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Staff Picks

I loved this novel all about the relationships between mothers and daughters. As well as the power of female friendship. Amy Tan is a powerful, lyrical writer. [Karen]

This is by far the best book I read in 2020. It is devastating, lyrical, and a damn fine story about the life and death of a young transgender person in Nigeria. This book is so engrossing and well written that I got completely lost in the story! [Christina]

As a former restaurant server in bustling, high-end NYC establishments, I devoured this whole. Beautiful written accounts of the toxic and addicting lifestyles of many restaurant professionals and the drama that unfolds behind the scenes. [Jessica]

Gold Diggers is a page-turning story of familial love and sacrifice, magical lemonade, and what happens in the intersection of what we want for ourselves and what is expected of us. Centered around an Indian American family and spanning decades, this book does not disappoint. [Kate]

This short story collection of Queer, PNW horror and speculative fiction is wickedly funny! The stories are kitschy and will make you gasp, cringe, and cry, but ultimately, leave you with a feeling of hope. I love what this collection and everything it represents. [Christina]

This book took my breath away. From womanhood to motherhood to class struggle, Breasts and Eggs does not hold back. Kawakami - and her translators - are incredible. [Kate]

The ultimate Western that transcends the genre. Characters both haunting and comedic. You will feel a world so vivid its like you yourself are a cowboy. I even ended up buying a cowboy hat. [Karen]

This novel is a quick read and it’s full of adventure. It takes place in modern-day London and hashes out class & gender struggles as well as the issue of gentrification as it follows several points of view of the well-defined characters - including sex workers, street-dwellers and entitled heirs. Boredom will *not* be an issue whilst reading this one. [Jessica]

This collection of essays (written by a phenomenal poet) is smart, intricate and incredibly well written. It's a short read, but it now lives next to my favorite poetic reference books on my bookshelf. Most of the essays center around gender, ethnicity, nationhood and the intersectionality of all three as they relate to the author's identity as a Queer Native American. The essays are deeply personal and thought-provoking. I devoured this book. If you enjoy Mary Ruefle or Maggie Nelson, you'll love this book!

The Horror! No, really, this horror/dystopian novel about medical experimentation on African Americans is spooky, to say the least. I listened to the audio book, which was expertly narrated, and the story itself is riveting and believably suspenseful. I couldn't stop reading/listening. I was absolutely hooked on this novel, start to finish [Christina].