Andrea G.
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Witchy Reads
Fiction has been awfully witchy this year, with strong showings across historical fiction, romance, and general fiction. For your reading pleasure, an incomplete list: HISTORICAL FICTION Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch by Rivka Galchen In 1615 Germany, 74-year-old Katharina Kepler is accused of witchcraft, an accusation she shrugs off until it starts to… Continue reading
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Horror Comes Home
Alright, it’s spooky season people! Horror has a long tradition of scary houses and liminal spaces, and this year’s horror novels feature a great slate of haunted properties: from a former plantation in the American South to a condo in Chicago and cabin in Colorado, from an ancestral home in an historic England-like country to… Continue reading
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New Fiction Roundup – October 2021
October’s fiction release calendar finds plenty of new horror, from the slightly creepy to the gory; new titles by big names, such as Jonathan Franzen and Amor Towles; a debut from an astronaut; a posthumous release by a master of spy fiction; and much much more. 10/5: The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman In… Continue reading
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The End of Men
Not really! But this plot premise is popping up in recent fiction, usually as a virus that only targets men and leads to their widespread demise as the world collectively panics. Is now the best time to read about rampant viruses? Maybe not. But if you want to distract yourself from our current viral situation… Continue reading
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New Fiction Roundup – September 2021
After a hiatus, we resume our monthly rundown of new fiction, with an exciting slate of September titles including new work from Anthony Doerr, Colson Whitehead, Sally Rooney, Ruth Ozeki, and many more. 9/7: Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney – Two friends, one a famous novelist and the other an editorial assistant,… Continue reading
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#BookBingoNW2021: Mystery and Crime under 250 pages
As Summer Book Bingo 2021 comes down to the wire (deadline: Sept. 7), you may be looking to maximize your remaining reading time. To that end, here are a selection of mysteries that clock in under 250 pages, for rapid reading. Feeling more leisurely? Check out our longer list of suggested mystery/crime novels. Continue reading
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Recent Science Fiction: Journey to the Stars
Science fiction, as a genre, covers many different subgenres and subjects, but one steadfast storyline is a trip to the stars. If you’re in the mood for fictional space exploration, check out one of these recent novels. We Have Always Been Here by Lena Nguyen Dr. Grace Park has always gotten along better with androids… Continue reading
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Books Set in Tokyo
We are well into the second week of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and while many events are held indoors, catching glimpses of the city as triathletes, runners and more move through it has me craving deeper engagement with the people and places of Tokyo. So I have turned, naturally, to fiction. Here are a few… Continue reading
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#BookBingoNW2021 Cli-fi or Environmental Non-fiction
The Cli-fi/Environmental Non-Fiction square offers lots of good reading options! From visions of how the world might look after a climate apocalypse, to intensely personal stories of connection with the land; from accounts of how we got to this point in time, to examinations of the intersection of capitalism and climate; and much more. Check… Continue reading
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#BookBingoNW2021 Coming of Age
Looking to fill your book bingo Coming of Age square? Check out one of these titles, in which characters confront confusing situations and pursue big dreams as they enter adulthood. White Ivy by Susie Yang As a teenager, Chinese-American Ivy is caught between the disapproval and harsh parenting style of her parents, and the love… Continue reading
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Of Food and Love
As a lover of food media such as the Great British Baking Show, as well as a lover of romances, I am definitely the target audience for romance novels that include a strong food-based storyline. If you are too, or want to see what that means, check out one of these recent romantic comedy novels… Continue reading
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#BookBingoNW2021 Beach Read
Fellow readers, let’s talk beach reads. Don’t be put off by the name – these can be read at the beach, sure, but also by a lake; in a park or on your lawn; on your couch – anywhere you’re taking some time for yourself. And any book can be a beach read*, so long… Continue reading
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Let’s Swim! Kids Edition
Whether your little ones love the water or are a bit more hesitant to jump in, these pictures books celebrate the joy of getting in the water and splashing around. (Find our swimming-related reading for adults here.) 1, 2, 3, Jump! by Lisl H. Detlefsen illustrated by Madeline ValentineRecommended for ages 2+A young girl gets… Continue reading
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Let’s Swim!
This return of warmer weather has me thinking about swimming – dipping my feet in a lake,* seeking out a pool. I’m still feeling cautious about being in proximity to people, even as pandemic precautions wane, which means that while I scope out swimming spots I’m also finding books to satisfy my urge. Waterlog: A… Continue reading
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A hobby on the side: businesswomen solving crimes
Running a small business seems like it would be enough to keep anyone busy, but the women in these cozy mysteries also must solve murders that hit close to home in order to clear themselves or their loved ones of suspicion. Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. ManansalaReeling after a bad breakup, Lila Macapagal moves… Continue reading
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Fictional glimpses inside the film industry
With the 2021 Academy Awards celebration coming up on Sunday, April 25, check out one of these recent novels with insider views of the film industry. Pretty as a Picture by Elizabeth Little – Film editor Marissa Dahl experiences the world filtered through her encyclopedic knowledge of film. Struggling to find film editing work after… Continue reading
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Icy Isolation
Ok, I know Spring is sprung and we’re all ready for flowers, more daylight, and sunnier days, but I’m taking one last look back at winter with this trio of recent suspense novels that find characters trapped in remote, snowy mountain lodges in the Alps. One by One by Ruth WareThe eight shareholding employees of… Continue reading
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New Always Available eBook Collection
I love living – and being a librarian – in a city of readers, but I won’t lie: the eBook hold queues can be intense. New this month are 170 eBooks that are always available – no holds, no wait! Here are some highlights to get you started. Book Club Picks Continue reading