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Fiction A to Z November 2020 |
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| Leave the World Behind by Rumaan AlamWhat happens: A white family staying in a rented Hamptons home finds their idyllic vacation cut short by the arrival of the owners, an older Black couple hoping to take refuge from a power outage in New York City.
Then what? Though suspicion and resentment (on both sides) are their initial reactions, the two families form an uneasy alliance as it becomes clear that the blackout -- and other disquieting occurrences -- may be a sign of societal collapse.
Also available in eBook & eAudiobook on OverDrive |
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| A Little Bit of Karma by ReShonda Tate BillingsleyStarring: Dr. Shannon Lovejoy and her husband, Jay -- married three years, they have a successful relationship counseling business that includes a wildly popular call-in radio show.
What happens: Infidelity and deceit lead to murder and kidnapping, and Shannon and Jay will have to work together -- despite their troubled relationship -- to clear their names.
Also available in eBook on CloudLibrary |
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| Missionaries by Phil KlayWhat it is: The debut novel from the author of the National Book Award-winning short story collection Redeployment.
What it's about: Set in Colombia and following the interconnected lives of four individuals -- two Columbians and two Americans -- affected by and connected to the turmoil there, Missionaries examines the globalization of violence and the realities of modern war. |
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| Cobble Hill by Cecily Von ZiegesarFeaturing: Some of the privileged denizens of Brooklyn's upscale Cobble Hill, all hiding secrets (an illicit crush, a lost job).
Why you might like it: With an ensemble cast and told through a series of vignettes, the shifting perspectives reveal the tensions of ordinary life with breezy humor.
Author alert: Cecily Von Ziegesar is the writer behind the popular Gossip Girl series; this is her adult debut. |
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| Memorial by Bryan WashingtonStarring: Mike, a Japanese American chef, and Ben, a Black daycare teacher; their rocky relationship is further tested when Mike goes to Japan to spend time with his estranged and dying father, leaving his visiting mother with Ben.
Why you might like it: Set in a vividly depicted Houston and told in three distinct sections narrated by either Mike or Ben, this bittersweet, complex novel portrays the messy, passionate, and sometimes painful relationships between lovers; the two men's difficult relationships with their fathers are also key to the story. |
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| Less by Andrew Sean GreerStarring: Less-than-successful novelist Arthur Less, who's invited to his ex-boyfriend's wedding less than a year after their breakup.
What does he do? Not wanting to go but so far lacking a compelling reason to send his regrets, he accepts every other invitation that comes his way, traveling to New York, Mexico, Morocco, and other far-flung destinations.
Also available in eBook on OverDrive |
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| Motherhood by Sheila HetiWhat it is: An examination of motherhood and the very personal decision of whether to become a mother.
What happens: The narrator consults the I Ching and a tarot deck while also reflecting on her relationship with her boyfriend and on her own mother's experiences, all in service of determining whether she too should try for a child.
Also available in eAudiobook on Hoopla |
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| Remembrance by Mary MonroeStarring: Frustrated Beatrice Powell, who has a good marriage and a successful volunteer role at her local homeless shelter, but finds herself at loose ends each Christmas as she remembers the stranger who'd once saved her life.
Just in time for the holidays! For more Christmas-centric novels featuring Black women embracing change, try bestselling author Mary Monroe's most recent book The Gift of Family or Kimberla Lawson Roby's more faith-oriented A Christmas Prayer. |
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| Ghosted by Rosie WalshWhat happens: After an intense and romantic week together, Eddie and Sarah are making plans for their future. So it's a shock when Eddie abruptly stops returning Sarah's calls and texts.
But why? Though her friends insist she's been ghosted, Sarah doesn't want to give up so easily. But the truth, when it comes out, is far more complicated than expected. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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