Publishers Weekly

Independent presses are sick of Barnes & Noble’s buying practices. “B&N narrowed their selection and got rid of some of the depth,” one told PW. “This has hurt indie publishers.” CEO James Daunt argues that all he did was cut “boring” books. Our story: publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/in…

It’s shaping up to be a blockbuster season. From AI treatises to dark academia, Pynchon, Atwood, and beyond—PW’s Fall Preview charts the must-reads across fiction & nonfiction. Smart. Surprising. Unmissable 🔗 buff.ly/dIWSlr6 #BooksToWatch #FallPreview #PWEditorPicks

EveryLibrary has shared some of its latest research on library policymaking and patrons in a new legislative summary and annual survey, which stressed the importance of coalition-building and removing barriers to borrowing, respectively. buff.ly/yui6GhU

★ Middle grade novel POCKET BEAR by Newbery Medalist Katherine Applegate, illustrated by Charles Santoso, is a “treasure of a book” that “evokes laughter, tears, and introspection in equal measure” buff.ly/RItlcu1

In this week's edition of Endnotes, we take a look at Rick Remender, Brian Posehn, and Brett Parson's ‘Grommets,’ a sweet and raunchy 1980s California skate-punk slice of life comic. buff.ly/skNuS57

In ‘A Seat at the Table’ (OR Books, Oct.), the restaurateur and activist Andy Shallal details the founding of his Washington, D.C., eatery and bookstore Busboys and Poets, and offers insights on politics, food, immigration, and art. buff.ly/YwDOouf

Questions about the way the company accounts for the cost of digital sales forced Barnes & Noble Education to delay filing its report, and an investigation found that “internal control over financial reporting was not effective” in fiscal 2024 and 2025. buff.ly/Rf0L0Fc

Algonquin, Berkley, and Tor Nightfire all pick up genre-blending horror novels, CNN’s Abby Phillips pens a popular history on Jesse Jackson for Flatiron, and more in this week’s book deals. buff.ly/3fJY7fu

In its 2025 strategic plan, the American Library Association addresses national policy, library legislation, and local connections and reflects the “need to be nimble,” said Leslie Burger, ALA interim executive director. buff.ly/VvxFHLe

This fall’s hottest debut fiction is all about location, location, location, whether in stories about crazed house hunters, Upstate New York politics, hypocrisy in the Deep South, or finance in the Middle East. buff.ly/kbsYvqn

Louise Penny’s exemplary 20th mystery featuring Chief Insp. Armand Gamache of the Québec Sûreté picks up where its predecessor left off, with Gamache and his cohort reeling from the revelation that a conspiracy to poison Montréal’s drinking water was just the beginning of a…

Ken Follett offers an engrossing tale of the neolithic British Isles and the construction of the Stonehenge monument. He builds tension with the challenge of transporting the stones to the site, and keeps the reader invested in the story with well-developed characters.…

Second-chance romance animates this delightfully layered contemporary from Bolu Babalola. She has a talent for convincingly depicting the extremes of human emotion, from devastating heartbreak to intense passion, and her characters feel wonderfully real and well rounded.…

★ In their YA horror novel THE DEAD OF SUMMER, Ryan La Sala “fuses body- and eco-horror into a propulsive paranormal thriller” that “meditates on the resilience of found family and the cost of unethical experimentation” buff.ly/aG0MFqu

In ‘As a Jew’ (HarperOne, Sept.), former White House speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz explores the cultural forces that have shaped Jewish identity in America. buff.ly/3xWY5nS

This fall, Random House’s Inklore will reissue the influential Flight anthology series edited by Kazu Kibuishi, who discussed the process of bringing out the new editions and how his own impressions of the series have changed over the years. buff.ly/SQq6ZC1

Simon & Schuster has struck deals with Dynamite and Penzler, IPG has added five new publishers to its sales and distribution programs, and more in this week’s distribution deals. buff.ly/1pC6ygy

Kelsey Miller spotlights the dark side of excessive wealth in her beguiling debut. Her intricate plot drips with opulence and subterfuge as each of her well-drawn characters fights desperately to keep their secrets hidden. @hanoversquarepress buff.ly/mn0x9y8

Tiny Onion and Humble Bundle have curated a bundle with 41 titles by the Eisner-winning creator James Tynion IV, in collaboration with DC, Boom!, Image, Dark Horse, and Dstlry, to raise funds for Binc. buff.ly/iwOsMgG

Starting in September, Drag Story Hour will lead its first book club, Queer Visitors, for LGBTQ+ adults and allies. The clubs inaugural selections are fantasy classics by L. Frank Baum, including ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.’ buff.ly/BlG6gvH

Nightmares, but make them personal. 👀 Author Jesse Byrd talks a slice of terrifying inspiration behind Dream Warriors. 🎥 Watch the video + enter to win a signed copy: buff.ly/3E8w10B #PWGiveaway #BeyondtheBook #GraphicNovels