Check this list to see the latest staff recommendations. You will see that we have diverse interests and styles, and together we present our view of the best books to read now.
For more recommendations from your favorite booksellers, check this link.
Two women from different generations and cultures bond over a shared restaurant space. One side is a trendy new barbeque spot and the other an iconic neighborhood bakery. Each has a hidden secret from her past that required her to recreate herself. When love appears in their carefully-controlled lives, can they open to romance again? A trigger warning – at the heart of the book is a chilling sexual assault for one of the women, with additional trauma and devastating repercussions from the fall-out. Written before the recent post-Roe decision of the Supreme Court, these incidents were based on true cases of women who experienced what is described in this novel. Wiggs is a master at creating strong, relatable characters and unexpected plot twists. This is a powerful story of romance gone astray, bravery, endurance, and ultimately, kindness and second chances. A unimaginable and unforgettable novel. ~Jane
Following Walter Isaacson’s seminal book charting the Steve Jobs’ era, NYT reporter Tripp Mickle does that splendid effort proud with this fascinating book about Apple, After Steve. That Tim Cook, an Alabama native who obsessed over expenses and the supply chain was chosen by Jobs—the unsparing visionary—to lead Apple somehow worked brilliantly, as Cook led iPhone to unpatrolled superiority over all its competitors. Yet without Jobs’ alter ego, Jony Ive, continuing to have a free hand in dictating the look and feel of everything Apple—without regard to costs—Mickle artfully makes clear it wouldn’t have worked. Cook was content in his studio apartment with a chair or two and Ive had the aesthetically offensive bathroom faucets in his Gulfstream jet torn out. A match on paper seemingly made in hell made billions instead. ~Dave
The cover is gorgeous and the words inside are even more amazing! The details of language, experience, and metaphor in this collection are stunning, touching on different facets of Tayi Tibble’s life as a Māori woman in New Zealand. From indigenous stories to coming-of-age struggles to pop culture highlights like Twilight and the Kardashians, this book of poetry reads like a work of art for brown, millennial women who are trying to find their place in this world. ~Lily
The perfect entry point for people new to Murata, this is my favorite of her works translated to English so far. A master of mixing the macabre with the sweet, her short stories will leave you asking questions like, is it weird to a make a table out of human femurs? Should you leave your boyfriend because you're in love with your curtains? Is cannibalism really that bad if everyone is doing it? In Life Ceremony every bit of the bizarreness that characterizes a Murata book is tempered by beauty and kindness. This woman is brilliant. ~Cappy
Ten years earlier, serial con artist Meg put young Kat in a situation that ended her investigative journalism career. Now Meg is suddenly back in town, this time targeting a rising California politician. Kat, now stuck writing web-content articles, plans her revenge. The two women meet, and for reasons pertinent to both their schemes, become friends. Meg soon suspects Kat is after her. Kat is sure Meg is the hacker who is causing havoc with her financial accounts. Yet, they need each other if their plans are to succeed. Who is conning who? Who is telling the truth? Which is the villain? With plot twists, crises and gas-lighting that come from all angles, you won’t be able to put the book down. And yes, author Julie Clark delivers a very satisfying ending that resolves everything – for the moment. (I see a sequel here). A perfect summer read! ~Jim
Ray McMillan is a prodigy. He has a gift and a dream to be a world-class violinist, but growing up Black in rural North Carolina has limited his opportunities. His mother wants him to get a job, he can’t afford lessons, and his training is limited to his public-school orchestra. When he discovers that his family fiddle is a priceless Stradivarius, all his dreams suddenly seem within reach. But on the eve of the renowned and cutthroat Tchaikovsky Competition the violin is stolen, a ransom note left in its place. Ray must not only reclaim his precious violin but also prove to himself—and the world—that no matter the outcome, there has always been a truly great musician within him. Ray is the ultimate underdog, and you’ll find yourself rooting for him as you turn every page! ~Susan
This is a book about broken hearts and a broken world, but also about a woman whose drive to love is equaled only by her drive to escape. In an eerie near-future where humans have caused innumerable extinctions, Franny Stone joins a fishing crew in the Far North and cajoles them into sailing to the other end of the world in search of the last Arctic Terns on Earth. What she finds, or doesn't, collides with the past she's worked so hard to elude. Migrations is a powerful book about survival (or not) and a cautionary tale about what we've done to the planet despite all the warning signs. ~Rafe
Through a series of stories that actually happened to Lacey between 1980 and 2020, these sisters are here to remind us that not just micro-aggressions but macro-aggressions against Black women, and Black people in general, are alive and well. Laugh-out-loud funny, Ruffin and Lamar absolutely nail the magic trick of using humor as a tool to teach and talk about one of the most difficult aspects in our society: racism. This book is bursting with love and heartbreak, and I laughed and learned the whole way through. ~Cappy
Why did I pick up Cascadia Revealed? Maybe it was because I was watching Stranger Things and channeling my inner nerd, but more likely I was in my annual dumbstruck-at-nature phase as our soggy Spring unfurled, and sound and flower and awakening smells exploded each time I walked out the door. Daniel Mathews' guide to plants, animals, and geology of the PNW mountains provides a great armchair education, and a list of wondrous natural habitats to explore this summer (and in each season). Plan on toting this volume along to figure out what you are seeing in your back yard! ~Victoria, Bookseller Emeritus
What? Practical, feasible solutions exist to solve our most intractable societal problems? Author Rowan Hooper identifies often surprisingly simple proposals and programs currently in place that experts believe will end poverty, vastly reduce disease, stabilize the climate, and empower women, among other achievements. Finding the money isn’t the holdup; the US Government found $2.2 trillion to fund the initial covid-19 relief package within days. What we lack are leaders with imagination (and, well, leadership traits) and a populace willing to invest in our, and our children’s, future. Rowan sets forth the proposals and programs in language that is easy to comprehend and backs up his assertions with citations to actual evidence. It’s a fascinating and uplifting read that shows we have real solutions available now. ~Jim
American Gods gets a lot more attention (which, fair – it’s wonderful) but Anansi Boys is a sweeter, scarier, lonesomer story. It is epic, but in a more close-to-home way. As always, Neil Gaiman is a master of the not-quite-real-or-is-it, and this winding tale of Charlie Nancy, Charlie's mysterious brother, and their dead (?) deity of a father, engages on every level. ~Rafe
Dr. Lucas was a professor of ethics at the U.S. Naval Academy and president of the International Society of Military Ethics. In this impressive book, he outlines the history of ethical reflection on war and the foundations of the international laws of armed conflict. He clarifies the considerations that are supposed to guide decisions by government leaders on whether or not to wage war, and the rules that military professionals must follow in their conduct of war. Additionally, he explores several contemporary issues regarding humanitarian military interventions, armed drone aircraft, and cyber weapons. Lucas helps us to interpret incidents of war around the world, to evaluate debates about war in our media, and to exercise our influence as citizens. ~David
Set against the backdrop of America’s “Secret War” in Laos during the Vietnam era, Yoon’s novel of friendship, dislocation and memory involves three orphans who bond while working with an unconventional doctor in an old manor converted to a hospital. Moving and intricate yet beautifully spare, it follows their lives after the bombing scatters them. The story unfolds as a quiet, masterful meditation. I cannot heap enough praise on this book. ~ John, Bookseller Emeritus
As a Slaughterhouse-Five devotee I expected to love this biography, which is about Vonnegut's life and his process in writing his most well-known book. Indeed I did love it. What I did not expect was the depth and care with which Roston investigated not only Vonnegut, but the history of trauma and PTSD, the effects of war, and how Vonnegut's work continuously influences and supports veterans today. The result is a beautifully written yet emotionally challenging read that confronts what we think we know about the storyline in Slaughterhouse-Five. Every Vonnegut fan must read this work, and even those new to Vonnegut will enjoy learning about one of the greatest satirical writers of the 20th century. ~Willa
In this truly stupendous novel, the urbane, self-aware narrator is an unnamed half-French, half-Vietnamese bastard who, in his own words, is a man of two minds. He is a communist spy among the forces of the resistance, sent to America as a deeply embedded mole—and as such is the perfect figure to reveal the Vietnamese experience of the war from both sides, as well as that of an evacuee to the US. Nguyen is masterful; his skill and charm are as brilliant as Nabokov’s, and his observations both savagely hilarious and deeply trenchant. (There are descriptions of the atrocities of war, including torture and sexual assault, that warrant a trigger warning.) ~McNevin
This is a fierce feminist thriller of a revenge novel that will stay with you long after reading the last page. It is the story of three courageous and fed-up women who discover that as they’ve matured, they’ve acquired extraordinary new powers. As they begin to sense a serial killer in the midst in their affluent oceanfront community, they find themselves on a collision course with systemic misogyny and dangerously powerful people. This fabulous novel presents a fresh take on feminism with women who support and empower one another in their quest to give voice to victims and bring down the status quo. It is easy to escape into this tale, with an undercurrent of suspense, a twisty plot, wonderful characters, and a good dose of wry humor, not to mention a blazing fury of an ending. It is an anthem for our times – an ode to sisterhood which is needed now more than ever before. Read this book! ~Jane
I was taken by the first few pages of this incredible story about Annie Wilkins from Minot, Maine. At 63, she is a woman of grit, perseverance, character, and most of all a trusting heart. Like her mother before her, Annie wanted to see California and the Pacific Ocean, so she set off to do just that in 1954--on horseback! Annie's story will touch your heart and send you back to a simpler time, and it’s certain to connect with animal lovers and book groups as well. So much to enjoy! ~Kathie
This collection of three novellas captured my attention from the first paragraph. Homecoming features Jake Brigance, the attorney from Grisham’s first blockbuster A Time to Kill. Strawberry Moon gives a glimpse of young Cody Wallace on the day he is scheduled to be executed. The story is a meditation on the futility of taking a life for a life. Sparring Partners tells of two estranged brothers who run their father’s law firm. Their father, convicted of malpractice, is on the verge of a pardon. The pages in this collection fly by and are an excellent appetizer of Grisham’s great storytelling talent. ~Susan
This is a fun and whimsical tale about language, identity, lost history, and connection, amidst confusion and the mysterious inner lives of others. Hiroku is Japanese, but Japan has disappeared into legend, and she now speaks a made-up language of her own. But she longs for a fellow “native speaker” from the country of her past, and on her quest for that accumulates a serendipitous band of international companions who travel with her through Europe. Each chapter takes us inside one of the characters, their hopes and fears, their secrets, their misconceptions and quirks, and their perceptions of one another. This is a book of constant surprises. It is the first of a trilogy (and I am so glad there will be more!) ~McNevin
O’Reilly’s mother died when he was five, leaving him and his ten siblings in the care of their beloved father in rural Derry. It was the 1990s, and the violence of the Troubles was a part of everyday life, but Joe O’Reilly was more focused on feeding and schooling his eleven offspring. Making certain that his brood knew they were loved was his mission. Séamas, ninth of the eleven, shares a life filled with grief, music, books, dogs, and the perplexity of being a little boy. Readers of Say Nothing and Angela’s Ashes will relish this big-hearted and gorgeously written memoir. It was a runaway best seller in Ireland. Full of humor, tears, and the quirky observations of eleven obstreperous children it is a joy to read! ~Susan
We believe John Crowley to be one of the finest SFF writers, and one of the best overall regardless of genre. In Flint and Mirror, he brings us a historical novel powerfully laced with high fantasy. It recounts the mostly true life of Hugh O’Neill, Lord of the North, dubbed earl of Tyrone by the Queen. He is divided, yoked to the Queen by an obsidian mirror he cannot discard. At the same time, via a chip of flint, he is bound to the ancient supernatural people of Ireland who dwell underground, and who regard him as their champion. Crowley is subtle yet dazzling, and his writing sublime. ~McNevin & Rafe
In A Children’s Bible Millet channels the brutal honesty that we only find in children into something special. Set in the near future on the east coast, this book follows a group of eerily mature kids whose completely inept parents have rented a country house for the summer. Determined to live on their own terms, the kids leave their parents behind – until they must go back to save them. Between Millet’s excellent writing and the wacky plot, this dystopian gem had me laughing out loud. ~Cappy
This spectacular feminist romp through evolutionary biology is a breath of fresh air. In Bitch, zoologist Lucy Cooke delves into the fascinating world of Feminist Darwinism and the amazing scientists whose life’s work has been dispelling sexist assumptions in biology. My favorite chapter was on our very own local orca whales and how biologists discovered that these pods are led by post-menopausal female matriarchs. I highly recommend Bitch to fans of Mary Roach and Darwinism alike! ~Cappy
Cleo Wade’s Where To Begin offers beautiful mantras and affirmations that seem especially pertinent during these trying times. The prose and poetry that make up this short and sweet book create inspiration for harnessing your power and potential in a world that seems crazy at times. This book will inspire, calm, and amaze your soul in ways you weren’t aware you needed. ~Lily
A drowned book, a collapsing house, a traveling carnival (or two!) – these are just a few of the astonishments awaiting readers in The Book of Speculation. In one timeline, librarian Simon Watson tries to find the key to ending the curse that's sent generations of the mermaid-performing women of his family to their drowning deaths; in another, an 18th century ringmaster tries to navigate the mysterious events that have befallen his circus since taking on a feral boy and a tarot-reading girl. The narrative strands weave together like strands of drifting kelp, or like the chains holding fast a trunk full of secrets, as Erika Swyler's gorgeous debut novel grabs you hard and pulls you under. ~Rafe
Journalist Jon Mooallem’s essays and observations are routinely featured in major magazines, and his earlier books were award winners. This collection of astounding essays features a famously unbecoming matador (and his resemblance to Jon!), a remarkable hospice, an against- all-odds outdoor rescue, Neanderthals, California forest fires, Charlie Kaufman, and much more. In each case the writing is so compelling that you will be left with a strong sense of wonder about the people around us and their unusual situations. Jon finds what’s interesting in people and brings that to us in these uniquely inviting pieces. We all have stories, and Jon is clearly a master storyteller. ~Jane