Top 10
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“This Tender Land is a modern classic that illuminates the desperate reality of a critical time in American history. I was immediately engaged in this epic story about four orphans who embark on a life-changing odyssey in search of freedom, safety, and family during the Great Depression. This Tender Land is a perfect novel for fans of Before We Were Yours and Where the Crawdads Sing. This novel is a must-read for all book clubs.”
— Eve Taben, Elm Street Books, New Canaan, CT
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“A cozy-chair, cup-of-tea, wrapped-in-a-blanket kind of novel, The Guest Book takes the reader through three generations. As you delve into the lives and personalities of the Milton family’s seemingly perfectly ordered and charmed world, the cracks gradually begin to show. Through the denial of the news in Nazi Germany, the taboo of speaking of one’s illness or someone’s homosexuality, or the hiding of a friend that is of a different skin color or religion, we see through the eyes of this family that history does repeat itself and lessons are hard learned. If you enjoyed The Postmistress, you will enjoy this. Lots of discussion for reading groups.”
— Nona Camuel, CoffeeTree Books, Morehead, KY
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“Max Porter again proves to be one of the most talented English-language writers working today. You can read this novel purely to enjoy the sound of the words that float through the village outside London, where it takes place. You should also read it because it delves into mythology, art, parenting, friendship, and the intersection of the mundane and the fantastic. It is a beautiful book that you will want to read in one sitting, then slowly go through a second time to take everything in.”
— Dan Schwartz, Changing Hands, Tempe, AZ
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“Black Leopard, Red Wolf is an amazing epic that launches from a familiar framework of the fantasy genre. Lovingly crafted, it immediately steals you away from your world and steeps you in one of ancient yet familiar myth and magic. The language, the beasts, the people—James’ writing is both brutal and beautiful. You’ll get the journey you want from this fantasy, but it won’t be the same trip around the block. Rather, it’s a walk off the edge of the Earth. James’ talent shines and his passion in this book is clear. This is a book to be GEEKED about, and I absolutely am.”
— Olivia Valenza, Boswell Book Company, Milwaukee, WI
By Stephanie Land, Barbara Ehrenreich
Hachette Books
“In a time when most in our country are falling further and further behind the ‘one percent,’ Maid tells the story of author Stephanie Land’s abrupt and unexpected slide from her middle-class upbringing to an impoverished adulthood as a single mother. As a first-person narrative window into the way increasing numbers of Americans are forced to live, Maid will strike a chord with the readership of Hillbilly Elegy and White Trash.”
— Jill Miner, Saturn Booksellers, Gaylord, MI
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“It takes a special writer to craft a memoir that’s equal parts harrowing, hopeful, clear-eyed, and emotionally acute—and that’s exactly what Jaquira Díaz has done here. She was still a child when her family moved from Puerto Rico to the slums of Miami, and she spent her teenage years negotiating a family life of addiction, dysfunction, and mental illness. Despite her experiences with crime and violence, Díaz finds solace in her friendships, strength in her heritage, and, always, a way forward. This is an utterly beautiful and vibrant book.”
— Erika VanDam, RoscoeBooks, Chicago, IL
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“Stella Fortuna is a strong and stubborn woman who resists the toxicity and rigorous expectations of her time. The many near-deaths of Stella add a fantastical and heightened fairy-tale-like framework to what is actually a very authentic and well-researched tale inspired by true events. This novel is both a lovingly crafted tribute to and a stern critique of the author’s heritage.”
— Matt Stowe, Greenlight Bookstore, Brooklyn, NY
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“An exciting declaration of passion and tenacity, and what it’s like to be young, gifted, black, and queer in an America where every corner is marked with the specter of hatred, ignorance, and tragedy. Through adversity, Saeed Jones still manages to find a path to remain whole and resolute—within the tears, he finds purpose. This book cuts a groove into you.”
— Luis Correa, Avid Bookshop, Athens, GA
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“This riveting page-turner is complex, unexpected, and empowered. Frannie Langton will linger in your mind two centuries after she was here. In Confessions, Collins holds a mirror to the white reader’s embedded expectations—demands, even—of black stories and black suffering. Beautifully written and powerfully told, this debut is a knockout.”
— Chorel Centers, Bookshop Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA
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“This book felt like science fiction/mystery at the beginning, but turned into psychological thriller. Like a roller coaster, it was a slow ride up the hill and then a quick drop into a Groundhog Day from hell. Barry starts investigating False Memory Syndrome, while Helena works towards finding a way to save memories for people like her mother, who has Alzheimer’s. The line between what is real and what is memory blurs, and humanity may not be able to handle it.”
— Kalli King, Rediscovered Books, Boise, ID
Dazzling Debuts
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“A thrilling and original debut novel that explores the lives of several women living in Russia’s remote Kamchatka Peninsula whose lives are unknowingly connected by the unsolved disappearances of three girls. The mystery of the girls’ fates will keep you on the edge of your seat, but even more impressive is the way Phillips portrays the lives of her female characters—women who struggle to obtain a better life for themselves and their children, lives unencumbered by the racism, economic instability, and isolation inherent in living in a disregarded and harsh corner of Russia’s vast landscape.”
— Lori Feathers, Interabang Books, Dallas, TX
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“Not many survive a pandemic that plunges humankind’s technology into darkness, and those who make it must learn how to remake the world and thrive. Two such persons are at the heart of this story: Beatrix, an activist in California, and Carson, a school principal in New York. Before the crash, they had begun a tentative long-distance love affair. Now, only faith in each other keeps them together. Carson embarks on a perilous cross-country journey to Beatrix as she begins to rebuild her community. Threatening everything is a dangerous gang of disaffected kids and a self-proclaimed prophet who claims the keys to salvation. The Lightest Object in the Universe is thought-provoking and truly entertaining. Post-apocalyptic fiction fans will not be disappointed.”
— Laura Simcox, Sunrise Books, High Point, NC
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“Exchange student Ilya has just arrived in the balmy heat of Louisiana from the frozen tundra of Russia. Smart, hardworking, and thoughtful, Ilya considered this journey to be the opportunity of a lifetime. But he can’t seem leave his home behind, or the brother he would do anything to save. In Lights All Night Long, Lydia Fitzpatrick juggles a coming-of-age tale, a murder mystery, and a social commentary on addiction, drug use, and corruption. And it works. Beautifully. She somehow manages to avoid all the predictable tropes of each to create this sparkling world full of hope, friendship, and the power of family in all its forms.”
— Erin Ball, Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, WA
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“I didn’t want this novel to end! Filled with magic, adventure, and—even during its darkest moments—hope, Harrow’s sweeping and whimsical storytelling is enchanting. Set in the early 1900s, the novel follows January’s journey of pinpointing her own individual identity as well as discovering her parents’ pasts. The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a stunning debut novel and a perfect read for any fantasy fan!”
— Isabel Pless, Phoenix Books Essex, Essex Junction, VT
Other Worlds
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“The Binding is a dark, atmospheric, heart-wrenching tale in which the binding of people’s memories into books helps them forget their darkest traumas and protect them from their crimes. The more Collins’ intricate, magical tale unwinds, the more dangerous and unruly the practice of ‘binding’ becomes. At its core, this is a story about the beauty and power of books. Ethics, emotion, and magic abound in this triumphant, beautifully woven must-read for any book lover or hopeless romantic (or both).”
— Jackie Mann, Anderson's Bookshops, Naperville, IL
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“This beautiful and adventurous hybrid of historical novel and magical fantasy explores freedom, power, faith, and love across the lush background of 15th-century Spain and its epic cultural clashes. Fans of Wilson’s Alif the Unseen will not be disappointed, nor will readers that enjoyed Helene Wecker’s The Golem and the Jinni or Salman Rushdie’s more fantastical side.”
— Jonathan Hawpe, Carmichael's Bookstore, Louisville, KY
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“If sword-wielding necromancer lesbians and a crumbling space-age palace aren’t enough to sell you on this book, then let yourself be won over by the hilarious sass and reckless determination of Gideon Nav. Fascinating world-building and an irresistibly cheeky main character. Absolutely do not miss!”
— Genevieve Taylor, Boulder Book Store, Boulder, CO
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“A refreshing modern take on a mythology you might not be familiar with. Casiopea Tun is the put-upon servant to her rich relatives, but she is no Cinderella. In fact, she’s the one doing the rescuing—in this case, she’s saving an imprisoned Mayan death god. Bound to this smoldering former king, fierce Casiopea must use her wits and her indomitable will to overcome gods, sorcerers, ghosts, demons, and, yes, said rich relatives to restore her companion to his throne and save her own life along the way.”
— Kim Fox, Schuler Books (Grand Rapids), Grand Rapids, MI
Coming of Age
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“One hundred percent worth the buzz. I was entranced from beginning to end. Reid’s use of an interview format is perfect and ingenious for exploring the rise and fall of an imaginary 1970s rock band. It allows for an in-depth and realistic look at complicated group dynamics and varying perceptions and memories of each other during key moments and interactions.”
— Cori Cusker, Bright Side Bookshop, Flagstaff, AZ
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“Dominicana hinges on the promise of new beginnings built on generations of sacrifice and dreams. There is a path to a better life, but no manual. Alone with a husband she doesn’t know, Ana carves a space for herself in Washington Heights, learning almost everything from scratch. An ode to women everywhere whose birthright is not only survival but joy.”
— Amanda Ibarra, Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill, NC
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“A psychological masterclass. I can think of no better place to dissect how micro actions toward each other suggest macro feelings than a famous arts high school where emotions, power dynamics, and naivete mascarading as bravado are at their peak and ever shifting. Many have said, and I will too, that you have to read this one knowing as little as possible about what to expect. All I’ll say is that it left me with a potent emotion spurred by a slowly revealed truth, not just about the characters but about our world, and Susan Choi is a genius.”
— Molly Moore, BookPeople, Austin, TX
Family Ties
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“Knot is a strong and independent woman in a rural town in North Carolina. She likes her liquor, and she will always speak her mind and regret none of it. She is one of many members of the community of West Mills that we get to know over the course of 40 years in De’Shawn Charles Winslow’s beautiful and feisty book about the love of family, friends, and neighbors. Though not always perfect and with a fair share of secrets, they always try to do what they believe is best for the ones they love.”
— Carl Kranz, Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, VA
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“This is a tale of two sisters, a batch of undefeatable Midwestern women, and the modern evolution of American beer trends in the Midwest. America’s heartland looks a bit different from the perspectives of Edith, Helen, and Diana, each of whom struggles to both survive and realize her dreams in a world less than willing to give women a chance, let alone a beer. Lovely, powerful, and an excellent read!”
— Linda Sherman-Nurick, Cellar Door Books, Riverside, CA
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“Kristen Arnett’s Mostly Dead Things is a unique and charismatic story that winds its way through family matters, personal strife, and most important of all: taxidermy. Great for fans of Karen Russell’s Swamplandia!”
— Delany Holcomb, Bookmarks, Winston-Salem, NC
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“Inspired by Graham Greene’s Travels With My Aunt, Brock Clarke’s new novel is a delightful journey (physically and emotionally) that constantly keeps us guessing at the final destination. This can be said of the narrator, Calvin Bledsoe, as well as the reader. At his mother’s funeral, Calvin meets an aunt he never knew he had, and embarks on an odyssey of self-discovery he didn’t know he needed. A thoughtful coming-of-age story wrapped in a screwball mystery caper, Who Are You, Calvin Bledsoe? may inspire questions of your own. It may inspire you to learn about John Calvin, the pellet stove, or even small animal pornography. It will most certainly make you smile.”
— Tony Peltier, Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh, NC
Young Adult
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“The Devouring Gray has everything that makes Stranger Things and The Raven Cycle so appealing to readers: a dark and enthralling atmosphere, a creeping sense of dread, and, above all, a cast of teen characters who feel truly alive. This is the height of what YA urban fantasy can be.”
— Kiersten Frost, Brookline Booksmith, Brookline, MA
By Elizabeth Acevedo
“This book is a great coming-of-age story for any teenage girl. A collection of poems make it a quick and thoughtful read. Xiomara is a Dominican girl living in the city, getting used to her changing body and attention from her lab partner, and wrestling with ideas of right and wrong. Her ideas of right and wrong are completely different from her highly religious mother’s. Her poems are her freedom, but how can you be free when home makes you feel trapped?”
— Lulu Roush, Waucoma Bookstore, Hood River, OR
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“Prepare yourself for a world where books live and think as we do, and whose pages hold both fantastical wonders and menacing enchantments. Elisabeth is a librarian’s apprentice, sworn to protect the mystical tomes from the world — and the world from them. When a deadly mishap throws Elisabeth to the mercy of the royal courts, she must seek help from her sworn enemy, a sorcerer. You won’t be able to pull yourself away from the magic and wit this story holds!”
— Kiera Thompson, The River's End Bookstore, Oswego, NY
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“Two teenagers with something to prove—to their parents, their classmates, and themselves—find themselves drawn together in this classic rom-com with a Bollywood flavor. The chemistry, the sass, the representation were all on point. I particularly loved seeing a fat woman of color as the romantic lead!”
— Mackenzie Van Engelenhoven, The King's English Bookshop, Salt Lake City, UT
Nonfiction
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“Deep Creek is Pam Houston at her most honest and lyrical. She looks at how her life has been shaped by her beautiful ranch in Colorado’s high country, and she lovingly evokes that land with its horses, dogs, and, most importantly, the people who populate and enrich her life.”
— Arsen Kashkashian, Boulder Book Store, Boulder, CO
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“A series of suspicious deaths in Alabama in the 1970s was so intriguing and sensational that Harper Lee set out to write the book about it. She didn’t. Now, Casey Cep has nested three books into one in order to tell the story Lee never did and why she didn’t. This informative and penetrating book will have tremendously wide appeal.”
— Keith Mosman, Powell's Books, Portland, OR
By Lisa Taddeo
“Three Women is one of the most compelling nonfiction books I have ever read. Taddeo crafts this book in such a way that you feel like you’re hearing these unique stories from a friend over a glass of wine. An intimate look into these women’s lives asks the reader to look into their own life of sensuality, relationships, and trauma—elements often coexisting. She finds a beautiful humanity in that tangled mess of natural desire and what we hide within ourselves.”
— Jenna Soltesz, Buxton Books, Charleston, SC
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“A study of the cultural, geological, and psychological call of the world beneath. From ancient cave paintings to the language of trees, from the catacombs of Paris to the burial mounds of nuclear power plants, McFarlane leads us on a bounding but intimate journey through our past and into our future.”
— Ben Kemper, Rediscovered Books, Boise, ID
Historical Fiction
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“I was immediately drawn into the life of Clementine Churchill. Benedict writes with a refreshing frankness and skillfully shows the many empowered roles Clementine held — running households that were a whirlwind of activity, as a political and tactical advisor, and as a stateswoman and a speech writer. Full of great historical fiction, a thoughtful exploration of parenting guilt, and moments of self-doubt and overwhelming stress. Clemmie was much more than a backdrop to Winston.”
— Karin Barker, Bookworm of Edwards, Edwards, CO
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“A fast-paced and fascinating novel about the women behind the CIA’s plan to use Boris Pasternak’s Dr. Zhivago as a weapon against the Soviet system. The story moves easily from East to West and from the lives of the women who supported and inspired Pasternak to the women who helped get his banned book into Soviet readers’ hands.”
— Margo Grimm Eule, East City Bookshop, Washington, DC
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“Growing up in the 1940s and 1950s, Katherine, as the daughter of a Chinese immigrant and a World War II veteran, has to grapple with her Asian identity, her brilliance with numbers, and eventually her unorthodox decision to become a mathematician. When she chooses to work on the ‘unsolvable’ Riemann hypothesis, Katherine finds herself making choices in pursuit of her academic ambitions that distance her from the ones she loves. And in her search for success, she unexpectedly realizes that a notebook given to her by her father contains clues to her past. This tale comes full circle as Katherine reflects on the joys and sorrows of coming to terms with her true identity, mingled with her ambition to succeed and her pursuit of mathematical excellence.”
— Jann Griffiths, BookSmart, Morgan Hill, CA
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“In Phillipa Gregory’s new series, she leaves the intrigue and glamor of the royal court for the grit and struggle of an impoverished fishing village off the southern coast of England. Parliamentarians clash with Royalists, and Papists secret away from their Puritan neighbors in this 17th-century Thorn Birds-esque tale of struggle, caste systems, forbidden love, secrets, superstition, temptation, and infidelity. In a small fishing village where anything can be blamed on the evils of women, gossip rules, gossip destroys, and anyone can be suspected of witchcraft. Gregory never fails to breathe new life into forgotten histories!”
— Kathy Blattman, The Well-Read Moose, Coeur d'Alene, ID
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“Casting us back to a turning point in Iranian history, To Keep the Sun Alive beautifully renders a world of contrasts. When Bibi’s family gathers for lunch, there are many world views both around the table and hidden from view. Acceptance and fundamentalism, romance and tradition, love and violence are all present, daring her to try to keep the peace amongst such passionate advocates. Bibi’s husband is the voice of moderation, while his brother is a fundamentalist mullah, and the weight of their choices has devastating repercussions. Rabeah Ghaffari’s impressive debut will leave you reeling. As more is revealed and the deadly conflict finally arrives, the impact of what was lost during the revolution becomes palpable.”
— Luisa Smith, Book Passage, Corte Madera, CA
Mystery & Thriller
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“The Gone Dead is a haunted mystery set in the ghostly Mississippi Delta, which is not only a setting but a character in this gritty, emotional novel by Chanelle Benz. It’s not hard to get pulled into this suspense novel as Billie returns to her father’s homeland to discover the truth behind his death. She meets all kinds of rundown, enigmatic characters along the way, and discovers herself among the ruins of her past. You will want answers as you enter the minds of the plethora of dubious characters in the fictional, but almost real, town of Greendale.”
— Steve Iwanski, Charter Books, Newport, RI
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“Private investigator Daniel Hawthorne has a new case, so he tracks down Anthony Horowitz to be his sidekick and write up the notes for their three-book deal as he investigates. Richard Pryce, a highly sought-after divorce attorney known for both his well-publicized success and his strict ethics, was bludgeoned to death with an excessively expensive bottle of wine, a 1982 Chateau Lafite worth thousands — high-priced and odd murder weapon. By all accounts he was a prince of a guy, yet he was in a field riddled with high emotions and grudges. Hawthorne, the curmudgeonly detective, will get to the bottom of the case, and Horowitz will write a rip-snorting yarn exposing the guilty.”
— Deon Stonehouse, Sunriver Books & Music, Sunriver, OR
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“Ruth Ware layers on the creepiness in this breathtaking tale of a woman paid an exorbitant sum to be a nanny to three girls in the Scottish Highlands. The catch: The previous nannies quickly resigned, and the parents are rarely there. This novel is both humorous and diabolically dark, and the ending will definitely make your jaw drop.”
— Timothy Benz, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, OH
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“Yikes...this one will keep you up at night! Alex North has crafted an ideal thriller, complete with a spine-tingling premise (a serial killer lures his victims outside by whispering outside their windows), a compelling protagonist (a struggling widower with a sweet young son), and two well-drawn detectives. Fans of Jane Harper, Tana French, and Thomas Harris, take note.”
— Emilie Sommer, East City Bookshop, Washington, DC
Small Bites
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“This collection of twisted stories peels back the layers of the human mind and reveals the often dark, often obsessive qualities kept in the shadows. Each story adds a touch of surrealism to the everyday, from birthday parties to listening to music in the park to the more manipulative forms of relationships.”
— Lauren Nopenz Fairley, Curious Iguana, Frederick, MD
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“It takes a certain grace to hold inconceivable amounts of pain and the fiercest kinds of joy in your heart at once, and to write about it with the elegance, clarity, humor that Danez Smith does is something else entirely. Homie carries a kind of weight no one collection should have to, yet each poem is a reminder that there are infinite ways to love through ache and cut through anguish. These poems are a gift.”
— Sophia Kaufman, Book Culture, New York, NY
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“These sentences zag when you expect them to zig. And don’t get me started on the zigging. Trying to recount any of these stories will take way longer than it will to read them; they are masterworks of compression that unfold into sagas of falconers and an air conditioning museum. But they also finish with tidy endings, landing the dismount from each impossible trick with a word, a gesture that somehow makes sense of the fantasia preceding. Oh, yeah: and it’s really, really funny.”
— Benjy Caplan, Green Apple Books & Music, San Francisco, CA
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“Bryan Washington has crafted a debut that illuminates how community can shape and shelter the self. Lot explores identity, queerness, and the racial divide with such emotional resonance that you will finish the book feeling deeply connected to the characters and to the city of Houston.”
— Cristina Rodriguez, Deep Vellum Books, Dallas, TX
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“All the discomfort conjured by the title of this collection of short stories precisely describes the sensation of reading it. The stories are not for the faint of heart: humorous and fanciful at times, but bloody, bizarre, and cringeworthy throughout. These dark, clever tales leave the reader unsettled, but never unsatisfied.”
— Karen Rasure, The Novel Neighbor, Webster Groves, MO
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- September/October 2024 Kids Indie Next List
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