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THE TESTAMENTS by MARGARET ATWOOD

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: More than 15 years after the events in The Handmaid's Tale, we return to the story. The theocratic regime, The Republic of Gilead, is fighting to maintain its power and control but things are crumbling around it. At this pivotal moment, three radically different women come together and the results can have huge implications, even explosive ones, for Gilead and its people.

WHY YOU MIGHT LIKE IT: Told through shifting viewpoints, this is a nuanced look at women who have grown up as part of the first generation to come of age in the new order. These women hold complex pasts and uncertain futures that will surprise readers. What's more, the audio version is narrated by three women, including Ann Dowd, who plays the villainous Aunt Lydia in the Hulu adapation of The Handmaid's Tale. This will appeal to audiences of the show and extend the life of the series in new ways.

FOR FANS OF: The Handmaid's Tale, dystopian masterpieces, female protagonists, Margaret Atwood

MIRACLE CREEK by ANGIE KIM

WHAT IT'S ABOUT:  A small town in Virginia called Miracle Creek welcomes a cast of characters who know each other because they participate in therapies at a special treatment center--a hyperbaric chamber inside a barn that may cure a range of conditions from autism to infertility. But the chamber, run by a South Korean doctor who immigrated to the United States with his wife and teenage daughter, explodes, leaving two people dead. It wasn't an accident. 

WHY YOU MIGHT LIKE IT: Told through shifting viewpoints during a powerful courtroom showdown, secrets, betrayls, and the hidden truths of what happened on the fateful day unfolds for the reader. A page turner, readers will shift alliances and gather evidence, chapter by chapter. Who was responsible for this accident? Was it the careless mother of a patient who was exhausted from the many therapies and care she provided for her child at any cost? The owners, hoping to cash in on a large insurance payout and send their daughter to college? A protest of hyperbaulic chambers who spent days picketing the facility? Unravel the mystery.

FOR FANS OF: page turners, mysteries, multiple perspectives, strong audio narration

AMERICAN PRISON by SHANE BAUER

WHAT IT'S ABOUT:  An investigative journalist recounts his experiences working undercover as an entry-level guard in a private prison in Louisiana.  Along the way, he connects today's for-profit prison system to a brutal system of corrections that became entrenched in the American south and predates the Civil War.

WHY YOU MIGHT LIKE IT:  Thoroughly researched chapters on the history of prisons and for-profit corrections in the U.S. alternate with chapters that detail the author’s undercover prison experiences.  This juxtaposition highlights how “For much of America’s history, racism, captivity, and profit were intertwined.” A variety of contemporary issues are addressed including prison culture, staffing and substandard correctional services.

FOR FANS OF:  exposés, undercover journalism, U.S. history

Content warning for graphic language and situations.

AMERICAN LIKE ME by AMERICA FERRERA

WHAT IT'S ABOUT:  To compile this anthology of personal essays, America Ferrera invited 31 of her friends, peers, and heroes to share their stories about life between cultures in the U.S..  The contributors are celebrated actors, authors, filmmakers, musicians, athletes, politicians and activists. The selections range in length and topic and can be read individually or straight through from beginning to end.

WHY YOU MIGHT LIKE IT:  Many of the contributors share personal stories you’re unlikely to read anywhere else.  Heartfelt, inspirational and often humorous, these essays together present a mosaic of life at the margins and on the cusp of the American Dream.

FOR FANS OF:  immigration stories, family stories, celebrity memoirs, personal narratives

BLOOD WATER PAINT by JOY MCCULLOUGH 

WHAT IT'S ABOUT:  Her mother died when she was twelve, and suddenly Artemisia Gentileschi had a stark choice: a life as a nun in a convent or a life grinding pigment for her father's paint. She chose paint.  By the time she was seventeen, Artemisia was completing most of her father's commissions and was one of Rome's most talented painters, even if no one knew her name. But Rome in 1610 was a city where men took what they wanted from women, and in the aftermath of rape Artemisia faced another terrible choice: a life of silence or a life of truth, no matter the cost. 

WHY YOU MIGHT LIKE IT:  This beautifully crafted novel in verse presents Artemisia's story interwoven with prose in the voice of her deceased mother who recounts the biblical stories of Susanna and Judith--subversive tales meant to strengthen Artemisia's resolve in the face of patriarchal oppression, and from which Artemisia draws inspiration and strength for her art, and for her life.

FOR FANS OF:  historical fiction, strong female characters, feminist works, novels in verse

BECOMING BY MICHELLE OBAMA

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:  Follow Michelle through her early life on the South Side of Chicago, through her years at Princeton, early days as a young lawyer, and her first meeting with a young law clerk named Barack. From there, with care and complete authenticity, show you the inner workings of her marriage, the tough decisions she and Barack made as they entered into the political arena, the dogged abuse a presidential campaign can place on a family, and life in the White House. It’s a deeply moving and intimate portrait of her life, both inside and outside the political arena.

WHY YOU MIGHT LIKE IT: Michelle Obama, first and foremost, can write. It’s poetic and beautiful and informative as a memoir. She also happens to provide new insights about life as First Lady, a title she describes as having “no job description”. If you love memoirs, you’ll love her voice, humor, grit, and ultimately, her honesty.  If you enjoy listening to audiobooks, Michelle reads this one and it adds a layer of joy to the experience.

FOR FANS OF: Political reads, memoir, intimate family portraits, feminist perspectives

LONG WAY DOWN by JASON REYNOLDS

What it's about: Will, a 15 year old African American, grappling with the murder of his older brother---his only brother. And as Rule 1 states, there's no crying. Rule 2, no snitching. And Rule 3? Revenge. As Will, with his brother's cold, steel gun in the waistband of his bands, ascends the elevator to eventually enact his revenge, he is introduced to Buck. Buck sold Will's brother Shawn that piece he now carries. Follow Will and Buck on an elevator journey. What will ultimately happen? Is revenge the answer?

Why you might like it: An ode to putting guns down and promoting peace to violence, Reynolds lyrically tells the story of Will and his journey toward his own truth. Exploring a weighty topic, Reynolds puts characters, and their roles, at its center, ultimately creating a compelling story around the decisions we make. This book is an excellent listen--Reynolds himself narrates the story, bringing a novel with plenty of verse, to life.

For fans of: lyrical novels, compelling stories, deep character development, audiobooks

PRIDE by IBI ZOBOI

What it's about: Four Afro-Latina sisters in Bushwick, Brooklyn, who are skeptical of their new next door neighbors--brothers from Manhattan. What unfolds is a story equal parts neighborhood identity, romantic connections, and how we initially perceive people. This novel features poetry and lyrical elements which really shine in audio format.

Why you might like it: It's a reimagining of the classic Jane Austen novel Pride and Prejudice. This is one remix worth reading. It explores topics of race, identity, neighborhood, wealth, and gentrification. There's also, of course, a slow burning love story and little moments that remind you why this story, at its heart, is a classic.

For fans of: remixing classic novels, Pride and Prejudice, ya romance, identity books, lyrical novels, Jane Austen