Gwen's Recent Favorites

From the New York Times bestselling author of One Last Stop and Red, White & Royal Blue comes a debut YA romantic comedy about chasing down what you want, only to find what you need...

Chloe Green is so close to winning. After her moms moved her from SoCal to Alabama for high school, she’s spent the past four years dodging gossipy classmates...

If you enjoyed The Shadow of the Wind, then you’ll love Cloud Cuckoo Land.

“I loved this book so much. The intersection of the various stories surrounding a profound awareness of the importance of books was perfect. I also appreciated the weaving of the classic tale intertwined all throughout the book. Each character's story could have been a book all by themselves, but having them all together was brilliant. This is a book that I didn't know I needed, but was the perfect book for the time I listened to it.”

Tim, Schuler Books

Violeta [English Edition]

“Violeta was born in 1920 during a pandemic and is dying in 2020 during another. In between is her rich, event-filled life. In her long life in a South American nation, she has witnessed and been affected by political upheavals, wars, social unrest and change, and technological advances. She has suffered excruciating loss, endured hardship and abuse, and experienced great passion and undying love. Through it all, she has been intensely independent and strong, always paving her own way. Allende reveals the details of Violeta’s life and character through her final letter to one she loves dearly. Using this technique and her beautiful prose, Allende grants us an intimate view of this fierce and inspiring woman.”

Nancy, Raven Book Store

If you enjoyed Little, Big, then you’ll love The Starless Sea.

“Love, ghosts, libraries, presents, pasts, finding and losing, seeking and discovering, all intertwined in a puzzle-ring through which narrative lines twine and weave, until the reader's delight at knowing the characters and seeing the world bursts with glorious epiphany. Not since "Little, Big" have I read a book that so caught my fancy, nor since Gormenghast have I found such an all-absorbing and whimsical world, nor since Borges and Calvino have I touched such an intricate creation of story and meta-story. This is not just a book. It's a legend, and let me introduce you, reader, to the part you are to play....”

Nialle, The Haunted Bookshop

Anxious People

“This book made me feel all the feels! It was sad, it was funny, it was hopeful, it was everything. The character development is incredible at revealing what’s inside each of the characters, and the way their stories link and interconnect is genius. It’s a story about sadness and hope and human connections. I couldn’t put it down and barreled to the end, but now I am sad it’s over. Anxious People is truly the best thing I’ve read in a long time!”

Lisa Driban, Hockessin Book Shelf

Firekeeper's Daughter

“This story of a young woman roped into a federal investigation of a drug ring tearing her Ojibwe community apart is riveting and sorrowful. Daunis is an 18 year old non-enrolled Ojibwe with plenty of ambition and skills and won't see a clear path to her future that doesn't involve working in her community. This book moved me in so many ways but Daunis' connection to her elders and their traditions really drove this plot. While her parents' choices keep her from acceptance and death seems to haunt her, Daunis stays focused on her values: preserving and protecting the Ojibwe way of life for the next 6 generations. I loved how Boulley wove the Anishinaabe language, traditions and teaching into this story without spelling it all out for non-Native readers. This book tells the story of some of the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women (MMIW) and helps us connect with the stories more personally.”

Jessica, BookBar

Harlem Shuffle

“A tribute to Harlem...a mystery...so well written, and great characters too!”

Elsie, Bookstore1Sarasota

Matrix

“Lauren Groff said “medieval historical fiction about Marie de France & Eleanor of Aquitaine,” and she had my curiosity. Lauren Groff said “prophesying Sapphic warrior nuns” and she had my attention. Narrated by literal actual goddess Adjoa Andoh, this book is bananas good. It was as if Groff was looking directly at my "Auto-Read" criteria when she was writing Matrix, and I utterly loved it - it's gorgeous, lyrical, unapologetic, defiant, and beautiful, and I would have spent hours more with the characters and the world she created.”

Rebecca, One More Page

Pride

“Elizabeth Acevedo was the perfect choice for the reader of this sensational retelling of Pride & Prejudice. Zuri Benitez absolutely comes to life through her performance. Zoboi's Pride is a fresh yet faithful adaptation of the timeless classic, sure to speak to fans of Austen's original book and introduce a whole new generation to the wit and wisdom of her works. ”

Michael Leali, Anderson's Bookshop

Circe

“Beautifully composed and deeply compelling, Circe is hands-down one of the best novels of 2018. As she did in Song of Achilles, Miller recreates the ancient and enchanting world of Greek mythology, this time focusing on ocean nymph Circe. Cast out of her home and exiled to the island of Aiaia, Circe turns not only to her enchantments, but also to the world of Mortals, becoming close with legendary figures like Daedalus, Odysseus, and Penelope. Miller’s delicate, yet stunning prose swept me off my feet — I wanted to savor every moment with Circe in her immortal world. Introspective, soft, at times simply breathtaking, but always beautiful. So, so beautiful.”

Kelly, Mysterious Galaxy Books

Exit West

“Exit West will take your breath away as it magically weaves together a story of falling in love while the world falls apart. Spirited Nadia captures the heart of the thoughtful Saeed, but as their different paths in life converge, ordinary life gives way to the insults of war. Mohsin Hamid conveys the story of these young refugees with tenderness, humanizing the horrors that we too often see as merely headlines. As chaos touches so many lives around the globe, Hamid writes eloquently of the beauty found in our struggle to survive. This is more than a timely story; this is a remarkable work of art.”

Luisa Smith, Book Passage