The Newbery award-winning author’s newest book is a lush fairy tale of a book steeped in the mythology of the Philippines. The 12-year-old protagonist faces some dark and scary monsters and some equally monstrous men in her community, but persistence in spite of fear and honorable intentions guide her choices on an adventures reminiscent of …
Ellie Jacobs takes a walk near her home in the Exmoor countryside one day. While her husband, Clive, is a domineering lout, Ellie tries to create a peaceful life for herself by writing poetry and walking in the woods. On this day, however, Ellie comes across a barn that has been converted into a harpmaker’s …
In a desert town near Joshua Tree National Park, a man dies in a hit-and-run accident. Thus opens a story of the man and his family and the investigation of his death. Alternately narrated by several different characters, we learn of backstories and side stories and brief flashbacks to Morocco and Iraq and Mexico. And …
The sad little fact is a blue fuzzy ball with big eyes and spindly arms and legs. He speaks facts. But very few listen to him. Eventually the authorities grow so irritated with him that they throw him into a box and bury him—along with other colorful little facts. The world turns dark from all of the lies being …
Sujata Massey introduced us to Perveen Mistry in The Widows of Malabar Hill and has now released a sequel, The Satapur Moonstone. The mysteries are a delightful blend of thoughtful lawyering and high-stakes drawing room drama. Inspired by real-life lawyer Cornelia Sorabji (who also makes an appearance in the first book in the series), Perveen …
This is a fascinating true crime story that revolves around three people: a reverend who was accused of multiple murders, the lawyer that defended him, and the author that wanted to tell their story. The author was Harper Lee, and the story of Reverend Willie Maxwell was to be the subject of her second, long-awaited …
In this anxious and contentious time, when you are looking for a gift of uplift for a graduate or for a parent on Mother’s or Father’s Day, look no further than The Book of Delights by Ross Gay. Here’s a man who made a deliberate decision to seek out each day something to delight in. …
In a year full of weighty political tomes, each grimmer than the last, I find myself in need of inspiration more than information. The Faithful Spy is both a salve for the weary soul and a much needed encouragement to brave action in dark times. In this slim volume, John Hendrix chronicles Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life, …
If you’re looking for inspiration to start hoarding water in your home and vehicle, look no further. In Dry, Southern California devolves into chaos as tap water suddenly ceases to flow. Stores are stripped bare of all bottled drinks, and within days lawlessness abounds. The book follows a cast of teenage characters as they first …
If you are looking for a good contemporary novel with a touch of Gothic horror, then this book is for you. As in her first novel, The Essex Serpent, Perry’s tale revolves around an old legend which seemingly comes to life. Helen’s life is forever changed at a coffee shop in Prague, when her friend …
