List of Books About Books

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Author: Andrew Sean Greer

Year: 2017

Genre: Fiction

More info: Winner of the Pulitzer Prize

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range:16+

Plot

More about a writer than a book, specifically, this Pulitzer Prize-winning contemporary fiction LGBTQ book is full of heart. When Andrew Less gets an invitation to his ex-boyfriend’s wedding and his publisher drops his next book option, he decides to accept every literary event invitation for a year.

As he travels around the world, we are left rooting for him to sort out his life and begin again.

Trigger Warnings

Infidelity, homophobia

Why Kirsten loves it

This is a book about books you will not want to miss. Greer writes with such heart. This is not a book you will want to put down.

Find this book in: The Ultimate List of Books About Books / Fiction Books About Books

The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry

Author: Gabrielle Zevin

Year: 2014

Genre: Fiction

More info: New York Times Bestseller

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

The recent death of his wife, bad book sales, and the recent robbery of a rare book is wreaking havoc on his life. But this tale of redemption and unexpected chances has a serious soul.

Trigger Warnings

Cancer, Suicide

Why Jackie loves it

This lovely story about a bookstore and its owner will capture your heart. A.J. Fikry is like a bookstore version of Ove in all the right ways except A.J. is only in his thirties.

Find this book in: Books Like a Man Called Ove / Books About Bookstores / Fiction Books About Books

Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books

Author: Kirsten Miller

Year: 2024

Genre: Fiction

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Beverly Underwood is on the school board and Lulu Dean, her arch nemesis, has made it her mission to rid the public library of inappropriate books. Instead, she creates her lending library filled with books that she feels are more appropriate.

However, she does not know that someone has replaced the books inside the dust jacket with literary classics, witch books, LGBTQ+ romances, and more. The truth comes out when Beverly and Lulu are running against each other for the town Mayor.

Why Jackie loves it

This is a book that deals with so many issues all through the lens of books. It is hilarious and laugh out loud without feeling empty. I wanted to yell and cheer for the characters. It is a wonderful must-read book.

Find this book in: Books About Books / Best New Fiction Books of 2024 / Books About Libraries and Librarians / Fiction Books About Books

The Bookshop on the Corner

Author: Jenny Colgan

Year: 2016

Genre: Fiction

More info: The Bookshop on the Corner #1

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This contemporary fiction book was the first book I read by Jenny Colgan and is different from her others.  It is not centered around food but rather, books. 

When Nina, a librarian, finds herself without a job, she embarks on a journey with a mobile bookshop in Scotland.  There is nothing not to love in this sweet and cozy book.

Why Kirsten loves it

If you are ever in a reading slump, please pick up this story! I felt like I was with Nina, puttering around the lanes of Scotland in her bookmobile. The romance in the story was charming as well! This remains my favorite Jenny Colgan story.

Find this book in: The Best Jenny Colgan Books Ranked / Novels About Scotland / Books About Books / Books about Bookstores / British Books / Fiction Books About Books

The Little Paris Bookshop

Author: Nina George

Year: 2015

Genre: Fiction

Age Range: 16+

Plot

The story features a floating book apothecary whose owner can meet you and give you a story meant for your soul. When he needs to help his own soul, he sets his boat adrift on the Seine to see where it will take him.

Why Kirsten loves it

I loved every minute of this lovely contemporary fiction book. I read it before Jackie and am so glad that I was the one to recommend this book to her. The entire premise of this book is delightful.

Why Jackie loves it

This is one of my favorite books set in Paris and also one of my favorite books ever. The idea of a literary apothecary plays a big part in what Beyond the Bookends aims to do- Match people with books!

Find this book in: Books Set in Paris / Books Set in France / Ultimate List of 35+ Feel-Good Books / The Ultimate List of Books About Books / Best Books in Translation / Books About Bookstores / Fiction Books About Books

Liberty Island

Author: Virginia Hume

Release Date: May 5, 2026

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: Bestselling author of Haven Point

July 2026 Beyond the Bookends Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 15+

Plot

Anna Bradley was 28 in 1900. She is looking for a way to be independent and make her own money. She is having trouble finishing the textbook she was writing with her father and has to find convincing arguments to get her employer to actually pay her. She spends her summers supervising three little girls, including her niece, as they run around off the coast of Haven Point, Maine. They became the inspiration for the book “Liberty Island” that Anna writes under a pen name. The Liberty Island stories are unlike anything else in that time. Rather than writing morals about how to be good wives and mothers, the children have adventures!

In 1922, Julia Demarast used to love her aunt’s book, but now, at university, she views the books as old-fashioned. Julia becomes involved in the suffragette movement and begins to move away from her family.

Why Jackie loves it

Kirsten and I loved Haven Point, so it was no surprise that I adored this book as well. I loved seeing Anna and Julia both fight for women’s rights in their own ways. The characters are rich and deep, and the story comes together in an unexpected way. This is everything I hoped for from Virginia. Thank you, Macmillan Audio

Find this book in: Beyond the Bookends Book Club / Books Set in Maine / Best Beach Reads 2026

The Book Thief

Author: Markus Zusak

Year: 2005

Genre: Historical Fiction

Age: 12+

Plot

This magical realism book is narrated by Death. Death tells the story of Liesel, a young girl in Nazi Germany in 1939. Liesel is living with her foster parents and learning to read from stolen books. She also shares these books with the Jewish man who is hiding in her basement.

Trigger Warnings

Death, Antisemitism, War

Why Kirsten loves it

This book is a brilliant, powerful, poignant, and unforgettable look at Nazi Germany. It’s becoming part of many school curricula for good reason. I’ve never read a story that encapsulates life for ordinary children during this harrowing time in history.

Find this book in: WWII Books for Kids / YA Historical Fiction Books / Books about the Holocaust / Coming-of-age Books for Teens / The Best Queen Camilla Book Club Books

Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

Author: Mary Ann Shaffner and Annie Barrows

Year: 2008

Genre: Historical Fiction

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

This story about the island of Guernsey’s occupation during WWII features a book club that started to deceive the German soldiers. The members of the book club quickly become friends. Can you think of a better book for book clubs than one about a book club?

When a young novelist finds out about their society, she begins a correspondence and eventually visits them to learn more. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society must remain secret for their safety rather than by choice.

Trigger Warnings

War, Death

Why Jackie loves it

The story is told entirely in letters and was recently turned into a Netflix movie! I love this heartwarming novel. If you have not read this cozy book, I highly recommend it to anyone who loved The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner.

Find this book in: Secret Society Books / Books About WWII / Friendship Books / Books About Books / British Books / Epistolary Novels / Books with Food in the Title / Books About Book Clubs

The Story She Left Behind

Author: Patti Callahan Henry

Year: 2025

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: Beyond the Bookends Most Anticipated Book March 2025

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 14+

Plot

In 1927, When Clara Harrington was 8 years old, her mother disappeared off the coast of South Carolina. Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham was an author renowned for the book she wrote when she was 12 years old. The follow-up to the book, written in her mother’s made-up language, sat untranslated because the dictionary disappeared along with Bronwyn.

Now in 1952, Clara is a mother and illustrator. She is contacted by Charlie Johnson in London, who claims to have a handwritten dictionary in her mother’s lost language. Clara must travel to London to retrieve the dictionary and finally get some answers.

She travels with her asthmatic daughter by boat only to arrive at the start of The Great Smog.

Why Jackie loves it

This book was more than I could have hoped for. It was absolutely captivating from the first word to the last. I listened to and read this book at the same time because I could not get enough. I loved the story, but loved it even more when I found out that Bronwyn was based on the life and disappearance of Barbara Newhall Follett. There are also references to Beatrix Potter. This book is a must for any book lover. It reads like a love letter to language.

Find this book in: The Ultimate List of Books About Books / Beach Reads 2025 / Best Historical Fiction Books of 2025 / Best Books of 2025 / Best Historical Fiction Books About Books

Hamnet

Author: Maggie O’Farrell

Year: 2020

Genre: Literary Historical Fiction

More info: New York Times Bestseller

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range:

Plot

This is the story of Shakespeare’s life, family, and extraordinary wife during the time of the plague. Shakespeare himself is never actually mentioned by name in this extraordinary and heartbreaking book that was so hard to put down.

Trigger Warnings

Child Death

Why Jackie loves it

I had this book on my TBR for so long and I am so happy that I finally had a chance to read it. I know why it made so many lists of top books for 2020. And if you are looking for biographical novels about writers, this one is a must-read.

Adaptation Information

Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal star in the movie adaptation of this bestseller. Chloé Zhao directed it and it’s expected to hit theaters Thanksgiving 2025.

Find this book in: Biographical Fiction Novels / Books About Books / Books Becoming Movies / The Best Queen Camilla Book Club Books

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie

Author: Marie Benedict

Year: 2020

Genre: Historical Mystery

Age Range: 16+

Plot

⁣Marie Benedict is the master of bringing women back to life in her historical fiction novels. The Mystery of Mrs. Christie is my favorite to date and I found it hard to put down. ⁣In December 1926, Agatha Christie went missing for 11 days. She re-emerged as mysteriously as she disappeared and more questions than answers persist.

Why Jackie loves it

Benedict does a wonderful job of building the mystery using her brilliant imagination and bringing us into the world of Agatha Christie. It is the perfect blend of fiction and mystery and is an absolute delight.

Find this book in: Historical Mystery Books / Books about Writers / Books About Books / Biographical Fiction Novel / 1920s Novels / Best Historical Fiction Books About Books

Beach Read

Author: Emily Henry

Year: 2020

Genre: Romance

More info: New York Times Bestselling Author

Spice Rating:💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

January is a romance writer who no longer believes in love.  Until she was 28, she led an idyllic life filled with the ideas of perfect love. 

Augustus Everett is a literary fiction writer who has never believed in love.  They could not be more different.  When they find themselves living next door to each other they decide to help each other overcome their writer’s block by challenging each other to a writer’s duel. 

Trigger Warning

Death of a parent, sexual content

Why Jackie loves it

This is one of the best romance books I have read in a long time.  What could be better than a romance about writers? I love Emily Henry’s writing and loved this book.

Find this book in: Enemies-to-Lovers Romance Books / Grumpy Sunshine Romance / Emily Henry Books / Books About Books / Best Beach Reads / Romance Books About Books / Books like the Off Campus Series

Seven Days in June

Author: Tia Williams

Year: 2021

Genre: Romance

More info: June 2021 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

The latest Reese’s Book Club pick was quite a unique read. It was billed as a romance but that doesn’t do this novel justice. Yes, there are some steamy scenes, but it also deals with childhood trauma, drug addiction, racial issues, and single motherhood.

Eva Mercy is a single mom and a bestselling author of Erotica. Shane Hall is an award-winning novelist. The two meet at a literary event and sparks fly, but what nobody knows is that the two met years ago and spent a week together. Since that time, their novels have been declarations of love for each other.

Trigger Warnings

Trauma, addiction

Why Kirsten loves it

It was much heavier than I expected, especially with a second-chance romance novel. If you are looking for something that will make you think, this is the right pick for you from our list of books about books.

Why Jackie likes it

This is such a complex and deep second-chance romance. The years have been difficult for these two and they carry a lot of baggage.

Find this book in: Books About Books Books / Becoming Movies in 2024 / Second Chance Romance Books / Romance Books About Books / Reese Witherspoon Book Club List 2021 / Books with Numbers in the Title

The Bromance Book Club

Author: Lyssa Kay Adams

Year: 2019

Genre: Romance

More info: Bromance Book Club #1

Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Gavin, a professional baseball player in Nashville, recently discovered his wife has been faking her orgasms. Determined to do better in the bedroom, and avoid a divorce in the process, Gavin joins a secret club – a book club!

But this book club is unlike any other. It’s comprised of the biggest alpha males in Nashville and they only read romance books. Together, the members of the bromance book club help Gavin win back his wife.

Why Jackie loves it

This book was the perfect break I needed into a world of romance. The idea of a bunch of men getting together to read romance novels to try and improve their relationships is amazing.

Although now that I think of it, maybe this book is a fantasy. This book is a perfect light read that I finished in a day and as far as rom-com novels go, it is a definite must-read!

Find this book in: Sports Romance Novels / Books about Books / Rom-Com Books / Second Chance Romance / Books About Sports / Romance Books About Books / Books About Book Clubs

The Book Witch

Author: Meg Shaffer

Release Date: April 7, 2026

Genre: Fantasy

More info: USA Today Bestselling author of The Wishing Game

Plot

Rainy March is a book witch. She can move in and out of novels to fix any alterations that book burners might do to try and harm the book. All book witches have to abide by a strict code that does not allow them to eat, drink, or sleep inside a fictional world. They are also not supposed to bring fictional characters into the real world.

When Rainy’s grandfather disappears, and a priceless book is stolen, there is only one person she can trust to help her. The Duke of Chicago is a British detective who stars in her favorite mystery series. The problem? She has been forbidden to see him anymore because they fell in love when she went into his books to save them from the burners. Now, the two of them will hop from book to book to follow the clues her grandfather left behind.

Why Jackie loves it

This book is an ode to books, and I loved every minute of it. It is funny and sweet with the perfect amount of romance and mystery. There are mentions of classic books from Nancy Drew to Fahrenheit 451 and Pride and Prejudice. Thank you to Ballantine for my copy of this book #gifted.

Find this book in: The Ultimate List of Books About Books / Cozy Fantasy Romance Books / Best Beach Reads 2026

The Book of Doors: A Novel

Author: Gareth Brown

Year: 2024

Genre: Fantasy

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Cassie works in a bookstore in NYC. When one of her favorite customers dies, she finds the book he was reading with an inscription leaving it to her. It’s the Book of Doors which allows Cassie to open any door and go anywhere she wants to – London, Paris, or any door she can picture in her head.

Soon, she is approached by a stranger named Drummond Fox, a librarian for a collection of books just like Cassie’s telling her she’s in danger. People have searched for The Book of Doors for years and will do anything to get their hands on it.

Now, Cassie finds herself entwined in a dangerous game of cat and mouse as she tries to stay alive and keep the Book of Doors away from those who want it for nefarious purposes. #gifted

Trigger Warnings

Death

Why Jackie loves it

OMG. I did not know what to expect when I picked up this book. It is unlike anything I had ever read and I loved every minute of the story! I loved I had to think about how the doors would work and how the story comes together in the end.

Find this book in: Books About Books / Magical Realism Books to Read Now / Books About Bookstores / Summer Reads 2024 / Best New Fantasy Books / Best Adult Fantasy Novels

The Midnight Library

Author: Matt Haig

Year: 2020

Genre: Time Travel Fiction

More info: October 2020 GMA Book Club Pick

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

The story is about a library with books filled with the infinite possibilities of the lives not lived.  Have you ever wondered about a choice, or a path not taken?

When Nora finds herself in the library she is forced to face the choices that she made in her life- relationships, education, profession… The books in the library are endless, each an alternate reality of the endless life choices. Nora has to decide what kind of life she wants to live.

Trigger Warnings

Suicide

Why Jackie loves it

I loved Matt Haig’s last book and was so excited to read this one. This is a magical time travel book and I loved every minute of getting to know Nora’s paths untravelled. Matt Haig is a master of magical realism.

Find this book in: Time Travel Books / Books About Books / Time Loop Books / Magical Realism / Best Books of 2020 / Adult Fantasy Novels / Books About Libraries

Home Before Dark

Author: Riley Sager

Year: 2020

Genre: Thriller

More info: Instant New York Times Bestseller, USA Today Best Books of 2020

Age Range: 18+

Plot

It is so strange that I have read four paranormal fiction this month! Maggie Holt spent three weeks in a house that became the subject of a best-selling novel written by her father.

During the three weeks in the house, the family was haunted by ghosts before they were eventually forced to flee. Twenty-five years later, Maggie is shocked to learn that her father still owned the house when he died and the house is now hers.

As Maggie returns to the house to find out what really happened, she might be in for more than she bargained for. Even though this is last on our list of Riley Sager books, it was a fun read that I would highly recommend.

Why Jackie likes it

This is a fun book that is not only about books but also has a touch of paranormal as well. If ghosts are not your thing but you love thrillers, I would recommend this one as a perfect “in-between” book. Riely Sager is very readable and his books are never a disappointment.

Find this book in: The Best Riley Sager Books Ranked / Halloween Thriller Books

The Fiction Writer

Author: Jillian Cantor

Year: 2023

Genre: Mystery

More info: USA bestselling author

Spice Rating:💋

Plot

Olivia Fitzgerald, a struggling writer, lands a lucrative ghostwriting gig for a reclusive billionaire, Henry Asherwood. Tasked with uncovering a dark secret about his grandmother and Daphne du Maurier, Olivia becomes entangled in a gothic mystery that challenges her notions of creative freedom and whose stories should be told.

Why Kirsten loves it

I got swept into the book and finished it in one sitting. It’s got Rebecca Easter eggs, Du Maurier fun facts, a hunky billionaire recluse with a cryptic mission, and a book within a book. It’s one of the most unique novels about writers I’ve ever read. #gifted by Park Row

Why Jackie loves it

Kirsten said it all. I loved the references to Du Maurier, but the story stands on its own as a unique and unputdownable read. I was not sure where the book was headed, and I loved how it developed.

Find this book in: Fiction Books About Writers / Mystery and Thriller Novels About Writers / Best Books by Jewish Writers and Authors

The Plot

Author: Jean Hanff Korelitz

Year: 2021

Genre: Mystery

More info: The Book Series #1, New York Times Bestseller

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Jacob is a formerly successful writer struggling to write his next great novel. His student Evan dies without publishing his own incredible story, so Jacob decides to write it himself to great critical acclaim. But then someone starts threatening to expose him for the theft of the story, launching him into the truth behind the tale he wrote about.

Why Kirsten loves it

What a ride! Jean Hanff Korelitz’s thriller is quite something. It’s one I just adored even if I did figure the big twist out early on. It’s the journey with this book.

Adaptation Information

This is set to be adapted into a TV series for Hulu. Mahershala Ali is set to produce and star in the series.

Find this book in: Books Becoming Movies and TV Shows / Books About Con Artists / Books by Jewish Authors / Best Thriller Books / Books About Books / Mystery and Thriller Novels About Writers

The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair

Author: Joel Dicker

Year: 2014

Genre: Mystery

More info: Instant New York Times Bestseller

Age Range: 16+

Plot

The story of Marcus Goldman and his quest to learn what really happened between his mentor Harry Quebert and 15-year-old Nola Kellergan.

Did Harry commit the murder he is now being accused of? Will Marcus write the great American novel? Well, you’ll just have to read it to find out! 

Why Kirsten loves it

This book was heavily hyped when it first came out but having just had a baby I was not interested in reading this whopper of a book. Then in 2018, Patrick Dempsey started in a TV mini-series based on the novel. I finally decided to pick it up.

Find this book in: Best Long Books / Mystery and Thriller Novels About Writers / Best Novels About Teachers

Dictionary of Lost Words

Author: Pip Williams

Year: 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: May 2022 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Esme spent her childhood in the Scriptorium of Oxford with her dad and his colleagues as they worked to create the first Oxford Dictionary. When the word “bondmaid” slips to the floor, Esme stashes it along with other discarded words into a space place in her home. Overtime, she begins to realize the words often associated with women carry less weight than those for men, which is when she starts to collect words for her own project – The Dictionary of Lost Words.

Trigger Warnings

War, Death of a Parent

Why Jackie likes it

I have to say that I never had any idea how the dictionary was made and how “abridged” my version actually is (think 20 volumes and 4ft of shelf space). This historical fiction was brilliantly researched and detailed. The heart of this book is the importance of words and women finding their power in small ways in a male-centered world. At times I thought the book moved a little slowly but it is well-written and enjoyable.

Find this book in: Reese Witherspoon Book Club List 2022 / List of Books About Books

Hell of a Book

Author: Jason Mott

Year: 2021

Genre: Literary Fiction

More info: July 2021 Read with Jenna Book Club Pick

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 15+

Plot

There are so many layers to this book that is a book about a fictional author and his book “Hell of a Book”.  I can see why Jenna chose this book as her July 2021 pick.

The novel tells the story of Soot- a young black boy in a rural town. As we hear the story of Soot we also have the author talking to “The Kid”, a young black boy who may or may not be invisible.

Trigger Warnings

Racism, police brutality, child death

Why Jackie loves it

The description of the book does not do it justice. It is a powerful and poignant commentary on family, children, and the lengths that parents will go to to protect their children. This book is haunting.

Find this book in: Best Books of 2021 / Ultimate List of Contemporary Fiction / Best Read With Jenna Books / Read With Jenna Book Club List 2021 / Fiction Books About Books

The Other Black Girl

Author: Zakiya Dalila Harris

Year: 2021

Genre: Thriller

More info: June 2021 GMA Book Club Pick

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Nella is the only black girl at her publishing house until Hazel is hired. Thinking she’s found an ally, instead, she begins to wonder if Hazel might be an enemy instead. As Hazel’s career soars, Nella is left questioning her identity, her ideals, and what it means to be a black woman in the business world while trying to uncover who is behind the scary notes she keeps receiving.

Trigger Warnings

Racism

Why Jackie loves it

Wow. I’m still processing this genre-defying novel. It’s a social commentary and a thriller all in one. It makes me want to sit down and discuss it with everyone.

Find this book in: Good Morning America / Ultimate Thriller List / Women in the Workplace / Books About Books / GMA Book Club List 2021