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Showing posts from January, 2026

Small Rain by Garth Greenwell

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Winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction A classic . . . I'll be rereading it the rest of my life' - Kaveh Akbar, author of Martyr! 'I just didn't put it down' - Miranda July, author of All Fours A medical crisis brings one man close to death – and to love, art, and beauty – in a profound and luminous novel by award-winning author Garth Greenwell. A poet’s life is turned inside out by a sudden, wrenching pain. The pain brings him to his knees, and eventually to the ICU. Confined to bed, plunged into the dysfunctional American healthcare system, he struggles to understand what is happening to his body, as someone who has lived for many years in his mind. This is a searching, sweeping novel set at the furthest edges of human experience, where the forces that give life value – art, memory, poetry, music, care – are thrown into sharp relief. Time expands and contracts. Sudden intimacies bloom. Small Rain surges beyond the hospital to encompass a radiant vision of...

Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot

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"Nothing short of transcendent."— New York Times AN INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER! Love comes home for the challah-days in this sparkling romance. Snow is falling, holiday lights are twinkling, and Abby Cohen is pissed . For one thing, her most annoying customer, Seth, has been coming into her café every morning with his sunshiny attitude, determined to break down her carefully constructed emotional walls. And, as the only Jew on the tourism board of her Vermont town, Abby's been charged with planning their fledgling Hanukkah festival. Unfortunately, the local vendors don’t understand that the story of Hanukkah cannot be told with light-up plastic figures from the Nativity scene, even if the Three Wise Men wear yarmulkes. Desperate for support, Abby puts out a call for help online and discovers she was wrong about being the only Jew within a hundred miles. There's one other: Seth. As it turns out, Seth’s parents have been badgering him to bring a Nice Jewish Girl...

The Woman on the Ledge by Ruth Mancini

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"The Woman on the Ledge blew me away like The Girl on the Train blew me away nearly ten years ago. Compulsive, clever and gasp out loud twisty, I absolute loved it." -- Lisa Jewell, author of None of This Is True Obsession. Intrigue. Revenge. Whose secrets are you keeping? And why? A woman falls to her death from a London bank's twenty-fifth-floor roof terrace. You're arrested for her murder. You tell the police that you had only met the victim the previous night at your office party. She was threatening to jump down from the roof, but you had talked her down. You've got nothing to do with this tragedy. You're clearly being framed. So why do the police keep picking holes in your story? Even your lawyer doesn't seem to believe you. It soon becomes obvious that you're keeping secrets. But who are you trying to protect? And why? Obsession. Intrigue. Revenge. Get ready for one of the most twisty-turny novels you will read this year. The Woman ...

A Dawn of Gods & Fury by K.A. Tucker

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"Prophecy always finds a way." The will of the fates has come to pass. Monsters swarm from the depths, while dragons soar overhead. And the throne of Islor lies vacant… but not for long. Fleeing the merciless sirens, Tyree and Annika find themselves stranded on a distant shore. Forced together to survive, they find old magics and terrifying new enemies. For Romeria and Zander, the long-held secrets of the casters’ magic reveal a chance to finally master the power that has held all their lives in the balance for too long. But with power comes betrayal. And sacrifices must be made. The final book in the captivating Fate & Flame series A Dawn of Gods and Fury K.A. Tucker Romantic fantasy, Romance novel, Fantasy Fiction, High fantasy Preceded by: A Queen of Thieves and Chaos

Some Like It Cold by Elle McNicoll

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A big-hearted small-town romance from bestselling, award-winning author Elle McNicoll, Some Like it Cold is perfect for fans of Alice Oseman, Beth Reekles and Gilmore Girls. After a long absence, 18-year-old Jasper is finally heading home for the holidays - and she's keeping secrets. Arthur, a budding filmmaker, is turning the town of Lake Pristine into a small town story worthy of the big screen. His plans are disrupted by the arrival of the town's golden girl - the antagonist of his school days; a girl he's never forgotten. Jasper Montgomery is back in Lake Pristine for one reason: to say goodbye. But before long small-town tensions start to rise, and a certain brooding film buff starts to look like a very big reason to stay . . . The perfect story to get lost in, Some Like it Cold centres Jasper as an autistic heroine in a big-hearted small-town romance that will melt your heart, from the bestselling author of A Kind of Spark. Some Like it Cold Elle McNicoll Young...

The Hearing Test by Eliza Barry Callahan

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Finalist for the Young Lions Fiction Award Longlisted for the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction A Dakota Johnson x TeaTime Book Club Pick A young woman reorients her relationship to the world in the wake of sudden deafness in this mesmerizing debut novel for readers of Rachel Cusk, Clarice Lispector, and Fleur Jaeggy When the narrator of The Hearing Test , an artist in her late twenties, awakens one morning to a deep drone in her right ear, she is diagnosed with Sudden Deafness, but is offered no explanation for its cause. As the specter of total deafness looms, she keeps a record of her year—a score of estrangement and enchantment, of luck and loneliness, of the chance occurrences to which she becomes attuned—while living alone in a New York City studio apartment with her dog. Through a series of fleeting and often humorous encounters—with neighbors, an ex-lover, doctors, strangers, family members, faraway friends, and with the lives and works of artists, filmmakers, musicians, and p...

The Wings Upon Her Back by Samantha Mills

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[STARRED REVIEW] "A triumphant debut novel." -- Booklist [STARRED REVIEW] "An absolute must-read." -- Kirkus [STARRED REVIEW] "Intricate and intriguing." --Publishers Weekly [STARRED REVIEW] "Complex and haunting." --Library Journal In this gripping debut novel from acclaimed Nebula, Sturgeon, and Locus Award-winning author Samantha Mills, a disgraced soldier fights to make sense of her world and the gods who abandoned it. The Wings Upon Her Back is an action-packed, devastating exploration of the brutal costs of zealous loyalty. Zenya was a teenager when she ran away to join the mechanically-modified warrior sect. She was determined to earn mechanized wings and protect the people of Radezhda, the city she loved. Under the strict tutelage of a mercurial, charismatic leader, Vodaya, Zenya finally became Winged Zemolai. But after twenty-six years of service, Zemolai is disillusioned with her role as an enforcer in an increasingly fascist stat...

Name Your Price by Holly James

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In Holly James's newest rom-com, sparks ignite as a pair of broke exes get locked in a house together on a reality show for a chance to win a million dollars, a second-chance romance that perfectly captures the absurd sincerity of made-for-TV love. Olivia Martin and Chuck Walsh have chemistry. Too much chemistry, perhaps. Their every interaction as a couple either lights the house up with sexual tension or burns it down with anger. After one huge, very public fight, they finally break up for good. Or so they think. Someone was filming their dramatic argument in the street and—because Olivia’s parents were Hollywood royalty, and because Chuck’s an actor whose star is on the rise—the video goes viral. When Name Your Price , a reality game show, sees the footage, they invite Olivia and Chuck to shoot a very unusual challenge: Live locked in a house together for one month and they will be paid a million dollars. Each. Olivia really needs the money if she's going to keep her bel...

Hers for the Weekend by Helena Greer

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Readers of Mia Sosa and Alexandria Bellefleur will love this swoony, sexy opposites-attract romcom from  USA Today  bestselling author Helena Greer, where the relationship may be fake, but the feelings are very  real!  No-nonsense Tara Sloane Chadwick is practically perfect. An impeccably mannered Southern belle, she’s the youngest to make partner at her law firm and still friends with all her exes. However, when the woman behind her most humiliating breakup invites Tara to her wedding, Tara panics at the thought of showing up alone and impulsively declares she’s bringing her very serious girlfriend. One issue: Tara is  seriously  single. Waitress and wild child Holly Siobhan Delaney may be lusting over Tara—but Tara only dates women she can marry, and Holly’s sworn off relationships. So when Tara needs a fake girlfriend, Holly’s eager to propose a no-strings, temporary fling. Only sharing secrets and steamy kisses show Holly the caring woman bene...

Ghostroots: Stories by 'Pemi Aguda

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Finalist for the 2024 National Book Award for Fiction Finalist for the 2025 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction Finalist for the 2025 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for First Fiction Longlisted for The Story Prize Includes the Story "Breastmilk," Shortlisted for the 2024 Caine Prize for African Writing One of Time 's 10 Best Fiction Books of 2024 • One of The New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2024 • One of Electric Literature 's Best Debut Story Collections • A Library Journal Best Book of the Year • A Vulture Best Book of the Year • A Chicago Public Library Must-Read Book of 2024 • A Daily Mail (UK) Best Book of the Year • One of Elle 's Best Literary Fiction Books of 2024 • An ALA Notable Book A debut collection of stories set in a hauntingly reimagined Lagos where characters vie for freedom from ancestral ties In this beguiling collection of twelve imaginative stories set in Lagos, Nigeria, 'Pemi Aguda dramatizes the tension between our yearning ...

Make Room for Love by Darcy Liao

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Starting over is hard. Falling for her gorgeous butch roommate might make it impossible. When a tall, stunning butch protects Mira from her ex-boyfriend at the club-and offers her a safe place to stay-Mira should be relieved. Not flustered. She's not into women. Yet this tough electrician with curves for days makes Mira's heart race like never before. But Isabel, wounded by grief, forces Mira to keep her distance. Until Mira's desperate to win a union election at work-and only Isabel has the experience to teach her how. Soon they're lingering over dinner, teasing each other as the apartment heats up. And Isabel is making her coffee every morning, hanging her shelves, giving her smoldering looks before bed... But Mira can't afford temptation. Not after living with her nightmare ex. No matter how well Isabel takes care of her...or how much Isabel needs healing, too. She can't risk her freedom-or her heart. Make Room for Love is a steamy slow-burn romance starrin...

Flirty Little Secret by Jessica Lepe

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"Jessica Lepe absolutely sparkles in this stunning debut!" —Lyssa Kay Adams, USA Today bestselling author You’ve Got Mail meets  Abbott Elementary in this charming friends-to-lovers romantic comedy where two co-workers are caught between disaster at first sight—and love at first like. School counselor Lucy Galindo has a secret. To her coworkers, friends, and even family, she’s shy, sweet, and constantly struggling to hold off disaster (read: manage her anxiety and depression). But online? She’s bold, confident, and always knows what to say—it’s how she’s become the wildly popular @TheMissGuidedCounselor. It’s also why she keeps her identity anonymous. Her followers would never trust the real Lucy with their problems. History teacher Aldrich Fletcher thought a new job would give him some relief from his drama-filled family. Instead, he’s dodging his ex-girlfriend and pining over his new co-worker—who only ever seems to see him at his worst. Thankfully, he can count on ...

Drown Me with Dreams by Gabi Burton

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In book two of this dark and seductive YA fantasy duology, perfect for fans of Fourth Wing and These Violent Delights , a siren assassin must decide between saving her kingdom and betraying the man she loves. Wanted. Hunted. Banished. Wanted: Now that everyone knows she's both a siren and an assassin, Saoirse is the most wanted fugitive in Keirdre. Hunted: Framed for the old king's death, every powerful fae in the kingdom is calling for her execution. Banished: To keep her safe, the newly crowned King Hayes asks her to cross the magical barrier that separates Keirdre from its enemies. There's only one problem: if she doesn't find a way to bring the barrier down, she can never come back. As Hayes is forced to make compromises and Saoirse uncovers plots that threaten the entire kingdom, she's forced to question: Is Hayes the best future for Keirdre? And if not.... is she willing to turn against him? Drown Me with Dreams Gabi Burton Young adult literature, Fan...

Bite Me, Royce Taslim by Lauren Ho

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Acclaimed author of Last Tang Standing and Lucie Yi is Not a Romantic in her YA debut: a sharp yet sweet rivals-to-romance romp through Kuala Lumpur—perfect for fans of Emiko Jean, Abigail Hing Wen, and Kat Cho. Agnes Chan never expected to be the punchline of her own life . . . But how else do you explain getting accidentally run over and seeing a lifetime of careful preparation, endless training, and all your hopes of a track scholarship to college destroyed in a split second? Not to mention the only witness to your humiliation being your #1 archnemesis, Royce Taslim. So, when Agnes finds a new answer to her scholarship predicament in the form of an international stand-up comedy contest for teens, the last person she expects to be up against is also the last person she wants to see: Royce. Because for years Royce has represented everything Agnes loathes: extreme privilege, popularity, and physical perfection (ok maybe she doesn’t hate that part so much). Behind the scenes, thoug...

Furious by Jamie Pacton

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There's nothing more thrilling than being behind the wheel when the flag drops, a stretch of track ahead and her foot on the gas. Racing is in Jojo's blood. Or at least . . . it was. Jojo Emerson-Boyd should be on the fast track to her own wildly successful racing career. Instead, she's spending the seemingly endless summer working at her grandmother's auto shop in the small town of Dell's Hollow. Everything changed when Jojo lost her mom, a celebrity NASCAR racer, in a tragic racing accident. Now, according to her dad, even getting her license is out of the question, so she might as well forget about racing. For the first time, her future seems foggy. But something comes into focus when Eliana "El" Blum turns up at the shop with an adorable scowl, a tough-girl vibe, and a mystery to solve. A Motorcyle GirlTM at heart, El grew up on the sidelines of the motocross circuit, watching Maxine, her idol of an older sister, compete. When she suddenly loses all ...

The Curse of Eelgrass Bog by Mary Averling

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Dark secrets and unnatural magic abound when a twelve-year-old girl ventures into a bog full of monsters to break a mysterious curse. Nothing about Kess Pedrock’s life is normal. Not her home (she lives in her family’s Unnatural History Museum), not her interests (hunting for megafauna fossils and skeletons), and not her best friend (a talking demon’s head in a jar named Shrunken Jim). But things get even stranger than usual when Kess meets Lilou Starling, the new girl in town. Lilou comes to Kess for help breaking a mysterious curse—and the only clue she has leads straight into the center of Eelgrass Bog. Everyone knows the bog is full of witches, demons, and possibly worse, but Kess and Lilou are determined not to let that stop them. As they investigate the mystery and uncover long-buried secrets, Kess begins to realize that the curse might hit closer to home than she’d ever expected, and she’ll have to summon all her courage to find a way to break it before it’s too late. The Cur...

At the End of the River Styx by Michelle Kulwicki

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Before he can be reborn, Zan has spent 499 years bound in a 500-year curse to process souls for the monstrous Ferryman—and if he fails he dies. In Portland, Bastian is grieving. He survived a car accident that took his mother and impulse-purchased a crumbling bookstore with the life insurance money. But in sleep, death’s mark keeps dragging Bastian into Zan’s office. It shouldn’t be a problem to log his soul and forget he ever existed. But when Zan follows Bastian through his memories of grief and hope, Zan realizes that he is not ready for Bastian to die. The boys borrow time hiding in the memories of the dead while the Ferryman hunts them, and Zan must decide if he’s willing to give up his chance at life to save Bastian—and Bastian must decide if he’s willing to keep living if it means losing Zan. At the End of the River Styx Michelle Kulwicki Young adult literature, Romance novel, Fantasy Fiction, Paranormal fiction

The Last Rhee Witch by Jenna Lee-Yun

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This sequel to The Last Rhee Witch is packed with creatures straight out of Korean folklore. Who's ready for winter camp alongside a gumiho, a dokkaebi, and several witches? A true friendship survives the test of time. But what about surviving a nine-tailed fox? Last summer, Ronnie Miller's world turned upside down. She'd never believed in ghosts, or witches, or magic--until her time at Camp Foster, where she learned she was a witch. Magic was real. And some of it wanted to kill her. Now back at Camp Foster for winter break, Ronnie and her friends Jack, Olivia, and Sam can't wait to enjoy all that winter camp has to offer. They're excited to be back together, enjoying camp without worrying about mysterious forces that want to kill them. But when campers begin inexplicably falling ill, Ronnie and friends suspect the supernatural is at play. A gumiho--a nine-tailed fox spirit who feeds on people's life energy--is stalking the grounds at Camp Foster. And...

Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair by Laura Piper Lee

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A new mom repairs her broken dreams in this hilarious rom-com about starting over that sparkles with intelligence, wit, and compassion. Hannah Tate can hardly believe her sleep-deprived eyes when she finds an engagement ring hidden in the closet. Killian, her super responsible, incredibly attractive boyfriend—and the father of her new baby, Bowie—is finally going to propose. But a romantic night out goes horribly wrong when Killian reveals he’s dumping Hannah, not proposing. Furious and heartbroken, Hannah takes Bowie and moves in with her mama and stepdaddy in the mountains of Blue Ridge, Georgia. Hannah realizes that her parents’ cabin has vacation property gold written all over it—and could save her mama from going broke. Again. Only problem? The cabin’s décor is . . . mildly terrifying and it’s in desperate need of renovation. Hannah hires the hot carpenter living in the treehouse next door to fix up the place. Not only does River respect Hannah’s business acumen, he looks at ...

The Fetishist by Katherine MinThe Fetishist by Katherine Min

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An Indie Next Pick In this hilariously savage, poignant novel by acclaimed author Katherine Min, a grieving daughter’s revenge on the man who caused her mother’s death sets off a series of unexpected reckonings. On a cold, gloomy night, twenty-three-year-old Kyoko stands in the rain with a knife in her hoodie’s pocket. Her target is Daniel, who seduced Kyoko’s mother then callously dropped her, leading to her death. But tonight, there will be repercussions. Following the unsuspecting Daniel home, Kyoko manages to get a rash kidnapping plot off the ground . . . and then nothing goes as planned. The Fetishist is the story of three people—Kyoko, a Japanese American punk-rock singer full of rage and grief; Daniel, a philandering violinist forced to confront the wreckage of his past; and Alma, the love of Daniel’s life, a Korean American cello prodigy long adored for her beauty, passion, and talent, but who spends her final days examining if she was ever, truly, loved. An exuberant, prov...

At Her Service by Amy Spalding

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Perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Jasmine Guillory ‘A wonderfully hopeful, queer, LA love story’ Anita Kelly, author of Something Wild & Wonderful ‘Highly relatable, laugh-out-loud funny, and full of hot-bartender sapphic swoon’ Alison Cochrun, author of The Charm Offensive 📸📸📸 Is her Hollywood romance closer than she thinks? Max Van Doren has a wish list, and a great career and a girlfriend are at the top. But despite being pretty good at her job, she has no idea how to move up the ladder of Hollywood agenting. And when it comes to her love life, well, she’s stuck in perpetual lust for an adorably perfect bartender named Sadie. Her goals are clear, she just needs the self-confidence to go for them. So when Max’s roommate Chelsey – an irritatingly gorgeous and self-assured influencer in plus-size and queer spaces – offers to sponsor her for a new self-actualization app, Max knows this is the opportunity she’s been waiting for. Soon Max is scoring big everywhere and s...

The Divorcées by Rowan Beaird

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'LOVED it. Tightly-plotted elegance, 50s glamour and suspense. Put it on your lists' Jessie Burton 'Excellent. Riveting to the last page' The Times "You know, I've been hearing some stories about you," Greer says. "What do you mean?" "That you're a bit of a liar." It is 1951 and Lois Saunders arrives at the Golden Yarrow divorce ranch in Nevada, fleeing her suffocating marriage. Here women from different backgrounds live together for the six weeks it will take to earn their freedom, spending their days riding horses and their nights flirting with cowboys. It's as wild and fun as Lois's former home was prim and stifling, but it isn't until Greer Lang arrives that her world truly cracks open . . . Gorgeous, beguiling, and outspoken, Greer is unlike anyone Lois has ever met - and she sees something in Lois that no one else ever has. Soon, under her influence, Lois begins to push against the limits that have always restra...

The Lily of Ludgate Hill by Mimi Matthews

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A BookBub Best Romance of Winter 2024! Fortune favors the bold—but is a confirmed spinster daring enough to loosen the reins and accept a favor from the wicked gentleman who haunts her dreams? Lady Anne Deveril doesn’t spook easily. A woman of lofty social standing known for her glacial beauty and starchy opinions, she’s the unofficial leader of her small group of equestriennes. Since her mother’s devastating plunge into mourning six years ago, Anne voluntarily renounced any fanciful notions of love and marriage. And yet, when fate puts Anne back into the entirely too enticing path of Mr. Felix Hartford, she’s tempted to run…right into his arms. No one understands why Lady Anne withdrew into the shadows of society, Hart least of all. The youthful torch he once held for her has long since cooled. Or so he keeps telling himself. But now Anne needs a favor to help a friend. Hart will play along with her little ruse—on the condition that Anne attend a holiday house party at his grand...