Sitemap - 2024 - FictionMatters

Books we didn't like, new year's reading goals, and our best books of 2025 (so far)

Books That Matter (Part Two)

My ten favorite 2024 releases

Books That Matter (Part One)

Best Books of 2024 with Liz Hein

Reading in Public No. 59: Literary lessons from the English classroom

A brand new reading guide and an unpopular opinion

Friday Mood Recs: The 2024 books I'm bringing into the new year

Reading in Public No. 58: The disappearance of literary men DOES concern me

November 2024 Ranked Reading Recap

A lauded memoir, a sticky family drama, and one puzzling novel

Friday Mood Recs: Slow books to savor during the end-of-year rush

Reading in Public No. 57: Anatomy of a best-of-the-year list

A small gift guide for big readers

Enchanting reads and serious head-scratchers

Reading in Public No. 56: Reading lessons from the National Book Award

NBA finalists and a playful historical novel

Dispatches from the Biggest Week in Books

Reading in Public No. 55: Quick thoughts on the National Book Award fiction finalists

A slow burn, a cult memoir, and the best book quiz on the internet

Friday Mood Recs: Some personal projects for 2025

πŸŽ§πŸ“šOctober 2024 Ranked Reading Recap

Three timely books I read this week

Friday Mood Recs: 21 books to read right now

Writing in Public: Nora Lange on matrilineal stories and what America could be

Intricate novels of love and self-discovery

Friday Mood Recs: A slew of books for scattered minds

Reading in Public No. 54: Boy books, girl books, and the politics of reading

Three British novels with classic flair

Books worth rereading, stories of complicity, and make or break endings

Reading in Public No. 53: A TBR-saving tool for readers who love a plan

Sunday Thread: One book for the end of the year

Friday Mood Recs: 8 clever retellings of classic literature

Writing in Public: Jamie Quatro on structure as scaffolding, giving just enough detail, and the man who inspired Two-Step Devil

Two delightful and useful books by Substack writers

Friday Mood Recs: Six classic horror novels you should read

Reading in Public No. 52: What is English class for?

August and September 2024 Ranked Reading Recap

Changing times and shifting perspectives

Friday Mood Recs: An October reading menu

Reading in Public No. 51: How knowing why I read helps me choose better books

Three books that look back and remember

Prize lists, pairings, and books that got under our skin

Reading in Public No. 50: The essential framework I use to move from reading to analysis

Books for visiting old friends and new places

Friday Mood Recs: Moody, broody books for fall

Reading in Public No. 49: A day in the life of a public reader

πŸŽ§πŸ‚ 2024 Fall Fiction Compendium Launch Party

The 2024 Fall Fiction Compendium

Friday Mood Recs: The best sweaters of 2024 (so far)

Reading in Public No. 48: Pondering literary maximalism

The final week of secret reading

Friday Mood Recs: Academia from light to dark

August 2024 | In Summation

On reading the best book of the 21st century

Friday Mood Recs: Last gasp of summer reads

Reading in Public No. 47: The return of magnificent rhetoric

Translators and tortured teens

Friday Mood Recs: 7 books to read for Women in Translation month and beyond

Reading in Public No. 46: An existential crisis in public reading

Tuesday Thread: What's YOUR book of the summer?

Friday Mood Recs: Five Brit Lit classics I love

July 2024 Ranked Reading Recap

Social media breaks and a summery family drama

August Anticipated Releases and July In Summation

Reading in Public No. 45: What do you do when you don't like something in a book?

The debut novel of a Great American Novelist

Friday Mood Recs: 17 novellas that achieve emotional depth in fewer than 200 pages

Buzzy 2024 titles for good reading and great discussion

Friday Mood Recs: My favorite 20 titles from the Best Books of the 21st Century list

Reading in Public No. 44: What do we mean when we call a book "the best"?

Three upcoming releases to preorder today

Friday Mood Recs: My favorite individual ballots from the NYT best books list

Reading in Public No. 43: The best books of the 21st century

Conquering the tome of tomes

July Anticipated Releases and June In Summation

June 2024 Ranked Reading Recap

Singular narrative perspectives and jaw-dropping finales

Friday Mood Recs: Best Books of the Year (so far) with Liz Hein

Reading in Public No. 42: The slow steady loss of an indie bookstore giant

A slow reading week filled with lush books

Friday Mood Recs: What to read if you're all the way back in on House of the Dragon

Three stylish new releases rich in setting, character, and themes

A behind-the-scenes look at the 2024 Paperback Summer Reading Guide

Reading in Public No. 41: Thirty things good readers do

Characters that provoke big feelings, and a thank you to subscribers

Friday Mood Recs: Voicey novels with narrators who steal the show

Reading in Public No. 40: My complicated thoughts on DNFing

πŸŽ§πŸ“š April and May 2024 Ranked Reading Recap

Two unique and discussable coming-of-age novels

Friday Mood Recs: My most anticipated books of June 2024

Reading in Public No. 39: What "drives" a book?

Three ensemble cast novels with drama and heart

Friday Mood Recs: Twelve books that will transport you to the beach

Reading in Public No. 38: What does it mean for reading to promote empathy?

New suspense novels for unputdownable reading

Friday Mood Recs: What's your summer reading mood?

Video Replay: 2024 PSRG Roundtable

Audio Replay: 2024 PSRG Roundtable

Reading in Public No. 37: Five things I learned while creating the PSRG

PSRG Roundtable Tonight!

The 2024 Paperback Reading Guide

Friday Mood Recs: Five books that almost made the PSRG

All about the 2024 Paperback Summer Reading Guide

Friday Mood Recs: My Most Anticipated Books of May 2024

In Summation | April 2024

My perfect literary getaway in NYC

A brief PSRG update and a great book I wish that I had read better

Friday Mood Recs: My most recommended slump busters for when reading feels hard

Culling TBRs, confronting detestable plot choices, and getting into lit fic on audio

Summer book club announcements and a delightful classic play

Friday Mood Recs: Novels by poets that feature lush language and engaging plots

Reading in Public No. 36: Three reasons to read poetry

March 2024 Ranked Reading Recap

Two heavy hitting anticipated new releases

Friday Mood Recs: Westerns for people who don't read Westerns

Reading in Public No. 35: Five tips for discerning what a book is trying to do

In Summation | March 2024

Books to transport you across the globe

Friday Mood Recs: My Most Anticipated Books of April 2024

A reintroduction and some favorite backlist posts

Friday Mood Recs: Best books of the quarter thread

Reading in Public No. 34: What makes a Great American Novel?

Complicated thoughts on a contemporary campus satire

Friday Mood Recs: Royal reads for KateGate enthusiasts

Reading in Public No. 33: How I keep reviews from tainting my reading experiences

πŸŽ§πŸ“š February 2024 Ranked Reading Recap

Something old, something new

Friday Mood Recs: Top 10 houses in literature

Reading in Public No. 32: Six things to know about Huck Finn before you read James

Two breathtaking books about love lost and tranquility found

Friday Mood Recs: My Most Anticipated Books of March 2024

In Summation | February 2024

Overwhelming library holds, beyond Bookstagram book recs, and not saving the good stuff

Two eerily magical books to slow down and savor

Friday Mood Recs: Zany, cringy, and unhinged narrators

Reading in Public No. 31: What does it mean for a book to "work"?

Three books with intense relationships, provocative themes, and big moral questions

Friday Mood Recs: My favorite sources for backlist literary fiction

Reading in Public No. 30: Cultural criticism through Auden's verdicts

Two niche books I couldn't put down

Friday Mood Recs: Love stories to break your heart

Reading in Public No. 29: The TBR management system that saved my January reading

πŸŽ§πŸ“š January 2024 Ranked Reading Recap

Adding two books to my lifetime favorites shelf

In Summation | January 2024

Friday Mood Recs: Let's get meta

Reading in Public No. 28: 5 thoughts on rereading The Hunger Games

Thought-provoking books from authors I love

Friday Mood Recs: My most anticipated books of February 2024

Reading in Public No. 27: How Romance made me a better Literary Fiction reader

Essays, historical fiction, and one wild ride of a translated novella

Friday Mood Recs: Wintery mysteries to curl up with this weekend

Reading in Public No. 26: Reading the National Book Award with Hunter McLendon

An abridged Sunday letter and some fun forthcoming posts

Friday Mood Recs: 22 books I want to reread

Reading in Public No. 25: Are we over-optimizing our reading?

December 2023 Ranked Reading Recap

Three page-turning January releases for your TBR

Friday Mood Recs: Recommendations for Your Reading Resolutions

Reading in Public No. 24: My "no frills" top 10 books of the year

In Summation | 2023 Reading Reflection