Brigid Kemmerer
[isbn]
"One day isn't your whole life. A day is just a day." It's not a romance, but there is a love story. It's about people. Friendship. Family. Love. Loss. Months later and I still think about how wonderful this book is.
Recommended by Mecca A.
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Leah Dieterich
[isbn]
Leah Dieterich lays all of her insecurities and uncertainties excruciatingly bare in this excavation of her marriage. Using compelling prose, she peels back the surface of everything, and it is mesmerizing; she digs until she understands what she feels, what she wants, and why she wants it. Exploring open marriage, bisexuality, honesty, and fear, this is an eye-opening dissertation on love, desire, commitment, and human nature — and Dieterich... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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David Joy
[isbn]
The Line That Held Us is a gorgeous and brutal story of love, violence, and loyalty so fierce it has the power to destroy everything in its path. David Joy has a gift for writing Southern noir, and he can hold his own with Cormac McCarthy, Donald Ray Pollock, Daniel Woodrell, and other gods of grit lit.
Recommended by Emily F.
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Anna Burns
[isbn]
I enjoyed Milkman immensely, and it's one of my Top 5s for this year. It's such a fast-paced, vivid, and lyrical read — it grabs your attention from the very first sentence and just doesn't let go. But it's also a very menacing read. The tension builds and builds as you sit on pins and needles, eager to see how our narrator will cope with the unwanted attentions from the Milkman and the embarrassingly horrifying rumors swirling around... (read more)
Recommended by Sheila N.
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Peng Shepherd
[isbn]
Beautiful magical realism. Accept the society-changing story premise of a forgetting sickness and then let all the emotions flow. This dystopian story starts out quiet and small, then snowballs to a Big Bang ending with a heartbreaker denouement. I’ll think about The Book of M and it's people for a long time.
Recommended by Tracey T.
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Emily M. Danforth
[isbn]
Cameron likes girls. A lot. And the girls she likes are OK with it... until Coley. Driven by guilt, Coley confesses her relationship with Cameron and Cameron's life is never the same. Cameron gets sent away to a Christian school set on helping her overcome her "illness." This book is full of beautifully realized characters and situations many of us can identify with. This is definitely a book I wish I had when I was coming out as a teen, and one... (read more)
Recommended by Deana R.
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Katie Skelly
[isbn]
My Pretty Vampire is the wonderfully excessive romp of a young woman-turned-vampire who escapes the captivity of her possessive, incest-minded brother. The ever-pursued Clover is brought to life in bold colors as she snacks haphazardly from one encounter to the next, fueled by desire and self-preservation. Here, author Katie Skelly confronts us with our societal obsession of possessing the eternal youth and beauty of women, and then... (read more)
Recommended by Cosima C.
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Ursula K Le Guin
[isbn]
These short stories are everything I'd ever wanted out of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, and possibly more. These tales leave you mystified and wishing that each one had its own novel to go along with it. If you're a fan of Adams, I foresee you being a fan of Le Guin as well, or at least being fond of this particular novel.
Recommended by Rin S.
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Julie Kagawa
[isbn]
Take a journey through a mythical Japan inhabited by creatures from folklore and legend. Yumeko, half-human, half-kitsune is entrusted with a mission that will save the land, or just as easily get her killed. Tatsumi, the bearer of a cursed blade, is a deadly shinobi on a mission of his own. When their paths cross, these two become uneasy allies, each guarding their secrets from the other. Joined along the way by an irreverent ronin and a noble... (read more)
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Stuart Atkinson, Brendan Kearney
[isbn]
Felicity the star-watching cat leads readers through the pages of this fun and exceptionally informative book on the night sky. The illustrations are kid-friendly and just realistic enough to familiarize readers with the appearance of the real thing. A Cat’s Guide to the Night Sky presents all the important who, what, when, where, and whys in clear and easy prose that respects the intelligence of its young readers. This book is perfect... (read more)
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Gabriel Tallent
[isbn]
My Absolute Darling is one of the most enchanting books I've read in a long time. The writing is so, so lovely that despite wanting to devour the story, I forced myself to slow down so I wouldn't trip and miss a single word. Like A Little Life and All the Ugly and Wonderful Things, My Absolute Darling is one of those books that makes you hungry for more, even as it rips your guts out.
Recommended by Emily F.
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Catherynne M. Valente
[isbn]
This book is like if Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy had a baby with Ziggy Stardust and Eurovision. Valente's use of language is beautiful, funny, and it will not stop for you in this glitter- and stardust-strewn story of when aliens first come to earth. The universal community has decided that wars are stupid and instead they hold a music competition to work through the competitive nature of civilization. The punishment for last place... (read more)
Recommended by Shayna O.
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Julie Buxbaum
[isbn]
This is one of those books where the cover doesn't match the story. You think you are getting a light and fluffy romance and BAM!... bring on the grief, the bullying, and the betrayals. Such a heartwarming story about a girl learning to live with her father's death and her budding friendship/attraction to a boy with Asperger's. David is an absolute gem! Ditch your idea of normal.
Recommended by Mecca A.
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Kate DiCamillo
[isbn]
Kate DiCamillo's new book is incredible — of course it is. It's a companion book to the already outstanding Raymie Nightingale, but you don't have to read it first to love Louisiana — it will just enhance your reading experience. It's at times sad and trying, hopeful and heartwarming, and it's filled with such real characters and told through Louisiana's distinct voice. DiCamillo's books should not only be read by kids, but... (read more)
Recommended by Jordan S.
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Bart King, Russ Miller
[isbn]
For anyone who wants to get a leg up on their aspiration to become an agent of international espionage — or just wants to learn some cool stuff and laugh their head off, this book is perfect. It’s full of actual true spy stories as well as super fun and informative how-tos on such subjects as disguise, lie-detection, and self-defense. Even for non-spies, this book is stuffed full of fascinating facts and lots of wackiness and is just plain fun.
Recommended by Gigi L.
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Jessie Oliveros, Dana Wulfekotte
[isbn]
Memory loss is such a difficult subject to explain to children, and I’ve never seen it captured in as beautiful a way as Jessie Oliveros presents it in this lovely picture book. James’s grandfather has one balloon for every precious memory he’s lived in his long life; some of these balloons, James also shares. When his grandfather starts losing some balloons, James knows he must find a way to share his grandfather’s balloons with others so his... (read more)
Recommended by Kim T.
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Adam Becker
[isbn]
Adam Becker's What Is Real? is a fascinating history of the development of quantum mechanics. I love that the book focuses not only on the competing theories but on the colorful cast of physicists who developed and promoted them over the last century. Becker makes the case that cutting-edge physics has been as much a battle of personalities as a search for empirical truth.
Recommended by Piers R.
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Ijeoma Oluo
[isbn]
Oluo is an excellent guide through the explosive terrain of 21st-century race relations, providing clear explanations of the many ways American society is structured to empower white people, particularly men. Arguing that a person can be complicit in a racist society without being an explicitly bad or racist person, Oluo takes some of the sting out of a conversation that rightly places the onus on white citizens to take the lead in confronting... (read more)
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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Ben Marcus
[isbn]
There is no one writing like Ben Marcus and this book of devastating stories is so darkly weird, so sentence-drivenly spectacular, and so otherworldly while still being recognizably in our world. Notes From the Fog is funny, perverse, and maybe Marcus's best book in an influential writing career.
Recommended by Kevin S.
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Leif Enger
[isbn]
In a small town in northern Minnesota, Virgil Wander is living his life on autopilot until his car careens off a snowy cliff road and into Lake Superior. Afterward, he struggles with memory and vocabulary issues, while still trying to maintain his fledgling single-screen movie theater and job in City Hall. A likable cast of characters rounds out the story, including a kite-flying older Norwegian trying to find out more about his long-missing son,... (read more)
Recommended by Candice B.
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Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
[isbn]
Going too far is not something Brian K. Vaughan believes in. He has, and I assume will always, push the boundaries of genre and storytelling, particularly in this ninth volume of Saga. There's still the same mix of fantasy, sci-fi, and realism; the same gorgeous illustrating by Staples; the same rich world full of the crazy, interesting characters that I love; and the same storylines that are firmly planted in their world, yet hit on... (read more)
Recommended by Michelle L.
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Kiese Laymon
[isbn]
Kiese Laymon combines the personal and the political to come up with one of the most beautiful, compassionate, and courageous memoirs I have ever read. It's not an easy read, but it is a powerful and important one.
Recommended by Sandy M.
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Cait Flanders
[isbn]
More of a memoir than a guidebook, The Year of Less is a deep dive into what happens when you take a giant step away from consumerism. Cait Flanders paid off $30K of debt, and then imposed a year-long shopping ban. She chronicles her journey with unflinching honesty and careful self-examination.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Haruki Murakami, Philip Gabriel, Ted Goossen
[isbn]
Killing Commendatore is a Gatsby-esque novel that meditates on art, death, the spirit world, fate, and free will. I loved the experience of slowly losing myself to the surreal, magical world of Murakami’s imagination. This novel may have finally pushed me into the camp of devoted Harukists.
Recommended by Mary S.
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Jessica Love
[isbn]
Julián Is a Mermaid was the Best Book of the Year as soon as it was released. The art and colors alone are goosebumps-inducing. It's also a multilayered story, as it can be read in a number of ways: it can be about a boy who loves dressing up; it can be about self-discovery and a boy coming out; and it can be about unconditional love — or all of the above. It'll leave you mesmerized by how incredible it truly is.
Recommended by Jordan S.
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Peter J Woodford
[isbn]
What, if anything, do your values signify in the context of evolutionary history? How might moral truths emerge from (and be justified through) the feedbacking chaos of evolution? Peter J. Woodford explores these problems of value-grounding via the historical and philosophical works of Friedrich Nietzsche, Georg Simmel, and Heinrich Rickert, i.e. those who "gazed into the abyss," as Nietzsche phrased it. With this book, your sacred cows are at... (read more)
Recommended by Jonathan V. B.
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Benjamin Carter Hett
[isbn]
Anyone who thinks that when push comes to shove U.S. elites will choose to allow Bernie Sanders-style Euro-socialism to prevail over Trumpism must be operating either under the illusion that today's American elite are less craven and venal than the German elites of 1932-1933 or that American democracy is less compromised than Germany's was. This book, as well as every day’s headlines in this low, dishonest decade, demonstrate otherwise.
Recommended by Jason C.
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Holly Black
[isbn]
Never underestimate Holly Black's power to write incredible faerie tales. The Cruel Prince is every bit as lush and perfect as The Darkest Part of the Forest; this is devil's food cake for lovers of the fey and their realm.
Recommended by Kara G.
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Jennifer Baker
[isbn]
In her introduction to Everyday People, editor Jennifer Baker writes that she hopes this anthology will one day join "other seminal anthologies used for study and inspiration...on shelves not only for reference but for pleasure." I think this collection is a success in that regard. Collecting an outstanding array of writers of color, some you may know (Yiyun Li, Jason Reynolds) and some you may not know just yet (Dennis Norris II,... (read more)
Recommended by Gary L.
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Joshua Whitehead
[isbn]
Intimate and earnest, like a late-night conversation with a friend, Whitehead's novel captures the challenges of leaving home and being an outsider no matter where one goes. Weaving together Jonny’s memories of reservation life with his present one as an online sex worker in Winnipeg, the titular character ruminates on the grit it takes to get by.
Recommended by Robin A.
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Kat Gardiner
[isbn]
Kat Gardiner’s Little Wonder is a wondrous little book. In tiny, engaging fragments, it tells the tale of Gardiner’s one-year foray into owning a business — a coffee shop music venue in Anacortes, Washington. Poignantly, beautifully written, Little Wonder examines the joy and heartbreak of trying and failing at something you love.
Recommended by Gigi L.
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Nate Chinen
[isbn]
Nate Chinen has written an accessible guide to the state of jazz in the 21st century. In it, he gives readers a framework that we can use to discover new musicians and make connections between genres. Playing Changes helped me listen more carefully, freely, and boldly, inspired by the music it describes. Read it with both your mind and ears open.
Recommended by Adam P.
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Paolo Cognetti
[isbn]
Oh, man. I truly wept when I finished reading this book simply because it was over. This beautifully written novel is at once painful and lovely. It is the story of a 30-year friendship between two very different men who share a love of hiking in the Dolomites. Serious hikers will marvel at the descriptions of these unique Italian mountains.
Recommended by Nan S.
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Britta Lundin
[isbn]
Claire is obsessed with the show Demon Heart. She writes fan fiction and "ships" the two male main characters together. When she gets the chance to go to a Demon Heart convention she wins the opportunity to meet the cast and crew! She then makes it her mission to try to convince the show runner to have more queer representation. In the process, Claire meets a super cute girl who she might have a crush on?! I loved this story and... (read more)
Recommended by Hannah B.
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Lynne Tillman
[isbn]
Men and Apparitions is a magnum opus of ekphrastic genealogy as seen through a spurned anthropologist's loupe, an optics-saturated examination of the heteronormative male psyche circa fourth-wave feminism, and a mordant monologue on objectivity. No American novelist is better suited to this task than Lynne Tillman. Her singular, engrossing narrator — a card-carrying member of the liberally educated, media-consuming cohort — zips from tic... (read more)
Recommended by Justin W.
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Rebecca Makkai
[isbn]
Set during the AIDS crisis in Chicago in the 1980s, The Great Believers is a book about the personal and the political, about love and loss, grief and guilt, memory and art. It’s an unsparing book that doesn’t shy away from the horrors of the epidemic or the holes it left in the lives of those who lived through it, but it’s also a joyful book about the power of friendship, family, and art to sustain us, even in the face of devastation.... (read more)
Recommended by Tim B.
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Alex Bell
[isbn]
Oh boy, did I love this book. The Polar Bear Explorers’ Club is Golden Compass-esque in all the best ways — there's adventure, friendship, a plucky female protagonist, a role model dad, quirky and fun magical creatures... and this time, it's light enough to appeal to a VERY broad range of audiences. An eight-year-old can enjoy this book, an adult looking for an escape from the real world can enjoy this book... there's something... (read more)
Recommended by Leah C.
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Jason Gershuny, Andy P Smith, Mike Greenhaus
[isbn]
100 Things Phish Fans Should Know is a great look back at some of the marvelous adventures four guys from Vermont have taken their hordes of fans on during their 35-year career. This book functions as both a way to relive memories of yesterday’s past and to learn a little more about a band that has some of the best interactions and pranks with, and participation by, their fervent followers. FACE-PLANT INTO ROCK!!
Recommended by Angelo R.
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Tessa Hadley
[isbn]
Tessa Hadley’s new novel, Late in the Day, is an exquisitely precise portrait of four middle-aged friends and lovers whose fragile alliances are challenged by a premature death. Hadley has a unique talent for finding the right words for inexpressible sentiments, elevating a quiet story about ordinary people into something akin to cut crystal: precious, perfect, and with a clarity that sings. With attendant themes of fine art,... (read more)
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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Thomas Childers
[isbn]
I read this ambitious history of the Third Reich in small doses over a period of nine months. So often, I closed the book with my jaw completely dropped. Exceptionally readable and thoroughly researched, historian Thomas Childers's newest work has been hailed as possibly the best one-volume overview of Nazi Germany available, with frequent comparisons to William Shirer's The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. But with access to documents... (read more)
Recommended by Lori M.
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Esi Edugyan
[isbn]
I don't remember the last time I've been so suddenly and convincingly landed in a book. A young slave with a talent for scientific illustration escapes bondage only to find that the wider world is both perilous and full of wonder. Written in a style evocative of Victorian adventure tales, this novel is like a smarter, more grown-up Treasure Island.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Jose Andres
[isbn]
As I read this book, a line from the cartoon movie Robots kept coming to mind: "See a need, fill a need." Chef Andrés flew to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria to help feed residents for a few days. He ended up staying for weeks and eventually coordinated over two million meals across the island. We Fed an Island is an uplifting tale of community action. Andrés wears his heart on his sleeve, and his tenacity and compassion in... (read more)
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Melissa Broder
[isbn]
Melissa Broder's The Pisces was my most anticipated book of 2018, and it was well worth the wait. This is the story of a woman undone, written in precise prose. With an essay collection and multiple poetry books under her belt before publishing this novel, I knew Broder could write, but still her writing shocked and moved me, and the story was both sour and sweet, like the writer herself.
Recommended by Erin K.
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Pat Barker
[isbn]
A retelling of the story of the fall of Troy told from a woman’s perspective — but not just any woman, a queen, Briseis, who becomes a slave when captured. Her rape and subsequent life as a piece of property owned by Achilles form the center of this story. It is a story about a particular time and place, but also a timeless story of the plight of women in a war zone.
Recommended by Miriam S.
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Patricia Lockwood
[isbn]
Lockwood’s riotous retelling of growing up in a rectory with her Catholic priest father and her disease-obsessed mother is a memoir like no other. Her poetic talents elevate her prose to skyscraper levels of absurdity and warmth, creating an immensely enjoyable and impactful read.
Recommended by Haley B.
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Sjón
[isbn]
Comingling the past and the present (while presaging the future), the sacred and the profane, the concrete and the abstract, Sjón's CoDex 1962 is as ambitious a work as it is an enveloping one. Combining several genres, CoDex 1962 incorporates (as most of Sjón’s fiction seems to do) Icelandic mythology and folklore, creation stories, historical accounts, autobiographical elements, and more. Between Sjón’s rich atmospherics,... (read more)
Recommended by Jeremy G.
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Meaghan O'Connell
[isbn]
And Now We Have Everything is the most honest book about becoming a mom I've read. I don't have kids and don't know that I ever will, but I have a lot of anxieties about parenting and childrearing and Meaghan's writing aligns with them perfectly. This book is really funny in a kick-you-in-the-stomach kind of way, and I found myself laughing and sobbing a lot while reading it. As a childless bookseller, I wholeheartedly believe everyone —... (read more)
Recommended by Emily L.
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Kathryn Erskine
[isbn]
This book is such an amazing telescope into the autistic mind. No matter your age, this is a really insightful book that deals with autism and grief. The main protagonist is a smart and funny autistic girl, and it's very empowering.
Recommended by Rin S.
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David Sedaris
[isbn]
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, Who feeds their tumor to a snapping turtle?, you need some David Sedaris in your life. His latest collection is hilarious, poignant, and distasteful in equal measure, a combination I found reassuringly human and absolutely delightful.
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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Emma Donoghue
[isbn]
Emma Donoghue mines current headlines for her harrowing account of a young woman held captive in a room for years. Forced to bear a child by her captor, "Ma" becomes increasingly desperate to escape her one-room hell. On the other hand, Jack, her 5-year-old son, loves the Room; it is his entire world. Narrated by Jack, this terrifying story is so worth the angst you will experience reading it. Heartbreaking, hopeful, gripping, and flat-out... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Zora Neale Hurston, Deborah G Plant
[isbn]
Zora Neale Hurston left us a rich legacy of black cultural history through her recordings as an anthropologist of the African American folk narrative, striving to, as she puts it “set down essential truth.” Here in this vital addition to her already known work are interviews documenting Cudjo Lewis’s own story, the last known living African American to arrive on a black slave ship. Because she preserves his original vernacular in writing, it... (read more)
Recommended by Aubrey W.
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Madeline Puckette, Justin Hammack
[isbn]
Wine appreciators, from novices to connoisseurs, will enjoy this newly expanded edition from the award-winning website WineFolly.com. Chock-full of well-organized and easy to use infographics, this guide makes a choice gift for any occasion.
Recommended by Aubrey W.
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Rene Redzepi, David Zilber
[isbn]
If you buy only one cookbook this year, I implore you to snatch up The Noma Guide to Fermentation. Written by the chefs behind Copenhagen’s world-famous restaurant, this incredible resource will teach you how to use the ancient art of fermentation in ways you never could have imagined.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz
[isbn]
No! Sleep! Till I finish this seriously entertaining book mixed together by Ad-Rock and Mike D (weaving in guest spots from famous fans like Amy Poehler, Jonathan Lethem, and Spike Jonze) that feels like a playfully constructed scrapbook and heartfelt personal chronicle all in one.
Recommended by Matt K.
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James Mustich
[isbn]
As a lifelong passionate reader, this epic compilation enthralled me. It's not only a brilliant guide to what to read next, but a satisfying read all on its own, with illustrations and fascinating sidebars of information.
Recommended by Kathi K.
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Jedidiah Jenkins
[isbn]
Jedidiah Jenkins’s memoir is his story of bicycling 14,000 miles from Oregon to Patagonia over the course of 16 months. Readers follow along with Jenkins’s travels, experiencing the people and places he encounters while he reflects honestly on his personal life and struggles.
Recommended by Jennifer H.
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Thomas Hardy
[isbn]
A masterpiece of Victorian tragedy, Jude is tortured, miserable, and doomed. But this beautiful novel is profoundly moving. The story is poignant and heart-wrenching, and the language is utterly gorgeous. Thomas Hardy is a peerless genius. Truly, absolutely, the best book I have ever read — you will cry!
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Maryse Meijer
[isbn]
Heartbreaker is an earthshaking short story collection that will break you. Maryse Meijer plumbs the depths of human desire and pushes our possibility for empathy outward — far past the edge where our moral norms teeter. Among these stories is a man in love with the life-destroying fire he brought into the world, a girl at fat camp who has an affair with a fox, a mother who has a man come play her daddy whenever her family leaves the... (read more)
Recommended by Cosima C.
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Rachel Ignotofsky
[isbn]
Explore our planet with this beautifully illustrated guide from the author and illustrator of Women in Science and Women in Sports. Readers will travel the globe to learn about ecosystems, the animals that live there, and how they interact. It is both fun and educational!
Recommended by Jennifer H.
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Dubravka Ugresic
[isbn]
An ever-changing witches' wheel festooned with anecdote and critique, fact and fabrication, and enough cantankerous wisdom to out-bluster even the most devout cynic. Fox is a showcase for Ugrešić's polymathic indignation, covering everything from back pain to minesweeping to the membership rolls of avant-garde art sects with assured antagonism, letting no one — least of all the reader — off the hook. This is a masterpiece plaited with... (read more)
Recommended by Justin W.
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Jessica Hische
[isbn]
The end of the day is the perfect time to look toward tomorrow and plan for momentous things: like being brave, being strong, being curious. Through Jessica Hische’s bold designs and beautiful, shout-it-from-the-rooftops text, kids learn the joy of possibility and the power of words.
Recommended by Matt K.
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Libby Babbott-Klein, Jessica Walker
[isbn]
Fabulous feminists of history — as babies! Including whimsical and informative depictions of powerhouse women such as Billie Jean King, Frida Kahlo, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Mae Jemison, and Yoko Ono, Baby Feminists is full of fun and inspiration for feminists of all ages.
Recommended by Gigi L.
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Mark Oshiro
[isbn]
Wow... This book is BRUTAL. Mark Oshiro (from the online world of Mark Reads) delivers a timely and necessary look into the system of oppression and police brutality. The cast is diverse, the plot expansive, and the dialogue raw. This is an incredible debut.
Recommended by Andy A.
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Jesse Ball
[isbn]
Census is one of those books that creeps up on you so slowly, you don't even realize you're falling in love with it. It starts out as an odd tale about an aging doctor who is facing the end of his life. He's widowed, and his grown son has Down Syndrome. Instead of hunkering down for his last few weeks, he takes a job as a census taker, and drives off on a road trip with his son. Ball has an almost imperceptible way of pressing his... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Kristen R Ghodsee
[isbn]
A really interesting look at how capitalist societies have failed women in many arenas. I appreciate that, despite the cheeky title, this book is very well researched and offers a compelling argument for why Democratic Socialist systems may benefit women in the areas of education, work, and childrearing. I definitely recommend this to anyone looking to deepen their understanding of feminist issues on the world level and how we can find solutions... (read more)
Recommended by Deana R.
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Paul Monette
[isbn]
Becoming a Man is one of my life-changing books. Lyrical, brutal prose tells the story of the first half of a gay man's life, from his closeted days in a New England prep school, to how he inched his way out of the closet and found his true love. He tells his story through the shadow of the early days of AIDS and filters it through his many losses. It's both heartbreaking and hopeful, and a book I often press into people's hands and urge... (read more)
Recommended by Deana R.
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David Wong
[isbn]
If the idea of a talented, funny, irreverent author throwing all of his best ideas about aliens, drug use, horror, and slapstick into a bag, shaking it, and then throwing that hot mess onto the page sounds appealing, then John Dies at the End is for you. Me? I loved the novel's lack of preciousness, its verve, and its outrageous humor. My theory is that this book makes an auspicious gift for anyone you don't know well. It will either... (read more)
Recommended by Bart K.
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Devi S. Laskar
[isbn]
It begins with an ending: in a scenario that has become infuriatingly common, the narrator has been shot by the cops and is bleeding out in her driveway. The rest of the story proceeds as a series of snapshots, memories from her childhood and adulthood interspersed with her last thoughts and impressions. It wasn’t an easy life, lived as it was at the nightmarish intersection of racism and sexism, and it was cruelly cut short. The reader is left... (read more)
Recommended by Lauren P.
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Joyce Carol Oates
[isbn]
Sometimes I think Joyce Carol Oates is so prolific that is makes her underrated. Beautiful Days is a magnificent collection of stories that can take a surprisingly eerie turn. I was continually shocked at how spooky Oates can be, while at the same time connecting the reader to the characters in a very strong way. Beautiful Days is a must for the short story reader, especially the one who's been eyeing the bookstore's huge... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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George Eliot
[isbn]
Adam personifies goodness, but he's in love with the shallow, self-obsessed Hetty. She is only interested in the material luxuries that the egomaniacal Arthur can give her. This unfortunate love triangle leads to a tragedy none anticipate. Eliot has a perfect ear for dialect. Beautifully written and emotionally satisfying.
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Lin Manuel Miranda and Jonny Sun
[isbn]
Lin-Manuel Miranda, author and creator of Hamilton, also writes the loveliest, most genuine, and life-affirming tweets. Collected here with adorable illustrations by Jonny Sun, author of Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too, Gmorning, Gnight! is an utterly charming collection that will light up everyone's holiday season.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Brené Brown
[isbn]
Brené Brown is back with an exploration of what leadership means in turbulent, uncertain times. Drawing from the skills and traits she's explored in her earlier work, Dare to Lead is a human, engrossing look at how we can encourage bravery and strength in ourselves and in our larger world.
Recommended by Moses M.
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Anne Lamott
[isbn]
Wise, frank, and infused with generous humor, Anne Lamott’s latest offering discusses our relationship to hope, and ways of giving it a home within us. Whatever your spiritual or religious affiliation may be, Almost Everything is a tonic for the soul, and a welcome antidote to the troubling times we face.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Sam J Miller
[isbn]
A fiercely imaginative book that inhabits an intriguing narrative space between utopia and dystopia, Blackfish City is the story of a post-climate change refugee settlement in the Arctic Circle run by algorithms and oligarchs, but soon under the thrall of a threatening woman who rides an orca and keeps a chained polar bear at her side. A parable for the 21st century, Blackfish City comments cogently on issues like technology,... (read more)
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Sue Burke
[isbn]
The only thing wrong with this spectacular debut is that it isn’t long enough. In Semiosis, a group of humans land on a new planet lush with sentient plant life. Burke’s descriptions of the people and plants are so detailed and fascinating that you don’t want to let them go — but you have to, because the book races through several generations of settlers, exploring how they learn to communicate and coexist with the hostile plants. The... (read more)
Recommended by Matt K.
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Pierce Brown
[isbn]
You need to have read books 1-3 of the Red Rising series for Iron Gold to make much sense (why are you still reading this? Get those books!), but as good as those books are, Iron Gold is more finely crafted; Brown’s laser focus on the internal lives of his characters, and on the ambiguity of war, turns what could be a slam-dunk sci-fi epic into a slam-dunk sci-fi epic that’ll make you cry.
Recommended by Moses M.
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Charlaine Harris
[isbn]
Hooray! This is the Charlaine Harris I fell in love with at the beginning of the Sookie Stackhouse series. An Easy Death had me putting off chores so I could spend my whole weekend with my new gun-slinging, ass-kicking girlfriend, Lizbeth. I am so looking forward to the rest of this alternate history series.
Recommended by Tracey T.
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Paolo Bacigalupi and Tobias S. Buckell
[isbn]
Cautionary tales from a fantasy land, and what a well-built fantasy land this is! This quartet of stories has me hoping for more novels set in this class-driven world where the rich dominate and the poor must submit (or fight back!). The two authors' stories blend easily together, and strong feminist characters provide welcome perspective.
Recommended by Tracey T.
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Maryse Meijer
[isbn]
The nightmares this book gave me could fill a book of their own. With these stories of unwholesome desire, Meijer shines a light on the shadowy corners of humanity. There is a boy possessed by his stillborn brother, a dog lusting after his owners, a man who starves himself and hungrily watches his daughter grow. Every page is clotted with forbidden want — it is a brand-new brutality and reading it, I couldn’t wait to see what came next. Dark,... (read more)
Recommended by Lauren P.
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Michael Deforge
[isbn]
DeForge brings his signature bold shapes and clean line style (reminiscent of his work on Adventure Time) to this bizarre collection about an unusual and highly accomplished woman who is dead set on living out the rest of her days in the wilderness.
Recommended by Haley B.
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Stephen O'Donnell
[isbn]
What happens when you marry gorgeous art and ingenious storytelling? The Untold Gaze by Stephen O'Donnell would be my guess. Thirty-three Pacific Northwest authors write stories, poems, and flash fiction inspired by one painting, meticulously done, by fine artist O'Donnell. They tell the story underneath the story told in the painting, and they run the gamut from hilarious, to poignant, to heartbreaking, to chilling, and along the way,... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Caroline Kepnes
[isbn]
I'm obsessed with this book — it's an absolute luxury to get sucked into. You'll want to take Joe out for drinks to talk about Prince and bookstores, but he'd never have time for that. He's too busy being the world's most dedicated, charming, sociopathic stalker. Go on, meet Joe. You'll never forget him.
Recommended by Emily F.
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M. R. Carey
[isbn]
M. R. Carey's newest novel is one of the most gripping books I've read all year. Like The Girl With All the Gifts and Fellside, Someone Like Me wrapped me tightly in the world of its characters. Fran, Liz, and Zac stole my heart, and I cared what happened to each of them as they fought for their lives in more ways than one.
Recommended by Emily F.
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Cecelia Ahern
[isbn]
What if you found the place where all missing things and people go? What if you found yourself there? Just go ahead and embrace the magical realism in this intriguing novel — it's worth it! It is original and charming.
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Theresa Griffin Kennedy
[isbn]
Theresa Griffin Kennedy's small collection, Burnside Field Lizard and Selected Stories, explores the seamy and sordid underbelly of Portland's dark side. Kennedy's Portland is wet and dreary, and its inhabitants are broken; these characters are poor, struggling, addicted, angry, defenseless, and sometimes mentally ill. Yet, there is a ribbon of the thinnest hope that threads through these stories, and sometimes redemption is just hidden... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Ice T, Douglas Century
[isbn]
From growing up an orphan during desegregation in LA, to his army days and musical beginnings, Ice-T offers a no-holds-barred look at his wild life. Inspiring and hilarious, raw and at times mildly offensive, this book has it all!
Recommended by Haley B.
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Ottessa Moshfegh
[isbn]
Moshfegh's debut short story collection beautifully displays her talents. Using often unlikable, grotesque characters, her sharp prose evokes surprising emotion.
Recommended by Haley B.
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Yoshihiko Inui, Jason Deangelis
[isbn]
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if the adorable, friendship-centered world of Pokémon had been originally conceived as extremely dark horror instead? Well, lucky for us, Tomodachi X Monster demonstrates just how disturbing this alternate universe might be.
Recommended by Cosima C.
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Delish, Joanna Saltz
[isbn]
If you are looking for a cookbook that is just about enjoying the flavor of food, this is the one. Now, with every diet cookbook available, every chance to make bland taste better, it is really nice to find a book that reminds you even moderation should be taken in moderation. I have made several meals from this book, and each one has been tremendous. The snickerdoodle bars were by far the biggest hit for my kids.
Recommended by Molly E.
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Yukiko Motoya
[isbn]
The Lonesome Bodybuilder takes ordinary people and thrusts them into bizarre situations, which they accept with equanimity: the woman morphing into her husband doesn't question the transformation, just does her best to deal with it. The child confronted with a mysterious specter at the bus shelter doesn't run away, but eventually eats the biscuit he offers (and it's delicious). The world's most dedicated saleswoman will not leave work... (read more)
Recommended by Lauren P.
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Joshua Hunt
[isbn]
I did my undergrad at UO and, full disclaimer, couldn't stand the culture built around football and the Ducks or anything else related to the revoltingly dubbed "Uncle Phil" and his Nike empire. Luckily, I ran in activist and academic circles that had long whispered about his dirty dealings with our administration — including, but not even remotely limited to, his successful attempts at shutting down student protests over Nike's financial... (read more)
Recommended by Cosima C.
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Bryan Washington
[isbn]
For those who spent their childhood Sundays at church, Lot is a symbol of God's capriciousness; for those who didn't, the word can refer to a quantity, a space, a fate — it depends on the context. The ambiguity and flexibility of the title suits these tales of struggle. As they navigate the bigotry that is so ingrained in American culture and fight against the infinite indignities and frustrations that are inevitable to poverty, these characters... (read more)
Recommended by Lauren P.
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Christelle Dabos
[isbn]
Dabos has created a miracle of world building in a glorious beginning to a series. The reader follows the adventures of young Ophelia, a girl with magical powers who is smart and strong. Ophelia is to be married off to the silent, menacing Thorn and travels to his world of ice, secrets, and treachery. I was totally captivated and am waiting impatiently for the next installment.
Recommended by Kathi K.
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Val Emmich, Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek
[isbn]
The musical itself is an experience. But with this novel, they were able to flesh out the characters and bring a whole new life to the musical. It's beautiful and heart-wrenching and shows a lot of Evan's — and others characters' — actions in a new light. Even if you've seen (or listened to, because it's so good, ohmygod) the musical 100,000 times, this book enhances it 10-fold. I've read over it twice, and it's so, so good.
Even if you haven't... (read more)
Recommended by Adrianna S.
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Morgan Jerkins
[isbn]
Jerkins's essay unflinchingly examines her experiences with black womanhood in white America. Diving into racism, colorism, adult virginity, and cultural assimilation, this debut is a feminist must-read.
Recommended by Haley B.
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Pitchaya Sudbanthad
[isbn]
Immersive doesn't even begin to describe it: I sunk into this book — I almost felt like I drowned in it. It's comprised of short stories that blur into larger narratives, glimpses that add up to a dazzling whole. By referencing Bangkok's past and present and imagining its future, Sudbanthad creates a landscape that feels vividly three-dimensional. It's a substantial read, but incredibly rewarding. And although it's sure to draw comparisons to... (read more)
Recommended by Lauren P.
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Claudia Rankine
[isbn]
Claudia Rankine does great things and so naturally, this play is impeccable. It begins with a dinner party that is a minefield of micro- and macroaggressions and ends with a reckoning: a challenge to examine whiteness. The White Card is a stunning demonstration of the undeniable bigotry of the conspicuously woke and a necessary reminder that America’s ongoing racist legacy is upheld by well-meaning white liberals.
Recommended by Lauren P.
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Rob Neyer
[isbn]
Rob Neyer gives an excellent portrait of what Major League Baseball looks like today, told through a nine-inning game between the Astros and A's. He does a lot of comparing with 1954's A Day in the Bleachers, 1990's Men at Work, and 2003's Moneyball. Power Ball is a time capsule of today's game worthy to be listed next to them. Neyer has a fair share of criticism to unveil, but it's not without solutions. I... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Jeff Speck
[isbn]
Why do you like particular neighborhoods and business districts more than others? It likely has to do with the lack of cars buzzing by. Jeff Speck gives great information in an entertaining fashion to explain how cars are killing America in many more ways than one and, unfortunately, in many cases, literally. Public transit, biking, and, of course, walking, make any city a better city, for citizens, business people, and kids. Let Speck show you... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Andrew Sean Greer
[isbn]
Arthur Less, a mid-list author with his best work behind him, stares down the barrel of his upcoming 50th birthday and feels forlorn. A trip around the world does nothing to elevate his spirits, and his life seems a long trial of loss and irritations. As he meanders through his exotic locales, Arthur ponders the meaning of his life, his work, his relationships, and his self. Arthur has known true love — deeply — and feels it's absence now; is... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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