Category: Staff Picks

The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“Always know your own weaknesses,” her father told her. “Know them better than your worst enemy and no one will be able to pull the wool over your eyes.”
― Jean Kwok, The Leftover Woman

Two women from vastly different circumstances face impossible choices in Jean Kwok’s newest novel, The Leftover Woman.

Jasmine has arrived in New York City with little money, no family support, and no plan. All she knows is that she needs to get money together to pay off her smugglers so she won’t be forced into servitude. Jasmine escaped her rural Chinese village after learning that her controlling husband had lied to her about her stillborn daughter. Her daughter is actually alive, was taken from Jasmine at birth and sent away. When Jasmine finally finds a steady way to make money in New York City, she knows that her freedom is limited. It’s only a matter of time before her husband tracks her down and drags her back home with him. If she hopes to find her daughter, she must act fast.

Rebecca Whitney is a publishing executive whose high-powered career, adoring husband, and adopted Chinese daughter keep her beyond busy. To help her family stay on track, they have hired a Chinese nanny to make sure their daughter is immersed in her birth culture and to give them some free time. Rebecca is grateful for the nanny, especially when she finds herself part of a publishing scandal that could destroy her career, her family, and the business her father worked so hard to secure. Her family name won’t be enough to shield Rebecca and her family from the disaster lurking in the shadows.

Though Rebecca and Jasmine couldn’t be more different, they face similar issues. Running from their problems won’t work forever, forcing the two to confront their issues in order to move forward. This book is full of unreliable narrators, a staple of this author’s writing style. The characters explore issues of identity, belonging, family, and what it means to be a mother. Economic and cultural differences may separate them, but the issues they face are all similar deep down.

August Picture Books Spotlight: Unicorns!

- Brittany Leave a comment

From time to time, I take special requests for themes from the young people that I visit for storytimes. Last month, I had a request for unicorn books and this month, I am so excited to deliver some really delightful titles to our storytime sites! Below are some of my favorites this year!

Thelma the Unicorn by Aaron Blabey
Author of the beloved Pig the Pug series, Blabey delivers another delightful story in rhyme! Thelma is a pony who dreams of a life in the spotlight. After a chance encounter with a paint and glitter truck, Thelma embarks on a lifestyle of the rich and famous. The illustrations are a delight as is the story itself, definitely fun for the whole family.

 

Twinkle, Twinkle Unicorn by Jeffrey Burton and illustrated by Zoe Waring
A magical take on a beloved nursery rhyme, this story gives the ability to change the words and not the vibe! This board book is so great to share with young ones as it is not only a story in rhyme, but it can be sung. Singing is a great way to begin those super important early literacy skills.

 

You Don’t Want a Unicorn by Ame Dyckman and illustrated by Liz Climo
You might be thinking that having a pet unicorn would be awesome. I mean, yes, but, unicorns do not make very good pets. Unicorns are so messy and what nobody talks about is that when they get lonely, chaos ensues! This story is so much fun to share and I will forever keep it in my lineup when unicorns are a part of the theme!

 

There’s a Unicorn in Your Book by Tom Fletcher and illustrated by Greg Abbott
Unicorns love to sing and spread joy but our friend unicorn is having a hard time in this story. Through interactive prompts, young readers help unicorn overcome what is bothering him! My kiddos at home and those that I get to read to all enjoy having the ability to help read the book! The illustrations are adorable and the content teaches about anxiety, consent, and the importance of friendships!

Unicorns are Real! by Holly Hatam
Unicorns are made of magic, glitter, hugs and kisses and so much more! Learn more about unicorns in this adorably illustrated board book sure to delight young readers.

 

Not Quite Narwhal by Jessie Sima
Kelp was born in the ocean among the narwhals but never quite fit in. Kelp’s tusk wasn’t long enough, he was a poor swimmer, and did not like the same food that his narwhal family loved. One day after being swept into a current, Kelp discovers a mysterious being in the distance that looks like him! This story also have gorgeous illustrations and shows the kiddos that you really can have it all sometimes!

 

Today I’ll Be a Unicorn by Dana Simpson
One day a young girl wakes up and decides that she wants to be a unicorn like her best friend! Throughout the story, the child shares just what she would do once a unicorn. The story takes a turn when a unicorn’s diet is introduced! Do you want to be a unicorn or give up your favorite food?! This story was short and adorable!

 

That’s Not my Unicorn by Fiona Watt
Meet five beautiful unicorns, one is the author’s unicorn but the other’s are not! This touch and feel book was well-received by my storytime kiddos and my daughter has loved everything that Watt has ever written!

 

Have you read any of these titles? I would love to hear about what you thought of them in the comments!

Hold the Line

- Bill Leave a comment

“I‘ve got one of them…Shoot him with his own gun!”  Michael Fanone was one of dozens holding off thousands in a key Capitol access tunnel.  For his trouble, he found himself frog-marched through the horde, speared with a Blue Lives Matter flag, tased repeatedly at the base of his skull, and beaten within an inch of his life.   He suffered a heart attack, traumatic brain injury, and lasting PTSD.  Bear spray inhalation damaged his lungs for months, but the most injurious and lasting remnant of the day were proclamations from half the still-living Congresspeople calling January 6th rioters…peaceful tourists.

Shocking to no one, the Trump and Obama voter Fanone marches to his own drummer.  The DC punk turned Virginia backwoods huntsman is known as  “Spiderman” by perps due to his neck tattoo and proclivity for tackling fleeing drug dealers from above.  Looking like the kind of guy who enjoys recreational narcotics, Michael spent the majority of his law enforcement career in the undercover vice sector.  His best friend was his transgender sex worker drug informant, Leslie.  Now he chats with Nancy Pelosi at 3am, dines with Sean Penn, and maintains a lasting friendship with Don Lemon.  When the curtain was drawn on his MPD career, he spent his last months ostracized behind a desk after speaking truth about the event which left 140 officers injured and five dead.

You astute newshounds have likely read anecdotes from January 6th.  Pass the popcorn, however, when Hold the Line recounts FBI interviews of suspects who assaulted him that day apprehended by surveillance cameras and their own sagely social media posts.  In today’s Washington climate of macho posturing theatre, there are a few examples of legit tough-guys.  After self-deploying to the Capitol on January 6th to back up fellow officers, the author of Hold the Line, Michael Fanone and his compatriots stand as the sole reason the former are still in one piece.

New Cinema Books

- Stephanie Leave a comment

We have some new books connected to the world of filmmaking and cinema hitting our catalog! I wanted to highlight just a couple of our newest titles. At the time of this writing, the below titles are available at the Davenport Public Library. The descriptions have been provided by the publishers.

The Future Was Now: Madmen, Mavericks, and the Epic Sci-Fi Summer of 1982 by Chris Nashawaty

In the summer of 1982, eight science fiction films were released within six weeks of one another. E.T., Tron, Star Trek: Wrath of Khan, Conan the Barbarian, Blade Runner, Poltergeist, The Thing, and Mad Max: The Road Warrior changed the careers of some of Hollywood’s now biggest names—altering the art of movie-making to this day.

In The Future Was Now, Chris Nashawaty recounts the riotous genesis of these films, featuring an all-star cast of Hollywood luminaries and gadflies alike: Steven Spielberg, at the height of his powers, conceives E.T. as an unlikely family tale, and quietly takes over the troubled production of Poltergeist, a horror film he had been nurturing for years. Ridley Scott, fresh off the success of Alien, tries his hand at an odd Philip K. Dick story that becomes Blade Runner—a box office failure turned cult classic. Similar stories arise for films like Tron, Conan the Barbarian, and The Thing. Taken as a whole, these films show a precarious turning-point in Hollywood history, when baffled film executives finally began to understand the potential of high-concept films with a rabid fanbase, merchandising potential, and endless possible sequels.

Expertly researched, energetically told, and written with an unabashed love for the cinema, The Future Was Now is a chronicle of how the revolution sparked in a galaxy far, far away finally took root and changed Hollywood forever. – Flatiron Books

Viewfinder: A Memoir of Seeing and Being Seen by Jon M. Chu

Long before he directed Wicked, In The Heights, or the groundbreaking film Crazy Rich Asians, Jon M. Chu was a movie-obsessed first-generation Chinese American, helping at his parents’ Chinese restaurant in Silicon Valley and forever facing the cultural identity crisis endemic to children of immigrants. Growing up on the cutting edge of twenty-first-century technology gave Chu the tools he needed to make his mark at USC film school, and to be discovered by Steven Spielberg, but he soon found himself struggling to understand who he was. In this book, for the first time, Chu turns the lens on his own life and work, telling the universal story of questioning what it means when your dreams collide with your circumstances, and showing how it’s possible to succeed even when the world changes beyond all recognition.

With striking candor and unrivaled insights, Chu offers a firsthand account of the collision of Silicon Valley and Hollywood—what it’s been like to watch his old world shatter and reshape his new one. Ultimately, Viewfinder is about reckoning with your own story, becoming your most creative self, and finding a path all your own. – Random House

The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir by Griffin Dunne

Griffin Dunne’s memoir of growing up among larger-than-life characters in Hollywood and Manhattan finds wicked humor and glimmers of light in even the most painful of circumstances

At eight, Sean Connery saved him from drowning. At thirteen, desperate to hook up with Janis Joplin, he attended his aunt Joan Didion and uncle John Gregory Dunne’s legendary LA launch party for Tom Wolfe’s The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. At sixteen, he got kicked out of boarding school, ending his institutional education for good. In his early twenties, he shared an apartment in Manhattan’s Hotel Des Artistes with his best friend and soulmate Carrie Fisher while she was filming some sci-fi movie called Star Wars and he was a struggling actor working as a popcorn concessionaire at Radio City Music Hall. A few years later, he produced and starred in the now-iconic film After Hours, directed by Martin Scorsese. In the midst of it all, Griffin’s twenty-two-year-old sister, Dominique, a rising star in Hollywood, was brutally strangled to death by her ex-boyfriend, leading to one of the most infamous public trials of the 1980s. The outcome was a travesty of justice that marked the beginning of their father Dominick Dunne’s career as a crime reporter for Vanity Fair and a victims’ rights activist.

And yet, for all its boldface cast of characters and jaw-dropping scenes, The Friday Afternoon Club is no mere celebrity memoir. It is, down to its bones, a family story that embraces the poignant absurdities and best and worst efforts of its loveable, infuriating, funny, and moving characters—its author most of all. – Penguin Press

The Davenports by Krystal Marquis

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“Olivia remembered the moment she’d realized that every Black person she knew was touched by the horror of slavery. Sometimes Olivia felt it like a wound hidden deep under smooth skin—one that she didn’t remember receiving but that ached nonetheless.”
― Krystal Marquis, The Davenports

Looking for a new young adult read? Look no further than The Davenports by Krystal Marquis. This new series started introduces readers to the world of the Davenports, one of the few immensely wealthy black families in 1910 Chicago. The Davenport sisters, their friend, and their maid are forced to reevaluate their friendships, familial relationships, and what they are willing to risk to find love as they struggle to keep society satisfied. With their parents determined to find them suitable matches, the two Davenport daughters, Helen and Olivia, push back against their parents’ decisions as they realize how big the world outside their estate is. All four girls soon learn that forging their own paths could mean throwing society’s and their families’ expectations to the wayside. What are they willing to risk for love and to follow their dreams?

This book was gorgeously written. Inspired by the life of C.R. Patterson and sons, Marquis infuses this book with rich historical references that are well-told and will have readers itching to learn more. This is the story of black excellence during a time period that is usually forgotten. I was invested in the lives of the characters and found myself continuously returning to this book as quickly as I could.

This title is also available as a Playaway audiobook.

“It’s no easy task balancing what you want for yourself and what your family wants for you.”
― Krystal Marquis, The Davenports

New Sports and Recreation Books

- Stephanie Leave a comment

The ‘Sports and Recreation’ section in nonfiction covers a wide variety of topics ranging from football to hiking to puzzles. Here we have a list of new sports and recreation books that have just hit the new shelves at the Davenport Public Library! Stop by our locations today and find more books on this topic!

These titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library at the time of this writing. Descriptions are provided by the publisher.

Drive: The Lasting Legacy of Tiger Woods by Bob Harig

Bob Harig’s latest deep-dive into Tiger Woods’ thrilling career, as seen through his iconic 2019 Masters comeback and win.

In April of 1997, the world of golf was forever changed. At the age of 21, a young Tiger Woods won the most prestigious golf tournament in the world, the Masters, by a record of 12 strokes. Woods became the youngest golfer ever to win the Masters and the first African or Asian-American player to win a major. History had been made – and would continue to be made over the next 15 years.

Woods transformed the game, turning golf geeks into keen observers, casual golf fans into ardent followers and even indifferent sports fans into curiosity mavens. He will undoubtedly be known for the raw numbers: 82 PGA Tour titles, 15 major championships, and according to Forbes, a billionaire who amassed more than $110-million in official PGA Tour earnings. Woods has proven to be a complicated figure through his decades in the spotlight. Plagued by marital scandal, a DUI arrest, and severe back injuries that resulted in what even he believed would be a career-ending spinal fusion surgery in 2017, Woods’ career finally seemed to be coming to an end. That all changed through 2018 and into 2019 as Woods returned slowly from the surgery. In 2019, on the same course where he won for the first time in 1997, Tiger Woods made history once again, winning the Masters one final time. The 2019 Masters brought together all the qualities that ultimately make up someone who has been an enduring figure for 30 years.

In this captivating and emotional portrait of one of the most famous figures in sports, Bob Harig brings readers the true story of the grit and perseverance of Tiger Woods in the final years of his career. Drive will show that Woods’ true legacy is one of resolve and redemption. – St. Martin’s Press

The Price: What It Takes to Win in College Football’s Era of Chaos by Armen Keteyian

Two of the nation’s most respected sports journalists team up for a vital, hard-hitting investigation into the tumultuous state of big-time college football.

We are living in the Wild West of college sports. Name, Image and Likeness endorsements, the transfer portal, collectives, conference realignment, the powerful influence of media companies have all rendered the notion of amateur athletics a quaint relic of the past, replaced by a Brave New World where money and self-interest rule.

The Price is a sweeping, in-depth, thought-provoking look at an inflection point in big-time college football. Six time New York Times bestselling author Armen Keteyian and award-winning national college football reporter John Talty conducted more than two hundred wide-ranging interviews with head coaches, athletic directors, conference commissioners, administrators, politicians, power brokers, agents and media executives from one corner of the sport to the other. They reveal never-before-reported details on major players such as Nick Saban, Jim Harbaugh, Kirby Smart, Jimbo Fisher, and Lane Kiffin. Keteyian and Talty’s reporting also lays bare the machinations that destroyed the historic conference that was the Pac-12, purely in the name of greed.

As the sport’s premier coaches race for the exits, Keteyian and Talty reveal deep, dark truths about a beloved game under siege—and the financial, physical, emotional and psychological toll taken on everyone whose dreams and fortunes often depend on the final score on a Saturday afternoon. – Harper

The Riddles of the Sphinx: Inheriting the Feminist History of the Crossword Puzzle by Anna Shechtman

Combining the soul-baring confessional of Brain on Fire and the addictive storytelling of The Queen’s Gambit, a renowned puzzle creator’s compulsively readable memoir and history of the crossword puzzle as an unexpected site of women’s work and feminist protest.

The indisputable “queen of crosswords,” Anna Shechtman published her first New York Times puzzle at age nineteen, and later, helped to spearhead the The New Yorker’s popular crossword section. Working with a medium often criticized as exclusionary, elitist, and out-of-touch, Anna is one of very few women in the field of puzzle making, where she strives to make the everyday diversion more diverse.

In this fascinating work—part memoir, part cultural analysis—she excavates the hidden history of the crossword and the overlooked women who have been central to its creation and evolution, from the “Crossword Craze” of the 1920s to the role of digital technology today. As she tells the story of her own experience in the CrossWorld, she analyzes the roles assigned to women in American culture, the boxes they’ve been allowed to fill, and the ways that they’ve used puzzles to negotiate the constraints and play of desire under patriarchy.

The result is an unforgettable and engrossing work of art, a loving and revealing homage to one of our most treasured, entertaining, and ultimately political pastimes. – HarperOne

Thruhikers: A Guide to Life on the Trail by Renee Miller and Tim Beissinger

Explore the outdoors in a whole new way with this comprehensive guide to hiking, camping, and backpacking, from @thruhikers Renee and Tim

Renee Miller and Tim Beissinger, also known as @thruhikers, share their experiences exploring the outdoors—hiking, backpacking, canoeing, and camping—with millions of people. They break down every aspect of their adventures—trail routes, gear, recipes, and more—and share stories from their time out on the trail.

Their first book is packed with advice, techniques, gear recommendations, and troubleshooting tips for beginner and experienced outdoorsy people alike. They take you through the entire experience: before the trail, on the trail, and after the trail. Plus, they include over 20 plant-based dehydrated recipes, like Curry Rice and Cold-Soaked Shepherd’s Pie, to bring on your adventures.

Learn how to plan your trip, pack your gear, deal with animals and leave no trace, eat and drink safely, avoid and care for injuries, pass the time, navigate all types of weather, get over the post-trail blues, and more. With this guide, you’ll be prepared for anything. – DK

Wild Wisdom: Primal Skills to Survive in Nature by Donny Dust

Survive anything nature throws your way with these survival tips and wilderness philosophy from renowned outdoorsman and now beloved TikTok star Donny Dust.

Donny Dust is a US Marine Corps veteran who now owns and operates Colorado’s premier survival and wilderness self-reliance school. He’s amassed two decades worth of primitive living skills everywhere from the jungles of Asia to the mountains of North America. He’s appeared on reality TV series like History Channel’s Alone and hosted USA Channel’s Mud, Sweat & Beards. Now, Donny brings all he’s learned to Wild Wisdom. He teaches you how to be more observant to help avoid danger, problem-solve, prioritize finding shelter, and to be flexible and creative when you need the right supplies for a task. He also focuses on essential gear, sheltering, building fire, staying hydrated, food, foraging, and trapping. Beautiful and instructive illustrations throughout make this is must-carry for anyone venturing into nature.

Millions of people now follow Donny Dust on TikTok to watch him craft objects from nothing but what he finds in the wilderness. Even the tools he uses to do the crafting are made from scratch, whether it’s a saw, chisel, hammer, or cordage. He’s made bows, arrows, axes, rope, sandals, backpacks, bowls, swords, and of course, fire—lots of fire—but Wild Wisdom offers so much more. Written by one of the country’s foremost experts, it’s a book for almost anyone, whether you’re a longtime outdoorsperson hoping to hone your skills and deepen your appreciation and understanding of the wilderness, or a newcomer looking to take your first adventures in nature. – S&S / Simon Element

The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill

- Stephanie Leave a comment

What would you be willing to sacrifice to become a writer? Sulari Gentill explores this question in her latest novel, The Mystery Writer.

Theodosia Benton is in crisis. She doesn’t want to be in law school anymore, so she drops out, flees Australia, and ends up on the doorstep of her older brother Gus, a practicing lawyer in Lawrence, Kansas. She expects Gus to be disappointed, to try to talk her out of her decision, and to tell their parents on her, especially when he finds out that she wants to be an author. Instead, Gus welcomes her into his home, helps her establish a routine, and supports her on her journey to be a writer.

Theo spends her days writing at a pub, finding solace amongst other writers and working hard on her first novel. She finds a mentor who gives her tips and advice on her book. When her mentor is brutally murdered, Theo finds herself drawn into a underground world full of people who aren’t what they say they are and who are willing to do whatever it takes to find the truth. Theo wants answers, but when the police focus in on her brother and his partner as their prime suspects, she must decide what she is willing to sacrifice to save them all. The race to the truth will take years.

This story had me captured from the start. There’s murder, conspiracy theories, disappearances, doomsday preppers, lawyers, writers, and shady people galore throughout this book. As a true crime lover, I also love conspiracy theories and this book is full of all different kinds. This book goes off the rails and I loved it. The mixed media elements in the book added to the chaos and helped add context to the plot. The characters were off-kilter, yet lovable, and the conspiracy theories were based enough in reality that I could picture this happening in real life. I can’t wait for the author’s next book.

Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“Maybe that’s the definition of nostalgia: getting sappy about things that are supposed to be insignificant.”
― Rachel Lynn Solomon, Today Tonight Tomorrow

Rowan Roth and Neil McNair have been rivals for all of high school. They competed on tests, elections, anything and everything. With only one day left of their senior year, they have a limited number of competitions left. Rowan would love to beat Neil, conquer high school, and set herself up for college with the prize money.

After they learn who is valedictorian, Rowan and Neil have one more chance to compete against each other. They have Howl, a senior class scavenger hunt that takes them all over Seattle looking for clues. Rowan is going to decimate Neil and win! When she learns that there are a group of seniors who want to take down both of them during Howl, Rowan and Neil decide to team up to survive, at least until it’s just the two of them left.

Even though Rowan and Neil have been competing all high school, they have never really talked. Their forced proximity during Howl means they spend more time together and learn new things about each other. Rowan learns that Neil is way more than the linguistics awkward person she thought. She also shares her love of romance novels and that she wants to write them as a career (well she already is writing one…). As Rowan and Neil run around Seattle, Rowan realizes that Neil isn’t as bad as she thinks. In fact, he could be the person of her dreams, not the rival of her life. One day could change their lives forever.

This title is also available in CD audiobook.

The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger

- Michelle Leave a comment

The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger is a suspenseful and unsettling psychological thriller that is peppered with elements of the paranormal! Newly married couple Rosie and Chad have spent much of their married life just scraping by while caretaking for Chad’s elderly uncle who is suffering from a terminal illness.  Chad has been patiently waiting for his big break as a struggling actor and Rosie is a new best selling author whose first true-crime book was a hit.  While taking care of Ivan, Rosie gets an idea to write a book about the history of his building, The Windemere, and all of the scandals that have taken place over the years.  The building has a storied history with murders, suicides and other tragedies altering the lives of its residents.

After Ivan’s passing the couple is shocked to learn that Ivan has left the apartment to the couple and it is estimated to be worth millions.  Equally shocking is that Ivan bypassed his own daughter, Dana, who he hadn’t spoken to in over a decade.  When Dana find out that her cousin and his wife are the beneficiaries of Ivan’s estate, tensions escalate and she threatens to sue Chad and Rosie.  Still in surprise and shock, Rosie and Chad move into their inherited home and are welcomed by the other residents, an eccentric and odd mix of people who have lived in the building for decades but never seem to age.

While settling into the apartment, strange things start to occur that put Rosie on edge.  The building’s doorman seems to have access to all the residents comings and goings and is available by intercom within each apartment.  Why does he have access to cameras throughout the building seemingly at all times?  Things don’t get much better for Rosie when she swears she sees spirits in the basement of The Windemere.   These ghostly apparitions, along with two suspicious deaths and the disappearances of two people close to her, make Rosie doubt what is and isn’t true and makes her wonder if the building is hiding something sinister.

Lisa Unger has crafted an unnerving thriller that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat with alternating chapters toggling between past and present.  Add the supernatural element and The New Couple in 5B is highly recommended if you are a fan of psychological thrillers!

QCL July Wrap-Up

- Brittany Leave a comment

In July, Morgan and I read The Echo of Old Books by Barbara Davis to celebrate Cheer Up the Lonely Day on July 11th. Below is a short synopsis of the book and what I thought of it! 

Ashlyn operates a used book shop in New Hampshire. Ashlyn has a special ability to sense the echo of the previous owners of the books in her store. When a mysterious beautifully bound book, with no author or publisher listed, lands in Ashlyn’s hands and later a companion, she becomes entranced by the books and must find out where they came from.

This beautiful book told in 3 points of view was exactly what I needed! I don’t want to give too much away so I am going to leave it there!

Morgan and I have a very exciting lineup of book options for August, below are our 4 options including our winning title! Feel free to check them out from Davenport Public Library! 

*QCL August Read!* Don’t Forget to Write by Sara Goodman Confino (In Honor of Family Fun Month)  

“When Marilyn Kleinman is caught making out with the rabbi’s son in front of the whole congregation, her parents ship her off to her great-aunt Ada for the summer. If anyone can save their daughter’s reputation, it’s Philadelphia’s strict premier matchmaker. Either that or Marilyn can kiss college goodbye. To Marilyn’s surprise, Ada’s not the humorless septuagenarian her mother described. Not with that platinum-blonde hair, Hermès scarf, and Cadillac convertible. She’s sharp, straight-talking, takes her job very seriously, and abides by her own rules…mostly. As the summer unfolds, Ada and Marilyn head for the Jersey shore, where Marilyn helps Ada scope out eligible matches–for anyone but Marilyn, that is. Because if there’s one thing Marilyn’s learned from Ada, it’s that she doesn’t have to settle. With the school year quickly approaching and her father threatening to disinherit her, Marilyn must make her choice for her future: return to the comfortable life she knows or embrace a risky, unknown path on her own.” – provided by our catalog 

Vinyl Resting Place by Olivia Blacke (In Honor of National Vinyl Record Day on August 12th) 

“When Juni Jessup and her sisters Tansy and Maggie put all their beans in one basket to open Sip & Spin Records, a record-slash-coffee shop in Cedar River, Texas, they knew there could be some scratches on the track, but no one was expecting to find a body deader than disco in the supply closet. Family is everything to the Jessups, so when their uncle is arrested by Juni’s heartbreaking ex on suspicion of murder, the sisters don’t skip a beat putting Sip & Spin up for bail collateral. But their tune changes abruptly when Uncle Calvin disappears, leaving them in a grind. With their uncle’s freedom and the future of their small business on the line, it’s up to Juni and her sisters to get in the groove and figure out whodunit before the killer’s trail–and the coffee–goes cold. Music and mocha seem like a blend that should be “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,” but caught up in a murder investigation with her family and their life savings on the line, Juni wonders if she might be on the “Highway to Hell” instead”- provided by our catalog 

 

She’s Up to No Good by Sara Goodman Confino (In Honor of Senior Citizen’s Day on August 21st) 

“For two women generations apart, going home will change their lives. Four years into her marriage, Jenna is blindsided when her husband asks for a divorce. With time on her hands and her life in flux, she agrees to accompany her eccentric grandmother Evelyn on a road trip to the seaside Massachusetts town where much of their family history was shaped. When they hit the road, Evelyn spins the tale of the star-crossed teenage romance that captured her heart more than seventy years ago and changed the course of her life. She insists the return to her hometown isn’t about that at all–no matter how much she talks about Tony, her unforgettable and forbidden first love. Upon arrival, Jenna meets Tony’s attentive great-nephew Joe. The new friendship and fresh ocean air give her the confidence and distance she needs to begin putting the pain of a broken marriage behind her. As the secrets and truths of Evelyn’s past unfold, Jenna discovers a new side of her grandmother, and of herself, that she never knew existed–and learns that the possibilities for healing can come at the most unexpected times in a woman’s life.” – provided by our catalog

Attached at the Hip by Christine Riccio (In Honor of National Beach Day on August 30th)  

Looking for a change, Orie Lennox unwittingly joins the cast of an experimental romantic reality show on a South Pacific island, where her high school crush is also a contestant, leading to a mix of surprising alliances and blossoming relationships. – provided by our catalog 

 

 

 

 

If you are interested in any of these titles, or have read them, I want to talk about them! Please consider leaving a comment!  

Want to converse with other QCL Book Club followers? Consider joining our Goodreads Group!  

You can also access our recorded interviews by visiting the QCL Book Club Page!