Welcome to our literary circle, in which San Diegans pass the (printed) word on books

Kelly Orazi

Job: Manager, Mysterious Galaxy She recommends: “The Last Cuentista” by Donna Barba Higuera (Levine Querido, 2021; 336 pages) Why? Había una vez ... (Once upon a time ...) Petra Peña is one of the lucky few humans who are chosen to embark on humanity’s last spaceship before a comet destroys Earth. She, along with a select few, are put into stasis and will wake up in 400 years en route to a new planet. But when Petra wakes up, she finds herself the only one on board who remembers Earth. As a natural lover of stories just like her abuelita, Petra longs to share and protect the stories of Earth. But there’s a mysterious collective that has overtaken the ship on its long journey, and it is bent on creating a “new history” for humanity, purging all memories of Earth. In order to save what’s left of Earth, Petra must discover who is behind the collective and how to stop them. “The Last Cuentista” is not only a pulse-racing science fiction novel, but a heart-wrenching testament to the power of storytelling.

Cassie Koldewyn

Job: Branch Manager, Alpine Branch, San Diego County Library She recommends: “A Madness of Sunshine” by Nalini Singh (Berkeley, 2019; 344 pages) Why? “A Madness of Sunshine” explores complicated relationships in an isolated, insular New Zealand town. Set against a backdrop of difficult family history and racial and class tensions, author Nalini Singh tells an engrossing story of murder and mystery. Anahera Rawiri returns to her hometown, Golden Cove, divorced, disillusioned and orphaned. She reluctantly makes acquaintance with newcomer Detective Will Gallagher, who has found himself fleeing his own past in Christchurch. As Anahera starts to settle back into the routine of small-town life, a beautiful, young and beloved resident, Miri Hinewai, goes missing. The search escalates quickly, as connections to other disappearances begin to surface. Anahera and Will soon find themselves as outsiders, working to uncover Golden Cove’s well-kept secrets. Enjoy the lush descriptions of a faraway landscape, while plumbing the depths of human behavior, in this transporting thriller.