“It struck her all at once that dealing with other human beings was an awful lot of work.” – Anne Tyler, Back When We Were Grownups
Beartooth by Callan Wink
fiction / mystery / suspense.
In an aging, timber house hand-built into the Absaroka-Beartooth mountains, two brothers are struggling to keep up with their debts. They live off the grid, on the fringe of Yellowstone, surviving off the wild after the death of their father. Thad, the elder, is more capable of engaging with things like the truck registration, or the medical bills they can’t afford from their father’s fatal illness, or the tax lien on the cabin their grandfather built, while Hazen is… different, more instinctual, deeply in tune with the natural world. Desperate for money, they are approached by a shadowy out-of-towner with a dangerous proposition that will change both of their lives forever. Beartooth is a fast-paced tale with moments of surprising poignancy set in the grandeur of the American West. Evoking the timeless voices of American pastoral storytelling, this is a bracing, masterful novel about survival, revenge, and the bond between brothers.
“A novel of impeccable control and unflinching darkness. And then a glimmer of hope.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“[A] meditative and startling literary heist tale about two struggling brothers… Beartooth‘s plot packs a punch… Beartooth evokes the breathtaking beauty of Yellowstone in its tense exploration of the complicated love and survival of two brothers.” – Alice Martin, Shelf Awareness
“Wink, who is a fly-fishing guide on the Yellowstone River when he’s not writing beautifully told short stories and novels, is a master craftsman: his dialogue is pitch perfect, his characters breathtakingly real, and the setting so vividly described we can feel the mud seeping into our socks and hear the water from the hole in the ceiling plinking into the metal bowl on the floor. A remarkable, memorable novel.” – David Pitt, Booklist
Blood Ties by Jo Nesbø; translated by Robert Ferguson
fiction / suspense / mystery.
By all accounts, Carl and Roy Opgard are doing quite well for themselves. Or at least they’re doing as well as can be expected in a small town like Os. Carl manages the area’s swanky and successful spa and hotel, while Roy runs a nearby gas station and harbors grand plans to build it out into an entire amusement park, complete with a roller coaster. But when news breaks about a new highway to be built nearby, bypassing Os and leaving the town cutoff and isolated, it’s clear that something has to be done… even if the methods are bound to be dirty. Fortunately, Carl and Roy have experience with just that kind of work.
Meanwhile, the town sheriff has gotten his hands on new technology that will enable him to take a deeper look at a slate of unsolved murders from years past—including that of his own father. And just as the sheriff reopens his investigation, the death toll begins to climb. It’s like Roy says about his roller coaster: “Once it’s rolling, it’s too late to get off.”
Blood Ties is a tense, compulsively readable tour de force about loyalty, family ties, and love that is as destructive as it is powerful.
“A darkly entertaining thriller.” – Kirkus Reviews
“…beautifully written literary suspense… Readers will feel this one long after the final words.” – Christine Tran, Booklist, STARRED REVIEWS
“…immersive and disturbing… Nesbø brilliantly plunges readers into the psyche of a charming killer, leavening the bloodshed with pop culture references and dashes of the lacerating humor that suffuses his Harry Hole series. The result is a chilling and darkly funny noir that will haunt readers long after the last page.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
Brother Brontë by Fernando A. Flores
fiction / SCIENCE FICTION.
The year is 2038, and the formerly bustling town of Three Rivers, Texas, is a surreal wasteland. Under the authoritarian thumb of its tech industrialist mayor, Pablo Henry Crick, the town has outlawed reading and forced most of the town’s mothers to work as indentured laborers at the Big Tex Fish Cannery, which poisons the atmosphere and lines Crick’s pockets.
Scraping by in this godforsaken landscape are best friends Prosperina and Neftalí—the latter of whom, one of the town’s last literate citizens, hides and reads the books of the mysterious renegade author Jazzmin Monelle Rivas, whose last novel, Brother Brontë, is finally in Neftalí’s possession. But after a series of increasingly violent atrocities committed by Crick’s forces, Neftalí and Prosperina, with the help of a wounded bengal tigress, three scheming triplets, and an underground network of rebel tías, rise up to reclaim their city—and in the process, unlock Rivas’s connection to Three Rivers itself.
An adventure that only the acclaimed Fernando A. Flores could dream up, Brother Brontë is a mordant, gonzo romp through a ruined world that, in its dysfunction, tyranny, and disparity, nonetheless feels uncannily like our own. With his most ambitious book yet, Flores once again bends what fiction can do, in the process crafting a moving and unforgettable story of perseverance.
“Flores takes readers on a wild ride!” – Sara Martínez, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“A stunning tale of survival and a biting critique of book bans and late capitalism.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“It’s a beautiful feeling, as a reader, to know that you have no idea what’s going on but you’re in safe hands and along for the ride… Brother Bontë honestly feels like being in the middle of a Bosch painting—lots to look at, all chaos, but incredibly beautiful and carefully crafted… There are plenty of 1984-esque stories out there but this is by far the most exciting and thought-provoking one.” – Christina Orlando, Reactor
Casual by Koji A. Dae
fiction / science fiction.
Valya’s neural implant is amazing.
Its game-like app, CASUAL, has managed her depression and anxiety, stabilized her mood, and helped the infertile Valya get pregnant. But new laws forbid her from using the device when she’s sole caregiver for her infant. Her gaslighting ex won’t help her, and she can’t afford a nanny, so her obstetrician insists that Valya wean off CASUAL before giving birth.
Despite a will to quit and a supportive new love interest in her birthing class, disabling CASUAL turns Valya’s anxiety into full-blown panic attacks. Her psychiatrist offers to enroll her in a controversial clinical trial that would place a tandem implant in the baby and allow Valya to keep hers active. Valya must decide whether she should attempt parenting without CASUAL or install a minimally tested device in her vulnerable child.
Casual is a stark and cutting glance at a near future that looks uncannily like our present, exploring themes of bodily autonomy and the struggle for mental health in a world increasingly divided.
“[An] engrossing, intense read that left me stunned by what it had to say and how it said it… one of the most plausible futures I’ve read recently… a stunningly written near future parable about class, mental health, women’s autonomy and all the myriad ways a controlling society can challenge these in a future so real I could almost touch it. I inhabited this tale; it is remarkable.” – Ed Crocker, FanFiAddict
Combat Monsters: Untold Stories of World War II edited by Henry Herz
fiction / short stories / historical fiction / fantasy / horror.
Combat Monsters brings together twenty award-winning and bestselling speculative fiction authors who each bring their own spin on an alternate history of World War II.
New research has uncovered deeply buried military secrets—both the Allied and Axis special operations during World War II included monsters. Did the Soviets use a dragon to win the Battle of Kursk? Did a vampire fight for the Canadians in Holland? Did the US drop the second atomic bomb on a kaiju?
This collection takes real events from World War II and injects them with fantastical creatures that mirror the “unreality” of war itself. Each story—and two poems—feature mythical, mystical, and otherwise unexplainable beings that change the course of history. Dragons rise and fall, witches cast deadly spells, mermaids reroute torpedoes, and all manner of “monsters” intervene for better or worse in the global turmoil of World War II.
Together, Combat Monsters challenge the very definition of monstrous, with the brutality of war as a sobering backdrop.
“Herz makes good on the fascinating premise of his latest anthology, bringing together 20 high-octane stories that add terrifying monsters to the battlefields of WWII… Fans of alternate history and military horror will want to check this out.” – Publishers Weekly
Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett ★
fiction / fantasy / romance / historical fiction.
Emily Wilde has spent her life studying faeries. A renowned dryadologist, she has documented hundreds of species of Folk in her Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Now she is about to embark on her most dangerous academic project yet: studying the inner workings of a faerie realm—as its queen.
Along with her former academic rival—now fiancé—the dashing and mercurial Wendell Bambleby, Emily is immediately thrust into the deadly intrigues of Faerie as the two of them seize the throne of Wendell’s long-lost kingdom, which Emily finds a beautiful nightmare filled with scholarly treasures.
Emily has been obsessed with faerie stories her entire life, but at first she feels as ill-suited to Faerie as she did to the mortal world: How can an unassuming scholar such as herself pass for a queen? Yet there is little time to settle in, for Wendell’s murderous stepmother has placed a deadly curse upon the land before vanishing without a trace. It will take all of Wendell’s magic—and Emily’s knowledge of stories—to unravel the mystery before they lose everything they hold dear.
“…satisfying and believable, despite being mainly set in a fantastical world. A well-constructed and enjoyable conclusion.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Whimsical and charming, dark and mysterious, Emily Wilde’s world of wonders is back. If you’re a fan of supernatural love stories and banter that’ll make you blush, this is the book for you.” – Isabelle McConville, B&N Reads
“A conclusion to the trilogy that invites old friends back, shows us new parts of the beautifully bizarre and macabre Faerie world, and has Emily Wilde come into her own as a scholar, a partner, and a monarch. Fawcett concludes this series with a flourish!” – Emily Gilbow, The Indie Next List
“Fawcett fills her novel with intelligent dialogue, sparkling magic and an antagonist who is easily feared… for lovers of fantasy fiction, adult faerie romances, dark-academia books (although this isn’t quite so dark), and immersive worlds.” – Stacey O’Carroll, Other Terrain Journal
First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison
fiction / romance / comedy.
Aiden Valentine has a secret: he’s fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore’s romance hotline, that’s a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight.
Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She has a good job; an incredible family; and a smart, slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life—or lack thereof—she begins to question if she’s as happy as she believed. Maybe a little more romance wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending… even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final decision between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.
“…superb… A wonderfully tender and sexy story full of swoon-worthy lines and perfect moments that will elicit smiles, sighs, and tears and keep readers thoroughly invested in the happily-ever-after.” – Melissa DeWild, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
“[A] charming rom-com… Warmhearted and thoroughly delightful, Borison’s winning latest will likely expand the fan base that fell for her Lovelight series.” – Kristine Huntley, Booklist
“Borison enchants in this delightful contemporary… skillful plotting keeps the pages flying. This first-rate tale will resonate with true romantics.” – Publishers Weekly
Frenemies with Benefits by Synithia Williams
fiction / romance.
For a place that just won an award for Best Small Town, Peachtree Cove sure has a big rumor mill. And Tracey Thompson is tired of being at the center of it. She’s worked hard to make her bed-and-breakfast a success—only to have her soon-to-be ex’s very public affair with her business partner result in a shocking pregnancy… and the biggest scandal around.
If the whole town is going to talk no matter what she does, maybe it’s time that Tracey stopped trying to be perfect. Maybe she should start doing things for herself—like having a little fun. And Brian Nelson, the sexy nursery owner who supplies plants for all her special events, is more than willing to help.
Fresh out of a bad marriage, Brian is done with drama. Ever since high school, he’s admired Tracey’s strength and sass, and a friends with benefits deal sounds perfect. But now everyone in Peachtree Cove is talking. And they can all see what Brian and Tracey don’t want to admit, even to themselves… that nothing complicates a simple arrangement quite like love…
“Williams ramps up the familial drama, adding tension to the heartwarming romance, and Brian’s gentleness postdivorce is especially endearing. Series fans will be pleased.” – Publishers Weekly
“The sequel to Waiting for Friday Night is highly recommended for all romance collections.” – Nicole Williams, Library Journal
Little Mysteries: Nine Miniature Puzzles to Confuse, Enthrall, and Delight by Sara Gran
fiction / short stories / mystery / suspense.
Who destroyed Professor Wolf’s prize-winning tomatoes? What’s behind the mysterious goings-on at Killington Manor? And why does life sometimes feel like we’re stuck in a mystery, with few clues and no solutions? In her first collection of short stories, Sara Gran explores what detective stories mean and why we need them. If you love mysteries, and wonder why, this book is for you. With Claire DeWitt and More.
“Gran is both blowing up the mystery genre and tying herself to its mast—what an incredible light show. Charming, gritty explorations of the greatest mysteries of all: Who are we, and what is this life?” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“…philosophical, blunt, sardonic, feminist… each story in Little Mysteries [is] a puzzle piece or clue that Gran was sending out, and now the resolution, or completed puzzle, is the finished book.” – Jackie Desforges, Alta
“Each cleverly constructed vignette (including a choose-your-own-adventure) furthers the larger exploration of self-discovery, connection, and the dangerous allure of self-delusion. Claire DeWitt fans will delight in this thoughtfully curated collection with quirky philosophy and retro girl-sleuth vibes (think Kafka meets Nancy Drew); a fantastic recommendation for deep-thinking cult-fiction readers.” – Christine Tran, Booklist
Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz
fiction / suspense / mystery.
Evan Smoak is a highly trained former government assassin who has survived for years by keeping his circle to a few trusted confidants and a strict code he calls “The Ten Commandments.” But when Evan suddenly finds himself at odds with his oldest friend, all the rules he lives by shatter—and the consequences are murderous.
Tommy Stojack might be Evan’s best friend in the world. He’s a gifted gunsmith who has created much of Evan’s own weapons and combat gear. But now, he has apparently crossed one of Evan’s hardest lines and their argument explodes into open warfare. Now Evan has no choice but to track and face down his only friend.
In the meantime, Tommy has left town in order to honor his own promise to help a dead friend’s son. While Tommy is fighting to save the son with everything he’s got, Evan arrives with vengeance in mind.
But as deadly as the former Orphan X is, there is an even more dangerous threat about to arrive on the scene. The only question left is will any of them get out alive.
“Evan’s moral code will be tested in this novel as it’s never been before.” – Criminal Element
“Gregg Hurwitz delivers yet another thriller that is sure to top the Best of 2025 lists… It’s hard to convey how well written and stellar these books are.” – Stuart Ashenbrenner, The Best Thriller Books
“The Orphan X world thrillingly expands with another wildly inventive episode.” – Kirkus Reviews
Original Sins: The (Mis)Education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism by Eve L. Ewing
nonfiction / history.
If all children could just get an education, the logic goes, they would have the same opportunities later in life. But this historical tour de force makes it clear that the opposite is true: The U.S. school system has played an instrumental role in creating and upholding racial hierarchies, preparing children to expect unequal treatment throughout their lives.
In Original Sins, Ewing demonstrates that our schools were designed to propagate the idea of white intellectual superiority, to “civilize” Native students and to prepare Black students for menial labor. Education was not an afterthought for the Founding Fathers; it was envisioned by Thomas Jefferson as an institution that would fortify the country’s racial hierarchy. Ewing argues that these dynamics persist in a curriculum that continues to minimize the horrors of American history. The most insidious aspects of this system fall below the radar in the forms of standardized testing, academic tracking, disciplinary policies, and uneven access to resources.
By demonstrating that it’s in the DNA of American schools to serve as an effective and underacknowledged mechanism maintaining inequality in this country today, Ewing makes the case that we need a profound reevaluation of what schools are supposed to do, and for whom. This book will change the way people understand the place we send our children for eight hours a day.
“[A] damning investigation… Though the argument of this book is bleak, it illuminates a path for a more just future that is nothing short of dazzling.” – Charley Burlock, Oprah Daily
“[A] skillfully presented, searing critique… Ewing’s prose style is intellectual yet accessible, and she cites a wealth of historical and contemporary sources… A brightly intelligent, uncompromising, timely, and deeply clarifying investigation.” – Diego Báez, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“Ewing’s profound work is a must read for politicians, school board members, education administrators, and teachers. It would also be an excellent addition to professional development and teacher education programs.” – Laura Ellis, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict ★
fiction / historical fiction / mystery.
London, 1930. The five greatest women crime writers have banded together to form a secret society with a single goal: to show they are no longer willing to be treated as second class citizens by their male counterparts in the legendary Detection Club. Led by the formidable Dorothy L. Sayers, the group includes Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy. They call themselves the Queens of Crime. Their plan? Solve an actual murder, that of a young woman found strangled in a park in France who may have connections leading to the highest levels of the British establishment.
May Daniels, a young English nurse on an excursion to France with her friend, seemed to vanish into thin air as they prepared to board a ferry home. Months later, her body is found in the nearby woods. The murder has all the hallmarks of a locked room mystery for which these authors are famous: how did her killer manage to sneak her body out of a crowded train station without anyone noticing? If, as the police believe, the cause of death is manual strangulation, why is there an extraordinary amount of blood at the crime scene? What is the meaning of a heartbreaking secret letter seeming to implicate an unnamed paramour? Determined to solve the highly publicized murder, the Queens of Crime embark on their own investigation, discovering they’re stronger together. But soon the killer targets Dorothy Sayers herself, threatening to expose a dark secret in her past that she would do anything to keep hidden.
Inspired by a true story in Sayers’ own life, New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict brings to life the lengths to which five talented women writers will go to be taken seriously in the male-dominated world of letters as they unpuzzle a mystery torn from the pages of their own novels.
“Fans of Benedict’s previous novels and those who enjoy historical whodunits will find this hard to put down.” – Pam O’Sullivan, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
“…excellent… Like the best of Christie’s work, The Queens of Crime explores the themes around morality and justice while offering up a careful balance of clues and red herrings, and much like Miss Marple and Ariadne Oliver, the five writers are strong, resourceful characters who offer a unique female perspective of the world of violence and crime.” – Fiona Davis, CrimeReads
“Mystery fans may know the classic novels by the real queens of crime; now, thanks to historical-fiction star Benedict’s cleverly realized portraits of women committed to friendship and feminism, readers will know the wise, empathetic, and resourceful people who wrote them.” – Carol Haggas, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“Benedict easily brings each of her five distinct writer/sleuths to life, and honors their literary legacies by providing plenty of ingenious, fair-play clues to help careful readers follow along and solve the central mystery. This is a treat for fans of golden age whodunits.” – Publishers Weekly
Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver
fiction / romance / suspense / horror / comedy.
Doctor Fionn Kane is running from a broken heart, one he hopes to mend in small-town Nebraska, far away from his almost-fiancé and his derailed surgical career. It’s a simpler life: head down, hard work, and absolutely no romantic relationships. He wants none of the circus he left behind in Boston.
But then the real circus finds him.
Motorcycle performer Rose Evans has spent a decade on the road with the Silveria Circus, and it suits her just fine, especially when she has the urge to indulge in a little murder when she’s not in the spotlight. But when a kill goes awry and she ends up with an injured leg, Rose finds herself stuck in Nebraska, at the home of the adorably nerdy town doctor.
The problem is, not every broken heart can be sewn back together.
…And the longer you stay in one place, the more likely your ghosts are to catch up.
“In the epic finale of The Ruinous Love trilogy, Brynne Weaver doesn’t falter from tradition. So, expect more thrillers, psycho killers, risqué scenes and angsty love.” – Syameen Salehaldin, Harper’s Bazaar
Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood
fiction.
Burnt out and in need of retreat, a middle-aged woman leaves Sydney to return to the place she grew up, taking refuge in a small religious community hidden away on the stark plains of rural Australia. She doesn’t believe in God, or know what prayer is, and finds herself living this strange, reclusive existence almost by accident.
But disquiet interrupts this secluded life with three visitations. First comes a terrible mouse plague, each day signaling a new battle against the rising infestation. Second is the return of the skeletal remains of a sister who disappeared decades before, presumed murdered. And finally, a troubling visitor plunges the narrator further back into her past.
Meditative, moving, and finely observed, Stone Yard Devotional is a seminal novel from a writer of rare power, exploring what it means to retreat from the world, the true nature of forgiveness, and the sustained effect of grief on the human soul.
“A wise, consoling novel for disquieting times.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“…somber, exquisite… Activism, abdication, atonement, grace: In this novel no one of these paths is holier than another; Wood is more invested in noticing the human pursuit of holiness itself.” – Lauren Christensen, New York Times
“Stone Yard Devotional is as extraordinary as you’ve heard… a spiritual journey narrated by a woman who would scoff at such a phrase… [the] disparate anecdotes and memories move with apparent randomness until suddenly you see that — checkmate — Wood has quietly trapped you in some shattering realization.” – Ron Charles, Washington Post
Symbiote by Michael Nayak
fiction / horror / science fiction / suspense.
As World War III rages, the scientists in Antarctica are thankful for the isolation – until a group of Chinese scientists arrive at the American research base. In their truck is a dead body, the first murder in Antarctica. The potential for a geopolitical firestorm is great, and, with no clear jurisdiction, the Americans don’t know what to do. But they soon realize the Chinese scientists have brought far more with them than the body…
Within seventy-two hours, thirteen others lie dead in the snow, murdered in acts of madness and superhuman strength.An extremophile parasite from the truck, triggered by severe cold, is spreading by touch. It is learning from them. Evolving. It triggers violent tendencies in the winter crew, and, more insidiously, the beginnings of a strange symbiotic telepathy.
Exhausted by suspicion and fear, with rescue impossible for months, the desperate crew members turn on each other. A small group of survivors try to resist the siren call of the growing hive mind and stay alive long enough to solve the mystery of the symbiotic microbe’s origins. But the symbiote is more than a disease – it is a biological weapon that can change the balance of power in a time of war.
The survivors cannot let anyone infected make it to the summer season, when planes will arrive to take them – and potentially the symbiote – back to civilization.
“…readers looking for thrills and thrills alone will find plenty of them here.” – Publishers Weekly
“Highly recommended for readers of sci-fi thrillers, cli-fi, and bioterrorism thrillers, and Tom Clancy fans who enjoy a bit of SF in their political thrillers.” – Marlene Harris, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
“Throughout Symbiote, the imaginative and beautifully descriptive language Nayak employs ensures you feel the tension and the desperation as the death toll rises and the temperature drops. The prose layers on a thick moodiness that pervades throughout the book… a fast-paced horror set at the extremes of the human condition, that will grab you by the throat and drag you along for the ride.” – Rai Furniss-Greasley, Grimdark Magazine
Three Days in June by Anne Tyler ★
fiction.
Gail Baines is having a bad day. To start, she loses her job—or quits, depending on whom you ask. Tomorrow her daughter, Debbie, is getting married, and she hasn’t even been invited to the spa day organized by the mother of the groom. Then, Gail’s ex-husband, Max, arrives unannounced on her doorstep, carrying a cat, without a place to stay, and without even a suit.
But the true crisis lands when Debbie shares with her parents a secret she has just learned about her husband to be. It will not only throw the wedding into question but also stir up Gail and Max’s past.
Told with deep sensitivity and a tart sense of humor, full of the joys and heartbreaks of love and marriage and family life, Three Days in June is a triumph, and gives us the perennially bestselling, Pulitzer Prize–winning writer at the height of her powers.
“…Anne Tyler’s latest is a big-hearted, charming and funny story about motherhood, marriage and life…” – Isabelle McConville, B&N Reads
“…delectable, tightly focused, and piquant… With every character, cat included, incisively and vividly realized, and myriad preoccupations and emotions limned with nimble wit and empathy, this is a keen delight.” – Donna Seaman, Booklist
“Three Days in June, Anne Tyler’s 25th novel, is like reading a hug… Tyler’s pacing is incomparable. She knows just when to make revelations for maximum devastation… Even if you’re new to Tyler’s work, you are likely to find it deeply familiar. Her deceptively simple style captures the cadence of the everyday, and you’ll want to stay in the warmth of her storytelling. Let it hug you, too, and don’t be afraid to give it a snuggle back.” – Maren Longbella, Star Tribune
“The bad news: Anne Tyler can’t possibly write forever. The good news: Her latest novel proves that she’s still inimitable and still providing fresh perspectives on ordinary people whose lives may be quiet but hold surprises… deeply compassionate and very witty…” – Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times
Waiting for the Long Night Moon: Stories by Amanda Peters
fiction / short stories / historical fiction.
In her debut collection of short fiction, Amanda Peters describes the Indigenous experience from an astonishingly wide spectrum in time and place—from contact with the first European settlers, to the forced removal of Indigenous children, to the present-day fight for the right to clean water
In this intimate collection, Amanda Peters melds traditional storytelling with beautiful, spare prose to describe the dignity of the traditional way of life, the humiliations of systemic racism and the resilient power to endure. A young man returns from residential school only to realize he can no longer communicate with his own parents. A grieving mother finds purpose and healing on the front lines as a water protector. And a nervous child dances in her first Mawi’omi. The collection also includes the Indigenous Voices Award-winning and title story “Waiting for the Long Night Moon.”
At times sad, sometimes disturbing but always redemptive, the stories in Waiting for the Long Night Moon will remind you that where there is grief there is also joy, where there is trauma there is resilience and, most importantly, there is power.
“[A] must-read.” – Lizz Schumer, People
“An impressive collection rooted in the grief, trauma, tradition, resilience, and hope of Indigenous peoples.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Peters’ award-winning debut created an audience ready for anything she writes, and they won’t be disappointed by her memorable stories.” – Emily Dziuban, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes ★
fiction / romance / comedy.
Lila Kennedy has a lot on her plate. A broken marriage, two wayward daughters, a house that is falling apart, and an elderly stepfather who seems to have quietly moved in. Her career is in freefall and her love life is… complicated. So when her real dad—a man she has barely seen since he ran off to Hollywood thirty-five years ago—suddenly appears on her doorstep, it feels like the final straw. But it turns out even the family you thought you could never forgive might have something to teach you: about love, and what it actually means to be family.
“Moyes’ latest is a charmer, and readers will root for Lila despite her many mistakes. Occasional chapters from 16-year-old Celie’s perspective round out this funny exploration of family, midlife, and starting over.” – Susan Maguire, Booklist
“Moyes combines the warmth of an Annabel Monaghan rom-com with the humanity of a Catherine Newman novel, creating a story that will provoke tears and laughter.A moving, realistic look at one woman’s post-divorce family life that manages to be both poignant and funny.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“Jojo Moyes is back with her signature heart and charm to remind us that family and love come in all different forms — especially the messy kind. This is perfect for fans of Emma Straub and Ann Napolitano.” – Isabelle McConville, B&N Reads
“We All Live Here is bighearted and funny, a story about mistakes, forgiveness and moving on… Wrapped in an afghan, sipping tea as you read, you won’t even notice that February wind howling outside your window. There’s too much fun going on inside that crumbling London Victorian.” – Laurie Hertzel, Star Tribune
The World After Gaza: A History by Pankaj Mishra
nonfiction / history / politics.
The postwar global order was in many ways shaped in response to the Holocaust. That event became the benchmark for atrocity, and, in the Western imagination, the paradigmatic genocide. Its memory orients so much of our thinking, and crucially, forms the basic justification for Israel’s right first to establish itself and then to defend itself. But in many parts of the world, ravaged by other conflicts and experiences of mass slaughter, the Holocaust’s singularity is not always taken for granted, even when its hideous atrocity is. Outside of the West, Pankaj Mishra argues, the dominant story of the twentieth century is that of decolonization.
The World After Gaza takes the current war, and the polarized reaction to it, as the starting point for a broad reevaluation of two competing narratives of the last century: the Global North’s triumphant account of victory over totalitarianism and the spread of liberal capitalism, and the Global South’s hopeful vision of racial equality and freedom from colonial rule. At a moment when the world’s balance of power is shifting, and the Global North no longer commands ultimate authority, it is critically important that we understand how and why the two halves of the world are failing to talk to each other.
As old touchstones and landmarks crumble, only a new history with a sharply different emphasis can reorient us to the world and worldviews now emerging into the light. In this concise, powerful, and pointed treatise, Mishra reckons with the fundamental questions posed by our present crisis — about whether some lives matter more than others, how identity is constructed, and what the role of the nation-state ought to be. The World After Gaza is an indispensable moral guide to our past, present, and future.
“[An] outraged, post-colonial attitude animates The World After Gaza.” – Ben Hubbard, New York Times
“Against selective readings of history—and the horrors they enable… an exhaustively sourced plea for historical literacy… A clear-eyed look at the Holocaust as justification for Israel’s wars.” – Kirkus Reviews
“With The World After Gaza, award-winning journalist Pankaj Mishra looks to reevaluate, recontextualize, and reframe the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.” – Shannon Carlin, Time
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I really appreciate this column! Keep up the good work!
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoy it!