I was out sick last week and so I was unable to get our first of these columns put together in time, which means this week I am combining them into a supersized post! The year is off to a strong start and with two busy weeks in one there are a lot of books to choose from! Happy reading!

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“Sometimes she craved a little danger. And that was why she had book club.” – Grady Hendrix, The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires

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All the Missing Pieces by Catherine Cowles

fiction / romance / suspense / mystery.

Ridley Sawyer knows what it’s like to miss someone, to feel like a piece of her vanished—because it happened to her the night her twin sister disappeared.

Now, Ridley channels that loss into hope, traveling the country covering cold cases for her true crime podcast. She might not have found justice for her sister but that doesn’t stop her from finding it for others.

Until Sheriff Colter Brooks gets in her way.

Colt knows what it’s like to have reporters descend on his town in the wake of a tragedy, and he’s not about to let a fiery podcaster stir up trouble. It doesn’t matter that her haunting blue eyes tell him there’s more to Ridley’s story or that he can’t stop imagining what it would be like to touch her.

But when Ridley’s cold case turns hot and she’s thrust into the crosshairs, Colt has no choice but to step in. Suddenly, Ridley’s living at his house, drinking his whiskey, and stealing his dog’s affections. But she’s also proving that she’s so much more than his first impression.

And as they get closer to the truth, the game they’ve been playing might just turn deadly…

“…Catherine Cowles at her finest.” – Sara, Harlequin Junkie

“Cowles dazzles in this twisty romantic suspense novel… Cowles keeps the surprises coming a mile a minute, culminating in the unmasking of a villain readers truly won’t suspect. The quirky Shady Cove locals only add to the fun, especially bar owner Trey and eccentric activist Celia. With a perfect balance of romantic tension and spine-tingling mystery, this is a must-read.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

“If you like true crime, suspense, enemies to lovers, small town and grump and sunshine this was excellent!” – Novel Gossip

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All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall

fiction / science fiction / suspense.

All the Water in the World is told in the voice of a girl gifted with a deep feeling for water. In the years after the glaciers melt, Nonie, her older sister and her parents and their researcher friends have stayed behind in an almost deserted New York City, creating a settlement on the roof of the American Museum of Natural History. The rule: Take from the exhibits only in dire need. They hunt and grow their food in Central Park as they work to save the collections of human history and science. When a superstorm breaches the city’s flood walls, Nonie and her family must escape north on the Hudson. They carry with them a book that holds their records of the lost collections. Racing on the swollen river towards what may be safety, they encounter communities that have adapted in very different and sometimes frightening ways to the new reality. But they are determined to find a way to make a new world that honors all they’ve saved.

Inspired by the stories of the curators in Iraq and Leningrad who worked to protect their collections from war, All the Water in the World is both a meditation on what we save from collapse and an adventure story—with danger, storms, and a fight for survival. In the spirit of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and Parable of the Sower, this wild journey offers the hope that what matters most – love and work, community and knowledge – will survive.

“Gripping, beautifully descriptive, and likely to stay with you.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“…captivating… The setting, the detailed emotive descriptions, and nail-biting adventure are incandescent.” – Henry Bankhead, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

“…commanding, heart-pounding, and haunting… Caffall has thought through every detail, matching adrenaline-raising action with profound insights into nature, science, museums, justice, family, and compassion.” – Donna Seaman, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

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Babylonia by Costanza Casati

fiction / historical fiction / fantasy.

Babylonia across the centuries has become the embodiment of lust, excess, and dissolute power that ruled Ancient Assyria. In this world you had to kill to be king. Or, in the case of Semiramis, an orphan raised on the outskirts of an empire:

Queen.

Nothing about Semiramis’s upbringing could have foretold her legacy. But when she meets a young representative of the new Assyrian king, a prophecy unfolds before her, one that puts her in the center of a brutal world and in the hearts of two men – one who happens to be king.

Now a risen lady in a court of vipers, Semiramis becomes caught in the politics and viciousness of ancient Assyria. Instead of bartering with fate, Semiramis trains in war and diplomacy. And with each move, she rises in rank, embroiled in a game of power, desire, love, and betrayal, until she can ascend to the only position that will ever keep her safe.

In her second novel, Costanza Casati brilliantly weaves myth and ancient history together to give Semiramis, the only female ruler of the Assyrian Empire, a voice, charting her captivating ascent to a throne no one promised her.

“…engrossing… Set during a bloody civil war, it’s rich with palace intrigue and passion, including a tragic love triangle, and a true escape.” – Christina Ianzito, AARP

“[A] masterful saga… Casati excels at depicting the stark brutality of the period, contrasting matter-of-fact descriptions of impalings and mutilations with Semiramis’s determination to survive… [Readers] will be riveted.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

“Casati renders the ancient world Semiramis inhabits in vivid detail… Casati’s compelling second outing portraying the Assyrian empire’s only queen, is another triumph.” – Kristine Huntley, Library Journal

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Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney ★

fiction / suspense / mystery.

Author Grady Green is having the worst best day of his life.

Grady calls his wife to share some exciting news as she is driving home. He hears Abby slam on the brakes, get out of the car, then nothing. When he eventually finds her car by the cliff edge the headlights are on, the driver door is open, her phone is still there… but his wife has disappeared.

A year later, Grady is still overcome with grief and desperate to know what happened to Abby. He can’t sleep, and he can’t write, so he travels to a tiny Scottish island to try to get his life back on track. Then he sees the impossible – a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.

“The queen of twist does it again!… packed with tension and unexpected twists that kept me up all night.” – Chelsea Praznik, The Indie Next List

“This may be Feeney’s most delightfully chilling thriller yet… delivers suspense like an IV drip… A completely immersive puzzle.” – Connie Fletcher, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

“Feeney pens another superb domestic psychological thriller with plenty of twists, as her readers have come to expect.” – Cynthia Price, Library Journal

“…the book’s slow unfolding of dread, mystery, and then truth is both creative and well-paced. Every chapter heading is an oxymoron, like the title, reminding us of the contradictions at the heart of every story… Deeply satisfying.” – Kirkus Reviews

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Before Elvis: The African American Musicians Who Made the King by Preston Lauterbach

nonfiction / biography / history / music.

After Baz Luhrmann’s movie, Elvis, hit theaters, audiences and critics alike couldn’t help but question the Black origins of Elvis Presley’s music and style, reigniting a debate that has been circling for decades. In Before Elvis: The African American Musicians Who Made the King​, author Preston Lauterbach answers these questions definitively, based on new research and extensive, previously unpublished interviews with the artists who blazed the way and the people who knew them.

Within these pages, Lauterbach examines the lives, music, legacies, and interactions with Elvis Presley of the four innovative Black artists who created a style that would come to be known as Rock ’n’ Roll: Little Junior Parker, Big Mama Thornton, Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, and mostly-unknown eccentric Beale Street guitarist Calvin Newborn. Along the way, he delves into the injustices of copyright theft and media segregation that resulted in Black artists living in poverty as white performers, managers, and producers reaped the lucrative rewards.

In the wake of continuing conversations about American music and appropriation, Before Elvis is indispensable.

“A revelatory work on a neglected aspect of the King’s career.” – June Sawyers, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

“Elevated by punchy prose, this is a fascinating celebration of a vital moment in music history.” – Publishers Weekly

“Lauterbach offers a detailed, approachable account of four overlooked Black artists who preceded Elvis and inspired his music, appearance, and gestures, but whom he rarely specifically cited.” – Frederick J. Augustyn Jr., Library Journal

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Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams

fiction / romance / comedy.

Emily Walker hates having her carefully crafted world disrupted by anyone, most of all her legendary nemesis, Jack Bennett. He’s the opposite of the wonderful heroes she dreams up in her double life as a romance writer, which is why Emily was perfectly happy when Jack left Rome, Kentucky, mid-school year with his fiancée. The last thing Emily saw coming was Jack’s return at the start of the summer after calling off the wedding and ending his relationship, but he’s here to stay—as her colleague and her neighbor.

Jack is glad to be back, eager to renovate his house and work on the next mystery novel under his bestselling pen name. But when he realizes he’s now neighbors with the one woman who has always pushed his buttons, he discovers something he’s even more excited about—thwarting Emily and her petty plans to sabotage his return.

With their chemistry-fueled animosity at an all-time high, Emily accidentally sends an email to their school’s principal that could reveal her secret literary side hustle. She needs to steal back her manuscript, and Jack—she hates to admit—is just the man to help her. Surprisingly, he agrees. Will their unlikely alliance put an end to their rivalry? Or could it lead to a steamy plot twist they never saw coming?

“Readers will love watching this couple grow together… Folksy locals and plenty of comic misunderstandings add to the fun. This charms.” – Publishers Weekly

“Full of heart and heat… not to be missed…” – Erin Holt, Library Journal

“…joyful and very funny… The mood is like an enhanced reality where everyone is lovely but the characters still have their darknesses and insecurities. It’s a safe place in the best way.” – Laura Black, All About Romance

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Beyond Anxiety: Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life’s Purpose by Martha Beck

nonfiction / self help / psychology.

We live in an epidemic of anxiety. Most of us assume that the key to overcoming it is to think our way out. And for a while it works. But there is always something that sends us back into the anxious spiral we’ve been trying to climb out of.

In Beyond Anxiety, Dr. Martha Beck explains why anxiety is skyrocketing around you, and likely within you. She also tells you how to not only reduce your anxiety but use it to propel you into a life filled with peace, meaning, and joy.

Using a combination of the latest neuroscience as well as her background in sociology and coaching, Beck explains how our brains tend to get stuck in an “anxiety spiral,” a feedback system that can increase anxiety indefinitely. To climb out, we must engage different parts of our nervous system—the parts involved in creativity. Beck provides instructions for engaging the “creativity spiral,” in a process that not only shuts down anxiety but leads to innovative problem solving, a sense of meaning and purpose, and joyful, intimate connection with others—and with the world.

The opposite of anxiety, it turns out, is a wonderful new way of life—one that can calm and inspire us as individuals and help us become a source of healing for everything around us.

“Her turns of phrase make her points as clever as they are clear, without ever putting cuteness over content. Unlike typical discussions of flight-or-fight, reptile brains, and Paleolithic responses to being chased by a tiger, Beck’s metaphors feel tailored to the individual, yet also universal.” – Emily Bowles, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

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Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman by Brooke Shields

nonfiction / memoir.

Brooke Shields has spent a lifetime in the public eye. Growing up as a child actor and model, her every feature was scrutinized, her every decision judged. Today Brooke faces a different kind of scrutiny: that of being a “woman of a certain age.”

And yet, for Brooke, the passage of time has brought freedom. At fifty-nine, she feels more comfortable in her skin, more empowered and confident than she did decades ago in those famous Calvin Kleins. Now, in Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old, she’s changing the narrative about women and aging.

This is an era, insists Brooke, when women are reclaiming agency and power, not receding into the shadows. These are the years when we get to decide how we want to live—when we get to write our own stories.

With remarkable candor, Brooke bares all, painting a vibrant and optimistic picture of being a woman in the prime of her life, while dismantling the myths that have, for too long, dimmed that perception. Sharing her own life experiences with humor and humility, and weaving together research and reporting, Brooke takes aim at the systemic factors that contribute to age-related bias.

By turns inspiring, moving, and galvanizing, Brooke’s honesty and vulnerability will resonate with women everywhere, and spark a new conversation about the power and promise of midlife.

“…refreshing, revealing and surprisingly relatable… introspective, insightful and confident… [the] wide range of topics will appeal to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the aging process and how to develop a sense of enlightenment and ownership of their present and future selves.” – Becky Libourel Diamond, BookPage, STARRED REVIEW

“Shields’s fans will particularly enjoy this engaging and down-to-earth memoir. It is also an inspirational and reassuring reminder to all women that even the famous must come to terms with aging.” – Rosellen “Rosy” Brewer, Library Journal

“Do not dismiss this as simply another ‘celebrities, they’re just like us’ revelatory memoir. The situations Shields finds herself in are indeed recognizable and relatable, and the wisdom generously shared is more salient for the ubiquity of the experiences upon which it is based.” – Carol Haggas, Booklist

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The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia

fiction / suspense / mystery.

Stephanie and Jasmine have nothing and everything in common. The two women don’t know each other but are on the same plane. Stephanie is on a business trip and Jasmine is fleeing an abusive relationship. After a few days, they text their friends the same exact messages about the same man—the messages becoming stranger and more erratic.

And then the two women vanish. The texts go silent, the red flags go up, and the panic sets in. When Stephanie and Jasmine are each declared missing and in danger, it begs the questions: Who is Trent McCarthy? What did he do to these women— or what did they do to him?

Twist upon twist, layer upon layer, where nothing is as it seems, The Business Trip takes you on a descent into the depths of a mastermind manipulator. But who is playing who?

“The fast-paced plot will keep readers guessing until the very last page of the book.” – Melissa Turner, Library Reads

“This story of two strangers meeting on a plane is full of suspense from start to finish. I read a lot of thrillers and I could not put this one down!” – Marilyn Negip, The Indie Next List

“…complex and captivating… The smoothly executed finale feels more like the work of a seasoned pro than a first-time novelist. This is sure to keep readers up at night.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

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Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor ★

fiction / science fiction / fantasy.

Disabled, disinclined to marry, and more interested in writing than a lucrative career in medicine or law, Zelu has always felt like the outcast of her large Nigerian family. Then her life is upended when, in the middle of her sister’s lavish Caribbean wedding, she’s unceremoniously fired from her university job and, to add insult to injury, her novel is rejected by yet another publisher. With her career and dreams crushed in one fell swoop, she decides to write something just for herself. What comes out is nothing like the quiet, literary novels that have so far peppered her unremarkable career. It’s a far-future epic where androids and AI wage war in the grown-over ruins of human civilization. She calls it Rusted Robots.

When Zelu finds the courage to share her strange novel, she does not realize she is about to embark on a life-altering journey—one that will catapult her into literary stardom, but also perhaps obliterate everything her book was meant to be. From Chicago to Lagos to the far reaches of space, Zelu’s novel will change the future not only for humanity, but for the robots who come next.

A book-within-a-book that blends the line between writing and being written, Death of the Author is a masterpiece of metafiction that manages to combine the razor-sharp commentary of Yellowface with the heartfelt humanity of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. Surprisingly funny, deeply poignant, and endlessly discussable, this is at once the tale of a woman on the margins risking everything to be heard and a testament to the power of storytelling to shape the world as we know it.

“…spellbinding… Following Zelu’s journey feels a lot like following your most audacious friend on Instagram — you’re torn between admiring her and worrying about her… thoroughly imaginative… the novel’s most prominent concern: the nebulous link between artists and their art. With one final, surprising reveal, Okorafor cleverly subverts the very nature of this link, and we are left reconsidering everything we’ve just read. The effect is as delicious as it is disorienting.” – Zakiya Dalila Harris, New York Times

“Fans of masterful storytelling should definitely check out Death of The Author by Nnedi Okarafor. It blends genres in the most perfect way to be a suspenseful, timely and heartfelt read.” – Monique Richburg, People

“In many ways, Okorafor’s latest feels recognizable: the main character, Zelu, deals with family drama, grief and loss, and discovering her purpose in life. However, the author quickly flips expectations… Okorafor’s work is always a big deal, and her latest book-within-a-book will attract genre and literary fiction fans alike.” – Ashley Rayner, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

“…astonishing… explores what it means to be human through the lens of artistic creation… stunningly executed… This is an impressive feat of Africanfuturism.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

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Embers of the Hands: Hidden Histories of the Viking Age by Eleanor Barraclough

nonfiction / history.

In imagining a Viking, a certain image springs to mind: a barbaric warrior, leaping ashore from a longboat, and ready to terrorize the hapless local population of a northern European town. Yet while such characters define our imagination of the Viking Age today, they were in the minority.

Instead, in the time-stopping soils, water, and ice of the North, Eleanor Barraclough excavates a preserved lost world, one that reimagines a misunderstood society. By examining artifacts of the past—remnants of wooden gaming boards, elegant antler combs, doodles by imaginative children and bored teenagers, and runes that reveal hidden loves, furious curses, and drunken spouses summoned home from the pub—Barraclough illuminates life in the medieval Nordic world as not just a world of rampaging warriors, but as full of globally networked people with recognizable concerns.

This is the history of all the people—children, enslaved people, seers, artisans, travelers, writers—who inhabited the medieval Nordic world. Encompassing not just Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, but also Iceland, Greenland, the British Isles, Continental Europe, and Russia, this is a history of a Viking Age filled with real people of different ages, genders, and ethnicities, as told through the traces that they left behind.

“Embers of the hands” is a poetic kenning from the Viking Age that referred to gold. But no less precious are the embers that Barraclough blows back to life in this book—those of ordinary lives long past.

“A satisfying plunge into Viking culture.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“…Barraclough takes readers on a fascinating journey that looks for the voices of ordinary people through a wide range of everyday human experiences, such as travel, childbirth, beliefs, home life, and play. Written in beautifully evocative prose, this book deserves a place on the shelf of everyone interested in Viking history.” – Karen Bordonaro, Library Journal

“A history of the Vikings unlike any other, this is a scholarly delight, every page of which glitters with insight. Eleanor Barraclough surveys the great sweep of life in the northern world between the 8th and 11th centuries, poring over everyday artefacts from religious pendants and carved rune sticks to graffiti, board games and toys. And although she’s terrific on the details of riddles and hair-combs, she’s even better on the sheer strangeness and unknowability of the distant past.” – Dominic Sandbrook, The Times

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The Heart of Winter by Jonathan Evison

fiction / romance.

Abe Winter and Ruth Warneke were never meant to be together—at least if you ask Ruth. Yet their catastrophic blind date in college evolved into a seventy-year marriage and a life on a farm on Bainbridge Island with their hens and beloved Labrador, Megs. Through the years, the Winters have fallen in and out of lockstep, and from their haunting losses and guarded secrets, a dependable partnership has been forged.

But when Ruth’s loose tooth turns out to be something much more malicious, the beautiful, reliable life they’ve created together comes to a crisis. As Ruth struggles with her crumbling independence, Abe must learn how to take care of her while their three living children question his ability to look after his wife. And once again, the couple has to reconfigure how to be there for each other.

In this bighearted and profound portrait of a marriage, Jonathan Evison explores seventy years of big moments in subtle ways, elegantly braiding the Winters’ turbulent history with their present-day battles, showing us how the oddly paired college kids became parents, fell apart and back together, and grew into the Abe and Ruth of today. Endlessly heartwarming and moving, The Heart of Winter is a reminder that true love lives in small, everyday moments.

“[A] rich portrait of a couple navigating decades of upheaval.” – Christina Ianzito, AARP

“One of our very best writers, Evison expertly details the hopes and dreams, sacrifices and tragedies of family life.” – Bill Kelly, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

“[Evison] affords this aging couple a dose of realism and dignity that’s often lacking in novels… [his] vision is unsentimental, but he’s rooting for Abe and Ruth, and encouraging readers to do the same. A savvy portrait of love and devotion.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

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Homeseeking by Karissa Chen ★

fiction / historical fiction / romance.

A single choice can define an entire life.

Haiwen is buying bananas at a 99 Ranch Market in Los Angeles when he looks up and sees Suchi, his Suchi, for the first time in sixty years. To recently widowed Haiwen it feels like a second chance, but Suchi has only survived by refusing to look back.

Suchi was seven when she first met Haiwen in their Shanghai neighborhood, drawn by the sound of his violin. Their childhood friendship blossomed into soul-deep love, but when Haiwen secretly enlisted in the Nationalist army in 1947 to save his brother from the draft, she was left with just his violin and a note: Forgive me.

Homeseeking follows the separated lovers through six decades of tumultuous Chinese history as war, famine, and opportunity take them separately to the song halls of Hong Kong, the military encampments of Taiwan, the bustling streets of New York, and sunny California, telling Haiwen’s story from the present to the past while tracing Suchi’s from her childhood to the present, meeting in the crucible of their lives. Throughout, Haiwen holds his memories close while Suchi forces herself to look only forward, neither losing sight of the home they hold in their hearts.

At once epic and intimate, Homeseeking is a story of family, sacrifice, and loyalty, and of the power of love to endure beyond distance, beyond time.

“This is historical fiction at its most effective. Romantic lyricism and hard-edged realism merge in this compelling novel.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“Homeseeking is intimate in its focus on a single couple but sweeping in its universal truths about how lives are forever changed by war.” – Leandra Beabout, Reader’s Digest

“A true saga, it pits fate against choice without declaring a winner, allowing compassion and forgiveness to arise despite the worst betrayals… A compelling page-turner, Homeseeking offers a strong sense of longing for characters who wish to return, to change, to ask, ‘Do you ever wonder what our lives would have been like, if only?’” – Lillian Lao, Booklist

“The epic sweep of Karissa Chen’s debut, Homeseeking, spans borders, oceans, decades, and wars to unfurl the tale of childhood sweethearts whose fates are bound together from their time as neighbors in Japan-occupied Shanghai. Vivid historical detail brings alive the settings, from 1960s Hong Kong to late-2000s Los Angeles—where the [characters] reconnect… Pachinko-like in scope, it too illustrates how individual lives, here of the Chinese diaspora, are buffeted by history and geopolitics, and that the ensuing pain and loss can be borne across a lifetime.” – Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue

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How to Sleep at Night by Elizabeth Harris

fiction.

Meet Ethan and Gabe. A devoted couple for years, they have successful careers, an adorable daughter, and a house in the New Jersey suburbs. Sure, they may have drifted to different ends of the political spectrum, but their marriage still has its spark. Then one night Ethan makes an announcement: he wants to run for Congress as a Republican—but only if he has progressive Gabe’s blessing. For weeks a slightly queasy Gabe struggles between supporting his husband and maintaining his own lefty ideals. He can feel himself slowly pulled under the tide of Ethan’s ambitions, even as he becomes widely known as a conservative spouse.

In a nearby town, suburban mom Nicole wonders what happened to her younger self—living in New York City, freely dating men and women, and on a path to a career in the art world. Nicole feels like an accessory in her husband’s life and like she’s given up on the goals she had for herself. Then an old flame re-enters her life unexpectedly. That woman is Ethan’s sister Kate.

A political reporter at a major newspaper, Kate has reached the top of her profession. But the adrenaline rush of chasing a story has lost its thrill. When Nicole—the woman who broke her heart—slides into her DMs just as her brother starts his controversial congressional run, Kate’s life is thrown into a tailspin that threatens to derail the success she’s worked so hard to achieve.

“…timely… a satisfying story of middle-aged reckonings.” – Publishers Weekly

“…funny, charming… you can do no better than to curl up with this sparkling book.” – Susan Coll, Washington Post

“A lively, of-the-moment political and domestic drama.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

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Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan ★

fiction / fantasy / romance.

The young heir to a mortal crown, Liyen ascends a precarious throne when her grandfather dies, vowing to end her kingdom’s obligation to the immortals and take vengeance against those she feels responsible for his death. When she is summoned to the Immortal Realm, she seizes the opportunity to learn their secrets and to form a tenuous alliance to safeguard her people, all with the one she should fear and mistrust the most: the ruthless God of War. As they are drawn together, a treacherous attraction ignites between them—one she has to resist, to not endanger all she is fighting for.

But with darker forces closing in around them, and her kingdom plunged into peril, Liyen must risk everything to save her people from an unspeakable fate, even if it means forging a dangerous bond with the immortal… even if it means losing her heart.

“Immortal was one of my most anticipated releases of 2025. And it did not disappoint!” – Utopia State of Mind

“[A] spellbinding standalone romantasy… Tan skillfully creates a magic system steeped in Chinese mythology, and the dazzling worldbuilding will be accessible even to those unfamiliar with her prior series. A slow-burning love story, high-flying action scenes, and some unexpected twists make this a stunner.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

“…thrilling… Tan excels in intricate world building and complex characters, with plenty of political intrigue and magical dangers to face while Liyan and Zhangwei’s delicious enemies-to-lovers romance flourishes. Romantasy fans will love this.” – Krista Hutley, Booklist

“This story is beautiful and deep, but also a ton of fun with adventure and a great romance. It brought me to tears and will be one I still think about for a long time to come… Sue Lynn Tan has cemented her position as an auto-buy author in my book.” – Amber Toro, SFF Insiders

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The JFK Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy-and Why It Failed by Brad Meltzer & Josh Mensch

nonfiction / history / true crime.

Kennedy, the thirty-fifth president of the United States, is often ranked among Americans’ most well-liked presidents. Yet what most Americans don’t know is that JFK’s historic presidency almost ended before it began—at the hands of a disgruntled sociopathic loner armed with dynamite.

On December 11, 1960, shortly after Kennedy’s election and before his inauguration, a retired postal worker named Richard Pavlick waited in his car—a parked Buick—on a quiet street in Palm Beach, Florida. Pavlick knew the president-elect’s schedule. He knew when Kennedy would leave his house. He knew where Kennedy was going. From there, Pavlick had a simple plan—one that could’ve changed the course of history.

Written in the gripping, page-turning style that is the hallmark of Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch’s bestselling series, this is a slice of history vividly brought to life. Meltzer and Mensch are at the top of their game with this brilliant exploration of what could’ve been for one of the most compelling leaders of the 20th century.

“This brisk and vivid history of a 1960 assassination plot has the instincts of a thriller.” – Kirkus Reviews

“It seems incredible that such an episode involving one of our most studied presidents isn’t more widely known, but that is the hallmark of Meltzer and Mensch… riveting, a brisk narrative with not-too-much detail and unnerving parallels to current events.” – Anthony Aycock, Booklist

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The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight

fiction.

Arriving at the University of Edinburgh for her first term, Pen knows her divorced parents back in Canada are hiding something from her. She believes she’ll find the answer here in Scotland, where an old friend of her father’s—now a famous writer known as Lord Lennox—lives. When she is invited to spend the weekend at Lord Lennox’s centuries-old estate with his enveloping, fascinating family, Pen begins to unravel her parents’ secret, just as she’s falling in love for the first time…

As Pen experiences the sharp shock of adulthood, she comes to rely on herself for the first time in her life. A rich and rewarding novel of campus life, of sexual awakening, and ultimately, of the many ways women can become mothers in this world, The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus asks to what extent we need to look back in order to move forward.

“…Knight’s gorgeously intimate, cleverly insightful wordsmithing will certainly impress and entertain.” – Terry Hong, Booklist

“[A] touching tale of a student’s romantic entanglements and family secrets… a satisfying coming-of-age story.” – Publishers Weekly

“A sharp coming-of-age journey through the glamorous world of high academia, old money and one eccentric upper-class family. This heartfelt tale is sure to please fans of Sally Rooney and Emma Donoghue.” – Isabelle McConville, B&N Reads

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The Life of Herod the Great by Zora Neale Hurston

fiction / historical fiction.

In the 1950s, as a continuation of Moses, Man of the Mountain, Zora Neale Hurston penned a historical novel about one of the most infamous figures in the Bible, Herod the Great. In Hurston’s retelling, Herod is not the wicked ruler of the New Testament who is charged with the “slaughter of the innocents,” but a forerunner of Christ—a beloved king who enriched Jewish culture and brought prosperity and peace to Judea.

From the peaks of triumph to the depths of human misery, the historical Herod “appears to have been singled out and especially endowed to attract the lightning of fate,” Hurston writes. An intimate of both Marc Antony and Julius Caesar, the Judean king lived during the first century BCE, in a time of war and imperial expansion that was rife with political assassinations and bribery, as the old world gave way to the new.

Portraying Herod within this vivid and dynamic world of antiquity, little known to modern readers, Hurston’s unfinished manuscript brings this complex, compelling, and misunderstood leader fully into focus. Hurston shared her findings about Herod’s rise, his reign, and his waning days in letters to friends and associates. Text from three of these letters concludes the manuscript in an intimate way. Scholar-Editor Deborah Plant’s “Commentary: A Story Finally Told” assesses Hurston’s pioneering work and underscores Hurston’s perspective that the first century BCE has much to teach us and that the lens through which to view this dramatic and stirring era is the life and times of Herod the Great.

“Full of adventure, glamour, and historical figures, including Herod’s close friends Julius Caesar and Marc Antony, this is a fascinating addition to the Hurston canon.” – Lesley Williams, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

“…there is much here for any reader to enjoy, whether they are fans of Huston’s fiction or eager for a deep dive into a subject rarely seen outside religious texts or histories.” – Lauren Bufferd, BookPage

“Hurston’s novel is the saga of a man on a hero’s journey within a rich cultural landscape full of passion, deceit, and political turmoil. Filled with noble purpose and eloquent in speech, Herod’s story unfolds in grand style… Researching both the person and his time period, Hurston brings Herod’s life to light with an emphasis on the precarious world in which he lived. Beloved king, notorious villain, handsomest of all men? The Life of Herod the Great presents Hurston’s own strongly researched analysis in dramatic detail.” – J. Lynn Elise, Historical Novel Society

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The Lost House by Melissa Larsen

fiction / mystery / suspense.

Forty years ago, a young woman and her infant daughter were found buried in the cold Icelandic snow, lying together as peacefully as though sleeping. Except the mother’s throat had been slashed and the infant drowned. The case was never solved. There were no arrests, no conviction. Just a suspicion turned into a certainty: the husband did it. When he took his son and fled halfway across the world to California, it was proof enough of his guilt.

Now, nearly half a century later and a year after his death, his granddaughter, Agnes, is ready to clear her grandfather’s name once and for all. Still recovering from his death and a devastating injury, Agnes wants nothing more than an excuse to escape the shambles of her once-stable life—which is why she so readily accepts true crime expert Nora Carver’s invitation to be interviewed for her popular podcast. Agnes packs a bag and hops on a last-minute flight to the remote town of Bifröst, Iceland, where Nora is staying, where Agnes’s father grew up, and where, supposedly, her grandfather slaughtered his wife and infant daughter.

Is it merely coincidence that a local girl goes missing the very same weekend Agnes arrives? Suddenly, Agnes and Nora’s investigation is turned upside down, and everyone in the small Icelandic town is once again a suspect. Seeking to unearth old and new truths alike, Agnes finds herself drawn into a web of secrets that threaten the redemption she is hell-bent on delivering, and even her life—discovering how far a person will go to protect their family, their safety, and their secrets.

Set against an unforgiving Icelandic winter landscape, The Lost House is a chilling and razor-sharp mystery packed with jaw-dropping twists that will leave you breathless.

“The frigid setting will have you reaching for a blanket and the dark, suspenseful story will keep you turning pages.” – Betsy Von Kerens, The Indie Next List

“A haunting whodunit with effective undertones of menace.” – Kirkus Reviews

“Larsen seamlessly interweaves Agnes’s path toward self-discovery with her and Nora’s investigation, deriving satisfying emotional beats from somewhat familiar Scandi-noir parts. The result is sufficiently chilling.” – Publishers Weekly

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More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova

fiction.

Maddy Banks is just like any other stressed-out freshman at NYU. Between schoolwork, exams, navigating life in the city, and a recent breakup, it’s normal to be feeling overwhelmed. It doesn’t help that she’s always felt like the odd one out in her picture-perfect Connecticut family. But Maddy’s latest low is devastatingly low, and she goes on an antidepressant. She begins to feel good, dazzling in fact, and she soon spirals high into a wild and terrifying mania that culminates in a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

As she struggles to find her way in this new reality, navigating the complex effects bipolar has on her identity, her relationships, and her life dreams, Maddy will have to figure out how to manage being both too much and not enough.

With her signature “deep empathy and insight” (Booklist), Harvard-trained neuroscientist and New York Times bestselling author Lisa Genova has crafted another profoundly moving novel that makes complicated mental health issues accessible and human. More or Less Maddy is destined to become another classic like Still Alice.

“Lisa Genova pulled me into Maddy’s compelling story, and left me with a better understanding of the challenges someone with bipolar disorder faces. A fascinating read! Highly recommend.” – Angela Sides, The Indie Next List

“As ever, Genova brings both an expert understanding of the neuroscience and a masterful eye for compelling characters in an emotionally textured narrative. Maddy’s story is completely absorbing; it may keep readers up all night… [her] story is affecting, harrowing, beautiful, and enlightening, as well as a great pleasure to read.” – Julia Kastner, Shelf Awareness

“Genova paints a realistic and often painful picture of the toll mental illness takes on both the affected person and loved ones, making for a visceral, harrowing, and undeniably powerful read.” – Kristine Huntley, Booklist

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Mothers and Sons by Adam Haslett ★

fiction.

At forty, Peter, an asylum lawyer in New York City, is overworked and isolated. He spends his days immersed in the struggles of immigrants only to return to an empty apartment and occasional hook-ups with a man who wants more than Peter can give. But when the asylum case of a young gay man pierces Peter’s numbness, the event that he has avoided for twenty years returns to haunt him.

Ann, his mother, who runs a women’s retreat center she founded after leaving his father, is hurt by the estrangement from Peter but cherishes the world she has built. She long ago put behind her the decision that divided her from her son. But as Peter’s case plunges him further into the fraught memory of his first love and the night of violence that changed his life, he and his mother must confront the secret that tore them apart.

With unsurpassed emotional depth, Mothers and Sons reveals all that is lost by looking away from the past and the love that might be restored by facing it. In his spellbinding new novel, Adam Haslett demonstrates yet again his mastery of “a rich assortment of literary gifts” (New York Times).

“Mothers and Sons is Haslett’s best novel. By limiting his area of inquiry, he achieves new levels of moral depth and narrative push.” – Tom Crewe, New York Times

“…superb… This deeply satisfying novel is a revelation—a thoughtful, psychologically acute, beautifully written examination of intersecting lives. The characters come alive on the page, commanding readers’ attention. This novel is sure to receive accolades, and it richly deserves them.” – Michael Cart, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

“…irresistible… Themes of guilt, new beginnings, survival, and violence permeate the excellent and subtle story of characters grappling with events beyond their control… This matches the heights of Haslett’s best work.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

“Since Imagine Me Gone, I’ve loved Adam Haslett for his bone deep empathy and an unparalleled knack for spiking the saddest scenarios with humor. He’s the rare writer who’s as smart as he is soulful… [his] prose works like a spell. This is a big, deep meditation on the ways we show care for both kin and community.” – Brittany Allen, Literary Hub

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The Note by Alafair Burke

fiction / mystery / suspense.

It was meant to be a harmless prank.

Growing up, May Hanover was a good girl, always. Well-behaved, top of her class, a compulsive rule-follower. Raised by a first-generation Chinese single mother with high expectations, May didn’t have room to slip up, let alone fail. Her friends didn’t call her the Little Sheriff for nothing.

But even good girls have secrets. And regrets. When it comes to her friendship with Lauren and Kelsey, she’s had her fair share of both. Their bond—forged when May was just twelve years old—has withstood a tragic accident, individual scandals, heartbreak and loss. Now the three friends have reunited for the first time in years for a few days of sun and fun in the Hamptons. But a chance encounter with a pair of strangers leads to a drunken prank that goes horribly awry.

When she finds herself at the center of an urgent police investigation, May begins to wonder whether Lauren and Kelsey are keeping secrets from her, testing the limits of her loyalty to lifelong friends.

What had they gone and done?

“In this very well-crafted novel, Alafair Burke is at the top of her game.” – Sarah Bagby, The Indie Next List

“The complex friendship among three flawed but engaging characters anchors this satisfying psychological thriller.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“Readers will swiftly turn the pages of Burke’s latest twisty and frothy thriller.” – Kristine Huntley, Booklist

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Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Chloe Liese

fiction / romance.

Since heartbreak entered the scene, Juliet Wilmot, once a hopeless romantic, has sworn off love. But when she’s presented with the chance to revisit romance—purely for practice—with the gorgeous, off-limits guy she keeps serendipitously running into, it feels like a sign from the universe.

Quiet, shy Will Orsino knows happily-ever-after isn’t on his horizon. Problem is, for the sake of the family business, marriage is. Resigned to the inevitable, but with no confidence he can woo a wife, he can hardly say no when fate hands him the alluring, unattainable woman he keeps crossing paths with, offering to help him learn the ropes of romance.

Neither of them looking for love, Jules and Will agree they’re the perfect pair to practice romance. Except that practicing to perfection leads to an irresistible attraction. Their once smitten hearts, though still twice shy, might have happily-ever-after written in the stars for them, after all.

“Perfect for fans of Emily Henry’s emotional storytelling, Once Smitten, Twice Shy is a romance you won’t want to miss!” – Christine Severin, People

“Told from alternating points of view, with main characters who are autistic and living with a chronic illness, and featuring a large and supportive network of friends and family, this satisfying romance is a celebration of love, family, and inclusivity.” – Migdalia Jimenez, Library Journal

“Liese continues her brilliantly conceived, wryly witty Wilmot Sisters series with a beguiling romance inspired by Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. In addition to deftly delivering a beautifully balanced mix of romantic sweetness and sensual heat, Liese writes with thoughtful insight about living with a chronic disease and neurodiversity.” – John Charles, Booklist

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Open When…: A Companion for Life’s Twists & Turns by Dr. Julie Smith

nonfiction / self help / psychology.

Clinical psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Julie Smith returns with this highly anticipated handbook full of “break in case of emergency” advice for dealing with mental health challenges in the moment they occur.

In this essential guide, Dr. Julie teaches her millions of readers and clients how to navigate life’s toughest occurrences while they’re happening, rather than moments or years after the fact. What if we can learn to harness our emotions and stay present so we can process and choose how to respond to a situation?

Picking up where Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? leaves off, Dr. Julie shares the research-backed concepts and powerful skills we can use to weather our most vulnerable moments. Learn how to move through any situation with grace, including:

• When it’s hard to be with yourself: facing vulnerability alone, dealing with your inner critic, and handling imposter syndrome.
• When it’s hard to be with other people: dealing with betrayal and knowing what to do when you (or your parents) got it wrong.
• When it’s hard to be with your feelings: coping with loneliness, fear, and hopelessness
• When you’re healing from the past: getting out of a trauma response and learning how to stop ruminating about old events.
• When you’re looking to the future: preventing making the same mistakes, tackling uncertainty, and finding your path.

Open When teaches each of us to find and listen to the positive voice within when we need it most, and to care for our future selves and our mental health.

“Dr. Julie Smith’s Open When… is a compassionate guide for navigating life’s toughest moments… empowers readers to find calm and strength amidst life’s storms… A must-read for building resilience and maintaining a positive mindset.” – QBD Reviews

“No matter where you are on your mental health journey, this book will guide you to more joy and a clearer path for your future.” – Ravi Shah, Reads with Ravi

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Playworld by Adam Ross ★

fiction / historical fiction.

“In the fall of 1980, when I was fourteen, a friend of my parents named Naomi Shah fell in love with me. She was thirty-six, a mother of two, and married to a wealthy man. Like so many things that happened to me that year, it didn’t seem strange at the time.”

Griffin Hurt is in over his head. Between his role as Peter Proton on the hit TV show The Nuclear Family and the pressure of high school at New York’s elite Boyd Prep—along with the increasingly compromising demands of his wrestling coach—he’s teetering on the edge of collapse.

Then comes Naomi Shah, twenty-two years Griffin’s senior. Unwilling to lay his burdens on his shrink—whom he shares with his father, mother, and younger brother, Oren—Griffin soon finds himself in the back of Naomi’s Mercedes sedan, again and again, confessing all to the one person who might do him the most harm.

Less a bildungsroman than a story of miseducation, Playworld is a novel of epic proportions, bursting with laughter and heartache. Adam Ross immerses us in the life of Griffin and his loving (yet disintegrating) family while seeming to evoke the entirety of Manhattan and the ethos of an era—with Jimmy Carter on his way out and a B-list celebrity named Ronald Reagan on his way in. Surrounded by adults who embody the age’s excesses—and who seem to care little about what their children are up to—Griffin is left to himself to find the line between youth and maturity, dependence and love, acting and truly grappling with life.

“[A] gorgeous cat’s cradle of a book… detailed, digressive, densely populated, dull at times (as life is) and capable of tracking the most minute shifts in emotional weather. It is the young and the restless, edging into the bold and the beautiful.” – Alexandra Jacobs,  New York Times

“…dazzling and endearing… Gorgeously textured and frequently very funny—Griffin’s wisecracking younger brother, Oren, is a scene-stealer—the book’s particular portrait of late-20th-century, upper-middle-class adolescence takes a generously wide angle, reveling in all the heady, scuzzy, confusing bits of coming of age.” – Marley Marius, Vogue

“...starting off 2025 with a novel this terrific gives me hope for the whole year… Playworld presents us with a story dipped in molten nostalgia and flecked with love and sorrow… This is a bildungsroman from which anger has been vented, and what’s left behind is redolent with insight, tenderness and forgiveness… Whatever past rough experiences Ross may be mining here, they’ve been compressed under the pressure of time and genius into a cluster of literary gems.” – Ron Charles, Washington Post

“Adam Ross’ extraordinary second novel, Playworld, is a beguiling ode to a lost era, one that predates helicopter parenting, cellphones and perhaps even cynicism… Ross is so adept at world-building that we are seduced by his vision of the Big Apple as wholly enchanting and mystical… I didn’t want it to end. The story is so rich and filled with intriguing — if morally questionable — characters that it’s immersive. Line for line the book is a revelation.” – Leigh Haber,  Los Angeles Times

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A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young

fiction / fantasy / mystery / suspense / romance.

James and Johnny Golden were once inseparable. For as long as she can remember, James shared an almost supernatural connection with her twin brother, Johnny, that went beyond intuition—she could feel what he was feeling. So, when Johnny is killed in a tragic accident, James knows before her phone even rings that her brother is gone and that she’s alone—truly alone—for the first time in her life.

When James arrives in the secluded town of Six Rivers, California, to settle her brother’s affairs, she’s forced to revisit the ominous events of their shared past and finally face Micah, the only other person who knows their secrets—and the only man she has ever loved.

But as James delves deeper into Johnny’s world, she realizes that their unique connection hasn’t completely vanished. The more she immerses herself in his life, the more questions she has about the brother she thought she knew. Johnny was hiding something, and he’s not the only one. The deeper she digs, the more she is compelled to unravel the truth behind the days leading up to Johnny’s death. Ultimately, James must decide which truths should come to light, and which are better left buried forever.

“Young crafts a slow-burn suspense novel full of unexpected twists. James’ determination to discover the truth will keep readers engaged, while a romantic subplot adds to the drama.” – Nanette Donohue, Booklist

“…inviting and moody… a potent tale.” – Publishers Weekly

“…captivating… Both tragic and tender, this is a breathtaking journey of grief, love and history…” – Isabelle McConville, B&N Reads

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The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

fiction / historical fiction / mystery.

Egypt, 1936: When anthropology student Charlotte Cross is offered a coveted spot on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, she leaps at the opportunity. That is until an unbearable tragedy strikes.

New York City, 1978: Nineteen-year-old Annie Jenkins is thrilled when she lands an opportunity to work for former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who’s in the midst of organizing the famous Met Gala, hosted at the museum and known across the city as the “party of the year.”

Meanwhile, Charlotte is now leading a quiet life as the associate curator of the Met’s celebrated Department of Egyptian Art. She’s consumed by her research on Hathorkare—a rare female pharaoh dismissed by most other Egyptologists as unimportant.

The night of the gala: One of the Egyptian art collection’s most valuable artifacts goes missing, and there are signs Hathorkare’s legendary curse might be reawakening. Annie and Charlotte team up to search for the missing antiquity, and a desperate hunch leads the unlikely duo to one place Charlotte swore she’d never return: Egypt. But if they have any hope of finding the artifact, Charlotte will need to confront the demons of her past—which may mean leading them both directly into danger.

“Fiona Davis provides a splendid work in The Stolen Queen, full of dust and gold, and women of character, the Queen of Egypt included.” – Clare O’Beara, Fresh Fiction

“With its themes of antiquities repatriation, personal loss, and women’s resilience, The Stolen Queen is a captivating exploration of identity and strength, with twists that will compel readers till the very end.” – Sarah Myers, Booklist

“[An] alluring outing… The action-packed novel brims with Davis’s customary meticulous research and adds insight to debates over whether artifacts should remain in their country of origin. There’s plenty of substance to this rousing adventure.” – Publishers Weekly

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Sweet Fury by Sash Bischoff

fiction / suspense / mystery.

Lila Crayne is America’s sweetheart: she’s generous and kind, gorgeous and magnetic. She and her fiancé, visionary filmmaker Kurt Royall, have settled into a stunning new West Village apartment and are set to begin filming their feminist adaptation of Fitzgerald’s Tender Is the Night.

To prepare for the leading role, Lila begins working with charming and accomplished therapist Jonah Gabriel to dig into the trauma of her past. Soon, Lila’s impeccably manicured life begins to unravel on the therapy couch—and Jonah is just the man to pick up the pieces. But everyone has a secret, and no one is quite who they seem.

A twisty, thought-provoking novel of construction and deconstruction in conversation with the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald and told through the lens of the film industry, Sweet Fury is an incisive and bold critique of America’s deep-rooted misogyny. With this novel, Bischoff examines the narratives we tell ourselves, and what happens when we co-opt others into those stories; and she probes the blurred lines between victim and perpetrator and the true meaning of justice.

“[A] beguiling tale of abuse and ambition… Bischoff reveals one surprising secret after another, all the way until the bombshell final twist. It’s an inspired first outing.” – Publishers Weekly

“Fans of thrillers like Alex Michaelides’ The Silent Patient will enjoy this enticing, addictive yarn.” – Kristine Huntley, Booklist

“Sweet Fury is sure to please readers who want a solid, twisty, character-driven thriller… Obsessive love, misogyny, deceit, revenge — this carefully crafted, well-written debut has it all. Dig in.” – Kathy Mailloux, The Indie Next List

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Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura

fiction / romance / adventure / comedy.

While her mentor may be the world’s most badass archaeologist, the only thing bad about Dr. Miriam Jacobs are her corny jokes. But when Miri is charged with leading an unmapped expedition through the Amazon for the fabled Lost City of the Moon, she finally has her chance to prove to her colleagues that she’s capable—and hopefully prove it to herself, too.

Journalist Rafael Monfils has joined the archaeological team to chronicle their search for the lost city. Or at least, that’s what they think he’s doing. Rafa’s real goal? Make sure the team does not reach the Cidade da Lua, stopping the desecration of the holy city and protecting his mother’s legacy. All he needs to do is keep them on the wrong path.

If only the endearingly quirky Dr. Jacobs wasn’t so damn tenacious—each of Rafa’s tricks and purposeful wrong turns only seem to fuel her determination. Even worse, he’s charmed by her goofy attempts to channel Lara Croft as they traverse the dangerous Brazilian rainforest. But they’re not the only crew hunting for the lost city, and soon the untamed jungle—and their untamed hearts—might be the least of their worries…

“This fun, well-written adventure romance from Segura is unputdownable. Perfect for readers who enjoy a slow burn, witty banter, and plot twists and turns.” – Heather Miller Cover, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

“Readers looking for a thrilling romance with a nerdy heroine, a sensitive hero, and lots of bad guys will enjoy watching Miri become a badass, and maybe, just maybe, fall in love, too.” – C. L. Quillen, Booklist

“Segura’s narrative packs in set pieces worthy of an adventure movie… readers will find plenty to enjoy in the central couple’s playful dynamic. It’s a diverting romp.” – Publishers Weekly

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The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan

fiction / mystery / suspense.

Cate Kay knows how to craft a story. As the creator of a bestselling book trilogy that struck box office gold as a film series, she’s one of the most successful authors of her generation. The thing is, Cate Kay doesn’t really exist. She’s never attended author events or granted any interviews. Her real identity had been a closely guarded secret, until now.

As a young adult, she and her best friend Amanda dreamed of escaping their difficult homes and moving to California to become movie stars. But the day before their grand adventure, a tragedy shattered their dreams and Cate has been on the run ever since, taking on different names and charting a new future. But after a shocking revelation, Cate understands that returning home is the only way she’ll be a whole person again.

“…electrifying… Fagan fascinates with her enigmatic and shape-shifting protagonist, and the tightly woven plot will keep readers on the edge of their seats. It’s a blast.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

“…intimate and personal and digs into the often-opaque motivations of its characters… Fagan’s journalism-honed observational skills make her fiction debut shine.” – Pamela Gardner, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

“In her debut novel, Fagan crafts a beautiful story of one woman’s life across three parts, and also fully realizes a moving post-apocalyptic trilogy that reveals as much about Kay–and what it means to be human–as Kay’s own experiences. Fagan deftly explores themes of friendship, romance, intimacy, coming of age, coming out, ambition, and narrative form in a captivating, heartfelt novel bursting at the seams with love in all its incredible, messy forms.” – Kerry McHugh, Shelf Awareness, STARRED REVIEW

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Vantage Point by Sara Sligar

fiction / suspense / mystery / horror.

The old-money Wieland family has it all—wealth, status, power. They’re also famously cursed.

Clara and her brother, Teddy, grew up on a small island in Maine in the shadow of their parents’ tragic deaths, haunted by rumors and paparazzi. Fourteen years later, they’ve mostly put their turbulent past to rest. Teddy has married Clara’s best friend, Jess, and the three of them have moved back home to take over the sprawling, remote family mansion known as Vantage Point.

Then Teddy decides to run for the Senate—an unnerving prospect made much worse when intimate videos of Clara are leaked online. The most frightening part is that she doesn’t remember filming any of them. Are the videos real? Or are they deepfakes? Is someone trying to take down the Wielands once and for all?

Everyone thinks Clara is losing her grasp on reality. But she knows the truth: the videos are only the beginning. Years ago, the curse destroyed her parents. Now, it’s coming for her.

Sara Sligar, the critically acclaimed author of Take Me Apart, returns with a shocking family drama full of suspense. Brimming with palpable tension, Vantage Point carefully unravels a twisted web of family secrets and political ambition that raises questions about the nature of “truth” in our digital age.

“[A] propulsive and highly entertaining thriller.” – Chloe Schama, Vogue

“Doubt and paranoia color Clara and Jess’s alternating narration, keeping the tension high throughout…nuanced, psychologically complex… Sarah Pinborough fans should take note.” – Publishers Weekly

“For fans of The Girl on the Train, Sligar’s clever psychological tale explores the dark side of technology and its effects on our perceptions.” – Katie Pomeroy, Booklist

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Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao ★

fiction / fantasy / romance / mystery.

On a backstreet in Tokyo lies a pawnshop, but not everyone can find it. Most will see a cozy ramen restaurant. And only the chosen ones—those who are lost—will find a place to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets.

Hana Ishikawa wakes on her first morning as the pawnshop’s new owner to find it ransacked, the shop’s most precious acquisition stolen, and her father missing. And then into the shop stumbles a charming stranger, quite unlike its other customers, for he offers help instead of seeking it.

Together, they must journey through a mystical world to find Hana’s father and the stolen choice—by way of rain puddles, rides on paper cranes, the bridge between midnight and morning, and a night market in the clouds.

But as they get closer to the truth, Hana must reveal a secret of her own—and risk making a choice that she will never be able to take back.

“This delectable treat of a book is a triumph of worldbuilding. Around every corner is a charming, creative new detail of how Hana — a pawnbroker who deals in choices — and her world work. Perfect for a cozy read by the fire.” – Victoria Ford, The Indie Next List

“…readers will be utterly drawn in to Yambao’s excellent, vivid novel, which is powered by its enchanting setting… This book is charming, fresh, and difficult to put down.” – Leah von Essen, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

“Yambao’s inventive setting pushes the limits of common fantasy tropes, and her thought-provoking exploration of regret, choice, and free will resonates. This whimsical tale will have readers riveted. ” – Publishers Weekly

“Readers who have been swept up in the cozy charm of Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi and The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee will fall hard for the mix of magical realism, fantasy mystery, and star-crossed romance in this novel from Sotto Yambao. Highly recommended.” – Marlene Harris, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

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Where Madness Lies: The Double Life of Vivien Leigh by Lyndsy Spence

nonfiction / biography / history / film / theater.

Vivien Leigh was one of the greatest film and theatrical stars of the 1930s, ‘40s, and ‘50s. Her Oscar-winning performances in Gone With the Wind and A Streetcar Named Desire have cemented her status as an icon of Hollywood.

From 1940 to 1960, Leigh was married to Sir Laurence Olivier, and together they were considered the royal couple of British theatre. Indeed, their romance and acting partnerships captured the imagination of the public around the world.

Behind the scenes, however, Leigh’s personal life was marred by manic depression that remained undiagnosed until 1953. Largely misunderstood and subjected to barbaric mistreatment at the hands of her doctors, she would also suffer the heartbreak of Olivier’s infidelity. Contributing to her image as a tragic heroine, she would die at the age of fifty-three.

Unlike previous biographies, Where Madness Lies begins in 1953 when Leigh suffered a nervous breakdown and was institutionalized. The tragic story unfolds as she tries to rebuild her life, salvage her career, and save her marriage.

Featuring a wealth of unpublished material—including private correspondence—Lyndsy Spence reveals how this Hollywood luminary tragically fell victim to the draconian medical practices of the era.

“…moving… Spence has a novelist’s flair for pacing and detail… [she] succeeds in bringing Leigh to vivid life.” – Publishers Weekly

“With a wealth of unpublished juicy material that celebrity mavens will devour, this is a moving and tragic story of how mental illness derailed a stellar career.” – Rosellen “Rosy” Brewer, Library Journal

“[A] sensitively drawn portrait of a Hollywood icon whose on-screen persona belied the troubled woman who struggled with mental illness… Drawing from numerous letters and personal papers, Spence starts with the events of 1953 and weaves back and forth through the high and low points, juxtaposing Leigh’s life and work on stage and screen.” – Carolyn Mulac, Booklist

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Wiseguys and the White House: Gangsters, Presidents, and the Deals They Made by Eric Dezenhall

fiction / history / true crime.

Gangsters and presidents have long captured the American imagination, but how much does the underworld actually affect presidential power? How deep are their “connections”? As Eric Dezenhall reveals in this eye-opening history, in some instances, one couldn’t have functioned without the other. From Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Richard Nixon to Joseph R. Biden, the mob has done presidential dirty work, including attempts to assassinate foreign leaders, harass America’s enemies, and put our chief executives in office.

Wiseguys and the White House documents when mobsters and presidents have traded favors—and double-crossed each other, including:

• The deal cut with Lucky Luciano to protect the waterfront during World War II.
• How the Chicago Outfit (and Frank Sinatra) got one Kennedy elected, only to be pursued by another.
• How LBJ and the FBI used a mob hitman to hunt down the killers of Civil Rights activists in Mississippi
• Reagan’s association with Lew Wasserman, the powerful and influential Hollywood mogul
• Trump’s blatant ties to construction and gambling cartels
• Biden’s early links to “the Irishman” Frank Sheeran, the labor union official and enforcer for Jimmy Hoffa and Russell Bufalino.
• And more

Combining exhaustive research, including newly released government records and the private recollections of leading gangsters, Wiseguys and the White House offers insight into the myths about the power in America and the drive for recognition and respectability that unites consiglieri and commanders-in-chief alike.

“…riveting.” – Christian Josi, Washington Times

“Entertaining history in which mobsters often come off better than presidents.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“Dezenhall’s perceptive analyses of each president are laced with a wry sense of humor, which makes this work accessible to a wide audience.” – Caren Nichter, Library Journal

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Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix ★

fiction / horror / fantasy / suspense.

There’s power in a book…

They call them wayward girls. Loose girls. Girls who grew up too fast. And they’re sent to Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, to give them up for adoption, and most important of all, to forget any of it ever happened.

Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the home in the sweltering summer of 1970, pregnant, terrified and alone. Under the watchful eye of the stern Miss Wellwood, she meets a dozen other girls in the same predicament. There’s Rose, a hippie who insists she’s going to find a way to keep her baby and escape to a commune. And Zinnia, a budding musician who plans to marry her baby’s father. And Holly, a wisp of a girl, barely fourteen, mute and pregnant by no-one-knows-who.

Everything the girls eat, every moment of their waking day, and everything they’re allowed to talk about is strictly controlled by adults who claim they know what’s best for them. Then Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book about witchcraft, and power is in the hands of the girls for the first time in their lives. But power can destroy as easily as it creates, and it’s never given freely. There’s always a price to be paid… and it’s usually paid in blood.

In Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, the author of How to Sell a Haunted House and The Final Girl Support Group delivers another searing, completely original novel and further cements his status as a “horror master” (NPR).

“Both triumphant and terrifying, this novel will have you reading from behind your fingers.” – Isabelle McConville, B&N Reads

“A pulpy throwback that shines a light on abuses even magic can’t erase.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“Hendrix offers an utterly engaging commentary on society and why things are viewed as right versus wrong, along with a generous dollop of magic.” – Tegan Beese, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

“[An] original and nuanced addition to the witch cannon… Another stellar novel from Hendrix, a perfectly constructed story that has a strong emotional core, compelling plot, unforgettable characters, and 360 degrees of terror.” – Becky Spratford, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

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Y2K: How the 2000s Became Everything (Essays on the Future That Never Was) by Colette Shade

nonfiction / essays / history / culture.

The early 2000s conjures images of inflatable furniture, flip phones, and low-rise jeans. It was a new millennium and the future looked bright, promising prosperity for all. The internet had arrived, and technology was shiny and fun. For many, it felt like the end of history: no more wars, racism, or sexism. But then history kept happening. Twenty-five years after the ball dropped on December 31st, 1999, we are still living in the shadows of the Y2K Era.

In Y2K, one of our most brilliant young critics Colette Shade offers a darkly funny meditation on everything from the pop culture to the political economy of the period. By closely reading Y2K artifacts like the Hummer H2, Smash Mouth’s “All Star,” body glitter, AOL chatrooms, Total Request Live, and early internet porn, Shade produces an affectionate yet searing critique of a decade that started with a boom and ended with a crash.

In one essay Colette unpacks how hearing Ludacris’s hit song “What’s Your Fantasy” shaped a generation’s sexual awakening; in another she interrogates how her eating disorder developed as rail-thin models from the collapsed USSR flooded the pages of Vogue; in another she reveals how the McMansion became an ominous symbol of the housing collapse.

Perfect for fans of Jia Tolentino and Chuck Klosterman, Y2K is the first book to fully reckon with the mixed legacy of the Y2K Era—a perfectly timed collection that holds a startling mirror to our past, present, and future.

“…nothing I’ve read has cut to the heart of the ’00s like Y2K. After putting it down, I felt like I was able to excise the last of the decade’s cultural residue from my mind — save, perhaps, my enduring love for chokers. That dies hard.” – Chloe Joe, Bustle

“A rich hybrid of sociological inquiry and dissection of a time just out of the rearview mirror, Y2K is steeped in a specific moment in history yet manages to feel wholly trenchant.” – Jeff Connelly, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

“…elegantly blend[s] dark humor with thought-provoking arguments… A rich blend of cultural and economic analysis, this soars.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

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The library does not receive any compensation for inclusion on this list or for links TO OTHER SITES. Book Descriptions have been provided by their respective publishers.