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Tag Archives: single mothers

Shelterwood by Lisa Wingate

15 Tuesday Oct 2024

Posted by Weston Public Library Staff in adventure, detective, Fiction, Historical Fiction, mystery, nature, United States

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Choctaw Indians, missing children tribal government, Oklahoma history, runaway children, single mothers, women park rangers

“I barely put Shelterwood down as my new favorite heroine, Ranger Valerie, uncovered the chilling story of children displaced by land barons. This book has it all—two fabulous heroines, a little-known true story, and a setting to die for.”—Martha Hall Kelly, author of Lilac Girls and The Golden Doves

“Wingate is at her best writing in her sweet spot of writing for children’s rights while introducing us to a moment in Oklahoma history that would otherwise be forgotten”. —Sadeqa Johnson, author of The House of Eve

“Wingate’s stellar latest explores a centuries-long legacy of missing child cases. . . . Wingate’s insightful depiction of her young characters’ vulnerability and resourcefulness enriches the intricate plotting, and her portrayal of the region’s history, culture, and landscape enthralls. Wingate is at the top of her game.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A complex and fascinating tapestry woven with threads of history, mystery, and menace that proves yet again that there is no finer storyteller at work today than Lisa Wingate.”—William Kent Krueger, author of The River We Remember

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Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus    

14 Wednesday Sep 2022

Posted by Weston Public Library Staff in Fiction, Historical Fiction, Humor, United States

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nineteen sixties, sex role, single mothers, television cooking shows, women scientists

“It’s the world versus Elizabeth Zott, an extraordinary woman determined to live on her own terms, and I had no trouble choosing a side. Lessons in Chemistry is a page-turning and highly satisfying tale: zippy, zesty, and Zotty.”—Maggie Shipstead, author of Great Circle

“The enchanting story of Elizabeth Zott never belittles the offence of sexism, but neither – miraculously – does it ever take you more than a few sentences away from a smile, a chuckle, or a laugh out loud. Bonnie Garmus’ gift is to expose the sting and injustice of being a woman in a man’s world with a feather light touch that keeps our spirits buoyant and our hearts strong. I honestly don’t know how she does it. This is a remarkable book by a remarkable writer.”—Jo Browning Roe, author of A Terrible Kindness

“Lessons in Chemistry is a breath of fresh air—a witty, propulsive, and refreshingly hopeful novel populated with singular characters. This book is an utter delight—wry, warm, and compulsively readable.”—Claire Lombardo, author of The Most Fun We Ever Had

“Garmus tells a familiar story in a completely original voice in her delightful debut novel…Zott is an unforgettable protagonist, logical and literal and utterly herself…The novel deftly mixes comedy and tragedy, with only one very clear villain: the patriarchal culture of mid-20th century America, the days of which are numbered because of women like Zott…For those who admire a confident, bone-dry, and hilarious authorial voice, this novel achieves the difficult task of being both sharply satirical and heartwarming at the same time.”—Historical Novels Review

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Northern Spy by Flynn Berry

29 Tuesday Jun 2021

Posted by Weston Public Library Staff in 20th century, detective, Fiction, mystery, suspense, thriller

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detective and mystery, Irish Republican Army, Northern Ireland, single mothers, sisters, suspense

A gripping, suspenseful page-turner that follows two sisters living in Northern Ireland. Once I started, this was hard to put down!

“[A] twisting . . . emotional thriller . . . Berry’s portrayal of Irish life is uncannily accurate . . . dropping readers headfirst into the emotions of living in conflict.” —Booklist (starred review) 

“A chilling, gorgeously written tale of a modern community poisoned by ancient grievances . . . Berry is a beautiful writer with a sophisticated, nuanced understanding of this most complicated of places.” —The New York Times Book Review

“Thrillingly good . . . Flynn Berry shows a le Carré-like flair for making you wonder what’s really going on at any given moment . . . Berry won an Edgar for Under the Harrow in 2017. Here comes another contender.” —The Washington Post

“A taut and compassionate thriller . . . [and a] reflection on personal choice and consequence . . . A poignant and lyrical novel that asks what is worth sacrificing for peace.” —Kirkus (starred review)

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Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

14 Monday Jun 2021

Posted by Weston Public Library Staff in 20th century, detective, Fiction, Humor, murder, murder and investigation, United States

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murder investigations, novelists, single mothers

Juggling motherhood, divorce, a writing career going nowhere, Finlay’s life takes a 360 degree turn while meeting with her agent at Panera.  It’s a wild ride.  Hilarity at its best.  And who can’t use a light, quick, fun-to-read murder mystery right about now?

“Read in a single night, applauding along the way. For anyone who’s ever wished to turn her life around, Finlay Donovan is the master. From failing everything, to succeeding brilliantly, she proves you only need to get mistaken once for a contract killer, to solve all your problems.”
―Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of When You See Me

“Part comedy of errors, part genuine thriller… Deftly balancing genre conventions with sly, tongue-in-cheek comments on motherhood and femininity, Cosimano crafts a deliciously twisted tale.”
―Booklist

“Funny and smart, twisty and surprising―Finlay Donovan is a character to root for. This suspenseful romp made me laugh but also kept me on the edge of my seat with its many surprises. I can’t wait for the next book!”―Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author of The Last House Guest

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The Stars are Fire by Anita Shreve

13 Saturday Jan 2018

Posted by Weston Public Library Staff in Fiction, Historical Fiction

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forest fires, Great Fire, life changing events, Maine 1947, single mothers, wild fires

Along with storytelling mojo and stylistic verve, this novel has an excellent, suspenseful premise: Grace’s life is upended and ultimately transformed by a real-life historical catastrophe, the wildfires that spread through coastal Maine in October of 1947, following months of severe drought. With all the terror of fire on our West coast these days, it is scary to realize it happened not far from us not that long ago.  As good as her first book, The Weight of Water.

“This is sure to be a best seller. Shreve’s prose mirrors the action of the fire, with popping embers of action, licks of blazing rage, and the slow burn of lyrical character development. Absolutely stunning.”—Library Journal  (starred review, Editors’ Spring Picks)

“It is a book of small moments, a collection of seemingly simple themes that build to surprising and moving crescendoes. Shreve’s spare, economic prose suits her character’s practicality and initial hesitance to determine the course of her own life… Shreve’s crisp writing becomes more expansive in the moments when her protagonist consciously stretches beyond the boundaries of her previously narrow life.—BookPage

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