Total net book sales in August in the U.S. fell 4.4%, to $1.598 billion, compared to August 2024, representing sales of 1,320 publishers and distributed clients as reported to the Association of American Publishers. For the year to date, net book sales were down 2.8%, to $9.174 billion.

In August, trade book sales fell 9.4%, to $791.5 million, while year to date, trade book sales are down 5.3%, to $5.8 billion.

In terms of format, in August trade hardcover sales dropped 9.2%, to $277.4 million, paperbacks fell 11.8%, to $280.6 million, mass market dropped 16.6%, to $6.9 million, and special bindings were down 14.1%, to $18.5 million.

Sales by category for August 2025:

Thrillerdelphia, a horror-focused bookstore that is a sister store to the romance-focused Cupid's Bookshop, opens today in Philadelphia, Pa., PhillyVoice reported.

Located at 4203 Main St. in Philadelphia's Manayunk neighborhood, Thrillerdelphia spans some 700 square feet and carries a wide variety of horror titles along with psychological thrillers. The doors will open today at noon, and the Halloween opening day celebration will include giveaways and other surprises.

The store features an outdoor reading area, and the event plans include author signings, book club meetings, and movie screenings. A partnership with a nearby haunted house called Lincoln Mill is also in the works.

Owners Anthony and Tina Long said the decor and design of Thrillerdelphia is almost the exact opposite of Cupid's Bookshop, which they opened in the same neighborhood in May. While the latter is almost wall-to-wall pink, the former is painted black.

"We've always wanted to expand into another really amazing niche, and I think it was a great time to do it around the season, spooky season," Tina Long told PhillyVoice.

Speaking to BillyPenn, Anthony Long noted that there is a "huge horror community" in the city. "People are really, really into horror here, and horror has worked its way into a lot of local businesses--even locally in Manayunk there's Lincoln Mill Haunted House. It's interesting. Philly is the right place for a horror bookstore."

Book Nerd owners Sean and Lauren Richmond

Book Nerd had its grand opening in early October at the Castle Hills Market on 2211 NW Military Hwy, #118, in Castle Hills, Tex. KENS reported that "the area's first bookstore in over two decades.... is full of curated new and unique books that span all genres such as science fiction, horror, romance and fantasy, plus bookish goods that come from other small businesses. There's also a children's play corner and an event center in the back of the store." Co-owners Lauren and Sean Richmond said their bookstore is dedicated to providing a welcoming space that's deeply rooted in local connections and a shared love of reading.  

In an Instagram post after the grand opening, Lauren Richmond wrote: "Never in our wildest dreams did we think 1,000 people would walk through Book Nerd's doors during our preview and Grand Opening weekend. Sean & I are beyond grateful to the community for supporting Book Nerd!

"Our little bookstore would absolutely not exist without the support and volunteer hours of our friends and family! From cheering us on a year ago when we committed to opening Book Nerd, watching our dog while we spent countless hours at the store, to stickering and shelving books up to the night before we opened. We are overwhelmed with gratitude to each of you. Thank you again to everyone who has walked through our doors, and if you haven't made it by yet, we are excited to have you."

Hyundai Department Store in Pangyo features this Kyobo Bookstore.

South Korean department stores "are reintroducing bookstores and reading lounges as part of a push to keep shoppers in stores longer, driven by the growing 'text hip' trend among young consumers," Pulse reported. One example cited was Youngpoong Bookstore, which in June opened a branch in the basement level of Shinsegae Department Store in Gangnam, southern Seoul, and now attracts about 6,000 visitors a month.

"Monthly sales are higher than when the space was used for health, electronics, or sports stores," a Shinsegae official said. "Bookstores bring in not only buyers but also visitors who browse or listen to music, which increases overall foot traffic."

Hyundai Department Store Group is also expanding reading areas in its stores and outlets, with nine locations now hosting bookstores. The group's top-performing Pangyo branch includes a Kyobo Bookstore. A company representative said, "As interest in reading culture and related experiences grows, we are expanding themed spaces where customers can connect with those interests." 

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Knights Of, the independent, inclusive U.K. children's book publisher founded in 2017 by two former Scholastic employees, Aimée Felone and Dee Stevens, ceased trading on October 16 and is expected to go into liquidation during the week of November 10, the Bookseller reported, adding that accountancy firm Hart Shaw was "instructed to place the company in liquidation, pending a vote of the shareholders.... No reason has been given for the collapse, though it is understood that KO had been talking to publishers about a potential sale for some time." Knights Of was named Children's Publisher of the Year at the British Book Awards in 2022.

The publisher's bookshop, Round Table Books in Brixton Village, South London--a separately run Community Interest Company--recently launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £50,000 (about $65,885) for a move into a larger space. 

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The European and International Booksellers Federation is again partnering with #EuropeanAuthorsDay #Read4Real, a celebration of literature and creativity held annually from November 11 to December 12 to highlight the "importance of direct engagement with literature, notably through meetings with authors," EIBF's Newsflash reported. 

The Book Industry Study Group has launched a $16,000 Season of Giving Challenge to fund the purchase and donation of 2,000 books to offset 1,000 book challenges--helping restore access to titles that have been banned or challenged in communities across the U.S. During November and December, BISG is inviting its members and the broader publishing community to join the We Are Stronger Than Censorship campaign to ensure that every reader has access to diverse, inclusive, and empowering stories. 

"During this Season of Giving, BISG is proud to support We Are Stronger Than Censorship. Together, we're giving back in the most powerful way we know--by ensuring that every reader, everywhere, has access to the stories that inspire empathy, reflection, and understanding," said BISG executive director Brian O'Leary. "When books are banned, what's really being silenced are the voices, experiences, and truths that help us understand one another. With this challenge, every dollar raised, every book donated, is an act of courage and hope--a reminder that together, we can make sure every reader sees themselves reflected on the page."

Lee Wind, co-founder of We Are Stronger Than Censorship and CCO for the Independent Book Publishers Association, commented: "We are not powerless in the face of censorship, and we do not have to play defense. Since launching in September 2024, We Are Stronger Than Censorship has raised enough to offset 1,400 book challenges, meaning we've been able to buy and distribute 2,800 books so far."

"The ultimate goal is to pull the brakes on the runaway train of book banning, by making the numbers work against the people so eager to block other people's freedom to read." Wind continued, "We're excited to have BISG put out this challenge to turbo-charge the program and offset even more book challenges. It's the perfect initiative for this season of giving, and we're grateful to BISG and the community for coming together to make this happen."

The EveryLibrary Institute, a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization, serves as the fiscal agent for the We Are Stronger Than Censorship campaign. Every donation is tax-deductible and goes directly toward buying and donating banned books to readers and communities across the country. 

Tim Cook

Canadian author Tim Cook, who served as the chief historian of the Canadian War Museum, died October 26. He was 54. Quill & Quire reported that he joined the museum in 2002, where he served as the First World War historian until being promoted to chief historian and director of research in 2022. He was named a member of the Order of Canada in 2014 and a member of the Royal Society of Canada in 2019.

"Tim Cook was one of Canada's most prolific, best known, and influential historians and authors, said Caroline Dromaguet, president and CEO of the Canadian War Museum and the Canadian Museum of History, adding that he "was a passionate ambassador both for the Museum and for Canadian military history. He has forever left his own mark on history." 

An award-winning author, Cook wrote and edited more than 20 books about the Canadian wartime experience, beginning with No Place to Run: The Canadian Corps and Gas Warfare in the First World War, which won the C.P. Stacey Award for most distinguished book in Canadian military history. 

His many other honors included the Ottawa Book Awards (which he last won in 2023 for Lifesavers and Body Snatchers: Medical Care and the Struggle for Survival in the Great War); the Charles Taylor Prize (2009 winner for Shock Troops: Canadians Fighting the Great War, 1917-1918), and the Lionel Gelber Prize, for which his most recent book, The Good Allies: How Canada and the United States Fought Together to Defeat Fascism During the Second World War, was shortlisted this year. His book The Unquiet Western Front will be published in 2026.

Nick Garrison, publishing director of Allen Lane, said, "There is little we can say to add to Tim's legacy. His many awards and the lasting impression his work has left on a generation of readers say more than any of us can. But no award captures what Tim meant to us. Over the course of many years and many books, Tim came to be known to all of us as much for his warmth and generosity of spirit as he was for his talent as a writer, and as eager to talk about family as he was to talk about history. He will be bitterly missed by all who worked with him and admired him."

Brazos Bookstore in Houston, Tex., hosted a "B.Y.O. Flashlight" evening of readings from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz, illus. by Stephen Gammell (HarperCollins). Brazos book buyer Keaton Patterson (l.) and Chesli Lobue from Brazos neighbor Murder by the Book got into the "spirit" by the campfire!

"Happy Dalloween. Read a boooooook!" That was the sidewalk chalkboard message in front of the Halloween storefront window display at Mrs. Dalloway's Bookstore in Berkeley, Calif., which noted: "Once it occurred to us, we absolutely had to do it!"

Russo's Books, Bakersfield, Calif., posed the ultimate Halloween trick or read bookseller handselling challenge: "Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, and Jason Voorhees all come to you asking for a book recommendation. Which one do you help and which book would you choose for him?"

Pamela Motyka has joined Simon & Schuster Publisher Services as senior director.

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At Macmillan:

Amy Solov has been promoted to senior manager, sales.

Reagan Reynolds has been promoted to associate manager, sales.

Kara Warschausky has transferred from the retail marketing team at Macmillan to the Canada sales team as national account manager.

Julia Zanatta recently joined the company as assistant, trade sales.

The Future of Storytelling: How Immersive Experiences Are Transforming Our World by Charles Melcher (Artisan).

Zero Gravity Management (Ozark) is teaming with Romulus Films for a TV series based on Frederick Forsyth's novel The Odessa File. Deadline reported that the conspiracy thriller adaptation "will follow freelance journalist Peter Miller as he infiltrates a shadowy organization of former Nazi SS officers in 1960s Germany, putting himself on a collision course with one of history's most notorious war criminals." 

Currently in development, the series will be executive-produced by Jonathan Woolf and Nick Varley for Romulus Films and Simon Fellows, alongside Leon Clarance (Sense8) for Zero Gravity Management. Simon Fellows (Steel Country) wrote the adaptation of the book, which had been previously adapted in the 1974 movie starring Jon Voight.

The new project "is currently being packaged for talent and Zero Gravity says it is in discussions with broadcasters and streaming networks for what is envisioned as an initial eight-episode season with plans for three subsequent seasons that will carry the story through to the present day," Deadline wrote.

"This is not a remake; it's a totally fresh take," said Fellows. "We're combining several genres--period, conspiracy, thriller, action, and a touch of the revenge western--all revolving around a 1960s autobahn-fueled road movie to catch a monster."

Waterstones has selected a shortlist for its Book of the Year:

Ocean by David Attenborough & Colin Butfield 
Universality by Natasha Brown 
Donut Squad: Take Over the World! by Neill Cameron 
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins 
Craftland by James Fox 
The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson 
Alice with a Why by Anna James 
Katabasis by RF Kuang 
So Long, See You Tomorrow by William Maxwell 
The Café at the Edge of the Woods by Mikey Please 
The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins 
Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy 
Padella by Tim Siadatan 
The Artist by Lucy Steeds
Strange Pictures by Uketsu 

photo: Erin Lewis

Edward McPherson has written a biography of the silent movie star Buster Keaton, a book about people obsessed with the card game bridge, and a collection of essays about American places where the past intrudes into the present. He received a Guggenheim Fellowship to finish his latest book, Look Out: The Delight and Danger of Taking the Long View (Astra House, October 21, 2025), which continues his interest in mixing personal material, archival research, and journalistic reporting. He grew up in Texas and now teaches creative writing at Washington University in St. Louis.

Handsell readers your book in 25 words or less:

An idiosyncratic investigation of the "big picture"/"aerial view." Early flight, old maps, earthworks, drones, surveillance, pandemics, hidden history, outer space, our suffering planet, the future.

On your nightstand now:

Several tall towers of books, including North Sun by Ethan Rutherford (already finished but keeping it near), There's Always This Year by Hanif Abdurraqib (rereading for teaching), Notes to John by Joan Didion (putting off starting due to anxiety re: posthumous publication), and The Sundial by Shirley Jackson (end-times escapism).

Favorite book when you were a child:

Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel. (Particularly the story "The Dream," a trippy and terrifying parable about artistic hubris--never forget your audience, Toad!) Later, The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper.

Your top five authors:

Top five at doing what? And when? Depends on my mood, but touchstones include Jamaica Kincaid (sure, the novels, stories, essays, and memoirs, but also all the short journalistic pieces she wrote for the New Yorker!), Joan Didion (mostly her essays from the 1960s and 1970s), W.G. Sebald (particularly the offhand patternmaking genius of his novel Rings of Saturn), Jorge Luis Borges (preferably read aloud in a Porteño accent), Jo Ann Beard (everything she's ever written), Zadie Smith (especially the essays and criticism). Oops, that's six. I could go on.

Book you've faked reading:

Honestly, I feel no need to pretend. No one has read everything, and thank goodness for that! There's always another book on the horizon.

Book you're an evangelist for:

The Peregrine by J.A. Baker. A man follows birds of prey in eastern England in the 1960s. An exquisitely slow book of great violence. A journal of muted despair cut with the ecstasy of perception--and impossible longing--that remakes the humdrum language of most so-called "nature writing."

Book you've bought for the cover:

Choose Your Own Adventure #6: Your Code Name Is Jonah by Edward Packard. Third grade: an allowance well-spent.

Book you hid from your parents:

Luckily, there was no need to hide. They left me to my reading life.

Books that changed your life:

Like most writers, I've built my life on books. High school: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (so many feelings, insert your own green-light cliché here). College: Birds of America by Lorrie Moore (these are short stories?!) and Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion (these are essays?!) and Arcadia by Tom Stoppard (this is a play?!), plus collections by Jamaica Kincaid and Donald Barthelme (what are these?!). (Was anyone ever so young?) Then every book I read in grad school--by my teachers, by my friends, by folks I'd never heard of--plus everything I've ever read since.

Favorite line from a book:

"Tell me things I won't mind forgetting," she said. "Make it useless stuff or skip it." --Amy Hempel, "In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson Is Buried," from Reasons to Live

Five books you'll never part with:

For sentimental reasons--who gave them to me, or where I read them, or with whom: Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges, The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse, Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion, and The Portable Poe from Viking by Edgar Allan Poe.

Book you most want to read again for the first time:

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson absolutely devastated me when I read it as a kid. I remain curious--but probably too scared even now--to revisit it. Same, many years later, for Angels by Denis Johnson.

What are you most afraid you left out of this interview?

Everything.

Debut author Jennie Godfrey has written a singular serial killer novel. Told from the point of view of an adolescent trying to discover the identity of the Yorkshire Ripper, The List of Suspicious Things is part thriller, part coming-of-age story, and part historical fiction.

Godfrey was a young girl when the real Yorkshire Ripper was active between 1975 and 1980; the then-unidentified murderer killed 13 women and attempted to murder at least seven others. "Everyone in Yorkshire knew we had our very own bogeyman, one with a hammer and a hatred of women." This experience clearly shapes Godfrey's writing of Miv, 12 years old at the start of the novel and convinced that if she can solve the Yorkshire Ripper case, she and her family won't have to move away from their hometown.

This childhood logic is prevalent throughout The List of Suspicious Things, told primarily from Miv's point of view, as Miv recruits her best friend, Sharon, to help her in the search. "We'll make a list," Miv says to Sharon. "A list of the people and things we see that are suspicious. And then... we'll investigate them." But in a small town with a powerful gossip mill, anything and everything can seem suspicious: the immigrant who owns the local convenience store; the grieving widower too sad to sleep in his marital bed; even Miv's own father, taking secret calls and sneaking out late at night when her mother is asleep.

The stakes grow ever higher, and the truth ever murkier, as the girls encounter situations well beyond their understanding of the world. Miv and Sharon turn up depressed parents, extramarital affairs, xenophobia and racism, alcoholism, men out of work, and more. "I don't know if any of the people we know are suspicious," Sharon muses, "or whether they're just trying to live their lives." This youthful perspective could make The List of Suspicious Things feel immature, but Godfrey succeeds in handling serious, adult themes through the eyes of a young girl without infantilizing or oversimplifying. The result is a stand-out mystery in a genre crowded with whodunit thrillers. This captivating tale of a young girl coming of age in 1979 Yorkshire, set against a backdrop of secrets and violence and hardships, carries glimmers of the joy that can be found and felt in family, friendships, and community. --Kerry McHugh, freelance writer

Shelf Talker: A 12-year-old girl and her best friend investigate a serial killer in 1979 Britain in this heartfelt, compelling debut.