Alta Journal’s California Book Club
The book: Solito by Javier Zamora
Our reviewer says: "Poet Zamora presents an immensely moving story of desperation and hardship in this account of his childhood migration from El Salvador to the U.S.... This sheds an urgent and compassionate light on the human lives caught in an ongoing humanitarian crisis." Read more.
The book: Bite by Bite by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
Our reviewer says: "Poet Nezhukumatathil presents a smorgasbord of concise and lyrical odes to foods linked to some of her most important memories.... Readers will find this to be an appealing if inconsistent banquet." Read more.
The book: Everything and Nothing at Once by Joél Leon
Our reviewer says: "Leon’s lucid prose elevates his perceptive insights into the need for more expansive visions of Black masculinity. This auspicious outing announces Leon as a writer to watch." Read More.
The book: You Are Here by David Nicholls
Our reviewer says: "Two lonely strangers meet while hiking England’s Coast to Coast Walk in the witty latest from Nicholls.... Fans of the author’s previous books will get just what they came for." Read more.
Black Men Read and Mocha Girls Read Book Club
The book: All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby
Our reviewer says: "In this superb thriller from Anthony Award winner Cosby, Titus Crown, the first Black sheriff of Charon County, Va., is investigating a high school shooting that leaves a history teacher and his killer dead.... This is easily the author’s strongest work to date." Read more.
The book: The Friday Afternoon Club by Griffin Dunne
Our reviewer says: "After Hours actor Griffin recounts in his bittersweet debut how movies, madness, and murder have touched his celebrated American family.... The result is a raucously entertaining homage to an unforgettable dynasty." Read more.
The book: The Next Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
Our reviewer says: "This wicked sequel to The Last Mrs. Parrish resumes the scandalous story of Jackson Parrish, his scheming second wife, Amber, and his ex-wife, Daphne.... Constantine lays the glamour and nastiness on thick, resulting in an acidic thriller that delights with every twist of the knife."
The book: I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue
Our reviewer says: "Sue debuts with a delightfully quirky office comedy about a 33-year-old administrative assistant’s interpersonal battles in a Canadian supermarket chain’s regional office.... This is a must-read for fans of Joshua Ferris’s Then We Came to the End." Read more.
Good Morning America Book Club
The book: Malas by Marcela Fuentes
Our reviewer says: "Fuentes debuts with the astonishing story of two malas, or women who challenge traditional Mexican gender norms.... Fans of Ana Castillo and Erika Sanchez will be thrilled." Read more.
Jewish Book Council Book Club (fiction)
The book: The Rabbi Who Prayed for the City by Rachel Sharona Lewis
Jewish Book Council Book Club (nonfiction)
The book: Liberty Street by Jason K. Friedman
Our reviewer says: "In this meticulous account, short story writer Friedman (Fire Year) pieces together the complicated history of a Jewish family in the antebellum South.... [A] revealing prism through which to examine a dark period of American history." Read more.
The book: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
Our reviewer says: "Sanderson's fondness for misleading the reader and his talent for feeding out revelations and action scenes at just the right pace will keep epic fantasy fans intrigued and hoping for redemptive future installments." Read more.
The book: TBA
The book: Another Word for Love by Carvell Wallace
Our reviewer says: "In this stunning self-portrait, journalist Wallace examines the role of love in his life.... This profoundly compassionate volume hugs the reader tightly and doesn’t let go." Read more.
The book: Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
Our reviewer says: "Bayron’s deconstructive reimagining of the classic fairy tale is ambitious, replacing the happily-ever-after with a tragic legacy and a defiant, feminist tone." Read more.
The book: Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford
Our reviewer says: "Reality TV producer Ford debuts with the charming story of a British home baker’s turn in the spotlight.... Fans of cooking competitions will find this feel-good story delectable." Read more.
The book: Swift River by Essie Chambers
Our reviewer says: "Chambers debuts with a poignant coming-of-age story about a Black girl growing up in a predominantly white New England town north of Boston in 1987.... Chambers’s assured first novel sings." Read more.
The book: The Unwedding by Allie Condie
Our reviewer says: "A divorcée discovers a corpse during her California vacation in the formulaic adult debut from YA bestseller Condie... Unfortunately, Condie’s characters are paper-thin, and she resolves the mystery with a series of implausible contrivances. This misses the mark." Read more.
Reese's Book Club - Summer YA Pick
The book: Twelfth Knight by Alexene Farol Follmuth
The book: Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand
Our reviewer says: "Hilderbrand closes out her long run of Nantucket novels (after The Five-Star Weekend) with an engrossing story of three mysterious newcomers.... [A] worthy note to end on. Readers will be riveted." Read more.
The book: Maybe It's a Sign by E.L. Shen
The book: Becoming Ted by Matt Cain
Our reviewer says: "British journalist Cain serves up a breezy second-act story that traces a 40-something gay man’s unlikely journey to drag stardom.... This sticky-sweet confection goes down smooth enough." Read more.
The book: We Were the Universe by Kimberly King Parsons
Our reviewer says: "In the spunky debut novel from Parsons, a 20-something woman deals with grief and the demands of motherhood by maintaining a prodigious porn habit.... There’s a beating heart at the center of this meandering story." Read more.
