Set during Ernest Hemingway’s time residing in Key West, “Hemingway’s Girl” cleverly weaves together historical nonfiction with a fiction tale. The main character, Mariella, is a strong, young female whose life is turned upside down when her father suddenly passes. She has a dream of a life spent as a charter boat captain but circumstances take her into Ernest Hemingway’s home as his housekeeper. You’ll be captivated by her story, her relationship with Hemingway and the choices she makes along the way. I would highly recommend this book!
Three words that describe this book: Historical, dramatic, captivating
You might want to pick this book up if: You’re interested in learning about Hemingway’s life while he lived in Key West. You love Key West and the idea of tropical living. You like reading about main characters who are strong-willed females, willing to take risks in life to go for what they want.
-Amanda
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share these throughout the year.
Wow! This is a book that I picked up and absolutely could not put down! Knowing that “Uprising” was a book about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, I initially had the preconceived notion that the text would be quite predictable. Instead, it was a whirlwind of unpredictability as it followed the lives of three very well-developed characters of the time period — with twists all the way to the very end! Unlike other books that have tackled this subject, this author delves deeply into the circumstances leading up to the fire, drawing a very clear line between the previous labor strikes and the tragedy of this event. I also appreciated the author’s note at the end, where she points out the changes that came from this event as well as ways to further research injustices still happening today. By doing so, Haddix brings this text full circle — sharing the history of the event and the relevancy to the work that still needs to be done today!
Three words that describe this book: Tragic, inspiring, relevant
You might want to pick this book up if: You like historical fiction and books written for the perspective of different characters.
-Anonymous
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading 2022. We will continue to share these throughout the year.
Dare I call “A Wizard of Earthsea” the original young adult fantasy book? Like many other classics from decades ago, there are story elements that may strike the reader as simplistic or cliched when viewed through the lens of decades of literary progress. However, a careful review will reveal that the elements only appear that way because those decades of progress were built on the foundation of this story; is the origin of a cliché also cliché? A true coming-of-age tale, balanced by an imaginative world and dark enemy, with a surprisingly introspective moral, this is a must-read for any fans of the fantasy genre, no matter the age.
Three words that describe this book: Introspective, Inspiring, Archetypical
You might want to pick this book up if: You’re interested in seeing the basis of so many fantasy tropes that we take for granted.
-Joshua
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading 2022. We will continue to share these throughout the year.
“The Sweeney Sisters” is the story of three sisters navigating the loss of their father, who was a famous author. After his passing, they discover a fourth sister born out of an affair and have to come to terms with how this blemishes their father’s legacy and form a relationship with their new sister. It was a very light-hearted take on a heavy topic. The relationship between the sisters is funny, sweet and complicated, much like real life. It was a quick fun read.
Three words that describe this book: Family, Funny, Sweet
You might want to pick this book up if: Want an entertaining quick read.
-Anonymous
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading 2022. We will continue to share these throughout the year.
Written during the COVID-19 pandemic, Natasha Bowman’s “The Power of One” provides insights and strategies to work toward and/or lead changing unjust systems found in our workplaces, communities and governments through regular, everyday actions no matter what status/job title we have. Using the timely events of the year 2020, this book provides information and motivation, as well as worksheets after each chapter to help guide the reader in this work. I really liked how accessible the information was and how Bowman combined real and sobering facts with encouragement, enthusiasm and compassion.
Three words that describe this book: Leadership, changing, communities
You might want to pick this book up if: You’re looking for motivation to make changes at work, home, your neighborhood, and beyond that bring more humanity, empathy and justice.
-Debbie
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading 2022. We will continue to share these throughout the year.
“The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family” by Ron Howard and Clint Howard is my favorite book of the last year. It’s not a Hollywood tell-all (though there are plenty of interesting stories about their lives in TV and movies), but an homage to their parents and to each other. I particularly enjoyed the format of the book — it alternates between Ron and Clint each bringing forward their own perspective, often serving as a foil to the other in a way that only siblings can. I strongly encourage listening to the audiobook, narrated by the brothers themselves, to fully appreciate the book’s tone and feel. It’s a truly enjoyable memoir.
Three words that describe this book: Heartwarming, candid, comforting
You might want to pick this book up if: You want to read a memoir that’s poignant, funny and heartfelt, or an honest memoir about a remarkable show business family.
-Jeff
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading 2022. We will continue to share these throughout the year.
“Command and Control” tells the true story of a 1980 nuclear weapons incident in Damascus, Arkansas – during routine maintenance at a Titan II missile silo in Damascus, a technician dropped a socket wrench which led to a fire in the silo, and eventually an explosion. The book also splices in parts of nuclear history and the history of nuclear war, which eventually ties together into the story of Damascus. I liked it because it’s a subject I am interested in, and I liked the way that it all came together in the end, and gives you a really big picture of the subject, while focusing in on one specific incident.
Three words that describe this book: Nuclear, History, Tense
You might want to pick this book up if: You are interested in military history, or the history of nuclear war.
-Robbie
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading 2022. We will continue to share these throughout the year.
“Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania” is the true story of a large passenger ship on a trip across the Atlantic. In 1915, The Lusitania carried passengers from the US to England during the middle of World War I. The Lusitania was sunk by a German submarine, as she was completely without the protection of the Royal Navy. I really enjoyed this book because I like the history of submarine warfare, and I also liked all the details the author got into. I never knew anything about the Lusitania and I feel like by reading it that Larson was able to really let me know what it felt like to be on that ship, and start to understand the horror of its sinking.
Three words that describe this book: History, Tense, War
You might want to pick this book up if: You enjoy naval history, world war history, or anything taking place on the ocean with lots of details. Early submarine warfare is also described a lot.
-Robbie
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading 2022. We will continue to share these throughout the year.
Nora, the owner of the bookstore Miracle Books, is asked to help Deputy Andrews prepare a book-themed wedding proposal for her friend, Heather. Although Nora is happy to help, she also knows the secret Heather hasn’t had the courage to share with her boyfriend. A secret that could bring their romance to an end.
Heather’s tangled family history, a murdered stranger, and mysterious rare books provide a quick read full of twists and turns. If you enjoy cozy mysteries and strong female friendships you’ll want to read “The Vanishing Type.”
This book is the fifth book in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society series. Reading the previous books will help fill out the characters’ backgrounds, but each book can stand on its own. As a bonus: Nora’s customer recommendations in each novel will give you plenty of titles to add to your reading list.
Three words that describe this book: absorbing, well-written, surprising
You might want to pick this book up if: If you enjoy cozy mysteries and strong female friendships you’ll want to read this book.
-Sue
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading 2022. We will continue to share these throughout the year.
“Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall” takes the reader on a journey through the development and impacts, both structurally and socially, of the shopping mall. The author admits to having a penchant for architecture, so much of the early part of the book focuses on that aspect of malls. As the author expands upon the cultural transformation of malls, it grasps a larger audience of readers — unless you really like architecture, then you’re hooked from the beginning.
The author highlights the cyclical nature of malls’ popularity and decline over the years as society and its needs evolve. It’s particularly interesting to see the cycle play out presently, with the impacts of COVID-19 (which the author also addresses). Is the mall really dead or will there be a resurgence? This book dives into that complex question with historical context, leaving the reader to continue pondering the question; which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Three words that describe this book: Architectural, Cultural, Nostalgic
You might want to pick this book up if: You enjoy architectural history, nostalgia, and exploring the societal significance of popular places.
-Anonymous
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading 2022. We will continue to share these throughout the year.
