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General Recommendations

September 2024 Staff Picks

By:

ChiPubLib_Adults

Chicago Public Library

Staff-created list

Check out this month's recommendations from Chicago Public Library. Visit our Books page for previous lists of recommendations.

By:

ChiPubLib_Adults

Chicago Public Library

19 items

19 items

Alien 3

Alien 3

by Cadigan, Pat

Paperback - 2022

Pat Cadigan's Alien3, based on an old original screenplay by William Gibson that, unfortunately, didn't make it to screen, puts to writing unaddressed gov...Show more Pat Cadigan's Alien3, based on an old original screenplay by William Gibson that, unfortunately, didn't make it to screen, puts to writing unaddressed governmental enigmas from the Alien films for fans to piece together as they wish. How did people find themselves confronting a mutable monster from outer space that no longer differentiates between the organic and the artificial and will not stop eradicating life? Scattered throughout the galaxy, the Union of Progressive Peoples, the crew of the Sulaco, and the Weyland-Yutani corporation come together and find themselves at ideological odds in their response to the maiming of humanity. Scientific experimentation on the alien for a cure? Complete extermination of it for defense? Cloning, towards the knowledge of nature? Gibson's dark humor comes through as the characters, confined to their respective work sites as manual laborers (in expected Alien fashion) try to fight off and escape a formidable Alien entity as the sole purpose of a job they didn't even sign up for. As things disintegrate, Alien3 has a hidden reserve to accommodate for a loss - that being a more informed notion of what's at stake, the very idea of the human understanding of home. Show less

Pat Cadigan's Alien3, based on an old original screenplay by William Gibson that, unfortunately, didn't make it to screen, puts to writing unaddressed gov...Show more Pat Cadigan's Alien3, based on an old original screenplay by William Gibson that, unfortunately, didn't make it to screen, puts to writing unaddressed governmental enigmas from the Alien films for fans to piece together as they wish. How did people find themselves confronting a mutable monster from outer space that no longer differentiates between the organic and the artificial and will not stop eradicating life? Scattered throughout the galaxy, the Union of Progressive Peoples, the crew of the Sulaco, and the Weyland-Yutani corporation come together and find themselves at ideological odds in their response to the maiming of humanity. Scientific experimentation on the alien for a cure? Complete extermination of it for defense? Cloning, towards the knowledge of nature? Gibson's dark humor comes through as the characters, confined to their respective work sites as manual laborers (in expected Alien fashion) try to fight off and escape a formidable Alien entity as the sole purpose of a job they didn't even sign up for. As things disintegrate, Alien3 has a hidden reserve to accommodate for a loss - that being a more informed notion of what's at stake, the very idea of the human understanding of home. Show less

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American Rapture

American Rapture

by Leede, Cj

Book - 20241015

There's no way to know exactly when the world will end. For Sophie, the end of the world came swiftly after finishing her penance and coming home to find ...Show more There's no way to know exactly when the world will end. For Sophie, the end of the world came swiftly after finishing her penance and coming home to find that her parents have become infected by a mysterious new disease, colloquially known as Sylvia. Under the strict control of her religious mother and father, Sophie led an incredibly sheltered life hidden away from most of the world, forcefully kept at a distance from her lovable rule-breaker of a twin brother. She was woefully uninformed and unprepared to confront the new disease that is tearing society apart: an infection that turns people into zombies with superhuman strength, filled with uncontrollable lust. As the new disease finally reaches her hometown and starts infecting those around her, Sophie is thrust into an apocalyptic Midwest landscape, armed with only a half-baked plan to find her twin. All at once Sophie must learn how to balance following the rigid Catholic rules ingrained into her since birth and the lawless, ominous new world taking shape around her. American Rapture touches on finding family outside of the one you were given at birth and forging your own path outside of what information has been given to you. Show less

There's no way to know exactly when the world will end. For Sophie, the end of the world came swiftly after finishing her penance and coming home to find ...Show more There's no way to know exactly when the world will end. For Sophie, the end of the world came swiftly after finishing her penance and coming home to find that her parents have become infected by a mysterious new disease, colloquially known as Sylvia. Under the strict control of her religious mother and father, Sophie led an incredibly sheltered life hidden away from most of the world, forcefully kept at a distance from her lovable rule-breaker of a twin brother. She was woefully uninformed and unprepared to confront the new disease that is tearing society apart: an infection that turns people into zombies with superhuman strength, filled with uncontrollable lust. As the new disease finally reaches her hometown and starts infecting those around her, Sophie is thrust into an apocalyptic Midwest landscape, armed with only a half-baked plan to find her twin. All at once Sophie must learn how to balance following the rigid Catholic rules ingrained into her since birth and the lawless, ominous new world taking shape around her. American Rapture touches on finding family outside of the one you were given at birth and forging your own path outside of what information has been given to you. Show less

On order Availability details Holds: 41 on 32 copies

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Autocracy, Inc

Autocracy, Inc

The Dictators Who Want to Run the World

by Applebaum, Anne

Book - 2024

Democracy was riding high during the 1990s. The Berlin Wall had fallen, and states of the former Soviet Union seemed to be moving toward open, democratic ...Show more Democracy was riding high during the 1990s. The Berlin Wall had fallen, and states of the former Soviet Union seemed to be moving toward open, democratic societies. Western democracies, most notably the United States and Great Britain, viewed the rapprochement as economic opportunity. Free trade would be a vehicle for freedom, more generally, to spread through these so-recently-autocratic societies. No one expected the needle to move in the other direction - that, instead of creeping democracy, the post-Soviet world would see creeping authoritarianism, and this is the topic of Applebaum's timely and terrifying look at autocratic countries around the world today. In these places, the very language of democracy, with its emphasis on transparency, accountability, and human rights, is anathema. The leaders of Russia, China, and Iran, just to name a few, do not abide the international order that the United States and Europe have led since the end of World War II. They do not play by the rules, even when the rules are treaties they themselves have signed. They have found - in obscure, complex financial instruments developed and sustained by the Western democracies - ways to divert money from aid organizations and state coffers into their own pockets, and if personal enrichment for themselves and their cronies is their primary goal, upending the international order is perhaps no less primary. They also help each other militarily and by creating a mafia-style shadow economy to subvert Western sanctions. While the author avoids a thorough description of today's autocratic movements in the United States (as this is beyond the scope of the book), readers may recognize a certain silent complicity, in the name of the dollar, that has given rise globally to Autocracy, Inc. Show less

Democracy was riding high during the 1990s. The Berlin Wall had fallen, and states of the former Soviet Union seemed to be moving toward open, democratic ...Show more Democracy was riding high during the 1990s. The Berlin Wall had fallen, and states of the former Soviet Union seemed to be moving toward open, democratic societies. Western democracies, most notably the United States and Great Britain, viewed the rapprochement as economic opportunity. Free trade would be a vehicle for freedom, more generally, to spread through these so-recently-autocratic societies. No one expected the needle to move in the other direction - that, instead of creeping democracy, the post-Soviet world would see creeping authoritarianism, and this is the topic of Applebaum's timely and terrifying look at autocratic countries around the world today. In these places, the very language of democracy, with its emphasis on transparency, accountability, and human rights, is anathema. The leaders of Russia, China, and Iran, just to name a few, do not abide the international order that the United States and Europe have led since the end of World War II. They do not play by the rules, even when the rules are treaties they themselves have signed. They have found - in obscure, complex financial instruments developed and sustained by the Western democracies - ways to divert money from aid organizations and state coffers into their own pockets, and if personal enrichment for themselves and their cronies is their primary goal, upending the international order is perhaps no less primary. They also help each other militarily and by creating a mafia-style shadow economy to subvert Western sanctions. While the author avoids a thorough description of today's autocratic movements in the United States (as this is beyond the scope of the book), readers may recognize a certain silent complicity, in the name of the dollar, that has given rise globally to Autocracy, Inc. Show less

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The Axeman's Carnival

The Axeman's Carnival

A Novel

by Chidgey, Catherine

Paperback - 2024

New Zealand novelist Chidgey's extraordinary latest features an unusual narrator: Tama, a magpie. Settle in, readers, because Tama has quite the tale to t...Show more New Zealand novelist Chidgey's extraordinary latest features an unusual narrator: Tama, a magpie. Settle in, readers, because Tama has quite the tale to tell in this clever, suspenseful domestic drama. Marnie rescued Tama as a chick and sets him up in a room that was meant for a baby that never arrived. Though the strange arrangement works for both Tama and Marnie, Tama's bird family, who reside in the wild, are bewildered and alarmed with Tama's choice to reside with humans. Marnie's husband, Rob, is less enthused about cohabitating with a bird, and there is something not right in Marnie and Rob's home life. As evidenced in her previous novel, Pet, Chidgey is very adept at building foreboding and tension. This is an often humorous but deeply serious and satisfying novel. Show less

New Zealand novelist Chidgey's extraordinary latest features an unusual narrator: Tama, a magpie. Settle in, readers, because Tama has quite the tale to t...Show more New Zealand novelist Chidgey's extraordinary latest features an unusual narrator: Tama, a magpie. Settle in, readers, because Tama has quite the tale to tell in this clever, suspenseful domestic drama. Marnie rescued Tama as a chick and sets him up in a room that was meant for a baby that never arrived. Though the strange arrangement works for both Tama and Marnie, Tama's bird family, who reside in the wild, are bewildered and alarmed with Tama's choice to reside with humans. Marnie's husband, Rob, is less enthused about cohabitating with a bird, and there is something not right in Marnie and Rob's home life. As evidenced in her previous novel, Pet, Chidgey is very adept at building foreboding and tension. This is an often humorous but deeply serious and satisfying novel. Show less

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Becoming Earth

Becoming Earth

How Our Planet Came to Life

by Jabr, Ferris

Book - 2023

In science writer Jabr's debut book, he roams throughout billion of years of Earth history to help us appreciate just how active a role life takes in quit...Show more In science writer Jabr's debut book, he roams throughout billion of years of Earth history to help us appreciate just how active a role life takes in quite literally shaping the environment. Across three sections covering rock, water, and air, he touches on a variety of fascinating topics. He looks at efforts to revitalize the world's climate-threatened steppe regions, meeting Russian scientists who are applying lessons from the era of the wooly mammoths who once thrived there. He looks at the state of the planet's soil and the imperiled future of farming, the amazing foles of plankton and seaweed, and the challenge of ubiquitous plastics which, in places, are fusing with rock as "plastiglomerates" and entering the fossil record. He explores the weirdly powerful role that microbes play in Earth's weather system, visiting a gigantic tower at a science station in the Amazon to witness these rainmakers in action. He looks at the unique role that fire plays on our planet with its oxygen-rich atmosphere, as well as the movement to restore forest management practices inherited from indigenous traditions. And he also writes effectively about the devastating threat of continued oil and natural gas use. Even readers who snoozed through (or flunked) their high school Earth science class may find their sense of wonder awakened by Jabr's curiosity and gift for explanation. Show less

In science writer Jabr's debut book, he roams throughout billion of years of Earth history to help us appreciate just how active a role life takes in quit...Show more In science writer Jabr's debut book, he roams throughout billion of years of Earth history to help us appreciate just how active a role life takes in quite literally shaping the environment. Across three sections covering rock, water, and air, he touches on a variety of fascinating topics. He looks at efforts to revitalize the world's climate-threatened steppe regions, meeting Russian scientists who are applying lessons from the era of the wooly mammoths who once thrived there. He looks at the state of the planet's soil and the imperiled future of farming, the amazing foles of plankton and seaweed, and the challenge of ubiquitous plastics which, in places, are fusing with rock as "plastiglomerates" and entering the fossil record. He explores the weirdly powerful role that microbes play in Earth's weather system, visiting a gigantic tower at a science station in the Amazon to witness these rainmakers in action. He looks at the unique role that fire plays on our planet with its oxygen-rich atmosphere, as well as the movement to restore forest management practices inherited from indigenous traditions. And he also writes effectively about the devastating threat of continued oil and natural gas use. Even readers who snoozed through (or flunked) their high school Earth science class may find their sense of wonder awakened by Jabr's curiosity and gift for explanation. Show less

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Blue Sisters

Blue Sisters

A Novel

by Mellors, Coco

Book - 2024

The Blue Sisters were always one of four until their sister, Nicky, is found dead in the family's NYC apartment. We meet the remaining sisters (Avery, Bon...Show more The Blue Sisters were always one of four until their sister, Nicky, is found dead in the family's NYC apartment. We meet the remaining sisters (Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky) a year after Nicky's death. Each sister has escaped the reality of their sister's death in their own way. The eldest, Avery, once a heroin addict and now a wealthy lawyer living in London, is slowly spiraling out of control while trying to mother her two younger sisters from afar. Bonnie, the once promising internationally ranked boxer, has quit boxing and run off to LA to work as a bouncer. And Lucky, the youngest, an international model, is finding herself with no job prospects after her partying ways catch up to her at a fashion fitting. They've spent the year in the aftermath of Nicky's death ignoring one another, keeping secrets from one another, and processing her death in their own destructive way...until an email arrives from their mother explaining that she's going to sell the NYC apartment where they grew up and will toss any of Nicky's remaining things unless the sisters want to come get them themselves. And get them they do, with a lot of fighting, growing up, breaking down, and loving one another along the way. Told in varying viewpoints over the course of their lives, Blue Sisters is an incredible novel about sisterhood, family, addiction, and the internalized anxiety that you're never going to live up to your potential. Show less

The Blue Sisters were always one of four until their sister, Nicky, is found dead in the family's NYC apartment. We meet the remaining sisters (Avery, Bon...Show more The Blue Sisters were always one of four until their sister, Nicky, is found dead in the family's NYC apartment. We meet the remaining sisters (Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky) a year after Nicky's death. Each sister has escaped the reality of their sister's death in their own way. The eldest, Avery, once a heroin addict and now a wealthy lawyer living in London, is slowly spiraling out of control while trying to mother her two younger sisters from afar. Bonnie, the once promising internationally ranked boxer, has quit boxing and run off to LA to work as a bouncer. And Lucky, the youngest, an international model, is finding herself with no job prospects after her partying ways catch up to her at a fashion fitting. They've spent the year in the aftermath of Nicky's death ignoring one another, keeping secrets from one another, and processing her death in their own destructive way...until an email arrives from their mother explaining that she's going to sell the NYC apartment where they grew up and will toss any of Nicky's remaining things unless the sisters want to come get them themselves. And get them they do, with a lot of fighting, growing up, breaking down, and loving one another along the way. Told in varying viewpoints over the course of their lives, Blue Sisters is an incredible novel about sisterhood, family, addiction, and the internalized anxiety that you're never going to live up to your potential. Show less

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Butcher

Butcher

Father of Modern Gyno-psychiatry

by Oates, Joyce Carol

Book - 2024

Not for the squeamish, Oates's new novel out-gores the most extreme horror. Based on actual medical diaries, it tells of the rise and fall of Silas Weir, ...Show more Not for the squeamish, Oates's new novel out-gores the most extreme horror. Based on actual medical diaries, it tells of the rise and fall of Silas Weir, the father of what was known as "gyno-psychiatry." A violent and disturbing look at the way poor women were treated by the medical establishment as well as the inhumane treatment of the mentally ill, it's recommended for fans of horror, true crime, and slasher films. Show less

Not for the squeamish, Oates's new novel out-gores the most extreme horror. Based on actual medical diaries, it tells of the rise and fall of Silas Weir, ...Show more Not for the squeamish, Oates's new novel out-gores the most extreme horror. Based on actual medical diaries, it tells of the rise and fall of Silas Weir, the father of what was known as "gyno-psychiatry." A violent and disturbing look at the way poor women were treated by the medical establishment as well as the inhumane treatment of the mentally ill, it's recommended for fans of horror, true crime, and slasher films. Show less

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The Dead Cat Tail Assassins

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins

by Clark, P. Djèlí

Book - 2024

Eevee is dead. Or, to be more clear, she is undead. She has no memory as to who she was in life. All she knows is that she signed her soul away to the god...Show more Eevee is dead. Or, to be more clear, she is undead. She has no memory as to who she was in life. All she knows is that she signed her soul away to the goddess of assassins and is bound to serve in death. Supernaturally powerful and agile, she moves through the city at night, fulfilling assassination contracts for her guild. Then one day the impossible happens: she is about to strike a killing blow when she has a memory involving the person she is about to kill. Having a memory of your previous life breaks all of the rules and protocols. It shouldn't even be possible. So instead of killing her mark she drags her along with her, leaving shocking repercussions in her wake. But she has breached one of the unbreakable rules in not carrying out her contract, and the consequences will be earth-shattering if she does not resolve this. Now being pursued doggedly by her own comrades, she must find a path between ruining her own life and bring down godly vengeance on her guild because of an unfulfilled contract. The longer she resists fulfilling this contract, the worse things get, but she has to solve the mystery. This is a fun, action-packed adventure that's fast-paced with interesting characters, witty banter and diverse world-building. The author explores some classic fantasy themes with time travel, sorcery and a touch of steampunk but keeps it highly readable with great writing. Show less

Eevee is dead. Or, to be more clear, she is undead. She has no memory as to who she was in life. All she knows is that she signed her soul away to the god...Show more Eevee is dead. Or, to be more clear, she is undead. She has no memory as to who she was in life. All she knows is that she signed her soul away to the goddess of assassins and is bound to serve in death. Supernaturally powerful and agile, she moves through the city at night, fulfilling assassination contracts for her guild. Then one day the impossible happens: she is about to strike a killing blow when she has a memory involving the person she is about to kill. Having a memory of your previous life breaks all of the rules and protocols. It shouldn't even be possible. So instead of killing her mark she drags her along with her, leaving shocking repercussions in her wake. But she has breached one of the unbreakable rules in not carrying out her contract, and the consequences will be earth-shattering if she does not resolve this. Now being pursued doggedly by her own comrades, she must find a path between ruining her own life and bring down godly vengeance on her guild because of an unfulfilled contract. The longer she resists fulfilling this contract, the worse things get, but she has to solve the mystery. This is a fun, action-packed adventure that's fast-paced with interesting characters, witty banter and diverse world-building. The author explores some classic fantasy themes with time travel, sorcery and a touch of steampunk but keeps it highly readable with great writing. Show less

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Dogland

Dogland

Passion, Glory, and Lots of Slobber at the Westminster Dog Show

by Tomlinson, Tommy

Book - 2024

Did you know that show dogs barely generate any income? Did you know that show dogs really do not do much, mostly standing doing nothing? Did you know tha...Show more Did you know that show dogs barely generate any income? Did you know that show dogs really do not do much, mostly standing doing nothing? Did you know that show dogs essentially attend boarding school with trainers just as the children of the elite owners do? These facts and many hilarious anecdotes can be found in Dogland. Anyone who loves dogs will chuckle as they follow the path of Striker the show-winning Samoyed. Enter the wild and warped world of serious dog people and their companions, an entertaining ride. Show less

Did you know that show dogs barely generate any income? Did you know that show dogs really do not do much, mostly standing doing nothing? Did you know tha...Show more Did you know that show dogs barely generate any income? Did you know that show dogs really do not do much, mostly standing doing nothing? Did you know that show dogs essentially attend boarding school with trainers just as the children of the elite owners do? These facts and many hilarious anecdotes can be found in Dogland. Anyone who loves dogs will chuckle as they follow the path of Striker the show-winning Samoyed. Enter the wild and warped world of serious dog people and their companions, an entertaining ride. Show less

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The Friday Afternoon Club

The Friday Afternoon Club

A Family Memoir

by Dunne, Griffin

Book - 2024

Dunne's entertaining and poignant memoir of his privileged childhood among the Hollywood elite is dishy while exhibiting surprising depth. Griffin, the so...Show more Dunne's entertaining and poignant memoir of his privileged childhood among the Hollywood elite is dishy while exhibiting surprising depth. Griffin, the son of Dominick Dunne, nephew of Joan Didion, and best friend of Carrie Fisher, as well as an actor and producer himself, offers up cinematically told anecdotes featuring the rich and famous that alone would make this worth reading. There's also darker family history: his parents' turbulent marriage, his closeted gay father's drinking, a mentally ill brother and the violent murder of his sister, Dominique, in 1982 by an ex-boyfriend. Dunne is a gifted storyteller - funny, detailed, candid and engaging - and has written one of 2024's best memoirs. Show less

Dunne's entertaining and poignant memoir of his privileged childhood among the Hollywood elite is dishy while exhibiting surprising depth. Griffin, the so...Show more Dunne's entertaining and poignant memoir of his privileged childhood among the Hollywood elite is dishy while exhibiting surprising depth. Griffin, the son of Dominick Dunne, nephew of Joan Didion, and best friend of Carrie Fisher, as well as an actor and producer himself, offers up cinematically told anecdotes featuring the rich and famous that alone would make this worth reading. There's also darker family history: his parents' turbulent marriage, his closeted gay father's drinking, a mentally ill brother and the violent murder of his sister, Dominique, in 1982 by an ex-boyfriend. Dunne is a gifted storyteller - funny, detailed, candid and engaging - and has written one of 2024's best memoirs. Show less

All copies in use Availability details Holds: 97 on 39 copies

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Liars

Liars

A Novel

by Manguso, Sarah

Book - 2024

Manguso's searing novel about a collapsing marriage resembles a sort of diary following the relationship the narrator, Jane, has with John, both working a...Show more Manguso's searing novel about a collapsing marriage resembles a sort of diary following the relationship the narrator, Jane, has with John, both working artists when they meet. She's a writer; he's a filmmaker and painter. The red flags begin almost immediately. Early in the relationship, he encourages her to apply for a fellowship that he's also applying for. When she's awarded the fellowship and he isn't, he feigns support, but a series of passive aggressive actions indicate otherwise. We witness Jane's autonomy and power quickly eroding as she has a child, and John moves the family several times to start professional ventures that mostly end in failure. We know from the outset that this is not a story with a happy ending, and readers can't look away as the toxic relationship unfolds. Manguso's pointed, blistering prose is masterful. "Then I married a man, as women do. My life became archetypal, a drag show of nuclear familyhood," Jane notes. "I floated face down in housewifery," she ruminates. Manguso's primal scream in the face of patriarchy leaves John completely eviscerated by the end, but readers will have also gleaned that Jane is not infallible in this blazing, unputdownable wallop of a novel. Show less

Manguso's searing novel about a collapsing marriage resembles a sort of diary following the relationship the narrator, Jane, has with John, both working a...Show more Manguso's searing novel about a collapsing marriage resembles a sort of diary following the relationship the narrator, Jane, has with John, both working artists when they meet. She's a writer; he's a filmmaker and painter. The red flags begin almost immediately. Early in the relationship, he encourages her to apply for a fellowship that he's also applying for. When she's awarded the fellowship and he isn't, he feigns support, but a series of passive aggressive actions indicate otherwise. We witness Jane's autonomy and power quickly eroding as she has a child, and John moves the family several times to start professional ventures that mostly end in failure. We know from the outset that this is not a story with a happy ending, and readers can't look away as the toxic relationship unfolds. Manguso's pointed, blistering prose is masterful. "Then I married a man, as women do. My life became archetypal, a drag show of nuclear familyhood," Jane notes. "I floated face down in housewifery," she ruminates. Manguso's primal scream in the face of patriarchy leaves John completely eviscerated by the end, but readers will have also gleaned that Jane is not infallible in this blazing, unputdownable wallop of a novel. Show less

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The Night Guest

The Night Guest

by Hildur Knútsdóttir

Book - 2024

Every morning, Iðunn wakes up completely exhausted. She is young and doesn't push herself physically, yet no doctors are able to diagnose her severe fatig...Show more Every morning, Iðunn wakes up completely exhausted. She is young and doesn't push herself physically, yet no doctors are able to diagnose her severe fatigue, sore muscles and aching feet. To gain some semblance of control over her situation, Iðunn begins tracking her steps with a smart watch and discovers she has been walking over 40,000 steps a night while she sleeps. What began as a curious nightly habit becomes a terrifying ordeal when Iðunn wakes up each morning not just with fatigue, but also with injuries and blood on her hands that is not her own. Iðunn avoids confronting her mysterious ailment once it becomes too frightening to take on alone and strains to keep her nightly activities a secret. Just as much as her body operates totally outside her control when she sleeps, her waking mind becomes an enemy in its own right. She pushes herself in increasingly desperate attempts to quell the force taking control of her. Every solution she uses to stop the entity controlling her body fails; she wakes up the following morning with injuries that can only be described as punishment for trying to keep the entity locked inside. As Iðunn deprives herself of sleep and isolates herself from her work, family, and friends, her mental state only deteriorates further. The result of her confusion and fear is a chilling ending in which Iðunn must come face-to-face with every action she's taken, asleep and awake, over the past months while her life slipped away from underneath her. Show less

Every morning, Iðunn wakes up completely exhausted. She is young and doesn't push herself physically, yet no doctors are able to diagnose her severe fatig...Show more Every morning, Iðunn wakes up completely exhausted. She is young and doesn't push herself physically, yet no doctors are able to diagnose her severe fatigue, sore muscles and aching feet. To gain some semblance of control over her situation, Iðunn begins tracking her steps with a smart watch and discovers she has been walking over 40,000 steps a night while she sleeps. What began as a curious nightly habit becomes a terrifying ordeal when Iðunn wakes up each morning not just with fatigue, but also with injuries and blood on her hands that is not her own. Iðunn avoids confronting her mysterious ailment once it becomes too frightening to take on alone and strains to keep her nightly activities a secret. Just as much as her body operates totally outside her control when she sleeps, her waking mind becomes an enemy in its own right. She pushes herself in increasingly desperate attempts to quell the force taking control of her. Every solution she uses to stop the entity controlling her body fails; she wakes up the following morning with injuries that can only be described as punishment for trying to keep the entity locked inside. As Iðunn deprives herself of sleep and isolates herself from her work, family, and friends, her mental state only deteriorates further. The result of her confusion and fear is a chilling ending in which Iðunn must come face-to-face with every action she's taken, asleep and awake, over the past months while her life slipped away from underneath her. Show less

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Nosy Neighbors

Nosy Neighbors

by Sampson, Freya

Book - 2024

When Dorothy Darling spies a new younger resident, Kat, moving into Shelley House, her apartment building, she senses trouble. Dorothy, after all, knows e...Show more When Dorothy Darling spies a new younger resident, Kat, moving into Shelley House, her apartment building, she senses trouble. Dorothy, after all, knows everything that happens at Shelley House after documenting all the activity of its residents for decades. But what Dorothy doesn't know is that the trouble has only begun. As residents from Shelley House learn that their building is up for demolition, they attempt to band together, only to have more bad things happen to them along the way. What starts as a minor mystery of who knocked out a resident evolves into the larger mystery of who's behind the demolition. Dorothy and Kat, as seen through their alternating perspectives, find themselves at the middle of the mystery while also revealing to each other parts of themselves that they haven't confronted for years. Relationships among their community begin to evolve as examination of past traumas start to band people together in a way that helps them find themselves whether they want to or not. For fans of The Thursday Murder Club series or amateur sleuth fiction. Show less

When Dorothy Darling spies a new younger resident, Kat, moving into Shelley House, her apartment building, she senses trouble. Dorothy, after all, knows e...Show more When Dorothy Darling spies a new younger resident, Kat, moving into Shelley House, her apartment building, she senses trouble. Dorothy, after all, knows everything that happens at Shelley House after documenting all the activity of its residents for decades. But what Dorothy doesn't know is that the trouble has only begun. As residents from Shelley House learn that their building is up for demolition, they attempt to band together, only to have more bad things happen to them along the way. What starts as a minor mystery of who knocked out a resident evolves into the larger mystery of who's behind the demolition. Dorothy and Kat, as seen through their alternating perspectives, find themselves at the middle of the mystery while also revealing to each other parts of themselves that they haven't confronted for years. Relationships among their community begin to evolve as examination of past traumas start to band people together in a way that helps them find themselves whether they want to or not. For fans of The Thursday Murder Club series or amateur sleuth fiction. Show less

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Sandwich

Sandwich

by Newman, Catherine

Book - 2024

Empty nester Rocky is eagerly anticipating her family's annual vacation at a beloved beach cottage in Cape Cod, and simultaneously can't help dreading its...Show more Empty nester Rocky is eagerly anticipating her family's annual vacation at a beloved beach cottage in Cape Cod, and simultaneously can't help dreading its inevitable end. A 54-year-old writer, Rocky is joined at the cottage by her aging parents, her cheerful husband Nick, her two successfully launched adult children, Willa and Jamie, Jamie's girlfriend Maya. Rocky has always suffered from "anticipatory grief," but the proximity of her loved ones in the tiny beach house, combined with symptoms of menopause, are pushing her emotions into overdrive. Every item in the cottage and landmark in the town evoke a memory. Her parents' increasing frailness adds to the stress levels. When Maya reveals an unplanned pregnancy, Rocky begins to dwell on a difficult secret from her past, and her descent into pathos threatens to spill over into the present. Fans of Emily Henry and Claire Lombardo will enjoy this funny meditation on the pressures faced by the generation caring for both children and parents. Show less

Empty nester Rocky is eagerly anticipating her family's annual vacation at a beloved beach cottage in Cape Cod, and simultaneously can't help dreading its...Show more Empty nester Rocky is eagerly anticipating her family's annual vacation at a beloved beach cottage in Cape Cod, and simultaneously can't help dreading its inevitable end. A 54-year-old writer, Rocky is joined at the cottage by her aging parents, her cheerful husband Nick, her two successfully launched adult children, Willa and Jamie, Jamie's girlfriend Maya. Rocky has always suffered from "anticipatory grief," but the proximity of her loved ones in the tiny beach house, combined with symptoms of menopause, are pushing her emotions into overdrive. Every item in the cottage and landmark in the town evoke a memory. Her parents' increasing frailness adds to the stress levels. When Maya reveals an unplanned pregnancy, Rocky begins to dwell on a difficult secret from her past, and her descent into pathos threatens to spill over into the present. Fans of Emily Henry and Claire Lombardo will enjoy this funny meditation on the pressures faced by the generation caring for both children and parents. Show less

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A Sorceress Comes to Call

A Sorceress Comes to Call

by Kingfisher, T.

Book - 2024

Cordelia has lived a sheltered life. Kept mostly at home by her mother, her only real friend is their work horse, Falada. Spending her days toiling away i...Show more Cordelia has lived a sheltered life. Kept mostly at home by her mother, her only real friend is their work horse, Falada. Spending her days toiling away in their tiny house, Cordelia can't even close a door and have a moment to herself without being punished for insolence. But Cordelia's mother isn't just an everyday overly controlling parent. She is a sorceress, and not the benevolent kind. The moment Cordelia steps out of line, her mother takes control of her body and has her do her bidding, like a puppet. Cordelia is constantly walking on egg shells to try and avoid the horror of being possessed. When Cordelia is suddenly thrust from her sheltered life into high society in order to find a husband, it sets her world upside down. She can barely cope with the extra expectations of charming her hosts, observing social rules and trying to attract a rich husband. Now that she has so many new and interesting people she is forced to interact with, Cordelia has the chance to try and make allies. Meanwhile, Hester is the lady of her house. She has never married and is comfortable in her bachelorette ways - that is, until Cordelia and her mother come to stay. They are fortune-hunters trying to marry into the family and throw Hester's comfortable life out the window in the process. As Hester and Cordelia become unlikely allies they must try and find a way to fend off this powerful sorceress one way or another. Kingfisher uses a pleasing mix of dark fantasy and Regency style social pressures to put a very unique twist on the classic Goose Girl fairy tale. This woman-driven story is full of likeable and engaging characters and would be perfect for fans of retellings or fans of more accessible fantasy. Show less

Cordelia has lived a sheltered life. Kept mostly at home by her mother, her only real friend is their work horse, Falada. Spending her days toiling away i...Show more Cordelia has lived a sheltered life. Kept mostly at home by her mother, her only real friend is their work horse, Falada. Spending her days toiling away in their tiny house, Cordelia can't even close a door and have a moment to herself without being punished for insolence. But Cordelia's mother isn't just an everyday overly controlling parent. She is a sorceress, and not the benevolent kind. The moment Cordelia steps out of line, her mother takes control of her body and has her do her bidding, like a puppet. Cordelia is constantly walking on egg shells to try and avoid the horror of being possessed. When Cordelia is suddenly thrust from her sheltered life into high society in order to find a husband, it sets her world upside down. She can barely cope with the extra expectations of charming her hosts, observing social rules and trying to attract a rich husband. Now that she has so many new and interesting people she is forced to interact with, Cordelia has the chance to try and make allies. Meanwhile, Hester is the lady of her house. She has never married and is comfortable in her bachelorette ways - that is, until Cordelia and her mother come to stay. They are fortune-hunters trying to marry into the family and throw Hester's comfortable life out the window in the process. As Hester and Cordelia become unlikely allies they must try and find a way to fend off this powerful sorceress one way or another. Kingfisher uses a pleasing mix of dark fantasy and Regency style social pressures to put a very unique twist on the classic Goose Girl fairy tale. This woman-driven story is full of likeable and engaging characters and would be perfect for fans of retellings or fans of more accessible fantasy. Show less

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The Truth According to Ember

The Truth According to Ember

by Nava, Danica

Paperback - 2024

Ember Lee Cardinal has a seemingly simple dream: to become an accountant and quit her job at the bowling alley cleaning the often-clogged men's room toile...Show more Ember Lee Cardinal has a seemingly simple dream: to become an accountant and quit her job at the bowling alley cleaning the often-clogged men's room toilets. But, time after time, her applications for corporate jobs are denied. At the end of her rope, Ember deploys a tiny little deception: she lists white as her race on job applications rather than proudly claiming her Chickasaw roots. Ember successfully fudges the truth and talks her way into a job in downtown Oklahoma City at a fancy tech startup where she meets fellow Native American (and hottest IT guy on Earth) Danuwoa. Danuwoa doesn't seem to mind Ember's little lies. Keeping their budding relationship under wraps at work is stressful, but also a little sexy. Bigger lies follow when a sleazy executive discovers the workplace romance and begins blackmailing Ember. Can she keep juggling all these half-truths or will she lose both the career and love she's worked so hard to find? Debut author Danica Nava offers a steamy story that never feels too issue-heavy while still addressing Ember's relatable family drama, workplace microaggressions and experiences of racism. It's funny, upbeat and a delight for contemporary rom-com readers. Show less

Ember Lee Cardinal has a seemingly simple dream: to become an accountant and quit her job at the bowling alley cleaning the often-clogged men's room toile...Show more Ember Lee Cardinal has a seemingly simple dream: to become an accountant and quit her job at the bowling alley cleaning the often-clogged men's room toilets. But, time after time, her applications for corporate jobs are denied. At the end of her rope, Ember deploys a tiny little deception: she lists white as her race on job applications rather than proudly claiming her Chickasaw roots. Ember successfully fudges the truth and talks her way into a job in downtown Oklahoma City at a fancy tech startup where she meets fellow Native American (and hottest IT guy on Earth) Danuwoa. Danuwoa doesn't seem to mind Ember's little lies. Keeping their budding relationship under wraps at work is stressful, but also a little sexy. Bigger lies follow when a sleazy executive discovers the workplace romance and begins blackmailing Ember. Can she keep juggling all these half-truths or will she lose both the career and love she's worked so hard to find? Debut author Danica Nava offers a steamy story that never feels too issue-heavy while still addressing Ember's relatable family drama, workplace microaggressions and experiences of racism. It's funny, upbeat and a delight for contemporary rom-com readers. Show less

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Undue Burden

Undue Burden

Life-and-death Decisions in Post-Roe America

by Luthra, Shefali

Book - 2024

At turns heart-breaking, enraging, and inspiring, this is a necessary book for anyone looking to gain a greater understanding of the current status of abo...Show more At turns heart-breaking, enraging, and inspiring, this is a necessary book for anyone looking to gain a greater understanding of the current status of abortion rights and women's healthcare in America, and how we got here. The author intersperses her reporting on the history of Roe v. Wade and the current legal battles with stories of people trying to navigate the constantly changing status of women's reproductive health care in their home states. The stories of these men, women and children attempting to make hard decisions under time limits and without vital support are heartbreaking and drive home the cruelty of these laws. This is a well-written and accessible book about a complicated subject that will play a huge role in United States elections this year and for years to come. Show less

At turns heart-breaking, enraging, and inspiring, this is a necessary book for anyone looking to gain a greater understanding of the current status of abo...Show more At turns heart-breaking, enraging, and inspiring, this is a necessary book for anyone looking to gain a greater understanding of the current status of abortion rights and women's healthcare in America, and how we got here. The author intersperses her reporting on the history of Roe v. Wade and the current legal battles with stories of people trying to navigate the constantly changing status of women's reproductive health care in their home states. The stories of these men, women and children attempting to make hard decisions under time limits and without vital support are heartbreaking and drive home the cruelty of these laws. This is a well-written and accessible book about a complicated subject that will play a huge role in United States elections this year and for years to come. Show less

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Weird Black Girls

Weird Black Girls

Stories

by Cotman, Elwin

Paperback - 2024

Cotman's second short story collection is masterfully written, but the title is a bit of a misnomer. Many of his stories are surrounding Black men, not gi...Show more Cotman's second short story collection is masterfully written, but the title is a bit of a misnomer. Many of his stories are surrounding Black men, not girls, but "weird" is definitely the right word to describe the stories contained in these pages (in a positive way, of course). Mostly set in present-day or near-future Boston, Cotman's magical realism is subtle, a blink-and-you'll-miss-it type of fantasy that demands your attention. In one of the stories, a LARPing tournament attracts a real-life fantastical being. In another story, a queer romance involves time travelling and the real-life actress Caitlin Clarke from Dragonslayer. Cotman's writing is challenging but dripping with talent. Fans of Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah and Karen Russell will enjoy these weird and wonderful tales that take on not only a magical but a culturally relevant angle about contemporary Black life in America. Show less

Cotman's second short story collection is masterfully written, but the title is a bit of a misnomer. Many of his stories are surrounding Black men, not gi...Show more Cotman's second short story collection is masterfully written, but the title is a bit of a misnomer. Many of his stories are surrounding Black men, not girls, but "weird" is definitely the right word to describe the stories contained in these pages (in a positive way, of course). Mostly set in present-day or near-future Boston, Cotman's magical realism is subtle, a blink-and-you'll-miss-it type of fantasy that demands your attention. In one of the stories, a LARPing tournament attracts a real-life fantastical being. In another story, a queer romance involves time travelling and the real-life actress Caitlin Clarke from Dragonslayer. Cotman's writing is challenging but dripping with talent. Fans of Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah and Karen Russell will enjoy these weird and wonderful tales that take on not only a magical but a culturally relevant angle about contemporary Black life in America. Show less

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You Like It Darker

You Like It Darker

by King, Stephen

Book - 2024

This collection of short stories by Stephen King is proof that the author keeps getting better with age. Varying in length from just a few pages to a nove...Show more This collection of short stories by Stephen King is proof that the author keeps getting better with age. Varying in length from just a few pages to a novella, each tale explores the unsettling side of things thought previously to be mundane. "On Slide Inn Road" is a chilling homage to Flannery O'Connor's story "A Good Man is Hard to Find" while "Willie the Weirdo" is a crisp horror classic. While each story stands on its own, making this an excellent introduction for the unfamiliar King reader, "Rattlesnakes" is technically a sequel to Cujo, giving old fans a unique perspective on what happens to the surviving characters when a horror story is over. The answer? More horror. Show less

This collection of short stories by Stephen King is proof that the author keeps getting better with age. Varying in length from just a few pages to a nove...Show more This collection of short stories by Stephen King is proof that the author keeps getting better with age. Varying in length from just a few pages to a novella, each tale explores the unsettling side of things thought previously to be mundane. "On Slide Inn Road" is a chilling homage to Flannery O'Connor's story "A Good Man is Hard to Find" while "Willie the Weirdo" is a crisp horror classic. While each story stands on its own, making this an excellent introduction for the unfamiliar King reader, "Rattlesnakes" is technically a sequel to Cujo, giving old fans a unique perspective on what happens to the surviving characters when a horror story is over. The answer? More horror. Show less

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