Powell's Picks of the Season 2024

Browse our selection of the best books of the season! From fiction to nonfiction to a special Chefs’ Table of cookbooks and food writing to our favorite picks for kids, we guarantee you’ll find the perfect book for every reader.

Jump ahead to: Fiction | Nonfiction | Chefs’ Table | Kids and Teens

Fiction

A Sunny Place for Shady People

Mariana Enriquez (tr. Megan McDowell)

My personal aesthetic is “a little weird, a little dark side, but full of heart,” so Mariana Enriquez’s work is pretty much made for me. Fans of sharp literary horror will rejoice in this short story collection that tackles the complexities of life and history in the most visceral way possible. – Michelle L.

Absolution

Jeff VanderMeer

A prequel to one of the best speculative fiction trilogies out there, VanderMeer brings us back into the mind-bending Area X, where it all began. Told in three parts and presented as previously untold expeditions, get ready to be hypnotized and afraid all over again. – Aubrey W.

Blue Light Hours

Bruna Dantas Lobato

This short novel about a young woman who leaves Brazil to attend college in Vermont is a remarkably tender and warm-hearted mother-daughter story. A perfect book to send to a loved one living away, but be sure to get yourself a copy, too. – Keith M.

Buried Deep and Other Stories

Naomi Novik

“Fantasy, folk tales, and skillful storytelling come together in this delightful collection.” – Library Journal

City of Night Birds

Juhea Kim

“A beautifully crafted must read. City of Night Birds is a book that lingers long after the final pages have come and gone.” – Jason Mott

Fang Fiction

Kate Stayman-London

“Fang Fiction is totally unique and utterly captivating. Kate Stayman-London expertly blends atmosphere, nostalgia, and a distinctive premise wrapped in a journey of healing, growing, and revival. The result is a fantastical vampire story that feels deeply and profoundly human.” – Lyla Sage

Final Cut

Charles Burns

What’s creepier that coming of age? The alien imagery that haunts your dreams, maybe. Charles Burns is a master graphic novelist and his latest is absolutely transfixing. – Keith M.

Intermezzo

Sally Rooney

Rooney takes a mess of complicated relationships and emotions and slowly unravels all the threads — exploring each one individually, while also considering how they relate to and affect each other. A master of the human experience and my favorite author, hands down. She’s done it again, folks. – Carrie K.

Into the Uncut Grass

Trevor Noah and Sabina Hahn

“A sweet bedtime story.” – Kirkus Reviews

Lazarus Man

Richard Price

It’s been far too long since we’ve had a new novel from Richard Price! The book follows four people after a building collapses in East Harlem. Price creates sensitively rendered portraits of both the individuals and the city that surrounds them. Lazarus Man is propulsive and moving. – Keith M.

Libby Lost and Found

Stephanie Booth

My advice? When life throws you an early-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis and you cannot figure out how to end your best-selling kids fantasy series, get yourself a super-fan named Peanut to guide you through. This book poked at all the tender parts of my heart in the best way. – Michelle L.

Our Evenings

Alan Hollinghurst

“Every aspect is flawless: complex, multi-dimensional characters, subtle treatment of emotions, beautiful writing, a vividly realized theatrical setting, and more.” – Booklist, Starred Review

Playground

Richard Powers

“An extraordinarily immersive journey through lives linked in mysterious ways — gripping, alarming, and uplifting.” – Emma Donoghue

Polostan

Neal Stephenson

“The first installment in Stephenson’s historical epic paints an engrossing picture of the United States during the Great Depression....[Stephenson] will have readers begging for the next volume. A deeply immersive historical epic.” – Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

TJ Klune

Lesser authors would balk at the thought of writing a follow-up to a book as beloved as The House on the Cerulean Sea, yet TJ Klune has managed to surpass my wildest literary dreams. This is the balm we need to ease the pain of a world that can be so full hate. – Michelle L.

Suggested in the Stars

Yoko Tawada (tr. Margaret Mitsutani)

“Trippy, poignant, and thoroughly inventive.” – Kirkus Reviews

Tell Me Everything

Elizabeth Strout

“With tenderness, honesty, intimacy, and compassion, Strout uses her cunning powers of observation to draw readers beyond the mundane to the miraculous complexities where true friendship lies....An absolute must-have.” – Booklist, starred review

The Blue Hour

Paula Hawkins

“The Blue Hour is an atmospheric, stylish puzzle box of a thriller with a deliciously inventive premise. I love a locked-room mystery — or, in this case, a locked-island mystery — and Paula Hawkins has delivered a truly exceptional one.” – Liz Moore

The City and Its Uncertain Walls

Haruki Murakami (tr. Philip Gabriel)

Strange and complex, The City and Its Uncertain Walls carries its mystery beyond its pages. Readers wander through an enigmatic world populated by ageless specters of the past, bizarre beasts, and menacing gatekeepers. I often wondered while reading it: Am I the shadow? I think only Murakami could know. – Eric L.

The Empusium

Olga Tokarczuk (tr. Antonia Lloyd-Jones)

“Reckons with some of the major intellectual questions of the 20th century while simultaneously spinning a mysterious — and spooky — web of intrigue and suspense. A crucial addition to Tokarczuk’s oeuvre.” – Kirkus Reviews, starred review

The Grey Wolf

Louise Penny

“Reminiscent of du Maurier: art, islands, missing spouses....A compelling piece of work, hard to put down.” – Mick Herron

The Life Impossible

Matt Haig

“A beautiful novel full of life-affirming wonder and imagination and, at its adventurous heart, a wry and tender love-letter to the best of being human.” – Benedict Cumberbatch

The Mighty Red

Louise Erdrich

Erdrich’s newest explores small town life while dealing with some big picture issues — climate change, capitalism, familial responsibility, and the repercussions our actions. Brutal yet comedic, with more layers than a croissant, trust Erdrich to take you on a thought-provoking journey. You won’t regret it. – Carrie K.

The Researcher’s First Murder

John Finnemore

A body is found stabbed to death in a locked room. The police find no weapon, no motive and no suspects. Can you explain The Researcher’s First Murder?

The Teller of Small Fortunes

Julie Leong

Solitary fortune teller Tao encounters an impasse on the road until chance places a mercenary and a thief in her path. What begins as a journey of mutual necessity forms into a band of unlikely friends in this feelgood tale of chosen family. A perfect gift for loved ones. – Aubrey W.

The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society

C. M. Waggoner

A librarian who helps solve murders, in a charming little town that has an unusual number of them, needs help when her cat may be possessed by a demon. This is a cozy supernatural mystery (the vibes are immaculate!) with the most delicious creeping sense of “things are not exactly what they seem.” I loved it. – Michelle C.

We Solve Murders

Richard Osman

A former policeman, his bodyguard daughter-in-law, and a free-spirited mystery writer team up and travel around the world to figure out who is murdering influencers. With an exciting plot and an entertaining cast of characters, this charming mystery novel is a very fun read. – Jennifer H.

Women’s Hotel

Daniel M. Lavery

“I cannot imagine a more perfect use of an afternoon than reading this book.” – Helen Rosner

Nonfiction

Accidentally Wes Anderson: Adventures

Wally Koval and Amanda Koval

Have you ever taken a few extra moments to compose a photo? Been delighted by an unusual tale (of platypuses, umbrellas, or the end of the world)? Get this charmingly cinematic book to plan your next adventure, even if you embark on it from your coziest armchair. – Michelle C.

Book and Dagger

Elyse Graham

“An engaging study of wartime American intelligence. . . . Graham makes a good case for studying the humanities as both an instrument of learning and a weapon of war. Bibliophiles with a taste for cloak-and-dagger work will enjoy this lively book.” – Kirkus Reviews

By the Fire We Carry

Rebecca Nagle

A powerful account of the long- and short-term history behing recent Supreme Court decisions about tribal jurisdiction in Oklahoma. This extremely readable book is informative, infuriating, and very necessary. – Keith M.

Cabin

Patrick Hutchison

“Cabin will make you ask to borrow your mom’s little pickup and some power tools, buy a case of Rainier and head for the hills to see if you, too, can’t fix a little something up yourself. You’re going to freaking love this book.” – Matthew Batt

Cher: The Memoir, Part One

Cher

After more than seventy years of fighting to live her life on her own terms, Cher finally reveals her true story in intimate detail.

Didion and Babitz

Lili Anolik

“[Lili Anolik] provides astute character portraits of both writers, suggesting that though Didion was disciplined and spare where Babitz was sensual and lush, the two shared a single-minded commitment to their artistry. It’s a crackling dual biography of two of L.A.’s brightest literary lights.” – Publishers Weekly

Dungeons & Dragons RPG: Players Handbook (2024)

Wizards of the Coast

The biggest Player’s Handbook in Dungeons & Dragons history, revised and expanded to reflect ten years of feedback from the D&D community!

Every Valley

Charles King

Every Valley centers on a work of art — Handel’s Messiah — but it is really about how a rapidly-changing society shapes, and is reflected by, art. Filled with fascinating stories and characters, this is a great book for history lovers, whether or not they’ve ever listened to Handel’s masterpiece. – Keith M.

Forest of Noise

Mosab Abu Toha

Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha collapses the space of bearing witness in his recent collection Forest of Noise. While experiencing the genocide of his own people and with the unfathomable ability to write directly into his pain, he unflinchingly asks, What can you see when your eyes are closed? – Katie V.

Heartbreak Is the National Anthem

Rob Sheffield

“I'm a Taylor Swift fan (I’ve got two ears and a heart), but I’d recommend these essays from real-fan-and-storied-music-writer Rob Sheffield even if I wasn’t. He digs into thoughtful analysis of her music, choices, and impact (while weaving in so many lyrical easter eggs). If you spend any time considering how music interacts with the world, want to better understand the pop cultural landscape, or want to scream along to ‘Our Song,’ you need this book.” – Michelle C.

John Lewis

David Greenberg

“This is the book we’ve all been awaiting. Deeply researched, beautifully written, and frequently revelatory, Greenberg’s portrait of John Lewis is as inspiring as the civil-rights hero himself.” – Jonathan Eig

Kingmaker

Sonia Purnell

The author of A Woman of No Importance is back with another biography of an important, underappreciated woman. Pamela Harriman was famous, but she was forever underestimated and not truly known. Her full story is an absolutely fascinating look at the Twentieth century. – Keith M.

Lifeform

Jenny Slate

Since reading (and loving) her 2019 debut, Little Weirds, I’ve been eagerly anticipating more writing from Jenny Slate, and Lifeform was so worth the wait! How lucky we all are to live in the same timeline (but perhaps not on the same plane?) as this vibrant, poetic, delightfully peculiar human. – Tove H.

Living on Earth

Peter Godfrey-Smith

“Strap in as Peter Godfrey-Smith takes us on a dazzling exploration of the planet’s diverse tenants, all of whom sculpted the environment we’d later inherit and transform. An essential read for understanding the legacy of the spot we’re standing in right now, and its future.” – David Eagleman

Meditations for Mortals

Oliver Burkeman

“More than a book of ideas, Meditation for Mortals offers a practical path toward personal transformation — one that helps you sidestep the shallow allure of frenetic busyness and find a liberating joy in the limits and imperfections of life. A must-read.” – Cal Newport

Nexus

Yuval Noah Harari

“Nexus will challenge your core beliefs about technology and information while leaving you grateful for the experience.” – Dr. Joy Buolamwini

On Freedom

Timothy Snyder

Timothy Snyder has written more than a dynamic and perceptive political, historical, and philosophical exploration of freedom. This book is a call to action. If we don’t grasp what it truly means to be free, then how can we work towards a better future for all? – Pat K.

Revenge of the Tipping Point

Malcolm Gladwell

Revenge of the Tipping Point isn’t a retread or a reexamination so much as an expansion. 25 years later, with decades worth of new studies and examples to forensically pick apart, Gladwell hasn’t lost a step. Fans like me will love it, and detractors won’t be getting revenge anytime soon. – Keith M.

Roman Year

André Aciman

“In rapturous prose, Aciman captures the shocks of beauty he experienced...during what amounted to a brief interlude on his way to the U.S. His poetic exploration of place and probing of what constitutes a home makes for exquisitely moving reading.” – Publishers Weekly, starred review

Still Life with Remorse

Maira Kalman

Maira Kalman’s most autobiographical and intimate work to date, Still Life with Remorse is a beautiful, four-color collection combining deeply personal stories and 50 striking full-color paintings in the vein of her and Alex Kalman’s acclaimed Women Holding Things.

The Basketball 100

David Aldridge and John Hollinger

“Vividly written....An engaging and fun must-read for any basketball fan.” – Kirkus Reviews

The Message

Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates is the rare nonfiction writer who can elevate important (but often avoided) topics to subjects of national conversation, and he’s done it again. Comprised of three essays about three trips — to Senegal, South Carolina, and Palestine — Coates’ increasingly global view of our moral obligations is powerfully rendered. – Keith M.

The Name of This Band Is R.E.M.

Peter Ames Carlin

“Carlin writes rock 'n' roll lives with a rare blend of documentary authority, narrative verve, and empathetic insight.” – Michael Chabon

The Northwomen

Heather Pringle

“Beyond the epic poem of Beowulf and Grendel’s unnamed monster of a mother is the world of real Viking women, who had names and actual histories. Thanks to Heather Pringle, these Viking women live again in all their glory: no longer overlooked and forgotten but remembered for who they truly were.” – Amanda Foreman

The Serviceberry

Robin Wall Kimmerer

Robin Wall Kimmerer’s new essay is a lovely and thoughtful examination of traditional ways of living in harmony with nature, the forces that have broken those bonds, and how we can rebuild them. – Keith M.

The Siege

Ben Macintyre

“Nerve-wracking menace, unlikely sympathies, and a daring rescue mark this rousing saga of a notorious terrorist incident.” – Publishers Weekly

The Small and the Mighty

Sharon McMahon

“Sharon McMahon is a national treasure and a one-woman cavalry for truth, saving our republic one loving and clear-eyed lesson at a time. She and this book are a gift to our country.” – Isabel Wilkerson

The World Atlas of Honey

C. Marina Marchese

This colorful guide celebrates the exceptional range and diversity of honey, revealing how terroir — the environment in which a food is produced — influences honey’s qualities just as it does for wine, olive oil, coffee, and chocolate.

Want

Gillian Anderson

A collection of confessions from women around the world, Want is a revelatory, sensational and game-changing exploration of women’s sexuality that asks, and answers: How do women feel about sex when they have the freedom to be totally anonymous?

Water, Water

Billy Collins

Collecting sixty new poems from the legendary author Water, Water gives us a peak into the more intimate side of Collins. This book has the same unmatched feeling of walking through the first sunny day of spring. Displaying the beauty, pain, seriousness, and irony of simple everyday life. – Aster A.

What the Chicken Knows

Sy Montgomery

Another delightful little book from Sy Montgomery about one type of bird, this very giftable volume will expand your knowledge and appreciation of the mighty chicken. – Keith M.

Chefs’ Table

Bake Club

Christina Tosi and Shannon Salzano

“If, as Tosi believes, baking is a mechanism for magic, then she is a true culinary Houdini.” – Library Journal

Be Ready When the Luck Happens

Ina Garten

“Be Ready When the Luck Happens is a wildly entertaining and compulsively readable story about curiosity and courage, challenges and coconut cupcakes. It’s also a love story for the ages.” – Ann Patchett

Chinese Enough

Kristina Cho

“A delicious and poignant exploration of identity, culture, and family, and how these things indelibly shape the food that we cook. Chinese Enough is Kristina Cho’s culinary coming-of-age, an evocative, joyful, and utterly modern celebration of what it means to exist, and cook, between two cultures.” – Hetty Lui McKinnon

Does This Taste Funny?

Stephen Colbert and Evie McGee Colbert

“A solid, well-thought-out cookbook sure to have wide appeal to cooks and Colbert fans.” – Library Journal

Easy Weeknight Dinners

Emily Weinstein

Food is my favorite part of every day, but I struggle to cook when I’m very tired (a.k.a., at the end of the work day). Easy Weeknight Dinners has changed my life for the better, and saved so many optimistically-purchased vegetables from my compost bin. – Michelle C.

Half Baked Harvest Quick & Cozy

Tieghan Gerard

Tieghan Gerard’s cookbooks and blog are my go-to when I’m looking for inspiration in the kitchen. Her flavors are always spot on and the recipes are surprisingly simple for how delicious they are. It’s safe to say I’ll be cooking my way through this book for the foreseeable future. – Carrie K.

Justine Cooks

Justine Doiron

Justine_Snacks, aka Justine Doiron, is hands down one of my favorite food influencers. She’s sweet, subtly cool, and real. Best of all, her media is full of colorful, mostly veg-focused, umami-packed recipes that are divine, and her gorgeous new cookbook is no different. A must buy for the holidays. – Michelle L.

Martha: The Cookbook

Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart celebrates her landmark 100th book with an intimate collection of 100 treasured recipes, along with stunning photos from her personal archives and the stories behind them. A must for anyone who has ever been inspired by the one and only Martha.

Matty Matheson: Soups, Salads, Sandwiches

Matty Matheson

I’ve loved Matheson for years, but after watching him on The Bear, he has my whole heart. Some of the recipes are simple and elevated, while others are more complex and ingredient heavy. Overall, the perfect balance of everything you’d want in a cookbook — entertaining, mouthwatering recipes, and FUN. – Carrie K.

Meat Pies

Brian Polcyn and Michael Ruhlman

“An absolute masterclass from two behemoths of the industry whom I’ve always looked up to. Bulletproof, tasty recipes alongside technique and skills....The pie revolution is here, jump aboard.” – Chef Calum Franklin

Monday Night Mocktails

Jennifer Newens

“This is the perfect go-to guide for the sober curious and dry revolution. Having a great balance of familiar cocktails and new beverages sans alcohol allows everyone to have the tools to create great cocktails for yourself and all your guests.” – Chris Cosentino

Ottolenghi Comfort

Yotam Ottolenghi

Comfort food is the food I really crave, especially in the chillier months. Ottolenghi is one of the best to ever do it, so you know this book is chock full of delicious, warming, accessible-yet-elevated recipes that will become your new favorites. (Try the caramelized onion orecchiette!) – Michelle C.

Sun-Kissed Cooking

Brooke Williamson

“Brooke cooks exactly like I want to eat. Seasonal, veggie-forward, and full of flavors. Sun-Kissed Cooking will teach you the techniques to get the most out of your vegetables and have them shine at your next meal.” – Tom Colicchio

The Ambitious Kitchen Cookbook

Monique Volz

“Monique’s heart and soul shines through these pages and jumps out in the form of easy weeknight meals, cookies for your family, and smoothies for busy mornings (just to name a few). Monique shows us that ambitious food isn’t about unnecessarily complicated food; instead it’s about food that brings comfort, warmth, and ease.” – Adrianna Adarme

Vegan Japan

Julia Boucachard

“What a gem of a cookbook. With its treasure trove of wholesome and delicious recipes, beautiful photography, and fun illustrations, this book deserves a spot in any cookbook collection.” – Kim-Julie Hansen

Very Good Bread

Melissa Weller

“Weller’s welcoming tone and wisdom make this well-organized collection highly recommended and suitable for teaching the art of bread-baking to all levels.” – Booklist, starred review

What Goes with What

Julia Turshen

“Every cookbook from Julia is a gift to the world and this one is no exception. What Goes With What leans into what makes Julia’s cooking philosophy so great (that cooking should be relaxing, creative, flexible!) with beautiful satisfying recipe formulas that will truly help you become a more confident cook, no matter your skill level.” – Molly Yeh

What I Ate in One Year

Stanley Tucci

Formatted in short, craveable journal entries, Tucci recounts a year in his life—filtered through the lens of food. Food nourishes us, brings us together, and, if you’re me (or Stanley Tucci), makes life worth living. Truly a delight in every way. – Carrie K.

Kids and Teens

A Flock of Gulls, A Chorus of Frogs

Roy Henry Vickers and Lucky Budd

“This beautifully illustrated book deserves a place on every shelf.” – School Library Journal

An Anthology of Exquisite Birds

Ben Hoare

An Anthology of Exquisite Birds pairs photography with storybook descriptions that will captivate young readers, whether it’s finding out about condors and cuckoos or swans and starlings.

Black Star

Kwame Alexander

“A powerful and thoroughly satisfying blend of sports, history, family saga, and self-discovery.” – Kirkus Reviews

Bog Myrtle

Sid Sharp

If, like me, you love forest walks and bugs and puddles and finding the perfect rock and standing in solidarity with workers as they protest exploitative business practices, we should probably be friends and you are looking at your new favorite book. – Tove H.

Celestial Monsters

Aiden Thomas

Aiden Thomas has done it again in this jam-packed sequel to The Sunbearer Trials. Teo, Niya, and Aurelio road trip across Reino del Sol to stop the end of the world as they know it. It’s filled with adventure, some romance, while touching on topics like generational trauma and systemic oppression. – Jess M.

Compound Fracture

Andrew Joseph White

“White’s latest is a stunning testament to the intertwining realities of politics and queerness, as well as community focused ideologies and the impact of those ideals in the face of oppression.” – Publishers Weekly

Dog Man: Big Jim Begins

Dav Pilkey

Discover the origin of our beloved characters from the Dog Man series as they join forces to stop the Space Cuties from destroying the city!

Games Untold

Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Romance, luxury, and secrets abound in this thrilling new collection that takes readers deeper into the world of the #1 bestselling Inheritance Games series!

Hot Mess

Jeff Kinney

The pressure is building for Greg Heffley, who discovers that when you mix heaps of family, a tiny beach house, and sweltering heat, it's a recipe for disaster.

In Praise of Mystery

Ada Limón and Peter Sís

Ada Limón wrote an utterly perfect poem to be sent on a spacecraft to Europa. Add masterful illustrations from Peter Sís and the result is magic. This is a great gift for anyone who appreciates wonder. – Keith M.

Knight Owl and Early Bird

Christopher Denise

Now a captain of the guard, Owl is ever-vigalent. As long as he gets to sleep in. His new roommate Early Bird keeps a different schedule. I’m sure it’ll be fine. – Keith M.

Let It Glow

Marissa Meyer and Joanne Levy

This is a fun, heartwarming holiday spin on The Parent Trap. Holly and Aviva are twins who were separated at birth and by chance meet at a holiday pageant. They swap places to see how the other spends their holidays before revealing their big secret. It’s an instant holiday favorite! – Jess M.

Nothing Like the Movies

Lynn Painter

“A worthy second-chance romance.” – Kirkus Reviews

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Wrath of the Triple Goddess

Rick Riordan

In his continuing quest to earn college recommendation letters from the gods, Percy has to pet sit the goddess Hecate’s polecat and giant mastiff during Halloween week. What could go wrong?

Spooky Lakes

Geo Rutherford

Spooky Lakes is not your average children’s nonfiction book. This book immediately pulls you in with all its creepy and interesting facts about lakes across the globe that you may never have even dreamed possible. My 10-year-old niece was begging for more spooky facts by the end! – Nancy E.

Spy School Entrance Exam

Stuart Gibbs and Jeff Chen

Solve word searches, crack codes, and complete cryptic crosswords to show the CIA that you have what it takes to join Ben and the rest of the crew on their next covert mission with this Spy School companion puzzle book

The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals

Deborah Underwood and LeUyen Pham

Once there was a man who liked having a tidy home and did NOT like animals. I adore the details in Pham’s illustrations (see the inside of the front and back covers) and the expressive characters. The Old MacDonald origin story you didn’t know you needed — but you do! – Sarah B.