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MIRANDA This may come as a shock to you, but Miranda loves books. She will read pretty much anything but her favorite genres include fantasy, contemporary fiction, and humor. When not reading, she might be found hiking or sitting on some mountain somewhere, trying both to catch her breath and enjoy the beautiful views. If you happen to run into her, please tell her about all of your favorite books, remind her to water her plants, and show her all of your adorable puppy photos! |
$26.99
ISBN: 9781250863461
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Henry Holt and Co. - March 21st, 2023
An incredibly moving and utterly absorbing family saga, this is one of my favorite reads of the year so far. It follows three siblings who were sent ahead of the rest of their family on a journey as part of the "mass exodus" from Vietnam in the 1970's. Their story is a story of tragedy that is all too true to life for those who have been forced to migrate due to wars and other circumstances outside of their control. It is also a story of overcoming, and is so poignant and beautiful in its telling that I was captivated from the first page to the last sentence. This is a quick read but a powerful one that I can't recommend highly enough.
$22.00
ISBN: 9781324090885
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Liveright - November 1st, 2022
For those looking for a book that is different from what you would imagine a “normal” murder mystery to be, this is a near-future dystopian novel that follows the lives of a group of socially and politically marginalized neighbors living in a neglected urban housing complex. Think 1984 by George Orwell. Perfect for fans of slower paced, character-driven books and anyone in search of something unique in the world of speculative fiction.
$17.00
ISBN: 9780593098110
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Ace - October 4th, 2022
Murder mystery but in space! This has everything you could possibly want in a sci-fi/mystery read. Aliens, spaceships, witty banter, tragic backstories, twists and turns for days. I could go on and on. It’s weird in the best way. Looking forward to reading the next in the series!
$27.00
ISBN: 9781646221677
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Catapult - February 7th, 2023
This book was unsettling in the best way. Set amongst Florida swampland, this is about a group of 13-year-olds who obsess over the disappearance of the pastor's daughter. Jumping back and forth between the present and the future, the writing is mesmerizing and almost hypnotic. Descriptions of bare feet being attacked by fire ants and cigarette lighters being held to skin left me squirming. This is a great debut from Dizz Tate and I'm looking forward to reading what she writes next.
$26.00
ISBN: 9780385549301
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Doubleday - February 28th, 2023
Might want to buckle your seatbelt for this one because you're going to be speeding through these pages. This novel follows Damani, a Rideshare driver barely making ends meet after the death of her father. When she meets Jolene, a "woke" white woman, we get an up close and personal look at the harm that can be done by those who believe they know what's best without actually listening to the people they are trying to advocate for. This was a gut-punch of a book and Priya Guns is a new voice that I can't wait to read more from.
$26.00
ISBN: 9780802159625
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Grove Press - January 10th, 2023
I love books that are more about the journey than the destination. This book didn't seem to have much of a destination at all, meandering through beautiful prose and odd realities that left me wondering if what I was reading was actually a dream. I'm still not sure if the main character knew either. This is about the ghosts we encounter in the mundane and the lasting effects of our smallest decisions. It contemplates love and loss; reading like a piece of music as the pages lead you through a tale both strange and enchanting.
$27.00
ISBN: 9780316540537
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Little, Brown and Company - December 6th, 2022
Perfect for fans of BRAIDING SWEETGRASS and WORLD OF WONDERS, this is a debut essay collection that focuses on ten sea creatures alongside reflections on the author's own experiences growing up as a queer, nonbinary Asian American. The juxtaposition of these obscure sea beings and Imbler's own experiences with race and queerness creates a beautiful portrait that is both scientific and deeply personal. Part nature writing part memoir, this is a thoughtful examination of life and the ability to thrive even in the harshest of conditions.
$26.00
ISBN: 9780385547772
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Doubleday - September 27th, 2022
This memoir is a heart-wrenching depiction of coming-of-age amidst love and grief in the 90's. The author is the son of Taiwanese immigrants who maintain roots primarily in Taiwan, leaving him to deal with a lot of things on his own, most notably of which being the murder of one of his best friends. He finds himself in writing, art, and music, and in doing so also finds pieces of his friend to hold onto. This is about friendship, youth, and finding an identity while forging a path ahead through pain and trauma. Some of the best books are ones that leave you wanting more and I just hope that Hua Hsu keeps writing because I'm a fan for life.
$13.99
ISBN: 9781638585817
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Seven Seas - October 4th, 2022
The Walking Dead but instead of zombies it's cats? And instead of infection through bite it's infection through cuddles?? This is the most fun thing I've read in quite a while and if something like this ever happens for real, I'm toast. I will be among the first to be infected. My cat can unenthusiastically confirm.
$26.99
ISBN: 9781250834225
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Forge Books - October 18th, 2022
This was pitched as a queer Knives Out and if that doesn't make you want to read, I don't know what else I could possibly say to change your mind. This was so much fun. A locked room historical noir at its core, pick this one up if you want to lose yourself for a little while in this fantastic murder mystery. Bonus points if you can guess the murderer prior to the big reveal.
$27.99
ISBN: 9781335429230
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Hanover Square Press - October 11th, 2022
This debut about a multigenerational Vietnamese American family was a moving portrayal of how generations are affected by the experiences and choices of those that came before. This focuses on the relationships between mothers and daughters and is told from several points of view throughout multiple time periods, drawing on Vietnamese zodiac astrology to connect the fated events in their lives. I was captivated right from the start and am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future. This is a great read for fans of Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi.
$20.99
ISBN: 9781838741198
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Nobrow - October 4th, 2022
Okay, this is CUTE. I tore through this in about an hour and will probably end up reading it again sometime soon. Ella and Madeleine perfectly compliment each other's strengths and weaknesses as they work together to right some wrongs and just be generally adorable. This is perfect for some lighthearted but meaningful reading, accompanied by really great illustrations. Highly recommend!!
$26.99
ISBN: 9781982190941
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Scribner - July 19th, 2022
This is no ordinary ghost story. It is wholly unique from any other that I've read or watched. It's the story of 14-year old Blanca (if you count ghost years she's actually about 400 years old) who falls in love with legendary writer George Sand who has come to visit the island where Blanca died and is now haunting. As we read about her tragic life and horrible death, we are simultaneously reading about how she has found ways to "live" as a ghost, falling in love and having experiences through the eyes of the living. With beautiful writing, dark humor, and so much depth of feeling, this book is one I will likely be thinking about for quite some time.
$27.00
ISBN: 9781638930044
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Zando - June 28th, 2022
The cover is what really drew me to this book but after discovering that it's about reality TV stars who get caught up in a mystery, I was hooked. Something about the train wreck that is reality TV reels me in and I can't bring myself to look away. This book feels like that but better because you don't want to look away. This is creepy. This is funny. This even has moments of depth and true heartache which are not typically characteristics of reality TV. This is one of my favorite reads so far this year. Somebody please, for goodness sake, cuddle with Patricia.
$17.99
ISBN: 9781982172350
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Gallery / Saga Press - August 23rd, 2022
Once I started this, I couldn't stop. This book is a retelling of sorts. It takes two classic characters, Dracula and Mr. Rochester, and tells us the story of their wives. This is the account I wish we had all along. About women who were treated horribly by these infamous men and their stories of fighting back, finding ways to live, and loving deeply despite the horrors forced on them. Read this. Read this and then get all of your friends who are fans of Jane Eyre or Dracula to read this too.
$17.99
ISBN: 9781250886088
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Tor Books - November 8th, 2022
To tell you I liked this book would honestly be an understatement. "A novel of high fantasy and low stakes," is such an accurate description. The stakes are low but the heart and hopes are high. I was immersed in the world and the characters, their goals and accomplishments. If I don't get to have a cute lil coffee shop fantasy adventure at some point in my life, at least I will have lived it through these pages. Travis Baldree, I will read everything you write.
$22.99
ISBN: 9781982166182
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Gallery / Saga Press - November 15th, 2022
A wild west murder mystery but with angels and demons?? Yes, please! This is such a fun and quick read. I couldn't put it down because I needed to know how it ended. Rebecca Roanhorse creates worlds that I love spending time in and I would be thrilled if she decided to write more stories in this universe.
$26.99
ISBN: 9781250229892
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Flatiron Books - July 12th, 2022
This book somehow feels as large as the ocean while also being stiflingly claustrophobic. The beauty of the writing and the emotion injected into the most everyday, ordinary things is completely engrossing. This book follows the story of a married couple, Leah and Miri, and how their lives are upturned when Leah gets trapped at the bottom of the ocean on a sub nautical research assignment. Alternating between two characters and two timelines, we read about Leah's experience being stuck underwater as we are also reading about Miri living with how Leah has changed after returning home. Speculative fiction with moments of both absolute horror and heart wrenching romance, this is the perfect read for fans of Jeff VanderMeer's Annihilation or if you are simply wanting to read something entirely unique.
$28.00
ISBN: 9780374279264
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: MCD - May 17th, 2022
This is an absolutely stunning memoir. The writing is beautiful and so is the storytelling. Putsata Reang gives us an account of her experiences growing up as a gay Khmer American as well as sharing her mother's story of escaping Cambodia and raising her family in a new place while trying to survive an abusive marriage. This book felt so personal to read - almost like reading journal entries. The relationship between mother and daughter is raw and real, the experiences shared bringing feelings of both joy and sadness. If you are going to read one memoir this year, let it be this one.
$26.99
ISBN: 9781250810465
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Flatiron Books - May 31st, 2022
What a beautiful book. I felt pretty much every possible emotion while reading. And it definitely hurt my heart at times which I think is a Nina LaCour specialty. If one of her books doesn't make you cry at least twice, you must not be paying very close attention. Anyway, crying aside, please read this. It touches on important themes of addiction, family hardships, relationship struggles, and a lot more. The two women who lead this story are compassionate and caring even though they have plenty of reasons not to be. This is all about overcoming and learning to live and love even when the world is throwing all kinds of stuff your way. Grab a drink, pull up a chair, and cry over this beautiful book with me.