This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Welcome to Today in Books, our daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more.
The Best Books of 2025 So Far, According to Vulture
…Are we doing quarterly Best Books of the Year lists now? I had to double check the date to make sure it wasn’t June when I encountered Vulture‘s Best Books of 2025 So Far. But, you know what, I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth and there really are so many good books already out. Like, One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad has been everywhere and, based on literally every mention of the book I’ve come across, for good reason. Agustina Bazterrica first captured my attention with her brutal, dystopian vision of a cannibalistic future in Tender is the Flesh (translated by Sarah Moses), and returns this year with The Unworthy (same translator), another dystopian horror story but this time about a religious order. We also have another great from prolific MacArthur Fellow Imani Perry. Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People “traces the relationship between the color blue and the Black experience in America and throughout the world.” Find the full list over at Vulture.
Transform your reading experience! Become an All Access member and unlock a treasure trove of exclusive content—must-read articles, deep dives, and curated recommendations—with unlimited access to 20+ members-only newsletters, community features, and more. Sign up now for only $6/month!
The National Book Foundation Announces 5 Under 35
The National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35 recognizes five authors under the age of 35 whose debut fiction “promises to leave a lasting impression on the literary landscape.” The five are: Stacie Shannon Denetsosie for The Missing Morningstar and Other Stories, Megan Howell for Softie, Maggie Millner for Couplets: A Love Story, Alexander Sammartino for Last Acts, and Jemimah Wei for The Original Daughter. I’m excited for these debut authors and the buzz they’ll get from the honor–one title is from an independent press and one is from a university press, i.e. the types of publishers that don’t have a ton of money to throw at marketing. Another cool thing about this list is that each nominee is chosen by authors who have been honored by the National Book Foundation, some of whom were previous 5 Under 35 honorees. This year’s judges were Mona Susan Power (A Council of Dolls) , Deesha Philyaw (The Secret Lives of Church Ladies), C Pam Zhang (How Much of These Hills Is Gold), George Saunders (Tenth of December), and Morgan Talty (Night of the Living Rez).
Romancing the Book Bar
If your swiping finger is fatigued and your eyes need a break from screens–oh, and you happen to live in Manhattan–you might be the perfect candidate for the borough’s book bar, Bibliotheque. A.J. Jacono and his dad, the book bar’s founders, have launched a couple of dating-friendly socials. You have the option of participating in a speed dating wine social or a date night featuring a complimentary dessert and wine specials. InStyle highlighted the bar’s events in a piece on the search for love in bookish spaces, talking with book bar owners and dating industry professionals about the business of marrying books and romance seekers. Read all about book loving singles and romantic reading parties.
And If You’re in the Mood for More Romance…
We’ve rounded up the most popular romantasy books of March, according to Libby. “If you’ve been within sniffing distance of the book world the last couple of years, you’ll have come across the booming subgenre, and now with Libby—and the 22,000 public libraries it serves across America—we’ve got some interesting insight into the current popular romantasy books.”
The comments section is moderated according to our community guidelines. Please check them out so we can maintain a safe and supportive community of readers!