30 Books to Read Now
30 ideas to help you answer the question of what to read next .... click here to see a list of our most eagerly anticipated books of the season.
Last updated July 12, 2022.
The 2021 National Book Award Winner for Fiction - now available in paperback!
Now in paperback!
Published in Japan in 1997 but newly translated into English, this sprawling, slow-burning crime novel takes us on a deep dive into post-war Japanese culture. Takamura tackles kidnapping, corporate cover-ups, and racist history while bringing to life a cast of fascinating characters that wouldn't be out of place on certain classic HBO dramas. --Tony
We follow a young woman, unsure of who she is and her place in the world, as she observes an older woman who is very much settled and has made peace with her own life. A touching story with poetry as a through-line- how it can be both salve to the soul and a commercial commodity. --Jamie
Now in paperback!
Weird and disturbing in all the right ways...yet another stunner from Murata! --Jennie
Now in paperback!
I loved the characters in this funny and gristly story. Dive into the B-list world of slasher films and laugh, wince, and cheer on Lynette as she careens around the West Coast trying to out-wit her murderous stalkers. --Maggie
Now in paperback!
Fellowship Point reads like an Edith Wharton novel set in the 21st century. This beautifully-crafted saga of two old friends discovering new facets of each other, and themselves, is completely absorbing, good for the soul, and as bracing as a coastal breeze in Maine. --Maggie
Now available in a deluxe hardcover edition.
What would you do, if you knew exactly how much longer you have to live? In this wonderfully written story revolving around several characters and connecting plotlines, Nicki Erlick asks just that? A tear dropper, I must admit, so be prepared, as many events feel really close to our current climate. I loved it! I felt connected with a lot of the different characters and felt a little befuddled as I wouldn't know entirely how I'd feel if I had a short string. --Aaron
Every chapter of Vagabonds! is a wild ride through a new and fascinating narrative voice. Ranging from gods to limo drives to the city of Lagos, Nigeria itself, we hear from every corner of the city and are immersed in its lively spirit. This book feels like a fever dream as it blends reality and the magic of traditional religions from Nigeria. It also doesn't have a clear plot or protagonist, but every character and magical quality of Lagos is so captivating you won't be able to put this book down once you start it. Not to mention the thoughtful commentary on class, sexuality, gender, and representation of queerness in Africa. Broaden your horizons and add this to your reading list! --Audrey
The Dawnhounds has delightful Maori-inspired worldbuilding, pirates, and a charming queer cast - what’s not to love? It’s no wonder how this book won the Vogel award at Worldcon. --Jordan
What is there really to say about Ottessa Moshfegh at this point that hasn't already been said? Either you're a fan or not, and if you are, this is a MUST read. With its incredibly dark humor, deviant characters, and generally disturbing scenarios, Lapvona may be one of Moshfegh's best to date. --Jennie
Now in paperback!
Based on the true story of Katharina Kepler (mother of astronomer Johannes Kepler), who was accused of witchcraft, Galchen brings life to these characters in such a way that the story feels fresh, entertaining, and particularly relevant for contemporary society. --Jennie
Equally esteemed and reviled magician Violet Volk has been missing for a decade. Her sister, Sasha, awaits (and dreads) Violet's return, all while experiencing uncontrollable sleepwalking episodes and unsettling coincidences. Told in a multimedia format, Acts of Violet is a gripping and poignant novel on performance, intrigue, and sisterhood. Intimate, searing, and extremely captivating - Acts of Violet is a magic show itself. Monitmore's latest novel will surely enthrall and mesmerize readers. --Genni
Sadie Green and Sam Masur share an exceptional friendship--forged in the gaming room of the children's hospital, their connection is both fractious and unparalleled. As a renowned videogame-making duo, they are unstoppable. As individuals, their complicated lives--with their different backgrounds, ambitions, loves, and losses--leave them often unable to see eye-to-eye. Their thirty-year saga brims with potency. For me, it was deep balm in an anxious moment, a means of exploring other lives when my own felt like too much to bear. This book is momentous, heartbreaking, impossible to put down. It invites its reader to play, to experiment and create and love and game, with wild abandon. Easily one of the best books of the year; likely one of the best I'll ever read. --Talia
Now in paperback!
A series of sharply insightful portraits of the human desire to connect. Tightly written, both concise and lyrical, with beautifully written characters whose fears, hopes, mistakes and desires will linger with you for days. --Kaiya
Allison Brody has been trying to outrun the storm bands of her life long before a literal hurricane blows her North Carolina beach house to bits. Trauma and grief have blown her to and fro until she finds calm in the eye of her own personal cyclone: A swimming pool to do laps in, a fluffy orange cat curled up on the bed, maybe somebody to love her. But of course, this peace is only temporary and Allison has to come out the other side of the storm. Told with a matter-of-fact calm (numbness?) that often belies the horror she endures, Allison’s story is heartbreaking but darkly humorous. --Tony
Now in paperback!
I devoured this book. It's an urgent, hilarious, and deeply felt novel about female invisibility and rage, menopause, mortality and mother love, set in the wake of the 2016 election. Spiotta's brilliance and empathy shines through on every page. I read this and thought: I am reading the work of a genius. --Ellie
After finding an entry-level job at a TV network, the novel's unnamed protagonist is determined to give it her all, despite seeing the power dynamics at play and hearing stories about sexual misconduct. In the end, she will have to choose--her career or her empowerment as a woman. Isabel Kaplan's adult debut is an extremely smart, darkly humorous, and intense novel--one that is especially timely during the era of #metoo. --Jennie
Now in paperback!
A fearless young woman navigates WW2 Japanese discrimination and mistreatment as she investigates her cherished older sister’s death in Chicago. Fascinating insight into the daily challenges of relocated Japanese Americans in Chicago and the military. An intriguing mystery set against shameful US history. --Jamie
With the same dreamy and sexy tone of a Nora Ephron film, Nora Goes Off Script made my heart ache in the best way. The novel is bound to be one of my favorites of the year, given its witty dialogue, charming humor, and a running meta commentary on the romance genre. I was up reading this until the wee hours of the night, and I wouldn't be surprised if I read this again before the year is up. --Genni
A compelling and beautifully-crafted story with a mystery at its giant, horse-sized heart. This is a book about the fragility of life, love, and liberty for people of color in this country, in the past and in the present day. --Maggie
Now in paperback!
In this chillingly voyeuristic character study, The Woman in the Yellow Cardigan spends her days following The Woman in the Purple Skirt. A story about connection, obsession, desire, and envy, this subtly unnerving novel is sure to capture your attention. --Jennie
This book is terrific: full of family strife and pressure that builds from the impending disasters, both familial and climatic. Holsinger has created a palatable atmosphere of foreboding from which you can't tear yourself away. Highly recommended! --Maggie
Now in paperback!
A raucous romp through a nearly lawless post-Civil War American West. Ming Tsu’s story is captivating and impossible to put down; the cast of characters are just too odd to forget or dismiss. A blood-crusted gem of a tale. --Jamie
By a local North Carolina author!
