May's Bookseller Picks

The Swimmers

“The Swimmers is a gorgeously written book about a group bound together by a public pool. Over and over the swimmers come together, defined by their lanes and their habits. When a crack appears on the bottom of the pool the swimmers' shared world is slowly shattered. They are forced into the harsh dry world above where Alice is losing her memory, and her daughter is losing her mother. A lovely meditation on community, aging, family and the ways that our everyday habits make us who we are.”

Sarah, A Great Good Place for Books

Fencing with the King

“It's a lovely read. It's fiction, but based on stories passed down through Diana Abu-Jaber's family, who were politically well-connected in Jordan. It's the story of a young woman exploring her family's past and finding unexpected revelations.”

Georgia, Bookstore1Sarasota

From the New York Times best-selling journalist, the staggering, hidden story of an unlikely band of mothers who discovered the deadly secret of Love Canal, and exposed one of America’s most devastating environmental disasters.

Lois Gibbs, Luella Kenny, and other mothers loved their neighborhood on the east side of Niagara Falls. It had an... Read more »

Judy I. Lin's sweeping debut A Magic Steeped in Poison, first in a duology, is sure to enchant fans of Adrienne Young and Leigh Bardugo.

I used to look at my hands with pride. Now all I can think is, "These are the hands that buried my mother."

For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it's her own fault. She was the... Read more »

The Worth of Water

“This story is eye opening. And I really enjoyed diving into this book in audio format with Libro.fm. Gary and Matt take turns with the chapters, writing and reading, and it really adds to the story to get both of their points of view. The whole book just flows and is inspiring! READ THIS”

Kris, Anderson's Bookshop

The riveting, pulse-pounding story of a year in the life of an emergency room doctor trying to steer his patients and colleagues through a crushing pandemic and a violent summer, amidst a healthcare system that seems determined to leave them behind

“Gripping . . . eloquent . . . This book reminds us how permanently interesting our bodies are,... Read more »

If you enjoyed Convenience Store Woman, then you’ll love Joan Is Okay.

“This book about a doctor navigating work and personal life questions and struggles pre- and post-Covid was reminiscent of Convenience Store Woman and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine but it also felt original and fresh. The main character was believable and lovable and the writing was solid, insightful, funny and moving. I only wished there had been a little more of this book to love, but also liked its sparseness. This might be my favourite book of the year so far!”

Tracey, Turning the Tide Bookstore

The Cherry Robbers

“The Cherry Robbers is both beautiful and horrifying with a decidedly gothic feel to it. The prose is incredibly beautiful to be telling such a sad and tragic tale. It has themes of insanity, ghosts and a powerful sense of feminism all set in the 1950s of New England. While this was far from my usual read, I was drawn to Iris’s story and could not stop listening.”

Nancy, Fiction Addiction

The Murder Rule

“Hannah is a 3rd year law student in Maine. She is on a mission to seek revenge on the man who she believes killed her father. She wants him to stay in prison for life for a murder he swears he didn’t commit. To do this she must transfer to UVA law school and talk her way on to the Innocence project – specifically on to the case of Michael Dandridge whose original conviction was overturned but who is on the verge of being tried again, unless the innocence project can convince the judge the original evidence was tainted. Hannah is sneaky, conniving, and bright – very bright – and she manages to to talk her way on to his case. Luckily, she also genuinely believes in justice. The Murder Rule was a riveting story told from two points of view – the 1994 diary of Laura who is Hannah’s mother and Hannah’s as she works to sabotage the project. The work of the law students to help prove people innocent was intriguing and very well explained (McTiernan is herself a lawyer). The ending was totally unexpected following some real heart stopping action. The narration was perfect - I especially liked Laura's voice when reading her diary.”

Nancy , Fiction Addiction

Beautiful Country

“In this brutally honest coming-of-age memoir, Qian Julie Wang comes to terms with the deprivations and struggles of her undocumented Chinese upbringing in New York City in the 1990s.”

Kayleen Rohrer, InkLink Books

Year on Fire

“I strongly recommend my friend Julie Buxbaum’s new book, Year on Fire! She’s an AMAZING writer and has a way of looking at the world that even the most cynical reader will be able to relate to.”

Kathleen, A Great Good Place for Books

Take My Hand

“Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez is historical fiction that addresses a still very relevant topic -- women's reproductive rights, and it does so in a very personal way. Set in 1973 and 2016, the book is based on the true story of forced sterilizations performed by the US government primarily on poor women of color. I loved that the nuances of 1970's Alabama were well depicted --not just the racism and poverty that is well known but also the better educated and prosperous black community. The nature of the topic has a forceful emotional and psychological impact.”

Beth, A Great Good Place for Books

If you enjoyed Well Met, then you’ll love Book Lovers.

“Book Lovers by Emily Henry is a top notch romance novel! It was a fun listen- slow burn, miscommunication, light family drama, possible but unlikely situations, and all the happy endings we want and expect! I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the characters and settings in this story. It took me away from my life and into Nora Stevens life! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️”

Anne, Cherry Street Books

Trust

“Who can you trust in the end? This 'brilliant literary puzzle' tells the story of the legendary Wall Street Tycoon Andrew Bevel and his enigmatic wife Mildred. Told in four interlocking parts, Trust is a novel within a novel, the fragmented notes for a ghostwritten memoir that Andrew hopes will set the record straight, the ghostwriter's own memoir and finally the private journal of the long silent wife, Mildred. Spellbinding!”

Samantha, A Great Good Place for Books

Four Treasures of the Sky

“A stunning debut! Four Treasures of the Sky is pointed, heartbreaking, and breathtakingly beautiful. Indisputably a masterpiece, and I am already looking forward to whatever journey Zhang wants to take us on next.”

Kari Johnson, Shakespeare & Co

Book of Night

“Charlie Hall is a semiretired thief called 'The Charlatan'. But when one last opportunity turns into a mess that seems to implicate her boyfriend that she may or may not love, things in this world filled with magic and shadow take a turn for the worse. Holly Black's transition to adult fantasy is seamless and flawless in Book of Night. I honestly went into the story completely blind because all I needed was to see Holly's name to download the ARC. I cannot wait for wide release in May!”

Katlin, Story on the Square

Hidden Pictures

“Hidden Pictures is reminiscent of the John Saul books I loved in the late 70s and 80s. As his usually did, this story includes a child and some unexplained happenings that may or may not have a rational explanation. Mallory is a 20-year-old just recently out of rehab and a halfway house for drug abuse. Her sponsor finds her a job as a nanny to an adorable 5-year-old named Teddy. Mallory is well aware that she is under intense scrutiny by Teddy’s parents, who are knowledgeable of her past history. So, when strange things begin to happen, she is at first very wary of telling them what she suspects. For those of you who shy away from mysteries with paranormal vibes be aware that there is nothing supernatural about what happens when Mallory inadvertently discovers some real truths and nothing supernatural about the totally unseen twist that the story takes.”

Nancy, Fiction Addiction

“Atomic Anna is a dazzling work of ingenuity and imagination.”―Téa Obreht,National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author of Inland

From the author of A Bend in the Stars, an epic adventure as three generations of women work together and travel through time to prevent the Chernobyl disaster and right the wrongs of their...

Honor

“This is one of those books that I didn’t want to end! It is a story of an Indian -American journalist going back to India for the first time in 20 years. She returns to cover the story of a young Hindu woman who defies tradition both by working outside the home and marrying a Muslim. The consequences for her are horrific and heartbreaking, shedding light on both the traditional treatment of women and the Muslim/Hindu conflict in India. The main character is also forced to face her complicated feelings toward the land she left as a teenager. Despite the atrocities that take place, it is also a love story on several levels with wonderful characters who I wish I could revisit in a sequel.”

Beth, A Great Good Place for Books

Lakelore

“Written in the exquisite lyrical manner that Anna-Marie McLemore does better than anyone, Lakelore is a vibrant and sensitive exploration of gender identity and neurodivergence. Their writing is always luminous and honest; their use of magical realism is powerful; and their deftness and care in writing about ADHD, Dyslexia, bullying, trans, and non-binary lives is excellent. I listened on Libro.fm and it was a delightfully multi-sensory experience between the illustrative writing and talented voice actors.”

Ashleigh, Wellesley Books