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Fiction A to Z January 2019
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That Churchill woman : a novel
by Stephanie Barron
What happens: A tale inspired by the life of Winston Churchill's scandal-marked American mother follows the experiences of a wealthy and fiercely independent New Yorker whose whirlwind romance with a duke's son sweeps her disruptively into British royalty and politics.
Read it for: The Paris Wife meets PBS's Victoria in this enthralling novel of the life and loves of one of history's most remarkable women: Winston Churchill's scandalous American mother, Jennie Jerome.
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The Weight of a Piano
by Chris Cander
What it's about: quite literally, a piano. And a series of chance events surrounding that piano that bring two flawed people together.
Starring: an immigrant from the Soviet Union; an orphaned mechanic; a talented photographer. Though their time with the piano is separated by decades, their attachment to it links them together.
For fans of: Annie Proulx's Accordion Crimes;
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| The Adults by Caroline HulseStarring: Matt (and his girlfriend, Alex), Claire (and her boyfriend, Patrick), and Matt and Claire's seven-year-old daughter, Scarlett, all of whom are spending Christmas together at a family amusement park.
What happens: As the cover image suggests, it doesn't go well. Someone is shot with a bow and arrow, but before we get to that point in this entertaining debut, tension and jealousy abound.
Read it for: the police interviews and fun-park brochures that are interspersed with scenes of the quickly deteriorating situation; the astringent, dry wit; plenty of British slang; and a giant invisible rabbit named Posey. |
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The light over London
by Julia Kelly
What happens: Unable to confront the challenges in her own life, Cara Hargraves immerses herself in work for her antiques-dealer boss, uncovering relics from the life of World War II British "Gunner Girl" Louise Keene and her complicated relationship with a man named Paul.
Read it for: Reminiscent of Martha Hall Kelly's Lilac Girls and Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale, this sweeping, entrancing story is a must-read for fans of remarkable women rising to challenges they could never have predicted.
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The red address book
by Sofia Lundberg
What it's about: When Doris was a girl, she was given an address book by her father, and ever since she has carefully documented everyone she met and loved throughout the years. Looking through the little book now, Doris sees the many crossed-out names of people long gone and is struck by the urge to put pen to paper.
Read it for: For fans of The Little Paris Bookshop and The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
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| The Museum of Modern Love by Heather RoseWhat it's about: the many people who find themselves drawn to performance artist Marina Abramovic, who stages herself at Manhattan's Museum of Modern Art for hours, waiting to gaze into the eyes of anyone who chooses to seat themselves at her table.
Why you might like it: Abramovic's performance (which actually did take place in 2010) elicits strong responses in the audience, as returning observers connect with each other, reflect on their losses, and interact with the artist. The result is a thought-provoking exploration not just of art but of love and desire as well. |
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The au pair
by Emma Rous
What it's about: Born years earlier amid her mother's suicide, the flight of an au pair and village whispers about changelings, Seraphine, a twin, uncovers a photograph from the day of her birth that suggests her parents only had one baby.
Why you might like it: Who is the child, and what really happened that day?
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Once upon a river
by Diane Setterfield
What it's about: On a dark midwinter's night in an ancient inn on the river Thames, the regulars are telling stories when a wounded stranger enters carrying the lifeless body of a small child. Hours later, the girl stirs, takes a breath and returns to life. Many secrets must be revealed before the girl's identity can be known.
Why you might like it: Once Upon a River is a glorious tapestry of a book that combines folklore and science, magic and myth.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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