State of Paradise                                           

Laura van den Berg

Farrar, Straus and Giroux/ Macmillan

    This is a strange and strangely moving work. Its setting is a Florida of, and not of, our time. There are many recognizable events and people, and more who are partially or wholly from this wondrous imagination. All of it comes together to be an enjoyable, sometimes funny, portrait of a future we're not hoping for, beautifully portrayed as it is.

If you want to know more about, or own this book, please check with your local independent bokstore or this fine place: bookshop.org

 Fire Exit                               

by Morgan Talty

Tin House

     This is a strong, quiet, look at family, secrets, friendship, the price of truth and the price of culture. Charles is not a young man as he's trying to care for his long estranged mother, still torn about the daughter whose life he's not in, caring for an often lapsed AA friend, and trying to stay sober himself while facing all of his past, and the Native heritage that is not his.

     You'll think about this long after you finish.

If you would like to know more about, or own this book, please contact your local independent bookstore or this great place: bookshop.org .

 James

by Percival Everett

PenguinRandomHouse

    Everything you've heard about this amazing novel is an understatement.  This is more than you can imagine. Fear, adventure, love and warmth, which don't try to mitigate the horrors of slavery in this retelling of Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. 

    This should be required reading for everyone.

If you would like to know more about this book, or own it, please try your local independent bookstore or this great place - bookshop.org

 Anita de Monte Laughs Last 

by Xochitl Gonzalez

Macmillan Publishers

    This is a strong, delightful look at inclusion, the art world, learning to deal with university life, and much more.

    Money, family and status are deciding and dividing factors for Raquel Toro as she navigates her final years at Brown University. Her coming to understand all these as having too much control of her life is juxtaposed against her learning the story of Anita de Monte - another well drawn character based on the life of Ana Mendieta, a deceased artist with very similar issues to overcome.

    There is humor and stress as you wait for Raquel to recognize her own worth and just how slimy and controlling her rich, white boyfriend is. Worth the ride.

If you'd like to learn more about, or purchase this book, please check your local independent bookstore or this great place bookshop.org .

 Wandering Stars

by Tommy Orange

PenguinRandomHouse

    This book deserves all the accolades it is getting. The family's history is beautifully done with never an overstatement. The hard-fought love and reliance of the contemporary family echoes back generations.

    The writing is beautiful and harrowing. The descriptions of getting high may force you to get up and take deep breaths to mediate their strength.

    An amazing work of art that should not be missed.

If you'd like to know more about this book, or purchase it, please check with your local independent bookstore or this great place bookshop.org.

 Ferris

by Kate DiCamillo

Candlewick Press

    What a great read. And I'm not a middle-grader.* The beauty of language shines through all the wonderful characters in this book. There is so much love in the family and friends, even the exterminator. DiCamillo manages to so completely present each character in a minimum of words, it's amazing.

    And the vocabulary glistens - teaches without ever being condescending or even feeling like learning. Who knew a mess of moths was an eclipse?

    I hope we get many more books about the fabulous Wilkey family and their friends.

    * I worked at an S&H Green Stamp Redemption Center in high school.

If you'd like to learn more about, or purchase this, or any of Kate DiCamillo's fabulous books, please check your local independent bookstore or this great place bookshop.org

 Deacon King Kong

by James McBride

PenguinRandomHouse

     Why Deacon King Kong, aka Sportcoat, shoots a young man whom he clearly loved and had tried to save with baseball, is only one of the compelling mysteries in this great book. All of the questions come to be seen as revolving around love, hope and change - for the wonderful, disparate characters McBride brings to credible life.  Not to be missed.

If you would like to know more about this book, or purchase it, please check with your local independent bookstore or this very good place bookshop.org .