| Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-BrenyahThe contestants: Loretta Thurwar and Hamara "Hurricane Staxxx" Stacker, incarcerated fighters in the Criminal Action Penal Entertainment (CAPE) program's Chain-Gang All-Stars, who compete in televised death matches against other inmates.
The prize: Freedom, of which there are two types: High (a pardon) and Low (death).
Book buzz: This thought-provoking debut novel is a Today Show #ReadWithJenna book club selection. |
|
| The Poisoner's Ring by Kelley ArmstrongLiving in the past: Modern-day Canadian homicide detective Mallory Atkinson was attacked while visiting Scotland and woke up in the body of a Victorian housemaid who works for medical examiner Dr. Duncan Gray.
All in the family: In this 2nd series entry, Mallory helps Gray hunt a clever poisoner murdering husbands and framing their wives. The latest widow and murder suspect? Gray's sister.
Why you might like it: Creatively combining mystery, romance, and fantasy, this sequel to A Rip Through Time can also be read on its own. |
|
| The Last Animal by Ramona AusubelThe opening line: "In the Age of Extinction, two tagalong daughters traveled to the edge of the world with their mother to search the frozen earth for the bones of woolly mammoths."
Why you might like it: Amidst a globetrotting adventure, The Last Animal mediates on grief, examines the importance of family, looks at women and science, and showcases a baby mammoth.
Reviewers say: "a sweeter, more poignant version of Jurassic Park" (The Washington Post); a "transfixing, fabulist tale" (Booklist). |
|
| The Skin and Its Girl by Sarah CypherWhat it is: a magical realist family saga as experienced by two Palestinian American women of different generations.
Starring: young Elspeth "Betty" Rummani and family matriarch Nuha -- both complicated, both queer, both participants in a legacy of emigration and exile. But while Numa hides many secrets, Betty's cobalt-blue skin visibly marks her as the embodiment of their family lore.
Why you might like it: This debut offers lyrical, evocative writing, nuanced characters, and intricately interwoven storylines. |
|
| Where Coyotes Howl by Sandra DallasWyoming, 1916: Ellen Webster arrives in the High Plains town of Wallace to teach school, but soon weds rancher Charlie Bacon. She also forms strong friendships with local women Ruth, Gladys, and Frances, sharing life's joys and sorrows with them over the years. Is it for you? Although this novel by Sandra Dallas (Westering Women) boasts "well-rounded characters, convincing period details, and a sumptuous setting" (Publishers Weekly), it also puts its cast through hardships including illness, abuse, and the deaths of children. |
|
| Games and Rituals by Katherine HeinyWhat it is: a moving and funny collection of short stories that examines the curiosities and occasional absurdities of everyday life and relationships.
Read it for: the distinctive and charming characters, who are handled with care and empathy as they navigate (or fail to navigate) personal disappointments and disruptive life changes.
Reviewers say: "With this irresistibly amusing, bighearted collection, [Katherine] Heiny again proves she is a master of the short story form" (Kirkus Reviews). |
|
| Murder Under a Red Moon by Harini NagendraWhat it's about: After her new mother-in-law asks for help, 19-year-old Kaveri Murthy, who has a talent for mathematics, examines a company's accounts...and upsets a killer in 1921 Bangalore.
Why you might like it: This fast-paced follow-up to The Bangalore Detectives Club has recipes and charming secondary characters who assist with Kaveri's investigations.
For fans of: Sujata Massey's Perveen Mistry mysteries, which also feature a determined woman sleuth in 1920s India. |
|
| Symphony of Secrets by Brendan SlocumbThe 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. |
|
| Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan StradalWelcome to… Bear Jaw Lake, Minnesota, where determined Mariel Prager struggles to keep the Lakeside Supper Club, her family’s failing restaurant, afloat amid competition from her husband Ned’s family businesses.
What happens: When tragedy strikes, the Lakeside becomes a refuge for Mariel and Ned as they rebuild their lives.
Read it for: a heartwarming and atmospheric ode to the Midwest starring flawed but relatable characters. |
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|