this is a roundup of resources compiled by my former RA professor, dr. mary k chelton, and it is as comprehensive as a list can be. this most recent iteration was updated jan 2018 with the help of neal wyatt, with permission to share “widely” as long as the courtesy of credit was observed. i’m not sure how widely this blog is going to unfurl into the world, but maybe a handful of folks will find it useful. i certainly do. i’m going to add to this periodically with my own findings, but the bulk of this work will always belong to dr. chelton.
GENERAL SOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENT SERVICES
Adult Reading Round Table. Self-help RA training group of librarians in the Chicago suburbs with lists, RA troubleshooting tips, and genre studies. http://www.arrtreads.org.
AllReaders. Features detailed book reviews from all genres as well as featured authors, latest book reviews, reader-entered book reviews and a unique one-click plot search capability by genre. http://allreaders.com
Amazon.com Huge online bookstore with reviews and full text searching available. https://www.amazon.com/books-used-books-textbooks/b?ie=UTF8&node=283155
Any New Books? Receive FREE weekly notifications about new books covering the subjects you love. http://anynewbooks.com
Book Blogs Search Engine. Whether you’re looking for other non-commercial reviews of a book you’ve just read, or want real readers’ opinions on a new book you’re considering, this is the place! http://fyreflybooks.wordpress.com/about/book-blogs-search/
BookBrowse.com A literary smorgasbord of the best current books recently published in the USA, with an extensive excerpt of each for your reading pleasure. Includes a new search tool that categorizes titles at http://www.bookbrowse.com/2cat/.
BookForum. “A smart, vital, edgy magazine about the living art of writing.” http://www.bookforum.com/
Bookish. “Our goal is to give readers more information about the books, authors, and genres that they love while also introducing them to new titles, debut writers, and genres they never thought they’d read. From the casual reader to the one who documents each and every book read in a color-coordinated spreadsheet.” Includes must-picks, book club picks, author exclusives, genres, etc. https://www.bookish.com
Booklist Online. Complementing and expanding on the print journal Booklist, Booklist Online delivers highly searchable and creatively linked reviews, columns, and features-all designed to help users find exactly the right book. ALA. Full reviews only available now if you have the paid subscription. www.BooklistOnline.com
Bookmarks Magazine. www.bookmarksmagazine.com Includes a Power Browser to search reviews database by theme and subgenre.
BookPage.com Popular review source of new books for readers.
Book Pulse. A daily update by Neal Wyatt designed to help collection development and readers’ advisory librarians navigate the never-ending wave of new books and book news. Highlights titles moving in the marketplace and getting buzz, bookish stories making news, and key items from the literary web. http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2017/11/collection-development/book-pulse/more-best-books-book-pulse/
Book Riot. “Book Riot is dedicated to the idea that writing about books and reading should be just as diverse as books and readers are. So sometimes we are serious and sometimes silly. Some of our writers are pros. Many of them aren’t. We like a good list just as much as we like a good review. We think you can like both J.K. Rowling and J.M. Coetzee and that there are smart, funny, and informative things to say about both and that you shouldn’t have to choose.” http://bookriot.com
BookReporter.com. News about authors and their books; lots of bibliographies and thematic features. https://www.bookreporter.com
BookSeries. Lists and information about series fiction https://www.bookseries.org/
Book Series in Order. Massive resource for books in series https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/
Books and Authors. Based on Gale’s What Do I Read Next plus other content with direct information to author information from the book pages. http://www.gale.cengage.com
BookSpot.com A compendium of books news, lists, and information about books and the people behind them.
Bookwire. Bowker Company’s information on the book publishing industry. www.bookwire.com/
Chick Lit Media Group. Formed in response to the need for women to be better represented in the art and science of communication. Includes books and other media with many discussion forums. http://www.chicklit.com
CitizenReader.com A weekly blog collecting links to news about books, authors & publishers.
Conducting the Reference Interview: A How-To-Do-It Manual by Catherine Sheldrick Ross, Kirsti Nilsen, and Marie Radford. 3rd ed. ALA, 2018 (in press). Includes a chapter on the RA interview.
Crash Course in Readers’ Advisory by Cynthia Orr. Libraries Unlimited, 2015. “. . . designed to support librarians in both helping their users access the library confidently and figure out what they want to read through readers’ advisory techniques”
EarlyWord. A blog by Nora Rawlinson, former Collection Development Coordinator of Baltimore County Public Library, former editor of both LJ and PW, and former Library Marketing Director of Hachette Publishing. http://www.earlyword.com
Edelweiss. The leading digital catalog platform that provides book industry professionals with a single source of information to sell, discover, and order new titles. http://edelweiss.abovethetreeline.com/LoginPage.aspx
eSequels.com:The Online Guide to Series Fiction. Like the book Sequels, first published by ALA in 1982 and now in its 4th edition (2009), this database aims to include the best, most enduring, and most popular novels in series that might appeal to today’s adult readers. We define series broadly as: 1) A sequence of novels that shows development of plot or character from book to book. Most works listed here fit this requirement; 2) novels that share a cast of characters or location, where chronology may be minimal or problematic – e.g., many mystery series; and 3)a group of novels that were conceived as a series by the author, such as Durrell’s Alexandria Quartet. http://www.esequels.com/
Fantastic Fiction. Excellent source of bibliographies for over 40,000 authors & 500,000 books, including cover art & series order. https://www.fantasticfiction.com/
Few Good Books: Using Contemporary Readers’ Advisory Strategies to Connect Readers with Books by Stephanie L.Maatta. Neal-Schuman, 2009.
Fiction Connections. Searchable database of fiction available to subscribers of Books in Print Plus. R. R. Bowker.
FictionDB.com Claims to be the world’s largest fiction database. Includes bibliographies, upcoming releases, synopses, spin-offs, reviews, series, author websites, etc.
FictFact. Helps readers keep track of favorite series, suggest and get suggestions from others. http://www.fictfact.com defunct
*Fiction_L. Listserv for librarians who do fiction RA work. http://www.webrary.org/rs/Flmenu.html
FreshFiction.com Site with free email subscription option that highlights all books being discussed on any nationally broadcast television or radio show. http://freshfiction.com/
*Genreflecting: A Guide to Reading Interests in Genre Fiction by Cynthia Orr and Diana Tixier Herald, eds. 7th ed. Libraries Unlimited, 2013. http://www.abc-clio.com/product.aspx?isbn=9781598848403
Gnooks. http://www.gnooks.com This self-adapting system generates ideas in two ways. Enter three favorite authors to receive a single author name based on the combination; more suggestions are available depending on whether you indicate that you “like”, “don’t like”, or “don’t know” that author. Alternatively, enter one author to receive a literature map showing writers of similar works. The site also includes a discussion board.
Indie Bestsellers. Weekly list of what’s selling in indie bookstores nationwide. https://www.indiebound.org/indie-bestsellers
IndieNext. Monthly list drawn from bookseller-recommended favorite handsells https://www.indiebound.org/indie-next-list
IndiePicks magazine. Started November 2017, monthly print book review publication (available in e- and print monthly subscriptions) dedicated to independent publishers and authors. https://indiepicksmag.com/
Integrated Advisory Service: Breaking through the Book Boundary to Better Serve Library Users. Jessica Moyer, ed. Libraries Unlimited, 2010.
Lexacat’s Guide to Finding Good Books. Kingston, Rhode Island Librarian’s book blog http://lexacatsguidetobooks.blogspot.com/
Librarian’s Book Revoogle and Librarian’s Booklist Search. Finds librarian book reviews and lists using an adaptation of Google. http://ricklibrarian.googlepages.com/bookrevoogle
Library Reads. Publishes the top 10 books published each month that librarians across the country love. “We want to help connect our favorite books to as many readers as possible! And we want to showcase the incredible power that public library staff has in helping to building word-of-mouth for new books, and the important role we play in creating audiences for all kinds of authors.” http://libraryreads.org
A Lifetime of Fiction: The 500 Most Recommended Reads for Ages 2 to 102 by William Patrick Martin. Rowman & Littlefield, 2014.
*Morton Grove Public Library Webrary Reader Services. Home of Fiction_L listserv and member-compiled lists, as well as an example of how a very good RA services website might be organized. http://www.webrary.org/rs/rsmenu.html
Netgalley. A site where book reviewers and other professional readers can read books before they are published, in e-galley or digital galley form. Members register for free and can request review copies or be invited to review by the publisher. https://www.netgalley.com
NextReads. A subscription email service developed by the creators of NoveList. http://www.nextreads.com
*NoveList: Your Guide to Fiction. Epnet.com A subscription online index to fiction created to help readers advisors. Maintained and distributed by EBSCO Publishing.
Now Read This III: A Guide to Mainstream Fiction by Nancy Pearl and Sarah Statz Cords. Libraries Unlimited, 2010.Covers 500 books with annotations, (+ some related nonfiction) divided by appeal emphasis with further reading suggested.
Opening the book. A reader development site in the UK directed by Rachel Van Riel, who uses a reader-centered approach that covers furniture, library design, training, reader services and reader networks. http://openingthebook.com/default.aspx
Order of Books. Site devoted to novels in series https://www.orderofbooks.com
Overbooked. Providing timely information about fiction (all genres) and readable nonfiction for ravenous and omnivorous readers. file://localhost/. http/::www.overbooked.com
RA for All A blog by Becky Siegle Spratford, librarian and author of The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Horror 2nd ed. (2012) to train librarians to help leisure readers. http://raforall.blogspot.com
Read It Forward. “We want to create a “read it forward” moment for you: when you discover a book, read it, love it, and pass it on to a friend.” Has lots of giveaways. http://x.e.crownpublishing.com/ats/msg.aspx?sg1=ca6313be5d38a85c65de0ebf06bd44de
Readers Advisory Link Farm. A site with links to publishers book discussion guides, other RA sites, bestseller lists, series, online reviews, genre sites, etc. http://www.jackflannel.org/ra.html
Readers Advisor Online Blog. The blog for readers’ advisors and bibliophiles who work with readers. You’ll find essential news, tips, fun stuff, and a community for exploring RA issues. The blog is presented by the Reader’s Advisor Online. http://www.readersadvisoronline.com/blog/
Readalike.org Grew out of the SLIS Reading Group, which was, in turn, a response to requests from S524 students for a regular forum in which to hone readers’ advisory skills outside of the classroom. The site was created in January of 2005 and serves as a repository for annotated book reviews containing readalike suggestions authored by S524 students and members of the SLIS Reading Group (SRG); the site also includes a page containing links to a plethora of readers’ advisory resources including annotated book lists.http://www.readalike.org/
Reader’s Advice. http://www.readersadvice.com/ Maintained by a retired librarian, this site provides readalikes for bestsellers, big name authors and indexes books by genre.
Readers Exchange: ideas and Information for Readers. Quarterly. Readers Exchange, 3275 Oakdell Lane, Studio City, CA 91604. A subscription newsletter for readers, designed to serve as a forum through which readers can exchange their thoughts about books. The publication provides readers with objective opinions about books, an often rare commodity in the marketplace. https://www.the-readers-exchange.com
Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Blends by MeganM. McArdle. ALA, 2015.
Readers Guide to Genre Fiction by Joyce Saricks and Neal Wyatt. ALA, 2018 in press.
ReadersRead.com Features news about the hottest books and authors in all genres, bestseller lists and links to the best sites for literature and books. Of special interest is the section of book excerpts.
The Reading List. RUSA/ALA. Annual. Established in 2007 by the CODES section of RUSA, The Reading List seeks to highlight outstanding genre fiction that merit special attention by general adult readers and the librarians who work with them.
Reading Still Matters: What the Research Reveals about Reading, Libraries, and Community by Catherine Sheldrick Ross, Lynne (E.F.) McKechnie & Paulette M. Rothbauer. Libraries Unlimited, March, 2018 (in press)
SELF-e Select. Library Journal’s first curated indie collection features 200+ of the best ebooks from independent authors and small presses, available to your library patrons without multi-user limitations or frustrating waitlists. http://self-e.libraryjournal.com
ShelfAwareness. Shelf Awareness publishes two free newsletters available by free email subscription, one for general readers and one for people in the book business. http://www.shelf-awareness.com/about.html
20SomethingReads.com “It’s created for readers in their twenties, which we define as, “A decade. A state of mind. An age. A lifestyle. A time for self-discovery. A new perspective. An attitude. A philosophy. Independence. Freedom. A time to re-discover reading for pleasure – and FINALLY – read what you want.” Includes features, reviews, authors, contests, a blog and newsletters.
What Should I Read Next? A UK site that generates read-alikes based on titles members have entered. www.whatshouldireadnext.com/search
*What’s Next? A List of Books in Series. Kent District, Kent District Library, 814 West River Center NE, Comstock Park, Michigan 49321. http://ww2.kdl.org/libcat/whatsnext.asp
Whichbook.net A British site on which readers can choose titles by mood appeal factors as well as by more traditional indexing access points. http://www.openingthebook.com/whichbook/
ADVENTURE
Extreme Classics: The 100 Greatest Adventure Books of All Time. Annotated list compiled by editors, Adventure magazine. http://acventure.nationalgeographic.com/2001/07/adventure-books/anthony-brandt-text
AUDIOBOOKS
Audio Publishers Association. 627 Aviation Way, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 www.audiopub.org
AudioFile: The Magazine For People Who Love Audiobooks. 37 Silver St., POB 109, Portland, ME 04112-0209. www.audiofilemagazine.com. Also publishes Audiopolis, an audio review source on audiobooks available from their website or from the iTunes website.
Audible.com. Site for downloading hundreds of audiobooks, newspapers and magazines. Available through the iTunes website, directly and via Amazon. https://www.audible.com
Audio Book Stand. www.audiobookstand.com
Books Out Loud: Bowker’s Guide to Audiobooks. 2017. In two packed volumes, this helpful resource offers bibliographic information on over 267,000 audiobooks from more than 9,700 producers and 2,000 distributors and wholesalers. Works in this guide represent a comprehensive look at the contemporary marketplace of spoken-word publications, all jam-packed into a whopping 5,800 pages. https://greyhouse.com/bowk_bol.htm
AWARDS, PRIZES AND NOTABLE LISTS
Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. Honors books that contribute to understanding of racism and helps appreciation of the rich diversity of human culture. http://www.anisfield-wolf.org
Anthony Awards. Mysteries. Given annually at the Bouicheron conference. http://www.readersread.com/awards/anthony.htm.
Arthur C. Clarke Award. Given for the best science fiction novel first published in the United Kingdom during the previous year. http://www.clarkeaward.com
Award Annals: Creative Works Judged Best. Award Annals is where creative works judged the best of their kind are documented and ranked. This site ranks over 12,000 award winning books and other works honored by some of about 200 book awards, film awards, and music awards.
Barry Awards. Mysteries. A crime literary prize awarded annually since 1997 by the editors of Deadly Pleasures, an American quarterly publication for crime fiction readers. From 2007-2009 the award was jointly presented with the publication Mystery News. The prize is named after Barry Gardner, an American critic. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Award_(for_crime_novels)
Booker Prize. Literary fiction. http://www.themanbookerprize.com
Bram Stoker Awards. Horror http://www.horror.org/stokers.htm – winners
Christy Awards. Christian fiction. http://www.christyawards.com/
Davitt Awards. Named in honor of Ellen Davitt (1812-1879) who wrote Australia’s first mystery novel, Force and Fraud in 1865), presented annually by Sisters in Crime Australia. The awards are presented for Australian crime fiction, by women, for both adults and young adults. https://www.sistresincrime.org/au/the-davitt-awards/
Diamond Daggar Award. Given yearly by the Crime Writers’ Association, is presented to writers whose careers are marked by sustained excellence, and who have made a significant contribution to crime fiction published in the English language, whether originally or in translation. http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/index.html
Edgar Awards. Mysteries. http://www.mysterywriters.org
Eisner Awards. Comic industry awards. http://www.comic-con.org/awards/eisner-award-recipients-2010-present
Gaylactic Spectrum Award. Honors outstanding works of science fiction, fantasy and horror which include significant positive explorations of gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered characters, themes, or issues. www.spectrumawards.org/whatis.htm
Gold Medallion Book Award. Inspirational. http://www.ecpa.org/
Gumshoe Awards. Crime fiction. http://awards.omnimystery.com/mystery-awards-gumshoe.html#.UQXSJGePsdQ
Hugo Awards. The Hugo Awards, presented annually since 1955, are science fiction’s most prestigious award. The Hugo Awards are voted on by members of the World Science Fiction Convention (“Worldcon”), which is also responsible for administering them. http://www.thehugoawards.org
Indie Book Awards. Independent book authors and publishers. http://www.IndieBookAwards.com
International Horror Guild Awards. Horror. http://www.horroraward.org/
James Herbert Award. To find the best of the new generation of horror writers being published today. http://www.panmacmillan.com/Featured-Pages/Offers/James-Herbert-Award.aspx?
Jordan Christian Book of the Year Award. Inspirational. http://www.ecpa.org/
Lambda Literary Awards. Gay and Lesbian. http://www.lambdaliterary.org/awards/
Listen List Award: Outstanding Audiobook Narration. A list of the twelve most outstanding audiobooks published each year as judged by the quality of their narration. http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2016/12/2017-listen-list-outstanding-audiobook-narration-adults-revealed
Literary Awards and Prizes. Selection of some of the most prestigious and well known award-winning titles in the English Language. http://www.lukemastin.com/testing/awards/cgi-bin/awards.cgi
National Best Books Awards. USABookNews.com.
National Book Awards. The mission of the National Book Foundation and the National Book Awards is to celebrate the best of American literature, to expand its audience, and to enhance the cultural value of great writing in America. http://www.nationalbook.org/nba2017.html
National Jewish Book Awards. Jewish literature. http://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/awards/national-jewish-book-award.html
Nebula Awards. Science fiction and fantasy. http://www.sfwa.org/awards/
Notable Books ALA/RUSA. http://www.ala.org/rusa/awards/notablebooks
Pulitzer Prize. http://www.bookspring.com/pulitzer.htm
Reading List. Established in 2007 by the CODES section of RUSA, The Reading List Council seeks to highlight outstanding genre fiction that merits special attention by general adult readers and the librarians who work with them.
RITA Awards. Romances http://www.rwa.org/p/cm/ld/fid=528
Shamus Awards. Private eye fiction. http://www.thrillingdetective.com/
Sophie Brody Award. Given to encourage, recognize and commend outstanding achievement in Jewish literature for adults published in the United States in the preceding year. RUSA/ALA. http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/awards/brody/index.cfm
Spur Awards. Given annually by the Western Writers of America for distinguished writing about the American West, are among the oldest and most prestigious in American literature. Spurs are offered for the best western novel (short novel), best novel of the west (long novel), best original paperback novel, best short story, best short nonfiction. Also, best contemporary nonfiction, best biography, best history, best juvenile fiction and nonfiction, best TV or motion picture drama, best TV or motion picture documentary, and best first novel (called The Medicine Pipe Bearer’s Award). http://www.westernwriters.org/awards.htm
Stonewall Book Awards. “Originally a grassroots acknowledgment honoring hallmark works in GLBT publishing, the Gay Book Award (as it was originally known) became an official American Library Association award in 1986. The next year, its name was changed to the Gay and Lesbian Book Award. Beginning in 1990, the Book Award expanded into two categories: nonfiction and literature. In 1994, the name changed once more to the Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Book Award. In 1999, when the Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Task Force became the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table, the name changed yet again to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Book Award. In 2002, the name changed to the Stonewall Book Award-Barbara Gittings Literature Award and the Stonewall Book Award-Israel Fishman Non-Fiction Award.” http://www.ala.org/glbtrt/award/honored
Thurber Prize for American Humor. Started in 1997, the Thurber Prize for American Humor is the only recognition of the art of humor writing in the United States. A panel of national judges selects the three finalists from a selection of seven or eight semi-finalists. http://thurberhouse.org/thurber-prize-for-american-humor.html
Tiptree Award. Science fiction or fantasy that expands or explores our understanding of gender. http://www.tiptree.org/
World Fantasy Convention Awards. Fantasy http://www.worldfantasy.org/awards/
Wrangler Award. National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Established to honor and recognize individuals whose contributions in film, television, music, or literature has encouraged and honored the legacy of the American West. http://www.nationalcowboymuseum.org
BOOK CLUBS/ DISCUSSION/READING GROUPS
AART Book Club Study. We give library book discussion leaders the chance to sit back and enjoy being discussion participants while also offering a forum for sharing questions and practical solutions to the problems and concerns of book group leaders. This “nuts and bolts” training session is offered at the end of each discussion. https://sites.google.com/a/arrtreads.org/arrt-literary-book-discussion-and-leadership-training/home
Association of Book Groups and Leaders, PO Box 885, Highland Park, IL 60035.
Book by Book: The Complete Guide to Creating Mother-Daughter Book Clubs by Cindy Hudson. Seal Press, 2009.
Book Clubs Resource. http://www.book-clubs-resource.com/ “…a complete guide to book clubs and reading groups with an outstanding collection of links and information for readers, including information about saving with discount book clubs.”
*Book Discussions for Adults: A Leader’s Guide by Ted Balcom. ALA, 1992.
Book Movement. www.bookmovement.com An online resource for book groups with free email newsletters and galley previews of new books available.
BookBundlz. Offers online shared book discussion, book clubs their own private online page, a place to research the books to be discussed, a place to discuss issues book clubs have, a store to buy books, and a place for authors to promote their own books, and an electronic newsletter. http://www.bookbundlz.com/default.aspx
Books at Random. Random House reading group guides. http://www.randomhouse.com/reader_resources/browsetitle/
LitLovers. “We’re dedicated to books and book clubs—because both enrich our lives. We’ve got great resources to enhance your book club experience. Whether you’re selecting books, or thinking & talking about them, LitLovers is the place to come.” http://www.litlovers.com/
National Reading Group Month. Sponsored by the Women’s National Book Association to “celebrate the joy of shared reading.” http://www.nationalreadinggroupmonth.org/index.html
Now Read This. The PBS NewsHour has teamed up with The New York Times to bring you a new book club called Now Read This. It will allow readers to participate in discussions in real time and ask questions of the authors. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/introducing-the-pbs-newshour-new-york-times-book-club-now-read-this
Reader’s Circle. www.thereaderscircle.com Random House publisher site with reading group guides, more than 100 authors available for phone chats and a monthly e-newsletter with tips for reading groups.
Reading Group Choices: Selections for Lively Book Discussions. Paz and Associates, Annually since 1996. Phone: 1 800 260-8605. http://www.ReadingGroupChoices.com
ReadingGroupGuides.com An online community for reading groups with advice, contests, guides, etc. http://www.readinggroupguides.com
Reading Women: A Book Club Guide for Women’s Fiction by Nancy Malone Hill. ABC-Clio, 2012. Brings together information on over 100 women’s fiction titles, providing everything a book group needs to encourage focused, stimulating meetings. Specific entries cover titles from women’s fiction, romance and chick lit, offering an author biography, a book summary, bibliographic material, discussion questions, and read-alike information for each book.
BOOKS ON FILM
Based on the Book. Midcontinent Public Library. http://www.mcpl.lib.mo.us/readers/movies/
Literature into Film: Theory and Practical Approaches by Linda Costanzo Cahir. McFarland, 2006
Literary Filmography: 6,200 Adaptations of Books, short Stories and Other Nondramatic Works by Leonard Mustazza. McFarland, 2006.
GAY AND LESBIAN
Bella Books. Online bookstore specializing in lesbian romances.
Books to Watch Out For! Monthly e-letters about gay and lesbian books. http://btwof-tle.com/
Gay and Lesbian Review Worldwide: The Bimonthly Journal of GSBT Arts, Culture, and Politics Glreview.com Intended to provide a forum for enlightened discussion of issues and ideas of importance to lesbians and gay men; to advance gay and lesbian culture by providing a quality vehicle for its best writers and thinkers; and to educate a broader public on gay and lesbian topics.
Lambda Literary Foundation http://www.lambdalit.orgPublishes Lambda Book Report and sponsors annual Lambda Literary Awards.
Lambda Sci-Fi Recommended Reading List. http://www.lambdascifi.org/books/recommend.html
Science Fiction for Lesbians. http://lesbiansciencefiction.com/ This is a list of science fiction books with lesbian characters or by lesbian authors.
GENREBLENDS
Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Blends by Megan M. McArdle. ALA, 2015
GRAPHIC NOVELS AND COMICS
Comics Worth Reading Comic book reviews and recommendations by Johanna Draper Carlson, a comics reviewer and columnist http://www.comicsworthreading.com/.
Critical Survey of Graphic Novels: Independents and Underground Classics. Ed. by Bart H. Beaty and Stephen Weiner. Critical Survey of Graphic Novels Series. Salem, 2013.
500 Essential Graphic Novels: The Ultimate Guide by Gene Kannenberg. Collins Design, 2008. Short history of GNs with ten topical chapters ranging from “Adventure” to “War.” Each entry includes a duplication of the cover, a short review, and a readalike suggestion.
GNLIB-L. A listserv for librarians to exchange information about graphic novels. http://www.angelfire.com/comics/gnlib/
Graphic Novels Beyond the Basics: Insights and Issues for Libraries. Martha Cornog and Timothy Perper, eds. ABC-CLIO, 2009.
Graphic Novels for Adults by David S. Serchay. Neal-Schuman, 2009.
Graphic Novelists: Profiles of Cutting Edge Authors and Illustrators. 3 vols. Gale, 2006.
Graphic Novels: A Genre Guide to Comic Books, Manga, and More by Michael Pawuk & David S. Serchay. 2nd ed. Libraries Unlimited, 2017.
Icons of the American Comic Book: From Captain America to Wonder Woman. Ed. by Randy Duncan and Matthew J. Smith. Greenwood Icons. Greenwood, 2013.
Mostly Manga: A Genre Guide to Popular Manga, Manhwa, Manhua and Anime by Elizabeth F. S. Kalen.Libraries Unlimited, 2012.
Readers’ Advisory Guide to Graphic Novels by Francisca Goldsmith. 2nd ed. ALA, 2017
HISTORICAL FICTION
Historical Novel Society. http://www.historicalnovelsociety.org/For authors and readers of historical fiction; includes members’ website links, a definition of historical fiction, and publishes a review magazine on historical fiction.
Historical Novels Info. http://www.historicalnovels.info/index.html Over 5000 Historical Novels listed by time and place, including more than 300 reviews.
Readers’ Advisory Guide to Historical Fiction by Jennifer S. Baker. ALA, 2014.
HORROR
Hellnotes Newsletter: Your Insider’s Guide to the Horror Field. Winner of a 2004 Bram Stoker Award, Hellnotes, in its 9th year of publication, is a weekly electronic newsletter offering the latest information on the people, places, events, markets, books, and happenings in Horror! www.hellnotes.com/
Horror Writers of America/Horror Writers Association, PO Box 50577, Palo Alto, CA 94303. Bram Stoker Awards, June. Publishes Dark Whispers, an email newsletter on the field and has a special section for librarians. http://www.horror.org
Monster Librarian. For readers of horror fiction to find another book to read and a source for librarians to develop their collections and provide readers advisory. http://www.monsterlibrarian.com/
INSPIRATIONAL
Christy Awards. Recognizing excellence in Christian fiction written by contemporary authors and highlighting the breadth and diversity of Christian fiction. www.christyawards.com/
Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, 1969 East Broadway Road, Suite 2, Tempe, AZ 85282. Besides the Christian Marketplace Best-Seller Lists, includes nominees and final winners of the ECPA Charles “Kip” Jordon Book of the Year Award and the ECPA Christian Book Award. http://www.ecpa.org/
LDS Writers Blogck. Details the struggles of a group of new LDS writers trying to become published in the LDS market. http://ldswritersblogck.blogspot.com/
Left Behind Series www.leftbehind.com
Tracy’s Book Nook. Site run by a pastor’s wife to encourage reading of Christian fiction and the love of God. Specializes in historical Christian fiction and includes books for kids. www.tracysbooknook.com
LITERARY FICTION
LitHub. A central place for writers, publishers, books, bookstores, librarians, and readers to congregate and celebrate books and literary culture. http://lithub.com
Lit Lovers. A resource for all things literary. If you belong to a book club or like to fly solo, this is your site .This site is about WHAT we read, HOW we read, and how we THINK about our reading. Approaching literature that way can change us— and change how we see the world. http://www.litlovers.com/index.php
The Millions. An online magazine offering coverage on books, arts, and culture since 2003. The Millions has been featured on NPR and noted by The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and The Village Voice, among others. https://themillions.com
New Canon: The Best in Fiction Since 1985 by Ted Goia. Focuses on great works of fiction published since 1985. These books represent the finest literature of the current era, and are gaining recognition as the new classics of our time. http://www.thenewcanon.com/
MULTICULTURAL
Jewish Book Council. Mission is to promote the reading, writing and publishing of qualityJewish content books; serve as the continental center for information about the North American Jewish literary scene; and tp serve as the coordinating body of Jewish literary activity in North America. 520 8th Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10018. www.jewishbookcouncil.org
Street Fiction: Urban Fiction Interviews, News and Reviews. http://www.streetfiction.org Daniel Marcou, creator of the site, dedicates it to reviewing urban fiction, also called “street fiction” and “gangsta fiction.”
Triple Crown Publications. http://www.triplecrownpublications.com/catalog.php
Urban Fiction/Street Lit/Hip Hop Fiction Resources for Librarians. http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Urban_Fiction/Street_Lit/Hip_Hop_Fiction_Resources_for_Librarians
MYSTERIES, CRIME, SUSPENSE, SPIES, THRILLERS
Cozy Mystery List. http://www.cozy-mystery.com Guide to cozy mystery books and DVDs with author interviews, a definition of “cozy,” and cozies organized by themes.
CrimeCulture.com An academic site for anyone teaching or studying crime fiction, film and graphic art. www.crimeculture.com
Crimespree Magazine. “We are mystery fans from all over the planet. We share a love of the mystery crime genre and it has drawn us together.” www.crimespreemag.com
Deadly Pleasures. America’s premier fan-oriented mystery magazine. Gives Barry Awards annually. George Easter, 1718 S. Ridge Point Drive, Bountiful, UT 84010. http://www.deadlypleasures.com/
Detectives Beyond Borders by Peter Rozavsky. A fan blog. Winner of the 2009 Spinetinglers Award for service to the industy. http://detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com
DorothyL A discussion and idea list for the lovers of the mystery genre created by librarians. www.dorothyl.com/
Euro Crime. Website that focuses purely on British and other European crime writers that have been published in English. www.eurocrime.co.uk
International Thriller Writers Inc. “International Thriller Writers Inc represents professional authors from around the world. Here you can learn more about them, their work, and the sources from which they draw their inspiration.” Gives a Thriller Master and Sllver Bullet award annuallly, among others such as best novel, original paperback, short story, etc. http://www.thrillerwriters.org/
Mostly Murder: Your Guide to Reading Mysteries. Mostly Book Reviews, PO Box 191207, Dallas, TX 75219.
MurderByGaslight.Blogspot.com A compendium of information, resources and discussion on notable nineteenth century American murders. http://murderbygasslight.blogspot.com/
Mystery Buff at Home. Mystery Buff, 304 Lover’s Lane, Townsend, TN 37882.
Mystery Ink OnLine: The Booklover’s Guide to Mysteries and Thrillers. Lots of links to crime fiction author websites. Gives annual Gumshoe Awards for best achievement in crime fiction. http://www.mysteryinkonline.com
Mystery Reader. Mostly reviews organized by subgenre. http://www.themysteryreader.com/
Mystery Readers Journal. Mystery Readers International, PO Box 8116, Berkeley, CA 94707. http://www.mysteryreaders.org/
Mystery Scene. Articles, reviews on “every aspect of crime fiction.” http://mysteryscenemag.com
Mystery Short Fiction Miscellany: An Index. Locus Press, PO Box 13305, Oakland, CA 94661. http://www.locusmag.com
Mystery Writers of America, 17 E. 47th St., 6th Floor, New York, NY 10017. Edgar Awards, April. http://www.mysterywriters.org
Postmodern Mystery by Ted Goia. http://www.postmodernmystery.com/index.html Devoted to experimental, unconventional and postmodern approaches to stories of mystery and suspense.
Reviewing the Evidence. Set up in 2001 to fill the growing void of mystery review websites, it now boasts thousands of reviews of mysteries and thrillers of all categories, and has more than 30 reviewers from the US, the UK, and Australia. http://www.reviewingtheevidence.com/default.html
Sisters in Crime, PO Box 44224, Lawrence, KS 66044-8933. Authors, readers, publishers, agents, booksellers and librarians bound by affection for the mystery genre and support of women who write mysteries; founded by Sara Paretsky and a group of women at the 1986 Bouchercon in Baltimore. http://www.sistersincrime.org
Stop, You’re Killing Me! A Site to Die for … If you Love Mystery Books http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/
Thrillers: 100 Must Reads—Today’s Best Thriller Writers on One Hundred Classics of the Genre. David Morrell & Hank Wagner, eds. Longboat Key, FL: Oceanviw Publishing.
Thrilling Detective. Devoted to private eye fiction. http://www.thrillingdetective.com/
NONFICTION
Book-TV. A site devoted to C-Span2’s programs on nonfiction books that includes an annotation of the book, a biography of the a uthor, a list of Pulizter Prize winning biographies since 1917, a list of book fairs and festivals, two months of program archives, downloadable programs to watch online, plus a notification service and schedule. http://www.booktv.org/
PROGRAMS
Librarian’s Guide to Book Programs and Author Events by Brad Hooper. ALA, 2016.
Programming Librarian. A website/blog of programming ideas and experiences maintained by ALA’s Public Programs Office. http://www.programminglibrarian.org
ROMANCE
Affaire de Coeur. Romance review magazine. Website has links to author sites. http://www.affairedecoeur.com
All About Romance. Calling itself, “The Back Fence for Loves of Romance Novels,” this site intends “to provide a back-fence atmosphere, a sense of community for lovers of romance novels, to provide honest, thoughtful and entertaining material in order to promote intelligent and diverse discussion about romance novels, and to help readers determine how best to spend their romance novel dollar. http://www.likesbooks.com/home.html
Beau Monde Chapter of RWA devoted to Regency romances. Website includes links to member authors and resources for readers and writers plus a subscription option to an email newsletter. http://www.thebeaumonde.com/
Harlequin. The major publisher of romance has a nifty online site that identifies many paperback series and miniseries, allows signups for email notifications, and ordering, if desired. http://www.eharlequin.com/ Harlequin also has a blog that “provides Harlequin readers and fans (almost) daily posts on our authors, books, events and more in every series, imprint and beyond.” http://harlequinblog.com/
Romance Reader. Claims to be the only Internet site offering over 5,000 candid reviews of current romantic fiction. http://www.theromancereader.com/
Romance Readers Community. a list for romance readers to talk about what else, but romance books, the ones they like, the ones they don’t, places to find good buys, good reviews, and lots more. http://www.charlottedillon.com/ReadersCom.html
Romance Today: An A-to-Z Guide to Comtemporary American Romance Writers. by Shelley Mosley and John Charles. Greenwood, 2007.
Romance Writers of America, 113700 Veteran’ s Memorial, Suite 315, Houston, TX 77004. RITA Awards, summer. http://www.rwa.org
RomanceDB: Authors, Titles & Authors Series. FictionDB, 2007. Available at http://www.cafepress.com/fictiondb
Romantic Times Book Club. 55 Bergen St., Brooklyn, NY 11201. The major review/fan magazine of the genre. https://www.rtbookreviews.com
Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. A website that reviews romances novels from a “couple of smart bitches” who will always give it to you straight. http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php
Time Travel Romance Writers. http://timetravelromancewriters.com/
SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY
(see also some resources under GAY and LESBIAN and BOOK CLUBS)
Fantastic Fiction. Maintained by a small family-run company of the same name, this website goes way beyond fantasy to include awards, series, most popular authors, new books, etc. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk
Grasping for the Wind. Blog of John Ottinger III that reviews SF and fantasy. http://www.graspingforthewind.com/
Internet Speculative Fiction Database. Includes a mixture of book reviews, opinion pieces, author interviews, fiction excerpts, author and publisher reading lists and a variety of other features, as well as a comprehensive list of links to author and fan tribute sites, SF conventions, SF TV and movies, magazines and e- zines, writer resources, publishers and small press sites and many other SF resources. http://www.sfsite.com/home.htm.
Linköping Science Fiction & Fantasy Archive. Archive of Usenet postings containing reviews of science fiction and fantasy books, movies, clipart, art gallery images, links all around the Web. http://www.lysator.liu.se/sf_archive/
Locus: The Newspaper of the Science Fiction Field. Locus Publications, P O Box 13305, Oakland, CA 94661 http://www.locusmag.com
100 Most Popular Science Fiction authors: Biographical Sketches and Bibliographies by Maura Heaphy. ABC-CLIO, 2009.
Readers’ Advisory Guide to Science Fiction by Alan Ziebarth. ALA, 2014.
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, 532 LaGuardia Place, #632, New York, NY 10012-1428. http://www.sfwa.org Nebula Awards, May.
Science Fiction Awards Database. a rebranding, redesign, and ongoing expansion of the Locus Index to Science Fiction Awards. http://www.sfadb.com
Science Fiction Fan. “We’re all about helping readers discover new science fiction and fantasy books and authors. We update our database almost daily, with the ambition to make it a comprehensive and accurate resource for bibliographies and biographies in our favorite genres.” http://www.scifan.com/
SF Site. “The Home Page for Science Fiction and Fantasy….Twice a month since July 1997, we have posted a mixture of book reviews, opinion pieces, author interviews, fiction excerpts, author and publisher reading lists and a variety of other features. At the same time, we’ve maintained a comprehensive list of links to author and fan tribute sites, SF conventions, SF TV and movies, magazines and e-zines, writer resources, publishers and small press sites and many other SF resources” http://www.sfsite.com
Science Fiction Writers of America Speakers Bureau. “A resource for libraries, educational institutions, book festivals, conventions, and event organizers who need qualified SFF industry professionals for presentations, workshops, conferences, and other speaking engagements.” Speakers.sfwa.org
Uchronia’s Alternate History List. http://www.uchronia.net/intro.html
Ultimate Science Fiction Web Guide. Over 6000 links to SF resources. http://www.magicdragon.com/UltimateSF/SF-Index.html
SOCIAL NETWORKING READER-READER SHARING/BOOK SITES
aNobii List Books, Share Thoughts, Meet People. The name? From Anobium Punctatum, which is the proper name for bookworms. http://www.anobii.com
Book Crossing Where books take on a life of their own. BookCrossing is earth-friendly, and gives you a way to share your books, clear your shelves, and conserve precious resources at the same time. A book registered on BookCrossing is ready for adventure. http://www.bookcrossing.com
Book Movement. http://www.bookmovement.com/ “BookMovement.com was founded in 2001 to give book clubs a way to recommend books to each other on a national level.”
Books I Read http://apps.facebook.com/ireadit/ A Facebook application. Must register to use.
Crime Space http://crimespace.ning.com/ A place for readers and writers of crime fiction to meet.
eBooklists http://www.eBooklists.pbwiki.com RAwiki being constructed by librarians who were in graduate school together at Indiana University.
The Good, The Bad and the Unread: Reading, Ranting and Reviewing by Readers http://goodbadandunread.com/?
Goodreads Keeps track of what you’ve read and what your friends are reading. Also on Facebook. http://www.goodreads.com
Library Thing Helps you create a library-quality catalog of your books and connects you with people who read the same things. http://www.librarything.com
Reader2Reader. A UK network that allows readers to discover and suggest books to each other, chat and share reader experiences or do author/title searchers. http://www.reader2reader.net/
Read Me. User editable wiki of book suggestions and queries. http://mssv.net/wiki/index.php/ReadMe
What Should I Read Next? Searchable database of real readers’ favourite books (over 47,000 and growing) to suggest what you could read next. http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/search
WESTERNS
Chasing the Sun: A Readers Guide to Novels Set in the American West by Edward Joseph Beverly. Sunstone Press, 2008.
Roundup Magazine. WWA Roundup Magazine, James Crutchfield, Dept. BB, 1012 Fair St., Franklin, TN 37064-2718.
Saddlebums. A blog that focuses on traditional Western literature, authors and related developments in video and film. http://saddlebums.blogspot.com/
Western Authors. http://www.westernauthors.com
“We offer a listing of western authors of novels set in the American West. Included are books about American history, the Old West, and the western frontier, as well as contemporary western fiction novels. We list print books and those in digitized form. Here you will find links to the best of western literature, including stories about cowboys, rodeo stars, ranchers, and horsemen.”
Western Fiction Review. Daily postings with a mix of extensive interviews with autors and signed reviews. http://westernfictionreview.blogspot.com/
Western Writers of America, 1012 Fair St., Franklin, TN 37064. Spur Awards, June. http://www.westernwriters.org
OTHER MISCELLANEOUS, SPECIALTY, INTERNATIONAL OR ETHNIC
Practical Classics: 50 Reasons to Reread 50 Books You Haven’t Touched Since High School by Kevin Smokler. Prometheus, 2013.
Slow Book Revolution: Creating a New Culture of Reading on College Campuses and Beyond. Meagan Lacy, ed. Libraries Unlimited, 2014.
Women’s Fiction Authors: A Guide to Popular Reading Interests. Rebecca Vnuk & Nanette Donohue. Libraries Unlimited, 2013.
World Hum. Website and blog devoted to literary travel books. http://www.worldhum.com/
Writers Write Books. Part of writerswrite.com which purports to be a one-stop site for information about books, writing and publishing. http://www.writerswrite.com/books/