Staff Picks

The Tradition

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The Tradition (Paperback)

By Jericho Brown
$17.00
ISBN: 9781556594861
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Copper Canyon Press - April 2nd, 2019

 

Jericho Brown came highly recommended. Between a Pulitzer prize and the rave reviews of a friend with excellent taste (Cafe Zing's very own Nicky!) I went into this collection with major expectations, and they were all exceeded. Jericho's words have burrowed into my brain, and I'm happy to have them.

 

Caleb

The Vanishing Half

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The Vanishing Half: A Novel (Hardcover)

By Brit Bennett
$27.00
ISBN: 9780525536291
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Riverhead Books - June 2nd, 2020

 

Twin sisters who are born black but can "pass" as white run away from their small Louisiana hometown, but eventually one of them returns. The other never does. Don't let the title fool you though -- all of the characters are clear and so present. I couldn't put this down.  

Heather

The Bromance Book Club

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The Bromance Book Club (Paperback)

By Lyssa Kay Adams
$16.00
ISBN: 9781984806093
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Berkley - November 5th, 2019

 

When star baseball player Gavin Scott's wife asks for a divorce, he finds help from an unexpected source: a secret romance book club made of some of Nashville's most powerful men. With the help of the guys and a steamy Regency romance, Gavin will do everything he can to get his wife back—but will it be enough? And can his wife Thea fight her way through her own relationship struggles to accept Gavin's return? This romance novel is full of heart (and steaminess) and is a very different type of romance novel as it focuses on the hard work that marriage requires. 

April

Two Trees Make a Forest

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Two Trees Make a Forest: In Search of My Family's Past Among Taiwan's Mountains and Coasts (Paperback)

By Jessica J. Lee
$16.95
ISBN: 9781646220007
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Catapult - August 4th, 2020

 

The best nonfiction doesn't just illuminate unfamiliar places and ideas in beautiful prose, doesn't just pose questions to the reader about family, identity, & culture while leading them towards possible answers. It also presents the reader with a path towards their own discovery. Lee's new book does all of the above as she tries to understand her place in the world by understanding her relationship to Taiwan, while also guiding the reader towards the question: What if I explored my home as if it were a foreign country?

Josh 

Take a Hint, Dani Brown

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Take a Hint, Dani Brown: A Novel (The Brown Sisters #2) (Paperback)

By Talia Hibbert
$15.99
ISBN: 9780062941237
Availability: Available at Warehouse
Published: Avon - June 23rd, 2020

The kind of romance that befriends you right away – perfect for reading cover-to-cover in a sun patch. Bonus: you can buy the audiobook on Libro.fm to have one more thing in common with sweet Zafir, a former rugby player with general anxiety and a love of romances-on-tape.

Leila

It’s Kind of a Funny Story

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It's Kind of a Funny Story (Paperback)

By Ned Vizzini
$9.99
ISBN: 9780786851973
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Disney-Hyperion - May 1st, 2007

 

In this relatable YA novel Ned Vizzini manages to take a heavy topic like mental illness and deliver it in an entertaining and comical way. This story follows a fifteen year-old boy, Craig, who is hospitalized for his depression. On his journey to recovery he meets a variety of interesting characters along the way. They are so well developed that it felt as though they might jump right out of the pages. This book gave me the best company in the days where I felt the most alone- it gave me a good share of laughs too. The intriguing setting as well as the electric character dynamics earned this book a forever place in my top 10.

Hannah

Comics: Easy as ABC!

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Comics: Easy as ABC: The Essential Guide to Comics for Kids (Paperback)

By Ivan Brunetti, Francoise Mouly (Introduction by)
$9.99
ISBN: 9781943145393
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Toon Graphics - April 2nd, 2019

 

I get a lot of requests for drawing books...and it’s not just because I’m an art professor! Full of cartooning exercises, this book is great if you’re looking for a summertime activity, or know a kid who’s into comics.

Marika

Just South of Home

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Just South of Home (Paperback)

By Karen Strong
$8.99
ISBN: 9781534419391
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - July 7th, 2020

 

Author Strong doesn't shy away from racial violence in this MG story, and she slams it out of the park. It's a chilling ghost story wrapped in an endearing tale of family and friendship. For kids who may not like reading non-fiction, this could be a good bridge towards discussions of White violence against Black bodies. Also all of the characters are just so adorable!

Stacey

The Belles

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The Belles (Paperback)

By Dhonielle Clayton
$10.99
ISBN: 9781484732519
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Freeform - February 5th, 2019

 

They say that you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but you absolutely should because this cover delivers. The Belles brings forth the neverending misconception of how beauty means good, when in reality, beauty is dark and dangerous. The world that Dhonielle Clayton creates draws you in with beauty, but darkness and an unstable society is what you end up staying for.

Sinny

Flygirl

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Flygirl (Paperback)

By Sherri L. Smith
$9.99
ISBN: 9780142417256
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Penguin Books - September 16th, 2010

 

All Ida Mae Jones wants to do is fly--but her dream seems impossible until the United States enters World War II. In order to join the new women's pilot program, Ida decides to "pass" as white. But things never turn out exactly as hoped... Perfect for readers looking for a new angle on a well-covered historical period.

Rebecca

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