Kristi's Picks

National Bestseller

This extraordinary, gripping debut is a rags-to-riches-to-revolution tale about an orphan girl's coming of age in Iran.

"Aria is a feminist odyssey, about a girl in a time of intolerance as the revolution in Iran is breaking out . . . a poised and dramatic historical novel with contemporary relevance." --John Irving

"Here comes... Read more »

The Binding

“The Binding first takes you on a fantastic journey to an old woman's cottage that teaches the art of book-binding; then becomes a very personal story to the apprentice book-binder Emmett Farmer. This is a story that is rooted around memories, the people that wish to use them for profit, and the individuals that feel better left to not remembering them. The narration of this story is exactly what this book needed. I never wanted it to end.”

Nichole, The Yankee Bookshop

The #1 international bestseller and The New York Times Editor’s Choice

“As lush as the novels of Kate Morton and Diane Setterfield, as exciting as The Alienist and Iain Pears’ An Instance of the Fingerpost, this exquisite literary thriller will intrigue book clubs and rivet fans of historical fiction.” —A.J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling... Read more »

By the bestselling author of The Painted Girls

When a remote, ancient settlement is threatened, it is up to one girl to save her family and her community

It’s the season of Fallow, the first century AD. In a misty northern bog surrounded by woodlands and wheat fields, lies a settlement far beyond the reach of the Roman invaders, who are still...

The remarkable woman at heart of the smash New York Times bestseller and Oscar-winning film Hidden Figures tells the full story of her life, including what it took to work at NASA, help land the first man on the moon, and live through a century of turmoil and change.

In 2015, at the age of 97, Katherine Johnson became a global celebrity....

Kaia Alderson’s debut historical fiction novel reveals the untold, true story of the Six Triple Eight, the only all-Black battalion of the Women’s Army Corps, who made the dangerous voyage to Europe to ensure American servicemen received word from their loved ones during World War II.

Grace Steele and Eliza Jones may be from completely different...

WINNER of the Ditmar Awards for Best Novel and Best New Talent, the Norma K Hemming Award, and the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel!

Poison. Treachery. Ancient spirits. Sieges. The Poison Wars begin now, with City of Lies, a fabulous epic fantasy debut audiobook by Sam Hawke

I was seven years old the first time my uncle poisoned...

Plain-spoken, headstrong Ophelia cares little about appearances. Her ability to read the past of objects is unmatched in all of Anima, and, what’s more, she possesses the ability to travel through mirrors, a skill passed down to her from previous generations. Her idyllic life is disrupted, however, when she is promised in marriage to Thorn, a...

The City of Brass

“S.A. Chakraborty introduces a fantasy set in the Middle East that thrusts us into the magical world of Daevabad. The City of Brass follows, in parallel, Nahri, a con artist and naturally gifted healer, and Ali, prince of Daevabad and fiercely trained soldier. Nahri and Ali find themselves learning new lessons on how to survive changing environments and difficult challenges, while trying to figure out the complexities of their lives. I found myself turning page after page, following Nahri's and Ali's story while deciphering the fantastic terminology and the world that is Daevabad. The City of Brass is a wonderfully written, mystical adventure that keeps you guessing about what will happen next.”

Barry Nelipowitz, Literati Bookstore

The Map of Salt and Stars

“Scheherazade's The Thousand and One Nights meets Alan Gratz's Refugee in this important debut novel. A 12th century fable about an apprentice mapmaker is interwoven with a modern-day Syrian refugee searching for home. The plot follows both girls through the Middle East, encountering tremendous dangers and immense kindness. A must-read for adults and teens 14+, this is a deeply moving and lushly described story of family and friends, meaningful culture, changing landscapes, and universal hope. There are parts that make your heart stop and parts that make it beat again. It's an incredible force, with vivid descriptions that make you long to see, smell, and taste everything described.”

BrocheAroe, River Dog Book Co.

An international bestseller!

From the New York Times bestselling author of Sorcery of Thorns and An Enchantment of Ravens comes a thrilling, “dark coming-of-age adventure” (Culturess) about a teen girl with mythic abilities who must defend her world against restless spirits of the dead.

The spirits of the dead do not rest.

Artemisia is training... Read more »

Sorcery of Thorns

“Amazing! I wonderful fantasy I loved every bit of. The narrator brought this story to life, and I was hypnotized the entire time. This story has some of my favorite elements in it. A strong, smart heroine? Check. A charming hero with demons and a chip on his shoulder? Check. An evil threatening the safety of the world? Check. Elizabeth is such an interesting character, she is determined and clever and she has approximately no quit in her. Despite all of the things that stand in her way, she never says die. When she is forced to choose between the person she has always been, and sacrificing all she knows about herself to help save a clueless, thankless world, she becomes someone new. Part of this is because of Nathaniel. He embodies everything she has learned to avoid and fear. But the world she lives in is bigger than the fears she has been taught. Nathaniel is mysterious and tortured. Elizabeth is everything he doesn't want to need, and he rebels against that. Their partnership progresses naturally, slowly and arduously as they wrestle with what is happening. By the end of the book they have complete confidence in each other and I reveled in every stage of their relationship. Give me the slow burn partnership that neither wants, but works so well. I'll love it every time. Margaret Rogerson is amazing and this book HAD me from the very beginning.”

Sam, Bright Side Bookshop

“The bighearted, wildly charming, painfully real love story I’ve been waiting for.” —Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

“Heartfelt and powerful.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

From William C. Morris Award Finalist S.K. Ali comes an unforgettable romance that is The Sun Is Also a Star meets... Read more »

The Grace Year

“The Grace Year is a brutal, feminist gut-punch of a book that grips you tight and never lets go. Ugly crying will happen and readers are likely to get some serious lockjaw from gritting their teeth in suspense. Narrator Emily Shaffer nuanced performance of main character Tierney James is unforgettable, as she captures each little passive aggressive snipe, every accidental slip of the tongue, and all the fraught emotions that come with being a teenage girl. The comparisons to tense-reading favorites, The Handmaid's Tale and Lord of the Flies, are accurate and certainly well-earned.”

Amanda, Belmont Books

If you enjoyed The Eyre Affair, then you’ll love The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep.

“A tale of two brothers, one of whom seems to live a charmed life, leaving his lawyer brother to clean up after his mix-ups and misunderstandings. Now, after years apart, they find themselves sharing a city again. Things begin to get dark, in a very literary sense. Lawyer Rob has to face some unpleasant skeletons in the family bookshelf.This was a highly enjoyable read (especially as an audio book) and I'd especially recommend it to anyone who liked Jasper Fforde's "Thursday Next" series. ”

Kristin, Phoenix Books

Hench

“In a world where super heroes and super villains are commonplace, there are some very interesting opportunities for employment. For example: henching, or signing on to handle basic (and usually boring) tasks for your local villain—think data entry. But when Anna's employer is brought down by the hero Supercollider and she's badly hurt in the process, she starts to wonder what the difference is between the good guys and the bad guys. If you've ever watched a superhero movie and wondered who's going to pay for all the damage after the baddies are beaten, this is a book you will enjoy. Anna's dry humor and astute understanding of human nature makes her a delightful narrator--and Alex McKenna, who performs the audiobook, does a superb job of bringing her to life.”

Caitlin, Brilliant Books Audio

The Forest of Vanishing Stars

“A little girl is kidnapped from her parents and raised in the wilderness. As a young woman, she uses her skills to help Jewish refugees survive in the forests of Poland. From the first page, I didn't want to put the book down.”

Jill Gregory, A Likely Story

The Book of Lost Names

“WWII fiction writing at its finest with the captivating story of Eva returning to Germany to recover The Book of Lost Names. The narrator captures exactly how I picture Eva and brings to life her story of loss and love. Saving hundreds of lives matters through her forgery skills but not as much as the lives she could not save. I stayed up listening until 3 am. Be ready. You will not want to put this one down. ”

Carolyn, Anderson's Bookshop

The Midnight Bargain

“If you had to decide between your magical ability and love, which would you chose? Of course, it’s not that simple when your marriage will save your family from bankruptcy, but also take away more freedoms than you know. Sorcery, historical romance, feminism, female friendships, and reproductive rights — this enjoyable novel had everything I needed. Readers of Gail Carriger and Naomi Novik will gobble this up.”

Marika McCoola, Porter Square Books

Game of Thrones meets Gladiator in this blockbuster debut epic fantasy about a world caught in an eternal war, and the young man who will become his people's only hope for survival.

Winner of the Reddit/Fantasy Award for Best Debut Fantasy Novel

The Omehi people have been fighting an unwinnable war for almost two hundred years. The lucky ones are... Read more »