Read on for a list of books I recommend and links to my full reviews.
She Who Knows by Nnedi Okorafor
“In the exciting coming-of-age novella She Who Knows by Nnedi Okorafor, young Najeeba refuses to follow the rules laid down for women in her desert community.”
Where the Forest Meets the River by Shannon Bowring
“Where the Forest Meets the River is a gorgeous, poignant drive through the sun and shadow of shared grief in small-town Maine. Shannon Bowring deftly brings to life a collection of characters as they struggle with the long-term impact of Bridget Theroux's death by suicide, which happened in Bowring's first novel, The Road to Dalton.”
Ambition Monster by Jennifer Romolini
“Jennifer Romolini's Ambition Monster is an admirably truthful portrait of how easy it is to fall into the status-chasing trap and how hard it is to turn instead toward personal fulfillment.”
Lost Ark Dreaming by Suyi Davies Okungbowa
“For fans of genre benders, dystopia, and stories of great humanity, Lost Ark Dreaming is a feast of meaning. The novella may be short, but Okungbowa achieves a feat of compression. Readers will be drawn into a fast-paced story set in an intensely imagined world of science, spirits, and poetry.”
Allow Me to Introduce Myself by Onyi Nwabineli
“Allow Me to Introduce Myself by Onyi Nwabineli (Someday, Maybe) is truly a wild ride. Protagonist Aṅụrị grew up the star of her stepmother's "momfluencer" content and now she's desperate to save her sister from the same emotional wreckage she struggles with.”
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
“Leigh Bardugo (Six of Crows, Ninth House) is a reliable fantasy powerhouse…”
Better by Far by Hazel Hayes
“Humor and heartbreak are a powerful combination, one that Irish writer and director Hazel Hayes (Out of Love) deftly delivers in Better by Far, a novel about love, loss, and breakups.”
What Grows in the Dark by Jaq Evans
“This horror debut brings the thrills and emotional complexity that crown the tradition. Jaq Evans's What Grows in the Dark includes all the elements that appeal to readers of the darkest genre—plus a few bonus extras.”
Feeding Ghosts by Tessa Hulls
“It's a rare author who brings into clear focus the ever-shifting complexities of mother-daughter relationships. Feeding Ghosts, a graphic memoir by Tessa Hulls, covers the nesting-doll lives of three generations of women.”
In Ascension by Martin MacInnes
“It's a rare joy to find such raw feelings of awe conveyed through several hundred pages.”
The Age of Revolutions by Nathan Perl-Rosenthal
“In The Age of Revolutions: And the Generations Who Made It, historian Nathan Perl-Rosenthal thoughtfully reevaluates the seven decades between 1760 and 1825 that broke empires and incubated new ideologies.”
The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers
“In Georgia Summers's debut novel, The City of Stardust, Violet Everly is the kind of fantasy protagonist who lives up to genre standards while also managing to push the boundaries.”
All I See is Violence by Angie Elita Newell
“Angie Elita Newell's All I See Is Violence is a historical novel about the Battle of Little Bighorn, colonization, and its cultural aftermath.”
Alice Sadie Celine by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright
“The complex, flawed characters and their fraught relationships with one another shine in Alice Sadie Celine by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright (Red Riding Hood). The three titular women immediately draw readers into their exquisitely messy lives.”
The Lean Micro Farm by Ben Hartman
“There are few things more Zen than reading a great gardening book.”
Stress Resets by Jennifer L. Taitz
“In Stress Resets: How to Soothe Your Body and Mind in Minutes, psychologist Jennifer L. Taitz (How to Be Single and Happy) shares evidence-based techniques for quickly defusing moments of stress.”