Alex White, a young American soldier wounded in the Great War, journeys to Gatford while seeking a place to heal the wounds in his body and soul. But the village is not as idyllic as Alex first thinks; and it becomes downright dangerous when he wanders off the traveled paths and discovers that the surrounding woods are populated with capricious spirits. Alex finds himself desperately out of his depth as he draws the notice of the fairies and a sensual, grieving witch. He is lured deeper into the mysteries of the forest, where reality and enchantment become tangled together, in this beautifully written tale. – Ann D, Gift Buyer

Budapest, September 1937. Andras and Tibor, two young Jewish men from a tiny village in the eastern flatlands of Hungary, spend a final evening together as Andras prepares to leave the next day for architecture school in Paris, and Tibor plans to attend medical school in Italy. This novel is the epic story of their lives and loves, narrated by Andras, as anti-Semitism grows in magnitude across Europe and Hitler tries to take over the world. The Invisible Bridge, Orringer’s first novel, is astounding in its magnitude and depiction of an international tragedy told on an intimate scale. Her writing drew me in so completely that I could actually feel Andras’s feelings – the terror and uncertainty he suffers as a result of the war, as well as the joy and happiness he experiences in his art, his true love, and his family. I LOVED this book! It’s right up there among my favorite books of all time, and it will remain in my thoughts for a very long time to come. – Pam G, Events Coordinator

The agents at the IRS Regional Examination Center in Peoria, Illinois, appear ordinary enough to newly arrived trainee David Foster Wallace. But as he immerses himself in a routine so tedious and repetitive that new employees receive boredomsurvival training, he discovers the extraordinary variety of personalities drawn to this strange calling. The Pale King remained unfinished at the time of David Foster Wallace's death, but it is a deeply compelling and satisfying novel, hilarious and fearless and as original as anything Wallace ever undertook. It grapples directly with ultimate questions--questions of life's meaning and of the value of work and society--through characters imagined with the interior force and generosity that were Wallace's unique gifts. Along the way it suggests a new idea of heroism and commands infinite respect for one of the most daring writers of our time.

Remembering is sometimes like "juggling a hundred thousand crystal balls all at once," writes Francisco Goldman. This beautifully written book is, at the same time, an elegant, elegiac novel; a brutal, honest memoir; and the longest and most tender love letter in the world. Say Her Name is a gift of love for the author's beautiful young wife, Aura Estrada, who died after an accident in the waves at Mezunte Beach in Mexico. She was only thirty, a talented writer, and a scholar. Aura's absence is deeply felt throughout the whole book, and Francisco's grief, his longing and his survivor's guilt, are visible in his apartment, where Aura's belongings are left untouched. I don't believe in the spirit world, yet when Francisco stops to hug and kiss Aura's favorite tree, a hale silver maple at the end of his block, I, too, felt Aura's presence. And if that's not enough, the last pages will take your breath away. – Aggie Z, Literature Buyer

This book wrecked me. I have trouble even saying that I recommend it, because its sheer brilliant intensity will tear you apart. I am not a crier. I didn't cry at Old Yeller, I didn't cry at Romeo and Juliet, and while I didn't see Titanic, the odds are I would have been giggling at the end. And yet. And yet I was bawling over my cooking dinner by the second chapter of "The Long Goodbye." I finished it in a few hours, and there were precious few dry-eyed moments. Meghan's gri...moreThis book wrecked me. I have trouble even saying that I recommend it, because its sheer brilliant intensity will tear you apart. I am not a crier. I didn't cry at Old Yeller, I didn't cry at Romeo and Juliet, and while I didn't see Titanic, the odds are I would have been giggling at the end. And yet. And yet I was bawling over my cooking dinner by the second chapter of "The Long Goodbye." I finished it in a few hours, and there were precious few dry-eyed moments. Meghan's grief is so raw, so writ large in every sentence, every word, that you have no choice but to feel it with her. This is not a memoir with the benefit of years of distance, as some gentler memoirs would frame things. "The Long Goodbye" is immediate, the suffering vivid. I think Meghan O'Rourke may be the bravest writer alive, because to share this sort of grief with the public audience - to lay one's self this bare, when one has already been laid bare by sorrow - is terrifying to me. I hope against hope that this memoir gave her some catharsis, some relief from the pain of losing a beloved parent. I have probably done "The Long Goodbye" somewhat of an injustice this far, as well. Amongst the sorrow is a stunningly precious study of mothers and daughters. Perhaps due to the nature of the memoir, there is nothing saccharine about O'Rourke's description of her relationship with her mother. Every aspect of mother-daughter relations is examined, even the ones we are less likely to want to discuss: the anger, the jealousy, the desire to always be the child and not the care-taker. In the end, although I am wary to say "You should read this," well... you should. It is likely the most affecting book I've read in my 28 years. Halfway through I had to stop and call my mother to tell her I loved her, and I can't imagine anyone with a living mother being able to bear doing any less. -- Sarah L, Keplers.com Manager

Great characters, mystery, and action always make for a good read, and Started Early, Took My Dog has it all. Add events that are disturbing, but soulful, heartwarming, but misguided, and you have a book that is hard to put down. Tracy Waterhouse, a retired police officer working at an English mall, is out running errands when she “makes a purchase she hadn’t bargained for.” Tilly, an actress, witnesses the exchange, but she is caught up in her own disaster. Jackson Brodie, a private investigator, is also on the scene, searching for someone else’s roots. As the stories of these characters intertwine, all three are about to learn that the “past is never history, and that no good deed goes unpunished.” This book reveals the worst and best sides of mankind. It’s another great book club read. – Sina H, Bookseller

Dan Barry’s book is an achingly sweet love letter to the game of baseball. In rich detail, he explores the epic game played by the Pawtucket Red Sox and Rochester Red Wings on a long night in 1981 (and for 18 minutes, a few months later), and all the people it touched. You’ll meet the players, some of whom went on to Hall of Fame careers and some of whom faded into obscurity. You’ll meet the father and son who made a pact that day to never leave a ballgame early, the batboy so anxious that he was nicknamed “Panic,” the die-hard front-office staff, and the Rochester radio announcers who provided the only broadcast of the longest game in baseball history. You’ll fall in love with the town of “P-tuckit” (remember to spit when you say it!). Most of all, you’ll remember all the reasons you fell in love with baseball, and why it is the greatest game of them all. – Colt R, Bookseller

Cassel’s family is dangerous. They are mobsters, con artists, murderers, and magic workers; and Cassel might be the most dangerous of them all, except that he still can’t remember the entire truth of his past. Everything that he knows about himself is a lie, and there is no one left to trust, not even himself. This book is an absolute pleasure, a thrill and a high speed vault into a world that is dark, compelling, and cruel. It’s a sharp fantasy taken in the company of characters who feel astonishingly real. You’ll fall hard for them: Cassel’s grandfather, an assassin; his mother, who bends emotions; his lying, mobster brothers; and Lila, the girl he loves and the princess of the criminal underworld. Most of all, you’ll be helpless before the charm of Cassel himself and the feeling that these are people you need to spend time with, not because they’re nice or good, but because they are fascinating. They are the most dangerous of friends. This is the second book in The Curse Workers series. It follows White Cat. – Megan K, Editor

Kate is but four years old when her mother enters her room one night, and, with tears in her eyes, tells her to look after Michael and Emma, her younger brother and sister. The next thing Kate remembers is waking up in an orphanage. Her parents have gone. Ten years later, Kate, Michael, and Emma have cycled through progressively worse orphanages when they are sent to a place called Cambridge Falls. This place is different and strange. They are the only three children there, and they find themselves completely at the mercy of the mysterious Dr. Pim. As the children begin to explore, their latent talents emerge, and they find themselves traveling back in time to unearth a great mystery and stop an evil plot. This is a great beginning to a new fantasy series, and to be honest with you, I haven’t been this excited since Michael Scott’s The Alchemyst. – Antonia S, Children’s Buyer