Fiction A to Z November 2025 |
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| Moving back and forth in time while covering COVID-19, Lebanon’s civil war (1975-1990), and more, this funny, moving examination of family and fortitude centers on Raja, a gay philosophy teacher and writer who lives with his elderly mother in Beirut. A National Book Award finalist, this accomplished novel will please fans of Ocean Vuong’s The Emperor of Gladness. |
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"Enough to spark thoughtfulness and a small glow of happiness."—KirkusNestled at the bottom of a five-story apartment block in the community of Advance Hill is the children's playground in Hinode Park. If you look to the side, standing on stubby legs, is a hippo. Its upturned eyes give it a teary look, yet for decades, its quiet power has sustained the hearts of one community. According to urban legend, if you touch the exact part of the hippo where you have an ailment or wound, you will see swift signs of recovery... Readers also enjoyed We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida. |
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| No punches pulled, no hilarities dodged, no meme unmangled!—Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid's TaleSamantha Mackey returns to the New England campus where she first met the Bunnies, the wealthy, strangely symbiotic fellow MFA students she based her bestselling first novel on. But unhappy with how Sam has portrayed them, the women kidnap Sam to tell their own stories, covering events before, during, and after those depicted in the witty, creepy, and satirical 2019 book Bunny. Try this next: Lacey N. Dunham's The Belles. |
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"A truly wonderful fall read!"—Amy Poeppel, author of The Sweet SpotMaggie Hodges and her daughter Piper are looking forward to a restful knitting retreat in the picturesque village of New Hope, Pennsylvania. But instead, they are surprised to find themselves sharing their charming riverside inn with a rowdy bushcraft bachelor party. Undaunted by the clash of interests and personalities, Maggie suggests a lighthearted competition--a battle of crafts--that sparks a rivalry between the two groups, and perhaps something more. For fans of The Chicken Sisters by KJ Dell'Antonia. |
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| "The novel’s moral questions ... linger long after reading"―Tania James, author of LootIn the alternate world rendered here, World War II ended in 1943 with a peace treaty. Now it's 1979, and 13-year-old triplet boys are the only children left in a regimented English orphanage. Nearby, a 13-year-old girl grows up with parents but isn't allowed outside. Narrated by one of the boys, the girl, and a governmental official, this is a slow-burn, thought-provoking story that book clubs will appreciate. For another dystopian literary tale focused on children, try Ali Smith's Gliff. |
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"Gutting and gorgeous."―People Magazine
When Maricarmen meets Rey el Cantante, beloved small-time Robin Hood and local musician on the rise, she begins to envision a life beyond the tight-knit community of el Caserío, Puerto Rico. But breaking free proves more difficult than she imagined, and she soon finds herself struggling to make a home for Rey and eventually for their daughter Nena. Until one fateful day changes everything. Fifteen years later, Maricarmen and Nena find themselves in the middle of a murder investigation as the community that once rallied to support Rey turns against them. Now Nena, a teenager haunted by loss and betrayal and exploring her sexual identity, must learn to fight for herself and her family in a world that is not always welcoming. Try this next: Las Madres by Esmeralda Santiago. |
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"A vibrant, expansive, warm-hearted novel"--Lindsay Starck, author of Monsters We Have MadeAfter the funeral of the last living member of her family, Dolores Moore has never felt more lost and alone. That is, except for a Greek chorus of deceased relatives whose voices follow her around giving unsolicited advice. And they’re only amplifying Dorrie’s doubts about keeping the promise she made to return to her birthplace in Colombia. Fresh off a breakup with her long-term boyfriend, laid off from her job as a cartographer, and facing a daunting inheritance of her mothers' aging Minneapolis Victorian, how can she possibly leave the country now? But when an old flame offers to housesit, the chorus agrees that there's no room for excuses. Armed with only a scrap of a hand-drawn map, Dorrie sets off to find out where--and who--she came from. Read-alike: Too Soon for Adiós by Annette Chavez Macias. |
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"Smart, fast-paced slasher.” ―Erika T. Wurth, author of The Haunting of Room 904Rose DuBois is not your average final girl. Rose is in her late 70s, living out her golden years at the Autumn Springs Retirement Home. When one of her friends dies alone in her apartment, Rose isn't too concerned. Accidents happen, especially at this age! Then another resident drops dead. And another. With bodies stacking up, Rose can't help but wonder: are these accidents? Old age? Or something far more sinister? Together with her best friend Miller, Rose begins to investigate. The further she digs, the more convinced she becomes: there's a killer on the loose at Autumn Springs, and if she isn't careful, Rose may be their next victim. Readers also enjoyed Crafting for Sinners by Jenny Kiefer. |
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| "Poignant and funny with plenty of unexpected twists and turns."—Allegra Goodman, author of IsolaThis character-driven coming-of-age novel finds an elderly Phoebe flashing back to the pivotal summer of 1976. Wrapping up high school and preparing for college, she is pushed by her adoptive mother to meet her birth mother. Unexpected revelations from that visit lead Phoebe to run away, moving into a friend's house where she thinks she won't be noticed among his 13 siblings. Try this next: Family Family by Laurie Frankel. |
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| “A place of magic and mysteries.” -- Monica Ali, author of Love and MarriageSet six years prior to the events in the bestselling Chocolat, this charming prequel finds a pregnant Vianne, who has recently scattered her mother's ashes in New York, working in a bistro in in Marseille, France, and discovering the magic of chocolate. But she has secrets and choices to make in this sweet blend of literary fiction and magical realism. Try this next: Erin Palmisano's The Secrets of the Little Greek Taverna. |
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"An exquisitely-realized cast of characters.” ―LaToya Watkins, author of Holler, ChildSommy, a Nigerian woman, comes to the United States for graduate school two weeks after her brother, Mezie, attempts suicide. Plagued by the guilt of leaving Mezie behind, Sommy struggles to fit into her new life as a student and an immigrant. Sommy falls for Bryan, a biracial American, whose estranged Nigerian father left the States immediately after his birth. During summer break, Sommy and Bryan visit the bustling city of Lagos, Nigeria, where Sommy hopes to reconcile with Mezie and Bryan plans to connect with his father. But when a shocking and unexpected event throws their lives into disarray, it exposes the cracks in Sommy's relationships and forces her to confront her notions of self and familial love. For fans of: Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. |
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"Wickedly funny and moving”―Avni Doshi, author of Burnt Sugar Ning is a retired boxer, but to the customers who visit her nail salon, she is just another worker named Susan. On this summer's day, much like any other, the Susans buff and clip and polish and tweeze. They listen and smile and nod. Ning navigates the complex power dynamics among her fellow Susans, whose greatest fears and desires lie just behind the gossip they exchange. As the day's work grinds on, the friction between Ning's two identities--as anonymous manicurist and brilliant observer of her own circumstances--will gather electric and crackling force, and at last demand a reckoning with the way the world of privilege looks at a woman like Ning. Try this next: Mild Vertigo by Mieko Kanai. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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