“It is one thing to be good at what you do, and it is another thing to be good and bold enough to have fun while doing it.” – Hanif Abdurraqib, They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us
The Angel of Indian Lake by Stephen Graham Jones ★
fiction / horror / mystery.
It’s been four years in prison since Jade Daniels last saw her hometown of Proofrock, Idaho, the day she took the fall, protecting her friend Letha and her family from incrimination. Since then, her reputation, and the town, have changed dramatically. There’s a lot of unfinished business in Proofrock, from serial killer cultists to the rich trying to buy Western authenticity. But there’s one aspect of Proofrock no one wants to confront… until Jade comes back to town. The curse of the Lake Witch is waiting, and now is the time for the final stand.
New York Times bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones has crafted an epic horror trilogy of generational trauma from the Indigenous to the townies rooted in the mountains of Idaho. It is a story of the American west written in blood.
“Jones has given the world a gift, an epic tale for the ages, both a violent, high-octane slasher and a frank, thought-provoking indictment of the U.S., past and present.” – Becky Spratford, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
“Jade Daniels is immortalized into my — and I am certain several others — personal Final Girl Hall of Fame, ready to give me strength when I need her most.” – Katelyn Nelson, Medium
“[In] The Angel of Indian Lake, Jones absolutely loses his mind (in a good way)… [he] considers how we use fiction (in this case, horror films in particular) to help us understand our world… emotionally and formally satisfying… a gripping horror story…” – Justin Cober-Lake, Spectrum Culture
“…riotously entertaining… Jones weaves in plenty of clues and red herrings to keep the reader guessing just who is responsible for all the mayhem before igniting a climax that plays out like a horror film library exploding its holdings in a fiery spectacular… This is a worthy finale to a series that has expanded the horizons of contemporary horror.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
An Emancipation of the Mind: Radical Philosophy, the War Over Slavery, and the Refounding of America by Matthew Stewart
nonfiction / philosophy / politics / history.
This is a story about a dangerous idea—one which ignited revolutions in America, France, and Haiti; burst across Europe in the revolutions of 1848; and returned to inflame a new generation of intellectuals to lead the abolition movement—the idea that all men are created equal.
In their struggle against the slaveholding oligarchy of their time, America’s antislavery leaders found their way back to the rationalist, secularist, and essentially atheist inspiration for the first American Revolution. Frederick Douglass’s unusual interest in radical German philosophers and Abraham Lincoln’s buried allusions to the same thinkers are but a few of the clues that underlie this propulsive philosophical detective story. With fresh takes on forgotten thinkers like Theodore Parker, the excommunicated Unitarian minister who is the original source of some of Lincoln’s most famous lines, and a feisty band of German refugees, philosopher and historian Matthew Stewart tells a vivid and piercing story of the battle between America’s philosophical radicals and the conservative counterrevolution that swept the American republic in the first decades of its existence and persists in new forms up to the present day. In exposing the role of Christian nationalism and the collusion between northern economic elites and slaveholding oligarchs, An Emancipation of the Mind demands a significant revision in our understanding of the origins and meaning of the struggle over slavery in America—and offers a fresh perspective on struggles between democracy and elite power today.
“…engaging and often surprising…” – S.C. Gwynne, New York Times
“…deeply researched… A sweeping, penetrating historical narrative.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“[An] enthralling and muscular study… a vital reassessment of what underpins American democracy.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang
fiction / fantasy / romance / historical fiction.
“What if I told you that the feeling we call love is actually the feeling of metaphysical recognition, when your soul remembers someone from a previous life?”
In the year 4 BCE, an ambitious courtier is called upon to seduce the young emperor—but quickly discovers they are both ruled by blood, sex and intrigue.
In 1740, a lonely innkeeper agrees to help a mysterious visitor procure a rare medicine, only to unleash an otherworldly terror instead.
And in present-day Los Angeles, a college student meets a beautiful stranger and cannot shake the feeling they’ve met before.
Across these seemingly unrelated timelines woven together only by the twists and turns of fate, two men are reborn, lifetime after lifetime. Within the treacherous walls of an ancient palace and the boundless forests of the Asian wilderness to the heart-pounding cement floors of underground rave scenes, our lovers are inexplicably drawn to each other, constantly tested by the worlds around them.
As their many lives intertwine, they begin to realize the power of their undying love—a power that transcends time itself… but one that might consume them both.
An unpredictable roller coaster of a debut novel, The Emperor and the Endless Palace is a genre-bending romantasy that challenges everything we think we know about true love.
“[An] epic love story that transcends lifetimes… It is, simply, spectacular.” – Christina Orlando, Reactor
“Each engrossing time line propels readers forward as the pieces slowly fall into place and the connections across time are revealed… [a] romance with a unique style that is both lyrical and contemporary, and that perfectly conveys the themes of love, power, betrayal, and loyalty that resonate throughout.” – Patricia Smith, Booklist
“At once page-turning and deeply thoughtful, Huang’s excellent debut conjures a sweeping gay love story that unfolds across multiple timelines… a powerful story of romance reincarnated that feels impressively epic in scope… Drawing deeply from Chinese history and myth to create a central couple readers will have no choice but to root for, this mesmerizing debut is not to be missed.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
Everyone Is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf
fiction / suspense / mystery.
The Best Friend. The Confidant. The Senator. The Boyfriend. The Executive.
Five contestants have been chosen to compete for ten million dollars on the game show One Lucky Winner. The catch? None of them knows what (or who) to expect, and it will be live streamed all over the world. Completely secluded in an estate in Northern California, with strict instructions not to leave the property and zero contact with the outside world, the competitors start to feel a little too isolated.
When long-kept secrets begin to rise to the surface, the contestants realize this is no longer just a reality show—someone is out for blood. And the game can’t end until the world knows who the contestants really are…
“This is a delicious book to be devoured in one binge reading session.” – Beth Emmerling, Library Reads
“[An] easy and diverting tale that will have readers flying through the pages to learn what happens next.” – Sabrina Szos, Booklist
“A propulsive and suspenseful novel set in an eerie, isolated estate, Everyone is Watching adds to the emerging locked-room genre with panache. Unique and compelling, this is perfect for anyone who likes reading from the edge of their seat.” – Barnes & Noble
The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
fiction / romance / comedy / mystery / suspense.
After an ultra-romantic honeymoon across Europe, Meddy Chan and her husband Nathan have landed in Jakarta to spend Chinese New Year with her entire extended family. Chinese New Year, already the biggest celebration of the Lunar calendar, gets even more festive when a former beau of Second Aunt’s shows up at the Chan residence bearing extravagant gifts—he’s determined to rekindle his romance with Second Aunt and the gifts are his way of announcing his courtship.
His grand gesture goes awry however, when it’s discovered that not all the gifts were meant for Second Aunt and the Chans—one particular gift was intended for a business rival to cement their alliance and included by accident. Of course the Aunties agree that it’s only right to return the gift—after all, anyone would forgive an honest mistake, right? But what should have been a simple retrieval turns disastrous and suddenly Meddy and the Aunties are helpless pawns in a decades-long war between Jakarta’s most powerful business factions. The fighting turns personal, however, when Nathan and the Aunties are endangered and it’s up to Meddy to come up with a plan to save them all. Determined to rescue her loved ones, Meddy embarks on an impossible mission—but with the Aunties by her side, nothing is truly impossible…
“Sutanto’s hilarious triptych ends with a finale that could just as well have been titled ‘An Auntie You Can’t Refuse.’” – Kirkus Reviews
“Sutanto delivers another addictive romp, managing to negotiate a thrilling (multi) happily-ever-after finale because, alas, this concludes the Aunties series.” – Terry Hong, Booklist
“…Sutanto packs in loads of local color, and gives the aunties ample opportunity to let their freak flags fly.” – Publishers Weekly
How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin
fiction / mystery.
It’s 1965 and teenage Frances Adams is at an English country fair with her two best friends. But Frances’s night takes a hairpin turn when a fortune-teller makes a bone-chilling prediction: One day, Frances will be murdered. Frances spends a lifetime trying to solve a crime that hasn’t happened yet, compiling dirt on every person who crosses her path in an effort to prevent her own demise. For decades, no one takes Frances seriously, until nearly sixty years later, when Frances is found murdered, like she always said she would be.
In the present day, Annie Adams has been summoned to a meeting at the sprawling country estate of her wealthy and reclusive great-aunt Frances. But by the time Annie arrives in the quaint English village of Castle Knoll, Frances is already dead. Annie is determined to catch the killer, but thanks to Frances’s lifelong habit of digging up secrets and lies, it seems every endearing and eccentric villager might just have a motive for her murder. Can Annie safely unravel the dark mystery at the heart of Castle Knoll, or will dredging up the past throw her into the path of a killer?
As Annie gets closer to the truth, and closer to the danger, she starts to fear she might inherit her aunt’s fate instead of her fortune.
“[A] spellbinding cozy mystery layered with so many twists and turns that readers, right up to the last page, will keep changing their minds about whodunnit and why… a tight, intricate web of dubious secrets, motives, and deceits so ominous that readers will be biting their nails anticipating the chilling final reveal. ” – Kathleen Gerard, Shelf Awareness
“Perfectly structured and filled with suspense, Kristen Perrin, making her adult fiction debut, delivers a fascinating and twisting whodunit packed with wit and heart that’s perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Anthony Horowitz.” – Ryan Steck, The Real Book Spy
“Select a positive superlative and be confident readers will use it in describing this tale. Fans of Alice Bell, Janice Hallett, and Agatha Christie will hope to see more from Perrin…” – Stacey Hayman, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson
fiction / mystery / comedy / romance.
Seventy-seven-year-old Dorothy Darling has lived in Shelley House longer than any of the other residents, and if you take their word for it, she’s as cantankerous as they come. But Dorothy has her reasons for spying. And none of them require justifying herself to Kat Bennett.
Twenty-five-year-old Kat has never known a place where she felt truly at home, and crumbling Shelley House is no different. Her neighbors find her prickly and unapproachable, but beneath her tough exterior, Kat’s plagued by a guilty secret from her past.
When their apartments face demolition, sworn enemies Kat and Dorothy agree on just one thing: they must save their historic building. But when someone plays dirty—and one of the residents is viciously taken down—Dorothy and Kat seek justice. The police close the investigation too soon, leaving it up to the unlikely amateur sleuths—with a playful Jack Russell terrier at their side—to restore peace in their community.
“Brimming with heart and humor…” – Leandra Beabout, Reader’s Digest
“[A] charming story about intergenerational friendship leading to healing… This heartwarming tale is full of subtle humor and rich characters.” – Susan Maguire, Booklist
“The tenants are as crafty and charming as the house in this all’s-well-that-ends-well tale.” – Kirkus Reviews
On Extinction: Beginning Again at the End by Ben Ware
nonfiction / philosophy.
On Extinction takes us on a breathtaking philosophical journey through desperate territory. As we face ‘the end of all things’, Ben Ware argues we must face our apocalyptic future without flinching. In fact, extinction is the very lens through which we should examine our current reality.
Radical politics today should not be concerned with merely averting the worst but rather with beginning again at the end. To think about the future in this way is itself a form of liberation that might incubate the necessary radical solutions we need.
Combining lessons from Kant, Hegel, Adorno, and Lacan, as well as drawing on popular culture and ecology, Ware recasts the most urgent issue of our times and resolves that we can only consider our collective end by treating it as a starting point.
“It is foolhardy to think we can reverse the devastating effects of the climate crisis—and the immense threat to human existence they pose—with anything but the most radical change in course. Sadly, with every passing month, that change seems impossible. What philosopher Ben Ware is asking, then, is for us to imagine—to internalize—the reality of human finitude, the end of us. Only then, he suggests, will we be able to take in the full horizon of what we’ve wrought and, perhaps, move forward into a new and radical version of our shared future.” – Jonny Diamond, Literary Hub
The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn
fiction / romance / mystery.
Hairstylist Jess Greene has spent the last decade raising her younger half-sister, Tegan—and keeping a shocking secret. Ever since their reckless mother ran off with a boyfriend she’d known only a few months, Jess has been aware that he’s the same accomplished con man who was the subject of a wildly popular podcast, The Last Con of Lynton Baltimore.
Now thirty-one, Jess didn’t bargain on Tegan eventually piecing together the connection for herself. But Tegan plans to do exactly what Jess has always feared—leave their safe, stable home to search for their mother—and she’ll be accompanied by the prying podcast host and her watchful, handsome producer, Adam Hawkins. Unwilling to let the sister she’s spent so much of her life protecting go it alone, Jess reluctantly joins them.
Together, the four make their way across the country, unraveling the mystery of where the couple disappeared to and why. But soon Jess is discovering other things too. Like a renewed sense of vulnerability and curiosity, and a willingness to expand beyond the walls she’s so carefully built. And in Adam, she finds an unexpected connection she didn’t even know was missing, if only she can let go and let him in…
“A moving odyssey of family, self-discovery, and love.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“This beautifully written novel is a thoughtful look at the many faces of love.” – Beth Mills, Library Reads
“Clayborn’s sensitive characterization of Jess and Tegan’s sisterly bond, as well as the intense chemistry building between Adam and Jess, will keep readers hooked. This is a treat.” – Publishers Weekly
There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension by Hanif Abdurraqib ★
nonfiction / memoir / essays / sports.
Growing up in Columbus, Ohio, in the 1990s, Hanif Abdurraqib witnessed a golden era of basketball, one in which legends like LeBron James were forged and countless others weren’t. His lifelong love of the game leads Abdurraqib into a lyrical, historical, and emotionally rich exploration of what it means to make it, who we think deserves success, the tension between excellence and expectation, and the very notion of role models, all of which he expertly weaves together with intimate, personal storytelling. “Here is where I would like to tell you about the form on my father’s jump shot,” Abdurraqib writes. “The truth, though, is that I saw my father shoot a basketball only one time.”
There’s Always This Year is a triumph, brimming with joy, pain, solidarity, comfort, outrage, and hope. No matter the subject of his keen focus—whether it’s basketball, or music, or performance—Hanif Abdurraqib’s exquisite writing is always poetry, always profound, and always a clarion call to radically reimagine how we think about our culture, our country, and ourselves.
“…transcendent… With vulnerability and sincerity, Abdurraqib pushes readers to rethink what it means to be successful both on and off the court.” – Shannon Carlin, Time
“MacArthur Genius Grant winner Abdurraqib plays with time and memory, intimacy and vulnerability, going away and coming home — and leaves everything on the court by the end of his sublime new book.” – Isabelle McConville, Barnes & Noble
“[A] galvanic drive through the intricacies of family, community, belief, and dreams… Abdurraqib keeps multiple balls in the air as he swerves, spins, and scores, and every thoughtfully considered and vividly described element and emotion, action and moment, ultimately, connects. An exhilarating, heartfelt, virtuoso, and profound performance.” – Donna Seaman, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“In his ode to his home state, Ohio, and basketball, the National Book Award finalist weaves in insightful reflections about so-called bad neighborhoods, grief and staying put in Columbus even as so many peers chose to leave. Dotted with poetic aphorisms and split into sections reflecting a basketball game — a pregame, quarters and a game clock counting down subsections — basketball becomes a lens through which almost everything else in life might be refracted.” – Cody Delistraty, New York Times
The Truth About the Devlins by Lisa Scottoline
fiction / mystery / suspense.
TJ Devlin is the charming disappointment in the prominent Devlin family, all of whom are lawyers at their highly successful firm—except him. After a stint in prison and rehab for alcoholism, TJ can’t get hired anywhere except at the firm, in a make-work job with the title of investigator.
But one night, TJ’s world turns upside down after his older brother John confesses that he just murdered one of the clients, an accountant he’d confronted with proof of embezzlement. It seems impossible coming from John, the firstborn son and Most Valuable Devlin.
TJ plunges into the investigation, seizing the chance to prove his worth and save his brother. But in no time, TJ and John find themselves entangled in a lethal web of deception and murder. TJ will fight to save his family, but what he learns might break them first.
“[The] tense mystery plays out as a catalyst for redemption and family healing—Scottoline’s heart-warming specialty… A new family thriller by best-selling Scottoline is automatically a must-have.” – Christine Tran, Booklist
“…engrossing… Scottoline successfully anchors the story’s legalese and shady pharma dealings in TJ’s personal struggles, wringing real emotion from his gradual realization that, while he may be the Devlins’ black sheep, he’s far from the family’s most amoral member… this is a ripping blend of legal and family drama.” – Publishers Weekly
“…Lisa Scottoline is back with another pulse-pounding domestic thriller… expertly crafted… her specialty lies within her ability to develop characters, something she does better than just about anyone… Scottoline knows how to keep her readers engaged from beginning to end… an irresistible story that dares to explore the fragility of familial ties, the quest for redemption, and the consequences of buried secrets.” – Ryan Steck, The Real Book Spy
Worry by Alexandra Tanner
fiction / comedy.
It’s March of 2019, and twenty-eight-year-old Jules Gold—anxious, artistically frustrated, and internet-obsessed—has been living alone in the apartment she once shared with the man she thought she’d marry when her younger sister Poppy comes to crash. Indefinitely. Poppy, a year and a half out from a suicide attempt only Jules knows about, searches for work and meaning in Brooklyn while Jules spends her days hate-scrolling the feeds of Mormon mommy bloggers and waiting for life to happen.
Then the hives that’ve plagued Poppy since childhood flare up. Jules’s uterus turns against her. Poppy brings home a maladjusted rescue dog named Amy Klobuchar. The girls’ mother, a newly devout Messianic Jew, starts falling for the same deep-state conspiracy theories as Jules’s online mommies. Jules, halfheartedly struggling to scrape her way to the source of her ennui, slowly and cruelly comes to blame Poppy for her own insufficiencies as a friend, a writer, and a sister. And Amy Klobuchar might have rabies. As the year shambles on and a new decade looms near, a disastrous trip home to Florida forces Jules and Poppy—comrades, competitors, constant fixtures in each other’s lives—to ask themselves what they want their futures to look like, and whether they’ll spend them together or apart.
Deadpan, dark, and brutally funny, Worry is a sharp portrait of two sisters enduring a dread-filled American moment from a nervy new voice in contemporary fiction.
“The voice! The tone! The humor! Tanner woos with wonderful writing from the first to the last page. [Worry] follows two twenty-something siblings in a darkly funny existential crisis. Tanner deftly explores adult sibling friendship like I’ve never seen on the page. It could very well be the Great Millennial Novel.” – Adam Vitcavage, Debutiful
“Worry is exacting and hilarious, the startling, familiar shock of seeing your own slightly warped face reflected back to you when your iPhone dies from hours of scrolling. It feels both like an anthropological time capsule of turn-of-the-decade culture and a prescient crystal ball of our current, utterly droll hell… But at its core, Worry is a novel about sisters and the love they share despite being given access to each other’s emotional nuclear codes.” – Layla Halabian, Nylon
“Alexandra Tanner’s existential, absurd and deeply funny debut novel Worry is likely the best simulation of being online I’ve read in literature… Hilarious, dynamic, and compulsively readable, Tanner’s debut is one you’re going to want to start telling friends about.” – Sam Franzini, OurCulture
-
-
-
-
-