Our June Picks Are Here!

A small Australian town is left reeling after the disappearance of a young girl in this psychological thriller. As a detective arrives to launch her investigation, Esther’s best friend, Ronnie, is determined to bring her home. When their friend tells Ronnie that he saw Esther with a strange man by the creek, Ronnie feels hopeful but also begins to question why he didn’t bring that information to the authorities. A police procedural exploring the things that tie people together, Dirt Creek is a masterful debut full of nuance and compassion. 

A Nebula Award Finalist, The Mountain in the Sea is an unforgettable story about a species of octopus with its own language and culture. When a marine biologist gets the opportunity of a lifetime to study the cephalopods, she travels to join DIANIMA — a transnational tech corporation — but as she tries to communicate with them, forces larger than her corporation aim to seize them for themselves. A dazzling debut about human impact on our ecosystem, Ray Nayler’s book is a powerful and gripping story that will leave your mind racing.   

The perfect summer read, this debut follows two talented musicians on a dueling piano show as they reclaim their love of music. Prudence is a former child star, known for her prodigious piano talent, who stepped away from the spotlight when she was old enough to be independent. Alexei is an exhausted young Internet sensation with helicopter parents who care only about his playing. Their stories harmonize with one another as they change the composition and their ending, and The Second Ending is certain to strike a chord with music lovers.  

Nothing about Pappyland has us on the rocks… we’ll take it neat as we learn about the preservation of one family’s legacy with Bourbon whiskey. In the wake of his father’s death, Julian Van Winkle discovered hundreds of barrels from the family distillery that produced exceptional whiskey, being hailed as the best in the world. After those barrels, Julian — alongside Wright Thompson — worked to preserve the taste of Pappy for generations to come. A story of complicated legacy and honoring those who came before you, Pappyland is the perfect Father’s Day gift for whiskey connoisseurs and anyone looking for a story of family, tradition, and the mythical histories we tell ourselves.  

V. E. Schwab has long captured our hearts with her fantasies, and Gallant is our favorite thus far. When Olivia Prior receives a letter to return home to Gallant, she’s surprised to find that her arrival is unexpected. Certain the house is hiding secrets, she starts seeking answers and stumbles on a place that both is and isn’t Gallant. With answers about the things that have been the undoing of her family for generations, Olivia struggles with deciding where she truly belongs, feeling torn between the two worlds. A haunting fantasy, this is a brilliant tale of secrets and deadly bargains. 

Perfect for anyone who enjoyed Nic Blake and the Remarkables and Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, this action-packed adventure follows a British Nigerian girl whose Afro hair has special powers. When Onyeka’s hair saves her best friend from drowning, she discovers that she’s part of a group of people with superpowers and gets swept off to train at a school with its own set of secrets. An electrifying tale certain to leave you reaching for the next book, Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun is on sale now and a must-read this summer.