Good Reads & Views

Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
Nonfiction

About the author: “Chelsea Handler is an accomplished stand-up comic and actress, as well as the bestselling author of My Horizontal Life. She was the star of her own late-night show on E!, Chelsea Lately; was one of the stars of Girls Behaving Badly; has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with David Letterman; and has starred in her own half-hour Comedy Central special. Chelsea makes regular appearances in comedy clubs across America and lives in Los Angeles” (Amazon).

Reviewers say: "Ms. Handler's style is a friendlier, more workaday version of the haughty self-abasement practiced by Sarah Silverman, leavened by the everywoman spirit of Kathy Griffin... She seems like a cruel queen bee from an expensive college: There's something suspiciously sophisticated about how her jokes line up that suggests the moral austerity of a comic not of [Joan] Rivers's bad-girl school: Tina Fey" (New York Times).

You might also like: Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog by Lisa Scottoline or Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me by Chelsea Handler

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When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger
Fiction

Series alert: This is the third book in the Devil Wears Prada series. Read The Devil Wears Prada and Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns.

Reviewers say: “With rich people behaving scandalously on every page, this lemon is juicy and delicious… Having a kick-ass girl posse is not only great fun, but essential for survival in this town filled with moms obsessed with SoulCycle, trophy kids, and plastic surgery” (Kirkus Reviews).

You might also like: The Stylist by Rosie Nixon or According to a Source by Abby Stern.

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I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara
Nonfiction

About the author: “Michelle McNamara (1970-2016) was the author of the website Truecrimediary.com. She earned an MFA in fiction writing from the University of Minnesota, worked as a consultant for "Dateline NBC," and had sold television pilots to ABC and Fox and a screenplay to Paramount. She lived in Los Angeles and is survived by her husband, Patton Oswalt, and their daughter, Alice” (https://www.bookreporter.com/authors/michelle-mcnamara).

Reviewers say: “What makes McNamara’s work so compelling is her empathy and sensitivity toward the people touched by these crimes.... I wish I could read the next 10 books she would have written” (Kate Tuttle, Los Angeles Times).

You might also like: When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain or Chase Darkness With Me by Billy Jensen (Journalist).   

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The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand
Fiction

What’s it about: Nantucket sweetheart Lizbet Keaton is named the new general manager of the newly reopened Hotel Nantucket, trying to overcome its bad reputation, which it gained after a fire in 1922 that killed a chambermaid, Grace Hadley. While the hotel seems to be doing well, there is a lot of drama with both staff and guests including Grace, the ghost, gleefully haunting the halls.    

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:  Hotel Portofino by J. P. O’Connell or The Summer House by Jenny Hale.  

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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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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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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).

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

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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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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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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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