In the weeks since I finished John of John, I keep thinking back to the experience as if I actually traveled to the Western Isles of Scotland, stayed in a croft on the water, gossiped and cried with all the inhabitants of this island–except I didn’t do any of those things, that’s just the power of Douglas Stuart. John of John isn’t a book you read inasmuch as you live it, achingly real and vulnerable. I loved it.

An utterly unique dual-timeline horror novel that kept me guessing (and shuddering) the entire time. Every chapter left me less and less certain about where the story was going, but the ending pulled it all together in such a satisfying way that I’ll be thinking about it for years.

I love this book! Emma is the best in the game when it comes to writing fat characters. Her characters always feel so real to me. I love the way these short stories connect and complement each other. The way they come together in the end is electrifying. Gorgeous sentences, masterful writing.

The author of The Help is back with another story with strong female characters. Takes place during the Depression and the women use their their ingenuity to survive. It is a story of loving friendship. Delightful.

Welsh history reimagined as fantasy with a queer arranged marriage at its heart, Princeweaver explores the violence required to maintain an empire and the inevitable heartbreak needed to fight back.

22 pounds at birth, an unnamed narrator spends her childhood being bullied by classmates for her weight. A malevolent inner-voice convinces her she ate her twin in the womb. Her mother runs away, overwhelmed by her daughter’s constant hunger, while her father cooks gourmet, elaborate meals—the Dee Dee to her Gypsy-Rose Blanchard. Fed up—literally and figuratively—now she craves only one thing: revenge.

The consequences of an affair between family friends ripple down through the generations. The author of The Nest is back with another gripping story.

Aptly titled, Accumulation vividly describes a woman’s spiral into overwhelm. The circular stress of moving, marriage, kids, jobs, home repairs, ghosts. Dream houses, haunted houses; losing your creativity, free time, mind….It sure takes its toll. A tense and creepy domestic horror tale.

Holton’s books focus on women far smarter than men who fight to secure their place in male-dominated academia. Amelia and Caleb fake being enemies; being friends wouldn’t be acceptable. After causing an explosion they are sent to a haunted estate to catalog magical objects. An ordinary looking spoon and disappearing artifacts wreak havoc. The witty banter of friends-to-enemies-to-lovers makes this a delight.

When Maggie falls into her favorite fantasy world, she becomes a target and a prophetess all at once. With her motley crew of a found family, she must find a way to survive a world teeming with magic and danger. A compulsive page-turner, I couldn’t put this one down!

The Duke is a riveting sapphic lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers with all the drama and intrigue you could want from a historical BUT with a twist. Celine and the Duke of Howard are YUMMY. Wholly original. Stupidly hot. Gorgeously written. I cannot wait for more from Cowan. Gimme!

Mabel has been around mysterious deaths since childhood, and accused of more than one. The nickname Mad Mabel has stuck around for just as long – into her 80s, into her quiet community where she is accused once again of killing someone. Is she mad, or just misunderstood?

Sutton needs therapy after her mother’s accident has her moving back to her hometown while working to open a restaurant and dealing with a break up. When a bet is made that a couples therapist can’t tell the difference between strangers and lovers, Sutton can’t help but participate. Free therapy, friendly competition, and fake dating- what could go wrong?

The Flynns, consisting of Catherine, Bud, and their 3 daughters, are your typical American family. Abigail, the oldest daughter, is dating a private security guard named War Crimes Wes. Louise, the middle daughter, finds solace only in her online boyfriend who encourages her to build bombs. Harper, the youngest daughter, is pretty sure the town’s billionaire is spying on them. Surely none of this could go sideways!

What do you when your husband of 40 years decides to leave you for your private chef? You enroll in cooking school in order to win him back. At least that’s what Mebel does. But who needs a man when you have really good butter, a hot french chef/mentor and twenty-something classmates willing to hype you up. Not Mebel! An insanely delightful read.

I am fascinated by accents and the judgments we make based on them. Fridland grew up in Memphis, beginnings relatable to Southerners. The intersection of language, society, and sound – sociophonetics – resonates. We judge based on accents – judgments about socioeconomic status, cultural background, and education level. This book teaches a lot in a humorous way that makes you rethink what you hear when people speak.

I knew I was the target audience for this book as soon as I saw the title. If you think you may be the same, just go ahead and pick up this absolutely delightful memoir. Isabel Klee’s coming of age story intertwines accounts of her various foster dogs alongside her complex human relationships, and you guessed it—boys. Perfect for anyone whose dog was their first true love.

Jenny Lawson is a messy, beautiful treasure. We all need a smart, hilarious, caring, wise, and profane friend to help us be a person in this world – because sometimes, it’s really hard. This book is exactly that.

Everybody is born playful, but when was the last time you really played? Holman is a toy designer who specializes in free play, and Playful shows us how play is an essential part of being happy, healthy, well-adjusted humans and isn’t just for kids. Play can also be a buffer in bleak times. A deeply insightful book that had me thinking deeply about my own creative practices.

A baseball novel for the English major and literary fiction for the sports nut, this cult classic follows an accountant absolutely obsessed with a fictional baseball league. Preferring these fake games to his dreary real life, his grip on reality begins to decline sharply after tragedy strikes one of his favorite players. Funny and incredibly insightful, this is a fascinating rumination on escape and its real cost.

In this essential collection, Davis makes critical connections between liberation movements and retaliatory state violence across history and geography. Rooted in Black intersectional feminism and abolition, Davis never fails to enlighten and inspire. “I’m not free until we’re all free,” aren’t just words to Davis, but a roadmap, guiding us through the shared struggles of Ferguson, Gaza, South Africa, and beyond.

If you have an interest in gardening and you’re tired of grocery store drama (inflation, pesticides, etc.), this book is for you. Originally published at the height of World War I when resources were strained, The Allotment Book offers step-by-step guidance on how to grow all kinds of fruits and vegetables at home, regardless of how big or small your yard is.

A neurodivergent man charged with murder, a cousin with rude quotes on his t-shirts, and a Saint Bernard all make for a story with heart and humor.

When this book came out, I was absolutely consumed. So when I saw that Elizabeth Kostova was writing a follow up due out this October I quickly picked it back up to see if it was as good as I remembered. Guess what? It is! Vlad the Impaler lives! Secret documents! Family lies! A deeply atmospheric gothic thriller.

First Editions Club: May Selection

John of John

Some months are easy here at the First Editions Club. May was incredibly easy, because as soon as I read John of John I knew the search was over.

Thank you, Douglas Stuart.

The story of leaving the tiny, backwater town you come from—in this case the Isle of Harris in Scotland—to make your way in the world as an artist, has been the classic launching pad for an untold number of stories. Less classic is the story of what happens at the end of school when you’re dead broke with no hope of finding a job. What if the only choice is to return to that tiny backwater town (which isn’t even a town) or starve? That’s where John of John begins, with Cal taking the ferry back to the home of his fervently religious father and his irreverent and much beloved grandmother. That Cal is gay surely makes the situation harder, but any way you slice it, this homecoming is going to be tough.

To read John of John is to move to the Isle of Harris with Cal and take up residence in the family croft. The novel is so immersive, so all-encompassing, that I felt like I was living in it. Douglas Stuart has written something brilliant and rare.

Stuart won the Booker Prize for his first novel, Shuggie Bain, and experienced no sophomore slump with his celebrated second novel, Young Mungo. John of John lives up to every expectation, and then exceeds them.

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.

Love, Parnassus: May Selection

The Duke: A Novel