Grief Is for People
Sloane Crosley
Grief is often associated with death, with endings. But Sloane Crosley and I find grief as part of a natural cycle in many areas of our lives. Crosley unpacks everyday grief in this frank but empathetic masterwork set at the crest of the pandemic after her dear friend's suicide.
– Laura B.
I Heard Her Call My Name
Lucy Sante
“Radical, humble, and wise, Sante’s account of discovery is the most generous of gifts — a book to treasure, and a memoir that will enter the canon of twenty-first-century greats”
– Hermione Hoby
Misunderstood Vegetables
Becky Selengut
“In this informative and inspiring collection, private chef Selengut (Shroom) invites readers to consider (or reconsider) 25 oft-neglected vegetables....For curious cooks looking to branch out, this exploratory introduction will be invaluable.”
– Publishers Weekly
Ours
Phillip B. Williams
“As consummate and compelling a storyteller as he is a poet, in Ours Phillip B. Williams spins a stellar tale of resistance and reconstruction that could school any US history book....Ours speaks to our past, present, and future with incomparable poetic verve.”
– John Keene
I Love You So Much It’s Killing Us Both
Mariah Stovall
This is the perfect book to read with your headphones on and the volume all the way up. It’s technically a book about love, in its many forms, but it’s also a fantastic journey through subculture and an incredible exploration of the way music shapes all of our lives.
– Aster H.
Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart
GennaRose Nethercott
I’ve really been loving short story collections and this one is no exception. The stories are for all those wonderful weirdos that we embrace or get warned about. It gives huge Kelly Link and Angela Carter vibes, so if you’re into those authors, this will enchant you.
– Vicky K.
The Frame-Up
Gwenda Bond
I love a heist story, so when The Frame-Up was sold to me as “Ocean’s Eleven but with magic,” I was intrigued. It didn’t disappoint. The romance is light and fun, and the day-to-day structure of the novel gives it a cinematic feel. A fun romp that I highly recommend.
– Deana R.
The Fox Wife
Yangsze Choo
In Chinese folklore, there are many names for the huxian believed to live among us: shape-shifting fox spirits, immortal and cunning. Choo brings these vampiric creatures to life — in all their human-adjacent complexity — on a wild adventure of revenge, romance, and reinvention. You’ll never look at your shadow the same way.
– Mary O.
The Kamogawa Food Detectives
Hisashi Kashiwai (tr. Jesse Kirkwood)
The Kamogawa Food Detectives is a comfort read that’s guaranteed to make you hungry. Set in Kyoto, the story revolves around a detective duo — a father-and-daughter team — with a unique skill for recreating dishes from their customers’ past. If you’re a fan of Midnight Diner or Food Wars!, this one’s for you.
– Rudy K.
Wandering Stars
Tommy Orange
Wandering Stars is a constellation of stories, all orbiting around the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 and the lives and legacies that unravel in its aftermath. Through Orange’s deeply felt characters and beautiful language, we feel the violence of assimilation and the ways that grief and trauma are passed down through generations.
– Kelsey F.
The Other Valley
Scott Alexander Howard
“Thoughtful, touching, and beautiful, The Other Valley is an accomplished and exquisitely crafted novel. Scott Alexander Howard takes readers into a unique world they are sure to remember, and introduces them to Odile, a fascinating character with an unenviable dilemma.”
– Adam Hamdy
Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop
Hwang Bo-reum (tr. Shanna Tan)
Already a run-away hit in its original Korean, this gentle, philosophical novel is a balm for book lovers, for the burnt-out, and for anyone seeking change or community. It reminded me of all the reasons bookstores are my favorite “third-place” and also my favorite way to get to know a place.
– Sarah R.
Pacific Power & Light
Michael Dickman
“No one sees and hears the world quite like this poet whose every line thrums with specificity.”
– Jhumpa Lahiri
Supercommunicators
Charles Duhigg
Everyone knows someone who seems like they can talk to anyone. In Supercommunicators, Charles Duhigg uses engaging real-life examples to show us how to become one of those rare people. An important read for anyone who wants to talk to other people effectively (which should be everyone, really).
– Deana R.
The Great Wave
Michiko Kakutani
“Michiko Kakutani has somehow synthesized all the pain, promise, and hope of our wild and dangerous times into a slim but potent volume full of elegant thought and perfectly worded analysis.”
– Gary Shteyngart
Waverider (Amulet #9)
Kazu Kibuishi
The final volume of Amulet, can you believe it?! Kazu Kibuishi’s fantasy epic is BELOVED by every kid (and adult) who picks it up — you’ll always see reviews from adoring fans dotting the shelves here at Powell’s. Gorgeous art. Stellar storytelling. Sixteen years in, it’s bittersweet to be holding the series conclusion in my hands.
– Sarah R.
Finally Heard
Kelly Yang
From the New York Times bestselling author of Front Desk comes the sequel to Finally Seen in which Lina gets a phone and tries to navigate social media, only to discover not everything online is what it seems.
Max in the House of Spies
Adam Gidwitz
“A determined refugee will do whatever it takes to get back to his parents — even becoming a British spy in Nazi Germany....A duology opener with a truly likable hero and clever puzzling.”
– Kirkus Reviews
I Do Not Eat Children
Marcus Cutler
“I do not eat children,” the monster claims. Then the kids, one by one, disappear. With a diverse cast of kids who are as fun to follow as the monster and a surprise ending that’s not the surprise ending you’re expecting, I Do Not Eat Children is sly, droll, and hilarious.
– Gigi L.
With a Little Luck
Marissa Meyer
“Fortune favors the nerd in this heartwarming novel by bestselling novelist Meyer...Wonderful, witty, and as sweet as spun sugar.”
– Kirkus Reviews
Bunt!
Ngozi Ukazu and Mad Rupert
“A hilarious, kinetic, and blisteringly accurate portrait of art school from three masters of the craft. Ngozi, Mad, and K are at the top of their game.”
– Gale Galligan
Snowglobe
Soyoung Park (tr. Joungmin Lee Comfort)
“Utterly unputdownable, Snowglobe is an out-of-this-world dystopian thrill ride. Soyoung Park has created an addictive, twisty tale perfect for fans looking for the next Squid Game or Parasite.”
– Amélie Wen Zhao
Infinity Alchemist
Kacen Callender
“Callender builds a rich environment that echoes real-world injustices...political intrigue, a fascinating magic system, and heart-pounding action propel the plot and, combined with Ash’s unfurling relationships with Ramsay and the rest of the supporting cast, result in a refreshingly affirming and tender standout fantasy.”
– Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
Black Girl You Are Atlas
Renée Watson
“[A] moving, introspective poetry collection celebrating the possibilities of Black girlhood complemented by atmospheric mixed-media illustrations...A compelling ode to self-resurrection and Black sisterhood.”
– Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)