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
--Kathy, Book Buyer
Missing persons and found identities. Love and deception. Utopia and reality. A darkly enthralling and ultimately compulsively readable psychological mystery. Highly recommended.
--Kate M., Book Buyer
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!
--Kate B., Book Buyer
Funny, witty, and awkward around humans, Murder Bot, a self-described “heartless killing machine,” just wants to watch their serials. Instead they keep having to prevent their clients from getting murdered on a survey mission that seems rigged to sabotage them.
Read if you like: The Expanse
--James, Bookseller
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.
--Jeremy, VP of Buying
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.
--Steve, Bookseller
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.
--Josh, Book Buyer
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
-- Jen, Book Buyer
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.
--Kate M., Book Buyer
Join a young child and their dog as they experience every minute of the day to its fullest.
--Kate B., Book Buyer
In English and Spanish, everyone, including Mom and Dad and the sun and the wind, has kisses for baby. Much love.
--Kate B., Book Buyer
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.
--Kate B., Buyer
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.
-- Kate M., Buyer
A child who is always on the move and time flying - it's all a blur!! Perfect for graduation.
--Kate B., Book Buyer
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.
--Kate M., Book Buyer
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?
--Zach, Bookseller
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.
--Kate M., Book Buyer
After I read this book, I felt like I knew Trevor Noah as deeply as a close friend. He tells you his story about growing up as a colored person in South Africa during the Apartheid, born to a black Xhosa mother and a white Swiss father at a time when such a union was illegal. He lived between worlds, neither black nor white, in a country of severe systemic racism. If that sounds too heavy and serious, take heart! Trevor weaves his stories with laugh-out-loud humor as he accounts the most ridiculous, heart-breaking, comical, and thought-provoking moments in his life on a journey of breaking out of the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that threatened his own mother’s life.
--James, Bookseller
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.
--Jeremy, VP of Buying
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
--Kathy, Book Buyer
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!
--Joseline, Bookseller
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.
--Kate B., Book Buyer
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
--Josh, Book Buyer
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.
--Faith, Bookseller
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
--John Michael, Bookseller
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.
--Josh, Book Buyer
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!
--Stef, Bookseller
Dress-Up Day can be every day in this beautiful tale of a happy, friendly preschooler.
--Kate B., Book Buyer
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.
--Jeremy, VP of Buying
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!)
--Jen, Book Buyer
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
--Kathy, Book Buyer
If you love dragon books, perfect! But if you’re tired of the trope, you might find this one to be refreshing. Rosaria creates a fascinating world where dragons are treated like weapons of mass destruction. It’s got the action and romance of an excellent YA fantasy with an undercurrent of political intrigue that’ll make you think.
Read if you like: An Ember in the Ashes
-- James, Bookseller
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.
--Josh, Book Buyer
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??
--Kate B., Book Buyer
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.
--Josh, Book Buyer
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.
--Jeremy, VP of Buying
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
--Kathy, Book Buyer
Both funny and heartfelt, this is a hell of a book, intimately exploring racism and police violence.
--Kate B., Book Buyer
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
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
This book will change your life and make you believe in the monster that lives under your bed and in your closet and lurks in corner of your eye…Not a horror, but truly the most harrowing reading experience I have ever survived, and it did feel close at times. As the letters and plot twist and turn, so will your mind, as MZD turns the postmodern genre upside down and inside out - literally.
--Store Manager Casey
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
If/Then is the fascinating account of a struggling corporation that oversold itself in the realm of personal data collection, analysis, and prediction; a corporation at the dawn of the computer age, before the Internet. It is a history of a forgotten history. In many ways it is also a warning against the hubris of trying to perfect prognostication with technology. And my favorite part about this book is that it shows how something seemingly minor connects to so many other things.
--Buyer Jen