The Magnificent Ruins by Nayantara Roy

07 Tuesday Jan 2025

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2024 debut author! Roy is a master storyteller with believably super-flawed characters right out of the gate. I will be breathlessly waiting for her next book!

“The Magnificent Ruins gripped me from the first page and moved me to tears on the last. A wise, beautiful and haunting story about difficult mothers and daughters, the complications of family life, and redefining the meaning of home, this novel will stay close to my heart for a long, long time to come.”―Thrity Umrigar, bestselling author of Honor and The Museum of Failures

“Shakespearean in scope and cinematic in vision, The Magnificent Ruins is a rare feast of a novel about the power, burden, and gift of inheritances both concrete and intangible. I read it with hunger—absorbed by Lila De’s story, invested in her family’s dynamics, and craving complete immersion in the colors, flavors, and politics of the complex Kolkata they call home—and finished it utterly satisfied. Nayantara Roy writes as her heroine lives: with courage and devotion, intelligence and skill.”―Rachel Lyon, author of Fruit of the Dead and Self-Portrait with Boy


“The Magnificent Ruins utterly transported me to the Lahiri family’s Kolkata. I felt as though I were occupying a room in their house, bearing witness to its fading glory, the political unrest beyond its gates and—most vividly—the tangle of relatives whose complicated love is at the heart of the story. Nayantara Roy brings these characters to life with such humanity and conviction that I believed they were real, and I missed them intensely when I reached the end.”  ―Sheila Sundar, author of Habitations

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The Teachers: A Year Inside America’s Most Vulnerable, Important Profession by Alexandra Robbins

30 Monday Dec 2024

Posted by in anecdotes, case studies, Non-fiction, United States

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Interesting insight about the modern world of education and obstacles that educators face, including hardships experienced during the pandemic. 

“This deeply researched and impressive study brings home the fact that America underinvests in the education of its children—and that teachers step in to fill the gaps.”—Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW)

“As a parent, I wonder about what my child’s teachers might be really going through. In The Teachers, the answer is by turns inspiring, heartbreaking and maddening. Robbins pulls back the veil on the lives of the teachers shaping who our kids are becoming — and the system that so often undermines their efforts. This book will not only make you smarter about the state of American teachers, but it will ignite you to act. Through the eyes of the teachers we come to know intimately in this book, the Teachers will change the way you think about American education.” —Rachel Simmons, national bestselling author of Odd Girl Out

“Nonfiction to read this spring…. “Teachers” reads like a great liberal arts lesson, with plenty of research to back up the book’s implications.” —The New York Times

“The Teachers is a must read… It’s an extraordinary work that combines broad scope, tight focus, telling details, and the voices of dozens and dozens of actual teachers.”—Forbes

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Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

23 Monday Dec 2024

Posted by in fantasy, Fiction, suspense

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After her son stabs someone, Jen wakes up the next morning to find she has gone back in time. Each subsequent day brings her further into her past as she tries to solve the mystery of how her son and husband are connected to this crime. This was a page turner with great characters and suspense.

“Gillian McAllister [is] one of my favorite authors working in the genre. McAllister is the best at putting her characters in impossible situations and making her readers not only contemplate but feel what it would be like to find themselves in those situations.”— Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“It’s perfection, every word, every moment. A masterpiece . . . I had my mind blown apart. After I finished it, I sat with my mouth hanging open in awe. One of the best books I’ve ever read.”  — Lisa Jewell, #1 New York Times Bestselling author

“A brilliantly genre-bending, mind-twisting answer to the question How far would you go to save your child?”  — Ruth Ware, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“A high-concept mash-up of different genres that transcends its wackadoodle premise with an affecting portrayal of a family careening toward crisis… But the science isn’t the point of this twisty book by a writer with a fine grasp of the subtleties of familial dysfunction. The story becomes unexpectedly tender as Jen moves further back in time, in awe of the youth she let slip by so easily, and shocked by how much she did not know.” — New York Times 

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How to Read a Book: a Novel by Monica Wood

11 Wednesday Dec 2024

Posted by in Fiction, Humor, romance, United States

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“Monica Wood’s engaging novel of fresh starts follows Violet, a 20-something woman fresh out of prison; Harriet, a retiree who leads a book club inside the women’s prison; and Frank, the retired machinist whose wife was killed in the hit-and-run for which Violet served time. Shot through with clever asides and spiky feelings, the story ponders trust, reformation, and forgiveness.” — Christian Science Monitor

“Gorgeously told…A finely wrought story, with deeply memorable characters.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Told with compassion and empathy, Wood’s tender novel explores the ways people can surprise themselves and others. A deeply humane and touching novel; highly recommended for book clubs and fans of Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures.” — Booklist

“A young female ex-con, a widower who was collateral damage, and a woman who runs the prison bookclub—three indelible voices (and let’s not forget one extraordinary parrot’s), remind us that life is full of mysteries, and sometimes the ones we believe are unsolvable as the ones that might save us. About second chances (our lives need not be apologies), the weight of forgiveness, our bond with our books, and the stubborn way love can make us see a world shining with mercy, Wood’s new novel is both incandescent and unforgettable.”   — Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of With or Without You and Pictures of You 

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Eruption by Michael Crichton and James Patterson

04 Wednesday Dec 2024

Posted by in adventure, detective, Fiction, mystery, suspense, thriller, United States

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After Michael Crighton’s death in 2008, his wife, Sherri, knowing how special her husband’s notes and unfinished manuscript were, waited until she found the right author to complete it.  The result is the history-making eruption of Mauna Loa about to destroy the Big Island of Hawaii. But a secret held for decades by the US military is far more terrifying than any volcano. (Amazon)  – prepare for 116 hours of nail-biting suspense.

“Explosive…The action scenes will make readers’ eyes pop as the tension continues to build…Red-hot storytelling.”―Kirkus, starred review

“Eruption is so much more than just a great read. It combines the impeccable research and scientific knowledge that Crichton consistently infused into everything he wrote with the breakneck suspense of a James Patterson novel… A wild ride that takes no prisoners.”―Bookreporter

“Eruption is extraordinary……Michael Crichton and James Patterson have come together to create a novel that is as thrilling and jaw-dropping as Jurassic Park. Every page of this novel features the best gifts of two writing giants. Full of suspense, frighteningly real and absolutely unforgettable.” ―Don Winslow, #1 internationally bestselling author of The Cartel and City on Fire

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You Are Here: a Novel by David Nicholls

27 Wednesday Nov 2024

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A witty, touching love story. The writing is magnificent: taut and vivid. I was so happy while I was reading it and now I’m bereft. Gorgeous.” — Marian Keyes, internationally bestselling author of Rachel’s Holiday

“Captivating [and] flawless. . . . Sharp-tongued and irresistible.” — New York Times Book Review

“I finished this novel in two breathless sittings, as invested in its outcome as I would be in the happiness of a friend. This is the magic of You Are Here: warm, generous and funny, it invites readers into the world of Marnie and Michael with the promise that everyone is welcome, and that choosing happiness and being courageous in any small way we can is always possible. I loved this book.” — Kaliane Bradley, author of The Ministry of Time

Oh this book! What’s better than rooting for two shy, once-burned characters to recognize that love is within reach? I stopped often to reread and savor its sparkling, wry sentences. You Are Here is both up-to-the-minute and old-fashioned in the best way: sharp, yet so very kind, funny, and bittersweet.” — Elinor Lipman, bestselling author of Ms. Demeanor

“A stunning, funny, frank and beautiful look at loneliness, friendship, and the risks taken to love and be loved. In a career of standout books, You Are Here takes its place at the top. David Nicholls is my favorite writer.” — Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of We Begin At The End

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The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjam Kamali (local author, Lexington, Mass.)

22 Friday Nov 2024

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There are some friendships in novels one can never forget – Ellie and Homa superbly qualify. Told with the tumultuous back drop of Iran in the 1960’s and its drastic impact on women especially. I loved this book!

“In The Lion Women of Tehran, Marjan Kamali brings to life the beauty and tragedy of Iran in the 1960s. From the delicious scent of spices simmering, to the colors of the bazaar, to the snowflakes landing on a certain character’s hair, this story came brilliantly alive to me from the very first page. Courage, friendship, loyalty, hardship, love—this novel has everything.” —Mary Beth Keane, New York Times bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes

“Riveting…Reminiscent of The Kite Runner and My Brilliant Friend, The Lion Women of Tehran is a mesmerizing tale featuring endearing characters who will linger in readers’ hearts.” —BookPage

“Kamali tells a moving story of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and how a country’s transformation, in turn, transforms the lives of two unforgettable women. Simultaneously heartbreaking and life affirming, it’s a book that you won’t be able to put down until you’ve read every word.” —Adrienne Brodeur, New York Times bestselling author of Little Monsters

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The Power of the Dog by Don Winslow  

12 Tuesday Nov 2024

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This book, the first in a trilogy about the drug war in Mexico, can be pretty violent and disturbing, but also difficult to put down. It follows an American DEA agent and the head of a Mexican drug cartel, along with many other interesting characters, and lots of twists and turns. I recommend the audiobook!

“With an epic’s scope and a freight train’s rush, The Power of the Dog is an absolute page-turner. I couldn’t put it down and I was sorry when it ended. As always, Don Winslow delivers!”–S.J. Rozan, author of Absent Friends

“The war on drugs is powerfully dramatized in Winslow’s ambitious, dense and gritty latest . . . Winslow’s depth of research and unflagging attention to detail give the story both heft and immediacy, and his staccato, present-tense prose shifts easily among wildly disparate settings and multiple points of view. A complex plot, well-drawn characters and plenty of double-crossing make this a thinking person’s narco-thriller.”–Publishers Weekly

“This book comes at you like a champion boxer, deft and probing, and bristling with menace. Aiming for both the head and the gut, it connects solidly with every punch.”–Dan Fesperman, author of The Warlord’s Son

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The Bookseller at the End of the World by Ruth Shaw

06 Wednesday Nov 2024

Posted by in adventure, anecdotes, Biography, memoir, Non-fiction, Travel

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Ruth Shaw runs two wee bookshops in remote Manapouri in the far south of New Zealand.  In her memoir, she weaves together remarkable sailing adventures, a yearning to be independent, characters who she meets on the sea and in her book shops, and the books you’ll want to read that she collects and sells.  Never a dull moment in Ruth Shaw’s full life.

‘Compelling. Shaw tells her own story free of oversentimentality or self-pity; she’s straightforward, frequently humorous, but, understandably, sometimes guarded and reluctant to overshare. Her resilience, optimism and willingness to always help others is to be admired; her remarkable story is to be read and reflected upon as it adds another vital perspective to a New Zealand life.’ Dionne Christian, Sunday Star Times – –

‘Utterly charming and filled with equal measures of heartbreak and humour, Ruth Shaw’s memoir will have you booking the first flight to New Zealand to share a cup of tea at her Wee Bookshops. Shaw has been a cook, a nurse, sailor and world traveller, and endured
immeasurable loss. But with Lance, the love of her life, Shaw has found her place bookselling in Fiordland.’ Booksellers’ Choice Australia

‘Shaw can write about these peaks and troughs [of her life] without a skerrick of maudlin introspection or mawkishness. Battered and emotionally bruised, she marches on. In a word, dauntless, and it’s exactly this quality that makes this memoir so readable.’ Chris Moore, NZ Listener

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I’m Afraid of Men by Vivek Shraya

30 Wednesday Oct 2024

Posted by in Biography, Non-fiction

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The cover of this book displays the title, the back cover displays the words, “men are afraid of me.” I thought Shraya’s observations, experiences, and insights from her perspective as a trans woman are profound and moving. 

“Shraya crafts each of her memories in prose made poetic with touches of metaphor. She writes with honesty and vulnerability, all the while asking challenging and personal questions that inspire deeper reflection. This crucial addition to shelves offers the vital and often ignored perspective of a trans woman of color. A book to carry with you.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Vivek Shraya’s writing is always empathetic but challenging, kind but sharp, and I’m Afraid of Men forces you to confront what you think you know about masculinity, privilege, and fear. Reading Shraya’s writing will make you a better person, through and through.”—Scaachi Koul, author of One Day We’ll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter

“Emotional and painful but also layered with humour, I’m Afraid of Men will widen your lens on gender and challenge you to do better. This challenge is a necessary one—one we must all take up. It is a gift to dive into Vivek’s heart and mind.”—Rupi Kaur, bestselling author of The Sun and Her Flowers and Milk and Honey

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