Fiction
Golden Hill : a novel of old New York
Francis Spufford
FICTION Spufford Francis
Fiction, Adventure, Historical Fiction
"New York, a small town on the tip of Manhattan island, 1746. One rainy evening in November, a handsome young stranger fresh off the boat arrives at a countinghouse door on Golden Hill Street: this is Mr. Smith, amiable, charming, yet strangely determined to keep suspicion shimmering. For in his pocket, he has what seems to be an order for a thousand pounds, a huge sum, and he won't explain why, or where he comes from, or what he is planning to do in the colonies that requires so much money. Should the New York merchants trust him? Should they risk their credit and refuse to pay? Should they befriend him, seduce him, arrest him; maybe even kill him? Rich in language and historical perception, yet compulsively readable, Golden Hill is a story "taut with twists and turns" that "keeps you gripped until its tour-de-force conclusion" (The Times, London). Spufford paints an irresistible picture of a New York provokingly different from its later metropolitan self but already entirely a place where a young man with a fast tongue can invent himself afresh, fall in love--and find a world of trouble"--
The most dangerous place on earth : a novel
Lindsey Lee Johnson
FICTION Johnson Lindsey
Fiction
Lindsey Lee Johnson’s The Most Dangerous Place on Earth is everything you want a summer read to be. It’s fast-paced, full of drama, and you can’t put the book down. -Anne M
Rush oh! : a novel
Shirley Barrett
FICTION Barrett Shirley
Fiction, Adventure
Such a fun read—very whimsical—wonderfully funny scenes. But also sad. I couldn’t wait to pick it up and read it every day. -Anne M
Far from the madding crowd.
Thomas Hardy
FICTION Hardy, Thomas
Fiction, Classics
I read Tess of the D'Urbervilles and loved it, but after reading Jude the Obscure, I put Thomas Hardy back on the shelf. This book renewed my interest in Hardy. This is more of a love story, then the tragedies Hardy is know for. That doesn't mean that love and loss do not play a pivotal role in the story. -Anne M
It devours!
Joseph (Fiction writer) Fink
SCIENCE FICTION Fink Joseph
Fiction, Fantasy
From the authors of the New York Times bestselling novel Welcome to Night Vale and the creators of the #1 international podcast of the same name, comes a mystery exploring the intersections of faith and science, the growing relationship between two young people who want desperately to trust each other, and the terrifying, toothy power of the Smiling God. Nilanjana Sikdar is an outsider to the town of Night Vale. Working for Carlos, the town's top scientist, she relies on fact and logic as her guiding principles. But all of that is put into question when Carlos gives her a special assignment investigating a mysterious rumbling in the desert wasteland outside of town. This investigation leads her to the Joyous Congregation of the Smiling God, and to Darryl, one of its most committed members. Caught between her beliefs in the ultimate power of science and her growing attraction to Darryl, she begins to suspect the Congregation is planning a ritual that could threaten the lives of everyone in town. Nilanjana and Darryl must search for common ground between their very different world views as they are faced with the Congregation's darkest and most terrible secret.
Listened to the audiobook and found the story engaging. -Melody
Lincoln in the Bardo : a novel
George Saunders
FICTION Saunders George
Fiction
Lovely book. A bit of a halting read in a print format. Loved the audiobook. David Sedaris reads the part of one of the ghosts! -Melody
The lost book of the Grail, or, A visitor's guide to Barchester Cathedral
Charles C Lovett
FICTION Lovett Charles
Fiction, Mystery, Romance
"From the New York Times bestselling author of The Bookman's Tale comes a new novel about an obsessive bibliophile's quest through time to discover a missing manuscript, the unknown history of an English Cathedral, and the secret of the Holy Grail. Arthur Prescott is happiest when surrounded by the ancient books and manuscripts of the Barchester Cathedral library. Increasingly, he feels like a fish out of water among the concrete buildings of the University of Barchester, where he works as an English professor. His one respite is his time spent nestled in the library, nurturing his secret obsession with the Holy Grail and researching his perennially unfinished guidebook to the medieval cathedral. But when a beautiful young American named Bethany Davis arrives in Barchester charged with the task of digitizing the library's manuscripts, Arthur's tranquility is broken. Appalled by the threat modern technology poses to the library he loves, he sets out to thwart Bethany, only to find in her a kindred spirit with a similar love for knowledge and books--and a fellow Grail fanatic. Bethany soon joins Arthur in a quest to find the lost Book of Ewolda, the ancient manuscript telling the story of the cathedral's founder. And when the future of the cathedral itself is threatened, Arthur and Bethany's search takes on grave importance, leading the pair to discover secrets about the cathedral, about the Grail, and about themselves"--
I enjoyed the mystery aspect of this book--finding a lost manuscript and unveiling the secrets of the cathedral--as well as all of the discussion of church architecture and English history. But there is the problem of the romance; I was unconvinced and sometimes annoyed. -Anne M
The year of the runaways
Sunjeev Sahota
FICTION Sahota Sunjeev
Fiction
Short-listed for the 2015 Man Booker Prize, we’ve waited a long time for this novel to cross the pond. The book follows the paths of three Indian men, who are recent immigrants to England, as they try to navigate living in a new country and coming to terms with what they left behind. -Anne M
And then there were none
Agatha Christie
MYSTERY Christie, Agatha
Fiction, Mystery
This is the book that got me into Agatha Christie. It is smart, well-crafted, and surprising. -Anne M
The imperfectionists
Tom Rachman
BOOK CLUB KIT Imperfectionists
Fiction
Preoccupied by personal challenges while running a struggling newspaper in Rome, an obituary writer confronts mortality, an eccentric publisher obsesses over his dog, and other staff members uncover the paper's founding by an impulsive millionaire.
Added by Jason
It is funny and exciting. It is well-written with a great sense of character and a great sense of place. There is adventure, romance, and mystery. And it does not shy away from the dark issues of pre-revolutionary America, including religion, slavery, and the infighting of colonial government. Golden Hill is a great story. Put it on hold today—you’ll be a happy reader. -Anne M