STAFF PICKS

The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley

2021-08-02T13:42:00.002-05:00

Title: The Authenticity Project
Author: Clare Pooley
Published: 2020
Call #: FIC Pooley
http://pclib.polarislibrary.com/view.aspx?author=pooley&title=authenticity

How well do you know the people who live near you? How well do they know you? Do you even know the names of your neighbors? … Everyone lies about their lives. What would happen if you shared the truth instead?

Thus begins “The Authenticity Project,” a pale green notebook soon to be filled with six peoples’ real truths. Julian Jessop, a 79-year-old, fairly successful artist, got it all started. In the 15 years since losing his wife, he has grown estranged. The loneliness in going from everyone knowing your name to not having a single person to talk to (aside from bill collectors) drove him to put it all out there. Monica finds the notebook in her failing café, since abandoned by the older gentleman she just served coffee too. The notebook and café connect six people who desperately need each other, but have no idea yet.

Our genuine truths often become secrets, as most of us hide or shield our authentic selves in some way. Some hide behind addiction. Others hide behind social media. Some simply change their own history so many times, it seems more real with each retelling. No one means to live a lie, but judgement and past experiences, seemingly on their own, build walls around our truths. Clare Pooley will surprise and inspire you with this inventive story of only finding happiness after letting your guard down.

What would happen if you shared the truth instead? … Perhaps nothing. Or maybe telling that story would change your life, or the life of someone you’ve not met. That’s what I want to find out.
Erin I.
Popular Materials Librarian

The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon

2021-06-28T11:29:00.001-05:00

Title: The Drowning Kind
By: Jennifer McMahon
Call #: FIC McMahon

Published: 2021

http://pclib.polarislibrary.com/view.aspx?author=mcmahon&title=drowning

This is the eerie sort of story I tend to associate with Jennifer McMahon and I was glad she didn't disappoint. After avoiding manic phone calls from her sister Lexie, Jax is startled to hear that she suddenly turned up dead in the family pool. Although Lexie suffered from bi-polar disorder and was clearly off her meds, Jax suspects that this wasn’t an accident or suicide. The clues Lexie left behind clear point to something amiss with the family pool but too many people are chalking it up to Lexie’s mental health. However, rumors have long since circulated that the pool was cursed and Lexie was not the first person to drown in the murky water. As Jax tries to uncover what her sister was working on, the mysterious history of the pool reveals a sinister past.
The story captivates from the beginning. The novel is written in a dual timeline (2019 and 1929) and both stories have a steady build of unease as the truth about the pool and the surrounding property unfurls. The 1929 story focuses on Ethel’s visit to a resort where she learns the springs there have magical powers to help wishes come true. When she makes a wish, she soon discovers that even wishes come at a cost. The connections between Ethel and Jax’s story run far deeper than location, which creates a slow burn of the creep factor throughout the book, something that might leave the reader unsettled until the very end. If you enjoyed McMahon's The Winter People and The Night Sister, definitely pick this one up.

Mary-Megan Kalvig

Popular Materials Asst.

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

2021-06-23T14:57:00.003-05:00

Title: The Four Winds
Author: Kristin Hannah
Published: 2021
Call #: FIC/HANNAH
http://pclib.polarislibrary.com/view.aspx?author=hannah&title=four

Let’s be clear: this is not a book for the faint of heart! It is however, a compelling, emotional and… necessary book. Written by Kristin Hannah, the story is set in the 1930’s “dust bowl” of Texas with Elsa Martinelli as the main protagonist. The central plot of the novel revolves around the struggles she and her children encounter when the entire region and specifically the farm she is living on, suddenly undergoes catastrophic change due to a severe and widespread drought. Faced with almost unbearable hardships, she decides to do what many others did as well, head for a better life in California.
This really is a historical novel as the setting and events that Elsa endures were, as unbelievable as it may seem, quite common to those in similar circumstances to hers at the time. From near starvation to disease and sickness, poverty and discrimination, it is a wonder that so many of them found a way to persevere. And yet somehow, they had the will and determination to continue on in pursuit of their dreams.
The book certainly portrays Elsa as a courageous character but also one that feels “real” in a way that, although most of us would never have to go through anywhere near the pain and suffering she does, we can still identify with her. It is this universal struggle against oppression and hardship that we can, indeed must, root for. I highly recommend this book and believe that it is an important story that needed to be told!

Blanca Stephens
Popular Materials Assistant

The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey

2021-06-19T15:21:00.002-05:00

Title: The Echo Wife
Author: Sarah Gailey
Published: 2021
Call #: FIC Gailey

http://pclib.polarislibrary.com/view.aspx?author=gailey&title=echo

What if you could make a copy of the person you thought you loved, and just tweak it here and there to remove their ‘flaws’ and enhance their ‘better’ qualities? When you’re married to the foremost expert on human cloning, this is more than an idle thought experiment.
What if you discovered that your spouse was cheating, and the other woman turned out to be you – only not you, in significant and telling ways?
Doctor Evelyn Caldwell is not an easy person to love, and her frustrated husband has a unique option for remedying that – or so he believes, when he performs an illicit experiment based on her award-winning work. When she discovers what he’s done, she doesn’t realize how much worse it can get – until Martine calls her one night, begging for help, and meets her at the door covered in blood.
Neither of them realizes how much worse it can get, until they start digging up the back yard.
Sarah Gailey has crafted a compelling mystery and psychological study that feels like realistic, near-future possibility even as the circumstances become increasingly bizarre. They skillfully ratchet up the tension as, discovery by discovery, Evelyn and Martine come to understand themselves, each other, the man they both tried to love, and the full scope of his transgressions. The characters are brilliantly realized, especially the hard, complicated Evelyn, and the two women’s journey from simple rivalry to reluctant, brittle, cautious cooperation and connection is emotionally and intellectually gripping.
The Echo Wife examines issues of parenthood as well as partnership, and does not serve up easy, palatable answers. Gailey gradually reveals Evelyn’s childhood and relationship with her parents, creating a fascinating context for the adult Evelyn. The solutions Evelyn and Martine, her distorted echo, devise for their problems may tidy up all the loose ends – for the time being, at least – but they do not resolve all the lingering questions.

Dori D.
Popular Materials Asst.

The Wrong Family by Tarryn Fisher

2021-06-16T15:17:00.000-05:00

Title: The Wrong Family

Author: Tarryn Fisher

Published: 2020

Call #: FIC Fisher

http://pclib.polarislibrary.com/view.aspx?author=fisher&title=wrong + family

Do you ever wonder if someone is as perfect as they seem? Winnie Crouch is your typical Type A personality, always wants things a particular way and doesn’t like to be told no. She puts on a great façade to the outside world – hardworking, very put together, largely humanitarian in her goals. For a while, even Winnie believed herself to be the girl with all her cards in a row. Until the incident, that is.

Winnie and her husband, Nigel, have a housemate named Juno. Being a former therapist, Juno has a hard time ignoring difficult family situations. She witnesses the stress between Winnie and Nigel and between the couple their teenage son, Sam. Juno gets a crippling diagnosis which will perpetually get worse the rest of her days. She vows to herself not to get involved, or further, get too involved like she has in the past.

Until one day, Juno hears Nigel and Winnie arguing about something she simply cannot ignore. While, Juno thinks she knows what’s right, who is to say she isn’t just repeating her past, digging where she doesn’t belong. Because, as it turns out, Juno has many secrets of her own.

Tarryn Fisher keeps the reader wondering if anyone is as they seem in this twisting domestic thriller. With beautifully built layers, Fisher keeps you guessing until the incredible climactic ending.

Erin I.

Popular Materials Librarian

Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly

2021-05-19T11:32:00.001-05:00

Title: The Sunflower Sisters

Author: Kelly, Martha Hall

Published: 2021

Call #: FIC Kelly

http://pclib.polarislibrary.com/view.aspx?author=hall&title=sunflower

The story is told from three women’s perspectives during the Civil War. Georgeanna Woolsey, who is a nurse and has a large family of sisters and one brother, and the wish to start a school for nurses. Anne-May Wilson, mistress of a plantation and slaves, whose husband enlists. Jemma, one of the Wilson’s slaves who is sold and then conscripted to the army and desperately wants to get her mother and twin sister away from Wilson’s.

“Georgey” and her sister Eliza are nurses who work on hospital ships and in tents close to the battlefields. They fight against prejudice from the doctors and male nurses they work for and with.

Anne-May keeps a journal of information about battles and other things she hears and she has Jemma write it to cover up her involvement. She is a spy for the Confederacy. She passes this information to a store owner in the town who uses Anne-May and provides her with snuff that she is increasingly addicted too.

Jemma hides the journal and Anne-May tears her house up trying to find it. Jemma says she has hidden it in plain sight. At the end of the book, we find out where.

The story is both sweeping and intimate. From New York City to Washington, DC where the sisters meet President Lincoln to the battle of Gettysburg and the plantations of Maryland.

The time of the Civil War is richly drawn. The characters, including the secondary characters, are complex and compelling. There is romance, adventure, spies, page-turning action, and danger all mixed together to make a great read.

Michaelle S.

Popular Materials Asst.

Writers & Lovers by Lily King

2021-04-27T11:51:00.001-05:00

Title: Writers & Lovers

Author: Lily King

Published: 2020

Call #: FIC King

http://pclib.polarislibrary.com/view.aspx?author=King&title=writers

One by one, all of Casey Peabody’s grad school friends caved – taking on careers that had nothing to do with their craft. All of them vowed to have creative careers, hopefully writing the next great American novel. She knows they hope to have time to write again but won’t. While it might be the responsible move, she can’t allow herself to give up on her dream, it’s all she has left.

After unexpectedly losing her mother and breaking apart from the love of her life in quick succession, Casey finds herself in a dismal state. She is left with only her brother and father; the latter is still resentful that Casey didn’t follow his dream for her to become a professional golfer. The only consistent thing in her life has been the novel she has been writing for the past 6 years. It is what drives her to bike three miles to her job hustling tables at an overpriced brunch restaurant in Harvard Square serving coddled ivy league students. It is what keeps her motivated and disciplined. It connects her to other people. It is what makes living in a semi-remodeled garden shed attached to a friend’s garage acceptable, as it is somewhere that is just hers. It is what allows her to wake up especially early, even after barely sleeping for worry of the debt collectors hunting her down for heaps of student loan debt. Writing is also what leads her to meet two very different love interests and opens doors to worlds she never imagined.

Described in several reviews not only as one of the best of 2020, but also as a “portrait of an artist as a young woman,” Writers & Lovers is exactly that. While at heart, it is a coming-of-age story, it is full of brave insight on being a young woman – those observations which are universally true now and in 1997 when the book takes place. Lily King invites us into the depths of the struggling artist’s brain, all while keeping it airy and sprinkling it with intelligent humor. We see the agony and triumph writers go through, whether life cooperates or not.

Erin I.

Popular Materials Assistant.

Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel

2021-04-01T14:49:00.003-05:00

Title: The Book of Lost Names

By: Kristin Harmel
Published: 2020
Call #: FIC Harmel

http://pclib.polarislibrary.com/view.aspx?author=harmel&title=book+of

In her fifth WWII novel, Kristin Harmel tells the story of a forger’s quest to make sure the people she’s helping don’t forget who they were. In 2005, Eva Traube Adams stumbles upon a man hoping to reunite owners with books stolen by the Nazi during WWII. He’s intrigued by one book which seems to contain a code and Eva has the answer since she’s the one who put it there.

After she witnesses her father’s arrest for being Jewish, she uses her artistic skills to create fake documents for her and her mother to leave Nazi occupied Paris. They retreat to a small town near the Switzerland border. It is only meant to be a stopover before making it to freedom, but the local Resistance group recognizes Eva’s skill at forgery and requests her help in creating documents for the children they are helping escape France. Unable to ignore those in need, Eva stays, drawn both to cause and her attraction to fellow forger Remy. Together they created the code that they put in an old religious text as a way to keep track of the true identities of everyone they help so that their past won’t be erased, but the ever-increasing presence of the Nazis and war threaten to expose them all.

Not only does this book offer an interesting insight into the role of forgers in the war, but it poses thought provoking questions about identity. Eva’s mother constantly claims Eva is losing herself as she moves forward with her life, forgetting about her father who they left behind and losing her religion as she works in a Catholic church and falls for a Catholic boy. In the same way, does creating a new name and identity for a person erase where they came from? Through an engaging story with the threat of war and a touch of romance, this book questions what defines a person and what matters most when the end can happen at any moment.

Mary-Megan K.

Popular Materials Asst.

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

2021-03-23T14:30:00.001-05:00

Title: The Exiles

Author: Christina Baker Kline

Published: 2020

Call #: FIC/KLINE

http://pclib.polarislibrary.com/view.aspx?author=kline&title=exiles

Christina Baker Kline, author of Orphan Train and A Piece of the World, is back with her latest offering: The Exiles. The story of three women intertwines in this novel set in the 1840s. Evangeline is a young governess who was taken advantage of by her employer's son and now finds herself with no job, a baby on the way, and a one-way ticket to Australia as a convict. Hazel is a midwife from Scotland who finds herself on the same ship as Evangeline as they both are sent abroad for their alleged crimes. Hazel and Evangeline meet under harsh conditions while on the transport ship. Finally, Mathinna is the 8 year old daughter of an Aboriginal chief, taken by the Governor of Australia as an attempt to "civilize" her. It fails, and she is returned to her people on Flinders' Island, where many aboriginals have been banished to after the English colonizes Australia.

The well-researched, often intimate, story is filled with unflinching details of hardships, horrible living conditions, prejudice, suffering and survival. As each female character develops in her own state of exile, the tenuous bonds of relationships grow and strengthen, making for an ultimately uplifting story.

Michaelle S.

Popular Materials Asst.

One by One by Ruth Ware

2021-03-10T14:02:00.005-06:00

Title: One by One

Author: Ruth Ware

Published: 2020

Call #: FIC WARE

When members of the streaming app Snoop head to a swanky ski chalet, they quickly find the least exciting part of their trip will be the skiing. The retreat is sprung forth by founders of the company, Topher and Ava, who are aware they are in a bind. The company has received a buyout offer, but they are on opposite sides of the issue and the other shareholders quickly take alliances, leaving Liz in the middle. When compared with former model Ava, Liz has always felt awkward and drab. Liz both feels she owes the company and resents the founders for pushing her out years before.

The ski chalet is run by caretaker, Erin, and the chef, Danny. They see the friction among Snoop members but are sure it’s typical corporate politics at play. However, when the group returns from their first skiing rendezvous with only 8 of the 9 who went out, Erin realizes she must try to get help. However, the inclement weather which sent the group back early only continues, causing an avalanche which traps them. When a second member of the group is later found poisoned and a third is strangled, Snoop members sees they are dropping one by one… If no one can come or go, who is to blame?

Ruth Ware utilizes the familiar trope we admire of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. This closed circle mystery keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. The story is told using alternating first-person accounts from Erin and Liz. The Kirkus Review sums it up with perfection, “The solution is maddeningly simple but the construction, simply masterful.”

Erin I.

Popular Materials Senior Services Librarian

The Diabolical Bones by Bella Ellis

2021-03-01T15:56:00.007-06:00

Title: The Diabolical Bones: A Bronte Sisters Mystery, Book 2

Author: Bella Ellis

Published: 2021

Call #: Fic/Ellis

In this delightful sequel to last year’s ”The Vanished Bride,” the Bronte sisters are back on the case! It is winter, 1846 and bitter cold has set in upon Yorkshire. The Bronte Sisters are beginning to contemplate writing novels and expanding their detective business when a child’s body is discovered buried in the chimney at Top Withens Hall, and the home’s owner refuses to answer any questions. Emily, Charlotte and Ann decide to take matters into their own hands. What they discover sends fear shivering down their spines. It seems as if an ancient magic, long thought dead, is coming back to haunt Haworth village and its citizenry. Ancient magic and misguided prejudice threaten all who would interfere. Will they be able to discover who, or what, is threatening the most innocent amongst them?

Ellis’s strong atmospheric writing makes it easy for the reader to fall in love with the characters. My own opinion of them, forged mostly through reading their books, has changed after reading the two books in this series. The characters feel authentically real and full of life. Emily, Anne and Charlotte all have their own unique personalities, making the reader feel as if they know them well. To me, this is the strength of the novel. This is a well written historical mystery, full of Gothic atmosphere and suspense. Fans of historical fiction, cozy mysteries, gothic stories and general fiction readers will all enjoy this story.

Jill B.

Popular Materials Manager

Keep Calm and Read On: The Mitford Murder Series by Jessica Fellowes

2021-02-24T12:41:00.006-06:00

Title: The Mitford Murder Series

Author: Jessica Fellowes

Published 2018 - 2021

Still missing Downton Abbey? Look no further than the Mitford Murders Series by Jessica Fellowes. She is the niece of Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey. Jessica wrote the companion books to Downton Abbey. The Mitford Murder Mysteries are Downton Abbey meets Agatha Christie. There is lots of period detail including fashions, jewelry, politics, and the hierarchical nature of society The stories are based on true unsolved murders during the 1920s, as well as the real-life Mitford family.

The first book, The Mitford Murders (2018) is set in 1920 when a nurse, who is the goddaughter of Florence Nightingale, is murdered on a train in broad daylight. The Mitfords and Louisa are on the same train. In the first book Louisa Cannon becomes the nursemaid to the Mitford family living in Ashtall Manor in Oxfordshire England. Louisa has lived in poverty with an abusive uncle who bullies her into crime. Louisa looks for a way out of her miserable situation and finds her way to Ashtall Manor. Louisa Cannon starts as a nursemaid and moves up steadily until in the 4th book she is a lady’s maid. Louisa is also very observant and curious finding herself looking for clues to solve the murder mystery.

The second book, Bright Young Dead (2019), is set during Pamela Mitford’s 18th birthday party where they have a treasure hunt. These treasure hunts are all the rage with the young at the time and one of the young aristocratic guests is killed. This is a real locked-room murder.

Third book, The Mitford Scandal (2020), is set during 1928 and involves the death of a maid during an engagement party for Diana Mitford and Bryan Guinness. Bryan Guinness is the son of the Guinness beer manufacturing family.

The fourth book, The Mitford Trial (2021), takes place on an ocean crossing where another man who is a member of high society is killed and is filled with intrigue, affairs and betrayal.

Michaelle S.

Popular Materials Asst.

The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri

2021-02-24T11:44:00.002-06:00

Title: The Beekeeper of Aleppo
Author: Christy Lefteri
Published: 2019
Call #: FIC Lefteri

In her latest book, The Beekeeper of Aleppo, author Christy Lefteri brings us the story of a lovely couple living an almost idyllic life in Aleppo Syria. Nuri is a beekeeper and his wife Afra an artist, and though they have a rather simple lifestyle it is also richly fulfilling, surrounded by loving family and strong friendships, with a bright future. And then the unimaginable occurs…the Syrian war breaks out and their once peaceful life is shattered almost overnight.

The couple, faced with profound loss and Afra having gone blind, decide they must escape the country and flee to Great Britain where Nuri’s cousin lives. The book weaves the couple’s dangerous journey and compelling personal drama as they, and their marriage, deal with the trauma of their new reality. At the same time, the book does not lose sight of the “big picture” themes of war, suffering and loss. And yet, as the couple puts their hopes on a new life as refugees in a foreign country, we also see the hope of the human spirit at its best.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough, it will enrich anyone who reads it, while providing a wonderfully entertaining read!

Blanca S.

Popular Materials Assistant

The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly

2021-02-10T12:35:00.001-06:00

Title: The Last Garden in England

Author: Julia Kelly

Published: 2021

Call #: FIC/Kelly

http://pclib.polarislibrary.com/view.aspx?author=kelly&title=last+garden

Julia Kelly is back with another engrossing historical fiction title sure to please her fans and new readers alike. This book has everything a reader loves in a good story: engaging characters, connections to the past and an engaging plot. Kelly is amazing with description, bringing the different areas of the garden to life with her vivid imagery. Like her previous novels, Light Over London and Whispers of War, you won't be able to put this book down.
The Last Garden In England takes place across three different time periods, with the plot interweaving between the three. The story begins in present day England, where Emma Lovett is hired to restore the gardens of a large home, Highbury House. While researching the history of the garden, Emma finds the original plans from 1907, learning that that her hero, pioneering landscaper Venetia Smith, is the creator of the themed garden "rooms," including the mysteriously locked Winter Garden. Her research also leads to the discovery of photos from WWII, that highlight what has happened to the gardens. Highbury House has now become a recovery hospital for wounded soldiers, much to Diana Symonds' dismay. Diana is lady of the house and is desperately trying to cling to some sense of normalcy after her husband's death. Her relationship with her cook, Stella Adderton and "land girl" Beth Pedley, will lead to one of the biggest secrets discovered about the Winter Garden.

Jill B.

Popular Materials Manager

Things We Didn't Say by Amy Lynn Green

2021-02-04T16:31:00.000-06:00

Title: Things We Didn't Say

Author: Amy Lynn Green

Published: 2020

Call #: FIC/Green

While many WWII novels focus on the action in Europe, this novel explored what happened in the United States, using letters and newspaper articles to tell the story. The main character, Johanna, is recruited to work as a translator in a German POW camp located a small Minnesota town. There is a lot of animosity in town over the Germans who have been sent there to help with the town’s harvest as part of their sentence. As Johanna adapts to this new position that she is ultimately forced into, she corresponds with Peter, a Japanese American who serves as a teacher preparing students to head overseas and help with translations in Japan. Before long, Johanna and the town begin to see the Germans as people rather the enemy but soon questions of treason begin to circulate around Johanna.
This novel felt like a fresh take on WWII as I'd never known there were German POW camps in the United States. Although the story lagged a bit in the middle, it was overall a great story filled with captivating characters. While it is considered Christian fiction the message of forgiveness and treating others with kindness is handled naturally without being preachy. This is a wonderful addition to the WWII historical fiction genre.

Mary-Megan K,
Popular Materials Asst.

All Adults Here by Emma Straub

2021-01-26T14:04:00.002-06:00

Title: All Adults Here

Author: Emma Straub

Published: 2020

Call #: FIC STRAUB

After Astrid Strict witnesses an acquaintance get struck by a school bus in the middle of town, memories are stirred, and she begins questioning her black or white approach to life. Astrid’s three children are all on a quest for impossible dreams. Her youngest is perpetually soul searching, trying to make his late father proud. Her oldest holds himself up to impossible standards in a career he has never enjoyed, both of which are a mystery to the entire family. Her middle child can’t grow out of her adolescent days, including her high school boyfriend. Until this day, Astrid considered herself a pretty good mom. Though, when she really starts to think back, perhaps she wasn’t entirely blameless for her children’s mishaps.

In All Adults Here, author Emma Straub utilizes insight and wit to show how family dynamics play into all our decisions in life in some way. Straub explores many social issues, including the complexity of sexuality, gender identity and infidelity. She wisely envelopes those issues into parent / child, sibling, or friend relationships. As consequences bubble up, more truth is revealed and the reader slowly sees more layers of these characters, and how they came to be the way they are.

Have you ever felt like you missed the mark? How about messed up as a parent, child or sibling? Then you will fit right in with the Strict family. Find out if family can overpower in the end or if the truth weighs them all down.

Erin I.

Popular Materials Librarian

The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany by Lori Nelson Spielman

2021-01-19T10:15:00.001-06:00

Title: The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany

By: Lori Nelson Spielman

Published: 2020

Call #: FIC Spielman

http://pclib.polarislibrary.com/view.aspx?author=Spielman&title=star-crossed

Although the characters of this novel might be cursed, the story is a blessing to read. All second-born daughters of the Fontana family have been cursed into believing they will never find love, but now they have a chance to break that curse. Poppy has invited her nieces Emilia and Lucy to join her on a trip to Italy because on her 80^th birthday, she will meet her true love on the steps of the Ravello Cathedral and end the curse. They’ve all taken a different approach to their supposed fate – Emilia uses it as an excuse not to get out there, Lucy throws herself in the dating game hoping to break the curse, and Poppy does what she can to live life to the fullest. While her nieces are skeptical about whether or not Poppy’s plan will work, they embark on a trip of their lifetime and discover things they never knew about themselves or about their effervescent aunt.

This novel was an absolute delight to read. Not only does the author capture the beauty of Italy, but she has created a set of characters worth of love and a happy ending. Lori Nelson Spielman has written fast-paced story filled with beautiful locales, laughter, startling truths, self-discovery, romance, heartbreak, and joy. It is a must read for anyone looking for a feel-good escape.

Mary-Megan K.

Popular Materials Asst.

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

2020-12-16T14:06:00.000-06:00

Title: Leave the World Behind Author: Rumaan Alam Published: 2020

Call #: FIC ALAM

When Clay and Amanda go on a rustic vacation in Long Island with their teenage son and daughter, they hardly expect a knock on the door in the middle of the night. Amanda tells her husband to answer the door, as she has the phone in her hand ready to dial 9-1-1. When they answer the door, it’s two elderly people named Ruth and G.H. Washington, who explains they are the ones who own the home which the family has rented. The Washington’s tell them there has been a blackout in New York City, where they are from as well, and the city was turning into very chaotic scene. While, they realize they are intruding on an agreement, Ruth and G.H. prod on to see if they can stay in the vacation home also.

Amanda is sure they are conning them. They are in the middle of nowhere, with no cell signal or WIFI, and suddenly a couple comes up and tries to stay the night in the same house as her and her children. Motherly instinct and city smarts tell her not to believe it. That is, until they try to turn on the TV and all they see is the blue screen with white lettering stating “Emergency Broadcast System” on every channel – no test there. They resolve to all stay in the large home nestled in the forest, and see what they can figure out in the morning. Only, the next couple days feel like weeks and everything gets weirder by the hour.

Author Rumaan Alam brilliantly explores how much differences of class and race matter when intermixed with the necessity of surviving the unknown. Strangers suddenly become family when they are all you have. He illuminates how different people react in truly difficult circumstances, and what it really means to be human.

Erin I.

Popular Materials Senior Services Librarian

The Woman before Wallis: A Novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts and Royal Scandal by Bryn Turnbull

2020-12-02T13:21:00.004-06:00

Title: The Woman Before Wallis: a Novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts, & Royal Scandal

Author: Bryn Turnbull

Published:2020

Call #: FIC Turnbull

The title says it all, this book is chock full of the British aristocracy, the royals, the rich and famous, and best of all, the scandalous! Gloria and Thelma both marry into wealth, but their fortunes turn out very differently. Gloria's marriage into the Vanderbilt family begins to unravel as her husband's mismanagement erodes away their wealth. Thelma, already a divorcee, marries Viscount Duke Furness who introduces her to Edward, Prince of Wales--leading to a passionate affair between Thelma and Edward.

When Gloria's husband dies, her future becomes threatened as the battle for custody of her daughter threatens everything. Eventually, a scandalous custody trial forces Thelma to fly to New York to support her sister. Just before her journey, Thelma asks her fellow American to keep Prince Edward company, which Wallis Simpson is more than happy to do. The rest of the story is history.

The book has the overall feel of sitting down with your besties, twin sister socialites Thelma and Gloria Morgan--also known as Gloria Vanderbilt and Thelma, Viscountess Furness. It's an escape from the world as we know it right now. Great escapism in a time and place so very different from our own. This book is a real guilty pleasure. Great for fans of The Paris Wife and The Crown.

Michaelle S.

Popular Materials Asst.

Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras

2020-11-23T11:12:00.002-06:00

Title: Fruit of the Drunken Tree

Author: Ingrid Rojas Contreras

Published: 2018

Call #: FIC Rojas Contreras

http://pclib.polarislibrary.com/view.aspx?author=contreras&title=fruit

Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras is a captivating story set amid the drug wars and social instability of early 1990’s Bogota, Colombia; inspired in part from events in the author’s own life.

I guess if I had to describe the events taking place in this book with a single word, it might be “chaos”. What makes it so compelling, is that it is seen through the perspectives of two young girls, Chula a very bright and sensitive seven year old, who lives a privileged life with her family inside a secure, gated community and Petrona, a young teen who is the family’s maid.

The author does a great job of portraying the almost unbelievable occurrences that sadly were all too common, and likely still are to some degree, in Colombia during that time frame. From the drug lord Pablo Escobar and the violence of the illegal narcotics trade to guerilla warfare, we are given a window through the lives of the characters that enables us to see a society unravel and ultimately impact the lives of seemingly ordinary citizens. Be sure to read the personal note from the author which she included at the end of the book.

Blanca

Popular Materials Assistant

Watching You by Lisa Jewell

2020-11-16T09:50:00.001-06:00

http://pclib.polarislibrary.com/view.aspx?author=jewell&title=watching

Title: Watching You Author: Lisa Jewell Published: 2018 Call # FIC Jewell

Headmaster Tom Fitzwilliam is revered by all the locals as he has repeatedly cleaned up school district after district, and Bristol is no exception. Parents and students alike all admire his kindness, patience and understanding of the youth he looks after. No matter how many new cities they move to for Tom to save, Tom’s wife Nicola and his son Freddie have never really felt connected. In an effort to combat this, Freddie begins a project where he is researching others through photographs, of particular interest are teenage girls. However, Freddie does catch some odd interactions between his father and another woman as well as an odd woman hiding in their bushes.

Meanwhile, Joey Mullen and Alfie, her husband of only a few months move to Melville Heights with Joey’s seemingly perfect brother, Jack, and his pregnant wife Rebecca, only two doors down from the Fitzwilliam’s. Joey and Jack are incredibly close, but Joey has never fully understood his feelings for Rebecca who is sullen and elusive toward Joey. Though, she’s hesitant to say anything as Joey has never had a great grip on her own purpose, especially after losing her mom while she was only in her twenties. Even more confusing to her, when Joey sees Tom, she simply can stop thinking about him.

“Super Head” Mr. Fitzwilliam easily connects with teenagers, perhaps too easily. At least that is how one of his students, Jenna Trip, sees it. Jenna’s mom has an odd obsession with Tom, and is sure he is hiding something. One of Tom Fitzwilliam’s admirers is Beth, Jenna’s 15-year-old best friend. She’s sure Beth and Mr. Fitzwilliam are sneaking around, but is she imagining it? Is she just taking cues from her unstable mother?

When murder strikes in the affluent Melville Heights neighborhood it has everyone guessing. From the beloved school headmaster, Tom Fitzwilliam - to the ambivalent newlywed, Joey Mullen - to the 15-year-old student, Jenna Trip and her unhinged mother – the reader is entranced to find out how this wide cast of characters is connected, who can be trusted, and if they do have secrets – who has been watching?

Erin I.

Senior Outreach Librarian

One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

2020-10-27T12:44:00.003-05:00

Title: One to Watch

By: Kate Stayman-London

Published: 2020

Call #: FIC Stayman-London

http://pclib.polarislibrary.com/view.aspx?author=stayman&title=one+to

Bea Schumacher is about to turn reality tv on its head as the first ever plus-sized lead in Main Squeeze (a Bachelorette-type show). After bashing the show for lack of body diversity, Bea is asked to star on the next season of the popular show. While most people join the show to fall in love, Bea hopes to use this as an opportunity to advance her career as a fashion blogger. As filming progresses though, Bea realizes that love might be in the script for her after all, but it won’t be an easy road as she deals with criticism about her size, old heart-break wounds, and questions about whether or not the men vying for her heart have the best intentions.

With few leads in tv or even romance books being plus-sized, this was refreshing to see, but it wasn’t always easy to read as the author doesn’t sugar-coat society’s opinion about plus-sized women. Bea is a sympathetic character as she battles harsh criticism and tries to remain strong when the attacks draw emotional blood. This is ultimately an inspiring story as much about learning to believe in your self-worth as it is about falling in love.

Mary-Megan K.

Popular Materials Asst.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

2020-10-11T11:41:00.004-05:00

Title: The Silent Patient

By: Alex Michaelides

Published: 2019

Call #: FIC Michaelides

http://pclib.polarislibrary.com/view.aspx?author=michaelides&title=silent

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is a mystery-thriller novel set in a private London psychiatric facility called The Grove. The plot revolves around a successful artist, Alicia Berenson, who murders her fashion photographer husband, seemingly out of the blue. She then refuses to speak another word…to anyone! Several years later, with Alicia still not talking, a psychotherapist named Theo Faber begins treating her. Theo is himself a flawed individual who plotted his hiring at The Grove specifically in order to be able to see and treat Alicia, and get to the bottom of the mystery of what she had done and why she wasn’t speaking.

For those who like psychological thrillers this may be a good fit however, it seemed to me that the storyline moved somewhat slowly and overall was perhaps a bit unrealistic. On the other hand, there were some interesting twists and turns in this book, something suspense novel fans will definitely appreciate!

Blanca

Popular Materials Assistant

Love on Beach Avenue by Jennifer Probst

2020-09-23T14:43:00.003-05:00

Title: Love on Beach Avenue

By: Jennifer Probst

Published: 2020

Call #: FIC Probst

http://pclib.polarislibrary.com/view.aspx?author=probst&title=love+on

Avery Sunshine runs a wedding planning business with her sisters and can’t wait to plan her best friend Ally’s wedding. The only problem is that Ally’s brother Carter insists on helping with every step and he never liked Avery. He doesn’t set out to be difficult, he just wants the best for the only family he has left. As tempers start to flair between Carter and Avery, so does an unexpected attraction. The only thing that can ruin a summer fling is the truth that while Avery’s livelihood revolves around love and happily ever after, Carter doesn’t believe in any of it. Will his beliefs keep them apart of can she open his heart up to the prospect of forever?

This is a classic enemies-to-lovers romance that will have the reader eagerly awaiting the moment when tempers turn to passion. At some points Carter comes across a bit heavy handed, but then he dazzles in the next to sooth the irritation. His motivation helps the readers understand his behavior and it is easy to hope he’ll have a change of heart. This book is the first in a new series with hints throughout for future love stories of the Sunshine sisters.

Mary-Megan K.

Popular Materials Asst.

Keep Calm and Read On: Royal Spyness Series by Rhys Bowen

2020-09-10T14:58:00.004-05:00

Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen FIC Bowen First Published: 2007

In this special series, our librarians are introducing you to more series and authors that keep them reading long into the night. In this post, one of our librarians talks about one of her favorite series: Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen.

This series is my go-to when I'm in the mood for something light, amusing, and with just a touch of intrigue. The main character is Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, cousin to King George V of England, and affectionately known to all as "Georgie." When the reader meets Georgie, we learn that she is penniless and struggling to survive on her own as an "average" person in London in 1932. Throughout the next 14 novels, we follow Georgie's adventures, meet her friends, watch her trying to stay financially afloat, and dreaming of love and marriage. Georgie valiantly carries on, despite bodies showing up with disturbing regularity and threats of royal scandals constantly brewing.

Michaelle S. Popular Materials Asst.

Her Royal Spyness (Book 1)

Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, daughter to the Duke of Atholt and Rannoch, is 34th in line to the throne. She grew up in Scotland at the Castle of Rannoch which is very isolated, cold, and boring. When her brother cuts off her allowance and Georgiana’s relationship with her sister-in-law becomes impossible, she leaves for London. In London the need to earn some income leads her to work behind a cosmetics counter—and she is sacked after five hours. She starts to fall for a quite unsuitable minor royal, makes some money cleaning other people’s houses (incognito, of course) and then is summoned by the Queen to spy on her playboy son. All this before an arrogant Frenchman, who wants her family’s 800-year-old estate for himself, winds up dead in her bathtub. Now her most important job is to clear her very long family name.

A Royal Pain (Book 2)

The Queen has asked Georgie to entertain Bavarian Princess Hanni, while at the same time conveniently placing the princess in the playboy Prince’s path, in the hopes that he might finally marry. But The Queen doesn’t realize that this will take money and Georgie has very little, which is why she moonlights as a maid. She must draw up plans: clean house to make it look like a palace; have Granddad and her neighbor pretend to be the domestic staff; un-teach Princess Hanni the English she’s learned from American gangster movies; cure said Princess of her embarrassing shoplifting habit; and keep an eye on her at parties. Then there’s the worrying matter of the body in the bookshop and Hanni’s unwitting involvement with the Communist Party.

Royal Flush (Book 3)

To avoid scandal, Lady Georgiana is shipped home to Castle Rannoch where her summer plans include honoring a promise to Her Majesty to keep Castle Rannoch's divorcée houseguest from seducing the Prince of Wales. She's also been coerced into helping Scotland Yard with a top-secret mission--namely keeping an eye on the shooting party at Balmoral and preventing someone from shooting the Prince. And Georgie must manage all this without strangling her extremely unpleasant sister-in-law Fig or spineless brother Binky.