50 Stellar Books About Bookstores, Libraries, and Books

Crotchety old A. J. Fikry is struggling in life. He is now a widow. His bookstore is failing. To top it off, his rare edition of Edgar Allan Poe has been stolen. On the verge of becoming a complete recluse, a plot twist occurs that will gives Fikry a second chance at life. A heartwarming tale perfect for any book club.

Twenty-nine-year-old Nina Hill has the perfect little life. She loves her job at the local California bookstore, her friends on her trivia team, and her bookshelves full of books to read. When her absentee father dies, Nina discovers she has a whole slew of relatives she never knew she had and is not sure she wants. Add in a cute guy interested in her, and Nina’s quiet bookish life will never be the same. A super light read with a love story that’s not a romance novel, The Bookish Life of Nina Hill will speak to all those introverted bookworms who love to read books about bookstores. Read more →

After losing his job in the Great Recession, Clay Jannon takes a position at Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. However, something is odd about this particular bookstore. The customers are sparse and never buy any books. Instead, the “check out” obscure large volumes lost in the hidden corners of the store. If you are searching for mysteries set in bookstores, Sloan’s tale is a good place to start.

Want a book that involves a bookstore or library. This modern classic has both! Set in post-World War II Spain, Daniel receives a copy of the only surviving copy of the book, The Shadow of the Wind by Julián Carax. Then Daniel embarks on a quest to discover more of Carax’s history, which many would rather be left concealed. Books like this one remind me why I never want to write fiction; I could never come close to his exquisite use of the written word.  Read More → 

In Mexico, bookstore owner Lydia is charmed to meet Javier, a man who shares her taste in books, only to find he is the local drug lord. When her husband exposes Javier’s secrets, the wrath of the cartel falls upon her family. Lydia and her son Luca must flee from his wrath – all the way to American soil. This book about a bookstore owner sparked a firestorm about cultural appropriation and who gets to tell what stories. Read more → 

Release Date: October 6, 2020 –  In 1714, Addie LaRue makes a bargain with the devil to live forever. Her consequence: she will be forgotten by everyone she meets. After 300 years, Addie meets a young man in a magical bookstore who remembers her name.

In 1986, a massive fire raced through the Los Angeles Public Library Central Branch, raging for over seven hours and destroying hundreds of thousands of books. Susan Orlean weaves together the tale of the library fire, the history of the Los Angeles Public Library, and the behind the scenes look at the current library to show the importance of libraries to humanity. Read More →

Graduate student Zachary Rawlins stumbles upon a mysterious book full of fantastical tales, only to find himself in the narrative. He follows hints to a secret library, preserved by guardians intent on protecting it. From there he finds himself swept into a magical mystical world. With a story this complex, you might not be able to settle for just one reading. Read More → 

During the Great Depression, Englishwoman Alice Wright marries a handsome American and finds herself transplanted to rural Kentucky. To escape her unhappy home life with her withdrawn husband and overbearing father-in-law, Alice agrees to become a traveling librarian, riding around the countryside bringing books to local residents. In her new job, she meets other fierce women and gains lasting friendships. Add in plenty of drama, love stories, corrupt businessmen, and even murder, and you have the perfect light historical fiction for any book club. Read more →

Published just before The Giver of Stars, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is another novel about the Pack Horse Library Project in Kentucky. Richardson’s heroine is 19-year-old Cussy Carter, the last remaining member of the rare blue-skinned Appalachian people. Carter must overcome the suspicions of the locals and win their friendship as she becomes a traveling librarian.

Release Date: July 21, 2020 –  In 1913, Laura Lyons should be loving life. Her husband is the superintendent of the New York Public Library, allowing the family to live inside the famed building. Yet she struggles with her traditional role as a housewife and finds herself drawn into a mystery of stolen books. In 1993, history begins to repeat itself when Laura’s granddaughter, now the curator of the Library, realizes books are disappearing again.

A book narrated by Death might be off-putting at first, but quickly you’ll fall in love with this Young Adult WWII historical fiction. In 1939, Liesel Meminger is sent to live with foster parents in Munich. There she befriends the charming neighborhood boy Rudy and settles into a life of book thievery. Coming of age during the rise of the Nazis, Liesel and Rudy must face the complications of growing up in a dictatorship they hate. Read more →

On the German-occupied island of Guernsey, the residents form a book club as an excuse for breaking curfew. Written as a series of letters after the war between the book club and writer Juliet Ashton, the story gives you a look at what life was like on the occupied island. This fun novel is sure to leave you smiling at the colorful cast of characters and makes the perfect book for your reading list.

Release date: May 26, 2020 –  Just after the Second World War, the residents of the sleepy village of Chawton seem to be languishing. When Adam suggests forming a society to preserve the final home of Jane Austen, he doesn’t realize how a mutual love of Jane Austen will change the lives of the townspeople.

After the Civil War, freed slaves posted “Lost Friends” advertisements, seeking loved ones who had been sold off. During this time, freed slave Hannie goes on an adventure with two step-sisters, daughters of Hannie’s former master. While Lavinia and Juneau Jane are looking for their father’s will, Hannie is hoping to find her long-lost family. In 1987, searching for a way to connect to her students, teacher Benny Silva hopes that diving into the town’s history will spark some interest. Read more →

If you love books within books, you’ll love Kate Morton’s bestseller. After the death of her grandmother Nell, Cassandra learns she has inherited a cottage in England. Now she sets off on a journey to discover Nell’s past and hopefully find a path forward for herself. Kate Morton expertly peels away layers of revelations to finally get the overarching mystery – how did a little girl end up found in Australia carrying only a book of fairytales. Read more → 

Growing up in the early 1900s, January Scaller lives in an expansive mansion in Vermont, the home of her guardian Mr. Locke, who collects peculiar treasures from all over the world. January herself is one of those treasures, not quite white but also not quite black. Her father travels the world finding treasures for Mr. Locke, while January sits at home trying to be a good girl. When January discovers a book about doors – magical passageways between worlds – she begins a journey toward a fantastical future and an understanding of her past.

Based on a lesser-known Grimm fairytale, Book of Thousand Days is a great choice if you like young adult fiction. After Lady Saren refuses to marry her chosen suitor, she is shut in a tower for seven years along with her maid Dashti. With food running low, when two suitors arrive trying to win Saren’s hand, Dashti must use all her wits to help them through this trial

Release Date: May 12, 2020 – When Japanese bombs start falling in Nanking in 1937, Hu Lian and her university classmates must walk 1,000 miles to safety in China’s interior. The group is given a secret task, to guard The Library of Legends, an ancient collection of myths. Along the way, Lian realizes that one of the tales from the Library of Legends seems to be awakening the spirits of the story. Read more →

In a world where printed books are outlawed, firemen Guy Montag begins to wonder what’s so dangerous about books. While there are other books about burning books, Fahrenheit 451 is the classic and serves as a warning against the dangers of censorship and the consequences of an addiction to television. In our world of technology, Ray Bradbury’s dystopian novel feels rather prophetic.

In I’d Rather be Reading, book blogger Anne Bogel contemplates the delights and dilemmas of the reading life. You’ll be reminded of the first time you fell in love with a book and of all the joy reading has brought into your life since. Her perfect descriptions of bookish dilemmas makes this a must-read on any list of books about books and reading. Read More → 

In her love letter to all things bookish, Jane Mount writes directly to bookworms. Full of literary facts and book recommendations, Mount beautifully illustrates her book about books. With book lists, famous bookstores around the world and the working spaces of well-known authors, Mount has something for any book lover.

Glory Edim has compiled this motivating collection of essays from contemporary black female authors. With such big names as Jesmyn Ward, N. K. Jemisin, Tayari Jones among others, you won’t find any better nonfiction books with strong female leads anywhere. Telling of how they found themselves in literature, these fierce females will inspire you to remember the value of a story.