#novel

Barnes & NobleAt Dark, I Become Loathsome|HardcoverFrom Eric LaRocca—Bram Stoker Award–nominated and Splatterpunk Award–winning author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke—comes At Dark, I Become Loathsome, a grim yet gentle, horrifying yet hopeful, intense tale of death, trauma, and...

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**Julia S.** @booktweeting@zirk.us · 4d

Julia S. @booktweeting@zirk.us

A SET OF SUPERNATURAL MURDERS spurs a close-knit group of friends into action in this charming cozy paranormal mystery. Small-town Arizona setting, mystical lore, and a touch of romance combine in an entertaining read. B PLUS

https://bethdolgner.com/products/terminated-at-the-trailhead-nightmare-arizona-paranormal-cozy-mysteries-book-9-paperback

bethdolgner.comTerminated at the Trailhead (Nightmare, Arizona Paranormal Cozy Mysteries Book 9) Paperback

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**Julia S.** @booktweeting@zirk.us · 6d

Julia S. @booktweeting@zirk.us

EVANESCENT YET VIVID novel about an Albanian interpreter whose grasp of boundaries, connections, and sometimes even reality is unsettled. Stunning writing, gorgeous and loving depictions of both New York and Tirana. B PLUS

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/misinterpretation-ledia-xhoga/1144735718?ean=9781959030805

Barnes & NobleMisinterpretation|PaperbackFinalist for the 2024 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize “Absolutely gorgeous. Taut as a thriller, lovely as a watercolor.”—Jennifer Croft “Deft and insightful. . . . exceptional.”—Idra Novey In...

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**Julia S.** @booktweeting@zirk.us · Mar 6

Mar 6

Julia S. @booktweeting@zirk.us

DELIGHTFULLY WITTY, THOUGHTFUL, and beautifully observed romantic comedy of manners combines a great (and twisty!) plot, some sharp satire of Hollywood in the age of social media, lovely family moments, and some spicy, steamy scenes. A MINUS

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christa-comes-out-of-her-shell-abbi-waxman/1143793941?ean=9780593198780

Barnes & NobleChrista Comes Out of Her Shell|PaperbackJust when she thought she’d gotten far enough away . . . a life-changing phone call throws an antisocial scientist back into her least favorite place—the spotlight. A hilarious and insightful new novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill...

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**earthling** @appassionato@mastodon.social · Mar 3

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The Plain of Jars by Nicholas Lombardi, 2007

An action-adventure drama set in Laos, before and after the secret war conducted by the United States, that includes cultural and historical elements.

What would you do if you found that the bones and ashes you were given by the Air Force were not the remains of your loved one? Dorothy Kozeny, a 64-year-old widow from a small town in Ohio, after getting no answers from the relevant authorities, decides the only thing to do is to go to Laos herself to search for the truth concerning her son's fate. In 1990, accompanied by a trusted Laotian called Kampeng, Dorothy travels deep into the mountains of rural Laos, attempting to trace her son's path through inhospitable terrain, an unforgettable trek that provides her with a rewarding, often humorous, and at times frustrating, cross-cultural experience. All clues lead her to a mysterious figure, an alledged CIA operative left over from the war, living in a remote and hostile area deep in the jungle. The second part of the book traces the life of this enigmatic character hiding in Laos, the two main characters linked through Dorothy's son.

**earthling** @appassionato@mastodon.social · Mar 3

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Hard to Be a God by Arkadi Strugatski, 1974

This 1963 masterpiece is widely considered one of the best novels of the greatest Russian writers of science fiction. It tells the story of Don Rumata, who is sent from Earth to the medieval kingdom of Arkanar with instructions to observe and to save what he can.

**earthling** @appassionato@mastodon.social · Mar 3

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The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce, 2012

Harold Fry embarks on an urgent quest. Determined to walk six hundred miles to the hospice, Harold believes that as long as he walks, Queenie will live. A novel of charm, humor, and profound insight into the thoughts and feelings we all bury deep within our hearts,

“[A] gorgeously poignant novel of hope and transformation.”—O: The Oprah Magazine

“A cause for celebration . . . [Joyce] has a lovely sense of the possibilities of redemption. In this bravely unpretentious and unsentimental take, she’s cleared space where miracles are still possible.”—Ron Charles, The Washington Post

“The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is not just a book about lost love. It is about all the wonderful everyday things Harold discovers through the mere process of putting one foot in front of the other.”—Janet Maslin, The New York Times

**earthling** @appassionato@mastodon.social · Mar 3

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The Leisure Seeker: A Novel by Michael Zadoorian, 2009

Now a major motion picture starring Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland

“*The Leisure Seeker is pretty much like life itself: joyous, painful, moving, tragic, mysterious, and not to be missed.”—Booklist*

The Robinas have shared a wonderful life for more than sixty years. Now in their eighties, Ella suffers from cancer and John has Alzheimer's. Yearning for one last adventure, the self-proclaimed "down-on-their-luck geezers" kidnap themselves from the adult children and doctors who seem to run their lives and steal away from their home in suburban Detroit on a forbidden vacation of rediscovery. ****
With Ella as his vigilant copilot, John steers their '78 Leisure Seeker RV along the forgotten roads of Route 66 toward Disneyland in search of a past they're having a damned hard time remembering. Yet Ella is determined to prove that, when it comes to life, you can go back for seconds—even when everyone says you can't.

**earthling** @appassionato@mastodon.social · Mar 3

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The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, 2012

In The Fault in Our Stars, John Green has created a soulful novel that tackles big subjects--life, death, love--with the perfect blend of levity and heart-swelling emotion. Hazel is sixteen, with terminal cancer, when she meets Augustus at her kids-with-cancer support group.

The two are kindred spirits, sharing an irreverent sense of humor and immense charm, and watching them fall in love even as they face universal questions of the human condition--How will I be remembered? Does my life, and will my death, have meaning?--has a raw honesty that is deeply moving. --Seira Wilson
Review
“An electric portrait of young people who learn to live life with one foot in the grave. Filled with staccato bursts of humor and tragedy, The Fault in Our Stars takes a spin on universal themes--Will I be loved? Will I be remembered? Will I leave a mark on this world?--by dramatically raising the stakes for the characters who are asking.”
--Jodi Picoult, author of My Sister’s Keeper and Sing You Home
"A novel of life and death and the people caught in between, The Fault in Our Stars is John Green at his best. You laugh, you cry, and then you come back for more." -- Markus Zusak, bestselling and Printz Honor winning author of The Book Thief
"John Green writes incredible, honest truths about the secret, weird hearts of human beings. He makes me laugh and gasp at the beauty of a sentence or the twist of a tale. He is one of the best writers alive and I am seething with envy of his talent." --E. Lockhart, National Book Award Finalist and Printz Honorwinning author of The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks and The Boyfriend List

**earthling** @appassionato@mastodon.social · Mar 3

Warrior of the Light by Paulo Coelho

Warrior of the Light: A Manual is an inspirational companion to The Alchemist. Every short passage invites us to live out our dreams, to embrace the uncertainty of life, and to rise to our own unique destiny. In his inimitable style, Paulo Coelho helps bring out the Warrior of the Light within each of us.

He also shows readers how to embark upon the way of the Warrior: the one who appreciates the miracle of being alive, the one who accepts failure, and the one whose quest leads him to become the person he wants to be.

**earthling** @appassionato@mastodon.social · Mar 3

War with Russia by Richard Shirreff

Former deputy commander of NATO General Sir Richard Shirreff speaks out about this very real peril in this call to arms, a novel that is a barely disguised version of the truth. In chilling prose, it warns allied powers and the world at large that we risk catastrophic nuclear conflict if we fail to contain Russia's increasingly hostile actions.

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The rapid rise in Russia's power over the course of the last ten years has been matched by a stunning lack of international diplomacy on the part of its president, Vladimir Putin. One consequence of this, when combined with Europe's rapidly shifting geopolitics, is that the West is on a possible path toward nuclear war.
In a detailed plotline that draws upon Shirreff's years of experience in tactical military strategy, Shirreff lays out the most probable course of action Russia will take to expand its influence, predicting that it will begin with an invasion of the Baltic states.

**earthling** @appassionato@mastodon.social · Mar 3

Walkaway by Cory Doctorow

Cory Doctorow's first adult novel in eight years: an epic tale of revolution, love, post-scarcity, and the end of death.

**earthling** @appassionato@mastodon.social · Mar 3

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Wake in Fright by Kenneth Cook, 2012

Wake in Fright tells the tale of John Grant's journey into an alcoholic, sexual and spiritual nightmare. It is the original and the greatest outback horror story. Bundanyabba and its citizens will forever haunt its readers. This edition includes an introduction by Peter Temple and an afterword by David Stratton. Wake in Fright was made into a film in 1971, arguably the greatest film ever made in Australia.

It starred Donald Pleasence, Chips Rafferty, and Jack Thompson in his first screen role. Lost for many years, the restored film was re-released to acclaim in 2009. Kenneth Cook was born in Sydney in 1929. Wake in Fright was published in 1961 to high praise in New York and London, and launched Cook's writing career. Cook wrote twenty-one books in all, along with screenplays and scripts for radio and TV. Peter Temple is one of Australia's finest writers. His novel Truth won the 2010 Miles Franklin Award and the Victorian Premier's Literary Award. Temple has written nine novels and has been published in more than twenty countries. David Stratton is co-presenter of At the Movies on ABC television and film critic for the Australian. He has also served as a President of the International Critics Jury for the Cannes and Venice Film Festivals, written three books and is currently lecturing in Film History at the University of Sydney. textclassics.com.au 'It might be fifty years since the novel appeared yet it retains its freshness, its narrative still compels, and its bleak vision still disquiets...Cook can make us feel the heat, see the endless horizon, hear the sad singing on a little train as it traverses the monotonous plain.' Peter Temple, from the Introduction 'Wake in Fright deserves its status as a modern classic. Cook's prose is masterful and the story is gripping from the first page to the last.' M. J. Hyland 'A classic novel which became a classic film.

**Plain Reading Podcast** @plainreading@mstdn.social · Mar 3

Plain Reading Podcast @plainreading@mstdn.social

Just finished Liam Heneghan's fantastic #novel, Through Pleated Light. Here's hoping the second installment of time-traveling St. Patrick and the world of the Sidhe will come out soon!

Liam's talking to us on season 3 of the #podcast — stay tuned for spring 2025!

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**earthling** @appassionato@mastodon.social · Mar 2

Violeta by Isabel Allende, 2022

This sweeping novel from the author of A Long Petal of the Sea **tells the epic story of Violeta Del Valle, a woman whose life spans one hundred years and bears witness to the greatest upheavals of the twentieth century.

“An immersive saga about a passion-filled life.”

Violeta comes into the world on a stormy day in 1920, the first girl in a family with five boisterous sons. From the start, her life is marked by extraordinary events, for the ripples of the Great War are still being felt, even as the Spanish flu arrives on the shores of her South American homeland almost at the moment of her birth.
Through her father’s prescience, the family will come through that crisis unscathed, only to face a new one as the Great Depression transforms the genteel city life she has known. Her family loses everything and is forced to retreat to a wild and beautiful but remote part of the country. There, she will come of age, and her first suitor will come calling.
She tells her story in the form of a letter to someone she loves above all others, recounting times of devastating heartbreak and passionate affairs, poverty and wealth, terrible loss and immense joy. Her life is shaped by some of the most important events of history: the fight for women’s rights, the rise and fall of tyrants, and ultimately not one, but two pandemics.
Through the eyes of a woman whose unforgettable passion, determination, and sense of humor carry her through a lifetime of upheaval, Isabel Allende once more brings us an epic that is both fiercely inspiring and deeply emotional.

**earthling** @appassionato@mastodon.social · Mar 2

The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman, 2019

"Oh, what a book this is! Hoffman's exploration of the world of good and evil, and the constant contest between them, is unflinching; and the humanity she brings to us—it is a glorious experience. The book builds and builds, as she weaves together, seamlessly, the stories of people in the most desperate of circumstances—and then it delivers with a tremendous punch."

"It opens up the world, the universe, in a way that it absolutely unique. By the end you may be weeping." —Elizabeth Strout, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Olive Kitteridge

"Alice Hoffman's new novel will break your heart, and then stitch it back together piece by piece. It's about love and loss, about history and the world today, about what happens when man goes against the laws of nature for good and for evil. It's my new favorite Hoffman book—and if you know how much I adore her writing, that's truly saying something." —Jodi Picoult, New York

**earthling** @appassionato@mastodon.social · Mar 2

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The Revenant by Michael Punke, 2015

Based on a true story, The Revenant is an epic tale of revenge set in the Rocky Mountains and a major motion picture, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

**earthling** @appassionato@mastodon.social · Mar 2

The Overstory by Richard Powers

In his twelfth novel, National Book Award winner Richard Powers delivers a sweeping, impassioned novel of activism and resistance that is also a stunning evocation of—and paean to—the natural world.

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A monumental novel about trees and people by one of our most "prodigiously talented" (The New York Times Book Review) novelists.
An Air Force loadmaster in the Vietnam War is shot out of the sky, then saved by falling into a banyan. An artist inherits a hundred years of photographic portraits, all of the same doomed American chestnut. A hard-partying undergraduate in the late 1980s electrocutes herself, dies, and is sent back into life by creatures of air and light. A hearing- and speech-impaired scientist discovers that trees are communicating with one another. These four, and five other strangers—each summoned in different ways by trees—are brought together in a last and violent stand to save the continent's few remaining acres of virgin forest.

**earthling** @appassionato@mastodon.social · Mar 2

The New Adventures of Sinbad the Sailor by Salim Bachi, 2013

A tale of our times—sometimes cruel, often funny and always fascinating—this novel tells the story of a man coming to grips with the stark realities of war within the framework of legend. It is at once a reconciliation of East and West and a resounding judgement on the state of the modern world.

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Sinbad the Sailor is reborn as a young, adventurous man in modern day Algeria, who has joined the waves of North African immigration into Europe. Accompanied by a mysterious mongrel and his Senegalese friend Robinson, this lover of women and beauty embarks on a journey around the Mediterranean—from Algiers to Damascus, passing through Rome, Paris, Baghdad, through the refugee camps and the deceitful glimmer of the Western world—that takes him on a headlong pursuit of happiness and love.

**earthling** @appassionato@mastodon.social · Mar 2