Good Reads & Views

Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
Fiction

What it’s about: Lyrical vignettes reveal the inner life of each family member in this #ownvoices novel about three generations of an African American family. Through subtle, impressionistic character portraits, the reader gets to participate in the knitting together of this story about family traditions, love of parents for their children, and dreams for the next generation.

Why you might like it: If you enjoy reading books written from multiple perspectives and reading between the lines, this book’s structure and nuances will prove satisfying. Also, if you appreciate books that are short but powerful, this book is for you.

Reviewers say: “Woodson channels deeply true-feeling characters, all of whom readers will empathize with in turn” (Booklist).

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The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson
Fiction

What it’s about: Toronto brain surgeon Jake Baker recalls one strange summer in the 1980s, when he was 12 years old, living in Niagara Falls. Timid, bookish, and bullied, Jake spends most of his free time at his Uncle Cal’s occult shop, where he befriends newcomers Billy Yellowbird and Billy’s older sister, Dove. Led by Uncle Cal and his friend Lex, the kids spend the summer exploring the local spooky places, investigating the truth behind these urban legends.

Why you might like it: Eccentric and colorful characters, whimsical and well-timed humor, and a quirky landscape contribute to a surprisingly tender and compassionate coming of age story dealing with first love, loss, and the secret lives of youth.

Reviewers say: “Immensely enjoyable, piercingly clever, and satisfyingly soulful, The Saturday Night Ghost Club is an exquisite little talisman of a book, one that doesn't flinch as it probes the dark underside of nostalgia.” Jason Heller for National Public Radio.

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Deception Point by Dan Brown
Fiction

What is it? I listened to the audio version of this book. The book was gripping and difficult to pause. There were SO MANY twists and turns in the plot until it was impossible to distinguish who could be trusted. At the end, Brown wraps everything up in a well-ordered, satisfying way.

Is it for you? If you enjoy a thrilling plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end, you need to read this book! Even though there are many different characters, Brown does a brilliant job of making sure we know each one and eventually their surprising motives.

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The Food Explorer by Daniel Stone
Nonfiction

What it’s about: The true adventures of one David Fairchild, 19th-century botanist and food explorer, who was responsible for the introduction of various crops to the American marketplace, ranging from avocadoes and mangoes to seedless grapes and pomegranates.

Why you might like it: This adventure story reads like fiction and provides lots of “did you know…” tidbits, like who the Myer lemon is named after and why there are all those avocados being grown in California.

Reviewers say: “An erudite and entertaining historical biography of a food pioneer with particular interest for gastronomes and agriculture enthusiasts” (Kirkus Review).

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This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel
Fiction

About the author: Laurie Frankel is an American author who writes warm, witty mainstream and domestic fiction with characters whose personalities ring true. Frankel often writes about serious topics from love, loss, and our need for companionship, to unplanned pregnancy and the difficulties of raising a transgender child.

Reviewers say: "Well-plotted, well-researched, and unflaggingly interesting...As thought-provoking a domestic novel as we have seen this year."―Kirkus (starred review)

You might also like: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng or Anything is Possible by Elizabeth Strout

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The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo
Fiction

What it’s about: A loving couple, their four grown daughters, and a large dose of family dysfunction fill this big-hearted novel set in the Chicago suburbs. Alternating between past and present, the family’s story unfolds gradually as each character faces a defining crisis—an unexpected pregnancy, law school rejection, or the death of a loved one. And because their family seems almost perfect from the outside, covering up imperfections is all too tempting.

Why you might like it: If you enjoy falling deep into realistic stories about sisterhood, parenting, marriage, and other family dynamics, this book will carry you away.

You might also like: The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney is another character-driven family story that shows siblings under pressure making difficult decisions.

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Conviction by Denise Mina
Fiction

What it’s about: True-crime fan Anna MacDonald’s quiet life as a housewife implodes when her husband leaves her for her best friend, Estelle. Grieving over the betrayal, she sets out on a wild adventure to uncover the real story behind a new true-crime podcast, which may have connections to her own secret past. She is joined by Estelle’s has-been rock-star husband Fin on a wild, fast-moving road trip.

Why you might like it: Good storytelling features a pair of reluctant heroes whose give-and-take relationship adds humor and heart. Anna is tough and endearing, and her back story is compelling and relevant to today’s “me too” movement.

You might also like: The intricately plotted and suspenseful thriller, Let Me Lie, by Clare Mackintosh, also stars a strong female character trying to solve a crime. Humor marks Olga Tokarczuk’s mystery, Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, in which a woman fixates on a mysterious death.

Visit Laura’s My Librarian Page

The Long Call by Ann Cleeves
Fiction

What it is: This first installment in the new Two rivers series by Ann Cleeves, author of the excellent Vera and Shetland series, introduces detective Matthew Venn. An investigation into the stabbing death of a man and the disappearance of two girls with Down Syndrome all turn up connections to the Woodyard Centre, a multi-use community arts centre in Devon, England, run by Matthew’s husband Jonathan.

Want a taste? “The road climbed steeply and then they were looking down at the village of Lovacott: a group of houses clustered around a small square, which was hardly more than the main street widened. A shop that seemed to sell everything, a pub. There was nothing picturesque here. No thatch. It would never have featured in an episode of Midsomer Murders.”

Reviewers say: “Cleeves makes good use of Devon local color and populates this subtle, expertly paced mystery with distinctive supporting characters” (Publishers Weekly).

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The Last Tudor by Philippa Gregory
Fiction

What is it? After doing some research of my own, I found that much of Gregory's history is accurate. This book brings to life the little-known story of the sisters of Lady Jane Grey, Katherine and Mary. I found I could not put it down and am eager to listen by way of Audiobooks to her other series. The way their stories are told in first person makes for a fascinating read and makes clear the difficulties of survival of women in those troubled times.

Key insight: I am a huge fan of Philippa Gregory, have been for years. I really enjoy her style of writing and when I listen by way of Audiobooks I like the woman's voice who does the reading. As with every book of hers that I've listened to, strong emotions are experienced as the story progresses. This book made me feel delighted but mostly angry with Elizabeth I or shocked by the actions she took to inflict pain to her poor cousins.

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Finding Family: my search for roots and the secrets in my DNA by Richard Hill Nonfiction What it’s about: At 18 years old, Richard Hill accidentally discovered that he had been adopted. Assuming he would never know any details, he was startled to learn many years later that he had a half-brother.  What then began as a search for his mother and brother turned into a decades long search for the identity of his biological father. What the reviewers say: "An engaging, page-turning memoir that thoughtfully puts together the pieces of a family puzzle" (Kirkus Reviews). You might also like: Inheritance by Dani Shapiro or White Like Her by Gail Lukasik Visit Roseanne’s My Librarian Page