FictionMatters

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit fictionmatters.substack.comIt’s time! Liz Hein and I are here with our annual Best Books of the Year (so far) episode and this one is FUN. The literary landscape looks different and 2025, and we are reveling in it. Last year, a few exceptional books dominated the conversation—and both Liz and my favorite books of the year. This year, our lists have much more variety, and while we’re both still looking for our under-the-radar gem of the year, it was a treat to be surprised by each other’s list and to have favorites that felt like our favorites rather than everyone’s favorites. Free subscribers, you’ll find a 20 minute preview of this episode in your inbox, app, or browser. If you love listening to Liz and me chat about books, considering upgrading your subscription to get our book discussion episodes every month!Because of travel and busy summer schedules, this Best Books episode is our June This Month in Books, but we’ll be back to share all of our thoughts on June and July reading next month! After listening, please do head to the comments to tell us all about your best books of the year (so far). New and shiny or backlist gems, I want to hear about the best things you've been reading in 2025!***As a reminder, you can find the transcript and closed captions for this episode by listening in a browser. You can also find this episode by searching for FictionMatters on Spotify. Thanks for listening!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s special podcast episode, I’m joined by independent bookstore owner, podcaster, and debut author Annie B. Jones. Annie has been a favorite follow and a trusted source for book recommendations for me for years and I was thrilled to get the chance to read an early copy of her debut book Ordinary Time: Lessons Learned While Staying Put back in December. In this memoir in essays Annie reflects on her experiences staying: staying put, staying faithful, and staying herself. If you’re familiar with Annie’s work, it will come as no surprise to you that her memoir in essays is filled with wisdom, intention, and an earnestness. If you’ve yet to meet Annie, I hope this serves as a welcoming introduction to her thoughtful nature.In this conversation, Annie and I talk about her behind the scenes perspective on the book creation process from the vantage point of a bookstore owner turned author. She also shares delightful stories about how American Girl Magazine shaped her writing career and how getting out of her comfort zone in a line dancing class prepared her for upcoming life changes. Of course I couldn’t let her leave without sharing book recommendations, and she graciously brought five new summer books she’s already read and loved.I loved this conversation because just like in her essay collection, Annie has a unique gift for noticing and giving meaning to the little things and while not being afraid to get vulnerable about the big things. I hope you enjoy listening and be sure to get your copy of Ordinary Time, out tomorrow, April 22nd.Purchase Ordinary Time: The Bookshelf | Bookshop | Libro.fmBooks Mentioned:* I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott* Bittersweet by Shauna Niequest* Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequest* I Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet by Shauna Niequest* Take Good Care of the Gardens and the Dogs by Heather Lende* Here for It by R. Eric Thomas* Flashlight by Susan Choi* Trust Exercise by Susan Choi* Among Friends by Hal Ebbott* The Paper Palace by Miranda Crowley Heller* The Dinner by Herman Koch* The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley* A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst* Blessings and Disasters by Alexis OkeowoGet more book recommendations from Annie by subscribing to her Instagram. Keep up with book news, bookstore happenings, and more behind-the-scenes scoop on Ordinary Time by following Annie’s podcast, From the Front Porch. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

I truly can’t believe that I’ve been writing on Substack for five years now! It feels like it was just yesterday that I decided to test the waters on this brand new platform. It’s been five years of slow and steady growth, trying new things, and building community, and I’m so glad you’re along for the ride. I love writing this newsletter even more now than when I first started and I feel so excited about continuing what’s going well and trying some new ideas out soon.To celebrate, I’m answering some reader questions in a podcast with my wonderful assistant Maddie Stough. To be honest, I find soliciting questions and recording these things a little uncomfortable BUT you all ask the best questions and I always love listening to AMAs and mail bag-type podcasts, so I’m giving it a go. Maddie and I get a bit chatty about how we’re reading with the state of the world as it is, how we choose the books we read, and the books that made us readers. I also share a bit about planning content and acquiring books as a professional reader. And, of course, we also share some book recommendations. You can find the time stamp at where those begin and the entire list of books below.Thanks so much for listening and thanks for subscribing to this newsletter. I can’t tell you how much every single reader means to me. You make all of this possible and I’m excited for all the great reading we have to come! As a reminder, you can listen to this podcast on Spotify and most other podcast apps by enabling the RSS feed. The transcript and captions are available by opening this newsletter in a web browser.1:00:24 - Books Recommendations* On Beauty by Zadie Smith* A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki* The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish* Possession by A.S. Byatt* Jeanette Winterson* Loved & Missed by Susie Boyd* Blue Light Hours by Bruna Dantas Lobato* Bear and Bird by Jarvis* Sophie Mouse by Poppy Green* Wellie Wishers by Valerie Tripp* Moi Moi by Kazuo Hiraki* Buffalo Fluffalo by Bess Kalb* Poopsy Gets Lost by Hannah E. Harrison* We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins* Shakespeare* Toni Morrison* Oh, Lewis by Eve Rice* Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger* To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee* The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart* Wellness by Nathan Hill* Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton* North Woods by Daniel Mason* Arcadia by Lauren Groff* May Our Joy Endure by Kev Lambert* The Bee Sting by Paul Murray* The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff* Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris* Commonwealth by Ann Patchett* Dream State by Eric Puchner* This Must Be The Place by Maggie O’Farrell* Detransition, Baby by Torrey PetersFor questions, comments, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com or responding directly to this newsletter. I love hearing from you!This email may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.If you enjoyed today’s newsletter, please forward it to a book-loving friend. That’s a great way to spread bookish cheer and support the newsletter!Happy reading!Sara This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit fictionmatters.substack.comHey, readers!Today I’m sharing my October Ranked Reading Recap. In these monthly episodes, I walk you through every book I read in the month prior, ranking every read from least to most favorite. My October books were really solid. They include two backlist Booker nominees that are new favorites, two 2025 releases I have mixed feelings about, a nonfiction title that got me thinking, and a utilitarian how-to book that significantly improved my day-to-day.A few reminders: * If you are a FictionMatters Patreon member, you can find this same episode in your Patreon feed.* If you are a paid newsletter subscriber, you can get a personalized RSS feed or listen to this episode in a variety of podcast players or connect your Spotify to listen there.* You can access an AI generated transcript of this episode by visiting this post in a web browser.If you are a free subscriber to this newsletter, you can listen to a 10 minute preview of today’s episode. If you like what you hear, upgrade your subscription to get Ranked Reading Recap and This Month in Books podcasts delivered to you monthly!#11 Three Days in June by Anne Tyler (2:25). A slim novel that displays Tyler’s gift for voice, but ultimately let me down.Read this if:* You like snarky first person narrators.* You want a quick, surface-level family story.#10 The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (7:29). A lovely story about found family that encourages young readers to consider humanity and the natural world.Read this if:* You want something heartfelt with a happy ending.* You’re looking for a great, tender readaloud for your middle grader.#9 The Favorites by Layne Fargo (10:45). A truly wacky mashup of ice dancing and Wuthering Heights. Read this if:* You’re obsessed with ice dance and/or Wuthering Heights.* You like novels with an oral history format.

Welcome to This Month in Books, a brand new exclusive podcast series for FictionMatters subscribers. In these monthly chats, I’ll be joined by my friend and voracious reader of new releases, Liz Hein. We’ll check in about what’s making news in the literary world and share a handful of books that need to be discussed.In each episode, Liz and I will discuss trends and important happenings in the world of books. Then we’ll each bring 4 or 5 books we’ve read recently that warrant something deeper than an Instagram caption length review. I love talking to Liz about books and our hope is that these episodes feel less like a series of reviews and recommendations and more like hanging out with your most bookish friends. After you listen, jump into the comments and tell us about your month in books. What’s catching your attention and what books are demanding to be discussed?This new monthly series is available to paid subscribers to the FictionMatters newsletter and Patreon members. If you are a Patreon member, you should see this episode in your podcast feed and Patreon app now.Paid newsletter subscribers, you can listen to this and all FictionMatters Podcast episodes on Spotify by clicking this link.If you’re considering upgrading to a paid newsletter subscription, here’s a reminder of what you’ll get*:* Past and future reading guides (biannually) which, this year, included the Paperback Summer Reading Guide and the Fall Fiction Compendium* Friday Mood Recs posts (weekly) with book recommendation organized around a mood or theme* In Summation posts (seasonally) with life updates and superlatives for books, products, meals, clothes, and more* Ranked Reading Recap podcasts (monthly) where I rank every book I read the month prior* This Month in Books podcasts (monthly) where Liz and I talk about the literary world, share a handful of books, and speculate on what books will generate the most buzz* Automatic entry into drawings for surprise book boxes (monthly)*Patreon members, please note that the only perks not also available to patrons are In Summation posts and entries into drawings (per Patreon rules). While Friday Mood Rec posts are not shared on Patreon, you have access to a spreadsheet with all the recommended books, shared in every Monthly Overview.Thank you so much to all the Patrons paid subscribers who keep FictionMatters running! I truly could not do this without you!FictionMatters is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.What’s new and noteworthy?* Fiction Matters Fall Fiction Compendium * National Book Award Longlist* Booker Shortlist* Aspen Prize Long List* Lauren GroffBooks Discussed* 14:41 Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner* 14:46  James by Percival Everett* 14:47 Orbital by Samantha Harvey (UK)* 14:48 The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden (Netherlands)* 14:49 My Friends by Hisham Matar* 14:50 This Strange Eventful History by Claire Messud* 14:57 Enlightenment by Sarah Perry* 15:47 The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry* 16:16 Held by Anne Michaels (Canada)* 16:17 Stoneyard Devotional by Charlotte Wood * 16:44 Melmeth by Sarah Perry* 17:16  Stoneyard Devotional by Charlotte Wood * 17:25 The Safekeep by  Yael van der Wouden* 17:47 Held by Anne Michaels (Canada)* 17:54 Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner* 18:53 Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zelvin* 20:32 James by Percival Everett * 20:53 The Color Purple by Alice Walker* 20:58 Rabbit is Rich by John Updike* 21:50 Two Step Devil by J.B Quattro (Liz)* 26:34 Fire Sermon* 28:34 The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout (Sara)* 28:43 Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout* 29:11 Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout* 29:12 Oh William by Elizabeth Strout* 34:30 Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe (Liz)* 37:34 Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe* 38:43 Bright I Burn by Molly Aitken (Sara)* 42:07 The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff* 42:09 Matrix by Lauren Groff* 44:05 The Repeat Room by Jesse Ball (Liz)* 49:26 How to Set a Fire and Why by Jesse Ball* 50:24 Entitlement by Rumaan Alam (Sara)* 50:41 Leave The World Behind* 51:30 Trust by Hernan Diaz* 54:31 Colored Television by Danzy Senna* 54:39 You’re Dead by Sam Sacks (Liz)* 59:20 Scaffolding by Lauren Elkin* 59:23 The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror Story by Olga Tokarczuk* 1:01:04 The Garden by Claire Beams * 1:01:08 The Illness Lesson by Claire Beams* 1:02:10 Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors* 1:03:27 Us Fools by Nora Lange* 1:03:41 Intermezzo by Sally RooneyShop the Books: Amazon | Bookshop | Libro.fm | Blackwell’sFor questions, comments, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com or responding directly to this newsletter. I love hearing from you!This email may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.If you enjoyed today’s newsletter, please forward it to a book-loving friend. That’s a great way to spread bookish cheer and support the newsletter!Happy reading!Sara This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Best books season is upon us and I had the pleasure of talking about favorites with reader extraordinaire and recurring FictionMatters contributor, Liz Hein. Today, we each share our top 12 books of the year. We have some significant overlap, but we also each share books that just missed the other's list, that weren't mutually loved, or that the other hadn't yet read. Digressions include a cameo from Louise and just a little bit of ranting about review practices.I hope you love this episode! Be sure to follow Liz's reading life on Instagram and stay tuned for a best backlist books of the year episode coming soon.FictionMatters Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Books Mentioned:* Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin (16:20)* The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (18:50)* On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniels (21:38)* The Land of Milk and Honey by C. Pam Zhang (23:50)* North Woods by Daniel Mason (26:41)* Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt (30:22)* The Postcard by Anne Berest (33:34)* The Fraud by Zadie Smith (36:09)* The Laughter by Sonora Jha (42:50)* Loot by Tania James (45:25)* Orbital by Samantha Harvey (48:28)* Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond (52:46)* The Bee Sting by Paul Murray (55:31)* Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (58:38)* The Memory of Animals by Claire Fuller (1:03:53)* My Work by Olga Ravn (1:06:55)* The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff (1:13:13)* Wellness by Nathan Hill (1:18:35)* Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward (1:22:40)* Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton (1:32:50)Shop the Books: Bookshop | Amazon | Blackwell's | Libro.fmThis post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through my affiliate storefronts, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe

Hey, readers!It’s a Reading in Public first today. I have the pleasure of sharing an extremely fun and impassioned conversation with one of my favorite book people—IN PODCAST FORM!! Traci Thomas is the creator and host of The Stacks Podcast, an incredible podcast doing some of the best and most thoughtful interviews and book discussions on the internet. I asked Traci to join me after she made an astute off-hand comment to me about the frustrating state of book reviews and book criticism. Traci was kind enough to join me to talk about how we talk about books, and she offered me some new ways to think about reviewing books. We get into what makes a review helpful for readers, why Traci is adamant about reviewing every book she reads, why so many traditional book reviews are unhelpful, the best places to find good cultural criticism, and—of course—that Jesmyn Ward pan that kicked off this whole conversation. We also discuss why we'd like to see readers have more fun with reviews and why book reviewing feels so different from other forms of cultural criticism.You can listen to our conversation on your desktop, in the Substack app, or in your favorite podcast player by clicking here and following the instructions. Traci and I get very passionate in our conversation, including some adult language so be cautious about listening with littles in the car. You can find a full podcast transcript by opening today’s post in a browser or on the Substack app, but I will warn you that the AI generated notes aren’t especially helpful or easy to follow. I hope you’ll get the chance to listen to our conversation in full, because it’s really fun and extremely illuminating!Most importantly, be sure you’re following along with Traci’s incredible work by subscribing to The Stacks Podcast, following her on Instagram, and joining her Stacks Pack Book Club. Following Traci’s work has made me a better thinker and reader and I’m always eager to see what she’s reading and who she’s talking to next.Correction: After this episode aired, someone in the know informed Traci and I that Jennifer Wilson who wrote the NYT review of the Let Us Descend is in fact a very well regarded and well respected literary critic with writing and cultural commentary in many different publications. While I stand by our criticism of that review, we got it wrong when we said that Wilson was an untested critic. As Traci so astutely said in the episode, public book criticism is part of the discourse and our work is also fair game for critique and correction. I’ve loved seeing your responses to our discussion and can’t wait to hear what further insights this conversation prompts!All the Mentions* Ben Brantley’s NYT reviews* The Woman in Me by Britney Spears* Pageboy by Elliot Page* Craft in the Real World by Matthew Salesses* Traci’s conversation with Jesmyn Ward* Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward* NYT review of Let Us Descend* Vulture Books* The Atlantic Books* The Ringer* Taffy Brodesser-Akner* Taffy Brodesser Akner’s Taylor Swift profile* Tressie McMillan Cottom* Thick by Tressie McMillan Cottom* Into It: Why Literary Criticism is Broken * Into It: Country Music’s Race Problem* Andscape* Shine Bright by Danyel Smith* Maureen Corrigan* Ron CharlesReading in Public deep dives are supported by paid subscribers to the FictionMatters Newsletter. If you enjoyed today’s topic, please consider buying me a coffee or becoming a paid subscriber. If a financial contribution isn’t right for you, please forward this email along to a reader friend. That’s a great way to help FictionMatters grow and stick around. Thanks for your support!For questions, comments, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing fictionmattersbooks@gmail.com or responding directly to this newsletter. I love hearing from you!This email may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.-Sara This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fictionmatters.substack.com/subscribe