Good Reads & Views

The Weight of a Piano by Chris Cander
Fiction

What it's about: A novel about a Blüthner piano, which for eight-year-old Katya becomes her love and passion until the family emigrates to America. Fifty years later, twenty-six-year old Clara inherits the same piano, but never learns to play and decides to sell it. In doing so she learns about its unique history.

Reviewers say: “Strong characterization and attention to detail, whether in the manufacture of a piano or in the desolate beauty of Death Valley, elevate Cander's tale about learning to let go of the past” (Booklist).

About the Author: Chris Cander graduated from the Honors College at the University of Houston, in the city where she was raised and still lives, with her husband, daughter, and son. Her first novel, 11 Stories, won the Independent Publisher Gold Medal for Popular Fiction, and her most recent, Whisper Hollow, was long-listed for the Great Santini Fiction Prize by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance.

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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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Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner
Fiction

Reviewers Say:  "Weiner brilliantly crafts this heart wrenching multigenerational tale of love, loss, and family . . . Weiner's talent for characterization, tight pacing, and detail will thrill her fans and easily draw new ones into her orbit. Her expert handling of difficult subjects will force readers to examine their own beliefs and consider unexpected nuances. Weiner tugs every heartstring with this vivid tale" (Publishers Weekly - starred review).

About the Author: Jennifer Weiner is the bestselling author of seventeen books.  She is a graduate of Princeton University and a contributor to the New York Times Opinion section. She lives with her family in Philadelphia.

You might also like: Shanghai Girls by Lisa See or The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett.     

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The Lies that Bind by Emily Giffin
Fiction  

Reviewers say: “Giffin [has a] trademark ability to capture the complexities of human emotions while telling a rip-roaring tale” (The Washington Post).

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

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

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Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner
Fiction

Reviewers Say:  "If you love Jennifer Weiner, you’ll love this one. And if you’re a newbie, start here" (Kirkus Reviews).

About the Author: Jennifer Weiner is the bestselling author of seventeen books. She is a graduate of Princeton University and a contributor to the New York Times Opinion section. She lives with her family in Philadelphia.

You might also like: Starting Now by Debbie Macomber or The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand     

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Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella
Fiction  

Author Alert: Ghosts of Harvard is her first novel.

Reviewers say: “Every time I thought I knew where Ghosts of Harvard was heading, I turned out to be wrong. Part mystery, part ghost story, part psychological thriller, this novel is all entertainment” (#1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult).

You might also like: Someone Knows by Lisa Scottoline or Let me Lie by Clare Mackintosh.

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Me for You by Lolly Winston
Fiction

Reviewer’s say:  "The story uses quiet prose and unexpected moments of gentle humor to illustrate the importance of human connection during trying times. … [A] poignant story about loss, unexpected connections, and the circuitous path toward healing” (Kirkus Reviews).

About the author: Lolly Winston was born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut. She has an MFA in creative writing from Sarah Lawrence College and is the author of New York Times bestselling novels Good Grief and Happiness Sold Separately, the latter of which is being developed as a film.

You might also like: One Summer by David Baldacci or Rescue by Anita Shreve     

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Searching for Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok 
Fiction

About the Author: Jean Kwok is an award-winning, New York Times and international bestselling author. Jean immigrated from Hong Kong to Brooklyn when she was five and worked in a Chinatown clothing factory for much of her childhood. She received her bachelor's degree from Harvard and completed an MFA in fiction at Columbia University. She currently lives in the Netherlands. 

Reviewers say: “Kwok’s story spans generations, continents and language barriers, combining old-fashioned Nancy Drew sleuthing with the warmth and heart we’ve come to expect from this gifted writer” (New York Times Book Review).

You might also like: The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri or The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez.

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Summer of ‘69 by Elin Hilderbrand
Fiction

Reviewers say: "The grande dame of beach reads...Hilderbrand shifts among characters with her usual ease, weaving a saga that will make you forget the dynamics of your own dysfunctional people as you crowd into a too-small vacation rental" (New York Times Book Review).

About the Author: Elin Hilderbrand was born on July 17, 1969 in Boston, Massachusetts. She has used her fifty years to write twenty-three novels and raise three children on Nantucket Island.

You might also like: The Bookshop at Water’s End by Patti Callahan Henry or The Round House by Louise Erdrich  

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Eddie Olczyk: Beating the Odds in Hockey and in Life by Eddie Olczyk
Nonfiction  

About the author: Eddie Olczyk is an award-winning television commentator on NBC’s coverage of the NHL and thoroughbred horse racing, and for the Chicago Blackhawks. He played 16 seasons in the NHL and was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012.

Reviewers say: "Olczyk, with Toronto Sun journalist Lefko, presents a gripping account of his remarkable life, from his selection for the 1984 U.S. Olympic Hockey team through his remarkable battle with colon cancer. Olczyk, now a sportscaster for NHL and NBC, takes readers through his life and career with insights from coaches, teammates, and family members…While Olczyk discusses the joys of his post-playing career nimbly, it’s his unflinching account of his battle with cancer that truly stands out" (Publishers Weekly). 

You might also like: The Boys of Winter by Wayne R. Coffey and Orr: My Story by Bobby Or

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