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Fiction A to Z February 2021
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| Black Buck by Mateo AskaripourWhat it is: a debut novel with a biting take on racism in corporate America and the story of a man who may have found success at the expense of his sense of self.
Starring: Darren, a college graduate who takes a job at a cult-like NYC startup. The longer he stays and the greater his success, the more the corporate excesses push him toward helping other young Black people succeed in America's sales force.
Why you might like it: styled like a self-help manual, this provocative satire exposes a lot of hypocrisy and prejudice and speaks to the current moment in American history. |
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| Before the Ruins by Victoria GoslingThe set up: Four best friends become five with the arrival of a mysterious stranger in their tiny English town. But their group fractures and, decades later, one member has disappeared.
What happens: Ringleader Andy sets out to find her oldest pal, with whom things have long been strained. In so doing, she uncovers long-hidden secrets.
For fans of: atmospheric, menacing tales like Donna Tartt's The Secret History or Elisabeth Thomas' Catherine House. |
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The Wife Upstairs (ebook and Audiobook)
by Rachel Hawkins
Supplementing her modest income by stealing small valuables from her gated-community clients, a broke dog-walker endeavors to win the heart of a wealthy bachelor before learning his late wife’s own rags-to-riches story. 100,000 first printing.
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| Detransition, Baby by Torrey PetersWhat happens: Trans woman Reese, her detransitioned ex Ames and his cisgender lover (and boss) Katrina build an unconventional family in response to an unplanned pregnancy.
Read it for: loving, engaging, and relatably complicated characters; abundant wit; and the understanding that there are many ways to build a family.
About the author: Torrey Peters is herself a trans woman; this "smart, funny, and bighearted" novel (Kirkus Reviews) is her full-length debut after three novellas. |
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| The Liar's Dictionary by Eley WilliamsWhat it is: a tale of two parallel stories, both set in the offices of a dictionary publisher. In the 19th century, a lexicographer adds made-up words to the New Encyclopaedic Dictionary; in the modern day, an intern is tasked with finding them.
Why you might like it: Puns and wordplay make this a linguistic delight, while the romantic adventures in both eras humanize it.
Reviewers say: "A sweet and diverting story, witty and sincere" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| The Awkward Black Man: Stories (ebook and Audiobook) by Walter MosleyWhat it is: a collection of 17 short stories that portray the wide variety of American life, all starring Black men, many of them over 50, narrating their own stories.
Don't miss: "The Good News Is," in which a man's insecurity about his weight gives way to a serious illness. It's the first in the book and once you've read it, you'll be hooked on award-winning author Walter Mosley's insight and slice-of life perspective. |
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| The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Audiobook) by Deesha PhilyawWhat it is: nine stories exploring the secret lives of the Black women and girls who can't get everything they need from attending church.
Don't miss: "Peach Cobbler," in which a daughter comes to terms with her mother's long-ago affair with their pastor.
Reviewers say: "cheeky, insightful, and irresistible" (Ms. Magazine); "full of lived-in humanity, warmth, and compassion" (Pittsburgh Current).
For fans of: Danielle Evans' The Office of Historical Corrections; anything by Toni Morrison. |
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Mouthful of Birds : Stories
by Samanta Schweblin
A first English-language collection of stories by the Man Booker International Prize-finalist author of Fever Dream incorporates themes of high suspense, psychological tension, unearthly restlessness and distortions in reality
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War Dances (ebook)
by Sherman Alexie
A collection of short stories and poems includes the title story, in which a famous writer, who just learned he may have a brain tumor, must decide how to care for his distant, American Indian father who is slowly dying.
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| Verge: Stories by Lidia YuknavitchWhat it is: 20 short stories which, in their surrealism and darkness, may appeal to horror readers.
Don't miss: "Street Walker," which holds many surprises; the deeply cynical cop in "A Woman Refusing;" and the 160 or so words that make up "Two Girls."
Reviewers say: "Disturbing and delightful all at once" (BookRiot).
Is it for you? The collection's intimate approach to trauma and violence may make for difficult reading for some. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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