Simon&Schuster

Sulwe, like too many real children, cannot see her own beauty, outside or in. A myth about the sisters Night and Day helps her see her true self, “Dark and beautiful, bright and strong.” Vashti Harrison’s gorgeous art brings life this all-too-real story by Lupita Nyong’o that will lift your heart. It’s perfect for any child who needs help seeing themselves, to be reminded that not all beauty is the same, or who dreams of stories the stars might tell. - Jocelyn

Alternating between four different perspectives, The Dearly Beloved delves into the lives of two ministers and their wives, each with different views on religion, family, and purpose. I love a book like this; one that shows the way we are all interpreting (and misinterpreting) our interactions with one another. Though I sometimes wished Wall had just stuck with her delightfully complicated female protagonists, I was fully carried away by this engaging novel. With so many themes to interpret and explore, The Dearly Beloved is the perfect book club pick. - Emma

This is the first story to surprise me with a twist in a very long time; the writing is visceral and merciless. It follows multiple storylines, and every character feels fleshed out and real. It’s definitely sci-fi, with a Japanese steampunk-esque twist. You will be confronted with the age-old question: What does it mean to be truly human? And honestly, I don’t think my answer would have been the same before I read it. - MJ

A fascinating look at the female anthropologists who revolutionized the way our society perceives gender, race, and sexuality and their transgressive ringleader; Franz Boas. Though many of their methods are now outdated, they paved the way for future generations and their research has had a lasting impact on western culture. You don’t need to know anything about anthropology to enjoy this book, and I think that its content is particularly relevant in our current cultural climate, where people are being divided and persecuted due to the fictional construct of race. - Jade

Ady Barkan is a force to be reckoned with, both before he received his devastating ALS diagnosis at the age of 32, and even more so now, three years in and bringing power and honesty to his roles as political activist, husband, and father. Writing with incredible intimacy, vitality, and humor, Barkan lays it all out in this memoir, his career as an organizer and his journey with illness. He has written a gift that is not just inspiring, but real. - Melinda

From the very first line, Silver, Sword & Stone instantly drew me in and transported me to a Latin America I never knew: from the heights of the Peruvian Andes, into the depths of violent revolutions, and into what it means to be a Catholic in Central America. Widely published in The Washington Post, The New York Times, and National Geographic, among others, Marie Arana describes the lives of contemporary Latin Americans with exacting prose and a conversational tone. - Aric

A career boost covering the voyage of a luxury cruise ship quickly becomes a nightmare when journalist Lo Blacklock witnesses a passenger fall overboard; or does she? With everyone accounted for, Lo begins to question what she saw. Perfect for fans of Girl on the Train, Ware has crafted a clever, fast-paced thriller that makes for a great beach read. - Jade

Perfect for fans of Cormac McCarthy and Paolo Bacigalupi, this gripping, atmospheric, and sparsely beautiful sci-fi novel imagines a near-future Mississippi Gulf Coast ravaged by climate change. The narrative Smith constructs is a bleak one, but this novel features outstanding worldbuilding, fine details, and deeply human characters. - Stuart

A kaleidoscope of colors permeates this creative coming of age story.  Jason, age 13, has synesthesia and face blindness. He sees colors instead of hearing sounds. He can only identify people by the color of their voice and the clothes they wear. When police discover the body of his neighbor, Jason believes he may have been witness to a murder. This is a fascinating and unique mystery. - Trey

This novel is, in a word, devastating. It opens as Romy Hall is on the way to prison to serve a life sentence for murder. As much the story of Hall’s life in prison, it’s the story of her past--her childhood on the streets of San Francisco, her experiences as an exotic dancer, and the circumstances surrounding her crime. I can’t recommend this one enough. - Rico