A reading friend passed this my way, describing it as a tale of "outlaw librarian lesbian spies." This genre-bending novella is a little bit fantasy, a little bit dystopia, with a neo-Western vibe. It starts with a woman on the run, fleeing a bad marriage and the law after her partner was hanged for possessing Unapproved Materials that were not government-sanctioned. She takes shelter with a band of traveling librarians—and quickly discovers that these librarians are insurrectionists against the state. I loved how this book was constantly surprising in every way. Gailey made me laugh on every page, even as their characters shoot up gangsters in their quest to dismantle the patriarchy and right society's wrongs.

Imagine The Magicians meets Who Framed Roger Rabbit? with dashes of Chinatown and Jessica Jones. The book follows Ivy, a private investigator hired to look into the gruesome murder of a faculty member at the private magical academy where her estranged sister Tabitha works. Content warnings apply. This gritty sapphic detective noir set at a magic school is wonderfully haunting on audio performed by Xe Sands!

A sci-fi twist on the domestic thriller, The Echo Wife centers on Evelyn Caldwell, a brilliant award-winning scientist, her obedient clone Martine, and Evelyn’s cheating husband. Gailey’s unique books vary so much in style and this one definitely stands out! The intimate first-person narration amps up the tension—and the enjoyment. Perfect for fans of the movie Ex Machina and “mad scientist” vibes. Content warnings apply.