Booklist Booklist, Vol. 120, No. 14, 3/15/24

Notable Books, 2024 The Notable Books Council, ALA Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), presents its annual best-of list of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry titles published in the U.S., books selected for their significant contribution to the expansion of knowledge or for the pleasure they provide. This list has been compiled for use by general readers and for librarians who work with adults. All titles were published in 2023. Fiction Biography of X. By Catherine Lacey. Farrar, $28 (9780374606176). An artist’s widow reckons with grief by seeking the truth about her late wife against the backdrop of a richly detailed alternate history. Chain-Gang All-Stars. By Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. Pantheon, $27 (9780593317334). Incisive allegory and brutal violence combine in a thought-provoking dystopia about the dehumanization of incarcerated people and the power…

The Reading List Council has announced the annual best-of list comprised of eight different fiction genres for adult readers. A shortlist of honor titles, up to four per genre, was also announced. All titles were published in 2023. Adrenaline Better the Blood. By Michael Bennett. Atlantic Monthly, $27.99 (9780802160607). Detective Hana Westerman has long struggled to balance her Māori heritage with her work. When a serial killer begins committing ritualistic killings in response to a crime that occurred decades prior, Hana must face demons in her own past as her hunt for the killer grows ever more desperate. Shortlist: The Antiquity Affair, by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne (Harper Muse); Blood Sisters, by Vanessa Lillie (Berkley); Going Zero, by Anthony McCarten (Harper); The Last Word, by Taylor Adams (Morrow). Fantasy…

The CODES List, from a committee of the Collection Development and Evaluation Section (CODES) of the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), has announced the 2024 selection of essential cookbooks for public libraries, highlighting titles for both avid home chefs and those just learning the rewards of making a meal. The list further supports those who appreciate the many joys of reading cookbooks, even if they rarely venture into the kitchen. As judged by librarians who cooked from, enjoyed, and discussed them, these are the cookbooks that will stand the test of time, become reliable favorites, and nourish readers. Baking Yesteryear: The Best Recipes from the 1900s to the 1980s. By B. Dylan Hollis. DK, $32 (9780744080049). Hollis brings his popular nostalgic baking adventures from social media to the page…

The Over the Rainbow committee of ALA’s Rainbow Roundtable gave careful consideration to books across all genres, including memoir, history, true crime, fiction, poetry, and more. The final ten selections showcase a wide range of queer stories and experiences, working to dispel, one book at a time, the myth of the single narrative. Better Living through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World. By Christian Cooper. Random, $28 (9780593242384). Told with Cooper’s characteristic calm, the book reflects on society regarding both race and queerness with a true birdwatcher’s attention to detail. The Celebrants. By Steven Rowley. Putman, $28 (9780593540428). A touching story of lifelong friends as they deal with a coming loss highlights the intersection of queer community and chosen family, lighthearted, but not without its deeper…

The Best Fiction for Young Adults list is compiled annually by a committee of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) and comprises fiction appropriate for ages 12 to 18. All titles were published in 2023 unless otherwise noted. The committee’s top 10 choices are identified with an asterisk (*). Always the Almost. By Edward Underhill. St. Martin’s/Wednesday, $18.99 (9781250835208). Miles makes a New Year’s resolution to win back his ex-boyfriend and defeat his piano rival. When he meets Eric, a kind and thoughtful new kid, and starts practicing with a new piano teacher, Miles begins to learn more about himself and what he really wants. Ander & Santi Were Here. By Jonny Garza Villa. St. Martin’s/Wednesday, $18.99 (9781250843999). Nonbinary teen Ander is preparing to leave for college but is spending…

The Alex Awards, administered by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) and sponsored by the Margaret E. Edwards trust, honor the top 10 adult books published during the previous year with appeal to readers between the ages of 12 and 18. The full, vetted list of the nominations can be found on the YALSA website. Bad Cree. By Jessica Johns. Doubleday, $28 (9780385548694). Monsters aren’t just the stuff of nightmares. After waking from a disturbing dream that feels all too real, Mack returns home to finally grieve for her sister. With the help of her family, she uncovers the sinister truth behind her sister’s death and the violence experienced by her Native community. Chain-Gang All-Stars. By Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. Pantheon, $27 (9780593317334). In a terrifyingly plausible near future, incarcerated…