This novel asks, "How do you make a book that anyone will read out of lives as quiet as these?" The answer: just like this. Stegner weaves a compelling story out of four ordinary lives and their extraordinary, life-changing friendship as it spans across forty years, tackling themes of love and marriage, calling and duty. One of the best explorations of friendship in literature. This gorgeous, graceful novel will appeal to fans of Wendell Berry and Marilynne Robinson. Finish the book and go right back to the beginning—so much becomes clear on a re-read. With a deliberately paced, steady feel. in good hands. More info →

Years ago I had to be talked into reading this one, as fantasy is not my go-to genre. I'm so glad I didn't miss it; perhaps spring is the perfect time for YOU to pick it up? Hobbits are cozy creatures: they love their burrows and their well-cooked meals and their close-knit community. In Tolkien’s world, these homebodies are compelled to embark on life-changing quests and fight earth-saving battles. In this prequel to Lord of the Rings, Bilbo Baggins sets off to steal treasure from the dragon Smaug; humorous and dangerous adventures ensue. More info →

This was a tad sentimental for my taste (as was Cronin's debut, The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot) but nevertheless a winsome and enjoyable read. How could I not root for protagonist Eddie Winston? Ninety years old, with his academic career long behind him, he spends his days volunteering at a charity shop in Birmingham. He finds purpose in stewarding donated items that he suspects, though they may have been hastily dropped off for donation, that the donors aren't truly ready to part with—and he keeps them safe until their owners return for them. It's this secret mission that bring Eddie and twenty-four-year-old Bella together; the two subsequently strike up a friendship that leads places neither could have foreseen. The two are good for each other. Bella especially enjoys having an older friend whose company she can enjoy, and whom she can help in practical ways—and when she finds out that ninety-year-old Eddie Winston has never been kissed, she resolves to help Eddie finally find the love he's been missing in his life. What Bella doesn't know yet is that Eddie has known great love, though the timing has been all wrong. Through their quest they learn more of each other's stories, widen their new circle of friends, and set out to finally find the love Eddie has been yearning for all his life. This would be a promising pick for fans of stories featuring second chances, seasoned protagonists, and found family. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Kim Durham, Clare Corbett, and Natalie Nightingale. Whispersync narration available. More info →

This has been on summer reading lists everywhere, for good reason. It's the summer of 1968, and Delphine and her younger sisters are on a journey in more ways than one as they leave home in Brooklyn and set out to visit their estranged mother in California. When the girls arrive, they find a mother who is radically different from how they imagined she would now be like. Unenthusiastic about seeing them and seemingly annoyed by their presence, she sends them off to a Black Panthers summer camp to get them out of her hair. This is the story of a young girl trying to make sense of the world (and family) around her, forced to grow up too fast to cope with the difficult circumstances she finds herself in, set against the backdrop of the civil and political unrest of 1968 Oakland. More info →

Stephen Fry's whole Greek Myths Reimagined series is on sale. From the publisher: "Odysseus’s journey from the battlefields of Troy to his home in Ithaca is one of the greatest stories ever told. From the lotus-eaters to the sirens, from Circe to the Cyclops, this is a tale of thrilling adventures, cunning escapes, and enduring devotion. Stephen Fry breathes new life into the ancient poem with humor and pathos. Illustrated throughout with classical art inspired by the myths, this gorgeous volume invites you to explore a captivating world with a brilliant storyteller as your guide." More info →

From the publisher: "Dorothea Benton Frank novels are smart and witty fiction that readers want on their bookshelf: soulful, edgy stories about realistic characters familiar to us all that explore the most deeply felt moments of life with wry humor and heart." More info →

The reviews on this graphic novel rendering of the 1972 classic about a brave band of rabbits in the English countryside and their quest for survival against the threat of humans are fantastic. This British classic powerfully probes love, courage, loyalty, and human nature. More info →

I’m so excited to see this on sale. From Entertainment Weekly: "Riveting, fearlessly reported . . . [Behind the Beautiful Forevers] plays out like a swift, richly plotted novel. That’s partly because Boo writes so damn well. But it’s also because over the course of three years in India she got extraordinary access to the lives and minds of the Annawadi slum, a settlement nestled jarringly close to a shiny international airport and a row of luxury hotels. Grade: A." More info →

I very nearly bought this at an airport bookstore because of the staff blurb (It was Tattered Cover in Denver, which is why they actually HAD staff blurbs!) The publisher says, "Carrie Fisher's intimate, hilarious and revealing recollection of what happened behind the scenes on one of the most famous film sets of all time. When Carrie Fisher recently discovered the journals she kept during the filming of the first Star Wars movie, she was astonished to see what they had preserved—plaintive love poems, unbridled musings with youthful naiveté, and a vulnerability that she barely recognized. In 1977, Carrie Fisher was just a teenager with an all-consuming crush on her costar, Harrison Ford. Laugh-out-loud hilarious and endlessly quotable, The Princess Diarist brims with the candor and introspection of a diary while offering shrewd insight into the type of stardom that few will ever experience." Add Audible narration read by the author. More info →

It’s just a few days before Christmas when the five Vanderbeeker children find out their landlord will not renew the lease on their Harlem brownstone apartment. The thought of leaving the home (and neighborhood) that they love puts a damper on their Christmas spirit, but the siblings come together with a plan: convince their Scrooge-like landlord to let the family stay. This perfectly heartwarming middle grade novel with diverse characters and a charming setting will bring home the spirit of the season into your home. Don't let the winter setting dissuade you from reading this delightful series at any time of year. More info →

Jackson’s Southern story feels both exactly like the books her long-time readers know and love and like a total departure—and I loved it. Her domestic thriller (yes, really!) begins at a book club meeting in a quiet suburban neighborhood. These women live quiet lives revolving around family and sometimes work; they know each other well, and everything unfolds as usual … until a new guest arrives, one who has a score to settle based on long-buried secrets, and who won't rest until she makes the woman pay for her crimes. But what happened back then, and why does it matter now? I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough in my quest to discover the truth for myself. An absorbing, rewarding mystery that will delight her loyal readers and entice new fans. More info →

I spoke with Kate DiCamillo about her love for this book on episode 213 of WSIRN. In this modern classic, 10-year-old Kenny and his family head south from their home in Flint, Michigan to visit Grandma in Birmingham—right as the church bombings are about to happen. This award-winning middle grade novel has both humor and depth, and LeVar Burton excels at highlighting the funny and the tragic with his excellent narration in the audio version. Whispersync narration available. More info →

Reviewers compare Mr. Lemoncello to Willy Wonka. From the publisher: "When Kyle learns that the world's most famous game maker, Luigi Lemoncello, has designed the town's new library and is having an invitation-only lock-in on opening night, he's determined to be there! But the tricky part isn't getting into the library—it's getting out. Because when morning comes, the doors stay locked. Kyle and the other kids must solve every clue and figure out every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route!" More info →

From the publisher: "A novel of money and secrets set among the famous summer mansions of Newport, Rhode Island, spanning over a century from the Gilded Age to the present day. 2019: Andie Figuero has just landed her dream job as a producer of Mansion Makeover, a popular reality show about restoring America’s most lavish historic houses. But Andie runs into trouble: the reclusive heiress who still lives in the mansion, Lucia “Lucky” Sprague, will only allow the show to go forward on two conditions: One, nobody speaks to her. Two, nobody touches the mansion’s ruined boathouse. 1958: Lucia “Lucky” Sprague has always felt like an outsider at Sprague Hall. When she and her grandmother—the American-born Princess di Conti—fled Mussolini’s Italy, it seemed natural to go back to the imposing Newport house Nana owned but hadn’t seen since her marriage in 1899. Over the years, Lucky's lost her Italian accent and found a place for herself among the yachting set by marrying Stuyvesant Sprague, the alcoholic scion of her Sprague stepfamily. But one fateful night in the mansion’s old boathouse will uncover a devastating truth...and change everything she thought she knew about her past." More info →

I flew through this: strong writing, interesting format, great narrative drive, tons of fun. The story unfolds in two timelines: back then, Chani Horowitz wanted to be a serious writer but she's stuck writing puff pieces for popular outlets, something her more literary colleagues (and novelist boyfriend) sneer at. But then, she lands a gig interviewing A-list movie star Gabe Parker, her biggest celebrity crush and the next James Bond. Fast forward ten years: The Profile (as it came to be known) launches her career, but Chani still feels conflicted about it, wondering if she would even have a career without Gabe. So when his publicist asks her to revisit Gabe for a second interview, she wants to say no ... but she's also desperate for him to answer the questions that still linger for her ten years later, the ones she never wrote about or disclosed to anyone. More info →

I've been on a roll with the Maine reads! When comments on this post featuring 12 recommended reads for those traveling to Maine (or who want to) mentioned that this Meg Mitchell Moore release was set in the tiny (and real) town of Owls Head, I dropped it into my bag. This family novel unfolds over the course of one summer and focuses on three generations of the McLean family. Every generation has its troubles at the moment—the progressing Alzheimer's of the family patriarch, the midlife crisis and struggling marriage of the adult daughter, the adolescent woes of the kids—but the Maine house has always been a respite. The family's precariously maintained balance is tipped when a surprise visitor shows up to the island—a love child of the family's respected patriarch, whose existence has been kept secret for twenty-three years. All is well by summer's end in this easy-reading tale of family secrets, forgiveness, privilege, reconciliation, and happiness. More info →

A natural follow up to The Book of Delights, Ross Gay’s new essay collection is about the benefits of community and connection and all that we gain when we care for one another. A timely, thoughtful read from a wonderful writer. You could read an essay a day or inhale it in one go. More info →

I had so much fun talking about all things books and reading with Andrew and Craig of the Overdue podcast on What Should I Read Next. When Andrew mentioned his appreciation for time travel novels and cited this as a favorite, I took note. Harry August has nearly died eleven times. With his last breaths, Harry always returns to the beginning of his life story, destined to relive his life again and again and again. Harry isn’t the only person who lives this way, but he is one of the only people who remembers every life he re-lives. Now, at the end of his eleventh life just before he goes back in time, a young girl appears at his bedside with a message. The book follows Harry as his next steps threaten to alter the course of history. More info →

Brigid says: An innovative interactive tale with a killer premise and laugh-out-loud moments. Ernest Cunningham is a quick-witted expert on murder mysteries; he even writes books about the genre. All that knowledge soon comes in handy as he finds himself snowed in during a family reunion and learns that everyone has killed someone and there is a killer on the loose. There are lots of meta references like the “10 Commandments of Detective Fiction” and I absolutely adored all the times Ernest breaks the fourth wall by speaking directly to the readers. Important to note — the plot, deaths, and backstories might be grittier than one expects from the cover and title. In fact, after a particularly upsetting scene, I almost DNF’d the print book around the halfway mark. Luckily, a friend mentioned she tore through the audiobook narrated by Barton Welch, inspiring me to pick it back up in audio to find out whodunnit. I am so glad I did! Whispersync narration available. More info →

This riveting historical brings McCarthy-era Hollywood to life. In 1957, Isabella’s movie studio intends to make her the next Grace Kelly—if she can toe the line. But when she runs afoul of their plans, their “fixer” installs her at a cottage in Carmel-by-the-Sea to wait for her situation to be handled. While there, she forms an unlikely friendship with the reclusive Leo, a talented screenwriter who’s living in exile because he’s been blacklisted. A complementary 2017 storyline makes it clear that the past era’s struggles are very much present in Hollywood today. I loved this story for its propulsive plot and riveting period details, most especially the numerous lovely portrayals of people finding love and family even when they’d given up hope of it happening for them in an unkind world. A 2025 Summer Reading Guide selection. More info →