9 Books to Stock on Your Bookshelf After Spring Cleaning

Somewhere Out There by Amy Hatvany

Two sisters are separated and left to grow up in tragically different circumstances after their mother abandons them at an early age. Natalie Clark never asked her adoptive mother questions about her past, for all she knew was that her mother signed parental rights over to the state when she left. Living in foster home after foster home, Brooke Walker grew up telling herself she doesn’t have a family and has survived the only way she knows how, by relying on herself. The two have gone their whole lives never asking questions about their family background. It isn't until Natalie’s own daughter must complete a family tree project for school that she is intrigued to unearth the roots of her family history. What happens when two sisters reconnect after 35 years of not seeing each other? In this heartwarming story of healing wounds, Amy Hatvany brings to light how early life experiences shape us as adults and the power of real connections with others.

The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

Every family has its problems. For siblings Melody, Beatrice, Jack, and Leo Plumb, they each grew apart and shaped their lives around a family inheritance they've watched soar with the stock market since their father's passing. They each are relying on their share of the money to save them from self-inflicted problems, but when their reckless brother Leo threatens to drain the trust fund, they are forced to re-imagine the lives they were looking forward to. The Nest tells the warm and witty story about the power of money, and unbreakable bonds we share with loved ones.

Funny Little Pregnant Things by Emily Doherty

Emily Doherty cleverly puts into words all of the details, good and gross, of pregnancy in her upcoming book, Funny Little Pregnant Things. From breast milk leakage, to baby prep, to life post-baby, Doherty's book will have you feeling like you're discussing the most intimate stages of pregnancy with your best friend, and leaves you more prepared for the joyful times of being a mother to come.

What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi

Keys are the theme within this short story collection. A key to a door, a key to a heart, a key to secret, each unlocking different worlds of brilliant characters created by Oyeyemi. These short tales exist through multiple lands and ages in time, blurring the boundaries between coexisting realities. What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours explores the many possible answers that lie within the nooks of our imagination.

The Full Catastrophe by Karen E. Lee

Karen Lee's memoir The Full Catastrophe is a reflection of her journey through life, abuse, death, and self re-discovery. After the passing of her abusive husband, Karen is left to face her own demons, until she discovers a gift that he unintentionally left behind for her — a love of Jungian psychology and a book that will guide her through the years to come. She explores astrology and deciphers old dreams, all on her journey of healing. The Full Catastrophe is a thought-provoking story that gives a brutally honest view on self-resurrection.

The Bricks That Built the Houses by Kate Tempest

The Bricks That Built the Houses tells the intimate story of Becky, Harry, and Leon, three friends on the cusp of escaping London, their home that lives within their bones. With a luggage full of stolen cash and a fourth-hand Ford, the trio are tangled in a mess of impulses and loyalties; loyalties to the town that built them, to their families, and to each other. Kate Tempest captures the true feelings of working young people and how we become ourselves through experience outside of our comfort zones.

A Girl Like You by Michelle Cox

It's 1935 in Chicago and Henrietta Von Harmon is working as a taxi dancer at a local dance hall. Things are still shaken up after the big crash and her father's suicide that has forced her to play mother hen to her younger siblings and hostile mother. But after the sudden death of the dance hall's floor matron, Henrietta's life turns into a real-life crime-solving investigation. She agrees to go undercover for the unfriendly Inspector Clive Howard and is sent into the gritty underworld of Chicago's northwest side. As time goes by, Henrietta and the Inspector are drawn closer to solving the murder mystery and each other in the most unsuitable ways.

Why We Came to the City by Kristopher Jansma

A blizzard is blowing through the streets on Manhattan on a cold December night in 2008, as five friends toast to the new year ahead- a year with many surprises in store. Amidst the free-flowing champagne and celebration, Sara, George, Jacob, William, and Irene are filled with passion and determination to push onward with their individual dreams. But when an unexpected life hurdle brings their momentum to a halt, the group's only option is to reevaluate their aspirations, relationships with one another, and the glittering city they call home.

Alice & Oliver: A Novel by Charles Bock

Alice and Oliver Culvert thought their life was perfect. They lived in a trendy loft in the Meatpacking District of New York, they just welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Doe, and they both have promising careers. The joy of being new parents encompassed their everyday life, up until Alice's sudden cancer diagnosis leaves them stumped and under enormous pressure. In this powerful, funny, and heartbreaking novel, Charles Bock tells the story of a young couple who must confront the new realities of their marriage, and shows what it means to whole-heartedly care for someone you love.