies and garnered overwhelming critical praise in its initial release. With its panoramic yet incisive view into Japanese society, it’s a perfect example of how the best of crime fiction provides insight into why crime happens. In this mainstay of Japanese literature, the question is not just who dunnit but why.

Anon Pls. , by Deuxmoi with Jessica Goodman

In this juicy and propulsive debut novel, turning her personal account into a gossip blog turns an influencer’s life topsy-turvy. Based on the popular and infamous Instagram influencer known as Deuxmoi, this carnival ride of a novel explores the world of celebrity culture and social media from a refreshingly critical and informed view.

The Personal Librarian, by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Belle da Costa Greene, born Belle Greener, lived much of her remarkable life on the shadowy margins of America's highest echelons, so it’s fitting that her remembrance is also extraordinary. Though she languished in obscurity for decades, there are now two books— Belle Greene , by Alexandra Lapierre, and The Personal Librarian, published just one year apart—devoted to memorializing her legacy. Both are explorations of two of America’s favorite obsessions: race and reinvention. Though Greene attempted to erase herself from the narrative by burning her personal papers, these two extraordinary novels are dedicated to telling her story. Both books tell the real-life story of “passing” that I’ve thought about for a long time after reading. I wonder whether the authors truly captured the essence of person they based the story on, but there’s no doubt they created a compelling narrative that stands on its own. From biographical sources and related histories, this story seems more pristine and reverential, less reckless, less restive, and slightly less compelling in her humanity than the person they set out to study.

Take My Hand , by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Some of America’s ugliest and most contested episodes involve the intersection of healthcare and the legal system. When sex and race are intertwined, the conflict grows all the more heated. Perkins-Valdez based her novel on a true case of involuntary sterilization that revives issues that still swirl around the idea of reproductive freedom today. New birth control methods have brought greater freedom, but they’ve also made marginalized women, many of whom are Black or brown, vulnerable to targeting by people who want to change America’s racial makeup: “When birth control was becoming more widely available to women, it was sort of a double-edged sword…on the one hand, it promised reproductive control and freedom, but on the other hand, it was possibly going to be used as a form of repression and eugenics.”

Code Name Hélène , by Ariel Lawhon

Nancy Wake was a glittering socialite with a glamorous career as a writer for Hearst. She was also a spy who killed a man with her bare hands and one of the most decorated women of World War II.

Hélène was just one of her aliases. Lucienne Carlier was another, the name Nancy used to smuggle people and documents across the French border. Singled out for distinction by both Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly, this thriller tells the exciting and moving story of the reporter and Australian expat turned spy.

By Her Own Design , by Piper Huguley

This is an all-American story in the best sense of the term. When Jacqueline Bouvier married John F. Kennedy, it was the society event of the season. Even the highly scrutinized and celebrated dress secured a place in history. The talented woman who designed the piece of fashion history was Ann Lowe, a Black woman raised in Jim Crow Alabama, who learned to sew from her own mother and her formerly enslaved grandmother, both legendary seamstresses in their own right. Now this fascinating artist is enjoying renewed and long overdue attention, thanks to this moving novel by Huguley, a storyteller and chronicler of African American history.

The Perfect Nanny , by Leila Slimani

Slimani was so enthralled with the true tale of Yoselyn Ortega, the New York City nanny who murdered two children under her care in 2012, that she turned it into this award-winning bestseller. The French Moroccan author moved the story to her own home of Paris and focused her lens on the relationship between the grieving mother and the "perfect nanny" she regrettably trusted with her young son and daughter.

Never Anyone But You , by Rupert Thomson

Lucie and Suzanne are step-sisters in love, a complicated and uncouth scenario in the early-to-mid 1900s. The pair move to progressive Paris to reinvent themselves, where they become surrealist artists and change their names. Now going by Claude Cahun, Lucie is recognized for her gender-bending photography and Suzanne's alter-ego Marcel Moore narrates their life spent cohabitating and collaborating. This fictionalized retelling of the real couple's relationship is populated with other famous figures of the lost generation and plays out their resistance against antisemitism, as well as their eventual imprisonment by the Nazis.

Red Joan , by Jennie Rooney

For most of her life, Melita Norwood got away with treason. The British civil servant provided Russian intelligence with private information before retiring and going into hiding. But in 1999, at age 87, Norwood (alias: Red Joan) was found. In her fictionalized novel, author Rooney begins with Red Joan's late-in-life questioning by the MI5 and flashes back to when she made the life-defining decision to work with the Russians. A 2019 film adaptation based on the novel has Judi Dench and Sophie Cookson playing the titular Red Joan through different eras of her life.

Women Talking , by Miriam Toews

That Toews's Women Talking, now an award-winning film by the same name, is based in truth makes it that much more difficult to read—but if you’re able to stomach the multiple abuses a group of Mennonite girls and women are forced to endure in the mid-2000s, you'll agree she was preordained to tell this story. The author, who left the church at 18, said she felt compelled to write the novel after hearing about those in a Manitoba Colony of Bolivia who had been repeatedly anesthetized and sexually assaulted, only to be told by the perpetrators they were hysterical. The women seek retribution in the novel like they did in real life, but the reckoning that occurs has them questioning their previously unshakable faith.

Beautiful Exiles , by Meg Waite Clayton

War correspondent Martha Gellhorn met Ernest Hemingway in 1936, and, despite Hemingway's marriage to journalist Pauline Pfeiffer, their flirtatious friendship quickly became romantic. Their own eventual marriage was tumultuous, which, of course, makes for a great read—especially with Clayton's talent for taking years of research and spinning it into something sexy. Nicole Kidman and Clive Owen starred in a 2012 take on their relationship, Hemingway & Gellhorn , but Beautiful Exiles further explores who Gellhorn was in her own right.

White Houses , Amy Bloom

When Lorena "Hick" Hickok was sent to the White House to report on First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, she wasn't expecting to fall in love. The secret relationship took place for years, with details only having emerged in posthumously published love letters between the two women. Bloom's novel fictionalizes their lengthy romance from Hick's point of view, sharing juicy details about the era of Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency, including his own extramarital affairs.

The Flight Portfolio , by Julie Orringer

American journalist Varian Fry was so incensed by the Holocaust that he left the States and helped to found the Emergency Rescue Committee, a volunteer-run network that helped persecuted artists, writers, and thinkers out of Nazi-occupied France. In The Flight Portfolio , Orringer imagines Fry's experiences convincing the likes of Hannah Arendt, Max Ernst, and Marcel Duchamp that relocating to the States was the only option, while simultaneously struggling with the return of a (fictional) old flame. Fry is conflicted when this past love reemerges.

See What I Have Done , by Sarah Schmidt

Lizzie Borden's life story is based on lore as much as it is documented history, and has been told several different ways both on the page and screen. Schmidt's take is from four individual vantage points, one of which is Borden herself. The writing is gorgeously grotesque in its description of a claustrophobic household that leads a stifled young woman to murder her father and his wife.

Salvage the Bones , by Jesmyn Ward

Jesmyn Ward, author of Oprah's 103rd Book Club Pick, Let Us Descend, based her second novel on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, something she, unfortunately, experienced firsthand. The rich detail Ward provides in this 2011 National Book Awards–winning story is largely due to these devastating circumstances, but gives the story an authenticity to accompany its candor. Narrator Esch is 15 and pregnant, living with her brothers and father in a fictional dilapidated part of Mississippi called Bois Sauvage. As Katrina descends, the family barricades themselves inside, and while they're dealing with more than just the impending storm, the stakes are much higher because of it.

The Girls , by Emma Cline

Cline's debut novel has a lot in common with the story of Charles Manson and the young women who quickly became his devotees. Set in the summer of the late '60s, not long before the violent killing of actress Sharon Tate, the fictional Evie becomes enchanted with Suzanne, an enigmatic personality she discovers in a Los Angeles park. Evie's infatuation soon has her following Suzanne into a cult led by the Manson-esque Russell, who has his members doing his murderous bidding. It's up to Evie if she'll be able to go through with all that is asked of her, and readers will be ravenous in finding out for themselves.

Carole V Bell is a Jamaican-born writer, culture critic and communication researcher focusing on media, politics, and identity. You can find her on Twitter @BellCV. 

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The Best Reviewed Short Story Collections of 2022

Featuring george saunders, ling ma, colin barrett, jamil jan kochai, and more.

We’ve come to the end of another bountiful literary year, and for all of us review rabbits here at Book Marks, that can mean only one thing: basic math, and lots of it.

Yes, using reviews drawn from more than 150 publications, over the next two weeks we’ll be calculating and revealing the most critically-acclaimed books of 2022, in the categories of (deep breath): Fiction ; Nonfiction ; Memoir and Biography ; Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror ; Short Story Collections; Essay Collections; Poetry; Mystery and Crime; Graphic Literature ; and Literature in Translation .

Today’s installment: Short Story Collections .

Brought to you by Book Marks , Lit Hub’s “Rotten Tomatoes for books.”

1. Bliss Montage by Ling Ma (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

21 Rave • 5 Positive • 2 Mixed Read an interview with Ling Ma here

“The eight wily tales mark the return of an author whose inventive debut, Severance, urgently announced her as a writer worth watching … an assured follow-up, a striking collection that peddles in the uncanny and the surreal, but it often lacks Severance ’s zest. Some stories are confident in their strangeness and ambiguity, a handful feel like promising sketches of sturdier narratives and the rest fall somewhere in between. The connections between them are loose, tethered by similar leads …

Wry, peculiar stories like Los Angeles and Yeti Lovemaking confirm that Ma’s imagination operates on the same chimerical frequency as those of Helen Oyeyemi, Samanta Schweblin, Meng Jin. Each of these stories leans un-self-consciously into the speculative, illuminating Ma’s phantasmagoric interests. They are funny, too … Despite their nagging loose ends, Ma’s stories stay with you—evidence of a gifted writer curious about the limits of theoretical possibility. They twist and turn in unpredictable ways and although the ride wasn’t always smooth, I never regretted getting on.”

–Lovia Gyarkye ( The New York Times Book Review )

2. Liberation Day by George Saunders (Random House)

16 Rave • 6 Positive • 5 Mixed (86) Read George Saunders on reading chaotically and the power of generous teachers, here

“Acutely relevant … Let’s bask in this new collection of short stories, which is how many of us first discovered him and where he excels like no other … Saunders’ imaginative capacity is on full display … Liberation Day carries echoes of Saunders’ previous work, but the ideas in this collection are more complex and nuanced, perhaps reflecting the new complexities of this brave new world of ours. The title story is only one of a handful of the nine stories in this collection that show us our collective and personal dilemmas, but in reading the problems so expressed—with compassion and humanity—our spirits are raised and perhaps healed. Part of the Saunders elixir is that we feel more empathetic after reading his work.”

–Scott Laughlin ( The San Francisco Chronicle )

3. Homesickness by Colin Barrett (Grove Press)

16 Rave • 1 Positive • 1 Mixed Read an essay by Colin Barrett here

“Its comedy stands in balance to the collection’s more tragic tenor … expands [Barrett’s] range, and though the first took place in the fictional Irish town of Glanbeigh, the books share a fabric shot through with dark humor, pitch-perfect dialogue and a signature freshness that makes life palpable on the page. The language counterpoints the sometimes inarticulate desperation of the working-class characters, and that dissonance lends an emotional complexity to their stories …

As a writer, Barrett doesn’t legislate from the top down. His unruly characters surge up with their vitality and their mystery intact. Their stories aren’t shaped by familiar resolutions—no realizations, morals or epiphanies. The absence of a conventional resolution does risk leaving an otherwise charming story like The Silver Coast with the rambling feel of a slice of life. But in the majority of the stories in this book, to reinvent an ending is to reinvent how a story is told, and overall, Homesickness is graced with an original, lingering beauty.”

–Stuart Dybek ( The New York Times Book Review )

4. Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century by Kim Fu (Tin House)

13 Rave • 4 Positive Read a story from Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century here

“..the horrors are more intimate, smaller, and less global in scale. This is not a collection filled with fantastic beasts, although a sea monster does make an appearance, but instead illuminates the monstrous nature of humanity … Technology, rather than magic, catalyzes these changes. That is not to say there are not some traces of unexplained fantasy, such as a girl who sprouts wings from her ankles, but mostly, Fu’s monsters manifest from modernity … The success of Kim Fu’s stories is the element of the unexpected. There are surprises lurking in these narratives, whether it is a quick final plot twist or unexpected peculiarity …

Although Fu seems more concerned with alienation stemming from individual relationships, there is criticism of conventional consumer capitalism … The characters in Fu’s collection are eccentric and unexpected in their choices, and many of their stories feature unforeseen endings that strike the right tone for the dark era we live in … Fu opens a window looking onto the sad possibilities of our own failures.”

–Ian MacAllen ( The Chicago Review of Books )

5. If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery (MCD)

12 Rave • 4 Positive Read an essay by Jonathan Escoffery here

“Ravishing … The book, about an immigrant family struggling to make ends meet, delights in mocking the trope of an immigrant family struggling to make ends meet … There’s peacocking humor, capers, and passages of shuddering eroticism. The book feels thrillingly free … Escoffery’s protagonists, though resourceful, can’t accomplish the impossible; nor do they sacrifice themselves for the reader’s sentimental education … The prose comes alive …

These characters are strange amalgams of limited agency and boundless originality. Their survival, perhaps, comes down to their style … Escoffery deftly renders the disorienting effects of race as they fall, veil-like and hostile, over a world of children … Throughout, the refrain runs like an incantation: What are you? Escoffery, hosing his characters in a stream of fines, bills, and pay stubs, studies the bleak math of self-determination.”

–Katy Waldman ( The New Yorker )

6. The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories by Jamil Jan Kochai (Viking)

12 Rave • 1 Positive • 1 Mixed Read an essay by Jamil Jan Kochai  here

“Kochai, an Afghan-American writer, shapes and reshapes his material through a variety of formal techniques, including a fantasy of salvation through video gaming, a darkly surrealist fable of loss, a life story told through a mock résumé, and the story of a man’s transformation into a monkey who becomes a rebel leader…Like Asturias, Kochai is a master conjurer…The collection’s cohesion lies in its thematic exploration of the complexities of contemporary Afghan experience (both in Afghanistan and the United States), and in the recurring family narrative at its core: many of the stories deal with an Afghan family settled in California… Kochai is a thrillingly gifted writer, and this collection is a pleasure to read, filled with stories at once funny and profoundly serious, formally daring, and complex in their apprehension of the contradictory yet overlapping worlds of their characters.”

–Claire Messud ( Harper’s )

7. Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty (Tin House Book)

12 Rave • 1 Positive • 1 Mixed Listen to an interview with Morgan Talty here

“Talty depicts the relationship between David and Paige perfectly—the siblings clearly care for each other; it’s evident beneath the bickering and the long periods when they don’t see each other … The story ends with both mother and son experiencing terrifying medical emergencies; it’s almost excruciating to read, but it’s undeniably powerful, and, in its own way, beautiful … Talty’s prose is flawless throughout; he writes with a straightforward leanness that will likely appeal to admirers of Thom Jones or Denis Johnson. But his style is all his own, as is his immense sense of compassion. Night of the Living Rez is a stunning look at a family navigating their lives through crisis—it’s a shockingly strong debut, sure, but it’s also a masterwork by a major talent.”

–Michael Schaub ( The Star Tribune )

8. How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu (William Morrow)

10 Rave • 6 Positive • 1 Mixed • 1 Pan Read an excerpt from How High We Go in the Dark here

“If you’re a short-story lover—as I am—you’ll be impressed with Nagamatsu’s meticulous craft. If you crave sustained character and plot arcs, well, you’ll have to settle for admiring the well-honed prose, poignant meditations and unique concepts. Hardly small pleasures … The reader might best approach the book like a melancholy Black Mirror season … This is a lovely though bleak book. Humanity has long turned to humor in our darkest moments, but levity feels absent even in a chapter narrated by a stand-up comedian. That said, the somber tone unifies the disparate characters and story lines … a welcome addition to a growing trend of what we might call the ‘speculative epic’: genre-bending novels that use a wide aperture to tackle large issues like climate change while jumping between characters, timelines and even narrative modes … Nagamatsu squarely hits both the ‘literary’ and ‘science fiction’ targets, offering psychological insights in lyrical prose while seriously exploring speculative conceits … a book of sorrow for the destruction we’re bringing on ourselves. Yet the novel reminds us there’s still hope in human connections, despite our sadness.”

–Lincoln Michel ( The New York Times Book Review )

9. Life Without Children by Roddy Doyle (Viking)

9 Rave •  5 Positive • 1 Mixed

“… a quietly devastating collection of short stories that brilliantly portrays the pervasive sense of hopelessness that immobilised us during the dog days of Covid … Lest he be accused of focusing too much on men and their sense of victimhood, the countervailing magnificence of his women is worth noting. Part of Doyle’s genius resides in a kind of bathetic amusement at the follies of his male characters and always it’s the stoical good sense of women that saves the day … Another of his great strengths is the ability to drop in those little epiphanies that resolve the tension and conflict of a story in a single significant moment … Doyle breaks our free fall into despair by emphasizing the redemptive power of humor, love and the kindness of strangers.”

–Bert Wright ( The Sunday Times )

10. Stories From the Tenants Downstairs by Sidik Fofana (Scribner)

12 Rave Read an interview with Sidik Fofana here

“… outstanding … The brilliance of this debut, however, is that Fofana doesn’t let anyone go unseen … masterfully paints a portrait of the people most impacted by gentrification … Fofana brings his characters to life through their idiosyncratic speech patterns. Auxiliary verbs are dropped, words are misspelled, prepositions are jostled, all to create a sense of vernacular authenticity…Grammar is an instrument that Fofana plays by ear, to much success.”

–Joseph Cassara ( The New York Times Book Review )

Our System:

RAVE = 5 points • POSITIVE = 3 points • MIXED = 1 point • PAN = -5 points

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2021 was rough, but books about love gave us life. Here are 13 recommendations

Mia Estrada

Who doesn't love a good, well, love story? Whether it's the meet cutes, the crossed stars, the sheer passion, or a forbidden union, we're big fans.

Here are the Books We Love: 360+ great 2021 reads recommended by NPR

Books We Love , NPR's list of best reads from 2021, has hundreds of recommendations: 369 of them, to be exact. With that kind of lengthy list, it can be hard to know exactly where to start. So here are 13 suggestions from our colleagues and independent critics for what to read if you want a good love story or want to explore themes of love and relationships.

Act Your Age, Eve Brown: A Novel by Talia Hibbert

"Has there ever been a better time to read about a charming, hilarious young woman who just can't seem to get it together? This book follows Eve Brown – a talented cook, phenomenal singer, devoted sister and, at the start of the story, a notorious ne'er-do-well. As her story unspools, Eve winds up learning a lot about herself and what she's capable of; her struggle also helps illuminate how rigid and often misguided the expectations of our family, friends and communities can be." — Leah Donnella , supervising editor, Code Switch

A Lot Like Adiós by Alexis Daria

"Childhood besties Michelle and Gabriel hook up one night after high school graduation – and for a moment it looks like the two might finally get together until Michelle discovers that Gabe is planning on leaving for college across the country. After a blowout fight, the two don't speak again for years – until the gym that Gabriel owns hires Michelle to work on a rebranding campaign. Once they reconnect ... well, let's just say they collaborate on more than a marketing campaign. It's hot, it's fun and it's a great chance to brush up on your Spanish vocabulary." — Lauren Migaki , senior producer, NPR Ed

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

"A crime novel wrapped up in a romance? Just what the doctor ordered for readers during the pandemic! There's a lot to love here, especially the criminal high jinks that Meddelin, her mother and her aunts find themselves immersed in as she rekindles a lost flame. Above and beyond, though, this is a love letter to the bonds of family and culture." — Tayla Burney , senior content manager

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado

"I'm glad there's a wave of YA books with fat protagonists, but the characters often possess a level of self-confidence that's too good to be true. Crystal Maldonado has created a much-needed believable protagonist with teenage and adult readers. Charlie Vega is a fat, glasses-wearing, biracial Puerto Rican with a diet-pushing mother and a beautiful, athletic best friend. When her classmate Brian pursues a romantic relationship, Charlie is plagued with-self doubt. The book is propelled by conflicts both internal and external. I'm glad this book isn't body-positive escapism, but rather a well-observed story of fat teenage life." — Jessica Reedy , producer/editor, Pop Culture Happy Hour

12 books NPR staffers loved in 2021 that might surprise you

First comes like: a novel by alisha rai.

"Alisha Rai is one of my go-to writers when I need a romance. Her books are usually quite spicy, but with First Comes Like , Rai shows she can write a great slow-burn romance. When beauty influencer Jia Ahmed learns that she has been catfished by a man pretending to be Bollywood star Dev Dixit, she ends up striking up a friendship with the real actor. A paparazzi mishap leads Jai and Dev to begin fake-dating. Will their fake relationship lead to real feelings? (Of course it will – this is a romance after all.) It's a lovely story about decent people just trying to do the right thing." — Jessica Reedy

Author Interviews

Jasmine guillory recommends 3 summer reads for the romantic at heart, honey girl by morgan rogers.

"One night, Grace Porter – burned out and aimless after finally getting her Ph.D. in astronomy – gets drunkenly married to a woman whose name she does not know, in Vegas no less. Cliché? Definitely. A bad idea? Maybe ... not? Through the mists of her epic hangover, Grace starts to piece together clues about her mysterious new wife. Yuki, as it turns out, hosts a radio show about the supernatural. What follows is a delightfully weird summer where together, Grace and Yuki learn about mythical monsters and even face down some of their own." — Lauren Migaki

Seeing 'Love In Color'

Love in color: mythical tales from around the world, retold by bolu babalola.

"This multifaceted, multitalented Nigerian-British writer – humorist, television creator and now bestselling author – searched the globe to find a radically diverse group of stories about love, from magical folk tales of West Africa to iconic Greek myths and ancient legends from the Middle East. Then, with an evocative and vivid style, she brought new life to old tales and wrote three original stories of her own. The result is a remarkable modern collection of 13 short stories about love." — Carole V. Bell , book critic

Book Reviews

Love rides the q train in this supernaturally sweet romance, one last stop: a novel by casey mcquiston.

"One Last Stop made me fall in love with Casey McQuiston's writing all over again. In this one, August, an inexperienced 20-something trying to figure out life in the big city, is an expert at keeping other people at arm's length until she meets Jane, an impossibly cool girl who always seems to be riding the subway at the same time as her. One Last Stop is queer romance with a side of time-travel shenanigans, but amid all the whip-smart banter and heartwarming rom-com tropes is a potent reminder to make room for love in all parts of your life." — Sharon Pruitt-Young , reporter, newsdesk

Your Laughing Muscles Will Get A Workout In This Sporty Romance

The dating playbook by farrah rochon.

"Any list of 2021's best romantic comedies must include Farrah Rochon's The Dating Playbook . The story she weaves about Taylor Powell, a fitness trainer in need of some clients, and Jamar Dixon, an injured football superstar in need of a secret but hard-core fitness regime, is fresh, funny and sexy. It also boasts a ripped-from-the-headlines plot that touches on topics like football and concussion, and how social media has made having a private life an artform for anyone with celebrity status. Rochon presents her themes with jump-off-the-page humor, and they go far beyond the ups and downs of romance to broader concerns about family, women, friendship and jealousy." — Denny S. Bryce , book critic

Intimacy Is Nothing To Be Ashamed Of In Helen Hoang's Powerful New Romance

The heart principle: a novel by helen hoang.

"Anna Sun is a talented violinist in the Bay Area whose disappointing boyfriend springs a proposal on her: an open relationship. While processing her boyfriend's request and battling a creative block, Anna meets Quan and wonders if he might be the real deal. I love this book because it deals with issues that feel really relevant to today, such as creative burnout, bad boyfriends and neurodivergence, which Helen Hoang explores through these deeply rich and heartfelt characters." — Candice Lim , production assistant, Pop Culture Happy Hour

Love And Hope Are At The Heart Of 'The Prophets'

The prophets: a novel by robert jones, jr..

"This book broke my heart in a necessary way. It's spectacular. A poetic queer love story and an excruciating portrait of life on a Mississippi plantation, it deserves every accolade. At the center are Samuel and Isaiah, two enslaved boys who grow up as best friends and eventually become lovers, and an older enslaved man, Amos, who takes on the role of preacher as a way of securing some semblance of safety and power. Jones excels at ensemble storytelling, treating each character with compassion while being brutally unsparing about the system they live under and the desperate compromises they have to make." — Carole V. Bell

Trust: A Novel by Domenico Starnone, translated by Jhumpa Lahiri

"In author Domenico Starnone's Italian-to-English translation, a couple named Pietro and Teresa are on-again, off-again until the day Teresa says, essentially, "Let's tell each other our worst secret." What she thinks will bind them together forever turns out to be what drives them apart; they've revealed the worst and it's unforgettable. For a lesser writer, this might be enough. For Starnone, it's a jumping-off point, even in a slim, taut book with no wasted words or ideas. When Pietro and Teresa meet again in the evening of their lives, the power one of them holds over the other still matters." — Bethanne Patrick , book critic

While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory

"Jasmine Guillory is the queen of charming romance novels. In her sixth book, we meet ad exec Ben Stephens and movie star Anna Gardiner, who hit it off at a marketing campaign meeting and end up falling into a just-for-cameras relationship (with some fun benefits too). Unfortunately, romantic feelings (as they always do) get in the way of this arrangement. You might remember Ben from one of Guillory's last books, The Wedding Date – the brother of uptight Theo. The best part about Guillory's books is revisiting these characters and guessing who will show up in subsequent novels. Not to mention the descriptive California references (as a California native, I eat those up). Guillory's writing style is addictive, but she also tackles heavy themes. I can guarantee you'll finish this book quickly and want to check out her other ones." — Anjuli Sastry Krbechek , producer, It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders

To read more recommendations from staff members, you can explore the "Staff Picks" section on the 2021 Books We Love website.

The 100 Must-Read Books of 2021

The fiction, nonfiction and poetry that shifted our perspectives, uncovered essential truths and encouraged us forward Annabel Gutterman, Cady Lang, Arianna Rebolini and Lucas Wittmann

1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows

Acts of desperation, afterparties, aftershocks, all that she carried, all the frequent troubles of our days, america on fire, beautiful world, where are you, the book of form and emptiness, call us what we carry, the chosen and the beautiful, chronicles from the land of the happiest people on earth, cloud cuckoo land, the code breaker, the committed, the copenhagen trilogy, covered with night, crying in h mart, dear senthuran, detransition, baby, empire of pain, everyone knows your mother is a witch, the family roe, the final girl support group, finding the mother tree, four thousand weeks, the free world, great circle, harlem shuffle, hell of a book, how the word is passed, invisible child, the kissing bug, klara and the sun, the life of the mind, the lincoln highway, a little devil in america, the loneliest americans, the love songs of w.e.b. du bois, malibu rising, the man who lived underground, mike nichols: a life, milk blood heat, my darling from the lions, my monticello, my year abroad, no one is talking about this, oh william, on juneteenth, one friday in april, one last stop, orwell's roses, the other black girl, our country friends, a passage north, pilgrim bell, poet warrior, the promise, the prophets, razorblade tears, real estate, the removed, remote control, the rib king, second place, seeing ghosts, somebody's daughter, something new under the sun, the sum of us, the sunflower cast a spell to save us from the void, the sweetness of water, a swim in a pond in the rain, tastes like war, there’s no such thing as an easy job, under a white sky, until proven safe, while we were dating, white magic, who is maud dixon, who they was, who will pay reparations on my soul, you got anything stronger, you're history, by ai weiwei, by megan nolan, by anthony veasna so, by nadia owusu, by tiya miles, by rebecca donner, by elizabeth hinton, by sally rooney, by ruth ozeki, by amanda gorman, by sunjeev sahota, by wole soyinka, by anthony doerr, by walter isaacson, by viet thanh nguyen, by tove ditlevsen, by nicole eustace, by jonathan franzen, by michelle zauner, by akwaeke emezi, by torrey peters, by patrick radden keefe, by rivka galchen, by joshua prager, by grady hendrix, by suzanne simard, by oliver burkeman, by louis menand, by melissa febos, by maggie shipstead, by colson whitehead, by mieko kawakami, by jason mott, by clint smith, by katie kitamura, by andrea elliott, by daisy hernández, by kazuo ishiguro, by kaitlyn greenidge, by christine smallwood, by amor towles, by hanif abdurraqib, by jay caspian kang, by honorée fanonne jeffers, by taylor jenkins reid, by richard wright, by lauren groff, by mark harris, by dantiel w. moniz, by melissa broder.

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“ surrender ” by adam perschbacher.

🏆 Winner of Contest #251

NOTE: This story alludes to suicide or suicidal thoughts. In addition, there is one swear I felt necessary to include, but it's entirely in reference to animal feces. * * * * *Our town was baptized in the flood that year and the swelling of the river unearthed relics from long before men settled in these parts. That same year I buried my wife and infant son, both lost in birth. Months after they were gone, our train of ragged coaches met the elbow of that great river, and upon our manifest of provisions and mouths, we would continue no furth...

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🏆 Winner of Contest #250

Dad did not like summer. “A little respiratory problem,” I overheard him tell the neighbour on one side of our house, but that was not why; I could hear the regular sigh of his breath when we watched TV together. “A minor circulatory thing,” I overheard him tell the other neighbour, but that was also not why because I could hear the steady ba-dump of his heart when I put my ear on his swollen belly. He just did not like the heat, I decided, like he did not like Coke but I did. The afternoon heat would drive us to the depths of the old stone ...

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“ The World’s on Fire ” by Dena Linn

🏆 Winner of Contest #249

Trigger: Cancer My head rocks back, long hair sticks to sweaty shoulders and my tank barely holds my jiggling A-cups as I pound it out, dancing. I’m that “Girl on Fire,” a single mom gyrating to Ms. Keys. Flinging out one arm, hips swing and dip, fingers snap, eyes close, and my rock and roll fantasy, straight from a music video: my apartment’s clutter, with the snap of my fingers, flies to order. I burn, more than a flickering flame, heart thumps, shoulders shimmy, sweat drips into my pierced belly button. The fuchsia, sun-yellow and ...

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Calls for help came every day, in every language spoken from Alpha Centauri to Xanoid 10. Meteor. Famine. War!!! Help us, they pleaded. Whoever they was in that particular society that had figured out how to contact us. “Please remain calm,” I used to say. “A unit will be dispatched to your location.” But after our people went Silent, the calls went more like this:  “Hello? We need help.” “We're sorry, but Planetary Assistance is no longer available. Our thoughts are with you during your pending apocalypse. Goodbye.” “Wait —” And I woul...

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Do not ever step foot on the ground. Charlie had been told this his entire life, but it never really sunk in. He didn’t understand the deep-seated fear everyone else seemed to harbor. He thought it was incredible, a beautiful problem to be solved. Until he was laying on the floor of the lab staring at the ceiling and blinking away tears. The first time Charlie ever saw the ground consume a person he’d been twelve. What the tree-top teachers referred to as “live mummification” was a quick, disturbing process. Dirt crawling over skin to creat...

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My phone buzzed. I rolled over to look at the text my cousin Maya had just sent. Can you send photo you took of all the girls in costume last night? xoxo My head was throbbing. Hanging out with Maya was fun, but she was eight years younger than me and she and her friends loved to do shots. I needed to stick with beer only if I didn’t want the hangover. That’s what I'd do next time. I opened my photos app to find the picture Maya had requested. It was a group shot I had no memory of taking. It wasn’t everyone who’d been at the party - just th...

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🏆 Winner of Contest #238

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🏆 Winner of Contest #232

The melting Arctic is a crime scene, and I am like CSI Ny-Ålesund. Trond is the anonymous perpetrator leaving evidence and clues for me to discover, like breadcrumbs leading back to him. “Jonna,” he had said, the day we first met at the research institute, “If you are going to make it up here, don’t lock your doors.” It seemed like a life philosophy, rather than a survival tip.It is ironic. Out on Kings Bay, the coal miners came first, then the science outposts. Trond was already out here mining the Arctic when I was sti...

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🏆 Winner of Contest #231

You are sure you want to do this?   Running away. Starting over.  It’s not as easy as people think. You have to give up everything.  Oh, that part’s easy. Everyone thinks we are all traceable, that you can’t really hide. But, see, everything is tied to your identity. Your papers. If you change those, you are a different person.  Fingerprints? If they’re in the system, if yo...

“ The Lop-it-off-a-me List ” by Ethan Zimmerman

🏆 Winner of Contest #230

The Lop-it-off-a-me List Count money in the envelope one more time. Make sure Marcel has his itinerary. Ask Alex if she will come by to feed Odin. Buy extra cat food and litter so Alex doesn't have to. Give her the spare key next time I see her. Kiss Odin and tell her she is the best cat in the world, even if she has always been destructive...

“ The Gingerbread Cookies ” by Aaron Chin

🏆 Winner of Contest #229

The Gingerbread Cookies Let’s go downstairs and bake some cookies, like mother used to make. The warm smell sits right at home in your nostrils, invading them like wild ax-murderers hacking and slashing their way through endless miles of human bodies that stand in the way of their inhumane, carnal desires. Shhh, shhh, but that’s too dark. It’s Christmas after all. So let’s go down...

“ Cooking Lessons ” by Molly Jenkinson

🏆 Winner of Contest #228

“That’s it petal, just push down a smidge more and it should cut right the way through it.” Mam’s standing above me as I’m trying to hack through the biggest potato the world’s ever seen. I’m sweating bullets at this point but she’s having none of it. “Can’t you just do it, Mam?” I’m absolutely knackered. I’ve been stabbing at this thing for (no joke) fifteen minutes but she just will not take...

“ The Winters of My Discontent ” by Warren Keen

🏆 Winner of Contest #227

I didn’t wake up on November 29th, 2023. The day prior I remember vividly. I drove two hours into western Minnesota to replace some fuses in a pad-mount transformer. Easy job when you bring the right fuses. I wasn’t prepared to stand outside in the freezing cold all day waiting for them. Waiting is the coldest thing you can do. I had checked the weather that morning, but I refused to acknowledge that it was lo...

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Short stories may be small, but they are mighty! With the weight of a novel stripped away, great short stories strike directly at the heart of their topics. Often maligned as the novel’s poor cousin, the short story medium has produced some of the most beloved works of fiction. From the eerily-accurate predictions of Ray Bradbury to the spine-chilling thrills of Stephen King and the wildly imaginative worlds of N.K. Jemison, some of the best authors in the business have made their mark writing short stories .

Whether the stories are sweeping explorations of the human condition, or slices of life vignettes that move us to tears, short fiction has the power to dazzle from first word to last.

Who writes Reedsy’s short stories?

Here at Reedsy, we're looking to foster the next generation of beloved authors. To that end, we've been running a weekly writing contest for over six years — and these short stories are the thousands of entries we've received over that time. Our writers come to the contest from all experience levels to hone their skills through consistent practice and friendly feedback. Some of them have even gone on to write and publish novels based on their short story submissions !

Discover short stories of all genres and subjects

Centered around themed writing prompts, these short stories range across all forms, genres, and topics of interest. Simply filter by the genre that appeals you most, and discover thousands of stories from promising new writers around the world.

Maybe you want to read something new, but don’t want to choose a genre? We’ve gathered our favorite entries in our literary magazine, Prompted . Each issue is packed with prize-winning stories that have been introduced and edited by a guest editor. Grab a free copy of our first issue here . Who knows, you could even discover your next favorite author before they even hit the big time!

(And if you’re a writer, consider heading over and entering the short story contest yourself! You may just walk away with the weekly cash prize, plus the chance to appear in Prompted . )

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Beyond the Bookends

A Book Blog for Women and Moms who Love to Read

17 Wonderful Books about Bookstores You’ll Love!

There is nothing we love more than books about books, but a special place in our hearts is reserved for books about bookstores.

Why? Because it’s any book-lovers dream to own a bookstore for themselves! While it might not be a feasible goal for most people, we can at least experience the ups and downs of selling books by reading books set in a bookstore!

Some of the novels below are historical fiction, some feature traveling bookstores, and some are just good old contemporary fiction.

Whatever your preferred genre, we think you’ll find a book about bookstores to cherish below! But if we missed your favorite, please let us know!

*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.

Table of Contents

Best New Books About Bookstores

The Book of Doors: A Novel by Gareth Brown

Cassie works in a bookstore in NYC. When one of her favorite customers dies, she finds the book he was reading with an inscription leaving it to her. It’s the Book of Doors which allows Cassie to open any door and go anywhere she wants to – London, Paris, or any door she can picture in her head.

Soon, she is approached by a stranger named Drummond Fox, a librarian for a collection of books just like Cassie’s telling her she’s in danger. People have searched for The Book of Doors for years and will do anything to get their hands on it.

Now, Cassie finds herself entwined in a dangerous game of cat and mouse as she tries to stay alive and keep the Book of Doors away from those who want it for nefarious purposes. #gifted

Why I Loved it: OMG. I did not know what to expect when I picked up this book. It is unlike anything I had ever read and I loved every minute of the story! I loved I had to think about how the doors would work and how the story comes together in the end.

Find this book in Books About Books / Magical Realism Books to Read Now / Books about Bookstores / Summer Reads 2024 / Best New Fantasy Books

Contemporary Books about Bookstores

Bookish People by Susan Coll

Sophie Bernstein is an Independent bookstore owner as well as a recent widow. She is trying to deal with the loss of her husband, the loss of her favorite store manager, her only child’s lack of motivation in addition to running a store. More and more, she fantasizes about moving into a secret back room in the store.

I liked the book but found some discussions strange rather than funny. There was a lot of debate about vacuum cleaners. This book is perfect for anyone who loves to read books about bookstores.

The Bookshop by the Bay by Pamela Kelley

Jess is a lawyer who needs a change when she finds out her husband is cheating on her. Her childhood best friend, Allison needs to take a hiatus from her career.

When Jess decides to return to her childhood home with her daughter, she decides with Allison to reopen the beloved bookstore in their sleepy beach town. Both Jess and Allison find meaning in their lives through the new venture and grow closer with their adult daughters.

This is a quintessential beach read for anyone who loves a cozy book about bookstores.

With Love from London by Sarah Jio

I loved this book about a librarian who inherits a bookshop from her estranged mother. When Valentina was a teenager, her beloved mother left her to return home to her native London and never returned. Val was left heartbroken with her father.

Now, Val has returned to London to her mother’s apartment and bookshop to try and understand her mother, her life, and why she would leave. The change could not have come at a better time for Valentina who is going through a divorce of her own. This book about bookstores was such an easy and wonderful read.

The Bookshop of Yesterdays by Amy Meyerson

Miranda’s uncle dies leaving her a failing bookstore and a scavenger hunt for clues to decipher.  What she learns over the course of her summer tracking down clues and trying to save the bookstore will turn her whole world on its head.

I guessed the ending fairly early on, but this book is all about the journey. If you are looking for books set in a bookstore, add this one to your list! You can see our interview with  Amy here .

Twenty-One Truths About Love by Matthew Dicks

I wasn’t sure what to expect from a book that is written entirely in lists but, I absolutely loved it.  Maybe because it’s one of my favorite sub-genres – books set in a bookstore! The format is so unique and never felt redundant or repetitive.

Every character really comes to life with humor and drama as Daniel tries to come to terms with the fact that his life as a bookstore owner is not what he expected.  He is having financial worries and his wife Jill, who knows nothing about financial troubles, wants to have a baby.  

As he tries to make ends meet and simultaneously make Jill happy, he knows that something will have to change but, he isn’t sure what that is.  

This book is a page-turner from the first to the last.  I laughed out loud and could relate to Daniel.  His worries are universal and Matthew Dicks does such a great job of making this character likable with his flaws and all. 

The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

This is one of our favorite books set in a bookstore and its owner will capture your heart. A.J. Fikry is like a bookstore version of Ove in all the right ways except A.J. is only in his thirties.

The recent death of his wife, bad book sales, and the recent robbery of a rare book is wreaking havoc on his life. But this tale of redemption and unexpected chances has a serious soul.

The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay

There are so many books about books that we’ve read more than 50 of them! Not only does this book fit into the list but, it was such an enjoyable read as well. There is character development and growth, in this story about Madeline Cullen. 

When she inherits her Aunt Maddie’s bookshop, she questions why.  As she tries to save the struggling shop, she begins to learn more about herself and her Aunt.

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore: A Novel by Robin Sloane

While this secret society book was not what I was expecting, it was so fun and quirky that I loved it.  Clay gets a job in a bookstore that has a strange clientele coming at very strange hours. 

What is even weirder are the books that they check out rather than buy.  I loved the mysterious parts of the book and the character development. This is one of my favorite books about bookstores !

For more books about bookstores, check out our Ultimate list of Books about Books featuring novels about librarians, authors, booksellers, and more!

Books featuring Traveling Bookstores

The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George

This is probably one of our favorite books to recommend to people. The story features a book apothecary whose owner can meet you and give you a story meant for your soul.

When he needs to help his own soul, he sets his boat adrift to see where it will take him. I loved every minute of it. It’s a must-read if you love books set in a bookstore.

Aria’s Travelling Book Shop by Rebecca Raisin

This is the second book that I read by Rebecca Raisin and I adored Rosie’s Traveling Tea Shop.

This is a cute book centered around Aria who has a romance book shop. Aria began van life when her husband became sick and continued after he had passed away. This is the story of Aria’s search for her happy ending. I enjoyed this quick and easy read.

The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan

The Bookshop on the Corner # 1

This book was the first book that I read by Jenny Colgan and is different from her others.  It is not centered around food but rather, books. 

When Nina, a librarian, finds herself without a job, she decides to embark on a journey with a mobile bookshop.  There is nothing not to love in this sweet book.

The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan

The Bookshop on the Corner # 2

I love Jenny Cogan and I was so happy to have an advance copy. This book, while related to her previous book “The Bookshop on the Corner”, is not a sequel. In fact, I felt that this book was a departure from her previous work. It dealt with some issues that are definitely more serious and delved into these issues in her unique way.

The book felt light and easy to read even though it had some more serious issues without trivializing them. Despite the length of the book( 400+ pages), I really wish the ending was longer. I loved the character development and wanted more. I’m hoping there is a sequel!

Historical Fiction Books about Bookstores

Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner

I loved this book set in a bookstore ! Taking place just after WWII, the women of Bloomsbury Books are struggling to make their own way in the changing world.

We get to see alternating narrators, one of which was in Jenner’s first book, The Jane Austen Society . Each of the 3 females in the story is striving for their dreams and interacting with some of the most famous literary figures of their day!

I squealed with delight when Daphne Du Maurier appeared on the page, but you’ll see Peggy Guggenheim, Ellen Doubleday, and more scattered throughout this charming tale. At its heart, this is a book about friendship and it is an absolute delight.

The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher

I love Kerri Maher’s other two books so I eagerly grabbed this story about an American ex-Pat (Sylvia Beach) that opened a bookstore in Paris during the time between WWI and WWII.

The story was sprinkled with literary figures well-known from the time – think Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Stein, etc. But the story really revolves around Beach’s publication of Joyce’s Ulysses.

Our Thoughts: I had no idea that the famous book caused such a stir in the world at the time – with many publishing houses refusing to publish it based on its content. The story was interesting but a little dragged out in parts. I think the tedium of the publishing process just got to be a little too detailed for my taste.

Find this book in Books about Bookstores / 1920s Novels

The Bookseller’s Secret by Michelle Gable

I had to make a reel for this book because Nancy Mitford is such eye candy!

This dual-timeline historical fiction novel is set in both WWII London, where we see a floundering Nancy Mitford as a bookseller, getting inspired to write The Pursuit of Happiness, and the present day, where another floundering writer is looking to Mitford for inspiration.

Nancy is the character that shines in this book and I love that she’s such a dynamic force.

The Last Bookshop in London: A Novel of World War II by Madeline Martin

Wow, did I love this book! Grace has always wanted to live in London and finds herself working at a bookshop as WWII looms on the horizon.

Grace’s newfound love of books, the store, and the friends who have become family, become the glue that holds her together during air raids, blitzes, and nights spent in darkness.

For more Historical Fiction picks, head over to the Ultimate List of Historical Fiction!

Christmas books about bookstore.

The Bookshop on the Seine by Rebecca Raisin

What could be better than a book about a bookstore, Paris, and Christmas- especially at Christmas time? When Sarah Smith, a bookshop owner is offered a chance to do a bookshop exchange with her Parisian friend, she jumps at the chance.

Her book shop has been struggling, her boyfriend is consistently away on assignments and she feels stagnant. She hopes Paris will be just what she needs.

I wish the relationship between Sarah and her boyfriend was more believable. I feel like I came in without a background of why these two are together for reasons other than their chemistry. This book was a cute and easy read.

Christmas by the Book by Anne Marie Ryan

This is kinda like Love Actually in a bookshop and it’s one of my favorite books about bookstores. Nora and Simon’s bookshop is failing, but that doesn’t stop them from anonymously sending out 6 Christmas books to locals who need cheering up.

We see how their gifted books inspire changes in the lives of the recipients, how much their bookshop means to the community, and how all the of their lives intertwine.

I cried a few times while reading this heartwarming tale, but it deals with some pretty heavy subjects like death of a child and suicidal thoughts/depression. It’s really a wonderful book for the holiday season. Any true book lover will adore this Christmas tale.

The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan

Jenny Colgan is back with a stand-alone Christmas story about a failing bookshop and the woman that saves it. Carmen is stuck with no boyfriend, no job, and living at home, while her sister Sophie seems to have it all – a beautiful house, great husband, a killer job, and 3 kids with one more on the way.

When she realizes her client is going to lose his bookshop and home, she overs Carmen up for the job of turning the shop around, offering her a room at her house to boot.

But the long-standing rivalry between the sisters is out in full force, Carmen seems to sabotage her own happiness in the romance department, and her bookstore boss might be hiding some family secrets that need uncovering.

A charming Christmas tale in true Jenny Colgan fashion, this heartwarming story also has some appearances from beloved characters from previous books.

Looking for more Christmas Books for kids and adults? Check out our Christmas Books Hub for book club guides, book lists, book-related present ideas, and more!

More books about bookstores, what books about bookstores did you find to read.

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As a mother of two boys, Kirsten rediscovered her life-long love for reading while choosing appropriate books for her children. She started this website with Jackie to share their passion for literacy with other moms and kids. She uses her years of experience in marketing and public relations to create quarterly magazines, implement social media strategy, and ensure the website content is relevant and beautiful.

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A Texas county removed 17 books from its libraries. An appeals court says eight must be returned.

A federal appeals court says eight books dealing with subjects including racism and transgender issues must be returned to library shelves in a rural Texas county that had removed them

NEW ORLEANS — Eight books dealing with subjects including racism and transgender issues must be returned to library shelves in a rural Texas county that had removed them in an ongoing book banning controversy , a divided panel of three federal appeals court judges ruled Thursday.

It was a partial victory for seven library patrons who sued numerous officials with the Llano County library system and the county government after 17 books were removed. In Thursday’s opinion from a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, one judge voted to uphold a lower court order that the books should be returned. Another largely agreed but said nine of the books could stay off the shelves as the appeal plays out.

A third dissented entirely, meaning a majority supported returning eight books.

In March 2023, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman ordered 17 books returned to Kingsland library shelves while a citizen lawsuit against book banning proceeded. The works ranged from children’s books to award-winning nonfiction, including “They Called Themselves the K.K.K: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group,” by Susan Campbell Bartoletti; and “It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex and Sexual Health,” by Robie Harris.

The ruling from Pitman, nominated to the federal court by former President Barack Obama, was on hold during the appeal. Thursday’s ruling was a preliminary injunction, and more court proceedings are likely.

The main opinion was by Judge Jacques Wiener, nominated to the court by former President George H. W. Bush. Wiener said the books were clearly removed at the behest of county officials who disagreed with the books’ messages.

“But a book may not be removed for the sole — or a substantial — reason that the decisionmaker does not wish patrons to be able to access the book’s viewpoint or message,” Wiener wrote.

Judge Leslie Southwick, a nominee of former President George W. Bush, agreed, partially. He argued that some of the removals might stand a court test as the case progresses, noting that some of the books dealt more with “juvenile, flatulent humor” than weightier subjects.

“I do not find those books were removed on the basis of a dislike for the ideas within them when it has not been shown the books contain any ideas with which to disagree,” Southwick wrote.

Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan, a nominee of former President Donald Trump, dissented fully. “The commission hanging in my office says ‘Judge,’ not ‘Librarian.’ ” Duncan wrote. “Imagine my surprise, then, to learn that my two esteemed colleagues have appointed themselves co-chairs of every public library board across the Fifth Circuit.”

The circuit covers federal courts in Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.

Costco plans to stop selling books outside the holiday season, publishing execs say

• Costco plans to stop selling books on a regular basis, publishing execs told The New York Times.
• They said Costco would sell books only for the holidays and maybe on some other occasions.
• The decision was mainly down to the labor required to stock books, they said.

Costco plans to stop selling books on a regular basis, largely because of how much labor it requires, four unidentified publishing executives told The New York Times .

They said the warehouse giant would stop stocking books regularly from January and would instead sell books between September and December for the holidays, as well as potentially selling some books sporadically at other times of the year.

Costco didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider made outside regular US working hours.

Related stories

The executives said the decision was mainly down to staffing demands. Stocking books requires large amounts of labor as they have to be laid out manually by workers rather than rolled out on a pallet and replaced frequently, they said.

The Times reported that Costco had already stopped sales of books in some areas, including Alaska and Hawaii.

Reddit users have lamented the decision, with many arguing Costco should at least continue to sell children's books.

"Stopping selling kids books would be like cancelling the hot dog in the food court," one user commented.

Sales of books at non-bookstores such as Costco are largely impulse purchases, with shoppers going to their local warehouses to stock up on groceries and perhaps adding eye-catching books to their carts. As the Times pointed out, not all of these sales are expected to be transferred to other retailers.

The market-research company Circana found that US sales of print books dropped 3% in 2023 compared with the prior year, with the biggest decline in children's books. There were fewer sales of children's fantasy, magic, and humor books, as well as non-fiction, but adult-fiction sales grew, led by fantasy, romance, coming-of-age, and historical-fiction books, Circana found.

BookTok has been credited with boosting print-book sales in an age of Kindles and other e-readers. The publisher Bloomsbury reported record sales in the year to February 29, which it credited largely to the fantasy author Sarah J. Maas, whose series "A Court of Thorns and Roses" has become a BookTok darling.

Watch: Thousands of bags pile up at US airports after flight cancellations

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Costco Plans to Stop Selling Books Year-Round

The decision, which will be implemented in January 2025, could significantly impact publishers.

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By Elizabeth A. Harris and Alexandra Alter

In a blow to publishers and authors, Costco plans to stop selling books regularly at stores around the United States, four publishing executives who had been informed of the warehouse retailer’s plans said on Wednesday.

Beginning in January 2025, the company will stop stocking books regularly, and will instead sell them only during the holiday shopping period, from September through December. During the rest of the year, some books may be sold at Costco stores from time to time, but not in a consistent manner, according to the executives, who spoke anonymously in order to discuss a confidential business matter that has not yet been publicly announced.

Costco’s shift away from books came largely because of the labor required to stock books, the executives said. Copies have to be laid out by hand, rather than just rolled out on a pallet as other products often are at Costco. The constant turnaround of books — new ones come out every Tuesday and the ones that have not sold need to be returned — also created more work.

A Costco representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

The decision could be a significant setback for publishers at a moment when the industry is facing stagnant print sales and publishing houses are struggling to find ways to reach customers who have migrated online.

While Costco isn’t as critical a retail outlet as bookstore chains like Barnes & Noble, it has provided a way for people who might not otherwise seek out books to see them and perhaps grab a new thriller or a cookbook while shopping for socks and paper towels. Shoppers could also browse books at Costco in a way that is difficult to do online.

Costco had already stopped selling books in some markets, including Alaska and Hawaii. Publishing industry executives say other big box retailers remain committed to carrying books and have seen some success with the category.

“It’s an easy place to just grab the latest in a series you’re reading or pick up a book for your kid,” Brenna Connor, the director of U.S. Books at Circana, a market research firm, said of big box stores like Costco or Target. “They are important for the book market overall.”

The retailer’s impact also comes from the size of its orders. As with tubs of hummus or camping chairs, when Costco decided to stock a book, it often went big, ordering tens of thousands of copies at a minimum. For major blockbusters, they might stock hundreds of thousands of copies of a single title.

Robert Gottlieb, a literary agent and chairman at Trident Media Group, said he’d spoken about the changes at Costco to a number of publishers who were alarmed by the potential blow to sales.

“Costco across the country was a big outlet for books,” he said. “There are now fewer and fewer places to buy books in a retail environment.”

The change may also impact Costco customers, particularly those who live in areas without a bookstore. And because many books at Costco were impulse buys, some of those sales may not shift over to Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Instead, they might not happen at all.

  More about Elizabeth A. Harris

Alexandra Alter writes about books, publishing and the literary world for The Times. More about Alexandra Alter

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Each week, top authors and critics join the Book Review’s podcast to talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here .

'Power Book II: Ghost' Season 4: Release date, cast, trailer, where to watch new episodes

"Power Book II: Ghost ," the beloved Starz's crime drama executive produced by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, returns to our TV screens for its fourth and final season this week just in time for summer.

Earlier this year, fans took to social media to express their disappointment after the network announced that the show was ending.

Michael Rainey Jr., who has portrayed Tariq St. Patrick for ten years since the original "Power" series, says the show's ending is bittersweet.

"It's been a long, legendary run," the actor said in a recent interview on the popular radio show "The Breakfast Club" . "God's timing is everything. Everything got to come to an end. I feel like it just time to step into the next chapter of my career."

During an appearance on "The Tamron Hall Show, " Rainey said they are going out "with a bang."

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

More on 'Power Book': 'Power Book II: Ghost': Mary J. Blige on her role as a 'queenpin' survivor in sequel series

Where to watch 'Powerbook II: Ghost' Season 4

STARZ is planning to break up the final season into two parts. The first part will be released on Friday, June 7, while the second is scheduled for Friday, September 6.

Fans can watch Friday's premiere on the Starz app at midnight EST or catch it on cable at 8 p.m. EST .

Main cast of 'Powerbook II: Ghost' Season 4

• Michael Rainey Jr. as Tariq St. Patrick
• Gianni Paolo as Brayden Weston
• Woody McClain as Cane Tejada
• Lovell Adams-Gray as Dru Tejada
• LaToya Tonodeo as Diana Tejada
• Mary J. Blige as Monet
• Method Man as Davis Maclean
• Alix Lapri as Effie
• Caroline Chikezie as Noma
• Michael Ealy as Detective Don Carter

'Powerbook II: Ghost' Season 4 Trailer

Starz released the trailer for the show on May 9.

Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected]