Staff Choices

Isabelle is the daughter of Claire and Ward. Her father is a successful, famous author who Isabelle admires and tries to follow in his footsteps, but his selfish personality casts a shadow on her. The story progresses with a timeline that goes back and forth to key points, including how Claire and Ward met. As Isabelle struggles to write her first book, the unexpected death of her mother throws her into a tailspin. When she finds out what her mother left for her, Isabelle is faced with a life-changing decision. One constant for Isabelle is her steadfast friend, Brian, despite her worst behavior that takes him and their friendship for granted. 

A Likely Story is author Leigh McMullan Abramson's debut novel. This book will appeal to those who enjoy reading about family secrets, learning to take responsibility for your life, trying to erase past mistakes and don't mind an unlikeable character or two. 
 

This remarkable memoir written by a 33 year old through the perspective of a 9 year old, is a page turner. Having been born in El Salvador in 1990 during the country's civil war, Javier Zamora's childhood was based on the concept of leaving. His Father fled to the U.S. when he was one, and when he was five, his Mother followed. For the next four years he lived with his grandparents as they prepared him for the trip that would change the course of his life. He dreams of being reunited with his parents, as he embarks as an unaccompanied minor on what is supposed to be a 2 week trek north. 

This story being told from a child’s perspective, in a plain journalistic reality, lays out the true horrors of migration. He ends up traveling with a group of adults who with kindness help sustain him through deserts, uniformed men with guns pointed at him as well as smugglers and border patrol agents. These strangers take responsibility for him as they pass him to the next group with a sense of concern and urgency. Somewhere along the way Zamora finds his artistic voice. Keeping track of every detail awakens his writers spirit, and becomes the thing that helps him survive this harrowing experience. Solito is often difficult to read. It is an important book told by a brave young man who as a 9 year old never lost faith that he would see his parents again.

Ever since discovering Burmese food—a little like Thai, a bit like Indian, but still wholly unique—books discussing Burma (also known as Myanmar) have piqued my interest. Burma Chronicles is a stand-alone graphic novel documenting the author’s year-long sojourn in Burma with his wife and infant son. Guy Delisle, a comic artist, has lived in several countries around the world; his spouse is a physician in Doctors Without Borders. Delisle’s layman, foreigner’s perspective offers an outside look at Burma’s diverse society, and its complex history and politics. While much of Burma’s recent and current circumstances are grim, Delisle provides a frank, easily understood depiction of his experiences and observations; this is balanced by the whimsical chaos of being a “stay-at-home dad” and a sort-of tourist. The relationships he builds with local friends and other expats reflect the simplicities and complications of living abroad, and his awe and curiosity at his proximity to—and distance from—1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is reminiscent of the reaction one might have at a surprise encounter with a celebrity.

Readers interested in learning more about Burma from multiple perspectives may find these books useful (all available in the Arlington Heights Memorial Library collection): Bamboo People; First, They Erased Our Name; and You’ve Changed, among others.

The Sunshine Girls by Molly Fader is an incredibly moving and powerful historical fiction book about female friendship and women nurses in the Midwest U.S. during the Vietnam War. Told in dual timeline structure the story begins in 2019 with the funeral of BettyKay Beecher, the mother of Abbie and Clara, and a devoted nurse. A famous actress by the name of Kitty Devereaux unexpectedly shows up to the funeral, and tells BettyKay’s daughters the stories and secrets their mother kept from the two of them.

The story at its heart is about the bonds of sisterhood and found family. It was sweet, loving, heartbreaking, and endearing like the best female friendships. You were really rooting for all the characters who were well-developed, realistic, and dynamic. Despite their differences and flaws, there was something about each of the central characters that was endearing and engaging.

I loved the past and present juxtaposition, but it was the past and Betts voice that had me really riveted. It’s also a great historical fiction read for Vietnam-era/old Hollywood vibes. Highly recommend!

I read great reviews of this book and had to read it. Great job of letting you learn about quantum physics. The story itself was interesting too, the characters were a bit one dimensional but the science more than made up for that. Informative and exciting read. Recommend to all who have asked themselves the question "where do we go when we die?". Food for thought.

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb is suspenseful, unique and lured me into a world of classical music when a priceless violin is stolen from the main character, Ray. The story has many layers including the struggle to succeed despite his money-hungry family, other forces at work against him, his ancestors' painful history, the racism Ray still encounters and his drive to recover the violin his beloved Grandmother gave him. The same violin that belonged to Ray's great-great-grandfather.

All of Ray's hard work in practicing, learning and helping support his family is pointing him in the direction of the prestigious Tchaikovsky Competition held every four years. When his violin is stolen we learn about its history, what it means to Ray and can he earn a chance to perform at the competition with a different violin?

Slocumb made this story very readable and approachable. The author is, himself, a talented musician and a music educator. Certain situations in the novel are autobiographical, strengthening the narrative. As I read I listened to YouTube performances of classical pieces described in the book, enhancing the story even more for me.

Pick up a copy of this book if you like a mystery that has family drama, classical music and the intrigue of art theft.

Broadway superstar Sutton Foster opens up her heart and soul in this engaging memoir. Starting on the stage at an early age was exciting and thrilling, but it certainly had it's share of stresses and disappointments. To help her calm her nerves and still her nervous energy, Sutton turned to crafting as a way to cope. As a young girl she watched her Mother cross stitch. An aunt she was close with taught her additional craft skills, but Sutton took it to a whole new level. Knitting, crocheting, cross stitching and eventually collaging and painting became her passion that she continues back stage on big Broadway shows to this day. 

In the book, she opens up about her relationship with her agoraphobic mother and the enormous effect that had on her life. We learn about her brother who is also a Broadway star, her relationships, her marriages, and her personal  struggle and journey with fertility. Between singing and dancing in musicals, Sutton has starred in several TV shows, such as Younger  (which I loved) and Bun Heads to name a few. Peppered with anecdotes about celebrities she has worked with both on stage and on screen such as Patti Lupone, Hilary Duff and Peter Hermann, Hooked: How Crafting Saved Life will get you hooked, and perhaps have you pick up a needle and thread! Her journey is sometimes complicated, but often wonderful, and the her story is a testament to the healing power of art. 

Can a book defy category? Possibly, and I think Emily Wilde’s Encylopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcette may have accomplished that feat. Somehow this novel is a cozy fantasy with a dark twisted horror undertone, full of academia, a tiny bit of romance, a dose of history, some adventure, all rounded out with a mystery. 

I would certainly never call this book 100% cozy as there are several sections of casual cruelty where faeries are concerned. The way Emily lays out the facts is anything but flowery and speaks to the gruesome nature of Faeries in this world. Even so, Fawcette was able to make me feel the story rather than solely visualize it.  

At certain points I found myself feeling enchanted and jovial, yet dark and terrible scenarios played out on the page in front of me. How? I have no idea, but it happened, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

This book is unique in a refreshing way. I will say it certainly started slowly for me but picked up pace around the halfway mark. There is a lot of detail that lends to the academic nature of the novel. This is book one of a duology, but doesn't end on a cliffhanger.

The newest thriller by Barry Eisler, features the background and how Dox became the dangerous yet interesting character in the Eisler collective.

I found it interesting to read where Doxs got his name from and why. It was also useful to understand Dox's family background. The story itself taking place in Indonesia added some foreign flavor to it. The love interest that dox had in this story was also very integral to shaping his character for the rest of the books about him. Plenty of action and a very different ending than I expected. But it was appropriate to the story.

The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn is a family saga; a novel in 5 Acts and an Encore spanning the years of 1919 - 1945. Three children, Cristabel, Flossie, and Digby grow up in an English manor house with little supervision. The adults are rather dysfunctional and turn the home into a sort of artist colony. Taras, an artist and a bit of a grifter, ends up in residence at Chilcombe manor with his entourage of family and a couple of free-spirited admirers. As the children grow up, they are the ones who have a sense of decency, maturity, and a devotion to each other. Taras helps set up the Whalebone Theatre styled from the ribs of a beached whale and is the one who encourages the children's creativity.

When WWII befalls England and the world, everyone must do their part. Cristabel and Digby are driven to do more dangerous work. Flossie remains at home but participates in the Women's Land Army. German soldiers are taken prisoner and are sent to work at the house tending the grounds, garden and stable. English soldiers are billeted inside. Every aspect of their lives are upturned; there is sacrifice and deprivation. It is a frightening time and showed a point of view I hadn't read before.

The story moves at a langurous pace through its 553 pages but I found the storyline engrossing. This is for readers who enjoy a long story, and are in it for the long haul; and who enjoy reading a historical fiction debut novel.