A record number of submissions has led to 72 indie bookshops across nine different regions and countries being named regional and country finalists for the 2025 Independent Bookshop of the Year at the British Book Awards (the Nibbies), the Bookseller reported. The prize, which is sponsored by Gardners and supported by the Booksellers Association, celebrates bookshops "that reach beyond the literary landscape and bring books to the heart of local communities." See the complete list of finalists here.
Regional and country winners will contend for the overall prize, which will be announced May 12 at a ceremony in London. The Independent Bookshop of the Year winner will receive £5,000 (about $6,300) from Gardners and also be in the running to be Book Retailer of the Year.
BA executive director Meryl Halls said, "From being trusted curators, to championing authors, to fostering communities of like-minded individuals, to bringing local jobs and essential footfall to shopping districts, the role that independent bookshops play within the book trade, wider society and economy is more vital than ever. We are delighted to see this superb selection of finalists, and their invaluable contribution, recognized as cornerstones of the book industry."
Tom Tivnan, managing editor at the Bookseller, noted that "independent bookshops are beacons of hope amid the gloom. I have been judging this award for a decade and a half and I have never seen such depth of quality and energy in the submissions, from the newcomers to most venerable stores."
Ruth Gardner, Gardners' U.K. sales manager, added that indies "are at the heart of the book world, bringing communities together and championing the joy of reading."
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BookNet Canada celebrated Valentine's Day by releasing a study exploring sales of Canadian romance and erotica titles over the last five years, using Canadian contributor data to determine whether the author, illustrator, translator, or editor (in the case of an edited collection of material) was Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of the country.
From 2020 to 2024, sales of Canadian romance titles were up 404%. BookNet noted that while sales were down 45% from 2020 to 2021, they increased steadily from 2021 to 2024, up 814%.
Overall, sales of Canadian erotica titles were up 176% from 2020 to 2024, despite a 59% decrease from 2020 to 2021. As with romance titles, this dip was followed by a sharp 567% increase from 2023 to 2024.
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Ari Gísli Bragason, owner of Bókin bookstore in Reykjavík, Iceland, told the interview show Kastljós on RÚV that he considers books to be thriving among readers and collectors, and "reading to be a public health issue, espousing its healing power and ability to leave lasting impressions on readers," Iceland Review reported.
Bragason, who has owned Bókin since 1997, "returned to Iceland from studying in the U.S with the sole purpose of helping out his father in the bookstore. Having published a handful of his own poetry books before taking over as Bókin's owner, Ari described books as being his 'joy and sorrow,' " Iceland Review wrote. He added that many younger readers frequent his shop, illustrating that reading books is growing in popularity: "Books are on the rise everywhere."
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Wintry sidewalk chalkboard: "We're pretty sure the word 'books' is under that layer of snow," Curious Fox Books, Berlin, Germany, posted on Instagram. --Robert Gray