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Kelsey Ford: New Year, New You: 9 Books for a Better You, 9 Books for a Worse You (0 comment)

I’m not a huge believer in new year’s resolutions — they always feel like set ups for failure and disappointment instead of the well-meaning self-bettering they’re intended to be. However, I do believe in the fresh promise of a new year and taking the opportunity to deliberately (and gently) think about your routines and what you might be missing...

Keith Mosman: Powell's Picks Spotlight: Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham's 'Lunar New Year Love Story' (0 comment)
Kate Brody: What If the Real Monsters Were Inside Us All Along: Kate Brody’s Movie Playlist for ‘Rabbit Hole’ (0 comment)

Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb Trilogy #1)

Tamsyn Muir

This book went on my list of top favorites upon finishing it. With this story, Tamsyn Muir managed to creep me out, make me laugh really hard, and definitely cry at one point. The characters are endearing while they harbor secrets and face shambling horrors; our protagonist Gideon just wants her longsword and her freedom. The story is set in a fascinating society where necromancy is the main focus of religious worship, and you cannot help but be... (read more)
Recommended by Shayna O.

Space Opera

Catherynne M Valente

This book is like if Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy had a baby with Ziggy Stardust and Eurovision. Valente's use of language is beautiful, funny, and it will not stop for you in this glitter- and stardust-strewn story of when aliens first come to earth. The universal community has decided that wars are stupid and instead they hold a music competition to work through the competitive nature of civilization. The punishment for last place... (read more)
Recommended by Shayna O.

A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1)

V. E. Schwab

A tale of urban fantasy that is up there with Gaiman's Neverwhere, it tells the story of Kell, a rare breed of magician who can travel between parallel versions of London, and Lila, a tough and roguish cross-dressing pirate.
Recommended by Shayna O.

Her Body and Other Parties: Stories

Carmen Maria Machado

I still cannot believe that this is a debut title. It's that good. Every person should read this — they may not get it, but it is worth trying. This book encompasses a lovely, wrenching mix of phenomenal prose, intriguing science fiction premises, and a basis in reality that gets to your core.
Recommended by Shayna O.