Amber is the latest addition to the Inventory team. An Outer Banks native and UNCG grad, she prefers books with a little something different, often fantasy or young adult. She runs our Science Fiction and Fantasy book club.
In the novel The Gentleman by Forrest Leo, Victorian poet Lionel Savage gets married for money and immediately loses his muse. On a particularly stressful night, he accidentally summons the Devil. When his wife goes missing, Lionel realizes he maybe sort of sold his wife to the dark lord. What else can he do but gather up his friends and family to plan a rescue mission to Hell? A hilariously entertaining debut novel with footnotes and unforgettable characters!
Novelist Arthur Less, on the brink of turning 50, runs away from an ex-boyfriend's wedding on a world tour.
“Despite all his mishaps, missteps, misunderstandings, and mistakes, Less is, above all, a love story.” The voice is charming, the characters are hilarious and delightful, and you cheer for Less through this entire anxiety-ridden trek across the globe to find himself and what will make him truly happy. A perfect feel-good literary beach read for 2017!
This book found me at the perfect time in life, right after I moved here to Raleigh. Warnick explores many methods and resources for taking the place you live and turning it into the place you love—the place you call home. Not every section will be relevant to everyone, but there are lots of great ideas and interesting interviews—even some in NC! It helped me feel a little happier already, so if you're new to the area or moving soon, pick this one up!
The Thirteenth Tale meets The Da Vinci Code in this thrilling literary mystery!
A serial killer models his victims after famous deaths in Shakespearean plays. Theater director Kate Stanley must beat this crazed murderer at his own game and locate a long-lost Shakespeare manuscript.
A twisting and fun read for the literary and mystery lover!
In 1919 Boston, there exist hemopaths: people with powers to create illusions and manipulate memories.
Historical fantasy with strong female leads and racial diversity across a web of intrigue, betrayal, and an oppressive government.
X-Men meets Gangs of New York right before prohibition.
Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children is a boarding school for kids who, like Alice in Wonderland, went through a magical door to another world. They are trying to re-acclimate to life here and desperate to return to their fantasy worlds.
If you're looking for a dark fantasy with a sense of humor and a touch of mystery, I highly recommend this progressive and beautifully written novella.
A stunning novel inspired by Homer's The Illiad told from the perspective of Patroclus about Achilles' life.
Miller's brilliant storytelling is matched by lyrical writing that supports the mythical components of the tale, while simultaneously creating a world so real and immediate that I found myself stopping to savor her words and the images they implanted in my mind.
This book took my breath away, made me weep, and lit a fire to learn more.
“Reader, I murdered him.”
An homage to Jane Eyre, Jane Steele learns to take justice into her own hands, ridding the world of abusive men one body at a time. Jane has bravery and wit abounds, and is quite the match for Mr. Thornfield, a man with a past as dark and mysterious as Jane's herself.
I love books that have characters that feel real in their emotions and actions, and Dumplin' delivers in this aspect for sure.
Willowdean confronts societal expectations, as well as her own self-image, when she throws her plus-size hat in the ring for a local beauty pageant.
Throw in drag queens, Dolly Parton songs, and an adorable love interest, and you’ve got one excellent, hilarious, and important YA novel.
loneliness is a sign you are in desperate need of yourself
I am by no means a poet, or some sort of poetry aficionado.
This book of poetry affected me deeply and emotionally, and I want to put it into the hands of every woman (and most men) I know.
Kaur writes about survival. Love, sex, abuse, strength, loss, femininity, independence. It is heavy and vulnerable, yet uplifting. Her words are breathtaking and impactful, like she wrote the entire book for you.