For those who only read Sci-fi/Dystopian:
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
“Take a break from epic battles and saving the world. Legends & Lattes is a low-stakes fantasy that delivers exactly what’s advertised: a wholesome, cozy novel that feels like a warm hug. This is my new comfort read.”
—Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch’s Heart
An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon
“What Solomon achieves with this debut–the sharpness, the depth, the precision–puts me in mind of a syringe full of stars. I want to say about this book, its only imperfection is that it ended. But that might give the wrong impression: that it is a happy book, a book that makes a body feel good. It is not a happy book. I love it like I love food, I love it for what it did to me, I love it for having made me feel stronger and more sure in a nightmare world, but it is not a happy book. It is an antidote to poison. It is inoculation against pervasive, enduring disease. Like a vaccine, it is briefly painful, leaves a lingering soreness, but armors you from the inside out.”
–NPR
Land of Milk and Honey by C Pam Zhang
“Land of Milk and Honey is truly exceptional.”
–ROXANE GAY, New York Times bestselling author of Bad Feminist
For the Fantasy appreciators:
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
A tour-de-force meditation on trauma, survival and the language we use to talk about it all.”
―TIME, Best Books of 2019
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
“Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.”
Fairy Tale by Stephen King
“Once upon a time, Stephen King dared to write a novel called ‘Fairy Tale’ and totally lived up to that simple but lofty title… The book bursts with creativity… A profound story of good vs. evil that’s timeless and timely… life-affirming… After turning that last page, you’ll feel a little stronger in spirit, yearn for another story and, dare we say, maybe even live happily ever after.”
—Brian Truitt, USA Today
For the Fiction fanatics:
The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi
“Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi has crafted a gripping, surreal mystery about language, identity, and greed. The Centre explores impossible success at an equally impossible price―and the difference between merely paying for something and truly understanding its dark cost.”
―Peng Shepherd, bestselling author of The Cartographers
Autumn by Ali Smith
“Smith’s novel plays an intimate melody against a broader dissonance, probing the friendship between an art historian and an aging songwriter as they grapple with personal predicaments and a perilous world.”
—O, The Oprah Magazine
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
“Part comedy of errors, part genuine thriller… Deftly balancing genre conventions with sly, tongue-in-cheek comments on motherhood and femininity, Cosimano crafts a deliciously twisted tale.”
―Booklist
The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie R. King
Feminist twist on the original Sherlock Holmes- “Amazing first novel with intelligence, intrigue, and intricacy…This work exhibits strong psychological undertones, compelling urgency, and dramatic action. [Laurie King is] a writer to watch.”
—Library Journal
For those who will always read YA:
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
“Aiden Thomas’ debut novel can’t help but charm and captivate readers of all ages, though teen readers will invariably identify with and appreciate the high jinks and emotional vulnerability that make each character and scenario deliciously enchanting.”
― Booklist, starred review
The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould
“The Dead and the Dark gave me everything I want from a great supernatural murder mystery: a haunting small town, a fresh new romance, and the very best kind of monster―the kind we make ourselves.”
— Francesca Zappia, author of Now Entering Addamsville and Eliza and Her Monsters
The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin
“Perfect for fans of Shea Ernshaw and Taylor Swift’s Folklore.”
—Rosiee Thor, author of Tarnished Are the Stars
Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune
“A warm hug of a book about a Grinch of a man who dies and a ferryman, who helps the dead in their journey onwards. Under the Whispering Door is a kind book, full of faith in the goodness of people, full of kind people showing how compassion is a strength. It broke my heart with its unflinching understanding that grief never goes away, never empties, only settles into the room of your soul like a strange souvenir. And then it healed me in the next breath.”
―Cassandra Khaw, author of Nothing But Blackened Teeth
For those who aren’t into the scary but still want the vibes:
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
“1984 meets The Umbrella Academy with a pinch of Douglas Adams thrown in. Touching, tender, and truly delightful, The House in the Cerulean Sea is an utterly absorbing story of tolerance, found family, and defeating bureaucracy.”
―Gail Carriger, New York Times bestselling author of Soulless
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
“Dashes of mild humor and introspection rest on a solid base of suspense, mystery, and well-rounded characters, making this a satisfying dish for readers of varying tastes.”
–The Bulletin, starred review