kirkus reviews best books 2020

• Awards Season
• Big Stories
• Pop Culture
• Video Games
• Celebrities

Should You Be Using Goodreads’ Book Reviews to Choose Your Next Read?

There’s nothing like finding the perfect read: a page-turner that keeps you hooked and up all night because you can’t put it down; a novel that takes you to a distant, fascinating world and lets you escape from reality for a little while; or a book that teaches you about something you’ve been longing to learn about — like pizza making, dog training or career development.

But finding the perfect book is no easy task. I have the feeling that sometimes I spend more time figuring out what my next great read will be than actually reading. Because once I find that rare novel that checks all of the boxes, I devour it.

I’ve developed certain tricks when it comes to discovering that great next book: asking my friends with similar reading tastes for recommendations; checking the new releases from some of my favorite authors; reading book recommendation lists from those authors; and visiting NPR’s annual, curated selection Book Concierge . But these last few years I’ve also turned to Goodreads .

Goodreads is a social network and book database that launched in January 2007. Amazon, which started its giant retailer business as an online bookseller, bought Goodreads in 2013 .

“Our mission is to help people find and share books they love,” Goodreads’ website says. Goodreads’ social network aspect lets you create an account, track what you’re reading and keep a log of it. You can also add friends and see what they’re reading. One of my favorite features is the “Reading Challenge.” Every January you can set a number of books you want to read and then work your way toward that goal amount throughout the year. Setting a realistic yet somewhat challenging goal can be the perfect way to persuade yourself to read just a little bit more, even if it’s just one or two more books than the previous year. And this is one of those competitions where you’re just measuring yourself against yourself.

You can also just use Goodreads as a catalog to look up a book’s author, publication date or number of pages.

Goodreads’ Reviews, Ratings & Lists

In addition to tracking your progress and seeing what your friends on Goodreads are reading and favoriting, you can use this social network to see what its millions of users (statistics website Statista estimated Goodreads had 90 million registered members in July 2019) are perusing and how much they’re liking their reads. Need some more help navigating the site? Here are some of Goodreads features that can help you choose your next book:

Reviews : Book reviews are one of Goodreads’ most appealing offerings. And while those reviews are written by users, not professional book critics at major publications, some of those who write book reviews do it regularly. They may even be bloggers who read about specific topics or genres. Think about it like the type of restaurant review you can get on Yelp.

Per Goodreads review guidelines , commercial reviews are not allowed. If a reviewer receives a free copy of a book, they must disclose it in the review. Some reviewers receive advanced readers’ copies (ARCs), which makes it possible for a review to hit Goodreads before a book’s publication date.

Ratings : Lazy readers, like myself, prefer to give a book just a 1-5 star rating instead of writing an actual review to go with it. Most books have a bigger number of star ratings than actual reviews. I trust Goodreads’ users enough that I might avoid a book with a rating lower than 3.5 stars. Also, the bigger the number of ratings, the more reliable the metric tends to be.

I use ratings and reviews in conjunction to help me determine whether I should start reading something or not. One of the most recent reviews for the first book in the Bridgertons series , for instance, already warns the reader about the book’s most controversial passage . So, even if that book has a 3.89 rating, a review can help you make a final decision. And yes, reviews might end up being a bit spoilery. So be careful when you do your research.

Lists : They can be created by users or the Goodreads’ team and they are a good way to find reads in specific genres. If you like a book, you can see what lists that title is included on and discover something similar. There are lists for everything, from Scandinavian/Nordic Mysteries to Science Fiction Books by Female Authors or Food Books for Readers to Devour .

Goodreads Annual Choice Awards

This is probably my favorite part of Goodreads. Each year users can choose their favorite books in different categories — Fiction, Mystery & Thriller, Fantasy, Romance, Science & Technology, Historical Fiction, Horror, Humor, and so on. Not only is this a good way of giving some love to the authors you’ve enjoyed reading, but the winners and runner-ups also tend to be solid books to add to your list. (They might even help you with your holiday shopping.)

And while Goodreads has received its fair share of criticism for being a bit outdated — I don’t remember the last time the website or app were refreshed — I still can’t see myself not using it. It’s buggy sometimes and it lacks some usability features, but it sure has allowed me to discover authors and books I would have totally missed otherwise.

MORE FROM ASK.COM

• ADMIN AREA MY BOOKSHELF MY DASHBOARD MY PROFILE SIGN OUT SIGN IN

Best Books of 2020

Best Fiction Books of the Year

• 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016
• Fiction Nonfiction Teens & YA Middle Grade Picture Books Indie
• All Fiction books by category All Fiction books alpha by author Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2020 Best Historical Fiction of 2020 Best Romance Novels of 2020 Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of 2020 Best 2020 Fiction To Get Your Book Club Talking Best 2020 Fiction Writers to Discover Best Short Fiction of 2020 Best Fiction in Translation of 2020 Best Debut Fiction of 2020 Best Fiction for Quarantine Reading in 2020

The Magazine: Kirkus Reviews

Featuring 261 industry-first reviews of fiction, nonfiction, children’s, and YA books; also in this issue: the best children’s and young adult titles of 2023, Holiday Gift Guide, author interviews, and much more

The Kirkus Star

One of the most coveted designations in the book industry, the Kirkus Star marks books of exceptional merit.

The Kirkus Prize

The Kirkus Prize is among the richest literary awards in America, awarding $50,000 in three categories annually.

Great Books & News Curated For You

Be the first to read books news and see reviews, news and features in Kirkus Reviews . Get awesome content delivered to your inbox every week.

• Discover Books Fiction Thriller & Suspense Mystery & Detective Romance Science Fiction & Fantasy Nonfiction Biography & Memoir Teens & Young Adult Children's
• News & Features Bestsellers Book Lists Profiles Perspectives Awards Seen & Heard Book to Screen Kirkus TV videos In the News
• Kirkus Prize Winners & Finalists About the Kirkus Prize Kirkus Prize Judges
• Magazine Current Issue All Issues Manage My Subscription Subscribe
• Writers’ Center Hire a Professional Book Editor Get Your Book Reviewed Advertise Your Book Launch a Pro Connect Author Page Learn About The Book Industry
• More Kirkus Diversity Collections Kirkus Pro Connect My Account/Login
• About Kirkus History Our Team Contest FAQ Press Center Info For Publishers
• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions
• Reprints, Permission & Excerpting Policy

© Copyright 2023 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Popular in this Genre

Hey there, book lover.

We’re glad you found a book that interests you!

Please select an existing bookshelf

Create a new bookshelf.

We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!

Please sign up to continue.

It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!

Already have an account? Log in.

Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.

Almost there!

• Industry Professional

Welcome Back!

Sign in using your Kirkus account

Contact us: 1-800-316-9361 or email [email protected].

Don’t fret. We’ll find you.

Magazine Subscribers ( How to Find Your Reader Number )

If You’ve Purchased Author Services

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up.

• Discussions
• Reading Challenge
• Kindle Notes & Highlights
• Favorite genres
• Friends’ recommendations
• Account settings

Listopia > Kirkus Book Lists

Browse By Tag

• romance (7572)
• fiction (7226)
• young-adult (5699)
• fantasy (4821)
• science-fiction (3451)
• non-fiction (2874)
• children (2310)
• history (2200)
• mystery (2107)
• covers (2107)
• horror (1958)
• historical-fiction (1828)
• best (1735)
• titles (1504)
• paranormal (1445)
• middle-grade (1394)
• love (1390)
• contemporary (1306)
• historical-romance (1296)
• lgbt (1286)
• queer (1281)
• nonfiction (1272)
• thriller (1261)
• biography (1193)
• women (1179)
• series (1143)
• lgbtq (1096)
• classics (1088)
• title-challenge (1085)

Welcome back. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account.

Year-End Lists

• Uncut: 75 Best Albums of 2023
• Esquire: 20 Best Albums of 2023
• IndieWire: The 25 Best Movies of 2023
• New York Times: Alissa Wilkinson: Best Movies of 2023
• Cahiers du Cinéma: Top Ten Films of 2023

Kirkus Reviews: Best Fiction Books of 2021

30 november 2021.

Kirkus Reviews : Best Fiction Books of 2021 , shown here in alphabetical order by author, but on their site Kirkus also lists the books in various groupings, like "Book Club Fiction" and "Fiction in Translation."

[see also Best Nonfiction Books of 2021 ]

• The Arsonists' City Hala Alyan
• Light From Uncommon Stars Ryka Aoki
• Foregone Russell Banks
• Northern Spy Flynn Berry
• Destroyer of Light Jennifer Marie Brissett
• What Storm, What Thunder Myriam J A Chancy
• Land of Big Numbers Te-Ping Chen
• Skinship Yoon Choi
• The Netanyahus An Account of a Minor and Ultimately Even Negligible Episode in the History of a Very Famous Family Joshua Cohen
• Razorblade Tears S.A. Cosby
• What's Mine and Yours Naima Coster
• Second Place Rachel Cusk
• A Lot Like Adiós Alexis Daria
• Damnation Spring Ash Davidson
• Machinehood S.B. Divya
• Echo Tree The Collected Short Fiction of Henry Dumas Henry Dumas
• Winter in Sokcho Elisa Shua Dusapin
• The Dangers of Smoking in Bed Mariana Enriquez
• The Sentence Louise Erdrich
• The Twilight Zone Nona Fernández
• Crossroads Jonathan Franzen
• Infinite Brian Freeman
• The Free Bastards Jonathan French
• Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch Rivka Galchen
• Monkey Boy Francisco Goldman
• Matrix Lauren Groff
• Three Rooms Jo Hamya
• The Corpse Flower Anne Mette Hancock
• The Other Black Girl Zakiya Dalila Harris
• Early Morning Riser Katherine Heiny
• People We Meet on Vacation Emily Henry
• Act Your Age, Eve Brown Talia Hibbert
• Golden Girl Elin Hilderbrand
• The Removed Brandon Hobson
• The Rib King Ladee Hubbard
• Zorrie Laird Hunt
• Klara and the Sun Kazuo Ishiguro
• The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois Honorée Fanonne Jeffers
• Kin Miljenko Jergovic
• My Monticello Jocelyn Nicole Johnson
• Palmares Gayl Jones
• Five Tuesdays in Winter Lily King
• Billy Summers Stephen King
• Intimacies Katie Kitamura
• Build Your House Around My Body Violet Kupersmith
• Reality and Other Stories John Lanchester
• The Soulmate Equation Christina Lauren
• Untraceable Sergei Lebedev
• Red Island House Andrea Lee
• The Great Mistake Jonathan Lee
• The War for Gloria Atticus Lish
• The Blizzard Party Jack Livings
• No One Is Talking About This Patricia Lockwood
• Loop Brenda Lozano
• Bombshell Sarah MacLean
• How Beautiful We Were Imbolo Mbue
• The Fugitivities Jesse McCarthy
• The Souvenir Museum Elizabeth McCracken
• Lean Fall Stand Jon McGregor
• One Last Stop Casey McQuiston
• Milk Blood Heat Dantiel W. Moniz
• The Committed Viet Thanh Nguyen
• Walking on Cowrie Shells Nana Nkweti
• The Man Who Died Twice Richard Osman
• Battle Royal Lucy Parker
• Unthinkable Brad Parks
• A Radical Act of Free Magic H.G. Parry
• Detransition, Baby Torrey Peters
• A Lonely Man Chris Power
• Bewilderment Richard Powers
• The Five Wounds Kirstin Valdez Quade
• The Dating Playbook Farrah Rochon
• Beautiful World, Where Are You Sally Rooney
• American Estrangement Saïd Sayrafiezadeh
• Bina A Novel in Warnings Anakana Schofield
• The Queer Principles of Kit Webb Cat Sebastian
• Great Circle Maggie Shipstead
• Our Country Friends Gary Shteyngart
• Secrets of Happiness Joan Silber
• False Witness Karin Slaughter
• The Life of the Mind Christine Smallwood
• Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth Wole Soyinka
• Wayward Dana Spiotta
• Trust Domenico Starnone
• Bolla Pajtim Statovci
• In Memory of Memory Maria Stepanova
• Lady Joker Kaoru Takamura
• Filthy Animals Brandon Taylor
• The Blackmailer's Guide to Love Marian Thurm
• Fight Night Miriam Toews
• The Lincoln Highway Amor Towles
• No Gods, No Monsters Cadwell Turnbull
• Hummingbird Salamander Jeff VanderMeer
• Afterparties Anthony Veasna So
• The Final Revival of Opal & Nev Dawnie Walton
• I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness Claire Vaye Watkins
• Project Hail Mary Andy Weir
• Harlem Shuffle Colson Whitehead
• Harrow Joy Williams
• Seven Days in June Tia Williams

Recent Lists

• Time: Stephanie Zacharek: The 10 Best Movies of 2023
• Esquire: 10 Best TV Shows of 2023
• Esquire: The 20 Best Books of 2023
• Boston Globe: Matthew Gilbert: The 10 Best TV Shows of 2023
• Economist: The Best Books of 2023
• Vanity Fair: Richard Lawson: The Best Movies of 2023
• New York Times: Manohla Dargis: Best Movies of 2023
• New Yorker: Richard Brody: The Best Movies of 2023
• Electric Lit: Best Poetry Collections of 2023
• Time: Judy Berman: Best TV Shows of 2023
• Gorilla vs. Bear: Albums of 2023
• Paste: The 25 Best TV Shows of 2023
• New Yorker: The Best Books of 2023
• Rolling Stone: The 100 Best Albums of 2023
• New York Times: Lindsay Zoladz: Best Albums of 2023
• New York Times: Jon Caramanica: Best Albums of 2023
• New York Times: Jon Pareles: Best Albums of 2023
• Les Inrocks: Murielle Joudet: Top 10 Films of 2023
• Les Inrocks: Marilou Duponchel: Top 10 Films of 2023
• Les Inrocks: Emily Barnett: Top 10 Films of 2023
• Les Inrocks: Our Top Films of 2023
• New York Times: Margaret Lyons: Best TV Shows That Ended in 2023
• Les Inrocks: Best Albums of 2023
• New York Times: James Poniewozik: Best TV Shows of 2023
• New York Times: The 10 Best Books of 2023
• The Booker Prize: Best Fiction of 2023
• New Yorker: Sarah Larson: The Best Podcasts of 2023
• Paste: The 50 Best Albums of 2023
• New York Times: 100 Notable Books of 2023
• New York Public Library: Top 10 Books for Adults
• Washington Post: Srikanth Reddy: 11 Great Poetry Collections from 2023
• Economist: Favourite Podcasts of 2023
• Loud And Quiet: Albums of the Year 2023
• Time: Eliana Dockterman: The 10 Best Podcasts of 2023
• Financial Times: Best Fiction of 2023
• Chicago Public Library: Top 10 Books of 2023
• Economist: The Best Films of 2023
• Economist: The Best Television Shows of 2023
• BookPage: The Best Nonfiction of 2023
• BookPage: The Best Fiction of 2023
• Powell's Books: Best Nonfiction of 2023
• Powell's Books: Best Fiction of 2023
• Decibel: The Top 40 Albums of 2023
• National Book Award: Fiction 2023
• National Book Award: Nonfiction 2023
• National Book Award: Poetry 2023
• Washington Post: The 10 Best Books of 2023
• Washington Post: 50 Notable Works of Nonfiction in 2023
• Washington Post: 50 Notable Works of Fiction in 2023
• Rough Trade: UK Albums of the Year 2023
• Mojo: 75 Best Albums of 2023
• Oprah Daily: Best Novels of 2023
• Publishers Weekly: Best Poetry Books of 2023
• Publishers Weekly: 10 Best Books of 2023
• Kirkus Prize: Fiction 2023
• Kirkus Prize: Nonfiction 2023
• Women's Prize for Fiction: 2023
• Cinema Scope: Top 10 Films of 2022
• Robert Christgau: Dean's List 2022
• Globe and Mail: Top 10 Favourite Podcasts of 2022
• Financial Times: Fiona Sturges: Best Podcasts of 2022
• Northern Transmissions: Top 50 Albums of 2022
• Reverse Shot: Best Films of 2022
• David Ehrlich: The 25 Best Films of 2022
• San Francisco Chronicle: Favorite Books of 2022
• Chicago Tribune: Nina Metz: The Best TV of 2022
• Quietus: Jennifer Lucy Allan: The Best Music of 2022
• Daily Beast: Kevin Fallon: The 22 Best TV Shows of 2022
• Daily Beast: Nick Schager: Best Movies of 2022
• The Reveal: Scott Tobias: The Best Movies of 2022
• Under the Radar: Top 100 Albums of 2022
• Atlantic: The 35 Best Podcasts of 2022
• Sam Adams: Top 10 Movies of 2022
• Wired: The Best TV Shows of 2022
• Film Stage: Top 50 Films of 2022
• Guy Lodge: Top 50 Movies of 2022
• The Reveal: Keith Phipps: The Best Movies of 2022
• The Stacks Podcast: Traci Thomas: Best Books of 2022
• The Stacks Podcast: Andrew Limbong: Best Books of 2022
• La Internacional Cinéfila Poll: Jonathan Rosenbaum: Best Films of 2022
• La Internacional Cinéfila Poll: Nicole Brenez: Best Films of 2022
• La Internacional Cinéfila Poll: Best Movies of 2022
• Sean Fennessey: My Favorite Movies of 2022
• Mike D’Angelo: Top Ten Films of 2022
• Nictate: Top 5 Films of 2022
• Saige Walton: 2022 Top Film Picks
• Anna Bogutskaya: Top 13 Films of 2022
• Paste: Jesse Hassenger: Top Ten Movies of 2022
• Paste: Jacob Oller: Top Ten Movies of 2022

By Category

Trending lists.

• Cahiers du Cinéma: Top Ten Films of 2022
• Economist: Best Books of 2022

Trending Works

• Material World
• Master Gardener
• Trenque Lauquen
• Blue Beetle
• The Zone of Interest
• Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
• Fallen Leaves
• Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
• A Day in the Life of Abed Salama
• John Wick: Chapter 4
• Some People Need Killing
• Deadly Quiet City
• How Big Things Get Done
• Anansi's Gold
• 2023 Movies
• 2023 TV Shows
• 2023 Poetry
• 2023 Podcasts
• 2022 Movies
• 2022 TV Shows
• 2022 Poetry
• 2022 Podcasts
• 2021 Movies
• 2021 TV Shows
• 2021 Poetry
• 2021 Podcasts
• 2020 Movies
• 2020 TV Shows
• 2020 Poetry
• 2020 Podcasts
• 2010s Movies
• 2010s TV Shows
• 2010s Music
• 2010s Books
• 2010s Poetry
• 2010s Podcasts
• 2019 Movies
• 2019 TV Shows
• 2019 Poetry
• 2019 Podcasts
• 2018 Movies
• 2018 TV Shows
• 2018 Poetry
• 2018 Podcasts
• 2017 Movies
• 2017 TV Shows
• 2017 Poetry
• 2016 Movies
• 2016 TV Shows
• 2016 Poetry
• 2015 Movies
• 2015 TV Shows
• 2015 Poetry
• 2014 Movies
• 2014 TV Shows
• 2014 Poetry
• 2013 Movies
• 2013 Poetry
• 2012 Movies
• 2012 Poetry
• 2011 Movies
• 2011 Poetry

Year-end lists are fingerprints; aggregate statistics are smudges. Therefore, I make no tallies.

• Suggest, Correct
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Bluesky new
• Mastodon new
• Threads new

• Sign in / Join
• Portuguese (Brazil)
• Portuguese (Portugal)

Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year

Given by kirkus reviews, tags show numbers, top members.

RLNunezKPL (1,572 works) , alo1224 (1,074) , emaestra (974) , e-zReader (940) , benitastrnad (716) , mffowler (701) , KelMunger (671) , ltcl (658) , kamintra (657) , PeskyLibrary (654) , Chatterbox (650) , nytbestsellers (627) , Bookish59 (625) , Canaanlibrary (580) , Steve_Walker (541) , davidabrams (537) , SoschaF (509) , dablackwood (503) , revliz (491) , SWade0126 (484) , sangreal (483) , Conway_Library (481) , Luetzen (469) , parasolofdoom (469) , fledglingphoenix (463) , elkiedee (456) , buriedinprint (446) , ShanLand (443) , Citizenjoyce (435) , jeaniemonstra (425) , LoriAnnK (419) , framji (410) , LindaEdwards (405) , aabdelrahmanm (397) , firstfloor1 (396) , kent23124 (392) , bsuff (391) , richorlin (389) , hivetrick (388) , Well-ReadNeck (385) , PaulCranswick (382) , theodarling (382) , DebbyeC (380) , katiekrug (372) , ThufirHawat (372) , Book_Gem (368) , Larou (362) , kwjr (361) , kylerhea (360) , librookian (360) , charl08 (359) , cctesttc1 (357) , respinola (356) , FleetSparrow (355) , jgmencarini (352) , GaylaBassham (351) , srferrar (350) , FlaglerBeachLibrary (348) , aimg (346) , JVermillion (346) , tstan (346) , alcottacre (342) , HeatherMoss (342) , kristiederuiter (338) , pdebolt (334) , DarrinLett (333) , adriennealair (332) , alaskabookworm (331) , gayla.bassham (331) , sallypursell (331) , suicidebybooks (330) , TerryWeyna (329) , kittykitty3 (328) , RealLifeReading (327) , claytonhowl (326) , bookmountain (325) , Castlelass (320) , whitreidtan (320) , jenniferw88 (319) , Serrana (317) , IamAleem (315) , georgebexley (314) , RidgewayGirl (314) , rlhazelwood (314) , GreteM (313) , phoebekw (313) , Rivaton (313) , buffygurl (311) , FrederickGunnSchool (311) , RandyRasa (310) , reelbigschmidt (307) , msf59 (304) , Whisper1 (304) , Lauren-at-LT (303) , superspytaiko (303) , rpeckham (302) , kswizzel04 (298) , gbelik (296) , sarahhepworth (296) , vivians (293) , iluvvideo (292) , Caroline_McElwee (290) , Lemeritus (289) , cerievans1 (288) , GrettelTBR (285) , TeresaBlock (282) , ir3adu (280) , mportley (280) , narbgr01 (280) , Lisa_Francine (278) , RivieraBeach (274) , sethstern (274) , BLBera (273) , jasbro (273) , tsmom1219 (272) , bhowell (271) , megansbooklist (270) , willowtree1990 (268) , akerr (267) , WestBranch (266) , arubabookwoman (265) , Beamis12 (265) , ICALIB (265) , legrande (265) , settingshadow (265) , atheist_goat (264) , Connie-D (264) , Foulkeways (264) , SESchend (263) , DagoLA (262) , MLRALibrary (262) , Dyrfinna (258) , lscan2 (258) , MaikoKirana (257) , Nikchick (256) , aekfv20134 (255) , bibliophile_pgh (255) , davidd (255) , Jodeneg (255) , KrisR (255) , Robert_Musil (255) , bragan (254) , jghewson (254) , rhussey174 (254) , AlainCipit (253) , JediBookLover (253) , RuthanneDVogel (253) , MadLudwig (250) , onceinabluemoon (250) , kurtau (249) , NECC (248) , alrajul (247) , Maryjane75 (247) , dooney (246) , betscw (245) , pjpfodl (245) , 5srpl5 (244) , bookishbill (244) , floating_lush (244)

Similar Awards and Honors

New awards and honors, common knowledge.

• » My Account
• » List

Kirkus Reviews: The Best Fiction Books of 2021

Created on December 13, 2021, 3:05 pm

Last Updated December 13, 2021, 5:40 pm

• Recently Added
• User Defined

• MFA Alumni Top Kirkus Reviews "Best Indie Books of 2019" List

MFA Alumni Top Kirkus Reviews  "Best Indie Books of 2019" List

Running Wild Press founder Lisa Kastner, MFA’12 has produced two books selected for the prestigious list, including a memoir by fellow Fairfield alumnus Reuben Hayslett, MFA'12.

We started the press because we read too many great stories that never found a readership...The book marketplace is growing and expanding, because publishers like Running Wild Press are wisely filling a void.

— Lisa Kastner, MFA ’12, founder and executive editor of Running Wild Press

Running Wild Press, a small indie publisher founded by executive editor and Fairfield University MFA in Creative Writing alumna Lisa Kastner, MFA’12, is garnering national recognition for producing two powerful memoirs that have been selected for the  Kirkus Reviews  “ Best Indie Books of 2019”  list. 

One of the two book-of-the-year selections is Frontal Matter: Glue Gone Wild by Suzanne Samples, a moving memoir about the author’s struggle to live with terminal brain cancer at age 36. The other is the debut novel  Dark Corners  by fellow Fairfield MFA alumnus Reuben Hayslett, MFA’12, a series of explosive essays and narratives, written with unsettling illumination, that touch upon racism, LGBTQ, and the human condition in present day America.

“We started the press because we read too many great stories that never found a readership and wanted to create a platform,” Kastner said. “The book marketplace is growing and expanding, because publishers like Running Wild Press are wisely filling a void. We target unusual tales that the public craves but mainstream publishing won’t pick up because the story is not neatly defined.”

In just four years, Kastner’s press has published nearly two dozen titles, several of which have been nominated for Pushcart Prizes, PEN Awards, and the National Book Award, and have been included in gift bags for presenters and nominees at both the Screen Actor’s Guild Awards and the Grammy Awards.

About his book,  Dark Corners , fellow Fairfield MFA alumnus Hayslett said, “The book centers on queer people of color as protagonists, in ways often not seen in mainstream media.” He described the genre as "intersectional fiction, meaning politics, political identity, race, and sexual orientation are interwoven within these stories, often in surprising, woke ways. It is meant to be reflective of the maddening times we live in, especially for a range of minorities who struggle to make their way in nation a torn by politics.”

Hailed for its fresh and inventive writing and lyrical prose, Hayslett’s book-of-the-year selection was praised by Kirkus Reviews as “a gripping collection of yarns in which social disadvantages take on monstrous shapes.” To read the full review, or learn more about the Kirkus Reviews  "Best Indie Books of 2019" list, visit www.kirkusreviews.com .

Tags:   Top Stories

Recent News

Holiday Happenings in Stag Country: December 2023

Read the Article

Stags Win MAAC Volleyball Championship

Fairfield University to Display “Holy City,” an Interfaith Painting by Artist Brian Whelan

Fairfield Egan Awarded $2.59 Million HRSA Grant

Give to the 25 th Annual “Teddy Bears With Love” Drive by Dec. 11

School of Engineering and Computing Awarded $35,000 SuSTEMability Grant

Nicholas Kapoor MS'18: Paving the Way for Human Rights Advocacy

Search results.