Sarah Cypher

Everyone has been raving about this book! In which a young queer, Palestinian and American woman pieces together her great aunt secrets, confronting questions of sexual identity, exile, and lineage. 

Hardcover (1 to 2 lbs)

Minnesota

A Novel

A young, queer Palestinian American woman pieces together her great-aunt's secrets in this sweeping debut, confronting questions of sexual identity, exile, and lineage.

In a Pacific Northwest hospital far from the Rummani family's ancestral home in Palestine, the heart of a stillborn baby begins to beat and her skin turns vibrantly, permanently cobalt blue. On the same day, the Rummanis' centuries-old soap factory in Nablus is destroyed in an air strike. The family matriarch and keeper of their lore, Aunt Nuha, believes that the blue girl embodies their sacred history, harkening back to a time when the Rummanis were among the wealthiest soap-makers and their blue soap was a symbol of a legendary love.

Decades later, Betty returns to Aunt Nuha's gravestone, faced with a difficult decision: Should she stay in the only country she's ever known, or should she follow her heart and the woman she loves, perpetuating her family's cycle of exile? Betty finds her answer in partially translated notebooks that reveal her aunt's complex life and struggle with her own sexuality, which Nuha hid to help the family immigrate to the United States. But, as Betty soon discovers, her aunt hid much more than that.
 
The Skin and Its Girl is a searing, poetic tale about desire and identity, and a provocative exploration of how we let stories divide, unite, and define us--and wield even the power to restore a broken family. Sarah Cypher is that rare debut novelist who writes with the mastery and flair of a seasoned storyteller.

The Skin and Its Girl

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Prachi Gupta

In perfect condition and under celebrated! This was one of my most anticipated releases, but alas, I have not gotten to it yet which means it should go to one of you! This is a heartfelt memoir about a
Yeah, Indian, American woman and her experiences inhabiting white suburbia . Gupta addresses her mother throughout the book weaving a deeply vulnerable personal narrative with history, post colonial theory, and research on mental health. It focuses on how traditional notions of success and on how we should strive for compassion over belonging. As a grieving person (lost mama recently) I cannot wait to read this 

And Other Lies That Raised Us

An Indian American daughter reveals how the dangerous model minority myth fractured her family in this “searingly honest memoir that manages to be at once a scalding indictment and a heartfelt love letter” (Scott Stossel, author of My Age of Anxiety). “In examining with boundless love the secrets and sorrows of one family, Gupta shows us the life-altering power of telling one’s truth.”—Megha Majumdar, author of A Burning How do we understand ourselves when the story about who we are supposed to be is stronger than our sense of self? What do we stand to gain—and lose—by taking control of our narrative? These questions propel Prachi Gupta’s heartfelt memoir and can feel particularly fraught for immigrants and their children who live under immense pressure to belong in America. Prachi Gupta’s family embodied the American Dream: a doctor father and a nurturing mother who raised two high-achieving children with one foot in the Indian American community, the other in Pennsylvania’s white suburbia. But their belonging was predicated on a powerful myth: that Asian Americans have perfected the alchemy of middle-class life, raising tight-knit, ambitious families that are immune to hardship. Molding oneself to fit this perfect image often comes at a steep but hidden cost. In They Called Us Exceptional, Gupta articulates the dissonance, shame, and isolation of being upheld as an American success story while privately navigating traumas invisible to the outside world. Gupta addresses her mother throughout the book, weaving a deeply vulnerable personal narrative with history, postcolonial theory, and research on mental health, to show how she slowly made sense of her reality and freed herself emotionally and physically from the pervasive, reductive myth that had once defined her. But, tragically, the act that liberated Gupta was also the act that distanced her from those she loved most. By charting her family’s slow unraveling and her determination to break the cycle, Gupta shows how traditional notions of success keep us disconnected from ourselves and one another—and passionately argues why we must orient ourselves toward compassion over belonging.

They Called Us Exceptional

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S. A. Cosby

This book was incredible! I read it via audio and absolutely loved it. 

A husband, a father, a son, a business owner...And the best getaway driver east of the Mississippi. “Sensationally good—new, fresh, real, authentic, twisty, with characters and dilemmas that will break your heart. More than recommended.” —Lee Child Beauregard “Bug” Montage is an honest mechanic, a loving husband, and a hard-working dad. Bug knows there’s no future in the man he used to be: known from the hills of North Carolina to the beaches of Florida as the best wheelman on the East Coast. He thought he'd left all that behind him, but as his carefully built new life begins to crumble, he finds himself drawn inexorably back into a world of blood and bullets. When a smooth-talking former associate comes calling with a can't-miss jewelry store heist, Bug feels he has no choice but to get back in the driver's seat. And Bug is at his best where the scent of gasoline mixes with the smell of fear. Haunted by the ghost of who he used to be and the father who disappeared when he needed him most, Bug must find a way to navigate this blacktop wasteland...or die trying. Like Ocean’s Eleven meets Drive, with a Southern noir twist, S. A. Cosby’s Blacktop Wasteland is a searing, operatic story of a man pushed to his limits by poverty, race, and his own former life of crime.

Blacktop Wasteland

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Julie Kagawa

Get ready to fall in love with a new series! This series will be my first of this author however, I think it will be perfect for one of you as it'll be a little bit before I get to this copy so you may as well take advantage!

As Evenfall nears, the stakes grow ever higher for those in Faery...



Banished from the Winter Court for daring to fall in love, Prince Ash achieved the impossible and journeyed to the End of the World to earn a soul and keep his vow to always stand beside Queen Meghan of the Iron Fey.



Now he faces even more incomprehensible odds. Their son, King Keirran of the Forgotten, is missing. Something more ancient than the courts of Faery and more evil than anything Ash has faced in a millennium is rising as Evenfall approaches. And if Ash and his allies cannot stop it, the chaos that has begun to divide the world will shatter it for eternity.



THE IRON FEY: EVENFALL

The Iron Raven

The Iron Sword



THE IRON FEY:

The Iron King

The Iron Daughter

The Iron Queen

The Iron Knight



The Iron Prince

The Iron Traitor

The Iron Warrior



Novellas:



Shadow's Legacy (Evenfall #0.5)

The Iron Sword

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Kimmery Martin

I've had the privilege of interacting with this author, and she is an absolutely wonderful person. Her 2nd book blew me away, and I simply could not wait to begin this one. We follow three doctors whose lives are transformed on the frontlines of a new pandemic written by an author who is a former emergency medicine doctor. There is very brief imperfections on the cover just from having it in the household for the last few years, and as pictured the very final blank page has a tear, but other than that, this book is brand new and was never read.!

"Three female doctors and friends remind the reader of the heart-wrenching tragedies and impossible choices that make such a cast not only heroic but human."-Kristina McMorris, New York Times bestselling author of Sold on a Monday Hannah, Compton, and Kira have been close friends since medical school, reuniting once a year for a much-needed vacation. Just as they gather to travel in Spain, an outbreak of a fast-spreading virus throws the world into chaos. When Compton Winfield returns to her job as an ER doctor in New York City, she finds a city changed beyond recognition-and a personal loss so gutting it reshapes every aspect of her life. Hannah Geier's career as an ob-gyn in San Diego is fulfilling but she's always longed for a child of her own. After years of trying, Hannah discovers she's expecting a baby just as the disease engulfs her city. Kira Marchand, an infectious disease doctor at the CDC in Atlanta, finds herself at the center of the American response to the terrifying new illness. Her professional battle turns personal when she must decide whether her children will receive an experimental but potentially life-saving treatment. Written prior to Covid-19 by a former emergency medicine physician, Doctors and Friends incorporates unexpected wit, razor-edged poignancy, and a deeply relatable cast of characters who provoke both laughter and tears. Martin provides a unique insider's perspective into the world of medical professionals working to save lives during the most difficult situations of their careers.

Doctors and Friends

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Deepa Anappara

In this transporting debut novel, three friends venture into the most dangerous corners of a sprawling Indian city to find their missing classmate 
I can think of a few less riveting synopsis than this one! What begins as a game turns sinister as other children stars disappearing from their neighborhood and it is up to them to confront their terrified parents and indifferent, police force, and rumors of soulsnatching djinns 

"Based on a true story--Nine-year-old Jai watches too many reality police shows, thinks he's smarter than his friend Pari (even though she gets the best grades), and considers himself to be a better boss than Faiz (even though Faiz is the one with a job). When a classmate goes missing, Jai decides to use the crime-solving skills he has picked up from TV to find him. He asks Pari and Faiz to be his assistants and together they draw up lists of people to interview and places to visit. But what begins as a game turns sinister as other children start disappearing from their neighborhood. Jai, Pari, and Faiz have to confront terrified parents, an indifferent police force, and their fears of soul-snatching djinns. As the disappearances edge ever closer to home, the lives of Jai and his friends will never be the same again. At times exuberant, at times heartbreaking, Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line traces the unfolding of a tragedy while capturing the fierce warmth and resilience of a community forged in times of trouble"--

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line

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F. T. Lukens

Two rival apprentice sorcerers must team up to save their teachers and protect their own magic in the slightly of adult romantic adventure from the New York Times best selling author of in deeper Waters and so this is ever after. Get cozy with this magical tail from an incredible non-binary author, whose voice is irresistible this is perfect for fans of King Arthur and similar magics.

Two rival apprentice sorcerers must team up to save their teachers and protect their own magic in this lively young adult romantic adventure from the New York Times bestselling author of In Deeper Waters and So This Is Ever After.

Edison Rooker isn't sure what to expect when he enters the office of Antonia Hex, the powerful sorceress who runs a call center for magical emergencies. He doesn't have much experience with hexes or curses. Heck, he doesn't even have magic. But he does have a plan--to regain the access to the magical world he lost when his grandmother passed.

Antonia is...intimidating, but she gives him a job and a new name--Rook--both of which he's happy to accept. Now all Rook has to do is keep his Spell Binder, an illegal magical detection device, hidden from the Magical Consortium. And contend with Sun, the grumpy and annoyingly cute apprentice to Antonia's rival colleague, Fable. But dealing with competition isn't so bad; as Sun seems to pop up more and more, Rook minds less and less.

But when the Consortium gets wind of Rook's Spell Binder, they come for Antonia. All alone, Rook runs to the only other magical person he knows: Sun. Except Fable has also been attacked, and now Rook and Sun have no choice but to work together to get their mentors back...or face losing their magic forever.

Spell Bound

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Nina LaCour

We are following Sarah, who is a runaway turned into an adult finding her way in Los Angeles. She is a sought after Bartender known for her cocktails while across the city as a woman yearning for her beautiful Creole community she begins taking a job arranging flowers at Sarah's restaurant, and the two of them start an exquisite romance With life, pulling the two of them apart and together again again... this is a book for those of you who believe in complicated love stories and understand that the journey to happy endings are not always linear

Paperback (1 to 2 lbs)

The debut adult novel by the bestselling and award-winning YA author Nina LaCour, following two women on a star-crossed journey toward each other When Sara Foster runs away from home at sixteen, she leaves behind not only the losses that have shattered her world but the girl she once was, capable of trust and intimacy. Years later, in Los Angeles, she is a sought-after bartender, renowned as much for her brilliant cocktails as for the mystery that clings to her. Across the city, Emilie Dubois is in a holding pattern. In her sixth year and fifth major as an undergraduate, she yearns for the beauty and community her Creole grandparents cultivated but is unable to commit. On a whim, she takes a job arranging flowers at the glamorous restaurant Yerba Buena and embarks on an affair with the married owner. When Sara catches sight of Emilie one morning at Yerba Buena, their connection is immediate. But the damage both women carry, and the choices they have made, pulls them apart again and again. When Sara's old life catches up to her, upending everything she thought she wanted just as Emilie has finally gained her own sense of purpose, they must decide if their love is more powerful than their pasts. At once exquisite and expansive, astonishing in its humanity and heart, Yerba Buena is a love story for our time and a propulsive journey through the lives of two women finding their way in the world.

Yerba Buena

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Heather Chavez

The back cover has some scratches just from handling over the last couple years, but you can tell from the pages that this book is completely unread and overall in perfect condition! How obsessed are we with this cover? We follow a school teacher and single mom who has always been fiercely protective of her younger sister but their relationship is about to be tested after a girl is abducted from a neighboring town and her younger sister is implicated it involves a dangerous game between six friends and I absolutely love that trope another thing I like about this book is how long it is! I love meeyah a lengthy thriller, so read it ASAP and tell me how it is :-)

From the author of the acclaimed debut No Bad Deed, a twisty novel about the bond between two sisters--and the crimes one covers up to protect the other. For fans of Lisa Gardner and Harlan Coben. Schoolteacher and single mom Frankie Barrera has always been fiercely protective of her younger sister Izzy--whether Izzy wants her to be or not. But over the years, Izzy's risky choices have tested Frankie's loyalty. Never so much as on a night five years ago, when a frantic phone call led Frankie to the scene of a car accident--and a drunk and disoriented Izzy who couldn't remember a thing. Though six friends partied on the outskirts of town that night, one girl was never seen again . . . Now, an Amber alert puts Frankie in the sights of the local police. Her truck has been described as the one used in the abduction of a girl from a neighboring town. And the only other person with access to Frankie's truck is Izzy. This time around, Frankie will have to decide what lengths she's willing to go to in order to protect Izzy--what lies she's willing to tell, and what secrets she's willing to keep--because the dangerous game that six friends once played on a warm summer night isn't over yet . . .

Blood Will Tell

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S. A. Chakraborty

I'm so jealous of whoever gets to read this copy! I really want to get into this author who is absolutely beloved however I feel like this book is going to waste on my shelves and should be on yours :-) check out a photo for the full synopsis, but this book gathers material both previously seen and new And is perfect for those who love djinn mythology

Tales from the Daevabad Trilogy

Bestselling author S. A. Chakraborty's acclaimed Daevabad Trilogy gets expanded with this new compilation of stories from before, during, and after the events of The City of Brass, The Kingdom of Copper, and The Empire of Gold, all from the perspective of characters both beloved and hated, and even those without a voice in the novels. The River of Silver gathers material both seen and new--including a special coda fans will need to read--making this the perfect complement to those incredible novels.

Now together in one place, these stories of Daevabad enrich a world already teeming with magic and wonder. Explore this magical kingdom, hidden from human eyes. A place where djinn live and thrive, fight and love. A world where princes question their power, and powerful demons can help you...or destroy you.

A prospective new queen joins a court whose lethal history may overwhelm her own political savvy...

An imprisoned royal from a fallen dynasty and a young woman wrenched from her home cross paths in an enchanted garden...

A pair of scouts stumble upon a secret in a cursed winter wood that will turn over their world...

From Manizheh's first steps towards rebellion to adventures that take place after The Empire of Gold, this is a must-have collection for those who can't get enough of Nahri, Ali, and Dara and all that unfolded around them.  



The River of Silver

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Terry Brooks

This book is absolutely gorgeous and completely unread! It is described as the thrilling second novel of an all new fantasy series about a human girl adapting to her place in a magical world. She's only recently discovered. I really like the font that this book is in it's one of my favorite types of fonts of all time. It looks so cozy and I've been wanting to get into Terri Brooks so please get this off my hands and tell me how it is :-)

The thrilling second novel of an all-new fantasy series from the legendary author behind the Shannara saga, about a human girl adapting to her place in a magical world she's only recently discovered

It's been two years since Auris escaped from the sinister Goblin prison and learned of her heritage as one of the Fae. She is now happily partnered with her Fae lover, Harrow, and deeply bonded with her new family. All seems to be going perfectly--until, surprisingly, the Goblin attacks begin again. Someone, it seems, has not forgotten that Auris exists and seems determined to retrieve her . . . but who? And why?

As Auris begins to dig deeper into the mystery, old friends and new enemies appear, and she starts to realize that her still-shrouded past must contain the answers she needs. But even Auris does not suspect how far down the rabbit hole she is about to go, until Harrow is taken and an impossible ransom demand is issued. With two new companions at her side, Auris must attempt to unlock the remaining secrets of her past. For if she cannot, she will never see Harrow alive again.

Daughter of Darkness

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Megan Abbott

Another smash psychological thriller from Megan Abbott. I loved this book because it focused on the dance world and made me feel like I was back in a ballet studio. This book is going to be perfect for those of you who like crisp and straight underlining in books as well as light annotations. I have more marked the pages via tab than annotated it, but will be adding more annotations for whoever purchases it I have more heavily annotated books in my catalog, but this is a good selection for those if you want to get one of my personalized books at a steal. The cover does have some light markings as a result of reading but it's in such gorgeous shape in my opinion!


Longlisted for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize An Instant New York Times Bestseller A TODAY Show #ReadWithJenna Book Club Pick New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Megan Abbott's exquisite and disquieting new novel, “dark and juicy and tinged with horror” (The New York Times Books Review), set against the hothouse of a family-run ballet studio. With their long necks and matching buns and pink tights, Dara and Marie Durant have been dancers since they can remember. Growing up, they were homeschooled and trained by their glamorous mother, founder of the Durant School of Dance. After their parents' death in a tragic accident nearly a dozen years ago, the sisters began running the school together, along with Charlie, Dara's husband and once their mother's prized student. Marie, warm and soft, teaches the younger students; Dara, with her precision, trains the older ones; and Charlie, sidelined from dancing after years of injuries, rules over the back office. Circling around one another, the three have perfected a dance, six days a week, that keeps the studio thriving. But when a suspicious accident occurs, just at the onset of the school's annual performance of The Nutcracker—a season of competition, anxiety, and exhilaration—an interloper arrives and threatens the sisters' delicate balance. Taut and unnerving, The Turnout is Megan Abbott at the height of her game. With uncanny insight and hypnotic writing, it is a sharp and strange dissection of family ties and sexuality, femininity and power, and a tale that is both alarming and irresistible.

The Turnout (tabbed and underlined)

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Latoya Watkins

This book expands the landscape of a black Texan family and explores the effects of inherited trauma and intergenerational violence. I'm incredibly interested in reading this one day, but I can't wait for it to go to a new home now as you can see there is a small imperfection on the cover, but it is well worth this incredible novel which I am certain deserves more attention than it has gotten. :)

Named A Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by *Good Morning America.com* *Essence* *Esquire* *Bustle* and *The Millions*

From a stunning new voice comes a powerful debut novel, Perish, about a Black Texan family, exploring the effects of inherited trauma and intergenerational violence as the family comes together to say goodbye to their matriarch on her deathbed.

Bear it or perish yourself. Those are the words Helen Jean hears that fateteful night in her cousin's outhouse that change the trajectory of her life.

Spanning decades, Perish tracks the choices Helen Jean--the matriarch of the Turner family--makes and the way those choices have rippled across generations, from her children to her grandchildren and beyond.

Told in alternating chapters, Perish follows four members of the Turner family: Julie B., a woman who regrets her wasted youth and the time spent under Helen Jean's thumb; Alex, a police officer grappling with a dark and twisted past; Jan, a mother of two who yearns to go to school and leave Jerusalem, Texas, and all of its trauma behind for good; and Lydia, a woman whose marriage is falling apart because her body can't seem to stay pregnant, as they're called home to say goodbye to their mother and grandmother.

This family's "reunion" unearths long-kept secrets and forces each member to ask themselves  important questions about who is deserving of forgiveness and who bears the cross of blame.

Set in vividly drawn Texas and tackling themes like trauma, legacy, faith, home, class, race, and more, this beautiful yet heart heart-wrenching novel will appeal to anyone who is interested in the intricacies of family and the ways bonds can be made, maintained, or irrevocably broken.

Perish

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Alison Gaylin

This book was featured in a previous YouTube video and revealed itself to be one of the most surprising reads of my life. I found the mystery and the writing incredibly compelling while the characters were wildly frustrating ...it made for an altogether entertaining read, but what makes this book special is the way it takes deep into The logistics of revenge, especially how it impacts women's justice. It writes remarkably and honestly about grief -- as someone who just lost their mom this book means even more now.

the annotations that I have written in this copy are incredibly personal!! while the sample photos are of annotations that are more comfortable to share. ..This is certainly a very content warning, heavy text and if you are uncomfortable reading about trauma or annotations unpacking trauma, then this may be one you should skip. I give it a five out of five star and I can't wait for this annotated copy to find a new home with a person whom those annotations will speak to.

The USA Today bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author of Never Look Back and If I Die Tonight plumbs the dark side of justice and the depths of diabolical revenge in this propulsive novel of psychological suspense that melds the driving narrative of Then She Was Gone with the breathtaking twists of The Chain and the violent fury of Kill Bill. "Alison Gaylin's The Collective is an astonishing feat. In the tradition of Ira Levin's unforgettable social thrillers (Rosemary's Baby, Stepford Wives), it's a nerve-shredding, emotionally harrowing ride that also speaks volumes about our current moment, the dangers of our digital world, the potency of female rage. Don't miss it." --Megan Abbott Just how far will a grieving mother go to right a tragic wrong? Camille Gardner is a grieving--and angry--mother who, five years after her daughter's death, is still obsessed with the privileged young man she believes to be responsible. When her rash actions attract the attention of a secret group of women--the collective--Camille is drawn into a dark web where these mothers share their wildly different stories of loss as well as their desire for justice in a world where privilege denies accountability and perpetrators emerge unscathed. Fueled by mutual rage, these women orchestrate their own brand of justice through precise, anonymous, complexly plotted and perfectly executed revenge killings, with individual members completing a specific and integral task in each plan. As Camille struggles to comprehend whether this is a role-playing exercise or terrifying reality, she must decide if these women are truly avenging angels or monsters. Becoming more deeply enmeshed in the group, Camille learns truths about the collective--and about herself--that she may not be able to survive.

*Intimately Annotated* The Collective

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Afia Atakora

With powerful writing evoking, beloved Tony Morrison, this novel is a sweeping tale of a mother and daughter who have a shared talent for healing and conjuring curses. It points several investigative fingers at the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow south while this copy has never been read. The jacket has accumulated some damage from the years in my home. I'm super excited to get to this book one day and I hope you love it

"Conjure Women is a sweeping story that brings the world of the South before and after the Civil War vividly to life. Spanning eras and generations, it tells of the lives of three unforgettable women: Miss May Belle, a wise healing woman; her precocious and observant daughter Rue, who is reluctant to follow in her mother's footsteps as a midwife; and their master's daughter Varina. The secrets and bonds among these women and their community come to a head at the beginning of a war and at the birth of an accursed child, who sets the townspeople alight with fear and a spreading superstition that threatens their newly won, tenuous freedom."--Publisher's description.

Conjure Women

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Caitlin Starling

I'm really proud of the condition of this book given how long it's been in the house and how much I've moved it around! It's in perfect condition with the exception of some imperfections on the dust jacket. I can't wait to dig into this Gothic delicious story someday, but I would rather you got to it first:-)

From the Bram Stoker-nominated author of The Luminous Dead comes a gothic fantasy horror--The Death of Jane Lawrence. “Intense and amazing! It’s like Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell meets Mexican Gothic meets Crimson Peak.” —BookRiot Practical, unassuming Jane Shoringfield has done the calculations, and decided that the most secure path forward is this: a husband, in a marriage of convenience, who will allow her to remain independent and occupied with meaningful work. Her first choice, the dashing but reclusive doctor Augustine Lawrence, agrees to her proposal with only one condition: that she must never visit Lindridge Hall, his crumbling family manor outside of town. Yet on their wedding night, an accident strands her at his door in a pitch-black rainstorm, and she finds him changed. Gone is the bold, courageous surgeon, and in his place is a terrified, paranoid man—one who cannot tell reality from nightmare, and fears Jane is an apparition, come to haunt him. By morning, Augustine is himself again, but Jane knows something is deeply wrong at Lindridge Hall, and with the man she has so hastily bound her safety to. Set in a dark-mirror version of post-war England, Caitlin Starling crafts a new kind of gothic horror from the bones of the beloved canon. This Crimson Peak-inspired story assembles, then upends, every expectation set in place by Shirley Jackson and Rebecca, and will leave readers shaken, desperate to begin again as soon as they are finished. “Don’t read this one alone at night; Caitlin Starling has done it again. Unsettling, atmospheric, and downright brutal at times, The Death of Jane Lawrence will continue to haunt you long after you leave Lindridge Hall...if the house lets you leave, that is.” —Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch’s Heart

The Death of Jane Lawrence

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Ayelet Gundar-Goshen

Braaaaand new 😍😍😍

SUMMARY: Lilach's family has relocated from Israel to Silicon Valley. Her husband has a great job, and their son, Adam, seems to be doing well in school. Suddenly, their quiet life is threatened by a terror attack at their local synagogue, and in addition, it soon becomes apparent that Adam is being bullied at school.

Heavy Paperback (2 to 4 lbs)

Award-winning author Ayelet Gundar-Goshen returns with a timely exploration of the fault lines in a community, a school, and a family, as a mother begins to suspect her teenage son of committing a terrible crime. Lilach has it all: a beautiful home in the heart of Silicon Valley, a successful husband and stable marriage, and a teenage son, Adam, with whom she has always felt a particular closeness. Israeli immigrants, the family has now lived in the U.S. long enough that they consider it home. But after a brutal attack on a local synagogue shakes their sense of safety, Adam enrolls in a self-defense class taught by a former Israeli Special Forces officer. There, for the first time, he finds a sense of confidence and belonging. Then, tragedy strikes again when an African American boy dies at a house party, apparently from a drug overdose. Though he was a high school classmate, Adam claims not to know him. Yet rumors begin to circulate that the death was not accidental, and that Adam and his new friends had a history with Jamal. As more details surface and racial tensions in the community are ignited, Lilach begins to question everything she thought she knew about her son. Could her worst fears be possible? Could her quiet, reclusive child have had something to do with Jamal's death? Praised for "instilling emotional depth into a thriller plot" (New York Times Book Review on Waking Lions), Ayelet Gundar-Goshen once again brings together taut, page-turning suspense, superb writing, and razor-sharp insight into the fault lines of race, identity, and privilege and the dark secrets we hide from those we love most.

The Wolf Hunt

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Abigail Dean

Here's an unread copy of a book I've long wanted to read! It has been in my household since it's release. The pages are slightly yellowed from age and there is a small red mark on one of them otherwise I think this is an absolutely perfect copy.

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “A stunning debut.” —Washington Post “Haunting [and] powerful.” —The New York Times “A modern-day classic.” —Jeffery Deaver, New York Times bestselling author of The Bone Collector “Fantastic, I loved it.” —Paula Hawkins, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl on the Train She thought she had escaped her past. But there are some things you can’t outrun. Lex Gracie doesn't want to think about her family. She doesn't want to think about growing up in her parents' House of Horrors. And she doesn't want to think about her identity as Girl A: the girl who escaped, the eldest sister who freed her older brother and four younger siblings. It's been easy enough to avoid her parents--her father never made it out of the House of Horrors he created, and her mother spent the rest of her life behind bars. But when her mother dies in prison and leaves Lex and her siblings the family home, she can't run from her past any longer. Together with her sister, Evie, Lex intends to turn the home into a force for good. But first she must come to terms with her siblings--and with the childhood they shared. What begins as a propulsive tale of escape and survival becomes a gripping psychological family story about the shifting alliances and betrayals of sibling relationships--about the secrets our siblings keep, from themselves and each other. Who have each of these siblings become? How do their memories defy or galvanize Lex's own? As Lex pins each sibling down to agree to her family's final act, she discovers how potent the spell of their shared family mythology is, and who among them remains in its thrall and who has truly broken free. For readers of Room and Sharp Objects, an absorbing and psychologically immersive novel about a young girl who escapes captivity–but not the secrets that shadow the rest of her life.

Girl A

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Wendy Walker

Long time viewers of my channel know that I very much like Wendy Walker. This was a complex thriller about grief, memory and motherhood. It was tastefully written, and I found myself hungrily, reading it and annotating with a far more gentle hand than usual. I hope my annotations will be a positive guide for your reading experience this annotated copy of don't look for me. Will be perfect for those of you who want an annotated text from me but at a gentle cost ❤️ tysm for reading 📖 

*gently annotated*!

The greatest risk isn’t running away. It’s running out of time. The car abandoned miles from home. The note found at a nearby hotel. The shattered family that couldn’t be put back together. They called it a “walk away.” It happens all the time. Women disappear, desperate to leave their lives behind and start over. But is that what really happened to Molly Clarke? Don’t Look For Me is: “GRIPPING...WITH UNEXPECTED TWISTS... You’ve got a cracking mystery on your hands.” —Adrian McKinty, author of The Chain “A NAILBITER . . . SO MUCH MORE THAN A TWISTY THRILLER. It’s a heartbreaking portrait of a family coping with grief and an insightful study of guilt and blame, gaslighting and agency. If you love fast-paced page-turners with relatable, flawed characters, look no further!” —Angie Kim, author of Miracle Creek “SHARP, NUANCED, UTTERLY REAL, and ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING, this beautifully written and emotionally powerful novel is Walker at her best!” —Karen Dionne, author of The Marsh King’s Daughter “UNSETTLING IN THE VERY BEST WAY and TRULY RIVETING.” —Samantha Downing, author of My Lovely Wife “A PULSE-POUNDING, THRILL RIDE OF A NOVEL WITH HEART.” —Kathleen Barber, author of Truth Be Told “A MASTER CLASS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE.” —Cristina Alger, author of Girls Like Us

*annotated* Don't Look for Me 

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Kaira Rouda

From the author of Best Day Ever comes another gripping novel of psychological suspense set in an upscale Southern California community, for fans of B. A. Paris and Shari Lapena. In the aftermath of a tragic accident, one family is keeping secrets from each other. But who's deceiving whom? And who's telling the truth? The perfect home. The perfect family. The perfect lie.

The Favorite Daughter

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Leah Johnson

Light Hardcover (1 lb or less)

Liz Lighty has always done her best to avoid the spotlight in her small, wealthy, and prom-obsessed midwestern high school, after all, her family is black and rather poor, especially since her mother died; instead she has concentrated on her grades and her musical ability in the hopes that it will win her a scholarship to elite Pennington College and their famous orchestra where she plans to study medicine--but when that scholarship falls through she is forced to turn to her school's scholarship for prom king and queen, which plunges her into the gauntlet of social media which she hates and leads her to discoveries about her own identity and the value of true friendships.

*softly annotated* You Should See Me in a Crown

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Walter Mosley

"Master of craft and narrative" Walter Mosley returns with this crowning achievement in the Easy Rawlins saga, in which the iconic detective's loyalties are tested on the sun-soaked streets of Southern California (National Book Foundation) 



It is 1969, and flames can be seen on the horizon, protest wafts like smoke though the thick air, and Easy Rawlins, the Black private detective whose small agency finally has its own office, gets a visit from a white Vietnam veteran. The young man comes to Easy with a story that makes little sense. He and his lover, a beautiful young woman, were attacked in a citrus grove at the city's outskirts. He may have killed a man, and the woman and his dog are now missing. Inclined to turn down what sounds like nothing but trouble, Easy takes the case when he realizes how damaged the young vet is from his war experiences--the bond between veterans superseding all other considerations.

 

The veteran is not Easy's only unlooked-for trouble. Easy's adopted daughter Feather's white uncle shows up uninvited, raising questions and unsettling the life Easy has long forged for the now young woman. Where Feather sees a family reunion, Easy suspects something else, something that will break his heart.

 

Blood Grove is a crackling, moody, and thrilling race through a California of hippies and tycoons, radicals and sociopaths, cops and grifters, both men and women. Easy will need the help of his friends--from the genius Jackson Blue to the dangerous Mouse Alexander, Fearless Jones, and Christmas Black--to make sense of a case that reveals the darkest impulses humans harbor. 

 

Blood Grove is a novel of vast scope and intimate insight, and a soulful call for justice by any means necessary.

 

Blood Grove

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Chasten Buttigieg

Queer ya memoir 🏳️‍🌈😍 its unread but does have a few dings which are pictured! Perfect for you or a queer youth 💓💓

A Memoir

The young adult adaptation of the hopeful and refreshingly candid bestselling memoir by the husband of a former Democratic presidential candidate about growing up gay in his small Midwestern town. Completely rewritten with new stories, including resources for readers, parents, and teachers.

Growing up, Chasten Glezman Buttigieg didn't always fit in. He felt different from his father and brothers, who loved to hunt and go camping, and out of place in the rural, conservative small town where he lived. Back then, blending in was more important than feeling seen.

So, when Chasten realized he was gay, he kept that part of himself hidden away for a long, painful time. With incredible bravery, and the support of his loved ones, Chasten eventually came out--and when he did, he learned that being true to himself was the most rewarding journey of all.

Finding acceptance and self-love can seem like a tremendous challenge, but it's never impossible. With honesty, courage, and warmth, Chasten relays his experience of growing up in America and embracing his identity, while inspiring young people across the country to do the same.

I Have Something to Tell You--For Young Adults

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Jenn Bennett

Such a creative novel! Chauffeurs daughter, Jane, grew up among the domestic staff of a wealthy LA rock producer within reach of bands she idolizes but never a vip. Until… a longtime crush on the son of a powerful musical family changes everything 

When eighteen-year-old chauffer's daughter Jane Marlow falls for Fen while still dating his brother Eddie, she lands in the middle of a longstanding competition between the two brothers that eventually threatens the future of their father's music empire.

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