The American Library Association (ALA) has released its annual list of the most frequently challenged library books of the year. We’ve linked to free samples of all the books on the list–follow the links below to read these controversial books yourself.

The list was part of the ALA’s 2013 State of America’s Libraries Report. During the past year, the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom received 464 reports of challenged books. Here’s more from the report:

In California, a school committee voted to remove the Stephen King novella “Different Seasons” from Rocklin High School library shelves. The lone dissenter on that committee was 17-year-old student Amanda Wong, who continued to fight the ban and spoke against the decision at a later school board meeting. After hearing Wong’s concerns that the removal “opens a door to censoring other materials,” the district superintendent overturned the committee’s decision and returned the book to the Rocklin High School library’s collection.

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Vintage Books is releasing a new writer’s guide from E L James‘ in which she reveals the inspiration behind her provocative erotica series as well as tips for aspiring writers. In The Fifty Shades of Grey: Inner Goddess (A Journal), Grey will include share excerpts from her novels alongside writing tips for aspiring writers, and even the playlists that she listens to while writing.

The book, which will include 125,000 copies in the first printing, will be available in May. The pressing boasts a foil-embossed leather cover and a red-ribbon bookmark.

“As E L James traveled and met with her readers, there was a great curiosity about how she got started writing,” explained Vintage/Anchor’s Anne Messitte, the acquiring publisher of the Fifty Shades series, in a statement. “Her personal story as a writer is inspirational to many women, and journaling has been an important part of her creative process from the start.”

Hachette Book Group, Penguin and Simon & Schuster have launched Bookish, nearly two years after the site was first announced in May 2011.

The site will recommend books and let readers shop for books. It also shares book excerpts and features essays from its editors and authors (we’ve included some excerpts below).

According to Digital Book World sources, the publishers have invested “about $16 million” in the new venture. Bookish also counted the participation of 16 other major publishers, including Random House, Inc., Scholastic, HarperCollins Publishers and Perseus Books Group.

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Doubleday will release E L James Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy in $26.95 hardcover editions on January 29. The first combined print run will be 200,000 copies.

Ever since Vintage published the formerly self-published series last spring, the trilogy has sold more than 35 million copies in the United States and 65 million copies worldwide (counting both paperback and digital sales).

Here’s more from the publisher: “The hardcovers will include the full text of each novel, enhanced by these features: Embossed book jackets (adapted from the iconic paperback design). Themed endpapers (ties, masks, handcuffs). Rough front pages. E L James-signature-stamped book cover. Red silk ribbon markers. These editions will be sold both as individual titles, and as a shrink-wrapped set of the three books.”

E.L. James became the first author to be named Publishers Weekly‘s Person of the Year.

Many members of the publishing community, such as Washinton Post fiction editor Ron Charles, have shared their opinions about this announcement. Celebrities have also weighed in on the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy.

As rumors continue to circulate about a film adaptation, we’ve rounded-up four videos featuring celebrities reading the book.

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Suzanne Collins and The Hunger Games dominated Facebook this year, her trilogy taking the first, second and third spots on Facebook’s Most Read Books of 2012 list.

Above, you can see Facebook’s infographic about the top books of 2012. Below, we’ve listed the top five books on that list…

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
3. Mockingjay by  Suzanne Collins
4. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

Amazon has revealed the bestselling books of 2012, a list led by E. L. James, Gillian Flynn and Sylvia Day.

We’ve reprinted the complete list below, but you can also check out the company’s top 100 lists of the Adult Print Books, Kids & Teens Print Books, Adult Kindle Books of 2012 and Kids & Teens Kindle Books for the year.

1. “Fifty Shades Freed: Book Three of the Fifty Shades Trilogy” by E.L. James
2/ “Gone Girl: A Novel” by Gillian Flynn
3. “Fifty Shades Trilogy: Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker, Fifty Shades Freed 3-volume Boxed Set” by E.L. James

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With 11,525 votes, The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling has won the Best Fiction award at the Goodreads Choice Awards. Earning 20,328 votes, Veronica Roth was named Best Goodreads Author for Insurgent.

We’ve linked to samples of all the winners below.

All these authors were nominated and picked by Goodreads users. Did your favorite writer make the list?

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Washington Post fiction editor Ron Charles poked fun at Publishers Weekly‘s decision to name E.L. James as their “Publishing Person of the Year” for her bestselling Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy.

Above, we’ve embedded Charles’ full short film project–what do you think?

Charles made headlines in 2010 for his Totally Hip Book Reviewer video series.

Today E L James became the first author ever named Publishers Weekly‘s Person of the Year, an annual award given to publishing leaders “shaping and, sometimes, transforming, the publishing industry.”

As part of the award, James will get a cover story and interview in the magazine. She joins a list of winners that includes David Shanks, Larry Kirshbaum, Jeff Bezos and Len Riggio.

Co-editorial director Jim Milliot explained the choice: “From boosting sales of print books through bookstores to putting a spotlight on a genre that had received little publicity, E.L. James’ impact on various parts of the book business cannot be overstated … She is well deserving of our Person of the Year award.”

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