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PERFECTLY HUGO

Enid, who’s nearly 70, is no stranger to grief, having lost her brother at a young age, but nothing prepares her for the death of her husband, Hugo.The two built a quiet life together, marked by pleasant morning coffees and strolls through the local grocery store. As they grew older, however, they came face-to-face with […]

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OCEAN CHILD

This emotionally intricate novel follows three 20-something women who were strangers until an investigation revealed that all three share the same biological father: Raymond Corning of Sydney, Australia, who “runs a prestigious school and is a local leader.” Each woman lives in a different country, and none are aware of the others’ existence until the […]

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THE MARRIAGE NARRATIVE

Zinnia is a small-business owner who’s given up on the dating scene. Instead, she decides to get straight to the point with what she calls a “marriage-merger,” treating the dating process more like a job interview. Selected applicants will be subjected to screening calls and in-person meetings with the goal of marrying within a month. […]

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OUTLAW PLANET

A world where humans are descended from a variety of mammals endures its own equivalent of the U.S. Civil War—the northern, industrialized Parity arming against the southern, rural, and slave-owning Echelon. When a marauding Parity gang’s rampage in a frontier Echelon town kills otter-descended schoolteacher Martha Good, her lover, dog-descended fellow teacher Elizabeth Indigo Sandpiper, […]

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THE HOLY NAIL

It’s 1945 and World War II is effectively over in Europe. Two American GIs, Nick Genova and Joe Cohen, have fought their way up the Italian Peninsula and are now on leave in Milan. The two New Yorkers are so close that they’re known as a single unit called “Brooklyn.” Nick has heard about a […]

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THE CASE OF THE NICEFERATU

Elderton, North Carolina may seem like any old small town, but it’s home to Dotty Morgan, a clever paranormal detective. Despite her success as a sleuth, her school life hasn’t exactly gotten easier, as Dotty still faces daily teasing from boys on the basketball team. And even though she’s spent the past year training at […]

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LOVE FINDS A WAY

Oscar, a bespectacled, round-bodied, long-legged bird with cartoonishly big eyes, is desperate to keep love away. He feels it coming on, so he makes preparations, putting up “No trespassing” signage and donning protective armor and camouflage. Finally, he gets a ferocious guard dog—a fuzzy little brown pup named Brutus. Brow furrowed, Brutus barks, growls, and […]

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VALENTINES ARE THE WORST!

Gilbert, a bald, mint-green goblin, is far too busy for Valentine’s Day. From bird-watching to goat yoga, his schedule is full. Besides, “Valentine’s Day is all about love and flowers and all that other mushy malarkey”—Gilbert doesn’t need it! He isn’t interested in those heart-shaped boxes of candy with their gross coconut surprises, and he’s […]

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SAVING THE WHALE

Addressing, like the other volumes in this series, “mission-ready” younger readers, Eason surveys threats ranging from modern whaling to climate change, abandoned fishing nets, and plastics pollution. She supplements an overview of conservation-related careers with vignettes featuring children who describe personal actions such as small-scale beach cleanups. Messy page design impedes the presentation; a jumble […]

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Don’t Stop the Presses

As the novel opens, Ben Roberts is a whip-smart wise guy with commitment issues (“I needed to see a therapist, but I didn’t trust them because I’m a reporter and I don’t trust anybody”) but driven by a fierce loyalty to his profession. When he’s laid off by the San Diego Sun, he changes from […]