Sitemap - 2024 - FictionMatters
Books we didn't like, new year's reading goals, and our best books of 2025 (so far)
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
π§πOctober 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
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
π§π 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
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
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
π§π 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
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
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
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
π§π February 2024 Ranked Reading Recap
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
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
π§π January 2024 Ranked Reading Recap
Adding two books to my lifetime favorites shelf
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