Abc blog

Stoner by John Williams William Stoner is born at the end of the nineteenth century into a dirt-poor Missouri farming family. As years pass, Stoner encounters a succession of disappointments: his marriage estranges him from his parents; his career is stymied; his wife and daughter turn coldly away from him; a transforming experience of new love ends under threat of scandal. Driven ever deeper within himself, Stoner rediscovers the stoic silence of his forebears and confronts an essential solitude.

By Lília Even if the summer was being a bit slow in presenting itself this year – so many grey days! – we couldn’t be happier than when the sun and the warmth decide to show their faces. Fortunately we’re seeing more sunny days lately, so let’s enjoy! Summer – as all the seasons of the year, really – is a great time to read in the sun or in the shade, appreciating the warmth around us and enjoying the beach or a park bench.

When we shared our blog post about the discomfort surrounding that “American” in our name on social media, many of our followers were quick to point out that technically, America is not just the USA. And they’re right, of course, even if in our case it does refer to that specific country. Our founders (and in the early years, all of our stock) came from there, after all.

By Damla and Sophie Summer is here! Relaxation is in the air everywhere, and schools are beginning to take their long summer breaks. Which reminds us, 2026 high school graduates can receive a gift voucher if they show (a picture of) their diploma! – Awards! Last month was Pride month (in case you missed all the pride flags and displays everywhere), and per tradition the winners of the Lambda Literary awards have been announced, in all the various LGBTQIA+ categories.

by Lília Ilona Andrews has been top of mind lately after the release of This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me. I went back to another of the duo’s series: Hidden Legacy, which they again enriched with a novella published in January.

by Lília June brought much sun and the opportunity to read everywhere. We had many repeats this month, such as the constantly popular Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman, both the US and UK editions of Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke, the recently released Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 30 and – of course! – both the TV tie-in and the UK editions of The Deal by Elle Kennedy. If you’d like to see the full list, check it out here.

by Sophie Since the inception of the Ursula K. Le Guin Prize in 2022 I’ve been reading along with the whole shortlist each year. I’ve written about the books here on the blog for the 2023 and the 2024 prize, and here – FINALLY – is my report on the books nominated for the 2025 prize.

Becoming Janice by Ragini Werner Fine lesbian fiction set in London and Amsterdam Becoming Janice is relatable lesbian fiction, a captivating coming-of-age story that follows Janice in her search for love and personal growth in London and Amsterdam. The story begins with Janice, newly arrived in London from Auckland, seeking to fill the void left by her first lesbian lover.

By Lauren This article has been first published on DutchNews on June 8, 2026. As World Refugee Day approaches, author Roy puts humanity first Satarupa Bose Roy (Left), Jasbir Singh (middle), and Robert Paul Schwippert of the COA (right) speaking at the event. Photo courtesy of Satarupa Bose Roy.

Congratulations, 2026 high school graduate! You worked, you sweated, you studied hard the last couple of months, and now you have successfully graduated from high school. One chapter closes and the next one is about to start. Maybe you will go to university and become a world famous scientist, maybe you will become a nurse, firefighter or even a bookseller, or maybe you will go on a road trip and write the next great novel. But for now, take a breather, enjoy the sun and read for fun.