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~~~A Taste of Power: A Black Woman's Story
Brown, Elaine
The successor to Huey Newton as leader of the Black Panther Party in 1974 tells how, despite threats from the FBI, sexism and internal conflict destroyed the party's initiatives, in a personal account of the struggle to define Black identity.


~~~Kindred
Butler, Octavia E.
Dana, a Black woman, finds herself repeatedly transported to the antebellum South, where she must make sure that Rufus, the plantation owner's son, survives to father Dana's ancestor.


~~~~An Extraordinary Union
Cole, Alyssa
As the Civil War rages, a courageous pair of spies plunge fearlessly into a maelstrom of ignorance, deceit, and danger, combining their unique skills to alter the course of history and break the chains of the past . . .


~~~Invisible Women : Data Bias in a World Designed for Men
Criado-Perez, Caroline
Data is fundamental to the modern world. From economic development, to healthcare, to education and public policy, we rely on numbers to allocate resources and make crucial decisions. But because so much data fails to take into account gender, because it treats men as the default and women as atypical, bias and discrimination are baked into our systems. And women pay tremendous costs for this bias, in time, money, and often with their lives. Celebrated feminist advocate Caroline Criado Perez investigates the shocking root cause of gender inequality and research in Invisible Women��, diving into women's lives at home, the workplace, the public square, the doctor's office, and more. Built on hundreds of studies in the US, the UK, and around the world, and written with energy, wit, and sparkling intelligence, this is a groundbreaking, unforgettable exposé that will change the way you look at the world.


~~~The Wonder Down Under : The Insider's Guide to the Anatomy, Biology, and Reality of the Vagina
Dahl, Ellen Støkken
The Wonder Down Under explains everything you ever wanted to know about the vagina but didn't dare ask. Learn the truth about the clitoris' inner life, the menstrual hormone dance and whether the vaginal orgasm really exists. The book helps you understand how different types of contraception work in the body, what a "normal" vulva looks like and how wearing socks can change your sex life. Medical students and sex educators Nina Brochmann and Ellen Stokken Dahl draw on their medical expertise to bring vagina enlightenment to the world. Their no-nonsense approach, written with great humour, makes this a must-read for women (and men!) of all ages. Say goodbye to the myths and misconceptions surrounding female anatomy, this is a timely and empowering book that will inspire women to make informed choices about their sexual health.


~~~~Girls That Never Die : Poems
Elhillo, Safia
In Girls That Never Die, award-winning poet Safia Elhillo reinvents the epic to explore Muslim girlhood and shame, the dangers of being a woman, and the myriad violences enacted and imagined against women's bodies. Drawing from her own life and family histories, as well as cultural myths and news stories about honor killings and genital mutilation, she interlaces the everyday traumas of growing up a girl under patriarchy with magical realist imaginings of rebellion, autonomy, and power.


~~~~Let's Get Physical : How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World
Friedman, Danielle
A captivating blend of reportage and personal narrative that explores the untold history of women's exercise culture--from jogging and Jazzercise to Jane Fonda--and how women have parlayed physical strength into other forms of power.


~~~La Nijinska : Choreographer of the Modern
Garafola, Lynn
La Nijinska is the first biography of twentieth-century ballet's premier female choreographer. Overshadowed in life and legend by her brother Vaslav Nijinsky, Bronislava Nijinska had a far longer and more productive career. Many of her ballets rested on the probing of gender boundaries, a mistrust of conventional gender roles, and the heightening of the ballerina's technical and artistic prowess. Nijinska's career sheds new light on the modern history of ballet and of modernism more generally, recuperating the memory of lost works and forgotten artists, many of them women. But is also reveals the sexism pervasive in the upper echelons of the early and mid-twentieth century ballet world and the barriers that women choreographers still confront.


~~~~Difficult Women
Gay, Roxane
Telling the stories of strong, imperfect, fully realized women, award-winning author Roxane Gay offers diverse protagonists and settings and unusual, often troubling situations in which women are haunted by pain and loss. With complex characters and straightforward writing, this collection stands out.


~~~A Handful of Earth, a Handful of Sky : The World of Octavia E. Butler
George, Lynell
Part biography, part tribute, offers a blueprint for a creative life from the perspective of award-winning science-fiction writer and "MacArthur Genius" Octavia E. Butler. It is a collection of ideas about how to look, listen, breathe--how to be in the world. George not only engages the world that shaped Octavia E. Butler, she also explores the very specific processes through which Butler shaped herself--her unique process of self-making. It's about creating a life with what little you have--hand-me-down books, repurposed diaries, journals, stealing time to write in the middle of the night, making a small check stretch--bit by bit by bit. Includes photographs of Butler's ephemera (personal notes, library call slips, etc.) taken by George from hundreds of boxes of Butler's personal items.


~~~Ain't I a Woman : Black Women and Feminism
Hooks, Bell
A classic work of feminist scholarship, Ain't I a Woman has become a must-read for all those interested in the nature of Black womanhood. Examining the impact of sexism on Black women during slavery, the devaluation of Back womanhood, Black male sexism, racism among feminists, and the Black woman's involvement with feminism, hooks attempts to move us beyond racist and sexist assumptions. The result is nothing short of groundbreaking, giving this book a critical place on every feminist scholar's bookshelf.


~~~~Yellow Wife : A Novel
Johnson, Sadeqa
Born on a plantation in Charles City, Virginia, Pheby Brown was promised her freedom on her eighteenth birthday. Instead she finds herself thrust into the bowels of slavery at the infamous Devil's Half-Acre, a jail where slaves are broken, tortured, and sold every day. Forced to become the mistress of the brutal man who owns the jail, Pheby's survival lies in outwitting him-- even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice.


~~~~The Calculating Stars
Kowal, Mary Robinette
On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington D.C. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process. Elma York's experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition's attempts to put man on the moon, as a calculator. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn't take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can't go into space, too. Elma's drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.


~~~~~The Poppy War
Kuang, R. F. (Rebecca F.)
A war orphan rises from her humble beginnings to become a powerful military commander, and perhaps her country's only hope for survival.


Voyage of the Sable Venus : and Other Poems
Lewis, Robin Coste
Robin Coste Lewis’s electrifying collection is a triptych that begins and ends with lyric poems considering the roles desire and race play in the construction of the self. A stunning poetry debut: this meditation on the black female figure throughout time introduces us to a brave and penetrating new voice.


~~~~The Woman They Could Not Silence : One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried To Make Her Disappear
Moore, Kate
1860: As the clash between the states rolls slowly to a boil, Elizabeth Packard, housewife and mother of six, is facing her own battle. The enemy sits across the table and sleeps in the next room. Threatened by Elizabeth's intellect, independence, and outspokenness, her husband of twenty-one years is plotting against her and makes a plan to put her back in her place. One summer morning, he has her committed to an insane asylum. The horrific conditions inside the Illinois State Hospital in Jacksonville, Illinois, are overseen by Dr. Andrew McFarland, a man who will prove to be even more dangerous to Elizabeth than her traitorous husband. But most disturbing is that Elizabeth is not the only sane woman confined to the institution. There are many rational women on her ward who tell the same story: they've been committed not because they need medical treatment, but to keep them in line-conveniently labeled "crazy" so their voices are ignored. No one is willing to fight for their freedom, and disenfranchised both by gender and the stigma of their supposed madness, they cannot possibly fight for themselves. But Elizabeth is about to discover that the merit of losing everything is that you then have nothing to lose.

~~~Our Voice of Fire : A Memoir of a Warrior Rising
Morin, Brandi
A wildfire of a debut memoir by internationally recognized French/Cree/Iroquois journalist Brandi Morin set to transform the narrative around Indigenous Peoples. Brandi Morin is known for her clear-eyed and empathetic reporting on Indigenous oppression in North America. She is also a survivor of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls crisis and uses her experience to tell the stories of those who did not survive the rampant violence. From her time as a foster kid and runaway who fell victim to predatory men and an oppressive system to her career as an internationally acclaimed journalist, Our Voice of Fire chronicles Morin's journey to overcome enormous adversity and find her purpose, and her power, through journalism. This compelling, honest book is full of self-compassion and the purifying fire of a pursuit for justice.


~~~~The Doctors Blackwell : How Two Pioneering Sisters Brought Medicine to Women--and Women to Medicine
Nimura, Janice P.
A biography of two pioneering sisters who, together, became America's first female doctors and transformed New York's medical establishment by creating a hospital by and for women.


~~~~The Street
Petry, Ann
The Street follows the spirited Lutie Johnson, a newly single mother whose efforts to claim a share of the American Dream for herself and her young son meet frustration at every turn in 1940s Harlem. Opening a fresh perspective on the realities and challenges of black, female, working-class life, The Street became the first novel by an African American woman to sell more than a million copies.


~~~~The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek : A Novel
Richardson, Kim Michele
Cussy Mary Carter is the last of her kind, her skin the color of a blue damselfly in these dusty hills. But that doesn't mean she's got nothing to offer. As a member of the Pack Horse Library Project, Cussy delivers books to the hill folk of Troublesome, hoping to spread learning in these desperate times. But not everyone is so keen on Cussy's family or the Library Project, and the hardscrabble Kentuckians are quick to blame a Blue for any trouble in their small town. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a story of raw courage, fierce strength, and one woman's determination to bring a little bit of hope to the darkly hollers.


~~~~Mighty Justice : My Life in Civil Rights
Roundtree, Dovey Johnson
In Mighty Justice, trailblazing African American civil rights attorney Dovey Johnson Roundtree recounts her inspiring life story that speaks movingly and urgently to our racially troubled times. From the streets of Charlotte, North Carolina, to the segregated courtrooms of the nation's capital; from the male stronghold of the army where she broke gender and color barriers to the pulpits of churches where women had waited for years for the right to minister--in all these places, Roundtree sought justice. At a time when African American attorneys had to leave the courthouses to use the bathroom, Roundtree took on Washington's white legal establishment and prevailed, winning a 1955 landmark bus desegregation case that would help to dismantle the practice of "separate but equal" and shatter Jim Crow laws.


~~~~A Warrior of the People : How Susan La Flesche Overcame Racial and Gender Inequality to Become America's First Indian Doctor
Starita, Joe
On March 14, 1889, Susan La Flesche received her medical degree becoming the first Native American doctor in U.S. history. She earned her degree thirty-one years before women could vote and thirty-five years before Indians could become citizens in their own country. By age twenty-six, this fragile but indomitable Indian woman became the doctor to her tribe. Overnight, she acquired 1,244 patients scattered across 1,350 square miles of rolling countryside with few roads. Her patients often were desperately poor and desperately sick tuberculosis, small pox, measles, influenza families scattered miles apart, whose last hope was a young woman who spoke their language and knew their customs. This is the story of an Indian woman who effectively became the chief of an entrenched patriarchal tribe, the story of a woman who crashed through thick walls of ethnic, racial and gender prejudice, then spent the rest of her life using a unique bicultural identity to improve the lot of her people physically, emotionally, politically, and spiritually.


~~~~Buffy Sainte-Marie : The Authorized Biography
Warner, Andrea
A powerful, intimate look at the life and music of a beloved folk icon and activist. Folk hero. Songwriter icon. Living legend. Buffy Sainte-Marie is all of these things and more. In this, Sainte-Marie's first and only authorized biography, music critic Andrea Warner draws from more than sixty hours of exclusive interviews to offer a powerful, intimate look at the life of the beloved artist and everything that she has accomplished in her seventy-seven years (and counting). Since her groundbreaking debut, 1964's It's My Way!, the Cree singer-songwriter has been a trailblazer and a tireless advocate for Indigenous rights and freedoms, an innovative artist, and a disruptor of the status quo.


~~~~American Indian Stories
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Bright and carefree, Zitkála-Sá grows up on the Yankton Sioux reservation in South Dakota with her mother until Quaker missionaries arrive, offering a free education to all Sioux children. The catch: the children must leave their parents behind and travel to Indiana. Curious about the world beyond the reservation, Zitkála-Sá begs her mother to let her go -- and her mother, aware of the advantage that an education offers, reluctantly agrees. But the missionary school is not the adventure that Zitkála-Sá expected: the school is a strict one, her long hair is cut, and only English is spoken. She encounters racism and ridicule. Slowly, she adapts to her environment -- excelling at her studies, winning prizes for essay-writing and oration. Vivid and poignant, this memoir is the story of an activist in the making, a woman whose extraordinary career partially inspired the events of Killers of the Flower Moon.

----- Someone Else's Life
by Lyn Liao Butler

The setup: Hoping for a fresh start, troubled Annie Lin has recently moved to Kauai with her husband Brody and their son Finn.

What goes wrong: A nosy neighbor, a severe storm, and a stranger in need all begin chipping away at Annie's perception of reality, dredging up reminders of a past that she can't quite recall but that nonetheless fills her with dread.

Who it's for: readers who like unreliable narrators, fraught family dynamics, and Hitchcockian world building.



----- Such Pretty Flowers
by K.L. Cerra

What it is: an intricately plotted and atmospheric mix of psychological suspense and Southern Gothic.

Starring: Holly, a young librarian reeling from her brother Dane's apparent suicide, which she (unfairly) blames herself for not preventing; Dane's mysterious and beguiling girlfriend Maura, who invites Holly to temporarily stay in her luxurious Savannah townhouse.

For fans of: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt; Just Like the Other Girls by Claire Douglas.



------ How I'll Kill You
by Ren DeStefano

What it's about: Twisted sisters Iris, Sissy, and Moody, who have made a family business out of seduction-based serial murder.

Read if you liked: My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite.

Reviewers say: How I'll Kill You is "a novel that will stun readers" with its "cleverly crafted plot that delivers ingenious twists" (Library Journal).



------ Black Wolf
by Kathleen Kent

What it is: the action-packed, richly detailed story of an undercover CIA agent sent behind the crumbling Iron Curtain to keep Soviet nuclear weapons from falling into the wrong hands once the Cold War ends.

What makes her unique: Protagonist Melvina Donleavy is a "super recognizer" who never forgets a face.

About the author: Though Kathleen Kent first made her mark with historical novels like The Heretic's Daughter and The Outcasts, she is also known for her Edgar Award-nominated police procedural The Burn.



------ The Donut Legion
by Joe R. Lansdale

What it's about: East Texas writer and former P.I. Charlie Garner takes on "one last job" after the disappearance of his ex-wife Meg and her new husband, who had ties to a strange local cult.

Read it for: Hap and Leonard series author Joe. R. Landsdale's trademark combination of offbeat humor, intricately plotted suspense, and a strong sense of place.



------ Moscow Exile
by John Lawton

Series alert: Moscow Exile is the 4th entry in the series of Cold War spy novels starring flawed Brit Joe Wilderness.

This time: Joe has been captured by the KGB, and his release in a prisoner exchange has surprising ties to the actions of two unlikely, seemingly unrelated British spies based in Washington D.C.

Read it for: the atmospheric tone, witty writing, and examination of what draws people into the espionage business.



------ The Housemate
by Sarah Bailey

What it's about: A decade after covering the "Housemate Homicide" story in-depth, Australian journalist Olive Groves is once again assigned to the case when a body is discovered, dredging up unpleasant truths for both the reporter and her subjects.

Reviewers say: Author Sarah Bailey's "sophisticated, multilayered plot will have readers longing for more books about this intriguing new leading lady" (Booklist).



------ Sisters of the Lost Nation
by Nick Medina

What it is: a richly detailed and atmospheric horror-thriller that grapples with the real-life issue of missing indigenous women in the U.S. and Canada.

Starring: high schooler Anna Horn, who has a hunch that the disappearances of young women on the reservation are tied to the VIP suites at her tribe's casino, where she works part time as a cleaner.

For fans of: Cherie Dimaline, Stephen Graham Jones, and Erika T. Wurth.

Thumbs up from me for Kindred��
Octavia E. Butler

The Calculating Stars��Mary Robinette Kowal

The Calculating StarsThe Book Woman of Troublesome Creek��Kim Michele Richardson

The Street��Ann Petry.

Adding to my TBR��
The Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear��Kate Moore

A Warrior of the People: How Susan La Flesche Overcame Racial and Gender Inequality to Become America's First Indian Doctor��Joe Starita

American Indian Stories���ܾ��ٰ�á����-Šá

Thanks for the interesting titles, Alias.

You're welcome, deb. I'm always happy to add to your TBR. ;)

No doubt!

-------- Ascension
by Nicholas Binge

What happens: After a snow-capped mountain peak emerges from the Pacific Ocean, eccentric scientist Harold Tunmore joins an expedition to explore its strange terrain, which he recounts in a series of unsent letters.

Why you might like it: Multiple perspectives keep readers guessing throughout this speculative thriller, which pays homage to the work of Mary Shelley, H.P. Lovecraft, and more.

For fans of: Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy or Michael Rutger's Anomaly Files series.



--------- The Scourge Between Stars
by Ness Brown

Introducing: Jaclyn Albright, acting captain of the starship Calypso, which carries the last remaining humans from their failed space colony to a long-abandoned Earth.

What happens: Jaclyn must deal with both the Calypso's mutinous crew and an extraterrestrial intruder stalking the ship's passengers.

For fans of: S.A. Barnes' Dead Silence or the 1979 space horror classic Alien.



-------- Wings Once Cursed & Bound
by Piper J. Drake

Starring: Thai American dancer Peeraphan "Punch" Rahttana, who conceals her kinnaree heritage from the humans around her; and vampire Bennett Andrews, a member of a supernatural secret society that tracks down magical artifacts, such as the cursed red shoes that Punch is currently wearing.

Why you might like it: Set in Seattle, this 1st book in the Mythwoven series blends urban fantasy and romance in ways that may appeal to fans of Sarah J. Maas' Crescent City novels.



--------- Red Team Blues
by Cory Doctorow

One last job: On the eve of his retirement, 67-year-old forensic accountant Martin Hench reluctantly agrees to recover stolen cryptocurrency keys at the request of his oldest friend, an eccentric technologist turned blockchain true believer.

Reviewers say: This noir-tinged cyberpunk caper, the 1st in a planned series about Martin's Silicon Valley exploits, is "jam-packed with cutting-edge ideas" (Booklist).



---------- Furious Heaven
by Kate Elliott

What it is: the sequel to Unconquerable Sun, and the 2nd installment of a sweeping, action-packed space opera inspired by the life of Alexander the Great.

Starring: Princess Sun Shan, who takes the place of her mother, Queen-Marshal Eirene, as head of the Republic of Chaonia; and Sun's loyal Companions, who lend support as she adjusts to her new role.

Why you might like it: The novel's diverse ensemble cast includes multiple narrators, who provide different perspectives on the action (copious) and intrigue (thorny).


--------- The Last Heir to Blackwood Library
by Hester Fox

Yorkshire, England, 1925: Ivy Radcliffe inherits Blackwood Abbey and its mysterious library, which may be responsible for the untimely deaths of the estate's previous residents.

Reviewers say: This "atmospheric historical fantasy" (Publishers Weekly) full of ghostly visitors, strange happenings, and sinister locals harboring secrets makes "a fine addition to the gothic genre" (Booklist).

You might also like: Simone St. James' Silence for the Dead or Katie Lumsden's The Secrets of Hartwood Hall.



------------ In the Lives of Puppets
by TJ Klune

What it is: a "gripping and heartfelt queer dystopian" (Publishers Weekly) retelling of Pinocchio by the author of The House in The Cerulean Sea.

Starring: forest-dwelling android inventor Giovanni "Gio" Lawson and his human son, Victor, whose efforts to repair lost android HAP expose their unconventional robot family to danger.

For fans of: A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers.



------------ The Ten Percent Thief
by Lavanya Lakshminarayan

Welcome to: Apex City (the former Bangalore, India), where status depends on productivity, as determined by the "meritocratic technarchy" of the Bell Corporation, which assigns people to quartiles.

The problem: While the "Virtual Elite" are satisfied with their lives, the bottom ten percent, known as "Analogs," are less thrilled with their lot in life: confined to slums until their organs are harvested. But one Analog has decided to take matters into their own hands.

Book buzz: Originally published in India as Analog/Virtual and Other Simulations of Your Future, this mosaic novel is now available to a wider audience.



--------- Camp Zero
by Michelle Min Sterling

In a world... where climate change has rendered much of the Earth uninhabitable, the northern settlement of Camp Zero welcomes two new arrivals -- sex worker and spy "Rose" and privileged professor Grant -- whose paths will intersect in surprising ways.

Who it's for: Unfolding from multiple perspectives and jumping between past and present-day timelines, this stylistically complex dystopian novel may interest fans of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale or Catherine Hernandez's Crosshairs.

Media buzz: Camp Zero is a selection of The Today Show's Read With Jenna book club.



------------- Some Desperate Glory
by Emily Tesh

Introducing: Kyr, a young warrior on Gaea Station whose dreams of avenging Earth are shattered when, instead of being sent into battle, she's assigned to the Nursery, where she must birth the next generation of supersoldiers.

Is it for you? This gritty space opera by the author of the Greenhollow Duology puts its protagonist through the wringer as she comes to question her lifelong indoctrination in an extremist death cult that holds disturbing ideological positions concerning race, gender, and sexuality.

------- Weyward
by Emilia Hart

Starring: the captivating and unique Weyward women, whose lives affirm the power of desire, sex, personal freedom, and a legacy of magic that transcends centuries.

Read it for: "a tale of magic and female empowerment" that is also an "atmospheric, gripping read" (Booklist).

What to read next? One Thousand and One Nights by Hanan al-Shaykh or The Stolen Book of Evelyn Aubrey by Serena Burdick.



--------- White Cat, Black Dog
by Kelly Link

What it is: a lightly illustrated collection of fairy tale re-tellings -- inspired by French folklore, the Brothers Grimm, and Scottish ballads -- that deftly combines realism with speculative elements.

As in tales of yore: These "enchanting, mesmerizing, brilliant" stories draw readers into a "world [that lingers] like an especially intense dream" (Kirkus Reviews).

For fans of: Helen Oyeyemi, Carmen Maria Machado, or Karen Russell.



---------- The Sun Walks Down
by Fiona McFarlane

Australia, 1883: A small, remote farming community pulls together to find a missing boy, but racial tension, ulterior motives, and personal secrets may prove as treacherous as the vast terrain they must search.

Read it for: a sweeping novel with a large cast of well-realized characters that vividly portray the scope of colonial life in Southern Australia.

Try this next: Benevolence by Julie Janson.



---------- Hello Beautiful
by Ann Napolitano

What happens: William, a reserved college basketball scholarship recipient, begins dating Julie, the eldest of four boisterous sisters in 1970s Chicago. His acceptance into the family becomes a defining moment for all concerned.

What it's about: "the deep, maddeningly frustrating, and ever-present love of family, whether tied by genetics or by choice" (Booklist).

Try this next: The Darlings by Cristina Alger, This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper, or Crossing California by Adam Langer.



------------- The Human Origins of Beatrice Porter and Other Essential Ghosts
by Soraya Palmer

What it's about: Fascinated by the Anansi folklore of their Jamaican mother and Trinidadian father, Sasha and Zora come of age in 1990s Brooklyn. Stories within stories emerge as time, distance, violence, and illness shape the sisters' identities and understanding of family.

For fans of: These Ghosts Are Family by Maisy Card, Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson, or Little Gods by Meng Jin.



------------- The Shamshine Blind
by Paz Pardo

What it is: an alt-history noir mash-up where colorful drugs that produce specific emotions upon contact have been weaponized. Drug Enforcement Agent Kay Curtida's newest "pyschopigment" case could make her career...or kill her.

Want a taste? "[T]he aging pigment’s mix of ennui and affection made me feel like I’d just walked into my dad’s old hardware store."

Read it for: a neurodivergent, Latine protagonist who's equal parts Sam Spade and Thursday Next.



---------- Commitment
by Mona Simpson

What happens: Walter, Lina, and Donny -- teen siblings in 1970s California -- lean on one another after their devoted single mom succumbs to debilitating depression. From turmoil emerges resilience, tenacity, and an enduring commitment to one another's joy.

Read it for: a warm-hearted, "kaleidoscopic portrait" of "sacrifices that keep a family together even when it's coming apart" (Kirkus Reviews).

Try this next: Everything Here Is Beautiful by Mira T. Lee.



--------- Chlorine
by Jade Song

Meet: Ren Yu, a Chinese American teen, relentless in her pursuit of success as a competitive swimmer until the treacheries of the sport (including sexual abuse) transform her into a vengeful water creature.

Is it for you? Chlorine's blend of teen drama, magical realism, and "weird, immersive, female-driven body horror" (Booklist) requires a strong stomach.

Try this next: Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield or Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang.

I am so very happy to repost that only Camp Zero��Michelle Min Sterling calls to me. Climate change survivors, architects and spying? What’s not to love?

Thanks, Alias for your work on these lists.

------ Change Your Brain Every Day: Simple Daily Practices to Strengthen Your Mind, Memory...
by Daniel G. Amen, M.D.

What it's about: daily practices to improve brain function, memory, and overall well-being, based on knowledge gained from author Daniel G. Amen's 40 years of clinical practice in psychiatry and neuroscience.

Reviewers say: "A practical, empowering toolkit for enhancing brain health, this book will benefit anyone interested in strategies for deepening engagement with their health and those looking for a structured way to begin" (Library Journal).



-------- Stash: My Life in Hiding
by Laura Cathcart Robbins

What it is: a reflective and engrossing memoir about addiction, withdrawal, recovery, and rebuilding.

Read it for: the frank and evocative descriptions of the highs and many, many lows of the author's relationship with her drug of choice, Ambien.

About the author: Stash is the first book by Laura Cathcart Robbins, a freelance writer and host of the podcast The Only One in the Room.



-------- Black People Breathe: A Mindfulness Guide to Racial Healing
by Zee Clarke

What it's about: encouraging mindfulness in the Black community, with a special focus on processing the traumas of systemic racism.

Reviewers say: "This is an essential and timely addition to a library's self-help section" (Library Journal).

Want a taste? "Doctors and psychologists have discovered that the experience of racism can result in a wide range of health impacts that kill us slowly -- death by a thousand cuts."



-------- Good Girls: A Story and Study of Anorexia
by Hadley Freeman

What it is: a candid, incisive look at anorexia from a survivor; an examination of recent research into disordered eating, include potential ties to other factors like OCD or autism.

About the author: Hadley Freeman is a journalist and author of the bestselling memoir House of Glass.

Is it for you? Although Good Girls features credible research, Freeman (who isn't a scientist or clinician) makes some conjectures of her own about the disease, including questions about a possible relationship between anorexia and gender dysphoria.



--------- So Sorry for Your Loss: How I Learned to Live with Grief, and Other Grave Concerns
by Dina Gachman

What it's about: what it means to grieve, the many different forms it takes, and how we can work towards healing.

Why you might like it: Author Dina Gachman includes relatable stories of her own experiences with bereavement and doesn't shy away from the complexities of grieving, exploring its devastation but also its occasional absurdities.

Try this next: Crossing the River by Carol Smith.



-------- The Wellness Trap: Break Free from Diet Culture, Disinformation, and Dubious...
by Christy Harrison, M.P.H, R.D.

What it is: an incisive and sobering look inside wellness culture, the industry that profits from it, and how it can do more harm than good.

Read it for: the great pains author Christy Harrison takes to differentiate between "wellness" and actual well-being.

Reviewers say: "A valuable addition to conversations about race, class, ableism, and diet culture" (Library Journal).



---------- Dear Prudence: Liberating Lessons from Slate.com's Beloved Advice Column
by Daniel M. Lavery

Based on: long-running Slate advice column during Daniel M. Lavery's tenure as Prudence, from 2015 to 2021.

Why you might like it: Lavery's unique writing style as Prudence was a well-balanced mix of wit, insight, and candor that broadened the appeal of the advice column's format to hook a whole new generation of readers.



--------- Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us
by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross

What it is: an accessible, thought-provoking exploration of how engaging in artistic and cultural activities are fundamental to both our physical and mental health.

Topics include: postpartum depression recovery, chronic pain, and practical tips for engaging with art and creativity in your daily life.

About the authors: Susan Magsamen is the founder of the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Ivy Ross is the vice president of hardware design at Google.



--------- Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World
by Gretchen Rubin

What it's about: how consciously reconnecting with your senses can enrich your life and help you appreciate important moments.

About the author: Gretchen Rubin is a bestselling writer and speaker best known for her books The Happiness Project and Better Than Before.

Reviewers say: "For active seekers, Rubin again provides simple insights for becoming more aware of place, self, and others" (Kirkus Reviews).



---------- Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most
by Miroslav Volf, Matthew Croasmun, and Ryan McAnnally-Linz

What it is: a well-researched and thought-provoking guide to defining what "the good life" means to you and how to create it for yourself.

Based on: the authors' titular and highly sought-after undergraduate course at Yale.

The first line: "Before he became the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama's life was going quite well by the usual standards."

---- What people who work at the library are reading-----


--------- PARIS: THE MEMOIR

by Paris Hilton

Alison (Circulation) read Paris Hilton's new memoir and says to be ready to reconsider all you thought you knew about the famous socialite. In this deeply personal memoir, the ultimate It Girl shares, for the first time, the hidden history that traumatized and defined her and how she rose above a series of heart-wrenching challenges to find healing, lasting love and a life of meaning and purpose.
��
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---------- THE DRAGON'S PATH

by Daniel Abraham

Andy (Administration) is kicking off summer reading by diving into this fantasy series, "The Dagger and the Coin", book 1 of 5, that is less swords and sorcery and more swords and...banking? Odd-sounding combination, but someone has to fund all that war, political intrigue, and epic feats of fantasy heroism. Marcus, Cithrin and Geder ponder their destinies as they are drawn into a war where dark forces are at work.
��
��
--------- BILLY SUMMERS

by Stephen King

Continuing his recent run of Stephen King audiobooks, Andy is listening to King's fascinating take on "The One Last Job" subgenre of crime thriller that is, in addition, a meditation on the healing power of writing and storytelling. Billy Summers is a killer for hire and the best in the business. But he'll do the job only if the target is a truly bad guy. And now Billy wants out. But first there is one last hit. Billy is among the best snipers in the world, a decorated Iraq war vet, a Houdini when it comes to vanishing after the job is done. So what could possibly go wrong?
��
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------------ THE ONCE AND FUTURE WITCHES

by Alix E. Harrow

Celeste (Administration) is a frequent visitor to stranger realities as part of the library's monthly Other Worlds Book Club. In 1893, the Eastwood sisters join the suffragists of New Salem. They begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote-and perhaps not even to live-the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.

��
---------- SPARE

by Prince Harry

Denise (Circulation) can spare a moment to suggest you check out Prince Harry's blockbuster memoir about his early life and eventual split with the Royal Family. As Diana, Princess of Wales, was laid to rest, billions wondered what the princes must be thinking and feeling--and how their lives would play out from that point on. For Harry, this is that story at last. With its raw, unflinching honesty, Spare is a landmark publication full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief
��

----------FLY AWAY

by Kristin Hannah

Doris (Circulation) returned to Firefly Lane for book 2 of this popular series, also a show on Netflix! A follow-up to the best-selling Firefly Lane returns readers to the world of Tully, Kate and Tully's mother, who explore their understandings about love, family, loss and redemption while turning to each other in the hopes of salvaging their lives.
��

��
---------- THE LIGHT WE CARRY

by Michelle Obama

Doris also read this inspirational work by the former first lady. Michelle Obama offers readers a series of fresh stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress.
��

��
---------- FINDING ME

by Viola Davis

Doris is this month's MVP with a rare hat trick of book recommendations! Says author Viola Davis: "In my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life-changing decision to stop running forever. Finding Me is a deep reflection, a promise, and a love letter of sorts to self. My hope is that my story will inspire you to light up your own life with creative expression and rediscover who you were before the world put a label on you."
��

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---------- TO SLEEP IN A SEA OF STARS

by Christopher Paolini

Elizabeth (Adult Services) is gearing up for a lengthy voyage into space with this 32-hour audiobook. Godspeed! A space voyager living her dream of exploring new worlds lands on a distant planet ripe for colonization before her discovery of a mysterious relic transforms her life and threatens the entire human race.
��

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---------- THE KIND WORTH KILLING

by Peter Swanson

Looking for the kind of book worth reading? Emily (Circulation) has you covered with this thriller. Engaging in an intimate sharing of secrets with a mysterious woman on an airplane, an unhappily married businessman is tangled in a psychologically twisted game of cat-and-mouse involving a plot to kill the man's wife.
��

��
--------- ALL SYSTEMS RED

by Martha Wells

All systems go when it comes to sci-fi recommendations from Erin (Teen Services). A team of scientists and their security android, who unbeknownst to the scientists has hacked its own governor module, must investigate a neighboring mission that has gone dark. Book 1 of 7 in The Murderbot Diaries series.
��

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---------- DEAD END GIRLS

by Wendy Heard

Erin also just finished this YA thriller. In one week, Maude will be dead. At least, that’s what she wants everyone to think. After years of research, Maude has decided to fake her own death. The why is complex: revenge, partly. Her terrible parents deserve this. But there’s also 'l’appel du vide,' the call of the void, that beckons her toward a new life where she will be tied to no one, free and adrift. Then Frankie, a step-cousin she barely knows, figures out what she’s plotting, and the plan seems like it’s ruined. Except Frankie doesn’t want to rat her out. Frankie wants in.
��

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---------- I'M GLAD MY MOM DIED

by Jennette McCurdy

Jillian (Teen Services) recommends this book for teens and adults! A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor--including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother--and how she retook control of her life.
��

��
---------- THE LOST GIRLS

by Sonia Hartl

Jillian also read this YA vampire revenge story. Adults can read this one too, age-based subgenres are just a construct anyway! Holly Liddell has been stuck with crimped hair since 1987 when she agreed to let her boyfriend, Elton, turn her into a vampire. But when he ditches her at a gas station a few decades into their eternity together...Holly meets Elton's other exes...Now Rose and Ida want to kill him before he can trick another girl into eternal adolescence, and they'll need Holly's help to do it.
��

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---------- THE COLOR OF PAIN

by E.G. Rose

Katie (Outreach & Reference) is reading a haunting horror novel. Raymond is an orphan who has been ruthlessly bullied about his strangeness and “special�� abilities that sometimes frighten the other children at The Haven for Little Wanderers Orphanage. When his new case worker, Ada, shows him affection and helps explain how he can see through people’s emotions and secrets, Raymond is thrilled. As he delves deeper into his strange abilities, he discovers the horrifying truth about himself �� he must feed on the pain of others to survive.
��
��
---------- CATCH AND KILL

by Ronan Farrow

Kelsey (Reference) is listening to Ronan Farrow's harrowing account of investigating sexual assault in the entertainment industry. Farrow narrates the audiobook brilliantly, which describes his investigation of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and rape accusations against Harvey Weinstein and Matt Lauer, and the many obstacles he faced, not only from Weinstein but also from his own employer, NBC.
��

��
--------- ANGEL FALLS

by Kristin Hannah

Lisa (Children's) is also reading the perennially popular Kristin Hannah, this selection from "way back" in 2000. Liam will do anything to break his wife out of her coma, even locating the first love of her life--the man she married before him--and bringing him to her bedside. Follow up to Hannah's debut hardcover Mystic Lake.


��
--------- A BIRD WILL SOAR

by Alison Green Myers

Liz (Children's) heartily recommends this book in any format, but she was especially fond of it in audio form. After a tornado, Axel, who loves birds, finds an injured eaglet, and helps to rescue it--and also helps to resolve the problems in his broken family, and draw his father back home.


��
--------- THE GREAT ALONE

by Kristin Hannah

We promise this month's newsletter is not sponsored by Kristin Hannah. Her books are just good! Lynne (Administration) is reading Hannah's saga about a family moving to rural Alaska. When her volatile, former POW father impulsively moves the family to mid-1970s Alaska to live off the land, young Leni and her mother are forced to confront the dangers of their lack of preparedness in the wake of a dangerous winter season.


��
---------- CORAL COTTAGE

by Jan Moran

Melissa (Reference) has you covered if you're looking for a true beach read to kick off the summer with. When Marina Moore’s life blows up on national television, she seeks refuge at her grandmother’s beach house called the Coral Cottage. What began as a short, reclusive holiday is destined to change Marina’s life, especially when writer Jack Ventana's research uncovers her grandmother Ginger’s hidden past. Join the fun in Summer Beach, where the bonds of friendship and love prove unbreakable
��

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---------- MAGIC LESSONS

by Alice Hoffman

Who says witchcraft is only for the fall? Michelle (Children's) is jumping into the Practical Magic series, which currently spans four books. Magic Lessons is a prequel to the original novel that inspired the movie and unveils the origin story of Maria Owens, who after being discovered as an abandoned baby in rural 17th-century Salem is taught in the “Unnamed Arts�� before cursing her own family in love.
��

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---------- SIMPLY LIES

by David Baldacci

Patty (Cataloging) is simply telling the truth when she says you should check out this thriller by the always-reliable David Baldacci. A twisting new psychological thriller in which two women—one a former detective, the other a dangerous con artist—go head-to-head in an electrifying game of cat and mouse.
��

��
---------- ALL NEW WOLVERINE

by Tom Taylor

Tommy (Reference) continues to be immersed in the comics world and recommends this run of Wolverine stories by Tom Taylor and two illustrators. After the death of her mentor Logan, Laura dons his cowl, becoming the All-New Wolverine and pairing up with Dr. Strange and the Wasp in order to defeat lethal new enemy, Taskmaster.
��

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---------- HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE

by Diana Wynne Jones

Zoe (Circulation) is listening to an old favorite as an audiobook. Eldest of three sisters in a land where it is considered to be a misfortune, Sophie is resigned to her fate as a hat shop apprentice until a witch turns her into an old woman and she finds herself in the castle of the greatly feared wizard Howl.
��

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---------- THE LATINIST

by Mark Prins

Zoe also read this contemporary reimagining of the Daphne and Apollo myth, a debut novel that has been compared to The Secret History. When her ex-boyfriend sabotages her career, determined to prove he has her best interests at heart, Oxford-educated Tessa Templeton scrambles to undo the damage, and in the process, makes a discovery about an obscure second-century Latin poet that could launch her career, finally freeing her from his influence.

What a load of informative books, Alias. There seems to be something for everyone in the healthy/wealthy pile!

Reading what librarians are reading and their thoughts on same is a pleasure for me. Second (distant second) to Book Nook Cafe, they are reviews i tune in on.

Thanks for sharing about them all.

You're welcome !

------ Play the Fool
by Lina Chern

Introducing: Katie True, a lonely 29-year-old tarot card reader who works a dead-end job at a shop in a mall and dreams of better things.

Trouble ahead: Katie reads cards for an injured man, and before he leaves, spies a photo on his phone of what appears to be the dead body of a woman who works at a nearby shop. Determined to do right by her friend, Katie teams up with a local cop and her super-smart brother.

Reviewers say: a "good-natured romp" (Publishers Weekly); "Katie will captivate readers with her wry sense of humor and self-deprecating asides" (Library Journal).



-------- Ozark Dogs
by Eli Cranor

Family feuds: In a small town full of secrets in Arkansas's Ozark Mountains, the Fitzjurl and Ledford families have hated each other for years. Now, high school senior Joanna Fitzjurl is missing.

Revenge is served: The Ledfords see Joanna as payment for the killing of their family member by Joanna's dad -- but Joanna's grandfather, who was a sniper in Vietnam, will do anything to get back the granddaughter he raised.

Read this next: For more Southern noir novels, try books by S.A. Cosby, Brian Panowich, David Joy, or Daniel Woodrell.



--------- Fixit
by Joe Ide

Kidnapped: Grace, the ex-girlfriend of PI Isaiah "IQ" Quintabe, is taken by one of IQ's most dangerous enemies, and he needs to get to her quick. But he's hampered by LAPD detective Winnie Hando, who wants to solve the case before IQ can.

Series alert: This action-packed 6th IQ novel is fine for new readers, and series fans will definitely want to read it.

For fans of: gritty Los Angeles-area mysteries, such as Walter Mosley's Easy Rawlins novels, Michael Connelly's crime novels, or Gar Anthony Haywood's Aaron Gunner mysteries.



-------- A Death in Denmark
by Amulya Malladi

Introducing: Gabriel Præst, an elegant blues-loving PI and former Copenhagen cop who was fired for leaking details about corruption.

What happens: Præst agrees to help his lawyer ex-lover prove that a Muslim immigrant isn't guilty of the murder he's been convicted of, in a case with ties to Denmark's role in World War II.

For fans of: evocative Scandinavian crime fiction with intriguing detectives; well-researched fast-paced mysteries.



--------- Symphony of Secrets
by Brendan Slocumb

The prelude: The Delaney Foundation hires expert Bern Hendricks to authenticate a newfound work by famed composer Frederic Delaney, who worked in 1920s and '30s New York City.

The problem: What Bern and a computer savvy friend discover could upend their lives and the music world -- and there's a murder to deal with too.

Why you might like it: With chapters set in the past and the present, this "superb novel" (Kirkus Reviews) offers fascinating characters, a compelling plot, and an insightful look at racism in classical music.



-------- Heart of the Nile
by Will Thomas

1893 London: Inquiry agents Cyrus Baker and Thomas Llewelyn hunt for a missing British Museum volunteer who'd found a heart-shaped ruby in the chest of a heretofore ignored female mummy.

What happens: The mummy might be Cleopatra, a murdered man is found in the Thames, and our delightful duo travel the city looking for answers.

Series alert: This is the atmospheric 14th in the Barker and Llewelyn mysteries, but newcomers can start here. Those who want to start with the pair's 1st outing can check out Some Danger Involved.


****Crime on Vacation


------ In the Shadow of Vesuvius
by Tasha Alexander

Welcome to... Pompeii in 1902, where Lady Emily Ashton and her husband Colin, an agent for the British Crown, have traveled see the ruins at the invitation of a friend.

Unexpected events: Not only does Lady Emily find modern remains amidst ancient ones, but a young woman shows up claiming to be Colin's daughter. Meanwhile, in 79 CE, Greek poet Kassandra, who was once enslaved, pens her story.

Series alert: Richly detailed and atmospheric, this is the 14th Lady Emily Ashton mystery. The 17th, A Cold Highland Wind, is due in October.



---------- Terns of Endearment
by Donna Andrews

Starring: Virginia blacksmith Meg Langslow, an amateur sleuth who's a mother of two and part of a large family of animal lovers.

What happens: Meg's famous naturalist grandfather is lecturing on a cruise, so his friends and family get discounted rates and go too. When a malfunctioning ship strands them near the Bermuda Triangle and a dead body is found, Meg and her relatives investigate.

Series alert: This is the 25th entry in this fun series and can be enjoyed by anyone; the 33rd book, Birder, She Wrote, arrives in August.



---------- The Dark Angel
by Elly Griffiths

The trip: Asked to help identify Roman-era bones found in a picturesque hilltop town in Italy, English forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway makes a vacation of it, taking her young daughter Kate along.

What happens: Threats and a modern murder have Ruth watching her back while pondering a link between the old and the new. Meanwhile, worried dad DCI Harry Nelson -- who fathered Kate during an affair with Ruth -- shows up even as trouble brews for him back home.

Series alert: This entertaining 10th Ruth Galloway mystery has a vibrant setting and complex characters. Looking for the latest entry? The 15th book, The Last Remains, came out in April.



------------ All the Devils Are Here
by Louise Penny

City of Light: Canadian Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is in Paris with his wife visiting friends and family when his billionaire godfather is almost killed by a car. Certain this wasn't an accident, Gamache investigates, getting help from his family.

Series alert: This Agatha Award winner is the 16th in an acclaimed series and a fine starting place for those who haven't met Gamache.

Read this next: If you want more Paris and love character-driven mysteries with a strong sense of place, try Cara Black's Aimee Leduc novels.

Lately i’ve been reading mysteries as palate cleansers for heavier NF, so reading about these is perfect. In previous years i’ve kept up with both the Donna Andrews series, which are usually funny, and the Elly Griffiths series about archaeologist RuthGalloway, one of which i read last night.

For my money, the one listed above from Griffiths, The Dark Angel was not as good as the others, maybe because it was set in Italy. There is an atmospheric quality to the other books in the series, set on the Norfolk coast, that is almost a character, obviously missing in the above.

Symphony of Secrets��Brendan Slocumb sounds different, with music as a focus. I’m adding this to my TBR, as well as dipping my toes into A Death in Denmark��Amulya Malladi. Thanks for the books, Alias.

You're welcome, deb. Enjoy !

Library personnel recommendations
��
------- HELLO SUNSHINE

by Laura Dave

Alison (Circulation) says "hello" to summer reading with this funny and incisive page turner about celebrity life in the social media age. When revelations about her true identity come to light, culinary star Sunshine Mackenzie loses everything and returns to her childhood home in Montauk where she strives to reinvent herself.
��
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--------- THE SCIENCE OF STORYTELLING

by Will Storr

Like most of us reading this newsletter, Andy (Administration) has always loved a good story. Now he's reading a book about the science of why we as humans are so drawn to storytelling. Choosing examples from a vast array of literary examples, an award-winning journalist and novelist, in this groundbreaking guide, applies psychological research and cutting-edge neuroscience to our myths and archetypes to show how we can tell better stories.
��

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----------THE FIVE-STAR WEEKEND

by Elin Hilderbrand

Beth (Technical Services) is reading the most recent release from the "Queen of the Beach Read", Elin Hilderbrand. Time will tell if it's a five star book. Inviting her best friend from each phase of her life, widow Hollis Shaw hosts an unforgettable weekend on Nantucket, during which things don't go as planned as each woman deals with heartbreak, infidelity, and secrets, but things turnaround due to new friendships, unexpected romance and self-discovery.
��

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--------- CROCODILE ON THE SANDBANK

by Elizabeth Peters

Celeste (Administration) is powering through the hugely entertaining Amelia Peabody mystery series. They're available as audiobooks on Hoopla and OverDrive! After her father's death, thirty-two-year-old Amelia Peabody eschews the role of Victorian spinster and travels to Egypt, where mysterious intruders, boorish archaeologists, and a disappearing mummy test her sanity and independence.
��
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--------- DEMON COPPERHEARD

by Barbara Kingsolver

Denise (Circulation) is reading this uniquely American spin on Dickens' David Copperfield. The book won a Pulitzer Prize, so Denise might be on to something here! The son of an Appalachian teenager uses his good looks, wit, and instincts to survive foster care, child labor, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses.

��
--------- VACATIONLAND

by Meg Mitchell Moore

Doris (Circulation) is also getting into the summer reading mood with this beachy story of family secrets unearthed. While staying at her parents' house in Maine, Louisa must unravel a family mystery, while newly arrived Kristie cannot keep her various lives from colliding forever, and as these two women cross paths, they will ask themselves what they are owed and what they owe others.
��

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-------- DOCKSIDE

by Susan Wiggs

Dorothy (Circulation) is three books into The Lakeshore Chronicles, yet another spot-on choice for summertime reading. Now that her daughter has grown up and has left home, Nina Romano is eager to begin a new life, enjoying being on her own to date, travel, and pursue her dreams, until she falls for Greg Bellamy, the owner of the inn at Willow Lake and a single father with two children of his own��

��
--------- I WILL FIND YOU

by Harlan Coben

If you're looking for an audiobook thriller to pass the time, Elizabeth (Adult Services) has you covered! Receiving evidence that his son might still be alive, David Burroughs, an innocent father convicted of murdering his own child breaks out of prison to uncover the truth. With his life on the line and the FBI following his every move, can David evade capture long enough to reveal the shocking truth?
��

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-------- CURSED OBJECTS

by J.W. Ocker

Emily (Library Page! Pages on the newsletter at last!) is reading a potentially cursed book about potentially cursed objects. We hope she doesn't mysteriously disappear before putting the book back on the shelf. A travel writer and Edgar Award-winning author describes the strange-but-true stories of objects throughout history that are believed to be cursed, leaving death and destruction in their wake including Annabelle the Doll, The Dybbuk Box and the Ring of Silvianus.
��

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------------ THE SOULMATE

by Sally Hepworth

Emily (Circulation) is hoping for a soulmate-level match with this thriller set in a sleepy coastal town. When her husband becomes a local hero, saving person after person from ending their lives until one night he doesn't, Pippa discovers he knew the victim and wonders if she jumped or was pushed—a question that cracks the foundations of the life they've built.
��

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----------SOPPY: A LOVE STORY

by Philippa Rice

Jillian (Teen Services) recommends a collection of comics and illustrations, based on the author's real-life moments with her boyfriend. True love isn't always about the big romantic gestures. Sometimes it's about sympathizing with someone whose tea has gone cold or reading together and sharing a quilt. The throwaway moments in life become meaningful when you spend them in the company of someone you love.
��

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----------THE BROKEN PLACES

by Blaine Daigle

Katie (Outreach & Reference) is reading what is, based on the cover and title, clearly a breezy romance that is not at all horrifying or upsetting. Right? When Ryne Burdette inherits his family's old hunting cabin deep in the Yukon wilderness, he sees a weekend trip with his best friends as a way to recuperate from a hard year. But as a winter storm moves in, the animals begin acting strangely, and the natural laws of the wilderness seem to fall apart. Then, the soft voices start whispering through the trees. Something is watching them.
��

---------- YELLOWFACE

by R.F. Kuang

Kelsey (Reference) read R.F. Kuang's instant bestseller so fast that it could already be back on the shelf waiting for you! After the death of her literary rival in a freak accident, author June Hayward steals her just-finished masterpiece, sending it to her agent as her own work, but as emerging evidence threatens her success, she discovers how far she'll go to keep what she thinks she deserves
��

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----------GRAND THEFT HORSE

by G. Neri

Liz (Children's) has a graphic novel recommendation that is sure to be a runaway hit with readers of all ages. The story recounts the experiences of horse trainer Gail Ruffu, who stole a racehorse in order to save it, and ended up taking on the whole racing industry to fight for the humane treatment of animals.
��

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-----------BEWARE THE WOMAN

by Megan Abbott

Be aware that Lynne (Administration) is always ready with a great audiobook recommendation. A pregnant woman undergoes a health scare that brings up whispered conversations about her husband's complicated family history and long dead mother. A summer trip to her husband's family's cottage then takes a sinister turn as deadly secrets are unearth
��

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---------- DEATH IN YELLOWSTONE

by Lee H. Whittlesey

There are, apparently, many ways to meet a gruesome demise at Yellowstone park. If you're planning trip there, maybe ask Mary (Circulation) about this book first. An updated edition of a classic collection of true accounts about how visitors have died while visiting national parks includes tragedies from Yellowstone from the past 16 years, including the infamous grizzly attacks during the summer of 2011 and the fatal hot springs accident in 2000
��

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--------- PAPER CUTS

by Ellery Adams

We know a thing or two about paper cuts here at the library so maybe the cozy mystery Melissa (Reference) is reading will be especially relatable. When Kelly Walsh, the woman her ex-husband left her for, is murdered, bookstore owner and bibliotherapist Nora Pennington and The Secret, Book, and Scone Society seek justice for Kelly amidst gossip and suspicion.
��

��
-----------THE RINGMASTER'S DAUGHTER ��

by Carly Schabowski

Michelle (Children's) is reading a novel inspired by unlikely true events during World War II. In 1940 Paris, 20-year-old Michel Bonnet, to escape the Nazis, joins the circus where he first sees Frieda—dark-haired, mysterious and also fleeing the Germans—who is harboring a secret that places him in more danger than he could ever know.
��

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----------- THE SURVIVOR

by Iris Johansen

Patty (Technical Services) brings us home this month with yet another terrific summer beach read that is complete with adventure, treasure hunting, and remote islands. Unearthing the perfectly preserved body of a female warrior in Southeast Asia, archeologist Riley Smith and Eve Duncan seek answers about this extraordinary past life, leading Riley to make a discovery that will change history—if she can survive long enough to share it with the world.

I find the way these books are presented charming. It’s like we know them. Fun idea.

I’ve read a couple of books from Ellery Adams’s Secret, Book, & Scone Society series (/series/2143...). It’s a fine series, particularly for those who like reading about people who enjoy reading.

And i heartily endorse Denise (Circulation)’s recommendation of Demon Copperhead!

------- Dances
by Nicole Cuffy

The dream: Cece, a gifted 22-year-old Black ballerina is on the verge of becoming the New York City Ballet's first Black principal dancer. Mainstream media is wild about her success as a trailblazer in an art form dominated by white performers.

The twist: Her affair with a member of the troupe results in an unexpected pregnancy and her older brother (who always cheered her on despite his own struggle with drugs) goes missing.

The choices: a child, a search for her brother, or her ballet dreams?



---- Such Kindness
by Andre Dubus III

What happens: A skilled 50-ish laborer takes a bad fall, gains an addiction to painkillers, and loses most everything else (including his marriage and financial security). Living alone in subsidized housing, his dubious efforts to get back on top result in more soul-searching than success.

Reviewers call it: "a sure bet" for the author's existing fans and "a sensitive, timely tale [for] readers new to his powers" (Booklist).



-------- The Memory of Animals
by Claire Fuller

During a near-future pandemic...Neffy, a failed marine biologist, volunteers to test a new vaccine. Her immunity is promising, but her fellow volunteers seem to know more than she does. Unsure whom to trust, Neffy becomes lost in reverie about one of her own former test subjects -- an octopus that she loved caring for.

The burning question: Is she willing to pay the price for survival?

Read it for: "a riveting, don't-miss account of what some see as the reality to come" (Library Journal).



------- Paper Names
by Susie Luo

1990s, Manhattan: In an upscale apartment building, the lives of an immigrant father, his Chinese American daughter, and a wealthy white attorney collide in ways that change each of them forever.

Read it for: a moving story of identity, family drama, and the American experience as it changes over thirty years.

For fans of...Rootless by Krystal Zara Appiah.



-------- The God of Good Looks
by Breanne McIvor

Starring: Bianca Bridge, the new assistant to a top-level makeup artist in Trinidad's beauty community.

What happens: Bianca's powerful (and married) ex threatens to destroy her hard-won happiness. This time Bianca finds her voice and fights back, with help from unexpected allies.

For fans of...The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger or Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn.



------- I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home
by Lorrie Moore

What it is: part love story, part ghost story, this novel takes readers on a metaphysical road trip with subversive high school teacher Finn and his recently deceased ex, Lily. A second storyline starring a Civil War-era inn keeper surprisingly intersects with Finn's journey.

Read it for...an "audacious, mind-bending plunge into the mysteries of illness, aberration, death, grief, memory, and love" (Booklist).

Try this next: Hiromi Ito's The Thorn Puller or David Hoon Kim's Paris is a Party, Paris is a Ghost.



------- Notes on Her Color
by Jennifer Neal

Meet: Gabrielle, a musically talented young Black and Indigenous woman, who is gifted (like her mother) with the ability to change her skin color.

What happens: Inspired by her self-assured, queer, Black piano teacher, Gabrielle gains independence from her dysfunctional family and begins to discover her most authentic self.

For fans of...own voices coming-of-age stories infused with magical realism in the vein of Helen Oyeyemi's Boy, Snow, Bird.



------- You Were Always Mine
by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza

What happens: Settled career counselor Cinnamon befriends a vulnerable younger woman, Lucy, over lunches in the park. Suddenly Lucy vanishes, abandoning her infant for Cinnamon to find. Instead of alerting the authorities, Cinnamon takes the baby home while hoping for Lucy's quick return.

The twist: Cinnamon is Black. Daisy and her baby are white. The longer Lucy is gone, the more complicated Cinnamon's position becomes.

Read it for: a thoughtful story of motherhood, identity, and race that also subtly critiques societal flaws that put women and children in need.

The Memory of Animals��Claire Fuller sounds like a fine post apocalypse novel.

You Were Always Mine��Christine Pride appeals to me, as well. Interesting novels, thank you.

Alias Reader wrote: "
Library personnel recommendations
��
------- HELLO SUNSHINE

by Laura Dave

Alison (Circulation) says "hello" to summer reading with this funny and incisive page turner about celebrity life in the ..."

I have Yellowface on my TBR list.

Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote:

I have Yellowface on my TBR list.."

I'm interested in that one too. I wrote it my TBR notebook but I don't know when I'll get to it. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it when you read it.

Fantasy and Science Fiction

------------ The Archive Undying
by Emma Mieko Candon

What happens: Archivist Sunai, sole survivor of the corruption that caused the AI Iterate Fractal to destroy itself and the city-state of Khuon Mo, discovers he can no longer run from his past.

Why you might like it: Unfolding from multiple perspectives and set in an immersive world of AI gods and battle mecha, this post-apocalyptic science fantasy novel is the 1st book in the Downworld Sequence.

For fans of: Ada Hoffman's Outside trilogy; Sascha Stronach's Endsong duology; or Tamsyn Muir's Locked Tomb series.



-----------The Combat Codes
by Alexander Darwin

In a world... where hand-to-hand combat has replaced war, retired Grievar Knight Murray Pearson, now a recruiter for the prestigious combat school the Lyceum, finds a protégé in Cego, a talented orphan with a mysterious past.

Series alert: This "perfect blend of fantasy, cyberpunk, and mixed martial arts" (Library Journal) kicks off the Combat Codes Saga.

For fans of: Sarah Beth Durst's Race the Sands or Will Wight's Unsouled series.



----------The First Bright Thing
by J.R. Dawson

Welcome to... the Circus of the Fantasticals, where society's magical outcasts, known as "Sparks," find safety and belonging as they travel the early-20th-century American Midwest.

Where you'll meet: Ringmaster "Rin," who can travel in time; her wife, Odette, a trapeze artist; and their chosen family of Sparks, all of whom will be tested as they face off against the nefarious Circus King.

For fans of: GennaRose Nethercott's Thistlefoot, V.E. Schwab's The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, or Robert Jackson Bennett's The Troupe.



--------- The Battle Drum
by Saara El-Arifi

What happens: Anoor, now the ruler of the Warden's Empire, struggles to hold on to her throne, while her partner, warrior Sylah, seeks information about the deadly tidewinds that threaten the land, and Ghostling Hassa makes unsettling discoveries about the realm's history.

Why you might like it: Three complex, well-drawn female leads become enmeshed in political intrigue in this 2nd installment of the Ending Fire series, after The Final Strife.

You might also like: C.L. Clark's The Unbroken or Suyi Davies Okungbowa's Son of the Storm.



--------- Mortal Follies
by Alexis Hall

What it's about: Desperate to break the curse that threatens her society debut, Miss Maelys Mitchelmore seeks out Lady Georgianna Landrake, rumored to be both sorceress and murderess. Well, nobody's perfect.

Think: TV's Bridgerton meets A Midsummer Night's Dream, narrated by Puck-as-Lady-Whistledown.

Want a taste? "I am not above interfering in the affairs of mortals if it seems truly necessary, or if it would be mildly entertaining."



---------- Translation State
by Ann Leckie

What it is: a stand-alone novel set in the world of author Ann Leckie's Imperial Radch series.

Starring: reluctant diplomat Enae Athtur, tasked with locating a fugitive who disappeared centuries ago; juvenile Presger translator Qven, who rebels against the job they were created to do; and Reet Hluid, an adopted mechanic searching for his birth family.

Reviewers say: This "tautly plotted adventure" (Publishers Weekly) is "another of Leckie’s beautiful mergings of the political, philosophical, and personal" (Kirkus Reviews).



--------- The Surviving Sky
by Kritika H. Rao

Welcome to: the floating city of Nakshar, kept aloft and safe from the devastating earthrages below by architects who "traject," or manipulate, the life force of plants.

Where you'll meet: powerful architect Iravan and his idealistic, non-magical wife, Ahilya, whose differing philosophies strain their marriage.

Series alert: Informed by Hindu principles, this "transcendent debut" (Library Journal) marks the opening installment of the Rages series.



--------- Ink Blood Sister Scribe
by Emma Törzs

What it's about: Estranged half-sisters Esther and Joanna must reunite to protect their late father's collection of magical books from the unseen enemies who have killed the rest of their family.

Book buzz: This "bewitching" (Kirkus Reviews) debut is a Good Morning America Book Club Pick.

For fans of: Alix E. Harrow's The Ten Thousand Doors of January, Peng Shepherd's The Cartographers, or Erin Morgenstern's The Starless Sea.



-------- Witch King
by Martha Wells

Starring: "Witch King" Kai, more formally known as the demon Kaiisteron, Fourth Prince of the Underearth, who awakens in an underwater prison and must piece together how he got there.

Read it for: a compelling anti-hero, organic and immersive world-building that expects readers to keep up, and parallel narratives that gradually connect Kai's past and present-day adventures.

Is it for you? The tone, structure, and pacing of this series opener by author Martha Wells may appeal more to fans of her Books of the Raksura series than her popular Murderbot Diaries.



---------- The Road to Roswell
by Connie Willis

What happens: Abducted by an "animate tumbleweed" of an alien en route to her college roommate's UFO-themed wedding in Roswell, New Mexico, Francie Driscoll encounters a number of eccentric hitchhikers, including handsome con artist Wade.

Is it for you? This screwball road trip rom-com will best please fans of author Connie Willis' lighter fare, such as To Say Nothing of the Dog or Crosstalk.

--------- The Whispers
by Ashley Audrain

How it starts: While hosting a barbecue for the residents of her upscale neighborhood, seemingly perfect wife, mother, and business owner Whitney Loverly gets overwhelmed and snaps at her 10-year-old son Xavier for disobeying her.

Party foul: That night, Xavier is critically injured in a fall from his bedroom window. Soon rumors spread about Whitney's public and private behavior, and the incident will have unanticipated fallout for three other women in the neighborhood -- an ER doctor, an unhappy stay-at-home mom, and an isolated octogenarian.

Reviewers say: "Both artful and pulse pounding, this isn't easily shaken" (Publishers Weekly).



--------- Before We Were Innocent
by Ella Berman

The setup: To celebrate their high school graduation, Bess and Joni travel to Greece to spend a halcyon summer at their friend Evangeline's family estate.

What goes wrong: Evangeline doesn't survive the summer, and ten years after being cleared of any wrongdoing in her death, Bess and Joni have responded to the incident in radically different ways. Then a creepily similar crime takes place, and the two friends will have to band together to keep their names clear.



---------- All the Sinners Bleed
by S.A. Cosby

What it is: a fast-paced, atmospheric crime novel about the first Black sheriff in a small Virginia town and the unexpected connections between a recent school shooting, a racist serial killer, and the divisions that linger in a community that fails to reckon with its past.

Starring: Titus Crown, a former FBI agent with a complex past of his own whose new colleagues resent having to work under a Black sheriff.

Is it for you? The details of the serial killer's crimes may prove too harrowing for some readers.



---------- Calling Ukraine
by Johannes Lichtman

What it's about: Underemployed American freelance journalist John Turner accepts a job in Ukraine in 2018, developing a messy personal entanglement with a married woman on the eve of a period of national and international upheaval.

Read it for: the incisive examination of expat hubris and some truly twisted moments of dark humor.

Reviewers say: Calling Ukraine is "devilish and energizing" (Publishers Weekly).



--------- Going Zero
by Anthony McCarten

What it is: an intricately plotted, fast-paced thriller about the dangerous fallout of mixing government surveillance and private industry for the average citizen.

The premise: Silicon Valley juggernaut Fusion is competing for a government contract for a groundbreaking new kind of spyware. To test the product they challenge 10 people to stay off the grid for 30 days, and with a multi-million dollar prize promised to the winner, some contestants prove willing to go to extreme measures to win.

About the author: Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Anthony McCarten is best known for his work on The Theory of Everything, The Two Popes, Darkest Hour, and Bohemian Rhapsody.



---------- Panther Gap
by James A. McLaughlin

What it's about: Estranged siblings Summer and Bowman Girard have been left a large sum of money by their shady grandfather, but can only claim it together. And if their mutual antipathy wasn't enough, they'll have to outsmart a charismatic former mob enforcer with designs on the cash as well.

Read it for: the haunting and atmospheric tone, intricate plotting, and compelling characters.

For fans of: Breaking Bad; Michael Kortya's Those Who Wish Me Dead.



---------- You Shouldn't Have Come Here
by Jeneva Rose

Starring: New Yorker Grace Evans, who books a stay at a Wyoming ranch to take a break from her high-pressure career; Calvin Wells, who owns the property Grace is renting.

Upon arrival... Grace learns of the area's poor cell service, nonexistent internet, and another woman who booked a stay at the ranch but never turned up to check in.

You might also like: Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente; Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger.



--------- Bad Summer People
by Emma Rosenblum

What it is: an intricately plotted and character-driven debut about the delightfully despicable summertime residents of an exclusive Fire Island enclave and how the discovery of a dead body threatens to bring all their hidden secrets to the surface.

Is it for you? In addition to all the gossip, infidelity, and backstabbing, the nonlinear storyline is narrated from the alternating perspectives of a large cast of characters.

Reviewers say: Bad Summer People is "wickedly entertaining" (Publishers Weekly) and "a heck of a beach read" (Kirkus Reviews).



----------- The Eden Test
by Adam Sternbergh

What it's about: Hoping to turn their marriage around, Brooklyn couple Daisy and Craig sign up for The Eden Test, a week-long retreat to a remote cabin where each day, they are faced with a different probing question designed to help them plumb the depths and reconcile.

Read it for: the energetic pace, dark sense of humor, and massive secrets these flawed characters are hiding from each other.

For fans of: The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen; Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney.



---------- We Love to Entertain
by Sarah Strohmeyer

The premise: Real estate investor Robert Barron and his fiancée Holly Simmons are the favorites to win the grand prize on To the Manor Build, a property renovation reality show, with their eco-friendly Vermont estate.

The problem: Robert and Holly suddenly disappear, and though Robert has enemies who might want him eliminated, the police turn all their attention to his assistant Erika Turnbull, who now must do everything in her power to clear her name.

Reviewers say: We Love to Entertain is "a fun romp of a thriller that will keep readers guessing until the last page" (Library Journal).

Home, Garden, and DIY


--------- Totally Kosher: Tradition with a Twist! 150+ Recipes for the Holidays and Every Day
by Chanie Apfelbaum

What's inside: 150 kosher recipes for traditional foods, new spins on old favorites, and dishes with global flavors; basics of the kosher kitchen; top ten lists for tools, cooking hacks, and more; color photos.

Recipes include: Chocolate Cherry Granola, Miso Matzo Ball Soup, Philly "Cheesesteak," Summer Slaw, Corned Beef & Cabbage Ramen, The Rebbetzin's Gefilte Fish, World Peace Challah, Baklava Palmiers.

About the author: Observant Jew Chanie Apfelbaum is the writer behind the Millennial Kosher cookbook and the "Busy in Brooklyn" blog.



--------- Love & Lemons Simple Feel-Good Food: 125 Plant-Focused Meals to Enjoy Now or...
by Jeanine Donofrio

What's inside: This third vegetarian cookbook by "Love & Lemons" blogger Jeanine Donofrio offers a broad range of recipes (including some vegan ones) in two categories: "at-the-ready" (easy to make right now) and "in advance" (for the planners among us).

Recipes include: Savory Chickpea Waffles, Creamy Cauliflower Enchiladas, Sweet Potato Paneer Burgers, Freezer Carrot Cake Bars.

Read this next: Gena Hamshaw's The Vegan Week or Jenny Rosenstrach's The Weekday Vegetarians.



------------ Tiny Felt Cuties & Creatures
by Delilah Iris

What it is: a step-by-step guide that works for both beginners and more advanced crafters that details how to hand sew adorably small felt items. Helpful illustrations and templates are also included in this debut book by a self-taught fiber and felt artist from Maine.

Projects include: Fox, Cat, Dog, Doghouse, Pet Bed, Skunk, Frog, Mushroom, Mushroom Dollhouse, Doll, Teddy Bear, Tree Stump House.



---------- Milk Street Noodles: Secrets to the World's Best Noodles, from Fettuccine Alfredo to Pad Thai...
by Christopher Kimball

Noodlepalooza: This thorough, appealing primer on all kinds of noodles is from Christopher Kimball and the experts at Milk Street, who serve up 125 carefully thought-out recipes. Color photos add to the appeal.

Recipes include: Homemade Udon Noodles; Fresh Egg Pasta; Spicy Glass Noodles with Ground Pork; Chicken Pho; North African Chicken Couscous; Gnocchi alla Romana; Tagliatelle with Mushroom Ragu.



---------- The Re:Fashion Wardrobe: Sew Your Own Stylish, Sustainable Clothes
by Portia Lawrie

What's inside: 11 step-by-step, eco-friendly projects for turning old clothes into a new capsule wardrobe, plus photos, info on sourcing, fitting, and techniques (such as darts, seams, stitches, and more).

Projects include: T-shirt Dress, Sweatshirt Tee, Cropped Shirt, Side-Stripe Trousers, Robe Jacket, Refitted Jeans, Duvet Duster Coat.

Reviewers say: "[Portia] Lawrie's breezy, can-do attitude is infectious" (Booklist).



------------ Tasting History: Explore the Past Through 4,000 Years of Recipes
by Max Miller with Ann Volkwein

Blasts from the past: 60 recipes and their histories, covering ancient times to the early 20th century, which have been adapted for modern kitchens by popular YouTuber Max Miller.

Recipes include: Tiger Nut Cake, Sally Lunn Buns, Lasagna, Onion Soup with Milk, Samosas, Hummus, Aztec Chocolate, Bread Pudding.

Read this next: Walter Staib's A Taste of History Cookbook or B. Dylan Hollis's Baking Yesteryear.



----------- Veg Out: A Stress-Free Guide to Creating Your First Vegetable Garden
by Heather Rodino

What it is: a fun, encouraging guide for beginning vegetable gardeners that covers selecting your location and type of garden (containers, in-ground, or raised bed), as well as tips for picking the right plants, protecting your work from disease and pests, watering, and more.

Don't miss: the 30 profiles of beginner-friendly vegetables and herbs.



---------- Trejo's Cantina: Cocktails, Snacks & Amazing Nonalcoholic Drinks From the Heart of...
by Danny Trejo

What it is: the latest cookbook by the legendary actor and restaurateur, who serves up both alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks as well as simple, fresh cantina-style snacks.

Don't miss: tips on creating an alcohol-free bar, cantina cooking secrets, and stories about growing up in Los Angeles and working in Hollywood.

Recipes include: Killer Kiwi Agua Fresca, The Juan Collins, Pico de Gallo, Super-Easy Tamales, Chai Spiced Apple Empanadas.



---------- Lovely Lace Knits: Learn the Art of Lacework with 16 Timeless Patterns
by Gabrielle Vézina

What's inside: directions for 16 lace knitwear pieces by a talented knitwear designer who also covers tips and tricks, gauge and yarn considerations, and stitch tutorials.

Patterns include: Samara Cardigan, Pine Cone Sweater, Woodland Socks, Pinnate Tank Top, Filigree Scrunchie, Soft Breeze Shawl.

Reviewers say: "All crafters, no matter their skill level, will likely find something appealing" (Library Journal).



--------- Design Happy: Colorful Homes for the Modern Family
by Betsy Wentz

Spotlight on...12 family homes styled by interior designer Betsy Wentz, which she uses to illustrate how readers can transform their own spaces by simply starting with something they love. Plus, inspiring color photos, renovation tips, design advice, and a resource list.

For fans of: bold patterns and vibrant colors; home design coffee table books focused on house tours.

------------Stamped from the Beginning: A Graphic History of Racist Ideas in America
by Ibram X. Kendi; adapted and illustrated by Joel Christian Gill

What it is: a compelling and comprehensive graphic novel adaptation of Ibram X. Kendi's National Book Award-winning history Stamped From the Beginning.

Art alert: Joel Christian Gill's cartoony black-and-white illustrations evocatively depict the lives of five notable figures who were instrumental in the fight against anti-Black racism.



---------- Undaunted: How Women Changed American Journalism
by Brooke Kroeger

What it is: a well-researched history celebrating trailblazing women journalists who broke gender and racial barriers in an industry dominated by men.

What's inside: chronological profiles of women journalists from the mid-19th century to the present.

Reviewers say: "A tour de force that should be in every library and school in the country" (Kirkus Reviews).



---------- Built From the Fire: The Epic Story of Tulsa's Greenwood District, America's Black Wall...
by Victor Luckerson

What it's about: the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 and its aftermath.

What sets it apart: Tulsa-based journalist Victor Luckerson's sweeping yet intimate saga chronicles how multiple generations of a single family were shaped by the event.

Try this next: Requiem for the Massacre: A Black History of the Conflict, Hope, and Fallout of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre by RJ Young.



---------- V Is For Victory: Franklin Roosevelt's American Revolution and the Triumph of World War II
by Craig Nelson

The thesis: "if any one human being is responsible for winning World War II, it is FDR."

What it's about: how President Roosevelt enlisted the help of America's biggest industrialists to contribute to the war effort.

Read it for: historian Craig Nelson's well-researched exploration of how Roosevelt's Depression-era New Deal programs bolstered American industry and helped secure an Allied victory.



---------- The World: A Family History of Humanity
by Simon Sebag Montefiore

What it is: a millennia-spanning history of how family dynasties throughout the globe have shaped humankind.

What's inside: a fast-paced and dramatic narrative rife with court intrigue, alliances and betrayals, sex scandals, blood-soaked battles, murder, and more.

Book buzz: "Succession meets Game of Thrones" (The Spectator) in this New York Times bestseller from the author of The Romanovs.



---------- Brave the Wild River: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand...
by Melissa L. Sevigny

What it's about: In the summer of 1938, pioneering botanists Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter conducted a survey of the Colorado River during a treacherous 43-day, 600-mile rowboat journey.

Read it for: an evocative and richly detailed tribute to Clover and Jotter, who braved both the elements and the rampant misogyny of the scientific community to become the first to catalog flora in the Grand Canyon.

Featuring: the pair's journals and letters from the trip.



------------ Fancy Bear Goes Phishing: The Dark History of the Information Age, in Five Extraordinary...
by Scott J. Shapiro

What it's about: the psychology, evolution, and impact of computer hacking, told via five notable hacks.

Is it for you? This thought-provoking and accessible blend of science writing, history, and true crime has much to offer fans of all three.

Author alert: Yale Law School professor Scott J. Shapiro is the director of the university's Center for Law and Philosophy and the Yale CyberSecurity Lab.



---------- The Summer of 1876: Outlaws, Lawmen, and Legends in the Season That Defined the...
by Chris Wimmer

What it is: the fast-paced debut from Legends of the Old West podcast host Chris Wimmer that chronicles three fateful events in the summer of 1876.

The events: the Battle of Little Bighorn, the murder of "Wild Bill" Hickock, and the Northfield Raid staged by Jesse James and his gang.

Read it for: an evocative distillation of frontier mythology that connects these seemingly unrelated moments.



--------- Party of One: The Rise of Xi Jinping and China's Superpower Future
by Chun Han Wong

What it is: a revealing account of the ascent of Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China.

Featuring: insights from scholars, diplomats, and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) insiders; incisive reportage from author Chun Han Wong, who has covered China for the Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade.

Reviewers say: "A penetrating and timely unraveling of the personality and impact of a strongman president" (Kirkus Reviews).

Alias Reader wrote: "

Fantasy and Science Fiction..."

I’m sadly pleased to write that only one of these selections called to me. The Road to Roswell��Connie Willis is the one, as it sounds like my kind of offbeat. I enjoyed a previous book by her, To Say Nothing of the Dog.

Regardless, i appreciate that you shared the list, Alias, so we needn’t seek them out on our own.

Alias Reader wrote: "Thriller/ Suspense..."

This one sounded really good, All the Sinners Bleed��S.A. Cosby until i saw the warning about graphic serial killer material. I’m still “recovering�� from the last mystery with a serial killer. Still, i’m making note of this, as the idea is a good one.

Thanks for the list.

Alias Reader wrote: "

Home, Garden, and DIY,..."

Noodlepalooza! Knitting! Ancient Dishes! Veggie planting and cooking! Plus more! Great list.

This one caught my eye. Design Happy: Colorful Homes for the Modern Family��Betsy Wentz. Promising.

Alias Reader wrote: "History..."

Another eclectic list of fine history, Alias. There is much to learn. My eye was caught with Brave the Wild River: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon��Melissa L. Sevigny. I enjoy such books, learning how clever people cope with unusual circumstances.

Thank you, Alias, for four outstanding lists full of books that call to us!

You're welcome, deb. I appreciate the feedback.

From the list I've read Stamped from the Beginning: A Graphic History of Racist Ideas in Americaby Ibram X. Kendi. I thought it was a good thought provoking book.
The one listed is a graphic novel. I didn't read that version. Though if one needs a graphic novel for a prompt you might want to consider this one.

Anyone who knows me at all, knows I am putting V Is For Victory: Franklin Roosevelt's American Revolution and the Triumph of World War II by Craig Nelson in my TBR notebook !

I'm going to put this one in my TBR notebook. Party of One: The Rise of Xi Jinping and China's Superpower Future

There were good topics covered, for sure.

--------- The Talk
by Darrin Bell

Then: At age six, Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Darrin Bell had a terrifying encounter with a police officer while playing with a friend's water gun, prompting a conversation with his mother about racism.

Now: While recalling the racist experiences he has dealt with throughout his life, Bell contemplates whether or not his own young son is ready for "the talk."

Art alert: Bell's debut graphic memoir features expressive artwork in alternating blue and sepia hues (the latter for flashbacks).



------- Never Give Up: A Prairie Family's Story
by Tom Brokaw

What it is: Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist Tom Brokaw's moving tribute to his working-class parents, Red and Jean.

What's inside: Brokaw's heartfelt reflections on how his family navigated the challenges of the Great Depression and World War II in small-town South Dakota.

Words to live by: The title of this memoir was inspired by Red's life philosophy.



--------- Better Living Through Birding: Notes From a Black Man in the Natural World
by Christian Cooper

What it is: an engaging memoir from birder and activist Christian Cooper, whose Central Park encounter with a white dog walker went viral in 2020.

Read it for: Cooper's love for the natural world; insights on how his hobby informs his experiences as a gay Black man; tips for birdwatching.

Try this next: Bird Brother: A Falconer's Journey and the Healing Power of Wildlife by Rodney Stotts.



------------ The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession
by Michael Finkel

Starring: prolific French art thief Stéphane Breitwieser, who conducted more than 200 heists throughout Europe over an eight-year period, stealing an estimated $1 to $2 billion worth of objects.

Book buzz: author Michael Finkel expands upon his 2019 GQ article about Breitwieser in this suspenseful blend of biography and true crime.

Featuring: maps and color photographs of some of the stolen artwork.



--------- An Amerikan Family: The Shakurs and the Nation They Created
by Santi Elijah Holley

What it is: a richly detailed collective biography of the Shakur family, whose activism and influence shaped the Black liberation movement.

Featuring: Black Panther Party member Afeni Shakur; her son, rapper Tupac Shakur; activist Assata Shakur, currently living in Cuban exile.

Reviewers say: "essential reading" (Booklist); "a vital chapter in the history of the struggle for racial justice" (Publishers Weekly).



-------- Orphan Bachelors: A Memoir: On Being a Confession Baby, Chinatown Daughter...
by Fae Myenne Ng

What it's about: how the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 impacted multiple generations of author Fae Myenne Ng's immigrant family.

Why you should read it: Ng's sweeping and sobering "book of living memory" offers an unvarnished look at the immigrant experience.

Further reading: Mott Street: A Chinese American Family's Story of Exclusion and Homecoming by Ava Chin.



---------- Pageboy
by Elliot Page

What it is: the intimate debut memoir from Academy Award-nominated actor and trans activist Elliot Page.

Is it for you? Though he offers plenty of gossip and behind-the-scenes career anecdotes, Page also candidly addresses the transphobia and harassment he has endured in Hollywood and beyond.

Book buzz: Pageboy was named a Most Anticipated Book by Salon, Elle, Bustle, and more.



-------- My Friend Anne Frank: The Inspiring and Heartbreaking True Story of Best Friends Torn...
by Hannah Pick-Goslar

What it is: Bergen-Belsen survivor Hannah Pick-Goslar's heart wrenching and moving account of her friendship with Anne Frank.

Read it for: a vivid account of the Holocaust that reveals another perspective on Anne Frank's legacy.

Try this next: The Last Secret of the Secret Annex: The Untold Story of Anne Frank, Her Silent Protector, and a Family Betrayal by Joop Van Wijk-Voskuijl and Jerden De Bruyn.



------- When the World Didn't End
by Guinevere Turner

What it's about: actor/director/screenwriter Guinevere Turner's abusive upbringing in the Lyman Family doomsday cult.

Featuring: reflections drawn from diaries Turner kept in her youth: "There have been points in my life when keeping a record of what was happening to me felt like the only power I had."

For fans of: affecting memoirs of surviving unconventional childhoods, like Tara Westover's Educated.

What a bevy of beautiful topics!

As one who has learn from previous books about art thievery, I have added The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession��Michael Finkel to my TBR.

Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World��Christian Cooper sounds as though it will explore more than the dreadful Cental Park racist moment. I’m in!

As i recently read and learned much about US migration laws against Chinese immigrants from At America's Gates: Chinese Immigration during the Exclusion Era, 1882-1943��Erika Lee, following one family’s experience of same in Fae Myenne Ng’s Orphan Bachelors: A Memoir intrigues.

Having enjoyed Elliot Page’s films in the past, I feel it would be insightful to read Pageboy.

Alias, thank you for sharing these titles and info about them. Who knows how long it would have taken me to find them on my own?

Glad to help, deb.

I saw Elliot Page on The View and the interview was very interesting. I plan to read the book at some point. I put it in my TBR notebook when I saw the show.

Ah, i was unaware of the book. It should be informative for those who want to understand.

Thrillers and Suspense


------ Try Not to Breathe
by David Bell

What it is: the compelling and intricately plotted story of a broken family forced to navigate their toxic dynamics when one of them disappears.

Starring: the missing Anna Rogers, who wants to avoid her family only slightly less than she wants to avoid her stalker; cop-turned-security guard Avery, Anna's elder sister who shoulders the burden of discovering what happened.

Reviewers say: "Bell is truly at the top of his game with this psychological thriller" (Library Journal).



--------- The Last Dance
by Mark Billingham

Series alert: The Last Dance is the first entry in a series starring offbeat detective Declan Miller and his equally unconventional new partner DS Sara Xiu.

Their first case: the double murder of two seemingly unrelated people that will have unanticipated ties to organized crime and Miller's personal life.

Who it's for: mystery and suspense fans who enjoy witty writing and quirky, likeable characters.



------- Before She Finds Me
by Heather Chavez

How it started: with an apparent mass shooting, while students arrived on a college campus for move in-day.

How it's going: In the aftermath of the shooting two mothers work to discover what really happened, if the shooting was meant as cover for an assassination, and if the intended victim(s) lived or died that day.

Read it for: the flawed yet sympathetic characters, who tell this fast-paced story from multiple perspectives.



------- Lay Your Body Down
by Amy Suiter Clarke

What it's about: Listless twentysomething Del Walker swore she would never return to her rural Minnesota hometown, which is dominated by a local megachurch. But after receiving a cryptic message from an old boyfriend who later turns up dead in a "hunting accident", Del decides to come back for the funeral, and for answers.

Why you might like it: In addition to Del's determination and unexpected knack for investigating, readers may appreciate the atmospheric small-town setting with its barely concealed air of menace and mistrust.



--------- Thicker Than Water
by Megan Collins

The setup: Julia Larkin immediately hits it off with her brother Jason's wife Sienna, becoming best friends and eventually business partners as time goes by.

What goes wrong: Jason falls into a coma after a car crash, but the timing still leaves room for police to suspect he was involved in a brutal murder. To clear his name, Julia and Sienna will have to rely on the strength of their bond as they investigate the truth about the crime and Jason's activities leading up to his accident.

For fans of: Defending Jacob by William Landay.



--------- Night Will Find You
by Julia Heaberlin

What it is: an atmospheric thriller about an unlikely investigator brought in to help police solve a high-profile cold case.

Starring: Vivian Bouchet, an astrophysicist who reluctantly agrees to help a childhood friend, now a cop, solve a child kidnapping case while struggling to reconcile her scientific understanding of the world with the inexplicable "psychic" phenomena that give her unique insight into the investigation.

Read it for: the likeable characterization of Vivian, whose thoughtful and observant perspective on the case and the world in general will endear her to readers.



--------- The Three Deaths of Willa Stannard
by Kate Robards

What it's about: Despite the evidence pointing to suicide, Sawyer Stannard cannot believe that her sister Willa would take her own life. Soon Sawyer learns that Willa was secretly writing true crime under a pseudonym, and that the controversial cold case she was investigating before her death might have gotten her killed.

You might also like: Behind Her Lives by Briana Cole; Hairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams.

Reviewers say: "A welcome debut that’s both a fleet thriller and a pathology of sisterhood at its most harrowing" (Kirkus Reviews).



---------- How Can I Help You
by Laura Sims

The premise: No-longer-aspiring novelist Patricia Delmarco is the newest hire at a Midwestern small-town public library, where she joins a staff including long-time circulation clerk Margo Finch.

The problem: Margo, a former nurse, has a dark past she has worked hard to keep hidden. But Patricia is observant and clever, and when she finds a patron dead in the public bathroom she starts to suspect something might be very, very wrong with Margo.

For fans of: flawed characters, unreliable narrators, and stories told from multiple perspectives.



------- The Good Ones
by Polly Stewart

Twenty years ago: Nicola's childhood friend Lauren disappeared from their Appalachian hometown, leaving behind her husband and young daughter.

Present day: In town for her mother's funeral, Nicola grows interested in Lauren's case again and seeks help from Lauren's widower, a scion of one of the town's most prominent families.

Read it for: Nicola's complex inner journey during the investigation, including her relatable survivor's guilt and ambivalent relationship with the town she left behind for good reason.



--------- The Guest Room
by Tasha Sylva

What it is: "A slow burn of a psychological thriller wrapped up in mysterious ambiguity" (Kirkus Reviews).

The premise: In order to pay the mortgage on her recently deceased sister's London home, Tess begins renting a spare room to short-term guests. Among her other poor grief-related coping mechanisms, Tess starts snooping through her guests' things, only to make a discovery about her current lodger that might send her spiraling out of control.

For fans of: flawed yet sympathetic characters navigating difficult moments in their lives and relationships.

History and Current Events

--------- Valiant Women: The Extraordinary American Servicewomen Who Helped Win World War II
by Lena Andrews

What it is: an illuminating history celebrating the crucial yet overlooked contributions of 400,000 American women who served in World War II.

Featuring: interviews with surviving servicewomen.

About the author: CIA military analyst Lena Andrews makes her debut with this accessible account that will appeal to history buffs and newcomers alike.



--------- The Fourth Turning Is Here: What the Seasons of History Tell Us About How and When This...
by Neil Howe

What it is: author Neil Howe's thought-provoking follow-up to his 1997 bestseller The Fourth Turning, co-written by the late William Strauss.

The theory: American history unfolds in cyclical patterns (or "turnings"), each lasting for a generation -- "High," "Awakening," "Unraveling," and "Crisis." Howe argues that America is currently in its "Millennial Crisis" era, which will end in the early-2030s. Will the fourth turning signal a future of promise -- or peril?



----------- Goodbye, Eastern Europe: An Intimate History of a Divided Land
by Jacob Mikanowski

What it is: a sweeping, millennia-spanning history of Eastern Europe, the "land of small states with complicated fates."

Why you might like it: Peppered with insights from his own family history, journalist Jacob Mikanowski's engaging debut deftly explores the ever-shifting political, religious, and ethnic makeup of the region, offering "a rewarding portrait of a diverse and complex part of the world" (Publishers Weekly).



---------- 24 Hours in Charlottesville: An Oral History of the Stand Against White Supremacy
by Nora Neus

What it's about: the consequences and aftermath of the violent 2017 white supremacist Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Read it for: a compelling, hour-by-hour account that includes interviews with clergy, city officials, first responders, counterprotesters, and more.

Author alert: Emmy-nominated journalist and former Charlottesville resident Nora Neus field-produced CNN's coverage of the rally.



--------- Arguing for a Better World: How Philosophy Can Help Us Fight for Social Justice
by Arianne Shahvisi

What it's about: how philosophical frameworks can help us dismantle oppressive ideologies and structures.

Chapters include: "Is It Sexist to Say 'Men Are Trash?;'" "Do All Lives Matter?;" "Has Political Correctness Gone Too Far?"

Reviewers say: "a fascinating, pragmatic resource for those who want to make a difference but don't know where to start" (Publishers Weekly).



It Happened in September 🍁🍂



---------- The Mayflower: The Families, the Voyage, and the Founding of America
by Rebecca Fraser

What it is: an evocative account of the 1620 voyage of the Mayflower and the Pilgrims' founding of Plymouth Colony.

What sets it apart: historian Rebecca Fraser's focus on political leader Edward Winslow, an important yet overlooked figure of the era who forged close relationships with the Wampanoag.

Read it for: a fast-paced and thought-provoking chronicle that reads like fiction.



---------- The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11
by Garrett M. Graff

What it is: a heartwrenching collection of first-person accounts from survivors, first responders, and witnesses of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Is it for you? Intimate and apolitical, this vivid, hour-by-hour chronicle of one of America's most tragic days is unflinching in its depictions of loss.

Further reading: Mitchell Zuckoff's richly detailed history Fall and Rise: The Story of 9/11.



----------The President and the Assassin: McKinley, Terror, and Empire at the Dawn of the...
by Scott Miller

September 6, 1901: While greeting attendees of the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, President William McKinley was shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz and died from his injuries eight days later.

Read it for: an evocative blend of history and dual biography that explores the personal and cultural forces that led to the pair's fatal encounter.

Try this next: Susan Wels' An Assassin in Utopia, a stranger-than-fiction true crime account of President James Garfield's 1881 assassination.



---------- In the Hurricane's Eye: The Genius of George Washington and the Victory at Yorktown
by Nathaniel Philbrick

September 5, 1781: a decisive French victory at the Battle of the Chesapeake heralded the final days of the American Revolution.

Why you might like it: Author Nathaniel Philbrick draws upon letters, journal entries, sea logs, and his own firsthand knowledge of sailing to deliver a dramatic account of a key battle.

Author alert: Pulitzer Prize finalist Philbrick is the National Book Award-winning author of In the Heart of the Sea.



---------- The Storm of the Century: Tragedy, Heroism, Survival, and the Epic True Story of America's...
by Al Roker

September 8, 1900: a Category 4 hurricane ripped through Texas' Gulf Coast, becoming the deadliest natural disaster in United States history.

For fans of: Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History by Erik Larson.

What sets it apart: author and beloved Today mainstay Al Roker's focus on how the storm impacted the area's thriving Black community.

----------The Art of Scandal
by Regina Black

What it's about: After Rachel Abbott discovers her white politician husband is cheating, she agrees to keep up appearances for the remainder of his reelection campaign. But her resolve is put to the test when she meets artist Nathan Vasquez.

Why you might like it: Scandal meets The Good Wife in this debut, which Publishers Weekly calls "as poignant as it is passionate."

For fans of: the blend of politics and family drama found in Synithia Williams' Jackson Falls series.



--------- Kiss the Girl
by Zoraida Córdova

What it is: a charming retelling of Disney's The Little Mermaid by the author of the On the Verge series.

Starring: pop star Ariel del Mar, who -- desperate to experience a "normal" life -- disguises herself as merch girl "Melody" and goes on tour with up-and-coming musician Eric Reyes.

Series alert: Kiss the Girl is the 3nd standalone installment of the fairy tale-inspired Meant to Be series, after Julie Murphy's If the Shoe Fits and Jasmine Guillory's By the Book.


-------- To Have and To Heist
by Sara Desai

The score: To save her best friend, Simi Chopra must (re-)steal a $25 million-dollar necklace during a mafia wedding with the help of her hastily assembled heist crew, which includes the attractive but totally untrustworthy Jack Danger.

Are you in? Featuring "a full cast of fun, quirky characters" (Library Journal), this rom-com caper novel by the author of the Marriage Game series "perfectly balances the lighthearted romance with a fun and twisty heist plot" (Publishers Weekly).

For fans of: Alisha Rai's Partners in Crime.



--------- Marry Me by Midnight
by Felicia Grossman

Announcing her intentions: In need of a husband, Sephardi heiress Isabelle Lira hosts a series of events to which she invites every eligible Jewish man in London.

Protecting her interests: To ensure that her future groom won't try to undermine her position in the family firm, she hires penniless Ashkenazi custodian Aaron Ellenberg to learn as much as he can about her suitors before she chooses one.

Why you might like it: Set in 1832 London, this well-researched opening installment of the Once Upon the East End series offers a gender-flipped Cinderella story with Jewish leads.



---------- In the Case of Heartbreak
by Courtney Kae

What it's about: Reeling from personal and professional setbacks, shy pastry chef Ben Parris flees to his grandmother's house, only to discover that his longtime crush, musician Adam Reed, will be providing the entertainment at G-ma's upcoming, sure-to-be-epic 80th birthday bash.

You should know... that although this 2nd Fern Falls novels takes place beyond the borders of the series' titular town, In the Case of Heartbreak still contains the cozy and LGBTQIA-friendly small-town atmosphere that charmed readers of In the Event of Love.



----- How to Tame a Wild Rogue
by Julie Anne Long

Gimme shelter: With a ferocious storm battering London, Lady Daphne Worth and her unexpected rescuer, privateer Lorcan St. Leger, must pose as husband and wife to secure the last available room at the Grand Palace on the Thames.

Why you might like it: Opposites attract in this slow-burning but steamy, forced proximity Regency romance, the 6th book in the Palace of Rogues series, which begins with Lady Derring Takes a Lover.



---------Sammy Espinoza's Last Review
by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Mistakes were made: Once again, music critic Sammy Espinoza has broken her rule about not dating musicians, with disastrous results.

A shot at redemption? Now, with her career on the line, Sammy heads to tiny Ridley Falls, Washington, to interview rock star Max Ryan, her former one-night stand. There's no way this could end in tears, right?

For fans of: Xio Axelrod's The Girl with Stars in her Eyes or Ashley M. Coleman's Good Morning, Love.



--------- Cruel Seduction
by Katee Robert

Welcome to: Olympus City, ruled by the wealthy and powerful Thirteen, who style themselves after the Greek Gods.

Where you'll meet: newlyweds Aphrodite and Hephaestus, who -- unhappy in their arranged marriage -- set out to seduce each other's love interests, with unexpected results.

Is it for you? This steamy 5th book in the Dark Olympus series offers a "delicious polyamorous enemies-to-lovers romance" (Library Journal).



---------- Tastes Like Shakkar
by Nisha Sharma

What happens: Wedding planner Bobbi Kaur must team up with her nemesis, chef Benjamin "Bunty" Padda, to catch the saboteur whose actions threaten her best friend's special day and Bobbi's own career.

Series alert: This loose adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing marks the 2nd installment of the If Shakespeare Was an Auntie series, after Dating Dr. Dil.

Mystery

--------- The Poisoner's Ring
by Kelley Armstrong

Living in the past: Modern-day Canadian homicide detective Mallory Atkinson was attacked while visiting Scotland; she awoke in the body of a Victorian housemaid employed by medical examiner Dr. Duncan Gray.

All in the family: In this 2nd series entry, Mallory helps Gray hunt a clever poisoner murdering husbands and framing their wives. The latest widow and murder suspect? Gray's own sister.

Why you might like it: Creatively combining mystery, romance, and fantasy, this sequel to A Rip Through Time can also be read on its own.



--------- The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies
by Alison Goodman

Introducing: witty, brave 42-year-old spinster twins, Lady Augusta and Lady Julia Colebrook, who live in 1812 London.

Why you might like it: Three interlinked stories depict the sisters' adventures as they solve mysteries and problems for women and girls in trouble, sometimes aided by a handsome disgraced nobleman.

Read this next: Katharine Schellman's Lily Adler mysteries or Claudia Gray's Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney mysteries.



----------- Evergreen
by Naomi Hirahara

Home again: After being held in a Japanese American internment camp, Aki Nakasone returns to a much-changed 1946 Los Angeles. Working as an aide at the Japanese hospital, she asks questions about an abused elderly man, which leads to a murder she feels compelled to solve.

Series alert: This atmospheric follow-up to the award-winning Clark and Division combines memorable characters and little-known L.A. history into a moving mystery that's "a must-read" (Library Journal).

For fans of: Lisa See's historical novels, Sujata Massey's Rei Shimura mysteries, and gripping, well-researched World War II-era mysteries.



---------- The Mistress of Bhatia House
by Sujata Massey

India, 1922: Oxford-educated Perveen Mistry, Bombay's only woman lawyer, takes a complex case full of surprises: a nursemaid risks her life to save her young charge from a fire and is then arrested for having an abortion, but she tells Perveen she was never even pregnant.

Series alert: This atmospheric 4th Perveen Mistry novel offers a richly detailed setting, an intricate mystery plot, and expert characterization.

Read this next: Harini Nagendra's The Bangalore Detectives Club mysteries, Ovidia Yu's Crown Colony novels, or Nev March's Murder in Old Bombay.



--------- Death Comes to Marlow
by Robert Thorogood

What happens: Following the events of The Marlow Murder Club, 78-year-old Judith and her friends Suzie and Becks are at it again. This time, they unravel what happened at a party the day before a wedding when the elderly groom-to-be was crushed to death in his locked study.

For fans of: Richard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club books, Lorenzo Carcaterra's Nonna Maria mysteries, or Laurien Berenson's Senior Sleuths novels.

Did you know? Author Robert Thorogood created the popular BBC TV series Death in Paradise.



--------- Crook Manifesto
by Colson Whitehead

1970s New York City: Ray Carney, a furniture store owner and ex-criminal, is drawn back into the game. Covering three time periods, the action deals with acquiring tickets to a Jackson 5 concert by any means necessary, a missing Blaxploitation actress, and the hunt for an arsonist.

Series alert: This 2nd in a trilogy by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Colson Whitehead offers "not just crime fiction at its craftiest, but shrewdly rendered social history" (Kirkus Reviews).

Read this next: Secret Identity by Alex Segura, another evocative 1970s-era New York City novel.
Focus on: Authors



--------- A Tourist's Guide to Murder
by V.M. Burns

What it's about: Mystery writer and bookstore owner Samantha "Sam" Washington goes to London, England on a week-long mystery-lovers trip with her Nana and her Nana's friends from the Shady Acres Retirement Village -- and when the tour operator is killed, Sam turns sleuth.

What sets it apart: Excerpts from the cozy historical novel that Sam's researching and writing give readers a second mystery to solve.

Series alert: This is the charming 6th entry in the Mystery Bookshop series, but newcomers can start here.



--------- The Woman in the Library
by Sulari Gentill

The letters: Hannah, a published author, sends chapters from her work-in-progress to Leo, a longtime fan, who chattily emails his feedback...but then his correspondence grows disturbing.

The chapters: In Hannah's novel, four visitors strike up a friendship after a disturbing incident at the Boston Public Library, but one of them may be a killer.

For fans of: twisty novel-within-a-novel mysteries, Anthony Horowitz's books, Eva Jurczyk's The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, and Jane Pek's The Verifiers.



---------- The Christie Affair
by Nina de Gramont

Missing: After her husband Archie tells her he wants a divorce in December 1926, famed author Agatha Christie disappears.

Why you might like it: Not only does The Christie Affair cleverly imagine what happened during the 11-day period Christie was gone, but there's a murder to solve and beautifully drawn characters, including Christie, a cop who's looking for her, a troubled Irish veteran of World War I, and Nan O'Dea, the woman determined to be Archie's next wife.

For fans of: Marie Benedict's The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, which also ponders Christie's disappearance, or Jillian Cantor's Beautiful Little Fools, which follows several The Great Gatsby characters after a murder.



---------- The Word Is Murder
by Anthony Horowitz

What happens: In this delightful fair play mystery and series opener, a London murder brings together acerbic PI Daniel Hawthorne with writer Anthony Horowitz (yes, the author is a character), who chronicles the case, acting as a modern-day Watson.

Who it's for: Sherlockians, Golden Age mystery fans, and those who relish innovative, original crime novels.

Did you know? Not only is Anthony Horowitz the talented author of the bestselling books like Magpie Murders and Moriarty, but he also wrote the Alex Rider spy series for kids and created the acclaimed TV show Foyle's War.

Recent Releases

--------- What An Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds
by Jennifer Ackerman

What it is: a "captivating survey" (Booklist) of owls, their biology and behavior, by the author of The Genius of Birds and The Bird Way.

Did you know... that owls can recognize one another by voice alone? And that some species decorate their nests?

Further reading: Miriam Darlington's The Wise Hours or Jonathan C. Slaght's Owls of the Eastern Ice.



--------- The Experience Machine: How Our Minds Predict and Shape Reality
by Andy Clark

The big idea: The brain is not a passive organ that receives information but rather an active "prediction machine" that constantly adjusts and adapts its forecasts based on the input it receives.

Why you might like it: In accessible language, philosopher and cognitive scientist Andy Clark describes how the theory of predictive processing explains how the brain interacts with the external world.

You might also like: Annie Murphy Paul's The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain or Erik Hoel's The World Behind the World.



---------- Better Living Through Birding: Notes From a Black Man in the Natural World
by Christian Cooper

What it is: an engaging memoir from birder and activist Christian Cooper, whose Central Park encounter with a white dog walker went viral in 2020.

Read it for: Cooper's love for the natural world; insights on how his hobby informs his experiences as a gay Black man; tips for birdwatching.

Media buzz: Cooper is the host of the National Geographic Wild series Extraordinary Birder with Christian Cooper.



---------- The Ghost Forest: Racists, Radicals, and Real Estate in the California Redwoods
by Greg King

What it's about: California's redwoods, from their prehistoric origins to their discovery by commercial logging interests to their uncertain future.

Why you should read it: Only 4 percent of the original 2 million-acre redwood ecosystem remains standing, and may not last much longer.

Try this next: Lyndsie Bourgon's Tree Thieves: Crime and Survival in North America's Woods.



------------- Muscle: The Gripping Story of Strength and Movement
by Roy A. Meals, MD

What it is: orthopedic surgeon Roy A. Meals' (Bones: Inside and Out) comprehensive yet accessible guide to the human body's (approximately) 650 muscles.

What sets it apart: In addition to explaining the science of muscles, Meals includes evidence-based information on health-related topics including aging, injury prevention, exercise, nutrition, supplements, and more.



------------- Blight: Fungi and the Coming Pandemic
by Emily Monosson

Fungus among us: From the fusarium wilt threatening bananas to the drug-resistant candida auris infecting immunocompromised humans, fungal pathogens rank among "the most devastating disease agents on the planet."

The last of us? Author and toxicologist Emily Monosson describes how global travel and commerce, as well as climate change, are making us increasingly vulnerable to deadly fungal infections.

Another perspective: For a more optimistic look at fungi, try Merlin Sheldrake's Entangled Life or Keith A. Seifert's The Hidden Kingdom of Fungi, both written by mycologists.



---------- Starstruck: A Memoir of Astrophysics and Finding Light in the Dark
by Sarafina El-Badry Nance

What it's about: Egyptian American astrophysicist Sarafina El-Badry Nance recounts the challenges she faced as she pursued her chosen career while candidly discussing the institutional racism and sexism faced by women scientists of color.

You might also like: Chanda Prescod-Weinstein's The Disordered Cosmos, Hakeem M. Oluseyi's A Quantum Life, or Aomawa Shield's Life on Other Planets.



--------- Many Things Under a Rock: The Mysteries of Octopuses
by David Scheel

What it is: an accessible introduction to octopuses by marine biologist David Scheel, who shares what he's learned about these extraordinary creatures from decades of studying them.

Read it for: enlightening discussions of the anatomy, physiology, and life cycle of these fascinating cephalopods, as well as vivid and detailed descriptions of their behavior in the wild.

Further reading: Sy Montgomery's The Soul of an Octopus, Danna Staaf's Monarchs of the Sea, or Katherine Harmon Courage's Octopus!



---------Brave the Wild River: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the...
by Melissa L. Sevigny

What it's about: In the summer of 1938, pioneering botanists Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter conducted a survey of the Colorado River during a treacherous 43-day, 600-mile rowboat journey.

Read it for: an evocative and richly detailed tribute to Clover and Jotter, who braved both the elements and the rampant misogyny of the scientific community to become the first to catalog flora in the Grand Canyon.

Featuring: the pair's journals and letters from the trip.



----------- Hands of Time: A Watchmaker's History
by Rebecca Struthers

What it is: a "vivid history" (Publishers Weekly) of timekeeping, from sundials to atomic clocks, which also explores the profound cultural impact of these technologies.

About the author: Professional watchmaker Rebecca Struthers also has a PhD in antiquarian horology.

You might also like: Chad Orzel's A Brief History of Timekeeping or David Rooney's About Time.

Recent Releases

------ The Splinter in the Sky
by Kemi Ashing-Giwa

What it's about: Aspiring tea merchant Enitan Ijebu must put her plans on hold when her sibling is kidnapped, her lover is assassinated, and she's sent to the capital of the Vaalbaran Empire as a hostage and spy.

Why you might like it: This "breathtaking space opera debut" (Publishers Weekly) boasts a compelling lead, a diverse cast, and lots of political intrigue.

For fans of: Arkady Martine's A Memory Called Empire.



---------- Immortal Longings
by Chloe Gong

What it's about: As they compete in a tournament based on body jumping, the destinies of princess-in-hiding Calla Tuoleimi, exiled nobleman Anton Makusa, and Crown Prince August Shenzhi intertwine.

Series alert: Inspired by Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, this bloodsoaked Battle Royale-themed fantasy by the author of the Secret Shanghai novels kicks off the Flesh and False Gods series.

For fans of: speculative Shakespeare retellings such as Emery Robin's The Stars Undying, or the high-stakes competitions of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games books.



---------- The Jasad Heir
by Sara Hashem

What it's about: Having spent half of her young life in hiding, Sylvia (née Essiya), the exiled queen of Jasad, must now avenge her family and secure her freedom by competing to become the Nizahl Champion in the Alcahal, a series of three trials.

For fans of: the strong female characters and political intrigue of Saara El-Arifi's The Ending Fire trilogy, C.L. Clark's Magic of the Lost series, or Tasha Suri's The Burning Kingdom series.



----------- Emergent Properties
by Aimee Ogden

What happens: AI reporter Scorn awakens to discover that ze has a ten-day gap in zir memory, forcing zem to reconstruct the sequence of events ze was investigating.

Why you might like it: This noir-inflected novella by the author of Sun Daughters, Sea Daughters offers a sardonic lead and an intricately plotted mystery.

You might also like: Yume Kitasei's The Deep Sky, Mur Lafferty's Six Wakes, or Victor Manibo's The Sleepless.



---------- The Sun and the Void
by Gabriela Romero Lacruz

Welcome to... Venazia, the ancestral home of the antlered valcos and tailed nozariels, who were once enslaved and remain oppressed by their human colonizers.

Where you'll meet: part-nozariel servant Reina Duvianos and half-valco geomancer Eva Kesaré, young women from different worlds whose paths cross as others seek to use them to harness the power of a god.

Why you might like it: This "spellbinding sapphic epic fantasy" (Publishers Weekly), the 1st book in the Warring Gods series, draws inspiration from Latin American history and folklore.


------------------Series Starters-----------

------ Nophek Gloss
by Essa Hansen

What happens: After his planet is destroyed, vengeance-obsessed teen Caiden finds sanctuary aboard a sentient spaceship and learns about the multiverse from its crew of human and xenid (alien) passengers.

What does the title mean? In the world of the Graven series, "nophek gloss" is a valuable animal-derived substance that powers spaceships.

For fans of: the sentient ships of Peter F. Hamilton's Night's Dawn trilogy, the found families of Becky Chambers' Wayfarers series, the motley crew of TV's Firefly, and the expansive world-building of Mass Effect.



---------- The Library of the Dead
by T.L. Huchu

Welcome to: contemporary Edinburgh, where a sinister someone or something is sucking the souls out of the city’s children.

I see dead people: Ropa, a cynical high school dropout who works as a “ghostalker�� conveying messages from the dead to the living, agrees to explore the city’s underground in search of the evil entity.

Reviewers say: “Expertly blending elements of Zimbabwean and Scottish culture, Huchu’s occult thriller is as entertaining as it is thought-provoking�� (Publishers Weekly).



---------- She Who Became the Sun
by Shelley Parker-Chan

Meet: Zhu Chongba, the family's 8th-born, destined for greatness in Mongol-ruled 14th-century China; and his nameless sister, fated to become nothing.

Twist! After her brother’s untimely death, the young woman boldly claims his identity and fate for herself, joining a monastery and subsequently the rebel army.

Series alert: She Who Became the Sun is the 1st book in the Radiant Emperor duology, which concludes with He Who Drowned the World.



---------- To Sleep in a Sea of Stars
by Christopher Paolini

What it's about: During a survey mission to the moon Adrasteia, xenobiologist Kira Navárez uncovers an alien artifact with the power to alter the future of humanity.

Series alert: To Sleep in a Sea of Stars marks the opening installment of the Fractalverse series; while you wait for book 2, check out Fractal Noise, a prequel set in the same world.

For fans of: Alastair Reynolds' Revelation Space novels, Adrian Tchaikovsky's The Final Architecture series.



---------- The Sin in the Steel
by Ryan Van Loan

What happens: To avoid execution, teenage street urchin Buc, a brilliant detective, and her partner Eld, an embittered veteran, must investigate the disappearance of ships belonging to the powerful Kanados Trading Company.

Why you might like it: A pair of antiheroes face off against pirates, zombies, and shapeshifting mages in this action-packed 1st book in the Fall of the Gods series, which continues with The Justice in Revenge and The Memory in the Blood.

Recent Releases

---------- The Long March Home
by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee

At war: In 1941, three best friends enlist -- including a 16-year-old lying about his age -- and are sent to the Philippines for basic training. Then the Japanese invade. Forced on the Bataan Death March, the trio fight to survive while flashbacks depict their lives back home in Alabama.

Is it for you? Well-researched and action-packed, The Long March Home has realistic violence, mild profanity, and talk of mature subjects.

Reviewers say: "stunning...a must-read literary triumph" (Booklist).



----------- Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea
by Rita Chang-Eppig

What it's about: the real-life "pirate queen" Shek Yeung, who took control of a fleet of 400 ships and more than 40,000 pirates after the death of the fleet's former captain, her husband Zheng Yi.

Book buzz: Deep as the Sky is "is clever and serpentine, exploring questions of power, violence, gender, and fate" and "not to be missed" (Publishers Weekly).

Did you know? Not only was Shek Yeung history's most successful female pirate, but she also survived well into retirement age and was able to live in comfort after making a deal with the ruling Qing government.



---------- The Dissident
by Paul Goldberg

How it started: with Viktor Moroz, a Jewish refusenik forbidden to immigrate from the Soviet Union to Israel, accidentally discovering a grisly murder scene that could have enormous international consequences.

How it's going: After being spotted leaving the crime scene by a KGB agent, Viktor is given the enormous task of solving the crime or risk becoming the primary suspect himself.

Is it for you? Although Viktor's circumstances are difficult, the story also highlights the inevitable moments of dark, absurdist humor to be found when facing a giant, inefficient totalitarian system.



----------- Crow Mary
by Kathleen Grissom

Inspired by: the true story of an Indigenous woman named Goes First (renamed Mary after being wed to a white fur trader) who endures a long journey from Montana to Saskatchewan during which she makes friends, enemies, and important discoveries about herself and the world around her.

Read it for: the strong, vital bonds she forms with other Indigenous women she meets including a Métis woman who helps with her culture shock and five Nakoda women that she saves in an unanticipated act of heroism.

Reviewers say: "This moving story of one woman’s grit, survival, and resilience will keep readers turning the pages" (Publishers Weekly).



------------- The Housekeepers
by Alex Hay

What it's about: Mrs. King has worked hard to rise above her origins and holds the respectable position of housekeeper at the grandest house in Mayfair, but when she's suddenly and inexplicably dismissed by her employers, Mrs. King decides to call on some unsavory connections from her criminal past to get rich and get even.

The plan: On the night of her former employer's highly anticipated annual costume ball, Mrs. King and a motley crew of allies will infiltrate the party and steal everything that isn't nailed down. And while she's there, Mrs. King may even get the chance to investigate why she was fired with no explanation.

For fans of: dramatic capers, Edwardian upstairs-downstairs social dynamics, and the Robert Altman film Gosford Park.



----------- To Die Beautiful
by Buzzy Jackson

The setting: Amsterdam and Haarlem in 1940, during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.

Starring: Nineteen-year-old law student Hannie Schaft, whose desire to make a difference for people suffering under Nazi rule leads her to join the Dutch resistance, with whom she takes increasingly greater risks in order to undermine the regime and protect local Jews.

Inspired by: the real-life Hannie Schaft, who was known as "the Girl with the Red Hair" and was part of a trio of young women known for hiding in plain sight in order to assassinate Nazis and Dutch collaborators.



---------- Loot
by Tania James

Called to the palace: In 1794 in the Kingdom of Mysore (now part of India), talented 17-year-old toymaker Abbas is ordered to work with French clockmaker Lucien Du Leze to craft a life-sized wooden tiger that growls and makes music.

What happens: In 1799, the British defeat Mysore's ruler, prompting Lucian and his daughter to flee to France. Abbas follows a few years later, eventually ending up in England where he hunts for the looted tiger.

Reviewers say: "At once swashbuckling and searing, this is a marvelous achievement" (Publishers Weekly); "rich, sprawling, picaresque" (Booklist).



----------- The Ghost Ship
by Kate Mosse

Series alert: The Ghost Ship is the final entry in the Burning Chamber trilogy, which follows the persecution and upheaval faced by the Joubert family of French Huguenots in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

This time: Louise Reydon-Joubert, granddaughter of the characters in the first novel The Burning Chambers, is on the run from a longstanding family feud. She finds a surprising haven on the titular ghost ship, a feared vessel that sails the Barbary Coast with a crew who aren't what they seem.

About the author: Other works by British novelist Kate Mosse include the Languedoc trilogy and the standalone novel The Taxidermist's Daughter.



----------- After Anne
by Logan Steiner

What it's about: the life and career of Canadian writer Lucy Maud Montgomery, best known for the Anne of Green Gables series of novels.

Read it for: the solace she finds in writing while dealing with depression and a difficult marriage; insights into the commonalities between Maud and her indelible creation, Anne Shirley.

For fans of: strong, passionate women who refuse to sacrifice their dreams and ambitions because society pressures them.



------------- The Brightest Star
by Gail Tsukiyama

What it is: a richly detailed fictional biography of pioneering Chinese American actress Anna May Wong, exploring her childhood, early work in the silent era, struggles with racist casting in post-Hays Code Hollywood, and eventual breakout stardom in Europe.

For fans of: Miss Del Rio by Barbara Louise Mujica.

Did you know? In 1951 Wong became the first person of Asian descent to star as a series lead on American television in The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong. The titular character was created for her, even sharing Wong's birth name.

Alias Reader wrote: "
Night Will Find You
by Julia Heaberlin

What it is: an atmospheric thriller about an unlikely investigator brought in to help police solve a high-profile cold case.

Starring: Vivian Bouchet, an astrophysicist who reluctantly agrees to help a childhood friend, now a cop, solve a child kidnapping case while struggling to reconcile her scientific understanding of the world with the inexplicable "psychic" phenomena that give her unique insight into the investigation.

Read it for: the likeable characterization of Vivian, whose thoughtful and observant perspective on the case and the world in general will endear her to readers..."

I can recommend. It was a novel i liked, despite the odd circumstances.

The other entries look good. The last one listed, The Guest Room--Tasha Sylva, would be full of questions for me. I've long wondered about the circumstances in renting out a room. Of course, people have been doing so for centuries, but how iffy is that? Lee Harvey Oswald, for one.

Thanks for the tempting suggestions, Alias.

Deb, I figured I needed to refresh your TBR since you were away on vacation for a month. 😉

Alias Reader wrote: "Deb, I figured I needed to refresh your TBR since you were away on vacation for a month. 😉"

You are a sweetheart!

NOT!

:-)

Alias Reader wrote: "
History and Current Events..."

Gosh, i'd read any of this list of books. The first, Valiant Women: The Extraordinary American Servicewomen Who Helped Win World War II--Lena Andrews sounds like good history. It's about time someone wrote about the US females who were in the war. This book seems to echo Svetlana Alexievich's The Unwomanly Face of War: An Oral History of Women in World War II, which is an outstanding book about Soviet women during WWII. Indeed, the ŷ������ write-up could have substituted "Soviet" for "American" women & covered the same land.

Also of interest to me is The Fourth Turning Is Here: What the Seasons of History Tell Us about How and When This Crisis Will End--Neil Howe. It sounds like a thoughtful look at history and how it "plays out".

Thanks for all the titles, Alias.

Alias Reader wrote: "


----------The Art of Scandal
by Regina Black

What it's about: After Rachel Abbott discovers her white politician husband is cheating, she agrees to keep up appearances for the remainder of his ..."

While not my genre, i want to state that it is lovely to see people of color and sexual preference included in Romance novels. They illustrate that love is all around, as are the challenges it presents.

Alias Reader wrote: "

Mystery

Evergreen--Naomi Hirahara

..."

This one sounds intriguing, set in post WWII Los Angeles.

Actually, most of the books listed tickle my fancy but i won't add any many to my TBR. Thank you for mentioning the latest Anthony Horowitz and Colson Whitehead mysteries!

Alias Reader wrote: "

Recent Releases

--------- What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds--Jennifer Ackerman

What it is: a "captivating survey" (Booklist) of owls, their biology and be..."

Was already on my TBR, thanks to you, Alias. Now i'm adding the following, both of which sound intriguingly scientific, mixed with Real Humans.

--Brave the Wild River: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon--Melissa L. Sevigny

Hands of Time: A Watchmaker's History--Rebecca Struthers

Additionally, i'd like to add that i really liked the unusual memory/autobio from Christian Cooper's Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World. This covers birdwatching around the world, his own personal spiritual seeking, his gay life and his nerdy endeavors with Star Trek. Such a nice book.