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THE ALMOST SISTERS
by Joshilyn Jackson
38-year-old comic book author Leia finds herself pregnant after an encounter with "Batman" at ComicCon. She's not ready to share this news with her perfect stepsister Rachel, her conservative parents, or the baby's father--whose name and phone number she tossed the morning after. So Leia goes "home" to Birchville, Alabama where her grandmother, Birchie, will make everything right. But things don't work out as planned and Josilyn Jackson takes us on a ride through the many layers of family relationships, southern style. Fun, fast moving, and heartwarming read.
-Beth Mynhier
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HELLO SUNSHINE
by Laura Dave
Being a Foodie myself, I enjoyed Laura Dave's take on the reality of the celebrity chefs, and their world; a great sneak peek! The novel is both funny and touches on how easy it is to lose yourself and your values when fame invades your world, sometimes a fall from grace is the best reality check.
-Maxwell Gregory
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SPOONBENDERS
by Daryl Gregory
A fascinating, comical read which tells the story of the Telemachus family and their amazing supernatural powers that enable them to navigate through family life and mob connections. Beginning with conman Father Teddy to his wife Maureen with psychic powers, we follow the entire family and their antics which will keep you highly entertained.
-Diana Wettermann |
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THE SEVEN RULES OF ELVIRA CARR
by Frances Maynard
(Paperback)
Elvira is forced to navigate the world alone after her mother has a stroke and is moved into a care facility. Due to her "condition", she finds it tricky to understand social cues and creates a set of rules to live by. She makes a life for herself by following these rules; although these tenets, and life, are constantly changing. You'll find yourself rooting for Elvira and cheering on her successes! Charming and quirky.
-Di Grumhaus
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READING WITH PATRICK
by Michelle Kuo
Poignant, thoughtful, inside look at the effect of poverty in a small town in the Arkansas Delta. Michelle Kuo builds a relationship centered on reading with Patrick, a former student who is imprisoned after her Teach for America time is up. She examines the impact she has on Patrick and wonders if she could have done more as she takes us on their unlikely educational journey. For readers who couldn't get enough of Hillbilly Elegy, this is a deep dive into the poverty stricken Delta region of Arkansas. Kuo writes with her heart--opening up ours in the process. Powerful read!
-Beth Mynhier
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OUT EAST: HOUSES AND GARDENS OF THE HAMPTONS
by Jennifer Ash Rudick; Photography by Tria Giovan
Cool breezes, miles of pristine beaches, and vast, open farmland have long attracted visitors to Long Island's South Fork, otherwise known as "The Hamptons." Out East captures the enduring appeal of shingled houses, modernist oceanfront designs, artists' compounds, and Montauk surf shacks. Jennifer Ash Rudick, a long-time Southampton resident, leads an insider's tour of more than 25 houses, cottages, and pool houses. Tria Giovan, a Sag Harbor-based photographer, captures extraordinary gardens, verandas, lakeside pavilions, farmhouses, and converted barns.
-Staff
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SHADOW OF THE LIONS
by Christopher Swann
(Due August 1, 2017)
Ten years after his best friend goes missing, Mattias Glass returns to teach English at the prestigious Blackburne boarding school. While Mattias begins to confront his past and investigate his missing friend, he discovers secrets about both his school and the influential family of the missing student. Fast paced with rich and complex characters, this novel is a poignant coming of age tale and a suspenseful mystery.
-Lisa Dietrich
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COACH WOODEN AND ME: OUR 50-YEAR FRIENDSHIP ON AND OFF THE COURT
by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The title says it all, this is a wonderful tribute to legendary coach John Wooden. Lew Alcindor and Coach Wooden shared something incredible, and it was more than just basketball. Full of wisdom and many life lessons, I think this is a fantastic book for readers across all ages. Read it, gift it and pass it on. Don't miss!
-Di Grumhaus
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WHERE THE LIGHT FALLS: A NOVEL OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
by Allison Pataki and Owen Pataki
Three years after the storming of the Bastille, the streets of Paris are roiling with revolution. Jean-Luc, an idealistic young lawyer, moves his wife and their infant son to Paris, in the hopes of joining the cause. Andre, the son of a denounced nobleman, has evaded execution by joining the new French army. Sophie , a young aristocratic widow, embarks on her own fight for independence against her powerful, vindictive uncle.
As chaos threatens to undo the progress of the Revolution and the demand for justice breeds instability and paranoia, the lives of these compatriots become inextricably linked. Jean-Luc, Andre, and Sophie find themselves in a world where survival seems increasingly less likely--for themselves and, indeed, for the nation.
-Staff
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SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF EASE AND PLENTY
by Ramona Ausubel
(Paperback)
A smartly written look at a marriage on the brink. Fern and Edgar are children of privilege, living on the proceeds of Fern's inheritance. When the money runs dry, the couple are forced to look at their lives through a new lens, and the wheels fall off. Set in the 1970s, with wonderful flashbacks to the early years of their relationship in the 1960s, this is an enthralling read!
-Laura Skinner
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WHEN THE ENGLISH FALL
by David Williams
Told with a quiet strength, this apocalyptic story is one that took a hold of me and didn't let go. Jacob journals of strange daily happenings on their family's amish farm, including his daughter's unusual insights into what the future may bring. The family's faith is unwavering in spite of this, and Jacob writes of their daily struggles to survive in this new world in plain but realistic language. Lots to talk about with this story. I think it would be a really interesting read for book clubs.
-Beth Mynhier
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BEFORE WE WERE YOURS
by Lisa Wingate
For fans of Orphan Train, this novel tells the story of five young children who were stolen from their indigent parents and placed at the now infamous Tennessee Children's Home Society run by Georgia Tann. Tann and her organization kidnapped children and illegally put them up for adoption over the course of decades. The children were mistreated, abused and died while basically prisoners in the Home. The novel goes back and forth between the 1930s and the oldest sister trying to fight for the survival of her family, and contemporary time and a young woman set on discovering a family secret. I loved it! Highly recommended.
-Kathy Petray
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THE MISFORTUNE OF MARION PALM
by Emily Culliton
(Due August 8, 2017)
This debut novel is dark and sharply written. Marion meets and marries Nathan, a poet she believes is wealthy. When fortunes change, Marion relies on her old skills and embezzles money from her daughters' private school. When the school is audited, Marion flees, abandoning her family. Every character in this book is terribly flawed, yet Culliton's storytelling is irresistible.
-Laura Skinner
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THE DOLLHOUSE
by Fiona Davis
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THE WANGS VS. THE WORLD
by Jade Chang
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BLACK RABBIT HALL
by Eve Chase
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IF I FORGET YOU
by Thomas Christopher Greene
The author of The Headmaster's Wife, one of my favorites of 2014, is back with a story of lost love. Henry Gold and Margot Fuller fall in love as students at a small college in upstate New York, only to be separated by forces beyond their control. Many years later, they meet again on a New York street and begin the painful process of reconnecting.
-Ann Walters
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YOUNG ADULT & MIDDLE SCHOOL SELECTIONS
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YOUNG ADULT:
WHAT TO SAY NEXT
by Julie Buxbaum
A great story about two high school students-a girl, Kit Lowell, who is popular and has just gone through a tragedy and an awkward boy, David, who become friends and help each other with their issues. The author captures the confusing life of a high schooler. I really can see this becoming a movie. I really liked it!
-Eleanor Thorn
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MIDDLE SCHOOL:
WALKING WITH MISS MILLIE
by Tamara Bundy
Alice moves, very unhappily, with her mother and brother to Rainbow, Georgia in order to care for her failing grandmother. She is determined not to embrace this move but a punishment leads to a friendship with her elderly neighbor that develops as they walk her dog together. A very sweet story that deals with racism, dementia, friendship and family relationships. Miss Millie is a great companion for Alice!
-Di Grumhaus
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MIDDLE SCHOOL:
ROLL
by Darcy Miller
Roll, by Darcy Miller, is a debut middle grade read. It is charming and funny, and you will immediately like the protagonist, Ren. He is 11, shorter than the other boys, and feeling uncomfortable in his own skin. Kids will relate to Ren and his new neighbor, Sutton- a girl who is also different than the other friends Ren knows from school. Kids will relate to the characters and that feeling of wanting to fit in when everything and everyone around them seems to be changing.
-Molly Forlow
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Lake Forest Book Store
662 N. Western Avenue
Lake Forest IL 60045
847-234-4420
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