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Thriller

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We all want to feel like we belong in the world, that we have people who support and understand us. We make friendships and put our trust in people. But some people need more. It’s not just about belonging; it’s about starting a new way of life.

Abby Mullen’s parents were two such people. Their days in a cult finally ended when their leader set fire to the complex, killing himself and his followers, sparing just a few children, including Abby.

Now a hostage negotiator for the NYPD, Abby knows how to read people and dangerous situations. It’s a job she was made for. After all, growing up in such an environment showed her what makes people tick and the situations that push them too far. Since then, Abby has worked hard to build a normal life for herself and her kids. She never talks about her upbringing.

At least she doesn’t until fellow former cult member Eden Fletcher reappears in her life and begs for Abby’s help in finding her kidnapped son. Could this possibly be related to their past?

Author Michael Omer, best known for his Zoe Bentley thrillers, creates multifaceted characters who try their best to lead rich and fulfilling lives but somehow always fail to outrun their demons.

Does a cult ever really die? Can a person ever really escape? A rich and propulsive read—I was riveted until the last page.

— Jessica Tribble Wells, Editor

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You may recognize Glendy Vanderah’s name, or perhaps the name of her debut novel, Where the Forest Meets the Stars. Hitting numerous bestseller lists and translated around the world, the Goodreads Choice Awards finalist is truly a beloved story. As I first dipped into The Light Through the Leaves, Glendy’s second novel, I suspected within only a few pages that she had delivered yet another masterpiece...

When Ellis, young mother of three, makes a tragic mistake that results in her infant daughter, Viola, being taken, I found myself grieving alongside her. But when she subsequently abandons her family and heads out into the wilderness alone, I thought there was absolutely no way that I could empathize with her choice—and yet, Glendy has a remarkable ability to craft flawed (aka human) characters that you can’t help but to love and root for.

And then, when I met Raven, a young girl with an almost magical quality about her (readers who loved Ursa from Glendy’s first novel or Kya from Where the Crawdads Sing will understand what I mean here) and a true believer in nature’s miracles, I became absolutely convinced that not only will this sophomore novel measure up to the author’s debut, but that it may in fact even become a new favorite. (I said what I said!)

Above all else, what I believe truly makes Glendy’s novels so special is her ability to find hope and love and everyday miracles in even the most difficult moments that life throws at us. And now more than ever, I imagine that’s something we can all use a little more of.

— Alicia Clancy, Editor

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When I first met writer Mortada Gzar at a Seattle café, I was equally dazzled by his storytelling and horrified by his experiences. Before our coffees even arrived, he had me rapt in attention as he told of leaving Iraq in search of his true love, Morise, an African American soldier he met in Baghdad. I winced as he described the devastating violence his community inflicted on him because of his sexuality. I finally lost my composure (and cancelled my afternoon meetings!) as he recounted parting with Morise. I felt the urgency of this memoir: to move beyond trauma, we must first face it. In writing this story, Mortada has the chance not only to heal himself but to change each of us who reads it.

Mortada’s love for Morise drives this memoir, but, like love itself, the tale does not move in a straight line. We follow Mortada around his new home as he discovers Seattle’s public art and natural beauty and as he tells the story of his life in pieces, to a variety of audiences, a few of whom respond... With lyricism and moments of levity, Mortada bravely faces the difficult truths of the world, questioning everything but also trusting in emotion and expression. We can change our hearts first by listening to one another with compassion and by facing the cruelties and injustices together as we work toward peace.

After reading I’m in Seattle, Where Are You?, we might find ourselves closer to those who seem different from us, and perhaps we’ll live alongside even our most painful truths if we wrap them in beauty, imagination, and spirit.

— Gabi Page-Fort, Editor

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Chinese American author Elle Marr writes #ownvoices characters that leap off the pages. As a child, Marissa Mo survived the unimaginable and still found a way to keep going. Now, twenty years later, the media circus has finally died down, and she’s moved on with her life working as a freelance photographer. But there are still moments she looks over her shoulder, fearing the worst.

Living paycheck to paycheck in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon, Marissa is desperate. When an opportunity to photograph crime scenes for a local news outlet arises, Marissa gives a false name to the editor. She has to keep her history a secret, certain that the scrutiny she left behind will resume if she doesn’t. But after an assignment, Marissa spots a stuffed animal outside a crime scene—just like one she had in captivity. And when a cryptic note turns up in her car, Marissa knows her past has officially come back to haunt her.

Lies We Bury is a psychological suspense that chilled me to the bone. Marr explores how long-buried memories and a horrific past shape a person, and more important, how a person overcomes them.

— Megha Parekh, Editor

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There are three things I want to tell you about Liz Talley’s Adulting: First, it’s the story of a Hollywood starlet who rose to fame young and then self-destructed in the public eye (think Drew Barrymore or Lindsay Lohan) and the no-nonsense life coach who is determined to help her stay sober and revamp her career. Throughout their partnership, old traumas are unearthed, and fresh starts are…well, started!

Second, like all Liz Talley novels, it’s a nuanced story with complex, flawed characters who struggle as they grow to overcome their pasts. (And, I want to note, her characters sometimes use colorful language. By that, I mean they occasionally curse like a spoiled actress who got snubbed during awards season.) They’re not always likable—in fact, Chase, the starlet, is a real piece of work at the beginning. But the great thing about Liz Talley novels is that she embraces complication, and that’s exactly my kind of book.

The third thing I want to tell you is this: I love being a part of Liz’s publishing team, and I’m so happy to have this opportunity to share my recommendation with you. Her vibrant stories leave me laughing through my tears, and remind me that life may sometimes be full-up with hurt, trauma, struggle, and ugly crying, but with some rock-solid friends and the courage to learn from mistakes, it’s possible to start again.

— Alison Dasho, Editor

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What is a perfect marriage? Is there such a thing? James and Jessica Sommers, the main characters in Mitzner’s dazzling ninth novel, believe they’ve found it—the second time around. But leaving their first marriages for each other may have come at a dangerous cost.

Adam Mitzner is known for creating airtight plots and characters who are both familiar and wholly original. He’s done it again with The Perfect Marriage. Through seamless shifting points of view—from the ex-spouses, to Jessica’s son, to James’s business associate—we see different perspectives of Jessica and James’s relationship and the events that unfold after they celebrate their first anniversary with a lavish party at their Manhattan loft.

While reading The Perfect Marriage, I began to question how far one should go for true love, as Mitzner explores the brutal consequences of such a singular pursuit. What’s perfect for one person may be deadly for another.

— Liz Pearsons, Editor

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In difficult times, I find that a strong support network is what helps me cope the most. And in Jane Healey’s latest WWII historical novel, The Secret Stealers, Anna Cavanaugh must also lean on her friendships, new and old, to rise above her past and current traumas and find the strength not only to serve her country and the war effort, but to become the best and truest version of herself.

Though there are many things to love about this story, what personally drew me in the most were the inspiring and uplifting relationships that Healey created. Of course, the undercover missions and inherent threat of danger that existed at the time kept me eagerly turning the pages, but watching the development of authentic friendships and hopeful romances unfurling against the backdrop of war and devastation is what ultimately won my heart. Though the story is set eighty years ago under different circumstances, I found a strong sense of connection with Anna’s resilience and the theme that if we can come together in times of need and lift each other up, anything is possible.

And so, with cunning female spies, daring missions into enemy territory, heartwarming friendships, and intoxicating romance, The Secret Stealers—perfect for fans of The Alice Network and The Lost Girls of Paris—has a little something for everyone.

— Alicia Clancy, Editor

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One of the best aspects of working on picture books is the opportunity to introduce an artist to readers. When I saw the cover that author-illustrator Annelouise Mahoney created for this book—her very first—I was enchanted. And I knew readers would be too.

Julius the badger and Macy the mouse live in a forest that they decorate with a moon and stars, and one afternoon, they have an adventure unlike any other. They summon their courage and work together to discover a snack thief. Along the way, they each use their own strengths and come to a most surprising conclusion: the thief is in need of more than just snacks and is maybe not someone to fear after all. And so the tale ends where it began, in a world of imaginary play, but this time with a new friend. Each of the three characters finds themselves a little braver than where they started.

I invite you to introduce Julius and Macy to the children in your life. I hope your little ones are as happy to meet them as I was.

— Kelsey Skea, Editor

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Thriller

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Memoir

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Contemporary Fiction

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Children's Picture Book