STORIES OF THE INDIAN DIASPORA, from Mumbai to Mauritius, Melbourne, and California, woven together around the lives of a vividly portrayed extended family circle. Gorgeous characterization in lively prose. B PLUS

BORDER LESS
7.13 Books
2022

AFTER THE RICH DISCARD EARTH, the people left behind—disenfranchised, mostly members of minority groups, living off scraps on a toxic planet—keep on looking for connection, safety, and home. Complex, rewarding narrative of a too-believable future. B PLUS

GOLIATH
Tordotcom
2022

THE FIGHT AGAINST REPRODUCTIVE INJUSTICE and racism in 1970s Alabama and beyond, stunningly recreated in a troubling yet beautiful novel inspired by true events. Powerful narrative educates without being didactic, thanks to nuanced characterization. B PLUS

TAKE MY HAND
Berkley
2022

THE FASCINATION WITH WOMEN’S MADNESS that gave rise to the 19th century “hysteria” industry, evoked in a touching, poetic novel told from the points of view of patients at Paris’s famous Salpêtrière hospital. Lovely and disturbing. B PLUS

CITY OF INCURABLE WOMEN
Bellevue Literary Press
2022

A HARD-BOILED CYBORG DETECTIVE on the trail of a kingpin’s stolen lucky charm finds even more danger than she expected. Clever mix of grim future science fiction with classic noir tropes. B PLUS

NEON GOLDFISH: HOLOCITY CASE FILES #3
Northern Edge Publishing
2022

A POWERFUL INTERPLANETARY CIVILIZATION, shaped by traditions of Africa and the African diaspora, faces devastating attacks from within and without. High-energy space opera with lots of action, fascinating world-building, and a strong Black voice. B PLUS

SWEEP OF STARS (ASTRA BLACK #1)
Tor Books
2022

LIGHTHEARTED PARANORMAL REGENCY features book-world intrigue, a determined protagonist, and a wealth of period detail. Lots of fun! B PLUS

THE VANISHING VOLUME
BookView Cafe
2022

THE ASSASSIN’S TRAGIC FAMILY brought to life in this vivid re-imagination of the famous—and infamous—Booths. Karen Joy Fowler’s chiseled prose shines brightest in her deft, haunting portrayal of the Booth women. B PLUS

BOOTH
G.P. Putnam's Sons
2022

A TRAVELER’S SURPRISING DISAPPEARANCE after years of adventurous, high-stakes journeys is the centerpoint for a compelling look at one man’s obsession with wild places, and at the West’s fascination with the Himalayas. B PLUS

LOST IN THE VALLEY OF DEATH
Harper
2022

A MYSTERY IN A DYING CITY, and on its track are a heartbroken artist and a group of hard-luck companions. Science fiction, fantasy, and ancient tradition combine in this surprisingly sweet tale of apocalypse and survival. B PLUS

KUNDO WAKES UP
Tordotcom
2022