What it's about: Charlie Harris, librarian, and his lovable cat, Diesel, put aside their quiet life to find who murdered a famous author before the wrong person is arrested. The trouble is, it seems every last one of Charlie's friends and coworkers had a score to settle with the novelist.

 

Why you might like it: If you like cozy mysteries or Southern settings, give this series opener a try.

 

Reviewers say: "Sympathetic characters, including the intuitive Diesel; a lovingly described home life with his faithful housekeeper...all add to the appeal, as do the details of library work and academic life in small-town Mississippi" (Booklist).

 

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.

 

What it’s about: Murderbot is back in its first full novel adventure! The snarky cyborg/AI construct and its research team are pulled into a wormhole and threatened by very odd humanoids aboard a ship that seems distressingly familiar. Can Murderbot figure out how to save its crew and find out what happened to its missing bot pilot friend?

 

Why you should read it: The Murderbot series (beginning with All Systems Red) protagonist just wants to be left on its own to watch media. And yet, over time, it has become loyal to the humans who have seen it as more than a machine and developed feelings, whether it wants them or not (not). This series is great on audio voiced by Kevin R. Free, who puts in little touches of annoyance and snark aimed at the smelly, slow, and stupid humans who nevertheless get Murderbot to care for them. I’ve enjoyed listening to the voice of Murderbot and its slow progression toward figuring out what it wants.

 

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).

 

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.” 

 

What is it? Do you have items in your jewelry box or hanging up in your closet that you can’t seem to part with because they’re attached to a memory? Growing up, did you attend summer camp and make bracelets with your life-long camp friends? Rachel Levy Lesser did, and in this memoir she chronicles those stories attached to her most precious accessories.

 

Why you might like it: This collection of essays really got me thinking about my own accessories. You might like it if you’re sentimental about things. If you can look at an item and get emotional thinking about it, this book is for you. You’ll love how a scarf can take her back to the last day shopping with her mother before she died of cancer, or how a Kate Spade bag represented a huge step-up in her professional career. I think what she writes about is relevant to everyone in its own way. You might not have a watch that is significant to you, but that tchotchke from your grandmother definitely has a story to tell.

 

Moving forward: Take an opportunity to rummage through your jewelry box, closets, and/or china cabinet. Take pictures of your items and write down their story. You’ll be happy you did.

 

What it’s about: Sarah M. Broom grew up in the New Orleans that tourists never see—New Orleans East, where her family lived in the Yellow House, a shotgun house that was destroyed during Hurricane Katrina. In this coming of age story, she writes from the perspective of “the babiest” of 12 children, raised by a widowed mother who supported her family.

Why you should read it: If you appreciate beautiful writing, this book is for you. Broom’s phrasing is often poetic, sometimes blunt, always original; her unique voice speaks from these pages. In this memoir about race and class, her matter-of-fact tone and lyrical writing make her story all the more powerful.

 

Book buzz: Winner of the National Book Award for Nonfiction, this book was also named a Best Book of 2019 by the Chicago Tribune, New York Times Book Review, and Washington Post.

 

What it’s about: This book contains so much insight about understanding various behaviors and thought patterns that hold us back in life. While it is clear, as with all books by this author, that she is an experienced and highly skilled researcher, her gift for story telling radiates through even stronger. She authentically connects with the reader by disclosing her own “imperfections” and life experiences.

 

Why you might like it: If you have ever struggled with "should-ing" yourself, this book can be a spiritual awakening that will help you get past whatever you “should” yourself for.

 

You might also like: Rising Strong by Brene Brown.