the wedding people
Author: Alison Espach
Phoebe Stone's husband left her for another woman and now they are divorced. Phoebe is depressed and suicidal, so she decides to travel to a luxury resort to commit suicide. As she is checking in, she becomes aware that every other guest at the resort is there to attend a wedding.
The story is about how interacting with these boisterous and complicated friends and family members of the bride and groom affects Phoebe --- actually changing the trajectory of her life. This is a fun, yet serious read all at the same time.
Committee Member: Debbie W. on 11/07/24
Following Atticus
Author: Tom Ryan
This book is the true story of a man and his tiny schnauzer, climbing mountains in New Hampshire. If you are a fan of Bill Bryson, you will love this book. This unlikely couple’s highly entertaining adventures captured fans from around the world. You will be one too. Especially if you have a small dog and/or enjoy hiking.
Committee Member: Deanna S. on 10/17/24
funny Story
Author: Emily Henry
Daphne and Peter are engaged --- until Peter relays to Daphne that he is in love with his childhood friend, Petra. Their wedding plans are off!
Daphne is now stranded and in need of a new roommate immediately. As it turns out, Petra’s ex, Miles, now needs a roommate, too! So…they move in together. There’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right?
This is a delightful and funny romantic comedy which will leave a smile on your face.
Committee Member: Debbie W. on 09/20/24
happiness is a choice you make
Author: John Leland
Leland based his book on a series of interviews with 85+-year-olds who were thriving, hoping to learn their secrets and solve the riddle of his own elderly mother’s unhappiness. His conclusions are surprising, his findings at times disturbing but also inspiring: to make the most of every day, the value of companionship late in life, and the importance of a positive mindset. Each individual story has poignant lesson. He makes you fall in love with these grouchy old men and women who are just trying to get through the last years of their life one day at a time.
Committee Member: Deanna S. on 09/06/24
fun widow's book tour
Author: Zoe Fishman
A bit of a modeling tail about a writer who is forced to write her own modeling memoir, and then go out on book tour to talk about it. Funny and heartwarming, the story’s author (yes it’s all very meta, which I loved) has a network of real friends, I wish I could adopt as my own. Her awkward family eventually shows up for her, and she becomes closer to them all through the book tour, which happens at the onset of Covid. We get to experience this wounded woman’s journey through the death of her husband, becoming a single mom, visiting her varietal, friends and family, and listening to her judgments on their quirky and somewhat dysfunctional relationships. She learned she is not the victim of life she thought she was, but just one of the bunch.
Committee Member: Deanna S. on 08/27/24
none of this is true
Author: Lisa Jewell
This psychological thriller is about two women who meet in a pub as they both celebrate their 45th birthday. One of the women is a podcaster, and, listening to the book, you hear much of the story told in podcasts and news flashes, which I found very interesting and effective.
Right from the get-go of the title, the reader doesn’t know whom to believe. The story is full of twists and turns, and touches on issues of pedophilia, alcoholism, physical and emotional abuse, so not a light read. But it does keep you guessing and reading to see what’s going to happen next!
I thought the author did a good job taking the reader through this wild ride.
Committee Member: Judy S. on 08/27/24
the night the river wept
Author: Lo Patrick
Arlene Ardell wanted two things in life: marry Tommy, her high school sweetheart and be an amazing mother. Understandable considering when she was seven, her older brother died in a classic young kid driving too fast car accident and as a result, “both of [her] parents moved into a silent house with their grief and didn’t want roommates.” She marries Tommy only to discover what made a fun boyfriend doesn’t translate to an ideal husband. Then a miscarriage derails her dreams of motherhood and leaves her aimless, wondering what she is supposed to do now. Turns out a part-time job at the Faber Police Department bagging and tagging evidence changes everything. The job is so boring, she starts reading cold case files. And there it is: the unsolved murder of three young boys killed twenty years ago. Could be because the boys were poor and “from the wrong side of town,” little was done to solve the murder. Or, could be the police really did run out of leads. Fueled by sorrow from the death of her own unborn child and the realization that her son and these boys represent “a chance that never really was,” Arlene resolves to solve the murders.
Told from Arlene’s perspective, The Night the River Wept is both a heartbreaking and heartwarming story told with wit and humor. There are so many fresh, perfect-for-the-situation Southernisms that come out of Arlene’s mouth…she is at once wise and naïve, petty and profound, and contemplative and rash. And while you wouldn’t think funny and heartbreaking could ever make a successful combination…somehow, page after page, Lo Patrick meshes the two and creates a brave story that will touch your heart and stay with you.
Committee Member: Annelle G. on 08/19/24
The list
Author: Yomi Adegoke
The List is a debut novel by Yomi Adegoke, a British journalist of Nigerian heritage. They say “write what you know,” so it’s not surprising that the book is about a British-Nigerian journalist who writes for a feminist magazine. She is scheduled to be married in a month to Michael, a podcaster, and their wedding is a hashtag Black Love social media major event. Then, they wake up one morning to find Michael’s name on “The List,” an anonymous document posted in social media that accuses him, and many other men in the media profession, of sexual harassment. The book proceeds on a wedding countdown as the couple grapples with the fallout. Not being a social media aficionado, I was taken by the characters whose lives were so intertwined with every positive and negative tweet, post and comment. The List grapples with the issues of justice, trust, defining sexual harassment, privacy and more. Not a book for everyone; I found it an interesting read.
Committee Member: Judy S. on 08/13/24
spirit crossing
Author: William Kent Krueger
In Book 20 of 20 of William Kent Krueger’s bestselling Cork O’Connor Series, set in Minnesota, a local politician’s daughter goes missing and a manhunt is launched to find her. But when Cork’s seven-year-old grandson comes across the grave of a young Ojibwe woman while hunting blueberries, and has a vision that the dead girl can’t find the Path of Souls, nobody cares. Except Cork, the ex-sheriff of the county and the tribal police. This is not the first time a young indigenous woman has been murdered or gone missing. Could the two cases be connected?
Once the word is out that the young boy has visions and senses dead bodies, a killer hunts him down and someone is also hunting his aunt, Cork’s daughter, who has a tragic story of her own. I really enjoyed this book and I’ve read all 20 books in his series as well as his three standalones. This book features Cork’s family and his spiritual guide, Henry.
Kent Krueger is one of my favorite writers. He appeared in person at the Roswell Reads event in September 2023. His books are beautifully written and the plot is suspenseful. Once you read this book, you’ll want to go back and read the rest. I hope the fact that this book is 20 out of 20 doesn’t mean it’s the last of the series. I highly recommend this book.
Committee Member: Marilyn B. on 08/09/24
The Collected Regrets of Clover
Author: Mikki Brammer
The Collected Regrets of Clover follows the life of a very introverted young woman named Clover Brooks. From the day she watched her kindergarten teacher die of a heart attack during a dramatic telling of Peter Rabbit, Clover has always felt a stronger connection with the dying than she has with the living. Her parents passed away while she was very young and now so has the grandfather who raised her.
While the topic of death does permeate the novel, the real story revolves around how an isolated and lonely human being can evolve and overcome the fear of forming lasting relationships --- and find happiness in life. I think anyone who considers themselves an introvert would particularly find this book very interesting.
Committee Member: Debbie W. on 08/04/24
bite by bite
Author: Aimee Nezhukumatathil
I recently finished Bite by Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees by Aimee Nezhukumatathil. It's hard to describe this book: It is a book of short, lyrical essays on food. Each food item has meaning for the author from a Philippino dish her mother always makes for parties to Saturday morning waffles her husband prepares for the family. She gives information about the food item and the circumstances that made it special for her. The author is a poet and teaches creative writing at The University of Mississippi. Nezhukumatathil also wrote a similar style book on nature, World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments. I loved them both.
Committee Member: Louise C. on 07/28/24
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing
Author: Matthew Perry
It is so strange to hear this audiobook read by the deceased author, talking about his “almost“ demise after his actual demise. Very meta. “Friends“ is a must read for everyone in recovery, and everyone who knows someone in recovery, which is pretty much everyone. Fans of the show will gain amazing insights. The book is a wonderful roller coaster of laughing and crying, elation and devastation. Perry manages to bring humor to every moment of tragedy while giving voice to his brutally honest thoughts along the way.
Committee Member: Deanna S. on 07/24/24
Everyone Here Is Lying
Author: Shari Lapena
A suspense filled novel about a child that goes missing, Everyone Here is Lying keeps you guessing “who dun it.” And the answer is not at all what you think. Set in a suburban neighborhood, the book takes you behind everyone’s closed doors to learn their secrets, sympathize with their struggles and hear their lies. Each family’s parenting style differs, which is very believable. The book addresses issues of deception, guilt, anger, responsibility and the price you pay as a consequence of your choices. I enjoyed the plots twists and turns, the dilemmas the characters faced, and the suspenseful writing.
Committee Member: Judy S. on 07/21/24