From the publisher: "Amy Stewart explores the dizzying array of herbs, flowers, trees, fruits, and fungi that humans have, through ingenuity, inspiration, and sheer desperation, contrived to transform into alcohol over the centuries." From the author of smash hit Girl Waits With Gun.

From the publisher: "an offbeat and lighthearted look at small-town life and the future of that marvelous two thousand year-old communication device, the printed book."

Stewart is best known for her science writing: she's written six nonfiction books with unusual takes on the natural world. (See: The Drunken Botanist.) This book is a departure for her, and a successful one: readers buzzed about it all fall and it hit many best-of-2015 round-ups. This novel is based on the true story of Constance Kopp, one of the first female sheriffs in America. I tend to shy away from biographical fiction because the narrators often ring false to me, but I loved the way Stewart brought her leading lady's story to life.

From the publisher: "The best-selling author of Girl Waits with Gun returns with another adventure featuring the fascinating, feisty, and unforgettable Kopp sisters. Based on a true story, Girl Waits with Gun introduced Constance Kopp and her charming and steadfast sisters to an army of enthusiastic readers. Those readers will be thrilled by this second installment--also ripped from the headlines--in the romping, wildly readable life of a woman forging her own path, tackling crime and nefarious criminals along the way."

From the author of the Kopp Sisters novels comes what Booklist calls "culling legend and citing science, Stewart's fact-filled, AZ compendium of nature's worst offenders offers practical and tantalizing composite views of toxic, irritating, prickly, and all-around ill-mannered plants."

I tend to shy away from biographical fiction because the narrators often ring false to me, but I loved the way Stewart brought her leading lady's story to life. These wonderful biographical novels are based on the true story of Constance Kopp, one of the first female sheriffs in America.

Ginger says: I recently talked Baylee’s ear off about my tree obsession on a Patreon bonus episode featuring the MMD Team’s Best Summer Books. I’ve long been interested in trees; ironically enough my origin story involves a theologian and a songwriter, but that’s a story for another day. This lushly illustrated book shows just how many different forms a hobby can take. Because of this book, I have tracked down obscure documentaries, headed out to my own local natural history museum to see wood collections, watched artists and environmentalists on YouTube, and joined Facebook groups so I can follow the circular tree forests of Ethiopia in which I am now deeply invested.