“If we get to the point where we don’t help each other anymore, that’s when we stop being human.” – Matt Dinniman, Dungeon Crawler Carl
The Better Mother by Jennifer Van Der Kleut
fiction / suspense / mystery.
Still recovering from a devastating breakup, 34-year-old Savannah Mitchell has finally managed to put her life back together when she gets the shock of her life—after a brief fling with a man named Max, she is pregnant.
When she gets in touch to tell him, he reveals that he’s just gotten back together with his ex, Madison, and he will need time to break it to her. Surprisingly, Madison isn’t upset—in fact, she’s excited, and wants to help.
Max insists Madison has the best of intentions, but Savannah finds her efforts—popping by uninvited, demanding lifestyle changes, and pretty much trying to take over the pregnancy—anything but helpful. When Savannah finally stands up for herself, Madison’s treatment of her goes from casually cruel to downright dangerous.
All Savannah wanted to do was form a friendly co-parenting relationship with the father of her child—but his new girlfriend obviously has much more sinister plans in mind.
“I inhaled The Better Mother in a single day. Each chapter of Jennifer van der Kleut’s debut is twistier and more squirm-inducing than the last. The deceit! The gaslighting! The suspense! Imagine if Knocked Up had been written by Mary Kubica or Liv Constantine — that’s what you’re getting into here… the most dangerous perfect couple drama I’ve read about in years.” – Laura Leffler, People
“This is madness, meticulously crafted. Twisted taunting and utterly intoxicating… I love it when an author can make me anxious in the best possible way. My eyes couldn’t move fast enough across the page… smart, unsettling, and eerily believable, the kind of psychological thriller that keeps you up way past your bedtime muttering, ‘just one more chapter.’” – Teresa Brock, The Best Thriller Books
The Chosen and the Damned: Native Americans and the Making of Race in the United States by David J. Silverman
nonfiction / history / sociology / politics.
When the colonial era began, Europeans did not consider themselves as “Whites,” and Native Americans did not think of themselves as “Indians.” Yet as a genocidal struggle for America unfolded over the course of generations, all that changed. Euro-Americans developed a sense of racial identity, superiority, and national mission-of being chosen. They contended that Indians were damned to disappear so Whites could spread Christian civilization. Native people countered that the Great Spirit had created Indians and Whites separately and intended America to belong to Indians alone.
In The Chosen and the Damned, acclaimed historian David J. Silverman traces Indian-White racial arguments across four centuries, from the bloody colonial wars for territory to the national wars of extermination justified as “Manifest Destiny”; from the creation of reservations and boarding schools to the rise of the Red Power movement and beyond. In this transformative retelling, Silverman shows how White identity, defined against Indians, became central to American nationhood. He also reveals how Indian identity contributed to Native Americans’ resistance and resilience as modern tribal people, even as it has sometimes pit them against one another on the basis of race.
The epochal story of race in America is typically understood as a Black and White issue. The Chosen and the Damned restores the defining role Native people have played, and continue to play, in our national history.
“An absorbing look at the complex relationship between Native Americans and race.” – Rebekah Kati, Booklist
“A charged argument for fully including Native Americans in America’s racial history.” – Kirkus Reviews
“The Chosen and the Damned is a comprehensive and damning account of the divisive relationship between the United States and the Native Americans. Author David J. Silverman looks beyond the textbook dogma in detailing the litany of abuses committed against the men, women, and children of various tribes, resulting in a vital piece of American Historical literature.” – Phliip Zozzaro, Seattle Book Review
End of Days: Ruby Ridge, the Apocalypse, and the Unmaking of America by Chris Jennings
nonfiction / history / true crime / politics / religion.
On August 21, 1992, federal agents surveilled a cabin in Boundary County, Idaho, as part of an operation to arrest white separatist Randy Weaver for failure to appear in court. What followed was a shootout and eleven-day standoff punctuated by shocking bursts of violence. By the time Weaver surrendered to the authorities, his wife, son, and dog lay dead, as did a US Marshal.
In End of Days, Chris Jennings uses the gripping story of Ruby Ridge to examine the long history of apocalyptic faith in America and the way it has changed the nation. The strain of doomsday Christianity that gripped the Weavers, he shows, was grounded in a particular reading of the Book of Revelation that can be traced back to the 1870s and the twentieth century rise of Christian fundamentalism. Today, polling indicates that almost 60 percent of white evangelicals believe the apocalyptic prophecies in the Book of Revelation will soon come to pass. Against that backdrop, the perceived overreaction by federal forces in Idaho galvanized and radicalized many Americans, triggering the birth of the militia movement and propelling the conspiratorial politics that have defined the Trump era. The story of the Weavers holds the key to understanding this downward spiral and, perhaps, to reversing it.
“Jennings offers not just a searing account of the standoff but a definitive intellectual history…” – Dan Piepenbring, Harper’s
“Through rewarding synthesis and references past and present, Jennings makes readers eager to turn the page or bring up a factoid with a friend… What with a wealth of recent conspiracy-ridden, apocalyptic blockbuster films, Jennings’ deep-dive will be of interest to fans of One Battle after Another, Bugonia, and Eddington.” – Abby McCabe, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“[A] stirring account… Sharply observed and chillingly relevant, this real-life page-turner reveals how economic desperation, isolationist faith, and conspiracy thinking can form a combustible blend.” – Publishers Weekly
Frog: and Other Essays by Anne Fadiman
nonfiction / essays.
In Frog, Anne Fadiman returns to her favorite genre, the essay, of which she is one of our most celebrated practitioners. Ranging in subject matter from her deceased frog, to archaic printer technology, to the fraught relationship between Samuel Taylor Coleridge and his son Hartley, these essays unlock a whole world―one overflowing with mundanity and oddity―through sly observation and brilliant wit.
The diverse subjects of Frog are bound together by the quality of Fadiman’s attention, and subtly, they come to form a slantwise portrait of the artist, a writer dedicated to chronicling the world as it changes around her, in ways small and large, as time passes.
“Fadiman is a joy to read for the etched-glass precision of her language and the warmth of her candor and wit… In each dynamic and sharp-as-a-pin essay, Fadiman turns curious facts into provocative and enlightening thoughts and feelings.” – Donna Seaman, Booklist
“Fadiman has a knack for finding the extraordinary in the ordinary, using everyday objects to explore such profound themes as grief, loss, and personal growth… Readers will be captivated.” – Publishers Weekly
“New York Times journalist Sam Anderson, in his warm introduction, praises Fadiman’s work as ‘lovingly open and inviting.’ That praise is amply borne out in witty, sometimes wistful, always sharply observed pieces… A delightful gathering.” – Kirkus Reviews
I Hope You Find What You’re Looking For by Bsrat Mezghebe
fiction / historical fiction.
The year is 1991. Eritrea is on the verge of liberation from Ethiopian rule and in Washington, D.C.’s tight-knit Eritrean community, change is in the air. Thirteen-year-old Lydia and her family are grappling with what peace after decades of war might mean for their future, just as they welcome Berekhet―a distant cousin newly arrived from Ethiopia to attend medical school in the States. With him comes a barrage of new ideas Lydia must confront for the first time, about the stories of nationhood and family she was raised on.
Meanwhile her mother, Elsa, a former rebel fighter, and the family matriarch, Mama Zewdi, must grapple with regrets long buried in the time their country has been at war. Elsa’s path from Eritrea to D.C. was paved with courage and loss, and figures from her past on the front lines of battle begin to resurface. Mama Zewdi, who runs a successful injera business out of her apartment, finds herself reexamining her place in their little family for the first time, while Lydia, emboldened by Berekhet, becomes committed to uncovering the secrets of her and her mother’s past―including the truth about her father, who was martyred in the war.
A loving ode to an immigrant community on the cusp of a new age, I Hope You Find What You’re Looking For boldly asks: How does our past define our present? And what stories must we let go of to be truly free?
“Mezghebe delivers a commanding first novel… With challenging prose, she investigates the meaning of family, love, and the complexities of home… An exceptional debut.” – Enobong Tommelleo, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“[A] nuanced debut… Mezghebe crafts a kaleidoscopic portrait of the ways her characters are torn between duty and desire for independence… Readers will find much to admire.” – Publishers Weekly
“[A] layered, intimate look at an immigrant community grappling not only with everyday life—making a living, keeping their culture alive and present—but also with whether they can ever return home… A promising debut, I Hope You Find What You’re Looking For is both a coming-of-age and coming-of-middle-age story, as Lydia, Elsa and Zewdi begin to find their places in their world.” – Sarah McCraw Crow, BookPage
In Sickness and In Health: Love Stories from the Front Lines of America’s Caregiving Crisis by Laura Mauldin
nonfiction / current events / health / politics.
When twenty-seven-year-old Laura Mauldin moved to New York for graduate school, she fell headlong into love. But just months into the relationship, her partner’s leukemia returned—and in a country without adequate systems for long-term care, Laura found herself quietly and devastatingly transformed from romantic partner to unpaid, full-time caregiver, fighting to keep the woman she loved alive in a system designed to let them both fall through the cracks.
Now a sociologist and professor of disability studies, Dr. Mauldin turns her private pain into a searing public investigation. To better understand her own experience, she speaks with couples across the country navigating the brutal, lonely fallout of chronic illness and disability. These are heartbreaking stories of love under strain — relationships full of extraordinary intimacy and resilience, but pushed to the edge by an ableist society that would rather look away from its most vulnerable citizens. At the heart of this investigation is a profound series of questions: What if love isn’t enough? What if our most cherished romantic ideals—commitment, sacrifice, “in sickness and in health” — have been weaponized to excuse the state from its responsibilities? And what happens to love when we ask it to do the work of an entire broken system?
Urgent, unflinching, and full of grace, In Sickness and In Health is a rallying cry for a radical reimagining of care—not as an individual act of devotion, but as a collective responsibility. In connecting the care crisis to the politics of love and intimacy, Mauldin reframes the conversation, urging us to build a world where no one is left to do the work of love alone.
“…gut-wrenching… Mauldin’s account stands out for its courageous coverage of taboo topics… both an unflinching look at private worlds of pain and a forceful denunciation of America’s for-profit healthcare system.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“With the federal government making it increasingly difficult to get financial help, Mauldin makes a heartfelt plea for cultivating community rather than insisting on the primacy of spouses as caregivers.” – Karen Springen, Booklist
“A powerful indictment of a health care system that relies on unpaid labor for caretaking… Of particular help to caregivers, who will appreciate both Mauldin’s sharp observations and her warm encouragement.” – Kirkus Reviews
Keeper of Lost Children by Sadeqa Johnson ★
fiction / historical fiction.
Ethel Gathers, the proud wife of an American Officer, is living in Occupied Germany in the 1950s. After discovering a local orphanage filled with the abandoned mixed-race children of German women and Black American GI’s, Ethel feels compelled to help find these children homes.
Philadelphia born Ozzie Phillips volunteers for the recently desegregated army in 1948, eager to make his mark in the world. While serving in Manheim, Germany, he meets a local woman, Jelka, and the two embark on a relationship that will impact their lives forever.
In 1965 Maryland, Sophia Clark is given an opportunity to attend a prestigious all white boarding school and escape her heartless parents. While at the school, she discovers a secret that upends her world and sends her on a quest to unravel her own identity.
Toggling between the lives of these three individuals, Keeper of Lost Children explores how one woman’s vision will change the course of countless lives, and demonstrates that love in its myriad of forms—familial, parental, and forbidden, even love of self—can be transcendent.
“Sadeqa Johnson is the master of historical fiction and Keeper of the Lost Children does not disappoint.” – Adriana Trigiani, Today
“…brilliant… Johnson once again uncovers overlooked corners of history, blending emotional storytelling with historical depth… Johnson gives voice to history’s voiceless and delivers a moving exploration of hope, courage, and the ties that bind us through generations.” – Emily Park, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“This book blew me away. It wasn’t just about the war or racism, although there is plenty of that; it was about finding strength and how we are all connected through the generations via our history… made me think and broke my heart. I know it’s [early], but I am willing to bet this will be one of my favourite books of the year. All. The. Stars.” – Shelley, The Book Review Crew
“I love when fiction introduces me to a piece of history I never knew about, and Keeper of Lost Children does just that… I loved everything about this book, from the impeccably researched plot to the beautifully-drawn characters.” – Julia Quinn, Today
The Mixed Marriage Project: A Memoir of Love, Race, and Family by Dorothy Roberts
nonfiction / memoir / history / biography.
Dorothy Roberts grew up in a deeply segregated Chicago of the 1960s where relationships barely crossed the “colorline.” Yet inside her own home, where her father was white and her mother a Black Jamaican immigrant, interracial marriage wasn’t just a part of her upbringing, it was a shared mission. Her father, an anthropologist, spent her entire childhood working on a book about Black-white marriages—a project he never finished but shaped every aspect of their family life.
As a 21-year-old graduate student, Dorothy’s father dedicated himself to the study of interracial marriage and her mother soon became his full-time partner in that work. Together over the years they interviewed over 500 couples and assembled stunning stories about interracial marriages that took place as early as the 1880s—studying, but also living, championing, and believing in their power to advance social equality.
Decades later, while sorting through her father’s papers, Roberts uncovers a truth that upends everything she thought she knew about her family: her father’s research didn’t begin with her parents’ love story—it came long before it. This discovery forces her to wrestle with her father’s intentions, her own views about interracial relationships, and where she fits in that story. Rather than finish the book her father never published, Roberts immerses herself in their archive of interviews to trace the story of her parents and to better understand her own.
Though grounded in her parents’ research, it’s Roberts’ captivating storytelling that drives this memoir. In following the arc of her parents’ interviews and marriage, The Mixed Marriage Project invites us into the everyday lives of interracial couples in Chicago over four decades. Along the way, Roberts reflects on her own childhood as a Black girl with a white father, and how those experiences shaped her into one of today’s most prominent public thinkers and scholars on race. Blurring the boundaries between the political and the personal, between memoir and history, The Mixed Marriage Project is a deeply moving meditation on family, race, identity, and love.
“[A] nuanced and graceful memoir that doubles as an eye-opening history of interracial intimacy in America.” – Publishers Weekly
“[A] rich and riveting blend of memoir and research that tackles issues ranging from redlining to intersectional racism and sexism to personal musings about discovering her mother’s scholarly voice and her father’s commitment to building community.. an insightful and fundamentally joyful narrative about uncovering a family’s hidden past.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“The interviews offer a fascinating glimpse into a fraught racial past, but it’s perhaps most moving to witness Roberts as she strives to grapple with her parents’ full personhood and how they diverged from and aligned with the family narratives she always knew. A tender, thoughtful, unsentimental chronicle of the author’s beloved family and America’s messy racial history.” – Jenny Hamilton, Booklist
One Bad Mother: In Praise of Psycho Housewives, Stage Mothers, Momfluencers, and Other Women We Love to Hate by Ej Dickson
nonfiction / history / culture / parenting.
We all have an idea what it means to be a good mom: little screen time, kids hitting their milestones, endless patience and understanding, and self-sacrifice on behalf of one’s children. But what does it mean to be a “bad mom” in modern society? Women as wide-ranging as Meghan Markle, Hannah Neelman (of Ballerina Farm), and anyone giving birth over forty, have been labeled “bad moms.” In a world where the rules are constantly changing, it feels like women simply cannot win.
With this in mind, in her first book, Ej Dickson takes a sharp, provocative look at one of society’s most polarizing labels: the “bad mom.” What makes a mother “bad,” and why? Through the lens of pop culture and American history, Ej Dickson explores how this trope has evolved—from Victorian “angels in the house” to the infamous Mommie Dearest, from Instagram influencers like EmRata and Mormon momfluencers to fictional icons like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Each chapter dives into a different archetype of so-called bad motherhood—like the Stage Mom, the Tiger Mom, the MILF, the MLM hun—challenging us to rethink our assumptions about femininity, parenting, and societal expectations. Drawing on insightful analysis and interviews, Dickson unpacks why our culture is obsessed with vilifying moms and how issues of race and class shape these narratives. Are bad moms truly “bad,” or do they simply defy norms we don’t fully understand—or fear?
This isn’t just cultural commentary—it’s a clarion call. Because if we really take a close look, we might find that some of the women we’ve reviled throughout history are due for a reassessment — and in doing so, moms today may take some much-needed pressure off themselves. One Bad Mother invites moms everywhere to stop chasing impossible standards, reclaim their autonomy, and maybe—just maybe—enjoy motherhood for what it is, not what it’s “supposed” to be.
Thoughtful, eye-opening, and downright funny at times, One Bad Mother is a vital exploration of modern motherhood.
“Dickson writes with a refreshing absence of self-pity, and with empathy even for mothers whose practices and preferences differ vastly from her own.” – The New Yorker
“A relatable, thoughtful, and enjoyable read for any mother who has ever questioned her parenting abilities.” – Yuliana Nguyen, Library Journal
“…smart and funny… This provocative critique will challenge readers’ assumptions about motherhood.” – Publishers Weekly
Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman ★
fiction / science fiction / action.
All colonist Oliver Lewis ever wanted to do was run the family ranch with his sister, maybe play a gig or two with his band, and keep his family’s aging fleet of intelligent agriculture bots ticking as long as possible. He figures it will be a good thing when the transfer gate finally opens all the way and restores instant travel and full communication between Earth and his planet, New Sonora. But there’s a complication.
Even though the settlers were promised they’d be left in peace, Earth’s government now has other plans. The colossal Apex Industries is hired to commence an “eviction action.” But maximizing profits will always be Apex’s number one priority. Why spend money printing and deploying AI soldiers when they can turn it into a game? Why not charge bored Earthers for the opportunity to design their own war machines and remotely pilot them from the comfort of their homes?
The game is called Operation Bounce House.
Oliver and his friends soon find themselves fighting for their lives against machines piloted by gamers who’ve paid a premium for the privilege. With the help of an old book from his grandfather and a bucket of rusty parts, Oliver is determined to defend the only home he’s ever known.
“[A] visceral thrill ride that will have readers furiously flipping pages… a scathing critique of capitalism-run-amok and streaming culture… The conclusion is satisfying and complete, though a decent amount of space is left for potential sequels or prequels. If they can pull off the same mix of thrills, humanity, comedy, and commentary as this book, count me in.” – Sean Farrell, AFPL Journal
“One of the most interesting takes on colonized planets. What really makes it work are the characters. They’re the kind of people you could actually meet, even if humanity did start over on another world.” – Kimberly Marcy, The Indie Next List
“Dinniman skillfully cloaks several current-day issues, such as swatting, genocide, othering, and concerns about AI, in this captivating futuristic read.” – Frances Moritz, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“A smart, savage sci-fi satire with terrifying relevance… Operation Bounce House is a wickedly fun and disturbingly prescient sci-fi novel. It explores how ‘othering’ enables invasion, how corporate interests can weaponise entertainment, and how AI can serve both liberation and annihilation.” – Burt Peterson, SciFiNow
This Is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman ★
fiction.
Was this just a brief skirmish, or the beginning of a thirty-year feud? In the Rubinstein family, it could go either way.
When their beloved sister passes away, Sylvia and Helen Rubinstein are unmoored. A misunderstanding about apple cake turns into a decade of stubborn silence. Busy with their own lives—divorces, dating, career setbacks, college applications, bat mitzvahs and ballet recitals—their children do not want to get involved. As for their grandchildren? Impossible.
With This Is Not About Us, master storyteller Allegra Goodman—whose prior collection was heralded as “one of the most astute and engaging books about American family life” (Boston Globe)—returns to the form and subject that endeared her to legions of readers. Sharply observed and laced with humor, This Is Not About Us is a story of growing up and growing old, the weight of parental expectations, and the complex connection between sisters—a big-hearted book about the love that binds a family across generations.
“[A] compelling, love-laced portrait of several generations of a family much like yours, mine and just about everyone’s.” – Lizz Schumer, People
“Goodman’s insight into the intimate machinations of a domestic life is absolutely perfect.” – Emily Firetog, Literary Hub
“Allegra Goodman’s utterly charming new book is carving out new territory in the genre of linked short stories… this is a volume that builds and surprises on many fronts, the cacophony of love and discontent reifying into filigreed depictions of the familial ties that bind.” – Chloe Schama, Vogue
“[A] family saga seasoned with mirth and marveling over human perversity… each scene is radiant with warmth and insight, and the dialogue and inner monologues are crisp, funny, and poignant… Astute, incisive, and soulfully witty, Goodman circulates among her irresistible characters so that each intriguing point of view reveals another facet of their tumultuous family dynamic.” – Donna Seaman, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
Throne of Nightmares by Kerri Maniscalco
fiction / fantasy / romance.
A prince who prefers games of the head to those of the heart.
Prince Sloth hates leaving his enchanted library, but when a forgotten deity threatens the very fabric of the Underworld, he’s thrust into a race against time. He must find the Book of Nightmares—an ancient artifact that has the power to break worlds—before it unleashes a deadly game to free its master, the Goddess of Night. When a betrayal leaves him marked, and desperate, his path collides with a young woman who possesses the legendary Phoenix Tear—a portal stone unlike any other.
A librarian who is all sweet sunshine… until she burns.
Lore Brimstone has always loved getting lost in a book—but she never meant literally. Yet, after visiting a traveling caravan, she quickly finds herself transported to a terrifying but oddly familiar world—with the worst, twisted prince at her side. Realizing they are living out her favorite novels one by one, they face off against an increasingly dark magic as they try to survive the story.
A twisted tale that means they can’t trust themselves—or their hearts.
As Lore and Sloth navigate the pages of her beloved novels gone wrong, she must channel her inner main character to defeat the Book of Nightmares before the wall between the gods and mortals comes crashing down, dooming them all.
“Kerri Maniscalco’s Prince of Sin series continues to absolutely dazzle us…” – Tamara Fuentes, Cosmopolitan
Trad Wife by Saratoga Schaeffer
fiction / horror / suspense / mystery.
When Camille Deming isn’t cooking, cleaning, or homesteading in her picture-perfect country farmhouse, she’s posting about her tradwife lifestyle for her online followers. She takes inspiration from other tradwives on social media, aspiring to be like them, but Camille’s missing a key component: a baby. And contrary to what she posts online, things with her husband Graham have been strained. Pressured by her eager followers, Camille fears that without a baby, her relationship will suffer and her social media will never grow out of its infancy.
When Camille discovers a mysterious, decrepit well in the wheatfield behind her house, she makes a wish for a baby. Afterwards, she has unsettling experiences that she convinces herself are angelic in nature, and when she’s visited one night by a strange creature, her wish comes true.
Camille’s pregnancy announcement gets more engagement than anything she’s ever posted—so what if Graham’s reaction is lukewarm? Camille’s life is finally falling into place. Never mind that her pregnancy is developing freakishly rapidly and she’s suddenly craving raw meat. Being a traditional wife is worth it.
“Saratoga Schaefer’s Trad Wife is one of those novels that truly sticks with you. It blends real horrors with the supernatural in a way that’s timely and deeply unsettling.” – Justin Soderberg, Capes & Tights
“Get ready for an intense, gory, and brutally honest tale in which good and evil are unclear. Readers will root for things that will surprise them, and a psychologically unmooring, but undeniably happy ending, will leave all feeling a lingering unease long after turning the final page.” – Becky Spratford, Library Journal
“[A] kinda sexy, very bloody, unexpectedly fun, righteously furious and nuanced condemnation of the pretty pre-historic ‘trad-wife,’ culture that has taken the internet by storm… a far stranger, more bingeable beast that I consumed with mounting dread, disbelief and delight… hits all the right notes, it’s politically engaged, quite rightly enraged, and genuinely highly entertaining and cathartic in its excess.” – George Dunn, FanFiAddict
Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood
fiction / romance.
Viola Bowen has the chance of a lifetime: to design a video game based on her all-time favorite book series. The only problem? Her co-lead is Jesse F-ing Andrews, aka her archnemesis. Jesse has made it abundantly clear over the years that he wants nothing to do with her—and Viola has no idea why.
When their bosses insist a wintery retreat is the perfect team-building exercise, Viola can’t think of anything worse. Being freezing cold in a remote mountain lodge knowing Jesse is right next door? No, thank you.
But as the snow piles on, Viola discovers there’s more to Jesse than she knew, and heat builds in more ways than one.
“…charming… witty, funny, and geeky in all the right ways.” – Erin Cataldi, Library Journal
“It will have romance readers, especially Hazelwood fans, jumping for joy.” – Kayne Spooner, All About Romance
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