Sales at Hachette Book Group grew 7% in 2024, and Grand Central, Orbit, and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers "all delivered particularly exceptional results," CEO David Shelley said in comments made in conjunction with the release of financial results for parent company Lagardère.
Key titles included The Wild Robot by Peter Brown (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers), The Housemaid by Freida McFadden (Grand Central), Eruption by James Patterson and the late Michael Crichton (Little, Brown), Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand (Little, Brown), Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez (Grand Central), The End of Everything by Victor Davis Hanson (Basic Books), Quicksilver by Callie Hart (Grand Central), Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell (Little, Brown) as well as "ongoing success" for Rachel Gillig (Orbit), Holly Black (LBYR) and Jennifer Lynn Barnes (LBYR).
Backlist sales were "notably resilient" at Hachette. Shelley cited What to Expect When You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff (Workman), "celebrating its 40th anniversary and still selling extremely strongly."
Audiobook sales "continued to grow [with] more listeners than ever before for our authors' titles." The company's investments in "top-tier production and securing the best voice talent, audio is a core part of our publishing strategy." He added that "the continued expansion of digital distribution and the rising popularity of audiobook subscriptions" should help lead to more opportunities in this area.
Shelley noted that the acquisition last year of Union Square & Co. from Barnes & Noble added "exciting new voices and categories to our portfolio, reinforcing our commitment to adjunct publishing spaces, including stationery and gifts, as well as becoming the custodians of their exceptional children's list with Mo Willems as its centerpiece, as well as a great cookery list, a beautiful classics list and a burgeoning adult list."
He also pointed to the company's work on the Changing the Story pillar and "our aim to publish for the broadest range of readers." A highlight of these efforts last year was sponsoring the inaugural Latinx Kidlit Book Festival Storytellers Conference in New York City, which kicked off Hispanic Heritage and Latinx Heritage Month. "The historic event was the largest, in-person, national gathering of Latinx writers, illustrators, editors, and literary agents to date. And in January 2025 we hired Sara Munjack as our director of diversity, equity, and inclusion, a new position, joining the team of Carrie Bloxson who has been promoted to chief human resources officer."
Shelley characterized the 2025 publication schedule as "extremely vibrant." Besides publishing, a major focus this year will be the Raising Readers initiative, which aims to promote lifelong reading.
Faber & Faber has launched an American division called Faber US, with PGW distributing.
Faber US will be overseen by director Mallory Ladd and sales director Sara Talbot; both will work from Faber's London headquarters. Brittany Dennison, formerly of Artisan Books and New Directions, has joined as senior publicist. Travis Smith, who previously worked at Algonquin Books and has a background in independent bookselling, has joined as senior marketing manager. Both Dennison and Smith live in the U.S.
"This marks an exciting moment for Faber," said CEO Mary Cannam. "I am delighted that Brittany and Travis are joining us, with their considerable energy and expertise, to launch this new venture. Our new U.S. division will enable us to reach an even wider audience for our writers' work and I'm looking forward to seeing it develop."
Among Faber's 2025 list are The City Changes Its Face by Eimear McBride, What Art Does by Brian Eno and Bette A., Collected Poems by Wendy Cope, and Suddenly Something Clicked by Walter Murch.
Book Bin in Northbrook, Ill., Moving Across the Street
Book Bin owners Amy Morrison and Alli Gilley (first two from left in back row) with staff outside previous store location.
Book Bin in Northbrook, Ill., is relocating from its Church St. location across the street to a larger space at 1929 Cherry Lane. In the bookstore's latest e-newsletter, owners Amy Morrison and Alli Gilley wrote that all of Book Bin's "books and bookcases, games and stuffies, turtles and train will be packed up and walked over to our new home between the Knitting Shop and the Hardware Store." The store will be closed for a few days beginning February 17.
The new location "has been prepped, painted and recarpeted for our move. The final details are in the works, and we'll be moving in next week... Since everything is coming with us, the new store should feel much like the current one. To us, what makes it feel the coziest and like home is when you are there with us. Please be a part of this exciting transition into Book Bin's next chapter!"
Katie Brown, manager at Malaprop's in Asheville, N.C., and Angie Tally, children's department manager at the Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, N.C., are the 2025 recipients of the Nancy Olson Bookseller Award. Presented by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, the $2,500 cash prizes honor booksellers who embody the spirit of the late Nancy Olson, founder of Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh, N.C., in supporting writers--especially new writers--other booksellers and community outreach.
"I'm floored to have won this award," said Brown. "I work with someone who knew Nancy and her impact on bookselling. To imagine that I had that same kind of impact (even for a moment) is humbling. Particularly the reason (Hurricane Helene). It was one of the wilder times in I think many folks' lives and to have someone I work with anonymously say 'Hey, you did a good thing and helped us' when I was scrambling to figure out what to do had me in tears."
Tally commented: "In 2005 at a booksellers conference in Winston-Salem, when SIBA was still called SEBA, I was introduced to Nancy Olson. I had just taken over as the children's department manager of the Country Bookshop after Nancy's dear friend, and the Country Bookshop owner Joan Scott, had passed away. Nancy was a legend in the industry, and her vote of confidence was a powerful thing. For more than 20 years now, it has been my greatest pleasure to share my love of books with children in Southern Pines and all of southeast North Carolina through book fairs, school author events, storytimes, and casual interactions in the Country Bookshop kids department. Tens of thousands of books, hundreds of authors, countless stories later, I know I am the luckiest of all people to be a part of such an amazing bookselling community. Winning the Nancy Olson Bookseller award is like winning the Newbery Award for Booksellers--The highest of all possible honors. I am humbled, honored, and delighted to be chosen as a 2025 recipient."
Award selection committee member Sarah Goddin, who worked with Olson, added: "When I look at the nominations for the two winners, the first thing that comes to mind is how much Nancy would have admired them for their kindness, their courage and their bold actions on behalf of their communities, customers, colleagues and authors. That is what she was all about and they are truly outstanding booksellers in every way."
Nancy Olson's husband, bookseller Jim Olson, agreed. "Nancy would be proud of our honorees," he said. "She loved the ability to handsell books and the dedication to customer service as shown by Angie and Katie. Both these women are excellent booksellers who welcome new authors and promote their books. It is a privilege to honor Angie and Katie with this year's Nancy Olson Bookseller Award."
Grand Central Publishing Launching Da Capo Music Books Imprint
Grand Central Publishing is launching Da Capo, a new imprint dedicated to books about music. Founded in the tradition of the former Da Capo Press, the imprint's acquisitions will be overseen by Brant Rumble, editorial director, nonfiction, and executive editor Ben Schafer, with additional acquisitions by Grand Central editors.
Da Capo will publish approximately 12 titles per year, with its first list to be released this summer, including Dennis McNally's counterculture history The Last Great Dream; Barry Mazor's Blood Harmony: The Everly Brothers Story; the punk rock chronicle Tearing Down the Orange Curtain by Nate Jackson and Daniel Kohn; and Shouting Out Loud, Audrey Gordon's biography of the Raincoats. In fall 2025, Da Capo will publish The Cars: Let the Stories Be Told by Bill Janovitz. More Da Capo titles will be announced in the coming weeks.
"Da Capo has a long tradition of publishing books for people to whom music is far more than a passive listening experience," said Schafer. "For the Da Capo reader, music is a way of life and a cornerstone of one's sense of identity. It is a link to broader traditions of subcultures and, as I've said many times in-house since I first joined the company in 2002, we make 'books for people who dress like the music they listen to.' "
Rumble added: "We are excited to curate a renewed frontlist--and capitalize on an extensive backlist--that includes a wide range of artists, genres, and literary approaches that deliver to readers a deeper understanding of the music that they love."
Image of the Day: Bianca Mabute-Louie at the Bookstore at Literary Arts, Portland, Ore.
Local AANHPI community organizers and groups Ajumama Workshop, Studio Yellow, Liminal Bodies, and PDX Queer Asian Social Meetup welcomed Bianca Mabute-Louie to the newly opened bookstore at Literary Arts in Portland, Ore., for the launch of Unassimilable: An Asian Diasporic Manifesto for the Twenty-First Century (HarperCollins). Mabute-Louie was in conversation with Portland artist and writer Miro Jooyoung Oh and community leader Mary Li. Literary Arts saw more than 150 people in attendance for their first week of events in their new space, which also featured Olufunke Grace Bankole, Emme Lund, and Karen Russell.
Video: 'Owning an Independent Bookstore Doesn't Mean You Can Just Read All Day'
Posted on Instagram by Black Rock Books, Bridgeport, Conn.: "When owning an independent bookstore doesn't mean you can just read all day.... Sad but true! But I can't complain because I get to chat with bookworms and host story times and create community. Video inspired by the folks at @bourbonnaispubliclibrary--libraries are seriously making some of the funniest content on IG in this bookworm's opinion!"
Maggie Southard Gladstone has been promoted to the newly created role of director of publicity and strategy, fiction and special projects at Simon & Schuster, effective immediately. She was formerly associate director of publicity, and before joining the Simon & Schuster flagship in 2020, she worked at Little, Brown, Knopf, and ICM Partners.
While remaining a title publicist, she will support the flagship's fiction editors by more closely assisting in the positioning and scheduling of their acquisitions; continue to foster and cement relationships with book clubs; and seek out nontraditional channels to increase visibility for our books, such as brand partnerships outside of publishing.
She has worked on celebrity books such as The Answer Is... by Alex Trebek, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee by Jerry Seinfeld, and Just Add Water by Katie Ledecky, and will collaborate with Stuart Roberts on the flagship's growing special projects initiative. She will help curate the imprint's brand identity, develop and produce original multimedia content, and devise other ways to reimagine and expand the definition of a book publisher.
Apple TV+ will developDilettante, a series inspired by Dana Brown's memoir Dilettante: True Tales of Excess, Triumph, and Disaster, about working for former Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter, Deadline reported.
Starring Jeff Daniels, the project, from Warner Bros. TV and studio-based Berlanti Productions, is written by Brown and Daniel Goldfarb (Julia). Brown and Goldfarb executive produce with Berlanti Productions' Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Leigh London Redman.
Ten literary translators and one editor were named winners of the Society of Authors Translation Prizes, sharing a prize fund of more than £30,000 (about $37,615) with the runners-up. Check out the complete list of SoA Translation winners here.
This year saw the first translation from Eastern Armenian to win a prize at the awards, with Deanna Cachoian-Schanz and editor Tatiana Ryckman taking the TA First Translation Prize for A Book, Untitled by Shushan Avagyan. Awards were also presented for translations into English from Italian, French, Spanish, German, Arabic, Japanese, and Dutch.
Sarah Perry (she/they) is the author of After the Eclipse: A Mother's Murder, a Daughter's Search, which was named a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice. Her writing has also appeared in the Huffington Post, Elle magazine, the Guardian, Cake Zine, and elsewhere. She holds an MFA in nonfiction from Columbia University, was the 2019 McGee Distinguished Professor of Creative Writing at Davidson College, and is now assistant professor of creative writing at Colorado State University. Perry's latest book is Sweet Nothings: Confessions of a Candy Lover (Mariner, February 4, 2025), a collection of 100 essays, each with an illustration by Forsyth Harmon, that uses candy as a means of thinking about joy, culture, art, bodies, and history.
Handsell readers your book in 25 words or less:
Surprisingly smart, frequently funny, and charmingly illustrated, Sweet Nothings makes a great gift for candy lovers and discerning readers alike. Equal parts sweet and tart.
On your nightstand now:
Alan Michael Parker's Bingo Bango Boingo, a collection of flash fiction pieces in the form of bingo cards (how cool is that?). Emma Eisenberg's Housemates, a novel about queer writers and artists navigating love and creativity, set during the pandemic and told through the perspective of an older lesbian. I have never read such excellent descriptions of faces and what they do! I also have an early copy of Jeannie Vanasco's A Silent Treatment, which is about her mother's use of the silent treatment. Inventive and moving, like all of Jeannie's work.
Favorite book when you were a child:
I was an only child who spent all my time reading, so it is hard to pick, but probably Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, which blew my hungry little mind. When I was really little, I was obsessed with this 1953 picture book called The Christmas Kitten by Janet Konkle. It was in my kindergarten classroom, and every year until fifth grade, I would check it out for the winter break. When I graduated high school, despite my having moved, my old elementary school librarian tracked me down and sent it to me, signed by all my former teachers and including kind notes about my future as a writer!
Your top five authors:
This list probably changes daily, but here are some writers whose work has influenced me: Maggie Nelson, Jeanette Winterson, Anne Michaels, Roland Barthes (especially A Lover's Discourse and Mythologies), and Tove Jansson (her adult books, although the Moomins are wonderful!).
Book you've faked reading:
I have actually never done this, because I don't believe in reading for social clout or to impress people. (I am also not into the idea of "guilty pleasure" reading. We all read for different reasons at different times. No need for guilt or feelings of inadequacy!)
Book you're an evangelist for:
Anne Michaels's Fugitive Pieces, which is so beautifully written that it thrills me every year when I reread it. Also, Stoner by John Edward Williams, a perfectly built and clear-eyed exploration of what it means to be a professor, writer, and human. Also, The Secret Life of Groceries by Benjamin Lorr, which is very disturbing and eye-opening. Written so sharply I would probably read him on anything. Okay, I'll stop now.
Book you've bought for the cover:
The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig, which is a beautiful object: small trim, black hardcover, no dust jacket (I hate dust jackets), with embossed gold text and celestial decoration. It's a collection of neologisms for emotions we can't yet name.
Book you hid from your parents:
Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews, but this probably wasn't necessary, because my mom thought all reading was good reading, and that I was smart enough to not be unduly influenced by learning more about the world.
Book that changed your life:
Again, I have to shout out Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels. I first read it during a really dynamic and important time in my life (I was 21, grieving, and studying abroad), and it revived my childhood desire to be a writer. I thought, I have to do this.
Favorite line from a book:
More a unit than a line, but: "You said, 'I love you.' Why is it that the most unoriginal thing we can say to one another is still the thing we long to hear? 'I love you' is always a quotation. You did not say it first and neither did I, yet when you say it and when I say it we speak like savages who have found three words and worship them." From Jeanette Winterson's Written on the Body
Five books you'll never part with:
The Christmas Kitten by Janet Konkle, signed by all my elementary school teachers, who encouraged my early forays into writing; the specific copy of Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels that I bought when I was 21; my late mother's 1974 copy of The Dreamer's Dictionary by Stearn Robinson and Tom Corbett; The Edge of Every Day: Sketches of Schizophrenia by my dear friend Marin Sardy; The Years by Annie Ernaux.
Book you most want to read again for the first time:
Would you believe that an article in a women's magazine spoiled the ending of Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina for me, just when I had begun it? (I did still make it all the way through.) So: un-read that article, re-read Anna Karenina.
The best candy to enjoy while reading:
You can't have anything sticky, or you'll mess up your book or e-reader. And you want something long lasting, so your hands aren't constantly busy. So I'd say: Werther's Original, which are hard but creamy at the same time. I would always eat those as a kid when reading up in my bunk bed, and throw all the golden wrappers down to the floor.
All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman
(Putnam, $29 hardcover, 384p., 9780593851463, March 11, 2025)
All the Other Mothers Hate Me lives up to the promise of tension and hilarity suggested by its title. In Sarah Harman's sensational debut work of comic domestic suspense, Florence Grimes, 31, is an underemployed former pop star who begins her first-person narration barely keeping it together as a single mother of 10-year-old son Dylan.
The other mothers at Dylan's posh West London school do seem to hate Florence, and not entirely without reason, though they're not particularly likable themselves. For example, there's Hope, Florence's nemesis. They used to lead the same party girl lifestyle when Florence was a member of the all-female band Girls' Night. Now, Hope drives a baby-blue Bentley with custom B0YMUM plates, and refers to herself on Instagram as a #Model, #Philanthropist, and #GirlBoss.
Dylan has a nemesis of his own: Alfie Risby, heir to a frozen food empire ("There are some kids you just kind of want to punch, and Alfie was one of them"). And when Alfie goes missing on a school field trip where the boys were partners, Florence is desperate to deflect suspicion from Dylan. This proves difficult, as the two boys had a history of physical conflicts at school, and Florence doesn't help matters by spiriting Dylan away from the school when it's in lockdown, before the police can talk to him.
Florence starts her own investigation to clear Dylan's name with another outsider parent, American go-getter attorney Jenny. Their sleuthing is woefully inept, but extremely entertaining. Even if Florence can't find the culprit, at least she seems to have finally found a friend. As their bungling investigation continues, readers learn more about Florence's life. It may be chaos, but she's far less superficial than she initially seems--and the majority of her highly questionable actions are motivated out of a parental protective instinct that's gone a little haywire.
Harman incorporates plenty of very funny social satire, which, in addition to her skillful plotting, gives the narrative depth along with its sizzle. Fast paced and engrossing, All the Other Mothers Hate Me is a book that readers are sure to enjoy and will want to share widely--before it inevitably shows up as a series on one of the streaming services. --Elizabeth DeNoma, executive editor, DeNoma Literary Services, Seattle, Wash.
Shelf Talker:All the Other Mothers Hate Me is a hilarious, well-plotted thriller that goes racing through the streets of London, powered by frantic maternal desperation.
There are stats: For 2025, the National Retail Federation estimates that American consumers will spend a record $27.5 billion for Valentine's Day, up slightly from last year ($25.8 billion). Individual shoppers plan to spend $188.81, also up from 2024 ($185.81).
A survey by WalletHub, however, found that 39% of Americans believe inflation is affecting their Valentine's Day plans, with 34% of respondents saying they didn't expect their Valentine to spend any money on a gift this year.
For indie booksellers, Valentine's Day is kind of the perfect blend of emotion and commerce. If that sounds unromantic, I'd argue that bookstores are, and always have been, a romantic destination. The marketing and selling of books and other items isn't always the point.
Bookstore proposal at San Marco Books
Take bookshop marriage proposals, for example. We often highlight them in Shelf Awareness, and their popularity seems to be growing. Just a couple days ago, San Marco Bookstore, Jacksonville, Fla., posted on Facebook; "We LOVE love, and we LOVE books, so this story will never get old! Last spring, Ernest approached us about a romantic proposal to his girlfriend, Mellanease. When we heard the details, and that it involved a copy of Pride and Prejudice, how could we say no?!"
The Florida Times-Union just revisited that magical, bookish love story in a Valentine' Day feature on the couple. "Ernest Crosby proposed to his now wife, Mellanease, at San Marco Books, using two copies of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. One opened up to reveal pages that had been turned into two hearts. The other opened up to pages that said: Marry Me." The bookstore's staff was there for every step of the proposal, including playing the right music at the right moment. The couple got married last fall.
Most indie booksellers have ramped up their romance book game in recent years, which makes Valentine's Day 2025 particularly abundant with bookish love options, including:
At Morgenstern Books, Bloomington, Ind.
Blind Dates with Books Hooked, Lansing, Mich.: "Before and after pics of our blind date book tower. Thanks to our amazing team who put this all together and thanks everyone who joined us for the Lovely Boozy Book Fair last night!! We had our biggest day ever at Hooked and enjoyed meeting so many new folks."
Búho Books, Brownsville, Tex.: "JACKIE HAS OUTDONE HERSELF YET AGAIN! February's batch of Blind Dates with a Book coincides neatly with the week of Valentines Day to give us these gorgeously wrapped books with a romantic flavor."
Gramercy Books, Bexley, Ohio: "Ready to take a chance on love?... We've been hard at work picking out potential suitors, from young adult to mature romance, from no spice to five alarm chili, and every trope under the sun! Who's stopping by this weekend for a blind date?"
At Highland Books
Highland Books, Brevard, N.C.: "Don't judge a book by its cover... pick one on personality alone! Our Blind Date with a Book is a great way to surprise a friend or yourself."
Galentine's Day Werner Books & Coffee, Erie, Pa.: "We had a BLAST celebrating Galentine's with all of you! Thank you for showing up, supporting local, and enjoying a day with your gals!"
Flowers Kindred and Co., Post Falls, idaho : "February 14th. Free mini bouquets. Bring your valentines and come celebrate the month of love with us!"
Wandering Raccoon Books, Grimes, Iowa: "Our Galentine's Day DIY Book Bouquet class is HAPPENING NOW and talk about GORGEOUS. The flowers, the attendees, everything--stunning."
At Paper Places Bookshop
Paper Places Bookshop, Jasper, Ala.: "Wednesday is the final deadline to purchase a book bouquet for your Valentine! They will be available for pick-up Friday! Message us today to secure yours!"
Novel Bay Booksellers, Sturgeon Bay, Wis.: "We are getting some serious LOVE for our fun Valentines window!"
Square Books, Oxford, Miss.: "Share the Love, Shop Local!... Have you gotten a little something for your loved ones yet?"
Kids Theodore's Books, Oyster Bay, N.Y.: "Valentine's Day is the perfect time to share stories about love, friendship, and kindness with the little bookworm in your life! Stop by Theodore's Books to pick up a love-filled read for your tiny Valentine!"
At Dorothy Jane Booksellers, Foley, Ala.
Alternatives BookPeople, Austin, Tex.: "Join Austin Animal Center at BookPeople to meet your forever Valentine, learn about their programs, and chat about how you can make a difference for animals in need. We'll be hosting this dog adoption event on February 15th from 11AM to 2PM right in front of our doors. See y'all then!"
Odyssey Bookstore, Ithaca, N.Y.: "You know what they say, love is strange. Our February Read Indies feature is a valentine to love in its many forms. These are love letters to romance, friendship, sisterhood, and those who may no longer be with us. Celebrate whichever February vibe feels most you, whether you're ready to satisfy a sweet tooth with tender odes or dive into an anti-valentine."
Faber & Faber has launched an American division called Faber US, with PGW distributing.
Grand Central Publishing is launching Da Capo, a new imprint dedicated to books about music. Founded in the tradition of the former Da Capo Press, the imprint's acquisitions will be overseen by Brant Rumble, editorial director, nonfiction, and executive editor Ben Schafer, with additional acquisitions by Grand Central editors. 
Posted on Instagram by Black Rock Books, Bridgeport, Conn.: "When owning an independent bookstore doesn't mean you can just read all day.... Sad but true! But I can't complain because I get to chat with bookworms and host story times and create community. Video inspired by the folks at @bourbonnaispubliclibrary--libraries are seriously making some of the funniest content on IG in this bookworm's opinion!"
"It's a cold, rainy day in Redding! But it's the perfect weather for browsing in a bookstore--it's warm and cozy in here!" Shop Around the Corner Books, Redding, Calif., posted on Facebook.
The DOSE Effect: Optimize Your Brain and Body by Boosting Your Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Endorphins by TJ Power (Dey Street Books).
Book you're an evangelist for:
All the Other Mothers Hate Me lives up to the promise of tension and hilarity suggested by its title. In Sarah Harman's sensational debut work of comic domestic suspense, Florence Grimes, 31, is an underemployed former pop star who begins her first-person narration barely keeping it together as a single mother of 10-year-old son Dylan.
This Valentine's Day, skip the fleeting gifts and give something lasting.... Because nothing says love like a year of great books.
