Books with floral covers Archives

Unsheltered

by Barbara Kingsolver

Barbara Kingsolver is a must-read author for me. I love her work, especially The Poisonwood Bible. At 466 pages, this is a long book, but I inhaled it. Kingsolver writes that she is explicitly addressing the events of her time, but she does that in part by looking back: her double narrative follows the life-changing decisions and uncertain times experienced by two separate families, one hundred years apart, who both live in the same home in Vineland, New Jersey. Kingsolver found one heck of a subject for the historical element, an American scientist I'd previously never heard of named Mary Treat. I loved the clever linking of the chapter titles—pick up the book and you'll see what I mean.

The Ensemble

by Aja Gabel

A much-anticipated debut from former cellist Gabel. It’s the 1990s, and four promising musicians decide to forego the usual soloist path and bind their professional (and personal) lives to form a string quartet. Jana is driven, Henry a prodigy, Daniel a success through dogged determination, and Brit a bit of a wild card. With the feel of a dysfunctional family novel, the characters aren’t always likable but always ring true, and Gabel nails a wide range of human emotions—joy and pain, envy and fear, frustration and near-despair—as she portrays the group’s turbulent eighteen years together. An utterly believable and emotionally compelling submersion into the competitive world of classical music.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn

by Melissa Bashardoust

From the author of Girls Made of Snow and Glass, a brilliantly imagined sapphic fairy tale featuring dangerous demons, poisonous girls, and a kingdom in peril, inspired by the Persian epic the Shahnameh. The cursed princess Soraya has been living inside her family’s palace walls—touching no one—for eighteen years. As her twin brother’s wedding day approaches, the palace guards capture a demon who may be able to tell her how to break the curse and gain her freedom. But the answers she seeks plunge her into personal crisis and political intrigue, and Soraya is soon forced to question everything she thought she knew about herself—while facing choices that may endanger not just her own fate, but that of the entire kingdom. An enthralling fantasy with broad appeal, with lyrical prose and incredible worldbuilding.

Wild Beauty

by Anna-Marie McLemore

The Nomeolvides women haven't been able to leave La Pradera in more than a century. The estate gardens enchant but they also hide a tragic legacy. If the women fall in love, their lovers disappear. But then one day, a boy appears, upending everything they know. Lush, evocative magical realism—about love, colonialism, complicity, and restitution.

The Golden Couple

by Greer Hendricks, Sarah Pekkanen

This twisty thriller is jointly voiced by favorites Karissa Vacker and Marin Ireland. The story revolves around a seemingly perfect D.C. area couple who are keeping a closetful of secrets from each other and their "therapist," who can't truly claim that title anymore because she lost her professional license due to an ethics violation. She hasn't let that loss stop her—in fact, she believes she can better help her clients with the unorthodox methods she's fully embraced since she was censured. This was a fun and engrossing listen, with an over-the-top ending that scores low on believability but high on entertainment value—because it made me walk the literal extra mile so I could find out what would happen!

The Centre

by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi

Filled with dark and twisty humor and a strong narrative voice, this debut literary thriller from Gillian Flynn’s new imprint begs for a thorough book club discussion. Pakistani translator Anisa Ellahi dreams of translating “great literature” and gets a big break when her multilingual ex-boyfriend recommends her for a spot at an elite language institute. But every time Anisa returns for new language lessons, she becomes more uneasy with the program’s unique methods—and more involved with Shiba, its alluring manager. I have not stopped thinking about this novel since I read it back in December. Siddiqi poses highly discussable questions around translation, cultural appropriation, and ambition, wrapped in a propulsive story.

Fruit of the Drunken Tree

by Ingrid Rojas Contreras

1990s Colombia was at the mercy of drug lord Pablo Escobar. The Santiago family stays safe thanks to their gated community in Bototá but the threat of political unrest and violence will only be kept at bay for so long. When the Santiagos hire Petrona, seven-year-old Chula determines to befriend the new maid. Their unlikely friendship forms the backdrop for two very different coming-of-age experiences, as they face impossible choices, sacrifice, and betrayal.

Roses

by Leila Meacham

Bookseller Elizabeth Barhhill described this family saga as the “Texas version of Gone with the Wind” when we talked during WSIRN Episode 376: Bookstore confidential. An East Texas town is controlled by its founding families and the industries they rule over. The story follows the fall out of Mary Toliver and Percy Warwick’s decision not to marry, the consequences of which continue across three generations as the lies, drama, passion, and tragedies unfold.

The Essex Serpent

by Sarah Perry

The critics are raving. The prose was lovely, the premise intriguing, and the story obviously crafted with care. (I would LOVE to hear your thoughts if you read this one!)

The Queen of Hearts

by Kimmery Martin

If you picked this book up because of the cover, I wouldn't blame you a bit. Zadie and Emma have been best friends since med school; now they're practicing physicians in Charlotte. But when an old colleague comes to town, he stirs up long-buried secrets from the past. If you love Gray's Anatomy, this one's for you. This novel had special appeal for me because it's set alternately in Charlotte, where I've spent some time, and Louisville, where I've lived for years.

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