Search

Adriana gets a job sewing for Edith Head at Paramount's costume department in the early 1940s. Adriana falls in love with a bit player named Rose and the two move in together. Living with a woman goes unnoticed as most people presume they areonly roommates. But as Adriana's career blossoms, society and life start to interfere and Adriana makes decisions that affect three generations of her family.1998: Adriana's granddaughter Laura has left LA on the heels of a failed relationship and a subsequently failed career in film development. She moves in with her grandmother in Baltimore to find some time and space to think. The problem is she always spent time here with her dearest friend and cousin Becca, who died suddenly in a car crash, leaving her 13-year-old daughter,Lizzie.Adriana, in her eighties and wrestling with the past is now suddenly responsible for Laura and Lizzie. In this compelling literary family drama, three lives twine together in the past and the present to take a closer look at how family, wanted or not, makes up who we are.

Written with a lyrical and hypnotic touch, Sylvia is an imaginative exploration of motherhood, Indian mythology, and the fragility of human life.Longing to connect to his ancestral roots, Cajetan Pereira takes up residence near one of the rare and mystical Baobab trees in South India. Into his world walks Sylvia, a young woman in search of a story. They bond over their newfound relationship until one day, consumed by regret, Sylvia disappears.In a rich kaleidoscope of tales, Sylvia is glimpsed through the lives of other characters as a colleague, friend, wife and lover. She comes back into focus as she finds herself becoming whole once more—but is it too late?

'1984'by George Orwell is a dystopian masterpiece that paints a chilling vision of a totalitarian future. Set in a world where Big Brother watches your every move, the novel follows Winston Smith, a low-ranking member of the ruling Party who begins to question the oppressive regime.Orwell's portrayal of a surveillance state, thought control, and the erasure of truth is eerily relevant in today's digital age. The novel introduces the concept of'Newspeak,'a language designed to eliminate independent thought.As Winston rebels against the system, he embarks on a dangerous journey for truth and freedom. The story is a harrowing exploration of the consequences of mass surveillance and authoritarianism.'1984'is not just a work of fiction; it's a warning about the dangers of sacrificing individual liberties for the illusion of security. It's a thought-provoking, unsettling, and thought-provoking read that remains profoundly relevant in our modern world.ABOUT THE AUTHORGeorge Orwell, the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair, was a renowned English writer and essayist. Born on June 25, 1903, in Motihari, India, he is best known for his literary contributions that challenged totalitarianism and explored the consequences of oppressive government systems.Orwell's early life included experiences as an imperial police officer in Burma, which profoundly influenced his views on British imperialism. His first notable work,'Down and Out in Paris and London', was published in 1933, recounting his experiences among the working class and homeless.However, it was Orwell's dystopian novels that catapulted him to literary fame.'Animal Farm,'published in 1945, is a satirical allegory that critiques the Russian Revolution and the rise of Stalinism. In 1949, he released his magnum opus,'Nineteen Eighty-Four,'which portrayed a nightmarish future under a totalitarian regime, coining terms like'Big Brother'and'thoughtcrime'that have become part of popular culture.Orwell's writing style is marked by its clarity and social commentary. He was a passionate advocate for truth and freedom of expression, which is evident in his essays like'Politics and the English Language.'Sadly, Orwell's life was cut short by tuberculosis, and he passed away on January 21, 1950, at the age of 46. His works remain not only literary classics but also influential critiques of authoritarianism and the dangers of propaganda, ensuring his enduring legacy in the world of literature and political thought.

The free-standing successor and next novel by the author of the critically acclaimed The Last Thing You Surrender, Leonard Pitts, Jr.'s 54 Miles launches forward twenty years to the fateful weeks of March 1965—from the infamous “Bloody Sunday” march at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma on the 7th to the triumphant entry into Montgomery on the 25th that climaxed the voting rights campaign—and the families who find themselves confronting the past amid another flashpoint in American history.Young Adam, who has been raised in Harlem by his white father, George, and Black mother, Thelma, goes back to his parents'home state of Alabama to participate in the voting rights campaign, only to be brutalized in the Bloody Sunday melee. He is still recovering from this when he is struck a heavy emotional blow, learning for the first time—and in the cruelest way imaginable—of a family secret that sends him spiraling and plunging further into danger. To save him, and any hope for their relationship, Thelma is drawn back, for the first time in twenty years, to the South she both hates and fears, and to a reckoning that may result in an incalculable loss.Meanwhile, Thelma's brother Luther is also spiraling, but in a different way. Forty-two years after his parents were lynched before his eyes, and twenty years after the man who led the lynch mob walked out of court a free man, Luther has just made a shocking discovery. He‘s found the murderer, Floyd Bitters, helpless and enfeebled in a rest home—unable to move or even to speak. The old man is literally at Luther's mercy. And Luther, who has never overcome this trauma that defined his life, is suddenly forced to relive it all again as he grapples with the awful question of what justice now demands.

An extraordinary debut novel - thematically significant, profoundly timely, magical in intent and execution.... A MUST READ. The Author himself best defines the intent of this novel. • First is to advocate Inuit culture, specifically the role of shaman. 77° North recognizes this ancient tradition and hopes, within the confines of this mythical adventure, we bring new perspective to the forefront for the stewards of the land, and their indelible right for self-actualization.• Second is the status of women. Arguably the most oppressed group in all history, 77° North promotes feminine equality, and indeed prominence, in a male dominated world. Something that is long overdue.• Third is my artistic desire to write a captivating and imaginative novel reflecting contemporary issues, and how we define ourselves as a country moving through the 21st century. Every life is a story, and 77° North acknowledges the vitality of our individual and collective journeys.My greatest hope is that 77° North stimulates the opportunity for each of us to add a little magic to our lives— the magic of forgiveness and healing. It is a magic steeped in truth and setting the record straight.77° North finds Inuit orphan and archaeologist Chulyin Nakasuk rejecting her shamanic powers. Chulyin's journey weaves through a fantastical world spanning myth and science where she battles legendary creatures and human avarice. An archaeological expedition leads her to Greenland where she encounters The Foundlings, the key to accepting her shamanism, her grief over the loss of a cherished uncle and ultimate discovery of the origins of life on earth.

A freaky tale of isolation and the porous membranes between us, Rebecca Gisler's slim novel renders a collapsing world with equal parts aversion, fascination, and tenderness—for readers of Ottessa Moshfegh and Sayaka Murata.At a time when she'd rather be making her own way in the world, an unnamed young woman finds herself moving to a small town at the seaside to care for her uncle. He's a disabled veteran with questionable habits, prone to drinking, gorging, and hoarding—not to mention the occasional excursion down into the plumbing, where he might disappear for days at a time. When the world begins to shut down, Uncle and his niece are forced even closer still. She knows his every move—every bathroom break he takes, every pill he swallows—and she finds herself relying on this man who is the last one person occupying an empty world with her. But then Uncle's health takes a final turn for the worse, he's sent to a hospital that cares for cats, dogs, and Uncles, and any way for her to make sense of this eerie new reality, and her place in it, falls apart.Poet-novelist Rebecca Gisler's debut novel, set against our increasingly disjointed world, welcomes readers into a home of shut-ins as cozy as it is claustrophobic. Gisler's bright, winding prose, masterfully translated from French by Jordan Stump, offers a rare witness to the complex ways in which we order our lives, for better or worse, inside and out.

With Lance Olsen's signature flair, Absolute Away is an innovative narrative triptych, a story of one life reimagined. The first movement tells the story of Edie Metzger, a little Jewish girl who bit Hermann Göring's lip so hard it bled at a Nazi book-burning rally in 1933. In the second, in 1956, grown Edie is the passenger clinging to the backseat of the Oldsmobile 88 convertible driven by Jackson Pollock, moments before it plunges off the road. In the third, the narrative embarks into an ever-unspooling universe of Edies that might have lived—Edie's gender, past, and consciousness flying forever farther apart.Absolute Away is a novel about travel in its largest sense—about the self, the past, the future, aging, ideas, relationships, our own mortal being(s) as transitive verbs, and how what and who we are connects to everything else.

In the Black Mountains of Pakistan, the discovery of an unconscious, unknown man is the first snowball in an avalanche of chaos. The head of the village is beset with problems – including the injured stranger – and failing to find his way out. His daughter receives a love letter and incurs her father's wrath. A lame boy foretells disaster, but nobody is listening. Trapped in terrible danger, a wolf-dog is battling ice and death to save a soldier's life. Beaten by her addict husband for bearing him only daughters, a woman is pregnant again – but can this child save her? As the elements turn on the village, can humanity find a way to co-exist with nature that doesn't destroy either of them?

“A vibrant and moving debut that takes to heart our deferred dreams and the value of remaining hopeful.”—Diane Marie Brown, author of Black Candle WomenHow much of their lineage is one family willing to unearth in order to participate in the nation's first federal reparations program?Every American waits with bated breath to see whether or not the country's first female president will pass the Forgiveness Act. The bill would allow Black families to claim up to $175,000 if they can prove they are the descendants of slaves, and for ambitious single mother Willie Revel the bill could be a long-awaited form of redemption. A decade ago, Willie gave up her burgeoning journalism career to help run her father's struggling construction company in Philadelphia and she has reluctantly put family first, without being able to forget who she might have become. Now she's back living with her parents and her young daughter while trying to keep her family from going into bankruptcy. Could the Forgiveness Act uncover her forgotten roots while also helping save their beloved home and her father's life's work? In order to qualify, she must first prove that the Revels are descended from slaves, but the rest of the family isn't as eager to dig up the past. Her mother is adopted, her father doesn't trust the government and believes working with a morally corrupt employer is the better way to save their business, and her daughter is just trying to make it through the fifth grade at her elite private school without attracting unwanted attention. It's up to Willie to verify their ancestry and save her family—but as she delves into their history, Willie begins to learn just how complicated family and forgiveness can be. With powerful insight and moving prose, Acts of Forgiveness asks how history shapes who we become and considers the weight of success when it is achieved despite incredible odds—and ultimately what leaving behind a legacy truly means.

Long cherished by readers of all ages: the hilarious account of an incorrigible truant and a powerful parable of innocence in conflict with the fallen adult world—from the author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and'the father of American literature'(William Faukner, Nobel Prize-Winning Author).'All modern literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn… It's the best book we've had. All American writing comes from that.'—Ernest Hemingway, Nobel Prize-Winning Author of The Sun Also RisesThe mighty Mississippi River of the antebellum South gives the novel both its colorful backdrop and its narrative shape, as the runaways Huck and Jim—a young rebel against civilization allied with an escaped slave—drift down its length on a flimsy raft. Their journey, at times rollickingly funny but always deadly serious in its potential consequences, takes them ever deeper into the slave-holding South, and our appreciation of their shared humanity grows as we watch them travel physically farther from yet morally closer to the freedom they both passionately seek.

'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'by Arthur Conan Doyle is a thrilling and iconic collection of detective stories featuring the brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes and his loyal friend Dr. John Watson. This collection brings together some of Holmes'most famous cases, including'A Scandal in Bohemia,''The Adventure of the Speckled Band,'and'The Red-Headed League.'Conan Doyle's writing captivates readers with its masterful storytelling, intricate plots, and the unparalleled deductive skills of Sherlock Holmes. Each story presents a unique mystery that challenges Holmes'intellect and astute powers of observation.Sherlock Holmes, with his razor-sharp wit and remarkable attention to detail, remains one of literature's most beloved and enduring characters. Dr. Watson's faithful narration provides readers with a window into the world of Victorian London and the enigmatic workings of Holmes'mind.'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'is a timeless classic that continues to enthrall readers of all ages. It has inspired countless adaptations, films, and television series, solidifying its place in literary history as the ultimate detective collection.Embark on a journey into the foggy streets of Victorian London, where mysteries abound and only Sherlock Holmes can unravel the truth. Arthur Conan Doyle's masterpiece is a must-read for anyone who enjoys the art of deduction and the thrill of solving intricate puzzles.ABOUT THE AUTHORArthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was a Scottish author and physician best known for creating the iconic detective Sherlock Holmes. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Doyle's literary contributions spanned a wide range of genres, including mystery, science fiction, historical fiction, and more. Doyle's most famous character, Sherlock Holmes, made his debut in the novel'A Study in Scarlet'and went on to become one of the most beloved and enduring fictional detectives in literature. The character's brilliant deductive reasoning and keen observation skills set a standard for the detective genre that persists to this day. Beyond his detective stories, Doyle wrote historical novels, science fiction, and non-fiction works. He was a prolific author and a passionate advocate for various causes, including spiritualism and the reform of divorce laws. Doyle's legacy as a writer is marked by his ability to captivate readers with intriguing mysteries and memorable characters. His impact on the detective genre is immeasurable, and Sherlock Holmes remains a cultural icon, inspiring numerous adaptations and interpretations in literature, film, and television.

A deeply moving, revelatory novel-in-verse about the struggle and persistence of two Indigenous Sámi families across a century of forced migration and colonial trauma __________'Crystalline... reads like poetry and myth at once. There are intricate layers of beauty and meaning here in sparse clusters across a vast new landscape as I've never read before. The music of this book is old, and it is new, and it is old'Tommy Orange, author of'There, There''Incredibly beautiful and magnificent... With Ædnan, Swedish literature has been enriched'Dagens Nyheter'Not only a linguistic adventure, innovative and rooted in both traditions and renewal, but also a statement that we are bigger and freer than the borders that shut us out from each other... Remarkable and magnificent'Norrtelje Tidning __________ In Northern Sámi, the word Ædnan means the land, the ground and the earth. In this majestic verse novel, Linnea Axelsson chronicles the fates of two Indigenous Sámi families over a hundred years as they are expelled from their ancestral home, giving powerful voice to a history under threat of erasure. In the 1910s, Ristin and Ber-Joná try to care for their infant twins while migrating their reindeer herd to their summer pasture. As a border is imposed between northernmost Sweden and Norway, the family faces tragedy when it is forced to migrate south. In the 1970s, Lise - part of a new generation of Sámi grappling with questions of identity and inheritance - reflects on her traumatic childhood, when she was placed in a'nomad school'to be stripped of her ancestors'language. Moving into the 2010s, Lise's daughter Sandra seeks to reclaim her heritage, becoming an activist fighting for reparations in a highly publicized land rights trial. With grand scope and stunning, crystalline language, Ædnan weaves together a chorus of voices from across a century into a profound and moving epic of Sámi life.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Part of Quindlen's gift is that you don't just read about these characters, you inhabit them.... Luminous with life, hope and the power of love.”—People (A Book of the Week Pick) “[A] quietly revelatory and gently gleaming gem of a book.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors'Choice) Anna Quindlen's trademark wisdom on family, friendship, and the ties that bind us are at the center of this novel about the power of love to transcend loss and triumph over adversity, by the author of Still Life with Bread Crumbs and One True Thing.When Annie Brown dies suddenly, her husband, her children, and her closest friend are left to find a way forward without the woman who has been the lynchpin of all their lives. Bill is overwhelmed without his beloved wife, and Annemarie wrestles with the bad habits her best friend had helped her overcome. And Ali, the eldest of Annie's children, has to grow up overnight, to care for her younger brothers and even her father and to puzzle out for herself many of the mysteries of adult life.Over the course of the next year what saves them all is Annie, ever-present in their minds, loving but not sentimental, caring but nobody's fool, a voice in their heads that is funny and sharp and remarkably clear. The power she has given to those who loved her is the power to go on without her. The lesson they learn is that no one beloved is ever truly gone.Written in Quindlen's emotionally resonant voice and with her deep and generous understanding of people, After Annie is about hope, and about the unexpected power of adversity to change us in profound and indelible ways.

A troubled marriage—and love story—set against the background of the AIDS pandemic, and the American wars in Vietnam and Iraq lie at the heart of After Camus. Saul Davidoff and Tolle Riordan, who meet during a protest against the Vietnam War, marry, live through the Plague Years of the AIDS epidemic, raise a family … and burn out. Camus is a hero to both of them: Tolle, a young dancer and choreographer, has a liaison with him in Paris shortly before his death; Saul, inspired by Camus's The Plague, becomes an infectious disease (and AIDS) doctor … and Camus becomes a ghostly presence central to our story. Hoping to repair their marriage, Tolle and Saul return to a village in the South of France where they lived when they were first in love, and where Camus lived when recovering from a siege of tuberculosis. The novel draws a vivid portrait of a marriage that spans a series of historical events: from the Vietnam war through the AIDs epidemic and Gulf War, to the Iraq War and the advent of the right wing Le Pen movement in France. After Camus is both a fictional meditation on recent history and a compelling tale of how various forms of love and friendship do and do not survive in times of social and political upheaval. In this novel of enchantments, internationally acclaimed author Jay Neugeboren is at the peak of his powers as a master storyteller.

This moving novel gives voice to the silent grief of the mothers of stillborn children The young free-spirited florist Frieda grew up in a strictly Catholic environment in the 1960s. When she steps onto a frozen river on a late winter afternoon, little does she know that everything is about to change for her. On the ice she meets the married Otto. They experience a love that begins stormy and ends fatefully: Frieda becomes pregnant - a scandal in the world in which she moves. And so she must never be the mother of her secret child. For decades she kept her memories of this episode in her life to herself. But the grief for the lost child remains, despite the later marriage, despite the son she still has. At the age of eighty-one, Frieda is suddenly alone again. The silent sorrow returns with force. Only then does she dare to face her story – and to share it. With Afterlight, inspired by true events, Robben not only pulls back the veil on Frieda's story, but also shines a light on the experiences of countless women between the 1950s and 1980s. The result is an impressive story about buried female trauma, caused by society, organized religion and the dominant social mores.

“Powerful and unrelenting prose.... I loved this book.” —Reema Patel, author of Such Big Dreams Gorgeous and compelling, The Afterpains is a heartbreaking portrait of two families trying to cope with grief, isolation, and living far from one's homeland—told in the voices of four distinct narrators.Nearly twenty years after the death of her infant daughter, Rosy is still reeling from all that she's lost. Desperate to repair the connections to the family she does have—her husband, Desmond, and her eighteen-year-old son, Eddie—she's determined to lay her grief to rest by the twentieth anniversary of her daughter's death.At the same time, Isaura dreads what may be coming for her teenage daughter, Mivi. For centuries in her homeland of Honduras, the young women in Isaura's family have been subjected to a curse of teenage motherhood and the untimely death of the men they loved. But even after moving thousands of miles away from Pespire to Toronto, Isaura fears that her daughter will not be spared.Soon, Rosy and Isaura, essentially strangers, become connected in a way neither of them could predict. As they try to look to their future and their children's, they struggle to put the past behind them—all while Eddie and Mivi contend with the weight of their mothers'pain and guilt.Tender and compassionate, The Afterpains is a moving debut novel on motherhood, grief, identity, and belonging.

A 2024 BOOK OF THE YEAR PICK FOR BBC R4 OPEN BOOK, THE OBSERVER, GQ, GRAZIA, HERO, I-D, NYLON A semi-famous artist announces her plan to drive cross-country from LA to NY. Thirty minutes after leaving her husband and child at home, she spontaneously exits the freeway, beds down in a nondescript motel and immerses herself in a temporary reinvention that turns out to be the start of an entirely different journey. Miranda July's second novel confirms the brilliance of her unique approach to fiction. With July's wry voice, perfect comic timing, unabashed curiosity about human intimacy and palpable delight in pushing boundaries, All Fours tells the story of one woman's quest for a new kind of freedom. Part absurd entertainment, part tender reinvention of the sexual, romantic and domestic life of a 45-year-old female artist, All Fours transcends expectations while excavating our beliefs about life lived as a woman. Once again, July hijacks the familiar and turns it into something new and thrillingly, profoundly alive.

NAMED A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2024 BY OPRAH DAILY, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, NYLON AND THE GUARDIAN! The New York Times bestselling author returns with an irreverently sexy, tender, hilarious and surprising novel about a woman upending her life“A brilliant, sexy, funny, ludicrously entertaining primal scream of a coming-of-middle-age story… Beyond-dazzling, eyes-wide-open fiction.”—Booklist, STARRED review'A frank novel about a midlife awakening, which is funnier and more boldly human than you ever quite expect….the bravery of All Fours is nothing short of riveting.'—Vogue“Hilarious, sexy, and wonderfully weird... a revelation.”—Publishers WeeklyA semi-famous artist announces her plan to drive cross-country, from LA to NY. Thirty minutes after leaving her husband and child at home, she spontaneously exits the freeway, checks into a nondescript motel, and immerses herself in an entirely different journey. Miranda July's second novel confirms the brilliance of her unique approach to fiction. With July's wry voice, perfect comic timing, unabashed curiosity about human intimacy, and palpable delight in pushing boundaries, All Fours tells the story of one woman's quest for a new kind of freedom. Part absurd entertainment, part tender reinvention of the sexual, romantic, and domestic life of a forty-five-year-old female artist, All Fours transcends expectation while excavating our beliefs about life lived as a woman. Once again, July hijacks the familiar and turns it into something new and thrillingly, profoundly alive.

All Her Loved Ones, Encoded is a story of personal struggle set against global climate collapse, as one woman risks everything in order to preserve her family.In 2057, near California's Central Coast, desalination plant worker Kiana Olsen is digging a grave for Javi, her terminally ill husband. Three years earlier, as their daughter Anza succumbed to spectral fever, Kiana and Javi uploaded her mind to Level Up, a virtual worldbuilding program. Now, Kiana is desperate to do the same for Javi. But the government has outlawed consciousness uploads and throttled the internet. When Kiana turns to the black market for the technology she needs, she is arrested and jailed. Her daring escape during a blackout begins her Odyssean journey through the night: a collapsing roof, a confrontation with an armed killer, a Level Up sex party in a condemned mansion, security androids, multiple injuries, and a nocturnal wilderness hike, all with the police on her trail.As Kiana struggles to make her way home to Javi, she finds solace and connection in the virtual histories she has created for her ancestors: a woodland standoff between her great-great-grandfathers in World War Two, her great-grandmother's escape from Cold War East Berlin, her grandparents'meet cute in an ambulance, and her mother's own flight from the law.An intimate narrative that resonates globally, Michael Keefe's All Her Loved Ones, Encoded, is both an urgent warning of our imperiled future and a heartbreaking tale of love beyond the limits of place and time.

A USA Today Bestseller!A propulsive and piercing debut, set ten years before the events of Shakespeare's historic play, about the ambition, power, and fate that define one of literature's most notorious figures: Lady Macbeth.Scotland, the 11th Century. Born in a noble household and granddaughter of a forgotten Scottish king, a young girl carries the guilt of her mother's death and the weight of an unknowable prophecy. When she is married, at fifteen, to the Mormaer of Moray, she experiences firsthand the violence of a sadistic husband and a kingdom constantly at war. To survive with her young son in a superstitious realm, she must rely on her own cunning and wit, especially when her husband's downfall inadvertently sets them free.Suspicious of the dark devices that may have led to his father's death, her son watches as his mother falls in love with the enigmatic thane Macbeth. Now a woman of stature, Lady Macbeth confronts a world of masculine power and secures the protection of her family. But the coronation of King Duncan and the political maneuvering of her cousin Macduff set her on a tragic course, one where her own success might mean embracing the very curse that haunts her and risking the child she loves.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Boy Erased, an electrifying, deeply moving novel about the love story between two men in Puritan New England.Cana, Massachusetts: a utopian vision of 18th-century Puritan New England. To the outside world, Reverend Nathaniel Whitfield and his family stand as godly pillars of their small-town community, drawing Christians from across the New World into their fold. One such Christian, physician Arthur Lyman, discovers in the minister's words a love so captivating it transcends language.As the bond between these two men grows more and more passionate, their families must contend with a tangled web of secrets, lies, and judgments which threaten to destroy them in this world and the next. And when the religious ecstasies of the Great Awakening begin to take hold, igniting a new era of zealotry, Nathaniel and Arthur search for a path out of an impossible situation, imagining a future for themselves which has no name. Their wives and children must do the same, looking beyond the known world for a new kind of wilderness, both physical and spiritual.Set during the turbulent historical upheavals which shaped America's destiny and following in the tradition of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, All the World Beside reveals the very human lives just beneath the surface of dogmatic belief. Bestselling author Garrard Conley has created a page-turning, vividly imagined historical tale that is both a love story and a crucible.

An incisive reflection on identity and wealth, and a refreshing racial queer story of survival All Things Seen and Unseen follows Alex Nguyen, an isolated, chronically ill university student in her early 20s. After a suicide attempt and subsequent lengthy hospitalization, she finds herself without a job, kicked out of campus housing, unable to afford school, and still struggling in the aftermath of a relationship's dissolution. Hope comes in the form of a rich high school friend who offers Alex a job housesitting at her family's empty summer mansion on a gulf island. Surrounded by dense forest and ocean, in the increasingly oppressive heat of a 2010s summer, Alex must try to survive as an outsider in a remote, insular community; to navigate the awkward, unexpected beginnings of a possible new romance; and to live through the trauma she has repressed to survive, even as the memories — and a series of increasingly unnerving events — threaten to pull her back under the surface.

A new edition of Beverley Farmer's classic 1980 debut, out of print for many years. Alone captures the emergence of one of Australia's most powerful and distinctive writers. Set in Melbourne in the late 1950s, and taking place over the course of two days and nights, Alone chronicles the feelings of obsession and hopelessness, isolation and desire provoked by the ending of an intimate relationship. A young woman, a fledgling writer, recalls her passion for her female lover, who has left her. She is estranged from her family and has dropped out of university, and is contemplating ending her life. As she travels through the night-time streets, industrial areas and boarding houses of a Melbourne fallen into economic depression and cultural malaise, she reflects on the days and months past that have brought her to despair. Written in a style threaded with gothic motifs, and shadowed by the constant threat of sexual violence, Beverley Farmer's debut novel captures the romantic intensity and ironic reversals of youthful longing. It displays her remarkable capacity for bringing different forms of writing together in a single work, prose and poetry, dialogue and dramatic monologue, as well as her reflections on other writers'work. Based partly on her own experiences, Alone shows the formation of a literary voice in writing that is both heightened and flowing, lyrical and precise. Praise for Beverley Farmer: ‘As she explores the frailty of emotional experience, Farmer places her characters in a luminous domain of elemental sensual experience…'— Cassandra Pybus ‘Beverley Farmer's expansive curiosity and regard for microcosmic significance sharpen a reader's attention to all things lived, dreamed, and observed.'— Josephine Rowe

Sheila Heti collected 500,000 words from a decade's worth of journals, put the sentences in a spreadsheet, and sorted them alphabetically. She cut and cut and was left with 60,000 words of brilliance and mayhem, joy and sorrow. These are her alphabetical diaries.

Olwen. Nell. Maeve. Rhona. Meet the Flattery sisters. Four gifted Irish sisters confront an uncertain future in this dazzling novel from a major literary talent. Perfect for fans of Jonathan Franzen, Maggie O'Farrell and Claire Vaye Watkins.'Surprising and delightful... The Alternatives made me laugh, cry, and think.'Louise Kennedy, author of Trespasses Olwen, Nell, Maeve and Rhona were plunged prematurely into adulthood when their parents died in tragic circumstances. Now in their thirties, they have each carved out impressive careers – living distant lives, fighting separate battles. But Olwen's disappearance is about to change everything. A geologist haunted by the weight of the earth's past and a crushing awareness of its volatile future, Olwen abruptly vanishes from her home without a trace. Her sisters track her down to a remote bungalow in rural Ireland, with little electricity and patchy connection to the outside world. Together for the first time in years, the sisters vie to confront old wounds and diagnose new ills – most urgently, Olwen's. Fiercely witty and unexpectedly hopeful, The Alternatives is an unforgettable portrait of a family perched on our collective precipice, told by one of Ireland's most gifted storytellers. A New Statesman'Book to Look Forward to in 2024'

“A bold, beautiful, complex novel, and I can't wait to read what Hughes writes next. She, too, is an unstoppable force.” —New York Times Book Review“A tale about sisterhood, a novel of ideas, a chronicle of our collective follies, a requiem for our agonizing species, The Alternatives unfolds in a prose full of gorgeous surprises and glows with intelligence, compassion, and beauty.” —Hernan DiazFrom the writer Anthony Doerr calls “a massive talent,” the story of four brilliant Irish sisters, orphaned in childhood, who scramble to reconnect when the oldest disappears into the Irish countrysideThe Flattery sisters were plunged prematurely into adulthood when their parents died in tragic circumstances. Now in their thirties—all single, all with PhDs—they are each attempting to do meaningful work in a rapidly foundering world. The four lead disparate, distanced lives, from classrooms in Connecticut to ritzy catering gigs in London's Notting Hill, until one day their oldest sister, a geologist haunted by a terrible awareness of the earth's future, abruptly vanishes from her work and home. Together for the first time in years, the Flatterys descend on the Irish countryside in search of a sister who doesn't want to be found. Sheltered in a derelict bungalow, they reach into their common past, confronting both old wounds and a desperately uncertain future. Warm, fiercely witty, and unexpectedly hopeful, The Alternatives is an unforgettable portrait of a family perched on our collective precipice, told by one of Ireland's most gifted storytellers.

From one of America's most celebrated storytellers come three dark, interlocking tales about the residents of a rural New York town, and the shocking headlines that become their local mythologies.A husband sells property to a mysterious, temperamental stranger, and is hounded on social media when he publicly questions the man's character. A couple grows concerned when an enigmatic family moves next door, and the children start sneaking over to beg for help. Two dangerous criminals kidnap an elderly couple and begin blackmailing their grandson, demanding that he pay back what he owes.Suspenseful, thrilling, and expertly crafted, American Spirits explores the hostile undercurrents of our communities and American politics at large, as well as the ways local tragedies can be both devastating and, somehow, everyday. Ushering the reader through the town of Sam Dent, Russell Banks has etched yet another brilliant entry into the bedrock of American fiction.

In this collection of eighteen humorous absurdist stories, Melo weaves together postmodernism, postcolonial realities and Angolan history, through an intrusive narrator and author. Angola is Wherever I plant My field will make the readers laugh as they reflect on life and society through stories set in Luanda, Haifa, America, and North-Korea.

'Animal Farm'by George Orwell is a captivating allegory that takes you on a thought-provoking journey. Set on a farm, the animals rebel against their human oppressors, establishing their own society. Initially, it's a utopian vision of equality and justice, but power and corruption soon creep in.Orwell's storytelling brilliance shines as each animal represents a facet of society, and their revolution mirrors historical events. Witness the rise and fall of their animal-led government, the emergence of a ruthless elite, and the haunting parallels with the human world.This novella is a warning against totalitarianism, propaganda, and the corrupting influence of power. Orwell's vivid prose and sharp social commentary make'Animal Farm'an essential read for those interested in politics and society. It's a timeless tale of how ideals can be twisted, leaving you pondering the nature of power and the fragility of freedom.ABOUT THE AUTHORGeorge Orwell, the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair, was a renowned English writer and essayist. Born on June 25, 1903, in Motihari, India, he is best known for his literary contributions that challenged totalitarianism and explored the consequences of oppressive government systems. Orwell's early life included experiences as an imperial police officer in Burma, which profoundly influenced his views on British imperialism. His first notable work,'Down and Out in Paris and London', was published in 1933, recounting his experiences among the working class and homeless. However, it was Orwell's dystopian novels that catapulted him to literary fame.'Animal Farm,'published in 1945, is a satirical allegory that critiques the Russian Revolution and the rise of Stalinism. In 1949, he released his magnum opus,'Nineteen Eighty-Four,'which portrayed a nightmarish future under a totalitarian regime, coining terms like'Big Brother'and'thoughtcrime'that have become part of popular culture. Orwell's writing style is marked by its clarity and social commentary. He was a passionate advocate for truth and freedom of expression, which is evident in his essays like'Politics and the English Language.'Sadly, Orwell's life was cut short by tuberculosis, and he passed away on January 21, 1950, at the age of 46. His works remain not only literary classics but also influential critiques of authoritarianism and the dangers of propaganda, ensuring his enduring legacy in the world of literature and political thought.

The stories in Animal Husbandry all deal in some way with mythology, from animal fables to imaginary friends to the myths people tell themselves. In some cases, the myths are fantastical:a farmer finds his cow has given birth to a surprising offspring;a guitarist tries to improve his skills with a visit to the crossroads; ora young girl meets with a visitor in the woods to plot against her neighbors. Others concern everyday mythology:a small-town ballplayer struggles to earn a nickname;a man's clean bill of health arrives at the worst possible time; ora long-retired screen actress receives a letter that makes her confront her past.

Seventeen-year-old Annika Rose and her father Wes have spent the years since the death of Annika's mother in self-imposed social isolation on their farm on the edge of the woods. When a young woman named Tina moves into a house down the road, the result is a sudden explosion of feelings in both father and daughter and a fierce rivalry. At stake in the competition is not only their relationship, but the life of the vulnerable young woman at the center of it all.

New Year's Eve. The last day of the last year of human existence. A high-ranking minister criss-crosses the city with blood on his hands, a dying necrophile attempts to go clean before God, and a traumatized nurse is pressured into keeping a powerful secret. With undisguised glee, a nameless narrator unravels these twisted tales of moral turmoil, all of which are brought to an abrupt close by a cataclysmic collision of time and space. What will remain on New Year's Day? An exhilarating, provocative carnival of a novel, from one of Europe's most distinctive literary voices.

USA TODAY BESTSELLER In this fun, cozy, debut mystery, an antiques hunter investigates a suspicious death at an isolated English manor, embroiling her in the high-stakes world of tracking stolen artifacts.What antique would you kill for? Freya Lockwood is shocked when she learns that Arthur Crockleford, antiques dealer and her estranged mentor, has died under mysterious circumstances. She has spent the last twenty years avoiding her quaint English hometown, but when she receives a letter from Arthur asking her to investigate—sent just days before his death—Freya has no choice but to return to a life she had sworn to leave behind. Joining forces with her eccentric Aunt Carole, Freya follows clues to an old manor house for an advertised antiques enthusiast's weekend. But not all is as it seems. It's clear to Freya that the antiques are all just poor reproductions, and her fellow guests are secretive and menacing. What is going on at this estate and how was Arthur involved? More importantly, can Freya and Carole discover the truth before the killer strikes again?

Two Bronx boys take radically different paths in this novel about the limits of genius and the loss of home, by a “terrifically gifted” author (Anita Shreve, New York Times–bestselling author). Ralph Silverman was a foreign film buff, a victim of bullies, and a boy genius. He held long conversations with his pet parakeet and spent countless hours on a computer, creating mesmerizing music and solving problems in philosophy. He was a friend of great scholars and the son of a wealthy outer-borough businessman with shady associates and a secret second family. And, as he begins to take over the story from the narrator, Ralph finds himself in South Florida, physically abused and expelled into a frightening world of the unhoused—with a broken pair of glasses, no money, and no shoes. From the celebrated author of Searching for Bobby Fischer, Anything Is Good is a hypnotically compelling tale of a man haunted by the fate of his childhood buddy, and of that friend's pleasures and misfortunes as he navigates an unhoused life—a life more complex and dramatic than a bypasser might ever imagine. “Anything Is Good... offers a deeply affecting dive into the lives of the unhoused. Its shifting perspective and changing narrative voice builds to a clarion call for greater empathy and understanding.” —Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of March “Anything Is Good is the best portrait of homelessness I've read since George Orwell's Down and Out in London and Paris.... Superbly written.” —Gabriel Byrne Praise for Fred Waitzkin's previous books “Very few writers can deliver a story with this much heart... A great novel.” —Sebastian Junger “I've seldom been so captivated by a book.” —Tom Stoppard “A gem of a book.” —The New York Times

Thea lives under a mountain - one that's ready to blow.A vet at a mid-sized rural practice, she has been called back during maternity leave and is coping - just - with the juggle of meetings, mealtimes, farm visits, her boss's search for legal loopholes and the constant care of her much-loved children, Eli and Lucy.But something is shifting in Thea - something is burning. Or is it that she is becoming aware, for the first time, of the bright, hot core at her centre?Then comes an urgent call.Ingeniously layered, Ash is a story about reckoning with one's rage and finding marvels in the midst of chaos.

Absurd humor questions the meaning of truth. Deep in Southern Illinois, called Little Egypt, the county sheriff and his young deputy scientifically bumble their way through the'Invasion of the Feral Swine.'A prosecutor fresh out of law school brings the whole shebang into a court of law for the'Trial of the Man with No Name.'Instead of science and law, the everyday people of Greens Point live on the minutia of life, their conversations dotted with nothings. Throughout these absurd events, Sunday evening chats between a reverend and his visitor link essential topics, speared by death, yet caught by hope, and told with a dash of humor. In bits from their talks, the reverend learns about his guest's past and the makeup of the man, including how he came up with the name'Atticus.'The story closes with their final Sunday evening chat: from the mouth of an ex-con, truth is told to a dying reverend. Atticus from Shawneetown is the sequel to Tombs of Little Egypt (2022).

A dazzling portrayal of humanity and the natural world that perfectly balances violence and humour. Everywhere, the birds, but above them all and louder, the magpies. We are here and this is our tree, and we're staying, and you need to leave and now Tama is just a helpless chick when he is rescued by Marnie, and this is where his story might have ended.'If it keeps me awake,'says Marnie's husband Rob, a farmer,'I'll have to wring its neck.'But with Tama come new possibilities for the couple's future. Tama can speak, and his fame is growing. Outside, in the pines, his father warns him of the wickedness wrought by humans. Indoors, Marnie confides in him about her violent marriage. The more Tama sees, the more the animal and the human worlds – and all the precarity, darkness and hope within them – bleed into one another. Like a stock truck filled with live cargo, the story moves inexorably towards its dramatic conclusion: the annual Axeman's Carnival. Part trickster, part surrogate child, part witness, Tama the magpie is the star of this story. Though what he says aloud to humans is often nonsensical (and hilarious), the tale he tells us weaves a disturbingly human sense. The Axeman's Carnival is Catherine Chidgey at her finest – comic, profound, poetic and true.

“This could very well be the first great K-Pop literary phenomenon.” —Debutiful, Most Anticipated Books of 2024 Perfect for fans of Mouth to Mouth and Black Buck, this whip-smart, darkly funny, and biting debut follows a psychologist with a savior complex who offers shelter to a recently cancelled K-pop idol on the run. Sang Duri is the eldest member and “visual” of a Korean boy band at the apex of global superstardom. But when his latest solo single accidentally leads to controversy, he's abruptly cancelled. To spare the band from fallout with obsessive fans and overbearing management, Duri disappears from the public eye by hiding out in the McMansion of a Chinese American woman he meets in a Los Angeles H-Mart. But his rescuer is both unhappily married with children and a psychologist with a savior complex, a combination that makes their potential union both seductive and incredibly problematic. Meanwhile, Duri's cancellation catapults not only a series of repressed memories from his music producer's earlier years about the original girl group whose tragic disbanding preceded his current success, but also a spiral of violent interactions that culminates in an award show event with reverberations that forever change the fates of both the band members and the music industry. In its indicting portrayal of mental health and public obsession, fandom, and cancel culture, The Band considers the many ways in which love and celebrity can devolve into something far more sinister when their demands are unmet.

From Governor General's Award-nominated author Sheung-King comes a novel about a millennial living through the Hong Kong protests, as he struggles to make sense of modern life and the parts of himself that just won't gel.Glen Wu (aka Glue) couldn't care less about his job. He's returned to Hong Kong, the city he grew up in, and he's teaching ESL, just to placate his parents. But he shows up hungover to class, barely stays awake, and prefers to spend his time smoking up until dawn breaks. As he watches the city he loves fall—the protests, the brutal arrests—life continues around him. So he drinks more, picks more fights with his drug dealer friend, thinks loftier thoughts about the post-colonial condition and Frantz Fanon. The very little he does care about: his sister, who deals with Hong Kong's demise by getting engaged to a rich immigration consultant; his on-and-off-again relationship with a woman who steals things from him; and memories of someone he once met in Canada.... When the government tightens its grip, language starts to lose all meaning for Glue, and he finds himself pulled into an unsettling venture, ultimately culminating in an act of violence. Inventive and utterly irresistible, with QR codes woven throughout, Sheung-King's ingenious novel encapsulates the anxieties and apathies of the millennial experience. Batshit Seven is an ode to a beloved city, an indictment of the cycles of imperialism, and a reminder of the beautiful things left under the hype of commodified living.

Edith Nesbit was born on the 15th August 1858 in Kennington, then part of Surrey. Due to the health issues and tuberculosis of her sister Mary, Nesbit's early life was one of constant changes of house both in England and on the continent.At age 17, Nesbit met Hubert Bland and they married three years later―whilst she was 7 months pregnant. Bland also kept his affair with another woman going throughout their marriage and the two children of that relationship were raised by Nesbit as well as her own three with Bland.Together they were founder members of the Fabian Society in 1884 naming their son Fabian in its honour. They also edited the Society's journal; ‘Today'. Nesbit was an active lecturer and prolific writer on socialism during those years but gradually her work for them dwindled as her career as a children's writer grew. Her most famous success was ‘The Railway Children'but she was also very prolific and greatly accomplished in poetry, short stories―especially her macabre ghost and supernatural stories―and novels for adults. In February 1917, some three years after the death of Bland she married Thomas ‘the Skipper'Tucker in Woolwich, where he was a ship's engineer on the Woolwich Ferry.Edith Nesbit died from lung cancer on the 4th May 1924 at her house ‘The Long Boat'at Jesson, St Mary's Bay, New Romney in Kent. She was 65.

In Carol Hoenig's previous novel, Without Grace, it is believed that Grace Finley walked out on her husband and two young children to fulfill a selfish dream of becoming a famous singer, leaving behind rumors and questions among her family and townsfolk in the mountains of Upstate New York.Now in Before She Was a Finley, it is years later when Adele, a reluctant young journalism student is assigned to “get” a story from a local nursing home where she comes across elderly Grace Finley. Over time, Grace slowly takes Adele back to the 1930s and subsequent years that follow as she provides bits and pieces that eventually reveal the dark truth as to why she walked out on her family carrying only a guitar and suitcase. Adele knows that the class assignment was simply to write about a local person, and even though journalists aren't supposed to be a part of the story, she cannot shake what she discovered and wants to do more to set the record straight. But is there anyone still alive who would care?In reviewing Without Grace, North Country Public Radio said, “We need more North Country novels like Without Grace, novels with a keen sense of place. Before She was a Finley answers that call.

In a gripping tale of love, loyalty, and the search for truth, a young Russian interpreter navigates the complexities of life during the tumultuous years following World War II. Born to an English mother and Russian father, Vladimir Rogov finds himself torn between two worlds as he witnesses the rise of the Soviet Union. When an unexpected romance blossoms with an English girl, Vladimir must choose between his heart and his homeland. This poignant story explores the depths of the human spirit, the power of faith, and the unbreakable bonds of family against the backdrop of a world on the brink of change.

In a village in rural Assam, quiet, unassuming Paridhi grows up witnessing domestic violence at close quarters. The conservative society she inhabits, shapes and befuddles her. Her rebellion is silent—she submerges herself in a world of colour. Pebbles turn into objects of art in her hands. She writes and reads extensively to escape her cloistered life. But to what end? Is it really ever possible to escape one's confines? The house she's lived in ever since her childhood, now infested with termites, is her responsibility now. With an ageing mother, an ailing uncle and an absentee brother, Paridhi feels like she has no one to depend on. Except perhaps Bondeep. But with passing time, there are growing concerns—will Bondeep's family ever be able to accept her? She could always confide in the vivacious Juroni, her best friend, neighbour and confidant. But Juroni has secrets of her own, which she keeps close to her heart until the inevitable, devastating end. Peopled with characters great and small, Beneath the Simolu Tree follows Paridhi as she navigates life, confronts injustices and comes out stronger but not embittered. Stories and realities are brought into sharp conflict in this tale of human yearning, as Pritam explores the depths of her innermost desires. At the heart of this novel lies the one question we spend our entire lives searching an answer for—what is it to love and be loved?

Best Literary Translations is a new, annual anthology that celebrates world literatures in English translation and honors the translators who create and literary journals that publish this work. Best Literary Translations 2024 features both contemporary and historical poetry and prose originally written in nineteen languages—including some not commonly seen in U.S. translations, such as Burmese, Kurdish, Tigrinya, and Wayuu—brought into English by thirty-eight of the most talented translators working today. These poems, short stories, essays, and hybrid pieces were drawn from nominated works published in U.S. literary journals during 2023 that spanned more than eighty countries and nearly sixty languages. The four series coeditors, Noh Anothai, Wendy Call, Öykü Tekten, and Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún, selected the finalists from over five hundred nominations. By spotlighting work from top literary journals, Best Literary Translations honors the excellent literature created every year by a diverse range of authors and translators and will continue to expand the canon of global literatures in English translation, showcasing the bold and brilliant work of contemporary translators and editors annually, for years to come.

The case for the'psychic'element in literature rests on a very old foundation; it reaches back to the ancient masters,—the men who wrote the Greek tragedies. Remorse will ever seem commonplace alongside the furies. Ever and always the shadow of the supernatural invites, pursues us. As the art of literature has progressed it has grown along with it. To-day there is a whole new school of writers of Ghost-Stories, and the domain of the invisible is being invaded by explorers in many paths. We do not believe so much more, perhaps, that is, we do not so openly express a belief, but art has finally and frankly claimed the supernatural for its own. One discerning authority even goes so far as to assert that the borders of its domain will be greatly enlarged in the wonderful new field of the screen.There is no motive in a story, no image in poetry, that can give us quite the thrill of a supernatural idea. If we were formally charged with this we might resent the imputation, but the evidence has persisted from the beginning, lives on every hand, and multiplies daily. What we have been in the habit of calling the'machinery'of the old Greek drama—its supernatural effects—has come finally to be an art cultivated with care at the present hour, and has given us some wonderful new writers. In fact, few of the best masters for a generation now have been able to resist its persistent and abiding charm. Every writer of true imagination, almost without exception, including even certain realists, has given us at least one story, long or short, in which the central motive is purely psychical in the Greek sense of the word.The whole subject opens up a virgin field which has after all only begun to be tilled. Within the coming generation we may look for great artists to devote their whole powers to it, as Algernon Blackwood is doing to-day. A simple underlying reason is enough to account for it all—the new field imposes simply no limit on the imagination. In addition to all that science has taught us, there is illimitable store of myth and legend to aid, to draw from, to work in, to work over, as Lord Dunsany has shown us. It is the most significant movement in literature at the present hour, and whether it is supported by a special background of interest—as at present in spiritism—or not, the assertion is logical that it is creating a new body of fictional literature of permanent importance for the first time in the history of literature. The human comedy seems to have been exploited to its final limits; as the art of the novel, the art of the stage, but too sadly prove to-day. We have turned outward for new thrills to the supernatural and we are getting them.It only remains to be added that the present great interest in spiritualism and allied phenomena has made necessary the addition of certain material of a'literal'character which we believe will be found quite as interesting by the general reader as the purely literary portion of the book.

One of Zibby Mag's Most Anticipated Books Coming Out in 2024 | One of SheNet's Highly Anticipated Books of 2024A genre-bending story about love and loss, hope and heartbreak, and the healing to be found in life's little limbos, those in-between spaces where you're no longer who you were and not yet the person you will be About her debut, Out of Love, Hazel Hayes said, “The journey from writing horror to writing love stories was a short one. There is nothing more horrific than love.” In her new novel, she sets out to prove it. This genre-defying, meta-modern novel is unlike anything you have ever read, and yet at its core it is a story we all deeply understand. A story of love and liminality, and the ways in which grief grips us all. Prepare to laugh and cry; Hazel Hayes will break your heart, but then she'll mend it for you. Following a breakup, Kate and Finn decide to keep sharing their house until the lease runs out in twelve weeks'time, alternating week by week so that they are occupying the same space but never at the same time. Practically, the plan makes sense, but coming back each Sunday to a home where Finn has been and gone feels far too much like living with a ghost. Kate lost her mother at a young age and now this fresh grief dredges unhealed sorrows up to the surface, and soon, Kate finds herself adrift in her own subconscious, trapped in the liminal space between loving someone and letting go.

A cunning, outside-the-box satirical thriller about a family's odyssey into an exclusive enclave for the wealthy that might not be as ideal as it seems.You'll be safe here. That's what the tour guide tells the Farmer-Bowens when they visit Plymouth Valley, a walled-off company town with clean air, pantries that never go empty, and blue-ribbon schools. On a very trial basis, the company offers to hire Linda Farmer's hus­band, Russell, a numbers genius, and relocate her whole family to this bucolic paradise for the.0001 percent. Though Linda will have to sacrifice her medical career back home, the family jumps at the opportunity. They'd be crazy not to take it. With the outside world falling apart, this might be the Farmer-Bowens'last chance. But fitting in takes work. The pampered locals distrust outsiders, snubbing Linda, Russell, and their teen twins. And the residents fervently adhere to a group of customs and beliefs called Hollow...but what exactly is Hollow? It's Linda who brokers acceptance, by volunteering her medical skills to the most influential people in town through their pet charity, ActHollow. In the months afterward, everything seems fine. Sure, Russell starts hyper­ventilating through a paper bag in the middle of the night, and the kids have become secretive, but living in Plymouth Valley is worth sacrificing their family's closeness, isn't it? At least they'll survive. The trouble is, the locals never say what they think. They seem scared. And Hollow's ominous culminating event, the Plymouth Valley Winter Festival, is coming. Linda is warned by her husband and her powerful new friends to stop asking questions. But the more she learns, the more frightened she becomes. Should the Farmer-Bowens be fighting to stay, or fighting to get out? Sarah Langan's latest novel, A Better World, is gleefully ruthless in its dissection of wealth, power, and privilege, timely in its depiction of a self-destructing world—and it is a prescient warning to us all.

A runaway bestseller about a boy gone missing in the middle of an Alaskan blizzard, and the people desperate to find him—from multi-award-winning author Marie Vingtras. Winner of the Prix Des Libraires, the French Booksellers'Prize for Best Novel of the Year In the middle of a raging storm in Alaska, Bess stops to tie her shoes. And just like that, the boy is lost, gone in a flash, swallowed up by the snow. Bess is a California girl, while Benedict, with whom she and the boy live, is the last in his family's long line of rugged Alaskans. Benedict knows better than to venture out in such weather. But he has no choice. He must find Bess and the boy before it's too late. Blizzard is a race against death and destiny. Benedict, the local, and Bess, the outsider, are joined in the frantic search by Cole, an unsavory figure who washed up decades ago and clings on, downing moonshine. Then there's Freeman, a Black Vietnam vet who seems wholly out of place in the North. What brings him to this remote corner of Alaska? What secrets is he hiding—are they all hiding? And will they find the truth? An award-winning page-turner, Blizzard is a breathless panorama of lonely souls making a life for themselves in the Far North, and of the dark truths they carry.

•• ONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S SUMMER READING SELECTIONS •• What is motherhood in the midst of uncertainty, buried trauma and an unravelling America? What it's always been – a love song. Our narrator is a gifted photographer, an uncertain wife, an infertile mother, a biracial woman in an America that's coming undone. As she grapples with a lifetime of ambivalence about motherhood, yet another act of police brutality makes headlines, and this time the victim is Noah, a boy in her photography class. Unmoored by the grief of a recent, devastating miscarriage and Noah's fight for his life, she worries she can no longer chase the hope of having a child, no longer wants to bring a Black body into the world. Yet her husband Asher – contributing white Jewish genes alongside her Black-Japanese ones to any potential child - is just as desperate to keep trying. Throwing herself into a new documentary on motherhood and making secret visits to Noah in the hospital, this is when she learns she is, impossibly, pregnant. As life shifts once more, she must decide what she dares hope for the shape of her future to be. Fearless, timely, blazing with voice, Blue Hour is a fragmentary debut with unignorable storytelling power. The perfect next read for fans of Raven Leilani's Luster, Jenny Offill's Weather and Bernardine Evaristo's Girl, Woman, Other.'Gasp-worthy… How did Harrison achieve this spectacular feat of emotional withholding while also making readers feel so much?'– VULTURE'Incredibly powerful'– GOOD MORNING AMERICA'A brave new writer'– PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY'An urgent, heartbreaking, and profound meditation on motherhood, art-making, uncertainty, the ongoing violence of American racism and police brutality, and the courage it takes to choose the future'– BUZZFEED

From the author of Indie Next Pick and New York Times Editors'Choice Goodnight, Beautiful Women comes a transportive and chilling debut novel of two sisters growing up on an isolated Northern European island in the shadow of their late mother and the Devil It's 1825, four generations after Berggrund Island's women stood accused of witchcraft under the eye of their priest, now long dead. In his place is Pastor Silas, a widower with two wild young daughters, Beata and Ulrika. The sisters are outcasts: imaginative, oppositional, increasingly obsessed with the lore and legend of the island's dark past and their absent mother, whom their father refuses to speak of. As the girls come of age, and the strictures of the community shift but never wane, their rebellions twist and sharpen. Ever capable Ulrika shoulders the burden of keeping house, while Bea, alone with unsettling visions and impulses, hungers for companionship and attention. When an enigmatic outsider arrives at their door, his presence threatens their family bond and unearths – piece by piece – a buried history to shocking ends. All the while Berggrund's neighboring island The Blue Maiden beckons, storied home of the Witches'Sabbath and Satan's realm, its misted shore veiling truths the sisters have spent their lives searching for. A Nordic Gothic laced with the horrors of life in a patriarchy both hostile to and reliant on its women, The Blue Maiden is a starkly beautiful depiction of lost lineage and resilience.