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As evidenced by the popularity of New York Times–bestselling books such as Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give, street lit continues to be a reflection of readers’ realities, making this readers’ advisory guide a must-purchase for library professionals.
A vivid and comprehensive discussion about women’s fight for freedom against the ruling class’s control of style and fashion. Recommended for listeners interested in fashion’s evolution and the impact glamor has on culture.★
This apocalyptic near-future parable subtly alludes to the consequences of climate change, yet at its core lies the poignant relationship between mother and daughter, expertly captured by Brentan’s pitch-perfect narration. A unique and captivating blend of fantasy, adventure, and human connection, highly recommended for all collections.
Ruby Hunt returns to narrate the second installment in De la Rosa’s “Luna Sisters” series (following Ana María and the Fox), using her seasoned talent to portray the many voices of the large cast of characters, capturing especially Captain Dawson’s warm British accent and Isabel’s Spanish-inflected English. Libraries should plan on stocking the complete series for historical romance readers.
A rollicking novel that doesn’t take itself too seriously, recommended for anyone needing to get lost in a good world, explore their inner demons, and enjoy some serious bloodshed. A needed addition to lighten the mood of any audio fantasy section.
Fans of Frankenstein retellings like Victor Lavalle’s Destroyer will savor this story of infatuation gone horribly wrong.★
This gripping racially charged murder mystery delves deeply into the harsh realities and societal attitudes of the South in the ’60s. Baldacci’s fans will be clamoring for it and can rest assured that they’re in for a satisfying ride.
Equal parts meditation on belonging, slowest-burn romance, and cli-fi spy drama make an unstoppable combination.
This eye-opening challenge to the traditional canon of North American history is highly recommended for any library.★
While this short audiobook grounds magical girls in reality, it is no less magical than the material that inspired it.
Queer history as seen through the lens of a tender friendship. Pair with Cleve Jones’s When We Rise.
This thoughtful audio adaptation of Bell’s powerful work is not to be missed. A timely production that should be showcased everywhere.
Highly recommended for lovers of beach reads with bite in the style of Elin Hilderbrand and Lucy Foley.
A thrilling ending to a spectacular crime fiction series. Dramatic, outrageous, yet nuanced, this goes to the top of the list.
Barry’s husky narration, in the manner of an Irish Batman, is fresh and well suited for this exceptional story of forbidden love set against a brutal Montana landscape. Fans of Cormac McCarthy will particularly relish it.
A satisfyingly sweet, feel-good story with enough depth to appeal to a broad range of listeners. Highly recommended for fans of Kai Harris’s What the Fireflies Knew and Charmaine Wilkerson’s Black Cake.
Utterly disorienting yet still emotionally and thematically resonant, Chandrasekera delivers a narrative that will satisfy every fan of the weird.
King’s latest collection of short stories offers hours of entertainment for his legions of readers. Though devoted fans will delight at references to his other works, new listeners will also find much to love. Highly recommended.
Pass the popcorn and settle in for a terrific time with this seamlessly crafted blend of historical fiction and old-school suspense.
Readers who fondly remember Ellen Raskin’s The Westing Game and newer fans of Gigi Pandian’s “Secret Staircase Mysteries” will find Ryan’s cleverly crafted adventure to be a real treasure
Penny’s follow-up to A World of Curiosities plays on readers’ fears as she launches a new story arc that is completed in this installment but presents a cliffhanger. It’s a frightening novel of duality, of good versus evil, with an allegorical tale for today’s world, as only Penny can write.
This novel is effective in innumerable ways, particularly with its attention to the generational gap and the emotional disconnection created by the internet. Pargin’s deft combination of mystery and satire will appeal to the YA audience and to older readers.
Fans of Notaro’s essays will identify and appreciate the vein of absurdity and irony running throughout this novel, but there is also a pulsing brutality and shocking tragedy at its heart that will appeal to true crime fans. Fact may still remain stranger than fiction, but Notaro’s compelling novel gives truth a run for the money.
Groner (Exiles) offers a contemplative take on the postapocalyptic genre that leaves room for hope but doesn’t stint on realism. This novel reads like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road meets Robert M. Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance; highly recommended.
Wagers’s (The Ghosts of Trappist) stellar fourth outing for their futuristic Near-Earth Orbital Guard is filled with snappy dialogue and vivid worldbuilding. With the found family of Zuma’s Ghost as the foundation of the series, the internal conflicts are just as compelling as the external high-stakes action.
Guanzon’s highly anticipated sequel to The Hurricane Wars is a captivating read from start to finish. The tension between the characters with the mix of political intrigue and magic will be sure to enchant readers.
The setting, the detailed emotive descriptions, and nail-biting adventure are incandescent. This debut novel from Caffall (The Mourner’s Bestiary) is like Peter Heller’s The Dog Stars met Barry Unsworth’s Sacred Hunger, with a focus on the essential nature of community.
Suri’s final volume in her fantastic trilogy, after The Oleander Sword, delivers all of the hope and heartache promised in the series. Exquisite worldbuilding, high-stakes action, emotional arcs, and a love that will stand the test of time create a climactic conclusion to this epic fantasy.
Fantasy fans and steampunk enthusiasts will enjoy Glover’s astounding, creatively envisioned Prohibition-era United States, where magical and historical events intertwine in a thrilling plot full of adventurous characters.
This gripping title will appeal to readers interested in how the lives of people with disabilities are impacted by architecture, access, clothing, employment, transportation, and mobility. It will also interest people working with or providing services as caregivers, social workers, think tanks, and more.
Russell and Meli deliver a sharply observed, often poignant reflection on humanity’s search for meaning in this unforgettable tragicomedy.
A stunning page-turner, Caron’s (Song of Batoche) novel is perfect for fans of World War II and Cold War fiction and stories with strong women characters.
Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner Erdrich (The Sentence) yet again displays her storytelling skills.
Knausgaard’s achievement in this novel is to combine Scandinavian crime fiction with science fiction, while integrating discussions of religion, philosophy, neurobiology, and music. A highly readable and compelling work by a major and prolific novelist.
A charming and highly recommended story about family ties, the embrace of the natural world, and love.
Writing with an effortless élan that only a French pastry chef could have, Ansel not only offers fascinating glimpses into his life with an array of reliable recipes but also gives bakers a new way of looking at the sweet treats in their lives.
Lahey’s passion for great tasting bread and his easy, accessible recipes will inspire a new batch of bakers to try their hand at turning out artisanal quality bread at home.
This is a must-read for fans of queer romance and those interested in the behind-the-scenes world of video games. Tai’s storytelling is both fun and thought-provoking, making this debut a standout in contemporary romance fiction.
This sexy enemies-to-lovers story is filled with biting dialogue and page-melting chemistry. A great start to Cate’s (Madame) new “Sinful Manor” series.
Readers who enjoy an enemies-to-lovers romance will love Roux’s (The Proposition) historical take on the trope.
This debut paranormal mystery offers humor, love, and a strong cast of characters who form a found family. S.C.Y.T.H.E. is a fascinating premise that offers great possibilities for future mysteries.
Parry’s (The Magician’s Daughter) latest will enthrall those who loved the post-WWI high-magic high society of Freya Marske’s “Last Binding” series. Highly recommended for readers looking for an immersive world of power politics, magical societies, and world-shattering consequences.
This Ghibli-esque slow-burn fantasy delivers on every promise it offers when it drops Diana Wynne Jones’s Howl’s Moving Castle inside Patricia A. McKillip’s The Forgotten Beasts of Eld.
Readers will not want this book to end, but works by Connilyn Cossette and Christine Dillon may tide them over until the next release.
Brimhall addresses life’s everyday suffering in astonishing language that will attract a wide range of readers. Highly recommended.
One mourns with Abu Toha as he asks his dead brother, “Will my bones find you when I die?” Highly recommended.
Bouzereau persuasively shows readers the substance behind De Palma’s style while revealing how he connected to these films as a young gay man.
This history of place and culture reads like a detective story. Certain to intrigue historians, cultural anthropologists, and general readers alike.
Zaki does well in not only pointing out problems but also showing how to build solutions for the current culture of cynicism. Many people have questions as they search for ways to make their lives and the world better. This book is one of the best written responses to that.
It’s hard to imagine anyone doing this sort of imaginative historical reconstruction better than Bayard, who did it superbly once before in Jackie & Me. A sometimes elegiac but mostly tragic recreation of one of the great what-ifs of literary history. Readers will find it difficult to put down.
This updated biography adds to the currency of Bush’s work and will interest her fans and fans of music biographies.
This compelling stand-alone fantasy explores both personal and societal costs of reliance on a dwindling resource.
This title is a crackling cap to the “Witch’s Compendium of Monsters” duology that’s ultimately about found family and the power of asking for help. Perfect for fans of Terry Pratchett and Delilah S. Dawson. Readers will gladly rush back to the grimy streets of Chernograd for more monstrous nights.
For readers curious about how museums work, this engaging new look at MoMA’s origins will whet appetites for further scholarship on these fascinating figures.
One doesn’t have to be a young mom to appreciate this hilarious look at family life in a big city. It should appeal to readers who enjoy Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Laurie Gelman, or Laura Zigman.
A much-needed thorough examination of modern urban crises and Richmond’s so-far limited efforts to improve the lives of its citizens.
In its future focus, this collection’s 140+ selected imaginings of hope and humor complement the 2021 COVID Chronicles anthology of stories set during the pandemic. Highly recommended for general and medical graphic novel collections and for libraries supporting comics art instruction.
For fans of Patricia Bradley and Nancy Mehl, this latest page-turning thriller from Hannon (the second in the “Undaunted Courage” series, after Into the Fire) will keep readers guessing until the end.
With a perfect blend of hundreds of entrancing images with descriptions, this highly recommended book encourages reflection on why tennis is such an alluring passion for millions of people worldwide. Pachelli’s odyssey is an inspiring one and shows that, although bound by the dimensional strictures of the game, tennis is like no other sport.
A recommended debut memoir, perfect for those interested in the intersection of golf, travel, and the complexity of the human spirit.
Yuzuki’s English-language debut is a hard-to-categorize but riveting listen that may appeal to fans of Kanae Minato’s Penance or Natsuo Kirino’s Out.
A knockout comedy of manners about sex, violence, and making blue movies in early 20th-century La La Land.
Fans of thrillers such as Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code and the movie National Treasure will fall in love with this title, which is even better than its predecessor.
Cardinal (The Storyteller’s Death) deftly blurs the boundaries between literary and relationship fiction, crafting a novel full of magical realism that unfolds with leisurely grace as it traces a plot that is deeply engaging. Swift yet reflective, intimate yet universal, this is a novel of deep rewards.
Lynch’s (Sally Brady’s Italian Adventure) story of an odyssey is one of love and determination. Pony devotes his life to finding Penny in an account that will be appreciated by horse lovers, especially women who were horse-loving young girls.
Munier excels at multiple storylines in character-driven mysteries. This follow-up to Home at Night has a complex story that weaves together The Odyssey with murders and an account of returning veterans, such as Mercy and Elvis, who experience PTSD.
The eighth in this excellent PI series (following An Empty Grave) also stands alone. Recommended for fans of detectives with a troubled past and a nose for crime.
A highly readable suspense novel in the style of Riley Sager, Alice Feeney, and Lisa Jewell, with a dash of Liane Moriarty thrown in for good measure.
Bowen is adept at writing mysteries filled with intriguing clues, satisfying solutions, expertly captured historical settings, and a little romance. A must-add to popular mystery collections.
Adams’s fans and devoted readers of this type of novel will not be disappointed, but there is also enough substance and intrigue to satisfy fans of more hardboiled mysteries. Even non-series readers can jump right in as Nora encounters her latest adventure.
Readers won’t be able to put down the third “Christmas Notch” story (following A Holly Jolly Ever After), a quirky, hot opposites-attract romance.
Christmas romance readers will rejoice with this latest from Cassidy (The Christmas Wager); it will have readers feeling that Christmas spirit, no matter the season.
This latest from Long (an LJ Best-Booked author) showcases her sharp skill for character detail, dialogue, pacing, and tone. A book to treasure.
Robb’s (This Spells Love) sophomore outing has a swoon-worthy romance that gets an extra kick with the unique supernatural twist.
Full of tongue-in-cheek humor, excellent dialogue, and fantastic characters, this expertly crafted story from Carter (The Blonde Identity) is a heart-melting rivals-to-lovers romance combined with a delightful locked-room mystery.
Readers who can’t resist that world-weary voice, enjoy SF/mystery capers such as Suzanne Palmer’s “Finder Chronicles” and the soldier stories of John Scalzi’s “Old Man’s War” series, or simply like their military SF with multiple twists will be thrilled by Butler’s latest misbegotten adventure.
The follow-up to The House in the Cerulean Sea is another heart-wrenching tale of being perceived as different, finding acceptance, and having a place in the world. Fans of Seanan McGuire’s “Wayward Children” series or the writings of Alix E. Harrow will especially want to pick up this duology for its emotional themes and Klune’s bittersweet prose.
Readers who fell hard for Hazel Beck’s “Witchlore” series and Ann Aguirre’s “Fix-It Witches” books will be thrilled with these turn-of-the-century sister-witches in Sivinski’s debut.
Clever, empathetic characters, an unusual world, and a rapidly paced story that keeps readers guessing will delight fans of Caruso’s (The Ivory Tomb) and create new ones.
To the oft-invoked online debate of man vs. bear, Tama offers a new question: man vs. bird. The magpie narrator offers more nuance and understanding to human relations than do most people. Chidgey (Pet) is a skilled storyteller and doesn’t stop surprising with this gorgeously haunting work. Endlessly faceted and highly recommended for book clubs.
A poignant, engaging, important, and personal perspective of the conflict between Israel and Palestine, in which Smolar cleverly combines political and historical aspects with elements of memoir.
Radclyffe’s riveting, moving memoir about his journey of self-discovery is a page-turner that reads like a novel.
Rooted in science but written in accessible language, this highly informative book is an enlightening resource about mental-health misinformation and pseudoscience.
Vitriolic, vulnerable, polemical and devastatingly funny, Russ’s uncompromising tour de force bristles with trenchant truth-telling that will make it a life-changing encounter for many readers. Essential.
The dark dreamlike veracity of Lim’s novel might be remindful of Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch, Murakami and Auster, but its moving and revelatory insights into the mysteries of human nature are wholly his own.
“Warm and human even as it’s post human,” as Jo Walton observes in her introduction, Reed’s remarkable debut skillfully blends mind-bending speculation with riveting intrigue, alluring romance and harrowing drama, set in a prescient de-souled future.
An extraordinary, incomparable work of world literature that requires and rewards multiple readings.
This novel in intricately crafted interconnected stories represents by far the most emotionally affecting and thematically rich entry in Shaw’s already-impressive body of work. Not to be missed.
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