“If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: in love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.” – Kristin Hannah, The Nightingale
Alphabetical Diaries by Sheila Heti
nonfiction / memoir.
A thrilling confessional from the award-winning, beloved author of Pure Colour.
Sheila Heti kept a record of her thoughts over a ten-year period, then arranged the sentences from A to Z. Passionate and reflective, joyful and despairing, these are her alphabetical diaries.
“[An] entirely new reading experience, and a better portrait of growing into one’s self than most coming-of-age novels I’ve read. I only wish my own diaries were so appealing.” – Eliza Smith, Literary Hub
“[An] arresting literary experiment… Heti’s penchant for aphorism and sentence-level excellence keep things afloat… Those who stick with it will be dazzled.” – Publishers Weekly
“This will be a particularly suitable offering for readers who enjoy the intimacy of memoir but wish to delve into more experimental work.” – Zeja Z. Copes, Booklist
Bride by Ali Hazelwood ★
fiction / romance / fantasy.
Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again…
Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was…
Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she’s ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory… alone with the wolf.
“Bride is the great start of a new paranormal world full of werewolves, vampires, and humans.” – Revati Kilaparti, Indie Next
“Witty dialogue, plots within plots, and a surprising twist round out this excellent novel. Highly recommended.” – Heather Miller Cover, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
“This enthralling tale of political machinations, family secrets, enduring friendship, and the allure and fear of people who are ‘other’ is a not to be missed romance.” – Diana Tixier Herald, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“…funny and thoughtful… It’s a new subgenre for Hazelwood, and she navigates it well, slowly teasing out the sweet and spicy supernatural romance. This is a treat.” – Publishers Weekly
Burma Sahib by Paul Theroux
fiction / historical fiction.
At age nineteen, young Eton graduate Eric Blair set sail for India, dreading the assignment ahead. Along with several other young conscripts, he would be trained for three years as a servant of the British Empire, overseeing the local policemen in Burma. Navigating the social, racial, and class politics of his fellow British at the same time as he learned the local languages and struggled to control his men would prove difficult enough. But doing all of this while grappling with his own self-worth, his sense that he was not cut out for this, is soon overwhelming for the young Blair. Eventually, his clashes with his superiors, and the drama that unfolds in this hot, beautiful land, will change him forever.
“…stellar… With piercing prose, Theroux lays bare the fraudulent and fiercely despotic nature of the British Empire. This brims with intelligence and vigor.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“Reading is Eric’s ‘greatest passion,’ and Theroux’s engrossing, suspenseful novel incisively maps the start of Eric’s metamorphosis into George Orwell, resounding critic of malevolent power.” – Donna Seaman, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“…valid and entirely credible… everything Theroux writes reeks of plausibility. The deadening torpor of colonial life, its petty jealousies, its social hierarchies, its sexual hypocrisies, its unthinking racism all ring exceptionally true… this novel is one of his finest, in a long and redoubtable oeuvre.” – William Boyd, New York Times
Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford
fiction / historical fiction / mystery.
Like his earlier novel Golden Hill, Francis Spufford’s Cahokia Jazz inhabits a different version of America, now through the lens of a subtly altered 1920s—a fully imagined world full of fog, cigarette smoke, dubious motives, danger, dark deeds. And in the main character of Joe Barrow, we have a hero of truly epic proportions, a troubled soul to fall in love with as you are swept along by a propulsive and brilliantly twisty plot.
On a snowy night at the end of winter, Barrow and his partner find a body on the roof of a skyscraper. Down below, streetcar bells ring, factory whistles blow, Americans drink in speakeasies and dance to the tempo of modern times. But this is Cahokia, the ancient indigenous city beside the Mississippi living on as a teeming industrial metropolis, filled with people of every race and creed. Among them, peace holds. Just about. But that corpse on the roof will spark a week of drama in which this altered world will spill its secrets and be brought, against a soundtrack of jazz clarinets and wailing streetcars, either to destruction or rebirth.
“[A] thrilling leap into alternative history… a murder mystery that doesn’t let up… Like the city and world it depicts, this is a complicated book that offers many layers of pleasure… Above all, there’s the joy that comes from seeing a profusion of love and care poured into a fully original piece of work.” – John Self, Financial Times
“A rich and fluently imagined alternate history… vivid and varied… Spufford’s skill at keeping you reading, sentence after sentence, is for me up there with writers like David Mitchell…” – Niall Harrison, Locus
“This richly imagined and densely plotted story refreshes the crime genre and acts as a fun house mirror reflection of contemporary attitudes toward race—all set to a thumping jazz age soundtrack. Standing alongside Orson Scott Card’s Alvin Maker series and Michael Chabon’s The Yiddish Policemen’s Union, this is a challenging evocation of an America that never was.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
Dear Black Girls: How to Be True to You by A’ja Wilson
nonfiction / memoir / sports.
Despite gold medals, WNBA championships, and a list of accolades, A’ja Wilson knows how it feels to be swept under the rug—to not be heard, to not feel seen, to not be taken seriously. As a fourth grader going to a primarily white school in South Carolina, A’ja was told she’d have to stay outside for a classmate’s birthday party. “Huh?” she asked. Because the birthday girl’s father didn’t like Black people.
Wilson tells stories like this, about how even when life tried to hold her down, it didn’t stop her. She shares her contribution to “The Talk,” and how to keep fighting, all while igniting strength, passion, and joy. Dear Black Girls is a necessary and meaningful exploration of what it means to be a Black woman in America today—and a rallying cry to lift up women and girls everywhere.
“A Black basketball superstar delivers an eloquent and insightful work.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“Readers will feel seen and heard.” – Publishers Weekly
“Her book is a powerful and crucial call to support women and girls worldwide and a source of encouragement for everyone seeking to embrace their authentic self and overcome obstacles.” – Sharon Wyatt, Booklist
Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead by Jenny Hollander
fiction / suspense / mystery.
She has everything to live for—and everything to hide.
Nine years ago, with the world’s eyes on her, Charlie Colbert fled. The press and the police called Charlie a “witness” to the nightmarish events at her elite graduate school on Christmas Eve—events known to the public as “Scarlet Christmas”—though Charlie knows she was much more than that.
Now, Charlie has meticulously rebuilt her life: She’s the editor-in-chief of a major magazine, engaged to the golden child of the publishing industry, and hell-bent on never, ever letting her guard down again. But when a buzzy film made by one of Charlie’s former classmates threatens to shatter everything she’s worked for, Charlie realizes how much she’s changed in nine years. Now, she’s not going to let anything—not even the people she once loved most—get in her way.
“Your new fave twisty read of the year.” – Tamara Fuentes, Cosmopolitan
“[A] twisty, thrilling story you won’t be able to put down.” – Town & Country
“[It’s] an undeniable page-turner, and readers will be eager to find out both what happened the night of the attack and just how far Charlie will go to hide her possible complicity.” – Kristine Huntley, Booklist
Fourteen Days: A Collaborative Novel edited by Margaret Atwood & Douglas Preston
fiction.
Set in a Lower East Side tenement in the early days of the COVID-19 lockdowns, Fourteen Days is a surprising and irresistibly propulsive novel with an unusual twist: each character in this diverse, eccentric cast of New York neighbors has been secretly written by a different, major literary voice—from Margaret Atwood and Douglas Preston to Tommy Orange and Celeste Ng.
One week into the COVID-19 shutdown, tenants of a Lower East Side apartment building in Manhattan have begun to gather on the rooftop and tell stories. With each passing night, more and more neighbors gather, bringing chairs and milk crates and overturned pails. Gradually the tenants—some of whom have barely spoken to each other—become real neighbors. In this Decameron-like serial novel, general editor Margaret Atwood, Authors Guild president Douglas Preston, and a star-studded list of contributors create a beautiful ode to the people who couldn’t get away from the city when the pandemic hit. A dazzling, heartwarming collection, Fourteen Days reveals how beneath the horrible loss and suffering, some communities managed to become stronger.
“This enthralling novel of many voices and moods dramatizes the transformation of isolation into community via stories and explores a grand spectrum of human experiences.” – Donna Seaman, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“…beguiling… fans of literary puzzles will find this worthwhile.” – Publishers Weekly
“Ghost narratives vie with tales of lost love, shaggy dog stories with the defiantly quotidian, gallows humour with the sweet and sentimental; and each of the residents’ stories reveal, whether they intend it or not, something about themselves. In this way, the book becomes a kind of jigsaw puzzle… An immensely enjoyable product of an immensely unenjoyable time, Fourteen Days is lively, freewheeling and, with its skilfully paced denouement an impressive achievement.” – Alex Clark, The Guardian
Get the Picture: A Mind-Bending Journey Among the Inspired Artists and Obsessive Art Fiends Who Taught Me How to See by Bianca Bosker
nonfiction / memoir / art.
An award-winning journalist obsessed with obsession, Bianca Bosker’s existence was upended when she wandered into the art world—and couldn’t look away. Intrigued by artists who hyperventilate around their favorite colors and art fiends who max out credit cards to show hunks of metal they think can change the world, Bosker grew fixated on understanding why art matters and how she—or any of us—could engage with it more deeply.
In Get the Picture, Bosker throws herself into the nerve center of art and the people who live for it: gallerists, collectors, curators, and, of course, artists themselves—the kind who work multiple jobs to afford their studios while scrabbling to get eyes on their art. As she stretches canvases until her fingers blister, talks her way into A-list parties full of billionaire collectors, has her face sat on by a nearly-naked performance artist, and forces herself to stare at a single sculpture for hours on end while working as a museum security guard, she discovers not only the inner workings of the art-canonization machine but also a more expansive way of living.
Probing everything from cave paintings to Instagram, and from the science of sight to the importance of beauty as it examines art’s role in our culture, our economy, and our hearts, Get the Picture is a rollicking adventure that will change the way you see forever.
“A delightful book on an inspiring topic by a writer who could make dust sparkle.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“It’s a passionate, brilliant examination of why humans make and value art, from a joyous and gifted investigator.” – Drew Broussard, Literary Hub
“[Bosker] has written a dark comedy of manners, and what she exposes here might be a new kind of country club mentality, where the cultural elite can no longer exclude people based on race, gender or sexual identity, so they come up with clever new ways to build moats around their little castles… Get the Picture is one of the funniest books I’ve read about New York’s contemporary art scene… Brilliant.” – Martin Gelen, Washington Post
The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman
fiction / mystery / suspense.
LAPD homicide lieutenant Milo Sturgis sees it all the time: Reinvention’s a way of life in a city fueled by fantasy. But try as you might to erase the person you once were, there are those who will never forget the past… and who can still find you.
A pool boy enters a secluded Bel Air property and discovers two bodies floating in the bright blue water: Gio Aggiunta, the playboy heir to an Italian shoe empire, and a gorgeous, even wealthier neighbor named Meagin March. A married neighbor.
An illicit affair stoking rage is a perfect motive. But a “double” in this neighborhood of gated estates isn’t something you see every day. The house is untouched. No forced entry, no forensic evidence. The case has “that feeling,” and when that happens, Milo turns to his friend, the brilliant psychologist Alex Delaware.
As Milo and Alex investigate both victims, they discover two troubled pasts. And as they dig deeper, Meagin March’s very identity begins to blur. Who was this glamorous but conflicted woman? Did her past catch up to her? Or did Gio’s family connections create a threat spanning two continents?
Chasing down the answers leads Alex and Milo on an exploration of L.A.’s darkest side as they contend with one of the most shocking cases of their careers and learn that some secrets are best left buried in the past.
“Like all the Alex Delaware novels, this one is fast-moving fun.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Kellerman delivers clever twists alongside the lived-in banter between his leads that sets this series apart. It’s both a treat for longtime fans and a great entry point for newcomers.” – Publishers Weekly
“Jonathan Kellerman has created one of the most enduring and acclaimed series in suspense fiction… [His] prose is fast-paced without being in any way hurried or abrupt, and Delaware and Sturgis play off one another exceptionally well. The characters are as comfortable as old slippers, fictional friends whose company and adventures readers have enjoyed for decades. The Ghost Orchid is another excellent addition to a series full of excellent editions.” – BookPage
Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly ★
fiction / comedy.
It’s been a year since his ex-boyfriend dumped him and moved from Auckland to Buenos Aires, and Valdin is doing fine. He has a good flat with his sister Greta, a good career where his colleagues only occasionally remind him that he is the sole Maaori person in the office, and a good friend who he only sleeps with when he’s sad. But when work sends him to Argentina and he’s thrown back in his former lover’s orbit, Valdin is forced to confront the feelings he’s been trying to ignore—and the future he wants.
Greta is not letting her painfully unrequited crush (or her possibly pointless master’s thesis, or her pathetic academic salary…) get her down. She would love to focus on the charming fellow grad student she meets at a party and her friendships with a circle of similarly floundering twenty-somethings, but her chaotic family life won’t stop intruding: her mother is keeping secrets, her nephew is having a gay crisis, and her brother has suddenly flown to South America without a word.
Sharp, hilarious, and with an undeniable emotional momentum that builds to an exuberant conclusion, Greta & Valdin careens us through the siblings’ misadventures and the messy dramas of their sprawling, eccentric Maaori-Russian-Catalonian family. An acclaimed bestseller in New Zealand, Greta & Valdin is fresh, joyful, and alive with the possibility of love in its many mystifying forms.
“Say hello to your new favorite fictional family.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“The laughs start early and go strong throughout this winsome story.” – Hannah Bae, San Francisco Chronicle
“…charming… This offbeat millennial comedy has universal appeal.” – Publishers Weekly
“Within the first few pages of Greta & Valdin, I was already struggling not to laugh aloud in my crowded office. I wanted to tap my colleagues on the shoulders and read lines to them, in the hopes they, too, would cherish Rebecca K. Reilly’s little kernels of humor and truth.” – Lauren Puckett-Pope, Elle
Imagination: A Manifesto by Ruha Benjamin
nonfiction / sociology / art.
A world without prisons? Ridiculous. Schools that foster the genius of every child? Impossible. Work that doesn’t strangle the life out of people? Naive. A society where everyone has food, shelter, love? In your dreams. Exactly. Ruha Benjamin, Princeton University professor, insists that imagination isn’t a luxury. It is a vital resource and powerful tool for collective liberation.
Imagination: A Manifesto is her proclamation that we have the power to use our imaginations to challenge systems of oppression and to create a world in which everyone can thrive. But obstacles abound. We have inherited destructive ideas that trap us inside a dominant imagination. Consider how racism, sexism, and classism make hierarchies, exploitation, and violence seem natural and inevitable—but all emerged from the human imagination.
The most effective way to disrupt these deadly systems is to do so collectively. Benjamin highlights the educators, artists, activists, and many others who are refuting powerful narratives that justify the status quo, crafting new stories that reflect our interconnection, and offering creative approaches to seemingly intractable problems.
Imagination: A Manifesto offers visionary examples and tactics to push beyond the constraints of what we think, and are told, is possible. This book is for anyone who is ready to take to heart Toni Morrison’s instruction: “Dream a little before you think.”
“[A] powerful exhortation for society to point its dreams toward the collective good. ” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“A provocative manifesto indeed, and one that deserves a wide audience.” – Kirkus Reviews
“In this revelatory work, Benjamin calls on us to take imagination seriously as a site of struggle and a place of possibility for reshaping the future.” – Panio Gianopoulos, Next Big Idea Club
Kingpin by Mike Lawson
fiction / suspense / mystery.
Carson Newman doesn’t think of himself as a gangster. He doesn’t have a consigliere or operate out of the back room of a bar. No, Carson’s a different sort of gangster, a billionaire Boston real estate developer, who only breaks the law when necessary—and he doesn’t usually get his hands dirty.
Joe DeMarco, on the other hand, is paid to get his hands dirty. So, when John Mahoney, the former Speaker of the House, calls, DeMarco knows it’s time to get to work. Brian Lewis, an intern who worked for Mahoney, has been found dead, seemingly from a drug overdose. But Brian didn’t seem like a drug user, and even more concerning, he seemed to be on the cusp of releasing a report that identified a group of politicians who had taken bribes.
Brian’s mom is convinced that Brian was murdered because of what he’d learned, and it doesn’t take long for DeMarco to come to a similar conclusion. A conclusion that points to Carson Newman’s empire.
In a city full of shadowy agreements and duplicitous deals, DeMarco will soon learn that to get to the bottom of Brian’s death, he’ll have to look at people perched the very top of the world.
“Well-drawn side characters and plausible renderings of crooked political dealings provide a boost. Lawson’s winning formula continues to pay dividends.” – Publishers Weekly
The Last Days of Lilah Goodluck by Kylie Scott
fiction / romance.
“Be quiet and listen: He is cheating on you. The name of your soulmate is Alistair George Arthur Lennox. You will be passed over for the promotion. The winning numbers are 5-8-12-24-39-43. And I’m very sorry to tell you this, but you will die next Sunday.”
When Lilah Goodluck saves the life of Good Witch Willow as they’re crossing a busy L.A. street, the last thing she expects is five unwanted predictions as a reward. Who gives someone the winning lotto numbers then tells them they’ve only got a week to live? And who believes in that nonsense anyway?
But when the first three predictions come true within twenty-four hours, Lilah’s disbelief turns to mild panic. She’s further horrified when she nearly runs a car off the road that belongs to Alistair Lennox, who just happens to be the illegitimate son of the British king.
While Alistair is intrigued by her preposterous story, Lilah is adamant about resisting the heat between her and the playboy prince. If she denies he’s her soulmate, then the last prediction can’t come true, right? As the days count down, they become maybe friends… and then maybe more. But between the relentless paparazzi and some disapproving royals, finding time for love isn’t easy, especially when her days may be numbered.
“Scott’s endearing page-turner, featuring royalty, fated mates, modern witches, and bucket lists, is a must-read.” – Meagan Day, Library Journal
“[A] sprightly speculative romance… a vibrant and endearing story, helmed by a witty budding couple and bolstered by delightful supporting characters, especially Alistair’s eccentric mother, Lady Helena. This zippy, imaginative outing about seizing all that life and love have to offer inspires.” – Publishers Weekly
“Scott creates charming characters and makes the unbelievable premise that brings them together believable in this enjoyable, light-hearted romp with just the right combination of glitz, glamour, and the ordinary.” – Diana Tixier Herald, Booklist
Limitarianism: The Case Against Extreme Wealth by Ingrid Robeyns
nonfiction / economics / politics.
How much money is too much? Is it ethical, and democratic, for an individual to amass a limitless amount of wealth, and then spend it however they choose? Many of us feel that the answer to that is no—but what can we do about it?
Ingrid Robeyns has long written and argued for the principle she calls “limitarianism”—or the need to limit extreme wealth. This idea is gaining momentum in the mainstream – with calls to “tax the rich” and slogans like “every billionaire is a policy failure”—but what does it mean in practice?
Robeyns explains the key reasons to support the case against extreme wealth:
● It keeps the poor poor and inequalities growing
● It’s often dirty money
● It undermines democracy
● It’s one of the leading causes of climate change
● Nobody actually deserves to be a millionaire
● There are better things to do with excess money
● The rich will benefit, too
This will be the first authoritative trade book to unpack the concept of a cap on wealth, where to draw the line, how to collect the excess and what to do with the money. In the process, Robeyns will ignite an urgent debate about wealth, one that calls into question the very forces we live by (capitalism and neoliberalism) and invites us to a radical reimagining of our world.
“A withering critique of the ethical, moral, and fiscal harms of unlimited wealth concentration… No absolutist, she’s not against earned wealth, up to a point, but rather unearned or ‘dirty’ money… A caustic but balanced attack offers an equitable economic compromise.” – Kirkus Reviews
“…one of those [books] where you might find yourself, as I did, underlining a sentence or three on every page, and adding exclamation points in the margin…” – Tim Adams, The Observer
A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams ★
fiction / romance / historical fiction.
Leap years are a strange, enchanted time. And for some, even a single February can be life-changing.
Ricki Wilde has many talents, but being a Wilde isn’t one of them. As the impulsive, artistic daughter of a powerful Atlanta dynasty, she’s the opposite of her famous socialite sisters. Where they’re long-stemmed roses, she’s a dandelion: an adorable bloom that’s actually a weed, born to float wherever the wind blows. In her bones, Ricki knows that somewhere, a different, more exciting life awaits her.
When regal nonagenarian, Ms. Della, invites her to rent the bottom floor of her Harlem brownstone, Ricki jumps at the chance for a fresh beginning. She leaves behind her family, wealth, and chaotic romantic decisions to realize her dream of opening a flower shop. And just beneath the surface of her new neighborhood, the music, stories and dazzling drama of the Harlem Renaissance still simmers.
One evening in February as the heady, curiously off-season scent of night-blooming jasmine fills the air, Ricki encounters a handsome, deeply mysterious stranger who knocks her world off balance in the most unexpected way.
Set against the backdrop of modern Harlem and Renaissance glamour, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is a swoon-worthy love story of two passionate artists drawn to the magic, romance, and opportunity of New York, and whose lives are uniquely and irreversibly linked.
“[A] swoon-worthy love story…” – Courtnie Deckwa, SheReads
“With flashbacks to the Harlem Renaissance, this entertaining read is both modern and classic and does not disappoint.” – Tonya Pearl, Library Reads
“Williams follows her best-selling Seven Days in June with a truly original romance that is quirky, suspenseful, and unforgettable.” – Diana Tixier Herald, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“Elegantly blending past and present, romance and fantasy, Williams delivers a gorgeous, transportive love letter to the Harlem Renaissance… What begins as a simple romance is elevated by rich history as the story flashes back through Harlem’s past, revealing both its glamor and its danger. This vast time span creates an epic feel that never overpowers the tender heat of the romance. It’s a showstopper.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
fiction / fantasy / mystery / suspense.
In Daretana’s greatest mansion, a high imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree erupted from his body. Even here at the Empire’s borders, where contagions abound and the blood of the leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death both terrifying and impossible.
Assigned to investigate is Ana Dolabra, a detective whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. Rumor has it that she wears a blindfold at all times, and that she can solve impossible cases without even stepping outside the walls of her home.
At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, magically altered in ways that make him the perfect aide to Ana’s brilliance. Din is at turns scandalized, perplexed, and utterly infuriated by his new superior—but as the case unfolds and he watches Ana’s mind leap from one startling deduction to the next, he must admit that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.
As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.
By an “endlessly inventive” (Vulture) author with a “wicked sense of humor” (NPR), The Tainted Cup mixes the charms of detective fiction with brilliant world-building to deliver a fiendishly clever mystery that’s at once instantly recognizable and thrillingly new.
“Bennett brilliantly melds genres in this exceptional mystery-fantasy… The worldbuilding is immediately involving, Bennett’s take on a classic detective duo dynamic feels fresh and exciting, and the mystery itself twists and turns delightfully. Readers will be wowed.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“Inspired by Nero Wolfe with a bit of Hannibal Lector added to his prime investigator, Bennett kicks off the Shadow of the Leviathan series, which will delight fans of fantasy-infused mysteries.” – Lucy Lockley, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“Highly recommended for lovers of fantasy and steampunk mystery and readers searching for magically engineered combinations of alchemy and corruption in the same vein as Age of Ash by Daniel Abraham and In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan.” – Marlene Harris, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
The Teacher by Freida McFadden
fiction / suspense / mystery.
Lesson #1: Trust no one.
Eve has a good life. She wakes up each day, kisses her husband Nate, and heads off to teach math at the local high school. All is as it should be. Except…
Last year, Caseham High was rocked by a scandal involving a student-teacher affair, with one student, Addie, at its center. But Eve knows there is far more to these ugly rumors than meets the eye.
Addie can’t be trusted. She lies. She hurts people. She destroys lives. At least, that’s what everyone says.
But nobody knows the real Addie. Nobody knows the secrets that could destroy her. And Addie will do anything to keep it quiet…
“Secrets are everywhere in this sparkling narrative that moves like a Japanese bullet train, offering plenty of surprises along the way.” – Brian Kenney, First Clue
“…superb… The frequent rug-pulling will thrill readers who’ve initially pinned the story as run-of-the-mill domestic suspense. This rivets.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“Told from the alternating viewpoints of Eve and Addie, this dark page-turner from McFadden has an unexpected, brilliantly executed twist at the end. It’s a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers.” – Lucinda Ward, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
The Things We Didn’t Know by Elba Iris Pérez
fiction / historical fiction.
Andrea Rodríguez is nine years old when her mother whisks her and her brother, Pablo, away from Woronoco, the tiny Massachusetts factory town that is the only home they’ve known. With no plan and no money, she leaves them with family in the mountainside villages of Puerto Rico and promises to return.
Months later, when Andrea and Pablo are brought back to Massachusetts, they find their hometown significantly changed. As they navigate the rifts between their family’s values and all-American culture and face the harsh realities of growing up, they must embrace both the triumphs and heartache that mark the journey to adulthood.
A heartfelt, evocative portrait of another side of life in 1950s America, The Things We Didn’t Know establishes Elba Iris Pérez as a sensational new literary voice.
“A coming-of-age tale that beautifully evokes the contrasting environments of Puerto Rico and Massachusetts.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Perez viscerally portrays the children’s longing for their mother, which makes their resilience all the more affecting as Andrea draws on the example of Machi and others to break out of a cloistered life like her mother’s and make her own path. Perez proves to be a natural storyteller.” – Publishers Weekly
Ways and Means by Daniel Lefferts
fiction.
Alistair McCabe comes to New York with a plan. Young, handsome, intelligent, and gay, he hopes to escape his Rust Belt poverty and give his mother a better life by pursuing a career in high finance. But by the spring of 2016, Alistair’s plan has come undone: His fantasy banking job has eluded him, he’s mired in student debt, and in his desperation he’s gone to work for an enigmatic billionaire whose ambitions turn out to be far darker than Alistair could have imagined. By the time Alistair uncovers his employer’s secret, his life is in danger and he’s forced to go on the run.
Meanwhile, Alistair’s paramours, an older couple named Mark and Elijah, must face their own moral and financial dilemmas. Mark, nearing the end of his trust fund, takes a job with his father’s mobile-home empire that forces him to confront the unsavory foundations of his family’s wealth, while Elijah, a failed painter, throws in his lot with an artist-provocateur whose latest project transforms the country’s political chaos into a thing of alluring, amoral beauty. As the nation hurtles toward a breaking point, Alistair, Mark, and Elijah must band together to save one another and themselves.
Propulsive, exuberant, and profoundly observed, Ways and Means is an indelible, clear-eyed investigation of class and ambition, sex and art, and politics and power in twenty-first century America.
“What happens when the American Dream fails you almost instantly? Lefferts explores a finance bro who wasn’t while he tackles ambition and drive in a biting exposé.” – Adam Vitcavage, Debutiful
“[An] ambitious and exciting story… Lefferts’s nimble sense of scale enables him to convincingly depict the blue-chip firms who rejected Alistair and exploit the housing market, as well as to zoom in for poignant and subtle psychological realism. The results are electrifying.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“[A] fascinating, complex, often funny saga of life in our troubled time… Ways and Means is an amazing debut novel from a prodigiously gifted young writer. It will be interesting to see how Daniel Lefferts can match or top this piece of virtuosic storytelling.” – John Clum, New York Journal of Books
Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out by Shannon Reed
nonfiction / memoir / literature / comedy.
We read to escape, to learn, to find love, to feel seen. We read to encounter new worlds, to discover new recipes, to find connection across difference, or simply to pass a rainy afternoon. No matter the reason, books have the power to keep us safe, to challenge us, and perhaps most importantly, to make us more fully human.
Shannon Reed, a longtime teacher, lifelong reader, and New Yorker contributor, gets it. With one simple goal in mind, she makes the case that we should read for pleasure above all else. In this whip-smart, laugh-out-loud-funny collection, Reed shares surprising stories from her life as a reader and the poignant ways in which books have impacted her students. From the varied novels she cherishes (Gone Girl, Their Eyes Were Watching God) to the ones she didn’t (Tess of the d’Urbervilles), Reed takes us on a rollicking tour through the comforting world of literature, celebrating the books we love, the readers who love them, and the ways in which literature can transform us for the better.
“Delightful reminiscences of a book lover.” – Kirkus Reviews
“…splendid… Her pieces on teaching in particular are wise, insightful, and empathic to her students. They are also, again, often funny… Reed is good company, and her celebration of books, reading, and readers is a delight.” – Michael Cart, Booklist
“The meditations on reading are at once wry and heartening (she calls the habit ‘a dear friend who’s always there for me but never, ever asks for a slice’), and the humor amuses (a list of ‘signs you may be a character in a Shakespearean play’ includes ‘you are dead, but still speaking’). Bibliophiles will find much to love.” – Publishers Weekly
The Women by Kristin Hannah ★
fiction / historical fiction.
Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.
As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.
But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.
The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.
“[An] extraordinary novel… It’s heart wrenching, impactful, moving and fantastic.” – Heather Caliendo, Book Club Chat
“[An] emotionally charged page-turner… Fans of women’s historicals will enjoy this magnetic wartime story.” – Publishers Weekly
“Kristin Hannah’s latest book, The Women, will garner her a whole legion of new readers… Raw, powerful, and compelling.” – Liz Welter, Indie Next
“Hannah continues her winning streak of compelling historical novels, capturing the tumultuous atmosphere of the 1960s and ‘70s in a moving, gripping tale that pays tribute to the under-appreciated skill and courage of combat nurses.” – Kristine Huntley, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
The Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes ★
fiction / suspense / mystery.
If, like Kane, you’re a Denied Access Area spy for the CIA, then boundaries have no meaning. Your function is to go in, do whatever is required, and get out again—by whatever means necessary. You know when to run, when to hide—and when to shoot.
But some places don’t play by the rules. Some places are too dangerous, even for a man of Kane’s experience. The badlands where the borders of Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan meet are such a place—a place where violence is the only way to survive.
Kane travels there to exfiltrate a man with vital information for the safety of the West—but instead he meets an adversary who will take the world to the brink of extinction. A frightening, clever, vicious man with blood on his hands and vengeance in his heart…
“Though it’s still very early into the year, I’d be surprised if I read a more entertaining book than this one in 2024.” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal
“[A] sprawling, genre-shattering feat that rewrites the rules for military thrillers… intrepid readers will be rewarded with a stunningly audacious climax. This is a major achievement.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“The novel features dynamite prose and pitch-perfect dialogue, and its conclusion is deeply, memorably satisfying. The Year of the Locust confirms what I Am Pilgrim suggested—Hayes is a craftsman, a top-flight storyteller, and a literary force to be reckoned with.” – David Pitt, Booklist
“Go in expecting the unexpected, and you’ll walk away, jaw dragging on the floor, stunned and unable to stop thinking about this book for weeks… filled with bloody good fun, Terry Hayes comes out swinging yet again with The Year of the Locust, mixing storylines you might expect from Robert Ludlum and James Rollins, with a touch of Crichton and Fleming for added good measure.” – The Real Book Spy
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