The Audacity of Sara Grayson by Joani Elliott, recommended by Leah
After her mother unexpectedly passes away, Sara Grayson is designated to finish the last book in her mother’s famous series. This is a story about overcoming a new challenge while dealing with grief and loss. It’s a nice mix between emotional and lighthearted. Joani Elliott tells a beautiful story with a slight edge of mystery and excitement while our heroine discovers secrets in her own family.
Reader, I Buried Them and Other Stories by Peter Lovesey, recommended by Megan S.
I’m a sucker for short stories and, despite rarely reading them, was in the mood for a mystery when I picked up “Reader, I Buried Them.” I’m glad I did. It’s a compilation of short mystery stories written by the talented and much-lauded Peter Lovesey. None of these stories are very long; in fact, you barely have time to settle in with the characters and setting before they’re concluded. It lends a sort of potato-chip quality to the book that I found endearing and fun. It’s perfect for the busy reader who only has a few minutes at a time to read (I can sympathize).
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub, recommended by Megan C.
Perfect for fans of The Midnight Library, this romp into Magical Realism makes you think about the effects of your choices and the importance of your relationships. Even though Alice lives a relatively content life, on the eve of her 40th birthday she’s suddenly transported back to the day she turned 16. Alice discovers that even small decisions can change the trajectory of her life, but her biggest surprise is her lively father who is now back to 40 years old. With 40 years of experience under her own belt, Alice’s new perspective has her questioning choices she made in her teen years and beyond. Full of heart, this book centers around father-daughter relationships, and was a great read around Father’s Day!
The Accomplice by Lisa Lutz, recommended by Debbie
Enjoyed reading this book! There is a murder with a few suspects – then two murders! Luna Grey has a secret – and she has a strange relationship with Owen Mann. People around them seem to turn up dead, but who’s the culprit, or culprits?
A Rip Through Time: A Novel by Kelley Armstrong, recommended by Dennis
A detective from 2019 is lured into an alley and attacked. When she wakes up, she finds herself in the body of a house maid in 1869, who isn’t a good person. Then a similar attack occurs to her, the house maid, in 1869. She has to deal with the problems the house maid has caused, solve the mystery of how she will get home, and find her attacker. She soon begins to wonder if her attacker from 2019 was also transported back in time and is continuing his crimes in 1869. This was a fun interesting read.
100 Cookies: The Baking Book for Every Kitchen by Sarah Kieffer, recommended by Leah & Megan C.
You might think you don’t need a recipe for all those cookie classics like chocolate chip, peanut butter, or sugar, but this cookbook will make you think twice! Every recipe has its own unique twist, like candied peanuts in a peanut butter cookie (as seen on our library cooking show Biblio Bites) or pumpkin buttercream atop a snickerdoodle. With 100 cookie recipes, there truly is a cookie for everyone, and each one contains a surprise! The book even ends with a hidden gem… a playlist of “Music to Bake to.” So, if you think you’re a baking rookie, pick up this book and you too can be a smart cookie!
Your Thoughts: A patron said, “Directions are concise and recipes are great!” Another one shared that they thought “The mix & match chapter was awesome!”
The No-Show by Beth O’Leary, recommended by Karen
Three women who are strangers all have one thing in common-they’ve all been stood up on the same day (Valentine’s Day, possibly one of the worst days to be stood up on), by the same man. Why did this happen? Is there more to his story than any of them know?
Another great story by Beth O’Leary, where things are more than they seem at first look. Filled with humorous and heart-wrenching moments, it’s an engaging tale of self-forgiveness and second chances in life.