Book Riot’s Most Popular Posts of the Week

Here are the Book Riot pieces that resonated most with readers this week. Catch up (or reread) whatever catches your eye:

Books By and About Vice President Kamala Harris for Readers of All Ages

In 2021, Kamala Harris made history as our first Black and South Asian American Vice President. Prior to that, she was also the second Black woman (and first South Asian American) elected to the Senate. She’s now running for President. Harris is a reader and is the author of several books. Her favorite books have been covered previously here at Book Riot. They include Native Son by Richard Wright and Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. The Kamala Harris books below give readers of all ages the opportunity to learn more about our Vice President.

Assemble a Crew: 8 “One Last Heist” Mystery and Thriller Books

While these books all contain the trope for one last heist they’re all different from each other and should hit many kinds of readers’ tastes. There’s a graphic novel with three generations of a family, a YA novel with a heist competition, a getaway driver pulling off a perfectly planned heist, a socialite and her drag queen crew, a romance/crime novel starring a con artist, a teen pulling off a heist to save her dad, a space heist novel with a species existence at stake, and a thriller with a past and present heist with a ticking clock!

The Best Book Club Book of the Summer

As the writer for our In the Club newsletter, which focuses on all things book clubs, I stay knee-deep in some book club shenanigans. And this summer, there seems to be one book in particular that’s making the book club rounds. 

Now, a little overlap in book choice among the online book clubs I follow is not necessarily unheard of—last year’s Book Club It Girls were Yellowface and Chain-Gang All-Stars—but this instance seems to be a little more than those, especially since this one book in particular is the book club selection for several book clubs at the same time.

The Ongoing Censorship of High School Advanced Placement Courses

It should, at this point, be little surprise to hear that these courses and their accompanying curriculum have become areas where politicians and parents eager to dismantle public goods—schools and libraries specifically—are turning more and more attention.

Hooray, It’s Time for New Books!

 Today, I have an intense novel about marriage and ambition, a fantastic year-in-the-life debut novel, and a wonderful work of historical fiction.

“Books That Made Me Forget I Was Reading” is Trending. But What Does It Mean?

If you spend time in bookish online spaces, you may have seen posts on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram titled “books that made me forget I was reading.” But what does this mean? Does it refer to a specific mood while reading, or is it just an expression meaning “books I loved”?

10 Hilarious and Heartfelt Books like FUNNY STORY

Don’t get me wrong, Funny Story is trope-tastic. It’s got two recently jilted opposites who, thanks to their forced proximity as unlikely roommates, hatch a goofy fake dating plot. Daphne is a little rigid and aloof. Miles is charming but rough around the edges — he’s got that Nick Miller from New Girl quality. He’s definitely not going to be everyone’s “book boyfriend,” but he brings out the best in Daphne, and vice versa. They figure out a lot about themselves through each other, and that’s the magic to witness.

The Best New Books Out in August, According to Indie Booksellers

Every month, the American Booksellers Association put together a list of the top 25 new book releases of the upcoming month as their Indie Next List Preview. These are books that were nominated by booksellers at independent bookstores across the country, and they cover all genres and categories. Each book has a quote from a bookseller about why they recommend this book, and these recommendations can be printed out as “shelf-talkers” to display in store.