Which BookFest Award Winners Belong on Your Shelf?

BookFest Award-winners spring 2026

The latest BookFest Awards delivered a shelf-worthy lineup of books. Which ones will you be unable to put down? These winners span genres, ages, and moods, offering plenty of reasons to wander beyond your usual bookshelf. Inside this list, you’ll find everything from haunted towns and AI nightmares to heartfelt memoirs, magical children’s adventures, career … Read more

Your Summer Reading List, Solved: 10 Books to Dive Into Now

Your Summer Reading List Beach with rainbow

What books are you packing in your beach bag this summer? The ones you reach for between swims, on long flights, or in those quiet moments when the day finally slows down and you lean back on the porch. The right read can turn a lazy afternoon into something memorable or keep you up long … Read more

Outstanding Reads from the BookFest Awards

Discover standout winners from the Fall 2025 BookFest Awards

Each season, the BookFest Awards shine a spotlight on books that rise above the rest through exceptional storytelling, originality, and impact. The titles on this list represent some of the most compelling winners from the Fall 2025 BookFest Awards, spanning genres, audiences, and themes, but united by one thing: excellence. Spanning fiction and nonfiction, and … Read more

What’s on Your To-Be-Read List in 2026 

Each year, Books That Make You brings readers one of the most anticipated lists in the literary world, a curated guide to the standout titles destined for TBR piles everywhere. Whether you’re a planner who pre-orders early or a browser looking to fill your shelves with unforgettable stories, this is your go-to list for what … Read more

Shop Indie: Give the Gift of a Good Book This Season

Christmas bookstore for Indie books

Indie authors are some of the most imaginative and passionate trail blazers in publishing today. They aren’t afraid to take risks or tell their stories. For that, they deserve our respect and support. This holiday season, while shoppers take advantage of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and beyond, we invite you to shop … Read more

Beating the Bookish Summertime Blues

A peaceful dock overlooking a calm blue sea with a small boat anchored nearby and distant land on the horizon under a clear sky.

Fun, fresh books to fall in love with this summer. There’s nothing like the right book to turn a good summer into a great one. Whether you’re craving big feelings, wild twists, magical escapes, or just a story that makes you smile, this lineup has you covered. These picks are bursting with energy, heart, and … Read more

Writing Six to Carry the Casket: What I Wish I Knew

Author Bill Hulseman stands beside his memoir, “Six to Carry the Casket and One to Say the Mass,” against a moody, urban backdrop with cardboard boxes, graffiti, and religious imagery—symbolizing the book’s themes of grief, queer identity, Catholic ritual, and personal healing.

Q.What do you wish you knew before you started to write your book?  I didn’t start writing with a book in mind–my only intention was to make space and time to process significant changes in my life. I wasn’t searching for some original or sweeping insight–I just needed to figure out where I came from, … Read more

Mothers, Mysteries, and Multigenerational Mayhem: 4 Must-Reads Heating Up Women’s Fiction

Three tablets display the covers of Three Mothers, Where the Rivers Merge, and The Names on a rustic table with lace, flowers, and lemon water; “Books That Make You” logo at the bottom.

Summer’s heating up, and so is your TBR pile. From chilling suspense to heart-tugging multigenerational dramas, the best of women’s fiction summer 2025 delivers everything we crave—emotional depth, tangled secrets, and stories that linger long after the final page. Whether you’re sipping something cold on the porch or sneaking chapters between sun-soaked errands, these four … Read more

May 2025 Romance Book Releases: Love, Lies & Literary Feuds

Flat lay image of May 2025 romance book releases, including “The Widow’s Irish Secret” by Susanne O’Leary, “Hotter in the Hamptons” by Tinx, and “Can’t Get Enough” by Kennedy Ryan. Surrounded by pink flowers, sunglasses, a couple’s photo on a phone, and a heart-shaped latte. Romantic travel-inspired desk scene with soft spring tones.

The May 2025 romance book releases are delivering a delectable mix of scandal, second chances, and sizzling chemistry. From the windswept coasts of Ireland to the glitzy Hamptons, these stories promise to whisk you away on emotional rollercoasters. Whether you’re in the mood for a heartwarming tale of rediscovery or a steamy summer fling, this … Read more

May’s YA Book Buzz: Royals, Ranches, and Rom-Coms 

May YA book releases flat lay with three novels on tablets, pastel desk items, and matcha latte.

May YA book releases are heating things up—both outside and on bookstore shelves. This month’s young adult picks bring royal intrigue, romantic twists, ancient prophecies, and Hollywood heartthrobs into the spotlight. Whether you’re lounging by the pool or hiding from the sun with a good book, these four new titles are ready to sweep you … Read more