Good Reads & Views

The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult
Fiction

Reviewers say: “Picoult’s fans will be more than ready for this puzzle of a novel. . . [They] will find heady themes to consider” (Booklist).

What’s it about: Dawn, a graduate student in Egyptology, is abruptly called back to Boston from a dig in Egypt due to a family emergency. For the next 15 years she lives a very different life than she had planned, taking care of her 13-year-old brother and working as a “death doula”, helping her clients tie up loose ends before their death. Her most recent client reminds Dawn of her longing for a lost love, Wyatt, an English earl she left behind in Egypt.   

You might also like: This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub or Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

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What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall
Fiction

What it’s about: Naomi and her two best friends are infamous for putting away a serial killer when they were kids, after an encounter in the woods. Only the girls were there that day, and the small community sees them as heroes, but they’re also liars. After learning the killer who attacked her has died in prison 22 years later, Naomi goes back to their small town of Chester, and she begins to question what she really saw that day in the woods.

Why you might like it: Marshall’s writing is powerfully descriptive in this novel, bringing even more darkness and magic to the woods. This dark thriller offers a look into a community full of secrets and webs of lies that cause many twists and reveals that leave readers feeling stranded in the woods just like Naomi.

Reviewers say: “Unexpected plot twists, deep psychological perspicacity, and an endlessly interesting dance between past and present...evokes the dread and intensity of Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects” (NYT Book Review).

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At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson
Nonfiction

What it is: Bill Bryson takes readers on a tour of his home in England, a former parsonage, and explores how homes reflect history. What is a parlor and why do we have them? Why did people wear wigs? Among lots of other interesting tidbits, Bryson shares that flushing toilets were the most popular feature at the Crystal Palace Exhibition in 1851. Who knew?

Reviewers say: “Informative, readable and great fun” (Kirkus Reviews); “explores everything from the spice trade to the toilet bowl, revealing the hilarious and revolting details of our private lives from Roman times to the present (Library Journal).

Want a taste? “If a potato can produce vitamin C, why can't we? Within the animal kingdom only humans and guinea pigs are unable to synthesize vitamin C in their own bodies. Why us and guinea pigs? No point asking. Nobody knows.” “Part of the reason people could eat so well was that many foods that we now think of as delicacies were plenteous then. Lobsters bred in such abundance around Britain's coastline that they were fed to prisoners and orphans or ground up for fertilizer.”

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A Traitor in Whitehall by Julia Kelly
Fiction

What it’s about: Evelyne Redfern is glad to leave her WWII factory job to work in Churchill’s underground Cabinet War Rooms. She’s been recruited to work in the typing pool to uncover who is leaking information to the Germans. On her very first day she discovers the body of one of her fellow typists. An avid mystery-reader, Evelyn is less than impressed by the pair of military police assigned to the case and decides to investigate herself. But David Poole from the Ministry of Information is also investigating, and Evelyne is eager to join forces with him. This feisty heroine will keep you turning the pages of this one.

Reviewers say: “Romance, feminism, and historical detail combine in an exciting new series” (Kirkus);  “Kelly's story, a cross between a Nancy Drew mystery and an Agatha Christie tale, sometimes requires leaps of logic, but its gentle humor, unexpected twists, clever heroine, and wartime setting make it a pleasurable read” (Booklist).

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The Dead Romantics by Ashely Poston
Fiction

What it’s about: Florence Day is a ghost writer for an older famous author. As a failed author herself, ghost writing has allowed her to do what she loves without the fear of rejection. Moving away from home after high school to New York, Florence separated herself from her family and their funeral home business. A tragedy brings Florence home and makes her confront her past and her ability to see ghosts.

Why you might like it: If you like romance with a paranormal/fantasy twist, this book is for you. Florence is a millennial so millennials will relate to her. If you enjoy eccentric characters then Florence’s family will not disappoint.

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Soil: the Story of a Black Mother’s Garden by Camille T. Dungy
Nonfiction

What’s inside: A thoughtful and rambling memoir of a Black mother and poet developing a biodiverse garden in Ft. Collins, Colorado. Unlike naturalists before her--Thoreau, Abbey, or Muir--Dungy relates the mundane and the everyday of her life to the natural one she is growing around her home. The narrative is outwardly connected despite the forced isolation of early 2020, where much of the story is centered; it also reflects on the connections between racial and environmental justice, and on motherhood, current events, and history. Dungy calls it a story of a "Black mother finding peace in the wider-than-human world."

Reviewers say: “Fans of Dungy’s poetry will delight in her sparkling prose, and the wide-ranging meditations highlight the connections between land, freedom, and race. It’s a lyrical and pensive take on what it means to put down roots” (Publishers Weekly); “A poignant portrait of life and its challenges, told through the beauty of nature” (Library Journal).

You might also like: For more nature writing that explores the relationship between women, race and the environment, try World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Wild Girls by Tiya Miles, and We Are Each Other’s Harvest by Natalie Braszile. For additional lyrical and reflective narratives about nature, read Late Migrations by Margaret Renki, Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, or Vesper Flights by Helen MacDonald.

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Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
Nonfiction

What it’s about: If you're familiar with Brene's work, then this book is a profound, multilayered dive into the things we avoid. It has been a wonderful tool for unraveling difficult emotions. Of all Brene's books, this is my favorite! It is an uncomplicated ideal for voicing feelings we often struggle to identify and put into words.

Is it for you? If you seek a map for understanding your feelings and making peace with them, especially the painful ones we usually try to avoid, then this book is for you.

You might also like: The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown.

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The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley
Fiction

About the Author: “Clare Pooley graduated from Cambridge University and then spent twenty years in the heady world of advertising before becoming a full-time writer. Her debut novel, The Authenticity Project, was a New York Times bestseller, and has been translated into 29 languages. Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting is her second novel; her third novel, How to Age Disgracefully, is forthcoming. Pooley lives in Fulham, London, with her husband, three children, and two border terriers” (Amazon).

Reviewers say: “An enjoyable, cozy novel that touches on tough topics” (Kirkus Reviews).

You might also like: Two from the Heart by James Patterson or My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman. 

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Exiles by Jane Harper
Fiction

What it’s about: In his third appearance in the series (after The Dry and Force of Nature), Agent Aaron Falk attends a christening that had to be cancelled the previous year. It coincided with a popular food & wine festival where a woman disappeared after leaving her baby unattended. Now, a year later, both the christening and the annual festival are once again back on the schedule and Aaron is having second thoughts about the assumed suicide of the woman a year earlier.

Scenery: Jane Harper’s books always have the various landscapes of the land down under as a backdrop. Here the setting is South Australia’s lush wine country.

Reviewers say: “Writing at the top of her game, Harper effectively uses whodunit tropes to explore her characters’ hidden lives. Readers interested in literate and nuanced mysteries will be eager to see more of Falk” (Publishers Weekly); “For those who enjoy a slow burn with a satisfying conclusion” (LibraryReads).

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Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn 
Fiction 

What it’s about: This novel is a romance story with vulnerability and growth at its heart. Georgie is a young woman who is lost. With no longer having a secure job and no idea what she wants in life, she decides to move back to her hometown in Virginia to help her best friend prepare for her new baby. With this new task she hopes everything will fall into place, until she realizes her childhood home is now occupied by a temporary roommate, Levi, a retired bad boy and local grump. In order to find direction again in her life, she consults an old “friendfic” diary from high school and begins to cross off a bucket list of items with the help, to her surprise, of Levi. Clayborn seemingly refreshes the forced proximity and sunshine/grumpy tropes by welcoming us into this duo’s world as the pair benefits from each other and the unlikely situation they find themselves in.  

Reviewers say: “This is a book for plunging into, a river of feelings with an inescapable current. Even as you are swept away, you know Clayborn’s hand is safely on the tiller, steering you expertly through the rapids” (New York Times). 

You might also like: Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson or Great and Precious Things by Rebecca Yarros. 

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The Ex-Hex (#1) by Erin Sterling
Fiction

What it's about: Vivienne Jones is a witch with a broken heart. To get back at her ex (Rhys), she puts a curse on him. Nine years later, that curse has come back to haunt her, Rhys, and her town of Graves Glen, Georgia. Rhys Penhallow is a descendant of a family of witches who are in charge of protecting and recharging Graves Glen’s key lines. This is done every year during the town’s Fall Festival. Not knowing he has been hexed, Rhys has done damage to the key lines which cause a lot of things to go awry for the town. Vivienne and Rhys must put their differences aside in order to break the hex and restore the town.

Good to know: This book has been described as Hocus Pocus but with spice! A Perfect goofy/spooky book to read during October. Nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award in the Best Romance category of 2021.

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Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge by Spencer Quinn
Fiction

What it’s about: Newly widowed Loretta Plansky is beset by relatives’ demands for money, so when she receives a phone call in the middle of the night from someone claiming to be her grandson Will, she doesn’t blink. What she does do is give him the password to her checking account. Next morning she wakes up three million dollars poorer, the victim of a scam. The FBI can only tell her the money went to a little town in Romania, and there’s no way to recover it. Not what Mrs. Plansky wants to hear, so she hops a plane to Romania and sets about recovering her lost wealth. This rollicking story is a treat you won’t want to miss! 

Reviewers say: “Readers will root for 71-year-old Loretta as she stumbles onto clues and, despite a less-than-stellar memory, finds the gumption to follow them” (Booklist); “Fans of Richard Osman's "Thursday Murder Club" series will appreciate the latest addition to the ranks of older sleuths” (Library Journal). 

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You Are a Badass Every Day by Jen Sincero
Nonfiction

What it’s about: This book is easy to read, you can literally read a page or two a day in the morning and it will make your whole day better. It’s wonderfully relaxing, motivating, and inspiring. From taking stock to following up on dreams, making changes or sharpening your goals, this is a fantastic read! It’s like sitting with a very positive friend who is on board, encouraging and funny too!

Is it for you? If you are seeking a truly relatable approach to self-improvement and self-development you should check out this exceptional book.

You might also like: Badass Habits by Jen Sincero

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Good Night, Irene by Luis Alberto Urrea
Fiction

What it’s about: This historical novel, spanning World War II from D-day to the liberation of Buchenwald, is based in part on the experiences of Urrea's mother, revealing the little-told story of the women of the American Red Cross Clubmobile Corps service. It’s a loving portrait of two of the “Donut Dollies” (but don’t call them that!) —Irene Woodward, a city girl escaping an abusive fiancée and Dorothy Dunford, a farm girl who lost her family and home—supporting the men on the battlefront, serving coffee, donuts, smiles, and a last word of encouragement before they enter the fray. Irene and Dorothy go where they are most needed, and that can land them in harrowing and dangerous situations—in the middle of a village bombing, running from foxhole to foxhole delivering mail, being chased by a German with a bayonet. There are also moments of quiet as the women’s friendship deepens, and as they develop friendships with the servicemen who flit in and out of the story. Powerful, uplifting, and heartfelt.

Reviewers say: “WWII fiction fans, who have an abundance of options, should embrace Urrea's vivid, hard-hitting novel about the valiant achievements of these unsung wartime heroines” (Booklist); “there’s plenty of grit, detail, and twists that make for both a fine page-turner and an evocation of war’s often cruel randomness. Top-shelf historical fiction delivered with wit and compassion” (Kirkus).

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Us Against You by Fredrik Backman
Fiction  

Reviewers say: “Evident in all [Backman] novels is an apparent ability to state a truth about humanity with breathtaking elegance” (Kirkus).

Series alert: This is the second book in the Beartown series.    

You might also like: Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid or The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg.

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A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny
Fiction

What it’s about: In the village of Three Pines a bricked up-room is discovered that contains a copy of a 17th century painting, The Paston Treasure, but with some modern additions. At the same time, Chief Inspector Gamache revisits his first case with this second-in-command and now son-in-law, Jean Guy Beauvoir, and travels even further back in time to a mass slaying at Montreal's École Polytechnique, when Gamache was just starting out in the police force.

Reviewers say: Kirkus calls this “one of Penny's best. Penny will have you turning the pages as fast as you can to see how she'll manage to tie everything together”; “blends nuanced characterization with nail-biting suspense” (Publishers Weekly).

Here's a taste: "Everyone, he knew, had one. A locked room. Either in their home, or their head, or their heart. Where things that should never see the light of day lived, and waited. For their chance to escape."

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Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 
Fiction 

What it’s about: Enter the deadly kingdom of Navarre which lies behind protective wards and its elite dragon riders. Behind the walls of Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail has spent her life preparing to be a Scribe, until her mother and commanding general forces her to enter the Riders Quadrant. Each cadet must pass several dangerous assignments before becoming a true dragon rider. Violet must use every ounce of her intelligence and find her own ways to survive each task. This new fantasy series will have you on the edge of your seat with heart pounding action, moments brimming with tension, romance, well-crafted characters, and is bursting with magic and dragons that will leave you awestruck.  

Read this if you like: The deadly competitiveness of The Hunger Games, the wonderful array of dragons in How to Train You Dragon, and the dark fantasy academic setting of Zodiac Academy. 

Sneak Peak: “A dragon without its rider is a tragedy. A rider without their dragon is dead. Once bonded, riders can’t live without their dragons, but most dragons can live just fine after us. It’s why they choose carefully…The red dragon on the left opens its vast mouth, revealing teeth as big as I am. Fire erupts along its tongue, then shoots outward in a macabre blaze toward the fleeing cadet. He’s a pile of ash on the gravel before he can even make it to the shadow of the keep. Sixty-eight dead.”  

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Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings by Liz Ireland
Fiction

What it’s about: When widowed April met Nick Claus at her Oregon inn, she never dreamed he was part of the Claus family – in fact, holder of the title “Santa” himself. Now Mrs. Claus lives near the North Pole in a land inhabited by elves and snowmen. When one of the elves is murdered, suspicion falls on Nick. When Inspector Jake Frost (not Jack) starts finding clues pointing to Nick, April knows she has to find the truth to clear her husband. But she has only known him for a few months – what if she has married a murderer? 

Reviewers say: “This fun, well-plotted mystery is the perfect holiday entertainment” (Publisher’s Weekly). 

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The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
YA Fiction

What’s it about: Teenager Belly has spent every summer she can remember at Cousins Beach. Summers are for family, laying by the pool, playing on the beach, and crushing hard on Conrad. This is the first summer that Belly is old enough to hang out with the older kids and she’s ready to show how grown up she’s become. Besides Conrad, there is his brother Jeremiah who has always been just a friend to Belly, but this summer everything could change.  

Why you might like it: If you have read Jenny Han’s To All the Boys, I’ve Loved Before, this series will not disappoint. This is young love in its finest form set during the summer and perfect to lounge by the pool with.  

Good to know: The first book has been turned into a TV series on Amazon Prime and season 2 started July 14.

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Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley
YA Fiction

What is it? A riveting page-turner featuring an Indigenous teen dealing with issues of predatory colonialism, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), first crushes, and family secrets.

What it’s about: Boulley returns to Michigan’s Sugar Island and the Firekeeper family ten years after the action of her hit thriller Firekeeper’s Daughter in this gripping stand-alone YA novel. A jeep accident wrecks Perry’s plans to spend the summer fishing; she owes her Aunt Daunis for car repairs and now she’s stuck working a summer internship at the tribal museum. Despite her original resistance, Perry becomes engrossed in issues related to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) when she learns that a local collector is using legal loopholes to unjustly retain Anishinaabe artifacts and remains. A daring plan to repatriate these artifacts takes a dangerous turn and leads to a connection to local missing and murdered women.

Why you might like it: Characters are vividly drawn--Perry is delightfully snarky and self-aware and supporting characters are experiencing realistic, complicated life challenges. Critical issues like MMIW, sexual assault, grooming, and cultural heritage ground this fast-paced yet thought-provoking heist narrative.

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Loyalty by Lisa Scottoline
Fiction

What it’s about: In full disclosure, I’m a big fan of Scottoline but Loyalty was not at all what I had anticipated, leaving me off balance for a significant portion of the book. Lisa speaks with a much different voice in this work than in her usual. Loyalty is a well-researched, extremely accurate look at every aspect of life in Sicily in the very early 19th century.

Why you might like it: The Mafia storyline is only one of several, all of which focus on “loyalty.” All the main characters find themselves in difficult life circumstances. How they survive, whether they win or lose, provides powerful outcomes with messages that will stick with you.

You might also like: Someone Knows by Lisa Scottoline

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The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand
Fiction

What’s it about:  “The Five-Star Weekend [is] a story of friendship, self-discovery, and forgiveness—all set against an idyllic Nantucket background and bursting with glorious food descriptions. Hollis Shaw is the creator of the popular food blog Hungry with Hollis—think Ina Garten, but online. After her husband dies in a car accident, Hollis’ (alleged) domestic perfection crumbles, and she plans a girls-only weekend at her Nantucket beach house. Cue the chardonnay, secrets, and Lilly Pulitzer. While this book could easily fall into the predictable, this fresh and diverse cast of characters keeps the reader on their toes until the very end. Bring on all the five-star puns, because Hilderbrand’s latest delivers” (Sarah Gelman, Amazon Editor).

Reviewers say: "A dreamy Nantucket house party given by a meticulous hostess goes off the rails....The people in her books may screw up, but Hilderbrand always gets it right...Amazing" (Kirkus Reviews).

You might also like: The Happiness Plan by Susan Mallery or Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner.

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What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds by Jennifer Ackerman
Nonfiction

What it’s about: Science writer Ackerman discusses the biology and history of owls around the globe, those mysterious symbols of wisdom and knowledge (and Harry Potter fame).

Reviewers say: “There's fascinating trivia on every page (owls perform "sophisticated mathematical computations" to pinpoint prey by sound, and some owl attacks on humans may be attempts to play), making for a revelatory glimpse into the lives of the "enigmatic" raptors. Bird lovers will be enthralled” (Publishers Weekly).

Suggestion: If you listen to the audio version, also get the book for the owl pictures; if you read the book, get the audio for the owl sounds.

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River Woman, River Demon by Jennifer Givhan
Fiction

What it’s about: Eva Santos Moon is a flourishing Chicana artist who has suddenly hit creative stagnation. Even with her practice in the ancient spiritual ways of brujeria she finds herself struggling with a disconnect to her magickal roots, her art, and sudden blackouts. Her husband, her rock and father that holds the family together, is shockingly taken into custody as a potential murder suspect of their family friend. Eva finds herself not knowing who to trust, the police, herself, or her husband. As she fights to keep her family safe, she turns to her magick to protect them while confronting her dark past.

What critics are saying:  “In River Woman, River Demon, Givhan writes: ‘For us folks of color, conjuring isn’t entertainment; it’s the brass key pointing us to freedom.’ And with this novel Givhan wholly embodies this thesis, manifesting a richly textured exploration of personal pain, trauma, and loss, while capturing that slippery dreamlike beyond that people of color feel in our bones. River Woman, River Demon is a major working, a novel both visceral and revelatory” (Cadwell Turnbull, award-winning author of No Gods, No Monsters).

You might also like: The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Cordova.

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It Happened One Summer (#1) by Tessa Bailey 
Fiction

What’s it about: Piper Bellinger is a socialite who finds herself in trouble with not only the law, but also her wealthy stepfather. To teach her a lesson, he cuts Piper off and sends her to her birth father’s hometown where she decides to makeover his rundown bar. With the help of Piper’s sister Hannah, the girls learn about their deceased father and reconnect to their past. If you are into enemies to lovers, this book is for you.  

Good to know: This was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance 2021. This is also the first book in the series of the Bellinger Sisters. Book two is called Hook, Line, and Sinker and was also nominated for a Good Reads Choice Award for Best Romance 2022.

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Dying in the Wool by Frances Brody
Fiction

What it’s about: Kate Shackleton is a widow who lost her husband in World War I. Now, in 1922, she spends her time as an amateur sleuth helping find missing people. An old friend, Tabitha Braithwaite, is about to get married and she wants Kate to locate her father who has been missing since 1916. Kate agrees and starts sniffing around the mill town of Bridgestead where Joshua Braithwaite went missing. With her trusty camera in hand, Kate starts questioning the townspeople, and turning up things that someone wants to keep buried. Did Joshua start a new life he wants to keep secret, or did someone kill him all those years ago?

Reviewers say: Frances Brody “introduces a refreshingly complex heroine and adds a fine feeling for the postwar period" (Kirkus Reviews).

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Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
Fiction

Read this if you like: Genre blending, the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once, and stories about chosen family, music, and the L.A. food scene, especially donuts.

Featuring: Katrina Nguyen, a runaway trans girl who is an untrained but naturally gifted violinist; Shizuka Satomi, an infamous violin teacher--dubbed the Queen of Hell--who made a nasty bargain with a demon and is searching for a seventh soul to turn in for her own, and Lan Tran, the matriarch of a space alien family running a donut shop that's also a star gate.

What happens? Shizuka discovers Katrina and becomes her mentor with the intention of using Katrina as her final sacrificial soul. But Shizuka’s heart is softened when she develops a crush on Lan, who is simply trying to protect her children from the ravages of a galactic war. Katrina wants to be safe, play her violin, and be herself. An adventurous blend of science fiction and fantasy that’s a hopeful story about identity, acceptance, and understanding.

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Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
YA Fiction

What it’s about: Girl in Pieces is both heart wrenching and redemptive. As soon as I picked up this book, I didn’t want to put it down…except to take some breaks when my heart felt wrecked. It was beautifully written and truly gives an accurate depiction of mental health and what it’s like to struggle with self-harm, depression, sexual abuse, and alcoholism.

Is it for you? It reminds you that sometimes bad things happen in life, but with supportive friends you can overcome pain and heartache to embrace life to its fullest.

You might also like: You’d Be Home Now by Kathleen Glasgow

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Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Fiction  

What’s it about:  When 2 brilliant scientists, Elizabeth Zott and Calvin Evans, fall in love in the 1960s, she cooks him meals in exchange for sharing his home. When their relationship is tragically cut short, she lands a job as the chef of a television show, allowing her to support their daughter, Madeline. With the help of a forthright neighbor, a loyal TV producer, and an astute dog, Elizabeth forges a new path. 

Reviewers say: “[An] energetic debut...A more adorable plea for rationalism and gender equality would be hard to find” (Kirkus Reviews).

You might also like: Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict or Mr. & Mrs. American Pie by Juliet McDaniel.

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The Everyday Gourmet: The Joy of Mediterranean Cooking by Bill Briwa
Nonfiction

Who it’s for: People who like to cook and people who like to watch other people cook. And people who like to eat, of course.

What it is: A combo of one book and 3 DVDs. The DVDs show all the food being made, and the book covers what was shown on the DVDs and includes all the wonderful recipes, with pictures. You'll want to try these recipes. Lessons include food from Northern, Central, and Southern Italy, Spain, Morocco, Tunisia, Greece, Istanbul, and the South of France.

Good to know: This is part of the Great Courses Everyday Gourmet series which is available for viewing on kanopy, with your Batavia Public Library card.

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From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata
Fiction

What it’s about: An epic contemporary romance set in the world of competitive figure skating. Jasmine Santos and Ivan Lukov have known each other for years, and not in the best of terms. After years of bantering and bickering with each other, Jasmine is offered the opportunity to become partners in pair skating. Jasmine has had some rough and unsuccessful years behind her and would give anything for another chance to prove her worth on the ice and finally win. So, when Ivan, a championship pair skater, offers her a partnership, she worries that he may have a hidden agenda. Or that Ivan is more than the arrogant skater he seems.

Why you might like it: The slow-burn of all slow-burn romances and a great enemy to lover’s style trope to boot. This novel also touches on the challenges and joys of family dynamics and relationships. Great choice for those who were also fans of Netflix’s Spinning Out.

You might also like: Icebreaker by Hannah Grace & In the Penalty Box by Lynn Rush.

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And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle by Jon Meacham
Nonfiction

What it’s about:  It may be hard for people today to realize how much of our country’s history hung on the slavery/antislavery issue, but it consumed the politics and social life of the US the first 60 years of the 19^th century. Meacham shows how Lincoln’s position on slavery grew over the years leading up to and including the Civil War. He also, with quotations from famous and not-so-famous people, lays out how the sides were drawn.

Reviewers say:  “Richly detailed and gracefully written, this is an essential reminder that ‘progress can be made by fallible and fallen presidents and peoples’" (Publisher’s Weekly).

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Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland
Fiction 

Why this book: A perfect read for those who daydreamed about vacationing in the Catskills (Dirty Dancing anyone??). For sixty years the Golden Hotel has been owned by the Goldman and Weingold families. With the older generation getting older, the hotel and its legacy is up in the air. The younger generation isn’t into all the hard work that goes into preserving and running the hotel and buyers have come a knocking with plans to tear it down and build luxury resorts. Will the two families do everything in their power to save the hotel, or will they let the legacy of the hotel live in the past? 

Reviewers say: “Friedland brings laughs and nuance to the family foibles and demonstrates a wide range in her convincing narration from the many points of view. Breezy and charming, this is great fun” (Publishers Weekly).

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Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
Fiction

What is it? This fairy tale with a feminist twist features all the required elements: three princesses ripe for marrying off to the nearest prince; three impossible tasks; a witch, a fairy godmother, and an errant knight, and like all fairy tales it has a sliver of darkness running through it.

What happens? Princess Marra is content to work and learn in the convent, but when her two older sisters suffer at the hands of a powerful and abusive prince, she sets out on a journey of revenge and rescue. Along the way she assembles a rag tag crew to aid her mission—a bone dog, a grave witch and her demonically possessed chicken, a disgraced ex-knight, and a reluctant fairy godmother whose wishes sometimes become deadly curses. A funny, sweet, and deeply satisfying romp.

Critics say: “The plot snaps along as quickly as a good joke, and beneath the whimsy, there’s an underlying sympathy and sincerity that enables Kingfisher to handle tricky issues like domestic violence with great compassion and care” (Publishers Weekly); “…clever and bold-hearted...Marra's hard-fought journey from third-string princess to hero will delight fantasy readers” (Jaclyn Fulwood, Shelf Awareness).

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All the Days of Summer by Nancy Thayer
Fiction

What it’s about: I love when you read a book and it feels so realistic. All of Nancy Thayer’s books are beautifully written with many layers of emotion and wit. They always include well-rounded characters who have both strengths and frailties. This story explores the relationship between a mother and the woman her son chooses to marry, which is a complicated one, charged with complexities and hurdles.

Why you might like it: There are twists and turns that keep the story interesting and the emotion real.

You might also like: Secrets in Summer by Nancy Thayer.

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Beartown by Fredrik Backman
Fiction 

What’s it about: “In the tiny forest community of Beartown, the possibility that the amateur hockey team might win a junior championship, bringing the hope of revitalization to the fading town, is shattered by the aftermath of a violent act that leaves a young girl traumatized” (Novelist).

About the Author: Fredrik Backman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, Britt-Marie Was Here, Us Against You, and The Winners, book 2 and 3 in the Beartown series.  His books have been published in more than forty countries. He lives in Stockholm, Sweden, with his wife and two children.  

You might also like:  Faith by Jennifer Haigh or All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin

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Retirement Reboot: Commonsense Financial Strategies for Getting Back on Track by Mark Miller
Nonfiction 

What's it about? An easy-to-read book that offers nine practical retirement strategies. Includes advice on how to become an “active citizen” and the author’s views on extending, not contracting, Medicare and Social Security.

Who should read it: Anyone who wants to improve their prospects for retirement and get a handle on their finances in their remaining working years and beyond.

About the author: Mark Miller is a journalist, author, and podcaster considered a top expert on retirement and aging. He contributes regularly to the New York Times “Retiring” column, which appears in the Sunday edition, where they are among the best-read personal finance stories in the paper. He also writes monthly national columns on retirement for Reuters, Morningstar, and Wealth Management magazine.

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Stay Awake by Megan Goldin
Fiction  

The Plot: Liv Reese wakes up in the backseat of a cab with no recollection of how she got there, her last memory being 2 years ago. A stranger is now living in what was once her apartment and she finds herself on the run for a crime she doesn’t remember committing. Trying to piece together the lost memories and the notes she leaves herself written on her hands and arms, Liv must figure out who she can and cannot trust and how to clear her name.  

Tell me more: This novel keeps the reader constantly guessing and creates a sense of paranoia and suspense. As the plot opens, Liz is in a New York City she thinks she remembers and soon realizes that not only does she not recall the last two years, but her short term memory erases itself when she falls asleep. Is she a murderer, is she in danger, or both?  

Reviewers say: “Shocking twists and resourceful, well-drawn female characters keep the pages turning as the clever mystery unfolds. Goldin reliably entertains” (Publishers Weekly). “This thriller may cause readers to lose sleep so they can find out who is the true killer!” (LibraryReads).  

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Heartstopper (Volume One & Two) by Alice Oseman 
YA Graphic Novel 

What’s it about: Life has been hard for Charlie (an openly gay kid at an all-boys school). After he came out, he was bullied and treated poorly by his classmates. With the help of his friends and family, he was able to overcome it. After getting to know an upper classman, Nick, Charlie joins the rugby team and the two boys become fast friends. Charlie begins to have feelings for Nick and questions whether Nick (who is questioning his sexuality) feels the same in return. This is a sweet story of finding out who you are and young love.  

Good to know: This graphic novel series has been adapted into a TV show on Netflix. Season 1 follows volumes one and two and has a lot of the same heart and humor of the graphic novel series.  

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The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray 
Fiction

What it’s about: Jane Austen fans rejoice! Claudia Gray has brought together beloved characters from across Austen’s novels in a historical mystery. Mr. and Mrs. Knightley are having a house party and have invited characters from other Austen books. From the title, readers already know who gets killed, but will be on pins and needles – is their favorite character the murderer? Readers don’t have to be an Austenite to enjoy this historical mystery. 

Reviewers say: “There's so much fun to be had in this reimagined Austen world--and the mystery is so strong--that one can only hope, dear reader, that more books will follow” (Booklist); “A captivating production that's perfect for readers who enjoy historical mysteries and for those Austen fans who'd love to see Mr. Wickham's ultimate comeuppance” (Library Journal).

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California Girls by Susan Mallery
Fiction

What it’s about: This book has it all. Three sisters that have a full life ahead of them and then, in a matter of seconds their lives are turned upside down. There are multiple romance story lines. Susan Mallery does a wonderful job of seamlessly switching between different points of view. The characters are diverse, and it's effortless to tell who's telling each part of the story. From the beginning to the end, it was a fun and fabulous read.

Is it for you? If you’re looking for an easy summer read, a nice distraction, without violence, you’ll enjoy this book.

You might also like: Nantucket Sisters by Nancy Thayer.

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Last Summer on State Street by Toya Wolfe
Fiction

What it’s about: Building 4950 of the Robert Taylor Homes, where 12-year-old FeFe Stevens lives with her family, is next in line to be torn down by the Chicago Housing Authority. FeFe and her best friends Stacia, whose family gang rules the building, and Precious, a church friend, plan to spend their last summer on State Street double-dutch jump roping and exploring the deteriorating projects. When FeFe welcomes a new girl, Tonya, to the group despite Stacia’s dislike of her, the dynamics of the friendship change, altering their lives forever. Compassionate and tragic, this tender and uplifting chronicle of Chicago girlhood is reminiscent of Jacquelyn Woodson’s work.

Critics say: “This is a powerful novel about injustice, the institutional racism that is the foundation of the projects and their policing, and survival... Tragic, hopeful, brimming with love, Wolfe’s debut is a remarkable achievement” (The New York Times); “Wolfe’s deeply compelling characters, sharply wrought settings, and tightly choreographed plot create a concentrated, significant, and unforgettable tale of family, home, racism, trauma, compassion, and transcendence” (Booklist).

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Endless Summer: Stories from Days That Last Forever by Elin Hilderbrand
Fiction

What’s it about: "One wonders what the author of 28 novels, sometimes appearing at the rate of two per year, does in her spare time. It turns out she writes what might almost be called Elin Hilderbrand fan fiction, creating short stories piggybacking off already-developed characters and plots....[Endless Summer is] a generous gift to fans" (Kirkus Reviews).

Reviewers say: “Bask in the brilliance of the 'queen of beach reads'" (New York Magazine).

You might also like: Summer Love by Nancy Thayer or The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner

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Fairy Tale: A Novel by Stephen King
Fiction 

What it’s about: 17-yr. old Charlie befriends an elderly recluse and his dog. When the recluse dies, Charlie inherits the dog, Radar, and the house, including a shed that is the portal to another world. It is into this world Charlie needs to travel to turn back the clock on the life of the dying Radar. And what a magical - but dangerous - world it turns out to be...

Reviewers say: “Narnia on the Penobscot: a grand, and naturally strange, entertainment from the ever prolific King…A tale that's at once familiar and full of odd and unexpected twists--vintage King, in other words” (Kirkus Reviews).

Good to know: Excellent on audio. Seth Numrich won the 2023 Audie award for Best Male Narrator for Fairy Tale.

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The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest
Fiction

What it’s about: Lily Greene is a shy bookworm who ends up falling for her favorite fantasy novelist, N.R. Strickland, that she has been emailing back and forth with for months - until one day he ghosts her. Attempting to move on from her online heartbreak, Lily strikes up a conversation with her handsome new neighbor, Nick Brown. They immediately feel instant rapport, passion, and familiarity neither can quite place. Nick has his reasons for keeping secrets, can he find a way to be honest with Lily?  

Why you might like it: This satisfying “You’ve got mail” styled romantic comedy is perfect for those who enjoy novels set in the writing and publishing world. The story also fits into the forced proximity and friends to lover’s trope.  

You might also like: Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley and Book Lovers by Emily Henry.

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You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories About Racism by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar 
Nonfiction

 What’s it about: Known for her work on Late Night with Seth Meyers and her own show The Amber Ruffin Show, Amber Ruffin and her sister Lacey Lamar write a humorous collection of stories on racism. Racism is never a funny topic to read about but Amber and Lacey recount stories from their past that has the reader questioning if it really happened. Tales of people touching their hair (never do that), to thinking Lacey looks like Harriet Tubman (she doesn’t), and eye-opening stories on how far we haven’t come when dealing with racism.  

Why you might like it: Suggested for those who enjoy humorous celebrity memoirs or audiobooks read by the author. This was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Humor 2021.  

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The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
Fiction

What it’s about:  The notorious pirate of the Indian Ocean, Amina al-Sirafi, has retired and wants to raise her daughter in peace. Then someone connected to her piratical past appears and demands Amina rescue her kidnapped granddaughter. Amina reluctantly agrees, and in quick succession is rounding up members of her old crew and gaining a ship. The kidnapper is a sorcerer, so the battles that follow are not your usual sea epic!   

Reviewers say: “If readers are not won over by the playful plot twists and thrilling action sequences, they will fall for the charmingly crooked cast and dry humor” (Publishers Weekly); “Chakraborty creates a world of high stakes and action, enhanced by its excellent representation of Southwest Asian and North African culture, as well as its challenge to gender roles” (Booklist).

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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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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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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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