Must-Read Books
October 2023
Adult Fiction
The Long Game
by Elena Armas

Exiled to rural North Carolina by her father, the owner of the Miami Flames FC, privileged Adalyn Reyes must enlist the help of retired goalkeeper Cameron Caldani to turn around a struggling soccer team...of nine-year-olds. Part Ted Lasso, part Bad News Bears, The Long Game is the 1st in a new series by the author of The Spanish Love Deception.
Vampires of El Norte
by Isabel Cañas

Atmospheric and richly detailed, Vampires of El Norte puts a supernatural spin on the real-life Mexican-American War. Read-alikes: In the Valley of the Sun by Andy Davidson; The Hunger by Alma Katsu.
The Raging Storm
by Ann Cleeves

DI Matthew Venn and his team are called to remote North Devon after the murder of a celebrity adventurer, who'd shown up in a seaside village a month earlier claiming to be waiting on a mysterious visitor. This well-plotted 3rd in a series can be read as a standalone. Read-alikes: Firewatching by Russ Thomas; the Ruth Galloway mysteries by Elly Griffiths.
North Woods
by Daniel Mason

Taking place over hundreds of years and centered around the various inhabitants of one New England property, this sweeping latest by award-winning writer Daniel Mason is "truly triumphant" (Booklist). Read-alikes: The Overstory by Richard Power; The Light at the End of the World by Siddhartha Deb.
A Council of Dolls
by Susan Power

Born in 1888, 1925, and 1961, three Native American girls each have a cherished doll that comforts them in this haunting novel that examines the trauma inflicted by Indian boarding schools. Author of the acclaimed 1994 novel The Grass Dancer, Mona Susan Power is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
Mother-Daughter Murder Night
by Nina Simon

This "dazzling debut" (Library Journal) introduces three generations of Rubicon women: businesswoman Lana; her estranged daughter Beth; and 15-year-old Jack. Lana moves in with Beth and Jack during her cancer treatment, and when Jack is accused of murder, the trio investigate. Read-alikes: Richard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club novels; Darynda Jones' Sunshine Vicram mysteries.
Mister Magic
by Kiersten White

In this creepy and compelling latest from the bestselling author of Hide, a former child actress finds herself drawn to the reunion of a deadly 1990s children's TV series she starred in. Read-alikes: It by Stephen King; The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman; Burn the Negative by Josh Winning.
Adult Nonfiction
Everything/Nothing/Someone: A Memoir
by Alice Carrière

Alice Carrière recounts her privileged yet dysfunctional upbringing as the child of actor Mathieu Carrière and artist Jennifer Bartlett, her battles with dissociative disorder, and her journey towards healing in this intimate and unflinching debut. Read-alike: Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls by T Kira Madden.
The Underworld: Journeys to the Depths of the Ocean
by Susan Casey

Bestselling author Susan Casey (The Wave) interviews scientists and explorers to reveal the mysteries of the deep ocean. You might also like: Helen Scales' The Brilliant Abyss or Laura Trethewey's The Deepest Map.
Wifedom: Mrs. Orwell's Invisible Life
by Anna Funder

Prizewinning author and former human rights attorney Anna Funder's insightful biography of writer Eileen O'Shaughnessy, George Orwell's first wife, reveals the invaluable influence she had on the 1984 author's life and career. Funder's evocative account includes newly discovered letters O'Shaughnessy wrote to her best friend. Read-alike: Orwell's Roses by Rebecca Solnit.
The Great White Bard: How to Love Shakespeare While Talking About Race
by Farah Karim-Cooper

Shakespeare scholar Farah Karim-Cooper's thought-provoking analysis
examines how the Elizabethan playwright's representations of race continue to resonate in the 21st century. Read-alikes: Tyrant: Shakespeare on Politics by Stephen Greenblatt; Shakespeare in a Divided America: What His Plays Tell Us About Our Past and Future by James Shapiro.
Youth Fiction
Cat on the Run in Cat of Death!
by Aaron Blabey

When fluffy feline influencer Princess Beautiful is framed for causing a nuclear threat, her billions of followers are watching. The furry diva flees, and this high-energy graphic novel (from the creator of Bad Guys) follows the drama and disaster that follows. Cat of Death kicks off the Cat on the Run series.
Something, Someday
by Amanda Gorman and Christian Robinson

One child tackles one problem -- cleaning up trash. It seems small, but small steps can become big change over time. Through uplifting poetry and charming collage art, this community-centric read by two beloved creators will leave kids feeling hopeful.
Tilly in Technicolor
by Mazey Eddings

After an embarrassing first encounter, Tilly (a burnt-out high school grad with ADHD) gets to know Oliver (an autistic fellow intern that summer) and sparks fly. Their sweet, authentic story paints a portrait of romantic connection as well as self-understanding.
Youth Nonfiction
Impossible Escape: A True Story of Survival and Heroism in Nazi Germany
by Steve Sheinkin

This gripping, harrowing account follows Slovakian Jewish teens Rudolf Vrba and Gerta Sidonová, who saved lives and resisted the Nazis during World War II. For fans of: the way Bomb author Steve Sheinkin’s engrossing nonfiction brings history alive.
Contact your librarian for more great books!