James Is One in a Million, Coronation Chaos, “Happy” and

He Joins a Club of One Member:

James Patterson has yet again cemented his legacy in the world of publishing, becoming the first author to sell over 100 million copies across all print formats since Circana BookScan began recording sales in 2004. With this milestone, he surpasses Dr. Seuss, whose books have sold 83 million copies in the same timeframe. Patterson’s prolific writing career spans decades, and his works continue to captivate audiences of all ages, making him a true icon of the literary world.

Library Visitors Embrace Digital:

The numbers indicate that readers more and more readers are borrowing digital books from libraries across North America. There’s been a whopping 117% increase in ebook and digital audiobook checkouts from 2018 to 2023, compared with a 55% increase in general checkouts from 2020 to 2023.

Quirky Assignment Blossoms Into Love:

In Megan Tady’s sparkling debut, Super Bloom, which is set at an iconic Vermont spa, massage therapist Joan Johnston struggles with her grief after the death of her boyfriend, Samuel. Can a quirky assignment from a demanding and eccentric author help Joan rewrite her life? This is a story about perseverance, resilience, taking chances and learning to heal that is both poignant and witty.

Celebrate Coronation Day With Bridgerton Prequel:

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story recently released on Netflix and we’re living for it. This six-episode limited series is based on the bestselling Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn and tells the story of the early years of Queen Charlotte of the United Kingdom. Quinn and co-executive producer Shonda Rhimes also collaborated on a Queen Charlotte novel, which HarperCollins will publish on May 9.

Find Your Happy Place This Summer:

Emily Henry’s latest novel, Happy Place, redefines the romance genre again. Henry is a New York Times bestselling author who has made a name for herself by pushing the boundaries of what readers expect from a love story, and Happy Place is no exception. With its fresh take on clichés and unexpected twists, this novel is bound to be the ultimate summer read.

Trailer for Hunger Games’ Latest:

Lionsgate released a trailer for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, the highly anticipated film based on Suzanne Collins’ popular novel this week. The film stars Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, Jason Schwartzman and Viola Davis and will hit theaters November 17, 2023.

May’s Celebrity Book Club Picks:

• Oprah Winfrey has selected Abraham Verghese’s The Covenant of Water as the latest pick for her book club. The novel spans three generations of a South Indian family which all suffer from a peculiar affliction.
• Vanessa Walters’ The Nigerwife is May’s selection for the Good Morning America book club. This thriller is about a British woman living in Lagos who suddenly goes missing after a boat trip. Her aunt travels to Nigeria, determined to find her, but is met with unhelpful and suspicious characters in her quest.
• Reese Witherspoon’s May pick is Crystal Smith Paul’s Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? which follows three Black sisters from a wealthy Hollywood family who inherit the estate of their neighbor. However, one sister makes a shocking discovery while reading her late neighbor’s journals.
• Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s Chain-Gang All-Stars is the latest pick for Jenna Bush Hager’s Today Show book club, and follows two female prisoners who compete as gladiators for their freedom in a series of death matches.

Edgar Allan Poe Would Be Proud:

The Mystery Writers of America announced the winners of its Edgar Allan Poe Awards. Some notable winners are Danya Kukafka’s Notes on an Execution which snagged the best novel prize for its tale of a death row inmate and the three women who knew him. Eli Cranor’s Don’t Know Tough won best first novel by an American author, following the story of a high school football star caught in a murder investigation. Other winners include Joe Hart for best paperback original with Or Else, Erika Krouse for the best fact crime prize with Tell Me Everything, Marthe Jocelyn for Aggie Morton Mystery Queen: The Seaside Corpse for best juvenile book award and June Hur’s The Red Palace won the young adult book category. Martin Edwards’ The Life of Crime nabbed the best critical/biographical book award, and Gregory Fallis won best short story with Red Flag.

Prestigious Sci-Fi Award for Octavia E. Butler:

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association announced that Octavia E. Butler is the winner of its inaugural Infinity Award. Octavia E. Butler was an award-winning science fiction author, known for her novels including Parable of the Sower, Fledgling, and Kindred. She passed away in 2006. Jules Jackson, directing manager of the Octavia E. Butler Estate, will accept the award on Butler’s behalf at the Nebula Awards ceremony on May 14.

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