Geri of Shimasu: Adventures of a Baka Gaijin by Alia Luria is an adult non-fiction biography that follows 30-year-old law student Alia Luria as she experiences Japan in 2008 as foreigner. The book is written as a collection of essays on her experiences in chronological order with haiku poems and sketches interspaced throughout it. The first chapter covers her somewhat embarrassing bout of diarrhea (geri in Japanese) during her first night in Japan followed by a desperate search for a pharmacy and setting up her housing situation all while coping with her stomach upset.
A Not So Misfit Odyssey by John F. McCarney is a fiction children’s book best suited for ages 8 – 12 who enjoy a book where the main character is an animal. Juanito is an Iberian pig who has called the Dehesa in Argentina his home. He has known for quite a while that it was his fate to be turned into a ham, but he thought he would have many more sunsets to admire and acorns to devour. Yet, the sickening of the oak trees had led to him being sold and sent to the Festival of Hams in Buenos Aires long before his time.
The Hipster's Legacy - A Story about a Family by Lorraine Cohen is a non-fiction memoir that follows Lorraine as she transitions from her musical family upbringing to adulthood while discovering who she is and what she truly wants alongside her family. This is a book that would appeal most to young adults and adults who enjoy real coming-of-age stories. Lorraine was born into a large, lively family which only grew as she entered adulthood and became an aunt. She started her foray into music and acclaim early as a part of one of her father’s jazz performers.
When Darksome Falls by M.C. Ryder is a paranormal mystery, thriller and suspense novel that follows a cast of characters who were previously vampires. This is a book that would appeal most to paranormal fiction lovers as well as those who enjoyed the Dark Series written by the author. This book follows Melia as she tries to find herself now that she is human. Melia truly misses being a vampire as she used to be able to run like the wind, and she had a life partner in Vince.
Omniviolence by Jones Worthington is an adult techno thriller, science fiction novel that follows a pair of unlikely companions trying to survive. In this new cyberpunk world, violence is everywhere so much so that a teenager can even be a contract killer and being canceled means your execution. Jackson Cross is a teen who lives in his mother's basement and kills people for money, but he does his killing via electronics and is paid virtually via crypto.
Casco Bay by Aja Holland is a mystery novel set off the coast of Maine. The book follows Shiloh Vail’s return to the harbor town of Casco Bay where she spent her childhood. Shiloh spent many years away from her hometown, yet the death of her father beckons her home to settle his affairs. As Shiloh goes through what her father left behind, she begins to find more questions than answers, especially regarding his lack of records from prior to his marriage to her mother.
