BOOKSHELF
Take a Break With These Great Picks
What are you reading?
If the answer is “nothing,” this column is for you. Cailey Hutchins and Meghan Starling from Mentor Public Library share six of their favorite recent reads. In addition to both being librarians, they host a biweekly video vlog called All Booked Up with Cailey & Meg where they share their top page-turners. You can view their videos at youtube.com/mentorpubliclib.
White Cat, Black Dog: Stories by Kelly Link (March 28)
Feel like you don’t have the time or energy to read a lengthy tome? A book of short stories is an underrated option for reading pleasure, and this collection of seven modern fairy tale retellings is sure to delight, with a charming blend of realism and wonder. Stories about canceled air flights and exhausted house-sitters somehow become tales of otherworldly portals and fantastical goose chases. I have a feeling that reading this collection as an adult will recapture a tiny thread of the magic of experiencing an enthralling story as a child.
The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren (May 16)
One of my favorite author duos (Christina Lauren is actually the pen name of two authors), I am excited to see a new release this spring. Felicity “Fizzy” Chen is a romance author who has not found love herself. She is approached by producer Connor to star in a new dating show, which she agrees to, only after making sure this concept is really specific to her; Fizzy’s dates for the show have to fit into romance book categories. Connor, a single dad, is reluctantly running this show and butts heads with Fizzy at first, but quickly falls under her spell himself. A great read for those who like dating shows, romantic comedies, and a whole lot of heart.
Marmee by Sarah Miller (Oct. 2022)
If you are anything like me, you have a reverence for the classic “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott. Marmee, the loving mother of Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, is the protagonist of this tale. Following the same timeline as “Little Women,” we begin with Marmee’s diary in 1862 as the war rages on and supplies are becoming scarce, even in Massachusetts. As she struggles to parent her willful children alone, Marmee also contends with many of the struggles of the times, such as women’s rights, the abolitionist movement, poor healthcare and more. This book tells this familiar tale from a perspective that will give you a new respect for the original.
Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes (Feb. 7)
This latest from the author of “Me Before You” is sure to strike a chord in every reader. Nisha is outrageously wealthy until her husband cuts her off in the divorce. Sam is struggling after her husband lost his job and she is working herself to death to make up for it. These two women couldn’t be more different, but when their bags get swapped at the gym, they have an opportunity to walk in one another’s shoes, literally. What they learn from this will change their lives forever. If you’ve read Jojo Moyes before, you know to be prepared with tissues.
We Should Not Be Friends by Will Schwalbe (Feb. 21 non-fiction)
Will Schwalbe met Chris Maxey at Yale. Maxey is the opposite of Will in nearly every way: Maxey is a star wrestler; Schwalbe is a small, nerdy type. Where Maxey is loud, Schwalbe is quiet. Schwalbe is great at school, but Maxey struggles. They are very different people whose paths may not have crossed had they not both been recruited to Yale’s secret society club. This unlikely friendship has lasted, allowing both men to grow from this relationship. Sharing humorous tales of the ups and downs of their lives, Schwalbe invites the reader to see themselves in this unlikely friendship and recognize how their own friendships ebb and flow. Schwalbe has made a name for himself in thoughtful memoirs with “The End of Your Life Book Club” and “Books for Living.” This new title showcasing lifelong friendships is likely to be relatable to all.
Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
This title, released in 2020, is the first of a series that is expecting its fourth book in 2023. Readers are flocking to these books which are funny, heartfelt and filled with surprises and mysteries. The series takes place in a retirement community in England with four unlikely friends who have a slight obsession with true crime, specifically researching local unsolved crimes. Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron and Ibrahim find ways to use their skills from their ‘previous lives’ as a nurse, spy, union leader and psychologist to crack the cases even the local police have not yet solved. The series is simply a delight and you’ll want to go along with these septuagenarians on their latest escapades. Also, this title is being adapted for the screen.
