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Must-Read Books March 2022
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| Road of Bones by Christopher GoldenHow it started: American documentary producers Felix Teigland brought a film crew with him to Siberia to cover an urban legend about the 1200 mile-long Kolyma Highway, which is said to be built on top of the bones of gulag prisoners from the Stalin era.
How it's going: It's too cold to survive more than a few minutes outdoors and when they arrive at their final filming location, a desolate village called Akhurst, they find the place abandoned except for one traumatized, catatonic young girl and a shaman lurking at the edge of the forest.
Who it's for: readers who appreciate supernatural elements, folklore, and the menacing power of nature. |
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| Something Fabulous by Alexis HallWhat happens: Valentine Layton, the Duke of Malvern, is expected to marry Miss Arabella Tarleton, but finds himself irresistibly drawn to her twin brother, Bonaventure "Bonny" Tarleton.
Reviewers say: This Regency-set farce is a "wonderfully queer mash-up/send-up of buddy movies, Austen novels, and classic rom-coms" (Publishers Weekly).
About the author: Alexis Hall is the author of Boyfriend Material and The Affair of the Mysterious Letter. |
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| Notes On An Execution by Danya KukafkaWhat it is: A disturbing yet moving portrayal of the last 12 hours of death row inmate Ansel Packer's life, told through the alternating, kaleidoscopic perspectives of the women in his life.
Starring: Ansel's mother Lavender, who reflects on her trauma and the choices she made as a desperate teen mom; Hazel, the twin sister of Ansel's ex-wife, whose life was deeply marked by her brother-in-law; and Saffron, a homicide detective who briefly knew Ansel when they were both in the foster care system as children. |
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| The Torqued Man by Peter MannPicture it: 1945 in Berlin, only a few months after the end of the war. In the search for evidence of war crimes and Nazi collaboration two remarkable, contradictory manuscripts are discovered that each detail Irishman Frank Pike's wartime activities and create a compelling portrait of a complex and flawed (but always fascinating) man.
Is it for you? Though the novel takes its subject matter seriously, the parallel narratives contain surprising moments of dark humor that may not strike the right tone with all readers.
Reviewers say: "A wily spy novel with a human touch" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| Goliath by Tochi OnyebuchiWhite flight...to space: In the generations since the planet's most privileged abandoned a devastated Earth for the Space Colonies, those left behind have been salvaging the wreckage in order to eke out a precarious existence.
They're back! Now the descendants of the original Space Colonists are returning to gentrify New England, displacing residents and dismantling communities.
Why you might like it: This layered mosaic novel by the author of Riot Baby unfolds at a leisurely pace, lingering on evocative details, as it follows its diverse ensemble cast through a vividly depicted future America. |
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| The Verifiers by Jane PekStarring: Claudia Lin, who has a secretive new job investigating online dating matches for elite clients and whose immigrant mother wants her to marry a nice Chinese man (she doesn't know Claudia prefers women).
What happens: When a client presumably dies of suicide, crime-fiction fan Claudia thinks it's murder and breaks protocol to investigate, uncovering a maelstrom of deceit while also dealing with her mom and super-successful older siblings. |
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| Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana AlbertsonA pair of star-crossed lovers... Chef Julieta Campos kisses a mysterious mariachi during San Diego's Day of the Dead festivities only to discover that she has locked lips with none other than Ramón Mortez, her restaurant's new landlord.
O deadly sin! O rude unthankfulness! Years ago, Ramón's father stole Juliet's mother's secret recipe and used it to build his Taco King fast-casual dining empire, making their families sworn enemies.
Also available in eAudiobook on CloudLibrary |
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| The Lady's Mine by Francine RiversWhat it is: A charming historical Christian romance and the latest novel by Francine Rivers, author of the ever-popular Redeeming Love.
Thrown out: In 1875, after her wealthy stepfather maneuvers her exit, well-to-do Bostonite Kathryn Walsh has little to her name except a mysterious inheritance from her uncle that's all the way in California.
Also available in eBook on Libby |
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| In Search of a Prince by Toni ShilohA royal surprise: Brielle "Bri" Adebayo, a 25-year-old New York City teacher, learns she's a princess and heir to an African island kingdom.
A crown...or not? Since the king grandfather she never knew is dying, Bri's eager to learn more about him and her father, who died before she was born. But before Bri can decide if she even wants to rule, political rivals find a stipulation that will force her to marry or give up the throne.
Also available in eBook on Hoopla |
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| The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan SlocumbA lack of harmony: Violinist Ray McMillian's Stradivarius is stolen and a hefty ransom demanded weeks before a world-famous competition -- but who really owns the violin? Members of Ray's own family as well as the descendants of those who enslaved his ancestors also claim it.
Crescendo: The Violin Conspiracy flashes back to Ray's troubled early years and builds to a gripping climax as he preps for the competition and desperately searches for the priceless violin after the official investigation stalls.
Also available in eBook on CloudLibrary |
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| Putting the Rabbit in the Hat: A Memoir by Brian CoxWhat it is: A candid memoir from renowned actor Brian Cox, currently garnering praise for his role in TV's Succession.
Topics include: Cox's working-class upbringing in Dundee, Scotland; his career beginnings in theater; the toll his professional life has taken on his personal one.
Don't miss: Cox's gossipy, headline-making reflections on the projects he's worked on and his relationships with co-stars and industry peers. |
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| The Last Slave Ship: The True Story of How Clotilda was Found, Her Descendants, and... by Ben RainesHow it began: In 2019 Mobile, Alabama, environmental journalist Ben Raines discovered the burned remains of the Clotilda, the last known ship to carry enslaved people to America.
What happened next: Raines investigated the history and legacy of the Clotilda's journey, including the post-Civil War settlement of Africatown, a thriving community established by the ship's survivors.
Further reading: Zora Neale Hurston's Barracoon, which chronicles the life of Cudjo Lewis, a Clotilda survivor and Africatown founder. |
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| Eating to Extinction: The World's Rarest Foods and Why We Need to Save Them by Dan SaladinoWhat it is: A thought-provoking look at the dangers of food homogenization as well as the history and troubled future of a number of edibles, by longtime BBC food journalist Dan Saladino.
Did you know? Humans have consumed over 6,000 plant types, but now mainly eat just nine; one brewer produces 25% of the world's beer. |
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| Letters to the Sons of Society: A Father's Invitation to Love, Honesty, and Freedom by Shaka SenghorThen: In 1991, 19-year-old Shaka Senghor was convicted of murder, spending the next 20 years in prison.
Now: After his release in 2010, Senghor devoted himself to caring for his two sons -- Jay, whose childhood he missed while incarcerated, and Sekou, born shortly after Senghor's release.
Why you should read it: Senghor's compelling collection of letters to his sons offers a moving exploration of trauma, familial bonds, and Black manhood that will resonate with fans of Ta-Nehisi Coates. |
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| I Am Golden by Eva Chen; illustrated by Sophie DiaoWhat it is: A lyrical and sumptuously illustrated ode to one little girl from her loving immigrant parents, celebrating the beauty of her Chinese American heritage and the powerful promise she holds.
Want a taste? "You are the lotus flower unfurling…Your voice is the call of the magpie, joyful and unapologetic."
For fans of: Joanna Ho's Eyes That Kiss in the Corners and Mark Gonzales' Yo Soy Muslim, two further identity-affirming books that combine poetry and pride. |
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| I Must Betray You by Ruta SepetysThe set-up: Cristian Florescu, a 17-year-old Romanian, is coerced into spying on an American diplomat family in exchange for medicine for his sick grandfather. Instead of complying, he attempts to undermine the dictator terrorizing his country.
How it's told: From Cristian's point of view, interspersed with his poetry and secret police memos.
Also available in eBook on CloudLibrary |
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| New from Here by Kelly YangJanuary, 2020: As COVID-19 begins to spread, Chinese American Knox Wei-Evans moves from Hong Kong to the U.S. with his mom and siblings while their dad stays behind for work.
The American dream? While missing his dad, adjusting to America, and facing anti-Asian racism, Knox also has to deal with his "blurting-things-out problem," which might be ADHD.
Book buzz: Fans of Kelly Yang's Front Desk series won't want to miss this hopeful, realistic new book, inspired by the author's own family. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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