Lake City Books

“This novel is a moving and enlightening inside-look at a tragic, ongoing conflict. Pastor Elias Chacour was a child when Israeli soldiers forced his family and friends to leave their Palestinian village. His account of those events and the confusion his village experienced sheds light on how the Israel-Palestine conflict came to pass. As an adult, Chacour works to establish peace and reconciliation between Palestinian and Israeli neighbors, but he encounters numerous obstacles. However, he ne...”

Justin • Vroman's Bookstore

“A fantastical pirate adventure on the Indian Ocean, full of magic inspired by Middle Eastern mythology! Amina, once an infamous pirate, is retired. She reluctantly goes on one more quest, facing monsters that threaten to keep her from her daughter. This book offers a refreshing take on fantasy born from Chakraborty’s Middle Eastern inspirations! The novel is also carried by the wonderfully complex character of Amina who illuminates her struggles with colorful commentary as her complex moralit...”

Justin • Vroman's Bookstore

“A beautiful and creative story of a young girl who refuses to accept her community’s denial of a monster in her best friend’s house. Emezi’s speculative horror has the widest breadth of thoughtful representation I’ve ever read, and accessibly nuanced display and exploration of restorative justice. I think of this book often and recommend it to everyone. ”

Katie • Bookends & Beginnings

“This book is a cozy mystery about the soul-healing power of found family. What hooked me was Vera’s indomitable personality - and her cooking. The descriptions of meals had my mouth watering. Jesse Sutanto weaves humor and lightness into a story about loneliness and finding yourself again after years of manipulation. With such likeable characters, I forgot I was reading a murder mystery! ”

Courtney • Greene Books

“This book is pure magic, just like the delicious gingerbread at the heart of the story, baked by Perdita Lee and her mother Harriet Lee. It’s an old family recipe, one Harriet learned from her mother, in Druhastrana, the magical (possibly made up) land where she grew up. It’s difficult to summarize this book - it’s one that has to be experienced, one you steep yourself in while you read it. Oyeyemi’s writing is gorgeous and crisp and her stories manage to be fairy tales without feeling like y...”

Stefanie • Water Street Bookstore

“Evvie Drake is in a loveless marriage - she decides to leave her husband, packs the car and everything, but then he suddenly dies. Evvie, lost in grief and guilt, rents out the apartment in her home to a man going through his own challenges - a major league baseball pitcher who has the "yips" and has lost his pitch. They have instant chemistry, but of course there are always obstacles. This book is sweet, romantic, and hysterically funny. I found myself laughing out loud and wondering what t...”

Stefanie • Water Street Bookstore