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 Check out our reviews and recommendations: |
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Kristin recommends: These Honored Dead by Jonathan F. Putnam What it’s about: Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed were close friends in real life, and this book uses their brand-new friendship as the stepping off point for a murder mystery. Speed had been in an affair with widowed shopkeeper Rebecca Harriman, which she ended to protect her reputation. She has taken in her niece and nephew, but comes to regret it when her niece is found stabbed in her barn. Suspicion falls on Lincoln’s first client, Dr. Patterson, and the newly-minted lawyer must use his intellect and homespun manner to absolve the doctor and find the true culprit. Why you might like it: Lincoln is plausibly drawn in this book, the first of a mystery series, and the issues of the time, like slavery, are well-drawn. People who like a hefty dose of history with their fiction should give this one a try. |
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Christine recommends: The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V. E. Schwab What it’s about: Never pray to the gods who answer after dark. Desperate to escape an unwanted marriage and life in a small town, Adeline LaRue forgets this advice and makes a deal for her soul in exchange for her freedom for as long as she wishes to live. She soon realizes she is cursed to live forever but never remembered by anyone she meets. Three hundred years later in New York City, she meets a man who remembers her. Why you should read it: Victoria Schwab has written numerous fantasy stories with unusual plots, but this one does not feel like a historical novel or a fantasy or a typical romance. The prose is spare and haunting. Especially recommended on audio. What to read next: For another book about an immortal denizen of New York, try Forever by Pete Hamill. |
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What it is: A novel in stories that focuses on four generations of Cherokee women—Granny Annie Mae, her daughter Lula, her granddaughter Justine, and great-granddaughter Reney—struggling to keep their family together as they cope with poverty, messy relationships, religious and social conflicts, and other hardships. Lula is a single mother barely held together by the strictures of her Holy Roller faith, which daughter Justine rails against. When Justine becomes pregnant with Reney at 15, she vows to have a different relationship with her own daughter, but unreliable men, bad choices, and devastating storms challenge that effort. Why you might like it: Because it is beautifully written using simple, spare prose and exacting word choice, and is filled with small details of daily life that together signify a life worth living. And because despite the quirky structure that includes changing perspectives, time jumps, and characters who are introduced and dropped without explanation, the narrative still highlights the deeply connected relationships of the characters, the messiness of mother and daughter relationships, and survival despite the odds. Critics say: “Ford’s storytelling is urgent, her characters achingly human and complex, and her language glittering and rugged. This is a stunner” (Publishers Weekly); “Ford unfolds Justine’s story without passing judgment, which is one of the great strengths of Crooked Hallelujah; she writes close to her characters, the narrative stripping away explanations, allowing readers to feel real involvement in the action” (Washington Post). |
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Astrid recommends: The Survivorsby Jane Harper What it’s about: Years ago, Kieran made a foolish and reckless mistake, the consequences of which still haunt him. Recently returned to his hometown to help his struggling parents, long-held secrets threaten to bubble up when the body of a young woman is found on the beach. Here’s a taste: “Are they supposed to be happy or sad? I mean, is it a celebration of the people who made it, or a memorial to the ones who didn't?” |
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Misty recommends: The Other Boleyn Girl: A Novel by Philippa GregoryWhat it’s about: This is the story of Mary Boleyn, a woman who is often lessened to a footnote in history. It is notable, however, that she was the only Boleyn sibling to survive the Tudor court in sixteenth century England. It is also the story of Anne Boleyn, her rise and fall, as seen through the eyes of her sister, Mary, with whom Anne was to have a lifelong conflict of jealousy, greed, and ambition.
Why you might like it: This story is one that is sure to enchant all those with a love for well-written historical fiction.
You might also like: The Tudor Saga Series written by authors Jean Plaidly and Philippa Carr. |
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Roseanne recommends: Is This Anything? by Jerry Seinfeld Reviewers say: “Fans of Seinfeld will eat this up, and aspiring comics will want to study how he shapes his seemingly effortless humor” (Kirkus Reviews). What it’s about: Since the author began his standup comedy career in 1975, he has always written his own material. He wrote his ideas and jokes on big yellow legal pads and saved them “in one of those old school accordion folders.” In this book he goes through those legal pads, selects his favorite material, and shares forty-five-years’ worth. |
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Aimee recommends: The Impending Blindness of Billie Scott by Zoe Thorogood What it is: This is one of the best graphic novels I’ve ever read. Billie Scott lives alone in a one bedroom apartment, and spends her days painting. At long last, she gets accepted into a prestigious art gallery, and must produce 10 original works. She’s ecstatic and celebrates by leaving her apartment. While out, she gets in an altercation with some seedy individuals. Three days later, she goes to the doctor and learns that she will be blind in 2 weeks. That leaves Billie Scott with 2 weeks to produce 10 of the best watercolor portraits she has ever created. So she boards a train heading right into the heart of London with 100 quid, her art supplies, and nary a plan. What’s inside: Stunning illustrations, a captivating story, and an increasingly interesting cast of characters. Throughout Billie Scott’s journey she takes notes and sketches the people she’s met, their quirky characteristics, and her decline in sight. You’re with her every step of the way as she accepts her prognosis and finishes her portraits. Reviewers say: “This expansive story of an artist’s journey embraces both the power of art and human connection and showcases a new comics talent” (Publisher’s Weekly, starred review). |
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Stacey recommends: The Princess Spy: The True Story of World War II Spy Aline Griffith, Countess of Romanones by Larry Loftis What it’s about: It’s a stranger-than-fiction, fast-moving true story: a young woman from a small town longs to contribute to the war effort during WWII—and gets recruited as a spy during a dinner party. After whirlwind espionage training, she’s off to Spain, where she’s assigned to infiltrate high society to uncover Nazi collaborators and spies. Why you might like it: Suspenseful and exciting, this book features charismatic international spies, romance during wartime, bullfighters, glamour, murder, celebrities, and Spanish nobility. (It’s not a spoiler to reveal that Aline married a Spanish count.) You might also like: If you want to read more about the intriguing life of Aline, Countess of Romanones, pick up her memoirs. The Spy Wore Red covers the war years in Spain, and The Spy Went Dancing and The Spy Wore Silk take place during her marriage, when the CIA lured her out of retirement. |
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