The Mother by Yvvette Edwards
A mother experiences her worst nightmare in this searing story of loss and grief. Marcia never imagined her 16-year-old son Ryan would be taken from her in such a violent way, but when he is murdered, she struggles to make sense of it and searches for answers as her marriage begins to crumble.
LaRose by Louise Erdrich
When a horrible tragedy strikes a family and a young boy is accidentally killed, LaRose, the neighbor’s son, is given to them to help ease the pain between the families. But years later, a man threatens to reveal the secret that holds the households together. Erdrich, as always, is amazing.
In the Country We Love: My Family Divided by Diane Guerrero
The actress from “Orange in the New Black” and “Jane the Virgin” has written a thoughtful, warm memoir about building a life and a career in the United States after her parents were detained and deported back to Colombia while she was at school. Guerrero, who was born in the U.S., tells the story of her resilience and shines a light on the millions of people in the country with citizen children who live in fear of a similar fate as her parents. This is a gem among celebrity memoirs.
The Fireman by Joe Hill
In the not-so-distant future, a deadly plague is sweeping the world. It’s called Dragonscale, a disease that eventually causes its victims to go up in flames. As fear of the ’scale spreads and violent mobs seek to eradicate those with it, a young pregnant woman seeks shelter at a camp for infecteds. There she meets the enigmatic Fireman, a man who has managed to control the disease. This book is bonkers good, and it is Hill’s best work yet!
Roses and Rot by Kat Howard
Imogen and her sister Marin have longed to escape their awful mother, but when they are accepted to an elite post-grad arts program, their joy turns to struggle when they discover the school is more than meets the eye. Howard has written an amazing, dreamy fairy tale.
The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley
This super-creepy debut, winner of the Costa First Novel award, will have you sleeping with the lights on! When the remains of a child are discovered during a winter storm in Lancashire, a local man is forced to revisit the mysterious events of his childhood 40 years earlier, when he, his parents and other members of their parish embarked on a pilgrimage to find a cure for his disabled brother.
Sweet Lamb of Heaven by Lydia Millet
Millet has turned to psychological horror for her latest novel, a cat-and-mouse thriller about a woman, Anna, who escapes her monstrous husband with their young child in tow. But after her husband locates them in a rundown hotel in Maine, Anna’s perception of life begins to change in ways she never imagined.
Some Possible Solutions: Stories by Helen Phillips
What if you could suddenly see through everybody’s skin to their organs? What if you knew the exact date of your death? What if your city was filled with doppelgangers of you? The answers to these questions and more make this collection a wonderfully weird, witty read, furthering Phillips reputation as a bold, inventive writer.
Smoke by Dan Vyleta
In an alternate 19th-century England, the guilt of the wicked is made known when smoke pours from their bodies. But only the poor issue smoke, proving the aristocracy deserves to rule — or do they? This is a fantastic, wild look at class and privilege.
Girls on Fire by Robin Wasserman
In 1991 Pennsylvania, shy, bullied, unpopular student Hannah is befriended by ultra-badass Lacey, who shows her how to stand up for herself. But as their fun spirals out of control, Lacey and Hannah may be taking things too far. This is a wicked high school revenge story!