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| My Name Is Emilia del Valle by Isabel AllendeIn 1800s San Francisco, Emilia del Valle is raised by her former Irish nun mother and a loving stepdad, never knowing her Chilean aristocrat father. As a young journalist covering the Chilean Civil War, Emilia begins a romance and finally meets the man who abandoned her. Isabel Allende fans will relish reading about the del Valles, whose various members have often appeared in her work. Try this next: Kaitlyn Greenidge's Libertie. |
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| Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee BakerHaunted by her sister Delilah's murder in the early days of COVID-19, 20-something Cora Zeng takes a job as a crime scene cleaner in New York City's Chinatown, where she soon discovers a serial killer may be targeting East Asian women. Is there a connection between her sister's murder and these crimes? For fans of: The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones. |
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| When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat CassidyWhen aspiring actress Jess finds a terrified five-year-old boy hiding outside her apartment complex, she takes him in, only to discover he's on the run from his father, a violent man with a wolf-like creature in tow. After they're attacked by the creature, the pair try to stay one step ahead of their beastly foe while new threats emerge. For fans of: The Twilight Zone. |
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| Old School Indian by Aaron John CurtisDealing with a mysterious illness, middle-aged Miami bookseller Abe Jacobs returns home to New York's Mohawk reservation. Looking for relief, he sees family, a native healer, and doctors, while pondering his past mental health issues and troubled marriage. Meanwhile, his poet alter ego serves up poems and witty thoughts. Fans of Morgan Talty's Fire Exit should try this "electrifying debut" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin by Alison GoodmanIn Regency England, 42-year-old twin sisters and amateur sleuths Augusta and Julia Colebrook have never married, each for their own reasons. Their compelling 2nd adventure combines mystery and romantic elements as the two try to clear an innocent man's name, hide a woman from her controlling brother, and push against the restrictions society places on women. Try this next: Katharine Schellman's Lily Adler mysteries; Vanessa Riley's Lady Worthing mysteries. |
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| Hardly A Gentleman by Eloisa JamesIn the 2nd witty Accidental Brides Regency romance, Clara Vetry, recently disgraced by the ton, disguises herself as a housekeeper and accepts a position at Castle CaerLaven in the Scottish Highlands, where she develops an instant attraction to the widowed Laird Caelan MacCrae. Try this next: A Duke Never Tells by Suzanne Enoch. |
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| When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida KelleyIn 1910 Coney Island, New York, orphaned blacksmith Benny Caldera is welcomed to the Luna Park carnival with open arms. When he's tasked with maintaining the tank of captive merman Rio, the pair develop a connection, forcing Benny to decide if he's ready to risk losing the only family he's ever known for love. This atmospheric illustrated fantasy will appeal to fans of the film The Shape of Water and The First Bright Thing by J.R. Dawson. |
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| The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall KellyBased on real events, this dual-timeline novel follows Mari Starwood in 2016 as she visits a reclusive Martha's Vineyard painter with a connection to her recently deceased mother. Back in 1942, with their brother at war, the teenage Smith sisters form a book club as they balance running their island farm with romance and fears of German U-boats and spies. For fans of: Madeline Martin's The Last Bookshop in London; Amy Lynn Green's The Blackout Book Club. |
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| The Names by Florence KnappCora Atkin is off to register her baby's name when nine-year-old Maia suggests they call the baby Bear instead of Gordon, which her father has insisted upon. Cora's pick? Julian. Tracing the results of each choice over 35 years, this thought-provoking novel and Read with Jenna selection presents a complex story about abuse, fate, and family. Read-alike: The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano by Donna Freitas. |
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| Desperate Deadly Widows by Kimberly Belle, Layne Fargo, Cate Holahan, and Vanessa LillieThe four widows return in this atmospheric and fast-paced sequel to Young Rich Widows. Entangled in scandal after the mayor of Providence dies from poisoning at one of their strip clubs, the women are forced to investigate. They uncover deep political rivalries and hidden motives, racing against time to prove their friend’s innocence. |
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| Soma by Fernando Llor; illustrated by Carles DalmauComic artist Maya is in a creative rut when an alien crash-lands in her living room. The creature, Soma, warns Maya that she is the only one who can stop an oncoming alien invasion. Colorfully detailed and packed with action, this graphic novel will hit home for "new adult readers and millennials who are continually exhausted with living in unprecedented times" (Booklist). |
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| Esperance by Adam OyebanjiDetective Ethan Krol needs to figure out how a man and his young son drowned in salt water in a Chicago high rise. Things get trickier when he learns of similar deaths in Nigeria and Rhode Island. Meanwhile, a women with strange powers appears in Bristol, England, asking about a slave ship from 1791. This novel will please fans of intricately plotted science fiction mysteries like Silvia Park's Luminous. |
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| The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-GwangThey say that if you send a letter detailing your troubles to an abandoned house in Rainbow Town, you could receive a life-changing ticket to the Rainfall Market. Dissatisfied and lonely Serin, accompanied by a magical cat, must find her happiness at the market within one week or lose herself forever. For fans of: cozy and whimsical magical realism such as The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi and The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee. |
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| Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann ZhangIn this witty debut thriller, Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier, steps into her twin sister Chloe’s glamorous influencer life after Chloe’s mysterious death. As Julie uncovers dark secrets behind Chloe’s perfect facade, she finds herself caught in a dangerous world where she may become the next target. |
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| J vs. K by Kwame Alexander and Jerry CraftThe friendly trash-talk between two Newbery Award-winning authors gets a funny, fictional twist in this story about cartoonist J and poet K, two fifth-graders battling to win their school’s storytelling contest. This graphic novel hybrid offers plenty of jokes alongside useful advice for young artists and authors. Read-alike: The Cartoonists Club by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud. |
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| The Corruption of Hollis Brown by K. AncrumHollis Brown believes he’s destined for a grim small-town life, until he meets Walt, a mysterious boy promising him a better future. Then Walt possesses Hollis, and even more unexpectedly, they start falling for each other. Read-alike: Ryan Douglass’ The Taking of Jake Livingston. |
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| Death in the Jungle: Murder, Betrayal, and the Lost Dream of Jonestown by Candace FlemingIn 1978, cult leader Jim Jones led over 900 people to their deaths in a tragic massacre in Guyana. This richly detailed and thoughtful nonfiction account tracing the rise and fall of the Peoples Temple draws from survivors’ stories, including interviews author Candace Fleming conducted herself. |
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Visit Arlington Public Library and discover more great books! |
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