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Books to give for Christmas (of course, we also recommend checking them out from the library ;-)
This year, Christmas feels a little strange and isolated. But it also feel a little cozy. The first snowfall was absolutely beautiful and really got me into the Christmas spirit. As I try to avoid malls and busy stores, I have of course turned to online shopping like many of us. But somehow that just seems impersonal this year. After weeks of quarantining, ordering carry out, groceries from Instacart, and pretty much everything else in the world from Amazon, I’m ready to get back to basics for this year’s holiday. My daughter and I tried our hand at making candles (we definitely need to read up on this a little bit, as I watch one of ours smoke itself out), we have plans for many more cookie varieties than ever, and are drawn towards handmade gifts from Etsy and local stores.
In keeping with this, I am buying books as gifts for the first time in years! My teen/young adult kids don’t read as vociferously as they used to, and most of my family reads on a Kindle. But this year, it just feels right to go back to basics, hold a real book in my hands while I sip coffee by my Christmas tree and lights. My kids have watched pretty much everything Netflix, Hulu and Amazon have to offer, so I think I’m going to try and entice them to take an electronic break, relax on the couch with me to read a good book by the tree.
Here are a few titles coming out in December. Some of them haven’t been published yet, but what is more fun then preordering a book and knowing you will be one of the first to read it? Remember that our local retailers need you this year more than ever. So head to bookshop.org to get some of these new titles that promise to be keepers! They also offer gift cards if you just can’t choose ;-).
Simply thrilling
There’s no such thing as a perfect family. And it’s usually not wise to point that out.
Thriller, romance and fantasy, all rolled into one.
A debut thriller that asks one simple question, shouldn’t a dead husband stay dead?
On the lighter side
Quinn and Minnie share their day of birth, but their lives couldn’t be more different.
A dare and a crash course in flirting turn a frumpy college professor’s life upside down.
An anxiety-ridden introvert finds herself in the spotlight and decides to fake it til she makes it.
Different times and places
Stunning debut explores Afghanistan on the eve of a violent revolution.
A story of survival, loss and love, and the sisters who changed fashion forever.
A poor girl with dreams grows up in the shadow of Biltmore House, the palatial Vanderbilt mansion.
Readalikes for Tana French’s The Searcher
Another bestseller from the queen of psychological suspense, Tana French, which means another long wait on the holds list for her newest book The Searcher. And this one sounds like another knockout! Looking to start a new life in a small Irish village, former Chicago police officer Cal Hooper comes out of retirement to help find a missing kid and uncovers layers of darkness beneath his picturesque retreat. Find The Searcher on Overdrive here.
Look below to find some similar books that will scratch that suspense itch for you while you wait. Click any of the book covers below to be taken to our catalog, where you can request a copy of the book with your library card number and PIN. We’ve also included links to our e-media services Overdrive and Hoopla where available.
Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris
The friends of a seemingly perfect socialite couple begin to see cracks in the facade when they realize that the husband and wife are never apart and that there are bars on one of their upstairs windows.
Behind Closed Doors Overdrive link
The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
When a terrible crime committed on the night of a dinner party casts suspicion on a young couple who seemed to have it all, Detective Rasbach discovers that the panicked duo had been hiding dangerous secrets from each other for years.
The Couple Next Door Overdrive link
You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks
A lonely misfit with a dead-end job quietly envies a circle of popular sisters who hide dangerous vengeful truths beneath a veneer of friendship, glamour and accomplishments.
You Are Not Alone Overdrive link
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
Private detective Jackson Brodie finds his own need for resolution sparked by three investigations including those of two sisters who discover a shocking clue to the disappearance of their third sister thirty years earlier, a lawyer whose life is turned upside-down when his daughter joins the firm, and a woman whose past mistakes and demanding family life culminate in a violent escape.
The Suspect by Fiona Barton
Pursuing the story of two British teens who disappeared during a Bangkok hostel fire, journalist Kate Waters struggles to remain objective when her estranged son is declared a main suspect.
All plot summaries courtesy of Novelist.
Have you tried any of these authors? Do you have someone else you’d suggest as a readalike for Tana French? Let us know!
Virtual Book Club – All About Thanksgiving
While we may not be able to have the Thanksgiving we planned on this year, we can still celebrate the holiday by reading. We’ve curated a list of books about or set during Thanksgiving, and even a cookbook to give you that turkey and stuffing feeling.
However, we do want to mention that while Thanksgiving for most people is a holiday of family and togetherness, we are also including books on the troubled history of the holiday and what it means for the indigenous peoples of the United States. The holiday cannot be separated from its less-than-stellar history, and we want to acknowledge that.
Click any of the book covers below to be taken to our catalog, where you can request a copy of the book with your library card number and PIN. We’ve also included links to our e-media services Overdrive and Hoopla where available.
We Gather Together: A Nation Divided, a President in Turmoil, and a Historic Campaign to Embrace Gratitude and Grace by Denise Kiernan
Well-reviewed and timely, this new book tells the true story of one woman’s campaign to have an annual holiday of thanks added to the national calendar. Kiernan also chronicles the struggles of indigenous peoples, women’s rights activists, and abolitionists intertwined with the holiday.
We Gather Together Overdrive link
This Land is Their Land : the Wampanoag Indians, Plymouth Colony, and the Troubled History of Thanksgiving by David J. Silverman
Another book of history, this book tells the true story of Thanksgiving – not the sanitized tale that we were taught in elementary school. This is a book that forces the reader to reflect on the history of colonialism that was used to found this country, and to understand that impact today.
The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler
Nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, this bestselling book was adapted into an Oscar-winning movie. Meet Macon, a grief-stricken travel writer who hates travelling, and Muriel, a dog trainer who tries to teach him to be human again in this beautiful and heartbreaking love story.
The Accidental Tourist Overdrive link
Turkey Trot Murder by Leslie Meier
For the cozy mystery lover in all of us, try this Thanksgiving-themed murder mystery. Lucy Stone is the intrepid amateur investigator of all the murders that happen in the small town of Tinker’s Cove, and when she finds a woman dead in a local pond, she must find the killer before the turkey gets cold.
Turkey Trot Murder Overdrive link
Turkey Trot Murder Hoopla link
Thanksgiving : How to Cook It Well by Sam Sifton
Lastly, we’ve got a cookbook on how to cook the traditional Thanksgiving meal – turkey and all the trimmings. Don’t look for innovation here, but if you want to perfect your turkey technique, check out this quintessential Thanksgiving tome.
Thanksgiving: How to Cook It Well Overdrive link
We’ll see you on the other side of Thanksgiving – until next time!
Virtual Book Club – Beachy Reads for Winter
Despite what the weather outside may be telling us, it is in fact the winter season. The dropping temperatures plus the looming threat of another lockdown may have you dreaming of warmer climes, and you’re not the only one! Thank goodness books can take us away. Try any of the authors below to be whisked away to places where the temperature is hotter – whether that’s because of a beach setting or a hot romance.
Click any of the book covers below to be taken to our catalog, where you can request a copy of the book with your library card number and PIN. We’ve also included links to our e-media services Overdrive and Hoopla where available.
Alyssa Cole
Alyssa Cole writes smart, steamy historical and contemporary romances featuring an array of diverse characters. Her heroines are intelligent, independent women who have rich, full lives although are a bit reluctant to open their hearts to romance. The men who ultimately win them over are strong, thoughtful partners who respect the heroines and their choices. Her rich detail and intricate plots add depth and dimension as the characters find their way to happily ever after.
Start with An Extraordinary Union. Overdrive link. Hoopla link.
Barbara Delinsky
Barbara Delinsky began by writing contemporary Romances, but now writes fiction focused on contemporary women and their lives and relationships. Delinsky’s skillfully developed characters are central to her stories, as they struggle to resolve difficulties in their lives. Plots reflect universal themes, such as compromise and reconciliation, and there is a romantic tone throughout. Delinsky’s novels unfold at a leisurely pace, in part because they are set in small towns, as readers are pulled into these sensitive stories.
Start with: Sweet Salt Air. Overdrive link.
Jasmine Guillory
Jasmine Guillory writes modern romantic comedies featuring smart, capable heroines who excel in their careers and lead full lives surrounded by supportive friends and families. When a romantic partner enters the picture, the protagonists view the relationship as a life enhancement rather than a requirement, and the resulting relationship stars a pair who are on equal footing intellectually and emotionally. Guillory doesn’t shy away from examining the relatable issues her multicultural couples face but never sacrifices sexiness or humor.
Start with: The Wedding Date. Overdrive link.
Elin Hilderbrand
While Elin Hilderbrand’s characters change from novel to novel, her setting remains consistent – the historic island of Nantucket. Using the island as a jumping off point, Hilderbrand’s works offer the hallmarks of an ideal summer vacation read: romance, friendship, a beautiful setting, conflict and characters facing personal challenges. While rife with tales of people living privileged lifestyle, Hilderbrand grounds her stories in topics that will feel familiar to all women – love, illness, friendship, and family relationships.
Start with: The Rumor. Overdrive link.
Nancy Thayer
Nancy Thayer’s women’s fiction revolves around women’s families and friendships, and varies in tone from her more serious first novels to her sassy and humorous Hot Flash Club series. Her characters are realistic, everyday women, and she employs a sense of humor (from snappy to gentle) in her novels. There is often an element of romance as well.
Start with: Moon Shell Beach. Overdrive link.
Author information courtesy of Novelist.
Join us next week for another installment of the virtual book club!
What we’re reading now-
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
The Guest List is a psychological mystery/thriller. The main characters are the bride, the groom, the bridesmaid, the best man, the plus-one and the wedding planner. The novel takes place on an island off the coast of Ireland. The story begins on the eve of the wedding, and someone ends up dead. Many twists and turns throughout the story, and for me, a surprise ending. The mystery/thriller genre is not my wheelhouse, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Foley did a great job of describing a breath-taking setting, peppered with a full Irish cast of characters. The story moved at a quick pace, and I simply could not put the book down. Mary
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
I just started reading this book on the enthusiastic recommendation of a friend and am very much enjoying this weird and riveting story thus far. Written by one of Japan’s most highly regarded novelists, this book follows Toru Okada as he searches for his wife’s missing cat in a Tokyo suburb. He soon finds himself looking for his wife as well in a strange underworld that lies beneath the surface of Tokyo, full of odd and sometimes menacing people. I have no idea how this will end but look forward to getting there! Nicole
When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole
Sydney has lived in the same historically Black neighborhood since she was a little girl, knowing the same neighbors all her life, but gentrification is coming. Over the course of a week, neighbors mysteriously ‘move out,’ the greasy-spoon bodega changes hands to become a place that sells kombucha and wraps, and real estate agents knock on her door more and more aggressively to try to force her to sell her mother’s house. Sydney will discover that garden-variety gentrification isn’t the only thing in play, and that there are darker motives under the changes. This gentrification twist on the traditional thriller is a page-turning, suspenseful read as well as a biting social commentary. Shannon
The Last Great Road Bum by Hector Tobar
This novel is a fascinating amalgam of fiction and non-fiction featuring a real person, Joe Sanderson. Sanderson, raised in the traditional Midwest of the 1950s and expected to go to college and marry, instead became a globe-trotter, searching out locations where wars raged, so that he could experience a life of adventure and the makings of a great novel. Author Tobar acquired Sanderson’s writings and added fictionalized touches to Sanderson’s life, envisioning his childhood and why he made the choices that he did. Though his novel was never published, maybe Sanderson would see in Tobar’s work the novel that he envisioned. Dori
The Oracle Code by Marieke Nijkamp
I heard about this graphic novel when watching Comic-Con@Home 2020. A bunch of authors had a panel discussion about writing heroine characters in the Batman universe in the YouTube video Batgirls! Nijkamp is a writer who has lived in a wheelchair most of her life, so she brings real experience to the story of Barbara Gordon, Commissioner Gordon’s daughter. It is about teenage Barbara going to a rehabilitation center after being shot and adjusting to her new life in a wheelchair. In comics after The Killing Joke, Barbara, in her wheelchair, is often portrayed as becoming a librarian while secretly working as Oracle, providing intel to Batman. But here she is younger and trying to solve a mystery in her new temporary home where she feels so uncomfortable and has lost her sense of self. I’m enjoying artist Manuel Preitano’s style, including the childlike creepy ghost stories, and metaphors of jumbled puzzle pieces. Byron
Jane in Love by Robin Givney
You don’t need to be a Janeite to enjoy the story of Jane Austen traveling through time based on making an accidental wish to find her one true love. When Jane finds herself still in Bath, England but modern day, she’s stuck in a world she doesn’t understand without money or people to rely on. How did she get here and will she be stuck forever? If you want to consider the challenges of being a woman in 1803 vs. right now, or make some new fictional friends, this might be the book for you! Stacey
Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman
I just couldn’t wait to get my hands on the latest by Alice Hoffman and was not disappointed. This novel is a prequel to Hoffman’s popular 1995 novel Practical Magic and is set in 17th-century in England, Salem, Massachusetts, and New York City. It follows the life of Maria Owens, a foundling child who is rescued by Hannah Owens, a kind witch who raises Maria to practice “green magic” and teaches her to only use these powers to help and heal those in need. Unfortunately, the hardships Maria faces in her life allow her lose sight of these rules of magic, and she brings a curse upon her future generations with one impulsive move. This is a book about magic, love, family, injustice, history and best of all, witches, and it makes for a riveting read. Hoffman’s writing has only improved in the last 25 years and for this reader, Magic Lessons was even better than its sequel. Prepare to be spellbound. Carol
The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop by Fannie Flagg
I just checked out a copy of the new Fannie Flagg book, The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop. It’s the sequel to Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. The reviews are great and I’ve enjoyed reading other books by this author, and I look forward to reading this one. Emma
Virtual Book Club – Books to Take You to Another World
The past week has been stressful and hard on all of us, so I thought I’d put together a list of books that will sweep you away to another world. There’s something for everyone below: fantasy, historical fiction, literary fiction, and more. Any one of these books will hold you tight from the first page and won’t let go until the last one.
Click any of the book covers below to be taken to our catalog, where you can request a copy of the book with your library card number and PIN. We’ve also included links to our e-media services Overdrive and Hoopla where available.
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
This enchanting fantasy novel by the bestselling author of The Night Circus features a secret underground library on the edge of a vast sea. Zachary discovers a mysterious book in his college library which leads to the secret library, where he finds pirates, castles, and magic doors. Choose Morgenstern’s book to take you away to fairy land.
The Starless Sea Overdrive link
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Dive into the world of Shakespeare with this fictionalized account of Shakespeare’s wife, Agnes, and their son, Hamnet, who tragically died at 11. This lyrical and unique book will take you into the past and won’t let you go until the last page.
A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
Driven into exile by the Spanish Civil War, widowed, pregnant Roser and Victor, who is the brother of her deceased husband, flee to Chile on a ship. Allende’s bestselling, epic tale chronicles their lives and struggle as they wait to return to their beloved Spain.
A Long Petal of the Sea Overdrive link
The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin
In Jemisin’s latest novel, New York City has just been born as a sentient entity, and for each of its five burroughs, there is a person that represents it, plus one master avatar for the whole city. When cosmic horrors threaten the newly awakened city, the six avatars must come together to New York.
The City We Became Overdrive link
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Ishiguro imagines a world where certain children are kept at elite boarding schools and only allowed to see the outside world once they come of age. I don’t want to say too much about this one and spoil it – trust me when I say that you need to read it, it may make you cry, and you won’t be able to put it down.
Never Let Me Go Overdrive link
We hope one of these books will take on a journey to a different world. Join us next week for another virtual book club!
Readalikes for The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult
Any time a new Jodi Picoult book comes out is an event in the literary world. From My Sister’s Keeper to Small Great Things, Picoult is a perennial bestseller. You may have heard that a new book of hers came out last month called The Book of Two Ways – and of course when you tried to put a hold on it at the library, you’re very far down the list. Below we’ve curated some other introspective women’s novels that should keep you occupied while you wait for Picoult’s newest #1 New York Times bestselling book.
Heard of The Book of Two Ways but don’t know what it’s about? Your friendly librarians have got you covered: experiencing memories of a man other than her husband while surviving a plane crash, an end-of-life doula on the brink of a fateful decision envisions two disparate paths that find her staying with her family or reconnecting with the past. Find The Book of Two Ways on Overdrive here.
Click any of the book covers below to be taken to our catalog, where you can request a copy of the book with your library card number and PIN. We’ve also included links to our e-media services Overdrive and Hoopla where available.
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Feeling at the top of her game when she is suddenly diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, Harvard psychologist Alice Howland struggles to find meaning and purpose in her life as her concept of self gradually slips away.
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
No relation to the previous Alice, but this is another book about memory, forgetting, and examining one’s life. Suffering an accident that causes her to forget the last ten years of her life, Alice is astonished to discover that she is thirty-nine years old, a mother of three children, and in the midst of an acrimonious divorce from a man she dearly loves.
What Alice Forgot Overdrive link
Hausfrau by Jill Alexander Essbaum
Enduring private misery in spite of a well-appointed life in suburban Zurich with her distant Swiss banker husband and young children, Anna Benz experiments with unfulfilling hobbies before engaging in a series of surprising sexual affairs.
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Separated by respective ambitions after falling in love in occupied Nigeria, beautiful Ifemelu experiences triumph and defeat in America while exploring new concepts of race, while Obinze endures an undocumented status in London until the pair is reunited in their homeland 15 years later, where they face the toughest decisions of their lives.
Shadow Tag by Louise Erdrich
After she discovers that her husband has been reading her diary, Irene America turns it into a manipulative farce, while secretly keeping a second diary that includes her true thoughts, through which the reader learns of Irene’s shaky marriage, its affect on her children and her struggles with alcohol.
All plot summaries courtesy of Novelist.
Did you try one these books? What did you think? Let us know in the comments! Next week we’ll be back with another edition of the virtual book club!
Readalikes for Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Everyone fell in love with Fredrik Backman’s breakout #1 bestseller hit, A Man Called Ove, a few years ago. Backman’s back with a new #1 bestselling book called Anxious People which is taking the literary world by storm. Taken hostage by a failed bank robber while attending an open house, eight anxiety-prone strangers—including a redemption-seeking bank director, two couples who would fix their marriages and a plucky octogenarian—discover their unexpected common traits. Find Anxious People on Overdrive here (where there’s another long waiting list!).
While you wait for your precious hold to come in, take a look at these books with a similar feel that you can read while you wait!
Click any of the book covers below to be taken to our catalog, where you can request a copy of the book with your library card number and PIN. We’ve also included links to our e-media services Overdrive and Hoopla where available.
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
Gathering at a remote health resort for a 10-day fitness program, nine strangers and their enigmatic host become subjects of interest to a brokenhearted novelist who develops uncomfortable doubts about the resort’s real agenda.
Nine Perfect Strangers Overdrive link
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
Confined to a nursing home and about to turn 100, Allan Karlsson, who has a larger-than-life back story as an explosives expert, climbs out of the window in his slippers and embarks on an unforgettable adventure involving thugs, a murderous elephant and a very friendly hot dog stand operator.
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Overdrive link
The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick
A shy librarian whose kind heart is often exploited receives a mysterious book of fairy tales from the beloved grandmother she believed dead and embarks on a perspective-changing journey of astonishing family secrets.
The Library of Lost and Found Overdrive link
Night of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy
Four strangers, with nothing in common but a need to escape, meet in a Greek taverna high above the small village of Aghia Anna. From Ireland, America, Germany and England, they have each left their homes and their old lives, when a shocking tragedy throws them unexpectedly together.
Night of Rain and Stars Overdrive link
The Summer Guests by Mary Alice Monroe
Taking refuge on a friend’s farm when a hurricane threatens the Southern coast, an eclectic group of evacuees confronts unresolved issues in the face of excruciating losses, discovering new priorities along the way.
The Summer Guests Overdrive link
All plot summaries courtesy of Novelist.
Check back next week for another installment of the Virtual Book Club!
Virtual Book Club – Spooky Sci Fi and Fantasy Books
What better way to celebrate spooky season than reading some scary books? This time, instead of your standard haunted houses and paranormal happenings, we’re looking at mash-ups of horror with science fiction and fantasy.
Click any of the book covers below to be taken to our catalog, where you can request a copy of the book with your library card number and PIN. We’ve also included links to our e-media services Overdrive and Hoopla where available.
Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer
The Southern Reach trilogy is the creepy love child of science fiction and metaphysical horror. A group of women explore Area X, a mysterious, ever-expanding, and reality-warping region, where previous explorers have disappeared without a trace. Follow up this short book with the sequels, Authority and Acceptance.
The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling
Gyre Price lied her way to a caver position on a strange planet. As she plumbs the depths of the caves, she realizes that something is off. Her handler topside omits information as it suits her, supplies aren’t where they are supposed to be, and Gyre can’t shake the feeling that someone is following her in the dark.
The Luminous Dead Overdrive link
The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
Carolyn and a dozen other children being raised by “Father,” a cruel man with mysterious powers, begin to think he might be God, so when he dies, they square off against each other to determine who will inherit his library, which they believe holds the power to all Creation.*
The Library at Mount Char Overdrive link
The Red Tree by Caitlín R. Kiernan
After discovering an unfinished manuscript hidden in an old house, Sarah becomes obssessed with the subject of the work–an ancient oak on a desolate corner of the property– and risks both health and sanity to uncover its secret.*
The Changeling by Victor LaValle
Resolving to commit to marriage and parenthood unlike the father who abandoned him, Apollo Kagwa, who suffers from bizarre dreams, is shocked when his wife commits an act of astounding violence before disappearing, compelling Apollo’s odyssey through a world he barely understands.*
*Plot summaries courtesy of Novelist.
Check back next week for another installment of the Virtual Book Club!
Read it or Weep 