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| American Spirits by Russell BanksA husband sells property to a mysterious, temperamental stranger, and is hounded on social media when he publicly questions the man’s character. A couple grows concerned when an enigmatic family moves next door, and the children start sneaking over to beg for help. Two dangerous criminals kidnap an elderly couple and begin blackmailing their grandson, demanding that he pay back what he owes.
Suspenseful, thrilling, and expertly crafted, American Spirits explores the hostile undercurrents of our communities and American politics at large, as well as the ways local tragedies can be both devastating and, somehow, everyday. Ushering the reader through the town of Sam Dent, Russell Banks has etched yet another brilliant entry into the bedrock of American fiction. |
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James
by Percival Everett
When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father, recently returned to town. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and too-often-unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond.
While many narrative set pieces of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn remain in place (floods and storms, stumbling across both unexpected death and unexpected treasure in the myriad stopping points along the river’s banks, encountering the scam artists posing as the Duke and Dauphin…), Jim’s agency, intelligence and compassion are shown in a radically new light.
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Annie Bot
by Sierra Greer
Annie Bot was created to be the perfect girlfriend for her human owner Doug. Designed to satisfy his emotional and physical needs, she has dinner ready for him every night, wears the pert outfits he orders for her, and adjusts her libido to suit his moods. True, she’s not the greatest at keeping Doug’s place spotless, but she’s trying to please him. She’s trying hard.
She’s learning, too.
Doug says he loves that Annie’s AI makes her seem more like a real woman, so Annie explores human traits such as curiosity, secrecy, and longing. But becoming more human also means becoming less perfect, and as Annie’s relationship with Doug grows more intricate and difficult, she starts to wonder: Does Doug really desire what he says he wants? And in such an impossible paradox, what does Annie owe herself?
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Finding Margaret Fuller
by Allison Pataki
In 1836 Massachusetts, Margaret Fuller, a bold and brilliant woman, enters the realm of the Transcendentalists at the invitation of Ralph Waldo Emerson, quickly becoming a central figure among them. Yet, she seeks more than intellectual stimulation, craving adventure and new challenges. Margaret's journey takes her from hosting women-only salons in Boston to co-founding The Dial magazine and becoming the first woman to study at Harvard. Defying conventions, she becomes an advocate for women and humanity, earning both admirers and critics.
Margaret's trailblazing spirit leads her to Europe as the first female foreign news correspondent, where she mingles with renowned figures such as Frederic Chopin and George Sand. In Rome, she finds love with a Roman count, sparking scandal but also engaging in the fight for Italy's unification, embracing roles as a mother and countess as her journey continues to evolve. With a star-studded cast and epic sweep of historical events, this is a story of an inspiring trailblazer.
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A Good Happy Girl
by Marissa Higgins
Helen, a jittery attorney with a self-destructive streak, is secretly reeling from a disturbing crime of neglect that her parents recently committed. Historically happy to compartmentalize— distracting herself by hooking up with lesbian couples, doting on her grandmother, and flirting with a young administrative assistant—Helen finally meets her match with Catherine and Katrina, a married couple who startle and intrigue her with their ever-increasing sexual and emotional intensity.
Perceptive and attentive, Catherine and Katrina prod at Helen’s life, revealing a childhood tragedy she’s been repressing. When her father begs her yet again for help getting parole, she realizes that she has a bargaining chip to get answers to her past.
In her exploration of queer domesticity, effects of incarceration on family, and intergenerational poverty, Marissa Higgins offers empathy to characters who don’t often receive it, with unsettling results.
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Orphia and Eurydicius
by Elyse John
Their love transcends every boundary. Can it cheat death?
Orphia dreams of something more than the warrior crafts she's been forced to learn. Hidden away on a far-flung island, her blood sings with poetry and her words can move flowers to bloom and forests to grow ... but her father, the sun god Apollo, has forbidden her this art. A chance meeting with a young shield-maker, Eurydicius, gives her the courage to use her voice. After wielding all her gifts to defeat one final champion, Orphia draws the scrutiny of the gods. Performing her poetry, she wins the protection of the goddesses of the the powerful Muses, who welcome her to their sanctuary on Mount Parnassus. Orphia learns to hone her talents, crafting words of magic infused with history, love and tragedy. When Eurydicius joins her, Orphia struggles with her desire for fame and her budding love. As her bond with the gentle shield-maker grows, she joins the Argonauts on their quest for the Golden Fleece. Facing dragons, sirens and ruthless warriors on the voyage, Orphia earns unparalleled fame, but she longs to return to Eurydicius. Yet she has a darker journey to make - one which will see her fight for her love with all the power of her poetry.
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A Short Walk Through a Wide World
by Douglas Westerbeke
In 1885 Paris, nine-year-old Aubry Tourvel encounters a mysterious wooden puzzle ball that seems to trigger a deadly condition, compelling her to constantly move to stay alive. Escaping medical treatment, Aubry embarks on a lifelong journey, unable to stay in one place for more than a few days and forbidden from revisiting places she's been. From the Calashino Sand Sea to the Himalayas, Aubry traverses diverse landscapes, learning the art of survival and seeking a sense of belonging, all while grappling with the realization that her world may differ from others'.
Aubry's odyssey is marked by resilience and an insatiable desire for connection, despite the constraints of her condition. As she navigates extraordinary landscapes and encounters diverse characters, Aubry's quest for a place to call home becomes a poignant exploration of human longing and the search for meaning in an unpredictable world. A Short Walk Through a Wide World celebrates the transformative power of the journey itself, emphasizing that true identity is forged not in the destination, but in the experiences along the way.
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The Book of Thorns
by Hester Fox
In the midst of the Napoleonic Wars and the rise of the floriography craze in Europe, two sisters separated at birth are bound together by a secret language of flowers passed down to them by the mother they never knew. When Cornelia leaves her cruel uncle’s home to join Napoleon’s army as a traveling naturalist, her ability to heal any wound and bring soldiers back from the brink of death earns her praise from higher-ups—and exposes her to those who would exploit her powers for themselves.
Meanwhile, Lijsbeth lives in indentured servitude, her only respite her time spent flower arranging. When she meets a young English soldier and falls in love, Lisjbeth must decide whether to flee the clashing of two great armies at Waterloo or risk everything by staying. As the English and French armies collide in Waterloo, the sisters finally cross paths on opposite sides of the war.
With the sisters reunited on the battlefield, they must work together to solve the mystery of their mother’s death and their father’s disappearance, all while surviving the war raging around them.
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Anita de Monte Laughs Last
by Xochitl Gonzalez
1985. Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in New York City; her tragic death is the talk of the town. Until it isn’t. By 1998 Anita’s name has been all but forgotten—certainly by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student is preparing her final thesis. On College Hill, surrounded by privileged students whose futures are already paved out for them, Raquel feels like an outsider. Students of color, like her, are the minority there, and the pressure to work twice as hard for the same opportunities is no secret.
But when Raquel becomes romantically involved with a well-connected older art student, she finds herself unexpectedly rising up the social ranks. As she attempts to straddle both worlds, she stumbles upon Anita’s story, raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship, which eerily mirrors that of the forgotten artist.
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The Morningside by Téa ObrehtAfter being expelled from their ancestral home, Silvia and her mother finally settle at the Morningside, a crumbling luxury tower in Island City where Silvia’s aunt Ena serves as the superintendent. Silvia is haunted by her family's mysterious past, as her mother keeps it shrouded in secrecy. Ena offers Silvia glimpses into their demolished homeland through folktales, providing a stark contrast to Silvia's lonely reality, but raising questions about her own history.
Enthralled by Ena's tales, Silvia becomes fixated on the reclusive Bezi Duras, who resides in the Morningside's penthouse. Bezi's mysterious behavior fuels Silvia's quest for truth, intertwining her journey with the enigmatic woman's secrets and her own haunted past, potentially leading to unforeseen consequences.
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