The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton

 

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton. Sourcebooks Landmark, 2020. Adult fiction. 463 pages.

     When the Saardam leaves Batavia for Amsterdam in 1634, the  ship carries a diverse group of people. From the wealthy Sara Wessel, her husband and daughter to a religious mystic, the passengers are unusual. Even the large soldier, Arent Hayes is travelling with a prisoner, his friend Sam Pipps, a detective. On the long journey, mysterious things happen and some think the devil is at work. Readers will work to discover what dangers are afoot, who is not what they seem, and guess whether the great ship and its passengers will ever see land again. 

The Girl in the Mirror: A Novel by Rose Carlyle

 

  The Girl in the Mirror: A Novel by Rose Carlyle.  William Morrow, an imprint of Harper Collins, 2020.  Adult fiction, mystery. 

 Summer Rose and Iris Carmichael are identical twins, but are mirror images of each other. Outside, so alike, the girls are quite different on the inside. Summer has married the handsome Adam whose wife has died and Summer is mother to his small son. Iris has overcome insecurities and has led a very different life, but when Summer calls and says that she needs her, Iris goes. 

 Iris ends up piloting the family's yacht across ocean waters. The trip is life changing when she is able to basically impersonate her sister after Summer disappears. What has happened to Summer? And who, among the Carmichael cousins, will be able to claim the millions of family dollars by having the first biological grandchild? 

 Filled with greed, mystery, sailing lore, set in the mysterious Thailand, and using the interesting twin tidbits, this tale is a compelling read. Although it is Carlyle's first novel, it will certainly be worth watching this new talent. 

Trowbridge Road by Marcella Pixley

 

 Trowbridge Road by Marcella Pixley. Candlewick Press, 2020. YA

     When Ziggy Karlo's mother, Jenny, leaves him with Nana Jean, his life takes a turn for the better. He is safe and has food and Nana Jean is a fierce protector and a compassionate listener. But, it's neighbor June Bug Jordan who becomes his friend. And she needs a friend as much or more than Ziggy. June's father has died of AIDS in the days when no one really knew much about the disease. June's mother is full of grief and has so many mental health isssues that she can't even take care of herself, much less June Bug. It's summer and there's no school or school lunches and Uncle Toby, Dad's brother, only brings groceries once a week. Ziggy and June become the most unlikely friends. Slowly, details are given about each of their families and the two have to come to grips with new realities and work to forge better futures than pasts. 

     This novel is an incredible story of love and family. Some of the subject matter deals with more YA topics than typical children's novels, but SO many of our students face hard situations in their lives and need to have these characters show that there is hope in the world. Beautiful imaginative worlds can provide an escape from dire times, but communication with adults who can help with real things is important, too. Definitely fifth grade and up can handle the reading level. Characters are memorable and this book will show up again at award time. Do not miss it! 

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

  Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson. HarperCollins, 2019. Adult fiction.

    Lillian and Madison knew each other from their elite prep school, but it's been years since they have seen each other. Now, Madison reaches out for Lillian's help. Since a scandal at the school caused Lillian to leave, her life seems to have gone nowhere. Beautiful and wealthy, Madison has done well it appears. When Lillian gets Madison's request for her to come be the caregiver for Madison's two stepchildren, it sounds interesting. Madison's husband has political aspirations and is about to become Secretary of State. Their mansion and little boy and life seem picture perfect. But, the stepchildren, Roland and Bessie, have their own problems. Their mother is dead. Their father doesn't know them and doesn't seem to want to know them. And, oh, yes, they have a big problem: they sometimes catch on fire. Can Lillian figure out how to keep these children cool and keep their condition secret from the outside world?  

    What makes a parent? Lillian discovers trust, love, and a fierce protectiveness for these children who so desperately need her. She finds that she needs them, too. Wilson is author of the family drama, The Family Fang, among other quirky novels. If you're looking for a book to get through the hot, humid summer, look no farther than the unusual stories he writes.

The Last Book Party by Karen Dukess

  The Last Book Party:  A Novel by Karen Dukess. Henry Holt and Company, 2019. Adult fiction.

    It's the late 1980's and Eve Rosen chafes in her going nowhere job in New York City. She aspires to write her own books, but reads through the slush pile at a major publisher. Eve lives in the shadow of her brilliant mathematician brother. This is a twenty something who needs help! When she is invited to a Cape Cod party at the home of Henry Grey, she jumps at the chance to go, to meet people, to become more than she thinks she is. The party does result in a job offer that will change Eve's life. But her youth, idealism, and inexperience pit her against much older, more jaded, and people who are part of the island clique.  

Sarah Bernhardt by Catherine Reef

  Sarah Bernhardt: The Divine and Dazzzling Life of the World's First Superstar by Catherine Reef. Clarion Books, 2020. Biography. YA

Complete with a timeline, extensive bibliographic notes by the author, index, and several dozen photographs, this biography of the actress and entrepreneur Sarah Bernhardt brings to life her life, career, and legacy. Definitely written for teens and ages above, Reef is meticulous in describing Bernhardt's unconventional and headline making life. Reef even articulates the differences in sex workers of 18th century France: streetwalkers, prostitutes, and courtesans (among whom was Sarah's mother). Loyal to her friends and a doting mother to her son Maurice (even when often separated), Bernhardt acted, produced, and directed as well as managed several theaters, and became known all over the world. Her famous death scenes were the favorites of many audiences. Thought to have been born in 1844, Bernhardt died in 1923. Her life became the basis for myths and legends and readers may appreciate her bravery and independence to live her life as she chose. 

  The Road to Little Dribbling: Adventures of an American in Britain. Penguin Random House, 2015. Travel/memoir.

Get your map of Great Britain ready and go on the road with humorist and travel writer Bill Bryson! Bryson is THE best at describing daily life, minute details about people and places, and everything he sees around him. When he travels through both large and small cities and towns, he gives his opinions, tells a bit of history, and always manages to make you smile if not laugh out loud. Sometimes updating his first trip to England in his twenties, he gives the perspective of someone who loved the island enough to marry a native and move there, but is still an American at heart. He tells where he likes to eat and stay and places to avoid. Bryson can be poignant, witty, grumpy, or entertaining. He is never dull!