Staff Picks
May/June
The Spellshop
by Sarah Beth Durst
As revolution rages in Alyssium and fire rips through The Great Library, librarian Keila and her assistant Kaz, a sentient spider plant, rush to save as many spellbooks as they can before they flee by boat to the outer islands of the kingdom. They end up on the island of Caltry, Keila’s birthplace, looking for sanctuary. No sorcerers have visited the island since the revolution began, and the island is dying. All Keila wants is to hide away in her parents’ old cottage and protect the spellbooks until she can return them, but the island needs magic, and Keila’s books hold the answers. Full of magical creatures, cinnamon rolls, and reuniting with the boy next door who has grown into a handsome merhorse herder, this cozy fantasy is full of adventure, humor, and finding that home and family are not always where you think.
– Lisa
The Wedding People
by Alison Espach
40-year-old Phoebe finds herself childless, divorced from her philandering husband, and in a dead-end academic career. Pushed to the brink of despair, she checks herself into a posh Newport, RI hotel with only the clothes on her back, intending to indulge in luxury for one day before killing herself. When she is mistakenly taken for a guest at the wedding being held there, she is drawn into the drama of 27-year-old bridezilla Lila, who has painstakingly planned the most perfect week of events leading up to the big day. The two women gradually become confidants and friends, sharing their secrets and vulnerabilities. Not only does Phobe not kill herself, she winds up being Lila’s maid of honor. Through helping Lila navigate her conflicting emotions and family dynamics, Phoebe realizes her own strength and ability to change her circumstances. Written with humor, heart, and hope, this book was a funny, uplifting read.
– Mary
The Briar Club
by Kate Quinn
This is the most recent book by the wonderful historical fiction writer of The Alice Network and The Huntress. The Briar Club takes place during the 1950’s McCarthy Era in Washington, DC. The club refers to a group of mostly women who live in a boarding house, and meet every Thursday evening for cooking and fellowship. The novel starts with a murder in the house, but the reader doesn’t know who the killer is or even who is murdered. Then each chapter tells the story of one of the women who live in the house. The Thursday night gatherings are hosted by Grace Marsh – the enigmatic tennant who lives in the attic. She brings together a diverse group of people: an elegant English woman raising a child alone, a police officer’s daughter who is dating a gangster, a former baseball star, an elderly Hungarian immigrant, and a supporter of McCarthy’s Red Scare. The book culminates in the discovery of who is murdered and who is the killer.
While it is a whodunit, The Briar Club is more a story of unconventional people coming together to celebrate food, community, and support.
– Noreen
This Girl’s a Killer
by Emma C. Wells
Cordelia Black kills bad men in her spare time. By day she is a pharmaceutical rep and by night she is capturing and subsequently killing men who anyone would consider monsters. She loves her designer clothes, her goddaughter, and her best friend. I don’t ever read thrillers, but a book about a woman serial killer ridding the world of men who do wrong? Sign me up. This was a fabulous debut with twists and turns and characters that you can’t help but root for (even if they are murderers). It ends on a cliffhanger so I look forward to seeing what comes next from this author.
– Myra
Ender’s Game
by Orson Scott Card
Earth is locked in a silent, looming war against an alien species known as the “buggers.” To prepare for what may be a final invasion, the world’s leaders begin recruiting and training gifted children to become military commanders. Among them is Andrew “Ender” Wiggin, no other child is like Ender, he is more than talented and he is believed to be humanity’s last hope. At just six years old, Ender is taken to Battle School, a space-based military academy where he’s pushed beyond his limits, manipulated, and isolated to shape him into the perfect commander. Though behind the games and simulations lie a darker truth, woven with political control, propaganda, and ethical ambiguity. Ender may be a child, but the fate of the world is placed squarely on his shoulders, and the cost of victory may be far more than he ever imagined.
– Anna
The Awakening
by Nora Roberts
Breen Kelly is a 26-year-old reluctant Middle School Language Arts Teacher in the city of Philadelphia. Breen struggles to make ends meet while drowning in student loans, and to top it off, she continues to work at a job she hates because her helicopter mother stressed that it’s all she’ll ever be good at. She has no self-esteem and allows herself to be forced into cleaning her wealthy mother’s apartment while she’s out of town. However, on one magical day, Breen finds out that her father didn’t completely abandon her and, in fact, has been sending her regular payments of life-changing money.
She discovers that the money was put into an account in her name, but also accessible by her mother. Breen immediately opens an account in her name only, transfers the money, and closes the original account. During the investigation, she learns that she has family still alive in Ireland. Breen has to be convinced by her best friend and roommate, Marco, to journey to Ireland together to search for her father. When she finally gets to Ireland she overwhelmingly feels like she’s found home. As she continues to search for her father she stumbles upon a portal to a magical land called Talamh where creatures such as elves, mermaids, witches, and dragons are real. It takes Breen a while to get used to the new world but luckily, she has the fierce and handsome warrior Keegan O’Brian to guide her through the evil dangers silently stalking her.
The Awakening is book one in a slow burn, epic fantasy trilogy, set in two different worlds. Nora Roberts expertly weaves character development, plot hooks, and romance together to create an unforgettable trip to Ireland. This book is definitely one to pick up if you are looking to immerse yourself into a world and forget your current troubles.
– Jenny
Our Wives Under the Sea
by Julia Armfield
What do you do when your wife returns from a deep-sea exploration mission completely changed? How do you support someone you love when they go through a unrelatable horrific event? In Our Wives Under the Sea, Miri is faced with these questions when her marine biologist wife, Leah, returns from a deep-sea mission gone wrong after several months. Stranded at the bottom of the ocean floor in a submarine with her co-workers, Leah emerges with new strange behaviors that Miri is unsure how to navigate. Despite the heartbreaking premise of feeling unable to help the ones you love, Armfield’s poetic writing style distorts and distracts the reader from reality which makes for a truly unique read.
– Reana