Good Books to Read During the Holidays! |
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| Truth/Untruth by Mahasweta Devi; translated by Anjum KatyalWhat happens: the murder of a pregnant domestic servant in 1980s Calcutta (now Kolkata) reveals a viper's nest of greed, betrayal, and violence among its cut-throat, social-climbing elite.
For fans of: Liane Moriarty's twisty, suspenseful domestic thrillers.
Read this next: Small Deaths by Rijula Das. |
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Small Deaths: A Novel
by Rijula Das
"In Calcutta's notorious red-light district, Lalee aspires to a better life. Her unfailingly loyal client Tilu Shau has dreams too. A heady romantic and marginal novelist, Tilu is in love with the indifferent Lalee and wants to liberate her from her street life with marriage. But when a fellow sex worker and young mother is brutally murdered, the solicitous madam of the Blue Lotus invites Lalee to take the woman's place "upstairs" as a high-end escort. The offer comes with the promise of a more lucrativelife but quickly spirals into violence, corruption, and unfathomable secrets that threaten to upset the fragile stability of Lalee's very existence. As Tilu is drawn deeper into his rescue mission, he and Lalee embark on life-altering journeys to escape a savage fate"
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| The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah FredericksHopewell, New Jersey, 1932: Nanny Betty Gow is horrifed to discover that her young charge, Charlie, is missing. She can only hope it's another of his father's strange pranks (as history records, unfortunately it isn't).
Read it for: Betty's wrenching first-person narration vividly conveys her love for Charlie, the palpable fear for his safety, and the gnawing distrust that someone close at hand is responsible.
For fans of: Historical mysteries with a true crime edge. |
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Things in Jars
by Jess Kidd
Woman detective Bridie Devine investigates the kidnapping of a nobleman’s illegitimate daughter, whose reputed supernatural powers have captured the attention of sinister collectors in the underworld’s curiosities trade. By the author of Himself. 60,000 first printing.
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| The Night Ship by Jess KiddCast adrift: The lives of motherless children unfold in parallel narratives on an island off Western Australia's coast. In 1629, Mayken (disguised as a boy) navigates the brutal aftermath of a Dutch shipwreck. In 1989, Gil grieves his mother's death as local tensions escalate.
Take a taste: "The greatest shame of humankind is the failure of the strong to protect the weak."
Reviewers say: A "well-researched, spellbindingly dark and folklore-infused novel.... Recommended especially to Alma Katsu's fans" (Booklist). |
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The Deep
by Alma Katsu
Surviving the sinking of the Titanic, Annie takes a job as a nurse on the Britannic before encountering a fellow survivor who forces her to reckon with past demons. By the award-winning author of The Hunger.
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| Dinosaurs by Lydia MilletWhat happens: Wealthy but brokenhearted Gil takes refuge in Arizona, where the activities of nearby neighbors (and desert wildlife) pique his interest. Although the novel explores themes of human cruelty (bullying, animal violence), its ending is affirming, joyful, and moving.
Read it for: a leisurely-paced, hopeful story with a likeable protagonist whose second act may be the best one yet.
Try this next: Matthew Quick's We Are the Light. |
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Sweet Lamb of Heaven: A Novel
by Lydia Millet
Fleeing her cold and unfaithful husband, who has just launched his first campaign for political office, Lydia, accompanied by her 6-year-old daughter, races from Alaska to Maine and hides in a dingy motel as her husband's pursuit escalates from threatening to criminal. By the Pulitzer Prize finalist author of Magnificence.
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| None of This Would Have Happened If Prince Were Alive by Carolyn PrusaMeet: Ramona, would-be superwoman, juggling a demanding job while toilet training a toddler and fielding her mother's ongoing criticism. And that's before finding out her husband is unfaithful and there's an actual Category 4 hurricane on the way.
Read it for: Peak Gen X pop culture asides and relatable laugh-'til-you-cry scenes of ridiculous problem solving. |
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All Fall Down: A Novel
by Jennifer Weiner
Struggling with the demands of her job, distant husband, spoiled daughter and Alzheimer's patient father, Allison becomes addicted to painkillers and lands in rehab, where amid fellow inpatients she confronts incompatible recovery techniques, barely trained counselors and her own denial. By the best-selling author of In Her Shoes.
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| When Franny Stands Up by Eden RobinsCalling all Marvelous Mrs. Maisel fans: Franny grows up in 1950s Chicago, feeling out of place both as a Jewish girl and within a family where trauma is very personal.
What happens: performing stand-up gives Franny (and her audience) a shared space to address difficult topics -- racism, war, trauma, guilt, gender identity and sexuality -- with honesty, warmth, and laughter.
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The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks: A Novel
by Shauna Robinson
Banned from selling anything written this century, bookstore manager Maggie Banks, to keep the business afloat, starts an underground book club that unexpectedly unearths a town secret that could upend everything, forcing her to choose between the books that formed a small town's history or the stories poised to change it all
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| Signal Fires by Dani ShapiroWhat it's about: A car crash leaves one teen dead and two siblings divided by a secret. The novel moves from era to era, back and forth in time, assembling a cast of characters who must first reconcile inner demons before connecting with others.
Read it for: richly developed, complex characters; a moving, thoughtful meditation on what gives life meaning.
Try this next: A Little Hope by Ethan Joella |
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The Secrets You Keep: A Novel
by Kate White
A successful self-help author, recovering from a devastating car accident, finds her life spiraling dangerously out of control in the face of a caterer's murder and her husband's ominous secrets.
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| Flight by Lynn Steger StrongHoliday cheer: Three siblings (and spouses, etc.) gather for the first holiday since their mother's death. Some questions about what to do with the family home remain... it'll all probably be fine, right?
Read it for: Realistic blow ups that happen when families lovingly nurtures grudges for years -- and suprising events that can put things into more reasonable perspectives.
For fans of... Jonathan Tropper's This is Where I Leave You. |
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We All Want Impossible Things: A Novel
by Catherine Newman
When Edith, her best friend of 42 years, succumbs to ovarian cancer, spending her last days at a hospital near her, Ashley, stumbling around into heartbreak, helps Edith celebrate her life as they reminisce, hold on and try to let go. 75,000 first printing.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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