Jenn

Even though we all know exactly what happens to Ann Boleyn, this is a compulsive reading experience. Cromwell is the ultimate narrator, seeing the Tudor shenanigans with a sigh and then rolling up his sleeves to get it done.

Ninja-priests and dream magic! This is epic fantasy at its finest, and the ancient Egypt-inspired setting is surreal and fascinating (and a nice break from pseudo-medieval Europe).

Brian Francis Slattery has written another apocalypse novel, and I for one hope he never stops. It's an incredibly timely and moving meditation on war -- who and what do we fight for? Who are we fighting against? And, of course, in true Slattery style, it's also bursting at the seams with laughter and hijinks, and parties I wish I could attend. (Before the shooting starts, anyway.)

I would like to give this to robot-loving-children everywhere. Do little boys need oiling? Do robots like applesauce? Important questions are answered herein!

George is just a dog who really wants to be man's best friend. But it's so hard to be a good dog when there's a cake on the table, and a cat to chase ... This is my new favorite read-aloud (next to permanent favorite Socksquatch, of course.)

Meet Cinder, a teenage cyborg mechanic living in New Beijing with a mysterious past and a city to save. Cyborg Cinderella! This new series puts me very much in mind of The Hunger Games -- big on the action and concept, and a plotline that has been known to induce uncontrollable texting to fellow readers. Ahem. Don't say I didn't warn you! I have my suspicions about the next fairytale character Meyer has in her sights, so when you're done reading, email me. We'll discuss. 

A good friend, knowing my 100 Years of Solitude obsession well, got me this for Christmas. I didn't even know it existed! Behold -- Marquez is basically the interlocutor for filmmaker Miguel Littin, who braved an exile sentence and made a secret film during Pinochet's dictatorship. I can pretty much guarantee that at the end of this you'll not only want to watch Littin's films, but you'll have a new appreciation for Marquez's politics.

I've been a fan of Zarr's work since Story of a Girl, and she's only getting better. Goth-punk-girl Jill has to deal with her mother's craziest new idea--adopting a baby. To add insult to injury, the mother, a seemingly-vapid teen named Mandy, is going to come to live with them until the delivery. What couldn't go wrong?

The sequel to The Magicians has arrived, and it is epic and satisfying. Whatever happened to Julia? Exactly what is it like to be a king of Fillory? And what's the deal with all this magic anyway? Dark, clever, well-paced, and action-packed; you do not want to miss out on the adventure. ps: If you haven't read the first book, you should--it's Harry Potter plus Narnia plus lots and lots of drinking and ennui.

Meet Eve Ning. She lives in Brooklyn and says and does all the things you wish you could say and do. Like what? Like: building a theft-proof bike; taking posers to task; jumping off a roof in roller-skates. Snarky, clever, fun.

This was one of my favorite debut novels of last year. Yu has created a book that is chockablock with clever hat-tips to sci fi while also telling a heart-wrenching story of a son's search for his father. A literary time travel novel that you really, really, really should not miss, it's now available both in paperback and ebook!

If you aren't already aware of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, you should be. Time travel meets historical fiction meets romance with a heavy dose of men in kilts, and they're all available in ebook! Instant gratification on so many levels. Start with this one, and see if you don't get hooked. 

This book will crawl inside your brain and lay eggs. In the good way. 

Kihn pulls off a tricky proposition, writing a memoir about both a dog and his recovery from alcoholism that is both fascinating and moving. I don't usually go for either, and I read this book in a matter of hours. (Nota bene: the dog doesn't die at the end.)  

My absolute, hands-down, favorite read-a-loud of all time. I will read it to you if you ask me nicely. Seriously. IT IS THE BEST. 

In 1987, 18-year-old Deb and her 21 year-old boyfriend go to Central America to join the revolution. They are a disaster. Vivid, funny, an absolute page-turner.

A detailed look behind the scenes of the Bocuse d'Or, an international culinary competition. Fascinating if you've ever been sucked into Top Chef, Hell's Kitchen, et al.

I used this to make my Christmas ornaments this year. Contagiously crafty, all ages.

I started reading this book because the author was coming to WORD (and because Stephanie loved it). I kept reading because it was so! good! Four slave-women meet at a resort in Ohio, a free state. Two of them escape, two of them don't. Which two? Why? Satisfying and beautifully written.

From what people keep telling me, if you read and liked The Virgin Suicides then you will like this book. I haven’t read that (although i do have deep lurve for Eugenides) and I liked it anyway. It’s a collective first person narrative of a group of guys, ranging from their high-school years to middle-age, contemplating a girl who goes missing and what might have happened to her. It’s paced particularly well — things loop back and forth throughout, feeding you bits and pieces and leaving you to try and put the pieces together before it suddenly all clicks into place. It also reminds me a bit of Room in that it takes a terrible event, and discusses it in an intelligent and unique way while avoiding sensationalism.