| FICTION |
| Recommended by Elyse
Jewish immigrants come to America and settle with African Americans living in Pottstown, PA. Relationships are formed and tested, and bonds are strengthened over the years. A story of humanity, community, secrets, and justice. A MUST READ! |
| Recommended by Cat
In the near future the world has come together to reverse the climate crisis. Larch and Kristina, two heroes in the fight to save the world, and their daughter Emi now live in Greenland when Kristina disappears. Larch and Emi go in search of her in this hopeful, contemplative book about what it means to come together as a collective and all the ways we can create a future with the people we love. |
| Recommended by Cheryl
This historical novel is about a famous Victorian London fraud trial. Woven into this scandal of a resurrected heir is the competitive friendship of authors Dickens and William Ainsworth. One was famous and the other wrote bland fiction as history. The main character is a female observer who wrestles with her own views of the rights of women, slavery and the Civil War. Clever and loaded with interesting trivia. |
| Recommended by Rae Ann
Mia runs away from the Community where she was raised for a better life like the ones portrayed in her beloved books. Her love for the The Scarlet Letter and its author catapults her through time to her true self. |
| Recommended by Sarah
A powerful, emotional, and at times disturbing story of a young gay man growing up in India. The incorporation of Indian myths and legends was the beautiful thread that tied the story together. Check the content warnings before picking this one up, but if it’s for you, you’ll be treated to a profound debut. |
| Recommended by Rachel
York, 19th century, all girls boarding school where two students begin to toe the lines between friendship and love. Learned by Heart is inspired by real life Anne Lister, aka Gentleman Jack, but our main character is Eliza Raine, Anne’s first love. You will feel the pains and longings of girlhood but simultaneously fear the dark future in Eliza’s letters. This novel sits heavy on my heart and will for all of time. |
| Recommended by Cheryl
Two young women plan to reunite to talk about the drowning of their best friend a decade earlier. One disappears before the meeting. This psychological thriller involves a women’s retreat center and unreliable childhood recollections. This is a debut novel that you will not be able to put down. |
| Recommended by Aly
Lang Leav weaves a story just as emotional and beautiful as her poetry in this novel about a young woman growing up and creating art in small-town Australia. She captures all of the messy feelings and actions that come with human connections of any kind, as we watch Ai grapple with who she wants to be and what the world has made her. |
| Recommended by Kathy
James Lee Burke considers this his finest work. I tend to agree. His creation of such multi-faceted characters and depiction of the Louisiana setting are so well done, and the story itself is so compelling. Add this one to the pile of beloved Civil War novels. |
| Recommended by Patsy
Fortunes have turned for the Barnes family in post-economic crash Ireland. Father Dickie builds a bunker, Imelda sells her valuables, Cass endangers her dreams of university in Dublin, and PJ plots to run away with his gaming friends. Fans of Jonathan Franzen and author Murray’s Skippy Dies will love digging in to this witty and well-observed tragicomic family saga. |
| Recommended by Ashby
Terrace stories are little fables, little lies. Edward and his family find magic when Stephanie, who has the power to create and manipulate physical space and time, visits. Like a surrealist Dali painting, there are connections between characters with different rooms in their minds. Readers must confront the question: Does one person’s happiness exist because it has been taken away from someone else? |
| Recommended by Cheryl
An 11 year old girl is sent from London to America in 1940 to safely wait out the war. She enjoys those 5 years in Boston and summers in Maine becoming a member of the family. At this point it seems like a beach read, but so much changes once she returns to London. For decades she straddled where her home was. This story is about love, family and forgiveness. |
| Recommended by Rachel
Masters of Death is Olivie Blake’s masterpiece. The set-up is simple: vampire real estate agent must sell a haunted house, but the execution is genius. I’m baffled by how she turns this premise into devastating literature. The ensemble cast has complex relationships and heartbreaking backstories that jump off of the page. This book is not just for fantasy fans, but for any mortal who ponders death. |
| Recommended by Ashby
Imagine waking up in the middle of a snowy street in Paris with no idea who you are but everyone is trying to kill you, except an agent named Sawyer. Can he be trusted? Why is everyone out for you? Because you have an identical twin Alex who possesses a flash stick with critical information. A page-turner, on-the-edge-of-your-seat book reminiscent of 007 with chases and save-the-world showdowns. |
| Recommended by Cheryl
Hard-boiled spy novel is written by a female former CIA officer. Gritty and authentic. Hope there is another from Berry. |
| Recommended by Tara
I had such a hard time putting this book down. The angst the main character, Roisin, was going through felt so visceral. While this is a romance, parts of the book read like a mystery with you trying to put the pieces together alongside our heroine. If you’re a fan of Sophie Kinsella or Beth O’Leary, you HAVE to read this. |
| Recommended by Katie
Danielle Jackson cranks the heat all the way up with one of my most anticipated releases of the summer. An opposites-attract romance so sizzling with tension you’ll need to find the closest pool to cool off. Loved it! |
| Recommended by Jennifer
A perfectly fun and funny romance for the incoming fall season, My Roommate is a Vampire features an endearingly out-of-date vampire and his bohemian artsy roommate. |
| Recommended by Sydney
Told by an unnamed narrator with the most exquisitely-written stream of consciousness, Study for Obedience is a short book that requires slow reading. The plot is deceptively simple: our female protagonist goes to stay with her newly divorced brother, who leaves town shortly after her arrival. Stuck in a country where she doesn’t speak the language, the town ostracizes her for reoccurring, unexplainable disasters. |
| Recommended by Katie
If you loved Gornichec’s first book, The Witch’s Heart (spoiler alert – I did. Very much.), this new tale steeped in Viking and Norse mythology is a perfect fall pick. Two women – one desperate to find her sister, the other a great witch destined to become the next Queen of Norway, intertwine over the course of their lives. Brutal and unrelenting, this is a powerful story of survival and female friendship. |
| Recommended by RJ
This novella-length twist on Sleeping Beauty features immensely lovable characters, an ever-growing sense of dread, and the heartbreaking weight of time and isolation. For anyone who can’t get enough retellings, this is your next quick read. |
| Recommended by Lauren
I still can’t put Fourth Wing down! Dragons, special powers, spicy love interests and a powerful heroine. Luckily the second book comes out in November so I can stop rereading the first! |
| NONFICTION & POETRY |
| Recommended by Ann
What happens to your love of a film or a book or a painting when you find out later that the person who made the art is in fact a monster? This is where the book starts but it is so much more than that. ESSENTIAL. |
| Recommended by Ann
A collection of Lepore’s essays, mostly published in the New Yorker, is a treasure trove of intelligence, storytelling, research and compassion. Think of it as a big book of fairy tales for adults. You’ll want to dip in and out of this forever. |
| Recommended by Lindsay
When Jenn Shapland was diagnosed with literal “thin skin,” she began thinking about the barriers between her and her environment–the result is this stunning collection of essays about art, capitalism, climate change, and how we care for one another on this earth. A perfect read for fans of Jenny Odell or Margaret Renkl. |
| Recommended by Sissy
Like David Sedaris, Thomas is still hilarious but gets deeper and more introspective with each work. I really connected with this book as I faced the same feelings in my thirties… was I really an adult? What on earth was I going to achieve in my life?!?! If you need a lift, this will do it. |
| Recommended by Chelsea
Told through the viewpoint of their vacation home in Hyannis Port, White House by the Sea is an incredibly readable history of the Kennedy family. The evolution of the small town is interwoven with the famous family, and no Kennedy drama, triumph, or era is overlooked. This is perfect if you want to transport yourself to the Cape for a bit more summertime. |
| Recommended by Lindsay
Reading this collection is like walking through a museum with your smartest friend, who also happens to speak fluently in poetry. If you’re like me and you love to read every placard in an art museum, nerd out on obscure historical facts, and wish you could write this beautifully about cockroaches and wasps, Robyn Schiff’s Information Desk is for you. |
| Recommended by Ashby
I cannot get enough Agatha Christie. Having grown up on her murders and consumed any books about her, this cookbook was délicieuse as Poirot would say… Insight into the times, how foods fit her plots, recipes and even full meals. Pierce’s extensive research makes it more than a cookbook, and I imagine myself at a large dinner party with a poisoned roast leg of lamb. |
| Recommended by Chelsea
The perfect combination of cringey parenting advice and ridiculous art, this is the perfect gift for new parents. I alternated between rolling my eyes and laughing out loud. |
| Recommended by Jake
When The Game Was War proposes that 1987-88 was the single greatest season in NBA history. Lending equal attention to the showtime Los Angeles Lakers, bad boy Detroit Pistons, old school Boston Celtics, and the up-and-coming Chicago Bulls, Rich Cohen crafts a meticulously researched, deeply impassioned, and incredibly entertaining account of one of the most exciting periods in basketball history. |
| Recommended by Katie
While I like to think I bring a lot to the table, I am not a fix-it gay. I leave that to my wife. But I have enjoyed Mercury Stardust’s quick, renter-friendly hacks for home repair. Plus that LAUGH! It’s literal perfection. This is the perfect gift for a newly minted grown-up in their first apartment or a seasoned home-owner looking for a great how-to. |
| Recommended by Heath
Did you know that if it weren’t for a gay man, America might have lost the Revolutionary War to the British? That same man also wrote the original soldier training manual that the U.S. military still uses parts of today. I had never heard of Baron von Steuben until I read this book, and the graphic novel format really brought him to life for me. |
| CLASSICS & BACKLIST |
| Recommended by Sarah
I’d been meaning to get to this book for a year now, and I’m so glad I did! It definitely falls into the “trainwreck millennial” category, but it also beautifully captures the queer, first-generation immigrant experience. It will resonate with everyone who has ever felt they have more questions than answers about where their life is heading. |
| Recommended by Jake
An Edgar Award winner, Five Decembers is a pulpy crime story, a WW2 epic, a twisty mystery, and a tragic romance all rolled into one. Following a Hawaii detective tracking a killer across the Pacific in the looming shadow of the attack on Pearl Harbor, this is an epic in every sense of the word. Masterfully written and incredibly difficult to put down, Five Decembers is one of the best crime novels I’ve ever read. |
| Recommended by Heath
A fascinating look at Capote’s friendships and eventual falling out with the American and European jet set of the 50’s and 60’s. Reading this was like having a Slim Aarons’s photo come to life, and it was a pleasure to dive into this world. The new installment of Ryan Murphy’s Feud is based on this book, so be sure and read this before you watch the show. |
| Recommended by Hannah P.
Limón’s poetry tears right into your heart and pours the light in. Divided into four seasons, this lyrical collection draws from vivid observations on the natural world and makes revelatory connections to grief, heritage, and the human experience. If you’re in need of tender poems that make you feel present and thankful for life, this is the book for you. |
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I don’t usually use these letters to list biographical information, but in this case there are some things worth mentioning. Yiyun Li was born in Beijing. She was a math prodigy. She did her year of military service in the Chinese army before getting her Bachelor of Science at Peking University. She came to the United States in 1996 to study immunology at the University of Iowa. She enrolled in some writing courses to improve her English, and then transferred to the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where she graduated with an MFA in fiction and creative nonfiction.
It’s astonishing to think about that journey—the Chinese army, math, immunology, writing. It makes me feel lucky every time I open one of her books. Of all the things she could have done, she chose to write.
Because Li is the dear friend of my dear friend Elizabeth McCracken, I’ve been reading her books since the beginning of her career, and since the beginning I have marveled at her power and range. Her work has moved me, informed me, and, at times, scared me to death. I loved her last novel, The Book of Goose, which won the PEN/Faulkner, and her first book, A Thousand Years of Good Prayers, which won the PEN/Hemingway. I loved the ones in between.
Which brings us to Wednesday’s Child, a collection of stories fourteen years in the making. When a writer like Li waits fourteen years to put together a book, it’s intentional. She didn’t wait until she had enough
stories, she waited until she had the right stories. Wednesday’s Child is like a clear lake under the brightest sky. It is both deep and wide, a window into so many worlds. It is a work of extraordinary power and beauty. I hope you love it as much as I do.
Enjoy.
Ann Patchett
More about our First Editions Club: Every member receives a first edition of the selected book of the month, signed by the author. Books are carefully chosen by our staff of readers, and our picks have gone on to earn major recognition including the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the PEN/Faulkner Award. Plus, there’s no membership fee or premium charge for these books. Build a treasured library of signed first editions and always have something great to read! Makes a FABULOUS gift, too. |
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Musing 