Publishers Weekly is calling these the best books of the summer!
STAFF PICKS
GONE TO THE WOLVES BY JOHN WRAY
Available for download on Edelweiss know more. LibraryReads votes due by April 1st.
2 starred reviews!
“Wray writes about music with the enthusiasm of a fan and the precision of a critic, packing the pages with spot-on details and cannily capturing the allure of extreme music. The pages of this anthem are as uncompromising as the music they depict.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Wray’s…edgy prose—people are ‘sardine-canned’ into a dance club—is as crisp as ever, resulting in a melodious exploration of the succor that music and fan groups can provide, especially to rudderless teens desperate to find anchor anywhere.”–Booklist, starred review
SING HER DOWN BY IVY POCHODA
Available for download on Edelweiss know more. LibraryReads votes due by April 1st.
“In muscular prose, Pochoda plumbs the psychological depths of her fascinating characters and extracts high drama from their shifting allegiances. This searing, accomplished page-turner deserves a wide audience.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review
CAMP DAMASCUS BY CHUCK TINGLE
Available for download on Edelweiss know more. LibraryReads votes due by June 1st.
High in the mountains of God-fearing Neverton, Montana lies a gay conversion camp. It claims to rid participants of sins but the means used to do this are anything but holy.
FICTION
AUGUST BLUE BY DEBORAH LEVY
Available for download on Edelweiss know more. LibraryReads votes due by May 1st.
“Levy’s sensual descriptions make the conceit come to life (‘Her voice inside me. Like a handful of small stones thrown at a window’), and when the two women finally meet, their exchange leads Elsa to a most illuminating revelation. This is a stunner.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review
BACK TO THE DIRT BY FRANK BILL
Available for download on Edelweiss know more. LibraryReads votes due by April 1st.
“Bill’s descriptions are both ugly and beautiful, often merging the hunt with Miles’ Vietnam flashbacks, capturing the realities of those resigned to being left behind and the violence that offers short-lived power.”–Booklist, starred review
THE HUMBLE LOVER BY EDMUND WHITE
Available for download on Edelweiss know more. LibraryReads votes due by April 1st.
“As ever, White is a master of social comedy and wry observation…Explicit descriptions of August’s sex life, meanwhile, not only titillate but add poignancy to the portrayal of Aldwych’s elusive desire. Readers will delight in this immersion into a lurid world of passion.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review
MYSTERY/THRILLER
ALL THE SINNERS BLEED BY S.A. COSBY
Available for download on Edelweiss know more. LibraryReads votes due by May 1st.
“The hard-edged storytelling is supplemented by richly developed characters, especially Titus and his family, and Cosby elegantly layers his narrative over Virginia’s racial history, giving the proceedings uncommon emotional depth. This is easily the author’s strongest work to date.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review
SF/FANTASY/HORROR
SOME DESPERATE GLORY BY EMILY TESH
Available for download on Edelweiss know more.
3 starred reviews!
“Tesh’s sweeping epic wrestles with the nature of hatred, vengeance, and radicalization. The political theme of breaking away from fascist ideology pairs beautifully with smart sci-fi worldbuilding…and queer coming of age. This riveting adventure deserves a space on shelves alongside genre titans like Ursula K. Le Guin and Octavia Butler.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Tesh’s epic space opera is bound to make waves as one of the best SF novels of 2023…Tesh asks us what humanity should stand for, questions what shape justice should take, and forces us to take a stark look at what Kyr has to give up in order to be better. Her growth is what powers this expansive story with an action-packed pace full of exciting battles and gut-wrenching twists.”–Booklist, starred review
“Kyr’s character arc is a monumental journey of emotional growth and understanding, grounding the changes and choices throughout her development. Queer relationships and underrepresented characters are woven into the plot and reveal the extreme ableist beliefs that are central to the station.”–Library Journal, starred review
FOURTH WING BY REBECCA YARROS
LibraryReads votes due by April 1st.
“Yarros’s worldbuilding is intricate without being overbearing, setting the stage for Violet’s satisfying growth into a force to be reckoned with. Readers will be spellbound and eager for more.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review
NONFICTION
PAGEBOY: A MEMOIR BY ELLIOT PAGE
LibraryReads votes due by May 1st.
“Currently starring in the hit series The Umbrella Academy, Page is not just an Academy Award–nominated actor but a notable trans advocate. His much-anticipated memoir shares his thoughts on love, gender, mental health, relationships, and life in Hollywood.”–Library Journal, Pre-Pub Alert
YOUNG ADULT
BLOOD DEBTS BY TERRY J. BENTON-WALKER
Available for download on Edelweiss know more.
2 starred reviews!
“Steeped in spiritual lore that takes cues from the rich cultural history of the Black diaspora, Walker paints an evocative picture of an enchanted New Orleans as earthly as it is divine. Walker effectively parallels contemporary politics with heady alternate magical history to create a layered world that is more than the sum of its mercurial characters and its many moving parts.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Writing from multiple perspectives with trauma-informed care, Benton-Walker develops each character with emotional complexity…Social themes, including cultural appropriation of sacred practices, racism, mental illness, sex work, sexuality, and consent, adeptly intertwine with the story’s conflict.”–Kirkus Reviews, starred review
GONE TO THE WOLVES by John Wray; 9780374603335; 5/2/23
SING HER DOWN by Ivy Pochoda; 9780374608484; 5/23/23
CAMP DAMASCUS by Chuck Tingle; 9781250874627; 7/18/23
AUGUST BLUE by Deborah Levy; 9780374602048; 6/6/23
BACK TO THE DIRT by Frank Bill; 9780374534431; 5/9/23
THE HUMBLE LOVER by Edmund White; 9781639730889; 5/2/23
ALL THE SINNERS BLEED by S.A. Cosby; 9781250831910; 6/6/23
FOURTH WING by Rebecca Yarros; 9781649374042; 5/2/23
SOME DESPERATE GLORY by Emily Tesh; 9781250834980; 4/11/23
PAGEBOY: A MEMOIR by Elliot Page; 9781250878359; 6/6/23
BLOOD DEBTS by Terry J. Benton-Walker; 9781250825926; 4/4/23
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