Book Club Picks

The daughter of a Chilean father and a Filipina mother, Cecilia Rodriguez Aragon grew up as a shy, timid child in a small midwestern town during the 1960s. Targeted by school bullies and dismissed by many of her teachers, she worried that people would find out the truth: that she was INTF. Incompetent. Nerd. Terrified. Failure. This feeling...

"This is the first audiobook narrated by Hynden Walch, who is famous for her voice acting. Her expertise with voicing all different types of characters is a perfect match for this production and keeps listeners engaged." -- Booklist

Buckle up your seatbelt for Victories Greater Than Death, a thrilling YA sci-fi adventure set against an...

A Master of Djinn

“Fatma el-Sha’arawi is one of the most talented agents in Ciaro’s Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities. Though it is 1912, she has worked her way up the male-dominated agency with a combination of raw magical talent, wit, and force of will. When a room of men burnt to a crisp with no sign of fire shows up, Fatma is put on the case. As she digs deeper and deeper, she is thrown into a world of old religion, angels, djinn, and a mysterious masked figure claiming to be an ancient mystic. This is an excellent steampunk who-done-it. I was fully onboard through all the twists and turns this story took. A Master of Djinn is an excellent book for this summer.”

Izzy, Off the Beaten Path

"Extraordinary . . . This inspirational autobiography stands among the finest scientist memoirs."
—New York Times Book Review, Editors' Choice

Meave Leakey’s thrilling, high-stakes memoir—written with her daughter Samira—encapsulates her distinguished life and career on the front lines of the hunt for our human origins, a quest made all the more... Read more »

If you enjoyed The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, then you’ll love Persephone Station.

“A little bit A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, a little bit The Mandalorian, a little bit Rat Queens, Persephone Station is a rollicking, heartfelt, adventure (in space!). Interplanetary corporation and its recent leader (who may have obtained the position through less-than-legal means) trying to colonize “backwater” and "abandoned" land. Our morally-grey cast of characters won’t let that stand. The pay doesn’t hurt either. The not-quite-blackmail hurts a little though. The story follows three fascinating characters: Rosie, owner of Monk’s bar with dark secrets behind their tourist-slash-criminal bar; Angel formerly of the Corpse Corps who leads a rag-tag group of criminals and assassins; and one-of-a-kind Kennedy, who despite outward appearances, is not human at all. Persephone Station shines with colorful world-building just brimming with enchanting details. The danger might be intense, but you’ll still want a front seat to the show.”

Cassie, Wellesley Books

The Echo Wife

“I am new to the brilliance that is Sarah Gailey, but what a way to dive in. The Echo Wife is slow-moving in the best way—a story that focuses on relationships and social commentary over action-packed moments, but ultimately better for it. And what a commentary on how women are permitted to hold themselves on society. Tantalizing. The ultimate story of feminine resilience and resistance, and the perfect sci-fi/thriller crossover for readers new to either genre.”

Britt, Second Star to the Right

National Book Award Finalist

Stonewall Book Award Winner

"[A] beautiful, genre-expanding debut...Pet is a nesting doll of creative possibilities." (The New York Times)

The award-winning, genre-defying novel by the New York Times best-selling author of The Death of Vivek Oji that explores themes of identity and justice and asks: How do you share the... Read more »

NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS’ CHOICE • An outsider who can travel between worlds discovers a secret that threatens the very fabric of the multiverse in this stunning debut, a powerful examination of identity, privilege, and belonging.

WINNER OF THE COMPTON CROOK AWARD • FINALIST FOR THE LOCUS AWARD • “Gorgeous writing,... Read more »

This program is read by the author

When it comes to Mars, the focus is often on how to get there: the rockets, the engines, the fuel. But upon arrival, what will it actually be like?

In 2013, Kate Greene moved to Mars. That is, along with five fellow crew members, she embarked on NASA’s first HI-SEAS mission, a simulated Martian environment...

In an epic political fantasy unlike any other, two women clash in a world full of rebellion, espionage, and military might on the far outreaches of a crumbling desert empire.
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Touraine is a soldier. Stolen as a child and raised to kill and die for the empire, her only loyalty is to her fellow conscripts. But now, her company has been sent back to... Read more »

In the first book in a brilliant new fantasy series, books that aren't finished by their authors reside in the Library of the Unwritten in Hell, and it is up to the Librarian to track down any restless characters who emerge from those unfinished stories.

Many years ago, Claire was named Head Librarian of the Unwritten Wing-- a neutral space in... Read more »

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires

“I don’t know about everyone else, but I, for one, am really excited that vampires are making a comeback. I think they’re such a fun trope in pretty much every genre, and this was no exception. True to the Grady Hendrix style, this book was the perfect campy, slightly off-kilter, and moderately gory suburban horror story I didn’t know I needed.”

Kendall, Brilliant Books Audio

Hollow Kingdom

“This is the zombie apocalypse like you’ve never seen it before! Things go sideways when S.T. the crow’s human, Big Jim, loses an eyeball. Jim’s worsening condition propels S.T. to leave the safety of domestic life, along with the simple, slobbering bloodhound, Dennis. Together they roam the ruins of Seattle, searching for purpose in this new, Cheeto-less world. While Hollow Kingdom mostly follows the foul-mouthed, human-loving crow, Buxton also takes the occasional detour to see how other animals are coping around the world. Not only is our corvid companion a profane delight, she also manages to effortlessly capture the aloof arrogance of a cat, the wise cadence of an elephant, and even the eternal serenity of trees. Hilarious and at times surprisingly poignant, Hollow Kingdom is a must-read for anyone with a sense of humor as black as a crow’s wing.”

Darcy, Mysterious Galaxy Books

Black Sun

“Black Sun is so much more than simply a book, it is an experience. An audiobook I've returned to multiple times. Inspired by pre-Columbian Americas, Black Sun is lush, lived in, and full of political intrigue and magical mystery. When I think about Black Sun, I find myself sighing nostalgically for the time I've spent reading it. Xiala and Serapio are such rich characters, the kinds of book characters that you do anything for. All I want for them is happiness, and trust me, you'll want the same after reading this book! Black Sun is truly one of the most exciting books I've read in a long time, instantly becoming one of my favorite books of all time. A must-read for epic fantasy fans and those who love long journeys and all the kinds of people one meets on the way.”

Sarah, Anderson's Bookshop

Winner of the 2020 Hugo Award for Best Novel
A Locus, and Nebula Award nominee for 2019
A Best Book of 2019: Library Journal, Polygon, Den of Geek
An NPR Favorite Book of 2019
A Guardian Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Book of 2019 and “Not the Booker Prize” Nominee
A Goodreads Biggest SFF Book of 2019 and Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee

"A Memory...

Upright Women Wanted

“Sarah Gailey has made me fall in love with them all over again. This novel is quirky, occasionally funny, and constantly heart wrenching. It's for anyone who's ever felt out of place, and a reminder of the beauty that can come when you accept yourself and find your people.”

Jenny, Page 158 Books

The House in the Cerulean Sea

“The House in the Cerulean Sea is a heart-swelling wave of sweetness and hope. Mild-mannered government caseworker Linus Baker is sent on a secret assignment to an island orphanage he’s never even heard of. The astonishing inhabitants he gets to know there will change his life and make him reassess everything he thought he knew. This book will leave you believing in the good in everyone — even those society has given up on — and contemplating how huge changes have to start somewhere.”

Haley Stocking, Phinney Books

Across the Green Grass Fields

“If you’ve ever wondered if an adult book could be written to be accessible to not just young adult but middle grade readers, too, wonder no longer: The book of your dreams is here. Across the Green Grass Fields is a wonderful coming-of-age story that has all the mandatory trappings: bullying, parental oversight, unicorns, evil queens, and an intersex main character. It’s like Tanith Lee rewriting Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. This standalone novella is a wonderful entrance to the Hooflands, and I can’t wait to double back and read more.”

Lizy Coale, Copperfish Books