The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix

THE SINISTER BOOKSELLERS OF BATH by Garth Nix is a sequel to The Left-Handed Booksellers of London and, as such, is not really a stand-alone title. There is quite a bit of back story about Susan, Merlin, and others involved with the secret booksellers. Still, readers will appreciate Nix’s skill in building another crescendo as he relates the fantasy adventures set in Bath and other realms. It all begins with a magical map and the awakening of a malevolent force acting like a serial killer. Susan (only half-mortal) is concerned with sacrificing her “normal” life as an art student, but steps into help and becomes a target. With quick pace and a complex alternative world, this is a very satisfying read and sinister indeed!

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

HELLO BEAUTIFUL by Ann Napolitano (Dear Edward) is an extremely well-written novel set primarily in Chicago. The multi-generational story centers around the lives of four sisters, their parents, and children: “The four Padavano girls shared their lives, celebrating and utilizing one another’s strengths, covering for one another’s weaknesses. Julia was the organizer and leader, Sylvie the reader and measured voice, Emeline the nurturer, and Cecelia the artist.” With multiple narrators and much introspection, Napolitano encourages her readers and characters to contemplate questions like “Was life constructed of arrivals and departures?” In a book that I did not want to put down, she explores themes of family, love, and sacrifice.

Yes, there are several sad points when the story encounters potential suicide, mental health issues, and fatal disease. But there are many uplifting moments like Cecelia’s growth as an artist and the murals she creates to honor strong women – recently in Freemantle, Australia I saw one (shown here) that helped me imagine the power of her work. The relationships between mothers and daughters are probed, as well as the importance of a father’s support. Plus, parallels to classic literature are noted when the siblings compare themselves to the March sisters. All of which would make for a fascinating book group discussion (in fact, this title is an Oprah’s Book Club Pick). HELLO BEAUTIFUL is also a LibraryReads selection for March and received a starred review from Booklist. Highly recommended. 

The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise

THE MOSTLY TRUE STORY OF TANNER & LOUISE by Colleen Oakley (The Invisible Husband of Frick Island) is a LibraryReads selection for March and a very fun romp. The title characters are Tanner Quimby, a college student rehabbing from a leg injury who needs a job and place to live, and Louise Wilt, in her eighties who (according to her daughter) needs a live-in caregiver. Initially, the two do not mesh well at all, but gradually they do form a bond and then take off together on a road trip adventure, dodging the FBI and an organized crime gangster. There are plenty of humorous moments and several snide remarks about technology: “This is called conversation. It’s what we used to do before cell phones ruined it.” Plus, Oakley incorporates some serious reflection on the changing roles for women: “women didn’t have as many choices back then as they do now. Sometimes you had to do the wrong thing to do the right thing.”  Both Tanner and Louise are transformed as they depend more and more on each other, but Tanner especially learns to break rules and take some chances. Have fun reading about this appealing odd couple! 

Red Queen by Juan Gómez-Jurado

RED QUEEN by Juan Gómez-Jurado received a starred review from Booklist and I was avidly recommending this fabulous international best-seller before I even finished it. This is a suspenseful, action-packed thriller featuring Antonia Scott, an extraordinarily intelligent and perceptive women who solves crimes with an elite unit. In this case (set in Madrid, Spain), she is partnered with a disgraced cop named Jon, and each struggles with some personal issues while they seek to discover who has killed a young boy, kidnapped an heiress, and threatened prominent business leaders. The killer is ruthless and Gómez-Jurado provides plenty of unexpected twists to stymie Antonia and Jon. The two gradually bond, however, as Jon thinks, “Yes, Antonia Scott is unbearable, secretive, bossy, and has terrible taste in food; she’s unpredictable and probably as mad as a hatter, or damn close to it. But.”… “The creed Jon Gutierrez is a devotee of – with candles, genuflections, and prayers – is Our Lady of Nobody Messes with My Partner.” The fast pace is aided by short chapters and the humorous comments help balance some dark events. Overall, RED QUEEN is excellent and I am eagerly waiting to see the translation of the next in this trilogy (and the forthcoming streaming version from Amazon)! 

The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear

THE WHITE LADY by Jacqueline Winspear is an action-packed work of historical fiction which alternates between WWI, WWII, and the immediate post war years. The main character is Elinor DeWitt/White who as a young teen helped with wartime surveillance and active resistance in Belgium during the First World War. Later, living in England, her skills were used again and she received a small “grace and favour” Kent country home in recognition of her service. It is there that she discovers an organized crime threat to her neighbors and uses her connections to combat the danger. I thought that her character was very well-developed and it was easy to empathize with her. I particularly liked the parts of the story which were set in wartime. However, I was a bit confused by the end when it seemed that her nemesis ultimately acted out of character. Perhaps I missed something? Overall, THE WHITE LADY is an excellent story by an award-winning author and received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, and Library Journal. Readers will also enjoy The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn. 

Stateless by Elizabeth Wein

STATELESS is another excellent piece of historical fiction written by Elizabeth Wein; some of her other titles include Code Name Verity, Rose Under Fire, and Black Dove White Raven. She sets her latest novel in August 1937 where a dozen young adults are promoting peace by participating in an air race with separate legs between a variety of European cities like Salisbury, Brussels, Hamburg, Venice, and Paris. Initially, all of those characters (and their planes) need an introduction, but Wein swiftly concentrates the action around Stella North, who represents the UK, Tony Roberts, who represents France, and Sebastian Rainer, a Luftwaffe pilot flying for Germany. They have to learn to trust each other when another competitor disappears (possibly murdered) and it seems that someone involved with the race is now targeting them. The race itself moves the story along, of course, but there is much more exciting action and danger in this historically accurate mystery. Be sure to read the author’s note where Wein not only explains the title and some of her sources, but also draws parallels to today’s issues, especially the situation in Ukraine. STATELESS is highly recommended and received a starred review from School Library Journal.

Planta Sapiens by Paco Calvo with Natalie Lawrence

With all of the focus lately on sentient beings, including AI and chatbots (see, for example, Grammarly’s recent announcement), it might not seem so strange to be looking at “The New Science of Plant Intelligence.” That is exactly what two academics, Paco Calvo (professor of philosophy of science at the Universidad de Murcia in Spain) and Natalie Lawrence (writer and illustrator with a PhD in the history of science) do in their new book, PLANTA SAPIENS. They begin by urging caution, saying, “whether you are deeply skeptical of the possibility that plants might have intelligence or are an enthusiastic believer in the supernatural wisdom of other lifeforms, we all need to broaden our minds carefully. … What you read here will be a challenge to anyone’s preconceptions.” Next, they describe the science in support of plant intelligence; they ask their readers to think deeply about plants, contemplating, for example, whether plant behaviors are merely genetically programmed reactions or actual engagement with their environment. Calvo and Lawrence praise thinking creatively and embracing trial and error – arguing repeatedly for open minds and “a new approach of cross-fertilisation between different specialisms [disciplines].” Although a bit long-winded in places, the authors pose numerous intriguing ideas and conclude by saying that studying plants may help humans “to better comprehend the nature of our own minds.” Notes and sources, plus a helpful index, comprise roughly twenty percent of this innovative text. PLANTA SAPIENS received a starred review from Publishers Weekly which described this work as a “mind-blowing debut.”

The Teachers by Alexandra Robbins

THE TEACHERS by Alexandra Robbins (The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth, Overachievers, Nurses and more) is subtitled “A Year Inside America's Most Vulnerable, Important Profession.”  Robbins, an award-winning investigative reporter, relates many stories from educators but returns throughout the school year primarily to three teachers: Penny, a southern middle school math teacher; Miguel, a special education teacher in the Western United States; and Rebecca, an East Coast elementary school teacher. Clearly, they all are devoted to helping their students, but also struggle to deal with the dynamics within their school, the larger community, and their personal lives. Robbins shares events in a chronological manner, with each chapter associated with a particular month. One section that stood out, though, comes in December when she writes about “‘Safe Harbor’: the Most Underestimated Teacher in the Building,” an entire section on school librarians. Robbins highlights the importance of having a full-time qualified school librarian (sadly, not the case in nearly forty percent of public and independent K-12 schools) and stresses that “for more than 30 years, impact studies have linked strong school library programs and student achievement.” THE TEACHERS received starred reviews from Kirkus (“An important and eye-opening book”) and Publishers Weekly (“deeply researched and impressive study”). School board members (and parents!) across the country should read this for a better understanding (albeit filtered through Robbins’ interviews with hundreds of teachers and her experience as a substitute teacher for a year) of what professional educators face every day. The balance between the rewards of truly helping students and the increasingly arrogant demands from parents and inflated bureaucracies is shifting. Teachers deserve recognition and respect, allowing them to pour more energy into better student outcomes. The alternative will be fewer applicants, even greater attrition, and a decline in professionalism. Read, question, and then reach out to boost morale and bring more joy to classrooms.

Our Best Intentions by Vibhuti Jain

OUR BEST INTENTIONS by Vibhuti Jain is leading my list for best book of the year. This debut novel is full of suspense and some troubling introspection by its lead character, high school swimmer Angie Singh. She is motherless and deals with an overly organized, over-protective, immigrant father. That relationship comes under increasing strain when Angie witnesses an altercation involving Henry, a sort of crush who is also her best friend’s brother. The police involvement and social dynamics, while unfortunately realistic, border on being “cringe worthy,” with underlying commentary about entitlement, the American Dream, economic prejudice, and systemic racism. Adults who know the kids best are either shunted to the side or voluntarily relinquish responsibility. That leaves Angie struggling with some moral dilemmas and will have high school age and adult readers very emotionally involved. Jain adeptly offers multiple perspectives and ties in a missing person, potential drug dealing, and physical abuse.The uncertainty, confusion, and doubt are pervasive - I am purposefully avoiding more details here as OUR BEST INTENTIONS is an excellent book group choice with much to discuss. Jain’s debut received starred reviews from Booklist (“a portrait of wealthy suburbia at its most toxic and insular … fans of Celeste Ng should take note”) and Publishers Weekly (“Jain excels at revealing each character’s motivations and fears”). Grappling with numerous social issues and coming of age angst, OUR BEST INTENTIONS merits wide readership.