Tales
You can't buy happiness, but you can buy books,
and that's kind of of the same thing.
Recent Fiction We've Enjoyed
The Women
Kristin Hannah
Lessons in Chemistry
Bonnie Garmus
A Spark of Light
Jodi Picoult
This story follows Frankie McGrath, an incredibly brave woman who served as a nurse in the Vietnam War. This is a phenomenally written story of friendship, heroism, and unimaginable perseverance in the face of tragedy. Readers of ALL ages and backgrounds have raved about this story. Kristin Hannah is an exceptional historical fiction writer, each of her books transports readers to another time. Be sure to check out another favorite, The Nightingale!
Elizabeth Zott is a female chemist in the 1960's. The story follows her as she bucks the trends and navigates her own way. This story is a fascinating peek into life in the 60's of a woman in a man's field who finds success despite all the odds. Many of the themes carry into todays life. There is also one of the best literary dogs in this story! This book is currently in development for a TV miniseries.
A gunman opens fire in a Women's health center. The story follows multiple characters, with different backgrounds and points of view, and how they ended up there. Jodi Picoult writes stories about controversial topics from all points of view. Her super power is creating characters that you can disagree with but still have immense empathy for. Notably, many of her books are on banned book lists in schools (wrongfully).
Right Behind You
Lisa Gardner
This story follows a teenager who is accused of murder with a dark and twisty path. Sharla is a foster kid in the care of FBI Profiler Quincy. Her brother is accused of murder, but she insists his innocence. Lisa Garder writes some of the most intricate thrillers with endings you can never guess, this is no exception. This book also makes our top 6 list because there is a FANTASTIC german shepherd sidekick, Luka.
First Lie Wins
Ashley Elston
From the first page, this book grabs you and never stops. The premise is a woman who has a new identity and works for a mysterious employer. She meets her match in a man who also does some shady dealings. This book delves into a question of identity and trust. It’s a fun, twisty read. This is the perfect beach or book club read.
The Silent Patient
Alex Michaelides
Can we say PLOT TWIST?! If you’re looking for a juicy read with an ending you’d never expect, look no further. The premise of this book is a woman who is in a psychiatric facility after she shot her husband but has not spoken a word since. Her psychiatrist works to uncover why she no longer speaks.
Will Trent Series
Karin Slaughter
Betty the Chihuahua isn't the only reason to love this series (okay but she is a star). These books follow GBI investigator Will Trent and his team as they solve heinous crimes in Georgia. If you enjoy Criminal Minds, SVU, NCIS or the like, you will love these books. Karin Slaughter's stories keep you on the edge of your seat and the recurring characters from these books are fantastic.
DD Warren Series
Lisa Gardner
DD Warren is a no-nonsense homicide investigator in Boston. Her job is her life, and it can get messy. Her go to move is to call back to prior victims to help her solve current crimes. Lisa Gardner portrays a strong female lead like no other. Read this series if you love a who-dun-it and a strong female lead.
Throne of Glass
Sara J Maas
From a proclaimed (former) non-fantasy reader, these stories are exceptional. We do give some extra love to the faithful pup, Fleetfoot. The first few books create a world in which a teenager competes for her freedom. She finds her voice and despite all the odds finds just who she is supposed to be. Sounds cheesy? Trust us, things get very juicy, and very dark. You'll laugh, cry, and feel all the things.
Alex Cross
James Patterson
Out of the multitude of James Patterson books out there, this was the first I picked up and was not disappointed! His style of writing is easy to read, as it is gripping, from page one. Twists at every turn! Looking forward to read aCROSS the Detectives journey.
Non-Fiction We've Enjoyed
Democracy in Retrograde
Emily Amick & Sami Sage
If you’ve ever felt like the political environment is out of your control, this is the book for you. Written by two incredibly smart women who have served in politics and law, it gives an approachable way to get involved. In the current political climate, it can feel intimidating to get involved. They’re not telling you to run for congress (unless that’s your thing). With references to Taylor Swift and Gilmore Girls, the book is written in a very approachable way and gives even the smallest of steps that can make a difference.
I Am Malala
Malala Yousafzi with Christina Lamb
Malala Yousafzi was shot in the face by the Taliban when she was 15 years old while riding the bus home from school. This is an incredibly powerful story about the power of education and the horrific violence that women faced, and continue to face at the hands of terrorists. Her resilience and commitment to education led her to be the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Her father is also an incredible champion of the education of girls and women, and serves as an example of how men can support the women in their lives.
Talking to Strangers
Malcolm Gladwell
In a country, and quite frankly, a world in which we are simply not communicating with one another, this book is a great eye opener for how we should be talking to one another. Malcolm Gladwell has an innate ability to write stories in a way that creates human connection. Although we may be deceived on occasion, we are all much better off as a society when we believe in one another. Read if you need some hope.
Mindhunter
This is the story about the creation of the Behavioral Analysis Unit at the FBI and the coining of the term “Serial Killer”. If you’ve ever considered yourself a crime junkie, or watched SVU or Criminal Minds, then you need to read this book. It actually is a series on Netflix now, but even if you’ve watched the series, the storytelling that John Douglas and Mark Olshaker have in this one is unparalleled by the show.
Killers of the Flower Moon
Malcolm Gladwell
This is a fascinating story of a brutal attempt to dismantle an entire American Indian tribe in the 1920’s. It’s non-fiction which is written like historical fiction, the best kind. This is an awesome example of the power of great investigative journalism. And of course the good ol American themes of racism, oppression, and conspiracy. This is also a movie, but let’s be real… the book is always better.
Nexus
In a growing world of artificial intelligence, Harari explores exactly where we get information and how we got here. Given today's political climate, the introduction explaining the different power dynamics and how information is disseminated, could not be more relevant. You may think that AI is new, but Harari takes examples from the stone age to explain how our information systems have evolved. However, encouragingly, he is very optimistic about the future.