This November, we’re thankful for books and the people who spend their time writing them. Whether they’re creating entirely new worlds, delving into the complexities of the one we inhabit, or offering up their private lives on a page, where would we be without authors?
The following information is provided courtesy of the Arlington Public Library.
Fiction
The Spy Coast
By Tess Gerritsen
Maggie Bird is comfortably retired, raising chickens in coastal Maine and trying to put her past career as a CIA agent behind her. But when a woman is found executed in Maggie’s driveway, she’s pulled back in. A security breach in an old case now puts Maggie and her new life at risk. Bouncing between past and present, with stops all over the globe, this series opener is full of mystery and action. // Available Nov. 1. Library catalog link here.
Hunt on Dark Waters
By Katee Robert
What does a witch do when she gets dumped by a vampire? In Evelyn’s case, she steals her ex’s jewels and escapes through a portal, only to find herself in (literal) deep water. Rescue comes in the form of a pirate ship, where she’s given the choice to join the crew or die. Vows of loyalty aside, Evelyn is determined to get back home, though her attraction to the telekinetic pirate captain is growing and danger is lurking in the water. A fun and sexy series opener. // Available Nov. 7. Library catalog link here.
Above the Salt
By Katherine Vaz
When Protestant and Catholic tensions tip into violence on the Portuguese island of Madeira, childhood friends John and Mary flee (separately) to the United States. Years later, they reconnect in Illinois, only to be possibly forced apart again by the looming Civil War and a rival for Mary’s affections. This beautifully written, sweeping epic spans 80 years and is filled with real-life people and events, from Abraham Lincoln to the San Francisco earthquake. // Available Nov. 7. Library catalog link here.
Kingdom of Sweets
By Erika Johansen
Twin sisters Clara and Natasha have been raised for two different purposes. When they were born, their wizard uncle, Herr Drosselmeyer, said one was to be raised for the light and the other for the dark. When a gifted nutcracker allows Clara into the Kingdom of Sweets, Natasha follows. Always overlooked and stuck in her sister’s shadow, Natasha is taken with the powerful Sugar Plum Fairy, but the fairy has her own plans and agenda. This horror-tinged spooky retelling of The Nutcracker ballet looks at the haves, the have-nots, and the true price of revenge. // Available Nov. 28. Library catalog link here.
Nonfiction
The Lost Subways of North America: A Cartographic Guide to the Past, Present, and What Might have Been
By Jake Berman
Cartographer Jake Berman explores the history of subways in 23 cities in the U.S. and Canada. He explores what works and what doesn’t, both in the past and present, while analyzing current routes and abandoned lines. In this study filled with hand-drawn maps, Berman also imagines what could be, and proposes his own possible routes for the future. // Available Nov. 3. Library catalog link here.
Invisible Generals: Rediscovering Family Legacy, and a Quest to Honor America’s First Black Generals
By Doug Melville
After President William McKinley refused to appoint Benjamin Oliver Davis to West Point on account of his race, Davis enlisted and worked his way up to become one of only two Black commissioned officers in the U.S. Army. He would go on to become America’s first Black general. Years later, his son, Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr., became the nation’s second Black general and commander for the Tuskegee Airmen. Ben Jr.’s great-nephew, author Doug Melville, traces his family’s history to ensure their groundbreaking achievements are not forgotten. // Available Nov. 7. Library catalog link here.
What’s Cooking in the Kremlin: From Rasputin to Putin, How Russia Built an
Empire with a Knife and Fork
By Witold Szablowski; Translated from Polish by Antonia Lloyd-Jones
Exploring Russian and Soviet history through food, author Witold Szablowski interviews chefs and their descendants to uncover gastronomical details such as Czar Nicolas’s final meals; cooking for the cosmonauts in Star City; Lenin’s revolutionary diet of fried eggs and boiled buckwheat; and the lavish Kremlin feasts served to Brezhnev and Gorbachev. From the front lines of the war in Afghanistan to the steelworks plant in besieged Mariupol, the Holodomor famine and the kitchen staff who served cleanup crews in Chernobyl, it’s a fascinating and wide-ranging history, with recipes. // Available Nov. 7. Library catalog link here.
A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through?
By Kelly and Zach Weinersmith
This husband-and-wife team, a biologist and cartoonist, offer an entertaining and informative romp through what’s stopping us from moving off-planet. While they do believe it will eventually happen, the duo lays out the current problems that need solving first—everything from water and reproduction to the fact that current Space Law was not designed to cover permanent settlement. Well researched and argued, it’s also a very fun read. // Available Nov. 7. Library catalog link here.
Middle Grade
Facing the Mountain: A True Story of Japanese American Heroes in WWII (young
reader’s edition)
By Daniel James Brown
This gripping history follows four young Japanese Americans and their experiences during World War II. Despite being rounded up and interned with their families, many were simultaneously recruited for military service. Rudy Tokiwa, Fred Shiosaki and Katsugo Miho joined the war effort and served in the all Japanese American 442nd—one of the U.S. Army’s most highly decorated units. Gordon Hirabayashi openly defied the internment order and spurned military duty as a conscientious objector. A fascinating and enraging account. // Available Nov. 14. Library catalog link here.
Teen
Only She Came Back
By Margot Harrison
After her survivalist influencer boyfriend is found murdered, Kiri Dunsmore becomes the prime suspect. Sam, a true-crime fanatic, remembers when Kiri went by Katie and was in her English class. Sam befriends her old classmate with hopes of gaining insights that will help her break into true crime podcasting. But the more she learns, the more complicated the case gets. Incorporating podcast and video transcripts, along with diary entries, this twisty thriller explores the dynamics of abusive and toxic relationships, as well as the ethics of true crime consumption. // Available Nov. 4. Library catalog link here.