There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak is a beautifully written, deeply emotional novel that crosses time and continents to explore memory, exile, and human connection. At the center are three unforgettable characters: Arthur, a Victorian-era boy with an extraordinary memory; Narin, a Yazidi girl shaped by silence and loss; and Zaleekhah, a contemporary scientist trying to make sense of her grief. Using the idea of water as “aquatic memory,” Shafak shows how the past flows through us all, shaping who we are and how we see the world. It’s a powerful, poetic story—rich in compassion, full of beauty, and grounded in a deep understanding of what it means to be human.

Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures is a heartfelt and quietly magical story about love, loss, and the surprising ways we rediscover ourselves. At its center is the touching connection between Tova, a widow still grieving her past, and Marcellus, an unusually clever octopus with a dry sense of humor and a surprisingly deep soul. As their lives cross paths with others searching for meaning, the novel gently unfolds into a story about second chances, unexpected friendships, and finding hope in unlikely places. It’s warm, moving, and leaves you with a full heart and a lasting sense of wonder.

Grady Hendrix’s The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires is a fierce, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt blend of horror and Southern domestic drama. Set in a quiet Charleston suburb in the 1990s, the novel follows a group of housewives whose true-crime book club becomes the unlikely frontline against a charming but monstrous intruder. Beneath the vampire lore lies a sharp, emotionally charged critique of gender roles, racism, and the cost of being ignored. With wit, gore, and grit, Hendrix crafts a story that’s as much about female resilience and friendship as it is about slaying the literal and metaphorical monsters among us.

Classic Scary Tales is the ideal book for bedtime, party time, and campfire story time. Classics that were previously unattainable to little readers are now made perfect for their level. 10 stories in one book: a stimulating introduction to the world of classic scary literature. Dracula. Frankenstein. Sleepy Hollow. And more... Literature’s most frightening classic novels readapted (and slightly sweetened) for all goosebump-loving big kids. Tender care has been given to honoring and capturing key elements of each narrative, including their most suspenseful moments (yet not their gory ones).

Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black is a masterclass in restrained, atmospheric horror, evoking the chilling elegance of Victorian ghost stories. Through spare, elegant prose and a tightly wound narrative, Hill conjures a world where grief lingers like fog and the past seeps relentlessly into the present. Eel Marsh House, shrouded in isolation and silence, becomes a symbol of dread as the eponymous specter emerges—not merely as a ghost, but as vengeance incarnate. This is a tale where fear creeps, rather than strikes, and where the final horror is as inevitable as it is devastating

Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes unfurls like a dark dream, steeped in autumnal melancholy and the spectral pull of time. With prose that shimmers between the lyrical and the grotesque, Bradbury conjures a Midwestern town haunted not just by a traveling carnival, but by the secret longings and regrets of its people. At its heart, the novel is a meditation on youth and age, desire and dread, rendered with the precision of poetry and the weight of myth. It is a gothic elegy, tender and terrifying in equal measure.

Willa Cather’s novel follows the quiet, profound journey of a French Catholic bishop and his friend as they build a mission in the rugged landscape of 19th-century New Mexico. Through lyrical prose and vivid descriptions, Cather explores themes of faith, cultural encounter, and the passage of time. The novel is meditative and dignified, capturing the spiritual and physical vastness of the American Southwest.

This gentle, practical guide teaches parents and educators how to create simple, meaningful stories for children using everyday moments. West and Sarosy emphasize the power of oral storytelling to foster connection, imagination, and emotional growth. Their approach is intuitive, accessible, and rooted in the belief that anyone can become a storyteller.

The God of the Woods is a haunting mystery set in a 1970s summer camp where a girl’s disappearance stirs up old family secrets. Liz Moore weaves shifting timelines and perspectives into a story rich with grief, privilege, and class tension. Though the cast is large, the suspense and emotional depth keep readers hooked. Vivid characters and masterful writing make this an unforgettable read.