What it's about: Philadelphia wife and mother Alejandra's seemingly picture-perfect life takes a turn when she finds herself plagued by visions of the Mexican folk demon La Llorona.

 

What happens next: Alejandra discovers that the women in her family have been haunted by La Llorona for centuries, and it's up to her alone to put a stop to the entity's menacing machinations once and for all.

 

Read it for: an urgent and thought-provoking meditation on the horrors of colonization and generational trauma.

Family feuds: In a small town full of secrets in Arkansas's Ozark Mountains, the Fitzjurl and Ledford families have hated each other for years. Now, high school senior Joanna Fitzjurl is missing.

 

Revenge is served: The Ledfords see Joanna as payment for the killing of their family member by Joanna's dad -- but Joanna's grandfather, who was a sniper in Vietnam, will do anything to get back the granddaughter he raised.

 

Read this next: For more Southern noir novels, try books by S.A. Cosby, Brian Panowich, David Joy, or Daniel Woodrell.

What it is: a surreal and satirical novel about an unnamed Chinese American woman who works for Holistik, a white-dominated wellness company.

 

Skin deep: The narrator discovers the sinister side of Holistik when her employer's products begin transforming her body to more closely resemble a Westernized beauty standard.

 

Book buzz: Ling Ling Huang's "incisive and disquieting debut" (Publishers Weekly) has already been optioned for a TV adaptation co-produced by Crazy Rich Asians actor Constance Wu.

The prelude: The Delaney Foundation hires expert Bern Hendricks to authenticate a newfound work by famed composer Frederic Delaney, who worked in 1920s and '30s New York City.

 

The problem: What Bern and a computer savvy friend discover could upend their lives and the music world -- and there's a murder to deal with too.

 

Why you might like it: With chapters set in the past and the present, this "superb novel" (Kirkus Reviews) offers fascinating characters, a compelling plot, and an insightful look at racism in classical music.

What it is: an incisive and richly detailed study exploring how Indigenous Americans were instrumental in the evolution of United States history.

 

Why you might like it: Penned by Western Shoshone Yale historian Ned Blackhawk, this sweeping account de-centers Eurocentric perspectives in its retelling of America's past.

 

Try this next: Indigenous Continent: The Epic Conquest for North America by Pekka Hämäläinen.

What it's about: When Ava Chin discovered that multiple generations from both sides of her Chinese immigrant family once lived in the same building in Manhattan, she set out to learn more about her family history.

 

Read it for: a sweeping, richly detailed portrait of immigrant life in America, supplemented with oral histories, photographs, archival materials, the author's visits to important sites, and more.

 

Try this next: Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang.

What it is: a comprehensive biography of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

 

Why you should read it: Award-winning biographer Jonathan Eig's painstakingly researched account demythologizes the complex man behind the icon, offering a nuanced look at his triumphs and flaws.

 

Reviewers say: "an enthralling reappraisal that confirms King's relevance to today's debates over racial justice" (Publishers Weekly).

Going home: In 2019, award-winning author Emmanuel Iduma returned to Nigeria after years in New York. He visited family and traveled around the country in hope of learning more about the uncle he's named after, who died during the Nigerian Civil War between 1967-1970.

 

Why you might like it: Iduma offers a poignant combination of political history, family stories, personal memories, and travelogue.

 

The first line: "A year after I returned home, Lagos erupted in protests."

A long walk: After surviving cancer, former Wall Street Journal reporter Neil King Jr. took a 26-day, 330-mile walk, traveling from his home near Washington, DC's Capitol Building to New York City's Central Park, taking lesser used routes as much as possible.

 

Don't miss: the fascinating history, the thoughtful musings, the maps, and the pen-and-ink drawings that begin each chapter.

 

Reviewers say: "The author’s storytelling skills transform a seemingly insignificant trip into something revelatory" (Kirkus Reviews).

What it's about: the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's (SCLC) 1963 efforts to desegregate Birmingham, Alabama.

 

Read it for: a suspenseful and richly detailed account of a pivotal moment during the civil rights movement, which saw the elevation of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as one of the era's defining leaders.

 

Reviewers say: "Readers will be riveted from the first page to the last" (Publishers Weekly).

Change of plans: Black and Anishinaabe teen Perry Firekeeper-Birch hoped to spend her summer fishing and slacking off, but repaying her aunt for car repairs requires working at the tribal museum instead.

 

What happens: Perry’s discovery that a local university has not returned the remains of deceased Anishinaabe leads her to a deeper, deadlier mystery involving missing Indigenous women.

 

Author alert: This compelling standalone thriller is set ten years after the events of author Angeline Boulley’s blockbuster debut Firekeeper’s Daughter.

Texas, 1976: After arriving in America last year as a refugee from Vietnam, 12-year-old Hà is uprooted again when her family moves to a new state. Inside, Hà wants to scream, but she still tries to face the unfairness and uncertainty with humor and strength.

 

Series alert: This moving story-in-poetry is the sequel to the award-winning Inside Out & Back Again, but you can start here even if you haven't read that one.

What it is: a lyrical, lilting ode to the perks and pleasures of rain.

 

What's inside: Illustrations in bold, uplifting colors show how different plants, animals, and kids anticipate the coming of the rain. Kids pass along the message to "hurry home" while animals carefully take cover (except for an excited family of ducks).

 

Who it's for: children curious about animals and nature, as well as anyone looking for a gentle rainy-day read.