Staff Choices

Renaissance Italy is a world resplendent with art and beauty, but it also can be a harsh world for women. Lucrezia de Medici, the daughter of a grand duke is forced into an unwanted marriage at a very young age. The groom, Alfonso, head of a nearby kingdom, seems to have several sides to his sometimes charming, but eventual ruthless personality. On her wedding day, Lucrezia has been warned by his sister about what her husband is capable of, and as time goes on her suspicions are confirmed. As Lucrezia is forced to sit for a formal portrait, the tension is felt by all those around her. Trouble brews in the kingdom as everyone waits for an heir to be born to solidify the Ferranese dynasty. Lucrezia reaches out to her family for help, but they dismiss her fears. 

The award winning Hamnet showed us the brilliant writing style of Maggie O'Farrell. She astounds with her depth of character and her remarkable sense of setting and place. I for one, felt completely transformed to 1550 Florence, and was kept on the edge of my seat as the plot unfolded. It is an unforgettable story of the strength and resilience of the powerless in the face of the powerful. The Marriage Portrait will stay with you long after you put it down.

I originally saw the Plated Prisoner series on TikTok and was swayed when it was touted to cure an A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) hangover. While I wouldn’t say I was suffering from a SJM hangover having finished that series several months ago, I heartily agree with that claim.  For those that love ACOTAR, and the From Blood and Ash series, this is the one for you (there are hints of both here). It did take me a bit to get into this series, the first book was by far the slowest for me, however world building and character development really benefit from the pace to start. 

Gild is written in first person POV from the main character Auren, the gold-touched favored of King Midas, who is kept in a gilded cage within the palace. Midas rules the Sixth Kingdom of Orea, each kingdom only being able to be ruled by those with magical abilities. Keeping in line with the story of Midas, gold touch is his power. Subsequent novels are written from multiple POV which is helpful once things move out of a singular location. 

These books are full of strong female leads, magic, fae, beasts, secrets, betrayals, triumphs, politics and romance. 

This is an adult dark fantasy romance series.

This is my first time reading Dan Chaon,  The writing is easy, accessible and intelligent. It takes place sometime in the future where there doesn't seem to be a rule of law. The main character, Billy and his trusty dog, Flip traverse the country doing jobs for his mysterious boss. Along the way, his burner phones start ringing and it is a young woman that claims to be his daughter. You don't know who to believe or trust but you tag along for the ride. And what a ride it is! This book is part Mad Max part Elmore Leonard. It's all adventure story. I think it would make a great movie. I do feel it dragged in places but the writing is so smart, I kept with it. It's witty and funny.

The Narrowboat Summer is a delightful surprise. Three women, at pivotal moments in their life, happen to meet by chance because of a barking dog. It is decided that two of them, Sally and Eve, will navigate Anastasia's narrowboat through England's canal system for repairs. A great deal of trust is placed upon each of them as they embark on this adventure through the lock and dam waterways including some long, dark tunnels. As they travel, they meet some eclectic people that recognize Anastasia's boat, and befriend a few of them, too. I was so intrigued by this aspect of the story that I discovered there really is an entire community of people who live this lifestyle, periodically moving their watercraft, exploring new locales. This is a gentle story of fresh beginnings, self-reflection, friendship, humor, kindness, pushing yourself to your limits and finding out what is important to you.

This book is for fans of author Anne Youngson's previous novel, Meet Me at the Museum, and will also appeal to readers who enjoy reading a story that proceeds at a more languid pace.

Sea of Tranquility is another haunting, elegiac novel from the gifted Emily St. John Mandel, that pairs well with her previous work, The Glass Hotel. But Sea of Tranquility, unlike some of her prior novels,  is a true science fiction work, with time travelers, hovercrafts, and moon colonies. It is also very much a novel of Covid-19, as the theme of epidemics recurs throughout the book.
As the author plays with the idea of the time/space continuum, we meet various characters in different centuries (including female author Olive Llewelyn who seems suspiciously like St. John Mandel herself). They are all connected by a disturbing, inexplicable event...and how this fits together unfolds quite brilliantly through the course of the novel.
Despite all the scientific and technological advances of the future, the novel focuses more on the frailty of humans. Diseases can still wipe out huge numbers of the population, mothers still imagine the unspeakable horror of losing a child, petty jealousies still exist between authors. And despite warnings from his shadowy employers, one time traveler with a conscience can decide to save a life, even if it can significantly alter the course of the future.

As Serena Williams closed out her professional tennis career at the US Open this month, I finished listening to Taylor Jenkin Reid’s newest novel, Carrie Soto is Back. I am not a huge tennis fan, but I can appreciate the immense time and heart that goes into being a professional athlete. Reid tells the story of Carrie Soto, a fierce competitor who is determined to win at any cost. She is not well liked, but by the time she retires, she is the greatest player the world has ever seen.  She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father as her coach. At 37 years old, Carrie makes the shocking decision to come out of retirement in an attempt to reclaim her record. Her comeback is grueling, as she fights her body’s limitations, her competitor’s youth, her critics, and most significantly her doubts.  This story is not just about tennis, but also about a father’s and daughter’s love for one another and various life lessons.

The audiobook was immersive and brought the characters to life. It gave me the sense that I was there with Carrie on her journey to greatness. Taylor Jenkins Reid continues to enlighten me with her characters in unique situations and has cemented herself as one of my all-time favorite authors.

With estrangement, death, an audio recording full of family secrets as well as orders to share a small black cake in the freezer, you have the beginnings of an intriguing story. Before Eleanor Bennett died, her children thought they knew everything there was to know about their rich Caribbean family history. That is until they start listening to the truths unravel, and secrets unfold on the recording she created.

Her daughter Benny and son Bryce struggle to make sense of her complicated past. The cake itself plays an important role in helping them rediscover their family, their history and their culture. Eleanor has always found solace with the knowledge that she can remember the recipe for black cake, the only thing she has left of a tumultuous childhood. Charmaine Wilkerson uses the cake as a way to dig deeper in to the essence of Caribbean heritage and the multi-cultural histories that abound.

Black Cake is a stellar debut novel with rich characters, fast paced scenes and a beloved family recipe that all come together to remind us of the layers that fall in place to create a family history

Joe Ide , bringing  Philip Marlowe to present day L.A in an entertaining mystery.  The mystery is full of some well rounded charactors and some cardboard ones chasing all over Southern California to find laundered money, a kidnapped child, Russian mobsters, Armenian  thugs, a spoiled has been movie actress, a non recovering alcoholic and more. This book is a three ring circus of plots, subplots and side plots. A kitchen sink of tropes...and it all works! A fun read that will have one nostalgic for the time when books were fun.

Last Summer on State Street by Toya Wolfe was an eye-opening account of a young girl’s summer living in the Chicago projects as they were being torn down around her. Wolfe describes the atmosphere of living in the housing projects of Chicago in 1999 with raw emotion. It’s a realistic depiction of what occurs in the inner city, from the poverty, the gangs, the violence, and everything else many struggle with on a daily basis. The main character, Fe Fe, and her friends learn to navigate the system as best they can. Their friendships are fragile, and their fear is evident as they are thrown into many life altering choices. This 224-page book packs a punch with its realistic, yet violent, story. I love that Wolfe shares in the similarity of her main character, as a strong female who made it out of the Robert Taylor Homes.

Reading this book had me Googling photos and videos to find out more about the Chicago projects. This short, yet moving novel, will stick with you and would make for a hearty book discussion.

Something very unusual has happened. Overnight, all around the world every adult age 22 and older has received an identical box with a length of string inside. Inscribed on each box is the phrase: "The measure of your life lies within." No one knows what it means. Is it a test? What do the different length of the strings mean? Should people open their box or ignore it? Of course, human nature, being what it is, creates its own intended and unintended consequences including deceit, broken trust, dashed hopes, discrimination,political maneuvering as well as a resurgence in exploring what is really important. The story is told through the point of view of the main characters via their own chapters, piecing their stories together. Their relationships and connectedness are what really appealed to me. Each character's reactions and interactions advance the story. By chance, two of them begin corresponding with each other anonymously through hand-written notes left inside a classroom. My favorite phrase in the novel is on page 276. "We are all strung together." 

The Measure by debut author Nikki Erlick is a reaction to something unexplained, raising many questions with parallels to issues in the world today. I think this is a good title for book discussion groups and will spark thought-provoking conversation.