“A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men.” – Gloria Steinem (1934-2026)
Actually, Nevermind: Essays by Taylor Tomlinson
nonfiction / memoir / comedy.
As she approaches thirty-four—the same age her mother, Angela, was at her death—Tomlinson grapples with fear and ambition, identity and doubt, and all the ways her mind has changed since the day her mom died.
In these sharply observed, uproariously funny, and moving original essays, Tomlinson leads readers through a tour of her brain and her shifting opinions about everything from love and relationships, mental health and therapy, religion and sex, food and body image, being the eldest daughter and the only woman in late-night TV, to ghosts, morning people, and more.
With the same unflinching honesty that fuels her beloved stand-up specials, she captures the dizzying contradictions of adulthood in the modern world: wanting independence while craving reassurance, chasing self-improvement while resisting change, and finally learning that certainty can be overrated. “True wisdom,” writes Tomlinson, “is accepting how little you know, and real maturity is becoming as flexible as possible. (Emotionally, not physically. Real maturity also means needing to stretch way more).”
A “fearless” (NPR) comedian who “makes even the heaviest subjects seem spikily funny” (Jason Zinoman, New York Times), Tomlinson now brings her natural storytelling gifts and incisive wit to the page in Actually, Nevermind.
“Seriously funny.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“Through it all, [Tomlinson] remains unwaveringly frank and never less than endearing. The result is a rousing ode to indecision.” – Publishers Weekly
All the Wrong Moves: How Three Catastrophic Decisions Led to the Rise of Trump by Anthony Scaramucci
nonfiction / politics / history / economics.
We’re living in an age of deep political anger and frustration. Where did it come from? All the Wrong Moves offers a new, eye-opening answer, rooted in history, business, and the author’s firsthand experience, that reveals the true origins of America’s current political crisis.
In All the Wrong Moves, Anthony Scaramucci charts how both political parties, over three decades, made a series of catastrophic decisions that quietly dismantled the system supporting the American dream. First came Bill Clinton’s trade deal with China, which opened U.S. markets while abandoning American workers. Next, George W. Bush’s choice to wage war while cutting taxes, exploding the deficit. Finally, Barack Obama’s bank bailout, which saved Wall Street but left millions of ordinary families behind. Each decision deepened inequality, corroded trust, and fueled the anger that empowered Donald Trump’s rise and his ongoing assault on democracy and the rule of law.
From the trading floors of Wall Street to the corridors of Washington, Scaramucci has witnessed how money, ambition, and hubris reshaped American politics. A product of the working class who rose to the heights of finance and power, he brings a rare insider’s perspective to how both parties lost touch with the people they once represented.
But All the Wrong Moves isn’t just about how we got here―it’s about how we get out. Scaramucci lays out practical solutions, including economic policies to rebuild opportunity for the working class and constitutional reforms to protect our democracy. It’s a sharp, surprising critique that cuts through partisanship and challenges readers on the left, right, and center to reclaim what the American dream was always meant to be.
“…Scaramucci offers a learned and persuasive account of how economics relates directly to the current state of affairs… Smart and with just the right amount of vitriol.” – Kirkus Reviews
“[A] bipartisan critique of national policy. Highly recommended for readers interested in the story behind national public policy initiatives and how unintended consequences often result from these actions.” – Jerry Stephens, Library Journal
“…All the Wrong Moves is, like the man himself, lively and engaging and will not disappoint his fans. Part economic and political history, part memoir, part mea culpa for his early support for Trump, part manifesto to rescue American democracy and the rule of law from the President and his rapacious clan, it is above all a paean to the American dream: the idea that all Americans, if they work hard, can aspire to genuine prosperity for themselves and their children.” – Simon Nixon, Literary Review
Avalon, Rise by Madeline ffitch
fiction.
Ditched on the side of the road, two friends shelter for the night in a barn. When they wake, one comes face-to-face with his destiny―an antique letterpress, the Vandercook No. 4.
Woody and Leroi have been friends their whole lives. But as Leroi falls in with the collective that cooks every Sunday in the park, learning about traveler symbols and how to slice a cucumber, Woody starts to snort the pills he’s been selling. He makes his art: beautiful letterpress signs for protests, and business cards commissioned by a woman he knows as Stasia but whom others know to be the leader of a white nationalist movement. Stasia bought the barn with the Vandercook in it; she says Woody can use it anytime. What does she want in return?
Woody and Leroi are just two residents of this Appalachian town. Their lives intersect, often at the library, with a cast of delightfully eccentric individuals. Eloise, the town librarian and lifelong activist. The punks at Food Not Bombs. Sharon, a wry social worker. Emma, a mom trying really hard not to take out her anger on her kids. Amber, the health goddess who runs the Discipline Cafe. Sylvester, an unhoused man with a long history in town. Matt Mistelthwaite, a World War II veteran with his own connections to the Vandercook. When Stasia insists on hosting a European Heritage Rug Braiding workshop at the library, everyone’s lives will be upended.
In Avalon, Rise, an ensemble novel genuinely rooted in the collective, Madeline ffitch asks big questions and doesn’t look away from the answers.
“A blistering, multifaceted novel about collective action, being in community, and fighting for what’s right.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“When people speak in urgent tones about the need for art that engages in the politics of the moment, they are imagining the novels of Madeline ffitch… Through it all, ffitch avoids the writer’s temptation to ventriloquize through her characters: there are no long political monologues, no epiphanic moments of leveling up from passive politics to radical action. It’s just people trying: to help each other, to be better, and to do the right thing. And if some of that entails punching a Nazi along the way, who’s complaining?” – Jonny Diamond, Literary Hub
“[A] nuanced portrait of a forgotten town on the brink of change, in which many remember the fighting spirit of their Appalachian forebearers, while others are driven by survival mode. Economic realities are harsh, and anger and love are two sides of the same coin. Avalon, Rise is a powerful and beautifully written ode to a region that will resonate with readers far and wide; book groups should take note.“ – Susan Maguire, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
Christmas in Austenland by Shannon Hale
fiction / romance.
Kestrel Klein has always been too much. Too much for her mother to manage or for any path in life to actually work out. Too much for her sweet Hank–the guy she thought was her soulmate, before he broke her heart. Itching for a big change, Kestrel enters a contest and wins a vacation to Pembrook Park, an immersive Austen experience. Bonus: it’s during Christmas, the one holiday where being too much is the whole point.
Once inside Austenland, Kestrel feels… dare she say, happy? Is it the cozy hearth fires warming her jaded heart? Is it the fun of gentlemen attempting to woo her under the mistletoe? Is it the instant friends who bring her into the fold? She’s always worried that unless she can tamp down her too-muchness, she’ll never find that found family she craves. Just as Kestrel begins to soften her well-honed defenses, an unexpected visitor disrupts the holiday celebrations. Perhaps it’s the chance she needs to find out if her one true love really was meant to be. But now that she finally feels at home, is he still what she wants?
The third book in this utterly delightful series gives readers the chance to relish all the fun of Regency romance, from the comfort of their modern lives.
“[A] sophisticated, festive romance… Featuring electric chemistry and meta-narrative high jinks, this story interrogates the line between performance and reality. A compelling story for mature fans of Hale’s young adult novels.” – Richard Winters, School Library Journal
A Complement of Scoundrels by S.V. Lockwood
fiction / fantasy / suspense.
Cracking the Elysius Vault should’ve made Myria the richest thief in all Carintheum. Instead, it shattered her crew and left her rotting in jail while her double-crossing master walked away with everything that should’ve been hers.
But now she’s out, and it’s time to settle the score. Reunite her crew? A pleasure. Steal back everything her erstwhile leader took? And then some. She’ll just need to trick the king of all tricksters, with the law on her heels, and a troublesome new ally whose loyalties seem as conflicted as his feelings for Myria. It’s the most audacious heist she’s ever attempted, but she failed her crew once. This time, she’ll make it right—at any cost.
A Complement of Scoundrels is a bold, raucous journey through the underbelly of an empire where the devil’s rules reign, and morality, loyalty, and friendship are values few can afford. But where there’s a wit, there’s a way—and Myria has plenty of that.
“[An] imminently delightful cast working a deliciously complex scheme filled with well-developed politics and moments of true catharsis. Indeed, Lockwood imbues this tale of cynical criminals with a surprising amount of heart.” – Publishers Weekly
“Lockwood’s debut is Ocean’s Eleven in fantasy form, complete with humor and enough tension to keep readers voraciously turning the pages.” – Laura Hiatt, Library Journal
Crossing the Red Line: Biden, His Advisors, and Israel’s War in Gaza by Akbar Shahid Ahmed
nonfiction / politics / history / current events.
Following Hamas’s horrific October 7 attack, Israel launched an offensive of staggering violence in Gaza, saying it targeted militants while regularly striking hospitals, schools, and homes. Critically acclaimed journalist Akbar Shahid Ahmed offers extensive reporting and chilling new details about how the Biden administration enabled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu―ignoring warnings from government experts and implicating Americans in thousands of apparent war crimes. Washington did little to free Israeli hostages or shield innocent Palestinians as protests grew nationwide and international human rights principles crumbled. Still, President Joe Biden denied he was giving Netanyahu a blank check. He set a “red line” over the town of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians were sheltering, saying an assault there would risk Israel’s pipeline of American bombs. Yet after Netanyahu’s advance began, deepening Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe, Biden’s team kept weapons flowing.
In vivid prose and with unparalleled access to insiders, Ahmed depicts a White House that resisted a course correction as its failures became undeniable. He probes Biden’s inner circle: a paranoid and imperious group shaped by the War on Terror, whose choices fueled tens of thousands of avoidable deaths among Palestinians, Lebanese, and Israelis, torpedoed long-time standards for warfare, and created a more dangerous world for us all. The Biden administration’s decisions drove voter backlash that helped Donald Trump regain power, and established patterns of impunity that have spurred wider bloodshed under Trump.
Crossing the Red Line is an urgent reckoning with Biden’s record on Gaza that is vital to understanding historic damage to America’s standing in the world, and a period whose dark consequences will resonate globally for decades to come.
“[A] withering account of the Biden administration’s response to the war in Gaza… a highly incriminating report.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“…Ahmed shows again and again how Biden’s failure to act—at the advice of his inner circle—led to thousands of preventable deaths.” – Jonny Diamond, Literary Hub
“[An] indispensable new book… Ahmed doesn’t merely document the decisions that led President Biden and his aides to arm and rationalize what leading human rights organizations and legal scholars now consider a genocide. He also illuminates the habits of mind that underlay those decisions… Ahmed also offers a glimpse into just how entangled the Biden White House was with lobbyists and donors… Crossing the Red Line captures the absurdity of American officials who typically comported themselves with superpower swagger, pleading with Israel to impose even minimal restrictions on its military campaign.” – Peter Beinart, New York Times
Empire by Sabaa Tahir
fiction / young adult / fantasy / romance.
In the crumbling Martial Empire, crown prince Quil Farrar and his aunt, Empress Helene, are losing a war against the vicious Kegari horde. Quil’s armies dwindle, his faith falters, and the woman he loves vanished months ago, leaving him brokenhearted. Torn between his duty to his people and his desire to discover Sirsha’s fate, Quil embarks on a dangerous quest for aid—from the most treacherous of allies.
Sirsha Westering finds herself tethered to Div, an ancient evil unleashed by a terrible tragedy. Div delights in tormenting Sirsha, hungering for her magical heart. Even as Sirsha struggles for control of her own fate, she is desperate to shield Quil from Div’s destructive power. But Div won’t release Sirsha without a fight. To earn her freedom, Sirsha must uncover Div’s past—and face horrors in her own.
Cero bet-Dafra, former right hand of the Kegari leader, Aiz, now finds himself pitted against her. As Aiz slips further into violence and delusion, Cero must discover if his people have any hope of a future or if they’re condemned to an unending cycle of violence. His journey will force him to confront hidden truths, ancient secrets, and a lie that could destroy the world.
In Empire, #1 New York Times bestselling author Sabaa Tahir returns to the expansive world of fury and vengeance of Heir, weaving a story of legacy and rebellion, loyalty and freedom, and what it means to confront the monsters that lurk within us all.
“This emotionally charged finale is executed flawlessly and includes a hopeful look to the future. Readers, buckle up for the ride of your life; you might even spot an Easter egg along the way.” – Amber Hayes, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“[Empire] pack[s] an emotional punch… we can’t help but be mesmerized…” – Tamara Fuentes, Cosmopolitan
“…Tahir thoughtfully examines the cost of war and its harsh effects on the most vulnerable.” – BookPage, STARRED REVIEW
Happy Snacking, Don’t Die!: Foraging and Vegan Recipes with Black Forager by Alexis Nikole Nelson with Jeanelle Hayner Olson
nonfiction / food / cooking / nature.
Your next favorite ingredient might be hiding in plain sight in your own backyard. Alexis Nikole Nelson, best known to millions of fans as Black Forager, invites you on an adventure to discover the abundance around you. Alexis captivates people with her joyful enthusiasm and deep knowledge of foraging and inspires them to explore the bounty of their own backyards, parks, and trails, and now she does the same in her eagerly awaited first book.
Part foraging guide, part plant-based cookbook, Happy Snacking, Don’t Die! shows you how to turn common plants, flowers, and fungi into yummy, vegan meals during each season—no wilderness survival skills required. In spring, you’ll learn to pickle Magnolia flowers and turn Japanese Knotweed into a refreshing granita. Summer is for frying up Milkweed Buds, making Juneberry Hand Pies, and crafting Rosewater Baklava. When fall arrives, you’ll be making savory mushroom dishes (a.k.a. chicken of the woods) like Maitake steak and bacon. And in winter, cozy up with Pine Shortbread Cookies and Oyster Mushroom Chowdah.
With helpful plant identification photos throughout, this book is an essential resource packed with practical tips on ethical foraging and crucial safety information (so you “don’t die”) for people across the northern hemisphere. With her signature humor and infectious spirit, Alexis proves that foraging isn’t just for survivalists—it’s for anyone who wants to connect with nature and add exciting new flavors to their table.
“[Nelson] pads practical advice and inventive recipes with humor…” – BookPage, STARRED REVIEW
“[Nelson] demystifies the vast array of food that you can forage without even having to go deep into the woods… a guide to seeing even your suburban neighborhood through new eyes.” – Bettina Makalintal, Eater
“…let me tell you, [Nelson’s] first book is every bit as joyful and helpful and fun as you’d hope. This book (which might be the prettiest book mail I’ve ever gotten) is part foraging field guide, part vegan cookbook, all a delight.” – Julie Sprankles, Scary Mommy
Harbinger by Geneva Lee
fiction / fantasy / romance.
Arden Icaros was never supposed to matter. From the poorest of five noble bloodlines, she prefers life on the family farm with dirt under her nails over the fine dresses at court. She just needs to get through one boring ceremony, inherit her earth magic, and return home.
Instead, she’s handed a dagger and with it, an impossible choice.
Now Arden is branded an omen of war, half the nobility wants her dead, and assassins are tracking her every move.
Her only chance of survival lies with the most feared man in Antares.
They call him Bishop. No one remembers the name he had before he dedicated his life to his order. Empowered to execute first and question later, Bishop is ruthless, terrifying, and utterly loyal to the kingdom that wants Arden dead.
He should kill her.
Instead, he offers her sanctuary.
But the longer Arden stays under Bishop’s protection, the more dangerous he becomes. Because Bishop has secrets powerful enough to topple kingdoms… and a need for Arden that could ruin them both.
“Game of Thrones meets Divergent in the new epic fantasy from blockbuster bestselling author Geneva Lee.” – Elise Dumpleton, The Nerd Daily
“Readers will quickly find themselves eager to discover what the Stars have in store for Bishop and Arden… Within her realm of celestial magic, Arden Icaros joins the ranks of Violet Sorrengail of Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing and Feyre Archeron of Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses as romantasy’s newest tough female protagonist… a lively, banter-filled novel with an engaging premise, complex characters, and satisfying erotic scenes that complement rather than overpower the finely woven plot… An ardent slow burn that will leave readers yearning for more.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Once I started, I couldn’t stop… a strong pick for readers who want their romantasy with a genuinely dangerous love interest, political stakes, and a fierce and stubborn heroine who earns her growth.” – Mom Needs a Chapter
Hollywood, Ending by John Green ★
fiction / romance.
For rising talents Kai Laramie and Juniper Castillo, being cast in the buzzy biopic Andy Warhol Never Gets Old is the opportunity they’ve both been waiting for. They’re on the verge of breaking out, and maybe even falling in love. Soon, the movie is blowing up, and so are their lives—in exciting, but also terrifying, ways.
John Green artfully blends a behind-the-scenes Hollywood love story with an unflinching examination of the insatiable attention economy. Told through dual points of view, the novel brilliantly juxtaposes the on-screen study of Warhol’s life at the dawn of celebrity culture with the intimate struggles of two young people figuring out who they are, both together and alone.
Tender, heartbreaking, and shrewdly funny, this is a story as only Green can tell it. Hollywood, Ending is a deeply observed novel about the tension between a public and a private life, and the audacity to pursue the kind of love we all deserve.
“A classic Green portrait of young love… but here the fault is in our social media.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“[An] enthralling tale aglow with all the traits his steadfast fans adore but deepened by more complex predicaments, inquiries, and insights… Green’s storytelling is astute, empathic, and magnetizing as Juniper and Kai take turns narrating… provocative and suspenseful… [an] intellectually keen and warmhearted tale… [a] spellbinding, tender, incisive, funny, and compassionate story of love and creativity.” – Donna Seaman, Booklist
It’s Not What You Think by Clare Mackintosh
fiction / suspense / mystery.
He has a secret. She knows he’s lying…
Nadeeka is certain Jamie is having an affair. She knows the tell-tale signs. She’s been here before.
When Jamie claims to be at work late, she knows he’s lying. He’s with another woman, and she’s determined to catch him in the act.
But when Nadeeka arrives home to confront him, Jamie can’t explain himself. The house has become a crime scene… Jamie is dead.
YOU THINK YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE
YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHO YOU CAN TRUST
YOU THINK YOU KNOW HOW THE STORY ENDS
IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK.
“…Macintosh’s latest evokes the tension and gasp-worthy twists that won over fans of I Let You Go… This winner’s nuanced cast of characters stokes constant plot-driving doubt.” – Christine Tran, Booklist
“…dark, witty, and unsettling. The book makes us take a look at the difference between what we see and what’s really there.” – Shelley, The Book Review Crew
“My GOD, I’m a Clare Mack fan for life after this!… a brilliantly written thriller with twists and turns aplenty, exceptional characters and dark, dangerous secrets… It’s Not What You Think is one of the most anxiety-inducing books I’ve ever read, a proper heart-in-mouth, twisty thriller that I couldn’t stop thinking about!” – A Quintillion Words
Mazywood by Tananarive Due ★
fiction / horror / historical fiction / suspense / mystery.
When Johnny—a filmmaker and grandson of the famous Black actress Mazelle Washington—brings his family to Mazywood, the secluded California mountain lodge left behind by his grandmother, he expects a quiet retreat. Instead, he uncovers a legacy of rage, secrets, and terror that has haunted his family for generations.
Set primarily in the present day, with haunting flashbacks to Hollywood’s Golden Age, Mazywood explores three generations while following Johnny as he pieces together the true story of his grandmother. As a young Black actress whose career spanned from the 1920s to the 1940s, Mazelle brushed shoulders with giants like Lena Horne, Clark Gable, and Hattie McDaniel. But beneath her public appearance, she carried a secret she had kept and nurtured since she was a child, when a dark wish came true and changed the course of her life forever.
Now, fifty years after Mazelle’s death, Johnny finds himself confronting the truth she buried—and the consequences she left behind. For a monster lurks outside Mazywood, hidden for generations, and Johnny brought his family to its hunting grounds.
“Simply stated, this feels perilously close to a career triumph for its author.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“…staggering… a sophisticated blend of Black Hollywood history, generational trauma, family secrets, and the paranormal… Add in nail-biting chase scenes and a blistering final twist, and this heart-pounding horror story further cements Due as one of the greats.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“Due once again successfully uses U.S. history as a framework for developing a genuinely haunting novel which shows that the terrors of the past are not so far away.” – Lila Denning, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
“Featuring alternating time frames, immersive world building, brilliant character development, and perfect pacing, this is a creature feature with brains and bite that will chill readers to the bone, and when it finally fades to black, they will give it a standing ovation.” – Becky Spratford, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
The Mirror of Infinite Endings by Stephanie Garber; illustrated by Lotusbubble
fiction / young adult / fantasy / romance.
Jacks and Evangeline Fox have finally found their happily ever after.
Everything here in the Hollow is wonderful and perfect.
Nothing is going to go wrong.
No one is keeping a secret… except for maybe one.
But don’t worry, it’s not going to rewrite reality or alter history or change the ending of Jacks and Evangeline’s story.
Definitely not.
Featuring cameos from fan-favorite characters and more than twenty full-page illustrations by Lotusbubble, the newest installment in the Once Upon a Broken Heart universe will immerse readers once again in this beloved, #1 New York Times bestselling series. Because every story has the potential for infinite endings.
“[A] playful opportunity to revisit beloved characters without simply repeating the original trilogy.” – Hannah Diffey, Screen Rant
“If you love romantasy [and] you prefer a clean or sweet romance without explicit scenes, then The Mirror of Infinite Endings by Stephanie Garber is the book for you.” – Darling Reader
Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley ★
fiction / mystery / suspense.
High in the Swiss Alps, accessible only by a single, winding railway, stands the luxurious Grand Alpine Hotel. With glorious mountain views and exclusive access to powdery slopes, it draws guests from far and wide.
The notorious actress.
The high-flying politician.
The society wife.
The reckless friend.
The shrewd doctor.
But not everyone is here for a winter holiday.
Beneath the champagne and furs, dark histories simmer; old grudges emerge like cracks in the ice.
And someone is watching from the shadows. A polite, unassuming woman with an extraordinary mind: Miss Marple.
When a body is found and a blizzard cuts off all escape, only Miss Marple can connect the clues before the killer strikes again. Because it isn’t a question of who has a motive, but who’s next…
“[A] sterling mystery… Golden age mystery fans will adore this faithful update.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“A new Miss Marple mystery written by one of the best thriller writers in the business? What’s not to like?… promises—and delivers—plenty of suspense and surprises… Like Sophie Hannah’s Hercule Poirot novels, this new novel featuring a beloved Agatha Christie character is sure to be a rousing success with fans.” – David Pitt, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“Lucy Foley’s take on the iconic detective, which comes 50 years after Christie’s final novel starring her, is worth the wait… Foley pays homage to to Christie and her beloved detective while maintaining her contemporary thriller roots. Fans of Christie, Foley, and intricately plotted novels will be extremely satisfied with this new installment, a fast-moving, tightly plotted mystery set firmly in the 1950s that somehow feels modern too.” – BookPage, STARRED REVIEW
“Foley clearly channeled Christie’s spirit while infusing the story with her own signature style… If you enjoy locked-room tales, glamorous isolated settings, and watching a sharp mind quietly connect the dots while everyone else panics, this snowy Alpine escape delivers the goods.” – Ryan Steck, The Real Book Spy
Our Cut of Salt by Deena Helm ★
fiction / horror / suspense / mystery.
There is something haunting Nuhad’s childhood home in Haifa. Cats avoid its perimeter, strange noises come from within, and residents have mysteriously vanished without a trace. Although Nuhad has not returned to her home since the Nakba in 1948, she always held a place for the house in her heart.
And, in return, the house did the same for her.
After Nuhad passes away, her granddaughter, Marina, is determined to visit her grandmother’s home after a lifetime of being kept in the dark about her culture and family history. Marina’s mother, Haifa – named for the city that was lost to their family – reluctantly agrees to her trip, though she knows firsthand that some secrets are better left buried.
But the house is no longer a home. It is a painful, festering wound that infects everything it touches. The more Marina digs into her family’s past, the sicker she becomes. Despite Nuhad’s ghostly warnings, Haifa rushes to help her daughter.
As the three women converge in their ancestral home, they must put the haunting to rest before the secrets of the past drown them all.
“[A] staggering debut… this elegant outing proves both lyrical and brutal… a beautifully crafted reminder that the greatest horrors often come from the actions of humans.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“…astounding… This should be required reading for the masses. Feel the grief of severance in your hands when reading this book; it will change you.” – Saberin C, Grimdark Magazine
“…startlingly inventive… an unforgettable revenge drama with a supernatural twist… As a debut effort, it is a significant achievement, deploying fabulism to dark, impressive effect to convey historical horrors that, as Helm asserts, are still repeating.” – Shahina Piyarali, Shelf Awareness, STARRED REVIEW
“What makes Our Cut of Salt particularly compelling is its refusal to separate the supernatural from the political. Here, the ghosts are not merely spectral figures lurking in dark corridors; they are manifestations of memory, absence and the enduring consequences of forced displacement. The novel asks whether a home can continue to remember those who were compelled to leave it, and whether confronting the past is the only path towards healing. Blending literary fiction with gothic horror, Our Cut of Salt is an intimate family saga and a meditation on what it means to lose a homeland.” – Sara Hamdan, The New York Times Style Magazine: Middle East North Africa
Racist by Design: Two Centuries of U.S. Immigration Control by Kelly Lytle Hernández
nonfiction / history.
A revolutionary new history that exposes the “whites-only” roots of the American immigration regime.
In Racist by Design, award-winning historian Kelly Lytle Hernández reveals how generations of lawmakers and law enforcers built the American immigration system to encourage white immigrants while targeting nonwhite migrants for exclusion, punishment, and removal. The goal, often explicitly stated by the system’s architects, was to create a permanent caste of undocumented and criminalized workers to provide cheap labor for the American economy.
Many Americans’ understanding of the immigration system begins with the Chinese Exclusion Act of the late nineteenth century. Lytle Hernández expands that history by a full century, showing how the Haitian Revolution of the 1790s inspired not only America’s first immigration bans (to prevent news of a free Black republic from reaching our shores) but also its first refugee resettlement program (to welcome and support Haiti’s evicted enslavers.) She explains how Chinese Exclusion led the Supreme Court to disconnect immigration laws from the constitution. She reveals how eugenicists and Jim Crow segregationists built much of our current immigration regime as expressly “whites-only,” and shows how during the Civil Rights Movement, Congress amended this system but never abolished it, leaving many of the regime’s racist rules and rituals intact today.
Lytle Hernández calls Racist by Design “an act of sabotage,” a book that will expose the blueprints of the system, so it can be dismantled. A nuanced, concise, and brilliant work that will outrage and inflame readers, Racist by Design is a major work by one of our most important historians.
“Expertly researched and accessibly written, Racist By Design is a book for our times. It’s this month’s #RequiredReading.” – Karla J. Strand, Ms.
“A disguised and convoluted history made decipherable and urgent.” – Kirkus Reviews
“[A] landmark examination of the racist roots of the American immigration system… It’s a definitive and forceful call for reform.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
Sometimes I Scare Myself: A Collection of Horror by Jeneva Rose
fiction / short stories / horror / mystery.
Not all nightmares come from sleep. Some come from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jeneva Rose.
Three horror stories.
A dinner party. A quiet house. A roadside stop.
You’ll recognize the setup.
You won’t recognize what comes next.
Never Kill the Medium
A thirtieth birthday dinner turns deadly after someone hires a medium for a playful séance. When the ritual spirals out of control and the medium dies, the guests cover it up–unaware that leaving the séance unfinished has allowed something dark to cross over.
The Nightmare House
The Dalton family moves into what they believe is their forever home, in the quiet town of Tillington–until the house whispers, the neighbors watch, and no one believes the one person who knows something is wrong. Newly postpartum, Kristin Dalton soon uncovers a horrifying truth: every family who has lived in this house has died or disappeared.
All Curses Are Final
On the way to a remote winter cabin, a group of friends stops at a roadside store with a hand-painted warning: “All items cursed. Curse lifted at time of sale.” They laugh it off–until one of them discovers an item in her bag she never paid for. As a storm traps them inside the cabin and bodies start to pile up, paranoia takes hold and suspicion turns inward.
“…haunting… Rose gleefully throws readers into terrifying, gruesome scenarios before pulling the rug out from under them with her signature shocking twists. With wry wit and humor, Rose delivers an engrossing collection that will have her fans salivating for more horror.” – Mia Wilson, Library Journal
“…Rose brings her knack for penning page-turners to this suspenseful trio of horror novellas… Chilling, creepy, and addictive.” – Kristine Huntley, Booklist
“…Rose crafts three uniquely horrifying stories that didn’t disappoint.” – Justin Soderberg, Capes & Tights
Swan Song: Diana, My Sister by Charles Spencer
nonfiction / biography / memoir.
Beautiful. Beloved. Hunted. The extraordinary life and death of Diana, as told by her brother, Charles.
“When asked, ‘What was it like, growing up with Diana?’, my first thought is always, But I don’t know what it was like not to grow up with her…”
In September 1997, Charles Spencer stood in Westminster Abbey before a watching world and shared his grief at losing his beloved sister, Diana. Now, nearly thirty years later, he tells the astonishing story of his life with Diana and the tragic week of her death.
In childhood, Charles and Diana, the youngest Spencers, were inseparable – secretly calling one another Duch and Carlos. As each other’s closest confidantes, they roamed the family estate, endured extremely challenging boarding schools, survived terrifying nannies, and helped each other through the agony of their parents’ divorce.
Yet everything changed when Diana married the Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, and overnight became a global icon. Charles saw his older sister serve the world’s marginalized and relish being mother to her treasured sons.
But, pursued by a barbaric press as her royal marriage crumbled, she was left desperately alone. Charles always tried to be there for Diana – until that black night in August, 1997.
In Swan Song, Charles Spencer provides the most intimate, loving, and honest portrait yet of his sister.
“…emotional… deeply personal…” – Meredith Kile, People
“…explosive… offers an intimate look at Earl Spencer’s relationship with his sister, the breakdown of her marriage, and the aftermath of her tragic 1997 death…” – Kate Thomas, Hello!
An Unexpected Life: A Memoir by Gloria Steinem ★
nonfiction / memoir / history.
Before she became a feminist leader, Gloria Steinem was a curious child: going on road trips with her itinerant father, caring for her mother, and devouring every book she could find. In An Unexpected Life, Steinem reflects on the unlikely experiences and pivotal moments—from a childhood rat bite that opened her eyes to the dangers of poverty to the 1970 Women’s March honoring the right to vote—that shaped the visionary woman she would become.
She shares her years living in India, learning from the nonviolent movement there, and her travels around the world advocating for women’s rights. Along the way, she honors the people who influenced her most, including trailblazers, writers, and thinkers who expanded her understanding of power, community, justice, and solidarity.
Moving between past and present, Steinem examines the progress and setbacks of six decades of activism. As she reflects on the movements she helped build and the victories won for women’s and human rights, she also looks ahead, urging new generations to imagine bolder, more inclusive paths forward.
Intimate, funny, and rich with hard-earned wisdom, An Unexpected Life offers inspiration as we continue the work of building a better future for all.
“In revisiting the equal-rights movements Steinem helped build, she offers wisdom to new generations about what the next chapters of the fight for equality will demand.” – Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair
“As we enter the post-Steinem era – a statement that seems outlandish, given the length and ardour of her service – it’s a pleasure, simply, to spend time in her company…” – Emma Brockes, The Guardian
“Both an engrossing self-portrait and a useful political handbook, this is essential reading.” – Publishers Weekly
“…spare but powerful… With unabashed generosity, Steinem celebrates those who have shared her unconventional and iconic life as she continues to guide generations to come.” – Carol Haggas, Booklist
Well Versed by Jen DeLuca
fiction / romance.
Caitlin Parker was eighteen when she fell out of love with the magic of the Willow Creek Renaissance Faire—the site of her first real heartbreak. But now, twenty-four and unemployed, she finds herself in her childhood bedroom and her childhood lady-in-waiting costume, assisting a rotating cast of substitute queens for the season. The very last person she wants to see is Alexander Wright—the sword-fighting, Shakespeare-spouting young man who won and broke her teenage heart. Yet there he is, older, annoyingly hotter, and back on stage at her Faire.
When Alex broke things off with Caitlin the first time, he thought he was just ending a summer fling. He didn’t realize how much he’d fallen for her until he let her go, and he certainly didn’t know he’d tarnished her memories of her cherished Faire and worse, shattered her view on love and relationships. His need to right that wrong this summer brings them together again and again, and this time, it won’t be so easy to let go of this summer fling.
But as summer winds down, real life is catching up to both of them. Caitlin’s always thought that being an adult with adult responsibilities means leaving whimsy behind. Alex, with a life full of stage combat, songs, and sonnets, doesn’t know how to live any other way. Can they go after their dreams and find a future together where they can still say “huzzah”?
“Featuring an endearing small-town setting, an elaborate Ren Faire backdrop, second-chance and new adult storylines, and a vibrant cast of characters from previous books in the beloved Well Met series, this charming novel will delight fans and new readers alike.” – Migdalia Jimenez, Library Journal
“Readers will find this spicy second-chance-at-love, enemies-to-lovers romance, DeLuca’s fifth visit to Willow Creek’s Renaissance Faire, following Well Matched, altogether charming.” – Diana Tixier Herald, Booklist
The Wretched Divine by Adalyn Grace
fiction / fantasy / romance.
Aurelie Chantelune was born to serve. Raised as a knight in a kingdom ravaged by demons, she’s spent her life honing her blade, driven by the memory of the monsters who tore her family apart and by the knowledge that she’s one of the few who can stop them.
If Aurelie can claim her first kill, she’ll inherit a legacy passed down through the Chantelune bloodline: a soulbond with Yuriel, an angel whose power is vital to her kingdom’s survival. But when those she loves begin turning into the very monsters she’s sworn to destroy, Aurelie is forced to seek help from the last place she ever imagined. Desperate, she forges a second and far more dangerous bond with Severin, a demon she can hardly trust, but who claims to know how to end the war for good.
With their lives and fates entwined, Aurelie, Yuriel, and Severin must team up to hunt down a cure capable of turning demons back into humans. But the more they learn about one another and the deeper their relationships grow, the more Aurelie begins to question the war and her place in it. With both of her bonded on opposing sides, she’ll have to make a choice: continue to stand with the angels, or risk everything by trusting a demon.
“…heart-pounding…” – Elise Dumpleton, The Nerd Daily
“…delightful and sexy with enough new material to ensure readers come back for more.” – Judith Utz, Booklist
“…we were holding our breath through every strategy session and battle scene. A love triangle between an angel and a demon is every bit as delicious—and complicated—as it sounds, and we couldn’t get enough of their electric chemistry… this novel’s vibrant, impeccably detailed setting made us eager to spend time in its epic world.” – Book of the Month
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