Happy #BookBday (3/13/18 Edition)

Happy #BookBday to stories about families and all things literary, weird, and wonderful:

THE MERRY SPINSTER: Tales of Everyday Horror by Mallory Ortberg
A “Most Anticipated Book of 2018” with two starred reviews! “Unlike most modern versions of fairy tales, Ortberg’s sly, scathing renditions avoid clichés and self-referential edginess, and instead strike directly at the heart. The book brings the shock of the new and the shock of recognition into play at the same time; it’s a tour de force of skill, daring, and hard-earned bravura.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

THE PARKING LOT ATTENDANT by Nafkote Tamirat
A Publishers Weekly Spring 2018 Literary Fiction Pick & Anticipated Debut! A mesmerizing, indelible coming-of-age story about a girl in Boston’s tightly-knit Ethiopian community who falls under the spell of a charismatic hustler out to change the world. “Tamirat’s wonderful debut novel weaves growing pains, immigrant troubles, and moments of biting humor. The unsettling conclusion serves as a perfect ending for this riveting coming-of-age story full of murky motives, deep emotion, and memorable characters.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

WHISKEY by Bruce Holbert
Two starred reviews! Two brothers—fiercely loyal and just plain fierce—are bound together by a series of darkly comedic and hauntingly violent events. “[An] impressive novel… Like Cormac McCarthy, another bard of the modern West’s brutality, Holbert finds beauty and cruelty in the land, in the tease and punch of eloquently elliptical dialogue, and in the way humans struggle for love, self-knowledge, and a grip on life. A gut-punch of a bleak family saga that satisfies on many levels.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

MEMENTO PARK by Mark Sarvas
Two starred reviews! A son learns more about his father than he ever could have imagined when a mysterious piece of art is unexpectedly restored to him. “Because of its scope and deft handling of aspects of identity in matters of love, family, religion, and loss, this literary work is highly recommended to the broadest audience.” — Library Journal, starred review

THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR by Sally Hepworth
From the author of LibraryReads pick THE THINGS WE KEEP comes a new suburban drama about desperate mothers, secrets among neighbors, and things women keep hidden. “With jaw-dropping discoveries, and realistic consequences, this novel is not to be missed. Perfect for lovers of BIG LITTLE LIES.” — Library Journal, starred review

GRAFFITI PALACE by A. G. Lombardo
A brilliant, exhilarating debut novel that retells The Odyssey during the 1965 Watts Riots in Los Angeles. “Lombardo tosses off Odyssey markers and channels Thomas Pynchon and Colson Whitehead as his hero contends with surreal and dangerous encounters with the Nation of Islam, vodoo practitioners, a one-eyed drug lord, and Godzilla. …[An] exuberantly cartoonish, incisive, and suspenseful tale…” — Booklist