N.K. Jemisin may be the best speculative fiction author writing today. Pick this one up if you've read her others--or if you haven't.
Rebecca
A stunning, intimate examination of lives led by black women during the early 20th century who dared to strive for more than white society allowed them to be. Between the stark history, beauty of the prose, and determination of the subjects, this book left me speechless.
Stacey
A single mother tries to protect her sons after her undercover work for the FBI in 1980s Burkina Faso puts her in danger a decade later.
Sarah
The easiest way to describe this book is as a good and compelling Hamlet retelling (starring a trans character!), but it's so much more than that. It's a murder mystery, a revenge story, and a musing about the power of language and intention, with a wonderfully built mythology and a fascinatingly weird narrator.
Ari
This graphic memoir gives a glimpse into the role music played in Pierre’s life from college through age 30- much of which she spent on stages in Camberville. Albums and playlists are included, making this a treasure trove!
Marika
A tale of WWI narrated by Aphrodite. So original, so wonderful!
Robin
You may not have heard of Renaissance painter Artemisia Gentileschi, the first woman to be accepted into the Florence fine arts academy. But Joy McCullough brings her story to vivid life, from her days as a talented (but largely brushed aside) young artist\ to her assault by her mentor and her fight to get him convicted in court--a story that unfortunately still feels familiar today. This gorgeous, devastating, and ultimately uplifting novel-in-verse is the perfect pick for National Poetry Month.
Kate
When Jo's dad, a popular radio preacher, moves them from Atlanta to the small town of Rome, Georgia, he asks Jo to do the impossible: go back in the closet and lie low for her senior year. But when she meets the perfect girl, how can she keep her secret and go after love? The perfect sweet, sexy, teen romance for fans of Love, Simon.
April
In a near-future United States that's all too easy to imagine, Layla and her parents are forced into an internment camp for Muslim-American citizens. Terrifying but ultimately hopeful, this story is about the power of every voice and every witness.
Rebecca
A creative picture book featuring a cast of cute, confused insects conversing in an imagined language. It's a cute book for spring that introduces kids to the idea of life-cycles by way of a little green sprout.
Stacey
