Good Reads & Views

Texts from Jane Eyre by Mallory Ortberg
Nonfiction 

What it’s about: Imagine Jane Eyre and Elizabeth Bennet and Hamlet—all texting away on their smartphones. In this witty and whimsical book, you’ll get to spy on the text exchanges of famous literary characters. Reading some of literature’s most famous scenes played out via text message is both funny and thought-provoking. (Thank goodness they didn’t have smartphones back then!)

Why you might like it: If you enjoy books with quirky formats and razor-sharp humor, this book is for you. It’s also a great choice if you’re looking for a book you can dip into; read a short segment now, then pick it up later to read another literary character's texts.

What sets it apart: This book delightfully blends modern technology, classic literature, and humor. Since it satirizes (and celebrates) the classics, you get to feel smart for getting the jokes, even as you laugh out loud.

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The 2000s Made Me Gay: Essays on Pop Culture by Grace Perry
Nonfiction

What it is: This is a collection of essays about 2000s pop culture and how it helped shape the author’s sexual identity. The topics range from trashy MTV reality shows, Dumbledore, Mean Girls, Katy Perry’s I Kissed a Girl, the Banter Boy trope, Disney Channel Original Movies, Taylor Swift, and Glee, among many, many others. The author has thoroughly researched these topics, including citations, but also mixes in personal stories and anecdotes, making it an easy, enjoyable, and funny read. Since each essay can stand alone, I had no problem skipping certain topics I couldn’t relate to or reminisce over. For example, I glazed over the bits about Glee, The OC, and Dawson’s Creek because I never watched those shows. But me doing that didn’t take away from the collection as a whole.

Who it’s for: This is a great collection suitable for any millennial who wants to learn about queer culture and the impact of that culture during early adulthood. You do not have to be part of the LGBT+ community to enjoy these essays.

About the author: Grace Perry is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles. She mainly writes about pop culture, LGBT+ issues, food and drink, and health/wellness. This is her first published book, but she’s been featured in The Onion, The Takeout, Reductress, and Chicago magazine.

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A Shot in the Dark by Lynn Truss
Fiction

Not your typical mystery: This comic whodunnit is actually solved about half way through. The rest of the book is about young hero Constable Twitten's hilarious attempts to get his superior to believe him. Twitten believes theatre critic A.S. Crystal was killed because he remembered a crucial fact about an unsolved bank robbery years before, but Inspector Steine believes there is no crime in the seaside village of Brighton, and just wants to eat his ice cream in peace. Only the charwoman takes any notice of what Twitten says. Get ready for a wryly hilarious read.

Reviewers say:  "Truss successfully combines wry humor with a fair-play mystery” (Publisher’s Weekly); “Truss piles up ingenious plot twists, preposterous coincidences, snarky asides, and characters out of P.G. Wodehouse” (Kirkus Reviews).

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The Secret Wisdom of Nature by Peter Wohlleben
Nonfiction 

What it’s about: The final title in German Forester Wohlleben’s Nature Trilogy (The Hidden Life of Trees; The Inner Life of Animals) looks at the connections between all living things and suggests that human intervention has unintended consequences.

Reviewers say: The author “thoughtfully and lucidly illuminates scientific facts, and his quiet leaps of brilliance are thrilling… Wohlleben conveys his findings in passages of pure poetry; he truly is an author to treasure” (Booklist).

An excerpt: “But nature is much more complex than a clock, isn’t it? In nature, not only does one cog connect with another; everything is also connected by a network so intricate that we will probably never grasp it in its entirety. And that is a good thing, because it means that plants and animals will always amaze us. It’s important for us to realize that even small interventions can have huge consequences, and we’d do better to keep our hands off everything in nature that we do not absolutely have to touch.”

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The Power of Noticing by Max Bazerman
Nonfiction

What it’s about: Bazerman's book reads like a novel and examines how mistakes are made when we fail to investigate the details, notice trends, identify our blind spots, and more.

Why you might like it: He examines in detail several business disasters that could have been averted and offers counsel so we can learn how to examine our own work, actions, the significance of delegation, and how to reduce error margins.

You might also like: Dare to Lead by Brene Brown.

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We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker
Fiction

Read this if you like:  Vengeful teenage girls, genre blending, and long-buried secrets.

What happens? This combination thriller, western, and literary coming-of-age story begins at the end, thirty years after Walk, a small-town chief of police, turned in his childhood best friend Vincent for causing the death of a child. Time hasn’t healed Walk’s pain, or that of Star Radley, the child’s dazzling but troubled older sister, now the single mother of two—Duchess and Robin. Duchess, a fierce13-year-old who introduces herself as “the outlaw Duchess Day Radley,” considers herself the protector of both her little brother and her mother, whose addictions and penchant for tough men have often gotten her into trouble. Soon after Vincent returns home from prison, there is another murder and Walk and Duchess each set out to unmask the killer and avenge the death. A dark and moving page-turner.

Want more like this? Try True Grit by Charles Portis, for another suspenseful western about a feisty teen girl pairing up with a lawman to exact revenge. Duchess’s unusual cadence of speech is reminiscent of that of Mattie, the True Grit heroine. The Round House by Louise Erdrich is also about a young teen seeking justice for a crime against their mother and is equally heartbreaking.

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Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Fiction

What it’s about: Meddelin is still hung up on the guy she dated in college. Her mom goes on a dating app as Meddie to find her a husband, but Meddie accidentally kills the guy on their first date. Her mom and aunties spring into action to hide the body before the big wedding they are organizing, but hijinks ensue.

Why you might like it: The interactions of Big Aunt, Second Aunt, Ma, and Fourth Aunt as they jockey for status in their family are so much fun. Meddie is a dutiful daughter who tries hard to live up to her family’s expectations and offers funny commentary on her family.

You might also like: Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan for the over-the-top humor and family friction and the rom-coms of Sandhya Menon for the dating dilemmas of obedient children.

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Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
Fiction

Book Buz: #1 New York Times Bestseller & Amazon Best Book of September 2021

Reviewers say: “Liane Moriarty devotees, rejoice!” (CNN).

You might also like: Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney or All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin

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The Guide by Peter Heller
Fiction

What it’s about: A remote fly fishing camp seems like the perfect destination during a worldwide pandemic. But in this atmospheric and menacing story, it slowly becomes apparent that the fishing camp is one of the most dangerous places to be. A fishing guide gradually realizes that the strange rules at his new job are hiding something terrible.

Why you might like it: This novel is a wonderful blend of lyrical writing, an intimate character study, and a slow-burn thriller with an intensifying pace.

You might also like: Also pick up The River by Peter Heller, the prequel to The Guide. While you can read each book on its own, they’re more powerful when read together. For a similar slow-build of the strangeness of a new home environment, read Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas—the story of a school with unusual and increasingly menacing rules.

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It’s Not What You Thought It Would Be by Lizzy Stewart
Fiction

What it is: This is a collection of short graphic stories that form a longer narrative, but you don’t realize all of the stories are connected until you finish the book as a whole. Complicated? Yes. Worth the effort? Absolutely.

What it’s about: Two inseparable best friends, who eventually drift apart after high school, but get together occasionally just to chat about the past. Honest feelings come to a head at a mutual friend's wedding, as they finally talk honestly about what happened to their once tight friendship. My favorite chapter is, “A Quick Catch Up,” because it will rip your heart out and leave you weeping on the floor, wanting to call your oldest friend.

Reviewers say: “There’s a quiet but powerful immediacy to this that will appeal to lit fic fans who may not always pick up comics” (Publisher’s Weekly).

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The Cleaner by Paul Cleave
Fiction

The main characters: There is Joe, janitor for the police department by day (The Cleaner), serial killer (The Christchurch Carver) by night. Then there is Sally, Joe's maintenance co-worker, who thinks of him as a stand-in for her dead brother. Last but not least there’s Joe’s wacky mother who keeps making him meatloaf (which he hates), Pickles and Jehova, Joe's beloved goldfish, and a rescued cat (you'll see).

Who it’s NOT for: People who can’t handle serial killers who are not pc; people who are squeamish; people who love goldfish.

An aside: This is definitely to be enjoyed on audio (available from hoopla), the narration is great and I kept laughing. (I know, I know!) And the scene where Joe goes after the cat he rescued is priceless on audio (The cat lives!). Fans of the TV show Dexter should appreciate this.

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Never Caught: The Washingtons' Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge by Erica Armstrong Dunbar
Nonfiction

What it's about: Ona “Oney” Judge was born a slave at Mount Vernon, George Washington’s estate. One of the chosen few to accompany Martha Washington to the new nation’s capital, Judge discovered that any slave kept in Pennsylvania for more than 6 months was legally emancipated. To circumvent this, Washington sent his slaves back to Mount Vernon every 6 months. When Mrs. Washington decided to give Judge to her granddaughter, Judge had had enough. She used her contacts in the free Black community to escape to New Hampshire. This history shows a different side of the Father of our Country.

Reviewers say: “This work adds new insights into the little-known story of Ona Judge and provides an important look at America's first president from the perspective of a woman he enslaved” (Library Journal); “A startling, well-researched slave narrative that seriously questions the intentions of our first president” (Kirkus).

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The Queen’s Fool by Philippa Gregory
Fiction

What it’s about: This is a very engaging novel focusing on Hannah Verde/Green. She is a young (secretly) Jewish girl who had just escaped the Spanish inquisition to England with her father, who is a bookseller. In an unusual twist, her father, to protect her, disguises her as a boy. The author makes it clear how difficult it was to be Jewish in Tudor England.

Why you might like it: It's a view from someone who must hide in full view; completely unfamiliar to the courtly lifestyle, who must figure out which alliances to cling to, and which secrets to keep all to save her life as she becomes increasingly part of this new world.

You might also like: The next book in this series, The Virgin’s Lover by Philippa Gregory.

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Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce
Fiction

Read it for: The unexpectedly plucky and resilient characters you’ll care deeply about, the swashbuckling adventure and deadpan humor, and the uplifting tale of female solidarity and friendship.

What it’s about: It’s 1950, and domestic science teacher Margery Benson has had enough of being underappreciated and made fun of, so she sets off on an expedition to find the mythical golden beetle of New Caledonia. She is an unlikely adventurer, a mid-forties spinster with no experience of the world. She is joined by an even less likely assistant (not her first choice), the loud and brassy blonde bombshell Enid Petty, who is hiding some secrets about her past. But Enid is surprisingly capable and kind when Margery falls very ill with seasickness, and they begin to develop a respectful friendship that may help them weather the many obstacles they face—language barriers, passport fraud, their inexperience with jungle conditions, and the obsessed man who is stealthily following them.

What critics say: “If you’ve been longing for a book about fully realized women helping one another grow through kindness and acceptance, this 'happy' book with a lot of depth is exactly what you need” (Bookreporter); “There are delightful flashes of humor in this novel... they fight, they bicker, they betray each other. Secrets and hurt from their past threaten to jeopardize their present. Joyce is excellent at depicting their pain and revealing their failings, and she has no qualms about repeatedly placing her characters in harm’s way“ (The Star Tribune).

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That Summer by Jennifer Weiner  
Fiction

What it’s about:  Jennifer Weiner’s new book is considered a beach read but it is not light and fluffy. Daisy Shoemaker, wife, mother, and cook, starts receiving emails intended for a stranger named Diana. After Daisy contacts her, they quickly hit it off and decide to meet. A friendship forms between them, but Diana has a secret that involves Daisy’s husband Hal. The book is about the #metoo movement, friendship and family. 

Reviewers say: "Weiner's storytelling skill is such that she paints an uncompromising, complicated portrait of the insidious dangers of the patriarchy that is also a lot of fun to read. Weiner's latest is a summer banger with a ripped-from-the headlines plot, which is sure to garner lots of attention" (Booklist).

You might also like:  First Comes Love by Emily Giffin or Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand.

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Little Victories: Autism Through A Father’s Eyes by Yvon Roy
Nonfiction

What it’s about: Roy shares his experiences as a parent trying to connect and communicate with his son, who is on the autism spectrum.

Why you might like it: It’s a heartwarming story about using creative solutions to help bridge the gaps, and the drawings are very sweet. However, the book may fall a bit short for those looking for acceptance and disability awareness, since it uses these methods to try to “cure” Oliver’s autism. 

You might also like: Other memoirs of parents such as Raising Cubby: A Father And Son's Adventures With Asperger's, Trains, Tractors, And High Explosives by John Elder Robison and Love That Boy: What Two Presidents, Eight Road Trips, And My Son Taught Me About A Parent's Expectations by Ron Fournier. 

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Stone Fruit by Lee Lai
Fiction

What it’s about: Bron and Ray are a queer couple who take their roles as eccentric aunties to Ray’s niece, Nessie, very seriously. When they aren’t on grand, imaginative adventures, tension grows between their families, which causes them to isolate from each other. They separate to try to mend their relationships with their family. Ray with her sister, single-mother to Nessie; and Bron with her mother and overly religious little sister. There are interesting and heartbreaking conversations of gender identity, inclusion, and trans awareness, which make this graphic novel an essential read.

Why you might like it: There is a lot of focus on relationships in this novel. The way Bron and Ray interact as a queer couple. How Nessie develops a loving and inclusive relationship with her aunties. And how connections can become strained due to misunderstanding and intolerance. If you thrive on stories with strong relationships, this graphic novel is for you!

Reviewer’s say: “Lai’s cinematic juxtapositions and dreamlike fugues give visual structure to a breakup story that’s heavy on processing, sharpening its edges. Lai also skillfully captures the ways family dynamics and histories play out in romantic relationships, and how heavy those legacies can land. The result is a poignant and mature rumination on how people change, and change each other, proving Lai a talent well worth watching” (Publisher’s Weekly).

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Mrs. Lincoln: A Life by Catherine Clinton
Nonfiction

What it’s about: We often refer to her as Mary Todd Lincoln, but she preferred to be called Mary Lincoln. And that’s just one of the corrections to the historical record that you’ll find in this eye-opening biography. Learning about the complexity of Mary Lincoln’s life before, during, and especially after the White House years reveals a fascinating, talented, flawed human being who struggled with the enormous challenges she faced.

Why you might like it: If you enjoy reading about controversial historical figures, you’ll appreciate this book’s evenhanded and detailed look at Mary Lincoln’s life. While history tends to focus on the tragic events of her life, this biography also describes her political interests and strengths.

What sets it apart: Catherine Clinton investigates several of the reasons why history has treated Mary Lincoln unkindly: her mental health struggles have been characterized without sensitivity, and some early Abraham Lincoln biographers set the mold by writing about her scathingly. By addressing these issues, Clinton provides a more nuanced view of this famous but misunderstood First Lady.

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Monarchs of the Northeast Kingdom by Chera Hammons
Fiction 

The location: Rural Vermont, the sparsely populated northeast corner of the state.

What happens: An older woman with multiple chronical illnesses, who is dependent on her husband, has to learn to adjust to living on her own when her husband does not return from the woods one day. She slowly adjusts to having to take care of herself, her mule and her horse, while dealing with loss, grief and loneliness.

Reviewers say: “A highly satisfying, delicately woven story about loss, loneliness, life, and death” (Kirkus Reviews).

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The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan
Fiction

1942: 4 women are competing in a cooking contest. The winner will become cohost of a British radio program, “The Kitchen Front,” teaching women how to use their rationed food in thrifty, nutritious, inventive ways. The contestants are widowed mother Audrey, her haughty sister caught in an abusive marriage, a kitchen maid who dreams of freedom, and an ambitious chef in a man’s field. As these diverse women strive to win, they strike up heartwarming friendships. But will the contest that is supposed to bring a community together end up pulling it apart?

Reviewers say:  “A positively uplifting read that is as soothing as a warm cup of Earl Grey on a gloomy morning. The perfect book for fans of The Great British Baking Show” (Booklist); “Readers with an appetite for homefront WWII novels will find this deeply satisfying” (Publisher’s Weekly).

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The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Fiction

Why you may like it: This clever, twisty mystery features a great cast of characters and an intricately plotted storyline. The Thursday Murder Club are four residents of a retirement community who meet weekly to discuss unsolved crimes. There’s the gentle widow Joyce, a retired nurse and newest member, who records unfolding events as she sees them; Red Ron, a (mostly) former activist and agitator; Ibrahim, the therapist; and Elizabeth, whose mysterious past gives her the expertise and connections needed to investigate cold cases that former member Penny brought to the group. Their bodies may be aging and creaky, but their minds are still sharp! The droll humor, fast pace, and charming characters will have you asking for more.

What it’s about: When a local builder is found dead in the village, the senior sleuths take on their first real-time case—they have a plan to help their friend and rookie cop PC Donna De Freitas solve the murder. When a second death occurs before their eyes, the gang wonders if they are tracking two killers, or one.

You might also like: For more geriatric amateur detectives, try Exit by Belinda Bauer or Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions by Mario Giordano. Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz is another intricately plotted witty mystery. 

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Invisible Differences: A Story of Asperger’s, Adulting, and Living a Life in Full Color by Julie Dachez
Nonfiction

What it’s about: Author Julie Dachez chronicled her experiences having difficulties in social situations and finally being diagnosed as an adult on the autism spectrum. The diagnosis changed her life as she found a community going through some of the same struggles and helped her determine her comfort zone and advocating for herself.

Why you might like it: Dachez wrote that France is behind in recognizing autism, so she had issues with trying to get a diagnosis and then finding help. This is an eye-opening look at autism through the lens of another culture.

You might also like: Other memoirs by people with autism such as The Journal of Best Practices: A Memoir of Marriage… by David Finch. 

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Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand
Fiction

What it’s about: “In this satisfying page-turner from "the queen of beach reads" (New York Magazine), a Nantucket novelist has one final summer to protect her secrets while her loved ones on earth learn to live without their golden girl” (Amazon).

Reviewers say: "In her 25th novel, Hilderbrand gets everything right and leaves her ardent fans hungry for No. 26. Hilderbrand sets the gold standard in escapist fiction" (Kirkus Reviews).

You might also like: Now that you mention it by Kristan Higgins or The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult.

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Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
Fiction

What it’s about: In this compelling, character-driven novel, family secrets and hidden desires hide just below the surface. Lydia Lee was a gifted high school student from a loving family, and when she died mysteriously, her family was shattered. As the story delves into each family member’s past, you learn of her father’s struggles as the son of Chinese immigrants, her mother’s pain at giving up her career, and Lydia’s own inner conflicts and secret life.

Why you might like it: If you like novels told from multiple perspectives, you’ll appreciate the gradual unfolding of this story as you read different viewpoints. Also, if you prefer a strong sense of place, you’ll enjoy the way Ng carefully constructs the 1970s Midwestern setting.

Reviewers say: “Ng constructs a mesmerizing narrative that shrinks enormous issues of race, prejudice, identity, and gender into the miniaturist dynamics of a single family. A breathtaking triumph..." (Library Journal).

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The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
Fiction

What it’s about: Caroline is taking her 10 year anniversary trip to London alone after finding out her husband has been cheating on her. While out with a tour group in the River Thames, she discovers a glass vial, etched only with the likeness of a bear. After doing some digging at the library, she learns more about the vial and discovers even more about herself.

What sets it apart: This is not only the story of modern-day Caroline. There are 3 narratives happening simultaneously. Caroline, yes, but also Nella, an apothecary shop owner living in 18th-century London, who dispenses poisons to women, looking to harm the oppressive men in their lives. And also Eliza, a 12-year old girl, sent to retrieve poison from Nella. All three of their lives become tangled in this suspenseful tale of revenge.

You might also like: The Necklace by Claire McMillian or The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor.

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Suspicious Minds by David Mark
Fiction

What it’s about: Betsy has been diagnosed with BPD and has run away from her abusive boyfriend. When she crashes her car on a country road, a local farmer comes to her rescue and she ends up staying with him to recover. Farmer Jude writes poetry, is mysterious and attentive, but also rumored to have killed his wife. Betsy is very happy with Jude but isn’t quite sure what to think...

Reviewers say: “A chilling entry from a master of the dark psychological thriller--one that's uncharacteristically tempered by hope” (Kirkus Reviews); “Author Mark's way with words is the star here, describing clammy skin as ‘like a wild mushroom at dawn’ and a trophy wife with ‘costly breasts and teeth like sugar cubes.’ Questions abound until the end” (Booklist).

You might also like: Try the author’s The Mausoleum, A Rush of Blood, and Borrowed Time.

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The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict
Fiction

What happens: The famous mystery novelist Agatha Christie went missing for 11 days in 1926, and she never spoke about that time except to claim amnesia. This novel tells the story of those days from the point of view of her husband Archie, as well as imagines the story of Agatha’s and Archie’s marriage from Agatha’s point of view.  As the story travels back and forth between these two timelines, the reader is forced to ask which narrator is reliable—or if neither is.

Reviewers say: “Mystery lovers, especially fans of Christie's works, as well as those who enjoy period pieces, will find this an engrossing fictional answer to a real historical mystery” (Library Journal); “A compelling portrait of a marriage gone desperately sour” (Kirkus Reviews).

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The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory
Fiction

What it’s about: The Red Queen tells the story of Margaret Beaufort, heiress to the red rose of Lancaster, a mother at fourteen, and a woman determined that her son would reign as King of England. Margaret is a patient manipulator, working behind the scenes. In the end she conceives one of the great rebellions of her time.

Why you might like it: Author Philippa Gregory is a genius at conveying character. We are able see into their hearts and minds. We see their struggles, the twists and turns that surprise them and us, as the suspense carries us forward.

You might also like: The next book in this series, The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory.

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Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Fiction

Read this if you like: Stories that take you on a wild ride, Ojibwe/Anishinaabe culture, traditions, and language with a sprinkling of French American culture, ice hockey, and fake relationships.

What it’s about: Family tragedies—her uncle’s death by overdose, and her grandmother’s stroke—cause Daunis to halt her plans to go away to college so she can remain at home and care for her fragile mother. After she witnesses a drug-related murder, she is recruited as a confidential informant to the FBI to help investigate the influx of a new drug that is destroying her community. Her undercover work introduces her to the new guy on her brother’s hockey team, who may be hiding something. This multilayered gripping thriller will leave you looking for Boulley’s next book.

Tell me more: Daunis is biracial and uses her knowledge of her Ojibwe heritage to guide her actions and decisions throughout the story. Her special interests in chemistry and traditional plants and their medicinal uses help with the investigation, but also put her in danger as she follows her own leads. The tribal Elders who support and advise Daunis are wonderfully charming and play a key role in the book. Daunis herself is likeable, brave, and resourceful—it’s easy to cheer her on as she takes one risk after another.

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Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann
Nonfiction

What it’s about: Judith Heumann became quadriplegic after contracting polio as a small child. Early experiences of being denied opportunities in education, transportation, and access to other services led her to advocate for all disabled people, including helping to organize a sit-in in a federal office building in San Francisco in support of keeping Section 504, a landmark statement for disability rights in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The sit-in lasted for three weeks and brought together an entire community of people with disabilities to fight for their rights.

Why you might like it: Although I didn’t know about the struggle for Section 504, Heumann did a good job setting out the stakes for people with disabilities and pulling back the curtain on how legislation really gets made. This would be a great read for a new or current politician!

You might also like: Other memoirs such as Shawn Burcaw’s Laughing At My Nightmare or Haben Girma’s book Haben. 

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I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons by Kevin Hart
Nonfiction

What’s it about: “New York Times bestselling author, superstar comedian, and Hollywood box office star Kevin Hart turns his immense talent to the written word in this “hilarious but also heartfelt” (Elle) memoir on survival, success, and the importance of believing in yourself” (Amazon).

Reviewers say: "Hart is an incredibly magnetic storyteller, on the page as he is onstage, and that’s what shines through…a genial, entertaining guide to a life in comedy”  (Kirkus Reviews).

You might also like: Born Standing Up by Steve Martin or Fail Until You Don’t: Fight, Grind, Repeat by Bobby Bones.

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Why She Wrote: A Graphic History of the Lives, Inspiration, and Influence Behind the Pens of Classic Women Writers by Hannah K. Chapman and Lauren Burke
Nonfiction

What it’s about: Classic women authors take center stage in this inspiring, creative nonfiction graphic novel. Some of the authors are famous (Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Mary Wollstonecraft), while others are less well-known but equally fascinating. Varied in tone—some segments are grimly atmospheric, while others are sprightly—this book zeroes in on the reasons why each woman defied the odds to became a published writer.

Why you might like it: If you enjoy learning the story behind the story, this book is for you. Also, if you like books you can briefly dip into, the episodic nature of this graphic novel will appeal to you.

You might also like: Lauren Burke and Hannah K. Chapman have a podcast called Bonnets at Dawn, in which they further explore the lives and times of classic women authors.

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Queenie Malone’s Paradise Hotel by Ruth Hogan
Fiction

What it’s about: Tilly’s childhood was full of mystery, heartbreak, and mysticism. Her father died when she was a child. Her mother had an awful relationship with the bottle, and no one else seemed to be able to see her dog, Eli. Randomly, her mother uprooted their family to live and work with an old friend, Queenie, in her paradise hotel. Tilda, who is now an adult, has major resentment towards her now-dead mother. She finds a chest of her mother’s old diaries, and digs through them trying to figure out why she was suddenly torn from Queenie’s and sent away to boarding school. In the diaries, she learns some hard-truths and uncovers family secrets.

Why you might like it: Hogan’s books are written with dual-narrative. In her two previous books, the narratives are 2 different people whose stories come together by the end. But in “Queenie Malone” the narratives are by the same person, one as a little girl, Tilly, the other as an adult woman, Tilda.

Try this next: The Keeper of Lost Things or The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes, both by Ruth Hogan, available on Hoopla and in-print at the library.

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If It Bleeds by Stephen King
Fiction                                                                                                   

What it is: Four novellas by the master of horror, never before published.

What you will find inside: A cell phone communicating from beyond the grave, a series of apocalyptic incidents, a Faustian bargain, and Holly Gibney - of King’s Bill Hodges trilogy and The Outsider – facing off against evil in the form of a television newscaster.

Reviewers say: “This excellent collection delivers exactly the kind of bravura storytelling King's readers expect” (Publishers Weekly); “King has gone a far piece from the killer clowns and vampires of old, with his monsters and monstrosities taking on far more quotidian forms--which makes them all the scarier. Vintage King: a pleasure for his many fans and not a bad place to start if you're new to him” (Kirkus Reviews); “This set of novellas is thought-provoking, terrifying, and, at times, outright charming, showcasing King's breadth as a master storyteller” (Booklist).

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The Gown by Jennifer Robson
Fiction

What it's about: In 1947, two young women, Ann and Miriam, are chosen to make the embroidery on Princess Elizabeth’s wedding gown. It is samples of Ann’s embroidery that, in 2016, Ann’s granddaughter Heather inherits. Ann never spoke of her life before emigrating to Canada. Can these exquisite flowers and a few pictures of an elite London fashion house lead Heather to solve the mystery surrounding her Nan?

Reviewers say:  “Robson (Moonlight over Paris) delivers a satisfying multigenerational epic linked by the intricate embroidery used on Princess Elizabeth’s wedding gown” (Publisher’s Weekly); “A fascinating glimpse into the world of design, the healing power of art, and the importance of women's friendships” (Kirkus Reviews).

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The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory
Fiction

What it’s about: The young and beautiful Mary Queen of Scotts encounters many trials and endures great hardships and humiliations at the hand of her cousin Queen Elizabeth of England. Mixed in with this account of the time of Queen Mary's imprisonment under George Talbot’s watchful eye, the Earl of Shrewsbury, there is a tragic romance that gnashes at the very heart of the reader. I recommend this historical fiction novel to anyone who is interested in the uncertain and dramatic times of early England.

Why you might like it: If you like historical fiction than you will LOVE any book by Phillipa Gregory!!

You might also like: The next book in this series, The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory.

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Cane River by Lalita Tademy
Fiction

What it’s about: This fictionalized family saga is the story of four generations of an African American family living in an isolated Louisiana community. Told from the perspective of three women as the family moves from slavery to the Jim Crow era to freedom, it chronicles the relationship between blacks and whites, enslaved people and slave owners, and later, between newly freed Blacks and the white people who control law and finances. A fascinating and tenderly depicted tale.

Of special interest: Author Tademy quit a high-powered executive position to research and write about her family. Documents and photographs included in the text verify the stories depicted in the book, but it is her imagination and skilled storytelling that bring the stories to life.

What to try next: If you want to further explore complex family relationships and the effects of prejudice, try Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald. The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis is a lyrical and bittersweet saga of a family facing hardships and discrimination.

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Tokyo Love Story: A Manga Memoir of One Woman's Journey in the World's Most Exciting City by Julie Blanchin
Nonfiction

What it’s about: Julie, a Frenchwoman, moved to Japan and spent several years living in different places. It’s an amusing visual guide exploring Japanese food and culture through a French lens. She learns Japanese, makes friends, enjoys going shopping, and even falls in love.

Why you might like it: I especially liked the author’s guide to the 1970s-style apartments she lived in, especially the one with the bath out on the tiny balcony!

You might also like: Tokyo Geek's Guide: Manga, Anime, Gaming, Cosplay, Toys, Idols & More by Gianni Simone.

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Summer Breeze by Nancy Thayer
Fiction

Reviewers say: “Nancy Thayer has a deep and masterly understanding of love and friendship, of where the two complement and where they collide” (Elin Hilderbrand).

You might also like: First Comes Love by Emily Giffin or The Matchmaker by Elin Hilderbrand.

What’s it about: Set in the Berkshires on Dragonfly Lake, three women come together to reassess their lives and, in the process, become fast friends. During a summer Natalie, Bella and Morgan struggle to reconcile their desires and dreams with the cards they've been dealt. 

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The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal about Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power by Deirdre Mask
Nonfiction

What it’s about: With in-depth research and a conversational style, Deirdre Mask takes the reader on a journey through streets and alleys and unnamed places. If, like me, you take street addresses for granted, this book will open your eyes to the reasons and systems that go into naming streets and numbering buildings—for better or worse.

Why you might like it: If you enjoy investigating thought-provoking questions related to everyday things, this informative cultural history will delight you. Mask’s research delves into topics such as what happens when someone doesn’t have an address and how addresses have been used for good and evil.

You might also like: The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design by Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstedt is another fascinating look at infrastructure that we take for granted.

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And Now I Spill the Family Secrets: An Illustrated Memoir by Margaret Kimball
Nonfiction

What it is: Years of research went into this book, as Margaret Kimball dives into her family history of mental illness by scrounging through old diaries, family videos, and personal notes and photographs. She explores the reasons why families keep secrets, what drives them apart, and what it takes to keep them together.

What sets it apart: Unlike a typical graphic nonfiction book, Kimball illustrates the setting versus the characters. Each page is filled with black-and-white line drawings of entire houses, significant rooms, photographs, stills from home movies, pages of her diary, scrap notes, or maps. It was a really compelling read because we got to know the members of her family without getting a direct representation of them, only their surroundings.

Reviewers say: “An empathetic, uncommonly nuanced, and thoroughly brilliant family saga presented with real daring and true artistry” (Library Journal).

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Borrowed Time by David Mark
Fiction

What it’s about: After finding out that he was adopted, Adam Nunn hires a private eye  to help him search for his birth parents. The PI promptly turns up dead in an area that had been used in the 1970s as a dumping ground for mob killings, and Adam becomes the prime suspect. Works as both a police procedural and a work of psychological suspense.

Reviewers say: “Gripping from start to finish” (Booklist); “A wild, brutal, fascinating tale of death, betrayal, and love” (Kirkus Reviews).

You might also like: Try the author’s Aector McAvoy series, starting with The Dark Winter, or read one of his stand-alone novels like The Mausoleum or A Rush of Blood.

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The Spies of Shilling Lane by Jennifer Ryan
Fiction

What it’s about: Mrs. Braithwaite was raised to believe herself superior to others and emotions are a sign of weakness. When she is divorced by her philandering husband and toppled from her position as head of the Women’s Voluntary Service, she heads to London to find her estranged daughter at the height of the Blitz. With her on the search is Mr. Norris, Betty’s timid landlord, and together they uncover black marketeers, Nazi sympathizers, double agents and – most importantly – truths about themselves.

Why you might like it: If you enjoy novels about World War II or ordinary people doing extraordinary things, this surprisingly cozy story of suspense is for you.

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Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World's Largest Owl by Jonathan C. Slaght
Nonfiction

Why you should read it: For the blend of breathless adventure and riveting observations of landscape, animals, and people. This account of Slaght’s doctoral work studying the elusive Blakiston’s fish owl of eastern Russia is part natural history, part travelogue, and part personal account of meeting human and natural challenges. Lively and clear writing places the reader at the center of the action, whether it is a slapdash snowmobile ride down a river of dangerously thin spring ice, or a solitary night observing an owl for the first time.

What it’s about: The very real difficulties of scientific field study in the most remote locations--challenged by severe weather, limited funding, equipment failure, and rounds of hard drinking by hosts and guests alike while trying to study the world’s largest (and least studied) owl. The Blakiston’s fish owl shares its habitat with the Amur tiger and is equally elusive and in need of conservation.

Here’s a taste: “The nights dragged on; a deep winter stillness perforated by occasional firecracker-like pops: ice expanding in tree cracks as air temperatures plummeted after sunset. The adult female fish owl was like a ghost. We heard her vocalize with her mate almost every night, but she appeared onscreen only once, when she hit our snare but pulled the knot free before we reached her.”

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The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory
Fiction

What it’s about: I had always thought of Katherine of Aragon as a boring and devout first queen of Henry VIII, not as her own person or as anyone of great accomplishment. I am sure this is not uncommon when compared to the allure of Anne Boleyn’s role played in this court as well. I have a greater admiration for the original and true Queen of England now that I am more aware of the greatness she realized for England and a greater sadness and understanding for the betrayal of the country that she had dedicated her life to and loved.

Why you might like it: If you love stepping into history and discovering people, places, and the inner workings of a royal court, you will love this book. I know it’s historical fiction but it sounded real and wonderfully written.

You might also like: The next book in this series, The White Queen by Philippa Gregory.

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The Adoption by Zidrou, Arno Monin, and Jeremy Melloul
Nonfiction

What it’s about: A couple adopts a little orphaned girl named Qinaya from Peru, and the grandparents adjust to the new addition to the family. Readers may think they know where the story is headed, but it takes a few very unexpected turns from there.    

Why you might like it: This is a slice of multi-generational French life with a detour into another culture.    

You might also like: Other books about well-drawn elder characters, including The Round House by Louise Erdrich and Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley. 

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After Anna by Lisa Scottoline
Fiction

Reviewers say: "A deliciously distracting thriller...Scottoline illuminat[es] the landing strip of revelations and truths in a deliciously slow and intense way" (The Washington Post).

What it’s about:  Maggie Ippolitti loses custody of her daughter Anna as an infant. After 17 years they are reunited, and Anna comes to live with her and her second husband Dr. Noah Alderman and her stepson. Life seems perfect until everything starts to go wrong and after Anna is murdered and her husband is accused, things still aren’t as they seem. 

You might also like:  The Secrets You Keep by Kate White or Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell.

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The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton
Fiction

What it’s about: This creative and complex novel tells the story of Opal and Nev, a (fictional) 1970s musical phenomenon. After revealing early in the book that the group broke up after a horrible violent event, the story jumps back and forth in time to tell what really transpired. The music industry, facing racism, and the creative life all intersect in this engaging story.

Why you might like it: If you enjoy books written in an oral history format—where the story is stitched together from multiple participants who give their view in small snippets—then you’ll appreciate the way the truth is slowly revealed.

Reviewers say: Booklist’s starred review concludes: “A cinematic, stereophonic, and boldly imagined story of race, gender, and agency in art.”

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Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld
Fiction

What it’s about: What if Hillary Rodham didn’t marry Bill Clinton? How would her life have been different? This is a fascinating what-if piece of fiction. It is split into two parts: leading up to and the courtship with Bill Clinton and the aftermath, which includes her rise in the political ranks, almost-infidelity, and Donald Trump.

Why you might like it: You might be put off by this novel for any number of reasons. I do not have a special interest or fascination with politics, but I loved this book. The main focus is on Hilary’s interpersonal relationships with everyone on her team and herself. If you put your own political affiliation aside, this is a story about a woman keeping true to herself to become something really great.

Reviewers say: “Successfully interspersing fact with fiction, Sittenfeld imagines Rodham's personal and professional life without marriage in aching detail in this captivating novel” (Library Journal).

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The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
Fiction

What it’s about: The plot of this simple story is not the point of this beautiful book. The four title characters meet each other and talk about life and love. The simple illustrations add to the spare narration.

Why you might like it: The book is filled with insights told very simply: “’What is the bravest thing you ever said?’ asked the boy. ‘Help,’ said the horse.”  It is also very heartwarming: have tissues on hand.

Readalikes: Children’s books that have adult depth, such as The Little Prince and Winnie-the-Pooh.

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