February 8, 2022
This week we’ve found four exciting titles that we don’t think are getting the attention they deserve. We have two novels: a social thriller set in the country club scene that fans of the film Get Out should find interesting, and a slow burn horror novel for fans of classic Stephen King. Our nonfiction pick is a memoir by an experienced comedy writer who works for the television show Veep that has the same heart and humor as Jenny Lawson’s writing. Finally, we have a children’s picture book that brings the world of the Native American powwow to vibrant life.
Cherish Farrah by Bethany C. Morrow
Teenager Farrah Turner and her friend Cherish Whitman are the only two Black girls in their social circle, and only Farrah has Black parents. Cherish has been adopted, and lavishly spoiled, by her rich, white parents. When Farrah’s parents face foreclosure, Farrah begins to ingratiate herself into Cherish’s life and family to maintain the lifestyle she’s used to. But before long a series of strange events has Farrah wondering if the Whitman family’s motivations aren’t somehow even more sinister than hers.
Echo by Thomas Olde Heuvelt
Dutch author Heuvelt made a splash with his novel Hex, which was named the best horror novel of the year by the American Library Association and is currently in development for television. This new release opens with a bang, depicting a terrifying survival horror scene set in the Alps. When main character Nick wakes up from his coma, he’s covered in bandages and told that his climbing buddy died on the mountain. And it’s soon evident that Nick himself is haunted by more than just the trauma of his accident.
My Mess Is a Bit of a Life by Georgia Pritchett
Georgia Pritchett is an accomplished comedy writer on television shows like Succession and Veep, so when the words stop flowing she decides to visit a therapist. This book is the result. Rarely has such an honest exploration of lifelong worry and anxiety been accompanied by so many gut-busting laughs. The publisher is encouraging fans of Jenny Lawson and Nora Ephron to take notice.
Powwow Day by Traci Sorell
This children’s picture book, with its joyful and colorful illustrations, was created by an author who’s a member of the Cherokee Nation and an illustrator who’s a member of the Chickasaw Nation. The story depicts the dances of a modern-day powwow, seen by a young girl who’s recovering from an illness and can’t dance this year. Not only is this book a vibrant depiction of Native American culture in the modern United States, it’s also perfectly timed with the history of the Jingle Dance which was first performed for hope and healing during the 1918 flu epidemic, and has recently been performed for COVID-19.