October may be over, but I don’t think there’s ever a bad time to recommend something gloriously grim. When you’re craving the decaying splendor and unspeakable secrets of a gothic novel, nothing else will do. Each of these selections puts a unique contemporary spin on the gothic genre, and all will be an excellent accompaniment to the cold days and long nights coming right around the corner.
Jane Shoringfield is aware that her hasty marriage to Dr. Augustine Lawrence is highly irregular. Dr. Lawrence insists upon certain unusual rules – particularly that Jane never set foot in Lindridge Hall, the Lawrence family’s ancestral home. But when Jane finds herself with no choice but to break her husband’s prohibitions, she realizes her marriage comes with more than she bargained for: magical secrets and the very literal ghosts of Augustine’s past. In The Death of Jane Lawrence, Caitlin Starling has deftly crafted a gothic novel that feels like the classics while speaking directly to what modern readers want. At first, this book appears to be a fantasy-influenced homage to gothic mainstays, such as Rebecca and Jane Eyre. But gradually, alongside the heroine, the reader comes to realize that this is in no way the story that they were expecting. The ending was one of the best twists I’ve had the pleasure of reading this year. Naturally, I wouldn’t dream of spoiling it.
There’s nothing like watching a scary movie when fall is in the air. Every year, horror buffs look forward to the countdown to Halloween, when it’s socially acceptable to binge-watch as many horror movies as you want, and even the squeamish might give the genre a try. Today’s list isn’t complicated. It’s just a selection of horror films, all available at Mead, that I really liked, and that I hope you’ll like too. One quick note: these are the preferences of a long-time horror aficionado – viewer discretion is advised for all of these selections. With that out of the way, let’s get started!
Stopmotion follows Ella, creative assistant to her mother Suzanne, a celebrated stop-motion animator. Ella yearns to find her own artistic voice, but she’s been smothered by Suzanne’s personal and professional mistreatment. When Suzanne’s health takes a turn for the worse, a mysterious young girl begins to haunt Ella. The apparition encourages her to abandon her mother’s unfinished film and tell a different, very macabre story. Ella thinks she’s found her chance to come into her own – until the film begins to haunt her. Stopmotion is a brilliant work of psychological horror – I was literally on the edge of my seat by the end. I really appreciate how the film doesn’t overexplain itself. It’s left up to interpretation whether the haunting represents Ella’s abusive upbringing, the toll of her devotion to art, fear of mortality triggered by her mother’s failing health, or something else entirely. Furthermore, the stop-motion animation sections of the film impress, both on a technical level and in scare factor. Stopmotion is a good story well told, capable of sending shivers up a jaded horror buff’s spine, and it absolutely deserves a place on your watchlist.
When I am in a reading slump I often shake myself out of it by learning what other people are excited about. Below, the top ten adult fiction and nonfiction books chosen monthly by America’s library staff have been listed. Most are currently available in the Monarch catalog in a variety of formats.
Crafting for Sinners: A Novel by Jenny Kiefer (Quirk Books) Ruth makes a big mistake by shoplifting from the religious craft store in her small town. Things get messy, and she’s trapped and fighting for her life. The rest is a scary bloodbath with clever uses for craft supplies. The zealots are after Ruth and others they deem sinners (gays, atheists, or just non-conformists). This quick read is very scary and super gory. —Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, Austin TX NoveList read-alike: Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix
The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong (Ace) When a new depository is needed for minor magical objects, two seemingly very different women are chosen to lead the mission. Sent to a small depressed village, they develop an unexpected relationship, and magic starts to happen. This was an easyread romance that will keep readers captivated. —Ron Haislip-Hansberry, Springfield City Library, MA NoveList read-alike: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Red City by Marie Lu (Tor Books) Lu’s tale follows two young outsiders with a powerful connection who are brought up to wield both power and magic on opposing sides of a gang war. Both deeply emotional and electrifying, this will remind readers of Fonda Lee and Erin Morgenstern. —Gregg Winsor, Johnson County Library, MO NoveList read-alike: Silvercloak by L.K. Steven
The Women of Wild Hill by Kirsten Miller (William Morrow) Generations of women in the Duncan family have an important and magical legacy. Three members of the latest generation are going to turn the tide against patriarchal men, reclaiming the planet for the Old One and restoring Earth’s balance. Readers will find it hard to put down this magical and fascinating story. —Judy G. Sebastian, Eastham Public Library, MA NoveList read-alike: Strange Folk by Alli Dyer
Wreck by Catherine Newman (Harper) Rocky is a mom who feels everything to the maximum degree. Her grown children and her dad still occupy most of her waking life. When tragedy strikes, she has to find a balance that will allow her to just breathe and be thankful for the life they have. Written with real emotions and much humor, many moms will relate to this followup to Sandwich. —Linda Quinn, LibraryReads Ambassador, MA NoveList read-alike: Small World by Laura Zigman
Bog Queen by Anna North (Bloomsbury) The body of a woman is unearthed in Northern Britain in this intricate and engaging atmospheric thriller. It offers three female perspectives that reveal to readers the inner thoughts of a contemporary newly trained forensic anthropologist, a young druid healer from centuries past, and a voice from the wild peat moss bog. —Shirley Braunlich, Lawrence Public Library, KS NoveList read-alike: Daughter of Black Lake by Cathy Marie Buchanan
The Missing Pages by Alyson Richman (Union Square & Co.) Harry is tragically lost when the Titanic sinks, having gone back to his cabin to retrieve a treasured book. His mother has the Harry Widener Memorial Library built at Harvard to honor his memory and to house his book collection. Years later, a young woman working at the library while dealing with her own devastating loss starts to notice strange ghostly events in and around the library. —Beth Mills, New Rochelle Public Library, NY NoveList read-alike: The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R.A. Dick
Remain: A Supernatural Love Story by Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan (Random House) Part romance, part ghost story, part murder mystery, this novel’s chilling yet heartfelt exploration of the bonds of family is written in the emotionally resonant style of Sparks and infused with Shyamalan’s signature suspense. This is a seemingly familiar tale with a haunting twist. —Cathleen Clifford, Groton Public Library, CT NoveList read-alike: The Shape of Night by Tess Gerritsen
Conform: A Novel by Ariel Sullivan (Ballantine Books) This debut is a fascinating look at a dystopian future based on a strict caste system that relies on fear and heavy indoctrination to maintain peace. Emmaline, a relatable protagonist, is used as a pawn by both sides of a simmering rebellion, but will she settle for this fate? Readers will eagerly await a sequel.
BONUS PICK: Vampires at Sea by Lindsay Merbaum (Creature Publishing)
NOTABLE NONFICTION F*cked Up Fairy Tales: Sinful Cinderellas, Prince Alarmings, and Other Timeless Classics by Liz Gotauco (W. W. Norton & Company)
As always, staff at Mead Library are happy to help assist requesting materials or troubleshooting tech stuff. We are also happy to create book suggestion lists catered to individual taste. Consider using Mead’s Your Next Five Books service if it’s reading slump season in your neck of the wood.
I love musicals. I could write pages upon pages about all the musicals that I would rank as my favorites. For the purposes of this post, I am focusing on my favorite comfort musicals. These are musicals that I like to watch when I am feeling down or when I want all those warm cozy feelings. Dear reader, I hope that the following titles will help you if you need those warm cozy feelings as well.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame may be a Disney movie, but it is a dark Disney movie. It is a tale of a villain driven to violence by his lust for a woman. It is the tale of a lonely, kind, and deformed orphan boy raised by a monster of a man. It is the tale of a woman from a minority group who seeks justice and a fairer world. It is the tale of a soldier who questions his orders and chooses to stand up for what is right. While the Disney movie is great, the Broadway performance is even better. (This can be found on youtube and the soundtrack can be requested via interlibrary loan through Wiscat. If you are not a Disney fan, check out the Broadway version.) The Broadway musical version sticks closer to author Victor Hugo’s original work. While the Disney version takes out or glosses over some scenes from the book that would be a downer or inappropriate for children, the Broadway musical includes them. I will provide a link below to request the Broadway soundtrack CD from Wiscat. I highly recommend it.
The music for The Hunchback of Notre Dame is phenomenal. Latin chanting permeates the work. My favorite songs include Out There, God Help the Outcasts, Hellfire, In a Place of Miracles, and Someday. The song Out There is Quasimodo’s main theme. The song has amazing range hitting some pretty high notes for a male part. Out There really encompasses the deep yearning that Quasi has to escape his bell tower and be like “ordinary men”. All he wants is his one day in the sun. In his own words, “Just one day and then I’ll be content with my share.”
The song God Help the Outcasts is Esmeralda’s solo. Esmeralda has been chased by the soldiers into Notre Dame cathedral due to the fact that she is Romani. In addition, Frollo (Archduke or Judge depending on the version of the tale) has decreed that she is a witch and needs to be taken into custody. (He really just wants to get with her as he has become seduced by her dancing.) Though Esmeralda finds herself in dire straights, she does not pray for herself. While those around her in the cathedral pray to be blessed for their own benefit, Esmeralda asks God to help the helpless, the poor, and the oppressed. “I ask for nothing, I can get by,” she sings. At the end of the song she adds, “I thought we all were children of God.” Esmeralda has always been a character I look up to and try to emulate. This message is so important in a world where so many are poor, oppressed, and downtrodden. I have always deeply believed that it is important to help each other and to care about our fellow humans.
Hellfire is the villain Frollo’s song. Some, including myself, consider Hellfire to be the best villain song that has ever come out of a Disney movie. Frollo is a frightening villain for the fact that he is so real. He is a powerful but evil man. His larger goal is to commit genocide and wipe out a whole ethnic group. His personal goal is to take Esmeralda against her will as he feels lust for her. The song Hellfire features Frollo battling with his faith. It begins with echoes of Ave Maria before turning into the song Hellfire. Frollo sings about being “a righteous man”. He asks the Virgin Mary why he is feeling the way he is. “Tell me Maria why I see her dancing there, why her smoldering eyes still scorch my soul.” Finally, he decides that he is incapable of suppressing these desires and instead of accepting that his intentions are wrong he blames his feelings on the devil. “It’s not my fault! If in God’s plan, he made the devil so much stronger than a man!” No, Frollo can’t deal with his feelings like a normal person. He jumps to the conclusion that he needs to, “Destroy Esmeralda and let her taste the fires of hell or else let her be mine and mine alone.” Yeah, Frollo decides that if he can’t have her he will just burn down all of Paris until he finds her and then burn her at stake too if she refuses his advances. Besides the fact that Frollo is certifiably crazy, the song is a great study of someone battling with their dark desires. In great artistic flair the phrase “Mea Culpa” is repeated often in the Latin chanting throughout this song. Mea Culpa is Latin for “My fault”. Though Frollo is trying to direct the blame on anything or anyone other than himself, he knows somewhere deep down that his actions are his fault alone.
In a Place of Miracles is only performed in the Broadway version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Why I love this one so much is the touching scene where Phoebus and Esmeralda confess their love for each other in a beautiful duet. Quasimodo and Phoebus found The Court of Miracles and warned the Romani (gypsies as they are called in the story) that Frollo knows where they are hiding and is on his way to wipe them out. Phoebus asks Esmeralda to let him leave with her and her people. The song turns into a trio with the addition of Quasimodo’s perspective. While Phoebus and Esmeralda sing about their feelings in song, Quasimodo realizes that he will never get the girl in the end. He reprises lyrics from an earlier song, “no face as hideous as my face was ever meant for heaven’s light.” The effect of all three amazing performers singing at once hits the soul a certain way. The effect is happy and sad at the same time. Clopin, leader of the Romani, also comes in at the end of the song with, “Romanis again must roam. Could there be a country kinder to our race? In a place of miracles.” Over the top of the “in a place of miracles” line Quasimodo sings out, “where’s my place of miracles?” The whole effect is very touching. Seeing Clopin get serious for once also shows that the plight of these people is very dire. They do not have a home and are chased wherever they go. The song is just completely lovely though sad and really hits a certain way.
The song Someday is actually put into the end credits of the Disney version of The Hunchback of Notre dame. While still being a thought provoking song to listen to, it does not hit the same way compared with how it is performed in the Broadway musical. In the Broadway version the duet Someday takes place when Esmeralda and Phoebus are in prison. They both know that Esmeralda is set to be executed at dawn. These are their final hours together. Esmeralda sings about believing that there would be a day where justice would be real and the world would be a better place. Knowing she is going to die she sings, “I die believing still it will come when I am gone.” My favorite lines from the song are “Someday life will be fairer, need will be rarer, greed will not pay.” As I share Esmeralda’s dream for the future, this song touches me deeply. It is also sung and performed in such an emotional way. You can listen to this version on CD, but if you want to watch the performers sing it, again check out the full version on Youtube.
Sad dark musicals are comforting to me. I do not know why. I have been obsessing about The Hunchback of Notre Dame since I was three. I made my mother put the VHS in again and again when we rented it. As an adult I have it on blu-ray on my favorites shelf.
Recently a coworker and I had a conversation about books that we had read and enjoyed as children. We realized we read a lot of the same books as kids and had fun recounting our favorites. The 90s and 2000s were the days of wonderfully long scholastic paperback book series. Many times these series had to be read in order, but often it did not matter if you missed out on a few volumes. In those days you grabbed whatever was in stock or ordered it using the old easicat system. I still remember the thrill and the smell of going into the Plymouth Library as a child and making my way to the rotating shelves filled with these volumes. I would stock up on any book that caught my fancy or reread any of the old ones that I had enjoyed. I usually left with quite the stack. I had forgotten about some of these books until my coworker and I had this conversation. Other books in this post you will find are still popular today. Dear reader, I hope you enjoy by blast from the past! Maybe this post will transport you back to your own childhood or introduce you to something still in our system that you may enjoy yourself!
The very first Magic Tree House Book, Dinosaurs Before Dark, was published in 1992. Currently there are 130 books in the series and that number is still climbing! This series will always be special to me as it was the first chapter book series I read as a child and probably responsible for my continuous love of history. I still remember getting so into Pirates Past Noon in first grade that I did not even hear the teacher call us to the rug for story hour! She had to come check on me. I was so into the story I did not hear the rest of the class even move!
The Magic Tree House books are for young readers just starting out into the world of chapter books. The reading is easy and there are still pictures. The series follows brother and sister, Jack and Annie, as they use a magical treehouse to travel through time. They are able to point to a picture in any book within the tree house and wish to go there. Sometimes they are sent on specific missions by Morgan Le Faye, the famous sorcerous from Arthurian Myth. Jack is the scientist of the duo. He is always writing notes in his notebook and reading facts from the various guidebooks that he brings along. This series was the foundation for some of the many random facts and knowledge now rattling around in my brain. Annie, on the other hand, is the dreamer. She trusts unconditionally. She believes in magic and sees the wonder in every moment. She will talk to any animal that they come across and know in her soul that the creature understands. As a child I was totally Annie. Rereading this series as an adult, I find myself to have become more like Jack but desperately clinging to the vestiges of Annie that are still within me. I am trying to nurture that inner Annie inside of myself, I think we all could learn a lot from her. I am currently climbing back into the magic tree house and tagging along with Jack and Annie through their historic adventures. I am looking forward to reliving these childhood adventures and discovering new ones that were published later. Dear reader, I hope you enjoy the ride as well whether coming back or embarking on your first time!
In my opinion, it’s never too early to start thinking about the scary movies you’re going to watch in the lead-up to Halloween. Vampires are having a bit of a moment right now, so there’s no better time to explore the history of one of the most iconic and enduring subgenres of horror cinema. Unfortunately, it would be pretty much impossible to cover the entire history of vampire movies in a single blog post: there are just too many great ones! So, with the acknowledgement that any short list of vampire movies will also necessarily be an incomplete one, I’d like to use this space to talk about a few of my favorites. Let’s get started!
Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula is indisputably the grandfather of the modern vampire story, and I thought for a while about which of its’ many, many cinematic adaptations should go on this list. Should I spotlight F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu, the loose adaptation of Dracula that invented the vampire film genre as we know it today? Or should I highlight the legendary performance of Bela Lugosi? How about Christopher Lee? While those are all great options, in the end I decided on this 1992 adaptation by Francis Ford Coppola. Forget what you’ve heard about Keanu Reeves as Jonathan Harker, because this movie also features excellent performances from Gary Oldman as Dracula, Anthony Hopkins as Van Helsing, Winona Rider as Mina Harker, and Tom Waits (!) as Renfield. This take on the story departs from Stoker’s novel in that it explores the idea of a potential romantic connection between Dracula and Mina Harker. No matter how you feel about the adaptational changes to the original story, this film is undeniably stylish. With Coppola’s directorial touch, a haunting score by Wojciech Kilar and gorgeous Oscar-nominated costumes by Eiko Ishioka, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is nothing short of an unforgettable cinematic experience.
Lists! Lists! Lists! Lists! Lists! I love lists. Library Reads is a list to look forward to. The book picks on this list represent what library workers in the U.S. are collectively excited about in the publishing world. It’s fine and dandy to have old favorites (Jason Pargrin; Becky Chambers; Shari Lapena; Daniel Pinkwater; etc for me) but it’s an awfully specific and good feeling that comes with reading a brand new author and getting that sense of discovery.
We Love You, Bunny by Mona Awad (S&S/Marysue Rucci Books) This atmospheric, wickedly funny prequel to Bunny is a treat. Readers get to know the bunnies and their first creation intimately. Arieus experiences many firsts: love, heartache, frat parties, being made a muse. Awad fans will rejoice and new fans will be made with this riotous little novel. —Brooke G., DeKalb County Public Library, IL NoveList read-alike: I’m Not Done with You Yet by Jesse Q. Sutano
People Watching: A Novel by Hannah Bonam-Young (Dell) Milo, an eternal wanderer, and Prue, happily settled in her hometown, seem to have nothing in common. Through some tangled family challenges, they find that they have a lot to learn from each other. This wonderful romance features messy, moving, and complex characters who fight hard for their happily ever after. —Sharon Layburn, South Huntington Public Library, NY NoveList read-alike: Single Dads Club by Therese Beharrie
A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig (Pantheon) Greer, a mapmaker in the town of Mistaken who fantasizes about leaving, notices strange things happening. Then her lover mysteriously leaves town. In her attempts to save him, she learns about herself, her cursed town, and the lore surrounding both. This suspenseful and emotional romantasy is well plotted with great world building. —Margaret Balwierz, Villa Park Public Library, IL NoveList read-alike: A Spell for Change by Nicole Jarvis
The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy (Mariner) Over the course of 20 years in New York and Los Angeles, Desiree, Danielle, January, Monique, and Nakia face both the universal hardships of growing up and the specific challenges of doing so in 21st century America. These intertwining stories of five Black women finding their way into adulthood create a deeply moving portrait of friendship. —Jennifer Alexander, St. Louis County Library, MO NoveList read-alike: Wahala by Nikki May
The Phoebe Variations by Jane Hamilton (Zibby Publishing) Told in flashback, Phoebe, about to graduate high school, is forced by her adoptive mother to meet her birth family, jumpstarting a search for identity and belonging that reveals layers of uncertainty and mistrust surrounding her best friend and the family of 14 who take her in. Illuminating and lush, this literary jewel will spark numerous discussions. —Ron Block, Cuyahoga County Public Library, OH NoveList read-alike: Sam by Allegra Goodman
Why I Love Horror: Essays on Horror Literature by Becky Siegel Spratford (Saga Press) With introductions and readalikes by renowned horror expert Spratford and essays from contemporary writers, this collection will be a great resource for library staff. The essays get to the heart of why horror is such an important genre and why it speaks to such a diverse audience, with personal and entertaining passages. Horror fans and anyone who recommends books will find this invaluable. —Kristin Skinner, Flat River Community Library, MI NoveList read-alike: 101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered by Sadie Hartmann
The Librarians by Sherry Thomas (Berkley) This intriguing mystery is also an in-depth character study of a group of people working for a small public library in Austin, TX. No one is quite who they seem, but when two suspicious deaths happen in the area, with both victims having recently been in the library, the staff must band together to try to decipher what happened. Books about librarians are always a win/win, and this one is particularly well done. —Douglas Beatty, Baltimore County Public Library, MD NoveList read-alike: The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
You Weren’t Meant to be Human by Andrew Joseph White (Saga Press) Heed the trigger warnings. This book is about a selfharming, autistic trans man who finds himself unwillingly pregnant and forced to carry to term. The story is compelling and explicit enough as is, but then there’s the Hive…which brings in a gross, sci-fi element. Very political, important, and memorable. —Sarah Hamil, Twin Lakes Library System, GA NoveList read-alike: Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt
BONUS PICK:
It’s Me They Follow by Jeannine A. Cook (Amistad)
NOTABLE NONFICTION:
We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution BY Jill Lepore (Liveright)
TOP PICK SEPTEMBER 2025:
Heart the Lover by Lily King (Grove Press) A young woman meets two friends, Sam and Yash, in her senior year college literature class. Impressed with their intellect, she gets pulled into their circle and starts dating Sam. This coming-of-age story begins as they are all completing college, then finishes as they reconnect as adults. With beautiful writing and a character-driven story, this novel is perfect for fans of Sally Rooney. —Sophia Geron, Chesterfield Public Libraries, VA NoveList read-alike: We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman
The Library Reads archive is well worth a gander. It’s a fascinating cultural record that tracks trends and changes in readership over time. Take a look at the archive by clicking HERE. If you are the sort who does not like to make decisions but does love to Always Be Reading, please consider using Mead’s Your Next Five Books service and/or Your Next Five Movies if you’d rather have a movie night. Happy reading, viewing, and listening to you.
Part of the reason we love genre fiction is familiarity, but even the biggest fantasy die-hards will admit that sometimes familiarity starts to get same-y. Never fear: I’ve compiled a list of fantasy novels that do something truly unique with the genre’s toolbox. These recommendations, all available at Mead, may get you out of a reading slump if you need it, and remind you why you fell in love with fantasy. And if you happen to be new to the genre, any of these books would be a great place to start.
Fetter lost his shadow in childhood, as part of his mother’s ambition for him to fulfill a prophecy that he would one day assassinate his father. As a young man in the city of Luriat, Fetter tries to process his past by attending a therapy group for former Chosen Ones. He discovers his affinity for the mysterious Bright Doors that mark the cityscape, as well as the role he might have to play in a rebellion against his father. The Saint of Bright Doors is a much needed re-imagining of some of fantasy’s most enduring tropes, and Fetter’s emotional journey over the course of the book is something truly unforgettable. As you read it, you’ll find yourself asking questions not only about the stories we tell one another, but also about the aspects of our real world that they reflect.
I have found that while I read a bit from just about every genre under the sun, I tend to go through what I like to call “genre phases”. Last year I was in quite the science fiction phase and the bulk of my reading was focused in that genre. This summer has seen me in quite the horror and thriller phase. Like a ravenous undead beast I have found myself devouring whatever dark tome I can get my hands on. The following recommendations are books that I have digested over the month of July. Please, enjoy the menu!
S.A. Barnes is a wonderful author that skillfully blends the genres of science fiction and horror. In this particular novel we find ourselves with a scrappy crew of astronauts who work at the outer edges of explored space repairing communication relays. They are due to return to the company soon and be shipped off to different assignments. Before that can happen, they follow a strange distress beacon to a discovery that embroils our crew in a decades long unsolved mystery.
The Aurora was one of a kind. No ship was built like it before or since. It was supposed to be the Titanic – but in space: a state of the art cruise vessel for the rich and famous. It disappeared years ago and no one alive knows what happened to it. Hoping that the find will bring them fame and fortune, our crew boards the Aurora. The scene aboard is one of blood and violence. What happened on the Aurora that drove the passengers to their doom? Are there survivors lurking on this ghost ship? Read Dead Silence and prepare for a wild ride full of jump scares and horror worthy of a big screen movie. This is exactly what I want when I pick up a horror novel!
I was recently talking to someone about a book I’d just read and loved, and it struck me that many of my favorite books are actually translated works. That wasn’t intentional, but it got me thinking. How does literary translation work? How do translators manage to carry over the tone, the style, the vibe of the original? What happens to cultural nuances embedded in language? I imagine there are countless decisions involved at every turn, which is interesting to consider. I also just enjoy reading books from around the world. There’s something about them, rich with history and perspective, that feels full of possibility and expansion. So, if you’re in the mood for an adventure, and want to experience a new place through the magic of a novel, here are a few gems you can find in our catalog to get you started.
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones
I have a special place in my heart for unreliable narrators and the eerie unpredictability they bring to a book. Janina, the protagonist of this novel, lives in a remote Polish village where she spends the long winters studying astrology. She much prefers the company of animals to that of humans, so when her beloved dogs are found shot dead, she’s devastated. Her grief warps and deepens when she later discovers the body of her hunting-obsessed neighbor, Big Foot. But that’s not all…an ominous photograph is found next to the corpse. We’re not told exactly what’s in it, but it’s clearly disturbing, and it propels Janina into a fervent quest to uncover the truth. And what’s a murder mystery without the tension steadily climbing as the bodies start to pile up? As the story spirals into the bizarre, Janina becomes convinced she understands what’s really going on. The question is: will anyone else believe her? I love the stark, desolate setting, the sense of isolation, the hazy line between sanity and madness, and the cry for justice from the natural world. If you’re open to a thriller with a near-mythical twist, I can’t recommend this book enough.
Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi, translated by Jonathan Wright
This is a reimagining of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, which is always going to be something I’m excited about. The novel follows three distinct but loosely connected characters in U.S.-occupied Baghdad. Hadi, an eccentric junk dealer, collects scattered human body parts and stitches them together into a corpse he names Whatsitsname. His hope is oddly noble: that the government will finally acknowledge these body parts as belonging to real people worthy of proper burial. What he doesn’t expect is for Whatsitsname to disappear — or for a string of murders to begin terrorizing the city soon after. Meanwhile, Mahmud, an exiled journalist, documents the unfolding chaos, unintentionally fueling widespread panic. Whatsitsname eventually finds shelter with Elishva, Hadi’s elderly neighbor, who has never fully recovered from the loss of her son during the Iran-Iraq War. Though the story is gothic at its core and cracks open some weighty social commentary, it’s also laced with fun and dark humor. I had a good time with this one, and it marked the first time I’d read something by an Iraqi author. Hopefully it’s not the last time.
Still Born by Guadalupe Nettel, translated by Rosalind Harvey
At just 224 pages, Still Born isn’t a long read by any means, but I took my time with it, savoring each conversation and detail. The book tells the story of Laura and Alina, two friends living in Mexico City who are passionate about their work and largely ambivalent about motherhood. When Alina has a change of heart and decides she wants to have a child, Laura fears this shift will put their friendship at risk. Alina navigates pregnancy and devastating news, and Laura begins spending more time with the young son of her next-door neighbor. While Alina confronts medical professionals who don’t always listen, Laura becomes increasingly entangled in the complex mother-son relationship unfolding next door — a dynamic that both unsettles and captivates her. I love the sparseness of the writing, how it can be so restrained yet still land emotional blows without warning. At its heart, this is a book about motherhood in all its forms and the many ways caregiving can take shape across different lives. If you’re looking for something deeply heartfelt, and don’t mind shedding a tear or two, I do think this one is well worth your time.
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, translated by Ann Goldstein
I’m not sure I have an all-time favorite book, but I definitely keep a mental list of novels that have really stuck with me. These are the stories I still think about years later. My Brilliant Friend, the first volume in the Neapolitan Quartet, is one of them. Set in 1950s Naples, it follows Lila and Lenu — two girls from a working-class neighborhood shaped by poverty, politics, and violence. From childhood, they’re bound together by mutual admiration and rivalry. Lenu is quiet, reflective, and diligent, while Lila is wild, magnetic, and intimidating. Both girls show promise early on, but when Lenu stays in school and Lila is forced out to work in her father’s shoe shop, their paths begin to diverge sharply. That crossroads marks the beginning of two very different journeys, each with their own outcomes and consequences. Their friendship, affectionate and fraught at once, remains the emotional compass for both, even as their lives pull them apart. This is a series I will gladly yell about to anyone who will listen. It’s a story about female friendship in a post-war country undergoing a tumultuous time. It’s full of sleazy and dangerous antagonists who mirror real life a little too closely. It has stunning prose and relentless intensity. Okay, I will now stop waxing poetic about this book. I hope you all read it, that’s all.
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