Raven Book Store

“Lucy is thrown by the tragic and mysterious death of her beloved cousin, Zoltan, with whom she shared a love for old movies. His murder resembles that of the 1971 film <i>The Beguiled</i>, thus the book’s title. Following his death, Lucy is haunted, then enchanted, by a series of confessions by strangers who approach her out of the blue. As she silently ponders the increasingly shocking stories—which she considers with pitch black humor—Lucy contemplates motherhood, culture, religion (its ...”

Mary • Raven Book Store

“I loved listening to Sheila Heti read this book. I don’t think I would have liked it as much had I read it on the page. Heti is certainly not for everyone, but if you like unconventionality in your books, give her work a try. <em>Motherhood</em> is an autofictional rumination on the question of whether or not to have a child, and the book is largely guided by the actual flipping of three coins, inspired by the I Ching. The three-coin method adds a reverent, mystical quality to the book, which...”

Mary • Raven Book Store

“Mary spends most of her childhood in a Catholic orphanage, before going to live with her aunt and uncle. Never truly welcomed and cared for by them, she is elated when at 18 she is offered a job as a secretary at Nettleton State Village for Feebleminded Women of Childbearing Age. Nettleton is operated by the renowned and brilliant Dr. Agnes Vogel, psychiatrist, suffragist, and eugenicist. At first, Mary is awe-struck by the great kindness and service Dr. Vogel provides her vulnerable young pa...”

Nancy • Raven Book Store

“I loved Hanif Abdurraqib’s A Little Devil in America. This essential book explores a handful of Black performers—some world-famous, others everyday people—across a wide variety of disciplines, seamlessly woven into snippets and stories from Hanif’s own life about Black culture and the performance of Blackness. JD Jackson’s low and easy narration is the perfect complement. Hanif’s commentary on tenderness and rage is especially moving.”

Mary • Raven Book Store

“What could possibly go wrong when a few members of a family of witches banned from practicing witchcraft for almost 100 years begin to experiment, sometimes unintentionally, with their powers? Find out in this highly entertaining adventure/romance/mystery. Four cousins, one who torments the others, an eccentric aunt, a pair of loving and protective parents, and various romantic interests and some interesting animals take the listener on a wild romp full of mishaps, laughter, and some mystery....”

Nancy • Raven Book Store

“This Time Will Be Different was a pleasure to listen to, although the story wasn’t all sunshine and daisies. Seventeen-year-old CJ works with her aunt at their family-owned flower shop in California. She’s not sure that she believes in flower magic or romance, but CJ has a knack for choosing and arranging stems to suit any occasion. She loves what she does, but her mother is less than impressed with CJ’s lackluster academic performance and floral “hobby.” This book explores the pressure o...”

Mary • Raven Book Store