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The Black cathedral by Marcial Gala After the Stuart family moves to Cienfuegos, Cuba, Arturo Stuart—a charismatic, visionary preacher—discovers soon after arriving that God has given him a mission: to build a temple that surpasses any before seen in Cuba, and to make of Cienfuegos a new Jerusalem
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Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu Starring: Willis Wu, a stereotyped character actor who longs to break out of the role prescribed to him (Generic Asian Man) and play the hero for once...as Kung Fu Guy.
Interior Chinatown: Ostensibly playing out on the set of a cop show called Black and White, this inventive tale merges Wu's life with the script of the show, sharply indicting Hollywood clichés and racial stereotyping.
Reviewers say: "One of the funniest books of the year" (The Washington Post).
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The last taxi driver : A Novel by Lee Durkee Written by a former cabbie, The Last Taxi Driver is a darkly comic novel about a middle-aged hackie's daylong descent into madness, heartbreak, and murder.
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The Regrets by Amy Bonnaffons Starring: recently deceased Thomas, who must remain on Earth for 90 days due to a bureaucratic error; Rachel, still alive but perpetually unlucky in love.
What happens: Despite being forbidden from interacting with the living, Thomas falls in love with Rachel, and the feeling is mutual.
Why you might like it: The surreal set-up creates a humorous, one-of-a-kind romantic comedy.
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The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett Featuring: twin sisters Stella and Desiree, who last saw each other as teenagers when they fled the Louisiana hometown where their father had been lynched.
Over the years: Stella has built a life for herself in which everyone, including her husband, believes her to be white; Desiree is the mother of a daughter so dark-skinned the hometown gossips stare.
Why you should read it: Spanning decades (from the 1940s to the 1990s), this is a compassionately drawn tale of family, colorism, and identity. | |
You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley How's this for weird: For years, Mia Graydon has had a recurring character appear in her dreams; when she meets him in real life, she's shocked to find out she's been appearing in his.
What happens: Mia, whose marriage has faltered under the weight of infertility problems, has to figure out which man is the one for her. Expect to need tissues in this relationship-driven book.
For fans of: Kristin Hannah's The Life Intended; Taylor Jenkins Reid's One True Loves.
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What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons Starring: Thandi, the U.S.-raised daughter of a mixed-race mother from South Africa and an African American father.
What it's about: The death of Thandi's mother propels the novel -- in a life shaped by not-belonging, the loss of her mother threatens to overwhelm Thandi as she deals with an unplanned pregnancy.
Why you might like it: This collage-like debut features short chapters punctuated by photographs and other ephemera, and Thandi's family, at home and in post-apartheid Johannesburg, offers a nuanced exploration of race and privilege. | | What Belongs to You by Garth Greenwell Who it's about: a lonely American professor in Bulgaria, drawn by need into an unstable relationship with a young hustler named Mitko -- until his violence leaves the professor scared for his life.
What happens: Years pass, and Mitko reappears once more, forcing the professor to come to terms with his past -- both with Mitko and with his own difficult childhood.
What reviewers say: "A luminous, searing exploration of desire, alienation, and the powerful tattoo of the past" (Kirkus Reviews). | | What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand What happens: In this engaging novel (a follow-up to Winter in Paradise), Irene Steel faces up to her late husband's double life, and finds herself returning to St. John -- perhaps for good.
Why you might like it: As in the best escapist fiction featuring wealthy families, the beach (and accompanying Steel villa) is beautiful, secrets are around every corner, and there are romantic entanglements aplenty.
What you need to know: the 3rd in the series, Troubles in Paradise, is coming this October. | |
What is not yours is not yours : stories by Helen Oyeyemi A collection of stories by the award-winning author of Boy, Snow, Bird features entries about literal and metaphorical keys that open or shut the fates of lovers, the heart of a puppeteering student and the doors of a house of locks that holds unobservable developments.
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What Was Mine by Helen Klein Ross Twenty-one years ago: Lucy stole a baby and passed her off as adopted. Now, 21-year-old Mia has discovered the truth of her origins and is refusing to speak to Lucy, who has fled to avoid prosecution.
But: Lucy was a kind and loving mom; Mia finds herself torn, even as she reaches out to her birth mother -- it's not that easy to step into a new role as "Natalie," daughter of Marilyn.
Why you might like it: Multiple perspectives round out a thoughtful story of family, love, and loss. | |
Contact your librarian for more great books!
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