“Nova Poshta” has opened Nova Books—a specially designed book area in its branches featuring business literature for professional and personal development; the pilot program is currently operating at one of its Kyiv branches, the company’s press office reported.
According to the press release, books on economics and business are displayed in a separate showcase with a specially equipped self-service checkout counter. The Nova Books collection is based on business and economics literature selected based on recommendations from Nova Poshta’s Corporate University, as well as the company’s co-owners’ favorite books from their personal libraries.
“We are currently testing this format in Kyiv and are already seeing high demand: in just the first two days, customers purchased about 20 copies of business literature. Among the bestsellers are Donald Norman’s *The Design of Everyday Things* and James Clear’s *Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones” by James Clear,” noted Ivan Bilokonny, head of the new product development department at Nova Poshta.
You can purchase your favorite book from the display or online by scanning its barcode on a tablet and paying for the purchase. The purchase takes place without involving clerks or waiting in line. The book service Megogo Books is a partner in the pilot project and is responsible for providing the product selection and distribution.
“Since Megogo Books began operations, we’ve been collaborating with Nova Poshta to bridge the gap between readers and books through fulfillment and fast delivery. For us, Nova Books is a logical extension of this collaboration in a new format and an opportunity to move beyond the digital space,” said Kateryna Kotvitska, Content Director at Megogo Books.
It is reported that Nova Books will soon begin operations at two more locations in Kyiv and will open at 10 locations in the capital by the end of the year, with plans to expand to other regions thereafter. Thanks to Nova Poshta’s extensive network, the project creates a new opportunity for customers and publishers: readers gain access to high-quality books just a short walk from home, while publishers gain a new, convenient distribution channel.
As previously reported, as of July 13, 2026, the company’s network comprised 54,700 service points: 16,800 branches and 37,900 parcel lockers throughout Ukraine.
Nova Poshta’s core business remains the express delivery of documents, parcels, and palletized bulky cargo.
The Book.ua bookstore chain has opened a new location in Kyiv at 5 Spaska Street; the bookstore in Podil is currently operating in test mode, the company’s press office reported.
“We’re getting to know the new location, fine-tuning all our processes, and preparing for the official opening. But we don’t want to wait for the ‘perfect moment.’ The books are already on the shelves, the coffee is brewing, the team is on site—and we really want to finally see you here,” the chain noted on Facebook.
As previously reported, a Russian attack on August 28 destroyed the warehouse shared by Readeat, Book.ua, and a number of publishers in Sviatopetrivskyi, from which books were shipped throughout Ukraine.
Book.ua has been operating since 2023 and runs an online bookstore as well as bookstore-cafés: seven in Kyiv and one in Khmelnytskyi.
Bogdana Layuk, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Culture, believes that literary awards are one of the most effective ways to influence readers’ tastes, but Ukraine currently lacks them.
“In fact, this is the case in every country. And today, romance and dark fantasy are at the top of the charts everywhere: that’s the spirit of the times. People are trying to escape reality and enter another, imaginary world, such as the one offered by fantasy literature… I think it’s worth considering how bestseller lists are formed and who can influence them: how market players affect this and how the state can influence it. One way to exert such influence is, for example, through prestigious literary awards. “We all follow the Booker Prize, which is one of the most prestigious awards in the English-speaking world,” said Layuk in an exclusive interview with the “Interfax-Ukraine” news agency, responding to a question about the reading preferences of Ukrainians.
She noted that when a book makes it onto the longlist and then the shortlist—for example, for the Booker Prize—and ultimately wins, it has a massive impact on sales.
“And that’s what we call the ‘high shelf.’ “I think we should consider how the reading infrastructure is formed and how we can influence it—both as the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine and as bookstores, publishers, cultural centers, and cities. And literary awards are one of the most effective ways to influence the formation of such best-seller lists,” the deputy minister added.
When asked whether there are enough literary awards in Ukraine, Lajuk stated that, in her opinion, there is currently a shortage of such awards in Ukraine.
“In fact, there are a great many literary awards in Ukraine. But the question is how they influence the discourse, whether they affect sales, and whether they bring the author recognition, fame, and money. In my opinion, Ukraine currently lacks such awards. And when we look at the experience of European Union countries, we see that there are state and non-state awards, national awards, as well as regional and city awards,” the deputy minister noted.
As an example, she cited the “Angelus” Prize in Wrocław for literature from Central and Eastern Europe, which has been awarded at various times to Ukrainian authors: Yuriy Andrukhovych, Oksana Zabuzhko, Serhiy Zhadan, and Kateryna Babkina.
“Awards serve very different functions in literature. But a literary award should give the author a chance to pause and reflect on what he or she wants to write next. Because truly outstanding novels don’t just happen by chance. They don’t come about when a writer pens them at 3 a.m. during the first five free minutes of the day. An outstanding book requires space. And we must—both as a country and as a cultural community—create that space so that Ukrainian writers can write new, outstanding books,” Lajuk believes.
As previously reported, Ukraine has the following literary awards, among others: the Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine, the BBC Book of the Year, “Coronation of the Word,” the Yuri Shevelov Prize, the Lesya Ukrainka Prize, the Pavlo Tychyna Prize, the Maksym Rylsky Prize, and several others.
According to the Interfax-Ukraine Culture project, the novel “Null” (“Zero”) by Polish writer Szczepan Twardoch, dedicated to the war in Ukraine, won in the “Fiction” category of the Książka Roku 2025 reader poll on the Polish platform Lubimyczytać, as reported on the platform’s website .
“The novel ‘Null’ is a story about war, memory, and what war does to a person,” note the organizers of the Książka Roku poll on the Lubimyczytać platform
The Lubimyczytać announcement notes that this year, readers cast 277,259 votes across 16 categories, and the winners were announced during a ceremony at the International Book Fair in Poznań.
In the fiction category, Twardoch’s novel beat out Valérie Perrin’s “Colette” and Jakub Malecki’s “Obiekty głębokiego nieba.” The “Null” platform describes it as a painfully contemporary story about the war in Ukraine, which was initially conceived as an essay for a German publisher but later evolved into a full-fledged novel.
As the poll organizers note, the book combines themes of war, historical memory, and the human experience of history, and raises questions about what war does to a person. This is not Twardoch’s first such recognition: last year, his novel “Korowód” won in this same category. In addition, “Null” previously also received an award as an Empik network bestseller.
The novel was published in February 2025 by Marginesy. Translations into German, Slovak, and Belarusian have since appeared, and the Ukrainian translation is being prepared by the publishing house “Fabula.”
Szczepan Twardoch is one of the most famous contemporary Polish writers, and his books have already been published in Ukrainian in Ukraine. In 2024, the writer was honored with the Stand with Ukraine Award for his support of Ukraine: following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, he has been involved in humanitarian and volunteer aid, and he refused permission to publish his novel *The King* in Russia until the war ends.
As reported, on March 16, the DTEK photo exhibition “Do Svitla / Into the Light” will open at the “Sens” bookstore on Khreshchatyk in Kyiv. The exhibition is dedicated to one of the harshest winters Ukraine has endured during the war, as well as to the people who helped the country survive, according to the bookstore’s press service.
https://interfax.com.ua/news/culture/1151986.html
In his new book, “Cut Yourself Off Gently,” Ukrainian business coach and psychologist Maxim Romensky explores psychological separation as an important element of freedom and maturity. The author also shows how to break free from restrictive systems in order to build a life according to your own rules and scenarios. The book is the first project of the new Ukrainian non-fiction publishing house SIMIO.
At the heart of the book is the idea of ecological separation. It is about the conscious decision to let go of relationships, roles, or systems that no longer work for a person. The author analyzes dilemmas familiar to everyone: from distancing oneself from family and breaking up with loved ones to moving to another country.
Unlike Romensky’s previous books on business topics, this publication addresses everyday experiences. The book is based on real stories from clients, therapy sessions, and practical techniques that the author has been using for over 30 years. In addition, it includes questions for self-reflection, exercises, and specific phrases to help you get through separation in a constructive way.
“This book is about separation. Yes, today it has become commonplace, but it is still painful. It’s about separation from parents, friends, partners, or even adult children. And, ultimately, about parting with your own illusions. It is an experience that cannot be avoided. I want it to be not a full stop in loss, but a staircase that can be climbed from despair to clarity. And it became a reminder for all of us that there is always a way out — from any system or situation,” says Maksym Romenskyi.
The publication will be useful and supportive for anyone who feels the need to escape from difficult life scenarios and relationships. It will also be useful for professionals who work with people — psychologists, psychotherapists, coaches, and HR specialists. It is a practical tool designed for both reflection and action to help readers implement important internal decisions. The book is already available on the publisher’s website. An electronic version is also planned for release in October.
Maksym Romensky is the first author of the new Ukrainian publishing house SIMIO, which specializes in applied non-fiction. With this project, the publishing house immediately declares its mission: to be a guide and a signpost for readers.
The co-founders are Oleksandra Fidkevych, who has management experience and a background in writing, and Nataliia Podob, a journalist and editor with many years of media expertise.
SIMIO will publish books on psychology, personal growth, skill development, and entrepreneurship by contemporary Ukrainian and foreign experts. These will be carefully selected publications that will help readers expand their thinking, better understand themselves and the processes around them. And most importantly, they will provide practical guidelines for proactive action.
The income of Ukrainian publishers in 2024 increased by 31% compared to 2023, according to a report by the Ukrainian Book Institute (UBI).
“The annual report ‘Indicators of the Book Industry in Ukraine-2024’ was presented, during which the Ukrainian Book Institute presented the main indicators of the book industry for 2024, along with proposals for the development of the ‘Books on the Market’ catalog as a monitoring tool,” the report said.
The UIC notes that last year, Ukrainian book publishing showed signs of recovery: publishers’ revenues grew by 31% compared to 2023, and the total annual circulation increased by 21%; the Ukrainian book market saw a 31% increase in revenues and 33 million copies sold per year.
“There are over 350 publishing houses operating in Ukraine. Books can be purchased in almost 800 offline bookstores and 80 online stores. The total market volume is estimated at UAH 8 billion, which is about $200 million,” the report said.
According to the UIC, in 2024, 15,601 thousand book titles were published with a total circulation of 33.315 million copies.
