Staff Picks
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In keeping with our penchant to rate everything with the star system, Green takes on the current geologic age we are in (Anthropocene) and "reviews" various subjects both big and small in his subjective but entertaining way. Topics like Diet Dr Pepper and the Indianapolis 500 are mixed in with plagues, our sun going supernova, and Humanity's capacity for wonder. A very enjoyable read. (Bob)
Set amidst the violence of the IRA, two sisters in Belfast try to live their lives: Tessa, a single mother worried for her infant son, and Marion, a paramedic who finds herself all too frequently called to scenes of the bloody aftermath of an attack. Life in Belfast can seem disarmingly normal until a bomb detonates in a busy market or a neighbor's son disappears ; violence is a constant threat, yet Tessa remains determined to raise her son in Belfast. One day while at her job at the BBC, where she works as an assistant producer, Tessa sees her sister on a news clip about an armed robbery that the IRA has claimed as one of their operations. The IRA is known to compel hostages to carry out attacks; is Marion a pawn? What follows tests the bonds of loyalty between families, friends, coworkers and countrymen. This is a suspenseful novel with great characters. (Kim)
It is the summer of 1938 in Montauk and Beatrice Bordeaux has been plunked down at the ritzy Montauk Manor hotel with all of the other society ladies while their philandering husbands are back in NYC conducting business and affairs. Beatrice comes from humble beginnings, but caught the eye of wealthy New Yorker Harry Bordeaux. She was hoping for a happy marriage and many children, but she is neither happy nor a mother. Beatrice relates much better to and becomes friends with the people who live in the village of Montauk rather than the society ladies at the hotel. While out exploring the countryside she meets Thomas, the lighthouse keeper, who is the complete opposite of her husband. Her feelings for Thomas grow and can’t be denied no matter how improper they are. Nothing will go easy for them especially when the hurricane of ’38 sweeps across and devastates Montauk. This is a great read with very relatable characters and strong emotions they feel and the problems they face really bring the story to life. (Sue)
In her twenties, Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. P. Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork for his newly built Pierpont Morgan Library. Her intelligence and shrewd negotiating skills help her to become a powerful player in the male dominated art and book world. Belle has a secret that she works hard every day to hide from the world, she is African-American. I was intrigued to read about this incredible woman who overcame her constant fear of her true self being exposed to create and establish a remarkable, lasting legacy for generations to come. Although her sacrifices brought security for her family, the burden weighed heavily on her shoulders and yet she persevered at her position for over forty years. I'm looking forward to adding a visit to the Morgan Library on my next New York City adventure after reading this book. Thank you Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray for bringing this courageous and inspiring woman's story to the world! (Lisa)
It's the story of a reclusive former TV sitcom star, Patrick, who takes his niece and nephew for the summer after his sister in-law/BFF dies and his brother goes into rehab.Patrick has no experience caring for children and often leaves them bewildered by his speeches but the kids immediately understand what a loving heart underlies his bluster. The family dynamics, the dealing with Patrick's grief for his friend and for dealing with Patrick's search for his authentic self, and his patience/love for the kids and his sibs lift this story from just another beach read into a full bodied feel good novel that had me cheering for the entire family of characters. This deserves to be on all the summer lists! (Candie)
Maggie Griffin thinks she has her life on a perfect track. She has a good teaching job in Boston and a boyfriend she is planning a future with. When she loses her job, she returns to her family home in Mystic, Conn. to re-group, but instead she unexpectedly runs into her old boyfriend Cameron Wilder. Sparks ignite, but Cameron now has the responsibility of being a single dad to a young baby and that is causing both of them to keep a cautious distance. This is a wonderful story of looking back and moving forward with the backdrop of all the familiar places in Mystic. (Sue)
I love a good romantic suspense and Nora doesn't disappoint with this story. It starts with the kidnapping of 9 year old Caitlyn Sullivan from her prominent family's home in Big Sur. She manages to escape and find help with a nearby ranch family, the Coopers, where the seeds of a great love begin. This ordeal affects her throughout her life though, as family betrayals come to light and she wonders if she can ever find happiness, peace, and the life she wants with Dillon Cooper. (Sue)
This is my 3rd Lauren Denton book and I have enjoyed them all. They are all set in Alabama with every day characters and easy-going stories. In Glory Road, Jessie McBride finally has her life on track and stable after a messy divorce or so she thinks. Raising a 14 year old daughter, having her mom display incidents of memory loss, and running into her high school sweetheart again has blown that stability sky high. Throw in another man vying for her attention and her garden shop to run and Jessie has one very busy and emotionally confusing summer! (Sue)
After her best friend and roommate is murdered by the Campus Killer, Charlie needs to go home and hopefully begin dealing with her overwhelming grief and guilt. She meets a young man named Josh while putting up a ride request on the community board and decides to take a chance and share the ride and gas money with him. As the miles go by, Charlie's apprehension grows, is she trapped in a car with a nice guy or the vicious serial killer who took her friend's life? Taking place in November 1991, the Hitchcockian game of cat and mouse between Charlie and Josh is heightened due to the fact cell phones were not commonplace as they are now increasing the isolation of the two participants. I was totally engrossed with this book from the first chapter! Being a fellow movie lover, I felt a kinship with the main character, Charlie, who is named after a Hitchcock heroine. Who will survive the night and who will not? I highly recommend taking this book for a ride to find out! (Lisa)
Captain Bill Hoffman, a veteran pilot, begins his pre-flight checklist on a routine flight from LA to New York. Receiving a call from his wife, Carrie, he finds out his family have been kidnapped and he must make a deadly choice to either crash the plane killing all aboard or sacrifice his family's lives. If you're looking for a tense, character-driven adrenaline rush to hold you hostage for an exhilarating read, look no further than "Falling" by T.J. Newman! This debut novel by a bookseller turned flight attendant, straps you in for a fast-paced, non-stop roller coaster ride that will not release you until the heart-pounding ending. The characters were so richly written, I found myself cheering and crying along with them as they struggle to survive in their extraordinary situations. One of the best books I've read all year, I highly recommend this first-class thriller! (Lisa)
True crime podcaster Trinity Scott is chasing breakout success, and her brand-new serial may get her there. She focuses on the savage rape and murder of a 14 year old girl whose guidance counselor at school confessed to. After 24 years of silence the killer is speaking out for the first time, causing the secrets, lies and betrayal that have been festering and growing to bubble to the surface of the small town of Twin Falls. The serpentine twists, the shocking revelations kept the plot moving quickly causing me to stop only for sleep and work. Loreth Anne White perfectly captures the popular herd mentality of teenagers that can turn vicious very quickly and making the victim, Leena Rai who was a social outcast among her peers instantly relatable. Although this book is not for the faint-hearted, I think it is Loreth Anne White's best book yet! (Lisa)
Mary is a devout Puritan woman married to a horrible, abusive, drunk of a husband. When he finally steps too far, Mary seeks deliverance from a culture who thinks women should have no voices and be obedient. Set just as witch hunting was starting to be a New England sport, this historical fiction reads like a thriller as Mary fights to survive her brutal marriage and the hysterical hypocrisy of witch hunting. Bohjalian has another hit out of the ballpark with this one. Loved it. (Candie)
I loved Beach Read by Emily Henry so I was eager to read this. Once again she elevated a romcom into something with more depth due to her witty dialogue and emotional breadth of her characters. Poppy and Alex meet freshman year at college and they become friends over the course of years even though they are very different people. They work hard to maintain the friend zone as they don’t want to lose each other. They start traveling together during the summer even whilst dating others. Their efforts to maintain their friendship even though they both clearly want more are endearing and funny. Poppy and Alex are a tip of the hat to Nora Ephron’s Harry and Sally- one of the author’s favorite movies. This is a PERFECT summer read!! (Candie)
Lillian takes the rap for Madison's transgressions in boarding school and gets kicked out, losing forever her will to improve the quality of her life.. until Madison asks her to be governess of her stepchildren. With nothing better to do, Lillian says yes, not knowing until arriving at her friend's estate that the 10 yr old twin stepchildren spontaneously catch fire when they are aroused and Lillian has been hired to keep them hidden so they won't wreck their father's political career. This novel is a quirky, sometimes laugh out loud exploration of the definition of family, friendship and true love. ( Candie)
CNN tonight host Don Lemon lays bare his feeling on where we've been and where we're going as a country in regards to race in an urgent but well thought out way. His book, -the title being a reference to James Baldwins book The Fire Next Time- is written as a letter to his young nephews. Informative, powerful, and personal, it will invoke anger but also hope for this generation and the ones to follow. He feels, with the events of the last year that we may have reached a tipping point and are finally facing an ugly truth which when faced, can be reckoned with. (Bob)
This is a novel about Hillary Rodham Clinton that imagines what her life might have been had she never married Bill Clinton.It is due to the author's great skill that you gradually start to believe you actually hear Hillary's voice speaking to you from the pages. I truly enjoyed this book! (Kim)