Non-TOB books and chat

[Dianah (onourpath)]

Thank you! I'll check them out.

[Lauren]

I just realized I haven’t seen those excellent long lists of anticipated books for 2025 yet. Weren’t those through The Millions and Lit Hub? I can’t find any of them for this year… Have y’all found the 2025 book lists?

[Tim]

Lauren wrote: "I just realized I haven’t seen those excellent long lists of anticipated books for 2025 yet. Weren’t those through The Millions and Lit Hub? I can’t find any of them for this year… Have y’all found..."

The Telegraph has a list:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/aut...

[C]

Lauren wrote: "I just realized I haven’t seen those excellent long lists of anticipated books for 2025 yet. Weren’t those through The Millions and Lit Hub? I can’t find any of them for this year… Have y’all found..."

It usually takes a few days into the year for them to post them over on LitHub and Millions... so probably sometime this week!

[Lauren]

Tim wrote: "Lauren wrote: "I just realized I haven’t seen those excellent long lists of anticipated books for 2025 yet. Weren’t those through The Millions and Lit Hub? I can’t find any of them for this year… H..."

It's behind a paywall, but let us know if there are a few that you think are particularly ToB-ish. :)

[Lauren]

C wrote: "Lauren wrote: "I just realized I haven’t seen those excellent long lists of anticipated books for 2025 yet. Weren’t those through The Millions and Lit Hub? I can’t find any of them for this year… H..."

Oh ok, great! I don't know why I thought those lists usually come out a month or two before the new year.

I found some here, but it's not as exhaustive as those other ones:
https://bookriot.com/the-39-most-anti...

[Dianah (onourpath)]

Ugh, my post above about Thriftbooks is totally wrong! Yay!!! They are trying to provide an online bookseller that is similar to, but *not* Amazon. Whew, thank god!

[C]

Dianah wrote: "Ugh, my post above about Thriftbooks is totally wrong! Yay!!! They are trying to provide an online bookseller that is similar to, but *not* Amazon. Whew, thank god!"

Oh okay... I was coming back over to this thread as I was thinking about what you said and wanted to ask what made you think they were publishing books on their own? What did you see? Because I just bought books from them recently (and occasionally do) and I'm curious...

[Kyle]

I'm assuming new books by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Eowyn Ivey, R.F. Kuang, Stephen Graham Jones, and S.A. Cosby will likely be _at least_ in the conversation.

[Dianah (onourpath)]

C: Something weird about their books.... often, they have new books with CreateSpace publisher -- which I've known
as proprietary to Amazon. CS is Amazon's publisher for books they "own" -- meaning their own authors -- one's they've signed contracts with. unless CS has gone public in the last 4 years, they are only used by Amazon. TB's titles are full of them. Did they partner with A? Buy the rights to use CS? I don't know. Plus, the front matter in new books looks weird on the CS books, which makes me think they are A's books. I don't know. I think I'm going to write them a letter and ask them about it.

[C]

Dianah wrote: "C: Something weird about their books.... often, they have new books with CreateSpace publisher -- which I've known
as proprietary to Amazon. CS is Amazon's publisher for books they "own" -- meaning..."

hmm, okay, thanks for sharing your thoughts about it. I have no idea about it... but something to keep in mind.

[Dianah (onourpath)]

C: Thanks. If I find out anything substantial, I'll post back here.

[Kip]

https://lithub.com/lit-hubs-most-anti...

[Nadine in California]

Kip wrote: "https://lithub.com/lit-hubs-most-anti..."

"What a long list of books" I thought as I scrolled to the bottom and saw the 'full page' link and discovered that this long list was only JANUARY! I feel like I'm drowning in a vat of chocolate. I guess I'll just keep eating until I die because I'll never get to the end! I should just look at each month during that month, but I know I'll never think of it after today......

[C]

Nadine in California wrote: "Kip wrote: "https://lithub.com/lit-hubs-most-anti..."

"What a long list of books" I thought as I scrolled to the bottom and saw the 'full page' link and discovered that this lon..."

Whoa, usually I feel I'm in the know about most of the books they include on these lists, but I didn't know about so many of them... and so many of them sound really really amazing. sigh.
BUT I feel like they didn't include many I'm looking forward to... probably they are in the back half of the year.

[Kyle]

There's just too much out there, I'm going to hold out for more specific recommendations by people who've actually read them. That, or wait for them to be put on a list of about 18 next March and have them compete.

[Tim]

Kyle wrote: "There's just too much out there, I'm going to hold out for more specific recommendations by people who've actually read them. That, or wait for them to be put on a list of about 18 next March..."

My sentiments exactly. I mean, my TBR pile already exceeds my most ambitious reading lifetime. I don't need a another big pile, I need to know which handful of those thousands is going to be worth my limited reading time.

I've become practiced at the DNF now (something I would never have done when I was younger!) so I'm willing to take chances and walk away, but those lists are too long even for that.

[C]

I would definitely read like 72/291 of these books. I don't know if that's good or bad. eek.

[Lauren]

Kip wrote: "https://lithub.com/lit-hubs-most-anti..."

Thank you!

I mainly use these lists to mark a bunch as "want to read" so I'm alerted for the Goodreads Giveaways for them, but yes, the long lists are overwhelming, and it will take me some time to get through this one.

[Alison]

Kip wrote: "https://lithub.com/lit-hubs-most-anti..."

Thank you! It's so much fun wading through all the upcoming books.

It feels like grabbing handfuls of water from a river and turning around to add them to the kiddie pool already overflowing, if I can overextend a metaphor here.

[Kip]

https://themillions.com/2025/01/most-...

[Phyllis]

According to this Washington Post article (pay-wall)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/busine...
only 4% of adult Americans read over 50 books during 2024. This crowd here is more of a niche than I realized. Thanks for being my people!

[Lark]

I guess this belongs in a still-future "2026 speculation" thread but I'm reading an ARC of The Möbius Book by Catherine Lacey which is purportedly auto fiction about her relationship with Jesse Ball and wow wow wow.

[Dianah (onourpath)]

Wow, I love both Catherine Lacey and Jesse Ball. Sounds like a must for me.

[Alison]

Lark wrote: "I guess this belongs in a still-future "2026 speculation" thread but I'm reading an ARC of The Möbius Book by Catherine Lacey which is purportedly auto fiction about her relationsh..."

I am going to read the heck out of that as soon as I can get a copy in my hands.

[Alison]

The International Booker longlist is out for those looking for a book to read.

https://thebookerprizes.com

[Kyle]

Just finished reading "The Throwback Special" and it was pretty great!

Okay yes that is a Tournament book but from a while back

[Tim]

Kyle wrote: "Just finished reading "The Throwback Special" and it was pretty great!"

I know! Glad to hear you liked it!

[Lesley]

Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist got announced last week. There are some great ones on it.

https://www.womensprize.com/prizes/wo...

[Lauren]

Thanks, Lesley! I just got a copy of Fundamentally. :)

[Nadine in California]

Lauren wrote: "Thanks, Lesley! I just got a copy of Fundamentally. :)"

I started the audio about 10 minutes ago. So far so good ;)

[Tristan]

Not apple fact, but apple fiction. https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/w...

[Lauren]

LOL, that is a great apple story/essay. Cheers to the “aggressively bland”!

[Kyle]

Maybe a bit early on the 2026 list, but Adichie's "Dream Count" is pretty f'ing great so far.

Also, if we're looking back, Mo Yan's "Life and Death are Wearing Me Out" is a great book from one of China's most respected novelists. I had a lot of fun with it.

[Edie]

Kip wrote: "https://themillions.com/2025/01/most-..."
I see Mornings Without Mii on this list. I've already read it twice and I almost don't want to see it on the TOB because I am not sure my heart can take reading any criticism of it. It is such a beautifully flawed book, I wouldn't change a thing while acknowledging it is far from perfect.

[Nadine in California]

Edie wrote: "Kip wrote: "https://themillions.com/2025/01/most-......"

I'm thrilled to see Fagin the Thief on the list. It doesn't do anything experimental with historical fiction - but it is conventional historical fiction at its very, very best, IMHO. I listened to the audio, and the narrator, Will Watt, was superb. I include a link to my review because I want to encourage more people to read it!

[Janet]

I loved Fagin the Thief!

[Kip]

I finished Fagin this morning! Also enjoyed it, I had never read Oliver Twist though so had to visit some plot summaries to see what changed.

[Kip]

Do we have a 2026 hopefuls type chat yet?

Just read this blurb and it honestly feels like its pandering to me specifically: "Original, vivid, and witty. [The Pretender is] Glorious Exploits meets Wolf Hall—and I completely loved it.”—Joanna Quinn, New York Times bestselling-author of The Whalebone Theatre

[Alison]

Kip wrote: "Do we have a 2026 hopefuls type chat yet? ..."

We need one. I just read Woodworking by Emily St. James and it would be a great book for the ToB.

[Kyle]

I wouldn't mind one.... i have some thoughts on Adichie's "Dream Count".

[AK]

I hope there's a 2026 thread soon because I just read Make Sure You Die Screaming by Zee Carlstrom and I would loooove for ToB to consider it!

[Chrissy]

(Anyone can start a thread!)

[Alison]

So during the tournament, John Warner mentioned he'd written a short story collection and was unable to find a publisher, but offered a PDF of it to anyone interested. I asked for a copy and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I somehow ended up reading three books in a short span of time about wealthy people and their inability to grow and change, sequestered and bubble-wrapped as they are against any real consequences. Good White People is worth reading and if you like interconnected short stories at all, and terrible people behaving badly while also being complex people, you'll have a great time.

(The other two were The Float Test and Long Island Compromise)

[Kyle]

Kevin Wilson's new one is a pretty fun and quick read. He's not yet matched "Nothing to See Here," but still good stuff

[Emily]

Chrissy wrote: "(Anyone can start a thread!)"

Was just coming to see if anyone had started a 2026 thread! I'll go start one!

[Chrissy]

Thanks! I did create a 2026 folder and move it there to keep us organized.

[Kyle]

So Nicola Griffith. I know many of us love "Hild," and "Menewood" was on a longlist year before last. I read and liked Hild, but felt it was a little overlong - and Menewood being 200 pages longer than THAT put me off. But I picked up Spear and I think it might be her best. It's a short, straightforward Arthurian tale with a fun twist to it.

(To be fair, I also like giant sprawling Arthurian books, too - though I grew tired of the Magicians series, I really loved The Bright Sword.)

[Tim]

Kyle wrote: "So Nicola Griffith...."

I'm so glad you posted this. Although, maybe not for the reason you would have liked. I haven't found myself ready to give Griffith a second chance (although I'm generally up for another take on the Matter of Britain.)

But I was wondering just yesterday if there was a spot for the non-ToB books here amongst us readerly friends.

Here's is my briefest of reviews of a book I read (and enjoyed enough to write this) yesterday.

If you liked =Several People Are Typing= and =The Wedding People= (or one or the other), give =I Only Cry in Emoticons= (Yuvi Zalkow) a try. It's a messy relationship story (without the suicide threats) tucked inside an app-centric workplace farce.

"I'm trying to finish my novel," I tell her.
She takes a deep breath and then sighs.
I love my friend. She never lies to me. When she's exasperated, she exasperates.

It leans just a little more sentimental and nice than I usually go for, but as a card carrying member of an app-connected workforce, I can't resist the farce. And ... well, there are times when one appreciates a novelist who is generous to their characters and leaves you feeling that all hope is not yet lost....

[Kyle]

Okay. so you know those massive books that are a huge undertaking and you end up spending 2+ months reading them, but they're so dense and rich you enjoy the work? I just finished one - Hilary Mantel's A Place of Greater Safety. It's about the French Revolution through the eyes of three of its major players - George-Jacques Danton, Camille Desmoulins, and the infamous Maximilien Robespierre. It was over 700 pages and I just wanted to live in it and keep reading it. If you loved the Wolf Hall books, I think you should consider reading this - I found it absolutely brilliant.