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MCL Books

The Best Books of 2018

Multnomah County Library's guide to this year's great reads

“This is the book you need to read before giving a presentation or facilitating a meeting. I dare you try some of ...”
Read Lilia M.'s full recommendation »
100 trucos para parecer inteligente en reuniones
“These journals are an amazing time capsule of NYC's art and rock underground in the 70's. I've read many a book ...”
Read Larry L.'s full recommendation »
20th Century Boy: Notebooks of the Seventies
“Marlon falls in love with bunny-beautiful Wesley and they decide to get married. All their friends support them ...”
Read Luci D.'s full recommendation »
A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo
The author revives the ethic of making things last in this readable book.
Read Heather E.'s full recommendation »
A Life Less Throwaway
“1889. The horrible wail of a banshee interrupts an Edinburgh staging of Macbeth and a message in blood ...”
Read Sue A.'s full recommendation »
A Mask of Shadows
“A Muslim couple from India struggle to maintain their traditions as they begin a new life in California; their ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
A Place for Us
“Plant combinations, and before and after pictures make this eye-candy garden book a perfect gift. Marietta and ...”
Read Lorna S.'s full recommendation »
A Tapestry Garden
“Betty's post-cancer body image is influenced by the reactions of the people around her until she finds ...”
Read Karen B.'s full recommendation »
About Betty's Boob
“Philosophy, stories, and practical advice from a local author who is also a hospice nurse, all bundled up into a ...”
Read Karen E.'s full recommendation »
Advice for Future Corpses: A Practical Perspective on Death and Dying
“A scholarly and readable account of a neglected part of world history--West Africa -- in the context of medieval ...”
Read Martha J.'s full recommendation »
African Dominion: A New History of Empire in Early and Medieval West Africa
“We have more information than ever, yet we primarily use just one tool to access it. Who benefits from that? And ...”
Read Allison R.'s full recommendation »
Algorithms of Oppression
“A remarkably well-connected and influential botanist (present at the Hamilton-Burr duel), Hosack created a ...”
Read Edith M.'s full recommendation »
American Eden: David Hosack, Botany, and Medicine in the Garden of the Early Republic
“To find out what conditions are really like inside America's prisons, Bauer accepts a position as an entry-level ...”
Read Allison R.'s full recommendation »
American Prison: A Reporter's Undercover Journey Into the Business of Punishment
“April May discovers a truly remarkable thing one night in Manhattan. She and her friends make a video that goes ...”
Read Ann K.'s full recommendation »
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing
“This novel is a beautifully crafted picture of real relationships. Jones describes what should be a simple (or ...”
Read Lana S.'s full recommendation »
An American Marriage
“This engrossing, intelligent novel about a golden boy British MP who stands trial for rape will resonate with ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
Anatomy of a Scandal
“A candid, funny and at times touching look at new motherhood, raising important questions about our gendered ...”
Read Gesse S.'s full recommendation »
And Now We Have Everything: On Motherhood Before I Was Ready
“Even when you think you've made a mistake, this book shows you how to move forward, creating different and ...”
Read Mara T.'s full recommendation »
Ann Blockley's Watercolour Workshop : Projects and Interpretations.
“This transportive wordless picture book that taps into childhood ...”
Read Danielle J.'s full recommendation »
Aquarium
“Gorgeous illustrations and a mix of science, history and folklore complement this concise survey of trees from ...”
Read Rick J.'s full recommendation »
Around The World In 80 Trees
“This book isn't only about the making of Van Morrison's masterpiece "Astral Weeks." It's also about the full ...”
Read Larry L.'s full recommendation »
Astral Weeks: A Secret History of 1968
“What could be better than a baby monkey trying to put on pants and solving crimes?! And this can be the first ...”
Read Karen E.'s full recommendation »
Baby Monkey, Private Eye
“Vera may be at Russian culture and language camp, but this semi-autobiography tells a universal story of ...”
Read Kate C.'s full recommendation »
Be Prepared
“Quietly evokes the stark beauty of a northern winter, as well as the pleasure of friendship. Beautiful ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Bear and Wolf
“On the run from a Mexican drug cartel, Rice Moore takes a job as a caretaker on a private nature reserve in ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
Bearskin
“A gentle romance between two African American women who meet as teens in the 1960s, and in spite of family ...”
Read Cathy C.'s full recommendation »
Bingo Love
“When a rich and well known doctor disappears in 1849 Boston, everyone joins the search. But what if he's in the ...”
Read Rachel T.'s full recommendation »
Blood & Ivy: The 1849 Murder That Scandalized Harvard
“This anthology of 15 short stories from the British Library Crimes Classics take place on a train, and will ...”
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
Blood on the Tracks: Railway Mysteries
“This historical novel tells the story of a Renaissance artist who wanted nothing more than the freedom to paint ...”
Read Emily Y.'s full recommendation »
Blood Water Paint
“If Bob isn't Lizzie's imaginary friend, where did he come from? Lizzie and Bob take turns telling this humorous ...”
Read Kate C.'s full recommendation »
Bob
“So cute. So very, very cute. Kind of like a kitty's fluffy little tummy. Bodie thinks he's ferocious but ...”
Read Heidi S.'s full recommendation »
Bodie Troll
“Full of whimsy and charm, this fun graphic novel explores the lives of 29 amazing women and the awesome things ...”
Read Lori M.'s full recommendation »
Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World
“A deep and humorous dive into why so many jobs created are ultimately pointless or downright harmful, and why ...”
Read Katie J.'s full recommendation »
Bullshit Jobs: A Theory
“You thought you were enjoying the coast, but you really haven't dug into the nooks and crannies without this ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
By the Shore: Explore the Pacific Northwest Coast Like a Local
“I will consume anything that Kalman produces with her bright and generous illustrations, but cake?...and with ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
Cake
This new book from Sedaris is like all of his work -- endearingly snarky.
Read Heather E.'s full recommendation »
Calypso
“These beautiful stories are for every kid who finds joy in their imagination, and for those who don't quite fit ...”
Read Jen M.'s full recommendation »
Cardboard Kingdom
“If I were a writer and I read this book, I'd quit writing. Lyrical prose in a weird imaginary world that packs ...”
Read Christopher C.'s full recommendation »
Census
“Charlie's parents seem more interested in saving the South African Giant Golden Mole than him, so he ends up in ...”
Read Jen M.'s full recommendation »
Charlie & Frog
“Without their magic, the Diviners are oppressed and brutalized. With their magic, they can tear through an army ...”
Read Keli Y.'s full recommendation »
Children of Blood and Bone
“Inviting recipes will inspire confidence in even the most novice of cooks. Check out the Green Onion Pancakes ...”
Read Mandy T.'s full recommendation »
Chinese Soul Food
“It turns out that Circe had a good reason for turning Odysseus's crew into swine. This retelling features poetic ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
Circe
The backstory of the band you wish you were in.
Read Matt S.'s full recommendation »
Closer You Are: The Story of Robert Pollard and Guided by Voices
“Keiko has worked in the convenience store for 18 years, and she's very good at it, but society deems her work as ...”
Read Rachael S.'s full recommendation »
Convenience Store Woman
“Tucker, a young veteran, returns from war to work for a bootlegger in his home in the rural hills of Kentucky ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
Country Dark
“A crime thriller set in Australia, in which the two investigators trying to solve the murder are themselves ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
Crimson Lake
“Crocodile's toothache makes him face his fear- the dentist. Little does he know the dentist is just as afraid of ...”
Read Juliet M.'s full recommendation »
Crocodile and the Dentist
“Earth is free of its alien overlords, making it a target for...other aliens who are way worse. Fantastic ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
Crossfire
Great book for young girls and women who support and admire other women.
Read Lilia M.'s full recommendation »
Cuentos de buenas noches para niƱas rebeldes 2
“A boy and his father enjoy their adventurous nightly ritual, a ramble through their neighborhood, collecting ...”
Read Brianne W.'s full recommendation »
Daddy, Me, and the Magic Hour
“These short stories vigorously describe the weirdness and pain of life and human relationships. The stories ...”
Read Amy H.'s full recommendation »
Days of Awe
“Walt Longmire a modern Western sheriff pushes himself to accomplish what no other man can. This installment ...”
Read Beth R.'s full recommendation »
Depth of Winter
“A touching wordless story of a dog's trust for his human and empathy for his four-legged ...”
Read Nicole N.'s full recommendation »
Dog on a Digger
“Stunning...in both story & illustrations! With few words, this book shows us the power of unspoken language ...”
Read Hue L.'s full recommendation »
Drawn Together
“Everything changed when the dead starting rising from the battlefields at Gettysburg. Jane attends Miss ...”
Read Amy C.'s full recommendation »
Dread Nation
“Beautiful and unique artwork illustrates this story about dreamers and how they find a welcoming place in a ...”
Read Mara T.'s full recommendation »
Dreamers
“Beavers can help us fight drought, flooding, wildfire, extinction, and the ravages of climate change. Considered ...”
Read Sue A.'s full recommendation »
Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter
“Make healthier choices less daunting with this vegetable-forward book. I'm recommending a book without a dessert ...”
Read Mandy T.'s full recommendation »
Eat a Little Better: Great Flavor, Good Health, Better World
“A harrowing account of a young woman's growth in academics in relation to her childhood, her family and her ...”
Read Mary M.'s full recommendation »
Educated
“Fans of smart, character-driven romance look no further! Choi's realistic dialogue will keep you squirming and ...”
Read Gesse S.'s full recommendation »
Emergency Contact
“Young students face so many challenges, between constant bullying and social pressures; kids today are ...”
Read Lilia M.'s full recommendation »
Esos Zapatos
The best watercolor book for learning how to create easy floral watercolor. I love this book.
Read Mara T.'s full recommendation »
Everyday Watercolor: Learn to Paint Watercolor in 30 Days
“A moving portrait of family secrets, missed opportunities, and hopes for another chance at life. This ...”
Read Carol G.'s full recommendation »
Extinctions
“Nia's obsessed with vampires, so A.J. pretends to be one. This humorous graphic novel features Portland's Saint ...”
Read Juliet M.'s full recommendation »
Fake Blood
“What is it like to grow up in a family with a larger-than-life father? Released in time for the centennial of ...”
Read Bob R.'s full recommendation »
Famous Father Girl
“The beloved street fashion photographer bequeathed us this charming, quirky memoir of his days as a "Mad Hatter ...”
Read Edith M.'s full recommendation »
Fashion Climbing: A Memoir with Photographs
“The illegitimate son of a retired fencing champion seeks to prove himself in the sport. Along the way, he finds ...”
Read Brianna L.'s full recommendation »
Fence Volume One
“Fans of Alan Bennet may enjoy this wry story of likeable, unlikeable people and their fall from wealth. Worth ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
French Exit: A Tragedy of Manners
“10-year-year Mia loves working the front desk of her parents' motel. Things aren't easy with a mean owner and ...”
Read Kate C.'s full recommendation »
Front Desk
“I believe this book is the answer to all of society's woes. The New York Times says this is "the best gift book ...”
Read Larry L.'s full recommendation »
Fully Coherent Plan: For A New And Better Society
“Bobby and William are best friends, but today they're arguing. When Bobby rides his bike, his big feelings start ...”
Read Andrea D.'s full recommendation »
Get On Your Bike
“Alive and dead. This story weaves between the two for young Jerome, a 12-year-old black boy shot and killed by ...”
Read Jen M.'s full recommendation »
Ghost Boys
“When Mara's twin brother is accused of assaulting one of her best friends, she has to figure out who she ...”
Read Emily Y.'s full recommendation »
Girl Made of Stars
“I've called myself a feminist for 30 years, but this book blew my mind in a hundred different ways. Of course ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
Good and Mad
The perfect guide for those who enjoy cooking and also want to honor the places where we find our food.
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
Good Fish: 100 Sustainable Seafood Recipes from the Pacific Coast
“What is this strange world with its cool red sun and eerie moon that brings warmth in the middle of the night ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Grey Sister
“Well-intentioned artificial intelligence plays matchmaker for humans. Less-well-intentioned artificial ...”
Read Patrick P.'s full recommendation »
Happiness for Humans
“Harriet loves to dress up. When she wears her penguin costume on a birthday errand with her two dads, the ...”
Read Andrea D.'s full recommendation »
Harriet Gets Carried Away
This board book shows head coverings from all over the world, and gives them their correct names.
Read Barbara H.'s full recommendation »
Hats of Faith
“In this final book in the series, Kate is trying to find out what happened to her mother. Clint just wants to ...”
Read Rachel T.'s full recommendation »
Hawkeye: Kate Bishop vol. 3: Family Reunion
“Chris is excited to start her first job at the record store and to work with her crush Maggie. But there's so ...”
Read Rachel T.'s full recommendation »
Heavy Vinyl
“Gorgeous art accompanies this gentle telling of a keeper's life.Round vignettes are reminiscent of ship ...”
Read Kate C.'s full recommendation »
Hello Lighthouse
“Searing and cold-eyed, Neel takes on the new American landscape - the so-called post-industrial wastelands of ...”
Read Eric G.'s full recommendation »
Hinterland: America's New Landscape Of Class And Conflict
“Friend of Kurt Cobain and bandmate of Courtney Love, Patty Schemel shares just how low drugs brought her and how ...”
Read Kate S.'s full recommendation »
Hit So Hard: A Memoir
“This story about a young bear will make you feel the joy of a summer rain, the thrill of a thunderstorm, and the ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Honey
“This beautifully written family saga, set on the eve of World War I, is about a wealthy Jewish banking family ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
House of Gold
“Jemisin is a winner of multiple awards and may well be the best author currently writing in the genre. With a ...”
Read Heidi S.'s full recommendation »
How Long 'til Black Future Month?
“Listen, world. It's time to stop trashing young women. This heartfelt and hilarious novel will show you why. So ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
How to Be Famous
“Everything you ever wanted to know about the history of psychedelics, & the renewed research on using them to ...”
Read Cathy G.'s full recommendation »
How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence
“Backwards retinas? Extra bones? Broken-down Vitamin C production? Why oh why do I get so many colds? These ...”
Read Karen E.'s full recommendation »
Human Errors: A Panorama of Our Glitches, From Pointless Bones to Broken Genes
“This is the final thrilling, breathtaking, beautiful, surprising, heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful volume of ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
Hymn
“A stranger on a remote path. A riptide. Twice. Some of these brushes with death are closer than others, but all ...”
Read Kady F.'s full recommendation »
I Am I Am I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death
“It is Vanessa's first day of school and she gets bullied while walking home. But she has allies and will soon ...”
Read Nicole N.'s full recommendation »
I Walk with Vanessa
“Gripping and moving account of the hunt for the truly creepy predator who became known as the Golden State ...”
Read Eddy L.'s full recommendation »
I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer
“Ex-MI5 agent turned country vicar Max Tudor is pulled into a murder investigation when the lady of the manor is ...”
Read Kate S.'s full recommendation »
In Prior's Wood
“A creative re-imagining of the infamous Nabokov love triangle, beautifully written. Sizzling prose builds to ...”
Read Jan C.'s full recommendation »
Invitation to a Bonfire
“Historian Weir uses meticulous research and the novel's rich form to create a vibrant and empathetic portrait of ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
Jane Seymour, The Haunted Queen: A Novel
“This pioneering female scientist kept a pet komodo dragon, dispelling fear about exotic reptiles and ...”
Read Amy F.'s full recommendation »
Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles
“JuliĆ”n's excursions to the pool with his Abuela feed his passion for mermaids in this gorgeously ...”
Read Brianne W.'s full recommendation »
JuliƔn is a Mermaid
“Equal parts heartwarming and steamy, this contemporary romance centers on Stella, an econometrician with ...”
Read Kady F.'s full recommendation »
Kiss Quotient
“Brilliant prose and dialogue, brimming with insight, pathos, and wit. The kind of book that makes you want to ...”
Read Christopher C.'s full recommendation »
Kudos
“Both heartbreaking and provoking, stories like Alfredo's can't be ignored and must be discussed among families ...”
Read Lilia M.'s full recommendation »
La Frontera
A story that demonstrates kindness, empathy, understanding as well as action among children.
Read Lilia M.'s full recommendation »
La nevera de Maddi
“A new mother struggles with her grief after her parents' suicides; and then an anonymous note changes ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
Let Me Lie
“Two parallel storylines, set in two timelines and places (one in Portland, Oregon, the other in Austin, Texas) ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
Lies You Never Told Me
“Garbes digs deeply into the many things pregnant people are told, from both a scientific and feminist ...”
Read Gesse S.'s full recommendation »
Like A Mother: A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy
“In a northern English town, a 10-year-old boy is on a mission to find the father who abandoned him and his ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
Little Big Love
“Lola and her search for the country she came from sends the reader on a delightful journey of reckoning and ...”
Read Lilia M.'s full recommendation »
Lola
“The author has suffered from clinical depression since adolescence and talks to researchers & communities ...”
Read Cathy G.'s full recommendation »
Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression and the Unexpected Solutions
An inventive and timely graphic novel about bullying, feminism, friendships, indigenous words, art, and science.
Read Matt M.'s full recommendation »
Lowriders Blast from the Past
“Moody, gothic, full of wind-tossed trees and glowering poets. This biography of the imaginative but troubled ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein
“Gorgeous and haunting, both in illustrations and prose, this look at Mary Shelley's motivations for writing her ...”
Read Natasha FC.'s full recommendation »
Mary's Monster
“In the early 20th Century science can 'extract' a memory, freeing the human it happened to from the burden of ...”
Read Rachael S.'s full recommendation »
Mem
A beautiful story that deals with the process of loss among children.
Read Lilia M.'s full recommendation »
Mi globo amarillo
“ā€‹The perfect Palm Springs housewife -- a quick-witted, hot-tempered, and perfectly-coiffed Mrs. Maxine Hortence ...”
Read Amy F.'s full recommendation »
Mr. and Mrs. American Pie
“This second and final installment in the duology presents an epic story about curing hatred and death to create ...”
Read Emily Y.'s full recommendation »
Muse of Nightmares
Kids from a wide variety of backgrounds share the joys and occasional mishaps of dog ownership.
Read Juliet M.'s full recommendation »
My Dog Laughs
“This darkly funny story follows two sisters in Lagos, Nigeria: Ayoola, who has the habit of murdering her ...”
Read Kady F.'s full recommendation »
My Sister, the Serial Killer
“It's 1970 and in Lu Olivera's middle school class, white kids sit on one side of the room, while black kids sit ...”
Read Jen M.'s full recommendation »
My Year in the Middle
“A beautiful introduction and overview of 21 national parks, including maps, highlights and information about the ...”
Read Juliet M.'s full recommendation »
National Parks of the U.S.A.
“As usual, Ehrenreich has brilliant and compassionate things to say. This time she tackles the huge subject of ...”
Read Karen E.'s full recommendation »
Natural Causes An Epidemic of Wellness, the Certainty of Dying, and Killing Ourselves to Live Longer
“Nature is not just a place we go to, but is stitched into our beings, and it must be cherished. A beautiful ...”
Read Rebecca S.'s full recommendation »
Nature Love Medicine: Essays on Wildness and Wellness
“Francis the donkey loves to make shoes. His other love is calypso music. When he gets commissioned by his ...”
Read Andrea D.'s full recommendation »
New Shoes
“A quiet, warmhearted picture book about a boy who accompanies his father to his night job as a school custodian ...”
Read Brianne W.'s full recommendation »
Night Job
“A compilation of stories about women's experiences with "rape culture"-- the elements of our culture that place ...”
Read Emily Y.'s full recommendation »
Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture
“Local writer and radio host begrudgingly decides to face her anxiety disorder by doing what she fears. Funny ...”
Read Joanna M.'s full recommendation »
Okay Fine Whatever: The Year I Went From Being Afraid of Everything to Only Being Afraid of Most Things
“Drummer/author Gorman has created a punk rock paean to individualism for kids, with ...”
Read Edith M.'s full recommendation »
One of a Kind
“Fascinating story with illustrations that show the emotions of the men, the vastness of the ocean, and the ...”
Read Kate C.'s full recommendation »
Otis and Will Discover the Deep: The Record-setting Dive of the Bathysphere
“Fiona Lawson is shocked when she returns from vacation to her beloved London house to find all her belongings ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
Our House
“A whimsical and off-beat alphabet book about those most "mischievous words" in the ...”
Read Amy F.'s full recommendation »
P is for Pterodactyl
“A rags to riches tale about resourceful Naledi who gets an email saying that she is betrothed to an African ...”
Read Laural W.'s full recommendation »
Princess in Theory
“Growing up as an African American Muslim girl who wears a hijab, fitting in was never easy. Competing in ...”
Read Bob R.'s full recommendation »
Proud
Great resource for writers. Quick, fun essays on a wide range of fascinating topics.
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
Putting the Science in Fiction: Expert Advice for Writing with Authenticity in Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Other Genres
“A beautiful reflection on what it means to be human and how to handle change in a rapidly developing universe ...”
Read Brianna L's full recommendation »
Record of a Spaceborn Few
“And you thought The Handmaid's Tale seemed terrifyingly plausible? This novel tells the story of several women ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
Red Clocks
“Freeze, rewind: The police have harnessed the time-manipulating powers of teens like Alex Manning to solve ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
Rewind
“An artist draws a girl, and gives her a name: Viva...but something about her just doesn't look right. Just as ...”
Read Jeanie D.'s full recommendation »
Rock What Ya Got
“A new take on the traditional autobiography: Kristine, a longtime friend of Lynch's, interviewed hundreds of ...”
Read Traci G.'s full recommendation »
Room to Dream
“Nigeria is the site of first contact with a mysterious alien biodome in this strange tale set in the near ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Rosewater
“Total fluff and complete fun: Daisy's summer was all about working and going to the sci-fi con. When her older ...”
Read Rachel T.'s full recommendation »
Royals
“When Sadie's sister is murdered, she's determined to find the killer. But, unbeknownst to her, she's not just ...”
Read Traci G.'s full recommendation »
Sadie
“In this colorful, dreamlike, and wonderful book, a disrespectful boy must go live beneath the waves with the ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
Shanyaak'utlaaxĢ² / Salmon Boy
“Join the author as he recounts his bumpy journey to finding his life's calling in food. Oh, and make some of the ...”
Read Karen E.'s full recommendation »
Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel
“The legal consequences of leaving her 4 year old alone while running into a store for a couple minutes is the ...”
Read Kady F.'s full recommendation »
Small Animals: Parenthood in the Age of Fear
Dark and funny and filled with suspense, I didn't know I loved crime novels until I picked this one up!
Read Darcee M.'s full recommendation »
Snap
“Whether you talk about race all the time or feel panicked at the very thought, this book has something for you ...”
Read Allison R.'s full recommendation »
So You Want to Talk About Race
“This story of an undocumented girl and her fight for her American Dream makes for a beautiful reading ...”
Read Mara T.'s full recommendation »
Someone Like Me
“Alien life discovers Earth, but humans must prove they are sentient to be allowed to continue existing. The test ...”
Read Lara P.'s full recommendation »
Space Opera
“A reclaimed fairy tale turned gripping fantasy novel, in which three indomitable young women take fate into ...”
Read Nadia A.'s full recommendation »
Spinning Silver
“An epic fantasy pulls together an unlikely crew fighting for their world's survival, with a soul-bounded ...”
Read Lyndsey R.'s full recommendation »
Starless
We now have dinos in bow ties introducing young readers to the beauty of synonyms and the thesaurus!
Read Jeanie D.'s full recommendation »
Stegothesaurus
“This novel will make you yearn to have your own helper monkey, as the main character in this novel does- but not ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
Still Life with Monkey
“Well-known journalist Ramos questions who, in the era of Trump, is exempt from prejudice, racism, and ...”
Read Lilia M.'s full recommendation »
Stranger el desafĆ­o de un inmigrante latino en la era de Trump
“Two people meet in a bar and their secrets spill oh so slowly. The writing reminds me of James M. Cain -- you ...”
Read Renee B.'s full recommendation »
Sunburn
“Fair warning: this is a tear-jerker! A story about friendship, courage, and loved ones growing up. I am a huge ...”
Read Amy F.'s full recommendation »
Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster
“Evolve beyond a pint of Ben and Jerry's on the couch after a breakup. I am still thinking about the Cinco Leches ...”
Read Mandy T.'s full recommendation »
Sweet Revenge: Passive-Aggressive Desserts for your Exes & Enemies
“Kasim & Auben live in an alternate South Africa where most people are twins who have a complement of seven vices ...”
Read Rachael S.'s full recommendation »
Temper
“The McElroy brothers started a Dungeons and Dragons podcast with their dad that became a sensation from fan ...”
Read Brianna L.'s full recommendation »
The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins
“Myth, lore, love, adventure--and a lot of weird, wonderful 16th-century bawdy bizarreness. A fisherman quests ...”
Read Haley I.'s full recommendation »
The Alehouse at the End of the World
“Monks that mummified themselves? An ice cream shop with 900 flavors, including hot dog, sardine and onion? A ...”
Read Karen E.'s full recommendation »
The Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide for the World's Most Adventurous Kid
“This Beastie Boys history includes photos, lists, maps, a cookbook, a comic and more. A beautiful tribute to MCA ...”
Read Larry L.'s full recommendation »
The Beastie Boys Book
“People lose their shadows, then their memories. What they forget can disappear, and what they remember ...”
Read Rachael S.'s full recommendation »
The Book of M
“Do the Harry Potter fans in your life a big favor and introduce them to the foremother of wizard education ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition
And you thought you were awkward.
Read Heather E.'s full recommendation »
The Cactus
“This mythology-based fantasy contains a beautifully rich world full of djinn and daevas, and a strong ...”
Read Brianna L.'s full recommendation »
The City of Brass
“A compassionate story about a child finding the courage to speak her own stories. This gorgeous picture book is ...”
Read Barbara H.'s full recommendation »
The Day You Begin
This is an addictively readable novel that's full of family secrets. Prepare to stay up all night long.
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
The Death of Mrs. Westaway
“Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicolas Cage getting into a bidding war over a T-Rex skull is only, like, the 6th craziest ...”
Read Kady F.'s full recommendation »
The Dinosaur Artist: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Quest for Earth's Ultimate Trophy
“A young woman and a robot traverse a retro-futuristic California ravaged by war and VR addiction ...”
Read Erika B.'s full recommendation »
The Electric State
“Why would a 20-year-old flute virtuoso commit the brazen, bizarre theft of hundreds of rare bird specimens from ...”
Read Tama F.'s full recommendation »
The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession and the Natural History Heist of the Century
“Creole and English are seamlessly woven together in this vibrant, energetic, joyful ...”
Read Kate C.'s full recommendation »
The Field
“In this not your typical end-of-the-world book, teens are drafted to colonized Jupiter's moon. They rebel and ...”
Read KT A.'s full recommendation »
The Final Six
“Cassie, a hard drinking, promiscuous flight attendant is suddenly caught up in a real life murder mystery and ...”
Read Beth R.'s full recommendation »
The Flight Attendant
“In the North Carolina mountains of the 1950s, Rory Docherty is a bootlegger with a souped-up car who left a leg ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
The Gods of Howl Mountain
“Five close childhood friends are reunited at the funeral of the sixth in their group and start to unravel the ...”
Read Gesse S.'s full recommendation »
The Gunners
“In this action-packed follow up to The Bone Witch, be swept into Tea's battle for revenge using her army of ...”
Read Lyndsey R.'s full recommendation »
The Heart Forger
“A retelling of the classic The Prisoner of Zenda, where the queer subtext in many pulp adventure novels becomes ...”
Read Brianna L.'s full recommendation »
The Henchmen of Zenda
“This enticing novel of the wealthy and entitled taking over a quiet, homey area of Long Island looks like a ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
The High Season
“A bright, cheerful celebration of honeybees through the seasons. Vibrant illustrations, rhyming verse with facts ...”
Read Amy F.'s full recommendation »
The Honeybee
“Inspired by the real events captured in the documentary "Paris Is Burning", this novel follows the lives of 4 ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
The House of Impossible Beauties
Active and up to date exercises and examples encourage authors to revise their final drafts.
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
The Last Draft: A Novelist's Guide to Revision
“This adventure in the wild rain-forests of Borneo compares the vastly different explorations of a Swiss traveler ...”
Read Melissa R.'s full recommendation »
The Last Wild Men of Borneo: A True Story of Death and Treasure
“Who set the Los Angeles Public Library on fire in 1986, destroying more than 1 million books? Orlean tries to ...”
Read Kady F.'s full recommendation »
The Library Book
“Selena is a major icon in the Latino community. Without a doubt this board book will make many Latina ...”
Read Lilia M.'s full recommendation »
The Life of Selena / La Vida de Selena: A Bilingual Picture Book Biography
“Five different stories, spread out in time from 1692 to 2011, are all set in Newport, Connecticut. All the ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
The Maze at Windermere
“Mokhtar Alkhanshali, a Yemeni-American from San Francisco, goes on an extraordinary journey to revive quality ...”
Read Edith M.'s full recommendation »
The Monk of Mokha
“A fascinating, inside look at what happens when the brain is under assault, by someone who is conversant with ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
The Neuroscientist Who Lost Her Mind
“Alternate history novella that ties together the Radium Girls (young women who painted glow-in-the-dark numbers ...”
Read Rachael S.'s full recommendation »
The Only Harmless Great Thing
“Will awakens from a dream one morning with 108 predictions about the future in his head. What will he do with ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
The Oracle Year
“When a horribly mutilated child is found, all the evidence points to Little League coach Terry Maitland. But ...”
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
The Outsider
“The lives of trees are linked to the stories of nine strangers, who themselves are connected to one another and ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
The Overstory
“Candice, reluctantly spending a summer in Lambert, South Carolina, stumbles upon a clue to a mystery her ...”
Read Juliet M.'s full recommendation »
The Parker Inheritance
“Novels in verse are having a comeback in YA, and this is one of the best. Xiomara is a girl struggling to ...”
Read Emily Y.'s full recommendation »
The Poet X
“Frances is a dressmaker whose talents are ahead of her time. Prince Sebastian likes her style. In this super ...”
Read Megan M.'s full recommendation »
The Prince and the Dressmaker
“When Taylor gets upset, all of the animals have opinions about how to feel better; the rabbit just ...”
Read Joanna M.'s full recommendation »
The Rabbit Listened
“Essential nonfiction from a writer who is steadily demonstrating that she is only interested in producing fine ...”
Read Jason H.'s full recommendation »
The Recovering
Two elderly women in Mumbai form an unlikely partnership that leads to friendship.
Read Susanne L.'s full recommendation »
The Secrets Between Us
“The Iliad is re-told from the point of view of Briseis, the Trojan captive that Agamemnon awarded to Achilles ...”
Read Moira M.'s full recommendation »
The Silence Of The Girls
“Truluv, 86, visits his recently deceased wife every day at her gravesite and begins to notice another regular: a ...”
Read Cathy G.'s full recommendation »
The Story of Arthur Truluv
“The universe's creation; the birth of a little child -- they are not so different, after all. Dazzling ...”
Read Amy F.'s full recommendation »
The Stuff of Stars
“Not only will you learn about panda mating habits and how hippos have taken over a part of Colombia, you will ...”
Read Kady F.'s full recommendation »
The Truth About Animals
“1920s India: meet the resourceful Perveen Mistry, Bombay's only female lawyer. One case involves Perveen in a ...”
Read Jan D.'s full recommendation »
The Widows of Malabar Hill
“A late night break-in thwarted. A skull turns up in a garden. An unreliable narrator tries to solve the case ...”
Read Kady F.'s full recommendation »
The Witch Elm
“William Vogt and Norman Borlaug, whose unique ideas about man's place in the world influenced generations, held ...”
Read Darrel M.'s full recommendation »
The Wizard and the Prophet: Two Remarkable Scientists and Their Dueling Visions to Shape Tomorrow's World
“Unreliable narrator? Check. Surprising twists? Check. Page-turning suspense? Check. And just remember, it's not ...”
Read Karen E.'s full recommendation »
The Woman in the Window
“Young readers who loved I Spy and Where's Waldo can grow into this marvelously illustrated and info-packed book ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth
“Wealthy British mom of movie actor arranges her own funeral and is found murdered later that same day. Enter a ...”
Read Cathy G.'s full recommendation »
The Word is Murder
“A young researcher is studying bonobos at a primate center. These bonobos are some of the best characters you ...”
Read Diana A.'s full recommendation »
Theory of Bastards
“Characters who are sometimes interconnected, mostly Native American, Indian, First Nation let us in on their ...”
Read Jane C.'s full recommendation »
There There
“Lepore details the history of successes and warts of a first-of-its-kind political system, structured by its ...”
Read Dana S.'s full recommendation »
These Truths: A History of the United States
“Every once in a while a book comes along that feels like it was written and illustrated simultaneously ...”
Read Jeanie D.'s full recommendation »
They Say Blue
“"My Dad says it's not what you look at -- it's what you see. This is what I see." Follow a young girl as she ...”
Read Barbara H.'s full recommendation »
This is My Eye: A New York Story
“A beautiful and bittersweet novel about aging and the lovely friendship between two women. I fell in love with ...”
Read Ruth A.'s full recommendation »
Three Things about Elsie
“Tiffany Haddish is brutally honest and funny as hell. From tough beginnings to a hit movie (Girls Trip), a ...”
Read Luci D.'s full recommendation »
Tiffany Haddish is brutally honest and funny as hell. From tough beginnings to a hit movie (Girls Trip), a comedy special (She Ready) and this memoir (which is also a New York Times best-seller) she may be bawdy but she'll make you laugh your face off.
The scent of old books; poetry, time travel. A mystery, a love story.
Read Ann K.'s full recommendation »
Time Was
“Interleaved with the memory of her mother's dying day, the former punk rocker explores the nature of memories ...”
Read Ann K.'s full recommendation »
To Throw Away Unopened
The author shows why she has raked in multiple awards through this post apocalyptic monster hunter story.
Read Heidi S.'s full recommendation »
Trail of Lightning
“Stevie applied to the Ellingham Academy with a mission: solve the decades old kidnapping and murder that ...”
Read Rachel T.'s full recommendation »
Truly Devious
“Once all of our rock gods have died will classic rock still be relevant? An incredibly entertaining study of ...”
Read Larry L.'s full recommendation »
Twilight of the Gods: A Journey to the End of Classic Rock
“This book had everything -- friendship, witchcraft, humor, murder(s), love, and betrayal. I couldn't put it ...”
Read KT A.'s full recommendation »
Undead Girl Gang
A book that illustrates America's immigration problem in a more tangible way.
Read Lilia M.'s full recommendation »
Undocumented
“Hank and Molly who undergo an experimental "cleaning" of their genes. Something goes horribly wrong. There are ...”
Read Traci G.'s full recommendation »
Upgrade Soul
“The sadness of losing Le Guin is mitigated somewhat by this collection of three conversations between the author ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
Ursula K. Le Guin : Conversations on Writing
“Varina is the second wife of the Confederate President, Jefferson Davis. The Davises took in a black child and ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
Varina
“Virgil drives his car off a cliff in his small Minnesota town; saved by an acquaintance, his new life becomes ...”
Read Jere W.'s full recommendation »
Virgil Wander
“A boy living on a slave plantation comes to be protected and tutored by a scientist. As Washington's curiosity ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
Washington Black
“This stellar - and unique - compilation of comics includes the works of more than fifty transgender creators ...”
Read Cathy C.'s full recommendation »
We're Still Here: An All-trans Comic Anthology
“You want to know what it is like to be an Internet Star? Sign in. Insight into people who grew up with the ...”
Read Edna K.'s full recommendation »
Well, That Escalated Quickly
“A book about animal excrement that is both funny and educational. Because who hasn't wondered what the zoo does ...”
Read Joanna M.'s full recommendation »
What Do They Do With All That Poo?
“Originally a master's thesis in illustration, this is the haunting story of a young woman struggling to redefine ...”
Read Emily Y.'s full recommendation »
What the Night Sings
“A worried daughter and her wise mother are behind this funny, sad, and optimistic guide to losing your mother ...”
Read Rachel T.'s full recommendation »
What to do When I'm Gone
“When the Vasquez siblings lose their father, his void is filled by a being they believe is from another world ...”
Read Emily Y.'s full recommendation »
When Light Left Us
“A powerfully intimate memoir of how the personal is always political, this book is so much more than a history ...”
Read Maddelyn H.'s full recommendation »
When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir
“This mesmerizing story of remarkable strength, paired with gorgeous nature writing will be your book club's ...”
Read Darcee M.'s full recommendation »
Where The Crawdads Sing
“12 year old Della and her family are struggling to keep their farm going, despite an epic drought. But when her ...”
Read Brianne W.'s full recommendation »
Where the Watermelons Grow
“If you thought the best thing about the series Deadwood was Calamity Jane, check out this genre-bending Western ...”
Read Alison K.'s full recommendation »
Whiskey When We're Dry
“A clear and lucid account that gives white people who want to be allies ways to understand their inner obstacles ...”
Read Martha J.'s full recommendation »
White Fragility: Why it's so Hard for White People to Talk About Racism

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