Quirky social commentary
Summer is wrapping up, but you've still got time for great vacation reads. These selections range from funny and quirky to more serious social commentary. These novels may make you look at those around you a little differently. Find a beach, a pool or a comfy seat in the AC and escape into one of these new releases.
1. Class Mom by Laurie Gelman
"What fun to root for our hilariously human heroine Jen as she navigates her role as class mom exactly the way we all dream of doing it—with humor and what appears to be a serious addiction to truth serum. Finally, a free-spirited character who says the things we are all thinking but are too scared to say out loud. A total joy to read."—Caroline Rhea, comedian
Reserve2. The Locals by Jonathan Dee
“Good old social novels are hard to come by these days, great ones harder still. Leave it to Dee to fill the void with a book that’s not only great but so frighteningly timely that the reader will be forced to wonder how he managed to compose it before the last election cycle.”—Booklist (starred review)
Reserve3. The Talented Ribkins by Ladee Hubbard
This big-hearted novel about race, class, politics and the unique gifts that bind a family is inspired by W.E.B. DuBois's famous essay The Talented Tenth.
"For sheer reading pleasure Ladee Hubbard's original and wildly inventive novel is in a class by itself." --Toni Morrison
Reserve4. The Misfortune of Marion Palm by Emily Culliton
"This debut novel has what many others lack: a wicked sense of humor. VERDICT: With her mordant wit, deft plotting, and clever storytelling, Culliton is a young novelist to watch."
—Leslie Patterson, Library Journal (Starred Review)
Reserve5. Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin
“Splendid . . . A witty, strongly drawn group of female voices tells Aviva’s story . . . has created a fun and frank tale. Her vibrant and playful writing, and the fully realized characters taking turns as narrator, bring the story a zestful energy, even while exploring dark themes of secrecy and betrayal. Zevin perfectly captures the realities of the current political climate and the consequences of youthful indiscretions in an era when the Internet never forgets.”—Booklist
Reserve