Booklist Reader

Published by Booklist, an imprint of the American Library Association. Booklist Reader features diverse book and audiobook recommendations, for readers and listeners of all ages. Filled with high-interest, themed lists that showcase books for your family or book discussion group.

From the Editor & Publisher

Booklist Reader

Romance Novels • We are in a golden age for rom-coms, both historical and contemporary, as these top romance novels affirm, though emotionally rich tales are also on tap.

Romance Debuts • Unexpected encounters, second chances, serious issues, and inventive hilarity are all explored and shared in these exceptional first romances.

Gothic Romance • Inheritance, the first novel in Nora Roberts’ new Lost Bride trilogy, tells the tale of a woman who finds love while settling into an old mansion cursed with a ghostly presence or two. The gothic titles below also deliver supernaturaltinged suspense, spooky atmospheres, and otherworldly romance.

Witchy Romance Novels • Paranormal romances have cycled through the vampire craze and shapeshifter tales; now a passion for witches and their often-quirky powers (not to mention lots of puns!) is all the rage. Ranging from romantic suspense to rom-coms, these witch-starring tales all cast a delightful spell.

Historical Fiction • India, Europe, the U.S., Sudan, the Caribbean, and China are all gorgeously evoked settings in these extraordinarily empathic, deeply anchored, and richly perceptive historical novels.

Historical Fiction Debuts • The meshing of exceptional imagination, empathy, artistry, and historical authenticity elevates these debuts to the very top of the historical fiction genre.

Vanessa Riley • In addition to being a novelist, Vanessa Riley holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering and a master’s in industrial engineering and engineering management from Stanford University. She currently juggles mothering a teen, cooking for her military husband, and speaking at women’s and STEM events. She loves baking her Trinidadian grandma’s cake recipes and collecting Irish crochet lace. You can catch her writing from the comfort of her porch in Georgia, with a cup of Earl Grey tea. Riley lives in Atlanta.

Jewish American Historical Fiction • Historical fiction of the highest caliber offers a window onto the Jewish American experience, spotlighting actual events and individuals; articulating emotions, thoughts, and moral and spiritual dilemmas; and tracing the endless ripple effects of the past through vividly realized settings, engrossing plots, and manyfaceted characters.

Crimes & Prejudice in London and the West Indies • These commanding novels connect with Zadie Smith’s The Fraud in their astute and dramatic illumination of slavery on British sugar plantations in the West Indies, the impact of racism and the slave trade on London society, the lives of famous British writers, and infamous, polarizing, and baffling London court cases.

Adult • Get your hands on these hotly anticipated books, all out this month.

February 2024 • The Top Ten Adult Fiction and Nonfiction Chosen Monthly by America’s Library Staff

February 2024 HALL OF FAME TITLES

Romance Fiction on Audio • It’s the era of the rom-com on audio, but that doesn’t mean our top picks from the last year don’t also include a smattering of gothic intrigue and Regency joy.

Black History Month on Audio • During Black History Month, we’re revisiting some stellar audiobooks that highlight pivotal moments and significant figures in the civil rights movement and beyond. With resonant voices, thoughtful soundscapes, and content for a range of ages and interests, there is something for everyone as we celebrate and honor Black history.

PBS Books Readers Club

Romance for Youth •...