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
There is a lot of African American history and culture packed in this cookbook and one of my favourite parts is the stories behind each recipe. Learning about cultures that provide us with our favourite foods today is necessary. The history and recipes are there, but it's up to us to put in the work. Recipes I recommend (so far): Baked Macaroni & Cheese, Hibiscus & Ginger Sweet Tea, and Sweet Potato Pie!
Sinny
You've seen those author interviews where the question is inevitably asked, "if you were to host a dinner party and could invite anyone you wanted who would you invite and why?" In this volume, Erica Heller, daughter of author Joseph Heller, makes it lunch and brings together the responses of 50 notable personalities like Michael Douglas, Daniel Bellow, and Bob Balaban to name a few. Questions one has always wanted answered by a loved one or admired mentor are fully fleshed out over a shared meal. Lovely distracting reading for our current times.
Ellen
Someday soon, the impossible will happen. And in all likelihood, we won't even notice.
John
The folk revival of the 1950s and 60s didn't just stem from Pete Seeger or Peter, Paul, and Mary. It was built on the back of one of the most famous folk singers of the day who I'd never heard of Odetta. In this thorough biography tells her story, which is fascinating and unfortunately familiar.
Meaghan
We Ride Upon Sticks is one of my favorite releases of 2020 so far! Quan Berry’s characters are wonderful and real and she absolutely nails the dynamics of high school sports. Though the focus of winning a championship is one many of us can relate to, the thread of supernatural suspense holding this together kept me turning the pages faster than you can say Emilio Estevez!
Caleb
Meet Darren Mathews, a black Texas Ranger tangled in a web of conflicting loyalties--to his job, his wife, his family, his home. After personal allegiance puts Darren's job at risk, he finds himself caught up in a mystery that causes the racial fault lines in a small Texas town to erupt. Bluebird, Bluebird kicks off a series you won't want to miss!
Rebecca
A hapless millennial's smart appliances decide she needs some help with her career, her love life, and her relationship with her mother. Always listen to your refrigerator.
Sarah
A delightfully sassy historical look at Black hair culture, its racialization and colonization, and a call to free the locks.
Stacey
Bluets, an essay of sorts told through 240 loosely-linked prose poems, is an intricate and dreamlike reading experience. At its core, the writing focuses on the author’s attraction to the color blue, the end of a romantic relationship, and the care of a friend who becomes quadriplegic after an accident. These intensely personal experiences—presented alongside the ideas of other writers, artists, and philosophers—create new ways of thinking about perception and personal suffering.
Justin, Writer in Residence for Adults
