“In [Lonely Crowds], jealousy, obsession, love, and hate unfold together, laying out doomed lives and broken hearts. I can’t recommend this book enough,” said Nadi Hinojosa of Lark and Owl Booksellers in Georgetown, Texas.
“One of the best novels, much less debut novels, that I’ve ever read. You’ll enjoy the best cry of your life,” said Randy Schiller of Left Bank Books in St. Louis, Missouri.
“Mendell Station is both comforting and catastrophic, often at the same time. It’s about the monotonous slog forward through grief and about the unique trauma of being a frontline worker in the early days of the pandemic. Mendell Station is a revelation. Do not miss out on it,” said Katherine Nazzaro of Porter Square Books in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
“I mean it when I say this book is breathing life into me. Each story is a slow burning tale set in the South, braiding history, love, family, and self-discovery together with crisp prose and honest storytelling. It’s as if Moore has stamped cut outs of life and laid them on the pages for readers to experience an exact replica of reality,” said Nadi Hinojosa of Lark and Owl Booksellers in Georgetown, Texas.
“Rosa Coelho leads a band of magical misfits on a journey to reclaim what the wealthy have taken from her friends and family. Along the way, they face monsters and plan a heist. This story invites you on a whirlwind adventure,” said Nicole Johnson of Baltimore Read Aloud in Baltimore, Maryland.
“It’s a rare accomplishment to write a shipwreck book that does something new, but Sophie Elmhirst manages just that with her enthralling debut, A Marriage at Sea. This portrait of a couple lost upon seas both literal and metaphorical will keep readers riveted till the last page,” said Stephen Sparks of Point Reyes Books in Point Reyes Station, California.
“Magical, mysterious, and queer — some of my favorite words all in one place! Arcana: The Lost Heirs, with its beautiful and fluid illustrations, is full of cryptic clues, secret histories, and found family. A delightful read,” said Heather Albinson of Wild Rumpus in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
“This book is unbearably cute, with great characters, an exciting story, and some of the best creatures you've seen since Pokémon. I loved Pacheco and hope to see more of this world,” said Frederick Rossero of Oblong Books in Millerton and Rhinebeck, New York.
“Such a roller coaster of emotions in this stunning debut. It makes you question class, privilege, race, and what it all means in American society. This book will make you question life, it will make you uncomfortable — most of all, it will pull you in until the very last page,” said Kim Brock of Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Cincinnati, Ohio.
“Grace made some big changes last year, and is finding a new sense of balance as she begins her senior year. Can she stand on her new foundation amidst the triumphs and defeats, and epic highs and lows of high-school football? Tender, awkward, joyful — this book has everything,” said Jessica Hahl of Books Inc. in the Bay Area of California.
