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Fiction A to Z January 2018
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The Girl in Times Square
by Paullina Simons
The truth will change her forever. Living in bustling New York City, Lily Quinn has plenty of distractions and is struggling to finish college as well as pay her rent. But that all pales in comparison when Amy, her best friend and roommate, disappears without a trace. Spencer O'Malley, a cynical NYPD detective assigned to Amy's case, immediately captures Lily's attention. Though he is wary and wrestling with his own demons, he, too, is irresistibly drawn to Lily. But fate has more in store for Lily than she ever expected. As she looks deeper into the mystery surrounding Amy's disappearance, Lily finds answers she never imagined she'd find-answers that challenge everything she knows about her own life. Lily's search puts her on a collision course with tragedy and love, and gives her a glimpse into the abyss that swallowed her friend . . . until she faces a final confrontation with her own life-changing destiny.
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| A Hundred Small Lessons: A Novel by Ashley HayIn Brisbane, Australia, a young family moves into a new house after Elsie, the elderly owner, enters a nursing home. Photos in the attic -- and footsteps in the damp grass -- suggests a connection between old owner and new that only sensitive Lucy, struggling with her new life as a stay-at-home mother, can feel.
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Our short history : a novel
by Lauren Grodstein
After finding out she is dying, a single mom contacts her ex, who left her alone rather than be a father, and is shocked to discover that he is suddenly excited to meet the child he never knew.
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Carnegie's maid
by Marie Benedict
Clara Kelley is not who they think she is. She's not the experienced Irish maid who was hired to work in one of Pittsburgh's grandest households. She's a poor farmer's daughter with nowhere to go and nothing in her pockets. But the other woman with the same name has vanished, and pretending to be her just might get Clara some money to send back home. If she can keep up the ruse, that is. Serving as a lady's maid in the household of Andrew Carnegie requires skills he doesn't have, answering to an icy mistress who rules her sons and her domain with an iron fist. What Clara does have is a resolve as strong as the steel Pittsburgh is becoming famous for, coupled with an uncanny understanding of business, and Andrew begins to rely on her. But Clara can't let her guard down, not even when Andrew becomes something more than an employer. Revealing her past might ruin her future -- and her family's. With captivating insight and heart, Carnegie's Maid tells the story of one brilliant woman who may have spurred Andrew Carnegie's transformation from ruthless industrialist into the world's first true philanthropist.
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| The Confusion of Languages by Siobhan FallonStarring: Though both have followed their military husbands to Jordan, rule-following Cass and curious Margaret are unlikely friends -- and in fact, Cass is trying to fix their relationship when Margaret goes missing.
Why you might like it: Complex friendships are realistically depicted against a backdrop of cultural and political unrest.
About the author: This is Siobhan Fallon's debut novel, but her short story collection, You Know When the Men Are Gone, also centers on military wives. |
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| Confessions of a Domestic Failure by Bunmi LaditanWhat it's about: Ashley Keller is no Pinterest-perfect mom; she's simply trying to make it through the day. In her desire to be better at the whole mothering thing, she joins a parenting boot camp, with less than desirable results.
Who it's for: readers looking for a relatable, flawed protagonist or a satirical take on mommy-bloggers and unrealistic expectations alike.
About the author: Author Bunmi Laditan's razor-sharp wit first found its audience with the parenting blog The Honest Toddler; she's published a couple parenting books but this is her first novel. |
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| Ginny Moon by Benjamin LudwigStarring: Ginny Moon, a 13-year-old with autism who has finally been adopted. But her happily ever after is threatened by her desperate desire to be reunited with her Baby Doll, which puts her in communication with her dangerous, abusive mother, a drug addict who threatens the stability of Ginny's new home.
Why you might like it: With an authentic voice (author Benjamin Ludwig is the adoptive parent of an autistic teenager), this moving debut is peopled with realistic characters who share strong family bonds. |
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| Gather the Daughters: A Novel by Jennie MelamedWhat it's about: Told from the perspectives of several different girls, this debut is set in an oppressive, radically patriarchal society. As the girls press against their boundaries, the horrific truths about their community are gradually revealed.
You might also like: other dark, dystopian tales of repressed women fighting back, like Australian author Charlotte Wood's The Natural Way of Things. Gather the Daughters has also been described as a combination of Lois Lowry's The Giver and Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. |
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| A Kind of Freedom: A Novel by Margaret Wilkerson SextonWhat it's about: Spanning three generations of an African American family in New Orleans, this sweeping, heart-wrenching debut explores the legacy of racial inequality in the American South.
Book buzz: Longlisted for the National Book Award and selected as a New York Times Notable Book, A Kind of Freedom was also a favorite of author Tayari Jones (look for her newest, An American Marriage, in February).
Reviewers say: "This family is worth every minute of a reader's time" (Booklist). |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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