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What happens to the places ruined and left desolate by humans? Investigative journalist Cal Flyn travels around the world to find out. Focusing on the outrageous damage we have sustained on our world may seem to make for depressing reading, but Islands of Abandonment (2021) is surprisingly uplifting.

Why bother with people when you could have the perfect companion? In a world where personal computers (or persocoms) have been given human form, that is the question that Chobits - the beautifully drawn, thought-provoking science fiction story by CLAMP - explores.

I have never cared deeply or felt great compassion for a robot. Until now.

An engrossing historical romance featuring spies during the American Civil War. Born into slavery, Elle Burns is now a free woman. In 1862, she goes undercover, working as a slave in the household of a Confederate senator in Richmond, Virginia. She meets Pinkerton Secret Service Agent Malcolm McCall, a Scottish immigrant, and the pair form an uneasy alliance. As their relationship (both professional and personal) grows, Elle and Malcolm must navigate the uneasy world of race, politics, and war. 

The Big Flower Fight (2020) is a British reality show in which teams of florists, artists, and garden designers compete to create stunningly ambitious sculptures matching the theme of each episode. Some of the challenges the contestants face include making a giant throne using only edible plants, making a dress entirely out of flowers, and recreating a scene from a fairytale.

A book for book lovers! Theo Fumis loves books, but because he lives in the slums, the town librarian refuses to let him borrow books or even set foot inside the library. That doesn't stop him from sneaking in to read them though! Due to his mixed ancestry, easily apparent by his pointed ears and blonde hair, Theo is shunned by nearly all of the town's residence, and books are his only escape from his harsh life. A life he dreams of leaving behind by becoming a kafna.

Looking for a dark, yet quirky fantasy quest? Look no further. Nettle and Bone (2022) delivers with the story of Marra, a princess determined to save her sister from an abusive marriage. Of course she needs help on her quest and help comes in the form of a dust-wife (a witch who can speak to the dead), a dog made of bones, an honorable knight saved from goblins, a fairy godmother with dubious talents and a demon possessed chicken.  

Written in the Stars (2020) by Alexandria Bellefleur is a romance (very) loosely inspired by Pride and Prejudice. When Darcy’s brother Brendon sets her up on a blind date with Elle, the evening is a disaster.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) begins with the story of Evelyn Wang, a Chinese American immigrant, and her race to keep her teetering family business running. A high-stakes meeting at the IRS with Evelyn's husband and father takes a sharp and completely unexpected turn, and Evelyn finds herself suddenly thrown into an interdimensional, surreal adventure.

After I finished this brief (160 pages), unexpected, quirky gem of the book, I didn't have the words to describe it. Long after I finished Convenience Store Woman (2018) by Sayaka Murata, I kept thinking about it. This offbeat, moving story follows 36-year-old Keiko, who has spent half her life working at a convenience store. She’s content with her life.

To say Xingyin has lived a sheltered life is putting it mildly. She, her mother, and her mother's attendant live alone in the Palace of Pure Light on the moon, for Xingyin's mother is the moon goddess.

SeinLanguage by Jerry Seinfeld is perfect for anyone who has sat there thinking, "Boy, nothing sounds better right now than reading the first 90 seconds of every Seinfeld episode in one sitting," which is what I said to myself right before checking out this book.