April's Bookseller Picks

Nine Lives

“It’s impossible to describe the experience of reading Nine Lives as anything other than edge-of-your-seat. Death truly lurks around every corner, around every page. It eats at the characters and it eats at you. Wicked fun.”

Thatcher Svekis, DIESEL, A Bookstore

The Ivory Key

“The Ivory Key is an atmospheric story that envelopes you from page one, bringing to life a rich world of color, intrigue, and magic with a lively cast of characters. Ashoka is in trouble - a war is raging their border, one which they are losing, and their source of magic, a coveted resource, is almost gone. The four estranged siblings of the royal family must reunite for a quest of riddles, traps, and treasure hunts to find the Ivory Key and restore magic to the land of Ashoka. But each sibling has their own secrets and motives that could tear apart their family. What a fun read! I love this book and can't wait to read more!”

Anna, The Well-Read Moose

Unlikely Animals

“Small-town residents — dead, alive, missing, and four-pawed — are the heart of this unforgettable novel of Emma's quarter-life and family crises. Hartnett’s quirky humor makes dark stuff feel manageable, a skill we need these days.”

Maggie Robe, Flyleaf Books

All My Rage

“Two thumbs up. I loved how the pacing accelerated as the story unfolded. Intense and heartbreaking, as well as refreshing and angering, in the best of ways. I was hooked, listening to the different voices and learning so much about Pakistani beliefs and traditions. Trigger alerts, though! Also important to hear about how folks live with unbelievable trauma and are still able to rise above. ”

Jen, Townie Books

Remember Me Gone

“Remember Me Gone by Stacy Stokes is thriller as well as a family drama, and the thought provoking story really gets to the root of what we remember, what we choose to remember, and what we'd rather not remember. Be careful what you wish for; when bad memories are erased some good ones go too. Great for teens who like mystery/thrillers with a side of romance.”

Genevieve, A Great Good Place for Books

Memphis

“Centering Black joy above all, Stringfellow’s life-affirming debut follows three generations of unforgettable women in a gifted but tested family. Readers will cry, laugh, and sing. I hope we read Stringfellow for a long, long time.”

Katie Williamson, Square Books

If you enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, then you’ll love Lessons in Chemistry.

“I loved Elizabeth Zott! She's a quirky, dynamic, headstrong heroine who is, above all else, a brilliant chemist. She struggles to be taken seriously but refuses to bow to the expectations and societal norms for women in the sixties. The story is funny, profound, entertaining, brazenly feminist, and Elizabeth has the BEST dog ever, Six-Thirty! You don't want to miss this wonderful debut novel!”

Polly, The Hickory Stick Bookshop

Tripping Arcadia

“The atmospheric successor to Knives Out and The Chosen & the Beautiful, this fabulously Gothic read is reminiscent of a chilly, overcast, Massachusetts day, walking through the city, trying not to slip on the wet leaves. Back Bay & class division & re-creation of Renaissance botany & poison & addiction & greasy diners & glittering crushes & being 25 living with your parents & a modern Gothic & stealing the family car & family dynasties and capitalism & 'finding your passion' & fuck she's so pretty&... honestly more to the book than I could ever possibly list.”

Cassie, Wellesley Books

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER | GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK

“Rosie Walsh’s The Love of My Life is my favorite kind of thriller—gripping, heartbreaking and impossible to put down.”—Laura Dave

“A dazzling supernova of a book, it picks you up on line one and doesn't let you go until the very end. Each chapter is filled with heart-breaking... Read more »

Four Treasures of the Sky

“A stunning debut! Four Treasures of the Sky is pointed, heartbreaking, and breathtakingly beautiful. Indisputably a masterpiece, and I am already looking forward to whatever journey Zhang wants to take us on next.”

Kari Johnson, Shakespeare & Co

If you enjoyed Blood Orange Night, then you’ll love Left on Tenth.

“You'll feel you're spending a long weekend with Delia Ephron as she reads her memoir of grief, unexpected joy, and terror -- her story of losing her husband, finding love, and grappling with leukemia. Her honest narration, as only she could present it, offers an inspiration to savor life, and to cherish friends and family. 'Hooray for Delia!' I was thinking all the while.”

Cheryl, Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza

The Devil Never Sleeps

“We don't like to think about disasters, but in this important book, Kayyem argues that we must. From her extensive experience managing disasters, Kayyem urges a new approach to disaster planning. In particular, we must recognize that disasters are inevitable, even if we don't know which ones will occur. With that certainty that bad things will happen, Kayyem urges a focus on post-disaster response and the common elements that can save lives. Well written and argued, this book is highly recommended.”

Mike, A Great Good Place for Books

“A mesmerizing read. Medel’s prose is hypnotic—it’s hard to believe this is her first novel. I was completely engrossed in this story, in the shadow each generation casts on the one that comes after it, in the tension between caring for oneself and caring for others.” 
—Avni Doshi, author of the Booker Prize-shortlisted novel Burnt Sugar

Through... Read more »

Body Work

“This book is both a self-reflection piece and a tender yet valiant meditation on the power of writing. Anyone that approaches their work through an autoethnographic lens would benefit from tools Febos so kindly lends to us in Body Work.”

Eden Hakimzadeh, Oxford Exchange

The seven Shaw siblings have long been haunted by two early and profoundly consequential events. Told in turns from the early twentieth century through the 1950s, the story builds as each sibling relays their own versions of the memories that surround both their mother’s mysterious death and the circumstances of one sister’s scandalous teenage... Read more »

A Black immortal in 1930s Los Angeles seeks to recover the memory of her past in this visionary novel from NAACP Image Award nominee Natashia Deón Lou, a young Black woman, wakes up in an alley in 1930s Los Angeles with no memory of how she got there or where she’s from. Taken in by a caring foster family, Lou dedicates herself to her education... Read more »

Bomb Shelter

“I have so much love for Bomb Shelter, as a mom, a woman, an animal lover, and simply as a fellow human. I love Mary Laura’s humor and her compassionate and certain voice. I can’t wait to share this book with EVERYONE!”

Sue Kowalski, The Bookstore of Glen Ellyn

The Sign for Home

“Unforgettable and completely unique! Fell illuminates DeafBlind life in Arlo Dilly, who will steal your heart as he journeys to experience life and independence, and to break free of those who have been holding him back. A must read!”

Maxwell Gregory, Madison Street Books