Annie is thirty-seven weeks pregnant and shopping for a crib when the Cascadia fault shifts, causing a devastating earthquake. Emerging from the ruins of Ikea with no keys, no cell phone, and no money, Annie starts on foot toward the restaurant where her husband, Dom, works. During the five-and-a-half-mile walk, Annie witnesses devastation, and death, …
From the writer of some of the best recent TV shows (“The Good Place,” “Parks & Rec”), comes Loved One, a debut novel just as smart, perceptive, funny, tender, and quixotic as Aisha Muharrar’s scripts. In another writer’s hands, the story of two former girlfriends of a dead rock star trying to get along could …
Maybe I was meant to live and write in Portland, Oregon. But first I had to get London out of my system. In 2014, I retired from the University of Hawaii and moved to London. I’ve lived in the city before, short-term, but this time, I settle in for two years. My agenda: to reinvent …
Treat yourself to this interview with Annie Bloom’s Will and Ruby. It’s less than 18 minutes long, and it’s professionally produced by Oregon artist Leif Olsen, who also composed the music, as part of theliferecording.com. Olsen records the life stories of parents, grandparents, widows, and widowers—then sets them to original music—because no one’s story should …
An absolutely gorgeous memoir about one woman’s journey in caring for feral cats. It is in turns funny and heartbreaking, showing a depth of understanding of not just cats, but humanity. It’s about cats, but it’s also about capitalism; about TikTok virality, but also community care. The story is fascinating on its own, but Gustafson’s …
Lalami imagines a not-too-distant future in which Americans are monitored by the Risk Assessment Administration. If a person’s risk score passes a threshold, they are imprisoned…but they are not not called prisoners, they are called “retainees” where they are “free, under observation.” After a series of confusing interactions with authorities at an airport, this not-prison …
Mary Desch, writing under the pen name MM Desch, brings years of psychiatric expertise to her debut psychological thriller, Tangled Darkness. The novel follows Dr. Leslie Schoen, a psychiatrist who becomes a suspect when a clinical assistant is found dead amid missing opioid allegations. She becomes ensnared in a deadly scheme of clinic conspiracies and …
If you need a good laugh and a good cry, pick this book up. Emily Austin masterfully marries tragedy with the poignantly ludicrous in this raw novel. Sigrid wants to die: fed up with her dissatisfying job, grieving the loss of her best friend, lamenting her heavy family dynamic, and feeling generally like growing up …
Imagine a Door is the writing book you need: a step-by-step guide for writers to navigate the world of publishing, told with bravery and honesty by a true maverick of independent publishing. Stanfill spares no detail in describing her journey as the founder and publisher of Forest Avenue Press. This book contains vital information, especially if …
A Middle Grade gem. There are 96 reasons why 13-year-old Genesis dislikes herself and she really can’t do anything about any of them. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t willing to try. You’ll find yourself worrying over her choices and then cheering her on as she discovers new strengths and talents. — Karen, Annie Bloom’s …
