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

Sheila Roberts • Sheila Roberts has written everything from Regency romances to contemporary love stories to women’s fiction. Two of her nearly 50 popular novels—On Strike for Christmas and The Nine Lives of Christmas—have been adapted for television movies. While Roberts sets her stories in a variety of locales, the beach has always been the place where she and her characters feel most at home. In 2018, Roberts launched her Moonlight Harbor series with Welcome to Moonlight Harbor, and now, five books later, she takes readers back to that small Washington-coast town in Sand Dollar Lane.

Beachy Romances • Ever since Jane Austen set her novel, Sanditon, at Brighton, authors have loved taking their characters (and readers) on a trip to the beach. Whether it’s the warm sun and sand of an oceanside locale, a tropical island, or a bright and breezy lakeside beach, there is something about being near water that brings people together (and may even generate a romantic spark or two). So wherever you are, these beachy-good books offer the perfect summertime escape.

To Beach Their Own • A beach read is anything that takes the reader on a little inner vacation. In other words, for us, “beach” is a state of mind. For some, a beach read is a leisurely stroll through a simple story; for others, it’s a fast-paced, danger-soaked thriller. Or maybe it’s a long, sweeping saga or a book of transporting, incisive poetry. With all that in play, here is our annual selection of beach reads that can be read anywhere, anytime and that are sure to provide readers with just the immersion they crave. We hope this list inspires you to find exciting or comforting, fresh and satisfying beach reads.

Queer Romance Novels • These romances featuring gay, lesbian, bisexual, and nonbinary characters celebrate love with wit, insight, and imagination, offering excellent happily-ever-after tales for Pride Month.

Tudor Mania • With the run of the musical Six, a pop improvisation on the wives of Henry VIII, we anticipate fresh demand for all tales Tudor. So we’re pleased to present a selection of fiction and nonfiction works anchored in Henry VIII’s reign that drill down into that eternally staggering and complexly provocative era.

Books & Video Games That Level Up Reading • Wine and cheese. Dinner and a movie, sure. But have you ever thought of pairing a book with a video game? You may have noticed similarities between your favorite RPGs and novels, be they thematic, structural, or visual. Below you’ll find books for children, teens, and adults that might interest avid gamers, especially when the novel mirrors a video game they already know and love.

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

LIBRARY READS • June 2022 - The top ten books published this month that library staff across the country love.

Long Summer Listens • Summer brings lazy days, travel, hours of puttering, and many relaxing moments that can all be enhanced with an audiobook in your ears. Why not take a long dive into an audio adventure sized to match our expansive plans for the summer season? These long-listens will let you soak up fantastic narration and a virtual vacation, even if you never leave your front porch.

Trans and Nonbinary Narrators • Whether authors are reading their own insightful memoirs or ciphering the many characters of an alien planet, we celebrate the trans and nonbinary narrators who add richness and depth to our audiobook-listening options during Pride...