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Must-Read Books April 2022 |
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| Good Rich People by Eliza Jane BrazierThe setup: Wealthy Hollywood couple Graham and Lyla love renting their guesthouse to (and destroying the lives of) self-made people right on the cusp of career success, such as up-and-coming tech company director Demi.
The complication: "Demi" isn't who she says she is, and her hard-won street smarts might finally be a match for this sheltered old-money pair.
For fans of: David Lynch films; The Day of the Locust by Nathaniel West; the classic Richard Connell story "The Most Dangerous Game." |
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| The Good Wife of Bath: A (Mostly) True Story by Karen BrooksWhat it is: a dramatic and thought-provoking adaptation of the classic Chaucer story "Tale of the Wyf of Bathe," except this time the lady in question gets to speak for herself.
Why you might like it: Although classic adaptations are common, they're especially resonant when a maligned or misunderstood character gets the chance to provide readers with their unique perspective on familiar events.
For fans of: Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin; Havisham by Ronald Frame. |
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| Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-MartinIn a world... where a plague turns anyone with high testosterone levels into a zombie-like fiend, a group of trans men and women band together to evade both the creatures and the transphobic gangs seeking to kill them.
Featuring: formidable "manhunters" Fran and Beth, who harvest the testes of the infected to keep themselves safe.
Who it's for: Readers who like their horror gritty and disturbing will enjoy Gretchen Felker-Martin's "ballsy apocalyptic tale" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| Like a Sister by Kellye GarrettFirst lines: "I found out my sister was back in New York from Instagram. I found out she'd died from the New York Daily News."
What it's about: Columbia grad student Lena Scott believes her estranged reality star half-sister Desiree didn't accidentally overdose -- but who would kill her? And why was she found near Lena's Bronx home? Lena investigates, which means dealing with her and Desiree's rap mogul dad, glitzy influencers and reality stars, and deadly secrets.
Read it for: authentic New York City locations, twisty plotting, and probing looks at social media, reality TV, racism, and sexism. |
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| Last Exit by Max GladstoneSee you at... the Crossroads, where alternate realities ("alts") intersect.
Where you'll meet: college friends Zelda, Ramon, Ish, and Sarah, who reunite ten years after they tried (and failed) to save the world.
For fans of: Stephen King's Dark Tower series, Roger Zelazny's Roadmarks. |
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| Tell Me An Ending by Jo HarkinThe premise: Tech company Nepenthe uses a proprietary "Targeted Removal Solution" to rid paying clients of traumatic memories forever (or so they claim).
Why you might like it: Shifting back and forth in time, this introspective novel employs multiple viewpoints to tell the interconnected stories of Nepenthe psychologist Noor and four of her clients.
For fans of: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. |
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| Kamila Knows Best by Farah HeronWhat it is: a warmhearted retelling of Emma by the author of Accidentally Engaged.
Starring: accountant Kamila Hussain, who's too busy helping her family and friends to focus on her love life, and Rohan Nasser, Kamila's best friend, who may just be her perfect match.
You might also like: Uzma Jalaluddin's Ayesha at Last, another Austen-inspired contemporary romance set in Toronto and featuring a predominantly South Asian cast. |
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| Secret Identity by Alex SeguraNew York City, 1975: Triumph Comics secretary Carmen Valdes really wants to write, so she pens "The Legendary Lynx" with friend and co-worker Harvey. He rushes and turns it in with only his name on it...and is murdered. Now Carmen needs to figure out what happened and prove she was the co-creator of the country's popular new female superhero.
Don't miss: vivid descriptions of the city; a compelling insider's look at comic book publishing; and 17 pages of comic book panels, with art by Sandy Jarrell and lettering by Taylor Esposito.
Reviewers rave: "masterful... a triumph" (Kirkus Reviews); "a superlative one-of-a-kind novel" (Booklist); "outstanding" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| No Second Chances by Rio YouersWhat it's about: Twenty-four-year-old Kentuckian Kitty Rae moves to L.A. to pursue an acting career, working as a drug courier until fame arrives. Kitty's prospects drastically improve after she happens to save the life of a washed-up (but well-connected) Hollywood actor, but first she'll need to escape the wrath of her employer, a vengeful drug dealer.
About the author: British-Canadian writer Rio Youers is best known to suspense fans for Lola on Fire and Halcyon, but his bibliography also includes the graphic novel Sleeping Beauties and the supernatural novel The Forgotten Girl. |
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| The Naked Don't Fear the Water: An Underground Journey With Afghan Refugees by Matthieu AikinsWhat it is: an immersive and empathetic account of Sunni refugee Omar's attempts to flee Afghanistan in 2016; joining him on the perilous journey was his friend, Canadian journalist Matthieu Aikins.
Author alert: Polk Award-winning Aikins has lived in Afghanistan since 2008; his work has appeared in The Atlantic, The New Yorker, and more.
Try this next: My Fourth Time, We Drowned by Sally Hayden, which chronicles the plight of asylum-seeking Eritreans held in a Libyan detention camp. |
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| Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation by Erika KrouseWhat it's about: novelist and private investigator Erika Krouse's time spent working on a landmark Title IX case involving a sexual assault at a Big 12 university.
Read it for: a candid and compelling blend of memoir and true crime.
Is it for you? Krouse's sobering nonfiction debut doesn't shy away from the complexities of the case, including how it affected her as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. |
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| Bird Brother: A Falconer's Journey and the Healing Power of Wildlife by Rodney StottsWhat it is: a "thought-provoking, moving, and inspiring" (Library Journal) memoir by Rodney Stotts, who recounts his impoverished upbringing and unlikely path to becoming a conservationist, wildlife educator, and one of the few Black master falconers in the United States.
Media buzz: Stotts' journey is also documented in "The Falconer," an episode of the PBS documentary series America Reframed.
For fans of: Helen MacDonald's H is for Hawk or ornithologist J. Drew Lanham's The Home Place.
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| In the Shadow of the Mountain: A Memoir of Courage by Silvia Vasquez-LavadoWhat happened: Silvia Vasquez-Lavado grew up in Lima, Peru and worked in high-pressure Silicon Valley. Struggling with alcoholism and memories of childhood sexual abuse, she began climbing mountains, eventually starting a nonprofit to help girls heal through adventure and becoming the first openly gay woman to climb the Seven Summits.
For fans of: Cheryl Strayed's Wild, and other books that combine unflinching honesty with evocative travelogue.
Movie buzz: Film rights have already been sold, and Selena Gomez is set to star in the big-screen version of this moving memoir. |
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| Off the Edge: Flat Earthers, Conspiracy Culture, and Why People Will Believe Anything by Kelly WeillWhat it is: Journalist Kelly Weill's "timely and disturbing study" (Kirkus Reviews) of conspiracy theories, which explains what they are, why people believe in them, and how the "conspiratorial melting pot" of the internet has brought them into the mainstream.
Contains: incisive analyses of Y2K, 9/11 trutherism, and QAnon, as well as an immersive investigation of Flat Earth theory from its origins in 1830s England to the present day. |
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| Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now by Jeff Yang, Phil Yu, and Philip WangWhat it is: an engaging collection of essays, interviews, playlists, illustrations, and memes exploring how Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have impacted politics and popular culture in the last 30 years.
Reviewers say: "as revelatory as it is entertaining" (Publishers Weekly); "an essential read" (Library Journal). |
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| I'm Not Small by Nina CrewsWhat it's about: Venturing into the backyard by himself, a "big kid" considers his size compared to towering trees, vast skies, cuddly pets, and tiny insects.
Art alert: Colorful, textured collage art adds even more charm to this straightforward story about independence and relative size.
For fans of: Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant's You Are (Not) Small. |
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| Those Kids From Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada KellyWhat it's about: In tiny Fawn Creek, Louisiana, the arrival of mysterious, well-traveled new girl Orchid shakes up the boring routine and strictly separate friend groups in the seventh grade.
How it's told: from several different kids' points of view, allowing you to gather clues about Orchid (who might be lying) and to understand not only who each character seems to be, but who they really are.
Who it's for: anyone who's dreamed of a change, or a chance to defy expectations. |
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| Gallant by V.E. SchwabAt Merilance School for Independent Girls: Olivia, who's nonspeaking and the only student who uses sign language, is ostracized and tormented. She's also the only person who sees the ghouls haunting the school.
At Gallant: Olivia hopes to find a caring family. Instead, her uncle's run-down estate offers up more ghouls, and a chance to unravel the ominous family secrets hinted at in her mother's journal.
How it's told: This standalone fantasy incorporates eerie black and white artwork into the suspenseful, atmospheric story. |
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| All My Rage by Sabaa TahirStarring: estranged best friends Noor and Salahudin, both 18, both Pakistani American, both grappling with grief, racism, family obligations, and fear of being stuck in small-town poverty.
What happens: Circumstances spin out of control as Sal tries to save his family's motel and Noor plans her escape to college, pushing both authentic characters to their limits.
Book buzz: this "complex, electrifying" (Booklist) story is the first realistic fiction book from Sabaa Tahir, author of popular An Ember in the Ashes fantasy series. |
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Contact your library for more great books!
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