The maniac

by Benjamin Labatut

The 20th century was the atomic age, known for its breakthroughs in physics and its coterie of scientific geniuses. Everyone knows who Einstein was, but do you know of John Von Neumann?

This eye-opening novel tells the history of physics in the 20th century mostly through the biography of the Hungarian-American physicist Janos Von Neumann, aka “Johnny.” With a hand in everything from the making of the atomic bomb to the creation of the first computer, he may even be responsible for the AI era we currently find ourselves in.

There is a lot of moral ambiguity throughout the novel that drives the narrative tension–how far should a genius go to understand the universe? How much of our technology is under our control, and how close are we to the point where it controls us? A thrilling read.

-Valerie

The Frozen River

by Ariel Lawhorn

This historical mystery is loosely based on the actual diaries of midwife Martha Ballard who lived from 1735-1812. Her diaries covered more than a quarter century and had some 1000 entries. She delivered over 800 babies and never lost a mother. She was also present at more than 1000 births! Rich characters, a love of nature and family, and a fantastic story make this a riveting read.
-Molly

sipsworth

by Simon Van Booy

Newly widowed Helen Cartwright has returned home to her childhood English village; grieving, alone and waiting to die. Her daily routine is soon disrupted by the arrival of a most unexpected companion, who sparks her to recommit to her life, to love, and the joys of human connection and community.

Reading Sipsworth was a pleasure. Van Booy’s simple, sweet prose and exploration of aging, loss and new beginnings left me feeling lighter and most hopeful. I’d recommend it to anyone in need of cheering up!

-Meghan

burn

by Peter Heller

Two lifelong friends on a hunting trip emerge from the woods to discover villages burned to the ground and no survivors. What happened?

Follow these men as they search for answers and a way home. If there’s a home to return to.

-Carole

Wordhunter

by Stella Sands

Here's one for word lovers. Maggie Moore is a grad student majoring in Forensic Linguistics. She's able to help the local police catch criminals by analyzing text messages and handwritten notes. I enjoyed the character development of Maggie and her cop friend Jackson. Maybe the first in a series? The subject mater is serious, but the writing style is light and humorous.

-Carole

The lost letters from martha’s vineyard

by Michael Callahan

When a book begins with what appears to be a murder, you know a mystery is right around the corner! If you want a page-turner laced with history, mystery and a good dose of romance...this could be it. The story-line drifts between two summers on Martha's Vineyard, albeit almost sixty years apart. In 1959 a young Hollywood actress at the top of her game suddenly disappears from the Hollywood scene and only two people know what happened and where she might be. Sixty years later, Kit O'Neill, a Manhattan television producer, is cleaning out the attic of her deceased grandmother's attic and comes across a box containing some rather unnerving letters and a photograph. Her world is never the same and she is compelled to find out what these letters mean and how they came to be in her grandmother's possession. Well developed characters and the ability of the author to conjure up place and time, make this book an enjoyable (and suspenseful!) read. Secrets of the past seem to permeate the atmosphere of Martha's Vineyard, just as much as the famous salty air which surrounds it. This story has enough twists and turns to keep you engaged until the very end.

-Nancy

The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennett, Witch

by Melinda Taub

A charming re-imagining of Pride and Prejudice told through the perspective of Elizabeth's much maligned sister, Lydia. This story gives Lydia's actions purpose and develops her character in very unexpected ways. Fun and worth the read.

-Molly

The Boys

by Katie Hafner

Ethan narrates this book. Starting with his courtship and marriage to Barb. Then onto Covid isolation and the “fostering” of two young boys. Not to mention a pivotal 38th birthday for Ethan. The boys seem a bit fragile, but Ethan is an incredibly attentive parent. Suddenly, we see everything from a different perspective.  Hysterical!! I highly recommend this gem of a book.

-Lori

Tom Lake

by Ann Patchett

Tom Lake is another example of Ann Patchett’s beautiful storytelling. It speaks of young love, married love, and lives before children were born. The protagonist Lara has three daughters who beg her to tell them about the summer she was an actress and dated a movie star. The book goes back and forth between the current and the past. What an enjoyable read! Perfect for summer.

-Ann

You Are Here

by David Nicholls

Michael and Marnie are middle-aged introverts who meet on a three-day hike across the English Lake District. Beautifully descriptive and brimming with humor. A highly unusual romance. Loved it!

-Carole

MRs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame

by Olivia Ford

An ode to long enduring marriages, good food, truth, hope and human consequences, this book has been described as a coming-of-age novel…but not in the traditional sense. Jenny Quinn is no teenager. In fact she is 77 years old and has been married to the love of her life for almost 60 years. They have no children. Her passion and talents lie in her baking skills, but she has never tried to pursue them outside of her home sphere, until she decides (without Bernard’s knowledge) to enter the auditions for the preeminent British television baking show, "Britain Bakes.” Keeping the secret from him proves to be just one of the struggles she encounters in her quest to prove (to herself) that she is more than just a housewife and wife. With each new baking challenge comes the unearthing of memories of past events…some happy and some excruciatingly heartbreaking. And her newfound notoriety and independence as she rises among the bakers on the show has unintended consequences that can have a far greater impact than she imagined on the one person who has steadfastly stood by her, believed in her, and loved her for close to 60 years. Such a poignant story. You will come to love both Jenny and Bernard.

-Nancy

water music

by Marcia Peck

This story takes place during the summer of 1956 and drifts along languidly like a Cape
summer day...until it doesn't. Told through the perspective of an 11 year old girl, it is at
once a lovely portrayal of the natural world of Cape Cod, juxtaposed with the broken
dynamics of a family struggling to stay together. Lily, the young girl, is a talented cello
player who retreats into her music to quell the stress of trying to fix her parents' fragile
relationship. She longs for her mother's love and approval, but her mother, who is also very
musically inclined, is dealing with underlying problems of her own. Lily and her sister
tend to fall through the cracks. The work-in-progress that they hope will make everything
right, is the construction of a new Cape house of their own that their father is building for
the family despite not having sufficient funds to do so. Will this save them? Can Lily's
music help? Twists and turns near the end will keep you wondering if a place as special as
the wild Atlantic environment of Cape Cod can have the power to heal. Or is the deciding
factor instead, more the human connection... that beautiful transcendence that is itself the
power of music? You can decide.

-Nancy

road of bones

by Christopher Golden

Kolyma Highway was built by gulag prisoners. When they died their bodies became part of the road. A perfect location for a documentary. Things turn bad quickly for the producer and his group when they find their destination deserted save for a child and some wolf-like creatures. Otherwordly beasts from Siberian lore pursue them as they attempt to escape. Also, it’s 60 degrees below! Who will survive? Get out of your comfort zone and try this spine-chilling horror gem!

-Carole

Same Time Next Year

by Annabel Monaghan

If you're looking for a light, easy, romantic summer beach read ....this could be worth your time. I'm usually a non-fiction reader, but every so often one craves something a bit less complicated, something just fun! The novel tells the story of childhood friends who, as they approach their teens, realize there is something more to their feelings for one another. Family dynamics, set amid the backdrop of yearly vacations to a beach on Long Island, play out and as time goes on, a betrayal and later an impending marriage throws a wrench into the plans made when the characters were teens. Even though the book is short, the characters are well drawn and relatable. The descriptive writing will have you feeling as if you were right there on the beach, sitting in the dunes, swimming in the waves and smelling that glorious salt air.

-Nancy

BIRNAM WOOD

by Eleanor Catton

Birnam Wood is a gardening collective always looking for unused land on which to plant vegetables. When their leader Mira discovers a vacant farm beside a recent landslide it looks like a great opportunity to expand. Unknown to her, sinister activities are taking place on the same mountain. What do an American billionaire and a newly knighted businessman have to do with it?

An exciting eco thriller set in New Zealand.

-Carole

Deacon King Kong

by James McBride

Deacon King Kong AKA Sports Coat is a cranky old church deacon in the Causeway Housing Projects of South Brooklyn. When he shoots a local drug dealer (not fatally) it causes a great uproar involving drug crews, mobsters and an assassin. Sport Coat takes it all in stride continuing to chat with his dead wife about the location of the missing Church Christmas Fund. I loved the fast-paced writing that can switch from hilarity to terror on the same page. A rollicking read.

-Carole

Absolution

by Alice McDermott

A poignant account of American wives living on the margins of the Vietnam War, McDermott’s exquisite novel explores the social politics of the time; the white savior complex; moral obligation; and ultimately, the need and search for absolution. A powerful and thought-provoking read!

-Meghan

Poor Things

by Alasdair Gray

With three unreliable narrators, social commentary and a captivating story, this novel is hard to categorize. What does i really mean to be free as a woman? Gray addresses this and other broad themes. I love how he plays with language. This is a fun, wild ride and unlike much else I have read.

-Molly

the river we remember

by William Kent Krueger

Imagine 1858 small-town America. Memories of the war are still fresh. Prejudice against Native Americans is strong. A despised member of the community is found dead in the Alabaster River. Accident, suicide, or murder? That’s Sheriff Brody’s job to determine. The book is so much more than a mystery as the characters come alive on the page. If you liked this author’s other books, this one is even better.

-Carole

north woods

by Daniel Mason

Set in the forest of Western Massachusetts, North Woods tells the story of one homestead and its various inhabitants from the time of the colonies to the present day. Told in a polyphony of voices, it is historical fiction that reads like an origin story of America set in a haunted Eden. Full of heart and often hilarious, I absolutely loved this book.

-Valerie

THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY

by Amor Towles

Spanning 10 days and told from multiple points of view, The Lincoln Highway is the story of two brothers on a cross-country adventure of a lifetime. I fell in love with Emmett and Billy, and the eclectic & engaging cast of characters who join them. Part coming-of-age tale, part history lesson and part Homeric epic, Towles’s third novel is perhaps one of the most beautifully written books I’ve read, and one I will likely return to again and again.
-Meghan

FRESH WATER FOR FLOWERS

by Valerie Perrin

Violette Toussaint is caretaker of a cemetery in a small French town. Traversing the grounds by unicycle,
tending to her many gardens, and being present for the intimate, often humorous confidences of visitors, Violette’s life follows the predictable rhythms of mourning -- until she meets the local police chief and everything changes. Perrin’s beautiful story illuminates what is exceptional and poetic in what otherwise seems ordinary. I savored every word!

-Meghan

nora goes off script

by Annabel Monaghan

Nora is a screenwriter of romantic hallmark movies and a newly divorced mom of 2 young kids. When her home becomes a set for a movie she’s recently written, her safe, regimented life gets turned upside down in the best way possible. Funny, heart-warming and charming, all in one perfect romance. For fans of Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez.

-Jean

such kindness

by Andre Dubus III

Tom Lowe, Jr has hit rock bottom. He’s lost his home, his family and his livelihood. His anger changes to acceptance as he stops blaming the Banks, Insurance Companies, and Big Pharma. He begins to appreciate the goodness in his equally disadvantaged neighbors and the kindness of strangers. Written with compassion. A deeply moving book.

-Carole

Someone Else’s Shoes

by Jojo Moyes

What a fun book to read! The basic plot is told inside the jacket cover, but there is so much more going on with the four main characters. They are so well-developed that you want to hang out with them by the end. The plot has drama, fun, revenge and surprise. I’ve read so many of her books and have enjoyed all of them, but this one was simply fun to read.

-Ann

The Liar’s Dictionary

By Eley Williams

The book follows two lexicographers one hundred years apart. Peter
Winceworth is working on compiling Swansby’s complete encyclopedia Dictionary; specifically, the letter S. Mallory is digitizing the same, never
completed dictionary while seeking out and eliminating Mountweazels. It's a comedy, a love story, a mystery and is absolutely charming. Read it slowly to luxuriate in the vocabulary. For word lovers everywhere.

--Carole

Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe

By Heather Webber

Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe is an enchanting gem of a novel, full of charming characters, heartwarming connections, old secrets, and a southern setting that makes you want to move there. As refreshing as a glass of blackberry tea, this is truly magical realism at its best! I’m looking forward to reading other books by this author.
-Jean

REmarkably Bright creatures

By Shelby Van Pelt

This book is unique. It centers around an aquarium in the Pacific Northwest. One of the main characters is a giant squid named Marcellus. I fell in love with him immediately. He speaks in a very proper manner and is extremely clever and resourceful. Every night he escapes from his tank in search of food and other
treasures. Only Tova the cleaner knows his secret and she keeps it to
herself. If you want to try something different, this is it.
-Carole

Jane Eyre

By Charlotte Bronte

If you never spent time with Miss Jane Eyre, you’ve missed the company of one of the most captivating characters in English literature. Published in 1847,  Jane's story, featuring a disinherited and impoverished orphan, a cruel and unscrupulous school master, a serious romance verging on adultery, fortunes made in exotic lands, and much more, outshines many current fiction bestsellers. Jane is a woman of fierce intelligence and powerful integrity who insists upon a life lived on her own terms as she navigates the challenges and blessings that come her way.

Incredibly, author and clergyman's daughter Charlotte Brontë, living in a remote village two centuries ago, wrote a book that resonates even today with those readers who admire a strong and independent spirit.

-Susann

Pachinko

By Min Jin Lee

A multi-generational story of a Korean family set both in Korea and Japan. The family suffers many hardships; and prejudice against their Korean heritage is a continual impediment. The book moves very quickly as there is no padding, side-plots or throw-away characters. An addictive read.

-Carole

Nothing To See Here

By Kevin Wilson

Two friends haven’t seen each other since high school when Lillian gets a call from Madison asking her to be governess to twin 10 year old step-children for the summer. Lillian, a check-out person at Save-a-Lot readily agrees. The only snag is that the twins self combust when they get upset. Seriously! This book is so good! It has everything – marriage, friendship, politics, Fire-children. I absolutely love it!
-Carole

project hail mary

Andy Weir

Earth is facing a catastrophic event. A middle school science teacher is our best hope for survival. So begins a really fun sci-fi adventure told in an upbeat conversational tone. Not too technical for a lay person to enjoy. If you’ve never tried science fiction before this is a great place to start.

-Carole

joan is okay

Weike Wang

Joan is an ICU doctor in a New York City hospital as the COVID pandemic begins. She’s a Chinese immigrant, an introvert, and a minimalist; characteristics which endeared me to her. She pivots between her American life and her Chinese culture in an interesting and amusing way. Joan is more than okay; She’s cool, smart and witty.

-Carole

the push

Ashley Audrain

Being a mother is not easy and not always what you expect. This novel gives us an un-sugarcoated version of motherhood. Is there something wrong with the child?Is it bad parenting? OR something else? This one’s a real page-turner.

-Carole

the girl with the louding voice

Abi Dare

This is a debut novel that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. An inspiring story of a fourteen year-old girl who grows up in rural Nigeria. Adunni is forced into marriage as the third wife to an older man who pays her father for her hand. This is instead of the future she dreams of. She wants an education more than anything in the world so that she can find her “louding voice” and speak up for herself and other girls who have no choice in their lives and futures. this book shows us how one brave girl can inspire us to reach for higher dreams.

-Ann

honor

Thrity Umrigar

Another wonderful story from Cleveland’s own Thrity Umrigar.

Smita is an Indian American journalist covering the story of a Hindu woman disfigured by fire while trying to save her Muslim husband from burning to death by her own brothers.

There’s a stark contrast between the two women’s lives and Smita is torn between her American life and her former homeland, India.

If you’ve not read this author before this is a great one to start with.

-Carole

malibu rising

Taylor Jenkins Reid

This is the first book I’ve read by her, but it won’t be the last. Her writing is multi-generational, character-driven and family-oriented. This is the story of the Riva family. It revolves around June and Mick (her motherly love and his desertion) and the bonds and lives of their four children. Nina is determined to be the glue that holds her siblings together forever at any cost. There are so many story lines with the culmination at the summer party of the year. I couldn’t put this one down. Great, quick read. Enjoy!

-Ann & Jean

the constant rabbit

Jasper Fforde

Jasper Fforde delights with this satirical tale of “THE EVENT.” Human-sized rabbits have appeared throughout the world, and we follow our main human character as his eyes are opened to the plight of the rabbits and their struggle to adapt to an increasingly hostile world. If you enjoy absurdity, footnotes, romance, duels, espionage, speed librarying, redemption, evil community groups, and Beatrix Potter references, then you will love this book.

-Oliver

The dog stars

Peter Heller

When a flu-like pandemic wipes out almost all of the world’s population, Hig is left to live alone with his dog in the hangar of an abandoned airport in Colorado. In order to survive he hunts and gardens and sometimes stumbles upon a long-deserted truck filled with old bottles of Coca-Cola. It’s a relatively comfortable situation, apart from the frequent raids by lawless gangs of survivors. One day he hears a distant transmission through the radio of his Cessna plane and decides to risk everything to see what remains of civilization.

The terse narration sets the darker mood of this eerily prescient novel from the start, but it gives way to a generous optimism by the end. The post-apocalyptic premise can’t hide this novel’s big heart. It’s a book you will keep thinking about long after you’ve finished it.

—Valerie

The Parted Earth

Anjali Enjeti

The story begins with the Partition of India in 1947. 16 year old Deepa flees to London after losing her parents in the violence, and leaving behind her love Amir who is forced to move to Pakistan with his Muslim family. 60 years later with her own life in turmoil, Deepa's granddaughter in the USA begins to piece together her history. Great storytelling.
-Carole

Hamnet: A Novel of the Plague

Maggie O'Farrell      

England 1580: This historical novel takes place during the Black Plague. A young Latin tutor (William Shakespeare) falls in love with an older woman (Agnes or Anne Hathaway). Agnes has a special gift as a “healer”. The story focuses on Agnes, their children, and the death of a beloved son. Shakespeare was honing his career in London and was often away from home. Beautifully written. One of my favorite books, by far!

-Lori

The Secret History

Donna Tartt       

Our narrator, Richard is a California boy living his dream in a prestigious New England school. He falls in with an elite group studying Classics, They live in their own exclusive world, continually pushing the limits of right and wrong. One day they cross the line and things begin to unravel.

A mesmerizing read. This is an older book. I missed it when it was new. So glad I finally found it.

-Carole

Band of Sisters

Lauren Willig       

This entertaining, inspiring, adventuresome book is a unique look at a group of alumnae of Smith College who went to France to help restore villages devastated by war in 1917. The women bonded with wit and courage, and sometimes bickering and sensitivity, but with great resolve to help others. Opposition didn't break them but strengthened their stamina. Actual letters and research are the backbone of the story.

-Marcia

Mum & Dad

Joanna Trollope       

Monica and Gus moved from England to Spain and started their own successful vineyard. Now several years later, Gus has a stroke which has thrown their lives into chaos. The three adult children and their families step in to help but they have their own problems. Can they overcome years of simmering resentments and pull together or will everything fall apart? A great family drama.

-Carole

The Kitchen Front

Jennifer Ryan

In the style of an old-fashioned melodrama with heroes, heroines, and villains, this novel has some upstairs/downstairs intrigue, and recipes! (adapted from creative wartime dishes, the author's grandma, and England's Ministry of Food Leaflets during food rationing in WWII, I'll pass on the sheep's head).

Despite an incongruous touch of modern sensibility near the end, it portrays the hard times that women faced, with a zest for life, friendship, and cooking!

-Marcia

the four winds

Kristin Hannah

Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Another great novel by the author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone. This historical novel tells the story of Elsa who must decide between staying on the family farm with her beloved family or traveling west with the lure of promise in California. This is a story of survival that inspires us to persist against all odds. Elsa finds strength that no one ever believed (including herself) that she had. You do not want to miss this one.

-Ann

sunflower sisters

Martha Hall Kelly

From the author of Lilac Girls and Lost Roses comes another page-turner. This story takes place during the Civil War and revolves around two main characters and their families. Georgy jumps at the chance to nurse the wounded and denounce slavery. Jemma is a young slave who gets sold off and then put into the army. Ann-May is left to run the Peeler plantation after her husband enlists. The author weaves the stories of these three and their families seamlessly. Another amazing historical fiction novel that I couldn’t put down.

-Ann

leave the world behind

Rumaan Alam

A white family is vacationing at a remote airbnb when the black owners show up at the door one night. An unknown event has knocked out the power along the east coast. There is no cell phone, radio, or TV leaving them totally isolated. Tensions rise and fear builds as they try to figure out what to do. An extremely unnerving read, especially during a pandemic.

-Carole

Dear Edward

Ann Napolitano

Napolitano spares the reader the gruesome details of a fatal plane crash but instead focuses on the coming of life of the sole survivor, a 12 year old boy named Edward, as he struggles with growing up and “survivor guilt”. She also shares many stories from family members who write to Edward telling him stories about their lost loved ones and sharing their love for him for surviving. It is a heartwarming tale but be prepared to shed more than a few tears.

-Sandy

The Silent Patient

Alex Michaelides

After the conviction for her fashion–photographer husband’s brutal murder, Alicia Berenson, an artist, stops speaking entirely. She is placed in a secure institution where a Psychotherapist Theo has applied for a job in order to assist in her treatment and start investigations into her life. Is her cruel father really to blame or her jealous gallerist Jean-Felix. Perhaps it’s her spurned brother-in-law Max or her debt-ridden cousin Paul. Start this psychological thriller in the morning as you may not be able to put it down until the finish and the true surprise twist ending is revealed.

-Sandy

Eight Perfect Murders

By Peter Swanson

I love a good mystery especially when I don’t see the ending coming! Throw in a great little bookstore and you’ve really got my attention. Malcolm Kershaw is working for Old Devils Bookstore in Boston and posts a list of eight mysteries which he thinks come closest to perfect murders including such authors as Agatha Christie and James M. Cain. Avid mystery readers will recognize most on the list. Several years later Gwen Mulvey, an FBI agent, approaches Malcolm as she is investigating multiple killings that may have been influenced by his list. You don’t have to be a whodunit fan to be caught up in the surprise ending.

-Sandy

The Giver of Stars

Jojo Moyes

Another fantastic story from the author of Me Before You. A young Englishwoman, Alice is desperately looking for a change when she meets and impulsively marries, a handsome American. They settle in eastern Kentucky where she is considered an outsider. Changing one prison for another, she eagerly volunteers to be one of the first women to work for the new traveling library. There she meets Margery and others who help her find her voice and give her purpose. I read this in a day, couldn't put it down!

-Jean

leonard and hungry paul

Ronan Hession

Two single thirty-something guys, best friends, live at home, because they like it. They are ordinary people taking pleasure in ordinary things. There is no scandal or high drama. It’s the story of people often overlooked, the gentle and the kind. A truly enjoyable read with quite a few chuckles. Simply lovely.

-Carole

kopp sisters on the march

Amy Stewart

In the spring of 1917, these fearless & funny sisters join in a training camp for women who want to serve in new roles as the U.S. Enters WWI. Based on a true story & well-researched, I recommend reading the whole series. We celebrate women's right to vote next year and this book includes the 1st woman elected to congress.

-Marcia

dry county

Jake Hinkson

A dark thriller set in a small rural Arkansas town. The action takes place over the course of a single day, revolving around a priest who is being blackmailed. The author is masterful at building tension. This is a book you will read in one sitting with your heart pounding.

-Carole

Friday Black

Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

The stories in this book take place in banal locations (the mall, the hardware store, classrooms, hospitals) and the characters have banal jobs (mostly in retail), but they are far, far from boring. Dark and hilarious, terrifying and brilliant, this dystopian debut short story collection presents a world that is like our own, but turned up to eleven.

Adjei-Brenyah has a gift for shredding open the wounds of modern life. If TV news and social media have made you feel numb lately, you can count on these stories to wake you back up. I’ve never been more unnerved by a book, and I’ve never been more impressed.

It’s a must-read for fans of George Saunders.

-Valerie

ever faithful: a vintage national parks novel

Karen Barnett

Written by a former park ranger and billed as spiritual inspiration, this is the romantic story about a hero and heroine who, despite hidden flaws. truly respect each other.

As an added bonus, there is a bit of a mystery, as well as a fascinating information about Yellowstone National Park and the role of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the park during the Great Depression.

-Marcia

The OVerstory

Richard Powers

A fascinating combination of fictional characters and the scientific facts of trees. The first part of the book is a series of seemingly unconnected short stories about nine different characters. The second part connects them in their fight to save the trees. Mr. Powers is masterful in the way he writes about nature and inserts it into the plot. You will never think about trees in the same way again!

-Carole

where the crawdads sing

Delia Owens

A coming of age story with a mystery. Kya finds herself abandoned by her family at a young age and has to fend for herself in a shack in a North Carolina marsh, She is rejected by the townspeople and lives as an outcast. Kya seems a part of the natural world around her and becomes an expert on the plants and wildlife of the marsh. An engaging story. A mystery for nature lovers.

-Carole

virgil wander

Leif Enger

Virgil Wander is the downhearted owner of the Empress movie theater who has a near-death experience when his car accidentally (?) plunges into Lake Superior. Greenstone is a small Midwestern town on the decline since the closing of the mine. The remaining residents are a hardy and quirky bunch. I loved the way they are always in each other’s business. Less about what happens and more about the everyday trials and triumphs. A pleasure to read.

-Carole

unsheltered

Barbara Kingsolver

Two stories are linked together by a house and told in alternating chapters. The first is contemporary. Willa and her family are down on their luck and living in an old inherited house which is falling down around them. The second takes place in the 1870s. Thatcher is a schoolteacher living in the same house, already in disrepair, who befriends a famous scientist. Both stories are equally compelling. If you aren’t already a fan of Barbara Kingsolver you soon will be.

-Carole

circe

Madeline Miller

If you’ve read Homer’s Odyssey, the cast of characters here will be familiar. The hero of this novel, however, is the titular Circe. Ancient Greece comes refreshingly to life in this gorgeous epic that includes the familiar stories of Scylla, Daedalus, the Minotaur, and, of course, Odysseus. The descriptions here are so lush, you will never want it to end. Probably the best book I’ve read this year!

-Valerie

life after life

Kate Atkinson

Following the protagonist Ursula Todd as she lives and dies multiple times in wartime England, this novel is a humorous and humane exploration of what life could be like if we lived the same one over and over (and over). You'll want to read it again and again! 

-Valerie

The Secrets Between Us    

Thrity Umrigar

Bhima returns as the main character in this sequel to The Space Between Us. After more than twenty  years of working for the upper-middle-class Dubash family, Bhima is now left to find another way to support herself and her granddaughter, Maya. Things take an unexpected turn when she partners up with Parvati selling fruits and vegetables. A story of gender, class, strength and friendship. A wonderful sequel.

-Ann

The Space Between Us    

Thrity Umrigar

This book vividly captures the social struggles of modern India in an engaging novel of honor, tradition, class, gender and family. It is the story of Bhima and the woman she has worked for and the bonds they share as well as the class discrepancies. Although it is not a “happy” read, the writing is so descriptive that you feel as though you can see, smell and taste India. A very interesting read.

-Ann

The Great Alone     

Kristin Hannah

Alaska, 1974

Unpredictable. Unforgiving. Untamed.

For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.

At first, Alaska seems like an answer to this family’s prayers… This book is a page turner about love, loss and the fight to survive. I loved learning about the extreme seasons in Alaska as well as the engrossing story. It was hard to put down yet I wanted to savor it to give it my full attention.

-Ann

before we were yours

Lisa Wingate

This historical fiction novel takes place in 1939 and in the present. A family lives simply and happily on a shanty boat on the Mississippi. When their mother is rushed to the hospital one night, 12-year- old Rill is
left in charge. The children try to be self sufficient but are taken into custody of the Tennessee Children's Orphanage. Rill is determined to get all of them back
to their parents. Present day, in South Carolina, Avery is speaking at a nursing home and is pulled toward
an elderly woman who is enthralled with Avery's bracelet. They form a friendship which opens many stories
of the past. This book is based on a true story. Very well written and enlightening – Don't miss it!

-Ann

small great things

Jodi Picoult

An African-American Labor and Delivery nurse with over 20 years experience is reassigned from the care of a baby born to white supremacists. What happens next is a well-written story with eye-opening insights as to how the characters came to be. A richly told story of empathy, prejudice, and compassion. If you are a fan of Jodi Picoult do not pass this up.

-Ann

Saints for all occasions

J. Courtney Sullivan

A quiet masterpiece with an Irish family at its center. It begins in the present time with the main character's eldest son losing his life in a car crash. His mother Nora reaches back fifty years to a village in Ireland and tells the story of how she and her sister Theresa at 21 and 17 years of age travel to Boston. Over the course of the novel we learn about the Rafferty family, grow with them and experience their troubles and their secrets. A wonderful novel told in a simple and unassuming way. If you liked Brooklyn, you'll love this. 

-Carole

If the Creek Don’t Rise

Leah Weiss        

Sadie Blue is a pregnant teenage bride. Her husband is a cruel brutal man. She feels trapped in a backwoods town in Appalachia. Written with a regional twang, the story is told by ten different characters each in his own unique voice. I found this book engrossing right up to the shocking conclusion. A perfect fictional companion to J.D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy.

-Carole

My Name is Lucy Barton

Elizabeth Strout

Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Strout presents us with an almost polar opposite of Olive Kitteridge in Lucy Barton. Two sensitive subjects, social class and mother-daughter relationships are approached with an un-judgmental objectivity. Yet I would challenge any daughter not to identify with that often-fleeting, intense longing for her mother, no matter the childhood memories. This is a short, but very thought-provoking read. 

-Sandy

NO ONE CAN PRONOUNCE MY NAME

Rakesh Satyal

A wonderful and heartwarming story about a group of Indian immigrants living in Cleveland, Ohio trying to fit into American society and their own families. Saranjana has just sent her only child away to college and suspects her husband is having an affair. She takes comfort in a writers’ club and has quite a talent for it. Harit is a bachelor grieving over his sister’s death and living with his aging mother. His only friend is Teddy, a flamboyant co-worker. Unlikely circumstances lead to Saranjana and Harit meeting but what follows is not what you would expect. This book is charming, touching and funny.

-Carole

LINCOLN IN THE BARDO

George Saunders

Acclaimed short-story author George Saunders has produced an inventive and exhilarating first novel. Equal parts ghost story and historical fiction, Lincoln in the Bardo concerns the loss of Lincoln’s beloved young son Willie to typhoid fever in the midst of the Civil War. Reminiscent of Edgar Lee Masters and Sherwood Anderson, if you are looking for a book that is playful, full of pathos, and just a little bit different, then this one is for you.

-Valerie

SILENCE

Shusaku Endo

Two Portuguese Jesuit priests travel to Japan to perform missionary work. They also hope to find a fellow priest who denounced his faith after succumbing to torture. The narrative takes place during the 1600s at the height of Christian persecution in Japan. This is a somber book, elegantly written. We learn much about Japan and its powerful and cruel warlords. We also learn much about faith and self-doubt. Silence refers to the silence of God. This book is intense.

-Carole

Purgatory Road

Samuel Parker

A young couple on a day trip from Las Vegas find themselves stranded in the middle of the desert when their car dies. Rescue finally comes, but what transpires is beyond imagination. A teen runaway is abducted from a Las Vegas diner and is left chained in a remote cave. She too is rescued in the same mysterious manner. What follows is an eerie sequence of events as the three victims are faced with the powerful forces of good and evil. A suspenseful nail biter that will keep you up. 

-Carole

all the light we cannot see

Anthony Doerr

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and a favorite of the Fireside staff. A finely crafted historical novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths come together in WWII France as both try to survive the devastation. Simply a great read! 

-Phil & Sandy

Our souls at night

Kent Haruf

Addie and Louis are both in their seventies, widowed, and living in Holt, Colorado. They know each other, but not very well. One day Addie pays a visit to Louis and asks if he would consider coming over to sleep with her sometimes, just to lie in the dark and talk, for company. Their relationship grows despite opposition from younger family members and town busybodies. The writing is wonderful in its simplicity and the characters are treated with respect and dignity. Truly delightful.

-Carole

NEWS OF THE WORLD

Paulette Jiles

A very well-written historical novel set in Texas in 1870. An elderly traveling man is given care of a 10-year-old white girl who was kidnapped by the Kiowa Indians four years ago. He is to convey her to some distant relatives. It will not be an easy journey. One of the best books I have read in 2016.

-Phil

THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY

Rachel Joyce

An odd book with a few unexpected twists and turns. Very enjoyable reading and would make a fine book club choice.

-Phil

THE SYMPATHIZER

Viet Thanh Nguyen

It’s a spy novel, it’s a thriller, it’s an immigrant story, and it’s a confession. The narrator is know only as the Captain, a communist sleeper agent living in America. He tells the story of the Fall of Saigon and its aftermath from the point of view of the Vietnamese. The narrative is darkly comic and crackles with irony. You will think about the Vietnam war in a completely different way. A compelling and thought-provoking read.

-Carole

THE TURNER HOUSE

Angela Flournoy

Thirteen siblings were raised in the Turner house. Each of them has a unique story, as do their parents. We are easily drawn into their lives and experience their successes and failures right along with them. The book is also a tribute to the City of Detroit as seen through the eyes of the Turners. Sometimes laugh-out-loud, sometimes heartbreaking but always real.

-Carole

THE CHILDREN ACT

Ian McEwan

We are immediately introduced to Fiona Maye, a brisk and efficient judge who presides over family law cases. Her personal life is in disarray. After a long and childless marriage she has dismissed her husband from their home. Here the novel turns to its central event. Fiona has to decide the fate of a teenage boy with leukemia. His family are Jehovah’s Witnesses and the blood transfusions he needs to stay alive are forbidden. What follows is the building of a relationship between the eminent judge and a dying boy, written with elegance and sensitivity. Suspenseful to the very end.

-Carole

THE NARROW ROAD TO THE DEEP NORTH

RIchard Flanagan

Centered around a group of Australian POWs in 1943 captured by the Japanese. The Emperor has commanded the building of a railroad from Siam to Burma and it is a matter of duty, honor, and national pride to see its completion. These unfortunate prisoners are ill-equipped for so gargantuan a task and their numbers decrease daily as they fall to the horrors of disease, starvation, and human cruelty. Although categorized as fiction I felt that Mr. Flanagan was writing from first-hand knowledge.  Powerful. This one will stay with you.

-Carole

TAKE ME WITH YOU

Catherine Ryan Hyde

In today’s suspicious world of paperwork and procedure this story could probably never happen. As a bereft science teacher leaves for his annual RV trip without his recently deceased son or divorced wife, an unexpected mechanical problem changes his life forever. If you are wondering what happened to the old American spirit and need a heart warming story, this is perfect. But expect a few tears along the way.

-Sandy

NIGHTINGALE

Kristin Hannah

My first thought when I opened the book jacket was "Not another WWII book." That thought disappeared immediately as I began to read. The story tells of two French sisters who have nothing in common and how they take very different paths during the French Resistance. It also tells much history, but shows a part of history rarely seen: the women's war. Don't miss this one. 

-Ann & Lori

AMERICANAH

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Ifemelu immigrates from Nigeria to the U.S. to complete her education. She is stereotyped as an African American although she has nothing in common other than the color of her skin. This book deals with immigration, racism, feminism, discrimination and independence. It caused me to look at the situation from a completely different point of view. This is one of the more interesting books I’ve read in a while. Extremely thought-provoking and well-written.

-Lori

MISS HAZEL AND THE ROSA PARKS LEAGUE

Jonathon Odell

 If you are a fan of Southern fiction, well-developed characters, lots of dialogue and a great human interest story that takes place during the tumultuous and often brutal times in pre-Civil Rights Mississippi, you will like this book. The stories of two women, one Caucasian and one African American, are woven together in a sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hilarious way as we get to know each one, as well as the souls who inhabit the town of Delphi. There’s a reason the book has almost 500 pages. . . the characters and story are so well-developed that you feel you know them personally. A thought-provoking look into the past and the struggles of a people willing to put their lives at risk in the attempt to be treated as human beings. A good choice for those who enjoyed Kathryn Stockett’s The Help.

-Nancy

SECRETS OF A CHARMED LIFE

Susan Meissner

Snap up this well-written work of historical fiction and you will be rewarded with a story of determination, courage, kindness, mystery and what it means to be a family all set amidst the backdrop of World War II during the time of the Blitz on London. The story unfolds with a present-day young American scholar at Oxford who is tasked with the assignment of interviewing a ninety-three year old artist about her life during the Blitz. As the older woman revisits her past, it becomes apparent that there are secrets and trials of the heart too painful to reveal until now. This is a story of the evacuation of the children of London just before the Blitz, and how one night changed the fate of two sisters forever. 

-Nancy

THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY

Gabrielle Zevin

A curmudgeonly man runs an independent bookshop in a small town. What’s not to love? Something is lost, someone is found and we have a lovely story.

-Kathryn

TELL THE WOLVES I'M HOME

Carol Rifka Brunt

This is a contemporary story of love, family, hidden motives, and personal discovery. It’s 1987 in New York and June Elbus’s beloved uncle, celebrated artist Finn Weiss, is dying of AIDS. One of his last paintings is of June and her sister Greta, which becomes a focal point of their grieving process. After he dies, June is sought out by Finn’s committed partner, Toby, who the family angrily blames for Finn’s death. Their friendship grows as they share memories of Finn, but Toby has secrets of his own. This coming-of-age story reminded me of all the fears and misconceptions in the early days of AIDS, that teenagers’ complex lives can be underestimated by their parents, and that we should be very careful of personal prejudices.

-Kathryn

ORPHAN TRAIN

Christina Baker Kline

Molly is close to “aging out” of foster care and must perform community service for a minor infraction. This service leads her to Vivian, an elderly woman who wants her to help clean out her attic. They learn through this that they are not so different after all. This story, which flips from the present to the past, is rich in detail. This is a great choice for historical fiction readers.

-Ann

ME BEFORE YOU

Jojo Moyes

What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart? Will is moody and mean. Louisa is ordinary and polite. Their friendship brings out the best in each. Then she learns of his shocking plans. She wants nothing more than to change his mind and plans accordingly. But will it work? This book is not to be missed.

-Ann

A PARIS APARTMENT

Michelle Gable

In Paris, 1942, the treasure-filled apartment of Marthe de Florians, an elite courtesan, was shuttered and locked. After her death, no one visited or claimed it, but the rent was paid for the next seventy years. The book tells two women’s stories. Marthe’s scandalous life in the Belle Epoque era is told through her journals, found in the apartment. April Vogt is the fictionalized Sotheby’s appraiser sent to catalogue and validate the treasures. Her biggest challenges are to establish providence for an unknown portrait of Marthe painted by Giovanni Boldini, bring it to a successful auction, find out who paid the rent and evade (or not) the advances of Parisian lawyer, Luc.

-Kathryn

A PLACE AT THE TABLE

Susan Rebecca White

A well-written tale inspired very loosely by the real friendship between two well-known present day New York chefs, one an elderly African American woman, the other a young gay man. Their lives become intertwined by an abiding love of Southern food and the comfort and ritual of preparing it for others. Each had childhood secrets too painful to unearth and each sought solace in their friendship and the food they loved. A sudden twist in the plot and the entrance of another surprising character leads to the unraveling of one of the secrets. One of the most unusual books I have read in quite a while.

-Nancy

MRS. POE

Lynn Cullen

This historical novel is set in 1845 New York literary circles. Just as Poe’s “The Raven” becomes popular, Frances Osgood, a struggling poet becomes trapped in a passionate affair with Poe and a friendship with his much younger wife Virginia, who is more manipulative and vengeful than imagined. Like Poe’s work this story is full of twists and turns that will keep you intrigued until the end.

-Sandy

THE ROSIE PROJECT

Graeme Simsion

The Rosie Project is a sweet and funny book about a brilliant man, Don Tillman, who decides to find the perfect partner. After launching his Wife Project, which includes a hilarious questionnaire intended to weed out imperfect candidates--smokers, makeup wearers, vegans (“incredibly annoying”)--Don meets Rosie, a woman who is so wrong, she’s right.

-Jean

LOOKING FOR ME

Beth Hoffman

A lovely southern story by the author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. Teddi is a fixer. She grows up in rural Kentucky repairing old furniture and parlays this skill into her dream of owning an antique and design shop in Charleston, South Carolina. She must balance her life in Charleston with her broken family back home, including her mother who still wants to get a “real” job, and her missing brother who communicates better with animals than people.

-Kathryn

THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS

Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Victoria Jones is 18 and aging out of the foster care system, emotionally fragile and unprepared for life. Where do you go when you are so young and have no family to support you? The author weaves her story of survival with the people and events that molded her character. Victoria reached out to others with her unique ability to communicate through the language of flowers.

-Kathryn

BAD MONKEY

Carl Hiaasen

Carl Hiaasen is a comic genius! As with all his novels (and I’ve read them all) I find myself laughing out loud and asking myself “Who comes up with this stuff.” Hilarious.  Wicked Smart.  I can’t say enough about good ol’ Carl.

-Jean

WHERE'D YOU GO BERNADETTE

Maria Semple

This is a wonderfully funny, quirky, and wildly entertaining novel. Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she’s a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she’s a disgrace; to design mavens, she’s a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and simply, Mom.

-Jean & Kathryn 

THE GLASS ROOM

Simon Mawer

The main character in this book is an incredible house built in the late 1920s for a newlywed couple in Czechoslovakia. As World War II approaches this beautifully written story follows the occupation of the house by the Nazis, the Russians, and the Czech government.  The story follows the family and the subsequent owners with each new inhabitant falling under the spell of the glass room. Although this is a fictional story, the house is still standing today and has been fully restored to its former beauty. 

-Lori

THE BARTENDER'S TALE

Ivan Doig

This is a coming-of-age story about a boy in Montana during the summer of 1960. 
The author is one of my favorites and is a master storyteller. A pleasure to read. 

-Phil

THE KITCHEN HOUSE 

Kathleen Grissom

In 1791, Lavinia, orphaned aboard a ship from Ireland, arrives at a Virginia tobacco plantation. For the next 19 years we share her dangerous path between her slave family in the “Kitchen House” and her Master’s in the “Big House”. Every woman should read this book. It is as much our journey to today’s freedom as it was Lavinia’s. 

-Sandy & Kathryn

CAIN AT GETTYSBURG

Ralph Peters

Probably the best Civil War novel since Killer Angels, though this one is perhaps less heroic and a bit more gritty. I recommend reading the “Author’s Note” at the end before beginning the book. Enjoy! 

-Phil & Bud

THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY

Richard C. Morias

A restaurant family leaves Mumbai after a tragedy. They settle in a small French town & open an inexpensive Indian restaurant opposite an esteemed French one. Chef Hassan Haj vs. the famous chef Madame Mallory. A favorite of my book group. 

-Lori

MR. AND MRS. FITZWILLIAM DARCY

Sharon Lathan

 I loved Pride & Prejudice or maybe I just love Colin Firth playing Mr. Darcy. He's the one I pictured as I read this incredibly romantic continuation of the story. It starts right after the end of Pride & Prejudice and takes the reader through the first months of their married life. The series continues with Loving Mr. Darcy and My Dearest Mr. Darcy and a fourth to come out this fall. I can't wait!

-Jean

MAGPIE MURDERS

Anthony Horowitz        

Known for Alex Rider in his popular teen hero series, Horowitz has created a detective fiction mystery in the true Sherlockian and Agatha Christie style. The editor, Susan Ryeland, and an extensive cast of murder suspects is so convincing the readers might find themselves searching the internet for Alan Conway, the fictional author, and Atticus Finch, the stoic detective, only to discover Horowitz is indeed the author. If you enjoy anagrams and word games this is an added pleasure. A shocking double ending and a mystery within a mystery is icing on the cake of this truly engrossing narrative.

-Sandy

THE CHICAGO WAY

Michael Harvey

If you’re looking for a fast paced, well-written, mystery/thriller, you need look no further than this debut novel from Michael Harvey. One of the best that I’ve read this year.

-Phil

Delicious!

Ruth Reichel

Another intriguing story from the former editor of "Tender at the Bone." Young Billie Breslin heads to New York to become the assistant to the editor of Delicious Magazine. When the magazine closes Billie is retained to field complaint calls from former readers. Alone in the mansion headquarters, she embarks on a treasure hunt through the ancient library and a secret room. You don't have to be a foodie or a chef to enjoy New York's downtown food scene. The story, unique characters, and gingerbread are delicious. 

-Sandy