Good Reads & Views

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Fiction 

What it’s about: For a totally madcap read, Dial A for Aunties! Meddelin Chan is a daughter and niece of an Indonesian-Chinese family and the photographer for the family business: planning weddings. She loves her aunties and mother even though they drive her crazy. They want to see Meddelin married and set her up online, but the guy tries to date rape her. In defending herself, she kills him! That’s when the aunties step in – they don’t call the police, they just hide the body in a cooler. Trouble is, they have a big wedding to cater to, and the corpse takes on a life of its own. 

Reviewers say: “Readers will die for the delightfully absurd hijinks in this dark comedy” (Kirkus); “Dial A for Aunties, indeed, as they navigate a high-profile wedding with a corpse in tow. Sound preposterous? Perhaps, but you'll be glad you went along for the yacht ride” (Booklist). 

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Out of the Clear Blue Sky by Kristan Higgins
Fiction

What it’s about: Lillie Silva is steeling herself to send her son and only child off to college when another blow falls: her husband of 20 years wants a divorce so he can “find joy.” Turns out “joy” is living near by with Melissa, a young rich widow who just came to town. Lillie lashes out with pranks like setting a skunk loose in Melissa’s spotless home, but eventually she turns to her network of friends and family who take her side, and she comes out stronger. You’ll feel hopeful for her by the end of this funny, poignant story.

Reviewers say: “A beautifully told blend of grief, hope, and humor that showcases Higgins at her best” (Kirkus); “This will be satisfying for readers who like to see a strong woman thrive during times of trial” (Library Journal).

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The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan
Fiction

What it’s about: Three very different women, in England during World War II, forge a friendship while repairing a wedding dress. Grace is a clergyman’s daughter who tries to find meaning for herself in serving others. Cressida is a designer of clothes who uses her work to fill the loneliness in her life. Violet is a spoiled upper class young woman who thinks her role in life is to marry a man with a title. As they come together to repair Grace’s mother’s gown for Grace’s wedding, each learns more about herself and what her life could really be.

Reviewers say: “Comforting but still rich with interesting history, this will please fans of cozy WWII fiction” (Booklist); “The pleasurable plot focuses on overcoming adversity through friendship, with plenty of romance” (LibraryReads).

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Joust by Mercedes Lackey
Fiction

What it’s about:  In the kingdom of Tia, young Vetch is an Altan serf, lower in rank than a slave, living a miserable existence. One day a Jouster in need of a boy to care for his dragon takes him from his owner. Vetch is torn between gratitude to Jouster Ari for a much better life and loyalty to Alta, which is at war with Tia. When the opportunity arises to steal a dragon egg, Vetch learns just how deep love for a dragon can be.

Reviewers say:  ”Lackey gives us a wonderfully visualized society, similar in terrain, climate, religion, and the differing circumstances of slave, serf, and free person to ancient Egypt. Moreover, she fills the book with well-limned characterizations and convincing, detailed dragon lore to make up a whole in which Vetch's coming-of-age becomes an integral part” (Booklist); “Lackey combines meticulously detailed dragon lore with emotionally intense, realistic human characters” (Publisher’s Weekly).

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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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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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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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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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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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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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