Our newest recommendations are right at the top of the list. Enjoy!
A beautifully dark fantasy epic that surges with mythology and imagination. Derived from African sources, the realms of this world feel dream-like and startling, and full of unexpected characters. A wonderful read. Recommended by Hunter
These stories are feral, stunning in their ferocity, and definitely NOT here to play nice. I loved it! Recommended by Molly
Complex, wonderful, impressive -- it's impossible to look away from these scenes of individual intimacy and historic tragedy. Lost Children Archive is exactly the right novel for our times. Recommended by Christie
Frankly, it's perfect. It opens with an irresistible love story; the writing is clever and surprising but has the simple ring of truth; the story builds with a dawning sense of both hope and dread; and then it releases the reader into a changed reality. Recommended by Christie
Guilty as a mom snooping through her teen's diary, I peered into God's journal about his existential crisis -- unable to stop myself from reaping secret insights. Recommended by Jeanette.
Brilliant. Intense. Cerebral. And impossible to put down! Recommended by Christie
You know that luscious feeling when you immediately know you are in the hands of a beguiling writer who will take you on a memorable journey? That's the sensation which lasted for me throughout this unusual road trip of a novel with characters I wished I could continue accompanying well past when they reach their final destination. Recommended by Jeanette
Small Moving Parts by DB Jackson is a 20th century western buddy story where two people become uncommon friends through a common desire to end their own lives. It's a coming of age tale with shoot-outs, horse thieves, and the amazingly cinematic setting of the American South West. The characters are entirely believable and the dialogue is natural and smooth. A story about modern cowboys told as only a real cowboy could tell it -- Brilliantly. Recommended by Rob
In this debut novel, Locascio accomplishes gorgeous metaphysical interiority while engaging with real human experiences. Through a young woman's coming-of-age narrative, the reader is treated to a stunning alchemy of xenophobia, physical sexual insight, and Denmark. The prose is also absolutely beautiful. Recommended by Hunter
I had to keep coming up for air as I raced along with a once enslaved boy, flying across the sky in an early experimental hot air balloon, trekking across the frozen Arctic, and diving among undersea life. This novel enthralls with both its heights and its depths. Recommended by Jeanette
Brilliant, intense, cerebral, and impossible to put down. Recommended by Christie
Mike Mignola says that he started comics as an "OK inker" but his true calling came when he blended a Gothic style of art and his own brand of secret agent intrigue meets history and folk tales. Hellboy is a memorable and brilliant comic book epic and has come to spawn hundreds of characters and stories in what is now known as the Mignolaverse. Recommended by Rob
For everyone who ever loved a tree. Recommended by Alena
Once again, Therese Anne Fowler has written a powerhouse of a woman back into history. Excellent job bringing me into the life and times of Alva Smith Vanderbilt and Gilded Age New York. Toward the end of her life, Alva was a pre-eminant American suffragette. Throughout this book I felt, "Wow. I get it. I get her, her circumstances, and what she's doing for herself, women, and the culture at large." And all in an enjoyable "19th century novel." Hurrah! Recommended by Alena
I like the people in this book so much!!! And the writing. And the story. And the river. I have that double feeling of wanting to read and read to know how it ends -- but not wanting it to end. Recommended by Alena
Holy shit, this is something else altogether. "Cross-dressing gun-fighter" doesn't even scratch the surface. It really stuck with me. Recommended by Christie
A deceptively simple story that gets under your skin, so that you find yourself drifting to these people and places days and weeks after finishing the book. An unusual love story set on the Eastern Front of WWII. Recommended by Christie
Three things about this novel -- 1) A retirement community with a twist 2) A touch of mystery 3) A narrator to die for! All in all, an unexpected pleasure with surprising humanity & kindness. Recommended by Alena
Follow Lois, a robotics specialist, as she embarks on a most unusual journey and discovers what truly makes her happy. I loved SOURDOUGH, but be forewarned: It is zany -- wonderfully so -- and, it may just inspire you to bake -- it did me! Recommended by Jane
P.S. Boonville makes a cameo appearance.
Geni seems to know something about humans & nature that the rest of us don't. The Wildlands, like her previous novel, delves into those places in the psyche that can be revealed only at the extremes: tornado, disaster, isolation. It's gripping! Recommended by Christie
I wish this book had come out a few years ago when I still worked with Native American juvenile delinquents so they could have gained some insights from the realistic portraits of urban NDNs. Take a look! Recommended by Jeanette
Vivid, violent, gory, and gorgeous, with luscious illustrations, these fairy-tales come from a recently re-discovered cache of German folk tales. At once both unknown yet recognizable, these are new (to us) stories with familiar shapes, and they are delicous. Recommended by Molly
This is fantastic -- fantastic & fantastical! Rich with complicated characters, intrigue, advenure, strange worlds, rivalries & magic! And, the best thing of all, it's the first of a trilogy. Recommended by Jane
Ever wonder what Catsby is thinking? Here's a fellow cat who tells a story as well as (or better than!) most humans. A kind-hearted, Japanese tale. Quietly and deeply engaging. Recommended by Alena
"I find things." Private Investigator Roxanne Weary has lost a lot. Her father, paying clients, and her tenuous romantic relationship. So when a paying client asks her to track down the witness to an old crime, she agrees. But when the evidence begins piling up, she finds herself caught in something much larger than she ever could have predicted. A compulsively readable mystery that breathes new life into the PI genre. Recommended by Emily
Mothers, daughters, China, adoption, tea, California, dreams ... And at this story's hidden core, a grove of ancient trees. I love this book. Recommended by Alena
A fabulous southern sisters novel with many twists on the genre (and in the plot!), including a comic book, superhero, graphic novel artist who is having a baby fathered by Batman (from Comic-Con :-)). I truly care about all the women in this book, young and old. And the end is uplifting and spot-on! Recommended by Alena
I consider Ward our best contemporary Southern writer, as well as a damn fine novelist in general. Recommended by Jeanette
In the rural landscape of Northern California, it is widely understood that the McKenna crime family rules. Harley McKenna has tried her best to distance herself from the family name - using her skills with a gun and burning anger to protect and run a women's shelter. But when a nearby crime family begins encroaching on her father's territory, Harley allows herself to be drawn back into that world to protect her charges. This novel is unflinching and gorgeously written. Fantastic. Recommended by Emily
An unputdownable police procedual with an ending I didn't see coming. CLOSE TO HOME would make an excellent book club pick -- I guarantee you'll want to talk about it! Recommended by Jane
This is a stunning collection of stories. They're fantastical, supernatural, and surreal, and yet all deeply true. I cannot recommend this book highly enough! Recommended by Molly
Delicious!! Dive in and enjoy. (Adult stories by the Newbery Medal winning author of THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON.) Recommended by Alena
Familiar with flash fiction? If not, this is a thoughtful introduction. If you're already a fan, you'll appreciate the succint and evocative pieces here. Recommended by Jeanette
Michael Poore, though compared to Neil Gaiman, is in a league all his own. Like Gaiman, he uses wit and humor to tackle reincarnation, spirituality, and the after-life. His style however, is entirely unique. This book is a smart, funny, fantasy love story about a guy who has been in love with Death herself for almost ten thousand lifetimes and he's running out of time. True, Gaiman fans will love this, but Michael Poore is creating his own special group of fans. Recommended by Rob
This book is packed with humor and horror and tons of nostalgia. It's a veritable "What If?" Asking the question: What if the kids from Scooby Doo grew up and got back together to fight creatures from the Cthulhu mythos of H. P. Lovecraft. It's funny and exciting. You'll love the references. Recommended by Rob
Surgeon X is part V for Vendetta, part Blade Runner. Set in a Sci-Fi future 20 years from now the medical industry is in collapse. And Surgeon X is called upon to give people medical treatment illegally! Brilliant writing, amazing art and a frightening and timely story that could be more science than science fiction. Recommended by Rob
I love the set-up -- A young family with a tragic past and an apartment building in the middle of a cemetary. It's the feeling someone is watching you. Kioke has created a modern masterpiece of Japanese horror with a minimal amount of violence and graphic content and has still managed to make me afraid of elevators. Recommended by Rob
Grab a cup of coffee and a donut and spend some time making the rounds with Mooncop. Quirky and poignant, Mooncop may just lead your imagination to script further adventures. Recommended by Jane (P.S. For readers of any age!)
Without a doubt, one of the most beautifully written novels you'll ever read. Recommended by Jeanette
