The first scholar to gain access to Stephen King’s archives, Caroline Bicks explores the master of horror’s seminal works in her superbly shudder-inducing Monsters in the Archives. ... Read full Story
T Kira Madden’s gale-force first novel, Whidbey, is a challenge to other novels in its category and an encouragement to raise the bar. ... Read full Story
Readers of Tara Menon’s stunning debut novel, Under Water, will be as mesmerized by scenes of exploring Thailand’s coral reefs as they are by her depiction of overwhelming grief. ... Read full Story
Even amid their bitterest struggles, there’s a tenderness to the family at the heart of Tolani Akinola’s striking, smart debut, Leave Your Mess at Home. ... Read full Story
Xochitl Gonzalez’s straightforward prose downplays its subtlety and brilliance, and she is Whartonesque when it comes to describing the folkways of a particular group of people at a particular time. ... Read full Story
Julia Langbein’s Dear Monica Lewinsky is inventive, funny and incisive—a delightful comedy that’s also frank in commenting on the trouble caused by institutional power imbalances between men and women. ... Read full Story
As nature reawakens with the passage of winter, our gardens aren’t the only thing in bloom. Celebrate Earth Day and the arrival of spring with love stories set in various lush landscapes, from the forest to the ocean—and even an alien planet. ... Read full Story
Filled with depictions of cats in art, culture and history across millennia, this book proves that cats have always been everywhere, all at once. ... Read full Story
Part teen drama, part paranormal thriller and wholly entertaining, Where No Shadow Stays is a book that readers won’t be able to put down—and it might continue to creep them out after the last page has been turned. ... Read full Story
Marv and Char Lopez’s The Compact Garden will equip readers with everything they need to start growing, no matter how much space they have available. ... Read full Story
In her unnerving new horror novel, Kylie Lee Baker puts a Japanese twist on the gothic to deliver a dark vision of a house and its ghosts. ... Read full Story
Readers will root for Mei Mei, the protagonist of Victoria Chang’s Eureka, as she and her friends bravely struggle toward a conclusion filled with love and hope. ... Read full Story
In Forgive-Me-Not, Mari Costa aimed to create something that she would have devoured as a fairy-loving teen, and the result is a beautiful, queer twist on the knight and princess tale that will delight and intrigue readers. ... Read full Story
With its unique recipes presented via Lesley Chesterman’s culinary expertise, A Montreal Cook will take home cooks on a pleasurable journey to this celebrated Canadian city. ... Read full Story
Both thrilling and gut-punching, The Lion’s Run sheds light on a lesser-known Nazi program while offering young readers powerful examples of bravery in the face of injustice. ... Read full Story
Inbetweens is an inspirational yet realistic examination of teens trying to follow their dreams, providing an enlightening depiction of challenges likely to be encountered along the way. ... Read full Story
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 6, 2026 is:
flamboyant \flam-BOY-ant\ adjective
Someone or something described as flamboyant has a very noticeable quality that attracts a lot of attention. Such a person or thing is often strikingly elaborate or colorful in their behavior or display.
// Reality television attracts millions of viewers for its depictions of flamboyant, larger-than-life personalities living equally flamboyant lifestyles.
“[Helen] McCrory’s flamboyant and perfectly drawn portrayal of Polly was the show’s real treasure, a steel-willed matriarch unusually attuned to the mysticism of the Shelby family’s Romani roots who also served as a ruthlessly pragmatic consigliere. ... McCrory’s Polly was so electric that the show remained totally riveting any time she was onscreen.” — Jack Hamilton, Slate, 20 Mar. 2026
Did you know?
Associate the word flamboyant with bananas flambé and the word’s fiery etymology will be seared in your mind. Flamboyant, which was borrowed into English from French in the 19th century, can be traced back to the Old French word flambe, meaning “flame.” In its earliest uses flamboyant referred to an ornate style of Gothic architecture popular in France and Spain, which featured waving curves suggestive of flames. Eventually, the word developed a more general second sense for anything eye-catching or showy. And of course, flambe is also the origin of the English adjective flambé, which describes food flamboyantly dressed or served with flaming liquor.