Staff Choices

If you’re looking for a feel-good book with loveable characters, look no further than Eddie Winston is Looking for Love by Marianne Cronin. Brimming with optimism and heart, Cronin gives us a 90-year-old (male no less) protagonist that bucks the stereotypical grumpy recluse. Which was exactly the breath of fresh air I needed to bring me out of the gloom of winter. 

Eddie Winston is 90, works in a charity shop sorting donations and has never been kissed. This fact is quite shocking, because he is absolutely lovely. As evidenced by his penchant for keeping certain items in an ‘Eddie pile’ he has a feeling people may come back looking for. Which is how he meets twentysomething Bella, who donates her recently deceased boyfriend’s items, including a pair of shoes inscribed with love notes. Eddie and Bella become fast friends, eating lunch together, setting Eddie up on dating sites, and working through Bella’s grief. 

All the while we learn that perhaps Eddie has been saving his first kiss for the one that got away. His Birdie, who was a married woman when they knew one another and could never truly be his.  

The novel is told in alternating points of view between four characters. I listened to the eAudiobook, and the full cast recording was phenomenal.  

Show, Don’t Tell is a sharp, insightful collection of short stories that explore ambition, privilege, and identity told from a middle-aged Midwestern woman’s day in the life perspective. Each story offers a compelling glimpse into the complexities of relationships, creativity, and power dynamics. While some themes feel a bit contrived, the collection as a whole is engaging and thought-provoking. 

This short story collection looks at how people evolve over time, especially women. Each story dives into a turning point in someone's life, how they got there, and how it impacts them. Overall, I liked most of the stories. I loved the realistic look at middle aged women and connected with the flawed characters.   

My main complaint, usually with short stories in general, is that there is not enough character development. Sittenfeld does not have that issue, as her characters are fully developed and allow you to connect with them even in such a short amount of time. 

I highly recommend listening to the eAudiobook as seven narrators, including the author, do a fabulous job creating a harmonious listening experience. One of my favorite reads of 2025!   

The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim is the first book in the Fate's Thread series. Set in 1990s South Korea, the novel is an urban romantasy inspired by Korean mythology. Part vague police investigation, part slow-burn romance, this book is Sophie Kim's ode to K-dramas. Seokga, a former trickster god, is banished to the mortal world after a failed coup, where he is now a grumpy, coffee-loving detective. Kim Hani is a powerful, sassy gumiho (nine-tailed fox spirit) who is laying low as a barista after garnering too much attention in 1888. When drastic and unexpected circumstances pull them together, sparks fly in this secret-antagonists-to-lovers plotline.

I've been curious about this book for a while; one shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but this cover is gorgeous! Thus, I was hopeful, and thankfully not disappointed. This is a great read for those who enjoy a high stakes dramatic storyline with moderately spicy romance and quick back and forth banter, along with plot twists that will take readers by surprise. Sophie Kim also has a very engaging writing style, and a flow that will keep readers turning page after page. (Psst--fans of this book can rejoice: the sequel, The God and the Gwisin, comes out in June 2025....)

Those interested in similar titles may enjoy The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh, Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan, How to Become a Dragon by eon, Super Secret by eon, Legend of the White Snake by Sher Lee, The Last Dragon of the East by Katrina Kwan, The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo, and A Taxi Driver, among many others. 

The Favorites is a departure from author Layne Fargo’s usual psychological thriller. Instead diving into the cutthroat world of elite figure skating. Which perhaps is a psychological thriller after all. The Favorites is inspired by Wuthering Heights, and the two leading characters’ names reflect that (Heath and Shaw). Billed as a sports romance, I’m here to tell you that it’s not. Sure, there are romantic elements, however, it’s more a coming-of-age story about breaking free from expectations and reaching your full potential. There are bumps and a lot of bruises along the way, which made for a fast and exciting read.  

Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha don’t have much, but they have each other. Two poor kids without parents from Illinois, they do what they have to, to make their way to L.A. to train with renowned Olympic ice dance champion Sheila Lin and her children. While Katarina’s passion is to make it to the Olympics, Heath just wants to be with Katarina. As they enter the glitz and glamour of this new world, they learn that ambition might just outweigh their bond, and no one is truly your friend. I simply could not put this one down. 

Told in both first person narrative and documentary style snippets, the chapters are short and quick to get through. 

If you enjoy Taylor Jenkins Reid, this will appeal to you. The eAudiobook is a full cast recording. 

The Big Empty” is vintage Crais, with a plot that starts simple then turns dark, taking myriad twists leading to an unpredictable finale. Elvis still revels in his snarky humor — yes, he still uses the Mickey Mouse landline in his office — but also is completely serious and professional at his job. As for Joe Pike — let’s just say he’s the person you want on your side. The friendship and respect Elvis and Pike have for each other continues to be a driving force. The action is believable, yet restrained.

As in her bestseller "Braiding Sweetgrass"  Robin Wall Kimmerer gently explains the ethic of reciprocity, interconnectedness and generosity. As a member of the Citizen of Potawatomi Nation she draws on the Indigenous belief that we are partners with nature. “Serviceberries show us another model, one based upon reciprocity, where wealth comes from the quality of your relationships, not from the illusion of self-sufficiency.”  The serviceberry shows us the idea of "gift economies" in which wealth is not something to be hoarded, but used to strengthen relationships in order to survive. We pick the abundant fruit, and give back by planting a tree, or baking a pie to gift to a neighbor. The birds eat the berries, and leave the seeds for more trees to prosper. Gratitude, reciprocity and community are at the core of her essays, and are reminders that wealth comes from the quality of your relationships. 

I love this series, this is book 10 and it is best to start this series from the beginning.

Evan Smoak, the legendary Nowhere Man, faces one of his toughest challenges yet—going up against his closest friend, Tommy Stojack.
When Evan learns that Tommy may have violated his strict moral code, their conflict escalates into an intense, high-stakes battle.
The story moves at a breakneck pace, filled with incredible fight sequences, sharp dialogue, and deep emotional moments. Looking forward to his next book.

Variation a compelling tale of second chances set against the backdrop of professional ballet and maritime rescue operations. Elite ballerina Alessandra Rousseau returns to Haven Cove to recover from a career-threatening injury. Her unexpected reunion with Hudson Ellis, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer and her former best friend, resurfaces buried memories and unresolved feelings. When Hudson’s niece, Juniper, appears seeking her birth mother, the plot intertwines personal history with family secrets, creating a narrative as intricate as a ballet variation. 

This is a romance that spans time and delves deep into the worlds of ballet and the Coast Guard rescue swimmers. The intricate facets of family and competition make this story compelling and rememberable. Rebecca Yarros is an expert at building up tension throughout the story and hinting about what happened in the past that leaves you fraught for answers as to what really happened to get the characters to their present point. 

If you enjoy a story that blends romance, family drama, and professional intrigue then this one is for you.  

Leap by Simina Popescu follows two young adolescent girls as they navigate life, love, and friendship at their dance school in Bucharest, Romania. Ana is a contemporary dancer, but remains tied to the classical track by her very career-driven girlfriend of three years, Carina, who wants their relationship to remain a secret. Sara began in classical but has switched to contemporary in order to seek her passion for dancing, as well as to remain near the teacher she has a not-so-discreet crush on. As the meme goes, "And then they were roommates." Thrown together by chance, Sara and Ana quickly find solace in each other in this coming-of-age tale. Readers will laugh, cry, and cheer for these girls as they seek direction, support, and love while they dance their hearts out.

Popescu (they/she), a dancer themself in Bucharest, renders this story in fluid, energetic lines that capture both dance movements and the characters' tumultuous emotions with equal ease. They are also adept with color, using a mix of warm and cool tones to set the mood of a scene or to denote a flashback, but know when to use a pop of full color to emphasize a poignant moment. Script-wise, the story flows easily, and will keep the reader engaged from start to finish. A personal favorite element is (spoiler) that this story does not fall into the roommates-to-lovers trope--Sara and Ana have enough on their plates! The positive impact of LGBTQIA+ friendships should also not be overlooked, especially in works for YA and adult audiences. 

Readers who like Leap may also enjoy Even Though We're Adults by Takako Shimura, I Felt Myself Slipping by Ray Nadine, Sunhead by Alex Assan, and Our Colors by Gengoroh Tagame.

If you ever wondered why there is a roadway named Bessie Coleman Drive at Chicago O'Hare Airport - read this book. In A Pair of Wings by Carole Hopson, the author takes an in-depth look at this remarkable woman's life. Bessie Coleman became the first African American female pilot, earning her license in the summer of 1921. Aviation was still very new, not that long after the Wright brothers' first controlled flight in 1903.

Bessie was born in a small town in Texas. Her love of flying began early as a young girl the first time she ever saw a small plane fly overhead. When she turned 23, Bessie boldly relocated to Chicago, following two of her brothers who already lived there. Not averse to working hard, she found a job. Never letting go of her dream of learning to fly, good timing and good fortune brought her into the path of meeting two prominent Chicago businessman who became her champion: the publisher of the Chicago Defender newspaper and the founder of the first privately-owned African-American bank in Chicago. Both helped in guiding her to attain her dream.

Because of the discrimination she faced in her home country, she learned to fly in France. There wasn't a single flight school in America that would take her on as a student. She quickly earned the respect of her fellow students and her flight instructors. She returned to the U.S. and performed in airshows demonstrating her aerobatic skills yet still faced issues with discrimination and segregation. 

Carole Hopson did a wonderful job researching the history of this influential woman who broke down barriers. The author, as a commercial airline captain/pilot, brings her own credentials to the writing of this book. Her experience brings great insight into the intricacies of what it takes to learn to fly.

For fans of aeronautical history and strong women who worked against the odds.