Staff Suggestions
Enjoy "browsing" our popular staff recommendations and feel as if you’re in the store talking to one of our knowledgable booksellers. Have fun, they’re addictive!
Leduc is back just in time for those who prefer a bit of mystery (and Paris) in their summer reading. Black delivers just the right balance of Aimee’s professional and personal life as she explores the underground world of Art, refugees and corruption, and small mistakes that snowball into catastrophes.
— Laura
You will want to give Dr. Mona a standing ovation when you finish this read. She took an informal conversation at a cookout to a valiant life-saving community crusade that reversed the recent water crisis in Flint, MI. Her voice and commitment to public health will forever resonate that clean drinking water is a worthy and downright heartwarming cause.
— Faith
Thirteen-year-old Jon loves Spider-Man and fluffernutters and his best friend Chloe. Then he gets kidnapped.
A bit of mystery, a heartbreaking love story, mix in a dash of Lovecraft, and great characters that you can empathize with. I loved watching Jon and Chloe grow up and discover themselves through this weird situation. Emotional, fascinating, mysterious, this story is completely addicting and I couldn't put it down!
— Lindsey
A thriller set on a private mountain nature preserve where bears start getting poached. Can the lone park caretaker fight off angry locals and the drug cartel from his past? A good modern thriller set in pristine Virginia forest land.
— Andrew
An excellent tale of a mermaid who comes to land for love, and lives a full life until her husband dies of old age. It is then that she is approached by an associate of P.T. Barnum. Having nothing else to live for, she agrees to work for him.
I really loved Amelia and her story – full of sadness, happiness, magic, and hope. A fun (truer) take on Barnum, but still wonderful for fans of The Greatest Showman who are looking for more.
— Lindsey
Is historical fantasy a thing? If it wasn’t before, it is now. Witchmark feels like a historical fiction set in WWI… but takes place in fantasy countries and has magic flowing through. I loved every minute of this slow burn mystery with elegant world building, fantastic characters, and really interesting magical elements
— Lindsey
An extraordinary debut that you will feel deep in your heart and soul. This book is about so much: balancing tradition with modern culture, parents’ reflections, sibling perception, forgiveness. However, it is mostly about family, love, acceptance, and growth. The connection with the characters is so genuine, it’s as though you’re part of their family.
— Lori
Wow! This is a unique, captivating story about a reality TV family. Essie is the daughter of an evangelical preacher who finds herself pregnant at 17. Imagine The Scarlet Letter meets The Duggers! A smart view of our celebrity-obsessed culture. Cancel your plans for the afternoon before starting the final chapters - you won't be able to stop reading until you learn the truth.
— Tricia
The final book of a brilliant trilogy, Kudos is a remarkable work of insightful and philosophical literature. While it's not necessary to have read Outline or Transit first, all three novels are well worth your time. Filled with conversations and interactions that are timely, enlightening, comical, and revealing of the very human differences of the characters involved, Rachel Cusk has constructed a masterful end to her thoughtful trio of novels.
-Kelly
Set in Japan in 2029, this almost sci- fi meets historical fiction novel looks at human and non-human relationships, who we trust and why and how we are still freshly dealing with scars of human history too deep and raw to be healed. All while we are plunging forward as fast as technology is taking us into an unknown future. How far will A.I. go and will humans ultimately have the soul to persevere? A look into the life of 110-year old Sayoko San, her Filipino nurse, and a Robot will give you a bit of Japanese and Tokyo history while framing the moral dilemmas of the future of artificial intelligence.
— Tonya
When life gives you lemons – or whatever you want to call it when your world starts crashing into you – what do you do? Well, you run away and hide of course. Somewhere you can be incognito (Greenwich, CT?), wear comfortable yoga pants everywhere (OMG is that an elastic waist!!), and hopefully it will all sort itself out soon – or not. A hilarious look at how Social Media and Fake News can take its toll, but never fear – Emily Charlton, our favorite bad-ass PR agent will take care of everything!
— Bella
Although WWII officially ended in 1945, for many, the war stayed with them for the rest of their lives and impacted those surrounding them. The Lost Family does an outstanding job at showing the carried grief of the atrocities committed during WWII. From the very first to the very last page I was captivated by Blum’s characters, narratives, and plot. This book is a must-read for historical fiction, romance, and realistic fiction lovers!!
— Bella
Set in the sultry Atlanta summer of 1962, this novel is based around the aftermath of true events- the crash of Air France Flight 007 at Orly Airport in Paris, a plane filled with the city's wealthiest and most art-oriented residents. Told through a wide range of characters, whose lives intersect in increasingly interesting ways, Hannah Pittard weaves a spellbinding account of how those left behind dealt with the monumental loss Atlanta faced in a time filled with remarkable excesses and evolving tensions. A perfectly fascinating summer read.
— Kelly
Gertrude Stein once dismissed Oakland, CA, saying, “There is no there, there.” After reading this book, I disagree! Through various characters in the story, we come to understand that the term “Native American” isn’t so easily defined. At the Big Oakland Powwow, the climax of the book, these characters overlap—some intentionally and others by chance. This book is intended to make you think! I felt pain, joy, heartache and much more.
— Lori
This unforgettable story offers incredible insight into the angst of teens and family. At the center of the story is an evil, power-hungry manipulator, but it still manages to be the kind of feel-good story that will make you feel like your heart is going to explode – but in a good way! Fierce loyalty, friendship, kindness, compassion – this one has it all.
— Barb
Gaby, a young boy living in Burundi, wants nothing more than to spend his days playing with friends and messing around in the neighborhood just like any kid would. He is not ready to give up his childhood when his country is faced with war and mass genocide. At just eleven years old, Gaby is forced to accept that the days of stealing mangos and playing cards are ending and his idea of ‘home’ is about to change. Small Country, Faye’s first novel, captivated my emotions and thoughts as it shows the small period of peace in Rwanda and Burundi transform into unimaginable chaos, violence, and terror through a young boy’s perspective.
— Bella
Would you pretend to be someone else to claim an inheritance? What could possibly go wrong? Enter this house full of dark secrets and find out!
— Julie
Using the age-old excuse of “I have to work” to skip out of an invitation to his ex-boyfriend’s wedding, we follow Arthur Less as he attends as many literary events – some obscure, others questionable – as he can possibly fit in until the wedding date passes and he is free to move forward. Slapstick funny and touching at the same time, we follow our bumbling hero around the world until, in an attempt to start over, he ends up where he began and finds the truth cannot be outrun.
— Terri
Welcome to the Sisterhood of the Traveling Backstabbers! For fans of “The Housewives of (fill in the blank)” here is an inside look at what might really be going on behind the scenes and in the heads of the participants in any of our favorite reality shows. Funny, irreverent, and timely, this is a great read for anyone.
— Terri
This is a tender novel of friendship and heartache, and although it may seem small, it packs a huge emotional punch. Vibrantly written, you'll feel as though you're standing with the characters at a storefront in Oxford at Christmastime, or in the middle of a field of sunflowers in the south of France. Tinged with a palpable sense of sadness and loss, this beautiful work is ultimately hopeful and achingly human and will make you consider all the different ways there are to love someone.
— Kelly
Ondaatje’s vivid characters, intricately woven and suspenseful plot, and grasp of a young man’s desire to understand himself through his parents’ secretive pasts creates a spellbinding masterpiece. Every page has a memorable quote, a symbol worth underlining, a theme worth taking to heart.
— Andie
Ondaatje’s vivid characters, intricately woven and suspenseful plot, and grasp of a young man’s desire to understand himself through his parents’ secretive pasts creates a spellbinding masterpiece. Every page has a memorable quote, a symbol worth underlining, a theme worth taking to heart.
— Andie
I enjoyed the sharp wit and wry humor of this gracefully written novel – finding myself laughing aloud, following David and Julia as they create new lives from the bones of their shared past while facing the reality of what their futures hold.
— Terri
We have all read stories of terminal illness, the challenge of the single parenting, foreign travel, and unexpected love; but when put together as Isaac has, this story reminds the reader of the most important aspects of everyday life and how to live it. Wonderful characterizations, settings and humor with a few tears.
— Andie
This is for anyone who’s ever dreamed of running off to the circus but didn’t have the courage to do it. Tessa Fontaine’s story of defying death by performing death-defying acts invokes a can’t-look-away feeling and provides us with a life-affirming stand-off against fear in the country’s only traveling sideshow. I read every word and still couldn’t put it down once I was done.
— Terri
Paula McLain depicts the life-span of the love affair between Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn, who became a noted war journalist in her own right. Hemingway's competitiveness with his wife and her trail-blazing role as journalist/novelist in the 1930's and 40's is a revelation. The narrative will bring you inside Spanish buildings being bombed, and the sharp dialogue and historical details will engage you immediately. Enjoy the ride!
— Barb
Sammy is a (not quite so innocent) bartender thrown into a weird and dangerous situation in this new favorite from Christopher Moore! NOIR perfectly balances sweet characters, film noir style and lingo, and Moore's trademark humor. In short, I loved it. It may actually be in my top 5 favorite Chris Moore books. I fell in love with nearly all the characters in this book, and I didn't always know where it was going in the best way.
— Lindsey
From an early age Carol has fallen into comas so dangerously deep that doctors can barely detect a heartbeat. Now her husband has concocted a dastardly plan to have Carol buried alive! Is there no one who can save her? Mr. Malerman has already proven himself to be an original thinker (see his first novel “Birdbox”) and now he has outdone himself! Check out this Poe worthy story set in the old West.
— Mary T..
Yes, I was afraid of what former Sec. of State Albright knows about the strength of a Fascist pulse in the U.S. that the rest of us are oblivious to. What I found was her first-hand knowledge of living under Fascist rule in Europe as a child and her later political experience dealing with Fascist rulers after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Her commentary on Pres. Trump’s brash foreign policy practices are downright nervy, but well documented. Most importantly, Sec. Albright courageously advises how to heed the warning signs of Fascism.
— Faith
Escape to the North Fork of Long Island for the perfect summer read. Imagine a beautifully restored house on the water that you have to rent out each summer to make ends meet. On top of that add a wealthy renter who's ready to take over so much more than the house. Fans of Adriana Trigiani and Cathleen Schine will love this witty, touching, funny and revengeful story.
— Barb
Reminiscent of John Steinbeck’s best work, West is a small-scale American epic that poetically explores destiny and empire, displacement and rebirth. What initially seems to be a fairly typical Western proves to be much, much more, as satisfying narrative depths lurk beneath the surface of its familiar story.
West is a monument to the possibilities of fiction—and it may very well be a masterpiece.
— Brian
This incredibly honest memoir recasts anxiety as an opportunity to live life with fullness and meaning. Wilson uses her own experience as a starting point, then expands her exploration with philosophy, scientific research and on-point interviews to create a valuable and readable resource for all. If you suffer from anxiety, or love someone who does, or if you are interested in a richer understanding of how we interact with our world, this book is for you.
— Laura
A hard-hitting collection from the US Poet Laureate. At once vulnerable and empowered, it forces us to reckon with our country's fraught history and reconcile it with the injustice and inequality of today. The poems she created by splicing letters written by former slaves and by erasing parts of the Declaration of Independence are especially moving -- and especially haunting.
— Ethan
If you fell in love with Leslie Jamison's compassion and care in her collection of essays "The Empathy Exams," you will not be disappointed by her latest work. While delving into her own struggles with addiction she also draws many correlations between creativity and addiction. She chronicles the works and the habits of everyone from Billie Holiday to David Foster Wallace, offering keen insights into the daily struggles and the role that these struggles played in their creative mediums. Part cultural history and part memoir, this book is perfect for anyone who is seeking something thought-provoking.
— Mandy
After a long and dreary winter, this fresh, bright cover drew me in. I wondered, "What could this book possibly be about?" Inspiring, humorous, and highly readable, it is about hopes and dreams -- and will make you think about social class and discrimination. This gem will teach you that we can all overcome challenges once we learn to believe in ourselves. Quite simply, this book will make you happy!
— Tricia
If you adore the 1968 sci-fi masterpiece as much as I do, then you're going to devour this book. Yes, Kubrick's genius was and still is unparalleled, and Clarke's prescience was remarkable, but this book is really about the astonishing depth of collaboration between each and every member of the cast and crew -- from the lowly errand boy to the groundbreaking special effects team. Fascinating and inspirational, Space Odyssey pays tribute not only to one of the best movies ever made, but also to the act of creation itself.
— Brian
Father to a young daughter and husband to a wife pregnant with twins, Kif Kehlmann is also a struggling, penniless writer desperately looking for a break. So when notorious con man and convicted white-collar criminal Siegfried Heidl asks Kif to ghostwrite his tell-all memoir, Kif lunges at the opportunity. But Kif’s hopeful excitement quickly turns to fear as the dark and disturbing truth of Heidl’s past reveals itself. As Kif slowly loses his grip on reality and is consumed by paranoia and self-doubt, the story feverishly crescendos to a chilling conclusion. Richard Flanagan, blending his characteristically stunning prose with a palpable sense of danger found in the best thrillers, has crafted an emotional, darkly comic parable for our age of alternative facts.
— Brian
The Road to Unfreedom reads like an intellectual true crime novel. Snyder masterfully connects the dots from Russia to Ukraine to Brexit to EU to the US elections, and from Putin to Russian intelligence to Facebook to Twitter to Trump. This well-researched contemporary history explains how our world has lost its way and provides a road map to getting back on track.
— Jamie
I've been this car pool mom! And, like the main character, Frances, I've seen/overheard/learned many neighborhood secrets. Things are not always as perfect as they seem behind the picket fences!
Take the turn and drive through this neighborhood. It's a smart entertaining view of friendship, parenthood and marriage.
— Tricia
What would you do if you woke up one day with 108 predictions in your head? What would you do when they started to come true?
Will Dando is an everyday guy living in New York City when this happens to him. To say too much about what exactly Will does with these predictions would ruin it, but I will say that this book and its characters hooked me immediately and didn't let go. I loved seeing how even the smallest, seemingly insignificant prophecy came true… no matter what. Fantastic, a must read for 2018.
— Lindsey
Funny, poignant and suspenseful! A story of two actors and their public break-up, their private soul-searching on a remote, tropical island; and one thrilling ending. For fans of Where'd You Go Bernadette. What would you do for love? Enjoy a break from the news and get lost in this jungle.
— Barb
Is Anna Anderson an impostor or the Russian Grand Duchess....Anastasia Romanov? Between 1918 and 1970, in Russia, Germany and Virginia; Lawhon makes you feel sympathetic toward the incredibly rich Tsar and his family, while understanding the plight of the Bolshevik Revolution. Stay focused, read to the very last thrilling page and decide for yourself. An exciting new take on an intriguing story!
— Barb
Elegantly written and extremely insightful of the human condition, The Balcony dives deeply into the lives of the residents of a manor house and caretaker’s cottage located in a tiny village near Paris. Over the course of 100 years, this compelling narrative examines the internal lives, motivations and life choices of the residents through a series of interconnected stories.
— Marlene
A creative retelling of Circe’s story, woven from hints & threads pulled from Greek mythology. A beach backdrop would add a fabulous sensory dimension to this engaging and thought-provoking tale, making it a great summer read!
— Laura
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