Reaching New Heights

With Wicked Beauty, #5 on our trade paperback list, Katee Robert “returns to the gritty, futuristic city of Olympus and its ruling council of 13 ‘gods’ for another deliciously erotic modernization of Greek myth,” per our starred review. In this third installment of her Dark Olympus series, the author’s “smart, savvy plotting and nuanced characters draw readers in immediately, and her juxtaposition of mythology and modernity remains pure gold.”

No Bones About It

Some 4.5 million fans follow the TikTok exploits of Jonathan Graziano’s pug, Noodle, checking in to see whether the senior dog is having a “bones” day or a “no bones” day. If he stands up, it’s a “bones” day, and Noodle’s ready to embrace whatever it has in store. If he collapses, it’s a “no bones” day, and the takeaway for viewers is that, like weary Noodle, they too deserve rest and self-care. Now, Graziano and illustrator Dan Tavis bring canine philosophy to the page with Noodle and the No Bones Day, #2 on our picture book list. “For readers of all ages needing a little recharge affirmation,” our review said, “Noodles’ ‘bones’ —or lack thereof—will be a balm.”

In Clubland

Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen, the Reese’s Book Club selection for June, debuts at #8 on our hardcover fiction list.

“Chen spins a clever tale offering two sides of a story involving a complicated friendship and knockoff handbags,” our review said, praising the author’s “sharp, convincing details of the fashion industry and its shadow market, which lends this tale of fakes the tang of authenticity.”

Two spots below, Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley is the month’s Oprah’s Book Club pick. “Mottley, Oakland’s former youth poet laureate, debuts with a bold and beautiful account of two Black siblings striving to thrive and survive,” per our starred review. “Scenes of realism are rendered with a poet’s eye,” the review continued, as the main character, Kiara, “experiences moments of beauty and joy by tagging an underpass wall with spray paint, learning to swim in a dirty pool, and finding shelter in the arms of a friend.”

NEW & NOTABLE

James Patterson
James Patterson
#1 Hardcover Nonfiction, #10 overall
The mega-bestselling novelist offers a “blithe blend of personal asides, fan trivia, and hot takes” in this memoir, our review said. He recently apologized for comments he made to the U.K.’s Sunday Times shortly after the book’s publication: “I absolutely do not believe that racism is practiced against white writers,” he clarified in a statement.

Forging Silver into Stars
Brigid Kemmerer
#22 Children’s Fiction
“This captivating series launch,” our starred review said, is set in the same YA fantasy world as and after the events of the author’s Cursebreaker books. “Kemmerer’s latest boasts propulsive, intricate plotting and intimate first-person-present narration,” per our review, and a “gentle budding romance” between two lead characters.