Staff’s Choice: 12 Recently Shelved Books from the Off the Shelf Team

I recently finished an advance copy of Ariel Lawhon's historical suspense novel I WAS ANASTASIA, which revisits the last days of the Romanov family and the controversy of whether the youngest daughter survived, and now I'm in a total Russian history reading hole. Thankfully, our own Taylor Noel has a great list of books to read under that umbrella. On it—and now on my to-read list—is Simon Sebag Montefiore’s THE ROMANOVS, an epic and sweeping history of the family, spanning 20 tsars and tsarinas, that reads just like a novel.  —Julianna

I happen to love dogs and artistically pleasing covers, so safe to say, LILY AND THE OCTOPUS caught my eye. Now add the promise of some magical realism and illuminating, emotional prose and this one just got bumped up on my to-read list.  —Nikki

Read the full review of LILY AND THE OCTOPUS.

Though I don’t read much dystopian fiction, ON SUCH A FULL SEA has all the elements I generally love in fiction: a mysterious disappearance, a strong heroine who sets out in search of the missing person, and masterful storytelling. Against a vividly imagined future America, Chang-rae Lee tells a stunning, surprising, and riveting story that explores identity, culture, work, and love. I added this to my shelf hoping to finally conquer a genre that I care for only on the silver screen. —Tolani

I’m always on the lookout for new, diverse authors, so I found myself adding almost every book from the “14 Books by Diverse Authors You Need to Read Right Now” list earlier this year. UNDER THE UDALA TREES particularly drew my interest. Two girls—both displaced by the civil war in Nigeria—fall in love in a culture where prejudice against same-sex relationships is still rampant. I can’t wait to read this one. —Erin

I’ve been lucky enough to spend a lot of time in Napa Valley with my wine-loving father. Though I can sniff and twirl wine in goblet, I can’t readily identify flavors or vintages. I put CORK DORK on my shelf because I’m fascinated with the wine world. I want to learn more so I will be ready for my next trip to Napa! —Wendy

I added ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AN ORDINARY LIFE to my shelf as soon as I read the incredibly selling Off the Shelf review. In her 2005 memoir, Amy Krouse Rosenthal alphabetizes her thoughts and experiences to tell the story of her ordinary life, including lists, charts, and time lines. This charming and wholly relatable book exposes the magic in the mundane and shows how extraordinary an ordinary life can be. —Taylor

Read the full review of ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AN ORDINARY LIFE.

I saw The Room, the movie at the center of this behind-the-scenes story, years ago, but still quote it to this day. It was a movie written, produced, directed by, and starring a spellbinding figure named Tommy Wiseau. I’ve long wondered what drove him to get this movie made. Did he truly think this would be the greatest movie ever? I’m sure that the author’s account of how it actually happened is FAR more bizarre than I can even imagine. —Chris D.

I have avoided this book for years. Every last one of my friends read this book on some iteration of a Fire Island vacation during the summer, and I missed the boat. When we all gathered together for ciders in the pubs this fall, it was all they would talk about, and I was stuck in a corner fending for myself. I vowed then and there never to read this nemesis of a title that had ruined Pumpkin Spice season for me. Then I read Rakesh Satyal’s beautiful review and was re-inspired to get into this book before the world saw the film. I just picked it up from the library and can already see what all the fussy fuss was about. —Stu

Read the full review of CALL ME BY YOUR NAME.

 A while back, a friend pointed out a likeness of Audrey Munson to me—a golden statue at the top of a New York City building.  A Gilded Age actress and model, she served as muse for many pieces of art around the city.  Then, lo and behold, Off the Shelf offered up a biography of her, which delves into the darkness underneath the glitz and glamour of her life: forbidden romance, murder, suicide, and madness.  I can’t wait to read it! —Sarah Jane

It usually takes a couple of reviews to truly get me motivated for a new novel, but the attraction was immediate with A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW. An introspective man of privilege confined to isolation in a luxury hotel is enough to entice me, but place that hotel across the street from the Kremlin, and I’m already reading. —Chris G.

Read the full review of A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW.

Kerry’s review of THE BEAUTIFUL CIGAR GIRL convinced me I must read this “mysterious and odd” murder mystery that inspired  Edgar Allan Poe to create one of the first fictional stories based on a true crime. It takes place in New York City in the 1800s, always a draw for me, and speaks to both political and social issues of the time. The tragic and unsolved case of “The Beautiful Cigar Girl” led to much-needed change in this city, and I’m eager to read all about it. —Allison

Read the full review of THE BEAUTIFUL CIGAR GIRL.

I love witches. I also love the internet. Imagine my surprise when I discovered a book that combined the two. The English translation of this acclaimed Dutch novel follows a quaint town that is haunted by the terrifying specter of a witch who spends nights beside children’s beds. The teenagers of the town are determined to let the world know the truth of their small town and take to the web, only to release a chilling and deadly series of events. —Kerry