Staff Picks: Most Anticipated Releases of March 2024

Posted By Jessie DeVries on February 2024

Chandler's Pick | Cook with Confidence by Dennis Prescott 🇨🇦

Why we chose this: I have been using Dennis Prescott's first cookbook in my kitchen for years. It's a consistent weeknight go-to for us. The recipes aren't fussy or pretentious but the food is delicious and relatively easy. As a result, it's one of the more heavily used weeknight cookbooks in our house. While this new cookbook has a different style, the food will no doubt be just as good and just as reliable.

About this book: Cook with Confidence by Dennis Prescott is a cookbook that emphasizes the joy of cooking and sharing delicious meals with loved ones. Filled with approachable recipes and accessible techniques, the book covers a range of dishes inspired by the author's travels, professional kitchen experience, and Maritime roots. From snacks to mains, the recipes are both impressive and easy to make, encouraging cooks of all levels to embark on a culinary adventure. Dennis provides step-by-step guidance on various cooking challenges, promoting a sense of community and conversation around irresistible food.

Release date: March 5, 2024

Jessie's Pick | The Black Crescent by Jane Johnson

Why we chose this: Jane Johnson is a prolific writer and has multiple well written historical fiction novels, Morocco is close to her heart and is often a key setting in her novels. Black Crescent has a fascinating period setting, an engaging central character and a compelling story line with moments of comedy and magic interspersed throughout. I love reading novels that immerse you in a new culture and this does exactly that.

About this book: In post-war Casablanca, Hamou Badi, marked by djinns, grapples with his identity as a Zouhry— a legendary figure with the ability to find treasure. Haunted by a murder that he discovers, he joins the French Protectorate in Casablanca. However, the nationalist uprising against the French complicates his loyalties, torn between heritage and duty. This captivating novel explores the blurred lines between right and wrong, tradition and modernity, as Hamou navigates the complexities of a changing Morocco.

Release date: March 5, 2024

Jessie's Pick | Who's Afraid of Gender by Judith Butler

Why we chose this: This is Judith Butler's only novel not published through an academic press and with the goal to be used in a classroom. Butler is one of the most prominent gender theorists of the 21st century and it's been nearly 15 years since her last book. This is a topic I've always been fascinated in and when Judith Butler comes out with a book, I'll read it, making this a highly anticipated March release for me. She expertly breaks down the current climate surrounding gender in her most accessible and approachable way yet.

About this book: Judith Butler, renowned for her groundbreaking work in Gender Trouble, tackles the contemporary issue of 'gender ideology' in her latest book. She dissects the reactionary backlash against gender by global networks, exposing it as a misguided and uninformed fear that threatens the rights of queer people, trans individuals, and women. Butler demonstrates how the concept of 'gender' has become a convenient boogeyman, utilized to perpetuate authoritarian control and undermine public discourse. This urgent intervention serves as a bold call for a freer and more inclusive world.

Release date: March 19, 2024

Jessie's Pick | A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda 🇨🇦

Why we chose this: Shilpi is a talented author who always delivers nuance to a multi-faceted story with lyrical writing and spectacular storytelling. This isn't my first novel of hers and each one has something special that makes it hard to put down. She is brilliant at capturing what it means to be human and how we as people react to things we can't control or predict.

About this book: A Great Country is a novel set in Pacific Hills, California, following the Shah family's move to a gated community. The story revolves around the challenges faced by each family member, especially the children born and raised in America. When their youngest son is arrested one Saturday night, the event prompts a reevaluation of their individual identities, community roles, and what it means to be American. The narrative delves into themes of immigration, generational conflict, social class, and privilege, challenging the myth of the model minority and questioning the true cost of the American dream.

Release date: March 26, 2024

Hollace's Pick | Happily Never After by Lynn Painter

Why we chose this: Lynn Painter is a master when it comes to making a romance book feel exactly like a classic romcom movie. Her newest release has such an entertaining concept and I can always count on her books to make me smile. She's incredibly successful in the YA/adult romance genres and writes truly engaging banter.

About this book: Sophie Steinbeck, facing a cheating fiancé and pressured by her powerful future father-in-law, discovers a unique solution: Max the Objector. Max's job is to object at weddings, saving people from potentially disastrous marriages. Sophie joins him on this unconventional venture, finding unexpected joy in disrupting ceremonies. As they work together, Sophie and Max, both skeptics of love, navigate their growing physical chemistry. However, when a job hits too close to home, they confront their own feelings, leading to a surprising twist in their anti-wedding escapades.

Release date: March 12, 2024

Lauren's Pick | The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel

Why we chose this: This book is completely out of my comfort zone, but it seems like a good place to start with historical fiction. I like the elements of romance and forbidden love, as well as the themes of grief and how two characters choose to fight for their future. A great place to start for romance lovers who are interested in dipping into historical fiction!

About this book: Set in 1666, a year after the devastating plague in England, Cecilia Thorowgood, a grieving young widow, is confined within her sister's London townhouse. In a desperate attempt to save her, her sister hires a foreign Jewish physician named David Mendes. David, seeking a new life in London, is torn between his duty to medicine and his growing feelings for Cecilia. As they face prejudice and challenges, their love unfolds against the backdrop of the impending Great Fire of London, making their union seem almost impossible.

Release date: March 12, 2024