Rumor has it that April showers bring May flowers. Rumor also has it that every month we let you know what we’ve been reading and our monthly recommendations! This month, we are featuring some hits from our favorite authors and poets. (Hint hint…April is Poetry Month!) Be sure to keep up with our picks–you’ll get to see new titles with fabulous reviews from the Bay Books team, and we’re sure you’ll love these fantastic books just as much as we do. We recommend a wide range of genres and themes. Get ready to explore more books!

Tina’s Picks

Once and Again by Rebecca Serle

I’m not sure that any author messes with time travel quite the way that Serle does but she does it masterfully. In this novel, a rare gift is given to three generations of women–the gift to redo anything once. But is this a gift or a burden? Does the knowledge of it begin to influence your life or does it bring wisdom? Well done and a story that will draw you in and make you think.

You’ll Do: A History of Marrying for Reasons Other Than Love by Marcia A. Zug

At one turn, both hilarious and cringeworthy, we’re presented with a fresh, engaging social history exploring the instrumental use of marriage. She draws on sources including court cases, historical anecdotes, her family’s history and in doing so, provides ample evidence of how generations of American men and women have used marriage to fight racial, gender, and class discrimination while also using marriage to gain money or status, elude criminal prosecution or ensure parental rights. Author Zug also documents the risk of exploitation and abuse. All in all, this was an engaging read which I would truly recommend.

What Have You Done? by Shari Lapena

“How many ways, I think, can a girl be assaulted? I never got to live my life. I never got to be old enough, to become unattractive enough, to be left alone. To finally just be.” 

This wasn’t the first line in this book, but perhaps it should have been. Shari Lapena is a new author to me that I found while on vacation and I quickly read through three of her books in a row. The plots are built around some of the most traumatic personal family experiences you might imagine when involving children but in this one, she gets to the heart of what it’s like to be a female growing up in a world where beauty is highly prized because it is desirable. For those who have it, they are easily manipulated, harassed, abused, not believed when seeking help and all because of youth and beauty. It is a murder mystery as well so expect some red herrings and plot twists. The ending is satisfying but very emotional.

Everyone Here is Lying by Shari Lapena

Creepy. In a sweet little postcard perfect town, every adult has a secret which seems to affect everyone’s child’s well being. Except for one child. And that’s the kicker in this psychological thriller with a twist you truly won’t believe. Author Shari Lapena plays upon the typical course of thinking when a child goes missing: Sex Trafficking? Molestation? Murder? Lover’s retaliation for an affair gone wrong? It will keep you glued to the pages.

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Okay, this one has been out for a while, but I have resisted reading it, even though I was an avid tennis player. But as usual, Reid pulls out a story that not only describes the game of tennis thoroughly and lovingly, but also the drama that surrounds it. Whether it is between a coach and player, player and player, opponent and favored winner—Carrie Soto is Back is so much more than about tennis. It’s group dynamics, romance, love, and dignity at its best. For me, it brought back so many memories of spending time on the court with my dad and my first ‘sky’ ball.

Wendy’s Picks

Euphoria by Lily King 

Inspired by the real-life experiences of renowned anthropologist Margaret Mead, this story takes place in 1930’s New Guinea and revolves around 3 young anthropologists who find themselves embroiled in a complicated love triangle that is as sensual and intoxicating as it is destructive. With some parallels to Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible (one of my all-time favorites), we are swept into the study of and interaction with vastly different cultures, the egos and ethical contradictions involved, and the inevitable negative impact left behind by the western world. A page-turning, stunning novel.

A Nature Poem for Every Spring Evening, Edited by Jane McMorland Hunter

As a passionate year-round resident of northern Michigan, I embrace and find joy in every season. But…SPRING can be challenging, a time of year that is both wearing and hopeful. I keep this volume of spring poems on my coffee table or nightstand and have found beauty and comfort in the words of some of the world’s most famous poets–from Emily Dickinson to Eleanor Farjeon. If you are looking for some celebratory or insightful reflections to get you from March 1 to May 31, you will enjoy this lovely compilation.

Becky’s Picks

More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen

High school English teacher Polly’s life is turned upside down when an ancestry test, given to her by her book club buddies as a joke, reveals an unexpected match…. She finds herself asking surprising questions about her family and friends in this wise and wonderful novel of life, loss and moving on. Polly’s book club friends, who have become her closest friends, have heard it all. Quindlen’s warmth, humor and insight into the power of love and hope remind the reader how friendship can change your life in the most powerful ways.

Dog Songs by Mary Oliver

Oliver’s style, using simple, clear language to explore more complex ideas often draws parallels between a dog’s life and human existence. She includes poems about dogs she knew that will make the reader both laugh and cry. The collection is joyful, comforting and poignant as it reminds the reader of lessons dogs offer about love and nature.

Grace’s Pick

The Flame: Poems, Notebooks, Lyrics, Drawings by Leonard Cohen

I’ve had this Leonard Cohen collection in my arsenal for some time now, and what better time to revisit it than for April’s Poetry Month? This is one of those few books that–as a musician, self-proclaimed Leonard Cohen superfan, and poetry lover–I find myself returning to time and time again. This volume was the final collection published by Cohen during his lifetime, and, much like his songs, these poems are timeless, moving, generation-spanning gems. The collection offers it all: not only poetry, but excerpts from Cohen’s notebooks, unreleased song lyrics, and numerous self-portraits and sketches penned by the artist himself. I find it rare in life to come upon a book that reads as if the author were speaking (or singing) directly to you, and The Flame is undoubtedly one of these rarities. 

My advice? Read this book, then read it again, gift it to someone you love, then take it back. Read it once more. If you want to smile, listen to his song “Passing Through” (specifically the Live in London version, 1972.) If you want to cry, listening to pretty much any of his other songs should do. And, of course, if you feel like waltzing, there’s certainly always “Take This Waltz.” Then read the book again. In that order.

Karin’s Pick

Into the Hush by Arthur Sze

Sometimes readers are put off by poetry because they suppose poems are often difficult to understand. Poems are seen as being too much trouble to mess with because they seem to be so open-ended, so unresolved; it might seem like too much work to try to arrive at what they might mean. But given half a chance, poetry doesn’t have to be difficult or obtuse. If one is willing to read a bit more slowly and think a bit more openly, poetry can create new understandings and ultimately allow a reader to see the world a bit differently.

In his latest volume, Into the Hush, the current U.S. Poet Laureate, Arthur Sze, encourages a reader to do just that. Sze’s evocative use of language draws the reader into thinking about the objects, emotions, and relationships of this world. Reading his poems allows us to be privy to a poet using language to marry perceptive description with deepening understanding, The images he creates are both beautiful and thought-provoking. You will be the richer for givingInto the Hush a try!

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

The Best American Short Stories 2025 edited by Celeste Ng and Nicole A. Lamy and The Best American Essays 2025 edited by Jia Tolentino

I love these “Best American …….” series of books. They remind me of my university days, which to me is a great memory. One of my freshman English professors assigned stories from the previous year’s “The Best American Short Fiction Stories” as part of our reading assignments. I loved it as much as I loved the Reader’s Digest Book Series. Both give you a snapshot of the author’s talents and of the story. Pick one of these up and enjoy a short little story each night before bed. Much better than television!

The Night We Became Strangers by Lorena Hughes

Imagine being alive when H.G. Wells dramatized on radio the novel “The War of the Worlds” and sent America into a panic. Now imagine eleven years later, another radio station in Ecuador adapts the show and once again, there are catastrophic consequences. Based on a true story, this novel describes those events through the eyes of two young journalists who were directly impacted by this radio prank. I can’t even imagine!

Book and Dagger: How Scholars and Librarians Became the Unlikely Spies of World War II by Elyse Graham

Some Bright Nowhere by Ann Packer

Married for over forty years, Claire decides to stop treatment for cancer and spend her
remaining time in hospice. Her husband assumes he will be the one to care for her as
he has been for the past eight years but no, he is shocked when she tells him she would
rather be looked after by her two best friends. Her wish is to be surrounded by female
energy, laughter, chatter, and tears which forces her husband, Eliot, to confront his
inadequacies as a caregiver and husband. Author Packer examines thoroughly Claire’s
motivations and the impact this decision has on her family, including two adult children.
Such an interesting read!

Wendy’s Picks

Flesh by David Szalay

Winner of the 2025 Booker Prize and one of my top reads from the past year, the author
was reportedly inspired to write this novel based on his time living between Hungary
and England, and the dramatic social and economic divides he personally witnessed
across modern Europe. At the center of the story is an introverted Hungarian man,
Istvan. The novel opens when Istvan is an awkward 15-year-old and finds himself
coerced into an affair with a lonely 42-year neighbor woman, with whom he misguidedly
falls in love. The affair ends, of course, and in a scuffle with the woman’s husband, the
husband falls down a set of stairs. Istvan’s entire life is shaped by these traumatic
experiences – and others – throughout his lifetime. The prose is minimalist, its impact
profound. I cannot stop thinking about this book and looking for people who have read it
so that we can discuss! So much to unpack here, including the title itself, which points
not only to the erotic/sexual nature of man, but also the fragile and bleak (doomed?!)
human condition. This is a fast and deeply thought-provoking read. Put it on your list.

Good Things by Samin Nosrat

If you are a fan of the author’s wildly successful first cookbook, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat; or
even if you are unfamiliar with the endearing Chef Nosrat, you will LOVE the 125+
recipes in this beautiful publication – a collection of her favorite things to prepare for
those she loves. Recipes range from simple comfort food to multi-dish menus for dinner
parties. In Nosrat’s words, “Recipes, like rituals, endure because they are passed down
to us – whether by ancestors, neighbors, friends, strangers on the internet, or me to
you!”

Becky’s Picks

Flint Kill Creek: Stories of Mystery and Suspense by Joyce Carol Oates

Oates has put together a dark collection of stories, recent and reconsidered, that blend
psychological tension with the macabre. She excels at creating a sense of unease,
often grounding her stories in seemingly ordinary settings that gradually reveal hidden
voices of moral ambiguity. The characters are complex and often haunted. Each story
charts its own unpredictable path into darkness.

The collection offers a gripping mix of suspense and introspection – a good choice for
readers who like slow burning literary thrillers.

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

Theo of Golden follows Theo, an elderly man who arrives in the small town of Golden,
Georgia as he visits a small coffee shop where the walls are covered with portraits of
the people of Golden. He begins to buy and give portraits to their subjects, fostering
deep connections and transforming lives. With each exchange, a friendship is born, and
a life altered.

Generosity, community and the invisible thread of kindness makes this a delight to read.

Karin’s Pick

True Nature: The Pilgrimage of Peter Matthiessen by Lance Richardson

This immersion into Peter Matthiessen’s long and far-ranging life allows us to grasp the depth of his intellectual inquiries, the depth of his involvement with causes he believed in, and the depth of his emotional involvement with the many, many people and places with which he became involved. Richardson’s well-written and well-researched biography of this complicated, at times difficult, but always fascinating man, allows us to trace Matthiessen’s’s evolution from Yale student, to co-founder of the Paris Review, to becoming a writer’s writer.

The only American writer to win the National Book Award in both Fiction and Nonfiction, Peter Matthiessen’s wide-ranging interests over his long writing career resulted books such as Far Tortuga, At Play in the Fields of the Lord, and The Snow Leopard. He traveled the world in order to research multifaceted topics, and then with clarity and passion, developed them into books that pondered humankind’s desecration of the natural environment; or allowed us to accompany him in his search for transcendence through Buddhism; or involved us with complex people faced with complex situations, actual or fictive.

If you love any of Matthiessen’s writing, this biography will provide an interesting and absorbing backstory about the writer behind it.

Grace’s Pick

God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater by Kurt Vonnegut

…And God bless you, Kurt Vonnegut. A 1965 pre-cursor to the more widely-known Slaughterhouse-Five, this satirical gem details the life of Eliot Rosewater, the eccentric and typically intoxicated philanthropist at the helm of the multimillion-dollar Rosewater Foundation. Surrounded by a society tinged with greed, hypocrisy, and individuals with heftier wallets than hearts, Eliot decides to use his family fortune to help humanity—no matter how absurd, seemingly trivial, or inordinately colossal humanity’s problems might be. 

A humanitarian in his own right, Vonnegut has readers look outward and inward with this funny, poignant, and sometimes downright-insane novel, leading us to wonder how we might go about navigating such a world. Eliot’s answer, in a roundabout way, is something for us all to aspire to, in this day and age: 

“There’s only one rule that I know of: God d*** it, you’ve got to be kind.”

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

Dr. No by Percival Everett

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

Heart the Lover by Lily King

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

Buckeye by Patrick Ryan

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 21^st 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

Flashlight by Susan Choi

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

The Girls by John Bowen

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.

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

Ash’s Cabin by Jen Wang

This book will resonate with fans of Hatchet and My Side of the Mountain. Ash is a 15-year-old who finds peace and comfort in the solitude of the wild, a trait she shared with their Grampa Edwin until he passed away. The goal is to seek out the secret cabin that Grandpa built in the woods and stay there, forever. Using online videos to learn survival skills, money that they earn in odd jobs, they set off into the Northern California wilderness with their dog Chase. Into this storyline, the author weaves questions of identity, gender, race and climate change into a fundamental tale of survival. Young Adult Fiction, LBGTQ+

Practice Girl by Estelle Laure

Initially I was dismayed at Jo’s neediness and thought this was going to be a typical ‘teenage girl angst’ book where things continue relentlessly with an unsatisfying finish. But truly, this book is a portrayal of a young woman learning to take control over her body, mind, and life. She realizes, through a very rude awakening, that she was so focused on her need for emotional attachment that she lost sense of her self-worth and became confused between sex and love. She calls out her male ‘best friend since fifth grade’ for not sticking up for her when she is called a ‘practice girl’ and she is right. She begins to focus on practices of equality and self-worth rather than seeing herself as a shadow of boys.

Extremely enjoyable and pointed in its lessons. (Young Adult)

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

Not a new title but its scariness bears repeating as a Staff Pick. It STILL haunts me!  This gothic horror novel goes far beyond spooks and frights, slithering into the uncomfortable area of trauma and how it shapes us. It is a layered puzzle box that keeps you guessing and breaks your heart. Easily the best horror novel I have ever read and one of the best books I’ve read period. It haunts me.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

I love this author and her monkey brain that creates such unusual stories. Six of Crows,” which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, is one of several entries in Bardugo’s sprawling Grishaverse — which also includes the Shadow and Bone trilogy and the King of Scars duology — and this breakneck fantasy heist novel (along with its sequel, “Crooked Kingdom”) is hands down my favorite. A lot of fantasy books explore the idea of found family, but you will not find a scrappier or more fiercely loyal clan than the crows. As individuals, they are each outcasts who learned from a young age to set aside childish indulgences like trust or frivolity and fend for themselves. But together, they are able to take the bad cards they’ve been dealt and shuffle them into an underdog’s advantage. They may express their love through black humor — their refrain before starting a job is “No mourners, no funerals” — but that mercenary front protects a tender and unbreakable core. No matter what deadly scrapes they get into (and morally questionable tactics they employ to get out), you root for them the whole way. I did!

Becky’s Picks

The View from Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani

The author’s Italian roots are delicious as she shares her favorite family meals throughout this story of a woman’s determination to lead a creative life, one that includes love.

Jess is a talented draftswoman, working in her family’s stone business in blue collar Lake Como, N.J.  Family comes first, and Jess is responsible for keeping the trains on the track.

When an unexpected family loss occurs, family secrets force Jess to question her loyalty.  With a one-way ticket to Carrara Italy, her ancestral home, Jess is determined to write a new story… this time in stone.  I loved the trip to Italy and Jess’s determination to find her own way.

Wendy’s Picks

Sisters in the Wind by Angelin Boulley

Boulley’s latest novel (3rd in this compelling YA series) follows a young woman, Lucy, who has been simply trying to survive in the 5 years since her father’s death.  She has determined that living a life in hiding is preferrable to any sort of pseudo-security offered to her through the deeply flawed and traumatizing foster system. Two strangers, purportedly with her best interests at heart, convince Lucy to trust them.  The strangers reveal truths about Lucy’s past that her father hid from her – her Ojibwe heritage, her siblings and a grandmother who could possibly provide Lucy with a real home. But Lucy is being followed and in great danger.  Her secret past may prevent her from having any kind of future.  This internationally acclaimed, award-winning author provides us with yet another powerful read! 

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

Titanic Survivors Book Club by Timothy Schaffert

As an apprentice librarian for the White Star Line, Yorick’s job was to curate the ship’s second-class library for the passengers of the Titanic. He decides to populate it with books that are considered ‘banned’ but that he recognizes as great literary works. When he is found out, he is discharged without ever having boarded the Titanic.

 After he learns of the ship’s sinking, he takes this twist of fate as a sign to follow his lifelong dream of owning a bookshop in Paris. It’s at his shop that he receives an invitation to a secret society of survivors where he encounters other ticket-holders who didn’t board the ship. Haunted by their good fortune, they decide to transform their group into a book society, where they will read the books that were banned on the Titanic, and also forge deep emotional bonds with each other that reveal their inner selves. Isn’t that what true friends do? A very enjoyable read—bonus! You get to see Yorick’s list of books to inspire your own reading.Historical Fiction, Fiction, LBGTQ+

The Modern Fairies by Clare Pollard

Not fairy tales but a historical novel about the people who told them. This novel is set in the Parisian salon of Marie-Catherine d’Aulnoy during the reign of Louis XIV, where intellectuals gathered to share literary stories, primarily literary elaborations of folktales and sometimes, their own inventions. What an interesting way to poke fun at the Sun King and perhaps the safest way to express your opinions, cleverly disguised as ‘fairytales’. Clever and fascinating, this novel represents the court at that time as well as the stories. Loved it! Historical Fiction, Fiction

Karin’s Picks

Is A River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane

To answer his question, Macfarlane endures hard  travel to these beautifully still-wild places to experience them before they are lost forever. He explores three vastly different rivers: the Rio Los Cedros in the Ecuadoran Cloud Forest, the  creeks and estuaries near Chennai, India, and the Magpie River, six hundred miles northeast of Montreal. In each location, along with fellow adventurers and residents, he ponders his essential question: Is A River Alive? These expeditions provide a resounding answer!

Becky’s Picks

North of Tomboy by Julie Swanson

Very local, as the author Julie Swanson grew up in Leelanau County, the setting for this Young Adult story. Through the voice of a nine year old girl, Jess Swanson recreates her life as a tomboy who often felt out of place and misunderstood by adults. Jess is determined to make the world see her as she really is. The gift of another dreaded doll for Christmas turns out to be just the answer, as Jess transforms the doll into the brave boy she has always wanted to be. As her doll, Mickey, becomes her alter ego, Jess struggles to find her own identity. 

Wendy’s Staff Picks

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

A mysterious but affable stranger lands in the charming southern town of Golden. Upon arrival, he visits the local coffee shop and discovers nearly 100  framed portraits on display – each one depicting a local resident. Theo is inspired to purchase each of the portraits and gift them to the rightful owner. He meets with individuals to pass the portraits along and friendships are formed, and good works are initiated. This lovely, beautifully crafted story reminds us of the importance of human kindness, quiet generosity and the power of paying it forward.  This is the feel-good read you need right now.  

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!

Wendy’s Pick

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
This was undoubtedly one of my tops reads of 2025 – a solid FIVE star. This intense story takes place on a remote island near Antarctica, more than 1500 miles from civilization – and the location of the world’s largest seed bank. Dominic and his 3 children are caretakers of the island and are its only inhabitants. Rising ocean levels threaten the stability of the island and the cadre of researchers who once lived and worked in the island’s research center are now gone. The novel begins as a woman mysteriously washes up on shore after an epic storm. Who is she? How and why did she possibly come to be in the vicinity of this extraordinarily isolated part of the world? If you are like me, you will find yourself compelled to look up various plants and animals woven into the narrative – fascinating. This is an un-put-downable tale with clever twists and turns and themes of climate change/earth science, relationships, personal choices, and the lengths we will go to, to protect those we love.

Tina’s Picks

Culpability by Bruce Holsinger
We’re all thinking about how A.I. will impact our lives and author Holsinger takes us there in this tightly paced novel. The plotline revolved around a car crash while a teen-age boy is at the wheel of a car with an automated assistant. This raises all those questions of who is really liable, morally or financially? Who was really driving? Who is responsible? Adding to this drama is the fact that the family’s vacation house, which is where they are when the accident occurs, is next door to a tech billionaire, which unleashes all kind of madness. Plenty of drama and thought provoking questions!

Is a River Alive by Robert MacFarlane
MacFarlane is best known for his books on landscape, nature, place, people and language and this focus on rivers is no exception. Written in a travelogue manner, he explores three different rivers in Ecuador, India, and Canada and asks if a living thing, such as a river, be regarded as having legal rights, similar to corporations. He stresses the importance of rivers to our environmental sustainability and human health. This is a fascinating book that will make you think in different ways about our rivers’ and waterways’ importance to our humanity.

Swimming Pretty: The Untold Story of Women in Water by Vicki Valosik
Valosik is editorial director at Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service, but she is also a master synchronized swimmer. She’s the perfect choice to show how women have fought for equality, one of which has been in the pool. Swimming for women first became popular in Britain in the mid 1800’s and one Australian woman became famous as a swimmer but also as an advocate for equal rights. Esther Williams made her professional and well known ‘splash’ through Hollywood and in 1984, synchronized swimming was finally acknowledged as an Olympic sport. Synchronized swimming is demanding, complex and becoming increasingly dangerous. This historical narrative makes for a fascinating read and you’ll certainly look at this sport differently. Enjoy!

Isola by Alegra Goodman
This is an incredible true story of power and greed, but also of cultural biases and history during the 16th century as countries vie for slices of the wealth that is found in the ‘new world’. Using the wealth of a young Marguerite de la Rocque, a French noblewoman, her guardian seeks to become an adventurer and win wealth through establishing a colony in what is now known as Nova Scotia. Marguerite was marooned on an island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence after her guardian discovered her romance with his secretary while sailing to the “new world”. Formerly a young lady of privilege, she must learn to survive the harsh cruelties of being stranded with her lover and ladies maid. The story is riveting, all the more so as it is based on historical events. You’ll love it!

Skye’s Pick

Some Days Are Yellow by Suzanne Slade and illustrated by Michelle Lee
A great book for introducing reading! “Some days are yellow” is focused on how some days may not be the best, but a new day is a new start. Sometimes we may have big feelings but we can work through them to find calm. A cute short book that can help children understand everyday emotions and everyday life that both children and even adults can relate to. This story features beautiful illustrations and is perfect for story time!

Becky’s Picks:

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The story of an ambitious young woman finding her voice and her passion as she
strives to become one of the first female NASA astronauts in the early ‘80’s.
Author’s note: “I hope very much that you enjoy this story. But I hope, even more, that
Jean Goodwin can convince you to go outside tonight, after the stars have come out,
and look up. I hope, with all my heart, Joan can convince you to be open to wonder.”

The Names  by Florence Knapp

One name – three different lives. How can the choice of a name shape the course of
one’s life?
When Cora goes to register her new son’s name, she hesitates — and what follows are
three very different versions of her son’s life. The author takes us on three journeys of
the son, which includes his mother, his sister and his grandmother.
What if…?

Guest Review by Grace, age 13

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Avery Grambs is an average teenager whose goal is to survive high school, but when
billionaire Tobias Hawthorne leaves his fortune to her on the one condition that she
moves into his mansion that is filled with riddles and secret passageways, everything
changes. Avery will have to encounter Tobias Hawthorne’s children and grandchildren,
who were all raised believing that they would one day inherit his fortune. In this book
filled with romance, puzzles and danger, Avery isn’t playing this game for fun. She’s
playing the game to survive.

This book is amazing for readers who love plot twists and family drama. The adventures
of Avery and the Hawthornes continue in the Hawthorne Legacy, The Final Gambit and
The Brothers Hawthorne. Enjoy them all!

Send us an email if you’d like to be a guest reviewer.

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!

Becky’s Pick

Orbital by Samantha Harvey
Join Stephen Colbert’s book club with this meditation on space — a moving elegy of our
humanity, environment and planet. This is a snapshot of a day in the life of six astronauts and cosmonauts, from America, Japan, Russia, Britain and Italy, as they travel over seventeen thousand miles an hour over earth. The reader travels with them as they experience sixteen sunrises and sunsets, float in gravity-free sleep and communicate with their far away families. They record the silent blue planet below and the marks of civilization. Winner of the Booker Prize in 2024, this is a small but mighty read. Enjoy!

Tina’s Picks

Bandersnatch: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and the Creative Collaboration of the Inklings by Diana Pavlac Glyer
Not only do you get to read the reflections and observations of this collegial group of talented writers, but you’ll receive tips on how to develop functional (and happy) writing groups yourself. Emphasizing collaboration and intrapersonal skills, it draws focus on the writing and thinking NOT the ego. Each chapter starts with a charming drawing, almost like a woodcut, in which there is a dragon hidden. This makes turning the pages even more delightful. This is a must read for those who are in writing groups now, thinking about starting one, or just want to enjoy reading more about the lives of these intelligent authors who have given us so much joy.

The Puzzle Box by Danielle Trussoni
This is the second book in the Puzzle series but you don’t have to read the first one, “The Puzzle Master”, to enjoy this one, although don’t be surprised if you definitely want to do so! Well written, it follows the story of Mike Brink, a good guy who suffers a head injury that gives him acquired savant syndrome, particularly in the area of mathematics, logic, eidetic memory and of course, puzzle solving. But there are folks who want to use him for evil, and some who might want to use him for good. The puzzle in this case is The Dragon Box and was designed by a sadistic constructor who wishes more to defend its secret with poisons, booby traps and the like rather than have it solved. But what is hidden that is so wanted? A riveting story that will keep you enthralled and inform you as well. Enjoy!
Notes from the Porch: Tiny True Stories to Make You Feel Better About the World by Thomas Christopher Greene.

What a beautiful, comforting book of short essays that make you appreciate the good things in your life. If you want the perfect, feel-good book to give someone, this is it.

Wendy’s Pick

The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb
Fans of Wally Lamb waited a long time for his latest work, and it was undoubtedly worth the wait. This gripping novel drops us into the lives of a young couple in crisis. Corby, a young husband and father, is trying to cope with the loss of his job, his new role as a stay-at-home dad of toddler twins, and some weighty emotional baggage from a dysfunctional relationship with his father. All of this has culminated in a serious alcohol and addiction problem, which he keeps hidden from the love of his life – wife, Emily. Corby is responsible for a tragic accident that rips their family apart and forces him to face his life in new and profound ways. This is a heart-wrenching read – a tremendously impactful, un-put-downable story, crafted expertly by an iconic author in American fiction.