2 AM flips the script on the refugee experience. A bold and thought-provoking book about the consequences of extremism, otherness, and the universal longing for home and connection. A must-read for our times.
Read if you liked: Exit West
--Buyer Kathy
Missing persons and found identities. Love and deception. Utopia and reality. A darkly enthralling and ultimately compulsively readable psychological mystery. Highly recommended.
--Buyer Kate M.
A tale of friendship becoming love by way of Pakistan to California, to high school, to Mom dying, to jail and college - fueled by rage. A great story!
--Buyer Kate B.
Contemporary erotic short stories written by some of today’s most renowned authors. But here’s the thing - you just don’t know who wrote what story. It’s anonymous sex in the most unfulfilling (but safe) ways.
--VP of Buying Jeremy
It’s incredibly difficult to grapple with creation in any form of art especially when the scope of said creation varies so vastly: how does one create themself, how is one created, is any of that different from the creation of a land mass? A pleasure to read and much less a collection of poetry and more an experience in collective creation.
--Bookseller Steve
I devoured this. The Aquanaut is an endearing story with a strong focus on family, both the one you're born into and the one you find. A group of sea creatures wandering around the surface in a scuba suit makes for plenty of comical moments, pairing well with the heartfelt family story. The narrative is great on its own but is elevated to another level with Santat's incredible illustrations. This is a book that offers wide appeal and will entertain all.
--Buyer Josh
Content warning: this book contains the subtle yet devastating shocker that Millennials are reaching middle age. In this anti-motivational collection of essays, McInerny discusses disappearing opportunities, beauty, therapy, #parenting, #compassion, and the whole hashtag approach to modern living. Insightful and wonderfully written, this book is for anyone who’s ever wanted to acknowledge the negative without getting mired in hopeless negativity.
Read if you like: Jenny Lawson or Samantha Irby
--Buyer Jen
An illuminating, uplifting, and sincere exploration of strength and adaptability in the face of physical handicap and personal hardship. Bruni takes deep dives into his own ups and downs and the likewise personal yet varied insights he has gained from others since the stroke that left him blind in his right eye. Readers will ultimately be left with a poetic and resonant reflection on the gifts that arise from inevitably yet gracefully growing old and, above all, from being more empathetic and ever more resilient.
--Buyer Kate M.
Join a young child and their dog as they experience every minute of the day to its fullest.
--Buyer Kate B.
In English and Spanish, everyone, including Mom and Dad and the sun and the wind, has kisses for baby. Much love.
--Buyer Kate B.
A young girl and her abuela find a wounded bird and nurse it and free it. With colorful and detailed illustration, this book is filled with love.
--Buyer Kate B.
This latest poignantly insightful and approachable read from Susan Cain is chock full of resonant research, genuine storytelling, and personal biography. Cain comprehensively examines the inevitable yet powerful sentiments of sorrow and longing and how they can, in fact, explain and ultimately enrich our histories and lives. This is a quick read with the potential to leave you with the bittersweet yearning explored within for more.
--Buyer Kate M.
A child who is always on the move and time flying - it's all a blur!! Perfect for graduation.
--Buyer Kate B.
At turns heart-wrenching and hopeful, this novel follows the wife and son of a Japanese jazz musician following the latter's untimely and tragic death and explores their varied and subsequent grief and letting go. We are encouraged to question what is real and most important, and as a result, are left feeling buoyed by the the reminders that our things do not make us and when it can all vanish in an instant, we, and not our things, endure.
--Buyer Kate M.
Book of Night is a weird magical world that never feels too heavy handed in its world-building or trite with its blood-hungry, shape-shifting shadows. The main character, Charlie Hall, will pull at readers heart strings as she cons her way through the Shadow-Magic underworld, or piss off readers with her slew of bad decisions. Holly Black is fantastic at making readers question their own moral convictions juxtaposed with her protagonist's actions. Was it the right thing to do or what was necessary? Do morals even matter when a violent kingpin of Shadow Magic is closing in and threatening everything you love?
--Bookseller Zach
Whimsical and bittersweet. Perfect for book lovers who want a time travel-inspired read. While the interplay between the good, light-natured magic of the bookstore at the heart of this story and the looming and insidious dark magic becomes intense amid the backdrop of WWII, this story of family, friendship, and coping with loss and grief resonates today. Great for fans of the Pages & Co. series and mature mid-grade readers.
--Buyer Kate M.
A memoir of growing up gay in rural America. At times a celebration of the land and culture of his North Dakotan roots, this is also a damning indictment of parts of contemporary America, toxic masculinity, and our environmental policies. His writing is thoughtful, poetic and beautiful. I came out in 1993 and am infuriated that stories like Taylor Brorby’s still need to be told in 2022.
--VP of Buying Jeremy
Three women, exiled to the edge of society when they reach middle age, unite to find a serial killer on the loose in a fictional Long Island town. There’s murder, a dash of witchcraft, and family drama in this entertaining and satisfying novel.
Read if you liked: Big Little Lies
--Buyer Kathy
Fairytales? Murder? Horror? Mystery? A little bit of true crime? Detective Medina takes you through it all. Just read the back, I promise it won’t disappoint!
--Bookseller Joseline
Seven siblings grow up on a farm and deal with life and their mother's early death/suicide in different yet connected ways and ultimately there forms a chorus of love.
--Buyer Kate B.
Cold as Hell throws a character like Harry Dresden and Geralt of Rivia into the Wild West. Undead, James Crowley, is thrown into action against a number of supernatural elements that make for a wild adventure and feel as if they belong in this western setting, providing a strong genre mashup. This world provides plenty to explore in future installments.
Read if you like: The Witcher, The Dresden Files, Iron Druid Chronicles
--Buyer Josh
A dreamy retelling of The Great Gatsby through the perspective of a Queer and Asian Jordan Baker. The book is an exciting way to slip back into a favorite classic while also exploring an unheard perspective of the roaring twenties. The book digs itself into the roots of the original story while playfully roaming a whole new world filled with magical realism.
--Bookseller Faith
Being an evil dark lord is never easy, people are constantly trying to stop you, other times the crops you're trying to raise might try to eat you! Clementine must worry about all these things as she struggles to save her dark lord of a father from a terrible curse that has been placed upon him. A tale of finding goodness in the most unlikely of places, accepting who we are, and what it means to have a heart.
Read If You Like: Tale of Despereaux, School of Good and Evil, Okay Witch
--Bookseller John Michael
There is so much to love about S.A. Barnes' Dead Silence. The mix of sci-fi and horror is a great mash-up. If the idea of finding a luxury cruiser that is the equivalent of The Titanic in space wasn't cool enough, a haunted luxury cruiser in space is even better. The terror of discovering what happened to the ship and crew will keep you on the edge of your seat. It's one fantastic journey.
--Buyer Josh
Roxanne Gay’s Difficult Women is a sorrowful, authentic, intense collection of short stories about women in the U.S. She puts together a medley of uncomfortable issues and uses female characters to show readers the ugliness that society so desperately tries to hide. Her writing is poetic but understandable, and hard but necessary. Some stories are more difficult than others, but all of them are important. Read it, share it, learn from it, and read it again!
--Bookseller Stef
Dress-Up Day can be every day in this beautiful tale of a happy, friendly preschooler.
--Buyer Kate B.
A celebration of various foods on the verge of extinction from various cultures around the world and why we should work to preserve them. Saladino’s descriptions are vivid, crisp and absolutely delicious.
--VP of Buying Jeremy
Combine 'Wild Kratts' with any superhero team, and you have 'The Extincts'. A globe-trotting found family that has to save the world, the local town, and each other. A fun, cinematic adventure for anyone who is curious about the world (check out the fun facts and experiment at the end!)
--Buyer Jen
This is the perfect summer beach read! A single mom and romance novelist finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. For fans of Netflix’s Dead to Me.
Read if you liked: Vera Kelly Is Not a Mystery
--Buyer Kathy
Like a lot of V.E. Schwab's works, this one has a slow build but she continually pulls it off and immerses you into the story bit by bit as it develops around you. In this case, featuring demons and complex family history. This eerie tale is a blend of Gaiman and Holly Black while also distinctly "Schwab." This features the charm of her past work for young readers but will appeal to her adult readers too.
--Buyer Josh
This is a thriller - filled with lies and liars and deceits. The golden couple want their marriage fixed but they and their unconventional therapist are unaware of what they are up against. Not predictable at all - shall I say surprise ending??
--Buyer Kate B.
In Goliath, Onyebuchi shows an all too possible future in this 2050 setting. A well-crafted, frighteningly realistic version of an apocalyptic Earth is fueled by Onyebuchi's rich prose. You're guided through this nonlinear tale with a number of vignettes that tied together provide a narrative that is raw and pulls no punches in this thought-provoking read.
--Buyer Josh
If there is a glimmer of humor or irony in something, no matter how dark or deep the subject, David Sedaris will find it. Along the way, he’ll also share poignant and personal stories as often as he’ll tell filthy and hilarious jokes. I'm very grateful for another volume of Sedaris’ essays full of wit and deep insight into the human condition.
--VP of Buying Jeremy
An enlightening and intriguing portrayal of hawks, their ancestry, predatory hunting skills, and their relationships with humans. From the author of Soul of an Octopus, whose love and admiration for these creatures leaps off the page.
Read if you liked: Soul of an Octopus, H is for Hawk
--Buyer Kathy
Both funny and heartfelt, this is a hell of a book, intimately exploring racism and police violence.
--Buyer Kate B.
A lovingly told book about the planet, the things on it, and all the people we get to share it with. Well-illustrated and excellent for showing and teaching kids different concepts and words.
Read If You Like: What We’ll Build, Astrophysics for Babies, Change Sings
--Bookseller John Michael
This supernatural thriller introduces you to the deadliest game of hide-and-seek. Staying hidden at an abandoned amusement park for a week isn't so fun if getting found results in more than just losing out on $50,000. White masterfully juggles a full cast of characters, letting you get to know all of these competitors, the horrors they face, and how they do or don't fit in with their fellow participants. The pace is quick and you'll be entertained from start to finish.
--Buyer Josh
Hilda: The Wilderness Stories: Hilda & The Troll /Hilda & The Midnight Giant (Hildafolk) (Hardcover)
An exciting and imaginative world with vivid creatures and characters. Hilda tells the tale of a young artist who draws all the things in her weird and wacky world that fascinate her all the while trying to make friends with all the creatures and beings she encounters.
Read If You Like: Amulet, Adventure Time, Phoebe & Her Unicorn
--Bookseller John Michael
When Amir almost gets outed as gay to his devout Muslim parents, he panics and runs away…all the way to Rome. Not sure how he’ll ever face his parents again, he discovers a found family of fellow gay Iranians, Americans, and Italians living in Rome. Amir settles into a life of dates at the Sistine Chapel, late nights drinking prosecco, and people who accept him for who he is, but he can’t escape his old life and the constant phone calls from his worried family. As a gay man who grew up in a loving, religious family, this book hit me close to home.
Read if you liked: Darius the Great Is Not Okay
--Bookseller James
A detailed “adventure history” of the three voyages of the Dutch cartographer William Barents in his attempts to discover the Northeast Passage from Europe to Asia. With access to Barents’ own log as well as various other period documents, Pitzer recreates the trips and era in detail from the political and financial aspects to the polar bear attacks.
--VP of Buying Jeremy
Experience the cycle of nature and the beauty of nurturing.
--Buyer Kate B.
Ryan is a gay Los Angelino with cerebral palsey who writes mediocre television by day and languishes by night in a not terrible but ultimately unfulfilling relationship. A shockingly up-front novel about the break-up from one boyfriend and his self-destructive (and sometimes hilarious) trip to self-discovery. All those things you think but never actually say are right there on the page.
--VP of Buying Jeremy
This book changed my life. It helped give me the courage to pursue my dreams. The beauty of Patti Smith’s prose is hypnotic and blurs the line between narrative and poetry. Rarely does someone bare their soul so eloquently.
--VP of Buying Jeremy
Getting the opportunity to follow the life of a boy band in the pages of Kiss & Tell makes for a great page turner. This book is a ton of fun but also takes a hard look at fandom, being in the public eye as a teen celebrity and the impact that has on your relationships.
--Buyer Josh
The choice for physician-assisted suicide for a person suffering from early onset Alzheimer's is controversial and difficult to arrange. This beautiful memoir tells of making this choice with doggedness, respect and lots of love.
--Buyer Kate B.
An antiquities dealer is approached with three journals that appear to be handwritten drafts of Sylvia Plath’s novel, The Bell Jar. This imaginative and well-written historical fiction novel overlaps three narratives -- Sylvia Plath, a rival poet and the antiquities appraiser. It is a delight to read, and you’ll want to grab a copy of The Bell Jar as soon as you finish.
--Buyer Kathy
Full of the joyful bad taste, ridiculous plotlines and all-consuming fetishes and obsessions that his movies are known for, John Waters takes us on a murderous and lustful bouncey bounce road trip from Baltimore to Provincetown. If you’re a fan of his movies, you’re in for a real treat. If you don’t know his work, buckle up, clutch your pearls and enjoy the ludicrous, offensive, surreal, very un-pc and outré ride.
--VP of Buying Jeremy
Alyssa Songsiridej has the best written sex scenes in recent memory. Fans of Garth Greenwell and Melissa Febos will eat up this steamy literary story about a young dancer and an older choreographer. The beauty in the book is the affair that isn't steeped in trauma and really empowers the unnamed narrator. Little Rabbit is the hottest book of the summer.
Read if you like: Garthe Greenwell and Melissa Febos
--Events Director Adam
Beautifully interwoven essays that are delicately combined to form a vivid coming of age memoir. Kira shares snapshots from her life that flow so effortlessly between joy and trauma, hope and disappointment, with such intense honesty in a way that only real life can. It follows a young girl trying to make sense of herself, her troubled parents, and her ever evolving understanding of her sexuality.
--Bookseller Faith
What starts as a memoir about her father’s death becomes a celebration of life, all told in a beautifully and emotionally unflinching way. This is an in-depth meditation on life, loss and love and is the hug to the soul that I’ve needed as of late.
--VP of Buying Jeremy
The use of language in this book is exquisite - I wanted to linger with the words. And Luiselli's story of listening, of questing, of a marriage falling apart quietly on a road trip with the children has a perfect, inescapable gravity. Definitely a book that deserves not to fall under the radar.
--Buyer Jen
A striking debut novel that follows the messiness of someone navigating their early twenties; struggling within their career, falling in love with the wrong person, and all of the strange relationships that form in the midst.
--Bookseller Faith
Just when you think you solved the case, a neighbor's hidden story will have you questioning all collected information. After all, what can one expect from a town full of greed and jealousy? Detective Atticus Pund finds himself discovering everyone’s secrets, as he struggles to hide his own, in an attempt to find the killer.
--Bookseller Joseline
A powerful short story collection by a talented new author. Mexican Americans navigate love and grief, oppression and politicization with mysticism and determination. These stories are as fierce as they are beautiful.
Read if you liked: Sabrina and Corina
--Buyer Kathy
"Works according to design." Oluo masterfully illuminates how cultural infrastructures create, maintain, protect, and perpetuate the idea of the Great White Male, also showing the hidden and intentional costs of these systems. I found this book so eye-opening, thorough, and disturbingly fascinating that I bought the paperback after listening to the audio. A must-read for anyone who likes to see history not just as the study of the past, but as inherent to the present.
--Buyer Jen
Set primarily between Italy and a WWII era Hollywood movie studio a few decades past its prime, Anthony Marra explores the histories and lives of the artists and executives who work Mercury Studios. What are you willing to do in order to survive or even just make a living and does war change that? Would you sacrifice your integrity as an artist or individual and act in movies which vilify your heritage? Can you ever truly find forgiveness for yourself after difficult decisions, even those that saved your life?
Read if you like: A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
--VP of Buying Jeremy
Perfect for the reader who is interested in a mash-up of The Martian and Blake Crouch's work. Mickey7 is reminiscent of Mark Watney and like Crouch's Dark Matter or Recursion, there are ample mind-bending concepts to chew on. The concept and world created here are intriguing and leave plenty for readers to chew on well after they've finished the book.
--Buyer Josh
Heart-wrenching and suspenseful. Aching yet hopeful. Dark secrets and nail-biting misadventures at sea. Fading wildlife amid both climate and personal tragedies. This book will enthrall while breaking and leaving a deep stamp on your heart. Recommended.
--Buyer Kate M.
A collection of short stories that all take place in Florida and follow a diverse cast of characters facing different stages of life. With vivid imagery, flawed characters, and painful realities these stories are at times dark but never hopeless.
Read if you like: The House on Mango Street
--Bookseller Faith
Monarca blends Mexican folklore, environmentalism, and magical realism in an enchanting and unique novel. If you are looking for something remarkable, heartwarming and out of the ordinary, this is for you.
Read if you liked: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox & the Horse
--Buyer Kathy
Just when you think you have this story figured out, Ella Baxter twirls and dives deeper emotionally. New Animal is a dark yet humorous take on grief and connection, centered on a cosmetic mortician and her eccentric family. This is definitely a “pour another glass of wine and keep reading until you’re done” kind of book.
--Buyer Kathy
The New Neighbor is a psychological thriller that will keep you reading well into the night. Winning the lottery provides enough challenges but Aidan has plenty more to deal with as he's recently widowed and moved into a house with a complicated history that forces him to deal with his own troubled past. Wilson excels at making dark, unsettling narratives highly entertaining.
--Buyer Josh
This is a fascinating look at a decade in our not so distant past that feels so very different than today. This is not a book that wallows in 90’s nostalgia. Music, technology, politics, sports - it’s all in here and thoughtfully discussed and contextualized with what had come before and since.
--Buyer Jeremy
Memoir, interview, history, and geopolitics all come together in this harrowing and vital account of the Uyghur genocide in China. Hardly a beach-read, I know, but Turkel weaves together his own experiences with those of other eye-witnesses --- providing context along the way --- in such an accessible and compelling way that I found it hard to put down --- and even harder to turn away from.
--Buyer Jen
Set in a working-class town on the Rhode Island coast, this story of a murder for love, with its rippling effects, is a beautifully-written thriller.
--Buyer Kate B.
A Puerto Rican family survives the chaos of contemporary NYC, flourishing in some aspects of life and in others - not so much. Gentrification, colonization, sexuality, politics - it’s all here and while the voice is pure Brooklyn, the story is American.
--VP of Buying Jeremy
Endearing looks at and illuminating love letters to the furry and feathered friends we care for, put to work, train for competition, preserve in unusual ways, and, above all, adore and share the planet with.
--Buyer Kate M.
One is two. One pair of shoes. One team of horses. One family. This fabulous inclusive board book continues counting upward celebrating great diversity within families.
--Buyer Kate B.
A beautifully written novel by local Indigenous author Stephen Graham Jones. The Only Good Indians delicately weaves together a horror story that is heartbreaking, gory, and unshakable. The book slowly haunts its reader while exploring Native American folklore. A beautiful and haunting book that’s definitely worth the read!
--Bookseller Faith
A group of intellectual friends escape NYC in the early days of the pandemic to wait out the disease in their own bucolic bubble of cottages in the Hudson Valley. Life, as it is wont to do, catches up with them, proving that no one is truly safe and that you don’t leave your problems behind when you change your location. Sound morose? Hardly. This book is ultimately a tale of salvation.
--VP of Buying Jeremy
Nimbus, a winged horse, finds perfect friends in the warm glow of the place where a falling star lands. She gets her wish.
--Buyer Kate B.
My favorite book from 2020. Danforth is one of my favorite writers and I was so glad she released another book. This book is a gothic treat, with a cast of all queer women as the protagonists. With interesting twists and a pervading feeling of unease, it is a horror must read.
--Bookseller Brick
In the collective attic of Americana, Linda Taylor is strewn far more places than we realize -- as an individual, she was a two-bit con artist with little concern for those around her; as a symbol, 'The Welfare Queen', she was a national conversation, a household image, incontrovertible proof of the superiority of Reaganomics. Yes, she cheated the welfare system, but that was neither the extent of her crimes nor of her life. And her story reveals the sad dark side of American social mores and what we do to those we deem 'undeserving'.
--Buyer Jen
Rainbow Rainbow is queer, bold, and beautiful. Conklin’s characters and memorable stories offer a unique perspective on modern relationships with pitch-perfect tone. This will be one of the best collections by the end of the year.
--Events Director Adam
30 years after the tragic and unexpected death of her son, Tova leads a quiet life in her home town on the Washington coast working as a cleaning woman at the local aquarium. At 70 years old, she’s trying to figure out what comes next. A charming and bittersweet novel about ageing, grief, our material possessions and a giant Pacific Octopus.
--VP of Buying Jeremy
Rose Royal is a French noir novella examining romance, desire and violence. Rose, a recent divorcee, has given up on love, and started carrying a .38 caliber handgun in her purse. After a chance encounter, Rose begins a relationship with Luc, which leads her to examine her own power, as well as men's need for control. Both brooding and universal, this slim book is a perfect length to read on a plane ride or on a rainy afternoon.
--Buyer Kate B.
Already a fan of Katy Tur, I was excited to be a witness to her story even more with this memoir. An enthralling upbringing as well as eccentric relationships with her daring and ambitious journalist parents are documented along with revealing reflections on her beginnings in her own reporting career. Tur's storytelling feels characteristically blunt, transparent, yet all the while sincere. Highly readable and recommended.
--Buyer Kate M.
Real people, real animals, real fun. Earnest, endearing, and heart-warming. And a wild Colorado running tradition to boot!
--Buyer Kate M.
These stories are not interlinked, exactly, but they occur in the same universe, the characters branches on one huge family tree. Moreover, connection—-to family, to place—is a major theme throughout, as is disconnection, displacement. I could go on; this collection is piercing, and I can’t wait to see more of this local author.
--Buyer Jen
What happens when women are subjected to government approval of their mothering skills, or else risk losing custody of their children? Chan’s debut novel is worthy of comparisons being made to The Handmaid’s Tale (and that is not something I say lightly). A woman finds herself forced to participate in a government reform program to transform “bad mothers” into worthy maternal vessels. Chan takes “mom shaming,” government control and parental rights to a whole new level. I could not put down this book!
--Buyer Kathy
I’m finding it difficult to summarize this sprawling, epic story in a few short sentences. Taking place across different locations and times, this insightful, elegantly crafted and written novel bridges many themes, including family, individualism, pandemics and humanity’s will to survive.
Read if you liked: Station Eleven, The Glass Hotel
--VP of Buying Jeremy
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Rich and suspenseful. I loved how much this both transported me to the Irish countryside and kept me on the edge of my seat. Being the first Tana French thriller I have read, I am now eager to read more of her work. Pick this up for a quick, hair-raising, and gripping read.
--Buyer Kate M.
This ghost story, set mostly in a small Minneapolis bookstore, during the time of Covid, is marvelous. Tookie, the main character and bookstore employee, has served a sentence, explores favorite sentences and looks to words to show gratitude and forgiveness. A bonus is many categorized lists of book recommendations.
--Buyer Kate B.
These beautiful animals, alone by instinct, survive and travel happily through the world!
--Buyer Kate B.
This was a fascinating read on the past, present, and future of the commercialization of space. Covering anything from satellites, human spaceflight, space tourism and the resources space could offer. Those who have an interest in how humans have succeeded, failed, and aspire to visit the stars will want to check out this entertaining read.
--Buyer Josh
Abdullah's debut is influenced by Arab Folklore and leaps off the page with vivid worldbuilding. You'll be swept away by a delightful cast of characters and their spellbinding adventure. Their various exploits make for a page- turning fantasy that will have you eagerly awaiting the next installment. The Stardust Thief serves as a reminder of the true magic of storytelling.
--Buyer Josh
The Swimmers is a delightful and uniquely written story about a group of obsessed recreational swimmers. Their pool develops a crack, and the swimmers unravel in both individual and collective ways. Julie Otsuka deserves every award, each word necessary and precise in a novel that floats along like a smooth breaststroke.
--Buyer Kathy
How could a mouse possibly become a knight? What does a young girl need to do in order to become a princess? Why do these questions matter? Find out in this lovingly crafted story about courage, hurt, and healing.
Read If You Like: Inkheart, Soup (in general), Wonder
--Bookseller John Michael
Emma Straub works her magic again – This Time Tomorrow is nostalgic, sad, sweet, and everything in between. The novel is both a coming-of-age story and a tale about loving and letting go. Straub has a razor-sharp ability to portray the messiness and the connection of family life.
--Buyer Kathy
Do I know anything about Punk music? No. But I would die for Laura Jane Grace. In her memoir, she talks about her struggles with gender dysphoria and finding herself while also giving insight to the rise and fall of Against Me!
--Bookseller Brick
This book has everything I love: characters who thoroughly inhabit their own unique voices; questions of point-of-view and truth; wonderful writing; and questions and themes that my brain can enthusiastically pick apart and analyze. Trust is a brilliant and engaging read, and I highly highly recommend.
--Buyer Jen
Karla Cornejo Villavicencio is beautifully unapologetic about her life, her values, and her sympathies. She is not interested in being an inspiration or a symbol, and what she writes about is the uninspiring, boring, mundane, just-trying-to-make-ends-meet lives of illegal immigrants. Well-written, thought-provoking, and highly recommended.
--Buyer Jen
Undocumented Americans is a medley of stories that string into a memoir/account of the Americans who’s stories aren’t told and lives aren’t seen. Karla Villavicencio doesn’t write to inspire people. She writes to discuss generational trauma, greed, resilience, and community. She’s tender and honest about her personal connection to her community, but challenges people to look at the heartbreak in the faces they call ‘minority.’ Then she thanks her readers for any kindness they may have shown. The stories she shared constantly forced me to take deep breaths. Her requests of the readers angered and confused me. The hope she weaves into her anger inspired me to do the same. I encourage anyone who picks up this book to do so with the intent of first listening to what’s on the page, and then learning from it.
--Bookseller Stef
Inspired by a true story, E. R. Ramzipoor has crafted an absolute masterpiece set in Nazi-occupied Belgium that weaves delightful fiction with heartbreaking historical truth. In 1943, the Nazis force journalist Marc Aubrion to write a pro-Nazi propaganda newspaper called Le Soir. In secret, he and his team decide to write a newspaper that will mock Hitler and the Third Reich, knowing that the moment it publishes, the Nazis will kill them. The ventriloquists have agreed to die for a joke, and they have only eighteen days to tell it.
--Bookseller James
This viking fit the viking stereotype except he feared the sea....that is, until he fell in love with Ingrid, a viking beauty, and together they faced and conquered the waters.
--Buyer Kate B.
![Violeta [English Edition]: A Novel Cover Image](https://images.booksense.com/images/books/206/496/FC9780593496206.JPG)
The epic story of a woman born in one pandemic and who dies 100 years later, during another. Set against most of the major events of the 20th century, the complex plot unfolds clearly and unflinchingly. Allende’s prose is gorgeous yet colloquial, told in a letter to the great love of her life. Not to be missed.
--VP of Buying Jeremy
As Ray MacMillan prepares for a prestigious international musical competition, his Stradivarius violin is stolen with a ransom note left in the case. There are many suspects – the descendants of slave owners who gave the violin to Ray’s grandfather decades before, and his own family who would rather sell the instrument for a payout. Ray’s quest to recover his stolen violin is a thriller with symphonic cohesion, and is also a commentary on culture, history, race and class.
--Buyer Kathy
A young novelist joins an established and elite college faculty - bring on the sex, power games, obsession and shame. Such a compelling and fast moving novel.
--VP of Buying Jeremy
This intricately crafted novel read like a puzzle being pieced together a little bit at time. So while I worried I wasn't get much out of it initially because there are no apparent leads, its build is so gradual, and gems of memories and revelations only slowly become clearer, this was ultimately a deep and satisfying thriller.
--Buyer Kate M.