For Readers: Blog

Second time’s the charm

Discovering a debut author is always fun, but when their second book is also stellar? That’s when things really get exciting. Enjoy the sophomore novels from these authors who have proved they’re far more than a one-hit wonder.

Fans of unlikely friendship stories should check out The Twilight Garden by Sara Nisha Adams. This feel-good novel revolves around a neglected garden in London shared by two prickly neighbors. As their relationship evolves, readers get a glimpse of the garden’s heyday and past owners in a parallel storyline set in 1972. Well-developed characters and a strong sense of place make this one a winner. [e-book | print | audiobook | large type]

Four Squares by Bobby Finger is a reflective but witty tale of loss and life in New York City. Switching between the 1990s and 2020s, readers get to know Artie, a gay writer whose vibrant youth surrounded by loved ones is lifetimes away from the isolation of his 60s. When he is pulled into the orbit of the local LGBTQ senior center, Artie gets a chance to see his life through new eyes. [e-book | print]

Looking for your next character-driven literary read? Etaf Rum’s Evil Eye is a poignant and thought-provoking examination of identity, motherhood, and intergenerational trauma. Yara’s life as a mother and wife is relatively quiet compared to her rocky upbringing and the tumultuous lives of her Palestinian immigrant parents, but she feels deeply unsatisfied. Is she doomed to fall into the patterns of her family, or can she carve out an authentic sense of self? [e-book | print | audiobook]

Douglas Stuart follows up his Booker Prize-winning debut with Young Mungo, an emotional and harrowing portrait of working-class Glasgow in the 1980s. At only fifteen, Mungo is just trying to survive a volatile and violent home life when he falls in love with James. Being gay in his Protestant neighborhood is already a risk, but even worse is that James is Catholic. Readers who don’t mind dialect-filled dialogue will find this challenging read to be incredibly rewarding.  [e-book | print | audiobook | large type]

Nightbloom by Peace Adzo Medie follows the highs and lows of a childhood friendship as it grows cold with age. Growing up in Ghana, cousins Akorfa and Selasi were the closest of friends, but diverging life paths and bitter secrets sour their relationship. Reunited after decades, the truth about their estrangement is revealed through both points-of-view. This is a compelling look at female friendships, class, and family secrets. [e-book | print]

Rena Rossner’s The Light of the Midnight Stars is a lyrical historical fantasy that draws on Hungarian folklore and Jewish mysticism. Descendents of King Solomon, three sisters live in the Hungarian woods, wielding their inherited sacred magic for the good of the village. When a tragedy sends them on the run, they struggle to leave behind their old life and their destiny. Fans of Naomi Novik and atmospheric world-building will enjoy this fairytale-esque journey. [e-book | print]

⏤Laura