Staff Picks
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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 well researched biography of the history of the Bush women, beginning with Dorothy Walker Bush, mother of President George H.W. Bush, and ending with Jenna & Barbara Bush, daughters of President George W. Bush & Laura Bush. Taraborrelli investigates the dynamic relationship between the women & exposes their triumphs as well as their private inner turmoil & tragedy. I found it especially interesting to read about the relationship that Barbara Bush, former First Lady, had with her own mother & how it fueled Barbara's sense of her own worth. Also, reading about Barbara's encounters with Nancy Reagan during the eight years of the Reagan administration was quite eye opening. The chapters about Laura Bush are also engrossing; less attention is paid to Columba Bush, wife of Jeb Bush, though her story is among the most remarkable. A must for those interested in American political history. (Kim)
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)
Marie Curie, the amazing woman scientist who discovered polonium and radium, who not only was the first woman to be awarded a Nobel Prize but the only person to win in two scientific fields. But what would have happened if she had chosen love over science? This novel explores not only Madame Curie's actual life but also presents an alternative timeline exploring a life lived with different choices. I found this to be a well researched and fascinating examination on the many decisions made in a lifetime and the possible effects they have not only on the person but those around them. Thank you Jillian Cantor for improving my elemental knowledge of Madame Curie's incredible life in an intriguing manner! (Lisa)
Tara's upbringing is not one for the faint of heart. The story of her life up in the Idaho mountains with her survivalist parents and siblings was absolutely unbelievable. This was my first biography and an absolute page turner! (Bonnie)
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)
I took a break from WWII fiction for a while, but I am glad I dove back in with this book. Set mainly in Paris during the war years, there is love, danger, heartbreak, and hope all intertwined in this wonderful story. The characters and connections pull you in and Harmel does a fine job of describing what people endured in order to survive. I didn't want to put it down and the ending has a twist I wasn't expecting. (Sue)
A story of 2 unforgettable women from 2 generations, but connected by the men they love. Lenora "Lulu" Randolph lands in the Bahamas in the early 1940's as a magazine reporter and quickly becomes part of the elite "in" crowd led by the Duke & Duchess of Windsor. She meets and falls in love with Benedict Thorpe, but when he disappears, she goes on a mission to war-torn Europe to find his family and hopefully him. Years before this Elfriede, a young mother suffering from PPD, is sent to a clinic high in the Swiss Mountains. There she falls in love with an Englishman, Wilfred Thorpe. The story of how these two women fight for survival, happiness, and love is inspiring and heartfelt. Williams does a great job bring these 2 time periods & her characters to life. (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)
Over twenty years ago, Patricia Lockwood is kidnapped and her father killed during an art heist. She eventually escapes from her captors but no trace of the stolen art or the kidnappers is ever found. Enter Windsor Horne Lockwood III, the billionaire friend of Myron Bolitar and cousin to Patricia, who is brought to a posh Upper West Side apartment building in NYC to explain why a suitcase with his engraved initials is found next to a dead man. After reading "Home" by Harlan Coben in which Win was prominently featured I was eager to read this book and it did not disappoint. As he navigates the serpentine nature of case, Win blurs the lines between right and wrong, using his vast resources to find the answers and makes no apologies for it. He is not perfect but I found his investigative style to be not only very compelling but also riveting. I highly recommend this fast-paced, suspenseful and intriguing thriller! (Lisa)
Osla, a young woman who longs to be thought of as more than a dizzy debutante. Mab, a self-made young woman who is looking for a husband. Beth, a small town spinster who excels at crossword puzzles. This unlikely trio join some of the greatest minds in Great Britain under a thick veil of secrecy to serve their country. I was enthralled, astounded and fascinated by this book that reveals the extraordinary contribution women portrayed in company with their more famous male counterparts throughout that unstable time. Kate Quinn reveals the monumental endeavor behind all the code breakers at Bletchley Park during World War II against the Nazi regime. The diligent research, dynamic characters, and thrilling suspense quickly made this hard to put down book one of my favorites for the year! (Lisa)
Annie Hebbley, a young Irish girl, is excited about her new post as a stewardess on the maiden voyage of the R.M.S. Titanic. Unfortunately a series of disappearances and a young boy's tragic death have cast an eerie, unsettling feeling over the ship, its passengers and crew. Years after surviving the sinking of the Titanic, Annie finds herself serving as a nurse on Titanic's sister ship, The Britannic. Expertly weaving a supernatural thread into both tragedies, Alma Katsu creates a riveting, spellbinding tale that was hard to put down. I found this retelling of two historic catastrophes to be suspenseful, haunting and very frightening. Excellent twist in the field of historical fiction! (Lisa)
After much praise of this book I finally decided to pick it up and I definitely could not put it down. Abandoned at a very young age by her whole family Kya Clark survives on her own out in the marsh. With no schooling and really no social skills she is a mystery to the town. When the local football star is found dead the locals immediately blame “Marsh girl” as she’s known. The twists and turns kept me turning the pages of this novel! It is definitely a must read! (Bonnie)
Consuelo Vanderbilt, American heiress, was forced into a loveless marriage to the 9th Duke of Marlboro by her mother Alva Vanderbilt. After producing "An heir and a spare" Consuelo's marriage falls apart. She scandalously separates and forges and path of her own. Her fight for women's suffrage and medical care of children give her meaning in a world she had to make her own. This was a great story and a great character. Her story was very inspiring! (Bonnie)
Anna Princess of Kleve is engaged to the enigmatic King Henry VIII. While she is afraid from all the rumors she has heard she is also interested to learn about the man he truly is. While, as history tells we know the marriage does not last, Anna does not lose her head but becomes the sister to the queen and lives an independent life. This headstrong woman's life was both interesting and a joy to read. (Bonnie)
Ever feel like that bag of Smart Food has an addictive substance on it? Well you aren't far wrong. Food companies have researched the human bliss point and are targeting you and your family by making unhealthy foods so tasty you can't resist them. This is not a diet book but an enlightening exposure of the complicity of food companies in the epic obesity crisis in the US. This book is a fascinating, horrifying must read for anyone looking to live a healthier lifestyle. (Candie)
Addie LaRue lives in a small village in 18th century France. She is willing to do anything not to be married and stuck there including making a deal with an old god. Deals with gods of darkness are tricky as Addie finds out! The story goes between 2014 and back into Addie's long past. Addie has lived 300 years unable to remain in people's memory until she meets Henry.... This is a fun take on immortality and the author's attention to the details inherent on being "invisible" to the world makes it even more interesting. (Candie)
Edward is a 12-year-old when he is the sole survivor of a plane crash that kills his family along with 183 other passengers and crew. He, of course, becomes an immediate internet sensation. This novel is about how rebuilds his life in a new town with new friends and family. Except it’s really about how we struggle to rebuild our lives after a life changing event and that’s what makes this story so personal to each reader as we can all recognize some piece of Edward within ourselves. Let Edward’s rebirth fill you with love and hope-this is a great read! (Candie)