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| Lakewood by Megan GiddingsThe premise: To help support her family, Lena accepts a lucrative position as a research subject for the mysterious Lakewood Project.
What happens next: Subjected to reality-bending experiments, Lena and her fellow participants -- all people of color -- grapple with the physical and psychological ramifications of a dehumanizing system.
Why you might like it: With ties to real-life medical horrors like the Tuskegee syphilis experiment, this chilling own voices debut offers a thought-provoking exploration of structural racism in healthcare. |
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| The Return by Rachel HarrisonTwo years ago: Elise's best friend, Julie, disappeared without a trace.
Now: An emaciated Julie returns with no memory of where she's been. Eager for a reunion, Elise and her two other best friends plan a girls' weekend at a remote Catskills hotel.
What could possibly go wrong? Julie's amnesia is the least of the group's problems, as they soon discover their kitschy hideaway is harboring malevolent forces that seem eerily connected to Julie's horrifying (and rapidly deteriorating) physical state. |
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If It Bleeds
by Stephen King
What it is: A collection of four new, compelling novella-length tales -- Mr. Harrigan's Phone, The Life of Chuck, Rat, and the titular If It Bleeds
Compare it to: The King himself. King has written numerous creepy and profound short stories over his career, including famous titles "The Body", "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption", "1408", and "Mile 81".
Reviews say: "Suspenseful and chilling... This set of novellas is thought-provoking, terrifying, and, at times, outright charming, showcasing King's breadth as a master storyteller..." -- Booklist, STARRED review
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| Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman; illustrated by Colleen DoranWhat it is: A creepy graphic novel reimagining of "Snow White" told from the queen's point of view.
Read it for: The clever role reversal -- Snow White is a villainous vampire; the queen, her terrified would-be slayer.
Art alert: Colleen Doran's elegant art nouveau-inspired illustrations offer a lush homage to early 20th-century stained glass artist Harry Clarke.
Winner, Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel |
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| Inspection by Josh MalermanThe experiment: What if separating the sexes made kids smarter? The pseudonymous M.O.M. and D.A.D. aim to accomplish just that in the sex-segregated schools they rule with rigidity and violence.
Is it for you? Though Inspection doesn't mine larger questions regarding gender and sexuality, it's a thought-provoking horror-thriller where every character is an unreliable narrator, whether by necessity or ignorance.
For fans of: Lord of the Flies and other works of psychological fiction.
Nominee, Superior Achievement in a Novel |
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| The Luminous Dead by Caitlin StarlingWhat it's about: Having lied about her credentials to secure a coveted spot on a cavern-mapping expedition, Gyre Price discovers that her employers haven't been entirely honest with her, either.
Nevertheless... Gyre's survival depends on her "topside" handler, Em, who reveals little about herself beyond her ability to control every aspect of Gyre's life-sustaining high-tech caving suit.
Why you might like it: Part psychological thriller, part horror-tinged SF, this debut introduces a pair of flawed protagonists whose complicated relationship develops against a claustrophobic subterranean backdrop.
Nominee, Superior Achievement in a First Novel |
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Five Midnights
by Ann Dávila Cardinal
The setting: Modern-day Puerto Rico, where two rival teens must set aside their differences to solve a series of grisly murders.
Murderer or monster?: Their clues lead them out of the real world and into the realm of myths and legends. Is this a case of standard murder... or could it be a monster?
A new cultural take: Five Midnights is based on the myth of el Cuco, a boogeyman-like creature known throughout Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries.
Nominee, Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Forsyth County Public Library 660 W 5th Street Winston Salem, North Carolina 27101 336-703-3030www.forsythlibrary.org |
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