Country Bookshelf Staff Picks

Fox and I

“On the surface, this is a story about a woman befriending a fox, which is in and of itself remarkable enough, but it is also a powerful meditation on nature, living in the world with and without people, as well as the power of literature.”

Cody Morrison , Square Books

Afterparties

“These stories of the members of a compact Cambodian-American community, from the refugees to the business owners to the gay teenagers, seamlessly balance humor with hardships.”

Sofia Silva Wright, Phoenix Books Burlington

Mrs. March

“Virginia Feito has effortlessly updated the comedy of manners in this darkly funny mystery. This book will haunt you until you reach the breathtaking conclusion, and you’ll remember Mrs. March for a long time to come.”

Olivia Edmunds-Diez, Boulder Book Store

WINNER OF THE 2020 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE
WINNER OF THE 2021 TRILLIUM BOOK AWARD
FINALIST FOR THE 2021 NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD, the PEN AMERICA OPEN BOOK AWARD, and the DANUTA GLEED AWARD
#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER

Named one of Time's Must-Read Books of 2020, and featuring stories that have appeared in Harper's, Granta, The Atlantic, and The... Read more »

Plain Bad Heroines

“I have never read a book that was this much fun. This was a roller coaster of a read, hitting all the notes from beginning to end. Gothic elements intermingled with the current time period will keep the reader so engrossed that they won’t realize they’ve stayed up all night reading this book, one that’s the kind of book you don’t want to read in the dark but you just can’t put down. The ride through history that meets the present will keep you entertained, on your toes, and peeking between your fingers as you cover your eyes.”

Sandra Cararo, The Book Dragon

If you enjoyed Upright Women Wanted, then you’ll love Barn 8.

“Both of these lively audiobooks follow determined found families as they fight against injustice and learn to trust one another. You might cry during their heartfelt adventures, but you will definitely cheer.”

Mikayla, Green Apple Books

Mexican Gothic

“A bit spooky with some underlining themes of science and the power of racism. There’s a feel of modern Bronte sisters here which adds to the intrigue of this original gothic tale. I loved Noemi, the well-educated bright young protagonist who has a great sense of justice and can stare down evil all while being sophisticated and alluring. Great listening!”

Karin, Bookworm of Edwards

Future Home of the Living God

“Powerful, prophetic and absolutely pertinent to our times, Louise Erdrich’s new novel "Future Home of the Living God" is a horrifying haunt through women’s reproductive rights and the lengths the government will go to ensure the success of mankind as we know it. Riveting, yet repulsive and revealing at the same time, Erdrich captures the essence of “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood and spins a new twist sure to tantalize and terrorize your thoughts and fears. Once again, Erdrich challenges societal constraints and conceives a novel guaranteed to leave you guessing. I highly recommend!”

Kristin, McLean & Eakin Booksellers

Stand Up, Yumi Chung!

“Young readers will connect with the challenges of pursuing interests that your family may not be too thrilled about, and the lengths you'll go to for your dreams to come true!”

Jessica, Brain Lair Books

Devolution

“Incredible. Every Max Brook book is everything you could ever want it to be and then some and Devolution is no exception. His most traditionally structured work yet, Devolution is an epistolary account of the town of Greenloop, a small, isolated, high- tech community situated in the middle of the Cascades and what befalls it after the fictional eruption of the entirely real Mt. Rainier that ravages the North-Eastern coast. It's a fabulous horror novel that tricks you into gaining some survival skills along the way. And through all the spatter, the gore, guts, and splintered skulls, it's outlandish premiss is ground (maybe by a 40+ shoe- sized foot?) into harsh reality through hard science and facts that exposes mankind's current and far too numerous weaknesses. What's evolution and what is devolution? I'm still not sure long after I flipped the final page. Definitely worth the listen on Libro.fm. They get Terry Gross from Fresh Air to actually play Terry Gross from Fresh Air and it doesn't get better than that.”

Conner, BookBar

In the vein of The Book of M comes a “dynamic, fast-paced debut” (Publishers Weekly) and character-driven literary apocalyptic novel that explores life, love, and loss in a post-truth society.

In the aftermath of a deadly outbreak—reminiscent of the 1962 event of mass hysteria that was the Tangayika Laughter Epidemic—a city at the tip of Africa... Read more »

The Final Girl Support Group

“A love letter to horror movie fans, full of allusions and homages to all our favorite slasher films from the 1980s, and so meta that it’s even narrated by the final girl from the original Friday the 13th. Fun, tense, creepy, and original. A great book for spooky season.”

Kevin, Narberth Bookshop

Pizza Girl

“Pizza Girl, set in a Los Angeles neighborhood, explores the tangled mess of a young pregnant girl’s life. While this charming 18-year-old pizza delivery driver has a devoted mom and a committed boyfriend, she grieves her dad, a complete loser, and mucks through her existence with no direction or motivation. Meeting a bizarre array of customers on any given night is the norm. One night, an unusual request by suburban mom Jenny for a pickle-topped pizza sparks an obsessive relationship. A fast-paced, fresh story with smart observations of a completely screwed up situation, a modernly tragic girl, and witty, yet flawed characters... Jean Kyoung Frazier delivers a satisfying read.”

Liz, Blue Willow Bookshop

This program includes an introduction read by the author.

The owner of the world’s leading disaster management company chronicles the unseen world behind the yellow tape, and explores what it means to be human after a lifetime of caring for the dead.

You have seen Robert A. Jensen—you just never knew it. As the owner of the world’s largest...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • An audacious, darkly glittering novel set in the eerie days of civilization’s collapse—the spellbinding story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity. Now an original series on HBO Max. Over one... Read more »

A haunting, provocative novel, You Feel It Just Below the Ribs is a fictional autobiography in an alternate twentieth century that chronicles one woman’s unusual life, including the price she pays to survive and the cost her choices hold for the society she is trying to save.

Born at the end of the old world, Miriam grows up during The Great...

If you enjoyed The Book of Longings, then you’ll love A Thousand Ships.

“An absolutely riveting performance! I found myself at times holding my breath as Natalie Haynes brought to life the women, the unheard, the other half of the epic tales of the Trojan War. Their names are familiar from the classics, but now we meet them as fully realized women, with stories of their own, dreams, brutal disappointments and fierce heroism. We finally hear their voices. Fans of Madeleine Miller’s Circe and Sue Monk Kidd’s The Book of Longings will relish these tales of ancient kingdoms and rivalries, superbly reimagined and narrated by a storyteller who makes you feel events are unfolding right now, right before your eyes.”

Sonia, Warwick's

The Bad Muslim Discount

“I loved The Bad Muslim Discount so much I read the acknowledgements just so it wouldn’t end — and they were great, too! This is an insightful and funny novel about faith, family, and being a Muslim American today. Masood offers us a sharp perspective, a seamless style, and unforgettable characters, leaving the reader enriched for the experience.”

Claire Benedict, Bear Pond Books