NLW Staff Picks: Tonia & Laura

 

Tonia

 

Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy

I went into Sipsworth without knowing anything about it—I often like to let the audiobook queue surprise me—and I’m so glad I did. This turned out to be one of the most heartwarming and quietly profound stories I’ve come across in a long time. It follows 83-year-old Helen, a widow who returns to her English hometown after the devastating loss of both her husband and son. She’s a woman who, in many ways, believes her life is winding down—lonely, disconnected, and unsure of what comes next.

Then, through an unexpected and simple encounter with a mouse, everything begins to change. What unfolds is a tender story about grief, resilience, and how life still has the capacity to surprise us, even in the most unassuming ways. I loved Helen’s character—she felt real, thoughtful, and quietly brave. I still find myself thinking about her from time to time, which to me is the sign of a truly special book. If you enjoy stories with emotional depth, small joys, and gentle transformations, Sipsworth is well worth the read—or listen.

 

Laura

 

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio may be my favorite book I've read in awhile. Who wouldn't love a book where you can send your husband to the attic and once he turns on the light, he disappears and a new model comes back?! Think of the possibilities! He's chewing too loud, swishing his drink around his mouth like mouthwash, talking on and on in that annoying mansplaining way, whatever--Honey, can you go and check on the light in the attic? Boom, new man. It wasn't all fun and games, however, as she eventually loses the man she likes when he goes into the attic without being sent. Then she has to go out into the real world and try to find him. Overall, a fabulous book with a very imaginative premise. 5 Stars!”

 

All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman is a brand new book by a first time author. Florence is the former lead singer of a girl band and single mother to 10 year-old Dylan. Her ex pays for, and insists, that their son attend a ritzy school that, shall we say, caters to a different sort of clientele. Florence suffers through until the child heir to a frozen foods fortune, and bully to her son, disappears on a field trip. Dylan becomes the prime suspect and Florence will do ANYTHING to clear his name. Fast-paced and a real page-turner!

 

Other picks:

 

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

Catch You Later by Jessica Strawser

Finding Sophie by Imran Mahmood

Our Favorite Books Read in 2023: Christina, Laura

Here are two more staff members with lists of their favorite books read in 2023!

Christina:  A black hole is not a hole by Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano (Juvenile audiobook from Libby)

Starter Villain by  John Scalzi (Libby audiobook)

Vera Wong’s unsolicited advice for murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto (Audiobook)

Losers club by Yvonne Vincent

No better friend by Robert Weintraub

When the corn is waist high by Jeremy Scott (audiobook) This one involves a serial killer and has an extremely unexpected twist.

Nala’s world by Dean Nicholson

The coworker by Freida McFadden

The bandit queens by Parini Shroff

Remarkably bright creatures by Shelby Van Pelt is my favorite of the year. It is a very poignant and well written work of fiction (only a tiny bit unbelievable).

 

Laura:  I made a list of 10. Mostly, I like thrillers, but I love books that tell fabulous stories. Mitch Albom is my favorite author of all time and he did not disappoint with his new one!

 

1. The Little Liar by Mitch Albom (As always, broke my heart and then put it back together. Fabulous book!)

 

2. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (I kept avoiding this one thinking it would be sad, but it was fabulous!)

 

3. Magic of Lemon Drop Pie by Rachel Linden (Wonderful book, I'll have to own it!)

 

4. Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult (Fascinating book and I learned so much about bees!)

 

5. This Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp (YA book about a school shooting-very well done.)

 

6. Everyone Here is Lying by Shari Lapena

7. You Look Beautiful Tonight by L. R. Jones

8. My Darling Girl by Jennifer McMahon (Creepy, but really good!)

9. Dirty Thirty by Janet Evanovich (I had about gotten over the Stephanie Plum series, (too repetitive), but this one made me laugh out loud!)

10. Episode Thirteen by Craig Dilouie (Another scary one. A little wild, but sure kept me interested).

Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman

 

Reviewed by Laura

Something in the Water was one of Reese's Book Club picks and was written by Catherine Steadman, an actress known for her work on Downton Abbey. It started VERY slowly, but I persisted because it was one of my Book Bingo picks (ocean on cover). About halfway through, it became exciting and I did enjoy the remainder of the book.

The story is told through the eyes of Erin, a documentary filmmaker who is in the process of completing an interesting collection of interviews with inmates soon to be released from prison. She is madly in love with the man she has lived with four years and plans to marry. Mark, her fiancée, is the handsome type of man who is so kind that everyone loves him immediately. Unfortunately, just before their wedding, Mark loses his job in investment banking. Despite this, they still decide to go on an abbreviated (two weeks, rather than four!) honeymoon to Bora, Bora.

And this is the point where the story begins to get interesting.

Erin had a bad experience scuba diving in the past and is anxious about repeating it, but promises Mark she will dive with him on their trip. Of course, the unimaginable happens and they discover a wrecked plane under the water and a satchel that floats to their boat. The satchel is full of money and diamonds and that is when the question that changes the course of their story and their life arrives. Do we report it or keep it? What would you do?

I would recommend this book if you can get through the beginning to the meat of the story. Would I have persevered if it wasn't for my Bingo card? Hard to say. I did end up enjoying it, though, and was glad I kept at it.

The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin

 

 

 

Reviewed by Laura

 

            This book tells the story of 17 year-old Lenni and 83 year-old Margot who meet in a hospital where both are waiting to die. Please don’t let that sentence deter you from reading this wonderful book! Lenni and Margot meet in the newly acquired Art Room of the hospital and strike up a friendship. As they grow closer, Lennie realizes that, between them, they have lived 100 years, so they begin to paint a picture of a memory for each year of their lives. The best part is that they also get to tell the story of what it represents. Some pages are hilarious, some are heartbreaking, but each and every one is a jewel. I can’t recommend this book highly enough! I laughed and cried through every delicious moment.

Nevermore: Kendzior, Obama, Seinfeld, Hughley, Kepler, Morena-Garcia, Grunwald, Kendi, Koonz

 

Reported by Laura

 

            Our first book comes highly recommended. Hiding in Plain Sight: The Invention of Donald Trump and the Erosion of America by Sarah Kendzior is a well-documented book covering decades in the making of an autocrat. Ms. Kendzior is an experienced, well-traveled, bestselling author who has studied Trump for many years and eerily predicted the insurrection we recently saw at our Capitol. This book describes his main purpose as separating America and exposes many illegal acts and associations that were swept under the rug over the years. Definitely a must-read!

        

    Promised Land by Barack Obama is similarly recommended. Our reviewer felt that it was a wonderful book that showcased his personality. Beautifully written, the book covers each of his policies and explains how he made his decisions as well as the people he got involved. The book doesn’t just showcase Obama’s successes, but also admits his mistakes. Quite a contrast to the first book reviewed.

           

 On the lighthearted side, Is This Anything? by Jerry Seinfeld is a treasure trove for anyone who is a fan of his comedy. Reading this book is like watching him perform; you can almost hear him saying the words. At times, laugh out loud funny. If you aren’t a Seinfeld fan, then give it a miss. If you are, don’t miss it.

         

   In the same vein, Black Man, White House: An Oral History of the Obama Years by D. L. Hughley is “told” by key political players from both sides of the aisle. This oral history parody is hysterical and D.L. Hughley’s comedic talents shine again. Our reviewer enjoyed it immensely.

        

    Lazarus by Lars Kepler is an intense thriller set in Sweden.  All across Europe, the most ruthless criminals are being murdered. At first, the police think that if a vigilante wants to help them do their job, then why stop them? But then the deaths get closer and closer to the investigators on the case and it appears that it might be the work of a serial killer who was presumed dead. The reviewer is enjoying the book, but having trouble keeping up with the large cast of characters with difficult Swedish names. Overall, though, an interesting read.

      

      Our next novel is a book that is magical, but also a horror story. In Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Noemi, a glamorous debutante is sent to help her newly-wed cousin at High Place, a gothic mansion in the Mexican countryside. Her cousin is begging someone to save her from a mysterious doom--claims that her husband is poisoning her and visions of restless ghosts. Noemi is unafraid, but soon finds that maybe she should have been. If you are interested in horror at all, this is a good book. (On a side note, this novel is being adapted into a limited series by Hulu).

       

     Time After Time by Lisa Grunwald is a time-traveling story set in Grand Central Station. Joe and Nora meet in 1937 in the midst of the depression. Joe is working as a leverman on the tracks and is thankful for a steady job. He sees Nora, dressed in a flapper dress from the 20’s and seeming completely out of place. It turns out, she was killed in a subway accident in the 20’s and returns each year to Grand Central Station. Despite the odds, Nora and Joe fall deeply in love and the book follows their love story as they meet, always at the station, time after time. The reviewer said it was a good book and recommends it.

 

            Our next reviewer hasn’t quite finished the book, How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, but she is greatly enjoying it. The book stresses that many people say and believe that they are not racist, but that as long as we support racist policies and do nothing to change the shape of the world, we can no longer claim this to be true. The author uses experiences from his own life and concludes that all races are capable of racism and that apathy is one of its biggest foes. Definitely a book to encourage soul searching and a wakeup call for conscientious Americans during a difficult time in our political climate.

 

            Our last book is an older Dean Koontz novel (1985) written originally under the pseudonym Richard Page. The Door to December tells the story of a 3 year-old girl who is kidnapped by her father and used for experiments in sensory deprivation. This book delves into the paranormal, as most Koontz books do, and was recommended as a good book by our reviewer.