Good Reads & Views

Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life by Alice Wong
Nonfiction

What it is: This memoir is an “impressionistic scrapbook” of Wong’s life as an Asian American disabled activist. Wong, who uses a wheelchair and a BIPAP ventilator machine (“I became Darth Vader,” she quips when she acquires the machine) due to a neuromuscular disability, has drawn together a powerful collection of original essays, interviews, blog posts, personal photos, and artwork by disabled artists that address what it’s like to navigate in an ableist society. Wong is the founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project, an online community dedicated to creating, sharing, and amplifying disability media and culture.

Why you might like it: Alice’s candor and ferocity make space and understanding for people living with disabilities. She shares her family stories, her history of “accidental" activism, and her love of pop culture, food, and cats with humor, playfulness, and creativity. Her wit, honesty and rage create an intimate and enlightening portrait of what it is like to face the obstructions and joys of living in a world made for the able-bodied. Empowering and entertaining.

You might also like: Being Heumann by Judith E. Heumann, an intimate and irreverent memoir by the “mother” of the Disability Rights Movement; Sitting Pretty by Rebekah Taussig, a nuanced and lyrical memoir, and the funny and edgy Golem Girl by Rita Lehrer.

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What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline
Fiction

What it’s about: To say that there are surprises in this novel would be an understatement. Just when you think you may have figured out what is happening, Scottoline throws in an unfathomable plot twist. The Bennett family are the victims of a carjacking gone wrong. And then, as it happens, it is far from simple and possibly not even a carjacking. Within the first few words you are pulled in and feel as if you are a part of the family and their lives. It is so well written that tears will flow, as if you are there experiencing it with them. You will not want to put the book down until you finish reading it. 

Why you might like it: It’s suspenseful, thrilling, heart-wrenching, action-packed, and full of plot twists.

You might also like: Loyalty by Lisa Scottoline.

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You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
Fiction

What’s it about: “Shay Miller wants to find love, but it eludes her. She wants to be fulfilled, but her job is a dead end. She wants to belong, but her life is increasingly lonely. Until Shay meets the Moore sisters. Cassandra and Jane live a life of glamorous perfection, and always get what they desire. When they invite Shay into their circle, everything seems to get better”(Amazon).

Reviewers say: "Masterfully escalates the suspense...keep[s] the reader guessing until the end. A great follow-up" (Booklist - starred review).

About the Author: “GREER HENDRICKS is the coauthor of the New York Times bestseller The Wife Between Us, An Anonymous Girl. Prior to becoming a novelist, she spent over two decades as an editor at Simon & Schuster. SARAH PEKKANEN is the internationally and USA Today bestselling author of several novels, including The Wife Between Us, The Perfect Neighbors and The Best of Us. A former investigative journalist and feature writer, her work has been published in The Washington Post, USA Today, and many others.” (Amazon)

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Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World by Gretchen Rubin 
Nonfiction 

What it’s about: Have you ever driven home and realized you can’t remember anything about the drive? This engaging book will inspire you to awaken your senses so you see the bright-colored tulips, hear the honking geese, and smell the budding trees. In a lively, conversational tone, Rubin describes her own awakening, which involved experiences such as a sound bath, tasting parties, and the luxury of visiting a museum repeatedly.  

Why you might like it: While some self-improvement books ask a lot of the reader, this book invites you to take small steps to enrich your life through sensory experiences. In other words, it’s easy to do these things. For example, you can really, really pay attention to eating an amazing food, or pause for one minute to pay attention to all the textures around you.

You might also like: Check out Rubin’s The Happiness Project and Happier at Home, which have a similar structure. Also, Melody Warnick’s This Is Where You Belong invites readers to truly appreciate the place where they live.   

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The Wolf and the Watchman by Natt Och Dag
Fiction

What it's about: When a mutilated corpse is discovered in a local swamp in 18th-century Stockholm, a disabled ex-soldier and a lawyer with tuberculosis work together to unmask the murderer and prevent another killing.

Reviewers say: "Natt och Dag writes sensory, horror-inducing descriptions of the lives and deaths of the poor inhabitants of Stockholm. At the same time, his characters almost spring off the page, they are so human and so fully realized. Natt och Dag doesn't apologize for human nature, nor does he excuse our crimes and basest cruelties, but his deep dive into the dark corners of our psyches, as well as this harsh time in history, is both chilling and thought-provoking. Relentless, well-written, and nearly impossible to put down.” (Kirkus Reviews).

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From Blood and Ash  by Jennifer Armentrout
YA Fiction

What it’s about: The Maiden is revered and hidden from society before her Ascension, the most important day of her life. Her every move is controlled by the Duke and Duchess, even her own powers. Aching for freedom and excitement she sneaks away and comes face to face with a handsome young guard, little does she know he will eventually change her entire course and everything she was taught to believe. Meanwhile, rumblings of unrest in the Kingdom and the constant threat of The Dark One loom and threaten the lives of everyone.  

Tell me more: The first book in this on-going fantasy series provides subtle tension and suspense to propel the storyline with a wonderful slow burn romance that creates a delectable mix. It provides a unique twist on the usual vampire and werewolf paranormal, making this a layered and unexpected fantasy.  

For fans of: Sarah J Maas and Laura Thalassa. 

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True Biz by Sara Novic
Fiction 

What’s it about: Three students at the River Valley School for the Deaf have gone missing. Told through multiply points of view, the reader starts in the present day and travels back to go through the days and events that lead to the students going missing. A coming-of-age story of teenagers who are struggling to find themselves and learn about what it means to be deaf and the culture that surrounds it.  

Why this book: This is a great book to read if you are interested in learning more about the Deaf community. Sara Novic does an excellent job of exploring Deaf Culture and showing the struggles the Deaf community faces in a hearing world. Nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Fiction 2022. 

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Plantation Shudders by Ellen Byron
Fiction

What it’s about: Artist Maggie Crozat is back in her home town of Pelican, Louisiana, helping run her family’s B&B in their old plantation. The B&B is full of guests for the local end of summer food festival. When an elderly couple dies within minutes of each other, the good ol’ boy sheriff is only too willing to arrest one of Maggie’s family for murder. Even though the new deputy has a more open mind, Maggie decides to investigate herself. As she digs deeper, motives surface for every guest at the B&B. 

Reviewers say: “A twisty plot and engaging colorful characters complete this mystery's many pleasures” (Library Journal); “Byron's debut brings energy and verve to the cozy formula of a woman returning home after troubles in the big city” (Publisher’s Weekly).

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Confidence (Anna and Fin #2) by Denise Mina
Fiction

Read this if you like: True crime podcasts, urban exploration, and treasure hunts.

What happens? True crime podcasters Anna and Finn make their sophomore appearance in this smart, adrenaline-boosted thriller. Their search for a missing woman and a mysterious Roman silver artifact takes them from a Scottish seaside town to a high-stakes art auction to a crumbling chateau. This adrenaline-filled road trip caper features likeable characters and is funny and suspenseful.

You might also like: For another dangerous chase involving a mysterious relic, try Picnic in the Ruins by Todd Robert Petersen. Pretty as a Picture by Elizabeth Little is another fast-paced, subtly humorous mystery featuring true crime documentarians.

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Dying to Date by Sharmyn McGraw
Fiction

What it’s about: Kristina Truly has a lot of snazzy shoes and a lot of problems too. People pay to hear her advice on relationships and dating even though her personal life is a hot mess, and her own relationships are just one disaster after another. When people who have attended her seminars start turning up murdered, the police show, up as well as a new love interest and some crazy family members.

Why you might like it: The author has an enticing voice (in real life as well) that lures you into the story so you can't put the book down.

You might also like: The Silence of the White City by Eva Garcia Saenz

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An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
Fiction

What’s it about: “Looking to earn some easy cash, Jessica Farris agrees to be a test subject in a
psychological study about ethics and morality. But as the study moves from the exam room to
the real world, the line between what is real and what is one of Dr. Shields’s experiments blurs”
(Amazon).

Reviewers say: "Masterfully escalates the suspense" (Booklist - starred review)

You might also like: The Girl Before by J. P. Delaney or The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth
Ware.

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The Removed by Brandon Hobson  
Fiction 

What it’s about: In this somber literary novel, a couple welcomes a foster child who is eerily reminiscent of their son, who died years earlier. While Ray-Ray is gone, his presence is at the center of this story of mourning. The family plans to gather to remember him on the Cherokee National Holiday, but their other son is lost in another realm due to addiction.  

Why you might like it: This haunting novel—touched with magical realism and mysticism—is a great choice for book clubs, as well as for readers who enjoy stories told through multiple viewpoints. The audiobook provides a powerful listening experience, which is recorded by a full cast.  

Book buzz: Recommended by O: the Oprah Magazine, the Washington Post, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Good Morning America, Chicago Review of Books, Parade, and LitHub. 

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Past Life by David Mark
Fiction  

What it’s about: Aector McAvoy and his boss Trish Pharaoh are investigating the murder of a fortune teller, which brings up shadows of the past for McAvoy. 12 years earlier, the fortuneteller aunt of Aector’s future wife Roisin, was also brutally murdered.

Reviewers say: “Polished prose, lovable recurring characters, and a stunning revelation make this a mystery to savor” (Kirkus Reviews).

Series alert: This is #9 in the critically acclaimed DS McAvoy series. David Marks has also written several standalones, including The Mausoleum, Borrowed Time, A Rush of Blood, and Suspicious Minds.

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A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
Fiction

What it’s about: Mahit Dzmare is eager to take the post of ambassador from Lsel to the Teixcalaanli Empire, but she arrives to find that her predecessor is dead – possibly murdered. Now Mahit must find out who wanted Yskandr dead and why, all the while guarding her people’s memory technology. Author Martine portrays the complex and seductive Teixcalaanli culture while keeping the human characters believable. 

Why you might like it: Martine’s Hugo Award-winning space opera with sympathetic characters and fully developed world building draws the reader into the palace intrigue and civil unrest surrounding an interplanetary empire. 

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American Royals (#1) by Katherine McGee
YA Fiction

What it’s about: Imagine if instead of America winning the Revolutionary War and setting up a Democracy, they instead created their own Monarchy. In American Royals, this is exactly what happens. For two and a half centuries, the House of Washington has reigned over the American people. The King is sick and that leaves heir to the throne Princess Beatrice and twin spares Samantha and Jefferson to step up. Will Princess Beatrice be up for the momentous job of being America’s first Queen? 

Why you might like it: This is for anyone who is fascinated with the British Royals. The Washington siblings (Beatrice, Samantha, and Jefferson) are all teenagers and have a lot of drama in their lives outside of being royalty. Nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Young Adult Fiction 2019.  

Series Alert: American Royals is the first in the series. Book two is Majesty, book three is Rivals and a book four (untitled) is scheduled to come out sometime in 2023.  

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Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton  
Nonfiction 

What it is: A graphic novel memoir that asks, “what do you do when you come from a place that you love passionately but that holds no promise for your future?” 

What it’s about: Its 2005, and 21-year-old Kate is newly graduated from college with a liberal arts degree and no prospects. To pay off her mountain of college debt, Kate leaves her beloved Cape Breton and heads west to join Alberta’s oil rush, where men outnumber women 50 to 1, and loneliness is reflected in the landscape.  

Why it stands out: The graphic panels depict lush beauty—deep snow, starry skies, and the northern lights—but also portray the imposing mass of machinery obliterating the landscape in staggering, gigantic scenes carving scars in the wilderness. Beaton knows what to show and what to leave out, both in the story and in the cartooning. This personal history is audaciously honest, powerful, compassionate and humane, and is laced with deadpan humor. 

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Code Name Sapphire by Pam Jenoff
Fiction

What it’s about: This is a historical fiction story of two cousins, set in Brussels during WWII. It is based on the true story of the Belgian resistance fighters who stopped a train on its way to Auschwitz to help people escape from cattle cars. It also recounts a second true story of a ship of Jewish refugees refused landing in Cuba that had to then return to Europe.

Is it for you? If you enjoy historical fiction stories set in WWII that are about family, old loves, new loves, and forgiveness, you should read this book.

You might also like: The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin

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The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
Fiction

What’s it about: “Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who
could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is,
she’s an Executive Protection Agent (aka "bodyguard"), and she just got hired to protect
superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker” (Amazon).

Reviewers say: Katherine Center's The Bodyguard is “My perfect 10 of a book. As funny and
sweet as all the very best nineties rom-coms, but with Center’s signature heart-tugging depth. I
wish I could erase it from my mind just to read it again for the first time. A shot of pure joy” (Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Book Lovers).

You might also like: The Secret Bridesmaid by Katy Birchall or Not the Girl You Marry by
Andie J. Christopher.

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Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick 
Nonfiction 

What it’s about: While many of us know a thing or two about Elvis, this immersive biography is a meticulously researched and compelling look at his young life that reveals the vulnerability—and eventual triumph—of his early years. In 560 pages that fly by, Guralnick gives us the young Elvis Presley in vivid technicolor.  

Why you might like it: For rock & roll enthusiasts, this book is a treat: it’s the first of two volumes considered the definitive biography of Elvis. Readers who love biographies will appreciate the in-depth research combined with sparkling writing about larger-than-life personalities against a lovingly depicted backdrop of 1950s America. 

Reviewers say: “A serious, musically literate, and historically attuned biography. An American epic that belongs on every bookshelf” (Kirkus Reviews).

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Billy Summers by Stephen King
Fiction

What it's about: In this (non-horror) noir thriller, Veteran Billy Summers is an assassin-for-hire who will only take jobs where he kills really bad guys. Now he wants to retire, right after completing one last job. As is usually the case, things don’t go quite as planned and he ends up going after the people who stiffed him on his last job. They should have known better…

Reviewers say: "This is another outstanding outing from a writer who consistently delivers more than his readers expect" (Publishers Weekly); “Murder most foul and mayhem most entertaining. Another worthy page-turner from a protean master” (Kirkus Reviews).

Want a taste? " He has no problem with bad people paying to have other bad people killed. He basically sees himself as a garbageman with a gun.” “God doesn’t have a plan, He throws pickup sticks."

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Drowning Ruth by Christina Schwarz
Fiction

What it’s about: The story begins in Wisconsin during the winter of 1919. Young mom Mathilda is found dead in a lake, leaving behind her husband, young daughter Ruth, and sister. What enfolds is an exploration into the depths of secrets between family members and how it impacts them all.  

Why you might like it: A fast-paced psychological thriller that has readers going back and forth between viewpoints and time. If I say anymore, I would be giving it away so instead I will say, READ THIS BOOK! 

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A Murder for the Books by Victoria Gilbert
Fiction

What it’s about: After a disastrous end to her last romance, librarian Amy Webber fled to her aunt’s home in Taylorsford, VA, and took a job as the library director. When handsome professional dancer Richard Muir shows up at the library, wanting to research his late uncle Paul’s history, Amy tells herself it’s just the research that she finds interesting. They go to the archives where they find dementia patient Doris Virts shot dead. Though deeply shaken, Amy and Richard decide to dig into the town’s history, where they find the tragic story of Eleanora Cooper, accused of murdering her husband. Eleanora was acquitted, but disappeared without a trace. Richard says his uncle Paul was in love with Eleanora, and he wants Amy to help clear her name. Amy digs deeper into both present and past mysteries, and soon finds that someone wants her to leave both alone.

Reviewers say: “This debut mystery and series launch by a former librarian is an intriguing cozy that combines historical tidbits, a taste of the supernatural, a budding romance, and humor” (Library Journal); “Gilbert's series kickoff offers an intricate mystery, an interesting look at the past, and a clever and determined heroine” (Kirkus Reviews).

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Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Fiction

Read this if you like: Dungeons and dragons, found family, self-reinvention, good coffee and tasty snacks, and slow burn romance.

What it’s about: Viv has had enough of battles, blood, and bounty hunting—she’s ready to hang up her sword—literally. She sets out to fulfill her private dream to own a coffeehouse…problem is, no one in her new town has heard of coffee. But she has a secret, strange talisman that might bring the luck she needs to succeed, if only she can avoid the menacing adversary that threatens her burgeoning success and new-found circle of friends. A charming and heartwarming slice-of-life fantasy.

You might also like: For more cozy fantasy about found family and discovering romance, try The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna and The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune.

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The House of Dragon Blood by B.C. Fajohn
Fiction

What it’s about: This is an epic tale with high fantasy. I enjoyed seeing the different facets of the various lands and characters and how they view and interact with magic as well as non-humans. There was a lot of secrecy and hidden truths in this book as well! I loved every part of it!

Why you might like it: It is an adventure of fantasy, mystery, and magical combat.

You might also like: Fire and Blood by George R. R. Martin

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Left on Tenth by Delia Ephron
Nonfiction

About the Author: Delia Ephron is a bestselling author, screenwriter, essayist, and playwright. Her novels include Siracusa, The Lion Is In, and her movie credits include You’ve Got Mail and Hanging Up. Her play, Love, Loss, and What I Wore, written with her sister Nora Ephron, ran for two years off Broadway.

Reviewers say: “Ephron’s memoir is a heart-wrenching tale of second chances at life and love” (TIME Magazine).

You might also like: Sister Mother Husband Dog by Delia Ephron or The Most of Nora Ephron by Nora Ephron

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Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
Fiction

What it’s about: Frank Drum looks back on the summer of 1961, when he was twelve. Events during this fateful summer greatly affected his family and other denizens of the small community of New Bremen, Minnesota.

Reviewers say: “The small-town milieu is rendered in picturesque detail, accurate down to period-appropriate TV programs, for what becomes a resonant tale of fury, guilt, and redemption” (Publishers Weekly); “A novel that transforms narrator and reader alike” (Kirkus Review)

Good to know: This coming-of-age novel is also excellent on audio. For more from this award-winning author, try his Cork O’Connor mystery series, which is highly recommended.

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Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson
Fiction

What it’s about: An author living a comfortable, happy life receives a call from a reporter who discovered that she was the source of mass hysteria in her small town 20 years ago, when she and a friend posted hundreds of copies of their mysterious art poster around town.

Why you might like it: This engaging first-person story relives teen angst and the joy of artistic creation—and what happens when artwork takes on a life of its own and wreaks havoc.

Reviewers say: “Wilson has developed a story that is a precise capture of adolescence and of two vibrant teens whose everyday dilemmas, weaknesses, and triumphs are utterly endearing” (Booklist).

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Death at Wentwater Court by Carola Dunn
Fiction

What it’s about: Daisy Dalrymple, though the daughter of a Viscount, has taken a position as a writer for a magazine, quite a step in the 1920s. Daisy is sent to write about the history and family of Wentwater Court. She joins a group of guests including the cold, suave, “absolute cad” Lord Stephen Astwick. When his body turns up in the frozen lake, at first it is thought he fell through the ice by accident. Daisy takes photos of the scene, however, and when handsome Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Alec Fletcher arrives, he uses the photos to determine that it was murder.

Why you might like it: If you like classic cozy mysteries, you’ll find this spritely mystery is a delight to read. Daisy is a sympathetic character whom people want to confide in, even the Chief Inspector!

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The Layover by Lacie Waldon
Fiction 

What it’s about: Ava Green has been a flight attendant for the past 10 years. Recently engaged, her fiancé is set on her quitting her job and living a more settled life. On her last flight, bad boy flight attendant Jack Stone is on the crew and trouble ensues. The airplane is grounded in Belize and the crew is taken to a resort to stay until the plane is fixed. Ava can’t seem to escape Jack and her personal life starts to unravel. Will Ava finally hang up her wings and settle down with her fiancé, or will she continue to explore the world and float from place to place? 

Why you might like it: This is a debut novel that shows the behind the scenes of being a flight attendant. If you enjoy the enemies-to-lovers trope with a will they, won’t they plot, this is a light and easy read.  

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Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson
Fiction

What it’s about: Witty, tender, and highly entertaining—like the nightclubs she writes about—Atkinson’s literary novels meet her crime series in this historical romp about the bright young people of 1920s London and the criminal world that regales them. This cat-and-mouse tale features a lively cast of characters who mingle on multiple levels: the infamous and decidedly crooked nightclub owner Nellie Coker and her six children; John Frobisher, the new police detective who is determined to bring Nellie down; Gwendolen Kelling, a librarian and former battlefield nurse who agrees to go undercover for Frobisher; and Freda and Florence, two young runaways with dreams of being on the stage. When the young girls disappear without a trace, Gwendolen risks her undercover job working in one of Nellie’s nightclubs to track them down before they end up in the river like many other missing girls. A triumphant celebration of Jazz Age London.

Critics say: “If Dickens had lived to write about The Jazz Age, he would have produced a novel much like “Shrines of Gaiety” (The Washington Post); “There is the perfect balance throughout of sweetness and heartbreak ... And, as always, there is the unmistakable zest of Ms. Atkinson’s dry wit” (Anna Mundow, Wall Street Journal).

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An Act of Love by Nancy Thayer
Fiction

What it’s about: An Act of Love is about a step-family in crisis. The novel concerns a mother and her daughter and a father and his son. The parents believe they have done a good job raising their children until their daughter ends up in a psychiatric ward. This is a sort of mystery. Neither the characters nor the reader knows what has really happened. The children are pitted against each other testing the loyalties of the parents, threatening the foundations of the family.

Is it for you? If you enjoy stories about blended families and how they endure trials and still hold onto love, you should read this book.

You might also like: Once Upon a Time, There Was You by Elizabeth Berg.

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Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins
Fiction

About the Author: Kristan Higgins is the New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty novels. She is the mother of two and she enjoys gardening. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, a dog, and a cat.

Reviewers say: “New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins welcomes you home in a funny, emotionally charged must-read novel about the complications of life, love and family” (Amazon).

You might also like: Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center or Family Tree by Susan Wiggs

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Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory
Fiction

What it’s about: In this sparkling fairy-tale-come-true, Vivian joins her daughter, a stylist for the British royal family, at the royal estate for the holidays—where she meets the man of her dreams.

Why you might like it: If you enjoy stories of finding love in mid-life, this witty tale of unexpected joy will delight you. Also, if you look for light and happy books set during the holiday season—or if you’re a royal watcher—this is a great choice.

Series alert: While this book is the fourth in the Wedding Dates series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. But if you’d like to read them all (and who wouldn’t?) you can start with the first book, The Wedding Date.

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The Ludwig Conspiracy by Oliver Pötzsch
Fiction

What it's about: A rare books dealer and an art detective are forced to go on the run when they start investigating a diary, written in code, about Ludwig, the fairytale king of Bavaria, who was declared insane, disposed, and found dead the next day.

Reviewers say: "While readers will find broad parallels with Dan Brown's thrillers, Pötzsch's sophisticated plotting and good use of a real-life historical puzzle place this far ahead of most Da Vinci Code wannabes" (Publishers Weekly).

Good to know: This is very enjoyable on audio, read by the excellent Simon Vance, British accent included. Available from hoopla.

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Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
Fiction 

What it's about: Two college friends (who used to date) get tangled up in the lives of a married couple. The wife, Melissa, is an artist, and husband Nick is an actor. Both seem to gravitate towards Frances (the narrator) and Bobbi, two women who perform spoken word poetry in Dublin. Soon bonds are formed and secrets are kept. Lovers of book to screen adaptions, this is for you. Now a 12-episode TV show on Hulu. All episodes are out and available to stream.  

An aside: If you’ve never read Sally Rooney, she is known for writing in the third person and doesn’t use quotation marks for dialogue. The words that Rooney chooses are deliberate and not wasted. Her characters are flawed and are relatable to millennials.  

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Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood
Fiction 

What it’s about:  Flapper Phryne Fisher agrees to go from 1920s England to Melbourne, Australia, to investigate a suspected wife-poisoning. While there she becomes enmeshed in uncovering the “king of snow” who has taken over the local cocaine trade and an illegal, butcher-like abortionist. Phryne takes it all in stride, gathering an entourage of human rescue cases as she breezes along. 

Why you might like it: If you like your cozy mysteries mixed with strong local color and some tasteful but erotic scenes, give the Hon. Phryne Fisher’s first mystery a try. 

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A Week at the Shore by Barbara Delinsky
Fiction

What it’s about: Encouraged by her daughter and feeling the need to reconnect with her father, Mallory returns home after 20 years. A captivating story about family secrets and how complex and difficult they can be. It also touches on how life can be when you have a parent that has dementia. The stress it puts on caregivers and family.

Why you might like it: This book is about brokenness, family trials, heartache, love and forgiveness.

You might also like: Everything We Didn’t Say by Nicole Baart.

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Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett
Fiction

What it’s about: A medical school dropout, Emma was born with the healing touch, but lost it while working in a nursing home. Feeling adrift, Emma returns to her small hometown to find herself and help her family. Emma's parents are on the verge of divorce, her father Clive is ill and haunted by a charming ghost, her brother Auggie is recovering from addiction, her mother Ingrid feels betrayed and disappointed, and her friend Crystal is an opioid addict and has gone missing. Emma eventually takes a substitute teaching job for a classroom of complicated, charming children, and spends her spare time aiding her father’s search for Crystal. Despite the difficult circumstances, this lovely story about coming to terms with loss and finding one's way in the world is hopeful, joyous, and witty.

Why you might like it: This tender and quirky tale is narrated by a chorus of the town's dead, who have an active interest in, and serve as a cheering section for, the living residents of this small town. Clive’s illness and his interest in the town history result in charming stories about a menagerie of historical, imagined, and real animals. Harnett’s second novel is a big-hearted, magical tale, layered with warmth and generosity.

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Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
Nonfiction

What it’s about: Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing is Matthew Perry’s memoir about his addiction, his illness, and his paralyzing loneliness. He takes us through his “hell” but doesn’t wallow. Ultimately, this book is filled with hope for the future.  

Reviewers say:  “The beloved star of Friends takes us behind the scenes of the hit sitcom and his struggles with addiction in this ‘candid, darkly funny...poignant' memoir” (The New York Times).

You might also like: Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey or Will by Will Smith.

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21 Lessons for the 21^st Century by Yuval Noah Harari
Nonfiction

What it’s about: The author’s bestsellers Sapiens and Homo Deus dealt with the past and the future of humanity, whereas this book concerns itself with the present and immediate future. Great on audio.

Reviewers say: “Harari delivers yet another tour de force” (Kirkus); “This well-informed and searching book is one to be savored and widely discussed” (Publishers Weekly); “Highly recommended for general readers and academics alike” (Library Journal).

Some quotes: “Humans were always far better at inventing tools than using them wisely”; “We should never underestimate human stupidity. Both on the personal and on the collective level, humans are prone to engage in self-destructive activities”; “So the best advice I could give a fifteen-year-old stuck in an outdated school somewhere in Mexico, India or Alabama is: don’t rely on the adults too much. Most of them mean well, but they just don’t understand the world.”

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Back to the Garden by Laurie R. King
Fiction 

What it’s about: While obsessively investigating a 1970s serial killer case, a current-day cold case police detective learns of a body found at a former commune—and goes down the rabbit hole of investigating the possible connections. The story of the 2020s murder investigation interweaves with the 1970s story of the grand estate that became a haven for flower children. 

Why you might like it: Atmospheric and suspenseful, this novel is brimming with complex characters, red herrings, and some significant moral conundrums.  

Reviewers say: “King skillfully misdirects the reader as the action builds to a surprising resolution” (Publishers Weekly).  

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Switchboard Soldiers by Jennifer Chiaverini 
Fiction

What it’s about:  To help the Allies fight World War One, General Pershing calls for telephone switchboard operators to enlist in the Army Signal Corps. We follow Grace, Marie and Valerie, each with their own motivations for joining the Signal Corps, from training in the US, overseas to war-torn France. The male soldiers they replaced had needed one minute to connect each call. The switchboard soldiers could do it in ten seconds. The danger they face is real and leaves little time for private life, but each young woman has a brush with romance along the way. 

Reviewers say: “So much new information is packed into this story that becomes the best kind of history lesson" (Library Journal); “Chiaverini's story will strike a chord with history buffs . . . An eye-opening and detailed novel about remarkable female soldiers” (Kirkus). 

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The Friend Zone (#1) by Abby Jimenez 
Fiction

What it’s about: Kristen Petersen is in a long-distance relationship with a military man. Knowing she can’t have children, Kristen refuses to fall for someone who wants children. Everything is going fine for Kristen, that is, until she meets Josh, a firefighter. Josh and Kristen instantly butt heads but continue to be drawn towards each other. If you enjoy the enemies to lovers’ trope, then pick this up. CONTENT WARNING: This book deals with health issues and death.   

Series alert: This is the first book of a three-book series. Each book follows a new pair and their journey to find love.  

Reviewers say: “Harnessing sass, heartfelt struggle, and unapologetic sexuality, Jimenez's debut is as hysterical as it is tear-jerking” (Publisher’s Weekly Review).  

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This Might Hurt by Stephanie Wrobel
Fiction

What it’s about: This book follows a couple of shifting points of view. Natalie is a young professional who receives an email telling her that if she doesn’t tell her sister the truth, the unknown sender will. Her sister went away to a retreat where she’s been cut off from everyone and everything for six months and Natalie has no way to reach her without following the instructions sent by the person behind the email. In alternating POVs you begin to follow the life of an unnamed young woman with a controlling, abusive father, and a troublesome family dynamic. She’s forced to confront her fears and anything else her father wants her to do.

Is it for you? If you like books about intriguing cultish behavior, sibling dynamics and secrets, and questionable decision-making you should read this.

You might also like: Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker.

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The Trees by Percival Everett
Fiction

For readers who enjoy: Jordan Peele’s films, Southern noir with an uncanny twist, dry humor, and spare prose.

What’s it about: Ed and Jim, Special Detectives ("that’s not just because we’re Black”) are called to the scene of a gruesome double murder in Money, Mississippi—two men are found horribly mutilated—one, a white man with a racist past, and across the room, a young Black man who bears a startling resemblance to Emmett Till. Then the body of the Black victim disappears, and reappears at a second murder scene, with a second white victim. The detectives soon learn that eerily similar murders are occurring all over the country. Short chapters, quick scene changes, and humor—punchlines, slapstick gags, and wordplay—move the action along. This satirical revenge novel is deeply tinged with horror and haunted by history.

Book buzz: Shortlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize, the nominating committee calls The Trees “an irresistible page-turner, hurtling headlong with swagger, humour, relish and rage.”

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Things you save in a fire by Katherine Center
Fiction

About the author:  She’s the New York Times bestselling author of over half a dozen books, including How to Walk Away and What You Wish For. The movie adaptation of Katherine’s novel The Lost Husband hit #1 on Netflix, and her novel Happiness for Beginners is in production now as a Netflix original.  Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband, two kids, and their fluffy-but-fierce dog.

Reviewers say: "A story about survival that is heartbreakingly honest and wryly funny, perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes and Elizabeth Berg" (Kirkus).

You might also like:  First Comes Love by Emily Giffin or Evvie Drake Starts Over by by Linda Holmes  

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Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
Nonfiction  

What it’s about: It’s time to face the fact that we’ll never complete our to-do lists, and we’re making ourselves miserable thinking otherwise. (Is anyone else as freaked out by this idea as I am?) That’s the premise of this wide-ranging self-improvement book, which suggests that we acknowledge the limited amount of time we have on Earth—so we can then focus on what matters most to us.  

Why you should read it: Whether you love or dislike time management books, Four Thousand Weeks proposes a thought-provoking way of looking at how we spend our time. For those of us who like nothing better than a good life hack, this book challenges us to focus on the big picture before optimizing the small details.  

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The Rising Tide by Ann Cleeves
Fiction

What’s it about: For fifty years a group of friends has met for reunions on the island where they all originally met during a school retreat. This time, one of them ends up hanged and DI Vera Stanhope and her team must find out what led up to the murder. Are secrets from the past to blame or are the motives for the murder of a more recent variety?

Reviewers say: "Cleeves crafts a clever central puzzle, then confers remarkable emotional complexity using her keenly drawn characters' advancing age, wistful nostalgia, and thorny shared history. A pinwheeling third-person narrative drives the pace, while Vera's candor tempers the plot's darker elements. Fair-play mystery fans will delight.” (Publishers Weekly).

Good to know:  The great Brenda Blethyn portrays the cantankerous but brilliant detective in a series of TV movies, available on dvd.

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Fiction 

What it’s about: For a totally madcap read, Dial A for Aunties! Meddelin Chan is a daughter and niece of an Indonesian-Chinese family and the photographer for the family business: planning weddings. She loves her aunties and mother even though they drive her crazy. They want to see Meddelin married and set her up online, but the guy tries to date rape her. In defending herself, she kills him! That’s when the aunties step in – they don’t call the police, they just hide the body in a cooler. Trouble is, they have a big wedding to cater to, and the corpse takes on a life of its own. 

Reviewers say: “Readers will die for the delightfully absurd hijinks in this dark comedy” (Kirkus); “Dial A for Aunties, indeed, as they navigate a high-profile wedding with a corpse in tow. Sound preposterous? Perhaps, but you'll be glad you went along for the yacht ride” (Booklist). 

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The Bromance Book Club (#1) by Lyssa Kay Adams
Fiction 

Why this book: Besides the amazing title, this book explores the falling apart of a relationship and what it takes to put it back together. Gavin Scott is a baseball player in Nashville, TN. He is married to his college sweetheart and has two kids. Life is great until Gavin discovers a secret that his wife has been keeping from him. To win his wife back, Gavin joins the Bromance Book Club made up of other elite Nashville men. Will the Bromance Book Club help Gavin overcome his relationship hang-ups and save his marriage? 

Series Alert: There are five books already published in this series with more to come. Each book centers around one guy from the Bromance Book Club but also deals with a different subgenre of the romance genre.  

Visit Mallory’s My Librarian Page