Good Reads & Views

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 Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand  
Fiction  

Reviewers say: "Engaging family relationships mixed with vivid landscape descriptions create an effortless read" (Library Journal).

What it's about:  A tale of identical twins who are raised on separate islands after their parents’ divorce. They are now 39 years old, they don’t get along, and the book explores complications caused by twinship and small island worlds.

You might also like: The Summer Girls by Mary Alice Monroe or Surfside Sisters by Nancy Thayer.

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Island Girls by Nancy Thayer  
Fiction  

Reviewers Say: “In this touching summer read, forgiveness benefits both the person bestowing it and the recipient” (Kirkus Reviews).

You might also like: Beautiful Day or Here’s to Us - both by Elin Hilderbrand

About the Author: Nancy Thayer grew up in Kansas and got her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English literature from the University of Missouri at Kansas.  She moved to Nantucket Island 33 years ago after visiting a friend who introduced her to island life. She has published over 30 novels. 

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Miss Iceland by Auður A. Ólafsdóttir 
Fiction 

What it’s about: Moving to 1960s Reykjavik to pursue her literary ambitions, an aspiring novelist moves in with her gay childhood friend only to be confronted by a male-dominated literary community that does not believe women belong in the art world.

Reviewers say: “In this excellent introduction to her work, Ólafsdóttir creates a world where either escape or hiding one's true nature are the only choices” (Library Journal); “This winning tale of friendship and self-fulfillment will inspire readers” (Publishers Weekly). 

Want a taste? “I, the undersigned, Hekla Gottskálksdóttir, hereby resign from my job as a serving girl at Hotel Borg. The reason for my resignation is the indecent behaviour of the hotel’s male customers who have been harassing me both at work and in my private life.” 

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Chronicles of a Radical Hag by Lorna Landvik
Fiction

What it’s about: When newspaper columnist Haze Evans falls into a coma, her editor and good friend Susan decides to reprint highlights of her 50 years of observing small town life. Haze’s commentary is full of local news, current events, and personal memories, sometimes controversial (earning her the name the “radical hag”), and always charming. This archive of columns and their accompanying recipes and responses from readers intrigues Susan’s 14-year-old son Sam, who has reluctantly taken a summer job at the paper. Then Sam’s curiosity about Haze uncovers a deep secret.

Why you might like it: Humorous and leisurely paced, this big-hearted novel is full of love and wit and is peopled by delightful characters to care about.

Reviewers say: “At a time when local newspapers are nearing extinction, and reporters are deemed enemies of the people, Landvik’s smart and lovely paean to journalists is a welcome reminder of the important role they play in the lives of those who depend on newspapers for more than just information” (Booklist).

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Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas

What it’s about: At an elite and secretive college, Ines—a student with a haunting past—tries to find her place among her brilliant and troubled peers. The strangeness of the academic program and the unusual rituals of the place gradually increase in intensity, which will keep you turning the pages.

Why you might like it: If you enjoy atmospheric stories infused with a mild and growing sense of eeriness, this book is a great choice for you. Also, if you’re looking for great debut novels by authors of color, pick up this book—it offers a compelling story, lush writing, and a beautifully evoked setting.

You might also like: If you like this book, also try The Secret History by Donna Tartt—another complex, quietly suspenseful story about students at a prestigious school.

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The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal
Fiction

What it’s about: Edith is as sweet as pie, and has a loving marriage, but she struggles to make ends meet. Her estranged sister Helen can be manipulative, inherited the family farm, and built her own brewing empire. When Edith’s pregnant granddaughter Diana runs into trouble starting a craft brewery, Edith brings in her cadre of grandmother friends to help, but it isn’t enough—can she reconcile with Helen, and rescue the brewery?

Why you might like it: Sharp writing and delightful characters (beer-making grannies!) combine for a heartwarming and witty portrayal of Midwestern persistence.

You might also like: Try The Recipe Box by Viola Shipman for another heartwarming story about Midwestern families helping each other. American Pop by Snowden Wright is another family saga about entrepreneurs and familial conflict.

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The Whole Town’s Talking by Fannie Flagg
Fiction

What it’s about: When Swedish immigrant Lordor Nordstrom founded the Missouri town of Elmwood Springs, he set aside a beautiful parcel for the town cemetery. Over the course of more than a century, this novel tells the interconnected stories of Elmwood Springs’s inhabitants—later the inhabitants of the cemetery after they pass away.

Why you might like it: A book about the dead might sound macabre, but in Fannie Flagg’s capable hands it is endearing and funny: “I went to your funeral and sent you flowers.” “Thank you. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to reciprocate.”

Reviewers say: “Flagg does a clever job of tracking her clan of interconnected families through the decades...[She] doesn’t stray far from her winsome and winning formula: adorable town with a cute history, check. Quirky characters, check” (Kirkus).

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Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
Fiction

What it’s about: Who wouldn’t want to be a nanny to children who spontaneously combust? In this irreverent, engaging story, Lillian’s old friend hires her to take care of her stepchildren—whose special talent needs to be kept under wraps while their father is being considered for a Cabinet post. The stakes are high, and the situation is really weird. Completely original and full of surprises.

Why you might like it: If you enjoy reading wry, first-person stories about unconventional characters, give this book a try.

You might also like: Be Frank with Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson is another quirky novel narrated by a nanny.

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Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
Fiction

What it’s about: Queenie’s long-time boyfriend requests a break, and in her heartbreak she spins out of control, stumbling (literally) from one bad decision to the next as she tries to get over her breakup with Tom. As she navigates her newly single status, she makes choices that endanger her job, her friendships, and her self-worth. It sounds like typical chick lit—the book has been compared to Bridget Jones’ Diary—but Queenie is a frank yet funny examination of racial stereotypes and the female experience.

Why you might like it: The prose is vibrant, the situations are humorous but engender empathy, and you’ll fall in love with the characters—the disarming Queenie, her Jamaican-British family, and her friends, the Corgis (called so because they follow the Queen around).

You might also like: New People by Danzy Senna, Americanah by Chimamanda Adichie, and Bridget Jones’ Diary by Helen Fielding.

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