Oli's Staff Recommendations

Welcome to Oli's recommendations! Oli has been working at Boswell Book Company since 2015, but first asked for the job at nine years old. They read a lot of YA/Teen and adult fiction, particularly books with a sci-fi or fantasy bend, but Oli also loves science & nature writing, LGBTQ+ fiction & nonfiction, and graphic novels. Fun fact: In addition to books, Oli reads tarot cards and got started while reading The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater.
 
Check out what Oli  has been reading below!
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Navigational Entanglements By Aliette de Bodard Cover Image
$20.99
ISBN: 9781250324887
Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now
Published: Tordotcom - July 30th, 2024

Aliette de Bodard's latest packs action, political intrigue, and strong character work into a vibrant and enthralling space opera that you can devour in a day. I found the two main characters incredibly endearing and especially appreciated the inclusion of a point-of-view character that reads as neurodivergent, the dual-POV narrative providing a potent representation of how different minds approach and process the same world, events, and interactions. I picked up this book for the promise of sapphics and space drama, and Navigational Entanglements delivered!


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The Woods All Black By Lee Mandelo Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781250790316
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Tordotcom - March 19th, 2024

This novella must be haunting me, because weeks after finishing The Woods All Black, I still think about it on the daily. From the perspective of a worldly queer narrator visiting on behalf of the Frontier Nursing Service, Lee Mandelo immerses the reader in a small and insular Appalachian town in the 1920s, with a cadence and language that fit the setting so precisely, it feels like reading something actually written in the era it describes. A very unsettling, big gender, and ultimately very satisfying historical folk horror read.


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I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself: A Novel By Marisa Crane Cover Image
$17.95
ISBN: 9781646222063
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Catapult - January 9th, 2024

This outstanding speculative fiction debut follows a sharp, wry-voiced narrator doing her best to raise a child in a near-future dystopian surveillance state. Through a subversive story of queer parenthood in the face of loss and marginalization, Crane crafts an intimate portrait of love, shame, and persistence. Timely social commentary, dark humor, and deeply human writing make I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself an essential read of the 2020s.


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The Mars House: A Novel By Natasha Pulley Cover Image
$32.99
ISBN: 9781639732333
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Bloomsbury Publishing - March 19th, 2024

Near-impossible to put down, Pulley’s first sci-fi novel imagines a future in which Earth’s climate refugees are sent to an established colony on Mars, where differences in language, social constructs, and physical existence create tension between the “Earthstrong” new arrivals and the majority population of naturalized residents, who’ve been genetically modified over generations to adapt to the planet’s gravity and harsh conditions. This immersive story follows an Earthstronger named January (formerly of the London Royal Ballet, now relegated to factory work and poor treatment on Mars) who chooses a political marriage contract to escape bleak circumstances. I blew through the book in one day, hooked by every element of the story – its strong notes of mystery, a dash of psychological horror, a sprinkling of discussions on linguistics, and even a herd of mammoths – and rooting for January the whole way through. The Mars House has moments of tenderness and humor, points of hope and desperation, a contentious and high-stakes world, perfectly executed use of footnotes... and did I mention the mammoths? (I'm a little obsessed with the mammoths.) Fans of Terry Pratchett's Discworld books and Winter's Orbit alike will thoroughly enjoy this one!


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Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix (Remixed Classics #9) By Gabe Cole Novoa Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781250869807
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Feiwel & Friends - January 16th, 2024

Most Ardently is the queer and trans Pride and Prejudice retelling of my DREAMS, using the structure of the source text– a tale of moving from misunderstanding to growth and acceptance – to deliver an emotional and ultimately hopeful journey to trans joy. Novoa's new take on the classic Austen novel is beautifully done and engaging all the way through, with changes to the original plot and location (bringing the characters closer to London) that enable a strong connection to real queer history. I think contemporary readers will relate easily to Oliver Bennet, whose resolve to be seen as himself transcends his Regency-era London setting. Gabe Cole Novoa's contribution to the Remixed Classics series is a charming and accessible approach to a classic story, one that can resonate with readers regardless of their familiarity with Pride and Prejudice or their relationships to gender non-conformity. This is the sort of young adult novel that I desperately wish I'd had access to as a teen, and I'm so happy that it exists for readers today.


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Gwen & Art Are Not in Love: A Novel By Lex Croucher Cover Image
$20.00
ISBN: 9781250847218
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Wednesday Books - November 28th, 2023

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is a fun, campy, betrothed-enemies-to-allies romp in an alternate medieval England, full of witty banter and genuine emotion. Though grounded in a historical setting (an imagined, post-Arthurian Camelot), the story has a timeless coming-of-age feel, featuring two queer teenagers learning to navigate their place in the world. Lex Croucher infuses their characters' voices with modern language and humor, adding relatability and subtle commentary to the narrative. This is a perfect YA romcom, with romantic escapades, found family, and a heartwarming journey toward self-acceptance. I adore Gwen and Art!


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The Weaver and the Witch Queen By Genevieve Gornichec Cover Image
$27.00
ISBN: 9780593438244
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Ace - July 25th, 2023

Powerful bonds of sworn sisterhood are tested in this immersive journey through tenth-century Norway. In childhood, sisters Oddny and Signy take a blood oath with their friend Gunnhild, swearing to always help each other. After years apart, Gunnhild reunites with Oddny to search for a kidnapped Signy. This is a story of love and power: from chosen family to tender care and enemies-to-lovers slow burn romance; from political intrigue and tough choices to resilience and self-determination. The landscape of this pivotal era in Norse history is infused with magic and folklore, brought to life in Gornichec's enchanting voice. Complex characters and a captivating plot make this one of my favorite books of 2023. The Weaver and the Witch Queen is an excellent fit for readers who loved Circe and historical fiction that humanizes figures of myth, spinning new meaning from their stories.


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Yellowface: A Reese's Book Club Pick By R. F. Kuang Cover Image
$30.00
ISBN: 9780063250833
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: William Morrow - May 16th, 2023

Everyone needs to read this satire of the publishing industry, cultural appropriation, and internet backlash. I truly could not put this down - I read it in one sitting! Kuang nails the narrator's voice of white privilege and self-victimization, which begs for sympathy for condemnable, cringe-worthy behavior through absurd justifications. This incredible contemporary novel asks important questions about who gets to tell what stories or cross what lines (and oh, does this main character cross 'em). This is THE book of the summer for me.


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The Moth Keeper: (A Graphic Novel) By K. O'Neill Cover Image
$13.99
ISBN: 9780593182260
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Random House Graphic - March 7th, 2023

The Moth Keeper is a lovely and magical graphic novel with a meaningful story of responsibility, community, and support. Young Anya takes on an important job in her community and must learn to accept help from others when it begins to take a toll on her. O’Neill’s beautiful illustrations highlight the stunning natural beauty of the desert, and the heartwarming comfort of a village where folks care for one another.


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A Day of Fallen Night (The Roots of Chaos) By Samantha Shannon Cover Image
$35.00
ISBN: 9781635577921
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Bloomsbury Publishing - February 28th, 2023

Samantha Shannon delivers the best of epic fantasy once again, in a standalone novel worth all eight hundred and eighty pages. I was hooked on this glorious, sprawling tale from the start. The lives of four main characters - one each from the North, South, East, and West - are about to change: a long-slumbering evil wakes, bringing fire, plague, and a draconic army raised against humanity. Set 500 years after The Nameless One rose from a mountain of fire and was vanquished, and 500 years before the events of The Priory of the Orange TreeA Day of Fallen Night is rich in history, legend, and depth to both the world and its characters. I'm obsessed, and you should be, too!


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How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures By Sabrina Imbler Cover Image
$28.00
ISBN: 9780316540537
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Little, Brown and Company - December 6th, 2022

How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures is a brilliantly executed work of science writing and memoir that highlights the interconnectedness and complexity of ocean life and human experience. In each chapter, journalist Sabrina Imbler relates their own identities, relationships, and experiences to the world of a different fascinating sea creature, with tremendous vulnerability and stunning prose.


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Scattered Showers: Stories By Rainbow Rowell Cover Image
$24.99
ISBN: 9781250855411
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Wednesday Books - November 8th, 2022

I’ve been waiting for this book since I knew it existed, and each short story was well worth the wait. It’s time! Scattered Showers is here for you! For best friends and fans and breakups and falling in love and complicated family Christmases (two, and they’re my favorite stories of the bunch). I will go on about the short story that takes place in the Simon Snow universe (“Snow for Christmas”) to anyone who’ll listen, but this book is more than just one story. New characters and some familiar favorites take the stage in a short story collection made for all the feelings. There’s plenty of the expert humor and dialogue that fans of any Rainbow Rowell novel will recognize, with storytelling that invites any reader to connect with the characters, different as they are, wherever they are in their lives.


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Butterfly Child By Marc Majewski, Marc Majewski (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Marc Majewski, Marc Majewski (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9780063021556
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Katherine Tegen Books - November 1st, 2022

A father helps his child regain confidence in this beautiful story about the joy of self-expression. I adore Marc Majewski's vibrant illustrations, which are a perfect fit for the book's themes of support and embracing creativity. 


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The Genesis of Misery By Neon Yang Cover Image
$27.99
Email or call for price
ISBN: 9781250788979
Published: Tor Books - September 27th, 2022

Misery Nomaki is a perfect mess of an anti-chosen-one! This story is hard to put into words, but I'll try: think space opera remix of the journey of Joan of Arc, with a nonbinary and possibly mad protagonist. A tale of divine messages, faith, war, void-madness, and gemstone battle mechs will keep you on your toes. 


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Greywaren (The Dreamer Trilogy #3) By Maggie Stiefvater Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781338188394
Availability: Not in stock at Boswell. Available to order.
Published: Scholastic Press - October 18th, 2022

Are you looking for an earth-shaking, mind-shattering, incredible (and incredibly beautiful) series? The Dreamer Trilogy is full of unexpected twists, joys, terrors, startling depth to each character, and Stiefvater's rare skill in capturing big emotions and unnamable strangeness on the page. Each book gets better, wilder, more incredible, and more human - right to the very end. I recommend reading The Raven Cycle first, but these books also work well on their own.


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Fangirl, Vol. 3: The Manga By Rainbow Rowell, Gabi Nam (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Rainbow Rowell, Gabi Nam (Illustrator)
$16.99
ISBN: 9781974738878
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: VIZ Media LLC - August 8th, 2023

Fangirl is so true to the experience of being a fan - to having a story you hold so close to your heart, it's sacred. The story follows Cath, a college freshman who writes a popular fanfic (she's a fan with fans of her own!) and is still devoted to the books she and her twin sister grew up loving. Cath faces roommate strangeness, new and familiar anxieties, family issues, and potential romance, all while trying to hold on to the characters who've become sacred to her, the stories she writes, and the sister she used to share these things with. Rowell's story has been expertly captured in this graphic novelization of a story I've loved since 2013!


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Twelfth Grade Night-Arden High, Book 1 By Molly Horton Booth Cover Image
$14.99
ISBN: 9781368064651
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Disney Hyperion - October 11th, 2022

Welcome to Arden High! Remember those 2000s high school movie adaptations of Shakespeare plays, like She's the Man and Ten Things I Hate About You? Think that, but with the fairies and magic of Midsummer Night's Dream. A spin on Twelfth Night sees Viola struggle with the loss of her father and her twin brother Sebastian's departure to an all-boys boarding school, leaving her to start at Arden High on her own. This graphic novel is full of new friends, first crushes, self-expression, and school dance antics - all following the structure of the Shakespeare’s classic comedy, with a heartfelt sibling story at its core. I love Twelfth Grade Night!


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Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club: Roll Call By Molly Knox Ostertag, Xanthe Bouma (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Molly Knox Ostertag, Xanthe Bouma (Illustrator)
$19.99
ISBN: 9780063039247
Availability: Not in stock at Boswell. Available to order.
Published: HarperAlley - November 29th, 2022

Best friends Jess and Olivia have played Dungeons and Dragons together for ages, creating stories together as Jess plays a character and Olivia conjures dungeons to explore and monsters to fight. When a new school year begins and Olivia wants to invite more people into their campaign, Jess doesn't understand why it can't just be the two of them, like always. This is a fun and meaningful graphic novel about friendship, inclusion, and (of course) battling monsters. I especially liked the D&D stats showing up next to people they encounter at middle school, showing bullying potential and humor in the same way that moral alignment and special attacks are displayed for monsters in their campaign. D&D fans and newcomers alike can dive into this tale of middle school social worlds and high fantasy adventures.


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Legends & Lattes: A Novel of High Fantasy and Low Stakes By Travis Baldree Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781250886088
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Tor Books - November 8th, 2022

Legends and Lattes: A Novel of High Fantasy and Low Stakes is the perfect comfort read, with a story as sweet as Thimble's cinnamon rolls, as warm as a fresh cup of coffee, with a subtle dash of queer romance. In a Dungeons and Dragons-type world, Viv the battle-weary orc hangs up her sword for good, intending to settle down and open a coffee shop. What follows is a cozy adventure about creating a home and building a new life, one of found family and formed community. Rarely do I find myself exclaiming aloud while reading, but I couldn't contain an "aww" here and there - and some scenes were so cute that I nearly cried. I want to join the regulars at Viv's coffee shop, with its promise of coffee, conversation, and the sense of things falling into place. This book is so cozy!


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Ocean's Echo (The Resolution Universe) By Everina Maxwell Cover Image
$27.99
ISBN: 9781250758866
Availability: Not in stock at Boswell. Available to order.
Published: Tor Books - November 1st, 2022

Set in the same universe as Winter's Orbit, but with an entirely standalone story and new cast of characters, Ocean's Echo is an adventure in space, minds, and galactic politics that truly stands out. As a fan of Maxwell's previous book, I love that Ocean's Echo is another character-forward space opera, with a story that illustrates very real mental health and relational issues and centers themes of building trust and selfhood. Surit is an architect who can "write" commands into the minds of others; Tennal is a powerful "reader" who can pick up on thoughts and intentions. When the military tries to force Surit to sync with Tennal, they realize that neither has signed up for this, but they must work together to protect their autonomy. The narrative is a split point-of-view between these two characters, and I loved their distinct voices and the dynamic they have together. You can trust Maxwell to carry you safely through to the end, even as the characters navigate a charged military-political landscape and dangerous, mind-bending bits of chaotic space. I found myself rooting for the characters, hooked even more by every twist, and all-around captivated by the story.


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Nona the Ninth (The Locked Tomb Series #3) By Tamsyn Muir Cover Image
$28.99
ISBN: 9781250854117
Availability: Not in stock at Boswell. Available to order.
Published: Tordotcom - September 13th, 2022

This third installment in The Locked Tomb series feels like the beginning of the end, with a story that had me under its thrall from beginning to end. Muir's humor and incredibly distinct character voices shine through as usual, but Nona is decidedly brighter than the previous two books' narrative styles. Even through Nona's sunny eyes, readers will see signs of a coming apocalypse around every turn: chaos and uncertainty surrounding her as she goes to school, pets a very good dog named Noodle, and plans a party. And just as pressing as the chaotic present is the unraveling of the past, chapters which I had to hold myself back from skipping to in order to find out how the path of humanity veered toward a future of Necromancers in space 10,000 years from now. Where many dystopian and sci-fi books fail when it comes to a “how we got here” storyline, Muir handles it as expertly as the character dynamics and truly, perfectly unhinged humor. Now is the perfect time to dive into The Locked Tomb series!


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The Oleander Sword (The Burning Kingdoms #2) By Tasha Suri Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780316538565
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Orbit - August 16th, 2022

In this thrilling sequel to The Jasmine Throne, three main characters must reckon with the high cost of power. Dark secrets wait at the root of a strange and powerful magic; brutal war and waning faith surround the figure of a prophesied rule; new threats arise to challenge a newly freed country. With mysteries that draw readers further into the story and twists that keep them on their toes, The Oleander Sword takes the series in exciting directions. I'm rooting so hard for Priya, Malini, and Bhumika, even as their motives differ and their paths diverge, and I'm so exciting to see where Tasha Suri takes them next.


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The Women Could Fly: A Novel By Megan Giddings Cover Image
$26.99
ISBN: 9780063116993
Availability: Not in stock at Boswell. Available to order.
Published: Amistad - August 9th, 2022

In this strange, lovely, and beautifully told novel, a bi and biracial woman confronts difficult choices and a complicated family history. Giddings seamlessly weaves social commentary into the narrative as she contends with the history of persecution for witchcraft - with power and otherness - and brings it into a contemporary speculative-fictional world. The Upper Midwest setting is part of an America that mirrors our own in its patterns of oppression. The existence of witches and the fictional state's regulation of women for fear of witchcraft offer a fascinating way to examine how fear drives marginalization in our reality. A novel of learning to exist in (and apart from) the world in which you find yourself.


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Her Majesty's Royal Coven: A Novel (The HMRC Trilogy #1) By Juno Dawson Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9780143137146
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Penguin Books - May 31st, 2022

Brilliant, timely, magical, thoughtful, and fun: Her Majesty's Royal Coven kicks off a new urban fantasy series that you won't want to miss. Book 1 follows a once tight-knit childhood friend group of young witches whose adult lives have been shaped by the Coven establishment and a recent magical war, and whose different paths and pasts have complicated their relationships to each other in adulthood. When one sees an ideological threat to the Coven and all magic where another sees a teenager in need of support, a fight for survival and inclusion ensues, forcing the characters to confront what's worth taking a stand on. HMRC is full of magic, chosen family, and fierce, protective love. I adored so many of the characters; split-perspective between these different witches brought so much to the story, especially to the ending - what a twist! This book is for anyone who's had someone they admire go too far over the wrong things, for those who understand otherness, and for those who want moments of coziness and friendship alongside a story of demonic entities and awesome witches.


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The Darkness Outside Us By Eliot Schrefer Cover Image
$15.99
ISBN: 9780062888235
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Katherine Tegen Books - May 10th, 2022

Part outer-space mystery thriller (à la 2001: A Space Odyssey), part queer romance between two complicated characters, and all a story that's entirely earnest and essentially human. This book had me hooked and was too good to put down. With a speculative sci-fi story that is at turns spooky and heart-wrenching, though always thoughtful, this book may push you to consider personhood and love alongside humanity's place in the universe. Not sure you can handle space horror? Never fear, there are plenty of sweet moments between the characters, and Schrefer's writing often reads like a hug from light years away.


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Joan: A Novel of Joan of Arc By Katherine J. Chen Cover Image
$28.00
Email or call for price
ISBN: 9781984855800
Published: Random House - July 5th, 2022

Chen's take on the life of Joan of Arc richly imagines a complicated young woman behind the legendary historical figure; not the martyr or the saint, but the girl who lived. Reading this felt like being at Joan's side, let in on her perspective and motives as she makes her way from a childhood of survival-mode to the height of French military leadership, growing into the formidable warrior we remember. I especially appreciated Joan's voice and inner thoughts, delivered in such a way that she read like a real person. This may be my favorite retelling of Joan of Arc's story!


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Mamo By Sas Milledge Cover Image
$14.99
ISBN: 9781684158171
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: BOOM! Box - April 19th, 2022

Mamo offers a story of magic, different people's relationships to home and family, and the importance of asking for - and accepting - help from those who care. A witchy, small-town adventure packed into a gorgeously illustrated graphic novel (seriously, turn to any page!) makes for a perfect weekend read.


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Mystical Stitches: Embroidery for Personal Empowerment and Magical Embellishment By Christi Johnson, Alexandra Jacopetti Hart (Foreword by) Cover Image
$25.00
ISBN: 9781635863345
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Storey Publishing, LLC - June 22nd, 2021

In addition to serving as a fantastic resource on embroidery techniques, this book will also teach you to stitch meaning into your clothes, create talisman patches with intentional symbolism, and add threadcrafting rituals to your art/magic/self-care practice. Mystical Stitches thoroughly appeals to my craft-witch sensibilities!


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The Girl from the Sea: A Graphic Novel By Molly Knox Ostertag Cover Image
$14.99
ISBN: 9781338540574
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Graphix - June 1st, 2021

This queer summer romance draws on Selkie (human-seal shapeshifter) mythology in a modern setting, on an island off the shore of a coastal Canadian tourist town. Keltie may be the magical sea creature, but island-dweller Morgan also hides parts of herself. This graphic novel tackles issues of family, friendships, identity, and sacrifice, all with compassion and splendid illustrations.


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Any Way the Wind Blows (Simon Snow Trilogy #3) By Rainbow Rowell Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781250254337
Availability: Not in stock at Boswell. Available to order.
Published: Wednesday Books - July 6th, 2021

Rowell has written a Young Adult fantasy series that expertly transitions into a very real adult story in its final volume. Book three is a beautiful exploration of what it takes to stay in love, to fight for relationships, and to accept love and care from those close to you in the aftermath of trauma. Cute and funny moments and stellar character writing abound! This is a story I needed.


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Welcome to Night Vale: A Novel By Joseph Fink, Jeffrey Cranor Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780062351432
Availability: Not in stock at Boswell. Available to order.
Published: Harper Perennial - January 10th, 2017

The strange desert town of the Welcome to Night Vale Podcast is brought to the shelves in this smart, funny, and wonderfully weird mystery. Follow Jackie and Diane as they search for truths in a connected past, a stranger no one can remember, and themselves- all for an uncertain future in a town we may never understand (but love to death). You can read this new original story without ever having listened to the podcast!


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The Wee Free Men (Tiffany Aching #1) By Terry Pratchett Cover Image
$15.99
ISBN: 9780062435262
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Clarion Books - September 1st, 2015

Tiffany Aching has a frying pan and is not afraid to use it. This young aspiring witch stares down nightmares and knocks out the monsters leaking onto her family's farm through a doorway to fairyland. When her little brother is taken by the fairy queen, she must use her first sight, second thoughts, and some help from the wee free men- an army of blue-tattooed, red-haired, sword-wielding 6-inch-tall pictsies- to get him back. If you like smart heroines and hilarious writing, you will love the Wee Free Men.


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Alice Isn't Dead: A Novel By Joseph Fink Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780062844149
Availability: Not in stock at Boswell. Available to order.
Published: Harper Perennial - August 31st, 2021

"This isn't a story. It's a road trip." Keisha's search for her long-lost (missing, not dead) wife, Alice, propels her to the center of a conspiracy of mysterious organizations and inhuman things that stalk the long roads of America. Fink's writing will transport you to Keisha's passenger seat, experiencing her encounters, feeling her anxiety, witnessing her determination and fierce love in every chapter. Well-paced and engrossing, this book speaks truths on anxiety, love, America, and the space between places. There are oracles on these roads. Enjoy the journey.


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The City We Became: A Novel (The Great Cities #1) By N. K. Jemisin Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780316509886
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Orbit - July 27th, 2021

The soul of New York City awakens in six individuals, who take on incredible threats to their home, each embodying the character and coming into the power of their borough. The way each character manifests powers related to their past and their borough is fascinating, and the book combines several different experiences of New York City in one story, including the range of attitudes New Yorkers have to the city itself.  Jemisin weaves an epic, thoughtful, next-level urban fantasy that really GETS New York.


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Fangirl: A Novel By Rainbow Rowell Cover Image
$20.00
ISBN: 9781250030955
Availability: Not in stock at Boswell. Available to order.
Published: St. Martin's Griffin - September 10th, 2013

Cather Avery is huge in the Simon Snow fandom- her fanfiction gets thousands of hits every day, and she has a regular following of fans. To Cath and her twin sister Wren, Simon Snow is their childhood- but will she be able to hang on to the story she loves after her first year of college, where she struggles to balance school, family issues, and her sanity? Find out in this fantastic novel. I love Rainbow Rowell's books, and her honest, thoughtful writing really struck a chord with me the first time I read this. For anyone who has been a fan (of anything, really) or found themselves staying in to read instead of going out.


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The Night Circus: A Novel By Erin Morgenstern Cover Image
$19.00
ISBN: 9780307744432
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Vintage - July 3rd, 2012

The Night Circus pairs lovely prose with deep, human stories This beautiful story will immerse you in the wonder-filled world of Le Cirque des Reves and the secret, magical competition taking place within as it travels around the world, picking up a devoted and thoughtful following of people who are touched by the magic of the circus. A pair of young magicians compete with tents of new marvels, each more magnificent than the last, as they work out the mystery behind the competition they have been selected for and the inevitable outcome that one of them must face. Read this book- your heart will thank you for it.


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Nimona: A Netflix Film By ND Stevenson, ND Stevenson (Illustrator) Cover Image
By ND Stevenson, ND Stevenson (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9780062278227
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Quill Tree Books - May 12th, 2015

I LOVE Nimona! Noelle Stevenson is probably my favorite comics writer, and this funny and epic graphic novel (originally an online webcomic) is my favorite of her work. Nimona is shape-shifting sidekick to Lord Ballister Blackheart, the villain of the kingdom who works to take down the revered Institute and his nemesis, Sir Goldenloin. But the Institute isn't as pristine as it seems, and neither is Nimona. What are their secret? Find out in this fantastic story, full of magic, science, and evil plans.


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The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, Book 1) By Maggie Stiefvater Cover Image
$12.99
ISBN: 9780545424936
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Scholastic Paperbacks - July 30th, 2013

The magic of the Raven Cycle series truly carries from page to reader as you follow Blue Sargent and the tight friendship of the Raven Boys on their quest to find an ancient Welsh king near the small town of Henrietta, Virginia, where magic lurks in unexpected and wonderful places. Start the series with the Raven boys, where Blue finds out that a Raven Boy will die within the year, and is drawn into the mystery and magic of the strange group of private school boys. Maggie Stiefvater is a fantastic writer, and this series- perfect for fans of realistic fantasy, beautiful prose, and tightly-bound friendships- will definitely leave you wishing for something more.


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The Jasmine Throne (The Burning Kingdoms #1) By Tasha Suri Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780316538510
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Orbit - June 8th, 2021

This epic, Sapphic fantasy truly has it all. Secret pasts! Conflicting motives! A vengeful princess imprisoned in exile, a ruined temple that once housed ancient, magical waters, a priestess, one of only a few survivors of the temple's destruction, hiding in plain sight, and oh so much more! Alongside the exciting world and complicated characters, this first installment in The Burning Kingdoms trilogy has a story that confronts imperialism, religion, resistance, morality, and reclaiming what has been taken - whether that be one's power, past, family, or an entire kingdom. (And did I mention the queer romance?) One of the best books I've read this year, and definitely a series worth starting.


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You Feel It Just Below the Ribs: A Novel By Jeffrey Cranor, Janina Matthewson Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9780063066625
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Published: Harper Perennial - November 16th, 2021

You Feel It Just Below the Ribs brings you immersive speculative fiction set in an alternate history where World Wars I and II became one continuous horror - "The Great Reckoning" - out of which a New Society of global government was formed. The Society aims to prevent such horrors from happening ever again, to keep peace and harmony, and prevent major conflict. To do this they abolish clan ties, concluding that nationalistic loyalties (and even blood ties to family and ancestry) were the root cause of large-scale violence; borders, nations, and families are dissolved. In this novel, Cranor and Matthewson write the memoir of a survivor of The Great Reckoning who played a role in the development of the Society and is horrified by what her work became. It reads like a found journal, with historical footnotes added by its discoverers (sometimes contradicting what the original author presents as fact), in the same genre as The Handmaid's Tale and other speculative fiction written as a first-person account. I was captured by the mystery of it all, the unfolding of events and relationships that created a different future.


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For Her Consideration: An Enchanting and Memorable Love Story (Out in Hollywood #1) By Amy Spalding Cover Image
$16.95
ISBN: 9781496739513
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Published: Kensington - February 21st, 2023

It's been three years since Nina's big breakup, three years since she cut off her friends, quit her job, and left LA for her aunt's place in the suburbs. She left her old life behind to escape the person she was (or the person her ex told her she was) and to protect the people she cares about from her own toxic presence. That distance works for her - until she gets called in for a meeting with Ari Fox. Ari is a rising star, an out lesbian actress on her way to Oscar nominations and queer icon status... and one of many clients whose email communications Nina handles. Their meeting propels them into an uncertain friendship of nights out, stories shared, and romantic tension. For Her Consideration is a fun and heartfelt modern Hollywood romance that will sweep you into a story of new love, found family, and trust. Though the story is primarily a romance, I really enjoyed how Nina's friendships were made central. If you're in the mood for realistic friend group dynamics, a bit of banter, tugs at the heartstrings, and plenty of opportunities for a good laugh, I submit to you For Her Consideration!


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The Unbroken (Magic of the Lost #1) By C. L. Clark Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780316542753
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Published: Orbit - March 23rd, 2021

A gripping, layered fantasy with worldbuilding inspired by history, The Unbroken is a postcolonial reckoning with power and belonging, set against resistance to empire and its backlash. Touraine struggles with loyalty between the empire who raised her as its soldier, the motherland she was stolen from as a child, and the princess she's spying for; Luca works to uphold the throne's rule in the face of rebellion while searching for the divine magic her own empire has forbidden. The future of nations will be shaped by the actions - and mistakes - of these two complicated women. CL Clark delivers an emotionally resonant debut, imbued with commentary on the deep impact of colonialism, in this first installment of the Magic of the Lost trilogy.