The 2025 Midwest Bookseller of the Year honoree is CJ Arthur, owner of WordHaven BookHouse in Sheboygan, Wis. The award, sponsored by the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association, honored Arthur as "more than a bookseller and bookstore and writing center owner; they are a teacher, trainer of teachers, public speaker, writer/author, and equity consultant.... This honor is just one of many CJ has been awarded, including Minnesota State Teacher of the Year." The award was presented to Arthur recently by board president Melissa McAllister during MIBA's annual Spring Road Trip in Mineral Point, Wis.

CJ Arthur, Wordhaven BookHouse

Poet Emalie Kamin, who nominated Arthur, noted that they have "faced harassment, death threats, and picketers outside and inside the shop--especially when there are events that include drag queens--but that doesn't stop them from continuing to support their queer community and people with identities that are historically marginalized and oppressed. They do numerous book clubs, including a banned book club and a TreeHouse Bookclub, in addition to Tarot Clubs, author events, workshops, retreats, classes, night markets, and writing circles. They have continuously spoken up against prejudice and discrimination and in support of equity and inclusivity in a town that includes some people who don't always appreciate their advocacy. They have made WordHaven one of the only safe spaces in Sheboygan. They are truly an incredible human and bookstore owner." 

MIBA executive director Grace Hagen said, "CJ is brave. Their bravery is particularly remarkable given how many examples we currently see of people in power choosing cowardice and self-interest over telling the truth without anonymity. CJ is steadfast in their commitment to their values. From giving a TED-Ed talk on the importance of being an advocate, to continuing to provide inclusive programming at WordHaven in spite of harassment and threats, to kneeling on the football field with President Trump only feet away during the national anthem at the College Football Championship--a game at which they were being honored as Teacher of the Year--to declining an invitation to visit the White House due to President Trump's anti-LGBTQ+ choices.... Their everyday choices are examples for all of us on how to advocate, to call ourselves and others in, and to be courageous in the face of power and pressure." 

In accepting the award, Arthur told booksellers in the audience that "we are a force for equity and democracy, and it is an honor to be amongst you. I am confident that we will make John Lewis proud and continue to get in 'good trouble, necessary trouble, and redeem the soul of America.' Please, lean on the characters who help you endure, because, booksellers, there is still so much work for us to do and this country needs us."

Hardcovers Romance Bookstore opened earlier this spring in Mill Creek, Wash., the Seattle Times reported.

Located at 4008 133rd St. S.E., Suite 107, the bookstore first opened its doors on March 26. It carries a wide assortment of romance titles across myriad sub-genres, including sports, romantic comedy, romantasy, monster romance, dark romance, and much more.

Alongside books, Hardcovers sells pillows, candles, drink mixes, and other gifts. There is a loyalty program for customers, and event offerings include book club meetings and author signings. And on Tuesdays, the staff puts together themed snacks and other surprises to go with the day's new releases.

Lindsey Tabor, who co-owns the bookstore with her mother, Cindy Kremkau, told the Seattle Times that she aims to have something for everyone and create as welcoming a space as possible: "We are extremely welcoming of LGBTQ+ and we want to be a safe space for everybody, so we bring in a pretty good selection of books for everyone."

Per the Times, Hardcovers is the first bookstore to open in Mill Creek since a University Book Store location closed in 2019. Tabor noted that she chose a storefront in a new shopping center, in order to help "set the vibe and bring a younger, more modern presence to the area."

Hardcovers has met with a strong response, with Tabor reporting that the inventory was "wiped out" after just the first two days, and in the first two weeks, the store sold 1,400 titles. Tabor hired bookseller Carlie Rawson to be the shop's general manager, and she said that every day, they "have this moment where we just stare at each other in disbelief. We're just blown away by how many people are finding us and giving us such kind, positive feedback and sharing us with their friends. We are just astonished."

Vanishing Ink, an all-ages bookstore in Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y., will host a grand opening celebration this weekend, Patch.com reported.

The bookstore, at 2 Spring St., has an emphasis on music, arts, and culture. The grand-opening festivities will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 17, and include a ribbon-cutting with Hastings-on-Hudson Mayor Nicola Armacost. There will also be prizes and giveaways throughout the day.

Owner Allyson McCabe, who has a background as a journalist and author, explained that she named the shop Vanishing Ink because she sees "this bookstore as the antidote to banned books and censored curricula, the disappearance of local newspapers, and the diminishment of public and independent media."

Discussing her inspiration to open a bookstore of her own, McCabe recalled that after publishing her book Why Sinéad O'Connor Matters in May 2023, she had the chance "to meet with readers across the country to talk about the things that mattered most to O'Connor: speaking out against child abuse, racism, sexism, and more.

"When she died that July, it was devastating, but it ignited my desire to create a place where we can keep having conversations that can make the world a better and more just place. Then I realized that place is a bookstore--not just a store to buy books, but a home for the ideas in books, a place where culture and community can come together around ideas and solutions."

The Corner Bookstore, a new and used bookstore in Sandpoint, Idaho, will close after almost 30 years in business, the Banner County Daily Bee reported.

Owner and founder Jim Orbaugh has decided to retire and close the store, primarily for health reasons. Orbaugh announced his decision in mid-April, when he put the bookstore on the market and started a going-out-of-business sale to sell as much inventory as possible.

Prior to opening the store, he made a living primarily selling furniture, though he was an avid reader and collected horror novels by writers like Stephen King and Dean Koontz.

"I had so many books that I decided I would do that," Orbaugh told the Daily Bee. "So, for about six years, I was selling books all over the world and I had a nice long list of collectors to send to."

When he founded the bookstore in 1997, Orbaugh decided to carry a wide range of genres and titles. The bookstore was originally located on the corner of First and Main, which was the reason for the store's name. Eventually he moved the store to its current home at 405 N. 4th Ave.

"I always looked forward to going to work," Orbaugh said. "I couldn't wait for my weekend to be over. I just loved it there and I still do but I have to be practical, right?"

Actor and YouTube star Miles McKenna celebrated the release of his debut picture book, I Am NOT a Vampire, illustrated by Riley Samels, at Book Soup in West Hollywood, Calif. The book was published by Little Bee Books in partnership with GLAAD.

Nahin Cano

Nahin Cano has been named deputy director and head buyer of Seminary Co-op Bookstores, Chicago, Ill. Cano joined the stores in 2023 as a manager and earlier was a manager at City Lit Books in Chicago. Seminary Co-op said, "With a deep love of books, Cano brings experience, passion, and an exciting fresh perspective to our stores."

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Carla Bruce is joining Lavender Public Relations, a literary public relations agency aimed at uplifting and building long-term careers for queer and feminist voices across genres. Bruce has a decade of publicity experience and was publicity director at One World.

Bruce is a board member of Baldwin for the Arts and a member of the San Fernando Valley NAACP. Her essays, reporting, and interviews have appeared in the New York Times, New York Magazine, Guernica, Real Simple, Romper, and elsewhere. Her short story, "You Have Come Home," will be published in You've Got a Place Here, Too: An Anthology of Black Love Stories Set at HBCUs, edited by Ebony LaDelle, coming from Delacorte Press in August.

Simon & Schuster will distribute Kalaniot Books, effective June 1.

Founded in 2019 and an imprint of Endless Mountains Publishing, Kalaniot Books is a children's publisher dedicated to sharing Jewish stories from around the world. By offering diverse stories rooted in Jewish culture, Kalaniot aims to inspire curiosity, empathy, and connection in young readers.

Kalaniot Books publisher Lili Rosenstreich said, "This new relationship will allow us to grow our impact and bring more Jewish stories--rich in culture, tradition, and universal values--to children everywhere."

In what may be a first, author David Litt, Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster and book designer Alex Merto have collaborated on a promotion with master surfboard shaper Ryan Lovelace and New Jersey surf shop Glide Surf Co. The result is a surfboard with book cover art on it featuring Litt's It's Only Drowning: A True Story of Learning to Surf and the Search for Common Ground, whose pub date is June 24. Litt, a former Obama speechwriter, said, "I'm hoping it starts a trend. I would certainly be proud to shred on a Jurassic Park board, or to cruise some Hamptons waves on a deep-blue Great Gatsby." The board will be given away as part of the book's pre-order campaign.

Today:
Fresh Air: Amy Larocca, author of How to Be Well: Navigating Our Self-Care Epidemic, One Dubious Cure at a Time (Knopf, $28, 9780525655534).

Tomorrow:
Today: Michael Symon, co-author of Symon's Dinners Cooking Out: 100 Recipes That Redefine Outdoor Cooking (Clarkson Potter, $35, 9780593797648).

Also on Today: Bonnie Hammer, author of 15 Lies Women Are Told at Work: ...And the Truth We Need to Succeed (Simon Element, $28.99, 9781668027615).

Tamron Hall: Robin Roberts discusses a book about her mother, Lucy Sings on Lucy Street, with authors (and siblings) Lawrence Roberts and Sally-Ann Roberts (HarperCollins, $19.99, 9780063222540).

Book TV airs on C-Span 2 this weekend from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Monday and focuses on political and historical books as well as the book industry. The following are highlights for this coming weekend. For more information, go to Book TV's website.

Saturday, May 17
12:30 p.m. Lindsay M. Chervinsky, author of Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic (‎Oxford University Press, $34.99, 9780197653845).

2 p.m. Niels Eichhorn and Duncan Campbell, authors of The Civil War in the Age of Nationalism (‎LSU Press, $55, 9780807181515).

4:25 p.m. Elaine Weiss, author of Spell Freedom: The Underground Schools That Built the Civil Rights Movement (‎Atria/One Signal, $29.99, 9781668002698).

Sunday, May 18
8 a.m. John McWhorter, author of Pronoun Trouble: The Story of Us in Seven Little Words (Avery, $28, 9780593713280). (Re-airs Sunday at 8 p.m.)

1 p.m. Leah Litman, author of Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes (Atria/One Signal, $29.99, 9781668054628).

2 p.m. Murray Carpenter, author of Sweet and Deadly: How Coca-Cola Spreads Disinformation and Makes Us Sick (The MIT Press, $29.95, 9780262049504), at Book Passage Bookstore in San Francisco, Calif.

3 p.m. Susan Schneider, author of Artificial You: AI and the Future of Your Mind (Princeton University Press, $16.95, 9780691216744).

5:30 p.m. Gerard Toal, author of Oceans Rise Empires Fall: Why Geopolitics Hastens Climate Catastrophe (Oxford University Press, $29.95, 9780197693261).

6:35 p.m. Emily Feng, author of Let Only Red Flowers Bloom: Identity and Belonging in Xi Jinping's China (‎Crown, $29, 9780593594223), at Politics and Prose Bookstore in Washington, D.C.

7:30 p.m. Janet Webster Jones, owner of Source Booksellers in Detroit, Mich.

Commonwealth Foundation has announced regional winners of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, awarded for the best piece of unpublished short fiction from the Commonwealth. The five regional winners will go through to the final round of judging, with the overall winner to be named on June 25. Their stories will be published online by Granta. This year's regional honorees:

Africa: "Mothers Not Appearing in Search" by Joshua Lubwama (Uganda)
Asia: "An Eye and a Leg" by Faria Basher (Bangladesh)
Canada & Europe: "Descend" by Chanel Sutherland (Canada/Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
Caribbean: "Margot's Run" by Subraj Singh (Guyana)
Pacific: "Crab Sticks and Lobster Rolls" by Kathleen Ridgwell (Australia)

Chair of the judges Dr. Vilsoni Hereniko said, "These stories illuminate many aspects of human nature and demonstrate true mastery of the short story form. Each tale shows that geography matters in storytelling. They are works of fiction that are inseparable from the local culture and history from which they have sprung. They have color and emotional resonance--and they moved me deeply. Congratulations to the regional winners!"

Selected new titles appearing next Tuesday, May 20:

Nightshade by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown, $30, 9780316588485) introduces a detective assigned to Catalina Island.

Who Knew by Barry Diller (Simon & Schuster, $30, 9781668096871) is the memoir of the media company executive.

Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane (W.W. Norton, $31.99, 9780393242133) ponders deep questions about the natural world and our relation to it.

Taking Midway: Naval Warfare, Secret Codes, and the Battle that Turned the Tide of World War II by Martin Dugard (Dutton, $32, 9780593473245) is a history of the 1942 Battle of Midway.

Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson (Penguin Press, $32, 9798217060672) chronicles a calamitous political decision.

The Doorman: A Novel by Chris Pavone (MCD, $30, 9780374604790) follows residents and staff of a luxury New York City apartment building.

We Live Here Now: A Novel by Sarah Pinborough (Flatiron Books/Pine & Cedar, $28.99, 9781250394057) is a Gothic thriller about a London couple relocating to the countryside.

The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig (Orbit, $30, 9780316582704) begins the romantasy Stonewater Kingdom series.

The Love Haters: A Novel by Katherine Center (St. Martin's Press, $29, 9781250283825) is a rom-com about a videographer profiling a Coast Guard rescue swimmer.

Baking Across America: A Vintage Recipe Road Trip by B. Dylan Hollis (DK, $37.99, 9780744097603) is a "tour de food" of regional American cuisine.

This Could Be Forever by Ebony LaDelle (Simon & Schuster, $19.99, 9781665948678) is a romance "across cultures" that takes place the summer before college.

Wish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, illus. by Nancy Carpenter (Penguin/Paulsen, $18.99, 9781524739683), is a positive, brightening picture book about neurodiversity.

Paperbacks:
Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt (St. Martin's Griffin, $18, 9781250329448).

Lone Dog Road: A Novel by Kent Nerburn (New World Library, $21.95, 9781608689941).

Whistle by Linwood Barclay (Morrow Paperbacks, $19.99, 9780063436039).

Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli (Forever, $17.99, 9781538759264).

Behooved by M. Stevenson (Bramble, $19.99, 9781250375087).

From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:

Hardcover
Open, Heaven: A Novel by Seán Hewitt (Knopf, $28, 9780593802847). "Seán Hewitt washes away time's silt to reveal cavernous torrents of desire long-withheld--now, blissfully, given voice. Open, Heaven captures the contradictions thrown into relief by first love, making this debut agonizing and euphoric and equally unforgettable." --Mathuson Anthony, Book Club, New York, N.Y.

Gabriële: A Novel by Anne Berest and Claire Berest, trans. by Tina Kover (Europa Editions, $28, 9798889660897). "A beautiful book about the talented French musician Gabriële Buffet and her tumultuous relationship with the artist Francis Picabia. A wonderful book for art and history lovers, and anyone who wants a novel about a strong woman." --Kelly Evert, Village Books, Bellingham, Wash.

Paperback
The Book of Doors: A Novel by Gareth Brown (Morrow Paperbacks, $19.99, 9780063323995). "We all know books are metaphoric doors--what if they were literal doors as well? Full of fascinating characters, mystery, and magical books, this debut novel will appeal to fans of The Starless Sea." --Keith Glaeske, East City Bookshop, Washington, D.C.

Ages 4-8
Otto and the Story Tree by Vivien Mildenberger (Random House Studio, $18.99, 9780593710784). "Gather round y'all, because this cranky old bird is not going to change! He didn't realize that letting a seed go and telling his stories to it would change his life this much. Turns out Otto had some pretty interesting adventures from his past to share, and the little seed was listening." --Jamie Kovacs, Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Ages 8-12
The Beat I Drum (Life of a Cactus #3) by Dusti Bowling (Union Square Kids, $16.99, 9781454957058). "There are few greater pleasures for lovers of realistic fiction than spending time with the friend groups Dusti creates: quirky, genuine, self-effacing, inclusive, and so much fun." --Melissa LaSalle, Old Town Books, Alexandria, Va.

Teen Readers
Holy Terrors (Little Thieves #3) by Margaret Owen (Holt, $21.99, 9781250831170). "Folklore, magic, and mystery pair perfectly with this exploration of mental health and the power of choice. In this trilogy conclusion, Vanja reflects on her choices and realizes that she would never have been ready for the future she craves without those choices." --Kaitlyn Reed, Read Between the Lynes, Woodstock, Ill.

[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]

Kate Myers (Excavations) brings her signature wit and wild rumpus of characters to Salty, her sophomore novel featuring estranged sisters who love each other dearly, and luxury yacht owners who will go to absurd lengths to remain luxury yacht owners.

Captain Denise has spent 20 years working her way up through the ranks of Ahoy, a yacht management company catering to the "low end of the very rich." Unfortunately, her work dictates that she never question the owners--even when the owners are the loathsome Falcon family, the wealthy and unfeeling jerks who tore down her childhood home to build a new condo. This would have been bad unto itself, as it required extensive and suspicious zoning changes on the small peninsula property, even without the man-made lagoon dug into the small spit of land to somehow improve the view. "Pools were too small, too denatured; lagoons were apparently part of a new, loathsome trend to pave paradise and dig a bigger, plastic paradise with an in-ground liner that lasted twenty-five to thirty years." Things only get worse for Denise when her world-traveling younger sister comes home looking for work, the condo building collapses, and an elderly neighbor turns up dead--and that's all before the Falcons' ridiculous yacht sinks under suspicious circumstances.

Myers has a way of building multi-layered and nuanced drama that could rival the best (and worst) of Bravo's Housewives. Salty is filled with family dysfunction, illicit affairs, shady business dealings, upstairs-downstairs clashes, star-crossed lovers, extravagant meals, and truly over-the-top décor choices. (The Falcons' yacht, renamed the Lagoonatic by the younger and dafter Falcon son, is "seventy feet long, three stories high... redesigned to look like an embalmed aquarium: eel railings, conch shell doorknobs, squid chandeliers").

The what-exactly-happened/whodunit tension keeps the plot ticking along, but that's not to suggest that Salty is a thriller; it's more a perfectly plotted and well-paced beach read, as the sisters reluctantly put aside their differences to take on the Falcon family. It's the very definition of fun, packed with quirky humor, well-placed puns (a CPA's yacht named Tax Seavasion), and quippy character descriptions that are as amusing as they are illustrative ("He looked like the Monopoly Man had been spit out the other side of a Buffett concert"). Readers will laugh, root for the most unexpected group of underdog sleuths, and raise a glass to the overdue demise of the filthy rich as Salty anchors itself amid the best of vacation reading. --Kerry McHugh, freelance writer

Shelf Talker: Estranged sisters reunite to take down a family of shady real estate developers in this upstairs-downstairs mystery rife with million-dollar yachts and sharp humor.

The British Book Awards--aka the Nibbies--ceremony was held Monday night in London, celebrating books and the people who make them by acknowledging "the profound connection between the books, their makers, and their audience." The festivities included awards for books as well as the book trade. 

My focus, naturally, was on indie bookstores. In March, the Bookseller had announced the nine regional and country Nibbie winners, recognizing bookshops that "continue to draw book lovers to towns and cities across the United Kingdom and Ireland." They were all in contention for overall indie bookshop honors, but it was Midlands winner the Heath Bookshop in Birmingham, U.K., that came away with the 2025 Independent Bookshop of the Year title.

"In many ways, the triumph of the Heath Bookshop is a microcosm of the vibrancy of modern independent bookselling," said Tom Tivnan, the Bookseller's managing editor and chair of the Independent Bookshop of the Year judges. "The two owners, Catherine Gale and Claire Dawes, were book industry outsiders who brought entrepreneurship and innovation, taking a scant couple of years to build their business into a thriving community hub. There is a great Sliding Doors backstory--the two happened to meet by chance at a Booksellers Association Introduction to Bookselling training course--but they arrived on the scene with the confidence to take big swings, like launching a book festival in The Heath's second year of trading, but have never stinted on the nitty-gritty of customer service and stock curation. The Heath is a truly worthy winner."

Catherine Gale and Claire Dawes

The judges said, "Catherine and Claire have created an exciting and fresh kind of bookshop where you feel like you want to hang out. They've done an amazing job with their space and they're not playing it safe--there's a real disruptor energy there."

Gale and Dawes posted on Facebook: "What a night! We're definitely still in shock after winning Independent Bookshop of the Year at The British Book Awards last night.... Kings Heath is a vibrant, diverse, creative, and supportive community and we're so lucky to be a part of it. We wanted to create a safe space for anybody and everybody and hoped people would see themselves reflected on our shelves and at the heart of everything we do. We never expected the support we've had! As Claire said last night, come to Birmingham, it's not shit!!"

Carolyn Bain

This year's Nibbie for Individual Bookseller of the Year went to Carolynn Bain of Afrori Books, Brighton and Hove. At the awards ceremony, Bain said, "Okay, so in 2024 we were targeted by Right Wing groups during the race riots... we were encouraged to close the shop and we said no because Afrori Books is a safe space for Black people, and in a race riot we needed a safe space. At three o'clock in the afternoon an old lady came into my shop and I said 'What are you doing here?' and she said 'I've brought my crochet, I'm going to sit in your window, because no-one messes with a crocheting granny.' 

"That granny used her privilege to protect books, to protect bookshops… we are not going anywhere, I want to encourage you too to use your privilege. You have the power to change that, use your privilege to change that for women, for Palestine, for Congo. Use your privilege to change that."

Wonderland Bookshop, Retford, was honored as the Children's Bookseller of the Year Award for its work collaborating with dozens of schools, providing books to under-privileged students in a pay it forward scheme. Owner Helen Tamblyn-Saville, said: "Those of you know me know I'm not lost for words very often. But I'm genuinely lost for words.... I want to say a massive thank you to the booksellers, librarians, industry, authors and illustrators."

Some of the regional Indie Bookshop of the Year category winners who attended the awards ceremony checked in on social media, including:

Bridge Books, Dromore, Northern Ireland: "Congratulations to The Heath Bookshop who won the overall title of Independent Bookshop of the Year! Lovely people and great company on the night.... I'm still very, very proud of winning the title of Regional Winner (Island of Ireland)."

Medina Bookshop, Cowes: "We may not have won, but we had such a fabulous time at the @britishbookawards!... A huge congratulations to @theheathbookshop for winning the award!! And to all the other bookshops nominated."

Maldon Books, Maldon: "We had such a brilliant time at the British Book Awards last night! What a great excuse to get dressed up and celebrate being shortlisted for Independent Bookshop of the year, and Bookseller of the year! Huge congratulations to all the winners, there are truly wonderful things happening in the world of books and amazing people making those things happen. We're so proud of our team, and we can't believe we were shortlisted alongside so many bookshops and booksellers we look up to. Thank you for having us and giving these booksellers a chance to let their hair down! Well done to The Heath Bookshop and all the indie bookshops!"

Reflecting on the 35-year history of the Nibbies, the Bookseller's editor Philip Jones said, "We resist the censoring, the sidelining and the stealing of our stories, as well as the narrowing of access to books. History shows us that society is at its best when we are at its heart, and that heart is open. If you stand for reading then we stand with you."