The book: TBA
Alta Journal’s California Book Club
The book: Violent Spring by Gary Phillips
The book: Women's Hotel by Danny Lavery
Our reviewer says: "Lavery’s appealingly offbeat debut novel explores the importance of a women’s hotel in the lives of its residents.... Patient readers will find much to savor." Read more.
The book: Like Mother, Like Mother by Susan Rieger
The book: Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell
Our reviewer says: "Campbell delivers a captivating near-future fantasy set one year after every white person in the United States walked in droves to the nearest body of water and drowned themselves.... This stunning allegory will spark much discussion." Read more.
The book: Didion & Babitz by Lili Anolik
Our reviewer says: "Journalist Anolik follows up Hollywood’s Eve, her 2019 biography of writer Eve Babitz, with a revealing investigation of Babitz’s complicated relationship with Joan Didion... [A] crackling dual biography of two of L.A.’s brightest literary lights." Read more.
CBS New York Book Club and Jewish Book Council Book Club
The book: The Love Elixir or Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman
Our reviewer says: "In this poignant tale of late-in-life love, Loigman showcases her talent for transporting readers into recent history through lovingly researched details and a touch of magical whimsy.... This is a charmer." Read more.
The book: The American Daughters by Maurice Carlos Ruffin
Our reviewer says: "Ruffin (The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You) sets his potent latest in pre–Civil War New Orleans, where an enslaved girl joins a secret resistance movement run by women. [A] stirring story of freedom by any means necessary." Read more.
Good Housekeeping Book Club and Sarah Selects
The book: Pony Confidential by Christina Lynch
Our reviewer says: "Lynch’s rollicking latest rests on a unique question: can a pony be a character witness in a murder case?... Cozy fans looking for something out of the ordinary should saddle up." Read more.
Good Morning America Book Club
The book: The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins
Our reviewer says: "This predictable offering from bestseller Hawkins centers on an enigmatic artist, her socially awkward companion, and a lifelong fan of her work.... This fails to add up to more than the sum of its parts." Read more.
Jewish Book Council Book Club (nonfiction)
The book: The Klansman's Son: My Journey from White Nationalism to Antiracism by R. Derek Black
The book: Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune
Our reviewer says: "Though slightly more preachy and less sophisticated than book one, Klune’s sweet, satisfying sequel to The House in the Cerulean Sea still bursts with charm, wit, and endearing scenes of magical found family." Read more.
The book: Where They Last Saw Her by Marcie R. Rendon
Our reviewer says: "An Ojibwe community organizer investigates the disappearances of two Indigenous women in Rendon’s powerful latest... Rendon has delivered a top-shelf crime story that doubles as a moving testament to Native American resilience." Read more.
The book: Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer
Our reviewer says: "What’s a fan to do when they love the art, but hate the artist? asks book critic and essayist Dederer in this nuanced and incisive inquiry.... Contemplative and willing to tackle the hard questions head on, this pulls no punches." Read more.
The book: Flamer by Mike Curato
Our reviewer says: "Before transitioning from a private Catholic middle school to a public high school, Aiden Navarro, 14, wants to enjoy Boy Scout summer camp.... Emotional and raw." Read more.
The book: Leonardo Da Vinci by Walter Isaacson
Our reviewer says: "Isaacson uses observations and insights in the 7,200 extant pages of notes Leonardo da Vinci left behind as interpretive touchstones for assessing the artist’s life and work.... [A] monumental tribute to a titanic figure." Read more.
The book: This Motherless Land by Nikki May
Our reviewer says: "In this intelligent family drama from May, a British Nigerian girl is twice dislocated from home amid tragedies.... This is worth a look." Read more.
The book: We Will Be Jaguars: A Memoir of My People by Nemonte Nenquimo and Mitch Anderson
Our reviewer says: "In this impassioned autobiography, Nenquimo teams up with her husband, Anderson, to recount her journey from young Indigenous girl to renowned environmental activist.... This fascinates and inspires." Read more.
The book: Heretic: A Memoir by Jeanna Kadlec
Our reviewer says: "A woman reckons with the religious trauma of her upbringing and embarks on a process of self-discovery in this searing debut.... [A] poignant story of being born again in a secular world." Read more.
The book: Luster by Raven Leilani
Our reviewer says: "Leilani debuts with a moving examination of a young black woman’s economic desperation and her relationship to violence. [This] will keep a firm grip on readers all the way to the bitter end." Read more.
The book: Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo, translated by Jamie Chang
Our reviewer says: "Cho’s spirited debut offers a picture of rampant sexism in contemporary South Korea through the experience of a frustrated, subjugated, 33-year-old housewife. This will stir readers..." Read more.
The book: A Council of Dolls by Mona Susan Power
Our reviewer says: "In the wrenching latest from Power, three generations of Dakhóta women grapple with a legacy of mistreatment by the U.S. government.... This story of survival shines brightly. " Read more.
The book: Don't Be a Stranger by Susan Minot
Our reviewer says: "Minot’s lilting if myopic latest revolves around a Manhattanite mother obsessed with a handsome younger man.... There are glimmers of Minot’s great early work, but this doesn’t scale the same heights." More soon.
