“We don’t have to fall into the same category to be of equal value.” – Becky Chambers, A Psalm for the Wild-Built

As You Wake, Break the Shell by Becky Chambers ★

fiction / science fiction / romance.

Life on the resource-poor planet of Fortune is challenging, but for its inhabitants, it’s home. For two of them, Signy and Cora, this home might no longer be enough.

Signy is a brilliant but reclusive botanist who bio-prints medicine from her small plant shop, often bending the rules to help those the system leaves behind. Her life is filled with the green of her store, the warmth of her one elderly friend, and the quiet determination to help others without putting herself in danger.

Cora is a rorqual pilot, one of the few with the unique ability to navigate the massive, living ships that connect the scattered settlements of their solar system. Her bond with her rorqual, Colibri, is profound—a connection that is both her greatest gift and a threat to her career.

It is that threat—the “mindbleed,” a dangerous side effect of her piloting—that brings her to Signy’s shop, and her appearance puts Signy in the danger she so fears. But it’s soon apparent it’s not just about losing her license—this delicate balance between risk and trust has the potential to change everything for them.

Told in an alternating timeline of their initial coming together and a not-so-distant future where they have found domestic bliss, this is a story harrowing and haunting, heartfelt and hopeful. Through a love story centered around survival, we are given a glimpse into the very best of what Becky Chambers does in her writing: explore what it means to be human, and what it means to come together.

“What’s that warmth creeping over you? Why, it’s the awareness of new cozy sci-fi from Becky Chambers…” – Natalie Zutter, Literary Hub

“…brilliant, deeply humane… Infuriating and inspiring in equal measure, this is Chambers at her best.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

“This book has a knack for taking the unknown and making it feel familiar while making the familiar feel unknown, simply by showing it from a new perspective…” – Sam MacDonald, Scientific American

“[A] well-crafted novel. Both Fortune and Cypsela feel like lived-in worlds, textured with little details of how food is grown or the airlocks that protect against inhospitable atmospheres.” – Ashley Rayner, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

Bark Humbug by David Rosenfelt

fiction / mystery / comedy.

This time, Andy is serious about retiring. Besides, he can’t hear the sound of his phone ringing over the football game. But when the local newspaper asks him to participate in their Christmas spread of local celebrities and their dogs, he pauses the game and brings Tara along for the ride.

When the photographer comes to take pictures of him and the dogs, he instead opens the door to Sharon Lowery, who devised the newspaper story just to get Andy’s attention and beg him for help. Her brother, Jon, is wanted for murder and is on the run. However, if Andy agrees to hear Jon out, he’ll turn himself in with the hope that Andy will represent him and reunite him with his dog.

It’s a dangerous situation, and between the media circus surrounding the murder and Jon’s volatile position, Andy knows that when Jon is found, someone could get hurt. But Andy respects Sharon’s dedication to her brother, and in an effort to keep Jon–and the public–safe, Andy agrees to talk to Jon. Andy decides to help Jon and slowly uncovers a web of conspiracies. Determined to keep Jon out of jail, Andy gathers the crew to investigate.

“Rosenfelt is a master of the legal thriller, and his latest is no exception. His ability to weave humor, legal parlance, and political skullduggery into a case with no straightforward evidence is nothing short of stunning.” – Susan Clifford Braun, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

“Rosenfelt unpacks each twist with his trademark panache, and his snarky wit, which had faded over the past few installments, is back in full force… Most satisfying of all, though, is the strategy Andy hits on to navigate the horns of his dilemma and produce what he rightly labels ‘a win-win.’” – Kirkus Reviews

A Date with Santa by Debbie Macomber

fiction / romance.

For single career woman Sage Madison, Christmas means premade cookies and artificial trees. But when her sister needs her help, Sage volunteers to care for her five-year-old nephew, Ricky.

Determined to give Ricky a memorable Christmas, Sage enlists help from her assistant and close friend, Erica, who loves kids, and her colleague Ethan, who agrees to dress up as Santa—if Sage and Ricky join him in holiday fun to get in the spirit.

As Sage navigates the challenges of caring for her nephew and the prospect of romance with Ethan, she begins to discover the true magic of the season. Ethan’s bond with Ricky and his kindness toward Sage bring unexpected joy and new adventures—filled with ice skating, baking, and a sense of fulfillment she never expected.

But when her old life threatens to interfere with the festivities, Sage must decide what she truly wants before the season’s magic slips away.

“Family, honesty, and helpfulness are celebrated in this cozy, religious Christmas love story.” – Kirkus Reviews

“…joyful… The romance is sweet, and the pervasive atmosphere of holiday cheer is enhanced by Ricky’s childlike wonder at Christmas traditions. Macomber fans won’t be disappointed.” – Publishers Weekly

“Macomber’s latest is a sweet holiday romance with lots of family heart that will definitely please Hallmark movie lovers.” – Susan Maguire, Booklist

D: Heavy Water by Neal Stephenson

fiction / historical fiction / suspense / mystery.

Europe, 1934. British journalist Owen Crisp-Upjohn is dispatched to Moscow, where his assignments quickly escalate from cultural reporting to international espionage. Before long, Owen finds himself pulled into the orbit of the enigmatic Earl of Suffolk, a maverick aristocrat, and Aurora, a curiously compelling woman with a shadowy past rooted in Soviet intelligence.

Their mission soon becomes clear: secure the earth’s only supply of deuterium—”heavy water”—before it falls into Nazi hands. The high-stakes pursuit takes them from London’s plush drawing rooms to Barcelona, ravaged by the Spanish Civil War; from far-flung Soviet aerodromes to the perilous, icy landscapes of occupied Norway. Over time, Owen evolves from a detached observer into a man forced to confront profound questions of honor, love, and moral responsibility as loyalties are tested and allegiances shift in an ever-tightening web of science, intrigue, and deceit.

Rich with historical insight, emotionally complex characters, and a relentless sense of urgency with a world on the edge of cataclysm, D: Heavy Water is a suspenseful and wildly entertaining tale of courage and consequence in which humankind’s future is shaped by decisions made in the shadows.

“A rich historical thriller that makes chemistry as exciting as espionage.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“No one does a sprawling narrative universe like Neal Stephenson… [his] superpower is making enormous concepts and systems feel thrilling, and I, for one, am ready to go on this ride.” – Emily Nokes, the Stranger

The End of Everything by M. John Harrison ★

fiction / science fiction.

Phillip Tennent makes his living at the tideline, collecting artifacts that wash up from the Channel. It’s been years since the crisis changed everything, but its exact nature remains obscure. Government barely functions, the seas are full of new creatures, an entire continent has been mislaid. It feels like the end.

Now Phillip has fished out of the water an object he can’t keep. A creature that keeps changing. An artifact he must take inland, before it destroys everything he thinks he knows. The End of Everything is a slyly satirical and unsettling post-apocalyptic adventure into the limits of human understanding, from the peerless master of contemporary fiction.

“A book not just about everything but about now. Shimmering and oblique, it holds the reader to the surface of something very grave and deep.” – The Booker Prizes

“…fascinating… thoroughly original… it conjures images and narrative tones that will not apply to this book, a masterly exercise in restraint, unsettling beauty and elliptical writing that can enlighten even when it obfuscates… [a] powerful book… eerily resonant…” – Dave Kim, New York Times

“…brilliant… it burrows deep into our psyches – into the psyche of our civilisation – and exposes the terrifying insecurity of life right now… Dreamlike and baffling, The End of Everything elucidates humanity’s disintegrating existence with strange clarity.” – Michael Faber, The Guardian

“There is a grain of ambiguous hope in one character’s declara­tion that it doesn’t matter that the world has ended, ‘because another one will be along soon enough,’ but what I felt when the novel released me was more immediate. I felt the urge to go outside, to run around and shout, not to celebrate the novel’s bril­liance (although I think it is brilliant), but simply to prove that, for now, something real still exists.” – Niall Harrison, Locus

Ethel Kennedy: The Extraordinary Life and Bold Legacy by Kerry Kennedy

nonfiction / biography / history.

When her husband Robert F. Kennedy was killed in 1968, Ethel Skakel Kennedy—then pregnant with their eleventh child—drew national attention for her grace, dignity, and resolute commitment to furthering his work in human rights, even in her grief. But as her daughter Kerry witnessed, Ethel was so much more than a dutiful wife and keeper of Robert’s legacy of service. She was courageous, curious, compassionate, boisterous, and witty, always guided by faith and an instinct for speaking truth to power.

Kerry delves into her own memories, her family’s recollections, and her mother’s private papers, describing:

• Ethel’s family’s journey from a working-class Chicago background to life in tony Greenwich, Connecticut
• Ethel’s fairytale romance with Kerry’s father RFK—a courtship that inspired a Taylor Swift song half a century later
• How the bold, athletic Ethel quickly became “more Kennedy than the Kennedys”
• The years on the famed family properties in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, and the Hickory Hill estate in Virginia, where Kerry and her ten siblings grew up amidst presidents and politicians, Olympians and Hollywood stars, and a rambunctious menagerie of pet animals
• Moments of pain and loss—RFK’s death just five years after that of his brother; and the tragic deaths of two of Kerry’s siblings
• Ethel’s unflagging commitment to global human rights causes that carried on through the decades

Ethel Kennedy inspires us to reject cynicism and to live bigger and bolder.

“A daughter’s tender homage to a consequential woman.” – Kirkus Reviews

“…Kennedy fans will enjoy this winsome portrait.” – Publishers Weekly

“Here’s a fun fact the author reveals about her mother: an early photograph taken of the just-engaged Ethel Skakel and Robert Kennedy inspired a Taylor Swift song. Such juicy tidbits enliven this worshipful memoir laden with amusing and inspiring anecdotes culled from nearly a century of life that often placed Ethel Kennedy at the heart of twentieth-century America’s most triumphant and tragic moments… an intimate account of this accomplished and admirable woman. Though it was a life marked by tragedy early and often, it was also, in her daughter’s telling, a lush and rewarding one.” – Carol Haggas, Booklist

Freedom’s Gate: Maya Angelou, Lorraine Hansberry, Abbey Lincoln, Miriam Makeba, and Nina Simone Live at the New York Nightclub That Shaped the Civil Rights Movement by Soyica Diggs Colbert

nonfiction / history / biography / arts / music / literature.

Before they were household names, Maya Angelou, Lorraine Hansberry, Abbey Lincoln, Miriam Makeba, and Nina Simone needed a place to practice and perform. That place was the Village Gate, a New York City nightclub that Art D’Lugoff opened at the dawn of an unprecedented decade in civil rights. In the heart of the West Village, the women of the Gate created something that few could have imagined: a downtown hotspot for Black art, culture, music, and politics.

Freedom’s Gate depicts the groundbreaking artistry and deepening political convictions of the women of the Gate as they developed in the spotlight of art and revolution. From Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun to Nina Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam” and Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach’s We Insist! Freedom Now Suite, Soyica Diggs Colbert brings to life the culture and performances that were the soundtrack to Black freedom struggles in the 1950s and 1960s. Colbert also shows how the women of the Gate raised money and awareness for groups at the vanguard of civil rights, brought the call for African independence home to New York City, and interwove Western and black diasporic influences into American popular performance, with supporting roles from stars and activists such as Harry Belafonte, Stokely Carmichael, and Sidney Poitier.

As the women relied on one another as entertainers, activists, intellectuals, and friends, the Gate became an outpost for freedom struggles outside of Harlem and the American South, a haven that did not abide by the norms of segregation or the expectations of “women’s work,” and a world-renowned venue defined by its radical musicians, artists, and budding stars. Freedom’s Gate is a vibrant history of a little-known chapter of the civil rights movement that gave voice and soul to the call for liberation.

“…outstanding… an equally tender and galvanizing portrait of women who used their art and friendships to further Black liberation.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

“An engaging, well-researched group biography.” – Kirkus Reviews

“Colbert infuses this work with plenty of historical and biographical context, lending a richness to the story of these iconic women. As the author succinctly states, ‘The women of the Gate staged performances that pulsated with the push of convention and the pull of revolution.’ This book is a superb telling of their collective story.” – Allison Escoto, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

The Havana Syndrome: Invisible Weapons, a Government Cover-Up, and the Greatest Spy Mystery of Our Time by Michael Rey & Oriana Zill de Granados

nonfiction / history.

For nearly a decade, U.S. diplomats, spies, and soldiers around the world have reported sudden, devastating neurological injuries—symptoms eerily consistent with exposure to a directed energy weapon. Victims were told their illnesses were “psychosomatic.” Government agencies dismissed the evidence. And the CIA insisted no adversary was behind it. As the cases grew, from Havana to Hanoi, the media dubbed the phenomenon “the Havana Syndrome.”

In this groundbreaking exposé, 60 Minutes producers Michael Rey and Oriana Zill de Granados reveal the hidden history of the so-called Havana Syndrome: from early attacks in Cuba and China, to the spread across global hotspots from Tbilisi to Vienna, to the mounting evidence implicating an elite Russian “kill” unit. Drawing on more than nine years of reporting, including secret medical records, whistleblower testimony, and intelligence reports, they expose not only the technology behind the attacks but the U.S. government’s effort to downplay and deny them.

Combining the pace of a thriller and the authority of rigorous investigative journalism, this book brings readers inside the lives of officers like “Adam” and “Poly,” whose careers and health were destroyed by the attacks, and Lt. Col. Greg Edgreen, the Pentagon investigator who risked everything to demand accountability. The Havana Syndrome is both a geopolitical saga with chilling consequences for national security and a deeply human story of betrayal and resilience.

“[A] propulsive and shocking chronicle… This riveting exposé not only discloses an appalling failure of our government to tell the truth and protect us, it also dramatically affirms the necessity of the free press.” – Donna Seaman, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

“A blistering exposé of a frightening technology—and the equally frightening silence shrouding it.” – Kirkus Reviews

“[A] startling exposé… Rey and Zill first began reporting on Havana syndrome as investigative producers for 60 Minutes, and they make the strongest case yet that these hits — some officials estimate there have been thousands — are intentional attacks by Russian agents and their proxies, using a futuristic and sinister energy weapon… admirable and compelling…” – Nicolas Niarchos, New York Times

Home for the Homicides by Elle Cosimano & Hannah Morrissey

fiction / romance / mystery / comedy.

Welcome to Christmas, a town so cozy and charming it could be the backdrop of a Hallmark movie, where crime is never in season and it’s the holidays all year round. So when a tourist is found stabbed to death by an icicle ornament in the middle of the town nativity scene, the local police are out of their depth―after all, how do you find a criminal in a town where crime doesn’t exist?

The stakes are high: the whole town is relying on Holly and Mark to solve the crime before the annual Jingle Bell Jubilee festival (which naturally the town’s entire economic survival relies on), plus, whichever of them cracks the case will receive a promotion to Major Crimes―and there’s only one spot.

Holly and Mark are both on thin ice after screwing up on the job. This assignment is their one shot at redemption, if they can put aside their bitter rivalry. And of course, it’s not only their careers on the line, it’s their hearts, too―regrets of their holiday party hookup last year haunt them like ghosts of Christmas past, so they both want to wrap up this rom-com gone wrong as quickly as possible. But with just twelve days until the festival, the countdown to catch a killer―without killing each other―is on.

“[It’s] great seasonal fun.” – Danise Hoover, firstCLUE

“This is a hilarious and raunchy holiday whodunit that pokes fun at holiday romance stereotypes but cherishes their happily ever afters.” – Linsey Milillo, Library Journal

“[An] entertaining blend of mystery and romance with comical characters, a madcap story, and an abundance of both high jinks and heart. It’s surprisingly sexy, with laughs throughout, and a fun start to a new series.” – Stephanie Howes, Booklist

I’ll Believe in Anything: The Making of Heated Rivalry Season 1 by Jacob Tierney

nonfiction / television / romance.

From Jacob Tierney, the creator of Heated Rivalry, in partnership with Brendan Brady and Accent Aigu, comes an official and complete collection of annotated scripts for the biggest cultural sensation of the year, with all new exclusive behind-the-scenes content.

Based on Rachel Reid’s blockbuster Game Changers book series, Heated Rivalry premiered on Crave and HBO in late 2025 and immediately took the world by storm. I’ll Believe in Anything takes readers behind the curtain, showing how Tierney, his producing partner Brendan Brady, and the entire Accent Aigu team drew on a deep reverence for Reid’s work, impeccable casting, clever sets and costume design, and thoughtful sex scene choreography to both rewrite the playbook for adapting romance novels to the screen and obliterate the long-held misconception that queer love stories have limited appeal.

I’ll Believe in Anything answers all the questions fans of this groundbreaking series have been asking. How did Tierney interweave Ilya and Shane’s rivalry with Scott and Kip’s love story to create the ultimate television moment? Where did the idea for that incredible Canadian Olympic fleece originate? And what does it look like for a full team, led by Tierney and Brady, to plan, choreograph, and film some of the best sex scenes in television history? Featuring annotations on scene directions, intimacy choreography, costume insights, and more, alongside Tierney’s never-before-seen scripts, this book gives fans a brand-new way to come to the cottage!

“Essentially, I’ll Believe in Anything is the bible for Heated Rivalry fans… revelations in the script book include deleted scenes… a reminder that the greatest attributes of a strong book-to-screen adaptation include honoring the original text and respecting the characters.” – Emily Maskell, IndieWire

In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood by Collin Gosselin

nonfiction / memoir / television.

For years, the world watched Jon & Kate Plus 8 through a lens of curated joy. But while the cameras captured the milestones, they missed the moments that defined Collin Gosselin’s life: the Christmas morning where the gifts were reclaimed as soon as the cameras went down, and the basement room where silence was his only companion.

In the Shadow of Eight is the first account of a secret childhood lived in the gaps between the frames. Collin is finally sharing the truth about being held down, the basement cell where he was hidden for years, and the cocktail of powerful antipsychotics forced on an eleven-year-old boy. This is a reckoning with the dark side of fame: the systems, the entourage, and the institutions that allowed one boy to be erased. This is the never before told story of how he escaped and found his way back from the dark.

“…explosive… Collin opens up about growing up in the spotlight while grappling with personal experiences that never made it to television screens.” – Jessica Moore, USA Today

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder by Ally Carter

fiction / romance / mystery / comedy.

Ella Chambers didn’t kill Liam Montgomery.

If she had, she certainly wouldn’t have done it outside his family’s mansion during the Christmas party of the year. She definitely wouldn’t have loaded his body into the trunk of her car. And she absolutely would not have announced to the town that the boy who ruined her life ten years ago was “so dead to her.”

But now Liam is missing—nothing but a bloody spot on the drive and a host of unanswered questions—and Ella is the only person who knows he’s still alive.

So it’s up to her to prove it.

Liam Montgomery didn’t want to die.

But, it turns out, when you’re the sole heir to a billionaire, someone might want you dead. Luckily for Liam, being dead works for him.

Now he’s on the hunt for a killer. Unfortunately, Ella is on the hunt for him.

She’ll have to prove he’s still alive to clear her name, but that’s easier said than done in a quaint mountain town where everyone knows your story but no one knows the truth. Can the billionaire’s grandson and the housekeeper’s daughter join forces to catch a killer? Or is their past too steeped in secrets and lies?

As the storm of the century blows in, every step will bring these two childhood rivals closer to a killer—and each other.

Because, this Christmas, only one thing is certain: it’s beginning to look a lot like murder.

“It’s rare to find a mystery that delivers on both the Christmas cheer and the twists, with the added bonus of a yuletide love story—but Carter nails it!” – Madison McGee, Country Living

The Last Flight: The Untold Story of the Search for JFK Jr. and the Race Against the Atlantic by Captain W. Russell “Russ” Webster & Theresa Mitchell Webster

nonfiction / history.

On a hazy July night in 1999, John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn, and her sister Lauren vanished over the waters off Martha’s Vineyard—triggering a national vigil and one of the most ambitious search operations in American history. For days, the world watched and waited.

But the full story of what happened after the crash has never been told—until now.

In The Last Flight, Captain W. Russell “Russ” Webster, the Coast Guard commander who led the search, and historian Theresa Mitchell Webster, take readers inside the high-stakes, emotionally charged mission to locate the missing aircraft and recover its passengers. Drawing on firsthand accounts, official reports, and newly uncovered insights, this gripping narrative reveals the unprecedented coordination between the Coast Guard, Navy, and NOAA in a race against time, technology, and the unforgiving sea.

Beyond the headlines lies a powerful human story—of exhausted rescuers, clashing agencies, political pressure, and quiet acts of heroism. From sonar operators and Navy divers to commanders navigating impossible decisions, each played a role in what became the largest and most expensive search ever for private citizens in a small airplane.

Blending narrative history with investigative depth, The Last Flight also explores unanswered questions surrounding the crash, offering a compelling new perspective on one of America’s most haunting tragedies.

At once a pulse-pounding account and a deeply moving tribute, this is the definitive story of the mission that forever changed the Coast Guard—and a nation still captivated by the legacy of the Kennedy family.

“A technically rich, warmly patriotic account best suited to readers drawn to the technical machinery of search and rescue.” – Kirkus Reviews

“Nearly three decades after the fateful airplane crash over Martha’s Vineyard, The Last Flight is shedding light on the exhaustive, emotional recovery mission for John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and her sister Lauren Bessette.” – Rachel Raposas, People

Look What the Cat Dragged In by Jason Rekulak ★

fiction / horror / suspense / mystery.

Meet Penny Padgett, a twenty-seven-year-old cartoonist in Philadelphia who agrees to pet-sit a very peculiar cat named Godfrey in her home. At first, he’s a warm and affectionate companion who follows Penny all around the house and insists on sleeping by her side every night. But soon strange things are happening: Penny is haunted by disturbing and violent nightmares. There’s a terrible insect infestation in her basement. Her cute cartoon illustrations turn dark and surreal, as if influenced by some invisible hand. And her health starts failing, as if her mind and body are under attack by a sinister, malevolent force.

Penny may be a cat person, but she’s starting to think Godfrey is no ordinary cat…

Fully illustrated with more than eighty pages of original artwork, Jason Rekulak’s new novel is intensely plotted, wonderfully frightening, and wildly clever. He more than lives up to his reputation as having “a freakishly fertile imagination” (New York Times).

“Garfield meets Rosemary’s Baby in this gleefully gruesome supernatural thriller… With a plot that’s by turns cozy, creepy, and comedic, this is good fun.” – Publishers Weekly

“For readers who like their fun laced with skin-crawling weirdness.” – Kirkus Reviews

“[An] eerie, thrilling, horrifying, and downright creepy tale that did a wonderful job terrifying me at the same time emotionally attaching me to the story at hand… an amazing ride and a wonderfully crafted story… Rekulak had me hooked till the end.” – Justin Soderberg, Capes & Tights

“This book is a creepy, entertaining romp into the demonic, making it the perfect read for a chilly autumn night… keeps readers guessing throughout… I can confidently say that you’ve probably never read a book quite like this before.” – Kristin Kurek, The Gloss

Luna, Phoenix, Queen by Julie Orringer ★

fiction.

Dava and Barr Pennington, professors at a Midwestern university, both harbor potent secrets. Fiction writing is his specialty, English literature is hers. But Dava is unhappy in their marriage, and secretly in love with a colleague, Svetlana White, who teaches in the Russian Studies department; spurred by their complicated liaison, she spends her nights working on a novel about two women who run a domestic violence shelter in coastal Maine. Though she loves the work and the refuge it provides, the writing becomes increasingly difficult as her memory begins to fail; tests reveal that she’s suffering from early-onset Alzheimer’s. After a precipitous decline, she moves to a memory-care facility in a neighboring town. Soon afterward, her husband, alone in the house at night, discovers her hidden manuscript, which he reads with envy, and then with anger, as he extrapolates his wife’s affair from the relationship described in the novel’s pages. Over the next two years he rewrites the novel and publishes it as his own, to wide acclaim. But persistent feelings of guilt lead him to confess his theft to an unlikely party, who leads others to the truth.

Luna, Phoenix, Queen tells its tale of artistic and marital betrayal in a chorus of voices. We hear from Barr as he becomes obsessed with Luna, a horrifically injured dog at a local shelter; from Dava as she meets Svetlana for the first time, on a transatlantic flight to Dublin; from Milo, Dava’s son, as he hides in the woods with Naomi, Svetlana’s daughter; from Svetlana, experiencing the loss of a relationship that ended before it could come to fruition; from Evie, Barr’s research assistant, who witnessed Dava’s last days at home with her husband; from James, the Penningtons’ younger son, who makes a startling discovery after his father’s death; and from Milo and Svetlana again, as they grieve the injustice of Barr’s theft and confront the devastation of Dava’s disease.

In a narrative that spans four decades and four thousand miles, Luna, Phoenix, Queen illuminates the power of storytelling and explores the terror of losing the ability to make sense of our world. It is a cry of rage against our vulnerability and helplessness; an acknowledgment of the mysteries beneath the familiar surface of our world; and ultimately, if unexpectedly, a radical testament to love in its many forms.

“Heart-stoppingly good.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“[A] heart-seizing, insightful, complexly provocative, and profoundly intentional novel of loneliness and longing, betrayal and rescue, creativity and love.” – Donna Seaman, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

“…exquisite… Orringer depicts the troubled couple’s inner lives with élan, and she offers fascinating insights into the motivations behind and consequences of literary appropriation. This is superb.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

“At the book’s astonishing climax, the dog helps provide a partial window onto another narrative: its own. Luna, Phoenix, Queen brilliantly emphasizes the agony of isolation in its various forms, and the relief that can only come in telling a story for oneself.” – Meg Wolitzer, New York Times

Music Against the Night by Yiyun Li ★

fiction / historical fiction.

In Dublin, as the eighteenth century nears its end, a young musical virtuoso comes of age. John Field, an awkward and sensitive child, is preternaturally gifted, and his family has visions of him becoming the next Mozart. His talent takes him far―to England, France, and then Russia, where he becomes a famous pianist and composes dreamy, languorous melodies that enchant the night air. John calls them nocturnes, but the prodigy who immortalizes them is Chopin.

Oceans away in Pondicherry, in French India, Adelaide Percheron has a startling rise of her own. Orphaned at a young age, she is raised by her imperious, enterprising grandmother. Her cousins give her the name Percherette, an impish reminder that despite their shared relations, Adelaide is not one of the crowd, owing to her parents’ differing ancestry. Without a connection to aristocracy or the luxury of riches, only marriage seems to offer prosperity―until she sets her sights on a pianoforte. Driven by her secret love of music and a desire to see the world, Percherette engineers her exodus, escaping to Paris and later to Moscow, as Napoleon’s army sets out to conquer the continent.

Peopled by rival prodigies, irate tutors, begrudging guardians, and the true-to-life masters of the trade, Yiyun Li’s magisterial, polyphonic novel depicts two aspiring musicians―destined to be husband and wife―in pursuit of success. Their struggles unfold amid political and artistic upheaval and pit them against the forces of their time. As John and Adelaide each try to chart a path between talent and genius, success and legacy, profit and passion, they must decide what, and even who, is worth sacrificing along the way. Drawing inspiration from the past but finding entirely new forms, Music Against the Night comes to life with the sweep and dimension of the Romantic era and a deep understanding of the demands of living and of art.

“…wonderful and bewitching…” – Cory Oldweiler, Boston Globe

“A virtuoso performance from Li. Brava!” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“Sharp and thoughtfully rendered, Li’s novel reckons with the costs of artistic greatness on the families who make sacrifices to accommodate genius and the artists who fear being forgotten. It’s a remarkable achievement.” – Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

“Li releases both characters from the margins, infusing history’s elisions with fascinating layers and lingering resonance… Li bestows literary immortality on these overlooked musicians.” – Terry Hong, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

Off the Reservation by Stephen Graham Jones ★

Five years have passed since the massacre on the Blackfeet reservation in Stephen Graham Jones’s breakout bestseller The Only Good Indians. Nathan Yellow Tail, one of the survivors of the revenge murders, finds himself in the hospital after a terrible accident that should’ve killed him and that nearly killed his best friend, Sebby, who is hanging on to life in a room a few doors down.

Nate’s life is out of balance, so when he is given the chance to reset his life, and maybe save Sebby in the process, Nate steps up, again. This time it’s into a camper van that is almost as run down as his broken body, filled with three older Blackfeet, to find the bones of the lone Blackfeet boy who died at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School—where many Indigenous children were abused—and repatriate this boy home. The problem is, when they get the bones, something terrible has escaped with them.

By turns terrifying and deeply moving, Off the Reservation is a haunting American Indian novel of survival, reckoning, and redemption, shining light on the dark corners of this country’s history while also showing the desperate choices people make when they’re put up against a wall.

“Jones tackles the complex emotions surrounding survivors’ guilt, both as a people and as individuals. The horror in this novel is present from the start, and mixed in with grief, guilt, tragic history, and terror is sly humor and a true sense of humanity.” – Lila Denning, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

“…filled with terror but also deeply moving and authentic… Jones continues to solidify himself as a master of horror, Off The Reservation just proves it even further.” – Justin Soderberg, Capes & Tights

“When digging into the darkest corners of history, no one is spared from the monsters unearthed… A hilarious road trip novel, a fresh, non-religious take on the possession trope, and a visceral and vulnerable character study, Off the Reservation lays bare a 360-degree view of the horrors of being Native in America. More than the sum of its perfectly constructed parts, this is a horror novel in which every detail works together, deepening the emotional impact for all.” – Becky Spratford, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

Peck & Peck by Bonnie Garmus ★

fiction / historical fiction.

It’s 1982, New York City. Crime is on the rise, muggings are in the streets, and Batter Gray, recent college graduate with a skill that no one wants—an “ear” for poetry—is worried about his future. While all of his friends have real jobs, he’s folding T-shirts at the Gap. As for love? No. Not unless you count Sallie Mae, the student loan tyrant. He hears from Sallie all the time.

But when Batter gets a dream job at Peck & Peck, the most prestigious poetry quarterly in the world, his life moves into the literary fast lane. Soon Batter is knee-deep in the secret war between the two Editors in Chief, the famous Peck brothers—twins and enemies—as well as being privy to the private affairs of their thirty-nine editors, whose professed mission is the same: Find originality. Reward creativity. Burn the rest.

And by burn, they mean incinerate. Because at Peck & Peck, “good” isn’t good enough, “interesting” doesn’t cut it, plagiarists aren’t tolerated, and parolees run the mailroom. Still want to submit your poem? Go with God.

Welcome to another dazzling and unforgettable novel from Bonnie Garmus. If you loved Lessons in Chemistry, you will love Peck & Peck.

“[An] affecting ode to poetry.” – Joanne Kaufman, Wall Street Journal

“Garmus’s sharp wit and gift for offbeat characters are both at full throttle in this quirky story… a zany office comedy with shades of Hogwarts and the gleeful originality of early John Irving… it is impossible not to be beguiled by Garmus’s irrepressible humour and the freewheeling exuberance of her imagination.” – Clare Clark, The Guardian

“Some fans may fear that Garmus can’t create another story as tender, captivating, or triumphant as her 2022 hit, Lessons in Chemistry. But good news—she can, in a book both poignant and heartwarming… In this vividly drawn tale, readers will feel all the emotions Gray does and suffer through his confusion, desperation, and finally, his exhilaration, as he discovers and understands who he is. A stunning novel.” – David Pitt, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

“[A] joyous ode to finding one’s calling, even if the larger world doesn’t necessarily appreciate it as it should… a funny, tender tale about a character finding himself and defining his worth. Readers who enjoy quirky stories with fully realized characters, reminiscent of the show Only Murders in the Building, will love this book.” – Jennifer Mills, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

Rottenheart by Kat Dunn ★

fiction / horror / historical fiction.

Revenge me. For I am murdered…

Odette and her best friend, Cecilia, grow up between two grand homes, one in Hampstead and one in Suffolk, the ancient and imposing Herne House. Odette’s mother, Lydia, is almost parasitic in her neediness, but despite her, Odette and Cecilia come of age together—free to roam, to learn, and to love.

When Lydia inexplicably sickens and dies, a dark veil falls. Odette’s father retreats to his study, while her aunt—the cold and cruel Claudine—increasingly takes charge of the household. Lost in grief and spiraling into madness, Odette disappears into the shadows, leaving Cecilia alone and with her affections tested. As Claudine is announced as Odette’s new stepmother, the girls reckon with this final betrayal, and a sinister presence awakens. To her horror, Odette realizes that her mother never truly left. She now haunts the manor, ready to drag long- held secrets into the light and exact revenge against those who thought her dead and gone.

A visceral tale of grief and madness, Rottenheart exhumes the heart of Hamlet to tell a fearless queer love story laced with an unforgettable haunting, asking whether we can truly outrun our suffering, or if we are forever indebted to the vengeful dead.

“Skipping back and forth on the timeline and embracing both sumptuous prose and epistolary sections, Rottenheart insinuates itself like poison creeping through your veins until it is impossible to pull yourself free.” – Kat Korpi, Booklist

“Written with her usual stunning prose, and Gothic and horror elements, this is atmospheric, haunting, and weaves a tale of love and madness.” – Mirna Villeda, The Indie Next List

“Dunn creates a feminist retelling of Hamlet that gives greater depth to an already complex tale. A sensual sapphic love story juxtaposed with the devastating consequences of desire, grief, rage, and betrayal, this gothic novel is a study of womanhood that reimagines the original while maintaining all its appeal.” – Elisabeth Clark, Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

The Sea King and the Sorceress: Life and Death in the Viking Age by Neil Price

nonfiction / history.

For centuries, Vikings have been stereotyped as brutish and violent pillagers. But now, based on the latest archaeological research, preeminent scholar Neil Price reveals the true diversity and individuality of the Viking Age.

From an arctic hunter to a woman of Persian ancestry; from a Sámi nomad to a bear endowed with personhood; from Viking raiders to Rus’ river traders; from sorceresses to shape-shifters; from immigrants to diplomats; from followers of many gods, to the worshippers of one; from settlers to farmers―as we meet all these and many more, Price enlists the full range of modern archaeological knowledge to reconstruct Norse lives in personal detail, presenting a new and complex image of the Viking Age. Taking the reader from Greenland to Greece and across three centuries, Price demonstrates that Vikings―in all of their heterogeneity―were both surprisingly similar to us today, and also thrillingly strange.

Densely peopled, beautifully rendered, and impressively wide-reaching, The Sea-King and the Sorceress sheds a light on the realities of life in the Viking diaspora.

“The Sea-King and the Sorceress speaks eloquently to the beauty, fascination, and strangeness of what we call the Viking Age.” – Jenny Hamilton, Booklist

“Price’s The Children of Ash and Elm was The Times History Book of the Year in 2020. This book is at least as good. He has a talent for visual reconstruction; it’s like being with him on these digs, watching as ancient secrets are revealed. Nearly every page brings a surprise, sometimes disturbing, often moving, always profound.” – Gerard DeGroot, The Times

“With the precision of an archeologist and the narrative dexterity of a novelist, Price invites readers into a world that is more nuanced and rigorous than popular portrayals allow… The Sea-King and the Sorceress is a rare achievement, a work that serves as both a primary resource for students of history and a gripping read for the general audience. This is not just a book about Viking raiders and their contemporaries but an essential consideration of how human beings live, die, and are remembered across the vast, icy stretches of time.” – Elizabeth DeNorma, Shelf Awareness

Sitcom: A Memoir by Chuck Lorre

nonfiction / memoir / television.

Ever wonder what it’s like to spend decades making millions of strangers laugh — while trying not to lose your mind in the process?

As the creator of The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Young Sheldon, Bookie, Dharma & Greg, Mom, and more, Lorre has racked up almost two thousand half-hours of comedy. But his own story is just as outrageous, awkward, and surprisingly touching as the shows he built.

In this memoir on his life and career in comedy, Lorre trades punchlines for real talk: the messy, very human truth behind Hollywood’s glossy façade, addiction, his own and that of his famous colleagues, his failed marriages, disastrous life choices, and chronic illness–all of which somehow became the ingredients for comedy. One chapter may leave you doubled over, the next might sneak in a lump in your throat — but that’s Chuck. That’s sitcoms. That’s also real life.

If you’ve ever binged The Big Bang Theory, argued over your favorite Two and a Half Men character, or wondered how TV comedy gets made, this is your all-access pass. Spoiler: it involves failure, low-self-esteem, and an unshakable love for laughter.

“A brutal look at funny business.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“…breezy and snarky… the entertainment value and behind-the-scenes access on offer are difficult to deny.” – Publishers Weekly

Solace House by Will Maclean ★

fiction / horror / mystery / fantasy / suspense.

For Alex Lane’s wealthy university friends, the summer break stretches out before them, full of promise and fabulous plans. But for Alex, broke as usual, going home is not an option. So when the university offers him an unusual summer job clearing out a dilapidated Victorian mansion, Solace House, he jumps at the chance.

Alex joins an unlikely crew of students, from stoner Clive to uptight, short-tempered Helen, and the extremely peculiar Adam. Alex is particularly drawn to mercurial, red-headed Ella, and as the students begin sorting through piles of old newspapers and magazines, dusty antiques, and esoteric junk, Alex and Ella become enthralled by the elaborate and eerie journals of the house’s former owner, Edwin Flayne. In these diaries, Flayne details his obsession with his missing mother and his belief in a mysterious realm lying parallel to ours, along with coded instructions on how it might be reached.

As the students gradually uncover the house’s secrets, the rift between those who want to delve further and those who believe they’ve already gone too far grows ever wider.

“Original, mind-bending, terrifying fun.” – Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“…intriguing and terrifying, a prime example of psychological horror… a perfect read for fans of horror that reaches beyond our time and place.” – Lily Hunter, Booklist

“Perhaps the strongest comparator to Solace House isn’t a novel, but the TV franchise True Detective; yet behind that stand Arthur Machen, Charles Williams and HP Lovecraft. Other flavours the reader will catch might be The Secret History and House of Leaves (it’s no House of Leaves – but then, what is?). Hell, there’s even a whiff of The Children of Green Knowe in there. And it shares a little of its occult territory with Francis Spufford’s recent Nonesuch. So, it’s a great hotchpotch of all that good stuff, working like mad to entertain and spook the reader. The 500-odd pages whip by.” – Sam Leith, The Guardian

“The novel comes in at about 500 pages, but like the best popular fiction, it is imbued with a cinematic propulsiveness that drags the reader along in its wake. It speeds by in a flash… [a] hugely entertaining novel. Before reading both The Apparition Phase and Solace House, I wasn’t aware that I was in search of horror informed by preoccupations as diverse as Usborne Books’ Mysteries of the Unknown, The Backrooms, Shirley Jackson, and Donna Tartt. Will Maclean has melted these constituent parts down and developed a unique, compelling voice in modern speculative fiction. His stories don’t end where one would expect. Solace House is an interesting place to lose yourself in. Enjoy the trip.” – Michael Anthony, Pop Matters

The Spirits by Bonnie Jo Campbell

fiction.

Bonnie Jo Campbell, a master of rural American fiction, brings us a hair-raising winter tale to warm us by the fireside. In this contemporary Christmas Carol, Campbell has created a gritty, spooky, and ultimately heartening holiday story that unfolds in an isolated farmhouse.

It is the night before Christmas in a small town in Michigan, and a young woman is haunted by her father’s death. She has been silently penitent for nine years, but her guilt and grief have estranged her from her community and her family. She has taken refuge in the natural world of the plants and trees she tends, but on this anniversary of the tragedy, the supernatural landscape is rattling its chains.

When a surprise guest appears at the (dreaded) Christmas Eve dinner, the family begins to open up and reveal dangerous secrets and crimes nobody is willing to face. Within this darkest chaos, a sliver of light appears, showing a way to reclaim communion and even a sense of humor. While redemption is never easy or wholesale, the story that a family creates together can heal wounds.

“Campbell riffs on Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol in this luminous story of a family’s Christmas Eve dinner… Campbell excels in mapping the contours of Sister’s haunted mind. The author’s fans will find much to admire.” – Publishers Weekly

“A tentatively hopeful twist on this unusual holiday fare.” – Kirkus Reviews

“[A] bravura gothic variation on The Christmas Carol in which each enthralling chapter delivers intensifying revelations about the wild anguish this household, and Mary, have endured… Campbell’s writing is rapturous and darn near Shakespearean as she conjures storms of vengeance and grief that give way to the radiance of truth and love.” – Donna Seaman, Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

Vibe: The Secrets of Strong Connections in a Lonely World by Adam Grant ★

nonfiction / self-help / psychology.

When we vibe with other people, it fuels our happiness and success. Yet building meaningful ties is one of the most pressing problems of our time. As face-to-face interaction gives way to digital screens, communication gets outsourced to AI, and the world becomes more polarized, our loneliness crisis shows no signs of slowing.

To reveal how we can forge faster, stronger, and longer bonds, Adam Grant offers groundbreaking studies, expert insights, and myth-busting stories. Filled with the eye-opening takeaways that have brought millions of readers to his books, Vibe teaches us that similarity is not necessary for solidarity, chemistry doesn’t always happen quickly, and closeness doesn’t always take time.

Along the way, Grant introduces us to a crew of astronauts who learned to trust people they don’t like, a comedy troupe that swears by taking time apart as a key to staying together, a band that grew closer by learning to fight more, and a journalist who designed a gathering that led to seventy-eight marriages. He also opens up about his personal struggles to find his place as a shy introvert and the lessons that propelled his transformation into an enthusiastic convener. Through these examples and more, Grant uncovers the keys to creating deeper relationships and tighter communities.

Vibe will change how you interact with people. No matter how good you are at connecting, you can always get better—and help others get better too.

“Practical and informative advice for understanding and deepening attachments.” – Kirkus Reviews

“…informative and intriguing… Grant once again shows his deep understanding of the complexities of human interaction, with engaging anecdotes and stories from the cultural zeitgeist that provide cogent arguments for his work.” – Philip Zozzaro, Booklist

Zen and Ghibli: Life Lessons for Lasting Happiness from the Legendary Studio by Toshio Suzuki; translated by Beth Cary

nonfiction / self-help / philosophy / film.

One visionary filmmaker. Three Buddhist monks. Countless life-changing lessons.

How do we live now? In Zen and Ghibli, legendary Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki embarks on an intellectual journey with three leading Buddhist monks—Sokyu Gen’yu, Nanrei Yokota, and Shinsuke Hosokawa—to explore Zen themes woven into the universally treasured Ghibli films. In ways unpredictable and delightful, life-changing lessons are revealed, such as:

• zazen, redirecting our focus inward (Kiki’s Delivery Service)
• kunjū, learning through observation (The Wind Rises)
• fushiki, strength in not knowing (Princess Mononoke)
• furyū monji, how to convey feelings that cannot be expressed into words (Howl’s Moving Castle)

From the skill of embodying nothingness as a form of worry relief, to why Kiki’s black cat Jiji stopped talking, each conversation gradually reveals a basic principle that lies at the very heart of Zen Buddhism and Studio Ghibli—that we, and our world, are worth fighting for.

Beautifully illustrated with Japanese artwork and stills from these iconic films, Zen and Ghibli is at once a charming antidote for our times and a fascinating glimpse into the magic of Studio Ghibli that has shaped fans for over forty years.

“An erudite exercise in interlacing art and meaning, ideal for philosophically engaged readers.” – Kirkus Reviews

“Those with an appreciation for Japanese animation, Buddhist philosophy, and the pursuit of peace and happiness through art will find much to enjoy in this distinctive work.” – M. Tiffany Messer-Bass, Library Journal

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