The book: Terrace Story by Hilary Leichter
Our reviewer says: "The delightful sophomore effort from Leichter expands on her National Magazine Award–winning story about a magic closet by adding multiple timelines that stretch into the future.... Leichter soars with this cogent yet dreamlike tale." Read more.
The book: Witness by Jamel Brinkley
Our reviewer says: "In his dazzling sophomore collection, Brinkley digs into the promises and dangers of intimacy and the costs of speaking up or staying silent.... These intimate vignettes have the power to move readers." Read more.
Alta Journal's California Book Club
The book: Bad Mexicans by Kelly Lytle Hernández
Our reviewer says: "MacArthur fellow Hernández offers a vital reconsideration of American imperialism and the Mexican American experience. This is history at its most elucidating." Read more.
Barnes & Noble Book Club, Good Morning America Book Club, and Nerdette Book Club
The book: Happiness Falls by Angie Kim
Our reviewer says: "Kim’s bittersweet second novel intertwines an intimate family drama, a missing-persons mystery, and a philosophical rumination on happiness.... Readers will be fascinated with how Kim bends the structure of a whodunit to serve a broader exploration of the dynamics of human relations and moved by her skill at wresting joy from tragedy." Read more.
The book: Moonrise Over New Jessup by Jamila Minnicks
Our reviewer says: "Pen/Bellwether Prize winner Minnicks debuts with the uneven story of a young woman’s relationship with her all-Black Alabama community.... There is much to love in these characters and their resilience, but Minnicks frequently gets in the way." Read more.
The book: When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore
Our reviewer says: "As she did in The Weight of Feathers, McElmore blends magical elements with a culturally vibrant cast to create a haunting modern fairy tale.... Readers interested in gender identity and the pull of family and history will find this to be an engrossing exploration of these and other powerful themes." Read more.
The book: A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power
Our reviewer says: "In the wrenching latest from Power, three generations of Dakhóta women grapple with a legacy of mistreatment by the U.S. government.... This story of survival shines brightly." Read more.
The book: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Our reviewer says: "Romance author Yarros blends the epic tale of a reluctant dragon rider’s coming-of-age with a sexy dark academia aesthetic in her astounding debut fantasy.... Readers will be spellbound and eager for more." Read more.
The book: Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin
The book: Vagabonds! by Eloghosa Osunde
Our reviewer says: "Osunde’s magnificent magical realist debut crafts a mosaic of struggle and pain in Lagos... Osunde crafts compassionate prose and seamlessly combines magic and grit. This is a stunning introduction to a bold new writer.” Read more.
Read with Jenna, the Jenna Bush Hager Book Club
The book: Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood
Our reviewer says: "Littlewood debuts with an uneven perimenopause drama centered on the tempestuous relationship between a mother and her teenage daughter.... It’s a mixed bag, but Littlewood, like her protagonist, consistently finds the right words." Read more.
The book: Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon
Our reviewer says: "Simon stocks her layered plot with plausibly motivated suspects and convincing red herrings, but it’s her indomitable female characters and their nuanced relationships that give this mystery its spark. Readers will be delighted." Read more.
The book: Tomb Sweeping by Alexandra Chang
Our reviewer says: "Chang explores the meaning of home in her powerful and delightfully strange debut collection.... This is a triumph." Read more.
