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The Trauma of Burnout: How to Manage Your Nervous System Before It Manages You
by Dr. Claire PlumblyBreak the cycle of anxiety, trauma, and burnout with the help of this informative tool book, written by a professional trauma therapist and clinical psychologist."There is only one book on burnout that I will be recommending - this one. We need one in every office and every staff room around the world."―Dr. Julie Smith, bestselling author of Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before Our human nervous system has the power to cope with high stress, but not when it's been ground down by the relentless stimuli of today&’s world. Over time, these persistent demands leave us burnt out because our nervous system is stuck in survival mode, making it hard to make decisions, rest, solve problems, be mindful, and set boundaries. We slip into autopilot, making us prone to mistakes, and toxic behaviors that impact professional and personal relationships. Trauma of Burnout will help you avoid these vicious cycles by teaching you: -Why stress is different from burnout -How burnout stifles your ability to think clearly -Why you cannot &‘think&’ your way out of it -Cultural beliefs and psychological patterns that cause burnout -How to soothe your nervous system back to full capacity using techniques and compassion. By the end of this book, you will have tools to thrive amidst the challenges of modern life through positive interactions and relationships.
Love in a F*cked-Up World: How to Build Relationships, Hook Up, and Raise Hell Together
by Dean SpadeIn this inspiring self-help handbook, a trans activist dares us to be the change we want to see—both out in the world, and amongst our closest connections. Lifelong activist and educator Dean Spade dares us to decide that our interpersonal actions are not separate from our politics of liberation and resistance. Many activist projects and resistance groups fall apart because people treat each other poorly, trying desperately to live out the cultural myths about dating and relationships that we are fed from an early age. How do we divest from the idea that one romantic partner will be the solution to all our problems? How do we bring our best thinking about freedom and justice into step with our desires for healing and connection? Love in a F*cked-Up World is a resounding call to action and a practical manifesto for how to combat cultural scripts and take our relationships into our own hands, preparing us for the work of changing the world.
Level: An Epic LitRPG Adventure (Level: Unknown #1)
by David DalglishThe magical world of Yensere holds the key to saving humanity from a horrific apocalypse. Too bad Nick can only get there in his dreams. When an ancient alien artifact chooses research cadet Nick to explore the world stored within it—a place full of forgotten empires, heroes with strange powers, and monstrous creatures that he is automatically transported to when he sleeps—he finds he has no choice but to grow stronger within the realm of Yensere to uncover its mysteries. But Yensere isn&’t all fun exploration. In this land guided by statistics and levels, Nick is seen as a demonic threat by its diseased inhabitants and always killed on-sight. When he dies in Yensere, he awakens in his bed upon the research station, his body in a state of panic; when he sleeps again, Yensere drags him back for another life...and another death. Nick can only keep this up for so long before he dies for real. But there&’s a good chance Yensere holds the key to saving humanity from a terrible fate, and so he ventures on, getting stronger and stronger with each new enemy defeated. And there are a LOT of enemies to defeat… About the series: Join Nick as he adventures through the incredible world of Yensere in this progression fantasy isekai. Featuring multiple POVs, traditional LitRPG elements, magic and fantasy weaponry combat, friendships, light romance, and sarcastic robot guides, this is the perfect series for anyone wishing they could explore the galaxy and fight terrifying liches at the same time.
Land Power: Who Has It, Who Doesn't, and How That Determines the Fate of Societies
by Michael AlbertusAn award-winning political scientist shows that a society&’s path to prosperity, sustainability, and equality depends on who owns the land For millennia, land has been a symbol of wealth and privilege. But the true power of land ownership is even greater than we might think. In Land Power, political scientist Michael Albertus shows that who owns the land determines whether a society will be equal or unequal, whether it will develop or decline, and whether it will safeguard or sacrifice its environment. Modern history has been defined by land reallocation on a massive scale. From the 1500s on, European colonial powers and new nation-states shifted indigenous lands into the hands of settlers. The 1900s brought new waves of land appropriation, from Soviet and Maoist collectivization to initiatives turning large estates over to family farmers. The shuffle continues today as governments vie for power and prosperity by choosing who should get land. Drawing on a career&’s worth of original research and on-the-ground fieldwork, Albertus shows that choices about who owns the land have locked in poverty, sexism, racism, and climate crisis—and that what we do with the land today can change our collective fate. Global in scope, Land Power argues that saving civilization must begin with the earth under our feet.
Karma Doll (The Doll Series #3)
by Jonathan AmesIn this darkly humorous detective story, plagued by death on his conscience, Happy Doll has committed himself to a simple, spiritual life; that is, until a tragic and brutal murder forces his hand and sets him back on the bloody path of retribution and justice. After narrowly escaping with his life at the hands of a murderous Hollywood pimp, detective Happy Doll, bullet-ridden but healing, has landed on a remote Mexican beach. In a humble shack and with his dog for company, Doll settles into a peaceful idyll of Buddhist study. But then trouble, as it always does, comes to paradise. Doll is the witness to a murder for which he is framed, and now, with an expired passport and the Mexican authorities on his tail, he must sneak across the border back to L.A. by any means necessary, with the goal of bringing the true murderer to justice. But it's not just trouble that expels Doll from paradise! His dark past reaches for him, like a hand from the grave, old enemies want him dead, including the Jalisco Cartel, and Doll, a reluctant instrument of mayhem, yearns to end this cycle of violence and tip the karmic scales in his favor. But how can he do this without getting blood on his hands?Karma Doll marks the third installment in a madcap, bloody, and impossibly fun series, bringing us back in the good company of Happy Doll: a beloved, introverted anti-hero who has taken more hits to the head than a linebacker, yet still always manages to come out on top.
It Takes Chutzpah: How to Fight Fearlessly for Progressive Change
by Ron WydenIn this inspirational call to action, a senior U.S. politician reveals how to accomplish goals with a combination of strong allies, persistence, and attention—that is, chutzpah.It Takes Chutzpah is an inspirational call to action by a senior U.S. politician, describing how Americans of all age groups, persuasions, and occupations can defy convention, chart new pathways for their communities, schools, at work and in life. US Senator Ron Wyden is widely praised for coming up with sensible-sounding ideas no one else had thought of and making the counter-intuitive political alliances that prove helpful in passing bills. In It Takes Chutzpah, he offers a progressive leader&’s manifesto for being a courageous warrior during turbulent times. &“Chutzpah&” is a Yiddish word that describes a trait that many Jews consider in-born. Ron explores chutzpah&’s long history and many interpretations and reclaims the word chutzpah for a new American generation, showing how it can be used for good to reclaim idealism and enact positive change. He shares &“Ron&’s 12 Rules of Chutzpah&” that enable any individual or group to achieve their objectives, including: 1. If you want to make change, you&’ve got to make noise. 2.In a world where everyone thinks and acts for the short-term, always play the long game. 3. Leading is coaching: Whether in legislation or in life, you&’ve got to bring people and ideas together around a shared goal. Ron identifies several key values—free speech, health care, reproductive rights, a clean environment, and reigning in Big Tech—and draws on his decades of public service to stress that preserving those values means that loud brashness and boldness will be needed now more than ever.
Will's Race for Home
by Jewell Parker Rhodes★ "Rhodes deftly captures a unique aspect of this historical event, with a perspective that is often under-represented in historical fiction. A poignant and honest look at the trials of racism that defined the historic land rush; a must-buy." -School Library Journal, starred review Bestselling and award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes goes West in this thrilling adventure story about a son and his father who set out to win land during the Oklahoma Land Rush–if they can survive the journey. It&’s 1889, barely twenty-five years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and a young Black family is tired of working on land they don&’t get to own. So when Will and his father hear about an upcoming land rush, they set out on a journey from Texas to Oklahoma, racing thousands of others to the place where land is free—if they can get to it fast enough. But the journey isn&’t easy—the terrain is rough, the bandits are brutal, and every interaction carries a heavy undercurrent of danger. And then there&’s the stranger they encounter and befriend: a mysterious soldier named Caesar, whose Union emblem brings more attention—and more trouble—than any of them need. All three are propelled by the promise of something long denied to them: freedom, land ownership, and a place to call home—but is a strong will enough to get them there?
Diferans Nou Yo Rann Nou Pi Fò: Koman Nou Geri Ansanm
by La June Montgomery Tabron TeMika Grooms Serena CantaveYon istwa sou pataje idantite nou ak fÈ nouvo zanmi de La June Montgomery Tabron, Prezidan an ak DirektÈ Jeneral Fondasyon W.K. Kellogg La June ak bon zanmi li, Jenefer, renmen ale lekÒl nan Detroit. Yo nan menm klas la, epi yo toujou chita ansanm nan rekreyasyon. La June Nwa e Jenefer Blan, epi yo pa remake ke tout lÒt timoun yo chita ak zanmi ki sanble yo. Men, lÈ Jenefer demenaje, La June pa konnen ki kote pou li chita. Li santi l diferan. Yon nouvo tifi, Eva, demenaje nan ansyen kay Jenefer lan, e tout bagay de li diferan pou La June, tou. Nan lekÒl la, pwofesÈ La June an ap eseye yon eksperyans: chanje plas yo nan rekreyasyon midi. Apre sa, li rasanble klas la nan yon sÈk pou l pale sou rezon ki fÈ li te difisil pou yo chita ak moun diferan, sa yo te aprann sou youn ak lÒt, e ki jan yo ka pataje plis bagay toujou nan tan kap vini an. La June ak kondisip li yo kÒmanse konprann ke pafwa li konfÒtab pou nou antoure de moun ki tankou nou, men nou kÒmanse bati yon kominote selman lÈ nou aprann de moun ki diferan. Reflete ti sÈk gerizon rasyal pozitiv ke Fondasyon W. K. Kellogg ankouraje ak selebre toutotou peyi a, Diferans Nou Yo Rann Nou Pi FÓ montre lektÈ jÈn ki pataje istwa nou yo, koute lÒt moun, ak aprann sou diferans nou yo se premye etap yo bati yon kominote ki pi fÒ. A story about sharing our identities and making new friends from La June Montgomery Tabron, the President and CEO of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. La June and her best friend, Jenefer, love going to school in Detroit. They're in the same class, and they always sit together at lunch. La June is Black and Jenefer is White, and they don't notice that all the other kids are sitting with friends who look like them. But when Jenefer moves away, La June doesn't know where to sit. She feels different. A new girl, Eva, moves into Jenefer's old house, and everything about her feels different to La June, too. At school, La June's teacher tries something new: changing up the seats at lunch time. After, he gathers the class into a circle to talk about why it was hard to sit with different people, what they learned about each other, and how they can share more in the future. La June and her classmates start to understand that sometimes it's comfortable to be around people who are like us, but we begin to build a community when we learn about people who are different. Reflecting the transformative racial healing practices that the W. K. Kellogg Foundation promotes and celebrates around the world, Our Differences Make Us Stronger shows young readers that sharing our stories, listening to others, and learning about our differences are the first steps to building a stronger community.
The Suicides
by Antonio Di BenedettoA reporter embarks on an investigation of a string of unconnected suicides—which then leads into an exploration of the phenomenon of suicide itself—in this elegant existential novel, the third and final volume of Antonio Di Benedetto&’s Trilogy of Expectation. A stymied reporter in his early thirties embarks on an investigation of three unconnected suicides. All he has to go on are photos of the faces of the dead. Other suicides begin to proliferate, while a colleague in the archives sends him historical justifications of self-murder by thinkers of all sorts: Diogenes, David Hume, Emile Durkheim, Margaret Mead. His investigation becomes an obsession, and he finds himself ever more attracted to its subject as it proceeds. The Suicides is the third volume of Antonio Di Benedetto&’s Trilogy of Expectation, a touchstone for Roberto Bolaño and deemed &“one of the culminating moments of twentieth-century fiction&” by Juan José Saer. Following Zama (set during the eighteenth century) and The Silentiary (set during the 1950s), this final work takes place in a provincial city in the late 1960s, as Argentina plummets toward the &“Dirty War.&”
Lost Days, Endless Nights: Photography and Film from Los Angeles
by Andrew WittA critical study and artist&’s book on the history of photography and film from Los Angeles.Lost Days, Endless Nights tells a history from below—an account of the lives of the forgotten and dispossessed of Los Angeles: the unemployed, the precariously employed, the evicted, the alienated, the unhoused, the anxious, the exhausted. Through an analysis of abandoned archival works, experimental films, and other projects, Andrew Witt offers an expansive account of the artists who have lived or worked in Los Angeles, delving into the region&’s history and geography, highlighting its racial, gender, and class conflicts. Presented as a series of nine case studies, Witt explores how artists as diverse as Agnès Varda, Dana Lixenberg, Allan Sekula, Catherine Opie, John Divola, Gregory Halpern, Paul Sepuya, and Guadalupe Rosales have reimagined and reshaped our understanding of contemporary Los Angeles.The book features portraits of those who struggle and attempt to get by in the city: dock workers, students, bus riders, petty criminals, office workers, immigrants, queer and trans activists. Set against the landscape of economic turmoil and environmental crises that shadowed the 1970s, Witt highlights the urgent need for a historical perspective of cultural retrieval and counternarrative. Extending into the present, Lost Days, Endless Nights advocates for an approach that actively embraces the works and projects that have been overlooked and evicted from the historical imaginary.
Andromeda: A Novel
by Therese BohmanWorking her way up at a storied Stockholm publisher, a young woman develops an ambiguous, shifting relationship with her boss, in this shrewd novel about the tension between tradition and modernity, and expectations and reality.The publishing house is anchored like a ship along Stockholm&’s main street, a large, bright building with an impressive rooftop terrace. The facade is a grid of wood and granite; flags with a cursive R sway in the wind. R as in Rydéns.A young woman starts as an intern at this venerated institution, and over many years gains more and more responsibility for its authors and books. All under the supervision of Gunnar, publishing director of the most prestigious imprint behind the finest literature, Andromeda.Over time their work relationship transforms into something neither of them can truly define. Perhaps built on mutual trust? Or is it something else?
The Contortionist's Handbook
by Craig ClevengerWith a new foreward from bestselling and Edgar award-winning author Jordan Harper, this reissue of the cult classic The Contortionist's Handbook follows a talented forger who continually reinvents himself to escape the authorities. A great read for fans of Chuck Palahniuk and Irvine Welsh.Following a near fatal overdose of painkillers, Daniel Fletcher is resuscitated in a Los Angeles emergency room and detained for psychiatric evaluation. Through a series of questions and tests, the psychiatrist must ascertain whether the patient intended to kill himself, or whether he can walk free. What the psychiatrist doesn't know is that 'Daniel Fletcher' is actually John – Johnny – Dolan Vincent, a brilliant young forger who continually changes his identity to save himself from a lifetime of incarceration. Johnny has done such assessments before – many, many times.As he creates an elaborate bluff for the evaluator, Johnny reveals the true story of his traumatic past – a broken family, descent into the sinister world of forgers and criminals, and his one chance of salvation in the beautiful and elusive Molly. But time is running out; as his underworld clients lose patience and the psychiatrist's net closes around him, Johnny has to negotiate the escape act of his life.Evoking the boulevards and strip bars of 1980s LA with cinematic intensity, The Contortionist's Handbook is a darkly hypnotic and stunningly original debut.
Operation Sisterhood: Stealing the Show!
by Olugbemisola Rhuday-PerkovichThe Operation Sisterhood series continues as the four sisters decide to put on a community musical! The creative sister Sunday is the director and writer, but she has lost her spark. Can she find her shine again before everyone calls it quits?"This ode to Black girlhood and the communities that serve them offers humor, tenderness, and charm." –Renée Watson, New York Times bestselling authorSisters Sunday, Bo, Lee, and Lil are four sisters from a patchwork family. Bonded by their love of music, these sisters formed a musical babysitting band business Operation Sisterhood that just planned the best garden wedding party their Harlem community has seen. Imaginative Sunday impulsively announces her next big community project—staging an original musical—everybody&’s counting on her, especially her sisters, Bo and the Twins, Lil and Lee. Then, disaster: Sunday has lost her creative mojo just when she most want to impress her new neighbor, TV star Talitha Thomas. Soon there will be more drama offstage than on!Can Bo and the Twins use what they learn about New York City communities past and present and their band babysitting business to help Sunday find her shine and her love of storytelling again? It&’s Operation Sisterhood to the rescue!Award-winning author Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich delivers a heartwarming sequel to Operation Sisterhood. Includes a New York City map to follow along on the sisters' journey!
Heavenly Bodies: Book one of the Heavenly Bodies series (Heavenly Bodies)
by Imani ErriuA runaway TikTok sensation, Heavenly Bodies is the first book in a dazzling new romantasy series that blends mythology and shadow magic with a tantalizing enemies-to-lovers romance that will rewrite the stars.&“You know the most dangerous kind of villain? A woman with nothing left to lose.&”In a world ruled by the cruel and merciless Stars, Elara has been cursed by fate. A prophecy promises she will fall for a Star, but that it will kill them both.So when Ariete, Star of Wrath, War and Chaos, descends to wreak havoc on Elara&’s kingdom, she flees her home—the Kingdom of Night—for the neighbouring Helios, Kingdom of Light.And strides straight into the arms of an enemy prince.Fearing that Ariete might turn his sights to Helios next, Prince Lorenzo is forced to train Elara as a weapon—one worthy of battling against the tyrannical reign of the Stars. But there are shadows even within the Kingdom of Light—and they threaten to reveal the darkness in Lorenzo&’s past and the ancient magic that slumbers in Elara&’s veins. And with it all comes an undeniable, star-crossed pull between Elara and Lorenzo that neither can seem to resist...
Reclaiming the Black Body: Nourishing the Home Within
by Alishia McCulloughAn essential exploration of the overlooked impact of disordered eating among Black women—and a prescriptive road map to returning to wholeness within our bodies, from the clinical therapist who founded Black and Embodied Counseling and Consulting PLLC&“Lights a radical path away from trauma and blame toward healing, self-acceptance and, ultimately, joy.&”—Linda Villarosa, author of Pulitzer Prize finalist Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on Health in AmericaFood has always been a political tool for the oppressor—and the Black body has always been one of its many battlegrounds.Licensed mental health therapist, somatic healer, and eating disorder specialist Alishia McCullough understands that for far too many Black women, racial trauma&’s seismic impact has disrupted their most essential relationship: the one they have with their bodies—and by extension, with their food. African Americans are disproportionately impacted by disordered eating behaviors, yet their experiences are frequently neglected by doctors and mental health experts. As a result, our most vulnerable communities are forced to navigate systems primed to dismiss their needs, leaving them without proper care, or often even the language they need to identify what&’s wrong. McCullough&’s groundbreaking work radically validates the lived experiences and generational traumas of BIPOC communities. As part of a steadily growing movement among clinicians to &“decolonize therapy,&” her deeply affirming approach seeks to understand disordered eating patterns by examining the psychological wounds left by centuries of racism. Weaving together crucial history, compelling client stories, guided meditation, journal prompts, and McCullough&’s own journey with disordered eating behaviors, Reclaiming the Black Body offers readers a safe space to feel seen—and a powerful pathway to healing. This revealing, potentially life-saving book illuminates the way home, back to the safety and comfort found within our bodies.
Peter Brötzmann: Free-Jazz, Revolution and the Politics of Improvisation
by Daniel SpicerExplores the heroic life and revolutionary music of the pioneering German saxophonist, and the radical social and political convictions that informed them.Peter Brötzmann is the first ever, full-length, English-language biography of one of the most fascinating and inspiring personalities in the history of Western improvised music – and one of the key artistic figures to emerge from the socio-cultural tumult of the 1960s.Drawing on extensive interviews with Brötzmann and key associates, it traces the German saxophonist&’s crucial role as a pioneer of European free jazz, his restless travels and collaborations and his eventual superstardom, examining the life and work of a fiercely uncompromising artist with a reputation for gruff intensity and total commitment.Digging deep into the history and aesthetics of free jazz in Europe and beyond, it provides detailed analysis of music by Brötzmann and other major figures, while positioning Brötzmann&’s work – and the wider free jazz milieu – in the context of the revolutionary left-wing, humanist and utopian ideals that inspired and underpinned it.Both intimate and wide-ranging, it tells the story of a man and a music that changed the world.
Good Girl: A Novel
by Aria AberAn electric debut novel about the daughter of Afghan refugees and her year of self-discovery—&“a stunning coming-of-age story&” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) and a portrait of the artist as a young woman set in a Berlin that can&’t escape its historyA girl can get in almost anywhere, even if she can&’t get out.&“A no-bullsh*t, must-read debut.&”—Kaveh Akbar&“Kaleidoscopic, full of style and soul.&”—Raven Leilani&“An exhilarating debut novel.&”—R.O. Kwon, The New York Times Book Review"Once in a blue moon a debut novel comes along, announcing a voice quite unlike any other, with a layered story and sentences that crackle and pop, begging to be read aloud. Aria Aber&’s splendid Good Girl introduces just such a voice . . . Aber, an award-winning poet, strikes gold here, much like Kaveh Akbar did in last year&’s acclaimed Martyr!"—Los Angeles TimesA Most Anticipated Book of 2025: The New York Times, Vulture, Elle, New York Post, Lit Hub, Electric Lit, Bustle, Book Riot, Autostraddle, Daily Mail, Debutiful, Image, Our Culture, Write or Die MagazineIn Berlin&’s artistic underground, where techno and drugs fill warehouses still pockmarked from the wars of the twentieth century, nineteen-year-old Nila at last finds her tribe. Born in Germany to Afghan parents, raised in public housing graffitied with swastikas, drawn to philosophy, photography, and sex, Nila has spent her adolescence disappointing her family while searching for her voice as a young woman and artist. Then in the haze of Berlin&’s legendary nightlife, Nila meets Marlowe, an American writer whose fading literary celebrity opens her eyes to a life of personal and artistic freedom. But as Nila finds herself pulled further into Marlowe&’s controlling orbit, ugly, barely submerged racial tensions begin to roil Germany—and Nila&’s family and community. After a year of running from her future, Nila stops to ask herself the most important question: Who does she want to be?A story of love and family, raves and Kafka, staying up all night and surviving the mistakes of youth, Good Girl is the virtuosic debut novel by a celebrated young poet and, now, a major new voice in fiction.
Maya Blue: Unlocking the Mysteries of an Ancient Pigment (Path to Open)
by Dean E. ArnoldOne of the great technological achievements of the ancient Maya, Maya Blue is one the world’s most unusual ancient pigments. In Maya Blue, Dean E. Arnold offers a comprehensive history of its study for almost a century, filled with personal anecdotes drawn from his decades of work uncovering the Maya knowledge of its constituents, its ancient sources, and how it was made—including previously unknown methods. The book presents a fresh holistic perspective that documents these discoveries and the scientific process that led to them and provides testable hypotheses about how the pigment and the technology used to make it moved throughout Mesoamerica. Combining the organic dye indigo and the inorganic clay mineral palygorskite in a highly stable chemical hybrid that, unlike indigo, resists attacks by acids, alkalines, and organic solvents and endures without fading, Maya Blue has a rich blue color that has survived for centuries in one of the world’s harshest climates. First used at the site of Calakmul in the tropical forest of southern Mexico during the Late Preclassic period, the Maya’s abiding hue diffused across Mesoamerica over a period of 1,700 years. It appears on Maya pottery, sculpture, murals, and codices and carries multiple meanings, standing as a symbol for cultural cornerstones such as sacrifice and the rain god Chaak. It was discovered in 1931 at Chichén Itzá, and its composition was a mystery for more than three decades, then questions about its source, how and why it achieved such stability, and how and why the Maya made the pigment persisted even longer. In Maya Blue, Arnold summarizes ethnographic, archaeological, chemical, and material science research over the last century from an anthropological perspective. This thorough, engaging, and accessible book chronicles the history of this pigment as no work has done before.
I Love You, Little Horse
by Gianna MarinoA beautiful and reassuring "I love you" book that follows a small horse and its parent through their day from beloved author-artist Gianna Marino.In a beautiful ode to family love, a horse asks its little one how they will spend their day: Listening to birdsong? Smelling flower blossoms? Racing the clouds? Feeling the earth beneath their feet?As the pair uses their senses to experience the world around them during the day, the shadows grow longer, the sky darker, and the parent horse reassures the foal, &“Don&’t be afraid, Little Horse. I will hold you and love you.&”In this stunningly illustrated and lyrically told story, Gianna Marino poignantly captures a parent&’s love for their child.
First Love Language
by Stefany ValentineFor fans of Frankly in Love and Tokyo Ever After comes a romantic dramedy about finding love and reconnecting with your culture in the most surprising ways.Taiwanese American Catie Carlson has never fit in with her white family. As much as she loves her stepmom and stepsister, she yearns to understand more about her culture and find her biological mother. So Catie is shocked when an opportunity comes knocking on her door: Her summer spa coworker, Toby, says he&’ll teach her Mandarin. In exchange, she needs to teach him how to date so he can finally work up the courage to ask out his crush. The only problem is that Catie doesn&’t actually have any dating experience. But she can fake it.With her late father&’s copy of The Five Love Languages and all his annotated notes, Catie becomes the perfect dating coach. Or so she thinks. As she gets dangerously close to Toby and to finding out what really happened to her biological mom, she realizes that learning the language of love might be tougher than she thought.Stefany Valentine&’s debut novel is both a fresh, fun romance as well as a profound, luminous story about grief, family, transracial adoption, and what it means to truly follow your heart.
Once Smitten, Twice Shy (The Wilmot Sisters Series)
by Chloe LieseStar-crossed lovers learn that practicing romance leads to the perfect happy ending in this steamy reimagining of Shakespeare&’s Twelfth Night.Since heartbreak entered the scene, Juliet Wilmot, once a hopeless romantic, has sworn off love. But when she&’s presented with the chance to revisit romance—purely for practice—with the gorgeous, off-limits guy she keeps serendipitously running into, it feels like a sign from the universe. Quiet, shy Will Orsino knows happily-ever-after isn&’t on his horizon. Problem is, for the sake of the family business, marriage is. Resigned to the inevitable, but with no confidence he can woo a wife, he can hardly say no when fate hands him the alluring, unattainable woman he keeps crossing paths with, offering to help him learn the ropes of romance. Neither of them looking for love, Jules and Will agree they&’re the perfect pair to practice romance. Except that practicing to perfection leads to an irresistible attraction. Their once smitten hearts, though still twice shy, might have happily-ever-after written in the stars for them, after all.
The Last Room on the Left
by Leah KonenThe caretaker at an isolated mountain hotel finds herself fighting for her life—and sanity—in this twisty, addictive thriller.Kerry&’s life is in shambles: Her husband has left her, her drinking habit has officially become a problem, and though the deadline for her big book deal—the one that was supposed to change everything—is looming, she can&’t write a word. When she sees an ad for a caretaker position at a revitalized roadside motel in the Catskills, she jumps at the chance. It's the perfect getaway to finish her book and start fresh. But as she hunkers down in a blizzard, she spots something through the window: a pale arm peeking out from a heap of snow. Trapped in the mountains and alone with a dead, frozen body, Kerry must keep her head and make it out before the killer comes for her too. But is the deadly game of cat-and-mouse all in her mind? The body count begs to differ . . .
She Persisted: Kamala Harris (She Persisted)
by Raakhee Mirchandani Chelsea ClintonInspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger, a chapter book series about women who spoke up and rose up against the odds—including Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris!Kamala Harris always wanted to help people and solve problems. Even as a young girl, she helped her community create changes that would impact all their lives for the better. When she grew up, Kamala wanted to continue helping people, so she worked hard and became a lawyer and a senator to do just that. Then she went on to become the first woman to ever be vice president of the United States—and possibly the first woman to become president too! Through it all, Kamala continues to do her best to help as many people as she can, and she inspires people everywhere to help others as well.In this chapter book biography by acclaimed author Raakhee Mirchandani, readers learn about the amazing life of Kamala Harris—and how she persisted. Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton, black-and-white illustrations throughout, and a list of ways that readers can follow in Kamala Harris's footsteps and make a difference! A perfect choice for kids who love learning and teachers who want to bring inspiring women into their curriculum.And don&’t miss out on the rest of the books in the She Persisted series, featuring so many more women who persisted, including Sonia Sotomayor, Deb Haaland, Patsy Mink, Rachel Levine, and more!
Aflame: Learning from Silence
by Pico Iyer&“Reading Aflame may help many to lead lives of greater compassion and deeper peace of mind.&” —His Holiness the Dalai LamaFrom the bestselling author of The Art of Stillness, a revelatory exploration of the abiding clarity and calm to be found in quiet retreatPico Iyer has made more than one hundred retreats over the past three decades to a small Benedictine hermitage high above the sea in Big Sur, California. He&’s not a Christian—or a member of any religious group—but his life has been transformed by these periods of time spent in silence. That silence reminds him of what is essential and awakens a joy that nothing can efface. It&’s not just freedom from distraction and noise and rush: it&’s a reminder of some deeper truths he misplaced along the way.In Aflame, Iyer connects with inner stillness and joy in his many seasons at the monastery, even as his life is going through constant change: a house burns down, a parent dies, a daughter is diagnosed with cancer. He shares the revelations he experiences, alongside wisdom from other nonmonastics who have learned from adversity and inwardness. And most profoundly, he shows how solitude can be a training in community and companionship. In so doing, he offers a unique outsider&’s view of monastic life—and of a group of selfless souls who have dedicated their days to ensuring there&’s a space for quiet and recollection that&’s open to us all.Radiant, intimate, and gripping, Aflame offers ageless counsel about the power of silence and what it can teach us about how to live, how to love, and, ultimately, how to die.
the space between men (Penguin Poets)
by Mia S. WillisA poetic ethnography that creates and documents the vocabulary of the Southern Black queer experience, chosen as a National Poetry Series winner by Morgan Parker"Willis&’ poetic voice is brimming with personality and curiosity, as musical as it is philosophical, and the space between men is a formidable debut.&” —Morgan Parker, author of Magical Negro and There Are More Beautiful Things than BeyoncéThese piercing, surprising poems look to familial history, rituals of faith, and the natural world to explore how the intersecting cultures of Blackness and queerness relate to each other. As the collection evolves, the reader is challenged and empowered to seek expansiveness in spaces that have not previously been excavated, reckon with the complexities of interpersonal relationships, and explore memory as a catalyst for self-determination. Mia S. Willis weaves together intergenerational knowledge and personal discovery—not only to define themselves but to articulate a communal identity that transcends language.