Fiction Five: Not So Innocent New Novels
Step into thought-provoking new tales that will move you. While the main characters in three of these five intriguing books are kids (or start the story as kids), they are dealing with adult issues, situations and discoveries. The main characters in the other two novels are adults whose innocence becomes lost.
Habits of the Sea by Shea Ernshaw
The night Clay Lockhart’s wife dies, a violent storm tears their home and the land beneath it away from the Scottish coast into the Atlantic. Thirty years later, 12-year-old Ellie Mills discovers the fabled floating island off the coast of Nova Scotia and finds Clay still living in the weather-worn farmhouse.
When the island vanishes overnight Ellie questions whether it ever existed at all. But decades later the island resurfaces. Ellie returns determined to uncover the truth. She finds Clay hasn’t aged a single day.
“In Habits of the Sea, Shea Ernshaw has crafted an exquisite map of the human heart as vast and unpredictable as the Atlantic itself. If you’ve ever felt anchored to a place that no longer exists, this magical book is for you. Find a quiet corner to read, and let the tide come in." —Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestselling author
White Rabbit by Abigail Rose-Marie
In a yellow house perched on the crumbling edge of Massachusetts Bay 11-year-old Penelope Willows is living in the shadow of loss. Her father is gone, leaving behind only whispers and shadows. Her mother drifts further away each day lost in her own grief. Penelope clings to her routines counting everything she can – logs by the stove, soup cans in the pantry – hoping to hold the world together.
But this is no ordinary house. It once belonged to the poet Sylvia Plath. Penelope begins to hear the echoes of Plath’s poetry in the wind, feel her sadness seep into the walls, and see her ghost in mirrors and empty rooms.
“White Rabbit is a triumph of character. In her neurodivergent narrator, Penelope, Rose-Marie has crafted a singular, standout voice that will stay with readers long after the story is told. The world of White Rabbit is assembled with pitch-perfect prose that follows Penelope's every thought as she navigates the losses and longings of her isolated life. Rose-Marie paints a picture that is hyper-real at its heart but dreamlike along the edges. The novel is a pleasure to read, and perfect for fans of Karen Russell or Laura van den Berg.” ― James Wade, Spur Award-winning author
An Infinite Love Story by Chanel Cleeton
The world is watching when Joe Mitchell launches into space. It’s 1968 and the country waits with anticipation and excitement for another successful mission, another celebration as America sets its sights on the Moon. And then comes the knock at Vivian Mitchell's door.
Joe’s spacecraft has lost contact. He and his fellow astronauts onboard are feared to be dead. It’s his wife Vivian’s worst nightmare. Her grief takes center stage as the nation waits and mourns.
The investigation surrounding Joe’s lost spacecraft intensifies and is considered an operator error. Vivian is determined to clear her husband’s name and uncover what happened in space. When she receives messages she believes only Joe could send, Vivian begins to wonder if their love is stronger than space and time.
"Cleeton's most deeply personal and deeply moving book yet! As an Air Force spouse herself, Cleeton paints Vivian's agony for her husband's safety and her frustration with a system built on the unseen labor of its military wives with keen understanding and endless sympathy. Both a tender romantic drama and a fascinating deep dive into the 1960s space race, An Infinite Love Story soars as high as its astronauts." — Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Briar Club
Paradise Pawn by Meg Richardson
Teenage best friends Jackie and Kayla can sell anything. Alongside their fathers, they work at a pawn shop in Cherry Beach, Florida, handling everything from luxury jewelry to chainsaws. When the girls learn Kayla’s family can’t afford a private school opportunity that Jackie’s can, Jackie becomes distraught about losing her best friend.
With their sharp minds and youthful lack of foresight, they scheme a way to embezzle money from the pawn shop. As the hot Florida summer unfolds the girls steal thousands of dollars from the shop. But when their heist is discovered, Jackie is faced with a situation no amount of negotiating or charisma can fix.
This story is told with incredible heart and wit, and based on Richardson’s own experience working behind the counter of a pawn shop. Paradise Pawn navigates themes of trust, familial love, female friendship and class differences, and asks us how far we would go to protect the ones we love most.
“Brilliant and bighearted, Paradise Pawn transported me back to the electrifying intensity of young friendship. It beautifully captures the feeling of slowly waking up from childhood and emerging into the adult world only to realize it's often not what we thought it would be. A total gem of a debut!” — Charlee Dyroff, author of Loneliness & Company
Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves
Travis is Death. He wears jeans and a t-shirt and lives in a small town. His job is to offer people comfort in their final hours of life. Travis is stoic, gentle and a little naive, despite everything he knows. He’s young and handsome, despite who he is.
Each death Travis witnesses is meaningful to him. He listens, never judges and most importantly, never tries to change anyone’s fate. He knows every life must eventually end to maintain the balance of the universe and he respects the cycle.
Then he meets Dalia, a midwife, and her boisterous 8-year-old daughter Layla, who live across the hall. As Dalia and Layla embrace Travis, it becomes more difficult to maintain the detachment that’s allowed him to function for so long.
"Be prepared to reflect on what makes a well-lived life and to shed some tears before sending a copy to a friend. A good suggestion for fans of Matt Haig, Gabrielle Zevin, or Marcus Zusak." — Booklist, starred review
