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Must-Read Books December 2023 |
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| Courting Samira by Amal AwadIn this "funny, charming" (Booklist) novel set in Sydney, Australia, 27-year-old Palestinian Muslim magazine editor Samira Abdel-Aziz resists familial pressure to marry as she finds herself in a love triangle with new acquaintance Menem and childhood friend Hakeem. Read-alikes: Uzma Jalaluddin's Much Ado About Nada; Sara Jafari's The Mismatch; Ayisha Malik's Sofia Khan is Not Obliged. |
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| Day by Michael CunninghamPulitzer Prize winner Michael Cunningham's long-awaited new novel takes place on the same day (April 5) in three different years (2019, 2020, and 2021) as a married Brooklyn duo, their two kids, and the couple's two brothers navigate endings, beginnings, the pandemic, and more. Read-alikes: Daniel Mason's North Woods; Paul Murray's The Bee Sting; Gary Shteyngart's Our Country Friends. |
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| The Reformatory by Tananarive DueSet in Jim Crow-era Florida and inspired by real events, this disturbing historical horror novel chronicles the hardships faced by young Black boys at an abusive reform school haunted by monsters both human and supernatural. For fans of: The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead; When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen. |
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| The Dead Take the A Train by Cassandra Khaw and Richard KadreyA ragtag group of characters fight off grotesque cosmic monsters in New York City's underground in this compelling urban fantasy, the first in the Carrion City duology. For fans of: The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin; Sister, Maiden, Monster by Lucy A. Snyder. |
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| The Frozen River by Ariel LawhonIn 1789 Maine, a man accused of rape is found frozen in the river while his partner, a judge, has disappeared. Midwife Martha Ballard (who's based on a real person) investigates it all in this intricate tale that combines history, mystery, and courtroom suspense. Read-alikes: Sam Thomas' Midwife mysteries; Eleanor Kuhns' Will Rees mysteries; Eliot Pattison's Bone Rattler mysteries. |
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| The Berry Pickers by Amanda PetersWhile a Mi'kmaq family from Novia Scotia picks blueberries in 1962 Maine, four-year-old Ruthie goes missing. Her disappearance reverberates for decades, as seen in the narration of Joe, Ruthie's brother who never gets over the loss, and Norma, a lonely only child with a connection to Ruthie. Read-alikes: A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power; Stealing by Margaret Verble. |
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| Murder in Drury Lane by Vanessa RileyEnjoying an evening at a Drury Lane theater, Lady Abigail Worthing, a young biracial woman in 1806 London whose older husband is always away exploring, teams up with her naval hero neighbor to investigate when a playwright is murdered in this 2nd in a charming series. For fans of: Netflix's Bridgerton; Katharine Schellman's Lily Adler mysteries. |
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| Charlie Chaplin vs. America: When Art, Sex, and Politics Collided by Scott EymanBestselling biographer and film historian Scott Eyman (Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise) offers fresh insights on actor Charlie Chaplin's post-World War II exile from the United States, during which the FBI's investigations into his sexual and political life tarnished his legendary film career. Read-alike: Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker's Life by James Curtis. |
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| Your Face Belongs to Us: A Secretive Startup's Quest to End Privacy As We Know It by Kashmir HillNew York Times technology reporter Kashmir Hill investigates controversial startup Clearview AI, which created powerful facial recognition software and made it available to law enforcement agencies and corporate clients. Further reading: Pegasus: How a Spy in Your Pocket Threatens the End of Privacy, Dignity, and Democracy by Richard Laurent and Sandrine Rigaud; "I Have Nothing to Hide": And 20 Other Myths About Surveillance and Privacy by Heidi Boghosian. |
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| The Dictionary People: The Unsung Heroes Who Created the Oxford English Dictionary by Sarah OgilvieIn her richly detailed latest, linguist and lexicographer Sarah Ogilvie discusses the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary, revealing how its first edition took nearly 70 years to be completed by more than 3,000 volunteers from all over the world. For fans of: The Dictionary Wars: The American Fight Over the English Language by Peter Martin |
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| The Risk It Takes to Bloom: On Life and Liberation by Raquel WillisJournalist and trans activist Raquel Willis chronicles her journey toward self-empowerment in this affecting and life-affirming memoir. For fans of: Redefining Realness by Janet Mock; I Have Always Been Me by Precious Brady-Davis. |
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| Check & Mate by Ali HazelwoodMallory Greenleaf’s unexpected win against the chess world champion “Kingkiller” Nolan Sawyer reignites her love for the game that cost her family everything. Are Mallory and Nolan a perfect match? Fans of author Ali Hazelwood’s popular adult rom-coms will flock to her swoony YA debut. |
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| When The Stars Came Home by Brittany LubyAfter moving to the city, Anishinaabe kid Ojiig misses the starry night skies. But when his mom gives him a star quilt and stories of his ancestors, Ojiig realizes that home is more than a place. This poetic, poignant tale is sure to resonate with many families. |
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| Mabuhay! by Zack SterlingFilipino American siblings JJ and Althea are used to hearing their mom’s magic-infused folktales while they help with the family food truck, but they’re still shocked when those tales are proved true. Bold, energetic artwork makes this exciting graphic novel fantasy stand out. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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