Kimi's 2021 Favorites

If you enjoyed Homegoing, then you’ll love The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois.

“A sweeping, multi-generational novel about a Southern Black family and their rich and complex ancestry. Focusing on the life of Hailey Pearl, a young woman coming of age in "the city" and her hometown of Chicasetta, GA, the novel jumps back and forth in time weaving together the triumphs and tragedies of her people and how these stories are passed or lost through the generations. Compelling and important read.”

Samantha, A Great Good Place for Books

Songs in Ursa Major

“Songs in Ursa Major is the perfect summer book recommendation. It should be read with music right out of Laurel Canyon playing in the background.”

Linda McLoughlin Figel, {pages} a bookstore

The Rose Code

“While many WWII stories have been told in triplicate, Kate Quinn presents a new angle on the Bletchley Park/code breaker part of the war. She gives us three magnificent main characters who must navigate the turbulent waters not only of the war, but of a new puzzle to solve shortly before the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth II) and Prince Philip.”

Sarah Danforth, Towne Book Center and Wine Bar

“Suspenseful…emotionally compelling. I found myself eagerly following in a way I hadn’t remembered for a long time, impatient for the next twist and turn of the story."—NPR

An Afghan American woman returns to Kabul to learn the truth about her family and the tragedy that destroyed their lives in this brilliant and compelling novel from the...

A rich family story, a personal look at the legacy of war in the Middle East, and an indelible rendering of how we hold on to the people and places we call home. The Nasr family is spread across the globe—Beirut, Brooklyn, Austin, the California desert. A Syrian mother, a Lebanese father, and three American children: all have lived a life of... Read more »

If you enjoyed Julie and Julia - Abridged, then you’ll love Taste.

“I loved Tucci's wry writing and very unique take on food! This is a book you can gift just about everyone because it includes so many recipes as well as stories from Tucci's life and career. Though in proportion to food, the book involves very little Hollywood gossip Tucci does drop in jokes and asides about his famous friends and costars that satisfy the nosy nellies. Though I'm sure the physical edition of this book is great for it's recipes, if you want a truly immersive and hilarious experience, I highly recommend you download the audio! Tucci's dry humor breathes so much more sass and life into his words (and his casual name drops), it is not to be missed.”

Kimi, Buttonwood Books and Toys

If you enjoyed Know My Name, then you’ll love Finding Freedom.

“Erin French's memoir is so impressive, highly engrossing, and also so tough to read. She brings us through her life, all the highest peaks and deepest valleys and emphasizes the tremendous effort she has made to come back from each low point. I often listened to French's narration with bated breath, shocked at how much she has overcome in such a relatively short period of time. French's personal story also made me think about our country as a whole and how bad it is at mental health and believing women. It just deeply affronted me that a story like French's is even possible in the 21st century; we have so far to go. Though moments of this book are tough, French's resilience is truly inspiring. You can't help cry for her when things go wrong and root for her when she fights her way back. This memoir, like many that are narrated by their own authors, is in its best form with the audiobook edition. French's voice is raw and truthful and makes you feel this story down to your bones. I highly recommend this to everyone. A story of resilience, Finding Freedom leaves you with much needed hope and light despite it's occasional darkness and an underdog to root for through it all.”

Kimi, Buttonwood Books and Toys

From the bestselling author of Rise of the Rocket Girls, the untold, "richly detailed" story of the women of Walt Disney Studios, who shaped the iconic films that have enthralled generations (Margot Lee Shetterly, New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Figures).

From Snow White to Moana, from Pinocchio to Frozen, the animated films of Walt... Read more »

The Widows of Malabar Hill

“Inspired by a real person, Perveen Mistry, one of the first female lawyers in 1920s India, this second book in the series again follows a storyline where the mystery can ONLY be solved by a woman because the women in the household live in full purdah (strict seclusion, no men). So many fascinating details about the 1920s, India's legal system, and most importantly, the myriad different cultures, customs, and ethnic groups that make up India's complex society.”

BrocheAroe, River Dog Book Co.

If you enjoyed Station Eleven (Television Tie-in), then you’ll love How High We Go in the Dark.

“An astounding first novel, Sequoia Nagamatsu's How High We Go In The Dark is without a doubt going to be a major event in 2022's speculative fiction. It begins with a virus thawed by an Arctic exploration team, and branches out its far-reaching and long-lasting consequences. It will be a hard read right now for people recently dealing with the losses of our current pandemic, but for that reason it's also an important book. Read it when you're ready to think about hope again.”

Emily, Main Street Books Monroe

The House in the Cerulean Sea

“Escape with me to a wonderful world where magic and magical creatures exist. Linus Baker, a quiet and lonely man, finds an unexpected and challenging task as he's assigned by the government to report on an island where an orphanage with extremely classified magical children reside and a charming caretaker with many secrets. He encounters many unexpected things which make him question everything he thought he knew and believed about the world and himself. I recommend this to anyone who needs a little island getaway!”

Lance, Skylight Books

Acclaimed author of Ash Malinda Lo returns with her most personal and ambitious novel yet, a gripping story of love and duty set in San Francisco's Chinatown during the 1950s.

"That book. It was about two women, and they fell in love with each other." And then Lily asked the question that had taken root in her, that was even now unfurling its... Read more »

Beautiful World, Where Are You

“Another incredible story! The characters are vibrant and familiar, and the intimate moments are uniquely painted. It’s as if a close friend is confessing their life to you and you are seeing yourself in it.”

Katie Kenney, Bank Square Books

2021 AudioFile Best Audiobooks
2021 Washington Post Best Books of the Year

From Liane Moriarty, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, comes Apples Never Fall, an audiobook that looks at marriage, siblings, and how the people we love the most can hurt us the deepest.

The Delaney family love one...

Mary Jane

“Mary Jane, oh, Mary Jane... You'll be singing along too, I promise you, to the expert and pitch-perfect audio performed by Caitlin Kinnunen, best known for playing Emma Nolan in the musical The Prom, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award. This tragicomic novel by Jessica Anya Blau was so fabulous, so fresh yet so nostalgic, it's absolutely the book I will be recommending for anyone's beach read. The dialogue was superb, the characters were loveable, the time period—1970s!!—was the best I loved it!”

Jenny, The Vermont Book Shop

If you enjoyed Daisy Jones & The Six, then you’ll love The Final Revival of Opal & Nev.

“The Final Revival of Opal & Nev absolutely shines in its full cast audio production. Organized as a series of interviews interspersed with editor notes, this book reads like a documentary-style non-fiction book but is actually FICTION which blows my mind. I felt like I read this book in its true format. The audiobook narration was SPOT ON with the full cast coming together to give so much life and personality to this cast of characters. I felt like I was listening to an in-depth podcast and with the mentioning of real life musicians and stars, I had to do a double take and make sure this book wasn't rooted in fact. Walton's Opal Jewel was someone I wish existed in real life. I could see her inspiration in all the Black female stars of the era but Opal was also a force of her own and had so much depth and life. I also really enjoyed her best friend and stylist Virgil (narrated by the indomitable Andre de Shields). This book not only tackled the pure drama of the rock and roll scene but also racial and gender issues of the era. This book is great for any music or rock and roll fan as well as fans of Daisy Jones and the Six. And do yourself a favor and devour this beauty as an audiobook!!”

Kimi, Buttonwood Books and Toys

If you enjoyed The Lions of Fifth Avenue, then you’ll love The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

“What a great read! Perfect balance of pure gossip and Hollywood drama with a gut-wrenching love story all told from the perspective of a woman who is so flawed and so endearing. This book went somewhere that was so surprising and yet made so much sense. It turns all preconceived notions of Hollywood on their head and certainly makes you question anything you've read in tabloids and online. A must-read! I just re-read this for my book club almost 3.5 years after the first time (and the release date). Damn, it is still an engrossing read. The audiobook was narrated by three faves: Alma Cuervo (the PERFECT EVELYN! STUNNING!), Robin Miles (who is amazing), and Julia Whelan (genius idea to give a different voice to all the celebrity rags and Whelan's voice was perfect for it).”

Kimi, Buttonwood Books and Toys

An instant New York Times bestseller!

One of TIME Magazine's 100 Must-Reads of 2021!

Two people realize that it’s no longer an act when they veer off-script in this sizzling romantic comedy by New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory.

Ben Stephens has never bothered with serious relationships. He has plenty of casual dates to keep him... Read more »

Act Your Age, Eve Brown

“A satisfying conclusion to an absolutely delightful series! In the final installment of the trilogy, we follow the youngest Brown sister, Eve, a lovable hot mess who is looking to prove to her parents that she can get her life together. Her attempts to turn things around lead her to accidentally interview for as job as a chef at a bed and breakfast. The owner of the B&B, Jacob, is Eve’s polar opposite on paper, so they naturally get off to a bad start. It doesn’t help that Eve also hits him with her car! As the pair begin to learn more about each other, the sweetest romance blooms. Talia Hibbert proves once again that she knows how to write a romantic comedy!”

Tyrinne Lewis, Cafe con Libros

Honey Girl

“As beautiful and golden and syrupy-sweet as its namesake, Honey Girl is a romance that explores how we can be desperately lonely even when we're surrounded by people who love us.”

Jenny, Page 158 Books