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| Leave Your Mess at Home by Tolani AkinolaEstranged eldest daughter Sola is back in Chicago after her influencer life implodes thanks to her now ex-boyfriend. Meanwhile, Sola's golden child brother worries about impending fatherhood, her physician sister isn't sure about her career or her love life, and her college student baby sister ponders who she is. This moving, funny debut takes place over two months and culminates at Thanksgiving with the siblings' Nigerian immigrant parents. Try this next: Terah Shelton Harris' Long After We Are Gone. |
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| Men Like Ours by Bindu BansinathThe Sharma family's friend Matthew Pillai charms everyone in their Indian American neighborhood in New Jersey, so his odd death sets tongues wagging. At the center of the story is newly widowed Anita Sharma, who immigrated as part of an unhappy arranged marriage, and her teen daughter Leila, whom Matthew spent a lot of time with. This evocative, darkly humorous novel is the debut of Bindu Bansinath, who writes for The Cut. Try this next: Shobha Rao's Indian Country. |
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| Good Joy, Bad Joy by Mikki BrammerAt 89, widowed Joy Bridport lives alone, though she has daily check-ins with her longtime best friend Hazel to make sure they are both still kicking. When cancer leaves adventurous Hazel with just months to live, it makes Joy question her own sedate life, leading to risk-taking, rule-breaking, and petty crime in this moving and heart-warming story about friendship, grief, and second chances. Read-alikes: Hillary Yablon's Sylvia's Second Act; Marianne Cronin's Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love. |
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| Bumblebee Season by Eileen GarvinJake, who's paralyzed below his waist, can't gather all the honey from his dozens of hives alone. With locals uninterested, he takes on Flaco, an undocumented teen fleeing violence. In Oregon studying bumblebees, neurodivergent doctoral student Abigail and her research team members also agree to help with the harvest. Then, after a local politician causes trouble, they all band together in this sweet tale. Though Bumblebee Season continues Jake's story from The Music of Bees, it works well as a standalone. |
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| Livonia Chow Mein by Abigail Savitch-LewCovering Brooklyn's Brownsville area, 23-year-old reporter Sadie Chin connects with community organizer Lina Rodriguez Armstrong. Back in 1978, Lina ran a small school in her apartment, but an arsonist burned down her tenement and another. Locals blame Mr. Wong, owner of a restaurant in one of the buildings, leading Sadie to investigate the 40-year-old fire. Covering four generations of Wongs, this compelling debut novel looks at race and gentrification. For fans of: Richard Price's Lazarus Man. |
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The Top of the World
by Ethan Joella
June 1975. Maggie Bishop has just graduated high school, the future hers to embrace--but she's still reeling from the death of her older brother, Chip. A devastating diagnosis the summer before prompted Chip to leave home for a few months, never revealing where he went. Maggie's search for clues leads her to The Red Maple Inn, a mountaintop resort in the Poconos.
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| The Left and the Lucky by Willy VlautinKind-hearted Oregon house painter Eddie Wilkens tries to help others, like his three employees, one of whom struggles with addiction and isn't close to reliable. But his biggest impact may be on Russell, the neglected eight-year-old neighbor boy who's bullied by his violent teenage brother. Eddie and Russell develop a father-son dynamic, which helps them both in this authentic, heartfelt novel about grief, found family, and dealing with tough times. Try this next: Mary Lawson's A Town Called Solace. |
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| All Them Dogs by Djamel WhiteAfter killing a rival and hiding in England for a few years, brash young Tony Ward is back in Dublin. Working as a local crime boss’s enforcer, he's paired up with Flute Walsh, whom he knew in school, and when they develop a strong connection, their already violent lives get more dangerous. "A debut novel of rare force and control" (Kirkus Reviews), All Them Dogs is both brutal and tender. For fans of: Douglas Stuart's Young Mungo; Karl Geary's Juno Loves Legs. |
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| The Take by Kelly YangFrustrated young writer Maggie Wang finds a path forward when veteran Hollywood producer Ingrid Parker offers a surprising deal: $3 million and a mentorship to participate in ten experimental blood transfusions, which will reverse Ingrid's aging but accelerate Maggie's. This satirical first adult book from award-winning children's author Kelly Yang serves Hollywood drama while shining a spotlight on sexism, racism, and ageism. For fans of: the 2024 film The Substance; Matthew Pearl's The Award. |
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| Seek Immediate Shelter by Vincent YuResidents of Beckitt, Massachusetts, a small town populated by mostly Asian Americans, all receive a cell phone alert that they should seek immediate shelter as a missile is inbound. This leads to a multitude of reactions: some people run, some try to protect others, and others share feelings they normally hide. Twenty minutes later, it's revealed to be a big mistake. Using linked stories and focusing on characters of all ages, this intriguing debut offers thought-provoking fodder for book clubs. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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