Headed to the pool or beach this summer? Dive into an absorbing read, with one of these new books arriving at the Arlington Library this month. Or consider picking up an audiobook for that road trip or long flight. (Psst – It’s not too late to sign up for summer reading! All ages can read books and win prizes.)The following information is provided courtesy of the Arlington Public Library.
Fiction
The Villain Edit
By Laurie DeVore
Romance novelist Jacqueline hopes that going on a dating reality show will give her enough name recognition to help sales. But when a one-night stand reappears as one of the show’s producers, she can’t deny she’s still attracted. Her brutal honesty endears her to the leading man but alienates the other contestants. In the unreal world of reality television, Jacqueline doesn’t know who she can trust, even her own heart. A darkly funny behind-the-scenes look at reality TV and true love. // Available July 2. Library catalog link here.
It’s Elementary
By Elise Bryant
When the new principal goes missing after a contentious PTA meeting, single-mom Mavis suspects PTA President Trisha of foul play. (She did see Trisha leaving the school building with bottles of bleach, dragging heavy garbage bags.) Mavis shares her concerns with the school psychologist who suggests they team up to investigate. In addition to a sea of suspects, they uncover the school’s dark underbelly of racism, class tensions, and the devaluation of female labor. Mavis’s razor-sharp wit and the chemistry between the two sleuths will leave readers hoping for a sequel to this twisty mystery. // Available July 9. Library catalog link here.
The Dallergut Dream Department Store
By Miye Lee, translated by Sandy Joosun Lee
In this Korean best-seller, Penny gets a job at the Dallergut Dream Department Store, where people can buy dreams in bottles. From the sales staff to the customers, Penny observes how our dreams, even the ones that seem inconsequential, matter. A whimsical and cozy read. // Available July 9. Library catalog link here.
My Mother Cursed My Name
By Anamely Salgado Reyes
The women of the Olivares family give their daughters names they hope will shape their destiny, but the names never fit. When grudge-holding Olvido dies, she knows her spirit can’t move on until she fixes carefree daughter Angustias’s life. Luckily, Angustias’s daughter, the ever-frowning Felicitas, can see and communicate with her grandmother’s ghost. All Angustias wants to do is bury her mother and leave her hometown behind, but thanks to her daughter and mother’s plans, suddenly everyone around her is setting her up on dates, offering her a job, or inviting her to church. The three head-strong Olivares women explore family, home, and forgiveness in this magical and joyful novel. // Available July 30. Library catalog link here.
Nonfiction
Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum: The Rise and Fall of an American Organized-Crime Boss
By Margalit Fox
The Gilded Age had a dark underbelly, and its foremost criminal mastermind was a German-Jewish immigrant–and mother of four. From her small shop in the tenements of the Lower East Side, to the audacious 1869 burglary of New York City’s Ocean National Bank, Fredericka Mandelbaum became an organized crime lord–and built an empire. From Tammany Hall to high society, Mandelbaum saw the best and the worst excess the age had to offer and used it all to her advantage. A gripping and page-turning read about a notorious woman that history forgot. // Available July 2. Library catalog link here.
Other Rivers: A Chinese Education
By Peter Hessler
In the 1990s, Hessler taught English in China as part of the Peace Corps, which he wrote about in his book River Town. He then went on to continue to report on China for over a decade before leaving. He returned in 2019 to once again teach, finding a very different country and atmosphere. After a few years, which included the height of COVID-19 lockdowns, Hessler was fired and essentially expelled from the country for unknown reasons. Hessler is one of the best American writers we have on modern China–an expert at seeing beyond headlines and rhetoric to bring nuanced stories to American readers. Comparing his first and final China experience shows how much the country has changed, with deeply felt personal history and journalism. // Available July 9. Library catalog link here.
Sharks Don’t Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist
By Jasmin Graham
Jasmin Graham first fell in love with the sea and ocean life as a child with her angler father. She then majored in marine biology where she felt deep kinship with sharks–unfairly feared, maligned, and assumed to be threatening. As a Black woman, she struggled in the male-dominated field of academic shark research. Graham teamed up with other Black women to found MISS–Minorities in Shark Science to support and provide opportunities for other women of color studying sharks. Heartfelt and inspiring, this memoir is also a love letter to sharks–a perfect read after Shark Week. // Available July 16. Library catalog link here.
A Machine to Move Ocean and Earth: The Making of the Port of Los Angeles and America
By James Tejani
Geographically and geologically speaking, San Pedro Bay was not the most obvious place to build a major port, but commercial interests, California politics, the railroad, Pacific imperialism, and the Civil War all led to the decision to build a port there anyway. Native Americans were displaced, land had to be acquired from Mexico, and policy had to be “massaged” for the shipping magnates and land speculators to cash in on what was to become the Port of Los Angeles. With shifting perspectives among the many players, Tejani paints a vivid picture of what went into building the port as well as how it has since affected the United States and the world. // Available July 23. Library catalog link here.
Middle Grade
The Haunted States of America edited by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
Illustrated by Solomon Hughes
Every area has its own folklore, urban legends, and local monsters. From La Llorona in the Southwest to New Jersey’s Jersey Devil, this collection explores the scariest nooks and crannies in America. Fifty-two authors tackle fifty-two stories–one for every state, plus DC and Puerto Rico, in stories that range from slightly spooky to downright terrifying. Definitely one to pick up for new campfire material. // Available July 9. Library catalog link here.
Teen
The White Guy Dies First
Edited by Terry J Benton-Walker
Underneath the scares and gore, the horror genre largely acts as a mirror to the darker parts of society. In these tales, thirteen writers of color bend common tropes (including who usually ends up as the first horror movie casualty) to deliver truly terrifying stories that also tackle real-life issues of racism and sexism. Not for the faint hearted, but horror fans with strong stomachs will find some new favorites in this collection. // Available July 16. Library catalog link here.
Jennie Rothschild is a collection engagement librarian for Arlington Public Library.