The heat may still remind us of summer, but our thoughts are turning to fall as we welcome the start of the school year and the return of pumpkin spice season. Fill your backpack and stack your nightstand with these new releases and get ready to curl up with a good book. Place your library holds now!
NONFICTION
Growing up in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood in the 1970s, author Dawn Turner spent her days exploring with her sister, Kim, and best friend, Debra. Interspersing their stories with tales of her maternal relatives, Turner explores how three lives that started in similar circumstances diverged wildly and ended up in heartbreakingly different places. A beautiful, tragic and compelling look at the power of sisterhood. // Available Sept. 7. Catalog link: https://libcat.arlingtonva.us/Record/240374
Things I Have Withheld, by Kei Miller
In this collection of essays, poet and novelist Kei Miller explores the power of words and the places where he does and does not belong. Examining aspects of gender, race, language, sexuality, family and—notably—the body, he reflects on his experiences as a queer Black man, the ways his body is noticed (or not), and the settings in which he feels welcome or unwelcome as he travels across the world. Readers will be hard-pressed to put this arresting and insightful book down. // Available Sept. 12. Catalog link: https://libcat.arlingtonva.us/Record/242891
Travels with George: In Search of Washington and his Legacy, by Nathaniel Philbrick
During his presidency, George Washington traveled throughout the newly-formed United States to connect with a variety of people and create a new national identity and a sense of unity. Traveling with his wife and dog, author Nathaniel Philbrick retraces Washington’s steps to gain a deeper understanding of the man who shaped a nation. Deftly switching between past and present, Philbrick offers fresh insights into Washington’s leadership style, as well as a lively travelogue and reflections on modern America. // Available Sept. 14. Catalog link: https://libcat.arlingtonva.us/Record/240346
Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law, by Mary Roach
What, exactly, can the law do when the criminal in question is an animal? Mary Roach’s in-depth research and sense of humor have made her previous titles (Stiff, Spook and Bonk among them) bestsellers. Now she looks at what happens when interactions between humans and animals have legal consequences. From animal-attack forensic specialists to Vatican staff, Roach talks with a wide range of experts around the globe to examine how animals and humans co-exist, peacefully and otherwise. // Available Sept. 14. Catalog link: https://libcat.arlingtonva.us/Record/240846
FICTION
I Was Never the First Lady, by Wendy Guerra, translated from Spanish by Alichia Achy Obejas
This multi-layered, nonlinear work incorporates everything from diary entries to TV interview transcripts to tell the story of Nadia Guerra, a daughter of Cuban revolutionaries. After getting fired, Guerra is disillusioned with what her country has become and searches for the mother who left her as a child. Along the way, she reexamines the promise of the revolution, as well as her own family’s secrets. // Available Sept. 14. Catalog link: https://libcat.arlingtonva.us/Record/240746
Harlem Shuffle, by Colson Whitehead
Colson Whitehead’s books span a wide range of genres and styles. Now the Pulitzer Prize-winning author turns his pen to a heist novel set in 1960s Harlem. Raised by a crook, the protagonist, Ray, tried to go straight by running a furniture store, but the life he left behind isn’t done with him—especially as Ray’s cousin Freddie keeps getting him mixed up in his own petty crimes. It’s when Freddie approaches Ray to be a fence for a large-scale jewel heist that everything goes terribly wrong. Painting a nuanced portrait of New York City, this sizzling thriller is sure to delight. // Available Sept. 14. Catalog link: https://libcat.arlingtonva.us/Record/240743
Under the Whispering Door, by TJ Klune
TJ Klune, author of The House in the Cerulean Sea, returns with this heart-warming story of ghosts, love, grief and second chances. When few people attend his funeral, Wallace realizes he did not live a good life. Not quite ready to pass over, he’s allowed to spend time at a tea shop run by Hugo, the ferryman to the other side. As he learns to be a ghost, Wallace also learns how to be a better person and romance blooms. But Wallace must cross over at some point, and time is running out. // Available Sept. 21. Catalog link: https://libcat.arlingtonva.us/Record/240776
Nine years ago, Rhys Penhallow broke Vivi’s heart, so she cursed him. She didn’t think it would do much harm, but now he’s back in town, and while Vivi could write off a few odd occurrences as coincidence, it’s quickly becoming apparent that her curse was more powerful and dangerous than she thought. Vivi and Rhys must work together to save the town from angry ghosts, talking cats and possessed wind-up toys—and see if they can mend the old heartbreak and rekindle their former feelings for each other. // Available Sept. 28. Catalog link: https://libcat.arlingtonva.us/Record/241369
KID PICK
Pahua and the Soul Stealer, by Lori Lee
She’s never told anyone, but Pahua can see spirits. It’s a skill she’ll need when her younger brother is taken by an evil bridge spirit. With the help of her ghost cat and a shaman-in-training, Pahua must venture to the spirit realm to save her brother before it’s too late, facing dragons, angry Gods and more along the way. A rollicking adventure steeped in Hmong mythology and culture, this tale by Lori Lee promises more adventures to come. // Available Sept. 7. Catalog link: https://libcat.arlingtonva.us/Record/243046
TEEN PICK
All These Bodies, by Kedare Black
In the summer of 1958, the Midwest is haunted by the Bloodless Murders—bodies left completely drained. A break in the case comes when 15-year-old Marie is found at the scene with the latest victims, completely soaked in blood. Refusing to talk to anyone but Michael, an aspiring journalist (who is also the son of the sheriff), Marie says the real killer is a vampire. Using the few clues Marie has given him, Michael sifts through the changing evidence and public narrative in search of the truth. Based on a real serial killer, this chilling read by Kedare Black mixes in folklore and urban legends while examining our fascination with true crime. // Available Sept. 21. Catalog link: https://libcat.arlingtonva.us/Record/241498
Book recommendations courtesy of Jennifer Rothschild, collection engagement librarian for the Arlington Public Library. Find and reserve more free, available titles from the library collection here. Download the library app and keep the library in your pocket, anywhere you go!