Fiction Picks
McCarthy's first novel in 16 years is a deeply moving journey into the depths of the human spirit. A true fever dream that dives into fear, loss, grief, and will leave you with a strange lingering feeling you can't pin down.
Pooley really leans into her characters, lead by the quirky and confident Iona Iverson, the train gang are a group of normal people who all take the same train to Waterloo and find themselves pulled into her orbit. Great warm-fuzzy feel good vibes, perfect for readers of Backmann or those looking for the elusive light-but-not-fluffy read.
A great book even if you've never picked up a controller. This is a story about all the complexities of people, of their relationships and changes, as well as the fun and storytelling power of a really good game. This is also a love story, but one unlike any other.
Local author alert! This is a mysterious and riveting ode to art history. Overcome with grief at her father's death, Ann has finally escaped a stifling life in her hometown. She arrives in New York with big hopes, but is quickly subsumed into the ambitions, complexities, and dangers of obsessing over the past.
"Lessons in Chemistry" follows the relentless Elizabeth Zott who is determined to face off with sexism in science & in general. Witty, wonderful, and a bit odd, once you get into the groove of this novel you will be absorbed by the quick pace, quirky characters, and desperate desire to see Zott stick it to the man.
A dramatic thriller centered around a powerful and violent family this novel follows the story of the Wadia family and the outsiders that are pulled into its orbit. You won't want to stop reading as you watch scandals and drama unfold and wait to see what happens next.
This book lies somewhere between thought-provoking literary fiction and an exciting page turner. The characters are layered and their motivations unfold with every chapter to create complex and interesting story lines that will leave you thinking about this book for months after you finish.
A wondrous fairytale dreamscape of a story that drags you in with an inescapable undertow. One of the best uses of frame narrative I've ever read interlocks with a captivating plot and multi-faceted characters to create a stunning emotional weight. I'll be thinking about this book for a long time.
This book is beautiful and compassionate and weird. Nagamatsu unwinds a tale over hundreds (for some characters, thousands) of years from the discovery & outbreak of an arctic plague. For dealing so heavily and intimately with death, this novel still manages to be so warm. It's cynical & bleak while still managing to be hopeful.
A sprawling saga of intertwined characters during the Korean Independence Movement. An epic tale of love, war, and redemption that follows a young courtesan, a penniless son of a hunter, and a cast of intriguing side characters. Kim uses the Korean concept of inyeon to weave together the lives of multiple characters across time and space in stunning yet believable ways.
Infused with compelling characters' stories as they deal with the challenges of 2020, Erdrich's light hand and almost whimsical writing contrasts with the tensions of Covid and police brutality. She brings a fabulous, tender richness to living under the disorientation of that year, opening eyes while tugging heartstrings.
Don't let the small size of this book mislead you — this story packs a powerful punch! Whether you already love Madeline Miller's work or have yet to read one of her novels, this feminist retelling of a classic Greek myth will have you hooked from cover to cover.
This was already a favorite by the second chapter, and it only got better from there. Demon, born in the heart of West Virginia's opioid crisis, grows up in the foster care system and searches for a place to call home. Kingsolver writes with such a strong character voice, you'll forget Demon isn't real.
A suspenseful, dark-academia thriller that moves between Hannah Jones's first year at Oxford, which ends with the murder of her roommate (glamorous and mischievous "it girl" April Clarke-Cliveden), and ten years later when she is confronted with questions about what really happened that night.
This is a truly beautiful story about love, friendship, hope, the power of art, and finding wonder in the world even amidst the darkness. A stunning work of historical fiction about being human (and a parrot that recites Shakespeare).
For everyone who loves "Where the Crawdads Sing," you need to add this book to your TBR. In this heartfelt family drama and mystery, two siblings are mourning the loss of their beloved mother when they discover she left a voice recording for them. As they listen, their late mother weaves a tumultuous story about a headstrong young swimmer who escapes her island home under suspicion of murder. A tale of heartbreak and uncover family secrets.
This book is so much more than just a 15th century Italian court drama. O'Farrell writes a powerful, rebellious female lead who pushes back against the traditional expectations placed on women of the era. Thrilling and full of unexpected twists and turns, you'll be hooked from the first chapter.
A stunning horror debut for fans of Stephen Graham Jones and Jordan Peele. Every summer, young Black girls go missing in the woods. When her god daughter goes missing, Liz is forced to reckon with the place she once called home and her relationship to the predominately white town as a Black woman.v
A stunning horror debut for fans of Stephen Graham Jones and Jordan Peele. Every summer, young Black girls go missing in the woods. When her god daughter goes missing, Liz is forced to reckon with the place she once called home and her relationship to the predominately white town as a Black woman.
I’ve never quite seen a book so well encapsulated by a cover. This is a fever dream of a story, at times tremendously beautiful and profound and at others incredibly subversive. This is the kind of book that demands discussion; there is at once very deliberate allegory & themes and utter chaos, with an interpretation that feels totally up for grabs.
A beautifully written family saga beginning in a war torn Cyprus and ending up in Britian. Written from multiple perspectives, including from the fig tree that ties the family together. Goregous soft prose and quick chapters will engross you in this story of love, loss, family, intergenerational trauma, culture, and healing.
A coming of age story, a father-daughter story, and a love letter to New York all wrapped up in one. Straub always does a phenomenal job approaching sensitive topics with humor and heart, and this novel is no exception. Fans of "The Midnight Library" and the movie "13 Going on 30" will enjoy!
Campy horror at it's peak, this book is the perfect mix of fun and freaky. You'll alternate between laughing out loud with this Southern family full of big characters and holding your breath at what happens when once-beloved puppets come to life with violence in their papier-mâché hearts.
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When pop star Greta James publicly falls apart after her mom's death, she agrees to go on an Alaskan cruise with her dad to hide from the attention. When Greta meets a charming author, she's not sure the time is right for a relationship despite the sparks between them. An heartfelt story of loss, family, and love.
