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!
Tina’s Picks
A self-made billionaire named John Sill hires Professor Kitu to aid in his ambition to turn himself into a Bond villain. “You know, evil for evil’s sake,” says Sills. Interestingly enough, Professor Kitu’s area of expertise is the study of ‘nothingness’. Seriously. He studies ‘nothing’.
In other words, Sill intends to instrumentalize “nothing” for mass destruction. But to instrumentalize is to objectify — as soon as “nothing” is used, it will become “something” — and so Sill’s attempts may be doomed from the start. It seems that the main character in this novel is the futility of achieving the plot goal—does that make sense? It sure makes for good reading!
The Social Lives of Birds by Joan E. Strassman
Evolutionary biologist and author Joan Strassman visited us when she was launching her book Slow Birding and this book proves to be just as interesting. She examines what it means for birds of a feather to flock together, why some birds are altruistic and prefer caring for another bird specie’s young, or why some male mating dances requires two males to be successful. She also describes how birds confront conflicts and how they resolve them. She does not limit this bird knowledge to local avian population but to the entire world. The stories and knowledge is intriguing and this is a must read for all bird lovers.
The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso
This unforgettable novel describes a library filled to the brim with books containing the memories of those who bore witness to history. Slowly the government is destroying and burning these memories but a WWII-era young lady, trapped in space time warp, is desperately trying to save them. Speculative historical fiction at its best.
Don’t Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson
I love when the ridiculous and science education are pooled together in a witty, informational manner. It’s probably why Gary Larsen is my hero but Neil Sharpson is edging his way up with this incredibly funny book about fish, and of course, why we shouldn’t trust them, just as we are learning facts about fish that will make each reader look at them differently. The young person in your life needs this book! (Ages 3 – 7 years)
Becky’s Picks
King’s lyrical prose and deep and deep character development draw you into a story filled with emotions and poignant moments.
The story navigates the themes of love, resilience and self-discovery with very relatable, if somewhat complex characters.
The importance of friendships and family and the intricacies of human relationships are beautifully explored.
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
In the busy Christmas season, Bill Furlong, a coal merchant in a small Irish town, makes a discovery while making a delivery to the local convent – one that forces him to confront his past.
Hope, Heroism and Empathy – a good recipe any time of year but especially during the holiday season.
Wendy’s Picks
You will truly be swept up in this emotionally layered novel set in the heart of the Midwest (Ohio), as we follow two couples across 6 decades of American history, from WWII to early 21st century. Themes of love, betrayal, heartbreaking loss, generational impact and forgiveness are carried across the narrative by a richly developed set of characters – ordinary people who are authentically dealing with the often-extraordinary complexities of life. Reads like an American classic and one of my top 5 picks of 2025.
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
This beautifully crafted, debut novel is written in the form of letters, penned by protagonist, Sybil Van Antwerp, an intellectual, a retired attorney, and divorced mother to 2 adult children. Her life story is revealed through her many missives, written over decades to people both ordinary and famous: family, friends, authors and politicians. In this way, we learn about her life, her loves, pain and regrets. The novel is, in many ways, a love letter to book lovers like us! At the end of every letter, Sybil tells the recipient what she is reading and asks what they are reading.
Karin’s Pick
On both the National Book Award long list and Booker Prize long lists, this novel chronicles a family’s fraught history and the ways in which its remaining members grapple with the disappearance of an integral member. Called a “spellbinding, heart-gripping investigation of family, loss, memory, and the ways in which we are shaped by what we cannot see,” this novel has earned its numerous accolades
Grace’s Pick
What begins as an idyllic, cozy tale set in an old English village gracefully morphs into a sly, suspenseful, and charmingly wicked classic. Though it initially debuted in 1986, this novel’s masterful containment of numerous genres—let’s call it LGBTQ folk-horror—makes it a timeless page turner that will never go out of style. In detailing the seemingly quintessential lives of Janet and Susan, partners and keepers of the town’s artisanal gift shop, Bowen leads readers down a uniquely macabre path illustrating that when it comes to peaceful country living, “perfect” relationships, parenthood, and septic tanks, there is often more there than meets the eye. Observationally beautiful, Gothic, yet amusing, and surprisingly touching—The Girls offers a little something for everyone.
