Greetings! I’m Courtney, the Assistant Library Director. So many times we hear or read about popular books that are always on the New York Times bestsellers list, and many great reads get lost in the mix. So here are some suggested titles in fiction and non-fiction you may not have heard about, or you may have forgotten you want to read, which happens to the best of us! All of these are available on our digital collection, OverDrive, so be sure to add them to your list!
This was such a fun and fast read! It’s difficult to describe in a few short sentences. This murder mystery takes place in the 1920s. The only way I can describe it is that it’s a darker Clue (with Tim Curry) mixed with a bit of time loop like Groundhog’s Day (with Bill Murray). This book has won a multitude of awards, which is quite a feat considering that this is the author’s debut novel.
You probably put this one on your to-read list when it came out in 2004, but either forgot about it or looked at the size of it and put it back down. Now is the time to tackle it! This book took me nine months to finish--yes, an entire human gestation period! This was one of my favorite books of 2018. If you love history and biographies, this is a must-read! If you want to see the musical inspired by the book when it comes back around the Fort Worth/Dallas area, be sure to read it first!
Sisters First by Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush
Your political beliefs are not likely to influence whether or not you enjoy this book by former first daughters, Jenna and Barbara Bush. This 2017 book is full of personal stories and reflections about life in the public eye, their love for their grandparents, and all the highs and lows in their family’s dynasty. The sisterly bond is strong with these young women. This was enjoyable as an audiobook because the two sisters read it themselves. Bonus: The foreword is by their mother, Laura Bush.
Before John Legend and Chrissy Tiegen, there was Ina and Jeffrey. If you’re like me and love watching someone else cook, Ina is always a calm joy to watch. If you’ve got some time to spend in the kitchen, why not hone your cooking skills a bit and try some recipes Ina enjoys cooking for her husband, Jeffrey? You’ll be saying in no time, “How easy is that?”
A recession takes Clay Jannon from a web-design job to working in a book store for Mr. Penumbra. It’s curious to Clay that no one ever seems to buy anything in the book store. Is the store a front to something stranger or illegal? Find out in this literary adventure. This story is for everyone, from book lovers to tech geeks!
This is a short story you might’ve read in high school or early years of college, but as one matures, I always think it’s best to revisit such poignant works of literature. Diagnosed with being “hysterical” after the birth of her baby, her physician husband locks her up in an upstairs room with yellow wallpaper. The yellow wallpaper surrounding her becomes an obsession. Based on the authors’ own experiences, this is a chilling feminist tale of a woman being driven to the brink of insanity.
I love books, shocking, I know! But I really love reading books about books! A.J. Fikry is having a hard time with life at the moment. His wife died, his book store is not doing so well, and his rare collection of Poe poems have been stolen. Can a mysterious package that lands on his doorstep change his life? Find out in this enjoyable quick read.
Courtney K.
Assistant Library Director