Staff Picks
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Comedian Gary Gulman's memoir was thoroughly enjoyable for me. Fans love him for his nerdy style and his mastery of language but also for his honesty. He's not afraid to discuss many of the more serious episodes in his life, but he also remembers all the hilarious minutiae of his childhood, like how his 1st grade classroom smelled of pencil shavings. His memories of friends and of growing up in New England in the 80's had a heartfelt and genuine feel to them. (Bob)
This is a very touching memoir of the life the author shared with his wife, Joan. Together for nearly four decades, Richard and Joan seemed an unlikely pair: she was ten years his senior, a famed vocal coach & quite diminutive to his lanky six four. But the young actor and the seasoned coach proved to be true soulmates, sharing everything in a remarkable marriage. When Joan’s diagnosis comes, both are “poleaxed.” Numb and frightened but determined to face whatever comes together, the couple begins the journey to treat Joan’s illness. Along the way, we meet caring doctors & nurses, famous actors and directors, as well as discover how Richard and Joan met and fell in love. Funny, sad, and brutally honest, this is one not to be missed. (Kim)
I became totally immersed in this book right from the beginning. Set during WWII, the war influences the story, but is not the main thrust. It centers around Rose Hamilton who's been through a painful experience and is looking for a new direction for her life. She volunteers to accompany an orphan boy named Walter to his family who live on a cattle plantation in Australia. Their journey is perilous and they are not welcomed once they arrive. Rose discovers there are many secrets she was not told about Walter's parents and his extended family, but she has become very attached to the boy so she perseveres. The setting on the Australian Outback is beautiful and the characters are engaging. I highly recommend this read. (Sue)
Millie, a young ex-con living in her car, needs to get the housekeeping job with the wealthy Winchester Family or she'll be sent back to prison. She soon learns secrets can lie behind closed doors even in upscale neighborhoods, but then again, they don't know what secrets she has or what she's capable of. From the beginning I was hooked and did not want to put this book down! Lots of twists, turns and a gripping story make this psychological thriller was one of the best I've read this year! (Lisa)
A white college student (Daisy) abandons her baby, fully intending for a Black woman (Cinnamon) who she's recently befriended to find it. Cinnamon, raised in foster care herself, does in fact discover the baby, and almost immediately begins working to prove to both herself and her husband, and ultimately to the authorities, that she is able to keep and foster the baby. Issues of race, foster care, privilege, and motherhood are addressed throughout, as we get glimpses into Cinnamon's and Daisy's pasts, and see their stories unfolding separately in the current day, and then eventually coming back together. This is an incredibly moving and heartfelt story, and the authors' voices were seamlessly intertwined, which made it a lovely reading experience. (Michelle)
A ghostly librarian, an orange cat named Mortimer, a boy named Evan, and a mysterious Little Free Library are all present in this wholesome tale about choosing the path you want in life and the power of a good book. Evan and his friend decide to unravel the mystery of the little library and how it's connected to a tragic event in the towns past. A fantastic and thematically appropriate tale for young readers, I really enjoyed reading this story. (Carrie)
A woman is torn about which direction her life should take until a fateful event shows her the way. Set on the Northern Archipelago islands off Scotland, the setting is beautiful and atmospheric. The story centers around Morag and her family who have made a living flying a puddle-jumper throughout the islands delivering necessities to the people who live there. During a violent storm Morag has to land on one of the islands inhabited at that time only by ornithologist Gregor who is not pleased to have company. Will her time there change her perspective on what her future should be and will it change Gregor's future as well? (Sue)
A sweet story set on Cape Cod and centered around Harlow Smith and her family, the newborn son she gave up for adoption at 17 and kept secret, and the family who adopted him. Filled with a range of emotions from funny to sad, anger and empathy, this story will pull at your heartstrings while keeping you smiling and turning the pages. (Sue)
Great page-turner set at the CT coast right across the border from RI. Claire Chase knows a secret about her husband Griffin, a powerful political figure running for governor, and that secret may get her killed because it would end his run for office. Claire is attacked in her garage and left for dead by someone in disguise she presumes is her husband. She goes on the run in the dense woods that border the coast, but an investigation is under way by the local police after they find the bloody scene in the garage. Other secrets between the neighbors and friends of Claire come spilling out giving the police a very complicated case to solve, especially after a boat explosion kills a friend of Claire’s and the friend’s son. Claire is fighting for survival in the woods and trying to decide who she can trust with the secret that started it all. (Sue)
Burned-out by both her marriage and work, Liz is desperate for an escape. So, when she plans a vacation with her three best friends, she persuades them to spend four nights camping in the stunning mountains of Norway. This book was a thrilling, addictive read that I didn't want to put down! As they ventured into the wilderness, their friendship is severely tested not only by each other but also the secrets the deadly mountains hold. Lucy Clarke paints the spectacular setting of their journey leaving me breathless from the beauty and terrified from the quickly changing conditions the women encounter. I highly recommend this gripping tale but prepare for a late night! (Lisa)
In 2008, nine mountaineers failed to return from a winter backpacking trip in the New Mexico mountains. The case, given the code name “Dead Mountain” by the FBI, was never solved. After two bodies are found in a cave, FBI Agent Corrie Swanson teams up with archaeologist Nora Kelly to find out what happened and if the remains belong to the missing hikers. Cleverly written, this story had me captivated from beginning to end. Government cover-ups, small town politics, and greed play a deadly game with innocent lives in this exciting thriller. (Lisa)
Eleanor Roosevelt and Mary McLeod Bethune, two women from radically different backgrounds, initially join forces to advance women's rights but end up changing the lives of so many more. I was fascinated by this amazing friendship between two women who were dismissed by many due to race, gender and appearance and yet they continued to fight for what was right. These two women contributed so much to not only history of women's rights but also to the history of Black Americans. A compelling read from start to finish, I only wish I could have met these two incredible women. Thanks to the excellent writing of Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, we are given a glimpse of what can be accomplished when we all work together despite our differences for a better world! (Lisa)
I really enjoyed this historical fiction based on Isabella Stewart Gardner's life - a very engaging account of how Gardner was shunned by Boston's elite, and eventually stopped caring or trying to win their favor, instead choosing her own path. While her life definitely had it share of dramatic moments, the author's telling of those moments is done in an understated way, so we see them as pieces of the whole of Isabella's life, rather than as a plot point, giving the story a nice flow. I enjoyed the final third of the book - about Isabella's collections, and how the museum came to be - the most. A very well-written story about a fascinating woman. (Michelle)
A beautifully written story about Lucy, who is ushered away from Manhattan to the coast of Maine by her ex when COVID lockdown begins. As she adjusts to this dramatically different way of life, and to living with her ex husband, William, Lucy experiences the self-reflection that so many did during that strange and unsettling time. Through her interactions with William, their daughters, and their Maine neighbors, Lucy navigates the months in the same messy, uneven, uncertain way the entire world navigated them, but also with the same moments of peace and contentment that occasionally shone through. Reading about this period of time that was so recent yet sometimes feels like ancient history left me with an almost surreal feeling, and Strout's writing style intensified that effect. I'm still trying to figure out the emotional impact of this one, because there's a lot to unpack, but it definitely left me with all the feels - in a good way. (Michelle)
This book was nothing short of riveting. It's the story of Henrietta Lacks and the "immortal cells" that were harvested from her cervical cancer tumors, and also that of the journalist exploring the very complicated, and ethically questionable, way that those cells were handled after her death. The story of Henrietta's death and how it affected her family is heartbreaking, and layered on top of that is their confusion, anger, and sadness upon learning all that was done with the HeLa cells without their knowledge. Playing out over many decades, and presenting the viewpoints of every single player in this saga, Rebecca Skloot does a masterful job of presenting what is sometimes extremely complex scientific information in the most meaningful and human way. So much to think about after this one, and it will stick with me for a long time. (Michelle)
Reality and the supernatural collide when expert puzzle maker Mike Brink is thrust into an ancient mystery along with a woman in jail for murdering her boyfriend. A fast paced puzzler in the vein of The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons, this book had me hooked from the very beginning. A fairly quick read that I just couldn't put down, this book is for anyone looking for a unique and well told mystery. (Carrie)
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Signa Farrow has been raised by a series of guardians that are only looking after her for her inheritance. When her final remaining relatives come to claim her after her most recent tragedy, Signa ends up involved with their family sickness, and family secrets. Only by forming an unlikely alliance with Death will she be able to help the family and uncover the secrets of her past, and her future.
This novel is intended for young adult audiences but the lyrical prose and masterful storytelling make it a compelling read for anyone. Paperback available later this month! (Carrie)
This graphic novel, geared towards middle grade readers, was one of our most popular at this years We Are All Readers event and it isn't hard to see why. While gradually establishing themes of anxiety and OCD, this story provides an age appropriate introduction to the importance of mental health and self-care.
When Maggie and her new friend join the role playing club at their middle school, her difficulty making decisions without the help of her trusty d20 becomes entangled with the clubs latest campaign. Can Maggie defeat her demons (or dragons, as the case may be), and learn to live life without worrying about a bad roll of the dice. (Carrie)
So far, this is my favorite book by Ann Patchett. I loved The Dutch House, but this story of a mother telling her three daughters the history of her life before kids, when she was an actress dating a future movie star, just resonated with me. No one is better at navigating the dynamics of a family with humor and sensitivity. (Kim)