Like her mother many years before her, Ingrid suffered a serious head injury that left her with a temporary amnesia. The result for both women was to gain powers that had been within their lineage for generations – clairvoyancy, healing and the ability to communicate with spirits. At the center of the story is Ingrid’s deceased grandfather Nono, the former curandera – a shaman who was revered as a powerful sooth-sayer and local healer in the village of Ocaña. When he appeared in their dreams, Ingrid and her mother interpreted it as an instruction to head back home to disinter Nono's body and move it to another auspicious location. What follows is an extraordinary travel memoir like none other – Ingrid explores the colorful history of both her family and colonial Columbia, Nono’s fascinating legacy, and the true stories of spiritualism in our midst. Oh, and they dig up Grandad! ~Jane

For the many Ian McEwan fans, Lessons will not disappoint. McEwan’s acute introspection forces his readers to pay close attention to a life few of us would want to live. A childhood spent in Libya while his stepfather serves in the British military, a troubling experience with his piano teacher during his boarding school years, a seemingly good marriage before his wife suddenly disappears, and his struggle explaining to his young son what happened, when he himself has no idea, inform this tale. Small shocks throughout these pages won’t allow you to put it down. ~Dave

In a departure from his brilliant but dark Patrick Melrose novels, St. Aubyn has created a lighter mini-masterpiece with this satirical and delightful romp of a novel. Through the eyes of two young and engaging couples, he explores the weighty topics of, well… just about everything – biodiversity, rewilding the land, brain science, venture capitalism, schizophrenia, billionaires, medical ethics, consciousness, hedonism, drug addiction, new life and the end of life, and even corruption of the Vatican – all while keeping a light and almost breezy tone. Philosophical, charming, witty, and action-packed, it is a hopeful story with a decide-for-yourself ending that will either delight or confound you. This imminently discussable novel (perfect for book groups!) is not one you will soon forget. ~Jane

Ford is a graceful, empathetic storyteller, and he is at his best here. This tale is loosely based on a real Chinese woman who came to the US in the mid 1800s, and was briefly popular on stage, where audiences cheered her on as an exotic novelty. It was not a happy life. Across generations and genes, her descendants share her and each other’s traumas, until one woman in our not-too-distant future has the opportunity to confront and reclaim their stories. Using a creative blend of both historical and science fiction, Ford once again pulls us in, and leaves us cheering and wiser at the end. ~Victoria

Okorafor is a master of brevity who portrays rich, immersive worlds and characters with spare, head-spinning strokes. In a future Nigeria populated by tribes – many bearing animosities, suspicions, and resentments, as well as advanced technical and digital technologies – lives a woman named AO (for Artificial Organism) who is physically half cyborg. Forced to flee after an act of violent self-defense, she meets and teams up with a nomadic herdsman, also on the run. Together they race across the Nigerian desert with the hope to hide in the center of a massive permanent whirlwind of sand, an eco-disaster called the Red Eye, with a massive mega-corporation in pursuit – and in the process they disrupt the world. Breath-taking and rich in heart and insight, Okorafor’s novel also manages to be reflective and even meditative. ~McNevin

An elderly woman whose son vanished decades ago, a young man lost and struggling since his parents abandoned him as a child, and a remarkably bright octopus suffering through his 3,1OOst day of captivity at the local aquarium all meet one summer. Kindness ensues. The octopus, being the party with the brains here, provides both humans with answers that allow their healing to begin. This is a novel about kind people (and creatures) rebuilding their lives through compassion, concern, and mutual respect. A pleasure to read from start to finish, with a host of eccentric characters and just enough plot twists to keep you smiling (until the tears begin at the end of the book). Fear not, the octopus creates a beautiful ending! ~Jim

From her lyrical and delectable prose to her endearing characters (not least Thistlefoot – a sentient house with chicken legs), GennaRose Nethercott's debut novel is a must-not-miss. Gorgeous, haunting, and devastating, it's hard to express how striking this novel is. On the sentence level, the writing is precise and luxurious, but Nethercott also has an astonishing gift for bringing the past to life. In Thistlefoot she has created a story as indelible as the memories her characters are fighting to preserve. This is a masterful examination of all the mechanisms people employ to avoid (and perhaps embrace) their potential, and the ways a generation's legacies and traumas shape and follow its descendants. We can't wait for readers to be ensnared by this book and the wonders that comprise it. ~Chloe & Rafe

Dead-End Memories is an absolute treat. These five stories feature five very different women, and each story is filled with warmth and light. Yoshimoto’s observations on love and happiness are simple, yet profound – and they just kept coming. This one left a glow over me, and I can't wait to share it with others. ~Cappy

When Women Were Dragons offers an alternative look at history in which a “mass-dragoning” occurred in 1955. Women all over the world voluntarily transformed into dragons and the governments of the world refused to acknowledge it. In this stunning story, historical fiction and magical realism combine to create a beautiful landscape. It provides the basis for a coming-of-age story full of the reckoning of generational trauma and what it means to be family. This story will enthrall, shock, and heal all at the same time. ~Lily

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks takes us from present day Washington DC back to Kentucky in 1850. Horse is based on the true story about one of the greatest thoroughbred racehorses of all time, though in her research Brooks discovered so much more than a horse story – the pervasive, systemic racism of the time and the way it affected enslaved Black people over generations is a key thread in her narrative. Brooks weaves together three strong, indelible characters to tell the story of the horse named Lexington. This novel is so well-written you won’t want to put it down. ~Kathie

This love story is an endearing mix of a daydream and a fever dream. Written in the 1970s, it takes place in New York and centers around two best friends (and third cousins!) and the two incredible women they fall in love with. It’s smart, funny, satisfying, and often completely silly. One of our most frequent requests is for a light and easy – but high quality! – read. I have found it! ~Cappy

Bryson brings a childlike curiosity and sense of wonder to every subject that he studies. In this book he summarizes the findings from an astounding range of scientific disciplines, including physics, cosmology, chemistry, geology, and biology, to provide us with insights about the immense age and size of our universe, the origins of our solar system and planet, and the emergence of life in general and of our species in particular, all with his trademark wit and creative analogies. ~David

Paula Becker knows grief. In this short, spare, kind book, admired Seattle writer and historian Becker generously pours wisdom from her own experience into our empty cup. It is gentle, focused, and accepting of the wide and varied needs and emotions of anyone going through loss. Don’t be put off that it looks like a small “gift book.” There are few sentences on most pages, but a person experiencing grief can often only take small sips at a time. Take this offered hand. Breathe. ~Victoria