Many times during the last few days I have thought to myself, “At least I like to read!”
I’m happy to share my spring reading list in case you need something new to read while we are quarantined and/or sheltering in place, with all of our usual activities and events cancelled.
All these books are new releases this spring, and they have been recommended to me by librarians around the country when I asked for new books that keep the pages turning plus provide some emotional value. Even in these trying times, I do not want fluffy reads. I want to read books that I will think back to over my life because they have added something to it.
Best wishes to you and your families as we all try to stay healthy and ride this out. And remember, at least you like to read!
Publishers notes in text boxes. Links take you to my affiliate links on Amazon.
Conjure Women: A Novel by Afia Atakora
Conjure Women is a sweeping story that brings the world of the South before and after the Civil War vividly to life. Spanning eras and generations, it tells of the lives of three unforgettable women: Miss May Belle, a wise healing woman; her precocious and observant daughter Rue, who is reluctant to follow in her mother’s footsteps as a midwife; and their master’s daughter Varina. The secrets and bonds among these women and their community come to a head at the beginning of a war and at the birth of an accursed child, who sets the townspeople alight with fear and a spreading superstition that threatens their newly won, tenuous freedom.
A Good Neighborhood: A Novel by Therese Anne Fowler
With little in common except a property line, two families quickly find themselves at odds: first, over an historic oak tree in Valerie’s yard, and soon after, the blossoming romance between their two teenagers.
A Good Neighborhood asks big questions about life in America today—what does it mean to be a good neighbor? How do we live alongside each other when we don’t see eye to eye?—as it explores the effects of class, race, and heartrending love in a story that’s as provocative as it is powerful.
The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
It may not be PC to admit it, but I loved American Dirt. But it is so important to read accounts from real immigrants. Here is one that was recommended to me.
One of the first undocumented immigrants to graduate from Harvard reveals the hidden lives of her fellow undocumented Americans in this deeply personal and groundbreaking portrait of a nation.
The Girl with the Louding Voice: A Novel by Abi Dare
A powerful, emotional debut novel told in the unforgettable voice of a young Nigerian woman who is trapped in a life of servitude but determined to fight for her dreams and choose her own future.
Wild at Heart: A Novel (The Simple Wild Book 2) by K.A. Tucker
This is the second in a series.
From the internationally best-selling author of The Simple Wild comes the continuation of a woman’s journey to Alaska and a life she never imagined for herself.
That Can Be Arranged: A Muslim Love Story by Huda Famy
Chaperones, suitors, and arranged marriages aren’t only reserved for the heroines of a Jane Austen novel. They’re just another walk in the park for this leading lady, who is on a mission to find her leading lad. From the brilliant comics Yes, I’m Hot in This, Huda Fahmy tells the hilarious story of how she met and married her husband. Navigating mismatched suitors, gossiping aunties, and societal expectations for Muslim women, That Can Be Arranged deftly and hilariously reveals to readers what it can be like to find a husband as an observant Muslim woman in the twenty-first century.
The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s: An Oral History
Rolling Stone writer Andy Greene takes readers behind the scenes of their favorite moments and characters. Greene gives us the true inside story behind the entire show, from its origins on the BBC through its impressive nine-season run in America, with in-depth research and exclusive interviews. Fans will get the inside scoop on key episodes from “The Dundies” to “Threat Level Midnight” and “Goodbye, Michael,” including behind-the-scenes details like the battle to keep it on the air when NBC wanted to pull the plug after just six episodes and the failed attempt to bring in James Gandolfini as the new boss after Steve Carell left, spotlighting the incredible, genre-redefining show created by the family-like team, who together took a quirky British import with dicey prospects and turned it into a primetime giant with true historical and cultural significance.
I’m actually still getting through my early 2020 reading list, so if you you read any of these newer books, let me know what you think!!
A good neighborhood! I won this last year and still feel the emotions. Hard to read but powerful!
Good to know Susan!!
Thanks, Susan. I am waiting for my copy to arrive but keep hearing great things about it.