UNP staff members are always reading new books, both within our list and outside of what we publish. Here are some of the titles where our noses have been buried. 

“I just finished The Witches Are Coming by Lindy West. Originally under the spell of Lindy West’s book Shrill (and the Hulu series of the same title) I decided I absolutely must read her other work. A fat, feminist comedian and activist, Lindy’s point of view in this book is sharp and entertaining. I found the complexity of her feelings about Adam Sandler’s work particularly relatable, but don’t worry, she writes about important things too.” -Lacey Losh

“I love reading horror novels in October and November, I think the transition into fall is the perfect time to get into something scary. I just finished Grady Hendrix’s The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, a horror novel set in the late 80s to mid 90s following a stay-at-home mom as a sinister and unknown force begins to work in her seemingly safe small-town.” -Taylor Martin

“The Magic Fish, by Trung Le Nguyen, is a beautifully illustrated story of a boy and his mother trading different versions of the Cinderella tale while navigating their own life stories. Also, the graphic memoir The Complete Persepolis. Marjane Satrapi’s coming-of-age experiences in the midst of nearly unimaginable changes in Iran is grounded in candor, wit, and the unflinching love of her family.” -Heather Stauffer

“I just finished reading Tara Westover’s memoir Educated, which follows her journey to get an education and how her familial relationships were impacted because of this. Next up on my list is Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero; I’m hoping it’s a good horror read in time for Halloween!” -Sarah Kee

“I’ve been reading Paolo Bacigalupe’s The Water Knife (2015), a dystopian novel about life after the dams along the Colorado River fail to provide enough water and hydroelectric power to sustain familiar and water-dependent lifestyles in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and other Southwestern cities. This may be the scariest book I’ve ever read because at this very moment in time we’re literally watching the water behind the Colorado River dams reach critical low-water stages with no plans or visions for remedying the situation. In Bacigalupe’s troubling future, private corporations use assassination, threats, and paramilitary raids to maintain control over climate-controlled archologies and limited water supplies while the federal government does nothing but pass unenforceable laws ignored by all. US citizens, especially Texans, become exploitable and unwanted migrants desperately searching for relief from a world where humankind has destroyed the power of nature to heal itself.” -Clark Whitehorn

“I just finished The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides as part of my Halloween reading list. This psychological thriller is a page-turner and offers the same satisfaction as reaching the end of a mystery movie where you can finally yell ‘I KNEW IT!'” -Shannyn McEntee

“I’m reading Kate Atkinson’s Shrines of Gaiety. I’ve read everything by her and I’m a big fan. This book is historical fiction, set in London in the 1920s and the main character is a nightclub owner. Her life is seedy and full of intrigue—I love it!” -Jana Faust

“I just finished reading Beatriz Williams’s historical novel, Our Woman in Moscow, which is loosely based on the true story of the Cambridge Five, a spy ring of five men from the UK who shared secret intel with the Soviets during and after World War II. Alternatively, Williams tells the story from the perspectives of one of the spy’s wives, her sister, and a KGB officer, and is a great read if you have a hankering for espionage or World War II history.” -Emily Casillas