The life of a sheltered, neurodivergent girl is shattered by the Syrian civil war in Samar Yazbek’s novel "Planet of Clay". Rima’s world has always been limited to the apartment she shares with her mother and the library at the... Read More

"Not Afraid to Slay" takes a feminist, insider’s view at a fast-growing entertainment industry: haunting. Jan Knuth’s "Not Afraid to Slay" is a fascinating introduction to the haunt industry and the women in it. Knuth’s book is... Read More

In the fantasy novel Badgerblood: Awakening, a romance blossoms amid instances of magic and political intrigue. In S. C. Monson’s fantasy novel Badgerblood: Awakening, a young man discovers his family story as he faces punishment from... Read More

A curious mudskipper seeks a single definition of what a fish is, knowing that he’s outside of the norm of others’ expectations himself. Illustrations awash in innumerable examples of underwater biodiversity validate his curiosity... Read More

In Anisha Bhatia’s romance novel The Rules of Arrangement, a woman struggles to reconcile her traditions with her ambition. At twenty-six, Zoya is reflective and driven. She already has an accomplished career in advertising; her... Read More

In Norman Lock’s splendid historical novel "Tooth of the Covenant", Nathaniel Hawthorne is troubled by his ancestor’s dark legacy as a harsh, heartless judge. In 1851, Hawthorne enjoys the positive reception of his most recent work,... Read More

Maryse Condé’s novel "Waiting for the Waters to Rise" addresses immigration, nationalism, friendship, colorism, and political power through the intersecting lives of three friends. Babakar, a handsome obstetrician in Guadeloupe, is... Read More

Randall Balmer’s "Bad Faith" is a fascinating historical overview of the true origins of the Religious Right in America. The book begins in a conference room, where US evangelical leaders gather to mark the rise of Ronald Reagan’s... Read More