Word’s picks: “Daisy Jones and the Six,” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This novel reads like the juiciest episode of “Behind the Music” you’ve ever seen in your life — it has romance, addiction, sleazy managers, tension in the band, and more addiction. Its only flaw is that you cannot actually listen to the Six, who in Reid’s fictional universe were the biggest band of the ’70s. I finished it in two sittings while listening to the “A Star Is Born” soundtrack, an experience I highly recommend for anyone else with strong opinions about “Rumours.”
Eliza Thompson, Word [126 Franklin St. at Milton Street in Greenpoint, (718) 383–0096, www.wordbookstores.com].
Community Bookstore’s pick:
“Sea Monsters,” by Chloe Aridjis
This beguiling beach read begins with 17-year-old Luisa, who pines for her classmate, the punk rock poet Tomas. Together they flee Mexico City for the Oaxacan beach town of Zipolite, looking for a fabled band of Ukrainian dwarfs. They drift apart, but Luisa stays at the beach, living in a kind of dream state and watching the tourists come and go — until eventually her old life catches up with her.
— Samuel Partal, Community Bookstore [43 Seventh Ave. between Carroll Street and Garfield Place in Park Slope, (718) 783–3075, www.communitybookstore.net].
Greenlight Bookstore’s pick: “Necessary People,” by Anna Pitoniak
“Necessary People” is a workplace drama about two competitive friends who work for the same cable news show. It’s super entertaining, and I devoured it in a couple of sittings. Anna Pitoniak expertly taps into class resentment and friendly jealously to drive the drama, and the novel is quite sharp about privilege. It’s like “Broadcast News” meets the work of crime author Megan Abbott.
— Matt Stowe, Greenlight Bookstore [686 Fulton St. between S. Elliott Place and S. Portland Avenue in Fort Greene, (718) 246–0200, www.greenlightbookstore.com].
