“Chance is the first step you take, luck is what comes afterward.” – Amy Tan, The Kitchen God’s Wife
The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan
nonfiction / memoir / nature.
Tracking the natural beauty that surrounds us, The Backyard Bird Chronicles maps the passage of time through daily entries, thoughtful questions, and beautiful original sketches. With boundless charm and wit, author Amy Tan charts her foray into birding and the natural wonders of the world.
In 2016, Amy Tan grew overwhelmed by the state of the world: Hatred and misinformation became a daily presence on social media, and the country felt more divisive than ever. In search of peace, Tan turned toward the natural world just beyond her window and, specifically, the birds visiting her yard. But what began as an attempt to find solace turned into something far greater—an opportunity to savor quiet moments during a volatile time, connect to nature in a meaningful way, and imagine the intricate lives of the birds she admired.
“…lovely… Tan’s enthusiasm and jaunty descriptions of her avian subjects enchant. This hits the mark.” – Publishers Weekly
“…charming… delightful and approachable… An ebullient nature lover’s paean to birds.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Tan is funny and candid. ‘Birds are creatures of habit in their habitat. Me, too.’ ‘I am glutted with avian delights.’ Readers will feel the same as they bask in Tan’s zestful and attentive bird bliss.” – Donna Seaman, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
fiction / suspense / mystery.
For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls they were rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance at a happy family life.
But their childhood wasn’t the fairy tale everyone thinks it was. Miss Fairchild had rules. Miss Fairchild could be unpredictable. And Miss Fairchild was never, ever to be crossed. In a moment of desperation, the three broke away from Miss Fairchild and thought they were free. Even though they never saw her again, she was always somewhere in the shadows of their minds. When a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, the foster sisters find themselves thrust into the spotlight as key witnesses. Or are they prime suspects?
A thrilling page-turner of sisterhood, secrets, love, and murder by New York Times bestselling author Sally Hepworth.
“As in The Soulmate, compelling themes of trust, betrayal, and brittle façades circle the sisters’ relationships, raising the stakes of the investigation painfully high… Hepworth’s fans will be primed for her newest unnerving thriller.” – Christine Tran, Booklist
Extinction by Douglas Preston
fiction / suspense / mystery / science fiction / horror.
Erebus Resort, occupying a magnificent, hundred-thousand acre valley deep in the Colorado Rockies, offers guests the experience of viewing woolly mammoths, Irish Elk, and giant ground sloths in their native habitat, brought back from extinction through the magic of genetic manipulation. When a billionaire’s son and his new wife are kidnapped and murdered in the Erebus back country by what is assumed to be a gang of eco-terrorists, Colorado Bureau of Investigation Agent Frances Cash partners with county sheriff James Colcord to track down the perpetrators.
As killings mount and the valley is evacuated, Cash and Colcord must confront an ancient, intelligent, and malevolent presence at Erebus, bent not on resurrection—but extinction.
“[A] propulsive and outlandish bit of pulpy fun that will keep readers turning pages well into the night.” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal
“[A] creepy and creative variation on Jurassic Park… Preston tweaks the ‘resurrected species go haywire’ trope with a series of ingenious plot twists, and his well-rounded characters make this more than a knowing genre exercise. The results are as smart and spine-chilling as the best of Michael Crichton.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“This dark thriller might just have cemented itself in many top ten reads of the year… Extinction is highly recommended for several reasons, from sheer entertainment to the horror of the reality humans face today.” – Dave Simms, Cemetery Dance
Funny Story by Emily Henry ★
fiction / romance / comedy.
Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it… right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra.
Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.
Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads —Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them?
But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex… right?
“Henry fans, rejoice: This is her best yet.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“Lovers of small-town romances, opposites attract and the superior found family trope are sure to devour Henry’s Funny Story, a book that proves that true love often hides in the unlikeliest places.” – Mimi Koehler, The Nerd Daily
“This opposites-attract meets fake-dating plot has vividly drawn characters, emotionally charged storylines, and a beautiful small-town Michigan setting that will captivate devoted followers of Henry’s work and convert new readers into ardent fans.” – Migdalia Jimenez, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
“With her latest impeccably written rom-com, literary supernova Henry continues to gracefully dispense wit, whimsy, and wisdom in equal amounts. Fans of opposites-attract love stories will revel in the buoyant banter and swoonworthy romantic moments, not to mention Henry’s delightful pairing of a precision-driven children’s librarian and a jack-of-all-trades winery employee who could give Matthew McConaughey lessons in chill.” – John Charles, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
A Game of Lies by Clare Mackintosh
fiction / suspense / mystery.
They say the camera never lies. But on this show, you can’t trust anything you see.
Stranded in the Welsh mountains, seven reality show contestants have no idea what they’ve signed up for.
Each of these strangers has a secret. If another player can guess the truth, they won’t just be eliminated – they’ll be exposed live on air. The stakes are higher than they’d ever imagined, and they’re trapped.
The disappearance of a contestant wasn’t supposed to be part of the drama. Detective Ffion Morgan has to put aside what she’s watched on screen, and find out who these people really are – knowing she can’t trust any of them.
And when a murderer strikes, Ffion knows every one of her suspects has an alibi… and a secret worth killing for.
“…superb… Mackintosh has heaps of nasty fun with the conniving world of reality TV, and she generates palpable stakes for her well-drawn characters.” – Publishers Weekly
“[A] very satisfying page-turner, combining a whodunit with strong characters. More, please!” – In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel
“[An] absolute corker of a read, scintillating from beginning to end… It begins to feel like you’re viewing the action through a camera obscura, the claustrophobia and cloying camaraderie both equally apparent, while the twists in the plotting bring home just how quickly a dark secret can be revealed.” – Billie Ingram Sofokleous, Buzz
Le Sud: Recipes from Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur by Rebekah Peppler; photography by Joann Pai
nonfiction / food / cooking / travel.
From James Beard Book Award finalist Rebekah Peppler, the definitive guide to the food, drink, and lifestyle of southeastern France, featuring 100 recipes that reflect the simple, seasonal, and multicultural French table from a modern perspective.
For centuries, artists, vacationers, and food writers have fallen hard for the charms of the south of France. And like many regions where landscapes and people happily crash into each other, the food is dynamic and exciting. In Le Sud, Rebekah Peppler distills the flavors, techniques, and spirit of Provence, the Alps, and Côte d’Azur into a never-before-seen collection of recipes, photographs, and stories that give us a fresh new look at the region.
This French cuisine cookbook and lifestyle guide shares 100 sweet, savory, and cocktail recipes along with 100+ transporting photographs that expand our perception from lavender fields and afternoon pastis to a geographically and culturally diverse region of ocean, rivers, mountains, marshes, and plains and the delicious dishes that represent them. As in À Table —her inspiring cookbook about dining the Parisian way—Peppler prioritizes simplicity over complicated techniques and sketches the meals that fuel simple gatherings, meet-ups, hikes, and days at the beach.
Interwoven with the recipes are sidebars and primers that elevate a reader’s knowledge of southern French wines of the region, after-dinner drinking, how little one can wear to the beach, and healing by the sea. Le Sud is more than a recipe book; it is also a deep celebration of this historic, diverse, abundant, enchanting region that has captured the imaginations of so many.
With dishes that are easy enough to whip up on a weeknight but impressive enough to serve at a party, Le Sud gives home cooks the tools they need to recreate the magic of a Provençal evening anywhere in the world. Included are simple and fresh southern French classics like dips (tapenade, pesto, aioli), crudité, charcuterie, roasted or grilled chicken and fish, various unfussy methods for endless summertime vegetables, and must-have poolside beverages.
With insight into the staples of southern French living, like how to source the brightest rosé, marché must-haves, tips on hosting, and the longstanding tradition of apéro, this book is so much more than a collection of recipes. In Le Sud, Rebekah Peppler uncovers the region’s true beauty and dynamism through her fresh perspective and delicious guidance.
Filled with Joann Pai’s evocative photography of delicious French food, Provençal markets, Alpine vistas, white beaches on the côte, and more, readers will feel as if they are traveling through the south of France when they dive into this laidback-yet-chic exploration of all-things coastal.
“In Le Sud, Peppler takes her gift for armchair travel to the south of France, and how lucky we are for it!… elevated yet unpretentious…” – Oset Babür-Winter, Food & Wine
“With help from stunning photography of the scenery, Peppler, author of À Table and Apéritif, paints a picture of the cooking of this southeastern region of France, bounded at the north by the Alps, in the south by the Mediterranean, with the Rhône River to the west and the Italian border to the east.” – Maggie Hoffman, Epicurious
“Paris-based American food writer Peppler conjures up the vibrancy of southern French cuisine through these 100 recipes, which are framed by witty introductions and luscious photographs of the Mediterranean sea, market stalls, and the bounty of the region’s ingredients… Peppler’s voice-driven writing is a treat, even in the titles… This sparkling collection will delight foodies and armchair travelers alike.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
Lucky by Jane Smiley ★
fiction / historical fiction / music.
Before Jodie Rattler became a star, she was a girl growing up in St. Louis. One day in 1955, when she was just six years old, her uncle Drew took her to the racetrack, where she got lucky—and that roll of two-dollar bills she won has never since left her side. Jodie thrived in the warmth of her extended family, and then—through a combination of hard work and serendipity—she started a singing career, which catapulted her from St. Louis to New York City, from the English countryside to the tropical beaches of St. Thomas, from Cleveland to Los Angeles, and back again. Jodie comes of age in recording studios, backstage, and on tour, and she tries to hold her own in the wake of Janis Joplin, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, and Joni Mitchell. Yet it feels like something is missing. Could it be true love? Or is that not actually what Jodie is looking for?
Full of atmosphere, shot through with longing and exuberance, romance and rock ‘n’ roll, Lucky is a story of chance and grit and the glitter of real talent, a colorful portrait of one woman’s journey in search of herself.
“[The] book club pick of the year.” – Maren Longbella, Star Tribune
“Musicians and vivacious heroines make for great reading and this new novel from acclaimed writer Smiley is a real treat.” – Isabelle McConville, Barnes & Noble
“Smiley has fun writing her protagonist’s smart song lyrics, but it is the lingering, poetic, all-but excessively detailed descriptions of every setting and turn of mind that make this slow-brewing, meditative tale of temperament, choice, and creativity spellbinding.” – Donna Seaman, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“Lucky offers a tender look at one young woman’s journey to understand who she has become and who she’d like to be when she finally grows up.” – Shannon Carlin, Time
Ocean’s Godori by Elaine U. Cho
fiction / science fiction / romance.
Ocean Yoon has never felt very Korean, even if she is descended from a long line of haenyeo, Jeju Island’s beloved female divers. She doesn’t like soju, constantly misses cultural references, and despite her love of the game, people still say that she doesn’t play Hwatu like a Korean. Ocean’s also persona non grata at the Alliance, Korea’s solar system–dominating space agency, since a mission went awry and she earned a reputation for being a little too quick with her gun.
When her best friend, Teo, second son of the Anand Tech empire, is framed for murdering his family, Ocean and her misfit crewmates are pushed to the forefront of a high-stakes ideological conflict. But dodging bullets and winning space chases may be the easiest part of what comes next.
A thrilling adventure across the solar system that delivers hyperkinetic action sequences and irresistible will-they-won’t-they romance alongside its nuanced exploration of colonialism and capitalism, Ocean’s Godori ultimately asks: What do we owe our past? How do we navigate our present while honoring the complicated facets of our identity? What can our future hold?
“Fun, full of both heart and plot.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Space. Murder. Romance. Tradition and technology collide in this impressive debut, perfect for fans of Gideon the Ninth.” – Isabelle McConville, Barnes & Noble
“[A] cozy yet complex far-future debut… Every scene builds suspense and illuminates fascinating themes of exploitation, privilege, and identity, all held together by a sweet found family narrative. Ambitious and heartwarming, this is a treat.” – Publishers Weekly
The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl
fiction / historical fiction / food.
Stella reached for an oyster, tipped her head, and tossed it back. It was cool and slippery, the flavor so briny it was like diving into the ocean. Oysters, she thought. Where have they been all my life?
When her estranged mother dies, Stella is left with an unusual inheritance: a one-way plane ticket and a note reading “Go to Paris.” Stella is hardly cut out for adventure; a traumatic childhood has kept her confined to the strict routines of her comfort zone. But when her boss encourages her to take time off, Stella resigns herself to honoring her mother’s last wishes.
Alone in a foreign city, Stella falls into old habits, living cautiously and frugally. Then she stumbles across a vintage store, where she tries on a fabulous Dior dress. The shopkeeper insists that this dress was meant for Stella and for the first time in her life Stella does something impulsive. She buys the dress—and embarks on an adventure.
Her first stop: the iconic brasserie Les Deux Magots, where Stella tastes her first oysters and then meets an octogenarian art collector who decides to take her under his wing. As Jules introduces Stella to a veritable who’s who of the Paris literary, art, and culinary worlds, she begins to understand what it might mean to live a larger life.
As weeks—and many decadent meals—go by, Stella ends up living as a “tumbleweed” at famed bookstore Shakespeare & Company, uncovers a hundred-year-old mystery in a Manet painting, and discovers a passion for food that may be connected to her past. A feast for the senses, this novel is a testament to living deliciously, taking chances, and finding your true home.
“This multi-layered story will appeal to those who love food, Paris, and a happy ending.” – Joanna M. Burkhardt, Library Journal
“[A] delectable story… Reichl serves a feast for the senses.” – Publishers Weekly
“Reichl draws on her own vast experiences dining in and exploring 1980s Paris, which lends immersive vividity to The Paris Novel. Her writing reads like a dish you want to savor, slowly chewing each perfectly chosen word as she describes the distinct experience of eating ortolan for the first time or sipping a red wine that tastes like ‘liquid rubies.’ If you’re familiar with French cuisine, you’ll appreciate Reichl’s extreme attention to detail in depicting its intricacies, and if you’re not, you’ll get a crash course in la grande cuisine as you find yourself immersed in Stella’s journey of self-discovery.” – Amy McCarthy, Eater
The Road to Freedom: Economics and the Good Society by Joseph E. Stiglitz
nonfiction / economics / sociology.
We are a nation born from the conviction that people must be free. But since the middle of the last century, that idea has been co-opted. Forces on the political Right have justified exploitation by cloaking it in the rhetoric of freedom, leading to pharmaceutical companies freely overcharging for medication, a Big Tech free from oversight, politicians free to incite rebellion, corporations free to pollute, and more. How did we get here? Whose freedom are we—and should we—be thinking about?
In The Road to Freedom, Nobel prize winner Joseph E. Stiglitz dissects America’s current economic system and the political ideology that created it, laying bare their twinned failure. “Free” and unfettered markets have only succeeded in delivering a series of crises: the financial crisis, the opioid crisis, and the crisis of inequality. While a small portion of the population has amassed considerable wealth, wages for most people have stagnated. Free and unfettered markets have exploited consumers, workers, and the environment alike. Such failures have fed populist movements that believe being free means abandoning any obligations citizens have to one another. As they grow in strength, these movements now pose a real threat to true economic and political freedom.
As an economic advisor to presidents and as chief economist at the World Bank, Stiglitz has witnessed these profound changes firsthand. As he argues, the failures follow from the elites’ unshakeable dedication to “the neoliberal experiment.” Explicitly taking on giants such as Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman, Stiglitz exposes accepted ideas about our political and economic life for what they are: twisted visions that tear at the social fabric while they enrich the very few.
The Road to Freedom breaks new ground, showing how economics—including recent advances in which Stiglitz has played such an important role—reframes how to think about freedom and the role of the state in a twenty-first century society. Drawing on the work of contemporary philosophers, Stiglitz explains a deeper, more humane way to assess freedoms—one that considers with care what to do when one person’s freedom conflicts with another’s. We must reimagine our existing economic and legal systems and embrace forms of collective action, including regulation and investment, if we are to create an innovative society in which everyone can flourish. The task could not be more urgent, and Stiglitz’s latest book is essential reading for those committed to the American ideal of an economic and political system that delivers well-being, opportunity, and meaningful freedoms for all.
“A solid case for a progressive capitalism based on cooperation for the common good.” – Kirkus Reviews
“A major critique, by one of the world’s leading economists, of the dominant idea of political and moral freedom in the West.” – Panio Gianopoulos, Next Big Idea Club
“Stiglitz’s eye, as always, is on how we might create the true human flourishing which should be the great aim of our economic and social system, and offers an alternative to that prevailing today. The Road to Freedom offers a powerful re-evaluation of democracy, economics and what constitutes a good society—and provides a roadmap of how we might achieve it.” – The Mirror Inspires
Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench
nonfiction / memoir / biography / theater.
Taking a curtain call with a live snake in her wig…
Cavorting naked through the Warwickshire countryside painted green…
Acting opposite a child with a pumpkin on his head…
These are just a few of the things Dame Judi Dench has done in the name of Shakespeare.
For the very first time, Judi opens up about every Shakespearean role she has played throughout her seven-decade career, from Lady Macbeth and Titania to Ophelia and Cleopatra. In a series of intimate conversations with actor & director Brendan O’Hea, she guides us through Shakespeare’s plays with incisive clarity, revealing the secrets of her rehearsal process and inviting us to share in her triumphs, disasters, and backstage shenanigans.
Interspersed with vignettes on audiences, critics, company spirit and rehearsal room etiquette, she serves up priceless revelations on everything from the craft of speaking in verse to her personal interpretations of some of Shakespeare’s most famous scenes, all brightened by her mischievous sense of humour, striking level of honesty and a peppering of hilarious anecdotes, many of which have remained under lock and key until now.
Instructive and witty, provocative and inspiring, this is ultimately Judi’s love letter to Shakespeare, or rather, The Man Who Pays The Rent.
“…it’s a mark of Dench’s impish genius and O’Hea’s deftness that it genuinely feels like you’re sitting at her kitchen table with her. It’s companionable and compelling – if you love Judi Dench or Shakespeare (and most of us do), look no further.” – Michael Simkins, The Guardian
“Dench’s memoir of the roles she has loved is a witty, thoroughly entertaining romp through the Shakespearean world.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“Serious and thoughtful without being stuffy, this work shows Dench’s terrific sense of fun as she relates hilarious anecdotes that will make readers laugh out loud. A compendium of great wit and wisdom with universal appeal. Both Shakespeare fans and novices, especially students who might find his language difficult to understand, will be delighted.” – Penelope J.M. Klein, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
The Wings Upon Her Back by Samantha Mills
fiction / fantasy / science fiction.
Zenya was a teenager when she ran away to join the mechanically-modified warrior sect. She was determined to earn mechanized wings and protect the people of Radezhda, the city she loved. Under the strict tutelage of a mercurial, charismatic leader, Vodaya, Zenya finally became Winged Zemolai.
But after twenty-six years of service, Zemolai is disillusioned with her role as an enforcer in an increasingly fascist state. After one tragic act of mercy, she is brutally cast out and loses everything she worked for. As Zemolai struggles for her life, she must question her sect, their leader, and even the gods themselves.
“…intricate and intriguing… Toggling between two timelines, Mills juxtaposes Zemolai’s adult regrets and childhood hopes to devastating effect… This cathartic adventure will stay with readers long after the final page.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“Mills’s debut novel is complex and haunting, filled with beautiful prose and timely themes of political and religious upheaval and personal journeys.” – Kristi Chadwick, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
“The Wings Upon Her Back is a triumphant debut novel. The complex narrative examines the intricacies of blind devotion, self-image, and the hidden motivations behind martial control. For fans of C. L. Clark’s The Unbroken looking for a timely perspective on the human cost of destructive nationalism.” – Raychel Bennet, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
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