Kathy's Staff Picks
"'The House of Eve' is a compelling historical fiction set in Philadelphia and Washington DC in the 1950’s where two women’s choices are made to hide something from others. There are themes of racism, class privilege, keeping secrets and the fact that motherhood is never easy. This heartrending novel had me in the first chapter and I quickly sympathized with the two main characters, Eleanor and Ruby. Great book club pick!"
"For the Summer Romance Fan, this book is for you! Carly Fortune has a knack for writing characters and relationships that you root for the entire book. Fern and Will had a chance meeting one summer and the attraction was certain – dreams and hopes shared. They agreed to meet one year later but Will did not show up. Can these two find their way back to each other when they both need it? Entertaining and fun and great for sitting by the lake or the beach!"
"Pam Jenoff grips us with another amazing historical fiction focusing on three women who were part of the resistance in Belgium during WWII. These mighty women inspire us to do the right thing and sacrifice everything as they go. The book builds suspense until you are entirely consumed! Thought provoking and unforgettable - great read!"
"Lucky Red is my kind of western – character driven with a strong female protagonist who matures right in front of your eyes. It is set in Dodge in the 1800’s at a whorehouse and each character is more colorful than the next. Thrilling, exciting and several twists! This was quite a ride!"
"Pineapple Street is a heartfelt novel that follows three women from a tight-knit affluent Brooklyn family. The three women along with their families are living privileged lives but are not finding happiness. With an abundance of humor, these characters go through some changes that make them all question the way they are living. I felt myself rooting for each of the women and privileged or not, we are all always learning something as go along. Fast-paced, heartwarming – just a gem!"
"Daughters of Nantucket follows three different but equally strong and compelling women before and after Nantucket’s Great Fire of 1846. The characters are fascinating, the setting feels so real, the story is captivating and the writing is amazing! What a fantastic DEBUT!!!"
"Another amazing cookbook from my favorite, Ina Garten! I have every one of her cookbooks and use them all the time! This new one does not disappoint and can’t wait to make the One-Pot Oven Risotto and the Dark Chocolate Tart. This would make a fantastic holiday gift!"
"In “Loyalty”, Lisa Scottoline perfectly combines her suspense novel skills with a historical fiction tale of the beginning of the Mafia in Sicily. Her descriptions of the beautiful countryside, lemon groves and the delicious food are only surpassed by her masterful storytelling. The novel explores the themes of corruption vs honor and loyalty vs betrayal. Fast-paced and extremely interesting, you just have to read this!"
"A Washington Journalist befriends a centenarian, Charlie White, who is now his neighbor. Charlie, who was born in 1905 shared many stories about his full and long life with David Von Drehle. Imagine what this man saw in his 109 years and David Von Drehle captures this on these pages. I found the book to be fascinating, touching and entertaining – very interesting read!"
"Can Carrie Soto, once the world's dominant tennis star, come back to win a Grand Slam tournament 6 years after retirement? This book is filled with exciting, thrilling on-court tennis action and is packed with powerful, intense emotional moments as well. Ultimately, it is a love story: Carrie Soto's love of herself, her love of tennis, her love of her dad, and her love of someone special. Sometimes it takes a long time to learn the most important life lessons! Game-Set-Match, Taylor Jenkins Reid!"
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"Before you begin baking this holiday season, take a look at this beautiful and informative cookbook! There are so many recipes that you will always be able to have a varied assortment at your table. This comprehensive book will be a keeper on your shelf for years to come!"
"Jamie Ford is back with his amazing storytelling. This novel tells the story of 7 women from different generations of the Moy family spanning from 1836 to 2086. The first of these women, Afong Moy, is the first Chinese woman to come to the US where she suffers greatly at the hands of others. The question is does this trauma that Afong endured pass down from generation to generation and can it be stopped? In 2045, Dorothy Moy is also suffering and undergoes an experimental treatment to save herself and her daughter. Powerful story on the love between family members and just how far we will go to save them."
"Ann Hood tells stories of her time as a Flight Attendant for TWA and other airlines. She starting working when airline travel was nothing but glamourous and ended when many airlines went under. The stories were an interesting and captivating look at airline travel years back. I just really enjoyed reading this!"
"French Braid is about the Garretts, a family of five spanning from the 1950’s until the present and their ordinary, everyday life. It is about their imperfections, their ties to one another and their love for each other and we see this through characters that are strong and easy to identify with. Yes, it is just about this family and then again it is just about so much more."
![Violeta [English Edition]: A Novel By Isabel Allende, Frances Riddle (Translated by) Cover Image](https://images.booksense.com/images/books/220/496/FC9780593496220.JPG)
"Isabel Allende tells an incredible story of Violeta Del Valle’s life that spans 100 years starting with the Spanish Flu in 1920 and ending with our pandemic in 2020. We see Violeta’s struggles and triumphs, heartbreaks and joys all told through a letter that she writes to a close relative. Making the story even more compelling is the history that this woman witnesses in her 100 years! Just AMAZING!"
"A perfectly refreshing whodunnit! Molly the Maid who is eccentric and so lovable finds a guest murdered in the hotel she works at and must look outside her comfort zone in order to solve this mystery. Just a smart, delightful and amazing debut! I just adore Molly!"
"Jodi Picoult continues to amaze us with her masterful storytelling, this time she tackles the difficult subject of Covid with a touching and emotional story. I feel she captured the loneliness, isolation and heartbreak we have all experienced in the last year and a half but also added hope, strength and resilience. There is a beauty of the human spirit that comes through loud and clear."
"Lauren Groff expertly transports us to the 12th century with her lyrical and beautiful language. When Marie is banished to a rundown abbey by Eleanor of Aquitaine, she quickly decides that she will turn the abbey into a prosperous and self-sufficient one and does that with just women (talk about girl power). I wasn’t sure that I would like a book about this point of history, but I found it captivating!"
"This is a deeply moving novel about a Ghanaian family living in Alabama and their struggles with depression, addiction, grief and racism. Gifty is a PhD student who is the voice of the book, living through her current struggles as well as looking back at her family history. Science, religion and their faith play a big part in the story.
I can’t say enough about this book – it is powerful, amazing, well-written – just BRILLIANT!"
"This is a fascinating and compelling look at the sex lives of three American women based on a decade of reporting. Yes, the stories here are true, even though it reads like a fictional novel. It is honest, deep and hard to put down. Take a look - this is really well written! I think it would be GREAT for a book club to discuss."