For Readers: Blog

April showers bring…

The forecast may be filled with rainy days, but don’t forget the rewards that are just around the corner. Let these flower-filled covers put you in the springtime mood, no matter the weather outside. Pick your favorite floral cover and treat yourself to a literary bouquet in the form of a great read, no watering necessary! 

Fiona Davis is back with her trademark dual-timeline historical fiction in The Magnolia Palace. Two women are connected through the Frick mansion in New York despite being decades apart. Lillian, a sculptor’s muse trying to hide from her past in 1919, and ambitious 1960s model Veronica are both drawn to the sprawling Gilded Age estate. When Veronica is stranded at the museum during a snowstorm, she ends up following secret messages from Lillian on the trail of a long-lost family heirloom, making for an engaging mix of historical detail, mystery, art, and scandal. [e-book | print | large type]

Keep the New York stories going with The Wise Women by Gina Sorell, a warm and witty look at the ever-evolving mother-daughter relationship. Advice columnist Wendy Wise’s life is far from picture perfect, but when her daughters are facing down heartache and crisis, she springs into action (whether they want her to or not). As years of misunderstandings and resentment bubble to the surface, it’s up to the Wise women to keep each other afloat and find strength in their quirky family dynamic. [e-book | print]

Sindya Bhanoo’s debut short story collection Seeking Fortune Elsewhere is an astute emotional portrait of the complicated bonds between immigrants and the families they left back home. These eight stories of grief, love, and strength in the face of adversity center around South Indian women and the isolation of the immigrant experience. Ultimately, this brief but moving volume is about journeys and choices, and how those choices ripple out to impact more people than we can ever expect. [e-book | print]

Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras is a heart-wrenching coming-of-age tale set amongst the turmoil of 1990s Colombia. Chula’s family feels relatively safe in their gated community, but their maid Petrona is no stranger to the growing instability of Bogotá’s streets. As young Chula’s fascination with Petrona grows, they form an unlikely friendship that unwittingly sets the two girls on a dangerous path. Drawing inspiration from her own life, Rojas Contreras has written an authentic and powerful story that captures the fraught reality of growing up under the constant threat of violence. [e-book | print]

Readers of Elizabeth Strout will appreciate Rebecca Kauffman’s latest character-driven saga, Chorus. Sweeping across the first half of the 19th century, each of the seven Shaw siblings gets a chapter to illustrate major moments in their lives. After their mother’s mysterious death and another family scandal, each of the siblings is profoundly impacted, even if it’s not obvious on the surface. On their own, each sibling’s story is beautifully-written, but the chorus of voices together result in a reflective and moving take on the complexity of family. [e-book | print]

Secrets, ambition, and betrayal take center stage in Nikki May’s debut, Wahala. Best friends since university, Anglo-Nigerians Ronke, Simi, and Boo try to stay close despite their lives heading in different directions. When newcomer Isobel infiltrates their friend group, she seems too good to be true, and in no time at all she has sown seeds of discontent amongst the trio. With dark humor and sharp insight into female friendships, this tale of toxic relationships doesn’t quite make it into thriller territory, but will keep you hooked with fascinating flawed characters and plenty of drama to go around. [e-book | print | audiobook]  

⏤Laura