Ecofiction meets The Twilight Zone in this debut novel 💡

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May 25, 2025

I have over 100 books tagged as "Want to Read" on Goodreads, with many more titles saved in screenshots, scribbled on Post-its or on my Thriftbooks wish list. Every once in a while, a book leapfrogs the queue, either because a friend shares their enthusiastic praise for it or because it lands on a "Best of" or "Top 10" list somewhere. Awards aren't everything, but they can be a reminder to finally start a book that's sat on your shelf.

When the Midwest Independent Publishers Association released its list of 2025 finalists on May 9, I was delighted to spot some familiar covers: "Marvelous Jackson" by Laura Anne Bird was one of the titles included in the summer book list published in the August 2024 issue, "Extra! Extra! Eat All About It!: Recipes and Culinary Curiosities from Historic Wisconsin Newspapers" by Jane Conway and Randi Julia Ramsden was Madison Magazine's Book of the Month in November 2024 and "Wisconsin for Kennedy: The Primary That Launched a President and Changed the Course of History" by B.J. Hollars was one of the titles Hollars discussed in a web-exclusive Author Q&A last April.

The latter is my next read, thanks to that list … but I couldn't resist adding four other finalists to the ever-growing TBR pile.

What's on yours? If you need a few suggestions, keep reading.

Anna Kottakis is digital editor at Madison Magazine. Reach her at akottakis@madisonmagazine.com.

New book releases, author events and other local literary news

"What My Brother Knew" by Kristina Amelong (releases May 27) is a memoir reflecting on loss, abuse, healing and self-discovery.
Domestic thriller "Plays Well with Others" by Lauren Myracle (releases June 10) follows Jake Nolan and her friend and neighbor Mabel in their search for revenge, but what starts as a series of pranks soon becomes deadly.
"A Pot to P*ss In" by Sagashus T. Levingston (releases June 17) follows Levingston's nine-month journey of overcoming barriers to buy her dream home — while struggling to hold her family together.
"Seeds of Suspicion" by Jerry Apps (releases June 17), the ninth book in the Ames County Novel Series, follows County Extension Agent Scott Olson's efforts to restore unity in a close-knit rural community.
World War II veteran Robert E. Matteson's "Capturing Kaltenbrunner" (releases June 17) is a first-person account of a high-stakes mission to locate and apprehend one of the most dangerous figures of the Third Reich. Matteson died in 1994, but his son (and Madison local) Sumner Matteson published this book posthumously for his father.
"Birdscaping for Wisconsin and the Great Lakes Region" (releases June 24) is a guide to creating an at-home paradise for birds, authored by gardener, educator and ecologist Mariette Nowak.
Shelby Morris' life has been shaped by her mother's spontaneous decisions. In "Life in the Passenger Seat," a YA novel by Amanda Zieba (releases June 24), the teenage gymnast tries to chart her own course.

Watercolor Feast with Erin Gleeson at The Deliciouser (931 E. Main St.) | May 28, 6:15-8:45 p.m.

"Wisconsin Whey" Book Discussion & Cheese Tasting at Lake City Books (107 N. Hamilton St.) | May 29, 6-8 p.m.

"Our Food Grows" Storytime & Book Signing with Sarah M. White and Tessa Gibbs at Ink & Ivy Book Boutique (2134 Regent St.) | May 31, 10:30 a.m.-noon

"The AI Con" discussion with authors Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna at A Room of One's Own Bookstore (2717 Atwood Ave.) | June 2, 6-7 p.m.

Tamara Dean in conversation with Mrill Ingram at Mystery to Me (1863 Monroe St.) | June 3, 6-7 p.m.

"What My Brother Knew" Book Release Party at Lake City Books (107 N. Hamilton St.) | June 5, 6-8 p.m.

Book Signing with Jeff Elzinga, author of "Pigeon Falls," at Arcadia Books (102 E. Jefferson St., Spring Green) | June 8, 2-4 p.m.

"Sidekicks" On Tour with readings from six traveling poets at A Room of One's Own Bookstore (2717 Atwood Ave.) | June 8, 6-7:30 p.m.

Lauren Myracle in conversation with Christina Clancy and Laura Bird at Mystery to Me (1863 Monroe St.) | June 10, 6-7 p.m.

Craig Thompson in conversation with Doug Moe at Mystery to Me (1863 Monroe St.) | June 18, 6-7 p.m.

Spotlight in print: Read this issue's Editor's Pick

In "The Unmapping," an imaginative debut novel by Denise S. Robbins (releases June 3 from Bindery Books), New York City residents wake to find the power grid is down, their neighbors are missing and their buildings have been swapped. Emergency management workers Esme Green and Arjun Varma spend the day in crisis mode sorting things out — only to wake up the next morning to find it's all happened again.

Don't miss Robbins' conversation with Maggie Ginsberg on June 17 at Leopold's Books Bar Caffè.

Meet a Wisconsin author

A new book reveals 'hidden gem' local hiking trails

Andrea Debbink hiked 40 local routes to write "Urban Trails: Madison," a guidebook that pairs practical trail information and an appreciation for scenic beauty.

READ

I do occasionally get to read books by authors beyond Wisconsin's borders. Here's what's on my reading stack this month.

Brandon Sanderson's "The Stormlight Archive" series has been recommended to me many times, but the sheer size of the books — at least 1,000 pages each — has dissuaded me until earlier this year. I found "The Way of Kings," the series' first installment, to be well-worth its heft. Now, almost two months later, I'm starting book three, "Oathbringer" (this time, in a more portable, digital format).

The series is a satisfying departure from tried-and-true (and sometimes, just tired) fantasy tropes and concepts. The world-building is ambitious and intricate, and the story really does feel epic — but be prepared to invest some time in it.