Kendra Winchester is a Contributing Editor for Book Riot where she writes about audiobooks and disability literature. She is also the Founder of Read Appalachia, which celebrates Appalachian literature and writing. Previously, Kendra co-founded and served as Executive Director for Reading Women, a podcast that gained an international following over its six-season run. In her off hours, you can find her writing on her Substack, Winchester Ave, and posting photos of her Corgis on Instagram and Twitter @kdwinchester.
A new “Best Books of the Year (So Far)” list seems to be dropping every few days, and I have to admit, I’m loving it. Of course, there’s always the latest in book banning news. Oh! We can’t forget Women’s Prize Award season. There’s a lot to look at today, so let’s jump right in!
The 14 Best Books of 2025 So Far (Time)
Yes! Another list! Plus, I spy some top-tier nonfiction. Time announced their 14 best book of 2025 (so far) list, including titles like Mark Twain by Ron Chernow, Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li, The Tell by Amy Griffin and One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad. I appreciate the balance of the different kinds of nonfiction that they included on the list, but I would have loved to see a couple more nonfiction titles included.
St. Francis School District Scraps Book Banning Policy, Will Return Titles to Shelves (CBS News)
In a huge win on the book-banning front, the St. Francis school district in Minnesota will now be returning more than 30 books back to its shelves. After the district removed librarians and teachers from their library’s book removal process, Education Minnesota-St. Francis and the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota filed lawsuits. The district wanted to use the conservative website, “Book Looks,” which was recently shut down by its creator, the group “Moms for Liberty.” Moms for Liberty has been at the forefront of book bans across the United States. But this time, the fight for freedom of speech won. There are so many more fights ahead, but it’s so encouraging to see these books restored to their rightful place.
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Women Prize’s Nonfiction Award Goes to Rachel Clarke’s The Story of a Heart (The Guardian)
I’ve been following the Women’s Prize for over a decade, and I couldn’t have been more pleased when the Women’s Prize announced a new prize for nonfiction. After years of highlighting fiction, the prize would now have a nonfiction category, shining a spotlight on my favorite category. This year, Dr. Rachel Clarke won the prize for her book The Story of the Heart. The book centers around two children, one who dies in a tragic accident and another who receives the heart they had been waiting on for over a year. In focusing on heart transplants, Clarke never fails to reinforce their impact on everyday people. For every person who receives the heart they need, another loses their life. According to the Women’s Prize website, Clarke will “receive a cheque for £30,000 and a limited-edition artwork known as the ‘Charlotte’, both gifted by the Charlotte Aitken Trust”
You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave, over on Instagram @kdwinchester, or on my podcast Read Appalachia. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.
Happy Reading, Friends!
~ Kendra
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