Fiction A to Z
June 2026
Recent Releases
Leave Your Mess at Home
by Tolani Akinola

Estranged 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.
Men Like Ours
by Bindu Bansinath

The 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.
Good Joy, Bad Joy
by Mikki Brammer

At 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.
Bumblebee Season
by Eileen Garvin

Jake, 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.
Livonia Chow Mein
by Abigail Savitch-Lew

Covering 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.
Mercy Hill
by Hannah Thurman

The four Cross sisters, aged ten to 13, grow up in a cottage on the sprawling grounds of a North Carolina state mental hospital run by their formidable psychiatrist mother. Their mom expects them to eventually take over, so she pushes them academically and to volunteer at the understaffed hospital. But events threaten her grand plan in this debut narrated by the youngest sister and set between 1999 and 2004. For fans of: reflective, character-driven coming-of-age novels.
The Left and the Lucky
by Willy Vlautin

Kind-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.
All Them Dogs
by Djamel White

After 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.
The Take
by Kelly Yang

Frustrated 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.
Seek Immediate Shelter
by Vincent Yu

Residents 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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