7 books we’re loving now

Fantasy

The Size of Nobodies by Amanda Mack “I turned to this fantastical novel to whisk away my tiredness and enliven my day,” says Melissa Sorrells, FIRST senior editor. “And it did both!” When Siege Sutton starts a new job at a managed care service, she finds herself looking after Mae, a mute 8-year-old girl who doesn’t seem to have any parents and isn’t keen on communicating with Siege. Luckily, Siege’s best friend and foster brother, Avi, has a natural aptitude for connecting with Mae—and what Mae tells them sends Siege and Avi on an adventure to save humanity from evil. “This story pulled me out of my doldrums and threw me into a different world,” shares Melissa. “The fantasy elements were a lot of fun, but what really stood out were the relationships between the characters. Their interactions felt so real!” (Independent, 2018; Paperback $11, Kindle $5)

Historical fiction

The Beautiful Strangers by Camille Di Maio “Recently, I was looking for a read to reset my anxious mind after a stressful week,” says Lauren Gatcombe, FIRST senior editor. “And this beachy book brought me some much-needed inner sunshine.” Kate Morgan moves to California in 1958 for a fresh start and to honor the plea of her ailing grandfather who tells her to go “find the beautiful stranger.” She lands a job at the Hotel del Coronado, which is historic, glamorous and the current shooting location of the movie Some Like It Hot. But when Kate learns that a ghost of a woman who died 60 years prior haunts the hotel and shares the same name as her, she wonders if this is the stranger her grandfather spoke of. “This book had it all: history, mystery and romance,” says Lauren. “By the last page, I felt relaxed and was left with a big smile on my face!” (Lake Union, 2019; Paperback $15, Kindle $5)