FICTION
The Dark Ride: The Best Short Fiction of John Kessel by John Kessel
“Completely strange and idiosyncratic. His stories are singular experiences. … They burst out of their texts with news that is strange, mysterious, beyond reason or parsing — beyond Kessel himself, it seems, who must have been as startled as anyone to see such sentences appear on his page. They are uncanny.” —Kim Stanley Robinson, from his introduction.
The Reservoir by David Duchovny
Sitting and brooding night after night, gazing out his huge picture window high above the Central Park Reservoir, Ridley spots a flashing light in an apartment across the park as if a lonely quarantined person is signaling him in Morse code. His determination to find out who this mystery woman is leads him on an epic quest that will ultimately tempt him with either delusional madness or the fulfillment of his own mythic fate.
Thrust by Lidia Yuknavitch
This is the story of Laisvė, a motherless girl from the late 21st century who is learning her power as a carrier, a person who can harness the power of meaningful objects to carry her through time. Through intricately braided storylines, Laisvė must dodge enforcement raids and find her way to the present day, and then, finally, to the early days of her imperfect country, to forge a connection that might save their lives — and their shared dream of freedom.
The Last White Rose: A Novel of Elizabeth of York by Alison Weir
Elizabeth of York is the oldest daughter of King Edward IV. Flame-haired, beautiful, and sweet-natured, she is adored by her family; yet her life is suddenly disrupted when her beloved father dies in the prime of his life. Her uncle, the notorious Richard III, takes advantage of King Edward’s death to grab the throne and imprison Elizabeth’s two younger brothers, the rightful royal heirs. Forever afterward known as “the Princes in the Tower,” the boys are never seen again.
NONFICTION
The Game Is Afoot: The Enduring World of Sherlock Holmes by Jeremy Black
Through the enduring eye of Sherlock Holmes, noted historian Jeremy Black traces how Holmes and his milieu evolved in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s books and how Holmes continues to resonate today. Black explores the context of Doyle’s ideas and stories and why they struck such a chord with readers in London, and ultimately the world. He portrays a complex man with eclectic interests, from soccer to spiritualism, from cricket to divorce law reform.
The Moon Sign Guide: An Astrological Look at Your Inner Life by Annabel Gat
Most casual fans of astrology are familiar with their Sun sign, but your Moon sign is just as essential to your astrological profile. While the Sun sign symbolizes your ego and will, your Moon sign represents your inner world, your emotional landscape—your feelings, memories, and subconscious; your fears, needs, and desires.
The Four Ages of American Foreign Policy: Weak Power, Great Power, Superpower, Hyperpower by Michael Mandelbaum
The United States is now nearly 250 years old. It arose from humble beginnings, as a strip of mostly agrarian and sparsely populated English colonies on the northeastern edge of the New World, far removed from the centers of power in Europe. Today, it is the world’s most powerful country, with its largest economy and most powerful military. How did America achieve this status?
The Women’s House of Detention: A Queer History of a Forgotten Prison by Hugh Ryan
The Women’s House of Detention, a landmark that ushered in the modern era of women’s imprisonment, is now largely forgotten. But when it stood in New York City’s Greenwich Village, from 1929 to 1974, it was a nexus for the tens of thousands of women, transgender men, and gender-nonconforming people who inhabited its crowded cells. Some of these inmates were famous, but the vast majority were incarcerated for the crimes of being poor and improperly feminine.
CHILDREN’S
Solo Leveling, Vol. 1 by Chugong (Manga)
Known as the Weakest Hunter of All Mankind, E-rank hunter Jinwoo Sung’s contribution to raids amounts to trying not to get killed. Unfortunately, between his mother’s hospital bills, his sister’s tuition, and his own lack of job prospects, he has no choice but to continue to put his life on the line. So, when an opportunity arises for a bigger payout, he takes it … only to come face-to-face with a being whose power outranks anything he’s ever seen! With the party leader missing an arm and the only healer a quivering mess, can Jinwoo somehow find them a way out?
Ages: 15 and up
