Darcie Wilder

This book follows two insane teens on a Bonnie and Clyde-inspired adventure across America. Leaving behind their abusive pasts, they steal cars and pursue a warped American dream, where Elvis is still king and the corn dog is the "backbone of this great country." With humor, poetry, and unforgettable sentences, this book is a must-read for those seeking a wild road trip filled with self-destruction and self-discovery.

"A Touch of Jen" is a twisted and hilariously funny debut novel that follows a young couple's obsession with a former co-worker on Instagram. When they finally meet Jen in person and are invited on a surfing trip with her wealthy friends, their fantasies quickly turn into a nightmare. Part millennial social comedy and part psychedelic horror, this novel explores the hidden desires that lurk beneath our carefully curated online personas. Get ready for a wild ride this summer with "A Touch of Jen."

A high school student embarks on a journey of self-discovery and resilience, leaving his parents' home to live with friends with the aid of government welfare. Through unique, four-line paragraphs, the narrator shares intimate moments of his new life, becoming your best friend from page one. Join him as he navigates life with just $50, two packs of cigarettes, and a backpack of essentials. Steve Anwyll's powerful storytelling will leave you wanting more.

In Ling Ma's offbeat and wryly funny novel, Severance, Candace Chen, a first-generation American and millennial drone, is navigating adulthood in a routine-driven life. However, when a plague sweeps New York, she finds herself alone and photographing the abandoned city under the pseudonym, NY Ghost. Soon, Candace joins a group of survivors led by a power-hungry IT tech and must navigate her way through a new society. This apocalyptic satire is a moving family story, a quirky coming-of-adulthood tale, and a hilarious, deadpan tribute to human connections that drive us to do more than just survive.

This memoir offers a first-hand glimpse into the high-flying and reckless startup culture of Silicon Valley during a time of unchecked ambition, unregulated surveillance, wild fortune, and political power. The author, Anna Wiener, left a job in book publishing for the promise of the new digital economy in San Francisco. She landed at a big-data startup in the heart of the Silicon Valley bubble, where she witnessed a new Silicon Valley emerge; one that enriched itself at the expense of the idyllic future it claimed to be building. A coming-of-age-story and a portrait of a bygone era, Uncanny Valley is a rare and personal narrative that charts the tech industry's shift from world savior to democracy-endangering liability.

"White Negroes" by Lauren Michele Jackson is a thought-provoking exploration of cultural appropriation, and how it exacerbates racial inequality. The book discusses how the mainstream success of black aesthetics often leaves black pioneers behind, and how this is a blueprint for taking wealth and power. With a mix of narrative, scholarship, and critique, Jackson delves deep into the racial contradictions behind pop culture, political leaders, and more. This audacious debut brilliantly re-interrogates Norman Mailer's infamous 1957 essay of a similar name and introduces a bold new voice in Jackson. "White Negroes" is a must-read for those interested in thoughtful consumption and promoting equality.

The Mutations is a deeply neurotic comedy that dissects the experience of illness and maps the relationships strengthened and frayed in its wake. Following the story of Ramón Martinez, a militant atheist and successful lawyer who loses the source of his power and livelihood - speech - after being diagnosed with cancer of the tongue, this book is a profound and funny cross section of modern Mexico. Filled with rough-hewn poetry of regret, rage, and, finally, resignation, The Mutations pays homage to forebears such as Sontag, Didion, Flaubert, and Tolstoy.