THE LAST YEARS OF A COMPLICATED WOMAN’S life, evoked with affection and exasperation by her novelist son. Both a nuanced portrait of a fierce, brilliant, difficult person and an indictment of how society can fail the vulnerable elderly. SOLID B

TASHA
Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster
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

AN EROTIC EXISTENTIAL THRILLER about the hunt for a magical book of tremendous power, but also about loss and disappointment and passion and creativity and sumptuous meals. Sara Gran dazzles, as always. A MINUS

THE BOOK OF THE MOST PRECIOUS SUBSTANCE
Dreamland Books
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

IN A WORLD OF RAGE ZOMBIES, only one rational man and his dog survive. Or…maybe not? A tale of unlikely apocalypse is unexpectedly cozy and thoroughly British in its charm. SOLID B

FLESH AND BLOOD (BEFORE AND AFTER BOOK 2)
Andrew Shanahan
2021

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

THE DAZZLING ENIGMA OF HEREDITY, and the many ways we try to grasp at it, from family stories to genealogy to genetic research. Maud Newton’s clear, engaging prose moves seamlessly between her own family tree and the broader questions. A MINUS

ANCESTOR TROUBLE
Random House
2022