Sea of Tranquility

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel is a story with a mystery that spans 489 years.

Edwin St. Andrew is a second son in England at the beginning of the 20th century. As he is not going to inherit his father's house and wealth, he is sent to Canada to make a life for himself. In 1912 he has made it across the continent to Vancouver island. Walking in the forest toward a maple tree he experiences disorientation - seeing a terminal with a man playing the violin.

Olive Llewellyn is on a world tour for her pandemic novel as it is about to become a movie. In 2203 while walking through an airship terminal, passing a man playing the violin, she suddenly sees trees in a forest. 

In 2401 in a colony on the moon, Gaspery Roberts is hired by the Time Institute to investigate an anomaly in North America. He will travel back in time to interview four people in different times, all connected to an airship terminal in Oklahoma City.

Mandel has created a compelling puzzle of a story. This is a fun book. Read it now!

Mandel, Emily St. John. (2022). Sea of Tranquility. New York: Alfred A Knopf. 

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Story by James McBride is one of the best books I read this year, or any year. Set in the 1920s and 30s in Pottstown, Pennsylvania's neighborhood of Chicken Hill, a mixed Black and Jewish part of town. 

Chona is the daughter of a store owner. She has a limp from Polio as a child. She married Moshe, a Romanian Jewish immigrant who owns a dance hall. As Chona was raised in Chicken Hill she convinces Moshe to bring Black musicians and bands along with the Yiddish he has already planned.

Though they don't need the money, and actually lose money on it, Chona keeps running the grocery. She allows anyone to shop there and extends credit to her Black neighbors. 

When a young boy is in need of hiding from the state agent who wants to take him to a home because he is deaf, Chona takes him in. 

McBride is one of the great writers of our time. Read all of his books, but start here!

McBride, James. (2023). The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. New York: Riverhead Books. 

How the Sea Came to Be: And All the Creatures In It

How the Sea Came to Be: And All the Creatures In It by Jennifer Berne, illustrated by Amanda Hall, is a gorgeous nonfiction picture book about how the Earth and life began.

Information and illustrations from before the Earth cooled to our current ocean dwellers, the science book is a delight. 

How the Sea Came to Be is the perfect introduction to Earth Science. Plus you will want to recreate the drawings as wallpaper!

Berne, Jennifer. (2023). How the Sea Came to Be: And All the Creatures in It. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

Bunny & Tree

Bunny & Rabbit by Balint Zsako is a stunning wordless picture book. As soon as Bunny and Tree meet they are destined to become family. 

This is gorgeous. Put it at the top of your list for gifts for children, artists or gardeners in your life. 

Amazing!

Zsako, Balint. (2023). Bunny & Rabbit. New York: Enchanted Lion Books.

Iron Flame (Empyrean #2)

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros is the second book in the Empyrean fantasy series. 

Violet has made it through year one at Basgaith War College - most people would not have bet on that outcome. What the final test revealed to her is that the college (including her mother) are lying about the state of things. Still, she needs the training provided by Basgaith.

Year two is where the real training begins. Now that she is in fighting shape and bonded to not one, but two, dragons. She will need all of her smarts to survive the new teacher who seems to have it out for her. 

Yarros has created a well-crafted fantasy world filled with dragons, magic and more. Great series for all fantasy fans and particularly fans of writers like Sarah Maas. 

Yarros, Rebecca. (2023). Iron Flame. New York: Red Tower Books.

The Future

The Future by Naomi Alderman is a science fiction book that takes place a few years from now technology-wise. 

Martha Einkorn was raised on a compound in Oregon. She now works for a social media mogul who wants to control everything. 

Lai Zhen, raised in Hong Kong, is an internet-famous survivalist. She writes articles, interviews and posts videos that have millions of followers. 

Both Martha and Lai have a role to play in a chain of events set into motion to change the course of the world, to hopefully save humanity. If something happens to make people willing to restructure their lives to help the Earth repair itself. One or both of them are unaware of their roles.

Alderman is a masterful storyteller. The twists and turns in this thriller will keep you up late reading. 

Alderman, Naomi. (2023). The Future. New York: Simon and Schuster. 

Cleat Cute

Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner is a lesbian sports romance set mostly in New Orleans.

Phoebe Matthews is going to be a professional soccer player. She has been drafted to the New Orleans Krewe of the NWSL. She has a couple of weeks before she is due at practice when she is called to camp for potential US national team players.

Grace Henderson is a national soccer star, playing professionally for ten years even though she is only 26 years old. She is the captain of the Krewe and the National Team. Grace thinks players should be serious, not like this new kid, 22 years old, but full of energy and making jokes.

Grace is Phoebe's idol. She actually has Grace's poster on her wall in her childhood bedroom. Now she has to follow Grace-the-captain while not making a fool of herself - an not stare or drool!

Wilsner has created a steamy romance for soccer fans. Fun read. 

Wilsner, Meryl. (2023). Cleat Cute. New York: St. Martin's Griffin.

The Kingdom of the Gods (Inheritance #3)

The Kingdom of the Gods by N.K. Jemisin is the third book in the Inheritance fantasy series. 

Sieh, the child god, is lonely and bored. He finds himself going back to Sky, where he was imprisoned for centuries. Going back for the nostalgia of living with his favorite siblings who have scattered to the worlds. 

When Sieh arrives at an unused stairway at the bottom levels of the palace that is Sky, he finds to lost Arameri children - Shahar and Deka. They are twins, about eight or ten. They have been exploring, but have gotten lost in an abandoned level. 

Sieh, also the trickster gods, plays a game with them. He is just as likely to reward as kill at the end of a game, but the smart children convince him to come back in one year to continue the game. 

Jemisin is an amazing world-builder. The layers and complexities she must have in her head to write with such seamlessness in her own created world! It is no wonder she is the best of the amazing fantasy writers of our day! Read all of her books. Each series is wonderful and different and will make you think differently about some aspect of your life. 

Jemisin, N.K. (2011). The Kingdom of the Gods. New York: Orbit

A Shot in the Dark

A Shot in the Dark by Victoria Lee is a steamy queer romance. 

Elisheva Cohen left New York eight years ago when she was kicked out of her Orthodox Jewish community. She has just moved from LA to NYC for an art school program with her favorite mix media artist. She just got off of the plane and is going to meet her new roommates. She is not sure how it will feel to be back in NYC, but feels unlikely to ever visit Brooklyn again.

Luckily, her roommates turn out to be great. Though she starts class in the morning, they insist on taking her to a queer club tonight to celebrate. 

Wyatt Cole is from a North Carolina military family. He is an artist who is gaining fame, but most people don't know what he looks like. He is very private. He has been invited to teach a course on mixed media art at a prestigious NY art school. 

Lee has written a romance story with two very real-feeling characters. Both Elisheva and Wyatt have things in their past they have not completely made peace with. And both are in recovery. And when they meet at a queer dance club, they will have no idea they are about to become teacher and student...

Lee, Victoria. (2023). A Shot in the Dark. New York: Dell.

The Broken Kingdoms (Inheritance #2)

The Broken Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin is the second book in the Inheritance fantasy series. 

Oree Shoth is a blind woman who moved to the city of Shadow, located under what was formerly known as the city of Sky. Many things have changed since the chained gods have returned to power. 

While Oree cannot see even shadows, she can see magic. And in a city filled with lesser gods, this is perhaps a good skill to have. She spends her day selling things in the markets. And she is an artist. She can somehow enter a trance-like focus and paint amazing scenes. 

One day Oree finds a man in her garbage. He is alive, but barely. She takes him in. 

This second book is from a different point of view, as is the third. This view gives readers a more in-depth look at the world Jemisin has created. This series is brilliant!

Jemisin, N.K. (2010). The Broken Kingdoms. New York: Orbit.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (Inheritance #1)

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin is the first book in the Inheritance series. 

Yeine Darr who grew up in a small land in the north has been summoned to Sky by her mother's father. Her grandfather is going to recognize her as an heir to the Arameri throne. 

The city of Sky is contained in a super tall tower. Anyone with Arameri blood can live in the tower, but most work as servants. Only those of the central bloodline are treated as royalty. 

The Arameri gained power generations ago when one of the three gods made a deal with the head of the family. It was at the end of the gods' war when Itempas won. He chained his brother and the lesser gods into service of the Arameri. 

Yeine, not having grown up in the midst of this, has few skills to find her way in the political battles of Sky. But after she arrives, one of the lesser gods, Sieh, the child god, befreiends her. It is not clear is this is an advantage or disadvantage for her survival.

Jemisin is possibly my very favorite writer - or at least tied for the first spot with Becky Chambers. This is her first series but does not read as such. Her ideas are completely fleshed out, her writing captivating. 

Jemisin, N.K. (2010). The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. New York: Orbit. 

Chinese Menu: The History, Myths and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods

Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods by Grace Lin is a feast for your eyes and will have you craving Chinese food as you read.

Tea, Eggrolls, Rice, General Tso's Chicken, Peking Duck, Chopsticks and more, all have a story of how they were developed or refined. With folk tales and family stories, Grace Lin walks us through centuries of Chinese history in this beautiful book. 

This books should be part of each library collection, to be enjoyed by children and adults alike. 

Lin, Grace. (2023). Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods. New York: Little, Brown and Company.

Bathe the Cat

Bathe the Cat by Alice McGinty is a hilarious tale of a family getting ready for a visit from grandma. 

While two dads and their kids run in circles trying to get the house presentable for a visit from grandma, the cat keeps rearranging the list - created out of refrigerator magnets.

This is a great book that should be at the top of your list for picture book gifts! All of the books by Alice McGinty are wonderful. 

McGinty, Alice. (2023). Bathe the Cat. New York: Chronicle Books.

Julian is a Mermaid

Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love is a beautiful picture book. 

This book about a boy and his grandmother is the tale of letting someone grow and shine in their own way. About seeing people for who they are. 

Read this beautiful book or buy it for a small loved one in your life. 

Love, Jessica. (2018). Julian is a Mermaid. New York: Candlewick Press.

Starter Villain

 

Starter Villain by John Scalzi is a wonderful read! 

Charlie, the youngest of four siblings, lives in his father's house with his cat Hera. It was part of his father's will that Charlie could live there as long as necessary, then split the sale with his siblings. 

Charlie was a journalist but was laid off with most of the magazine industry. He has been substitute teaching and working at a pub to pay bills. 

Then a woman shows up on his doorstep and tells him that his uncle has died. He has not seen his uncle since he graduated from college, but if he is willing to stand for him at the funeral he will receive his inheritance. 

What Charlie doesn't know is that by standing for his uncle he is announcing that he is the heir apparent to his uncle's business. As far as Charlie knows his uncle owned parking garages. He doesn't know his uncle was a super villain and that every rival will now try to kill Charlie.

Scalzi has written a fun, quick read that will have you laughing out loud. Fans of cats will be delighted by this book.

Scalzi, John. (2023). Starter Villain. New York: Tor. 

The Vaster Wilds

 

The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff is a look at life for women in the American colonies.

A servant girl has escaped from a starving colony. The colony is so destitute that there is no wood left to burn or food to eat. She thinks she has a better chance of surviving in the wilds that in a place that where people will do anything to make it through winter.

She has planned ahead and stolen a knife, an ax, books, a cup, a flint and two covers and wears all of the clothing she could fit on her body. 

She will try to make it in the wilderness - living off of the land and hiding from those sent to find her while avoiding the nations of the land and dangerous animals. 

Lauren Groff is one of the great writers of our time. She captures the feelings and harshness of the land while making readers root for a likely doomed young woman. This is a masterpiece of evocative writing. 

Groff, Lauren. (2023). The Vaster Wilds. New York: Riverhead Books. 

Mammoths at the Gate (Singing Hills Cycle #4)

Mammoths at the Gate by Nghi Vo is the fourth book of the Singing Hills Cycle - a collection of novellas that read like folk tales. 

Cleric Chih is going back to the Singing Hills monastery after four years of traveling and collecting stories. They are excited to see their neixin, Almost Brilliant, after she left to hatch eggs. 

When Chih arrives, there are two royal mammoths guarding the gate. Two sisters who want to reclaim their grandfather's body for their family, something that is not done once someone becomes a cleric. 

Chih talks his way past the giant mammoths with a promise to help talks between the sisters and the monks. They find that most of the monks are away collecting stories and that their classmate Ru has been left in charge. 

Vo's series is a collection of beautiful storytelling. These small books pack a lot in. Read these books!

Vo, Nghi. (2023). Mammoths at the Gate. New York: TOR.  

The Collector (Gabriel Allon #23)

The Collector by Daniel Silva is the 23rd book in the Gabriel Allon series - a Mossad agent who wanted to be a painter. 

Gabriel is now retired and living in Venice with his wife and children. He and Chiara have opened an art restoration company. 

When General Ferrari of the art crime squad show up asking Gabriel to evaluate a painting, Gabriel knows there will be more to it than a simple appraisal. 

What he finds in the home a recently murdered shipping tycoon in Almalfi is a painting that has been missing for decades. A painting stolen from the Isabella Gardener Museum in 1990. 

What follows is classic Allon. Daniel Silva is a master of storytelling, weaving in current events, historical fact and enough suspense to keep you up all night reading. 

Silva, Daniel. (2023). The Collector. New York: Harper. 

That Flag

That Flag by Tameka Fryer Brown, illustrated by Nikkolas Smith, is the story of two school friends whose parents feel very differently about the flag outside of one of their homes. 

While Bianca and Keira are best friends at school, Keira's parents will not allow her to go to Bianca's house because of the confederate flag in the front yard. 

When the school takes a field trip to the local museum for an exhibit called Stars and Bars, Keira's father follows her through the exhibit while she absorbs the meaning and history of that flag. 

Brown has created an age-appropriate story of what the confederate flag stands for in our history and today.

Brown, Tameka Fryer. (2023). That Flag. New York: Harper.

Stickler

Stickler by Lane Smith is a beautiful picture book about someone who loves the world around himself. Stickler goes through his day enjoying everything he see and sharing it with his best friend. 

Smith, Lane. (2023). Stickler. New York: Random House. 

All the Dead Shall Weep (Gunnie Rose #5)

All the Dead Shall Weep by Charlaine Harris is the fifth book in her alternate history western series featuring Gunnie Rose and her sister Felicia.

Felicia is traveling with her best friend Peter to visit her sister Lizbeth in Texoma. Felicia is in magic school in San Diego, of the Holy Russian Empire. 

Lizbeth and her husband Eli have visited Felicia in San Deigo, but this is Felicia's first trip to Segundo Mexia, Texoma - a much more rural place than the big city she lives in. 

When an army of unknown origin comes through Segundo Mexia, Peter and Eli follow them. Felicia and Lizbeth stay and try to protect the people in town. 

Could all of this be a move by someone to take over Texoma? Or is it related to the wizard's ball coming up - where the magical families make betrothals to strengthen their lines? A ball where the very powerful Felicia will be presented for the first time.

Harris has a wonderful gift for world-building. The Gunnie Rose series is both highly entertaining and a fast read. I highly recommend reading this series. 

Harris, Charlaine. (2023). All the Dead Shall Weep. New York: Saga Press.

He Who Drowned the World (Radiant Emperor #2)

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan is the stunning conclusion to her Radiant Emperor series, an alternate history to the end of the Great Yuan and the founding of the Ming Dynasty. 

Zhu Yuanzhang, formerly Zhu Chongba, has crowned themself king of a large part of southern China, land taken back from the Mongol Yuan dynasty.

General Ouyang, who fought against Zhu, will form an uneasy alliance with Zhu to continue the destruction of the Yuan. Someone else is also pulling strings to gain the throne himself. So far, Zhu cannot figure out who that could be.

In this heart-wrenching conclusion, Parker-Chan closes this brilliantly written alternate history, queer retelling of a pivotal time in Chinese and world history. If you are a fan of history or great writing read this series. It is a feat of literature. 

Parker-Chan, Shelley. (2023). He Who Drowned the World. New York: Tor.

Fourth Wing (Empyrean #1)

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros is the first book in her Empyrean fantasy series. 

Violet Sorrengail has been studying her whole life to enter Basgaith War College and become a scribe - one who keeps all of the history of Navarre. She will follow in her father's footsteps. Or so she thought. 

At the very last minute, her mother, General Sorrengail, tells her she will not become a scribe, she is going to become a dragon rider - or die trying. Odds are not in her favor as most classes lose about half of their students.

On conscription day each prospective student must cross a parapet to get to the school. If you make it across the only ways out of the school are graduation or death. If your classmates don't kill you, the dragons might. 

Yarros has written a heart pounding tale that fans of Sarah Maas will love. 

Yarros, Rebecca. (2023). Fourth Wing. PA: Red Tower Books.

Audacious (Kris Longknife #5)

Audacious by Mike Shephard is the fifth book in his space opera featuring Kris Longknife.

As all of Kris Longknife's assignments, she is being sent somewhere to be kept out of trouble. And like all assignments, that is not the real mission. The problem is that no one ever tells Kris what the real reason is for her being in what feels like the wrong place at the wrong time.  

The planet of New Eden is controlled by the descendants of three Earth nations - a precarious balance that no one outside of the government really understands. Partly because of the inordinately high price to subscribe to any media source. Most citizens cannot afford to pay it. 

There are factions at work who want to overthrow the government and are using the lack of media as a kind of shield to get things started. Kris has to figure out a way to get information out of this frustrating planet. 

The one thing that might help is that Abbey, Kris's maid / bodyguard / maybe-a-spy is from New Eden. She may have sources - only she left more than a decade ago and never looked back.

The Kris Longknife series is a swashbuckling good read. 

Shephard, Mike (2007). Audacious. New York: Ace Books.

The Splinter in the Sky

The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa is a brilliant space opera, filled with political intrigue, espionage and some deserved comeuppance! 

On the distant moon of Koriko, a territory of the Holy Vaalbaran Empire, those who live on the planet are not doing as well as they were before they were subjected to the Empire.

Tea Specialist and Scribe Enitan Ijebu is about to become a political prisoner to ensure the uneasy peace between the Empire and the Ominirish Republic. Losing both people she cares about, she is taken to the capital planet - home of the God-Emperor.

The seat of government, and the upper classes, is a floating city that hovers over the planet long abandoned by all who could. There Enitan will do everything necessary to save her sibling, exact revenge and try to free her home planet. 

Ashing-Giwa has written a wonderful science fiction, espionage story. This is a great read-a-like for fans of Arkady Martine's A Memory Called Empire. 

Ashing-Giwa, Kemi. (2023). The Splinter in the Sky. New York: Sage Press.

Resolute (Kris Longknife #4)

Resolute by Mike Shephard is the fourth book in his space opera series featuring Kris Longknife. 

To get the trouble-making (for some) Kris Longknife out of the way, she is assigned to a planet on the Rim. The planet Chance is one not many people have even heard of. She is to take over the guarding of two jump gates. 

When Kris arrives, with Jack, Penny and Abby, the station she is assigned to has been mothballed. The ship they arrived on is more a floating museum than a proper Navy ship. And she has no personnel - everyone from Chance has been retired and moved back to the planet. 

With her usual "luck" five Greenhaven ships enter the far star gate. Greenhaven has been commandeering planets since the alliance with Earth broke down. Now Kris has just a few days to invent a way to defend Chance space.

Shephard has created a badass character in Kris Longknife. This series is every entertaining. 

Shephard, Mike. (2006). Resolute. New York: ACE Books.

In the Time of Our History

In the Time of Our History by Susanne Pari is a family saga centered on an Iranian American family in New Jersey.

Mitra Jahani grew up in New Jersey with her parents and younger sister Anahita. She is on her way back there now, from San Fransisco, for Anahita's One Year - marking the anniversary of the death of Anahita, and her two children. 

Being back among her family is a blessing and a curse for Mitra. Her father has not spoken to her for years and her mother is caught in the middle. She has extended family she adores and those she wishes to never lay eyes on again. 

Pari has written a beautiful family saga with all of the complications of any family, likely enhanced by the parents being immigrants from a different culture and children who grew up American. 

Pari, Susanne. (2023). In the Time of Our History. New York: John Scognamiglio Books.

The Terraformers

The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz is the story of creating a habitable planet out of a rock spinning in space. 

The Environmental Rescue Teams job on the planet SASK-E is to keep things in balance. Teams through the ages have been guiding the planet through stages from oxygen production to soil enrichment to plant growth. SASK-E is now in a Pleistocene-like era.

Destry, an Environmental Research Ranger, in the year 59,006 is charged with caring for the planets and helping when the ecosystems need it. 

While accompanying another ranger to the south of the main continent, they discover a city that should not exist - a people who should be impossible. This will make Destry rethink all she knows about SASK-E and Verdance, the corporation who owns the planet. 

Newitz has written a great environmental science fiction story that will make you think differently about our world and all kinds of people. This is a great book.

Newitz, Annalee. (2023). The Terraformers. New York: TOR.

The Monsters We Defy

The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope is an historical fiction novel set in 1920s DC.

Clara Johnson can talk to spirits. It was likely to happen as she was born at a crossroads. Then she made a deal with an enigma - which always comes with a trick. 

Clara has the chance to free herself of her trick if she steals a ring. She agrees, no questions asked. It is not until later that she wonders how someone in the spirit world can use a ring.

Either way, she will need a team to help with this heist. Especially after she realizes that the ring may be responsible for poor people going missing. 

Penelope has written story set during the Roaring Twenties and the Harlem Renaissance (which took place in more cities than just NYC). Read this wonderful book.

Penelope, Leslye. (2022). The Monsters We Defy. New York: Red Hook.

Clara "Carrie" Johnson was a real person. She is known for being shot in her apartment during the 1919 DC Race War, then accused of killing a police officer who broke in shooting. There were 18 bullets in her bedroom door. Her and her father both shot. Sound familiar? Like nothing much changed between Carrie Johnson in 1919 and Breonna Taylor in 2020?

The Last Ranger

The Last Ranger by Peter Heller is about wolves in Yellowstone - or rather, how humans think of wolves and their place in the world.

Ren is a National Park Service Enforcement Ranger. He is stationed in Yellowstone outside of Cooke City, Montana. Part of why he has this job is his love of nature - from fly fishing to watching wolves, bears, goats, moose, buffalo and more as part of his daily life. 

His day consists of everything from breaking up traffic jams to saving clueless tourists from dying while taking selfies with wild animals to investigating poachers. 

Heller has a way with words. Each of his books are beautifully written, catch you on page one, and stay in your mind for a while. He is one of the most talented writers alive. Read all of his books. Definitely read this one - learn about the wolves and their place in the ecosystem, their family structure and their majesty. (Then consider donating to one of the wonderful organizations fighting to keep them alive.)

Heller, Peter. (2023). The Last Ranger. New York: Alfred A Knopf.

Killers of a Certain Age

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn is the story of a group of four female assassins who have made it to retirement - no easy feat in their field. Now someone is trying to kill them.

Recruited and trained to be assassins in the 1970s, Billie, Mary Alice, Helen and Natalie are now retiring. They are the first female team since the one in the OSS during World War II. Forty years of taking out very bad people and surviving. 

For their retirement gift, they are sent on an ocean cruise. But on the very first day at sea, Billie notices someone she worked with on a job. When they search his room, they are sure - he is here to kill them.

These are not easy women to kill. Not only do they need to escape a ship at sea, but they also need to find out who gave the order and have it rescinded. 

Raybourn has written a thoroughly enjoyable story. I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys mystery, thrillers, or just badass women who will not let others dictate their lives. 

Raybourn, Deanna. (2022). Killers of a Certain Age. New York: Berkeley Press. 

To Shape a Dragon's Breath (Nampeshiweisit #1)

To Shape a Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose is the first book in the fantasy series.

The island of Masquapaug has not seen dragons for generations. The Anglish conquerors have their types of dragons on the mainland, but the Nampeshiwe have gone. Or at least everyone thinks that until Anequs is on the shore when she sees a huge Nampeshiwe take off from the next island. 

She goes back to tell her family. The next day she goes to the old temple to give thanks for the honor of seeing a Nampeshiwe. When she arrives, there is a dragon egg. She takes it back to the meetinghouse where everyone on Masquapaug sings, dances and tells stories to the egg while they wait for it to hatch.

Unfortunately, the Anglish have rules about dragons and who can have them. Anequs must go to school to become certified to shape a dragon's breath. Without this bond and the teachings, the fire a dragon breathes can destroy. But with the knowledge of how to work with a dragon, one can shape the breath into something magical.

Blackgoose has created a beautiful book set in the time of early colonization - when those who invaded think they know everything and are civilized. When those who already lived in the area see the invaders as brutish and shortsighted. I absolutely love this book! My only complaint is that is just came out so I will have to wait forever for the next one in the series. :-)

Blackgoose, Moniquill. (2023). To Shape a Dragon's Breath. New York: Del Rey.

The Dos and Donuts of Love

The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar is about doing what you love. 

Shireen Malik has just broken up with her girlfriend. Her best friend is in Bangladesh for the summer. She works at her family's donut shop - You Drive Me Glazy.  And she is waiting to hear if she will be on a new Irish teen cooking competition. 

When she finds out she has made it on the show she is excited but scared that her ex, Chris, will also be there. 

Jaigirdar has created a lovely teen romance for fans of shows like the Great British Baking Show and fans of puns! This is a wonderful summer read. 

Jaigirdar, Adiba. The Dos and Donuts of Love. New York: Feiwel & Friends. 

The Collected Regrets of Clover

The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer is about a death doula in New York City.

Clover Brooks was raised by her grandfather from age six when her parents died. Clover was sad about her parents, but ready to leave the school where everyone thought she was weird since the day her kindergarten teacher dropped dead during storytime and she was the only kid to not run screaming from the room.

As an adult she is a death doula. Really, she spends little time with those not dying since grandfather died. She spends as much or little time with the dying to help them process anything they want to talk about before their time is up. 

She does need to process these deaths. So she does two things. She keeps journals of people regrets and last words. And she goes to Death Cafes to speak with others who have experienced a loss. 

At one of the cafes, she meets a man who wants to hire her for his grandmother. Grandmother Claudia will be different - she will make Clover want to open up to people more, make her try to face her regrets now, and make other choices. 

Brammer has written a beautiful book about relationships and using time wisely while we have it instead of putting things off that we may regret later. Read this book.

Brammer, Mikki. The Collected Regrets of Clover. New York: St. Martin's Press. 

Titanium Noir

Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway is a genreblend of science fiction and detective series. 

Cal Sounder is a detective who works with the police on sensitive cases - those involving Titans. Titans are the superrich who have taken T7 therapy to expand their lives, a side effect of which is to make people extremely tall. 

When Roddy Tebbit, a professor and Titan is found dead, Cal is called. Tebbit does not fit the usual profile of a Titan but his height says he is one. How did someone on a professor salary pay for the ridiculously expensive therapy? Why did Stefan Tonfemecasca, the man who controls the technology and who gets to use it, allow Tebbit to become a Titan?

Harkaway has created a moody noir setting in both the underbelly of the city and in the supertalls where the Titans live. This is a great combination of noir and science fiction. Fun read!

Harkaway, Nick. (2023). Titanium Noir. New York: Knopf.

How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures

How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures by Sabrina Imbler is a memoir of growing up queer and mixed race in the US.

Using fascinating sea creatures Imbler teaches us about life in the oceans, lakes and rivers while equating their behavior to times in their life. 

Beginning with the amazing ability of the goldfish to survive inhospitable waters from a dirty bowl to wild lakes and rivers; including the selflessness of an octopus guarding and awaiting the hatching of her eggs; to a swarm equated to the flood of queer New Yorkers during pride, Imbler has written a unique yet universal story of growing up.

This is beautiful memoir. Read it.

Imbler, Sabrina. (2022). How Far the Light Reaches. New York: Little, Brown, and Company.

Defiant (Kris Longknife #3)

Defiant by Mike Shepherd is the third book in the Kris Longknife science fiction series. 

After returning to Wardhaven following a daring rescue of her best friend, Kris learns that her position has been taken - likely the consequences would be worse if not for being one of those damn Longknifes. 

What is available is a squadron of fast attack boats called mosquitos. They are untried in combat but may be an idea for planetary protection from invasion - something that is more likely since the galaxy wide alliance has ended.

A theory that Kris and her crews will be able to test when war ships enter Wardhaven space. 

Shepherd has written and entertaining space opera series featuring an audacious character with a band of friends who help keep her alive. 

Shepherd, Mike. (2005). Defiant. New York: Ace Books. 

The River of Silver (Daevabad tales)

The River of Silver by S.A. Chakraborty is a collection of tales that extends her Daevabad trilogy to four books. 

Have you ever finished a great series and just wanted more? So has author S.A. Chakraborty!

This collection includes tales of all the best characters of her Daevabad series - taking place before, during and after the time of the series (including an alternative ending!).

Chakraborty, S.A. (2022). The River of Silver. New York: Harper Voyager. 

Deserter (Kris Longknife #2)

Deserter by Mike Shepherd is the second book in the Kris Longknife science fiction series. 

Kris is back on the planet of Wardhaven putting a new ship through its tests when she gets a call saying that Tom has been taken. He was on vacation on a cruise halfway across the galaxy. 

Taking leave for a week, Kris - along with her bodyguard and the new dresser her mother hired when Kris's grandfather became king, making Kris a princess - race to a far off planet to rescue Tom. All of which may be a trap.

Mike Shepherd has created a great character in a fun space opera series. I will be reading them all. 

Shepherd, Mike. (2004). Deserter. New York: Ace Books.

The Empire of Gold (Daevabad #3)

The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty is the third book in her Daevabad fantasy series.

Magic is lost. The city of the djinn has fallen. Chaos rules. 

Ali and Nahri wash up on the shore of a great river. Neither of them knows where they are or how they got there.

And that is all I can say without giving spoilers! Read the Deavabad series. It is one of my favorite fantasy series.

Chakraborty, S.A. (2020). The Empire of Gold. New York: Harper Voyager. 

The Kingdom of Copper (Daevabad #2)

The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty is the second book in her Daevabad fantasy series set in the central city of the djinn.

Nahri is learning the traditions and healing arts of the djinn while the whole city prepares for the holiday of the new century. Djinn will come from all over the world to celebrate in the city and for a chance to glimpse a member of the Nahid family. 

Ali has been banished from the city and is trying a quiet life in the desert - enjoying being a (somewhat) regular djinn instead of the prince. 

But on the horizon is a plot to attack the city during the holiday, to bring Daevabad to its knees and usurp King Ghassan whose family has ruled for millennium. 

Chakraborty is a wonderful storyteller. Her books have all of the hallmarks of a brilliant fantasy series with the added bonus of magical creatures of desert folklore. Read this series!

Chakraborty, S. A. (2019). The Kingdom of Copper. New York: Harper Voyager. 

When We Were Birds

When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo is the tale of people from two very different backgrounds meeting in Trinidad's largest cemetery. 

Yejide St Bernard grew up listening stories about when the corbeaux (crows) became those who use magic to sooth the dead and keep them still. In her family, one woman in each generation inherits this honor/role.

Darwin grew up Rasta. One of the tenants of his belief is to stay away from death. It is a central belief. But after years of there being no jobs, he takes a job in the city - at the main cemetery. He cuts his hair and becomes a grave digger to help his family survive. 

When Yejide and Darwin meet at the gates of Fidelis Cemetery it will change both of their lives. Banwo has written a beautiful book of love in the time of change. 

Banwo, Ayanna Lloyd. (2022). When We Were Birds. New York: Doubleday. 

The City of Brass (Daevabad #1)

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty is the first book in her amazing fantasy series set in eighteenth century Middle East.

Nahri makes her way as a conwoman in the city of Cairo. She does palm reading, reads tea leaves, performs zars to rid people of djinn spirits (in which she does not believe), and has an affinity for healing. She mostly targets Ottoman nobles. Her goal is to save enough money to go to school for healing.

During a zar to remove the djinn from a young girl, Nahri decides to sing in a language she knows from childhood - a language she has never heard anyone else speak - and calls an ancient djinn warrior seemingly out of the air.

Soon, her warrior is leading her across the desert to the city of Daevabad, a city of djinn. He says she is part djinn herself. 

I love this series! If you are a fan of fantasy and/or are tired of all fantasy being set in an ancient Europe this is the series you have been waiting for! 

Chakraborty, S. A. (2017). The City of Brass. New York: Harper Voyager. 

The White Lady

The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear is another example of her amazing storytelling! If you don't yet know her work, seek it out today at your local bookstore or library.

Elinor White was born in Belgium. She was ten when the Germans invaded. Her father left to join the army. Elinor, along with her older sister and mother were just moments late to escape by train. Now they will try to ride out the war without being noticed by the soldiers. 

Then one day Isabelle comes to their door. She wants the three of them to go on a picnic above the train tracks. And while there count the number of trains and their details. The Germans will likely overlook three women on a hill trying to make the most of the day.

In 1947, Elinor is now living in an estate in the English countryside - in a home given to her for her service as a spy in both world wars. She keeps to herself. But when she sees the young couple down the lane being harassed by to men from London, she feels the need to get involved.

Winspear's words will pull you in within the first page and take you on a thoughtful, suspenseful read. She is one of my favorite authors. 

Winspear, Jacqueline. (2022). The White Lady. New York: Harper. 

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin is the story of life on a small island.

AJ Fikry owns a bookstore on Alice Island, off the US Northeast Coast. He opened the store with his now-deceased wife. In his grief he has become known in the publishing world as a hard sell - he knows what books he likes and will not pander to the summer people (in spite of likely increased sales).

Amelia is a new sales representative for a small publisher. Her predecessor left notes on bookstore owners/buyers. She is making the two-hour ferry ride to Alice Island knowing that she is unlikely to sell many books to Mr. Fikry. And she is correct - their first meeting goes horribly.

But thing are about to change for AJ. First a valuable, rare first edition of an Edgar Allan Poe is stolen from his apartment. 

Second, someone leaves a baby in his store with a note that says her name is Maya, please raise her to love books. 

Gabrielle Zevin is a wonderful storyteller. I will be reading everything she writes. 

Zevin, Gabrielle. (2014). The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry. New York: Algonquin Books.

Mutineer (Kris Longknife #1)

Mutineer by Mike Shephard is the first book in the science fiction series featuring Kris Longknife. 

Born into the Longknife legacy – daughter to the planet’s Prime Minister and granddaughter to two war heroes – Kris has chosen another path. She will not run for office like her father and brother. She is joining the Space Navy of the Society of Humanity as an ensign. No special favors from on high like those who refer to her family as “those Longknifes would expect of her. 

And it looks like maybe she is getting all the worst assignments in the Navy. Her first deployment being a hostage rescue in a cabin that makes Fort Knox look like a piggy bank. 

Shephard’s first in the Kris Longknife series is a great space opera. I will be reading the entire series (currently twenty volumes). 

Shephard, Mike. (2021). Mutineer. New York: Ace Books

Bookish People

Bookish People by Susan Coll is about a collection of book-loving people who work at an independent bookstore in Washington, D.C. 

Sophie Bernstein is the bookstore owner who just lost her husband. She is pulling away from any socialization, including employee communications, in her grief. 

She is burned out and worried about the state of the world. This is about the same time she remembers a secret nook in the store that hides behind a shelf, and she decides to make herself a fallout shelter of sorts. 

Clemi has taken over the events organization for the store. While almost every other bookstore in UK and the US has cancelled readings by poet Raymond Chaucer, she plans to keep their engagement. She has wanted to meet him for a long time – not because she is a fan, but because she suspects he may be her father. 

With most employees doing things on their own without consulting co-workers, the bookstore is starting to feel unsettled. The current manager is moving away, a newer employee was just fired and banned from the store, and Sophie is at war with a six-hundred-dollar vacuum. 

Coll has written a cast of characters readers will not soon forget. 

Coll, Susan. (2022). Bookish People. New York: Harper Muse.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (al-Sirafi #1)

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty is a wonderful pirate adventure set in the twelfth century in the Indian Ocean. 

Amina al-Sarafi is a nakhudha, a pirate and a smuggler. She is a legend who brings fear to sailors and merchants. 

She retired ten years ago. She found a dilapidated house in the jungle and fixed it up for her daughter. Her mother often lives with them and her brother visits when he can. She has a quiet, peaceful life though she does miss the sea. 

When a wealthy woman offers her a huge amount of money to find her kidnapped granddaughter – the daughter of one of al-Sirafi’s crew – she cannot pass up the chance for a quick sail. Afterall, her ship is ready to go. She promises to look for four months for an upfront fee… 

Chakraborty is a great storyteller weaving in right lore to create a reading experience that is fun and adventurous. 

Chakraborty, Shannon. (2023). The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi. New York: Harper Voyager.

The Girl with the Louding Voice

The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré is a coming-of-age story set in Nigeria. 

Adunni is fourteen. She lives in the village of Ikati. Her mother made her father promise to keep Adunni in school when she died. Her mother said that the more education you had the better your louding voice, your ability to speak up for yourself. 

Now her father has taken her out of school. There is no money to pay the fees. He cannot pay the rent for them and her two brothers. His solution is to marry Adunni to a man who can afford a good bride price. Adunni has no desire to get married. Her true love is learning. 

Any further details would necessarily include spoilers. Daré has written a heartwarming story set in a country rich and alive, but with a huge wealth gap. Though she has an arduous journey, Adunni is a beautiful character who could be many girls in Nigeria. She is always hopeful and that is what allows her to get where she wants to be. Read this wonderful story. 

Daré, Abi. (2020). The Girl With The Louding Voice. New York: Dutton.

Into the Light (Out of the Dark #2)

Into the Light by David Weber and Chris Kennedy is the sequel to Out of the Dark - a military science fiction about Earth being invaded and the rebuilding after the war. 

After the war with the Shongairi, Earth must rebuild. Many need the basics - food and shelter - after the loss of so many cities around the globe. A new government must be set up partly to allocate resources and to protect people from those taking advantage of the chaos. The technology that the Shongairi brought will make rebuilding faster than it would have been after a human war. 

The characters who lead the fighting in the first book must pivot to what their skills can be used for now. Dave Dvorak, Governor Howell, Abu Bakr and others will do what they have to do to make sure the Earth is never again in such a vulnerable position. 

Weber created a military science fiction plot that highlights the strength of humans to never give up. The aliens who have a very different sort of logic had no idea what they were in for! This is a great read for scifi fans.

Weber, David & Chris Kennedy. (2020). Into the Light. New York: Tor.