You may find her quiet or demure, but don't be fooled. Chloe is up to date on all the latest literary trends, and is an expert on YA, romance, and all things creepy, crawly!
Chloe's picks:
From her lyrical and delectable prose to her endearing characters (not least Thistlefoot – a sentient house with chicken legs), GennaRose Nethercott's debut novel is a must-not-miss. Gorgeous, haunting, and devastating, it's hard to express how striking this novel is. On the sentence level, the writing is precise and luxurious, but Nethercott also has an astonishing gift for bringing the past to life. In Thistlefoot she has created a story as indelible as the memories her characters are fighting to preserve. This is a masterful examination of all the mechanisms people employ to avoid (and perhaps embrace) their potential, and the ways a generation's legacies and traumas shape and follow its descendants. We can't wait for readers to be ensnared by this book and the wonders that comprise it. ~Chloe & Rafe
Elizabeth Zott is dynamic, direct, driven, and a brilliant chemist. However, as a woman in the late 1950s, she is constantly degraded, sidelined, and underestimated, excluded from research projects whilst male coworkers attain undeserved rewards. Elizabeth’s life takes turns she never expected as she finds love, a dog (or rather, the dog finds her), courts tragedy, and becomes first a mother and then a cooking show host. But she refuses to compromise her personal beliefs or her commitment to science, incorporating them into her show, for as she says: “Cooking is chemistry.” This hilarious and heartfelt read hosts a lovable cast of characters. A story filled with lessons in chemistry as it relates to biology and nutrition, but also lessons in the chemistry of relationships and the making of family. ~Chloe
This dark academic fantasy will have you devouring page after page. Every ten years the Alexandrian Society, a secret society of elite magic users, offers a select few the chance to secure a spot within the society. Six talented and powerful individuals are chosen, but only five will have the honor of being inducted. Blake's system of magic, which incorporates elements of physics, biology, and psychology, along with her stunningly complex and layered characters, will bewitch you completely. ~Chloe
I was utterly captivated by this book. Inspired by the legend of the Chinese Moon Goddess, Chang'e, Sue Lynn Tan's debut fantasy follows Chang'e's daughter, Xingyin. When Xingyin is forced to leave her mother and flee her childhood home on the moon, she resolves to find a way to free Chang'e from imprisonment. She studies, trains, and fights to attain the status that could afford her mother's liberation. In her many quests and trials, Xingyin experiences the vast array of love – familial, friendship, romantic, as well as self-love and valuing oneself. Tan's rich and evocative language and imagery will enthrall you as you join Xingyin on her journey. ~Chloe
Imagine if Hogwarts and the Hunger Games had a baby. The product of this unlikely union would be the Scholomance, a magical boarding school with no adult supervision. Here we follow the story of Galadriel "El" whose talent for the magic of mass destruction is unmatched. However, El was raised by her hippie mother, who taught her not to give in to the pull of dark magic. As a result, El is snarky, resourceful, and clever (if a bit prickly at times), with a strong moral compass and a heart of gold. A must-read for lovers of dark academic fantasy. ~Chloe
In this gender-swapped take on Pretty Woman, Hoang delivers all the warm fuzzy rom com vibes. Stella, an autistic econometrician, is highly dedicated to her job, and spends most days crunching numbers and modeling consumer data, leaving little time for relationships. Enter charming and handsome Michael, who works as an escort on Friday nights. Stella and Michael’s ensuing relationship begins as a business deal, but lines begin to blur for both. Hoang touches on navigating relationships as an autistic woman as well as cross-cultural understanding. Beautifully rendered and heartfelt, with touches of data analytics, The Kiss Quotient is the gold standard for rom coms. ~ Chloe