Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson, recommended by Megan C.
From the bestselling author of The Last Chance Library and The Lost Ticket, Freya Sampson is back with a brand-new community caper! Seventy-seven-year-old busybody Dorothy Darling is the epitome of a nosy neighbor, but when new twenty-something tenant Kat Bennett uncovers impending evictions and a community criminal, the pair become unlikely allies. Focused on forgiveness and found family, this cozy mystery proves that a group of strangers can band together to become a community. Fans of Fredrik Backman and The Marlow Murder Club will cherish this charming peek into the mail slot next door.
All The Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham, recommended by Debbie
This story begins one year after the kidnapping of baby Mason from his bedroom. His mother Isabelle and his father Ben are separated. Isabelle is lecturing about the kidnapping and asking for any information. She was a sleepwalker when she was a child and that part of her life, she is afraid, has returned. After being convinced to participate in a podcast, Isabelle receives an email stating, “He is in a better place.” This book is hard to put down. There are many leads with different conclusions. What happened to Mason?
The End of the World is a Cul de Sac by Louise Kennedy, recommended by Meg
“The End of the World is a Cul de Sac” is a breathtaking collection of stories that explore the human experience with nuance and compassion. Each story is a gem, offering a glimpse into the complexities of love, loss, and the passage of time.
North Woods by Daniel Mason, recommended by Megan S.
This is a wonderfully written kaleidoscope of stories, following the history of a patch of land in New England from Puritan times to the modern day. Each chapter is something new – not just a new owner of the land, but an entirely new perspective and voice. There are ballads, magazine articles, letters, and more. The woods become a character, to the point where the reader feels they know them better than the people who live there. I adored this book and count it as one of my favorite novels of all time.
For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten, recommended by Ella
The first daughter is for the throne, the second daughter is for the wolf.
This story follows a girl named Red. Red is the only second daughter born in centuries and is to be sacrificed to “the wolf” so that he may return the world’s captured gods. In this story, though, nothing is as it seems.
The Clock Struck Murder by Betty Webb, recommended by Trish
Zoe Barlow has been exiled to Paris by her family. Zoe is a painter and has settled into a new life among the artist community in Paris. Zoe’s clock as accidently broken, and she finds a replacement at a flea market and discovers that the cloth wrapping her clock is one of the lost Chagall paintings. Eager to find more of her friend’s lost painting, she is determined to track down the flea market seller, Laurette, at her storage shed. After finding no one at the storage shed, she liberates some of the paintings found among trash, but soon discovers Laurette dead amongst the trash heap. Zoe does not intend to do her own investigation but then finds another friend who works at the flea market murdered, now she must do some investigating to find out how is murdering these flea market women.
Perdida by Stone Temple Pilots, recommended by Karen
Perdida is an acoustic, thoughtful, melancholy, bittersweet, beautiful album. Released in early 2020, the songs use deeply personal lyrics and a variety of instruments not anticipated to tell the tale of letting go, starting over, and finding hope in the darkness. It’s a hidden gem, well worth a listen. CD available through the library, or stream it through Hoopla!
Komi Can’t Communicate Volume 1 by Tomohito Oda, recommended by Cheryl
The main character Komi suffers from social anxiety and wants to make 100 friends at her new school. Komi is a lovable character and very misunderstood. Many people struggle with this type of anxiety and following along on her journey to overcome her anxiety with a humorous twist was very refreshing.
Staff Book Club Pick: How Can I Help You by Laura Sims
Laura Sim’s novel about unhinged, kindred spirits in the library was right up our alley and prompted great discussion. We thought that while libraries are a great place to find inspiration, there are a lot of moral questions that come with writing about real people. We wanted just a little bit more from this novel: more backstory on the point-of-view characters, and a little more from the ending, but overall, the story kept us reading.