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Welcome to Today in Books, our daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more. Here are the biggest headlines from last week, from an early “best of” list to a preview of May’s must-reads.
The NYT Selects the Year’s Best Books So Far
I had to check my calendar for the date before clocking that theNYTBook Review staff acknowledged that their selection of the best books of the year so far is being released but a third of the way into the year. The list hints at what might appear on the section’s end-of-year list, so let’s get into it with some highlights that floated to the top of the so-far. Who’s surprised that Tayari Jones’Kingets the very first mention? Not I. I’ve heard nothing but good things about this book and, halfway through it myself, I understand why. I also see one of mymost anticipated books,This is Where the Serpent Livesby Daniyal Mueenuddin, and my most recent TBR addition,Yesteryear(A tradwife tossed back to the mid-19th century? I’m already laughing). All of the books have a header suggesting the kind of reader who might be interested in each title.Kin, for example, is listed under “I want a lush historical novel about sisterhood,” to better help you figure out what to pick up next.Find the full list here.
Why Bookstores Are Booming Again
As attraction to a moreanalog lifestyle grows,literary chic stomps the runwayand the streets, andbookish social media continues to dominate, it may come as no surprise that bookstores are seeing better days. Bookshop.org founder and CEO Andy Hunter sat down withFast Companyto talk about Independent Bookstore Day and the success of indie bookstores, in spite of Amazon:
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“People are really galvanizing around bookstores as a force for good in our culture,” he says. “You see that in the fact that there are about 70% more bookstores now than there were six years ago in the United States. After 20 years of declining numbers, they’re coming roaring back.”
Thearticle celebrating Independent Bookstore Daygets into the origins of the book lover’s holiday, what the day and participating bookstores offer, and how readers and Bookshop.org are contributing to the success of indies.
A New BookTok Bestseller List
The UK now has an official #BookTok bestseller list thanks to a collaboration between German-launched Media Control and TikTok. Combining sales data from NielsenIQ BookData and #BookTok community engagement,Media Control’s algorithm creates this monthly ranking of books. The first month of stats is for March 2026 withHeated Rivalryby Rachel Reid topping the chart. But Irish romance author Chloe Walsh dominates the list with six titles, starting withTaming 7in second place. I’m almost certain Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros would dominate a U.S. version of this list (they do have three titles each on the UK top 20) but, for now, the U.S. only has lists of books popular on BookTok compiled by various outlets rather than anything formal. You can check outBarnes & Nobles’ most popular BookTok books here, and read more abouthow the collab impacts the world of booksat BBC.
Previews of New Books Out May 2026
April is coming to an end and previews of next month’s new releases are beginning to trickle in.The New York Timesreleased its list of26 books out in May,Library Journalreleased itPrepub Alert for next month, and the American Booksellers Association published itsIndie Next List Preview, to name a few. Here are some highlights from the lists:
- Canonby Paige Lewis: I’m seeing this book everywhere and it sounds like a romp. I mean, a madcap story following a nonbinary artist with O.C.D. and a prophet? Gimme.
- Ghalen: A Romance in Blackby Walter Mosley: The prolific author of the legendaryEasy Rawlins seriesis back with a coming-of-age novel following a neurodivergent Black man, and it sounds wonderfully tender.
- One Leg on Earthby ’Pemi Aguda: The celebrated author ofGhostroots, a short story collection and National Book Award Finalist, has a debut novel out this year about a curse inflicting pregnant women on a Lagos housing development.
Books bound to be bestsellers includeThe Calamity Clubby Kathryn Stockett, author ofThe Help, andThe Midnight Trainby Matt Haig. Explore the lists and bookmark your must-reads!
Adaptations to Stream
The big news is that the much-discussed, horny adaptation ofWuthering Heightsis streaming on HBO Max this weekend. You will definitely want to check out ourZero to Well-Readpodcast episode about the book; listen to theWuthering Heightsdiscussion on Spotify,Apple, orwherever you pod, orwatch the rundown of Brontë’s classicon YouTube. If you’re a Netflix girly, then you’re in luck because the streamer released a meaty list ofnew book adaptations out this year. Highlights include Part 2 ofOne Hundred Years of Solitudeadapted from the book by Gabriel García Márquez;Heartstopper Forever, the film finale of Alice Oseman’sHeartstopperseries; and a reimagining ofLittle House on the Prairiebased on the Laura Ingalls Wilder books (can I petition for an adaptation of Louise Erdrich’sThe Birchbark House?). Check out the list and ward off the curse that is streaming ennui.
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