In the Bookroom

A collaborative blog covering books, media, and publishing, including early previews of the hottest titles by Library Journal's review staffers, and op-eds and guest blogs by notable contributors. Follow us on Twitter: @LJReviews

Pop Culture Advisory: Welcome to Sanditon

Pulp book cover redesign via Flavorwire

Suggestions for readalikes and watchalikes for fans of Welcome to Sanditon.

Poetry Goes (Sort of) Viral, Undying Love for Nick Carraway, and an Unlikely Roadtrip | What We’re Reading

Waking Dark

This week, Library Journal and School Library Journal staffers are reading some books very much of the moment: the follow-up to Code Name Verity and the genesis of Baz Luhrmann’s fizzy film. Others are stuck in the past, or someplace in the middle.

BEA For All: A Librarian’s Guide to BookExpo America 2013

BEA For All: A Librarian’s Guide to BookExpo America 2013

To make the most of BEA, here are the offerings that are best for librarians—not all of them are particularly aimed at our profession, but eavesdropping on “the other side” can be illuminating. Though ebook questions feature heavily, we’re moving on from library availability concerns to debates surrounding secondhand ebooks, the effects on authors, and e-publishing of out-of-print titles.

Burlesque, Fairies, and The Rozz-Tox Manifesto | What We’re Reading

Rushkoff

This week, Library Journal and School Library Journal staffers are reading risqué histories and local ones, media criticism and discussions of gender, and oh, yes, a few novels here and there.

Lemon Cake, Zombies, and “a Semi-Magical London” | What We’re Reading

Kashgar

This week, Library Journal and School Library Journal staffers are reading about lots of different places: London, Edinburgh, Iowa, western China, and Ireland. As we all well know, there are few things as transporting as a book!

Dennis Lehane, Chris Pavone Take Mystery’s Top Prizes

The Expats jacket

At the Mystery Writers of America’s  67th Annual Edgar Allan Poe Awards Dinner, held Thursday evening at Manhattan’s Grand Hyatt Hotel, Dennis Lehane’s historical crime novel Live By Night won the Edgar for Best Novel. Surprisingly it was a first win for the veteran author of ten books. In his acceptance speech, Lehane  acknowledged the [...]

Morrow Launches Digital-First Mystery Line

Witnessimpulse

Ebook original mysteries continue to gain traction with publishers (see Kristi Chadwick’s 4/15 Genre Spotlight feature “Following Digital Clues”)  as HarperCollins’s William Morrow imprint announced the launch this October of Witness Impulse, a new digital -original mystery, suspense, and thriller line. Over 100 titles have already been acquired, and the initial release of ten titles [...]

Beta Testers Weigh In On Hoopla

hoopla pic

Hoopla, Midwest Tape’s pay-per-circulation media streaming service for public libraries, has been in beta-testing mode for close to two months, and early reports of both the service overall and its mobile applications have been positive.

Steve Jobs, Harry Houdini, and Beyoncé | What We’re Reading

Engle

This week, Library Journal and School Library Journal staffers are dipping into some classics (both new and old) of the horror genre, taking behind-the-scenes looks at today’s technology, and looking at historical figures with new eyes.

Author Q&A: Hanan al-Shaykh’s New Shahrazad

Hanan al-Shaykh

“Many thought that One Thousand and One Nights were folklore, tales, and that’s it—not a treasure. These stories were told so people could learn lessons about humanity, even from bad deeds or omens.”

Featuring YD Feedwordpress Content Filter Plugin