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The Push
by Ashley Audrain
The setup: Contentedly child-free Blythe fell hard for Fox Connor, whose desire to be a dad convinced her to put her qualms aside.
Problem child? Although Blythe has a healthy bond with their newborn son Sam, she has never understood or felt close to their seven-year-old daughter Violet. Violet behaves sweetly when Fox is around but turns on Blythe when they are alone, and things only seem to be getting worse since Sam's arrival.
For fans of: unreliable narrators, creepy kids, and very dysfunctional family dynamics.
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Dealbreaker
by L.X. Beckett
What it's about: Twenty years after the events of Gamechanger, pilot Frankie Barnes works for the Bootstrap Project to develop technology that will prove that humans are ready to become galactic citizens.
Why you might like it: This 2nd Bounceback novel is an optimistic, post-cyberpunk romp packed with shiny futuristic technologies, from autonomous AI to immersive VR to faster-than-light travel.
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| Milk Fed by Melissa BroderStarring: twenty-something Rachel, whose anorexia is closely linked to an overbearing mother but whose burgeoning attraction to an accepting, food-loving Orthodox woman may help heal her.
Why you might like it: Rachel's a stand-up comedian by night; this is a smart, funny book about love, religion, and body image.
Content warning: homophobia, disordered eating, and self-harm are all a part of Rachel's world. |
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Twisted
by Steve Cavanagh
What it is: the fast-paced, intricately plotted story of secretive, bestselling crime writer J.T. LaBeau and the twisting journey of the woman who is determined to unmask him.
Featuring: Maria Cooper, who discovers shocking ties between LaBeau and her distant, greedy husband; Paul, Maria's husband, who has way more to hide from his wife than the large sums of money LaBeau seems to be sending him; and Daryl Oakes, who is having an affair with Maria and wants a cut of the money for himself.
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We Could Be Heroes
by Mike Chen
Then: Jamie Sorenson and Zoe Wong woke up in empty apartments with superpowers, but no memories of their previous lives.
Now: Jamie, a bank robber, and Zoe, a vigilante crime-fighter, meet in a support group for people with memory loss and team up to find out what happened to them.
About the author: Mike Chen is the author of Here and Now and Then and A Beginning at the End.
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A Spy in the Struggle
by Aya De León
Starring: corporate-lawyer-turned-FBI-recruit Yolanda Vance, who is sent undercover to monitor a potentially dangerous Black eco-activist group based in Oakland, California.
What goes wrong: As her mission proceeds, the FBI's increasingly invasive and legally dubious methods make Yolanda wonder about the real motivation behind her mission and if she's working for the wrong side.
For fans of: the Deadly Reigns series by Teri Woods; Lauren Wilkinson's American Spy.
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The Echo Wife
by Sarah Gailey
Starring: scientist Evelyn Caldwell and her illegal clone, Martine, who's now pregnant by Evelyn's estranged husband, Nathan.
But wait, there's more! The plot twists keep coming in this disturbing SF thriller, which takes readers inside some deeply dysfunctional relationships.
About the author: Sarah Gailey is the author of Magic for Liars and Upright Women Wanted.
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The Witch's Heart
by Genevieve Gornichec
Starring: Angrboda, a witch who defies Odin, loves trickster god Loki, and bears three unusual children.
For fans of: Madeline Miller's Circe, Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology.
Want a taste? "Long ago when the gods were young and Asgard was new, there came a witch from the edge of the woods."
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Before the Ruins
by Victoria Gosling
The set up: Four best friends become five with the arrival of a mysterious stranger in their tiny English town. But their group fractures and, decades later, one member has disappeared.
What happens: Ringleader Andy sets out to find her oldest pal, with whom things have long been strained. In so doing, she uncovers long-hidden secrets.
For fans of: atmospheric, menacing tales like Donna Tartt's The Secret History or Elisabeth Thomas' Catherine House.
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Cruel as the Grave
by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
Starring: likeable DCI Bill Slider, whose wife is expecting their second child any day.
What happens: In London's Shepherd's Bush area, Slider and his dedicated team investigate the murder of a handsome fitness trainer who had multiple romantic partners. Despite the dead man's girlfriend being covered in blood, Slider thinks she may be innocent.
Series alert: This is the witty, well-plotted 22nd Bill Slider mystery; readers can start here, but those who want to see characters develop should start earlier in this popular series.
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The Removed
by Brandon Hobson
What it's about: a Cherokee family haunted by past and present traumas -- forced relocation, police violence, and grief, addiction, and dementia.
Narrated by: three members of the Echota family, as well as their ancestor Tsala, who died before the Trail of Tears.
About the author: Brandon Hobson is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma; his previous novel, Where the Dead Sit Talking, was a finalist for the 2018 National Book Award.
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Shipped
by Angie Hockman
The trip of a lifetime: Marketing manager Henley Rose Evans and her work nemesis, Graeme Crawford-Collins, compete for a promotion aboard one of their company's adventure cruise ships bound for the Galápagos Islands.
Why you might like it: This "charming romp at sea" (Library Journal) features relatable leads, an enemies-to-lovers plot, and a lively supporting cast.
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Beneath the Keep: A Novel of the Tearling
by Erika Johansen
What it is: a prequel to the bestselling Queen of the Tearling trilogy, which examines life in the feudal Tearling Kingdom.
Featuring: Princess Elyssa, mother of series protagonist Kelsea; Lazarus, who will play an important role in events to come; and members of the nascent Blue Horizon rebel group.
Is it for you? Human misery abounds in the Tearling, including but not limited to slavery, child abuse, and human trafficking.
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Better Luck Next Time
by Julia Claiborne Johnson
What it is: an amusing and dramatic story set in 1930s Nevada as Reno becomes the center of a burgeoning industry in quickie divorces.
Starring: Yale dropout Ward Bennett, who takes a desperately needed job at a dude ranch that hosts soon-to-be-divorcées; guest Emily Sommer, who shares an undeniable spark with Ward despite her cool veneer of patrician superiority; larger-than-life aviatrix Nina O'Malley, a guest who is on divorce number 3.
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The Kindest Lie
by Nancy Johnson
What happens: Years after she gave up a baby for adoption, Ivy League-educated Black engineer Ruth Tuttle returns to her hometown to make peace with her past and find her son.
What she finds: a friendship with a lonely young white boy and a town in the midst of both an economic recession and increasing racial tensions.
For fans of: The Mothers by Brit Bennett or Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng.
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Yellow Wife
by Sadeqa Johnson
The setup: Mixed-race Pheby Brown is anxiously awaiting her 18th birthday, when her white father (and owner) Jacob has promised to set her free.
What goes wrong: A carriage accident kills Pheby's mother and incapacitates her father, and Jacob's bitter and jealous wife seizes the chance to sell Pheby to a cruel jailer, whose treatment Pheby endures until an unexpected opportunity arrives.
Reviewers say: Yellow Wife is a "powerful, unflinching account of determination in the face of oppression" (Publishers Weekly).
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The Prophets
by Robert Jones, Jr.
What it is: a lyrical and heartwrenching story of the power of human connection under even the worst circumstances.
The premise: Enduring the horrors of slavery, two young men living on a Mississippi plantation find love and solace in each other. But when another slave becomes a preacher to gain favor with their master, they soon become a target of his sermons and their community begins to fracture.
You might also like: Edward P. Jones's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Known World, which also features arresting writing and centers on the complex relationships that develop in communities of enslaved people.
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Pretty Little Wife
by Darby Kane
What it's about: The seemingly unrelated and coincidental disappearances of a couple of high school students in the past few years and, most recently, of a popular teacher at their school.
The grieving widow? The local police have some suspicions about the teacher's wife, Lila Ridgefield, but are unable to connect her to the case. And while Lila does know more than she's letting on, she's certain that if people knew the truth about her husband they might not be so worried about what happened to him.
Why you might like it: the oppressive small town atmosphere that's simmering with secrets; the moments of moral ambiguity that pop up as the investigation continues.
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| The Bad Muslim Discount by Syed MasoodStarring: rebellious, wise-cracking Pakistani immigrant Anvar, who becomes an underachieving lawyer in California; Iraqi refugee Azza, who barely escaped war-torn Baghdad and the wrath of her abusive father.
Read it for: a fast-paced, engaging account of two Muslim immigrants from different countries as they struggle with the expectations of their religious communities and wider America.
Is it for you? Though there are humorous moments (Anvar is quite the troublemaker), there's a lot to unpack here as well. |
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Winter's Orbit
by Everina Maxwell
A marriage of convenience: To uphold a treaty, playboy Prince Kiem of the Empire of Iskat must wed the recently widowed Count Jainan of Thea, whose first husband died in suspicious circumstances.
Why you might like it: This character-driven space opera, originally published on Archive of Our Own as "The Course of Honour," maintains a tight focus on Kiem and Jainan's relationship.
For fans of: the blend of romance and political intrigue in Emily Skrutskie's Bonds of Brass.
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Make Up Break Up
by Lily Menon
What it is: bestselling YA author Sandhya Menon's (When Dimple Met Rishi) adult debut, an enemies-to-lovers romance about rival dating app creators.
Starring: one-time lovers Annika Dev and Hudson Craft, who must work in adjacent offices while competing for funding at the upcoming Entrepreneurs Pitching Investors Competition (EPIC).
For fans of: Alisha Rai's Modern Love series.
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Blood Grove
by Walter Mosley
What happens: In the summer of 1969, Black Los Angeles PI Easy Rawlins, a World War II vet, agrees to help a traumatized white Vietnam vet, who says that while trying to save a woman, he thinks he killed a Black man -- but the scene of the supposed crime is completely clean.
Why you might like it: Featuring unforgettable characters, this atmospheric 15th Easy Rawlins mystery takes place against the backdrop of the social and political changes of the 1960s.
Award buzz: The National Book Foundation recently presented Walter Mosley with the 2020 Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.
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A History of What Comes Next
by Sylvain Neuvel
What it's about: Mia and Sarah are Kibsu, aliens that work in mother-daughter pairs to push humankind towards the goal of space exploration while avoiding the Trackers that threaten to undo their efforts.
Why you might like it: This well-researched series opener by the author of the Themis Files trilogy includes appearances by historical figures such as Wernher Von Braun and Sergei Korolev.
For fans of: the richly detailed alternate history of the Space Race presented in Mary Robinette Kowal's Lady Astronaut novels; the rival factions of Annalee Newitz's The Future of Another Timeline.
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The Breaker
by Nicholas Petrie
Series alert: The Breaker is the 6th novel starring former Marine and Iraq War vet Peter Ash, whose clandestine life is complicated by his PTSD.
What goes down: Ash is out for coffee with a fellow vet when he sees a man not quite concealing an assault rifle. When he attempts to interrupt what he assumes to be the beginning of a mass shooting, he stumbles into a conspiracy much more complex and dangerous than he planned for.
Read it for: the compelling assortment of well-developed characters, including a surprisingly jovial hitman whose weapon of choice is an axe and a vengeance-obsessed tech genius who is in over her head.
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Soulstar
by C.L. Polk
Finally! Aeland's hated Witchcraft Protection Act has been repealed, but there's a long way to go to right the wrongs of the past, which confined some witches to asylums while sending others into hiding.
Starring: Robin Thorpe, recently reunited with her long-imprisoned spouse, and community organizer Jacob Clark, who seeks voting rights for all.
Reviewers say: This conclusion to the Kingston Cycle (starting with Witchmark) "tightly braids the strands of the personal and the political in a fantasy world few will want to leave" (Booklist).
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| Honey Girl by Morgan RogersStarring: newly minted Ph.D. Grace Porter, who arrives in Las Vegas for a celebratory weekend and wakes up married to Yuki, a woman she'd only met the day before.
What happens: Struggling to find a job in Seattle, Grace heads to New York to see if this thing with Yuki has potential.
What it really is, tho: Yes, there's a romance, but Grace's real work is in figuring out who she is and what she wants as a queer Black woman in the very white, male world of academia. |
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The Woman Outside My Door
by Rachel Ryan
The premise: After her mother's recent death, Dublin stay-at-home-mom Georgina's own grief is compounded when she finds out that her seven-year-old son Cody is coping with the loss through his new imaginary friend, a kindly old lady he "met" at the park.
The problem: Georgina starts to suspect that Cody's friend isn't so imaginary after all, and when her husband dismisses her concerns she begins to question who she can trust, including her own grief-clouded mind.
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The Mask Falling
by Samantha Shannon
The situation: Escaping Britain for a safe house in Paris, dreamwalker Paige Mahoney and her Rephaite companion, Arcturus, work to build cross-channel alliances to take down the authoritarian Scion regime.
Read it for: a detailed dystopian setting, cloak-and-dagger intrigue, and new developments in a slow-burning, will-they-or-won't-they romance.
Can you start here? The Mask Falling is the 4th book in a planned seven-volume series and builds upon the foundation laid in previous installments; newcomers should start with The Bone Season.
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Big Bad Wolf
by Suleikha Snyder
In a world... where New York City has declared itself a sanctuary city for supernaturals, a group of operatives known as the Third Shift protects this vulnerable population from abuse and exploitation.
Starring: defense attorney Neha Ahluwalia and her newest client, vigilante wolf shifter Joe Peluso, who's going to need all the help he can get after killing the Russian mobsters who murdered his best friend.
For fans of: the diverse cast and detailed world-building of Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series.
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The Ex Talk
by Rachel Lynn Solomon
What it is: an enemies-to-lovers fake relationship romance set in the world of public radio.
Starring: experienced producer Shay Goldstein and new hire Dominic Yun, workplace rivals who must pose as former lovers on a new show called "The Ex Talk" to boost the station's ratings and save their jobs.
Read it for: witty banter, a diverse cast of well-developed characters, and an authentically depicted setting.
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The Heiress Gets a Duke
by Harper St. George
The situation: Although she has no desire to wed, American heiress August Crenshaw agrees to be courted by Evan Sterling, Duke of Rothschild, to ensure that he won't pursue her sister, who loves another.
Why you might like it: This 1st book in the Gilded Age Heiresses series features a strong-willed heroine with a head for business and a brooding hero who moonlights as a prizefighter to pay off his family's debts.
For fans of: the spirited "dollar princesses" of Lisa Kleypas' Wallflower series or Betina Krahn's Sin & Sensibility novels.
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Every Last Secret
by A.R. Torre
Welcome to: upmarket Atherton, California, home of Cat and William Winthorpe, who live a seemingly perfect life together.
What goes wrong: Successful businessman William hires life coach Neena Ryder to motivate his employees, but Cat is suspicious of Neena's motives, something that only gets worse when Neena and her husband Matt suddenly move into the house next door.
Read it for: the narrative's blend of quick pacing and compelling emotional beats; the relatable and authentic characterization.
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Pickard County Atlas
by Christina Harding Thornton
Nebraska, 1978: Still haunted by an 18-year-old murder, the residents of a small town must confront the past when the victim’s father decides to erect a headstone…even though no body was ever found..
For fans of: other crime novels more focused on the emotional and moral well-being of their characters than whether or not their actions are strictly legal, such as Lou Berney's November Road and Laura McHugh's The Wolf Wants In.
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On Fragile Waves
by E. Lily Yu
Introducing: siblings Firuzeh and Nour, born in Kabul during wartime and raised on their parents' stories of Australia, a land of "No bombs. No checkpoints. No soldiers."
What sets it apart: Depicting the family's harrowing journey in dreamlike prose, this heartwrenching debut reads like a folktale but but offers no happy endings.
For fans of: the magical realist approach to migration and displacement in Mohsin Hamid's Exit West; the haunting and lyrical style of Rene Denfeld's The Enchanted.
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| Professor Chandra Follows His Bliss by Rajeev BalasubramanyamStarring: ambitious, internationally known economics professor Chandrasekhar (known to all as Chandra), who -- in a move that is wholly out of character -- decides to attend a meditation retreat.
What happens: An accumulation of tiny epiphanies ultimately challenges Chandra's perspective on his long-time prioritization of career over family.
Why you might like it: This is a complex book about an analytical man rethinking his choices, told with dry (and sometimes acerbic) humor. |
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| Everywhere You Don't Belong by Gabriel BumpWhat it's about: the coming of age of young Claude McKay Love, raised by his civil rights activist grandmother and her gay best friend on Chicago's South Side.
Why you might like it: Told in short vignettes and focused on themes of racial injustice, this debut offers sharp humor, clever dialogue, and a relatable protagonist in awkward, uncomfortable Claude.
Reviewers say: Debut author Gabriel Bump "delivers a singular sense of growing up black that will resonate with readers" (Library Journal). |
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| Fiebre Tropical by Juliana Delgado LoperaStarring: 15-year-old Francisca, a Colombian new to Miami who yearns to return home but must instead contend with her feelings for pastor's daughter Carmen and her mother's loosening grip on reality.
Why you might like it: Switching effortlessly between English and Spanish, this coming-of-age novel offers a spirited lead and a compelling tale of family, immigration, and forbidden desire.
For fans of: the young women's voices in Jenny Zhang's collection of Chinese and Taiwanese immigrant stories, Sour Heart. |
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| A Star Is Bored by Byron LaneWhat happens: Charlie Besson, struggling with depression, finds a job as assistant to his childhood idol, actress Kathi Kannon, who has issues of her own.
Why you might like it: Gossipy, salacious, and often hilarious, this debut features two hurting people who nevertheless provide what the other needs -- some stability for Kathi, and a mentor and mother for Charlie.
About the author: Byron Lane was the late Carrie Fisher's personal assistant; he may have some personal experience to draw from here... |
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| Nothing to See Here by Kevin WilsonWhat it's about: Lillian has agreed to watch her friend Madison's stepchildren for the summer. Twist: they burst into flames when upset.
What happens: Lillian, whose life has stalled ever since she was kicked out of school, has no experience with children. And yet she starts to love these two unloved kids.
Why you might like it: Flawed, quirky characters and offbeat humor make this a wry, engaging read. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Morton Grove Public Library 6140 Lincoln Ave Morton Grove, Illinois 60053 (847) 965-4220www.mgpl.org/ |
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