Fiction Recommendations

The silky/sinister LA novel always captivates me, and this joy of a read is also loaded with the protagonist’s precarious drinking, her avoidance of adulthood, and her dance with her true potential. Perfect for lovers of Joan Didion’s Play It As It Lays and Nathaniel West’s Day of the Locust. Just ignore the publisher copy on the back of this book; our “dreamy young” heroine doesn’t move between Los Angeles and New York City, she exists stubbornly on the Best Coast. But The New York Times Book Review has it right: “This novel is studded with sharp observations… Babitz’s talent for the brilliant line, honed to a point, never interferes with her feel for languid pleasures.” - Chorel

This timely novel is framed as a college love triangle involving two friends and their new professor, but it’s much more than that. Told from multiple perspectives in Pennsylvania, Berlin and Paris, each storyline presents a nuanced look at loneliness and intimacy. The events take place in 2008, but Berman intelligently grapples with many of today’s #MeToo issues. - Kristi

A Little Life revolves around a diverse group of talented young men in New York City set on establishing their adult lives. With some devastating descriptions of childhood trauma, it can be a difficult read at times but the main character’s suffering finds its balance in the compassion of those who love him. The book offers radiant moments of beauty, warmth and kindness. - Natalie O.

Did Salinger invent wry humor, or just perfect it? Either way, you’re guaranteed to enjoy lots of it in this two-novella collection, which follows a few older siblings of the Glass family (think Franny; think Zooey). Sure to break your heart in the most forgiving of ways. - Jess

Straight up: This is Book One of the best dystopian trilogy I have ever read. The human population is all but wiped out by a deadly version of Viagra. The Crakers, weird simple-minded blue-penised clones, are the caretakers of the future. False prophet Snowman the Jimmy narrates this tale of what went wrong. You will speed-read through this book to find out what happens next. - Jason

A new mom breastfeeds the devil. Lady thieves dance with ghosts. A school boy falls in love with a 2,000-year-old bog mummy. Every story in Karen Russell's new book thrills me. The close cooperation of the mundane and the fantastic feeds a witty, insightful perspective on humans and our inner worlds.  - Clara

Perfect for fans of Cormac McCarthy and Paolo Bacigalupi, this gripping, atmospheric, and sparsely beautiful sci-fi novel imagines a near-future Mississippi Gulf Coast ravaged by climate change. The narrative Smith constructs is a bleak one, but this novel features outstanding worldbuilding, fine details, and deeply human characters. - Stuart

A novel in the form of recommendation letters? Sounds like a literary stunt but Schumacher absolutely nails it. While maintaining the book’s formal conceit, she perfectly blends satire and genuine human emotion, offering a hilarious commentary on modern academia through one professor’s tired pen and fading sanity. I unreservedly recommend (!) this book. - Rico

People calls this book a “Pride & Prejudice-like send-up”, and that’s what this is: Kevin Kwan has channeled Jane Austen to write a witty, satirical rom-com told from an American-Born Chinese traversing the rarified (and often ridiculous) air of the upper echelons of Kwan’s native Singapore. Pick this up for the love story, pick it up for the drama, the incredible side characters, or just the crazy richness – this book is guaranteed to transport and entertain. - Jocelyn

A kaleidoscope of colors permeates this creative coming of age story.  Jason, age 13, has synesthesia and face blindness. He sees colors instead of hearing sounds. He can only identify people by the color of their voice and the clothes they wear. When police discover the body of his neighbor, Jason believes he may have been witness to a murder. This is a fascinating and unique mystery. - Trey