Bookshelf

October Books

FICTION

The Lincoln Highway, by Amor Towles

In Nebraska during the summer of 1954, 18-year-old Emmett is released from his sentence on a work farm to retrieve his 8-year-old brother following the death of his father and the subsequent foreclosure on the family farm. The plan is to head west on the Lincoln Highway for a fresh start, but two of Emmett’s friends, who escaped from the work farm, have other ideas. So begins an incredible odyssey blown completely off course, hopping freight trains and encountering Americana. Filled with retribution, heartache, empathy and humor, Towles delivers a rich and powerful novel with deeply developed characters.

No Diving Allowed, by Louise Marburg

From F. Scott Fitzgerald to John Cheever, the swimming pool has long held a unique place in the mythos of the American idyll, by turns status symbol and respite. The 14 stories that comprise No Diving Allowed fearlessly plunge the depths of the human condition as Marburg freights her narratives with the often unfathomable pressure of what lies beneath.

Jacket Weather, by Mike DeCapite

Jacket Weather drops you right into the beating heart of New York City — the heart of the music scene of the ’80s, the steamy gym of early morning, the delicious pain of obsessive love, the quiet rainy morning with the half-finished New York Times crossword, and a recipe for perfect Italian pasta. This one is a real treat.

The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven, by Nathaniel Ian Miller

Beginning in 1916, the hapless young Sven leaves Stockholm for a life of adventure in the icy north. A terrible mining accident alters his life and appearance, pushing him farther north to lead a solitary existence. Fate steps in, bringing a small, fascinating cast of people into his world, enhancing his isolation and worldview. Miller provides unforgettable characters, a deeply mesmerizing tale, and the most exquisite prose.

Miss Eliza’s English Kitchen: A Novel of Victorian Cookery and Friendship, by Annabel Abbs

A light novel about Eliza Acton, a British woman who lived in the 1800s. For 10 years she worked with her kitchen maid, Ann, and recorded her recipes with precise measurements and in a format that was readable. Publishing her cookbook, she changed the way recipes were written forever.

NONFICTION

On Animals, by Susan Orlean

In a charming menagerie of stories of beasts and birds and the bizarre humans who share their world, Orlean writes about a range of creatures — the household pets we dote on; the animals we raise to end up as meat on our plates; the creatures who could eat us for dinner; the various tamed and untamed animals we share our planet with. In her own backyard, Orlean discovers the delights of keeping chickens. In a different backyard, in New Jersey, she meets a woman who has 23 pet tigers — something none of her neighbors knew about until one of them escaped. In Iceland, the world’s most famous whale resists efforts to set him free; in Morocco, the world’s hardest working donkeys find respite at a special clinic. We meet a show dog, a lost dog, and a pigeon who knows exactly how to get home.

The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music, by Dave Grohl

You may know Grohl as the Nirvana drummer or the frontman of the Foo Fighters or the interesting and reflective essayist who writes beautifully for magazines like The Atlantic. These essays encompass his childhood, life as a dad, creation of both iconic bands, activism, and memories of stars like Iggy Pop, Joan Jett, Tom Petty, Paul McCartney and Little Richard.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Boo, Baa, La La La, by Sandra Boynton

When does a cow say “Boooooo”? When it’s Halloween and she wants to try something newwwwww. Superb silliness from the beloved Sandra Boynton will make all the ghouls and boys giggle with this new board book just perfect for fall fun. (Ages 0-3.)

Looking for a Jumbie, by Tracey Baptiste

Mama says Jumbies only exist in stories, but Naya is pretty sure she knows where to find them. This We’re Going on a Bear Hunt-ish book with a Caribbean beat is the perfect (only a little bit scary) autumn read-aloud. (Ages 4-6.)

Bat Wings? Cat Wings!, By Laura Gehl

The cow says moo and the dog says ruff, but there’s always that kid who wants to turn everything on its head, and this is the perfect book for those little rebels. Animal facts combine with a bit of ridiculousness to make for a fun read-aloud that’s ideal for bedtime or any time giggles are in order. (Ages 4-7.)

The Beatryce Prophecy, by Kate DiCamillo

When your family is in danger, when you are the subject of a prophecy, when you are in the way of a king’s mission, it really helps if you have the soft ear of a goat to hold onto — and a friend or two on your side. From the three-time Newbery Award winning author, this brilliant novel is a must for young adventurers. (Ages 9-12.)  PS

Compiled by Kimberly Daniels Taws and Angie Tally.

Hometown

The Show Went On

Snatching victory from the jaws of oblivion

By Bill Fields

When most people think of memorable golf moments at Pinehurst, the 1981 Hall of Fame Tournament isn’t among them.

I beg to differ.

A long time before Pinehurst No. 2 held its first U.S. Open and subsequently became part of the rota for the national championship, the ’81 PGA Tour event there made its own mark. Forty years later, I’m proud to have been part of it.

I was 22, fresh out of a summer school session at North Carolina, my diploma in the mail. I needed a job. My friend Michael Dann, executive director of the World Golf Hall of Fame and the Hall of Fame Tournament, needed a public relations director who would work cheap.

The ’81 tour stop in the Sandhills was the tournament that wouldn’t die. As Chip Alexander wrote in The News & Observer that summer, not long after I was hired, “The pulse was weak, the last rites all but read. As recently as two weeks ago, the Hall of Fame Tournament seemed to be breathing its last, ready for the slab.”

The tournament had rallied spectacularly. In March, it only had $30,000 in the bank. Even during an era when purses were around $250,000, that wasn’t much. PGA Tour commissioner Deane Beman extended the deadline for posting the prize money multiple times. Tour pros who had a soft spot for Pinehurst, notably Ben Crenshaw and George Burns, took up the cause. Jack Nicklaus, who won the 1975 World Open but hadn’t competed in a handful of years, committed to play. Lee Trevino, who would be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame during tournament week with fellow honoree Ralph Guldahl, also agreed to play. Gov. Jim Hunt did what he could to round up sponsorship.

Once the tournament was green-lighted, we set out to promote it. I ordered bumper stickers and buttons. We hired a film crew to gather sound bites from tour pros to distribute to television sports stations across the state. Michael and I went to the PGA Championship in Atlanta. Raymond Floyd was not happy when I interrupted him on a practice day at the PGA Championship, but his bark was worse than his bite. We made a commercial on a lean budget. To get a tight clubhead-striking-ball image for the ad, I hit my MacGregor Tourney driver on the fifth hole of No. 2, a short walk from our offices at the WGHOF building.

My last, lazy days of college had given way to long hours doing what I could to help. I went on television shows with Lee Kinard in Greensboro and Jim Burns in Wilmington. I tracked down Guldahl for a story in the tournament program, which was printed on the Golf World press in Southern Pines. Before the event I helped lay down temporary carpet on the wooden floors in the press room — the converted Donald Ross Grill. Once the tournament started, I put on my best radio voice, offering updates to any station in the region that was interested. Everyone on our small staff felt like we were on an important mission to pull off what had seemed so unlikely.

The surprise winner turned out to be Morris Hatalsky, an unheralded and unassuming 29-year-old from San Diego. Ron Green Sr. of The Charlotte News wrote that Hatalsky “looks like a singing waiter.” He sure hit all the right notes over 72 holes, one-putting 11 times in a first-round 65 and going on for a 2-stroke victory over Jerry Pate and D.A. Weibring at 9-under 275. Hatalsky won $45,000 for the first of four career PGA Tour victories. The weather was glorious, which helped draw sizable galleries of 12,000 to 15,000 people on the weekend.

My foray into golf administration was brief. I applied for a job in the communications department at the USGA later that fall but didn’t get it. By the following spring, I was sending out resumes to a couple hundred newspapers across the country in search of a sportswriter position. I accepted an offer from the afternoon paper in Athens, Georgia.

The World Golf Hall of Fame building was razed years ago, but I can’t drive past the woods where it used to stand and not think of those days, that tournament and the fun we had making it happen.  PS

Southern Pines native Bill Fields, who writes about golf and other things, moved north in 1986 but hasn’t lost his accent.

Bookshelf

September Books

FICTION

Matrix, by Lauren Groff

A woman’s power is often judged by her beauty, wealth and situation in life. Marie — awkward, too tall, illegitimate, without means, and orphaned — has none of these. Sent to the most wretched abbey England has to offer in 1158, Marie comes to understand that a woman’s power comes from cleverness, ingenuity, fortitude and the bond of sisterhood. In this first novel since the brilliant Fates and Furies, Groff delivers a story that shakes the walls of the age-old patriarchy.

The Magician, by Colm Tóibín

In a provincial German city at the turn of the 20th century, Thomas Mann grows up with a conservative father, bound by propriety, and a Brazilian mother, alluring and unpredictable. As a boy, Mann hides his artistic aspirations from his father and his homosexual desires from everyone. He is infatuated with one of the richest, most cultured Jewish families in Munich, and marries the daughter, Katia. They have six children. On a holiday in Italy, he longs for a boy he sees on a beach and writes the story Death in Venice. He becomes the most successful novelist of his time, winner of the Nobel Prize for literature, a public man whose private life remains secret. In a stunning marriage of research and imagination, Tóibín explores the heart and mind of a writer whose gift is unparalleled, and whose life is driven by a need to belong and the anguish of illicit desire. The Magician is an intimate, astonishingly complex portrait of Mann, his magnificent and complex wife, Katia, and the times in which they lived — World War I, the rise of Hitler, World War II, the Cold War, and exile.

Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony Doerr

Like the characters of Marie-Laure and Werner in Doerr’s novel All the Light We Cannot See, Anna, Omeir, Seymour, Zeno and Konstance are dreamers and outsiders who find resourcefulness and hope in the midst of the gravest danger. Their lives are gloriously intertwined as Doerr’s dazzling imagination transports us to worlds so dramatic and immersive that we forget, for a time, our own. Dedicated to “the librarians then, now, and in the years to come,” Cloud Cuckoo Land is a beautiful and redemptive novel about stewardship — of the book, of the Earth, of the human heart.

The Santa Suit, by Mary Kay Andrews

When newly divorced Ivy Perkins buys an old farmhouse sight unseen, she is looking for a change in her life. The farmhouse, The Four Roses, is a labor of love, but Ivy didn’t bargain on just how much labor. The previous family left so much furniture and so much junk, it’s a full-time job sorting through it. At the top of a closet, Ivy finds a Santa suit, beautifully made and decades old. In the pocket is a note written in a childish hand from a little girl who has one Christmas wish, and that is for her father to return home from the war. The discovery sets Ivy off on a mission. Who wrote the note? Did the man ever come home? What mysteries did the Rose family hold? Ivy just might find more than she ever thought possible: a welcoming town, a family reunited, a mystery solved, and a second chance at love.

NONFICTION

Cuba: An American History, by Ada Ferrer

Cuba’s history is full of violent conquest, invasions and military occupations; conspiracies against slavery, colonialism and dictators; revolutions attempted, victorious and undone. Ferrer, a celebrated New York University professor and the daughter of Cuban immigrants, brings her personal perspective to this sweeping history of Cuba, and its complex and intimate ties to the United States, utilizing stories from both well-known and little-known characters from Cuban history. She documents the enormous influence the U.S. has had on Cuba and the many ways in which Cuba is a recurring presence in U.S. history, beginning with its key role in the American Revolution.

Travels with George: In Search of Washington and his Legacy, by Nathaniel Philbrick

When George Washington became president in 1798, the United States of America was still a loose and quarrelsome confederation and a tentative political experiment. Washington undertook a tour of the ex- Colonies to talk to ordinary citizens about their lives and their feelings about the new government, and to imbue in them the idea of being one thing — Americans. Philbrick embarked on his own journey into what Washington called “the infant woody country” to see for himself what it has become in the nearly 225 years since. Writing in a thought- ful first person about his own adventures with his travel companions (his wife and puppy), Philbrick follows Washington’s tour of America — an almost 2,000-mile journey. The narrative moves smoothly back and forth from the 18th to 21st centuries, seeing the country through Washington’s eyes as well as Philbrick’s. Written at a moment when America’s foundational ideals are under scrutiny, Travels with George grapples bluntly and honestly with Washington’s legacy as a man of the people, a mythical figure of the early republic, a reluctant president, and a plantation owner who held people in slavery. Philbrick paints a picture of 18th century America as divided and fraught as modern America, and comes to understand how Washington, through belief, vision and sheer will, created a sense of national solidarity that had never existed before.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Isobel Adds Up,
by Kristy Everington

Isobel loves to solve problems. Multiplication, subtraction, addition, bring them on! But she begins to have some trouble when a new loud neighbor moves into the apartment next door. Of course, clever Isabel has a solution and maybe also a new friend. Math-loving young readers will delight in this fun new problem-solving story that is sure to bring on some giggles. (Ages 5-7.)

Negative Cat, by Sophie Blackall

When a boy finally gets his long-awaited cat, things don’t go quite as expected, but sometimes it takes a bit to discover the joy that comes from being just a little outside the box. Fun for anyone who loves an animal that’s just a little unusual, and a perfect read-aloud by the Caldecott-winning illustrator Sophie Blackall. (Ages 3-6.)

Dozens of Dachshunds, by Stephanie Calmenson

Dozens of dachshunds waltz, woof and wag their way across the page and into the hearts of readers in this adorable read-aloud. Long-haired, smooth-haired and wire-haired dachshunds alike are all dressed in costume (of course there’s a hot dog!) for the Dachshund Day parade. With a seek-and-find game and back matter on real Dachshund Day celebrations, this one’s sure to have everyone barking for more. (Ages 3-6.)  PS

Compiled by Kimberly Daniels Taws and Angie Tally.

Bookshelf

August Books

FICTION

Damnation Spring, by Ash Davidson

For generations, Rich Gundersen’s family has chopped a livelihood out of the redwood forest along California’s rugged coast. Now, Rich and his wife, Colleen, are raising their own young son near Damnation Grove, a swath of ancient redwoods on which Rich’s employer, Sanderson Timber Co., plans to make a killing. For decades, the herbicides the logging company uses were considered harmless. But Colleen is no longer so sure. As mudslides take out clear-cut hillsides and salmon vanish from creeks, her search for answers threatens to divide a town that lives and dies on timber.

Once There Were Wolves, by Charlotte McConaghy

Inti Flynn arrives in Scotland with her twin sister, Aggie, to lead a team of biologists tasked with reintroducing 14 gray wolves into the remote Highlands. She hopes to heal not only the dying landscape but Aggie too, unmade by the terrible secrets that drove the sisters out of Alaska. Inti is not the woman she once was, either, changed by the harm she’s witnessed. As the wolves thrive, Inti begins to let her guard down, even opening herself up to the possibility of love. But, when a farmer is mauled to death, Inti knows where the town will lay blame. Unable to accept her wolves could be responsible, she makes a reckless decision to protect them. If the wolves didn’t make the kill, then is something more sinister at play?

Lightning Strike, by William Kent Krueger

Aurora is a small town nestled in the ancient forest alongside the shores of Minnesota’s Iron Lake. In the summer of 1963, it is the whole world to 12-year-old Cork O’Connor, its rhythms as familiar as his own heartbeat. When Cork stumbles upon the body of a man he revered hanging from a tree in an abandoned logging camp, it is the first in a series of events that cause him to question everything he took for granted about his hometown, his family and himself. Cork’s father, Liam O’Connor, is Aurora’s sheriff, and it is his job to confirm that the man’s death was the result of suicide. In the shadow of his father’s official investigation, Cork begins to look for answers on his own. Together, father and son face the ultimate test of choosing between what their heads tell them is true and what their hearts know is right.

Children of Dust, by Marlin Barton

In researching his family history in the year 2000, Seth Anderson discovers an unexpected story from the late 1800s. In 19th century rural Alabama, his relative, Melinda Anderson, struggles to give birth to her 10th child, tended by Annie Mae, a part-Choctaw midwife. When the infant dies just hours after birth, suspicion falls upon two women — Betsy, Annie Mae’s daughter and the mixed-race mistress of Melinda’s husband, Rafe; and Melinda herself, worn out by perpetual pregnancies and nurturing a dark anger toward her husband. Seeking to clear her own name, Melinda enlists the help of a conjure woman who dabbles in dark magic. Filled with haunts, new and old, Children of Dust is a novel about the relationship between two women allied against a violent man with secrets of his own.

NONFICTION

A Brief History of Motion: From the Wheel to the Car to What Comes Next, by Tom Standage

Beginning around 3500 BCE with the wheel — a device that didn’t catch on until a couple of thousand years after its invention — Standage zips through the eras of horsepower, trains and bicycles, revealing how each successive mode of transit embedded itself in the world we live in. Then, delving into the history of the automobile’s development, Standage explores the social resistance to cars and the upheaval that their widespread adoption required. Cars changed how the world was administered, laid out and policed, how it looked, sounded and smelled — and not always in the ways we might have preferred.

All In: An Autobiography, by Billie Jean King

An inspiring and intimate self-portrait of the champion of equality that encompasses her brilliant tennis career, unwavering activism, and an ongoing commitment to fairness and social justice. King recounts her groundbreaking tennis career — six years as the top-ranked woman in the world, 20 Wimbledon championships, 39 grand-slam titles, and her watershed defeat of Bobby Riggs in the famous Battle of the Sexes. She poignantly recalls the cultural backdrop of those years and the profound impact on her worldview from the women’s movement, the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, the anti-war protests of the 1960s, the civil rights movement, and, eventually, the LGBTQ+ rights movement. She describes the myriad challenges she’s faced — entrenched sexism, an eating disorder, near financial peril after being outed — and offers insights and advice on leadership, business, activism, sports, politics, marriage equality, parenting, sexuality and love.

YOUNG ADULT

Dog Island, by Jil Johnson

Willy stared out through the crisscross wires of his cage. He had figured out a few things. One, being born a spunky beagle wasn’t always cookies and naps. Two, there was no way he was staying in this barbed wire apartment. And three, as he listened to the rows of dogs barking and howling, he wasn’t going alone. (Ages 8 and up.)

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Becoming Vanessa, by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

That first day of school can be hard on anyone, but especially if your name is looonnng and has more than one “s” and your style is a little more colorful than your new classmates. But, no matter what, it is important to be yourself. Stunning illustrations reminiscent of the brilliant Molly Bang bring this important first-day-of-school book to life. This one is a must-have for rising kindergartners. (Ages 4-6.)

T. Rexes Can’t Tie Their Shoes, by Anna Lazowski

Baby horses can stand up. Narwhals change color. And red sea urchins can live for 200 years! But nobody can do everything. Laugh out loud with the animals of the alphabet as they show what they can and cannot do in this super-cute ABC book that is perfect for story time, bedtime or anytime. (Ages 3-7.)

The Foodie Flamingo, by Vanessa Howl

At the Pink Flamingo restaurant, it’s shrimp, shrimp, shrimp, shrimp. But when Frankie the Flamingo gets a wild feather to sample something different, she becomes Foodie Flamingo. Soon everyone is sampling new things and the Pink Flamingo will never be the same! Fun with food for all ages. (Ages 3-6.)

How To Spot a Best Friend, by Bea Birdsong

It’s easy to spot a friend, but how do you know when you’ve discovered a best friend? This sweet story is the perfect read together for the night before back-to-school or any new situation. (Ages 4-7.)  PS

Compiled by Kimberly Daniels Taws and Angie Tally.

Angie’s favorite book is The Autobiography of Alice B. Tolkas by Gertrude Stein and Kimberly loves The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay.

Bookshelf

July Books

FICTION

Hell of a Book, by Jason Mott

In Hell of a Book, a Black author sets out on a cross-country publicity tour to promote his bestselling novel. Hilarious, yet arresting, spellbinding and reflective, Hell of a Book is unforgettably told, with characters who burn into your mind and an electrifying plot ideal for book club discussion. Mott’s first author event for his debut novel, The Returned, was at The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines in 2014. Hell of a Book is the novel Mott has been writing in his head ever since.

The Personal Librarian, by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

In her 20s, 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. Belle becomes a fixture in New York City society and one of the most powerful people in the art and book world, known for her impeccable taste and shrewd negotiating as she helps create a world-class collection. Belle simultaneously is passing as white with Portuguese heritage when in actuality she is the daughter of Richard Greener, the first Black graduate of Harvard and a well-known advocate for equality. The Personal Librarian is the story of a powerful and brilliant woman and the carefully crafted white identity that allowed her to succeed in the racist world in which she lived.

Embassy Wife, by Katie Crouch

Persephone Wilder is a displaced genius and the wife of an American diplomat in Namibia. She takes her job as a representative of her country seriously, coming up with an intricate set of rules to survive the problems she encounters: how to dress in hundred-degree weather without showing too much skin; how not to look drunk at embassy functions; and how to eat roasted oryx with grace. She also suspects her husband is not actually the ambassador’s legal counsel, but a secret agent in the CIA. The consummate embassy wife, she takes the newest spouse, Amanda Evans, under her wing. Propulsive and provocative, Embassy Wife asks what it means to be a human in this world, even as it helps us laugh in the face of our own absurd, seemingly impossible states of affairs.

Intimacies, by Katie Kitamura

From the author of A Separation, Kitamura’s new novel is the story of a woman who works as an interpreter at The Hague. A person of many languages and identities, she’s drawn into simmering personal dramas: Her lover, Adriaan, is still entangled in his former marriage; her friend Jana witnesses an act of violence; and the interpreter is pulled into an explosive political controversy when she’s asked to translate for a former president accused of war crimes. This woman is the voice in the ear of many, but what command does that give her, and how vulnerable does that leave her? She is soon pushed to the precipice, where betrayal and heartbreak threaten to overwhelm her, forcing her to decide what she wants from her life.

NONFICTION

The Man Who Hated Women: Sex, Censorship, and Civil Liberties in the Gilded Age, by Amy Sohn

Anthony Comstock, special agent to the U.S. Post Office, passed a law in 1873 that severely penalized the mailing of contraception and obscenity. Eight women were charged with violating state and federal Comstock laws. These “sex radicals” — publishers, writers, doctors and the first woman presidential candidate — took on the fearsome censor in explicit, personal writing and in court seeking to redefine work, family, marriage and love for a bold new era. Risking imprisonment and death, they redefined birth control access as a civil liberty.

In the Forest of No Joy: The Congo-Océan Railroad and the Tragedy of French Colonialism, by J.P. Daughton

One of the deadliest construction projects in history, the Congo-Océan railroad was completed in 1934, when Equatorial Africa was a French colony. In the Forest of No Joy details the story of African workers forcibly conscripted, who hacked their way through dense tropical foliage, suffered disease, malnutrition, and rampant physical abuse, likely resulting in at least 20,000 deaths.

New Women in the Old West: From Settlers to Suffragists, an Untold American Story, by Winifred Gallagher

Survival in this uncharted American West for the more than half a million settlers between 1840 and 1910 required two hard-working partners, compelling women to take on equal responsibilities to men, a stark contrast to the experience of women in the East. As these women wielded their authority in public life for political gains, served in office and established institutions, they fought for the right to earn income, purchase property, and vote. In 1869, partly to lure more women, Wyoming gave women the vote. Utah, Colorado and Idaho followed. Nearly every Western state or territory had enfranchised women long before the 19th Amendment did so across the country in 1919.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Stingers, by Randy Wayne White

Readers searching for mystery and adventure need look no further than Stingers, the second book in the Sharks Incorporated Series. When marine biologist Doc Ford invites three young nature lovers to the Bahamas where invasive lionfish are upsetting the ecological balance of the coral reefs, they make a few unexpected discoveries that may just get them into deep water. (Ages 9-12.)

Bubbles Up, by Jacqueline Davies

A love poem to water and the many things one can do with it, this fun title screams of summer and sun and fun but also of self-confidence and empowerment. This picture book from the author of The Lemonade War is an absolute must for summer reading. (Age 3-5.)

Dino Gro, by Matt Myers

Everybody knows sometimes new friends have to grow on you, but in Cole’s case his new friend grows and grows and GROWS. Move over Clifford, author/illustrator Myers has created a new lovable oversized friend with Dino-Gro. This one is sure to be a big hit with little dinosaur lovers. (Ages 3-6.)

Faraway Things, by Dave Eggers

“It’s a faraway thing,” declares the boy when he finds a cutlass washed up on the beach. This faraway thing is, indeed, a ticket to another world for the boy, who must decide if it is worth more to keep the cutlass or venture into the world of the unknown to discover his real treasure. This lovely picture book will be enjoyed by readers of all ages as they dream of the sea and what real treasure means to them. (Ages 4-8.)  PS

Compiled by Kimberly Daniels Taws and Angie Tally.

Bookshelf

June Books

FICTION

The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot, by Marianne Cronin

Lenni, 17, meets Margot, 83, while they are both in a hospital in Glasgow. They develop a friendship in an art class, where they decide to paint 100 pictures between them, one for each year of their lives, in this beautiful story of friendship at any age and how it changes us.

The Nature of Witches, by Rachel Griffin

For centuries, witches have maintained the climate, their power peaking in the season of their birth. But now their control is faltering as the atmosphere becomes more erratic. All hope lies with Clara, an Everwitch, whose rare magic is tied to every season. The Nature of Witches is a fierce, romantic YA story about a world on the brink of destruction, the one witch who holds the power to save it, and the choice that could cost her everything she loves.

Malibu Rising, by Taylor Jenkins Reid

It’s the day of Nina Riva’s end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together the siblings — the offspring of the legendary singer Mick Riva — are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over. By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark is lit, the loves and secrets that shaped this family’s generations will all come rising to the surface.

Double Blind, by Edward St. Aubyn

Moving from London to Provence to California and back to a beautiful woodland entirely off the grid, Double Blind is a breathtaking, kaleidoscopic novel exploring friendship, love, consciousness and the natural world. Timely and expansive ecological concerns animate the novel as it follows three friends and their circle through a year of transformation, moving between London, Oxford, Cap d’Antibes, Sussex and Big Sur. It’s about the headlong pursuit of knowledge and the consequences of fleeing what we already know about others and ourselves.

Morningside Heights, by Joshua Henkin

An Ohio woman attends Yale, falls in love with her professor, and marries him. As she struggles to face her aging, a chance at new romance arrives. Morningside Heights is a compassionate novel about surviving a marriage wrecked with hardship, the love between men and women, parents and children, and living a life different from what we expected.

The Personal Librarian, by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Belle da Costa Greene was born a light-skinned Black woman whose family moved to New York to live as white. She is hired by J.P. Morgan to be his personal librarian, changing not only her world, but her family’s, too. Belle was an exceptional woman with a love for rare books that matched Morgan’s. Authors Benedict and Murray, one white and one Black, have written a fabulous book that puts you in Belle’s shoes as you feel her daily fear of exposure.

NONFICTION

The Power of Awareness: And Other Secrets from the World’s Foremost Spies, Detectives, and Special Operators on How to Stay Safe and Save Your Life, by Dan Schilling

In this compelling guide, Schilling uses stories from his Special Operations career, and from other experts, to outline six rules you can apply anywhere to improve your personal safety and situational awareness as Americans emerge from the lockdown of the pandemic.

The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman,
Her Horse and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America, by Elizabeth Letts

It’s the winter of 1954 in rural Maine and Annie Wilkins is a 62-year-old woman living a hardscrabble existence on a failing farm. When she becomes ill and learns that she has just a few years to live, Annie buys a rundown horse, packs a few necessities, and she and her dog set out on a ride to see California — her mother’s dream. The story of this woman’s journey provides a lens to view the cultural shift in America as one era ends and another begins.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Last Gate of the Emperor, by Kwame Mbalia and Prince Joel Makonnen

Yared Heywat, a flawed hero with a gift for gab, teams up with the mysterious Ibis to dominate the boards in the augmented reality game “The Hunt for Kaleb’s Obelisk” and, as play progresses, they realize they are involved in something way more serious than a mere game. Rooted in the real-life history of Makonnen’s family, the last emperors of Ethiopia, Last Gate of the Emperor is a must read for all young adventure lovers.  (Ages 9-13.)

Freaky Funky Fish, by Debra Kempf Shumaker

A fish book with freakiness ratings really should be on the shelf of every young outdoor adventurer. From those that fly to those that climb, from those with invisible heads to those that can dance, there’s a fish for every weird attribute possible, and they’re all rated on a freakiness scale from 1-5. (Ages 5 and up.)

What Will You Be?, by Yamile Saied Méndez

“What will you be when you grow up?” A builder, a teacher, a leader, a student? Children are asked this all the time, and this stunning picture book answers in some surprising ways. This little gem is the perfect gift for graduates of all ages.

Darling Baby, by Maira Kalman

No day is ordinary when it’s shared between a grandparent and their new grandchild. This sweet story of just one of those days is illustrated by the brilliant Kalman and is the perfect read-together for grandparents and grandchildren. (Ages birth to 5.)

The Trillium Sisters 1: The Triplets Get Charmed, by Laura Brown and Elly Kramer

Nature themes, girl power and cute baby animals with amazing secret powers combine to make this new series perfect for readers who are looking for a new, fun and adventurous chapter book series. (Ages 6-9.)

A Father’s Love, by Hannah Holt

A father’s love, whether in the animal kingdom or the human one, is powerful and true and long-lasting. A fun look at the roles of fathers in the animal kingdom, this little gem is perfect for Father’s Day or every day. (Ages birth to 3.)  PS

Compiled by Kimberly Daniels Taws and Angie Tally.

Bookshelf

May Books

FICTION

The Kingdoms, by Natasha Pulley

With a little time travel, a little altered history, a little humor, a prophetic postcard and a narrator with an untrustworthy memory, there’s just something for everyone in The Kingdoms. For anyone who loved Matt Haig’s Midnight Library or Alex Landragin’s Crossings, Pulley’s The Kingdoms is a book you will not want to stop reading, and then not want to stop thinking about.

Local Woman Missing, by Mary Kubica

In a thrilling and satisfying read, the New York Times bestselling author and master of suspense takes domestic secrets to a whole new level, showing that some people will stop at nothing to keep the truth buried. From the heart-pounding first chapter to the twists and turns that come together at the very end, this is Kubica’s best yet.

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island, by Colleen Oakley

Piper’s husband has died, but she continues to act as if he’s still here, and everyone on Frick Island pretends along with her. A small-town journalist shows up for an “island life” story and discovers Piper and her “husband” Tom, and decides Piper’s story could be the making of his career. Oakley, a USA Today bestselling author, delivers an unforgettable love story about an eccentric community, a grieving widow, and an outsider who slowly learns that sometimes faith is more important than facts.

Mary Jane, by Jessica Anya Blau

In a coming-of-age tale set during the mid-’70s, Mary Jane is brought up in a strict, staid, traditional, run-like-clockwork household. At 14, she’s hired as a nanny in a completely unorthodox situation. Her task is to take care of the adorable 5-year-old daughter of a psychiatrist and his free-spirited wife. A glamorous movie star and her rock star husband move in with them so that he can be treated for addiction. What follows is an unforgettable summer when Mary Jane finds her stride.

The Newcomer, by Mary Kay Andrews

Letty Carnahan is kind and not much like her wild sister, Tanya. When her sister joined her in New York and had a lovely child, Maya, with the wealthiest man they knew, she told Letty if anything ever happened to her to take her child and run for their lives. When Letty finds Tanya dead, she does just that. They end up in a charming motel full of older snowbirds who have been there for years. Letty has to find out what happened to her sister and fast, but who can she trust? The motel owner’s son is a hot cop who is hot on her trail in a book full of twists and turns that.

Magic City, by Jewell Parker Rhodes

When Joe Samuels, a young Black man with dreams of becoming the next Houdini, is accused of rape, he must perform his greatest escape by eluding a bloodthirsty mob. Meanwhile, Mary Keane, the white, motherless daughter of a farmer who wants to marry her off to the farmhand who viciously raped her, must find the courage to help exonerate the man she accused with her panicked cry. Set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1921, Magic City evokes 20th century Jim Crow America while painting an intimate portrait of the heroic but doomed stand that pitted the National Guard against a small band of Black men determined to defend the prosperous town they had built.

The Cave Dwellers, by Christina McDowell

In a compelling family saga that takes place in the powerful social scene of Washington, D.C., teenagers and their parents live in an unspoken hierarchy inextricably linked by wealth, family longevity, political offices, scandals and secrets. Their circle is closed to outsiders until those inside society choose to open their eyes to the invisible divisions erected by exploitation over generations. Gone are the days when inherited wealth can continue without naming the evil that created it. A new generation becomes the one shining a light on themselves.

NONFICTION

Chasing the Thrill: Obsession, Death and Glory in America’s Most Extraordinary Treasure Hunt,
by Daniel Barbarisi

When Forrest Fenn was given a fatal cancer diagnosis, he came up with a bold plan: He would hide a chest full of jewels and gold in the wilderness and publish a poem that would serve as a map leading to the treasure’s secret location. But he didn’t die, and after hiding the treasure in 2010, Fenn instead presided over a decade-long gold rush that saw many thousands of treasure hunters scrambling across the Rocky Mountains in pursuit of his fortune. Full of intrigue, danger and break-neck action, Chasing the Thrill is a riveting tale of desire, obsession and unbridled adventure.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Always by My Side, by Jennifer Black Reinhardt

The most dedicated friend a child will ever have is their woobie, their blankie, their stuffie. They share in joys, sorrows, worries and triumphs, and maybe, just maybe, the little people mean just as much to the stuffies as the stuffies mean to the little people. The perfect gift for a new baby or a graduate, Always by My Side is a celebration of friendship. (Ages 2-5.)

Something’s Wrong!, by Jory John

Jeff is having one of those days. He knows something’s wrong, but just can’t quite put his finger on it, so off he goes to find a friend to help. What he finds is not only a true friend, but also a hilarious solution to his problem. This giggle-inducing read-aloud is sure to become a bedtime favorite.
(Ages 3-6.)

Bear Can’t Wait, by Karma Wilson

Waiting is so hard when you’re planning something exciting for a friend, and patience is a virtue Bear just can’t seem to muster in this newest installment of the delightful “Bear” series.  (Ages 3-6.)

The Poop Song, by Eric Litwin

Everybody does it, so why not sing about it? Fun for potty trainers or just for some little kid silly time, the poop song is sure to make everyone giggle. (And yes . . . it will get stuck in your head.) (Ages 2-5.)

Golden Gate, by James Ponti

Adventure, STEM and a bit of spy-thriller action combine to make the “City Spies” series the perfect choice for kids looking for a fast-paced new series. With team members from around the world joining forces and sharing their unique gifts in a magical CIA-type organization, readers won’t be able to put Golden Gate down. (Ages 9-12.)

Where the Heart Is, by Jo Knowles

It’s the first day of summer and Rachel’s 13th birthday. With a summer job caring for the neighbor’s farm animals, her best friend, Micah, nearby and weeks of warm weather and fun to look forward to, Rachel is living the dream. But when bad news threatens all she loves, Rachel must make some difficult decisions about who and what are really important in her life. At once sweet, silly, sad and ultimately satisfying, Where the Heart Is is the perfect summer read. (Ages 11-14.)  PS

Compiled by Kimberly Daniels Taws and Angie Tally.

Bookshelf

April Bookshelf

FICTION

Astrid Sees All, by Natalie Standiford

Set in New York City in the 1980s, two young girls arrive after college. Carmen is a native New Yorker with connections, confidence and charisma, while Phoebe is from Baltimore, enamored with Carmen, and desperate to find her place in the city, its art scene and the underground. She lands a job at a club as Astrid, who reads fortunes from movie ticket stubs. All the while, a serial killer stalks the city, and girls are disappearing. Astrid Sees All has a fabulously seedy vibe: music, fashion, art, drugs, danger and sex.

The Girls in the Stilt House, by Kelly Mustian

The Natchez Trace in Mississippi is a place that is deep, verdant, and ripe with stories and secrets. It is also a place where, in the 1920s, many scratched out an existence through sharecropping, bootlegging, trapping, fishing and hard labor during a time of racism, segregation and social disparity. In Mustian’s magnificent novel, mostly written at Weymouth, a violent act inexorably binds the lives of two teenage girls of different races. They struggle to survive, harbor their secrets, and protect those dear to them as their individual stories unfold. Readers will be held in this novel’s grasp from start to finish, experiencing the power and sensitivity provided by a great new voice in literary fiction.

Gold Diggers, by Sanjena Sathian

In a marvelous marriage of coming of age, magical realism, immigration, ambition and history, Gold Diggers is a blazingly brilliant novel stretching from the East Coast to the West Coast. Neeraj is an awkward young Indian American teen. Anita is his neighbor and childhood friend. With the help of her mother’s family recipe of an alchemical solution derived from stolen gold, the two are given powers of achievement and abilities to reach their previously unattainable goals and the thought-provoking consequences that follow them for years to come.

The Last Bookshop in London, by Madeline Martin

August 1939: London prepares for war as Hitler’s forces sweep across Europe. Grace Bennett has always dreamed of moving to the city, but the bunkers and blackout curtains that she finds on her arrival were not what she expected. And she certainly never imagined she’d wind up working at Primrose Hill, a dusty old bookshop nestled in the heart of London. Through blackouts and air raids as the Blitz intensifies, Grace discovers the power of storytelling to unite her community in ways she never dreamed — a force that triumphs over the darkest nights of the war.

The Elephant of Belfast, by S. Kirk Walsh

Inspired by true events, this vivid and moving story of Hettie, a young woman zookeeper, and Violet, the elephant she’s compelled to protect through the German blitz of Belfast during WWII, speaks to not only the tragedy of the times, but also to the ongoing sectarian tensions that still exist in Northern Ireland. Dodging the debris and carnage of the Luftwaffe attack, Hettie runs to the zoo to make sure that Violet is unharmed. The harrowing ordeal and ensuing aftermath set the pair on a surprising path that highlights the indelible, singular bond that often brings mankind and animals together during terrifying times.

Good Company, by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

In a follow-up of her bestselling debut novel The Nest, Sweeney explores the strains and deep bonds that mark longtime marriages and friendships. Flora Mancini is a voice actor; her husband, Julian, stars in a cop show. Margot, her best friend since college, is a longtime superstar on a hit TV show, married to a gentle doctor. The women and Julian came up together as students in New York City, scraping to find work in theater and participating in Julian’s small theater company, Good Company. Twenty years later, they all live in Los Angeles, and dote on Flora and Julian’s daughter, Ruby. When Margot stumbles across an envelope containing her husband’s wedding ring — the one he claims he lost one summer when Ruby was 5 — all of their lives are upended.

The Drowning Kind, by Jennifer McMahon

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Invited and The Winter People comes a chilling new novel about a woman who returns to the old family home after her sister mysteriously drowns in its swimming pool . . . but she’s not the pool’s only victim. A haunting, twisty and compulsively readable thrill ride from the author Chris Bohjalian has dubbed the “literary descendant of Shirley Jackson,” The Drowning Kind is a modern-day ghost story that illuminates how the past is never really far behind us.

NONFICTION

World Travel: An Irreverent Guide,
by Anthony Bourdain and Laurie Woolever

A guide to some of the world’s most interesting places, as seen and experienced by writer, television host and relentlessly curious traveler, the late Anthony Bourdain. In World Travel, a life of experience is collected into an entertaining, practical, fun and frank travel guide that gives readers an introduction to some of his favorite places — in his own words. It features his essential advice on how to get there, what to eat, where to stay and, in some cases, what to avoid. Supplementing Bourdain’s words are a handful of essays by friends, colleagues and family that tell even deeper stories about a place, including sardonic accounts of traveling with Bourdain by his brother, Chris, and a guide to Chicago’s best cheap eats by legendary music producer Steve Albini.

Broken Horses, by Brandi Carlile

The critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, producer and five-time Grammy winner opens up about a life shaped by music in this candid, heartfelt, intimate story. Though imperfect in every way, her dysfunctional childhood was as beautiful as it was strange, and as nurturing as it was difficult as her musically gifted but impoverished family moved 14 times in 14 years. Carlile takes readers through the events of her life that shaped her very raw art — from her start to her first break opening for the Dave Matthews Band, to sleepless tours over 15 years and six studio albums while raising two children with her wife and, ultimately, to the Grammy stage where she converted millions of viewers into instant fans.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

More Than Fluff, by Madeline Valentine

Cute, adorable, fluffy Daisy duck just can’t take it anymore. Everyone wants to HUG her, and all she wants is for everyone to stay out of her personal bubble. When her subtle hints don’t quite do the trick, Daisy boldly asks her friends for wing bumps, pinky shakes and high-fives. The perfect choice for those kiddos with personal space issues or just someone needing a little “me” time, More Than Fluff gives young readers words to ask for what they need. (Ages 2-5.)

Beast in Show, by Anna Staniszewski

Of course, everyone thinks their pet is the best, but Julia is sure Huxley will win top prizes in the dog show. They arrive to find it’s not an ordinary dog show at all and the talent portion is really out of this world. A wonderful tale of giving your all and doing your best no matter what, Beast in Show is just perfect for anyone who loves someone furry. (Ages 3-6.)

G My Name is Girl: A Song of Celebration from Argentina to Zambia,
by Dawn Masi

A playful celebration of everything girl, G My Name is Girl is also a wonderful worldwide journey and a fun way to honor the characteristics that strong, confident young women possess. Clever parents and grandparents will recognize the format as that of a classic travel game and enjoy sharing the rhyme with a whole new generation. (Ages 3-8.)

Mars! Earthlings Welcome,
by Stacy McAnulty

Humor and fun facts bring nonfiction alive for the youngest readers in McAnulty’s Our Universe series. In the newest installment, Mars! Earthlings Welcome, budding scientists learn that Mars may have once had rivers and streams, is Earth’s closest neighbor, and has 37 whole minutes longer in its day than Earth. For classrooms and curious kids (and parents), this series is a great way to learn more about our great big universe. (Ages 4-8.)

Peter Easter Frog, by Erin Dealy

Who says bunnies should have all the fun? Hippity hoppity Peter the Easter . . . frog is here to help out Easter Bunny any way he can. A fun holiday story of kindness, sharing and friends with a few giggle-inducing surprises along the way. (Ages 3-5.)  PS

Compiled by Kimberly Daniels Taws and Angie Tally.

Bookshelf

March Books

FICTION

The Lowering Days, by Gregory Brown

Set in the majestic and austere Penobscot River region of Northern Maine is a land revered by centuries of indigenous people for its abundance, and later, taken, depleted and poisoned by Europeans. At the center of the story are the lives of young people attempting to right the wrongs of adults, past and present. When a teenage girl of the Penobscot Nation sets fire to an abandoned mill, a series of events is unleashed between two neighboring families with an uneasy history. The writing in this novel is chock-full of breathtaking lines and unforgettable characters, alongside a deeply satisfying tale.

We Begin at the End, by Chris Whitaker

A picturesque California coastal town sets the scene for the story of a cast of unforgettable characters. Duchess is a 13-year-old with a foul mouth and an iron will to protect her vulnerable little brother and mother from her repeated bad decisions. The local police chief, Walk, keeps an eye on his hometown and its residents, while attempting to resist inevitable change. When his best childhood friend is released from prison after a 30-year sentence, a series of events is set into motion that will spiral out of control. More than a crime novel, it’s a beautifully written, spellbinding tale imbued with intensity, passion, loyalty, lust and greed.

Surviving Savannah, by Patti Callahan

It was called “The Titanic of the South.” The luxury steamship Pulaski sank in 1838 with Savannah’s elite on board. Through time, their fates were forgotten until the wreck was found, and now their story is finally being told in this breathtaking novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis. This is a moving and powerful exploration of what women will do to endure in the face of tragedy, the role fate plays, and the myriad ways we survive.

The Windsor Knot, by S.J. Bennett

When a musician is found dead in Windsor Castle after a “dine and sleep,” it appears to be a cut and dried suicide. After further investigation, however, it is determined to be murder — and possibly an inside job. The queen leaves the investigation to the professionals until their suspicions point them in the wrong direction. Unhappy at the mishandling of the case and concerned for her staff’s morale, the monarch decides to discreetly take matters into her own hands. Anyone who loves The Crown will adore this charming, cozy mystery featuring her majesty at her cleverest.

The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World, by Laura Imai Messina

This wonderful novel of grief and love tells the story of Yui, who lost her mother and daughter in the terrible tsunami of March 2011. She hears about a man who has an old telephone booth in his garden where people find the strength to speak to their departed loved ones. News of the phone booth spreads, and people travel from miles around to the old man’s garden. Yui goes too, but can’t bring herself to speak into the receiver. Instead, she finds Takeshi, whose own daughter has stopped talking in the wake of her mother’s death. A heartbreaking and heartwarming story of healing.

Libertie, by Kaitlyn Greenidge

Set in Brooklyn during the Civil War and the turbulent times after, the voice of Libertie Sampson describes her unique childhood as the freeborn daughter of a Black, widowed female doctor. Libertie’s mother has aspirations for her daughter to follow her path and join her in her practice. But Libertie, drawn more to music than science, is hungry for something else while constantly being reminded that, unlike her mother who can pass as white, her skin color is darker. Rather than face her mother’s disappointment, she marries a Haitian doctor and leaves the country with him in search of an autonomous life. She finds herself lonelier than ever on the tumultuous island in this immersive and unforgettable literary triumph.

NONFICTION

Grace & Steel: Dorothy, Barbara, Laura, and the Women of the Bush Dynasty, by J. Randy Taraborrelli

No matter the challenges related to power and politics, the women of the Bush dynasty always fought for equality in their marriages as they raised their children to be true to American values. Or, as Barbara Bush put it, “The future of this nation does not depend on what happens in the White House, but what happens in your house.” Taraborelli, the New York Times bestselling author, details the tragedy Barbara faced in burying her 3-year-old daughter, Robin, and her struggle with depression over the decades; the tragic night a teenage Laura Bush accidentally killed a good friend, a story she did not discuss publicly for decades; the affair that almost doomed George H.W.’s hopes for the presidency; and the tense relationship between Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush that culminated in an angry phone call during which Barbara told Nancy she would never speak to her again — and didn’t.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Peter Easter Frog, by Erin Dealey

Who says bunnies should have all the fun? Hippity Hoppity Pete the Easter . . . frog is here to help out the Bunny any way he can. A fun holiday story of kindness, sharing and friends with a few giggle-inducing surprises along the way. (Ages 2-4.)

Home Is in Between, by Mitali Perkins

When you are born in one place and raised in another, that’s when you’re in the “in between,” and as hard as it can be to learn a new culture and new rules and, well, new everything, it is quite the gift to be fluent in the language of two places. A fun immigrant story from the viewpoint of a middle-class child learning the ins and outs of being part of a whole new world.  (Ages 4-6.)

What’s Inside a Flower? by Rachel Ignotofsky

Not just your ordinary science book, What’s Inside is the book any budding wildlife biologist would want. Stunning illustrations teach not only parts of a flower, but also jobs flowers have and the way they interact with the world. The perfect book to welcome spring. (Ages 8-12.)

Ground Zero, by Alan Gratz

Told from the viewpoint of two teens on opposite sides of the globe, Gratz reframes the 9/11 story for the eyes and ears of young readers. This one is sure to be an instant bestseller. (Age 12 and up.)

The Valley and the Flood, by Rebecca Mahoney

When Rose’s car breaks down in the unique little desert town of Lotus Valley, Nevada, she feels a strong pull to a place where strange things seem to happen and a surreal prophecy is set to take place. A creative, fresh, and imaginative work of art. (Age 14 and up.) Review by Kaitlyn Rothlisberger.  PS

Compiled by Kimberly Daniels Taws and Angie Tally.

Bookshelf

February Books

FICTION

Milk Blood Heat, by Dantiel W. Moniz

A livewire debut novel that depicts the sultry lives of Floridians in intergenerational tales that contemplate human connection, race, womanhood, inheritance and the elemental darkness in us all. Set among the cities and suburbs of Florida, each story delves into the ordinary worlds of young girls, women and men who find themselves confronted by extraordinary moments of violent personal reckoning.

The Unwilling, by John Hart

Gibby’s older brothers have already been to war. One died there. The other, Jason, came back misunderstood and hard, and ended up in prison. After his release, and determined to make a connection with his brother, Jason coaxes Gibby into a day at the lake: long hours of sunshine, whisky and two older women. When one of the women is savagely murdered, suspicion turns to Jason; but when later the second woman is kidnapped, the police suspect Gibby, too. Determined to prove Jason innocent, Gibby must avoid the cops and dive deep into his brother’s hidden life. What he discovers is a truth more disturbing than he could have imagined. Crime fiction at its most raw.

The Four Winds, by Kristin Hannah

Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as drought grips the Great Plains. The crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. Elsa Martinelli — like so many of her neighbors — must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life. Written by the author of The Nightingale, Winds is an indelible portrait of America during the Great Depression as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.

The Nature of Fragile Things,
by Susan Meissner

Sophie Whalen is a young Irish immigrant so desperate to get out of a New York tenement that she answers a mail-order bride ad and agrees to marry a man she knows nothing about. Widower Martin Hocking is mesmerizingly handsome, but Sophie discovers hidden ties to two other women. The first, pretty and pregnant, is standing on her doorstep. The second is hundreds of miles away in the American Southwest, grieving the loss of everything she once loved. When the 1906 earthquake happens, they are all forever changed.

NONFICTION

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,
by Harriet Jacobs

A perfect book club selection, Incidents is the reissued autobiography of a woman born into slavery in Edenton, North Carolina. A compelling read in modern day, it was written between 1853 and 1858 and published in 1861 under the name Linda Brent.

Walk in My Combat Boots,
by James Patterson and Chris Mooney

These are the brutally honest stories usually shared only between comrades in arms. Here, in the voices of the men and women who have fought overseas from Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan, is a poignant look into what wearing the uniform, fighting in combat, losing friends and coming home is really like.

Romantics and Classics: Style in the English Country House, by Jeremy Musson

In this coffee table book featuring houses of the English countryside, Musson and photographer Hugo Rittson Thomas have assembled a stunning collection of charming homes that reveal a remarkable wealth of taste and style, ranging from classic to contemporary and bohemian. In addition to featuring homes like Haddon Hall, Smedmore, Court of Noke and The Laskett, the book includes essays expanding on the essential components of country style.

The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation,
by Anna Malaika Tubbs

In this groundbreaking debut, Tubbs celebrates Black motherhood by telling the story of Berdis Baldwin, Alberta King and Louise Little, who taught resistance and a fundamental belief in the worth of Black people to their sons, even when these beliefs flew in the face of America’s racist practices and led to ramifications for all three families’ safety. The fight for equal justice and dignity came above all else for the three mothers who pushed their children toward greatness.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

I’ll Love You Till the Cows Come Home, by Kathryn Cristaldi

Oh, my goodness, this is the sweetest thing — a perfect read-together that will make you want to cuddle with your favorite 3-year-old and share the yaks in Cadillacs and frogs on big-wheeled bikes. “I will love you till the cows come home, from a trip to Mars through skies unknown, in a rocket ship made of glass and stone . . . I will love you till the cows come home.” (Ages 1-4.)

The Beak Book, by Robin Page

Straining, sniffing, tossing, crushing, cooling, filtering, snapping — beaks are incredibly versatile, and the birds that own them wildly diverse. Budding ornithologists and nature lovers will enjoy learning about the wide world of birds and their beaks in this fun new title. (Ages 3-8.)

Bear Island, by Matthew Cordell

There is no one good way to get through a bad time, but after losing her best dog, Charlie, Louise retreats to a tiny island near her home, where her days are filled with warm sun, quiet animals and time — time to think and be and find a path forward. A lovely story of healing after loss from a picture book wizard. (Ages 3-6.)

The Cousins, by Karen McManus

Milly, Aubrey and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they’ve never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. When they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they’re surprised and curious. The longer the cousins are on the island, the more they realize how mysterious — and dark — their family’s past is. A fast-paced thriller for fans of Genuine Fraud or We Were Liars. (Age 14 and up.)  PS

Compiled by Kimberly Daniels Taws and Angie Tally.