Junie

Junie
By Erin Crosby Eckstine
Ballantine Books, 2025. 361 pages. Fiction.

A strong-willed enslaved girl is haunted by her sister's ghost as she grapples with circumstances beyond her control, risking her life as the Civil War looms in this lush and tenderhearted debut. Junie has always yearned for more. Born and raised on the Bellereine plantation in the Alabama countryside, the sixteen-year-old spends her days working for the McQueens and serving as a maid for their daughter Violet, her oldest and closest friend. In the daytime, she entertains herself with poetry and imagines grand romances and faraway worlds. Under the cover of night, she steals away to the woods, curling up by the riverbank. But consumed by grief over the recent death of her older sister Minnie, she has vowed never to leave her family's side. Her world is capsized at the arrival of the Taylors, a wealthy brother and sister from New Orleans. The McQueens are keen to marry Violet off to Mr. Taylor, and if they succeed, Junie would be ripped away from everyone she knows and loves. Committing a desperate act, she awakens Minnie's tempestuous spirit, who can only move on once Junie completes three crucial tasks. She enlists the aid of Caleb, Mr. Taylor's chauffeur, and the two strike up a quick friendship that soon becomes something more. Yet time is ticking, and as secrets and betrayals rise to the surface, Junie must wade into unfamiliar territory as she pushes against the current that has controlled her entire life.

Although this is a ghost story I would argue the only horror included is that of slavery and casual human cruelty.  There is no way to tell this story without it. However, enslaved people lived full lives, experiencing the full range of human, and the author does a brilliant job of showing that.  The characters are nuanced and varied, and they quickly burrowed their way into my heart.  If you want to see ghosts in a new light, divine justice, and a sister that loves and hates (as all sisters do) please pick up this book.

If you like Junie, you might also like: 

The Water Dancer

By Ta-Nehisi Coates

One World, 2019. 403 pages. Fiction.

Young Hiram Walker was born into bondage--and lost his mother and all memory of her when he was a child--but he is also gifted with a mysterious power. Hiram almost drowns when he crashes a carriage into a river, but is saved from the depths by a force he doesn't understand, a blue light that lifts him up and lands him a mile away. This strange brush with death forces a new urgency on Hiram's private rebellion. Spurred on by his improvised plantation family, Thena, his chosen mother, a woman of few words and many secrets, and Sophia, a young woman fighting her own war even as she and Hiram fall in love, he becomes determined to escape the only home he's ever known. So begins an unexpected journey into the covert war on slavery that takes Hiram from the corrupt grandeur of Virginia's proud plantations to desperate guerrilla cells in the wilderness, from the coffin of the deep South to dangerously utopic movements in the North.

The Prophets

By Robert Jones, Jr.

G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2021. 388 pages. Fiction.

Isaiah was Samuel's and Samuel was Isaiah's. That was the way it was since the beginning, and the way it was to be until the end. In the barn they tended to the animals, but also to each other, transforming the hollowed-out shed into a place of human refuge, a source of intimacy and hope in a world ruled by vicious masters. But when an older man--a fellow slave--seeks to gain favor by preaching the master's gospel on the plantation, the enslaved begin to turn on their own. Isaiah and Samuel's love, which was once so simple, is seen as sinful and a clear danger to the plantation's harmony. With a lyricism reminiscent of Toni Morrison, Robert Jones, Jr., fiercely summons the voices of slaver and enslaved alike, from Isaiah and Samuel to the calculating slave master to the long line of women that surround them, women who have carried the soul of the plantation on their shoulders. As tensions build and the weight of centuries--of ancestors and future generations to come--culminates in a climactic reckoning, The Prophets fearlessly reveals the pain and suffering of inheritance, but is also shot through with hope, beauty, and truth, portraying the enormous, heroic power of love.

Conjure Women

By Afia Atakora
Random House, 2020. 400 pages. Fiction.

Conjure Women is a sweeping story that brings the world of the South before and after the Civil War vividly to life. Spanning eras and generations, it tells of the lives of three unforgettable women: Miss May Belle, a wise healing woman; her precocious and observant daughter Rue, who is reluctant to follow in her mother's footsteps as a midwife; and their master's daughter Varina. The secrets and bonds among these women and their community come to a head at the beginning of a war and at the birth of an accursed child, who sets the townspeople alight with fear and a spreading superstition that threatens their newly won, tenuous freedom. Magnificently written, brilliantly researched, richly imagined, Conjure Women moves back and forth in time to tell the haunting story of Rue, Varina, and May Belle, their passions and friendships, and the lengths they will go to save themselves and those they love.

KJ

ADHD is Awesome: A Guide to (Mostly) Thriving with ADHD

ADHD is Awesome : A Guide to (Mostly) Thriving With ADHD
by Penn and Kim Holderness (authors, narrators)
Harper Horizon, 2024. 8 hours, 45 minutes. Nonfiction.

The engaging, uplifting antidote to traditional ADHD books (which, let's be honest, if you have ADHD you'd never read anyway). You live in a world that wasn't designed for you. A world where you're expected to sit still, stay quiet, and focus. Because of the way your brain is wired, you can feel like you're failing at life. But you are not failing. You are awesome. Award-winning content creators Kim and Penn Holderness are on a mission to reboot how we think about the unfortunately named "attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder." As always, they are doing it by looking in the mirror, because they don't just study ADHD; they live it.

If I may get personal for a moment, I was actually diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 39 because of the Holderness Family! During the COVID-19 pandemic, I discovered their YouTube channel. One day, I found myself laughing WAY too hard at Penn’s clutter-themed parody of “You’re Welcome” from Disney’s Moana. This soon led me to other songs and skits, several specifically about living with ADHD. In a sudden moment of clarity, I realized that there was a particular theme in those videos which I found a bit TOO personally relatable... 

To make a long story short, I was eagerly awaiting this book. I opted for the audio version, as Penn and Kim are seasoned podcasters with a very entertaining tag-team narration style. (We also carry the physical book in our catalog, if you prefer.) They don’t shy away from the difficulties that ADHD can bring to their household and relationship, but their love for and commitment to one another is always apparent. Their intent is to use their personal experiences to show that if you live with ADHD or love someone who does, you are not alone, and you are not a bad person just because you can never remember where you left your car keys (or got angry because you had to help your spouse find said keys again). This is a breezy-paced audiobook that would be great to listen to while driving or folding the long-neglected laundry pile while simultaneously avoiding a more urgent task (if you know, you know).

 If you like ADHD is Awesome, you may also like:

 How to ADHD : An Insider's Guide to Working With Your Brain (Not Against It)
by Jessica McCabe
Rodale Books, 2024. 443 pages. Nonfiction.

Diagnosed with ADHD at age twelve, Jessica struggled with a brain that she didn’t understand. She lost things constantly, couldn’t finish projects, and felt like she was putting more effort in than everyone around her while falling further and further behind. At thirty-two years old, Jessica decided to look more deeply into her ADHD challenges. She reached out to experts, devoured articles, and shared her discoveries on YouTube. In How to ADHD, Jessica reveals the tools that have changed her life while offering an unflinching look at the realities of living with ADHD.

ADHD 2.0 : New Science and Essential Strategies for Thriving With Distraction
by Edward M. Hallowell
Ballantine Books, 2021. 186 pages. Nonfiction.

A new approach reframing ADD/ADHD as a personality trait that most people have to some degree, featuring cutting-edge research and strategies to help readers thrive, by the internationally bestselling authors of the seminal ADD books Driven to Distraction and Delivered from Distraction. In ADHD 2.0, they present a revolutionary new idea: What if we viewed impulsivity, distractibility, and hyperactivity as personality traits instead of symptoms? Furthermore, what if we learned to value and harness these traits for the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit they tend to breed?

-LAH

Penance

Penance

by Eliza Clark 

HarperCollins, 2023. 304 pages. Fiction

Nearly 10 years after 16-year-old Joan Wilson was set on fire by three other schoolgirls, journalist Alec Z. Carelli has written the definitive account of the crime, drawn from interviews with witnesses and family members, historical research and correspondence with the killers themselves. But how much of the story is true?

Both a critique of the true crime industry and an indulgence in it, Penance is a fascinating read. The author presents the novel as a nonfiction account of a ruthless teenage murder. Despite the book introducing Carelli, the fictional journalist, as an unreliable narrator from the start, many aspects of the story feel so realistic! Allusions to true crime cases and other real-life horrors are plentiful. The journalistic approach kept me engaged even when the dark subject matter made me squirm. If you spent a lot of time on the internet in the 2010s, you might find Clark's portrayal of teens online eerily familiar. Though it may not be for those who prefer lighthearted whodunits, Penance is clever and unflinching-- perfect for fans of psychological thrillers.

If you like Penance, you might also like: 

Before We Were Innocent

by Ella Berman 

Berkley, 2023. 369 pages. Fiction 

Ten years ago, after a sun-soaked summer spent in Greece, best friends Bess and Joni were cleared of having any involvement in their friend Evangeline's death. But that didn't stop the media from ripping apart their teenage lives like vultures. While the girls were never convicted, Joni, ever the opportunist, capitalized on her newfound infamy to become a motivational speaker. Bess, on the other hand, resolved to make her life as small and controlled as possible so she wouldn't risk losing everything all over again. And it almost worked. . . Except now Joni is tangled up in a crime eerily similar to that one fateful night in Greece. And when she asks Bess to come back to LA to support her, Bess has a decision to make. Is it finally time to face up to what happened that night, exposing herself as the young woman she once was and maybe still is? And what happens if she doesn't like what she finds? 

I Have Some Questions for You

by Rebecca Makkai 

Viking, 2023. 438 pages. Fiction 

A successful film professor and podcaster, Bodie Kane is content to forget her past--the family tragedy that marred her adolescence, her four largely miserable years at a New Hampshire boarding school, and the murder of her former roommate, Thalia Keith, in the spring of their senior year. Though the circumstances surrounding Thalia's death and the conviction of the school's athletic trainer, Omar Evans, are hotly debated online, Bodie prefers--needs--to let sleeping dogs lie. But when the Granby School invites her back to teach a course, Bodie is inexorably drawn to the case and its increasingly apparent flaws. In their rush to convict Omar, did the school and the police overlook other suspects? Is the real killer still out there? As she falls down the very rabbit hole she was so determined to avoid, Bodie begins to wonder if she wasn't as much of an outsider at Granby as she'd thought--if, perhaps, back in 1995, she knew something that might have held the key to solving the case. 

Luckiest Girl Alive

by Jessica Knoll 

Simon & Schuster, 2015. 341 pages. Fiction 

 

Grooming herself for an ideal life involving a successful career and a happy marriage, a rising young journalist confronts a violent episode from her past that threatens to unravel everything she has worked to achieve. 

RP

Everything is Tuberculosis

 

Everything is Tuberculosis

by John Green
Crash Course Books, 2025. 198 pages. Nonfiction

Tuberculosis has been entwined with hu­manity for millennia. Once romanticized as a malady of poets, today tuberculosis is seen as a disease of poverty that walks the trails of injustice and inequity we blazed for it. In 2019, author John Green met Henry Reider, a young tuberculosis patient at Lakka Government Hospital in Sierra Leone. John be­came fast friends with Henry, a boy with spindly legs and a big, goofy smile. In the years since, Green has become a vocal advocate for increased access to treatment and wider awareness of the healthcare inequi­ties that allow this curable, preventable infec­tious disease to also be the deadliest, killing over a million people every year.

Green does a fantastic job weaving the historical atrocities of tuberculosis with the current ones.  I, like probably most of those living in an overall wealthy country, have hardly given tuberculosis more than a cursory thought in my whole life. Even if I managed to contract it, I have never worried about the course of treatment being unavailable to me. The book is an inspiring call to action, well-researched, and should be required reading for all those that care about global health.    

If you like Everything is Tuberculosis you might also like:

Mountains Beyond Mountains
by Tracy Kidder
Random House, 2003. 332 pages. Biography

A portrait of infectious disease expert Dr. Paul Farmer follows the efforts of this unconventional Harvard genius to understand the world's great health, economic, and social problems and to bring healing to humankind.

Pathogenesis: A History of the World in Plagues
by Jonathan Kennedy
Crown, 2023. 294 pages. Nonfiction

Drawing on the latest research in fields ranging from genetics and anthropology to archaeology and economics, this revelatory book takes us through 60,000 years of history to show how the major transformations in history have been shaped by eight major outbreaks of infectious disease.

RBL

My Friends

My Friends
by Fredrik Backman
Atria Books, 2025. 436 pages. Fiction

Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. But eighteen-year-old Louisa, an aspiring artist herself, is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures, especially after the artist bequeaths the painting to her in his will. Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant seaside town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their bruising home lives by spending long summer days on an abandoned pier, telling silly jokes, sharing secrets, and committing small acts of rebellion. Louisa embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn how the painting came to be and to decide what to do with it.

I love how Fredrik Backman infuses compassion and gentle humor into stories that could otherwise be full of tragedy. This book is no exception. Louisa is a foster child who is trying to make it on her own. The artist and his friends have also had some equally bleak experiences. But the story of how unlikely people come together and support each other is life-affirming and moving. This is one of my very favorite Backman novels.

If you like My Friends you might also like:

The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot
by Marianne Cronin
Harper, 2021. 326 pages. Fiction

Seventeen-year-old Lenni Pettersson lives on the Terminal Ward at the Glasgow Princess Royal Hospital. Joining the hospital's arts and crafts class, she meets the magnificent Margot, an 83-year-old, purple-pajama-wearing, fruitcake-eating rebel. Both are determined to leave their mark on the world. Lenni and Margot devise a plan to create one hundred paintings showcasing the stories of the century they have lived—stories of love and loss, of courage and kindness, of unexpected tenderness and pure joy.

Tom Lake
by Ann Patchett
Harper, 2023. 309 pages. Fiction

In the Spring of 2020, Lara's three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew.

MB

Lore of the Wilds

Lore of the Wilds
By Analeigh Sbrana
Harper Voyager, 2024. 338 pages. Fantasy.

In a land ruled by ruthless Fae, twenty-one-year-old Lore Alemeyu's village is trapped in a forested prison. Lore knows that any escape attempt is futile-her scars are a testament to her past failures. But when her village is threatened, Lore makes a desperate deal with a Fae lord. She will leave her home to catalog/organize an enchanted library that hasn't been touched in a thousand years. No Fae may enter the library, but there is a chance a human might be able to breach the cursed doors. She convinces him that she will risk her life for wealth, but really she's after the one thing the Fae covet above all: magic of her own. As Lore navigates the hostile world outside, she's forced to rely on two Fae males to survive. Two very different, very dangerous, very attractive Fae males. When undeniable chemistry ignites, she's not just in danger of losing her life, but her heart to the very creatures she can never trust.

Reminiscent of A Court of Thorns and Roses, this story follows a human girl that becomes a type of chosen one when she is thrust into a world of magic and bargains. The world is unique, and the characters are diverse and well-written. It is amazing to see more of their personalities appear as the story develops. Lore as a main character felt very life-like and realistic, her energies ebbing and flowing the way I imagine ours would in the same situations. The pace of the story seemed to bunch and stretch in strange places, but not enough to lessen my enjoyment of the story. Overall this was a wonderful romantasy and I'm excited to see what else the author will show us as the story continues.

If you like Lore of the Wilds, you might also like: 

The Wind Weaver

By Julie Johnson

Ace, 2025. 530 pages. Fantasy.

Fear of maegic plagues war-torn Anwyvn. Halflings like Rhya Fleetwood are killed on sight. But Rhya's execution is interrupted by an unexpected savior-one far more terrifying than her would-be killers. The mysterious and mercenary Commander Scythe. In the clutches of this new enemy, Rhya finds herself fighting for her life in the barren reaches of the Northlands. Yet the farther she gets from home, the more she learns that nothing is as it seems-not her fearsome captor, not the blight that ravages her dying realm, not even herself. For Rhya is no ordinary halfling. The strange birthmark on her chest and the wind she instinctively calls forth means she is a Remnant, one of four souls scattered across Anwyvn, fated to restore the balance of maegic. . .or die trying. But mastering the power inside her is only the beginning. Desire for the Commander-a man she can never trust, a man with plans of his own-burns just as fiercely as the tempests beating against her rib cage for release. Rhya must choose: smother the flames or let them consume her.

Broken Souls and Bones

By L.J. Andrews

Books on Tape, 2025. 14 hours. Fantasy.

Lyra Bien intended to live a quiet life to avoid the attention of the magic-obsessed king in the fortress of Stonegate. Until Roark Ashwood—the prince’s silent guard and rumored killer for the crown—invades her village and uncovers the truth behind the silver scars in her eyes. To save her best friend from death, she’s forced to reveal her abilities, and is immediately claimed by the crown as the next melder. To be the King’s melder is to be revered and feared in equal measures, but above all it is a slow death sentence. Lyra is determined to find a way to free herself and her friends from bondage. But first she must get more information from the silent, brooding sentry who first took her captive: Roark. As Lyra gets closer to Roark, she soon learns he’s nothing like she assumed—and in fact everything she needs. The more they work as allies, the harder it becomes to ignore the growing passion between them. After a sinister truth is revealed, Roark and Lyra must choose to stand against all they know, or accept their dark destiny.

Wooing the Witch Queen

By Stephanie Burgis
Bramble, 2025. 294 pages. Fantasy.

Queen Saskia is the wicked sorceress everyone fears. After successfully wrestling the throne from her evil uncle, she only wants one thing: to keep her people safe from the empire next door. For that, she needs to spend more time in her laboratory experimenting with her spells. She definitely doesn't have time to bring order to her chaotic library of magic. When a mysterious dark wizard arrives at her castle, Saskia hires him as her new librarian on the spot. "Fabian" is sweet and a little nerdy, and his requests seem a little strange- what in the name of Divine Elva is a fountain pen? - but he's getting the job done. And if he writes her flirtatious poetry and his innocent touch makes her skin singe, well. . .

KJ

A Fragile Enchantment

A Fragile Enchantment

by Allison Saft 

Wednesday Books, 2024. 373 pages. Young Adult Fiction. 

When Niamh, who’s from a working-class Machlish family, receives an invitation to serve as the tailor for the royal wedding of Avaland’s Prince Christopher to the Castilian Infanta Rosa, she boards the ship, convinced that this Season will change her family’s fortunes. Her ability to imbue emotions into her embroidery has earned her a reputation among the high-born, but using magic comes at a cost to her lifespan. Niamh arrives on Avaland’s shores, only to find the country in turmoil. The exploited Machlish are striking in droves, a gossip columnist has alienated the court, and most troublesome of all, the brooding and reluctant Christopher, who goes by Kit, simultaneously vexes and beguiles her. With patience and persistence, Niamh pierces Kit’s thorny, magicked defenses, but personal and political histories threaten their future. 

This is a richly detailed book with complex characters and a swoon-worthy romance. Niamh is a people pleaser, and the way that her magic has a cost to her own health seems to be a metaphor for people who give too much to other people without taking care of themselves. Her interactions with Kit are fiery, and their relationship helps them both heal in different ways. The blend of regency historical fiction with fantasy is seamless and the pairing of genres goes together perfectly. 

If you like A Fragile Enchantment, you might also like: 

The Hedgewitch of Foxhall

by Anna Bright 

HarperTeen, 2024. 389 pages. Young Adult Fiction 

Magic is fading from Wales--choked off by King Offa's Dyke, the enemy earthworks that spans the entire border. Even the dragons have disappeared. And now an attack is imminent. Prince Taliesin would love to watch magic die. Prince Dafydd fears it, and the throne. But when their father promises the crown to whichever son can destroy the dyke and restore magic to Wales, the brothers are forced into an uneasy rivalry. Ffion works hedgewitch magic for poor folk, not princes. Unlike the power-hungry Foxhall coven, she uses only what nature can spare. But when the coven's greed costs Ffion everything, she will need power beyond her wildest dreams to get back what she's lost. So when Prince Taliesin arrives, begrudgingly seeking a witch's aid, Ffion agrees to help him--even if it means walking from one end of Wales to the other with the most use-less peacock she's ever clapped eyes on. Even if it means striking a bargain with Dafydd behind Tal's back. The fate of Wales depends on their quest . . . and so might the fate of Ffion's heart. 

Divine Rivals 

by Rebecca Ross 

Wednesday Books, 2023. 357 pages. Young Adult Fiction 

When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever. 

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich

by Deya Muniz 

Little, Brown and Company, 2023. 235 pages. Young Adult Comics 

Lady Camembert wants to live life on her own terms, without marriage. Well, without marrying a man, that is. But the law of the land is that women cannot inherit. So when her father passes away, she does the only thing she can: She disguises herself as a man and moves to the capital city of the Kingdom of Fromage to start over as Count Camembert. But it’s hard to keep a low profile when the beautiful Princess Brie, with her fierce activism and great sense of fashion, catches her attention. Camembert can’t resist getting to know the princess, but as the two grow closer, will she able to keep her secret?

EP

First-Time Caller

First-Time Caller 

By B.K. Borison 

Berkley Romance, 2025. 437 pages. Romance. 

Aiden Valentine has a secret: he's fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore's romance hotline, that's a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls into the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight. Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She has a good job, an incredible family, and a smart, if slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life--or lack thereof--she begins to question if she's as happy as she thought. Maybe a little more romance wouldn't be such a bad thing. Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending … even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final call between the radio-sponsored happily ever after, or the man in the headphones next to her. 

This novel was inspired by Nora Efron’s classic movie, Sleepless in Seattle. Aiden and Lucy are almost as charming as Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. I was worried at 437 pages that it would be too much of a slow burn romance. Not the case! I found it charming and the pacing was delightful. I was thoroughly invested in Aiden and Lucy’s romance. The conflict wasn’t something silly like a simple miscommunication, my least favorite trope in romance novels. The cast of supporting characters were unique and entertaining. This is a win!

The Ex Talk

By Rachel Lynn Solomon 

Jove, 2021. 338 pages. Romance. 

Shay Goldstein has been a producer at her Seattle public radio station for nearly a decade, and she can't imagine working anywhere else. But lately it's been a constant clash between her and her newest colleague, Dominic Yun, who's fresh off a journalism master's program and convinced he knows everything about public radio. When the struggling station needs a new concept, Shay proposes a show that her boss green-lights with excitement. On The Ex Talk, two exes will deliver relationship advice live, on air. Their boss decides Shay and Dominic are the perfect co-hosts, given how much they already despise each other. Neither loves the idea of lying to listeners, but it's this or unemployment. Their audience gets invested fast, and it's not long before The Ex Talk becomes a must-listen in Seattle and climbs podcast charts. As the show gets bigger, so does their deception, especially when Shay and Dominic start to fall for each other. In an industry that values truth, getting caught could mean the end of more than just their careers. 

Book Lovers 

By Emily Henry 

Berkley, 2022. 377 pages. Romance. 

Nora Stephens life is books--she's read them all--and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laid back dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby. Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters' trip away--with visions of a small town transformation for Nora who she's convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they've met many times and it's never been cute. If Nora knows she's not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he's nobody's hero, but as they are thrown together again and again--in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow--what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they've written about themselves. 

Is She Really Going Out With Him? 

By Sophie Cousens 

G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2024. 354 pages. Romance. 

Columnist Anna Appleby has left her love life behind after a painful divorce. Who needs a man when she has two kids, a cat, and uncontested control of the TV remote? Besides, she'd rather be single than subject herself to the hell of online dating. But her office rival is vying for her column, and no column means no stable source of income. In a desperate attempt to keep her job, Anna finds herself pitching a unique angle: seven dates, all found offline, chosen by her children. From awkward encounters to unexpected connections, Anna gamely begins to put herself out there, asking out waiters, the mailman, and even her celebrity crush. But when a romantic connection appears where she least expected it, will she be brave enough to take another chance on love?

 

JK

The River Has Roots

The River Has Roots
By Amal El-Mohtar
Tor, 2025. 133 pages. Fantasy.

In the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, the mysterious Hawthorn family tends the willow trees there. For as long as anyone can remember, the Hawthorns have paid tribute to the willow trees, honouring an ancient compact to sing to them in thanks for their magic. None, though, have taken up this calling more devotedly than the family's latest daughters, Esther and Ysabel, who cherish each other as much as they cherish the trees. But when Esther rejects a forceful suitor in favour of a lover from the land of Faerie, not only the sisters' bond but also their lives will be at risk.

A short novel with all strengths of an epic fantasy, this book reflected parts of my soul that I had forgotten about.  If you are a literature nerd or just a fan of words and books in general, you will be enchanted by the magic system. The writing is beautifully lyrical and it's almost as if the story becomes one of the things it tells you about. . .which makes little sense but is the best way I can describe it without spoilers.  If you enjoy fairytale retellings, riddles, or word magic, then I think you will find this book delightful. 

If you like The River Has Roots, you might also like: 

Thornhedge

By T. Kingfisher

Tor, 2023. 116 pages. Fantasy.

There's a princess trapped in a tower. This isn't her story. Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of Toadling: return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right? But nothing with fairies is ever simple. Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He's heard there's a curse here that needs breaking, but it's a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold.

Faebound

By Saara El-Arifi

Del Rey, 2024. 386 pages. Fantasy.

As a warrior in the elven army, Yeeran has known nothing but violence her whole life. Her sister, Lettle, is trying to make a living as a diviner, seeking prophecies of a better future. When a fatal mistake leads to Yeeran's exile from the Elven Lands, both sisters are forced into the terrifying wilderness beyond their borders. There they encounter the impossible: the fae court. The fae haven't been seen for a millennium. But now Yeeran and Lettle are thrust into their seductive world.

Greenteeth

By Molly O'Neill
Orbit, 2025. 308 pages. Fantasy.

Beneath the still surface of a lake lurks a monster with needle sharp teeth. Hungry and ready to pounce. Jenny Greenteeth has never spoken to a human before, but when a witch is thrown into her lake, something makes Jenny decide she's worth saving. Temperance doesn't know why her village has suddenly turned against her, only that it has something to do with the malevolent new pastor. Though they have nothing in common, these two must band together on a magical quest to defeat the evil that threatens Jenny's lake and Temperance's family, as well as the very soul of Britain.

KJ