Good Reads & Views

Wahala by Nikki May
Fiction

What it’s about: In this intensifying story about female friendship and betrayal, the bonds within a tight-knit group of friends are strained when a fourth woman joins their circle. “Wahala” is the Nigerian word for “trouble,” and that’s exactly what their new frenemy brings to each woman’s life as she exploits their secret vulnerabilities.

Why you might like it: This book is a character-driven page turner that will pull you into the lives of three Anglo Nigerian women living fabulous lives in current-day London.

You might also like: For another riveting story about a group of women whose lives are upended by a “friend,” read The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood.

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The Betrayal of Trust by Susan Hill
Fiction

What’s it about: DCI Serrailler has two murder cases to solve when torrential rainstorms unearth two bodies dating back 16 years. One was a missing girl, but who was the other and are their deaths connected? Quality-of-life issues also feature prominently in this sixth outing of the series.

Reviewers say: “Fully realized characters and efficient prose” (Publishers Weekly); "Fans and newcomers to Hill's series … will appreciate the characters' deep humanity” (Kirkus).

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The Windsor Knot by S. J. Bennett
Fiction

What it’s about: Queen Elizabeth II is appalled to learn that one of the guests at Windsor Castle, a Russian pianist, was found hanged in his bedroom. Was it a sexual escapade gone wrong, or something more sinister? Everyone is trying to shield the Queen from the tawdry details, but what they don’t know is that she has been discreetly solving crimes behind the scenes for years. It’s a delight to watch her solve this one with the help of her private secretary, British Nigerian Rozie Oshodi.

Reviewers Say: “Bennett’s depiction of the warm, wise, and witty queen and the insights into her royal life are fascinating” (Publisher’s Weekly); “…the queen makes a wonderfully self-effacing sleuth” (Kirkus Reviews).

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The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow & Liz Lawson
YA Fiction

What it’s about: The Agathas is a captivating mystery set in small-town coastal California. The story is told from two different points of view. The first person’s point of view is Iris (written by Glasgow), a hard-working, financially struggling teen eager to elude a complicated and perilous home life; the second person is rich girl Alice (written by Lawson), who is struggling to deal with the relationship between her former best friend, Brooke, and ex-boyfriend, Steve, as well as the consequences of her own social fallout.

Is it for you? If you like reading brilliantly developed and authentic characters who deal with their pains and problems in realistic ways, then you should read this book.

You might also like: You’re so Dead by Ash Parsons

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The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Fiction

For readers who like: Space operas, the TV show Firefly, found family, and ordinary people in extraordinary situations.

What it’s about: Loner Rosemary Harper joins the motley crew of the Wayfarer, an aging and patched-up spaceship tasked with constructing wormholes for interstellar travel. When the rag tag crew members—who are wildly and imaginatively diverse—are offered the job of a lifetime, they agree to take on the challenge, despite the enormous risks involved. Narrated by multiple characters, this warm-hearted debut novel is a delight and a joy to read.

Series alert: This is the first book in the Hugo award-winning Wayfarers series. Titles can be read in any order—each title also works as a stand-alone. The follow-up titles—A Closed and Common Orbit and Record of a Spaceborn Few, and The Galaxy, and the Ground Within—are equally focused on character, complex relationships, and asking tough questions.

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The Return by Nicholas Sparks
Fiction

What it's about: Trevor Benson returns to his hometown of New Bern, NC to claim the dilapidated cabin that he inherited from his grandfather who recently passed away. While taking care of his grandfather's beloved beehives, he meets and falls for deputy sheriff Natalie Masterson and encounters the mysterious teenage girl, Callie. These two women have secrets that will change the course of his life. 

Reviewers say: "As much a family drama as it is a love story...If you, like Trevor, are looking to slow down and focus on what's really important, The Return is the heartwarming read you've been waiting for" (BookPage).

You might also like: One Summer by David Baldacci or The Favorite Daughter by Patti Callahan Henry   

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Chasing History: A Kid in the Newsroom by Carl Bernstein
Nonfiction

What it’s about: Before he became famous for his Watergate reporting at the Washington Post, Carl Bernstein started his newspaper career as a teenage copy boy at the Washington Star. This engaging, spirited memoir tells the story of a young man finding his calling in the rollicking newsrooms of the early 1960s. Bernstein provides a wide-eyed, first-hand, behind-the-scenes view of reporting major 20^th century news stories, including the Civil Rights Movement, Sputnik, and the Kennedy assassination.

Why you might like it: Bernstein is a great storyteller, and the people of the newsroom are quirky, larger than life, and unforgettable—so this memoir reads like fiction (even though it’s true).

You might also like: While the timeframe and setting are completely different, Mark Twain’s Life on the Mississippi is another exuberant memoir of mastering skills through on-the-job training.

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One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
Fiction

What it’s about: August is new to New York City, hoping to completely restart her life. New city, new friends, new college, and no needy mother. She starts to notice Jane, a woman who always seems to be riding the Q the same time as her, literally. No matter the time of day, day of week, or weather, Jane is there, with her ripped jeans, ratty red Chuck Taylors, and leather jacket, literally. She doesn’t change clothes or appearance, she’s just Jane. And Jane can’t remember much about her life, where she comes from or even her birthday. August starts bringing her things to help trigger memories, and what they learn is mind-bending. 

Why you might like it: You’ll love this if you’re into queer romance novels with a tinge of sci-fi, time travel. It is completely unexpected, but absolutely works.  

About the author: Casey McQuiston is a master at what she does. Her debut novel, “Red, White, and Royal Blue” is a New York Times best seller, and made me laugh out loud. Her style and wit really resonate with me as a 30-something. 

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Men in My Situation: A Novel by Per Petterson
Fiction

What its about: After Arvid’s parents and two brothers perish in a ferry accident, his wife divorces him and takes their three daughters with her. For the next year, Arvid drinks, has many one-night stands, and often sleeps and drives around in his old Mazda, but fails to deal with his grief. Then the oldest daughter, Vigdis, reaches out to him for help and Arvid is finally forced to come to terms with the trajectory his life has taken.

Reviewers say: “Petterson has written a beautifully nuanced, deeply felt, and powerful story of survival” (Library Journal); “Petterson's bracing latest captures the rhythms and anomie of grief…”) (Publishers Weekly).

Good to know: The narrative style here is almost stream of consciousness writing but with its often simple, yet elegant prose, it accentuates Arvid’s story instead of distracting from it. If you liked the author’s award winning Out Stealing Horses, you should also enjoy this portrait of a life going to pieces.

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A Distance Too Grand by Regina Scott
Fiction

What it’s about:  In 1871, photographer Meg Pero insists on fulfilling the contract her father signed to serve on an Army survey of the Grand Canyon. Unfortunately, the expedition’s leader is the man she once refused to marry. Ben has his own ulterior motives for leading the survey. As dangers from the natural and human worlds crop up, Meg and Ben must find a way to work together to stay alive and maybe fall in love again.

Reviewers say:  “… the grandeur of the canyon contrasts sharply with Ben and Meg's laser-focused awareness on the threats they face and their reawakened desire, resulting in both a saucy tone and suspenseful thrills” (Booklist).

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The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
Fiction

What it’s about: It's about a young woman who is hired as a personal assistant to a commanding fashion magazine editor, a job that becomes frightening as she struggles to keep up with her boss's strenuous schedule and belittling demands.

Why you might like it: If you like fashion and learning about what happens in the fashion world, and what some people will go through for the sake of fashion, then you need to read this book.

You might also like: The Assistants by Camille Perri

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The Sentence by Louise Erdrich
Fiction 

What it’s about: Ghosts, turbulent times, and a love of books and bookselling are key to this darkly humorous literary novel. Tookie—convicted of a bungled attempt at body snatching and released from prison only to marry the cop who arrested her—is now, much to her surprise, working in a bookstore. Like many people, Tookie is haunted by her past (both personal and ancestral), but she is also haunted by a very real ghost who is becoming increasingly intrusive and aggressive. Set in Minneapolis beginning in the fall of 2019—just at the onset of the pandemic, the murder of George Floyd, and a year of protests and unrest.

Starring: Tookie—prickly and tough on the outside but learning to open up; her husband, Pollux—a natural leader who is challenged by his own mistakes; and the ghost, Flora—the bookstore’s most annoying customer.

Critics say: “More than a gripping ghost story, this offers profound insights into the effects of the global pandemic and the collateral damage of systemic racism. It adds up to one of Erdrich’s most sprawling and illuminating works to date” (Publishers Weekly); “Rising from last summer’s ashes and honoring its ghosts, The Sentence is the perfect book to read right now, an unpolished, intense, politically passionate, sorrowful, comic masterpiece” (Julie Phillips, 4Columns).

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You Can’t Be Serious by Kal Penn
Nonfiction 

What’s it about: The star of movies and television recounts why he rejected the advice of family and his high school guidance counselor and, instead of pursuing a degree in the sciences, he majored in theater, film and sociology. He has confronted racism in Hollywood, met his NASCAR loving future husband, and took a sabbatical from acting to work in the Obama administration. Kal Penn narrates the audiobook himself and it’s amusing and candid.

Reviewers say: “An incredibly joyful and insightful experience for the reader . . . Kal Penn’s journey is unique and special and demands respect. He delivers his story with a kind of compassion and humor we simply do not usually see. I recommend this read to anyone and everyone” (Kiefer Sutherland).

You might also like: Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey or My Squirrel Days by Ellie Kemper  

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Pig Hearted by Alex Perry
J Fiction

What it’s about: Jeremiah is a 12-year-old boy who needs a heart transplant. J6 is a pig, but not just any ordinary pig. He has strong ventricle walls. J6 is a genetically altered pig, who was  injected with human stem cells before he was born. He’s growing Jeremiah’s new heart meant for human transplant.  

Why you might like it: The chapters alternate between the perspective of Jeremiah and J6. You learn that J6 has more than a human heart, he has a human brain, capable of feeling and communicating with humans. He’s smart and loves being the center of attention by dancing on Instagram. It’s a really interesting story and the characters captivate the reader. 

Want a taste? The chapters from J6’s point of view are so pure and imaginative. Because he’s a pig, he doesn’t know a lot of specialty words, like attic, but uses simpler words to describe things, like, “...he yanked on a string in the ceiling and ripped a square hole in it. A ladder fell down, and he climbed up it and into the house’s skull” (p. 184).  

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The Turner House by Angela Flournoy
Fiction 

What it’s about: You’ll meet the fifteen members of the Turner family in this big story about a big Detroit family trying to decide what to do about their family home. While the story centers on a few of the thirteen Turner children, along with their parents, the author brings the secondary characters into clear focus.

Why you might like it: If you like compelling storytelling and moving stories about family relationships, this leisurely-paced novel will immerse you in the warm, messy, loving world of the Turner family.

Reviewers say: “Flournoy gets at the universal through the patient observation of one family’s particulars. In this assured and memorable novel, she provides the feeling of knowing a family from the inside out, as we would wish to know our own” (New York Times Book Review).

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Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
Nonfiction

What is it? A narrative history of humanity's creation and evolution that explores how biology and history have defined understandings of what it means to be human. The author uses three revolutions to explain how things came to be as they presently are: cognitive, agricultural, and scientific.

Reviewers say: “provocative and entertaining" (Publishers Weekly); "one of the exceptional works of nonfiction that is both highly intellectual and compulsively readable” (Library Journal); “The great debates of history aired out with satisfying vigor” (Kirkus Reviews).

An aside: This somewhat controversial international bestseller is an excellent choice to listen to on audio or enjoy in graphic novel format.

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Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach
Nonfiction

What it's about: Roach takes readers on a trip around the world, talking to people whose job it is to minimize friction between animals and humans. Whether learning about thieving monkeys in India or mountain lions in California or the ubiquitous mouse, she strives to find ethical ways to control what some call pests.

Why you might like it: Roach is a funny writer! If you enjoy popular science, this is the book for you.

Reviewers say: “Roach writes splendidly about the often-surprising challenges inherent in coexisting with other animals in their natural habitats” (Booklist); “This eminently entertaining outing is another winner from Roach” (Publisher’s Weekly).

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Firestarter by Stephen King
Fiction

What it’s about: Firestarter begins with a man and his young daughter on the run from unrelenting hunters. Andy McGee and his daughter Charlene, "Charlie," have powers that a government agency known as The Shop wants to use for its own. With his mind Andy can physically thrust other people’s bodies and control their minds. Charlie has a number of powers but the most dominant one is generating intense heat with her mind, heat extreme enough to set anything on fire. Time and time again, The Shop agents show themselves to be as reprehensible as they are determined and have already killed Charlie's mother.

Is it for you? If you love suspense and character driven plots, then you should read this book.

You might also like: Disappearance at Devil’s Rock by Paul Tremblay

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A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
Fiction

What it’s about: Set in post-apocalyptic Panga, tea monk Dex leads a satisfying life wandering the road, serving tea, and listening to their clients—until the urge for something more takes them off-road and on this gentle adventure. Then Dex encounters Mosscap, a wild-built robot, “offspring” of the robots that became self-aware and left Panga’s civilization centuries ago. Mossback has been sent to answer the question, “what do people need?” If they join forces, will either of the two find what they are looking for? A delightful, companionable read about friendship and discovery.

Who is this for? Fans of comfort-punk and hopeful science fiction will enjoy the excellent, effortless world-building, and the simple, whimsical, and introspective story with deep character development. It’s like a nice cup of hot tea—but exactly the right tea as prepared by a tea monk like Dex.

You might also like: The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune, The Bear by Andrew Krivak, The History of Bees by Maja Lunde, and The Wild Robot by Peter Brown.

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The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty
Fiction

Reviewers say: “A witty modern love story in the age of cohabitation, blended families, and second chances, this is a compassionate, absorbing tale. Moriarty has crafted an incredibly likable heroine in Ellen, the hypnotherapist who can solve her clients’ problems but can’t seem to keep her own life from spiraling into soap opera. Readers who enjoy Jennifer Close and Marian Keyes will adore Moriarty’s wit and warmth” (Booklist - starred review).

You might also like: The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks or The Girl Before by J. P. Delaney

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Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
YA Fiction

What it’s about: A hard-hitting novel about a black teenage boy who just wants to do right by his family. Maverick Carter is 17 years old. He has friends, a girlfriend, a strict, but supportive Mama, and a Pops in prison. His life turns upside down when a paternity test reveals he’s the father to a 3 month old baby boy, and he witnesses his cousin, Dre, get shot and killed. Maverick needs to decide what is the best way to support and do right by his family, while navigating his gang ties and personal relationships.

Further reading: Evolve with Maverick Carter and his family in The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

About the Author: Angie Thomas was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. Though her current claim to fame is being an author for young adults, she is also a former teen rapper.

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Murder Book: A Graphic Memoir of a True Crime Obsession by Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell
Nonfiction

What it’s about: Like her mother and grandmother before her, New Yorker cartoonist Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell is obsessed with true crime. This memoir in graphic novel format explores the author’s fascination with the genre, her family’s intense interest in the topic, and our culture’s seemingly insatiable appetite for these horrifying true stories.

Why you might like it: If you, too, are a true crime reader who’s not exactly sure why you find it so compelling, this book is an engrossing exploration of the genre’s appeal. This graphic novel is an introspective, cleverly illustrated investigation of true crime reading habits.

Reviewers say: “Campbell uses a conversational tone and lots of humor to delve into the history of true crime and its various formats, including books, television, movies, and podcasts” (Booklist).

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The Tale of Hill Top Farm by Susan Wittig Albert
Fiction

What it's about: A different kind of mystery, one involving missing, possibly stolen, things rather than a murder. This cozy mystery, based on real places and the author Beatrix Potter in 1905, features a large cast of village dwellers and their animals, whose talk to each other we can understand, but their owners cannot.

Why you might like it: If you enjoy leisurely-paced stories that describe the landscape lovingly and are up for the whimsey of the talking animals, this is for you.

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The Blue Zones Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100 by Dan Buettner
Nonfiction

What is it? A cookbook that features culinary traditions of people who live in the Blue Zone regions of Sardinia, Okinawa, Nicoya, Ikaria, and Loma Linda; life expectancies are much higher there than anywhere else in the world. Each chapter features a specific region, the story of that region, the ingredients that may account for its unusual longevity, and simple recipes made with those same ingredients.

About the author: Buettner is the founder of Blue Zones, an organization that helps Americans live longer, healthier lives. His groundbreaking work on longevity led to his 2005 National Geographic cover story "Secrets of Living Longer" and a second, "The Search for Happiness," in 2017. He has authored several national bestsellers and is a National Geographic Explorer.

You might also like: The author’s Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way and his newest, The Blue Zones Challenge: A 4-Week Plan for a Longer, Better Life.

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Three Sisters, Three Queens by Philippa Gregory
Fiction

What it’s about: This is an entertaining work of historical fiction. The story is conveyed from the view of Margaret Tudor, the older sister of King Henry VIII. It includes Katherine of Aragon, the first wife of King Henry VIII, and Mary Tudor, his younger sister, but Margaret Tudor is at the heart of this story.

Why you might like it: I love books written by this author, especially the ones that have to do with the Tudor family and that time period. I’ve investigated Gregory’s method of research which affords me to trust that when she needs to fill in the gaps, it’s safe to assume accuracy which allows me to feel as if I’m there experiencing it.

You might also like: The Taming of the Queen by Philippa Gregory

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Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Fiction

Introducing: Tough and appealing, Mercy Thompson is a mechanic and a shapeshifter (she shifts between coyote and human forms) who deals with broken-down VW vans and supernatural beings with equal aplomb. Mercy is headstrong and self-reliant, but her narration can be personal and surprisingly revealing.

What it’s about: A newly changed werewolf—in the form of a half-starved teenage boy—turns up at Mercy’s shop and begs for help. Mercy has no choice but to ask her neighbor and antagonist, head of the local werewolf pack, for help, but this leads to unexpected consequences.

Why you might like it: Highly entertaining and fast-paced, it’s easy to gobble up this urban fantasy series. Engaging and interesting characters, suspenseful storytelling, and excellent world-building keep the reader involved, especially since each book introduces new lore or mythology.

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A Life in Parts by Bryan Cranston
Nonfiction

Reviewers say: “This splendid, moving, heartbreaking memoir is doubly triumphant. It regales and entertains while at the same time providing inspiration and practical wisdom. A truly gifted storyteller, Cranston captures the reader's imagination and emotions from beginning to end” (Doris Kearns Goodwin).

About the author: Bryan Cranston is a television and film actor, director, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his role as Walter White in the crime drama series Breaking Bad which ran for 6 seasons.

You might also like: Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama by Bob Odenkirk or Never Have Your Dog Stuffed by Alan Alda.

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If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy
Fiction

What it’s about: Cindy is down on her luck, feeling drained creatively, and in need of a reset. She moves in with her stepmother, who happens to be a big-time producer for America’s favorite romantic reality TV show, Before Midnight. In a pit of desperation, Cindy finds herself on the show as a contestant, and she unknowingly becomes a plus-sized, body positivity icon for all of America.

Why you might like it: You’ll love this book if you’re a fan of romantic reality television, girl power, shoes, and fairy tale rehashings.

About the author: Julie Murphy is a former-librarian-turned-author. She wrote the #1 New York Times bestselling YA book Dumplin’, and lives in Texas with her husband, dog, and 2 cats.

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Reclamation: Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and a Descendant's Search for Her Family's Lasting Legacy by Gayle Jessup White
Nonfiction

What it’s about: When Gayle Jessup White was a child growing up in Washington, DC, she heard murmurs about her family’s connection to Thomas Jefferson. As an adult, she learned via DNA and genealogical research that it was true: she is a descendant of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson.

What sets it apart: While there are other books about Jefferson and Hemings, this memoir is a captivating personal story written by one of their descendants. Full of revelations, this book describes Gayle Jessup White’s journey to become the Public Relations & Community Engagement Officer at Monticello. She writes movingly of the importance of giving voice to the previously voiceless enslaved people who worked at Monticello.

You might also like: The Other Madisons: The Lost History of a President’s Black Family by Bettye Kearse is also a thought-provoking memoir of a descendant of an enslaved woman and a president.

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Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Nonfiction

What it's about: Kimmerer is a trained scientist and uses her knowledge of botany and the stories of her ancestors to skillfully point out how we need to listen to the natural world. She covers the indigenous concepts of gift giving and gratitude and how plants and animals have much to teach us, if only we listened.

Reviewers say: “Anyone who enjoys reading about natural history, botany, protecting nature, or Native American culture will love this book” (Library Journal); “A smart, subtle overlay of different systems of thought that together teach us to be better citizens of Earth" (Kirkus Reviews).

Good to know: This is wonderful on audio. The author has a melodic and soothing voice and does an excellent job narrating. This also makes a good choice for nonfiction book groups.

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Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
Fiction

What it's about: Stressed-out single mom Finlay is at the local Panera trying to explain to her literary agent why she doesn’t have her next romantic suspense novel ready, when another woman overhears and thinks Finlay is a contract killer. How Finlay ends up with the dead body of a man she didn’t kill and how she tries to solve the mystery of who did the killing is a wild, twisting, and above all funny ride.

Why you might like it: Finlay’s balancing act is a suspenseful, laugh-out-loud mystery.

Reviewers say: “Cosimano makes her adult debut with this off-the-wall series starter, which is part comedy of errors, part genuine thriller” (Booklist); “Cosimano cuts dexterously between Finn's adventures as a hit woman, her deeply iffy romance with Fairfax County Detective Nicholas Anthony, and the domestic crises that keep on piling up as if nothing had ever happened to disturb them” (Kirkus Reviews).

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I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t) by Brené Brown
Nonfiction

What it’s about: In her book, Brené looks at the difference between shame and guilt, searches for the triggers to these feelings, and how to identify and triumph over these strong emotions. She delves deep to get to the core of what activates fear and shame and answers why we feel certain occurrences more strongly than others.

Is it for you? I really appreciated the layout and the structure of this book. It felt thoroughly researched offering many examples, cited sources, and other recommended reading. I highly recommend reading this book.

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

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The Weekday Vegetarians by Jenny Rosenstrach

Nonfiction

Who it’s for: Whether you are a committed vegetarian, or an omnivore considering adding some meat-free meals to your dinner plans, you’ll find something in this cookbook full of delicious easy to cook meals. Aimed at simplifying meal preparation, these recipes will help make weeknight dinner planning and cooking easier. Many recipes are vegan or have suggestions for veganizing; others have suggestions for adding meat for those holdouts in the family.

What sets it apart: Each recipe has a hook, an element or component like a flavor or texture that makes a meal more exciting, that will tempt you and add enjoyment to the dish. A mix and match meal chart covering favorite ingredients like beans, tofu, squash, or tomatoes points to specific recipes, or to suggestions for improvised meals featuring that ingredient.

Recipes include: Sections on “new regulars” include bowls and salads (Glazed Shitake Mushrooms with Sweet Corn Polenta); tacos, tortillas, and enchiladas (Migas Tacos); and skillet mains (Cauliflower Cutlets with Romesco Sauce). A small plates section covers beans, breads, and “vegetable-is-the-star” salads like Slivered Minty Sugar Snap Peas on a Bed of Ricotta. Cooks can add variety to a simple vegetarian meal by utilizing the “bag of tricks” section featuring protein hits (Crispy Chickpeas), sauces and dressings, and breads.

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All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin
Fiction

About the author: Emily Giffin is the author of nine bestselling novels. She graduated from Wake Forest University and the University of Virginia School of Law and lives in Atlanta with her husband and three children.

Reviewers say: “Giffin’s novel has style and substance…Truly excellent" (The Washington Post).

Try this next: Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin.

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I’d Give Anything by Marisa de los Santos
Fiction

What it’s about: As Ginny’s marriage dissolves amidst a scandal, she turns to her lifelong best friend for support. Then, when an old tragic event veiled in secrecy reemerges, it threatens to disrupt the lives of multiple families. Relationships are at the heart of this engaging, bittersweet novel—Ginny’s longstanding friendships, her close ties with her teenage daughter, and her reconnection with a lost friend from the past.

Why you might like it: Despite the difficult issues faced by the characters, the tone of this story is comforting and warm—and the writing is lovely and lyrical.

You might also like: Good Riddance by Elinor Lipman is another warm and witty novel about secrets from the past that turn people’s lives upside down years later.

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You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat
Fiction

What it is: Are you looking for a novel about a bisexual love addict who has mommy issues? Then this book is for you. The main character, a Palestinian-American woman who remains unnamed for the entire book, tells her story through vignettes that flash between the United States and the Middle East. She details her ever-changing love life and her maternal traumas, which leads her to a treatment center for her love addiction.

Why you might like it: The reader goes on a journey with the main character, falling in and out of infatuation with people. You are rooting for her to mend her relationship with her mother, then get trampled when she receives a back-handed compliment. It’s a roller coaster.

About the author: Zaina Arafat is a queer Arab-American writer. You Exist Too Much won a 2021 Lambda Literary Award for bisexual fiction and was named Roxane Gay’s favorite book of 2020. Zaina teaches creative writing at Barnard College in New York.

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Bittman Bread: No-Knead Whole Grain Baking for Every Day by Mark Bittman and Kerri Conan
Nonfiction

What it’s about:  This simple approach to baking bread uses whole-grain flour in place of white, and a starter instead of commercial yeast. The “beginner loaf” came out so well we ate it all in one sitting. It was delicious!

Authors’ quote: “As it turns out, making the best bread mostly means two things: mastering natural starter—usually called ‘sourdough,’ though it’s not necessarily sour—and using real whole grains.”

Reviewers say: “After reading through the straightforward instructions and salivating at the recipes for crusty breads, pizzas, desserts, and more, readers will be excited to get started” (Booklist Review); “This hits the spot” (Publishers Weekly Review); “Another cookbook in which Bittman thoroughly learns a kitchen task, then deftly explains it to readers. Recommended for anyone interested in whole grains or easy, no-knead, naturally fermented bread” (Library Journal Review).

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The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
Fiction

What it’s about: Belle da Costa Greene has a secret. She’s passing for white in the rarified world of museums and libraries in 1906. A lover of the printed word, Belle is encouraged by a friend to apply for a job as personal librarian to J. P. Morgan, who needs someone to help him acquire and curate antique books and manuscripts for his personal collection. This determined young woman navigates the delicate handling of her imperious employer and high-stakes art auctions with growing skill. As we follow Belle through the next twenty years, she shines as a woman in a male-dominated society, all the while keeping the secret of her birth, knowing that exposure would cost her her job and her ability to support her family. Based on the real-life Belle da Costa Greene, this story is a look back at a time both strangely different and uncomfortably similar to our own.

Reviewers say: “An excellent piece of historical fiction that many readers will find hard to put down” (Library Journal); “Benedict and Murray do a great job capturing Belle's passion and tenacity as she carves a place for herself in a racist male-dominated society” (Publisher’s Weekly).

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The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw
Fiction

What it is: A collection of literary short stories that examines the lives of contemporary African American women, focusing on spirituality, secularity, relationships, sexuality, body image, and self-determination. The stories are deeply moving, and characters are portrayed with scorching honesty. If you don’t like short stories, give this collection a try anyway—the writing is so good it might convert you. “Snowfall” is filled with gorgeous bittersweet memories of life in the South, and “How to Make Love to a Physicist” is perfect storytelling.

Of special interest: The story “Peach Cobbler” was inspired by a prompt to write about food, and to kick off with a fantastic first line, as well as Philyaw’s childhood confusion while growing up in the Church—she thought the preachers were God. That first line—“My mother made a peach cobbler so good, it made God himself cheat on his wife.”

Book buzz: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies was a finalist for The National Book Awards and is a Los Angeles Times Book Awards finalist for first fiction. It is also the first book to win both The Story Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.

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Codename Villanelle: Killing Eve Series, Book 1 by Luke Jennings
Fiction

What it’s about: This book takes you on an extraordinary journey around the world to the finest places, as if you are really there. It's exciting to imagine being a chic fashionable assassin like Villanelle, until Eve brings you back to reality with her persuasive opinions for pursuing Villanelle with a righteous vengeance. As the storyline unfolds and Eve gets closer to discovering who is and who isn't in the "12," the story becomes a mystery that you can’t decipher half-way through. Highly recommended.

Is it for you? It's a fun book, well written by an experienced author who knows how to create a captivating story.

You might also like: No Tomorrow: Killing Eve Series, Book 2 by Luke Jennings

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31 Days to Better Genealogy by Amy Johnson Crow  
Nonfiction

Why you should read it: If you’re stressed out and overwhelmed by your genealogy research journey. The book follows a day-by-day structure that will relieve that stress with helpful tips and valuable resources to better manage your genealogy without having to devote a lot of time.

Further reading: Research Like a Pro by Diana Elder or Organize Your Genealogy: Strategies and Solutions for Every Researcher by Drew Smith

About the author: Amy Johnson Crow is a nationally recognized genealogy educator, a Certified Genealogist, and she holds a master’s degree in Library and Information Science. Amy has been doing genealogy since the early 1990s. 

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How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith
Nonfiction

What it’s about: Clint Smith, a poet and journalist, visits slavery-related historical sites across America and analyzes the ways different sites and tour guides discuss slavery. Smith invites us to walk alongside him as he tours historic sites, interviews staff and visitors, and describes the experience of visiting places of great suffering.

Why you might like it: If you like books that blend sociology and history, this compelling book is a thought-provoking and moving look at both the present and the past.  

Reviewers say: Publishers Weekly says, “this is an essential consideration of how America's past informs its present.”

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Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
YA Fiction

What it's about: This book is about the blossoming relationship of Aristotle Mendoza and Dante Quintana, two boys who fell in love. It picks up right where Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe left off, summer before their senior year of high school. Ari is learning how to open up to his friends, parents, and sisters, by having honest conversations about his father’s involvement in the Vietnam War, his imprisoned brother, the AIDS epidemic, and coming out. And Dante is preparing for the birth of his new baby brother or sister. Together, they navigate and chart their lives together, as Ari and Dante.

From the Author: “It took me five years to write a book I never intended to write. Aristotle and Dante came from somewhere inside me and I thought I was finished with them. But they were not finished with me. I came to feel very strongly that I had left too many things unsaid … this was the most difficult book that I have ever written.”

Reviewers say: “There’s an unhurried quality to the author’s wistful, tender prose that feels utterly intimate. Messily human and sincerely insightful” (Kirkus Reviews).

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Joe Victim: A Thriller by Paul Cleave
Fiction

What it’s about: Joe Middleton, serial killer, whom we previously met in The Cleaner, is now in jail, awaiting trial. Because of him, politicians running in the upcoming elections are looking to bring back the death penalty in time for his sentencing. And Joe still thinks he can just pretend to not remember committing all his murders and the jury will find him innocent by reason of insanity. References from the previous book are woven into the narrative so this can be read as a standalone.

Other characters of note: Melissa, Joe’s “girlfriend” who has reasons for wanting Joe out of jail; Carl Schroeder, fired ex-cop; Rafael, father of one of Joe’s victims; “The Sally” who was instrumental in Joe being caught; and Joe’s mum, oblivious to his plight and focused on her upcoming nuptials. 

Some observations: This is NOT for the faint of heart. Best enjoyed on audio because the narrator does such a fantastic job. You’ll never eat another sandwich before checking what’s inside… And, as the previous book, very dark humor.

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The Heiress by Molly Greeley
Fiction

What it's about: If you’ve ever wished to spend more time in the Pride and Prejudice universe, Molly Greeley gives a good tour. She makes a lush and evocative novel around the elusive character Anne de Bourgh, Darcy’s cousin the family expects him to marry. When Anne was a fussy baby, she was prescribed laudanum, and now as a young woman, she is addicted to it. Her controlling mother, Lady Catherine, insists she is too delicate to do without it, and Anne spends her days drifting through a haze. But finally, when her mother is away, Anne takes advantage of her absence to escape to a cousin’s home in London and quit laudanum. Once off laudanum she starts to get the experiences other young women have as a matter of course: going to dances, reading novels, and shopping. Anne forms a romantic attachment to another young lady, Eliza Amhurst, and must learn to hide her discovered queer sexuality. Greeley finds a way to be true to the period while making a way for Anne to find happiness.

Reviewers say:  “Greeley  is faithful to the original story, while creating an imaginative and vivid inner life for the beleaguered Anne” (Booklist); “Greeley ’s expert imaginings of the life of Anne de Bourgh reveal the hidden depths of her character and highlight the societal restrictions of 19th-century women as Anne seeks to overcome her mother’s domineering persona and find happiness” (Kirkus Reviews).

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The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris
Fiction

What it’s about: In a small Georgia town during the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, residents grieve their losses. George and Isabelle Walker are mourning the death of their soldier son Caleb. Recently emancipated brothers Prentis and Landry, after struggling to survive in the wilderness, find refuge working for the Walkers. But the growing friendship between the brothers and the Walkers disturbs the local white residents, and the resentful feelings come to a head when yet another broken soldier returns from the War.

Critics say: “Harris' first novel is an aching chronicle of loss, cruelty, and love in the wake of community devastation” (Booklist); “Harris writes in intelligent, down-to-earth prose and shows a keen understanding of his characters, and while the plot leads to several tragic events, there’s a tinge of hope at the end. This character study is credible and deeply moving” (Publishers Weekly).

You might also like: For more lyrical, haunting historical fiction, try Ta-Nehisi Coates' The Water Dancer or The Prophets by Robert Jones.

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The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Fiction

What it’s about: There are so many brutal practices that have become the norm in this tale, shocking and unimaginable events that would be horrific to be forced to experience. We see all of it from Offred's perspective - the horrors, the injustices, and the small triumphs that mean everything to her. Her victories are things we experience many times every day and think nothing of the fact that we have these freedoms.

Is it for you? I found myself thinking about the book often. It is a story that is very difficult to keep out of your head. If you like when a book has that effect on you, then you will want to read this book.

You might also like: Vox by Christina Dalcher

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The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty
Fiction

What it's about:  Sophie Honeywell inherits the house of her ex-boyfriend’s Aunt Connie, located on the fictional Scribbly Gum Island. The island is famous for an unsolved mystery, the disappearance of Alice and Jack Munro, known as the Munro baby mystery. Sophie moves onto the island and begins a new life as part of an unconventional family, where it seems everyone has a secret.

Reviewers say: “A stunner…[Moriarty’s] prose turns from funny through poignant to frightening in an artful snap” (Publishers Weekly).

You might also like: Starting Now by Debbie Macomber or Sunrise on Half Moon Bay by Robyn Carr

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These Precious Days by Ann Patchett
Nonfiction

What it’s about: In these warm and lyrical essays, bestselling novelist Ann Patchett writes about her three fathers, the independent bookstore she co-owns, her writing mentors, her love of dogs, and her relationship with knitting. When she writes about some of her most significant friendships, those are the essays that might break your heart (and you’ll count yourself lucky if you have such a friend).

What sets it apart: Because she’s Ann Patchett, the writing is beautiful and memorable and evocative. And because she’s Ann Patchett, her observations are heartfelt and honest.

You might also like: If you’re a reader of Ann Patchett’s novels, you’ll find the same warmth in her other nonfiction works: This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage, an essay collection, and Truth and Beauty, a memoir.

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The Moon, the Stars, and Madame Burova by Ruth Hogan
Fiction

What it’s about: A clairvoyant, Imelda Burova, does readings, and thus keeps secrets for her clients. When Billie walks into her life, she learns that some secrets cannot be kept forever, and she uncovers some of her own truths as well.

Is it for you? Like all of Ruth Hogan’s books, this novel is on a dual timeline. It switches back and forth from the past to the present, so readers are welcome to make their own connections and solve the mysteries. If you like somewhat predictable twist endings that wrap themselves up nicely, you’ll love this.

Look for: The Keeper of Lost Things, The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes, or Queenie Malone’s Paradise Hotel all written by Ruth Hogan.

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