55 Slightly Sinister Stories

55 stories. 55 words each. No more. No less. Enjoy this collection of flash fiction with a sinister twist. Size does matter in these delightfully tiny tales populated with narcoleptic drivers, bickering backers, suspicious spouses, and other memorable characters. Full of dark humor, intrigue, and absurdity, this collection of slightly sinister (and occasionally sweet) stories delivers a bite-size reading experience to satisfy any literary craving.

An imaginative girl shares some of the wonderful ways she can still show her love to friends and family far, far away. This moving, hopeful picture book is perfect for fans of While We Can't Hug and Outside, Inside. Inspired by the universal feelings of loss and loneliness that came when the pandemic forced people to stay inside and far apart, Racha Mourtada wrote a reassuring poem about connection and the endurance of love that will appeal to readers of all ages. This gorgeous picture book is a tribute to all the hugs and moments we haven't been able to share with each other. In tender and lyrical rhyming text perfect for reading aloud intimately or in a group, the little girl thinks of creative and wondrous ways to support and reach her loved ones from afar. Positive and encouraging, these ideas will make any reader feel more hopeful about the future. With an adorable cast of kids from all around the world, I'll Love You from Afar is a universal message about how we can express love for one another.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A stunning “portrait of the enduring grace of friendship” (NPR) about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves. A masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century. NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • MAN BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST • WINNER OF THE KIRKUS PRIZE A Little Life follows four college classmates—broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition—as they move to New York in search of fame and fortune. While their relationships, which are tinged by addiction, success, and pride, deepen over the decades, the men are held together by their devotion to the brilliant, enigmatic Jude, a man scarred by an unspeakable childhood trauma. A hymn to brotherly bonds and a masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century, Hanya Yanagihara’s stunning novel is about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves. Look for Hanya Yanagihara’s latest bestselling novel, To Paradise.

From the late 1800s through the first half of the 1900s, pulp magazines—costing a dime and filled with both fiction and nonfiction—were a staple of American life. Though often overlooked by popular culturalists, sports were one of the staples of the pulp scene; such standards as the National Police Gazette and All-Story carried some sports stories, and several publications, such as Sport Story Magazine, were entirely devoted to them. An overview of the pulps is followed by an examination of those devoted to sports: how they came into being, the development of the genre, the popularity of its heroes, and coverage of real-life events. The roles of editors, writers, artists, and publishers are then fully covered. A chapter on Street & Smith, the foremost publisher of sports pulps, follows, while a concluding chapter discusses the reasons for the demise of the pulps in the early 1950s.

A family has been brutally murdered leaving only their young daughter alive. Two days later another family is also slain, leaving their teenaged son unharmed. While most investigators agree the attacks are random, Detective Nicholas Pearce feels they are connected and deliberately planned. As he searches for the truth, he discovers a sinister and vicious group of killers who will destroy anyone that threatens to expose them.

NPR Book of the Year 2020 Electric Literature: One of 55 Books by Women and Nonbinary Writers of Color to Read in 2020 | Lit Hub & The Millions: Most Anticipated Books of 2020 | Ms. Magazine: Anticipated 2020 Feminist Books | Refinery29: Books by Black Women We are Looking Forward To Reading | One of The Millions’ Most Anticipated Reads of 2020 | Amazon Book of the Month Pick | Audible Editor’s Pick | Essence’s Pick| Glamour’s Must Read | Ms. Magazine’s Anticipated Read of 2020 A startling debut about class and race, Lakewood evokes a terrifying world of medical experimentation—part The Handmaid’s Tale, part The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. When Lena Johnson’s beloved grandmother dies, and the full extent of the family debt is revealed, the black millennial drops out of college to support her family and takes a job in the mysterious and remote town of Lakewood, Michigan. On paper, her new job is too good to be true. High paying. No out of pocket medical expenses. A free place to live. All Lena has to do is participate in a secret program—and lie to her friends and family about the research being done in Lakewood. An eye drop that makes brown eyes blue, a medication that could be a cure for dementia, golden pills promised to make all bad thoughts go away. The discoveries made in Lakewood, Lena is told, will change the world—but the consequences for the subjects involved could be devastating. As the truths of the program reveal themselves, Lena learns how much she’s willing to sacrifice for the sake of her family. Provocative and thrilling, Lakewood is a breathtaking novel that takes an unflinching look at the moral dilemmas many working-class families face, and the horror that has been forced on black bodies in the name of science.

Includes Part 1, Number 1: Books and Pamphlets, Including Serials and Contributions to Periodicals (January - June)