|
|
| Professor Chandra Follows His Bliss by Rajeev BalasubramanyamStarring: ambitious, internationally known economics professor P.R. Chandrasekhar (known to all as Chandra), who -- in a move that is wholly out of character -- decides to attend a meditation retreat.
What happens: An accumulation of tiny epiphanies ultimately challenges Chandra's perspective on his long-time prioritization of career over family.
Why you might like it: This is a complex book about an analytical man rethinking his choices, told with dry (and sometimes acerbic) humor. |
|
|
The better sister : a novel
by Alafair Burke
What's it about: When a prominent Manhattan lawyer is murdered, two estranged sisters—one the victim's widow, the other his ex—navigate long-standing resentments to uncover devastating family secrets. But when the police begin to treat Ethan as a suspect in his father's death, the two sisters are forced to unite ... and to confront the truth behind family secrets they have tried to bury in the past.
Why you might like it: It's by the best-selling author of the runaway hit, The Wife—another twisty tale of domestic noir.
|
|
| Boy Swallows Universe by Trent DaltonWhat it is: a clever and darkly humorous coming-of-age story set in 1980s Brisbane, Australia and inspired by the author's own life.
Starring: bright young Eli, whose closest companions are his brother, August (who communicates by writing in the air) and elderly former felon Slim (known for his once-frequent jail breaks).
Read it for: the one-of-a-kind, strongly bonded characters. |
|
| The Ash Family by Molly DektarStarring: 19-year-old Berie, who, thanks to a chance encounter at a bus stop, decides to join a nature-oriented commune rather than go to college.
What happens: Isolated from her family and dependent on her new friends for everything, Berie struggles to adapt to the hard work and is slow to recognize increasing signs of danger.
Read it for: escalating tension; vivid descriptions of farm life and of nature. |
|
| Lights All Night Long by Lydia FitzpatrickFeaturing: Russian exchange student Ilya, who's consumed with fear for Vladimir, the brother he left behind -- incarcerated for murders that Ilya does not believe he committed.
What happens: Overwhelmed by American excess, Ilya struggles to adjust, but with the help of his host family's daughter (who's got secrets of her own), he begins to uncover the path that led Vladimir to jail.
Reviewers say: "an absorbing tale imparted with tenderness and compassion" (Kirkus Reviews). |
|
| Lost and Wanted by Nell FreudenbergerWhat it's about: Wealthy, stylish Charlie (who is black) and nerdy scholarship student Helen (who is white) were best friends and roommates in college despite their differences. Twenty years later, Charlie is dead...but Helen continues to receive texts from her.
Is it for you? This complex, leisurely paced novel is as much a character study of Helen, now a respected scientist, as it is a story of female friendship. Deep discussions of physics add an intriguing layer of appeal. |
|
|
The book of dreams : a novel
by Nina George
What it's about: Henri Skinner is a hardened ex-war reporter on the run from his past. On his way to see his son, Sam, for the first time in years, Henri steps into the road without looking and collides with oncoming traffic. He is rushed to a nearby hospital where he floats, comatose, between dreams, reliving the fairytales of his childhood and the secrets that made him run away in the first place. After the accident, Sam—a thirteen-year old synesthete with an IQ of 144 and an appetite for science fiction—waits by his father’s bedside every day.
Why you might like it: Full of rich, captivating characters, and in placing the serious questions of life and death alongside a wonderful and engrossing story, The Book of Dreams asks with grace and gravitas what we will truly find meaningful in our lives after we are gone.
|
|
| The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis GravesStarring: two former college sweethearts who haven't spoken in ten years.
What happens: a chance meeting between shy but independent Annika, who's on the autism spectrum, and divorced, gun-shy Jonathan sparks interest in both parties. But can they resolve their pasts?
Why you might like it: Told primarily from Annika's perspective, this is a "heartwarming, neurodiverse love story" (Kirkus Reviews) great for fans of Graham Simsion's The Rosie Project or Rosie Walsh's Ghosted. |
|
| Miracle Creek by Angie KimWhat happens: a deadly explosion at an experimental medical treatment facility exposes cracks in a rural Virginia community -- and the courtroom case that follows turns out not to be as clear-cut as it first appears.
For fans of: the uncovering of untruths that drives Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies, or the compelling legal drama and family tragedy of William Landay's Defending Jacob. |
|
|
Savage news : a novel
by Jessica Yellin
What's it about: Natalie--who spent her twenties missing out on life's benchmarks--finally sees her efforts pay off when she's assigned to cover the White House for her network, ATN. The problem? The position is only temporary, a test to see if she has what it takes. She has always relied on her grit, her principles and her news sense to gain success.
Why you might like it: Timely, funny and smart, this juicy debut is the perfect tonic for readers contending with today's politics and the #MeToo movement. Natalie Savage will be sure to join the ranks of our favorite fictional heroines as she figures out that having it all doesn't mean giving up everything she stands for.
|
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
Forsyth County Public Library 660 West Fifth Street Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27101 336-703-2665www.forsythlibrary.org |
|
|
|