The Book Thief
By Markus Zusak
This book is narrated by Death. A concept hard to grasp until we meet Liesel Meminger and Death is never questioned again. It is 1939, Nazi Germany. Liesel is taken in by a foster family in Munich. Books and reading are things Liesel has only dreamed of. She survives by stealing things here and there, with a special penchant for books. Liesel’s kind foster father brings her the gift of words by teaching her to read. When the family takes in a Jewish man to hide in their basement, Liesel develops a unique relationship with him and her new friend Rudy. This exceptional story, written from a rare perspective, is filled with compassion, love, good and evil. Death is thinking — what is with all this killing? I can barely keep up, are you people crazy? Yes, yes they were.
The Bookseller
By Cynthia Swanson
1963, small town Colorado, Kitty and Freida are single women running a lovely bookshop. No husbands or children but plenty to read, they do not see themselves as the spinsters this era portrays them to be. Kitty shares a charming home with her cat Aslan and her parents live nearby. Lately, when Kitty goes to sleep she dreams of a world similar to her own but also not. Each night she falls more deeply into her dreams, waking up shaken as they become filled with impossible details and coincidences. Some are pure happiness with a handsome loving man, but then they begin to frighten her. Kitty’s sense of time and space is off kilter. She doesn’t know whom to confide in without sounding completely mad. A love story about family, time and the choices we make along the way.
Talk Bookish to Me
By Kate Bromley
Kara is a romance novelist. After a string of bestsellers she is experiencing writer’s block. With a deadline fast approaching and daily reminders from her publisher, Kara is frantic. Lately, the only bright spot is helping her best friend with her extravagant wedding plans. At the couple’s celebratory dinner, Kara bumps into her ex, who broke her heart in college — Ryan Thompson. Kara is speechless, facing the man she has spent a decade trying to forget. While Ryan and Kara struggle to leave the past behind them, they are thrown together by nuptial duties and sneaky friends.The icing on the cake: Kara is writing again. Writer’s unblock, a gift from the gods and she will do whatever it takes to keep the chapter’s coming. Bookmark this adorably hot HEA (Happily Ever After)!
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry
By Gabrielle Zevin
A.J. Fikry owns a small book shop on Alice Island. In this quaint village, Island Books is every reader’s dream until A.J.’s life falls apart. Following the death of his beloved wife, sales plummet. After all, this was her hometown he adopted and he is often still the outsider. A.J. becomes unapproachable and lonely. His love of books cannot fill the incredibly deep void that has become his life. He refuses to socialize and pushes any do-gooders away until a series of unexpected events changes everything. A chance meeting with a quirky publishing representative named Amelia. A theft of an extremely valuable book of Poe. And a mysterious package left at his store containing a note. This beautifully written novel graciously teaches us about life, love and books, all in one simple story.
