Halfway through the year is a good time to take stock of our reading. The spare elegies of winter have left their mark; the elegant literary novels of spring have come and gone; the big juicy beach reads of summer are just beginning. Let’s pause here and take a look at what good things the year has already brought to us before we look ahead to the riches of the fall. Here are the 10 best books from the first half of 2024.

The best books of the year (so far)

I don’t watch a lot of the sports ball, but have been dialed into this year’s Olympics. If you’d like some Olympic-friendly reading in between watching your faves, Susie Dumond compiled a nice list full of athlete memoirs and fun, sporty fiction. And, if you’re curious about...

The Best New Book Releases Out August 6, 2024

Los Angeles Times

The Southern California Independent Bookstore Bestsellers list for Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, including hardcover and paperback fiction and nonfiction.

The week's bestselling books, Aug. 11

Having grown up on a reading list comprised mostly of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams, I think humor writers don’t get enough credit. It takes skill to make people laugh with nothing but the words you put to paper. Plus, comedies are a great way to explore meaningful and...

12 of the Funniest Science Fiction and Fantasy Books

Malmö is Sweden’s third largest city and the sixth largest Nordic conurbation, but also Sweden’s fastest growing city right now, partly due to immigration and its bustling port city atmosphere. And host city to Eurovision 2024 (I know this doesn’t mean much to American readers!). Malmö serves as a primary entry point for the majority of migrants heading to Sweden and the population could hit half a million in the next ten years. So, of course, a locale for the phenomenon of Scandi Noir given that Malmö has some rough and poor districts, some issues around migration and crime and, as ever with a port city, some shady types about. So where can we find Malmö in crime fiction?

Crime Fiction in Sweden's Fastest Growing City: Malmö

I recently attended a book club meeting for The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander. Believe it or not, I had never before attended a book club where we discussed a nonfiction book. Well, I didn’t finish the book (I know), but I did engage in some great conversation and I have a great tip to share with y’all: I like how the person leading the book club started it off with a summary of the book to focus the discussion and bring those who maybe hadn’t quite finished *ahem* up to speed.

New Nonfiction for Your Book Club

The Forward

Selected Stories By Franz Kafka, translated by Mark Harman Harvard University Press., 304 pages, $28 Franz Kafka was not a household name during his lifetime, but he was admired by the kinds of readers who could recognize greatness and immediately usher it into their house of reading — Rainer Maria Rilke and Thomas Mann. The...

A masterful new Kafka book will bring you closer to the writer than ever before

From the very inception of science fiction, women have always played a crucial role in the evolution of the genre. Now, just as the genre continues to grow, so does the long list of talented women penning stories that take centre stage in sci-fi. From the classics to the more recent talents featured heavily in the Hugo and Nebula awards, here are some of the must-read names in the long list of female sci-fi writers.

10 must-read female sci-fi authors

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Herbie J Pilato

As an actor, Merritt Butrick was cast in one of the most coveted roles in the history of science fiction media. He played David Marcus, the son of the iconic Captain James T. Kirk, portrayed by William Shatner in the 1982 theatrical movie, Star Trek: The Wrath of Kahn. Sadly, Butrick died of AIDS in 1989. He was only 29 years old. This is his story.

In Memory of 'Star Trek' Actor Merrit Butrick: 35 Years After His Tragic Death

Total Apex Sports & Entertainment

Scott Smith’s The Ruins gained high praise from one of the masters in the horror genre, Stephen King. When it comes to horror novels, it can be hard to convey terror through words in a way that sends chills down the reader’s spine. It can be eerie, but not terrifying, as this is a craft itself. King does that meticulously, and this helps him recognize a good horror book when he reads one. This book happens to be among his favorite horror novels, but why exactly? Let’s find out.

What Makes ‘The Ruins’ One Of Stephen King’s Favorite Books?

Mental_Floss

These gory yet fascinating reads delve into the weirdest chapters of medical history, from the dancing plague of 1518 to the bizarre saga of Typhoid Mary.

10 Riveting Nonfiction Books on History’s Greatest Medical Mysteries

With the almost limitless possibilities available to sci-fi, it’s easy to create some seriously evil villains. Rounding up the biggest and best bad guys of science fiction is no easy task. The most evil villains of sci-fi When everything from world-destroying space weapons to undetectable flesh-eating machines is available,...

The 10 biggest villains in Sci-Fi literature

My favorite day of the year, I am personally celebrating by listening to the audiobook of Brad Thor’s new Scot Harvath thriller, Shadow of Doubt. I’ve already read it and written my review here, but because he is one of my all-time favorite authors ever, I always enjoy re-experiencing Thor’s books on Audible once they come out.

National Book Lovers Day: Discover These 15 Must-Read Mysteries & Thrillers

Helen Phillips’s Hum, Eliza Griswold’s Circle of Hope, and Jane Alison’s Villa E all feature among the best reviewed books of the week. Brought to you by Book Marks, Lit Hub’s home for book reviews. *. 1. Hum by Helen Phillips. (Mary Sue Rucci Books) 4...

What Should You Read Next? Here Are the Best Reviewed Books of the Week

Fight your case of the Mondays with a variety pack of bookish goodness. There’s Never Been a Better Time to Pick Up a Book About Media Literacy. I don’t need to tell you that we’re living in an unprecedented moment of disinformation, misinformation, and conspiracy theories. While lies, spin, and conspiracies have always been a part of media, it’s frightening how quickly they can spread and how big their effects can be now. Elections can be decided based on voting informed by misinformation. Conspiracy theories spread on Facebook helped to drive the January 6th Capitol attack. Disinformation has seeped into every part of our online discourse — hijacked by those who want to steer political conversations by force.

Books to Improve Your Media Literacy

Author Scott Lynch gave readers a thrilling update on his Gentleman Bastards Sequence leading up to the release of the series' fourth book, The Thorn of Emberlain. The Lies of Locke Lamora and its sequels follow Locke Lamora and his band of thieves, the Gentleman Bastards, as they pull off a series of high-stakes con jobs and often end up in more trouble than they bargained for.

Lies of Locke Lamora Book 4 (Thorn Of Emberlain) Release Gets Exciting Update From Author

First, some news of our own: Book Riot is hiring an ad operations associate. Know somebody who’d be a great fit? Please send them our way. Now here’s a look at the headlines coming from inside the house:. 🚫 How to Explain Book Bans to Those Who Want...

All the News Book Riot Covered This Week

Cooking With Maryann

This recipe is sooo tasty! It truly is for garlic lovers! It involves sautéing onions and mushrooms in butter and oil until golden, then adding wine to reduce. Garlic, thyme, and parsley are stirred in for flavor, followed by seasoning with salt and pepper. The dish is garnished with additional parsley and served warm, making for a savory, aromatic side. Here's what you'll need to make it:

Garlic Mushrooms in Brown Butter Herb Sauce

It’s Internet commonplace to see social media posts accusing anything that causes the poster mild inconvenience of being “just like 1984!”. Don’t let the Internet fool you; most people haven’t read1984, and most things in real life aren’t like1984 – even when they look like it. Don’t believe me? Well, then I hope you don’t get too shocked to learn that the image above comes not from the film adaptation of the popular novel, but from a dumb Apple Ad.

10 Books Like 1984 To Read In 2024

Do you think horror novels are just a grown-up’s game? Think again. I’m currently reading a middle grade horror novel that’s coming out in a few weeks (stay tuned! I will post about it soon!) and I’m loving it so much. It just reminds me there’s plenty of good horror out there for readers of all ages. That’s right. Horror isn’t just for us old folks. So with that in mind, I thought this week we could highlight some middle grade horror books. And I’ve got a few new releases for you as well, of course. You know the drill, horror fans.

Horror Isn’t Just For Us Old People

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8 Books for Women in Translation Month

When I first started celebrating Women in Translation Month back in 2016, I didn’t really know where to start. I had just realized that the whole...

8 Books for Women in Translation Month

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