For Readers: Blog

Fresh starts and second chances

New beginnings for a new year: these books feature fresh starts and second chances. Many of the books fall on the lighter side, but some deal with heavier themes. If you want some inspiration for a fresh start or just want a good story, try these titles.

The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
A cantankerous bookseller mourning his wife who has died, a publisher’s representative, and a precocious abandoned child come together on a small island off the coast of Massachusetts in this story about a life of books, redemption, and second chances. [e-book | print | audiobook | large type]

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Janie Crawford is a woman who refuses to live in sorrow, bitterness, fear, or foolish romantic dreams. She evolves through three marriages and a life marked by poverty. She returns home seeking identity and purpose. [e-book | print | audiobook]

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
When her former POW father impulsively moves the family to Alaska in the mid-1970s to live off the land, Leni and her mother are forced to confront the dangers of their lack of preparedness for the dangerous winter season. [e-book | print | audiobook | large type]

Writers & Lovers by Lily King
The story of an aspiring novelist’s effort to find herself and her voice after turning thirty and losing her mother, while working through grief. [e-book | print | audiobook]

Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes
A young widow and a former baseball player try to start over after life has thrown them some surprises. A sweet and engaging story. [e-book | print | audiobook | large type]

Two Steps Forward by Graeme Simsion and Anne Buist
 Zoe, an American artist, decides to walk the Camino de Santiago to cope with her husband’s death. Martin, a divorced British engineer, tests out his invention—a one-wheeled cart—on that same trail. The Camino is an ancient pilgrimage route that guarantees to “change” you, and as doubtful as that promise sounds to Zoe and Martin, they find it to be true. [e-book | print | audiobook | large type]

I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver
Thrown out of their parents' home and moving in with their estranged sister after coming out as nonbinary, Ben De Backer struggles to endure an anxiety disorder and the last half of senior year while bonding with a charismatic new friend. [e-book | print | audiobook]

The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal
A family inheritance tears two sisters apart, but years later they get a chance to reunite. A story of the power of second chances—a testament to the setbacks and achievements that come with following one’s passion. [e-book | print | audiobook | large type]

The Switch by Beth O’Leary
Ready for an adventure after her husband of sixty years leaves her, a woman offers to swap places with her burned-out adult granddaughter. Both women tackle new challenges—with surprising results. [e-book | print | audiobook]

Sugar and Salt by Susan Wiggs
Margot Salton, a barbecue master from Texas, moves to San Francisco to get a fresh start. She shares a kitchen with baker Jerome Sugar Barnes, and it is a perfect set up until Margot’s past comes back to haunt her. [e-book | print | audiobook | large type]

These nonfiction books might help give you a push into action.

Old in Art School by Nell Irvin Painter
This is a courageous and entertaining story of personal triumph by a woman who was open to the possibilities and changes that life offers. A history professor in her sixties, she takes a break from her position and goes to art school. [print]

Atomic Habits by James Clear
One of the world’s leading experts on habit formation explains practical strategies that will teach you how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the behaviors that will lead to remarkable results. [e-book | print | audiobook]

The Path Made Clear by Oprah Winfrey
Winfrey shares what she sees as a guide for activating your deepest vision of yourself, offering a framework for creating not just a life of success, but one of significance. [print | audiobook]

⏤Lillian