Simon&Schuster

I know that book groups might be hesitant to read a book that falls into the Young Adult genre, but truly I think any story that can depict childhood and coming of age in a way that can immerse both young and adult readers, is a story that is well worth discussion. In When Things Come Back 17 year-old Cullen narrates what happens when his small town suddenly becomes a hotspot after what was thought to be extinct woodpecker is spotted. Cullen is both impressed and mortified by his town's transformation—suddenly his peers are sporting woodpecker inspired haircuts and bird-watching becomes an ideal date. But then when his 15-year-old brother goes missing amidst the chaos, Cullen’s surprise turns to something more vigilant and shadowed. The gift of this YA novel (which was the winner of the coveted Michael Printz award) is the way that regret, surprise, and humor are all interweaved. Layered and remarkably unique, this novel calls to mind how ordinary and extraordinary are only a coin’s throw apart.

It is 1918, and having survived the horrors of the First World War, Tom Sherbourne enlists as a lighthouse keeper on remote Janus Rock, the last point of land where two oceans diverge. Thawed by the seclusion and ritual of this life, Tom meets and falls in love with his wife Isabel on a trip to the mainland. The two return to the lighthouse and begin an intimate and almost sacred homemaking. But when Isabel suffers multiple miscarriages, the island’s seclusion starts to feel precarious and haunted. Until a day comes when a boat carrying a dead man and a screaming baby washes up on the shore. Isabel and Tom make a decision that enters them into that gray area when there is no clear right or wrong. The ripple effect of this decision becomes a pulsing force, and ultimately the novel questions life, the beauty and ugliness of it, the light and dark of it, and the shades in between.

Where are you going to take your vacation this year? Disneyland’s too crowded, and Paris is overdone. Wait-how about a when, instead of a where? Oh, well, I guess a where and a when. I’ve got to tell you, I’ve got the perfect guide too. Local customs, idioms, the best food, where to stay–read this and it’s like you’d actually lived there. Where do you want to go this summer?

This interlocking collection of short stories swept me up and firmly invaded my heart. Each story features women attempting to deal with serious experiences, and sheds light on the inner struggles that we don't always share and sometimes won't even admit to. There's humor here, lurking in the shadows of their hearts. Schappell moves you through their lives with ease, beauty and honesty.

Family drama with a rock-and-roll twist, Stone Arabia is the might-have- and should-have-beens for a pair of middle-aged siblings. Denise weathers her unexciting life, taking care of everyone, including the brother she can’t help but help. Nik’s poured all of his dreams and frustrations into the rock star he never was, chronicling his parallel, truer life in writing, absolving himself from responsibility for his honest one. A sad and true story; real, but cool.

Even at the brink of war, you believe your life will be normal; safe, though hardly anything to stir the heart, beyond the minimum required. A typewriter changes everything for Sira, whose passion and verve are sparked. Relying on talent and charm to navigate her way across heartache in strange countries, she finds herself not merely on a quest for her own happiness, but a key player in the intrigues determining the outcome of WWII.

This fun novel continues where the previous left off, with Kaala and her human fighting to prove wolves and humans can co-exist. At first, Kaala thinks she’s just struggling save her own pack, but soon discovers more is at stake. This is a good sequel, expanding characters and leaving you hanging. If you haven’t read the first book, this is a great time to do so, but the prologue can catch you up

What does a therapist do with a patient who seems really, extra deluded? Become obsessed with him (of course!). Such is the bizarre tale of Vick and her patient Y__, a tale only Klosterman - with his knack for capturing the absurdity of society, pop culture, and the concept of normality - could conceive. This is a dizzying, kaleidoscope of a novel, fast paced, and slyly funny.

Every year, the monarch butterflies fly more than two thousand miles to return to their winter home in Mexico. Now Luz Avila makes that same perilous journey south as she honors a vow to her beloved "abuela"--the grandmother who raised her--to return her ashes to her ancestral village. As Luz departs Milwaukee in a ramshackle old VW Bug, she finds her heart opened by a series of seemingly random encounters with remarkable women. This is a beautifully written story of family, place and the migration of the monarch butterfly.

We are thrilled to be carrying this cooking series from Hirsheimer and Hamilton, two fantastic food writers and photographers whose culinary credentials include Saveur magazine. Published three times a year, each small book has a specific focus and is packed with their great recipes and gorgeous photos. Both authors are foodies who cook for their families, so their recipes are interesting and creative, but still totally doable for home cooks. While we eagerly await Issue 8, you can pick up any of the previous volumes on our shelves.