Category: Staff Picks

New Self-Help Books

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If you’re looking for ways to expand yourself, to learn more about yourself, or to accomplish something new, try one of these new self-help books that hit The Library’s shelves in 2025. As of this writing, these books are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

The Book of Possibilities: Words of Wisdom on the Road to Becoming by Bee Quammie

Bee Quammie invites women and girls everywhere to embrace the power of possibility in this intimate and empowering collection.

A successful Black woman in media, Bee Quammie often finds herself being cast as a role model for young women—and especially Black women and other women of colour. But Bee has never quite been comfortable with the idea of being a role model for the next generation. Who is she to suggest anyone live the way she has? Follow a certain path? Who says the path she followed is the “right” one—that there even is a “right” one?

When Bee became a mother, the weight of responsibility became even heavier, and she spent hours agonizing over how she could be the guide her girls needed without getting in their way or imposing her agenda. That’s when Bee decided she needed a new model for understanding the role she should play for her children—and anyone else who might be looking to her for inspiration.

Instead of a role model, Bee prefers to think of herself as a possibility model—one example among many of how to live one’s life. But even more important, Bee wants to show her daughters and other women how ripe with possibility their lives really are, how many opportunities and avenues there are to explore. There is so much richness to be found in life, even if you end up somewhere that feels unconventional or unplanned.

In The Book of Possibilities, Bee shows us how small acts of bravery and paying careful attention to our inner voice can open up a world of opportunity and lead to a fulfilling life. – Penguin Canada

Change the Recipe: Because You Can’t Build a Better World Without Breaking Some Eggs by José Andrés with Richard Wolffe

A unique collection of life lessons from renowned chef and humanitarian José Andrés

José Andrés is a chef, an entrepreneur, an author, a television host, and a tireless humanitarian leader across the globe. A Michelin-starred chef with more than forty restaurants, José is also the founder of World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit dedicated to feeding the hungry in the wake of natural and man-made disasters. His lifetime of experience—from kitchens to conflict zones—has given him a wealth of stories and teachable moments that are funny, touching, and insightful, all animated by the belief that food can bring us closer together and the conviction that each of us can change the world for the better.

Written in José’s unmistakable voice, Change the Recipe is a collection of his most affecting and powerful life lessons: hard-won wisdom from a man who has dedicated his life to changing the world through the power of food. – Ecco

How to Love Better: The Path to Deeper Connection through Growth, Kindness, and Compassion by Yung Pueblo

“Everyone enters relationships with imperfections and negative patterns that block the flow of love, but when you embrace growth, the new harmony within you will flow into your relationship.”

Love enters our lives in many forms: friends, family, intimate partners. But all of these relationships are deeply influenced by the love we have for ourselves. If we see our relationships as opportunities to be fully present in our healing and growth, then, Yung Pueblo assures us, we can transform and meet one another with compassion instead of judgment.

In How to Love Better, Yung Pueblo examines all aspects of relationships, from the rose-colored early days when you may be hesitant to show your full self, to the challenges that can arise without clear communication, to dealing with heartbreak and healing as you close a chapter of your life. The power of looking inward remains at the core of Yung Pueblo’s teachings. Ego and attachment can become barriers in a relationship, so the more self-aware you become, the more you can support both your partner and yourself.

How to Love Better includes:

  • How to build harmony in a relationship
  • How to see each other’s perspective
  • How to find the right partner
  • How to heal from heartbreak
  • How to overcome attachment
  • How to form commitments
  • How to argue

Yung Pueblo’s insights on embracing change, building a foundation of honesty, and learning to listen selflessly will resonate regardless of where you are in your healing journey. And his unique combination of poetry, personal experience, and thoughtful advice will help you grow and strengthen all of your relationships. – Harmony

I Don’t Believe in Astrology: A Therapist’s Guide to the Life-Changing Wisdom of the Stars by Debra Silverman

An accessible guide to the life-changing benefits of astrology by renowned psychotherapist and astrologer, Debra Silverman.

In a chaotic, confusing, and divisive world, Debra Silverman introduces astrology as the medicine for accepting our human nature–its idiosyncrasies and dilemmas. Through an application of both therapy and astrology, this breakthrough guide equips readers with tools that release self-judgment, inner criticism, negativity, and misunderstanding. Every sign struggles with psychological issues. Understanding the unique topics relative to your sign, it’s no surprise you are quirky. Learning how to accept who you are and love yourself unconditionally through the lens of astrology is at the heart of this book.

Debra Silverman teaches you how to step away from the struggle of your ego and see yourself with the calm objectivity of your soul. You will learn to love what you see—not just your best qualities but everything about you. She shows you how to aim for the high road of your personality. Most of all, you will cultivate compassion for all the other signs in the zodiac. Learn the meaning of the sun, moon, rising sign, Mercury, and Saturn. Using Debra’s method combining the wisdom of astrology and psychology, readers will remember the truth of their soul’s expression, seen through the eyes of self-love. – St. Martin’s Essentials

Secrets of Adulthood: Simple Truths for Our Complex Lives by Gretchen Rubin

The author of The Happiness Project and Better Than Before distills her key insights into simple truths for living with greater satisfaction, clarity, and happiness.

The right idea, invoked at the right time, can change our lives. Drawing from her long studies of happiness, and also from the challenges she’s faced herself, writer Gretchen Rubin has discovered the “Secrets of Adulthood” that can help us manage the complexities of life. To convey her conclusions, she turned to the aphorism—the ancient literary discipline that demands that a writer convey a large truth in a few words.

Perhaps you’re paralyzed by indecision, struggling to navigate a big change, fighting a temptation, or puzzled by the behavior of someone you love; whatever you face, the right aphorism can help. From procrastination to the pursuit of happiness, Secrets of Adulthood is filled with witty and thought-provoking reflections such as:

  • “Recognize that, like sleeping with a big dog in a small bed, things that are uncomfortable can also be comforting”
  • “Accept yourself, and expect more from yourself”
  • “Easy children raise good parents”
  • “What can be done at any time is often done at no time”

For anyone undergoing a major life transition, such as graduation, career switch, marriage, or moving, or for those just encountering everyday dilemmas, these disarming aphorisms will inspire you by articulating truths that you may never have noticed but instantly recognize. – Crown

When Work Hurts: Building Resilience When You’re Beat Up or Burnt Out by Meryl Herr

We might be discouraged, disillusioned, or devastated by our work. We might experience trauma or harassment on the job, or we may have experienced work loss by getting fired. If you’ve been beat up, burnt out, or brokenhearted by work, you’re not alone.

The Bible tells us that work will be difficult—filled with thorns and thistles—but no one prepares us for the pain we experience on the job. In When Work Hurts Meryl Herr

  • Explores the emotional, relational, and vocational pain that work causes and helps us rebound and build resilience so we can fully participate with God in his mission,
  • Walks through the biblical story of the Israelites’ journey of exile, return, and rebuilding as a framework for spiritual and practical resources for navigating work loss, and
  • Shows that we can take comfort in the fact that God is at work in the midst of our work to bring healing and hope. – InterVarsity Press

We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

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“When things felt right, it only meant there was so much more that could go wrong.”
― Marcus Kliewer, We Used to Live Here

Charlie and Eve are excited to start their new house flip. They just scored a great deal on an old house nestled in the trees in a beautiful mountainside town. When Eve is home alone one day, she is surprised when a family knocks on their front door. The father says he grew up in the house and wants to show his family the place where he lived as a child, if it’s okay with the new owners of course. Despite her reservations, Eve decides to let the family in, starting her down a path that will change her life forever.

When the family of strangers enters the house, weird and unexplainable things start happening. Something is slightly off about each family member, specifically the father. When the family’s youngest child disappears leaving Eve and the father to search the creepy and ever expanding basement for them, Eve’s bad feelings grow even worse. A ghostly presence is lurking in the basement, but only Eve can see them. The family stays longer than Eve originally intended, but there isn’t much she can do to combat the weather. When Eve learns that Charlie has disappeared and she is unable to get ahold of her, Eve spirals. She begins to love her grip on reality. Is her mental state deteriorating because of her mental health or is something happening to her because of the house? What’s going on? Who is behind these changes? What is Eve willing to risk to survive?

If you choose to read We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer, I highly recommend you read a physical copy as there are maps, journal entries, redacted records, and morse code scattered throughout. I should have known that this would be a difficult read for me as it’s horror and I freaked myself out while reading it (cheers to only being able to read this book while it was light out)! I do still have questions related to some plot holes, but honestly this book is ripe with conspiracy theories, so I will probably never get any answers.

This title is also available in large print.

Gone Fishin’

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How do you like to spend your summers? Growing up, we spent hours fishing with family along the river. As an adult, I don’t spend as much time fishing as I would like, but luckily for me (and you), the library has many resources about fishing available for checkout. Below are some of the newer titles that I found while perusing the shelves.

As of this writing, all of these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

Barr Flies: How to Tie and Fish the Copper John, the Barr Emerger, and Dozens of other Patterns, Variations, and Rigs by John S. Barr

In Barr Flies, John Barr shares his “confidence” patterns, the flies he has the most faith in to catch heavily pressured trout throughout the Rockies.

John Barr is the most successful designer of commercially distributed flies in the world. He has invented a number of indispensable flies such as the Barr Emerger, an unrivaled pattern for difficult trout across the country, and the Copper John, which has evolved into the most popular fly of the millenium.

In Barr Flies, John Barr shares his “confidence” patterns, the flies he has the most faith in to catch heavily pressured trout throughout the Rockies. Barr tells how he developed each fly, gives tips on when and how to fish them, and explains how he fishes multiple-fly rigs with the Copper John as the center of a three-fly system that consistently catches more fish. Most importantly, Barr reveals his methods for tying his favorite flies, with step-by-step instructions and clear color photos by Charlie Craven that enable even inexperienced tyers to create the Copper John, Barr Emerger, B/C Hopper, Tung Teaser, Slumpbuster, and many more patterns and variations. – Stackpole Books

The Blue Revolution: Hunting, Harvesting, and Farming Seafood in the Information Age by Nicholas P. Sullivan

Overfishing. For the world’s oceans, it’s long been a worrisome problem with few answers. Many of the global fish stocks are at a dangerous tipping point, some spiraling toward extinction. But as older fishing fleets retire and new technologies develop, a better, more sustainable way to farm this popular protein has emerged to profoundly shift the balance. The Blue Revolution tells the story of the recent transformation of commercial fishing: an encouraging change from maximizing volume through unrestrained wild hunting to maximizing value through controlled harvesting and farming. Entrepreneurs applying newer, smarter technologies are modernizing fisheries in unprecedented ways. In many parts of the world, the seafood on our plates is increasingly the product of smart decisions about ecosystems, waste, efficiency, transparency, and quality.

Nicholas P. Sullivan presents this new way of thinking about fish, food, and oceans by profiling the people and policies transforming an aging industry into one that is “post-industrial”—fueled by “sea-foodies” and locavores interested in sustainable, traceable, quality seafood. Catch quotas can work when local fishers feel they have a stake in the outcome; shellfish farming requires zero inputs and restores nearshore ecosystems; new markets are developing for kelp products, as well as unloved and “underutilized” fish species. Sullivan shows how the practices of thirty years ago that perpetuated an overfishing crisis are rapidly changing. In the book’s final chapters, Sullivan discusses the global challenges to preserving healthy oceans, including conservation mechanisms, the impact of climate change, and unregulated and criminal fishing in international waters.

In a fast-growing world where more people are eating more fish than ever before, The Blue Revolution brings encouraging news for conservationists and seafood lovers about the transformation of an industry historically averse to change, and it presents fresh inspiration for entrepreneurs and investors eager for new opportunities in a blue-green economy. – Island Press

Casting Onward: Fishing Adventures in Search of America’s Native Gamefish by Steve Ramirez

In writing this book, author, naturalist, and educator Steve Ramirez traveled thousands of miles by plane, motor vehicle, boat, and foot. In the course of this journey, Ramirez explores and fishes mountain streams, alpine lakes, National Wild and Scenic Rivers, desert canyons, brackish water estuaries, and the rolling ocean off the coast of Cape Cod. About half of this book was written while traveling through the COVID-19 pandemic and it touches on the lessons that COVID can teach us about nature and human nature. In Casting Onward, the author expands beyond the geographical scope of Casting Forward by fishing for native fish across American, within their original habitats and telling the story in part through the eyes of the people who have lived alongside, and come to love, these waters and fish. Woven throughout these adventures are the stories of the people he meets and befriends while pursuing a mutual love of nature as the first criterion for finding common ground. This is a hopeful story, in an all-too-often seemingly hopeless time. It is a story of fishing and friendship. It is a story of humanity’s impact on nature, and nature’s impact on humanity. – provided by the author

Illuminated by Water: Fly Fishing and the Allure of the Natural World by Malachy Tallack

In its blending of nature writing and memoir—also touching on the connection of time, beauty, and memory—Illuminated by Water is an elegiac tribute to fly fishing and the natural world.

Illuminated by Water is a book about the author’s own decades-long passion for ­fly fishing and how it has shaped the way he sees and thinks about the natural world. That passion is shared and made legible here, not just for other anglers, but for those who have never yet cast a line in the water. Why is it that catching ­fish—or even thinking about catching fish—can be so thrilling, so captivating? Why is it that time spent beside water can be imprinted so sharply in the memory? Why is it that what seems a simple act of casting a line and hoping can feel so rich in mystery?

Alternating between regional and thematic chapters, Tallack considers ‘wildness’, its pursuit, and its meanings; the compulsive appeal of tying flies; the ethics of catching and killing; the allure of big ­fish; and beauty—where it’s sought and where it’s found. He describes ­fly fishing trips to America, Canada, Shetland, and England. Throughout the book, certain themes recur—environmental harm and healing; the relationship between fishing and time; hope and its manifestations; and the ways in which angling can deepen engagement with the natural world. – Pegasus Books

Stillwater Fly Fishing: Competition-Inspired Strategies for Everyday Anglers by Devin Olsen

Stillwaters not only provide fishing opportunities for some of the largest trout in the United States, but they often provide the only dependable fishing (save some tailwaters in Colorado and New Mexico) in the early season (from ice-out to after runoff) for anglers in New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, California, Oregon, and Washington. Many anglers prefer to continue to fish lakes after the rivers drop to experience epic hatches of midges, Callibaetis mayflies, and damselflies, which all provide exceptional fly fishing for large trout. This is the definitive guide to fly fishing lakes and reservoirs fishing (written by the author of the best-selling book, Tactical Fly Fishing) and the only book on the market that covers competition and loch-style techniques used around the world. – Stackpole Books

The Unreasonable Virtue of Fly Fishing by Mark Kurlansky

From the award-winning, bestselling author of Cod-the irresistible story of the science, history, art, and culture of the least efficient way to catch a fish.

Fly fishing, historian Mark Kurlansky has found, is a battle of wits, fly fisher vs. fish–and the fly fisher does not always (or often) win. The targets–salmon, trout, and char; and for some, bass, tarpon, tuna, bonefish, and even marlin–are highly intelligent, wily, strong, and athletic animals. The allure, Kurlansky learns, is that fly fishing makes catching a fish as difficult as possible. There is an art, too, in the crafting of flies. Beautiful and intricate, some are made with more than two dozen pieces of feather and fur from a wide range of animals. The cast as well is a matter of grace and rhythm, with different casts and rods yielding varying results.

Kurlansky is known for his deep dives into the history of specific subjects, from cod to oysters to salt. But he spent his boyhood days on the shore of a shallow pond. Here, where tiny fish weaved under a rocky waterfall, he first tied string to a branch, dangled a worm into the water, and unleashed his passion for fishing. Since then, a lifelong love of the sport has led him around the world to many countries, coasts, and rivers-from the wilds of Alaska to Basque country, from the Catskills in New York to Oregon’s Columbia River, from Ireland and Norway to Russia and Japan. And, in true Kurlansky fashion, he absorbed every fact, detail, and anecdote along the way.

The Unreasonable Virtue of Fly Fishing marries Kurlansky’s signature wide-ranging reach with a subject that has captivated him for a lifetime–combining history, craft, and personal memoir to show readers, devotees of the sport or not, the necessity of experiencing nature’s balm first-hand. – Bloomsbury Publishing

This Beautiful, Ridiculous City: A Graphic Memoir by Kay Sohini

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This Beautiful, Ridiculous City: A Graphic Memoir by Kay Sohini is a vividly drawn graphic memoir telling the story of a woman of many talents. Kay Sohini is an immigrant, a writer, a foodie, an optimist, and a survivor with a deep love of anything New York City. From a young age growing up in India, Kay found love and hope through anything related to New York City, be it movies, books, music, or anything else. She turns to New York City in her time of need, so it’s no surprise when Kay decides to move to New York City to escape an abusive relationship.

Switching back and forth between her past in India, her present in New York City, and her first night in New York City on the tarmac of JFK Airport, Kay reflects on how much her life has changed, what she has left behind, and what she has to look forward to. The trauma she left behind in India has forever changed her, but her story is far from over. In fact, she decides to examine her city through the eyes of her favorite writers. Her journey to create a new home in New York City begins with the groundwork of trying to put herself back together. Kay shows, rather than tells, her readers about the great sense of belonging she feels in her new home. This is evident through the evocative and beautiful artwork that radiates through this graphic memoir. Her journey to love herself as much as she loves New York City further highlights how trauma can highlight your truth and how a new city can ease your heart.

Learn a New Hobby: Quilting

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Are you looking for a new hobby? Wanting to expand on an existing skill? Try quilting! Below I have gathered a list of quilting books new to the Davenport Public Library in 2025. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

Anna Maria’s Blueprint Quilting: Explore Color, Pattern, and Technique with 16 Joyful Projects from 4 Simple Design Structures by Anna Maria Perry

Stitch 16 stunning quilts and patchwork projects based on four underlying “blueprints” while learning skills to create your own original designs.

Uncover the mystery of quilt design with Anna Maria’s Blueprint Quilting. Celebrated fiber artist Anna Maria Parry demystifies her seemingly complex patterns and sumptuous color combinations as she breaks down her signature designs into accessible “blueprints,” or underlying structures. This accessible, visually inspiring book features:

  • A behind-the-scenes glimpse into an expert quilt designer’s process
  • Four quilt blueprints and accessible projects for different skill levels
  • Techniques for intensifying details, adjusting colors, and scaling designs for endless possibilities
  • Insight into planning and executing quilting and appliqué techniques
  • Clear illustrations and photography for an inspiring and informative experience
  • QR codes linked to videos that further illuminate important techniques

With easy-to-follow projects and insightful techniques for all levels of quilters, Anna Maria’s Blueprint Quilting will empower your quilting journey as you infuse your creations with the beauty and inspiration found within Parry’s extraordinary designs. – Quarry Books

Freestyle Color Collage Quilting: a Unique Method for Creating Bold Designs with Fabric by Carly Mul

With Freestyle Color Collage Quilting – the latest guide from industry expert Carly Mul – you’ll discover user-friendly secrets for organic, free-form color collage techniques. Don’t be surprised if the results are professional quality. Mul’s techniques for vibrant quilted designs don’t require extensive pattern techniques. Instead, this guide offers a gorgeous collage approach that’s beginner-friendly yet artistic and innovative enough for seasoned quilters. In Freestyle Color Collage Quilting, Mul will steer you through everything from gathering supplies to drawing inspiration from quilting galleries. This way, you’ll discover how to take your passion and convert it into a creative quilting display. You can take any colors and fabrics you already have on hand, determine the pattern, and flow you want to create, and fashion personal, one-of-a-kind quilting pieces. The results will be immensely satisfying–not only because they force you out of your quilting comfort zones, but because they’ll speak to your unique style. – Landauer Publishing

Mini Quilting: Quick-to-sew Designs to Use up Fabric from your Stash by Laura Strutt

Discover the flourishing craft of QUILTING with these 35 BEAUTIFUL and INNOVATIVE mini projects that are offer an ECO-FRIENDLY way to use up scraps of fabric.

Designed by expert crafter LAURA STRUTT, this collection is packed with STUNNING home accessories, bags, wall hangings, gifts for kids, and more.

As well as being quick and fun to sew, these mini quilting projects are the perfect way to try out different techniques. They’re ideal for beginners as well as experienced quilters who are looking for new ideas.

Start out with extra-small makes, perfect for sewing swaps, from a beautiful gadget sleeve to a cute bookmark and a pen holder.

For your home, sew a lightning bolt wall hanging, a striking lampshade, and a plant-pot cover. Learn how to make stylish bags and purses including a box pouch, a mini wallet, and an on-the-go sewing bag.

There’s also a chapter of adorable gifts for kids, such as an appliqué baby book and a dinosaur taggie quilt.

The projects introduce you to a wide range of techniques including hand- and machine-piecing. There’s also a guide to fabrics and tools, as well as step-by-step instructions for all the skills you’ll need. – CICO Books

Quilt Blocks for Beginners: Fresh, Versatile Designs for Quilts, Clothes, Accessories, and Decor by Nancy Wick

Learn step by step how to easily create dozens of beautiful, modern quilt blocks.

Adapted from the best-selling The Quilt Block Book, Quilt Blocks for Beginners lays the foundation for a captivating journey into the world of quilt blocks. This beginner-friendly reference offers:

  • Guidance on three fundamental block-construction methods: quick piecing, foundation (paper) piecing
  • Step-by-step instructions for each block
  • Links to online patterns for easy printing

The blocks can be used to create quilts, décor pieces, or fashion accents—the possibilities are endless!
With fundamental techniques, easy-to-follow instructions, and printable templates, you can effortlessly create beautiful quilt blocks to use in any number of quilting projects, all while fostering your newfound love of quilting. – New Show Press

Stylish Quilter: Traditional Craft for a Modern World by Kiley Ferons, Megan Saenz, and Elyse Thompson

Join a trio of quilting experts as they show you how you can infuse a more modern aesthetic into your quilts. Authors Kiley Ferons, Megan Saenz, and Elyse Thompson present 20 quilting projects featured in the pages of Modish Quilter – from small projects for the home and quilted wall hangings to statement-making bed quilts – each piece celebrates the trend of modern quilt design. Each project includes full-size or easily resizable templates, step-by-step instructions including materials lists, fabric requirements, and pattern guidelines. Smaller quilt projects such as accents pillows allow you to strengthen your skills as you progress towards larger, more design intensive designs. Whether new or an experienced quilter, you’ll appreciate the call-out sections and tutorials for specialized quilting skills and techniques including couching, rope sewing, English paper piecing, applique, and how to make specific traditional blocks. – Landauer Publishing

A Year of Quilting: a Block for Every Week by Debbie Shore & Melissa Nayler

The ultimate week-by-week quilt-along companion from best-selling sewing author Debbie Shore and quilting expert Melissa Nayler: learn how to create 52 unique blocks – one for every week of the year – then combine them into a stunning patchwork quilt.

Follow the book from start to finish to create a stunning, harmonious quilt using all the block designs, or dip in and out, experiment with the techniques and then mix and match your favorite blocks to create your own unique creation. The book features:

  • An inspiring variety of quilting techniques – from simple machine piecing and appliqué to foundation paper piecing, every block explores a different patchwork and/or quilting method.
  • Simple instructions, perfect for beginners – each unique block is accompanied by easy-to-follow instructions, clear photography and full-size templates.
  • All the patchwork and quilting techniques needed – from piecing your initial shapes right through to binding your finished quilt.

This book is inspired by Debbie and Melissa’s incredibly popular Block of the Month quilt-along from the award-winning Half Yard Sewing Club: www.halfyardsewingclub.com – Search Press

83 Days in Mariupol: A War Diary by Don Brown

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“When…there are explosions, you understand that your life is simply…not worth anything.”
― Don Brown, 83 Days in Mariupol: A War Diary: A Graphic Novel

What do you consider to be history? Is it something that happened decades or centuries ago? Or something that happened last week? History is defined as the study of past events. The study of history also includes how those past events influence current and future events. Anything that has happened before the present is considered history, even if it was just yesterday, a couple weeks ago, or a couple years ago.

This discussion of when is something considered history happened when a friend saw I was reading 83 Days in Mariupol: A War Diary written and illustrated by Don Brown. This devastating and violent read attempts to capture the complexities of the war in Ukraine with emphases on the 83 day, February 2022 through May 2022, siege of the coastal city of Mariupol by Russian forces. For 83 days, civilians were driven to basements and cellars while two armies battled in the streets. Without food, water, lights, or heat, civilians dodged the shells, bullets, and death raining down on this coastal town. No one was exempt from death or injury. With homes and businesses destroyed and minimal medical supplies, these brave people stayed to defend their city from Russian forces. Some believed that Russian forces would overtake Ukraine in only a few days, but Mariupol managed to hold out for 83 days before surrendering. 83 Days in Mariupol discusses, from the points of view of multiple people, how the city and those involved endured this siege and the great cost they paid. I highly recommend this read as this event happened in the not distant past and has repercussions for current events. This story of unwavering survival and heroism against unimagined cruelty highlights how the consequences of this siege and the actions of a few will reshape global politics for years to come.

Murder Runs in the Family by Tamara Berry

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On the run from an ex, former private investigator in training Amber Winslow flees to her estranged grandmother’s house in Tamara Berry’s latest mystery, Murder Runs in the Family. This book combines elements of detective fiction and cozy mysteries to tell the story of found family and the road to forgiveness.

After a blow up with her ex-boyfriend, Amber impulsively heads to Arizona and the retirement community where her estranged grandmother lives. Growing up, Amber’s mother had nothing positive to say about her grandmother and forbid contact between them. It’s a shock when Amber runs to her grandma in her time of need, given all she knows is the woman’s name and where she is currently living. After sneaking into Seven Ponds and dropping in on her grandma, Amber is ready to learn more about Grandma Jade and what caused the massive family fallout.

Before Amber can start quizzing Jade, she is introduced to Jade’s friends and their quirky habits. They each have their own reasons for living at Seven Ponds, but they are all deeply connected. One morning, all of their lives are changed when they learn that one of their friends has been found dead in the group’s podcast studio. That’s right – Jade and her friends are responsible for a successful true crime podcast! Their friend’s death shocks everyone, especially Amber when the authorities are quick to focus on Jade as the murderer. Amber may not know her grandmother well, but there’s no way this eccentric woman would be a murderous villain. Putting her private investigator skills to use, Amber and the other podcast members work to prove Jade’s innocence.

This is a delightfully quirky cozy mystery full of compelling elements. Each character has their own independent backstory that eventually weaves into the plot, while the physical place, the retirement community itself, also plays a role. Bonus: there is a lost tortoise with an adorable name! I hope that the author decides to turn this into a series.

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw

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One of my favorite novels of recent years is The Final Revival of Opal and Nev by Dawnie Walton. It is Walton’s only novel as of this blog post publishing. While trying to find out if she’s published any short stories, I found out she hosts a podcast “Ursa Short Fiction” with Deesha Philyaw. While the podcast does not publish new episodes regularly, and there hasn’t been a new episode since March 2025, the back episodes are worth a listen. The co-hosts interview authors about their experiences publishing in short fiction.

That is the roundabout way Deesha Philyaw and her short story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, got on my radar. If I were a better short story collection reader, I would use this space to write about the overarching themes that are developed throughout the course of the book. Instead, I will just say that I found each story stands on its own with thought-provoking characters making decisions and taking actions that contribute to the push and pull between their own desires and the expectations their community places on them. Readers will find themselves reflecting on the drive and motivation of each character they meet.

Here is a snapshot of what each story is about:

Eula – Two women, friends since high school, meet at a hotel on the New Year’s Eve of 2000.

Not-Daniel – A man and woman find comfort in each other in the parking lot of a hospice center while their mothers are dying inside.

Dear Sister —A woman writes her long-lost sister on behalf of her other sisters to inform the sibling their father has died. (My favorite piece in the collection.)

Peach Cobbler — A girl, Olivia, observes her mother make peach cobbler weekly for a local pastor with whom she is having an affair. As a teenager, Olivia tutors and develops a crush on the pastor’s son.

Snowfall — A lesbian couple from the South struggle to feel at home in a Midwestern college town.

How to Make Love to a Physicist — A high school arts teacher meets a physicist at a conference and their love blossoms.

Jael — A teenager burns down the house of an older man taking advantage of her friend. The grandmother tells her side of the story in alternating sections.

Instructions for Married Christian Husbands — A woman writes out how to be a good affair partner.

When Eddie Levert Comes — A neglected daughter contends with her mother’s dementia where the mother believes her one-time lover, a popular musician, is coming to visit.

Inspired by Austen

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Are you a Jane Austen fan? Do you like books inspired by Jane Austen? If so, we have a great list for you! I have gathered a list of books inspired by Jane Austen (think Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, or Sense and Sensibility) that were published in 2023, 2024, and 2025. This is by no means a complete list of all books inspired by Jane Austen! If you’re looking for more or have a favorite that you would like to share, let us know in the comments.

As of this writing, all titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publisher.

Emma of 83rd Street by Audrey Bellezza

In this witty and romantic debut novel, Jane Austen’s Emma meets the misadventures of Manhattan’s modern dating scene as two lifelong friends discover that, in the search for love, you sometimes don’t have to look any further than your own backyard.

Beautiful, clever, and rich, Emma Woodhouse has lived twenty-three years in her tight-knit Upper East Side neighborhood with very little to distress or vex her…that is, until her budding matchmaking hobby results in her sister’s marriage—and subsequent move downtown. Now, with her sister gone and all her friends traveling abroad, Emma must start her final year of grad school grappling with an entirely new emotion: boredom. So when she meets Nadine, a wide-eyed Ohio transplant with a heart of gold and drugstore blonde highlights to match, Emma not only sees a potential new friend but a new project. If only her overbearing neighbor George Knightley would get out of her way.

Handsome, smart, and successful, the only thing that frustrates Knightley more than a corked whiskey is his childhood friend, Emma. Whether it’s her shopping sprees between classes or her revolving door of ill-conceived hobbies, he is only too happy to lecture her on all the finer points of adulthood she’s so hell-bent on ignoring. But despite his gripes—and much to his own chagrin—Knightley can’t help but notice that the girl next door is a woman now…one who he suddenly can’t get out of his head.

As Emma’s best laid plans collide with everyone from hipster baristas to meddling family members to flaky playboy millionaires, these two friends slowly realize their need to always be right has been usurped by a new need entirely, and it’s not long before they discover that even the most familiar stories still have some surprises. – Gallery Books

Good Fortune by C.K. Chau

A whip-smart and charming debut novel that brilliantly reimagines Pride and Prejudice, set in contemporary Chinatown, exploring contemporary issues of class divides, family ties, cultural identity, and the pleasures and frustrations that come with falling in love.

When Elizabeth Chen’s ever-hustling realtor mother finally sells the beloved if derelict community center down the block, the new owners don’t look like typical New York City buyers. Brendan Lee and Darcy Wong are good Chinese boys with Hong Kong money. Clean-cut and charismatic, they say they are committed to cleaning up the neighborhood. To Elizabeth, that only means one thing: Darcy is looking to give the center an uptown makeover.

Elizabeth is determined to fight for community over profit, even if it means confronting the arrogant, uptight man every chance she gets. But where clever, cynical Elizabeth sees lemons, her mother sees lemonade. Eager to get Elizabeth and her other four daughters ahead in the world (and out of their crammed family apartment), Mrs. Chen takes every opportunity to keep her investors close. Closer than Elizabeth likes.

The more time they spend together, the more conflicted Elizabeth feels…until a shocking betrayal forces her to reconsider everything she thought she knew about love, trust, and the kind of person Darcy Wong really is. – HarperVia

Just as You Are by Camille Kellogg

The only thing worse than hating your boss? Being attracted to her.

Liz Baker and her three roommates work at the Nether Fields, a queer magazine in New York that’s on the verge of shutting down—until it’s bought at the last minute by two wealthy lesbians. Liz knows she’s lucky to still have a paycheck but it’s hard to feel grateful with minority investor Daria Fitzgerald slashing budgets, cancelling bagel Fridays, and password protecting the color printer to prevent “frivolous use.” When Liz overhears Daria scoffing at her listicles, she knows that it’s only a matter of time before her impulsive mouth gets herself fired.

But as Liz and Daria wind up having to spend more and more time together, Liz starts to see a softer side to Daria—she’s funny, thoughtful, and likes the way Liz’s gender presentation varies between butch and femme. Despite the evidence that Liz can’t trust her, it’s hard to keep hating Daria—and even harder to resist the chemistry between them.

This page-turning, sexy, and delightfully funny rom-com celebrates queer culture, chosen family, and falling in love against your better judgment. – Dial Press Trade Paperback

Meet the Benedettos by Katie Cotugno

An A-list movie star moves to Los Angeles—next door to a family of five eligible sisters—in this irresistible novel where The Kardashians meets Pride and Prejudice, from the NYT bestselling author of Birds of California

Every family is complicated, and the Benedettos are no exception. A few years after a reality TV show skyrocketed them to pop-culture fame, the five twentysomething sisters are living together in their parents’ crumbling McMansion, nearly broke and teetering towards rock-bottom. Lilly, the sensible second-eldest sister, is all too aware that her family is viewed as a spectacle, but she’s focused on holding herself and her family together, and unlike her siblings she tends not to care what the world thinks.

The Benedettos’ fortunes finally appear to be brightening when Charlie Bingley, the dashing star of Captain Fantastic, moves into their Los Angeles neighborhood with his friend Will Darcy in tow. It isn’t long before Charlie falls for the warm and lovely eldest sister, June. Lilly has no such luck: the arrogant and judgmental Will Darcy, a man plagued by his own private demons, seems ready to clash with her at every turn–yet the two can’t seem to stay away from each other. And while the Benedettos’ matriarch sets to work encouraging a potential match between Charlie and June, there are plenty of others in the community who are determined to steer these eligible young men away from a ridiculous family of reality show has-beens… – Harper Perennial

Much Ado About Nada by Uzma Jalaluddin

A sparkling second-chance romance inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion…

Nada Syed is stuck. On the cusp of thirty, she’s still living at home with her brothers and parents in the Golden Crescent neighbourhood of Toronto, resolutely ignoring her mother’s unsubtle pleas to get married already. While Nada has a good job as an engineer, it’s a far cry from realizing her start-up dreams for her tech baby, Ask Apa, the app that launched with a whimper instead of a bang because of a double-crossing business partner. Nothing in her life has turned out the way it was supposed to, and Nada feels like a failure. Something needs to change, but the past is holding on too tightly to let her move forward.

Nada’s best friend Haleema is determined to pry her from her shell…and what better place than at the giant annual Muslim conference held downtown, where Nada can finally meet Haleema’s fiancé, Zayn. And did Haleema mention Zayn’s brother Baz will be there?

What Haleema doesn’t know is that Nada and Baz have a past—some of it good, some of it bad and all of it secret. At the conference, that past all comes hurtling at Nada, bringing new complications and a moment of reckoning. Can Nada truly say goodbye to once was or should she hold tight to her dreams and find their new beginnings? – Berkley

Once Persuaded, Twice Shy: A Modern Reimagining of Persuasion by Melodie Edwards

This modern reimagining of Persuasion is full of witty banter, romantic angst, and compelling characters as it captures the heart of the classic Jane Austen novel.

When Anne Elliott broke up with Ben Wentworth, it seemed like the right thing to do . . . but now, eight years later, she’s not so sure.

In her scenic hometown of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Anne is comfortable focusing on her successful career: filling her late mother’s shoes as town councilor and executive director of her theater company. She certainly keeps busy as the all-around wrangler of eccentric locals, self-centered family members, elaborate festivals, and the occasional attacking goose. But the more she tries to convince herself that her life is fine as is, the more it all feels like a show—and not nearly as good as the ones put on by her theater company. She’s the always responsible Anne, always taken for granted and cleaning up after other people, and the memories of happier times with Ben Wentworth still haunt her.

So when the nearby Kellynch Winery is bought by Ben’s aunt and uncle, Anne’s world is set ablaze as her old flame crashes back into her life—and it’s clear he hasn’t forgiven her for breaking his heart. A joint project between the winery and Anne’s theater forces both Ben and Anne to confront their complicated history, and as they spend more time together, Anne can’t help but wonder if there might be hope for their future after all. – Berkley

Puck & Prejudice by Lia Riley

From the author of Mister Hockey comes a sizzling marriage of convenience romance between a pro hockey player who accidentally travels back in time to Regency Era England and the brazen contemporary of Jane Austen he just can’t help but fall for…

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a modern single man in possession of a hockey jersey may be exactly what a Regency woman needs to avoid the shackles of marriage…

Goalie for the Austin Regals, Tucker Taylor is benched due to health issues. So he decides to visit his sister in England. But an accidental plunge into an icy pond thrusts him back to 1812 where he comes face to face with a captivating blue-eyed woman who regards him as if he’s grown two heads.

Lizzy Wooddash dreams of a life surrounded by books, engaging conversation, the presence of literary icons like Jane Austen, and… nary a husband in sight. But in Regency England, only widows like her cousin Georgie enjoy freedom and solitary pursuits, unencumbered by expectations. The only way to quickly become a widow is by marrying a dying man or killing a perfectly healthy one, neither of which Lizzy desires.

A visitor from the future might just be the husband of her dreams. Once married, they can figure out how to return Tucker to his proper time, and his absence—aka death—will make Lizzy the widow she always dreamed of becoming. Yet as sparks ignite, they soon realize that matters of the heart rarely adhere to carefully laid plans. Can their love stand the test of time, or will Lizzy get exactly what she wanted…as well as a broken heart? – Avon

Sex, Lies and Sensibility by Nikki Payne

Two sisters roll up their sleeves to run a dilapidated inn but must learn to work with the locals in this deliciously spicy novel inspired by Sense and Sensibility.

There’s never a good time to learn you are your father’s secret child—especially not at the reading of his will. With their father’s affairs laid bare and Nora’s sensible reputation in tatters due to a viral video scandal, she and her free-spirited sister have nothing left but a rustic inn in the middle of nowhere and each other. What’s more, they need to revamp the inn before Labor Day or they lose it all. Nora hasn’t even knocked the traveling dust off last season’s designer boots when she’s confronted with three problems:

1. She really should have watched more HGTV.
2. She hasn’t seen another Black person for miles.
3. A tall, dark stranger has already staked a claim on their property.

Native Abenaki eco-tour guide Ennis “Bear” Freeman has seen hapless tourists come and go. When he spots two pampered city girls at his unofficial headquarters, he expects them to catch a flight out of the inhospitable coastal Maine backwoods within a week’s time. But Nora, turns out, is made of sterner stuff. And as she rolls up her sleeves to breathe new life into the inn, she unwittingly reignites a flood of emotions inside of Bear that he had very intentionally suppressed.

Their connection is electric, their desire palpable. But Bear’s silence about his mysterious past might turn out to be the one thing that sends Nora packing. – Berkley

What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo

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“Trauma isn’t just the sadness that comes from being beaten, or neglected, or insulted. That’s just one layer of it. Trauma also is mourning the childhood you could have had. The childhood other kids around you had. The fact that you could have had a mom who hugged and kissed you when you skinned your knee. Or a dad who stayed and brought you a bouquet of flowers at your graduation. Trauma is mourning the fact that, as an adult, you have to parent yourself. You have to stand in your kitchen, starving, near tears, next to a burnt chicken, and you can’t call your mom to tell her about it, to listen to her tell you that it’s okay, to ask if you can come over for some of her cooking. Instead, you have to pull up your bootstraps and solve the painful puzzle of your life by yourself. What other choice do you have? Nobody else is going to solve it for you.”
― Stephanie Foo, What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma

Published in February 2022, What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo discusses complex PTSD and the uphill battle for a diagnosis and treatment. Stephanie, a journalist and former radio producer for This American Life, details her journey to diagnosis, the roadblocks she hit, and how she was able to reclaim her agency from the trauma she faced as a child. This book was powerful and hopeful, while at times completely devastating. Stephanie acknowledges at the beginning that this book may be difficult for some to get through and gives permission for those readers that need to to skip ahead as much as they need. What My Bones Know is a brave memoir that isn’t afraid to stare down the tough parts of the past in order to find a way to help the present.

As an adult, Stephanie had all the looks of success: her dream job at This American Life and a loving, supportive boyfriend. Even though she had all this, behind the scenes Stephanie was a mess. She found interactions with others to be difficult, often crying at her desk every morning and suffering from debilitating panic attacks, alternating with intense bouts of anger. What was causing this behavior? Stephanie sought out help from a therapist and was eventually diagnosed with complex PTSD, a condition that results from trauma that happens continuously over many years. This diagnosis didn’t immediately switch a flip in Stephanie, leading her to be instantly cured. Instead she found herself looking for ways to heal through research and interviews with experts.

As a child, Stephanie suffered years of neglect as well as physical and verbal abuse at the hands of her parents, which led to both of her parents abandoning her when she was a teenager. Stephanie always believed that she had dealt with her feelings regarding those situations and that she had ‘moved on’, but when examining her complex PTSD diagnosis, she realizes that her past was creeping into her present with the potential to destroy her career, her relationships, and her health. Her journey to healing was made difficult by lack of resources and limited study of complex PTSD, so Stephanie decided to treat her diagnosis as she would treat a new job: she would do her own research and conduct her own interviews. In this memoir, Stephanie seeks out experts in the field, travels to her California hometown to interview friends, and flies back to Malaysia where she was born to question her relatives. She tried new therapies, investigates the wider influence of immigrant trauma on families and communities as a whole, and looks into how trauma slides through generations, impacting those not yet born. Throughout her journey, Stephanie documents her ups and downs, highlighting how she has changed through the years, while also acknowledging that everyone’s journey will differ through their own individual processes of discovery.

“Being healed isn’t about feeling nothing. Being healed is about feeling the appropriate emotions at the appropriate times and still being able to come back to yourself. That’s just life.”
― Stephanie Foo, What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma