Every month we let you know what we’ve been reading and our monthly recommendations. You’ll get to see new titles with fabulous reviews from the Bay Books team. We’re sure you’ll love these fantastic books just as much as we do. We recommend a wide range of genres and themes. So get ready to explore more books!
Skye’s Picks
Follow the journey of Eragon, a simple farm boy in a small village of Alagaesia. When a hunting trip is interrupted by the appearance of a magical stone, young Eragon’s life is changed forever. When the “stone” hatches into a dragon, Eragon must uproot his life and flee before the evil king, Galbatorix, can find him and destroy him and his dragon. With the help of Brom, the old village storyteller, Eragon faces a long journey of magic, danger, and dragons. Will he survive? I love this series, and would recommend it to any reader young or old. If they like this they could definitely make a transition into the LOTR trilogies or if you just enjoy fantasy and dragons!
Wendy’s Picks
Green Dot by Madeleine Gray (Feb 2024 release)
This direct, humorous and poignant story of twenty-something Hara is set in Australia and is a modern nod to “Bridgett Jones Diary.” Having completed college and back living with her father, Hara is disillusioned with life in general but decides it’s time to make an attempt at adulting. She obtains her first job in the “real world” – the crushingly dull work of moderating comments for an online news organization. Here, though previously only interested in women, she meets and falls in love with Arthur, a middle aged, married journalist. A story about the joys and pains of self-discovery.
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
William, a lonely young man who was raised in a sad and loveless childhood home, finds escape and success on the basketball court. While a college player, he meets a head-strong young woman from a quirky but extremely close-knit family of 3 sisters, and is swept into the fold. William’s unresolved childhood trauma resurfaces and a heart-breaking rift is created which fractures the family relationships for decades. Can they overcome these barriers when they need each other most? I adored this profound story of love and loyalty.
Tina’s Picks
Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge by Spencer Quinn
This book did not disappoint as I was looking forward to another ‘older woman takes control and takes care of business’ book. These stories always seem to surprise and delight people, as they do me, but good grief, if folks had met my grandmother, they would know these stories are based on truth and not so surprising at all.
This story vacillates between widowed Mrs. Plansky, living in Florida, and youthful Romanian scammers who work for a vicious and unethical thug. Mrs. Plansky is scammed by the “Grama, I’m in trouble and need xxx amount of dollars” and when she realizes that, she travels to Romania to get it back. The author does a fantastic job of taking the reader descriptively between the seamy, dark nature of scammers and Mrs. Plansky’s navigation of her widowhood and love for her very individualist children.
Never count the older folks out. Never.
Claudia and the Bad Joke: A Graphic Novel (The Baby-sitters Club #15) by Ann M. Martin
I did it! I finally read a Baby-sitters Club graphic novel! It was as charming and educational as I had heard. This series (I read #15) deals with problems/conflicts and gives solutions for young readers, albeit from a ‘typical’ middle class view. The cast of characters are fairly diverse and offer a wholesome pov of teens and their angst. The illustrations display emotions and actions in a skillful manner and truly draw your eye to the page and to the words. I can see why this series is so popular, the graphic novels and the written novels.
She’s Not Sorry by Mary Kubica (Release Date April 2024)
A well written, suspense novel that will keep you wondering, is it him, is it her, who is that? How did this happen? As you sit on the edge of your seat, waiting to find out the answer, another turn occurs and you still don’t know whodunit. When you do find out, you’re left wondering, Wait—-is that all of it? Could there be a sequel coming with Nurse Meghan, an amateur detective, in it? She’s a nurse who gets it done with her own sense of justice. She REALLY is not sorry. Enjoyed this very much.
Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica
Mary Kubica’s Just the Nicest Couple is a masterfully written thriller about deception where we least expect it and the danger of a lie tumbling out of control. Taut and incredibly suspenseful, every moment is perfectly crafted to keep us wanting more. An engrossing, spine-tingling read and yes, it is one of two of this author’s that I recommend this month but this one is already out and equally as suspenseful!