Bird Box by Josh Malerman

Malorie didn't believe there was something out there at first. Her sister tried to warn her. Incidents of suicide and madness were popping up around the world but nothing close to home. Until their parents stopped answering the phone. Then there were cases occurring in their city. Finally, pregnant and scared, Malorie finds her sister in the bathroom in a pool of blood. Thus starts a frightening tale of unknowns and survival. In an attempt to find civilization with two young children in her care, Malorie takes to the the river to find a group who is self sustaining, and waiting for their arrival. But will they be able to make it, completely blind to the elements? Will the children be able to keep their blindfolds on? Or will the creatures get to them?

Bird Box is an atmospheric horror novel written in a quiet way that instantly gives the reader goosebumps. Malerman creates a dystopian world full of uncertainties that is completely original and addictive. Cassandra Campbell narrates the audiobook with hushed tones and a perfectly timed voice. This is a perfect book for readers looking for a subdued horror novel.

Friends and Strangers by J. Courtney Sullivan

Friends and Strangers tells the story of two women at a crossroads in their life. Sam, a senior at an all girls college, has signed on to babysit Elisabeth's baby, Gil, part-time. The women indulge in a quick friendship, relying on one another for honest insight as Sam prepares to adjust to a new more grown up life outside of college and Elisabeth adjusts to her new life in a small town. Both women, however, find themselves dealing with personal demons, elitism and privilege.

Sullivan's latest novel comes from the point of view of both women, telling a relatable coming-of-age story with decisions and situations from two separate points in a person's life. She does such a spectacular job drawing you into the lives of Sam and Elisabeth that you feel like you know them personally. I had a hard time letting go of this novel, so much so that I found myself up at all hours to finish it! An easy and insightful read, Sullivan fans will not be disappointed.

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez

Kristen is a fierce, loyal, smart, funny, and driven woman who makes life decisions based on logic, not feelings. When she meets Josh, the best man in her best friend’s wedding, she tries to use logic to keep their relationship strictly platonic, even though she’s never felt this way about anyone in her life-- not even her boyfriend (who is overseas in the military). However, wearing her ugliest clothes, no makeup, and forgoing a hairbrush for days doesn’t stop Josh from thinking she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever met. As a veteran, Josh respects Kristen's boyfriend and doesn’t act on his feelings-- at least not until he breaks up with her through a voicemail telling her he re-enlisted.

Without the boyfriend in between them, they can no longer resist each other. But Kristen has health issues and a secret surgery that will make it impossible for her to have children, the one thing that Josh has made clear is a deal-breaker for him. He wants an entire sports team full of his own kids, and that’s the one thing Kristen can’t give him. No matter how much Kristen loves him, she knows she can’t deny him his dreams and pushes him away. To Josh, however, he doesn’t want a family if he can’t have it with Kristen.

This is a fantastic rom-com that will have you laughing one minute and crying the next as you deal with Kristen’s infertility issues with her.

Check out our e-book or e-audiobook copies from Library on the Go (Libby/Overdrive)!

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center

Cassie Hanwell is one of the best firefighters Austen, Texas, and one of the few female ones. The book begins with her being the youngest and first woman to receive an award for Valor. However, at the ceremony, the man handing her the award is an alderman she hasn’t set eyes on since high school, who happens to be the reason she doesn’t do relationships. When he gropes her onstage, she loses it and beats the crap out of him. And thus, her perfectly curated life begins to unravel.

The next day, her estranged mother calls, asking her to move to Boston because of her health issues, and Cassie's boss gives her an ultimatum: give a public apology to the alderman, or else be terminated. She chooses Boston. Her first day at the Boston firehouse, she’s struck with an unwanted attraction to another rookie, which is against all of the rules. Firefighters don’t have feelings, and they most certainly don’t date other firefighters. A few months later, she starts being stalked by one of the men from her firehouse, escalating the raw emotions she’s not equipped to deal with, until everything she’s worked so hard for blows up in her face.

Will she have the strength to overcome the obstacles? Will she let the cruelty of others dictate how she lives her life? Will she learn that having emotions can make you even stronger? You'll have to read it to find out, but I can tell you it's worth a look.

Check out our e-book or e-audiobook copies of this book from eReadIllinois (Axis360), or the e-audiobook from Library on the Go (Libby/Overdrive)!

The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo

During their senior year of college, Lucy and Gabe randomly come together on September 11, 2001, before going in separate directions. They reconnect years later and fall into a passionate love affair only to be separated again, but this time because Gabe accepts a job as a photographer with the Associated Press overseas and Lucy refuses to leave her job in New York City. Both wanting to make their mark on the world, neither wants to give up their dream for their relationship. Keeping a light friendship post break-up through the years, they are once again reconnected, though in tragedy, thus leaving Lucy with an important decision to make.
This novel had me fully invested after the first page. It's an original idea, a recount of Lucy's life with Gabe, as told by Lucy herself. A story of first love, The Light we Lost is a melancholy story with realistic undertones that make it completely relatable to the reader. To be read with a box of tissues, you will be instantly immersed in Lucy's life from the very beginning through the end.

Check out our e-book or e-audiobook copies of this book through Library on the Go (Libby/Overdrive) or eReadIllinois (Axis360).

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

In Ann Patchett’s most recent novel, Maeve and Danny's father decides to surprise his then wife with a mansion, known as The Dutch House. Overwhelmed, she flees the house, leaving Cyril to raise his children alone – until he marries Andrea. Thus begins the saga of the Conroy family, taking dips and turns into the distant and near pasts, circling back to the present. Answers are unveiled in time in this fictional drive through a family's darkest and deepest memories. Patchett has created a completely delightful story with this cast of ordinary characters, making them that much more interesting.

I loved listening to this novel. As narrator, Tom Hanks told this story of the captivating and enthralling Conroy family through Danny's recollections and experiences so perfectly that I really believed he was Danny. Patchett created a flawless relationship with Maeve and Danny and satisfyingly brought the novel full circle with Andrea and Danny. For fans of Literary Fiction and Family Sagas, this is a great book to listen to or read to fulfill your family drama desires.

My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing

This is the story of a marriage. A marriage in which the husband is afraid that his wife may leave him if he ever screws up. A marriage in which the wife is in complete control of everything. Including their murders. In this story, a seemingly perfect family slowly starts to unravel as the police come closer and closer to solving the murders of several missing women. Then, because of all the lies and secrets, it all falls apart in a matter of hours.

The book was an easy read, with short chapters and an original storyline. Although it was slow to pick up speed, there was a shocking twist, reminiscent of Gone Girl, that shocked me, but only for a moment before realizing I should have seen it coming all along.

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

An American Marriage is a story about two people in love, newly married, who are suddenly and harshly pulled apart by a corrupted justice system in the South. Celestial and Roy were visiting family in Louisiana when in the middle of the night, police break down their hotel door and arrest Roy for a crime he did not commit. Thus begins the story of their marriage, a heart-wrenching tale of unfortunate events, chaotic feelings, and coming to terms with the unfair and unforeseen circumstances of everyday actions.

This is a fantastic book, told via a multi-narrative format that translates beautifully to audio. The narrators speak as if they are their characters, full of feelings and emotions, with conviction and rawness. While the story of Roy and Celestial hurt my heart, I couldn't stop listening. This book is highly recommended for readers who enjoy multi-perspective stories and literary fiction.

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms

This is a story about Amy, a school librarian and single mother to two kids, whose husband decides to show up and become a part of their lives again. Amy had seemingly moved on from her husband's abandonment, but now that he is back, is she ready to let him in? To help her decide, she takes a trip to New York City! Meeting many wonderful people, catching up with an old friend, and living the life of a single woman in a big city, Amy isn't sure she really wants to go back to her old life.

This book was endearing and adorable, relatable and a joy to read. Kelly Harms creates a lovely character in Amy that you can't help but love and root for, and her story is complicated in the best way! It was an easy read, perfect for the summer.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

This ultra-charming "new adult" book is about Alex, the First Son of the United States, and HRH ("his royal highness") Prince Henry of Wales falling head over heels in love with one another. It starts with a mishap with a wedding cake, resulting in a weekend of forced friendship that ultimately turns into a clandestine kiss in a garden. A secret relationship is formed, and love happens (along with sex and a whole lot of kissing!). But then, just as the campaign for his mother’s re-election as President is heating up, a horrific sex scandal causes chaos with the untimely outing of both Alex and Prince Henry!

Is a happy ending on the horizon for this royal couple? You’ll have to read it to find out!

I absolutely loved every minute of reading this book. It was adorable, witty, funny, heartwarming, and very well written. I couldn’t put it down!

The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn

For the past ten months, Dr. Anna Fox has been trapped inside her New York City home, completely isolated from the outside world. Her crippling agoraphobia leaves her unable to even step out onto her front stoop without fear and anxiety overwhelming her mind. So she spends her days drinking, watching old movies, and spying on her neighbors.

Then the Russells move in. From Anna's view across the street, they seem like a perfect family. Until Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn't have.

Woman in the Window is a twisty page-turner that leaves you constantly guessing about what's real. With frequent golden-age Hollywood references, this is a perfect book for fans of classic films like Rear Window and Gaslight.

Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin

Rachel is on a date— one of her first since her divorce and her foray into online dating— when her date asks her daughter’s name. When he learns it’s Aviva, he can’t help but bring up disgraced congressional intern Aviva Grossman, who had an affair with the handsome, beloved, and very married Florida Congressman Aaron Levin. That Aviva is, of course, Rachel’s daughter, and so ends the date.

Rachel has barely heard from her daughter since the end of the affair, when Aviva fled South Florida to get away from the scandal and attempt to get on with her life. Now, even though it has been more than a decade, Aviva is still reviled while the congressman is still in office. Aviva has had to reinvent herself as Jane, a small-town wedding planner. When she decides to rekindle her love of politics by running for mayor, she risks the collision of her carefully planned new life and her notorious past.

Zevin tells the story of the Avivagate scandal and its aftermath through the eyes of the women it has affected the most, including the congressman’s wife and Aviva herself. The story is in turns hilariously funny, tender, and moving. Zevin’s flawed but likable characters and her skill at weaving humor into a thought-provoking story make it a must-read.

The Dry by Jane Harper

Federal Agent Aaron Falk has not been back to his remote Australian hometown since he and his father were run off twenty years ago. Aaron thought he would never go back until his childhood best friend, Luke, murders his own family and kills himself. Aaron receives a note from Luke’s father that reads simply: “You lied. Luke lied. Be at the funeral.” Reluctantly, he attends the funerals in the claustrophobic, drought-stricken farming town of Kiewarra. The locals, already on edge and starting to turn on each other in the relentless heat, are determined to hound Aaron out of town for a second time. He is more than happy to go until Luke’s father asks him to look into the murder-suicide that his son has been blamed for, and Aaron starts to suspect that Luke was framed. Along the way, Aaron must also confront the secrets buried in his and Luke’s past, where another murder lurks.

The Dry is a gripping, atmospheric page-turner. Secrets are revealed piece by piece with perfect timing that will leave you unable to put the book down. Harper’s characters and setting are so well-drawn that you will be able to feel the heat and you’ll be looking over your shoulder for suspicious locals. A summer must-read for mystery fans.

Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown

Jonathan and Billie are the perfect couple. They met on public transit, fell in love at first sight, and got married on a beach two weeks later. Nearly two decades later, they have a house in Berkeley, an environmentally-conscious teen daughter, and a seemingly perfect life. Billie is a stay-at-home mom who loves yoga and hiking, and Jonathan has worked his way up the ladder at a tech magazine. But their perfect life comes at a price. Jonathan is a workaholic, and Billie, a wild child in her youth, begins to grow bored and disillusioned with their life together. So, Billie decides to take a page from Cheryl Strayed's playbook and hike out her problems solo on the Pacific Crest Trail. Instead, she vanishes on her hike, leaving behind only a lone boot.

A year later, with Billie close to being declared legally dead, their daughter Olive begins to have hallucinations (or are they visions?) of her mother, very much alive. As Jonathan and Olive begin searching for answers, they find a tangle of secrets in Billie's past that makes them question everything about the woman they loved and thought they knew.

Janelle Brown weaves a compelling, twisty tale that will keep readers turning the page and guessing right up until the last sentence. A great summer read, perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl.

The Chocolate Cat Caper by JoAnna Carl

Lee McKinney is starting a new chapter in her life. She has moved in with her Aunt Nettie and has started helping with the bookkeeping for her Aunt’s business, TenHuis Chocolade, a popular chocolate shop in Warner Pier, MI. The high profile defense lawyer, Clementine Ripley, particularly loves the shop’s Amaretto truffles. In fact, she ordered those and a number of other chocolates from TenHuis for a party. While Clementine favors the shop’s chocolates, its owner, Aunt Nettie, doesn’t care for Clementine one bit. She is not the only one in town who has a poor opinion of the defense lawyer. Unfortunately, it was an Amaretto truffle spiked with cyanide that Clementine was eating when she dropped dead. All signs point to Aunt Nettie and Lee as those responsible for Clementine’s death. Can Lee find the real killer and clear herself and her aunt of a potential murder charge?

Shop Till You Drop by Elaine Viets

Helen works at Juliana’s in South Florida. It’s a job with absolutely no prospects, but it’s the type of job that Helen wants and needs. She had to quickly leave her old life behind in St. Louis, and now she is stuck taking sub-par jobs to avoid her past catching up with her. In spite of terrible customers, a boss with questionable morals, and poor pay, Helen makes it work until the day a dead body is found in a barrel in Biscayne Bay. When the police start to investigate, the clues lead to Juliana’s and its staff. Helen is suspected of murder. In order to clear her name, she starts her own investigation.

With a quirky cast of characters, Shop Till You Drop draws the reader in. There are enough suspects to keep you guessing until the closing chapters of the book, and the novel concludes nicely with an epilogue that explains what happens to all the players involved. This is the first book in the "Dead-End Job Mystery" series, so there are plenty more dead-end jobs for Helen if you are interested in reading more.

The Undateable by Sarah Title

Melissa "Bernie" Bernard can't help but feel that love has passed her by, and she'll happily complain about it to any who will listen. Though she enjoys her work as a college librarian in San Francisco, deep down she wonders if there could be more. So when a video of a marriage proposal at the library catches Bernie rolling her eyes, Bernie is shocked to find that she's become a viral sensation. Just as she's ready to go into hiding and permanently bury her nose in a book, a handsome reporter appears with a proposal of his own - he will find dates for the undateable. Bernie must go on 30 different dates in 30 days. With one disastrous date after another, she's ready to give up, until the reporter proves he'll do anything to find her the perfect match, even if it means putting himself up for the role.

Funny, and adorable, The Undateable is perfect for readers who like their romance light and fluffy. The characters have a nice chemistry, especially if you enjoy clever banter, and the friends-to-lovers trope. This is the first in the "Librarians in Love" series, and is even written by an actual librarian.

The Animators by Kayla Rae Whitaker

Mel Vaught and Sharon Kisses met in an art class in college. Mel is the self-assured wild child willing to stand up to their bullying professor. Unsure of her talent, Sharon is happy to hang out with Mel, when the two discover their mutual love of animation. Ten years later, the two hit the big time with the success of their first full-length animated film recalling Mel's disturbing childhood. Then tragedy strikes, Sharon suffers a debilitating aneurysm and must struggle to slowly recover. Always doubting her own talent, Sharon loses even more confidence in her work, and tensions arise between the two after they win an award that allows them to create a second film. This time the film will focus on Sharon's childhood and the criminal who lurked next door.

Whitaker doesn't shy away from uncomfortable, brutal truths, capturing the shortcomings of both Sharon and Mel, highlighting their multitude of problems. Despite this, Whitaker makes the strong bond of friendship between Mel and Sharon shine throughout, and their dedication to each other and their art is clear. The complexity of relationships can be bittersweet, and The Animators displays this tendency to the fullest. An excellent debut and highly recommended.

Under Her Skin by Adriana Anders

Uma is on the run and desperate for a job, which is why she’s standing at the doorstep of a woman whose ad is asking for a live-in care giver willing to put up with mistreatment. She literally has nothing but the clothes on her back, a few dollars, and her car which is close to empty. Beneath her clothing is a terrible secret, the permanent signs of her abuse.

She’s caught between her past and a very uncertain future, with no one to trust, not even her own mother. When Ivan, her new neighbor shows interest in her she’s reluctant to bare herself to anyone, let alone an ex con. But underneath his rough, handsome exterior is a compassionate guy who rescues stray, lost animals. 

Uma’s story unfolds slowly, as she begins to let Ivan into her life. Bits and pieces of her abuse slowly come together showing what a strong woman she is for managing to escape and trying to heal herself. If you’re looking for a romance with a man who understands that a woman’s scars are a beautiful part of her history and with a woman who learns to fight her own battles, this is the perfect fit. Under Her Skin is the first title in the "Blank Canvas" series.  

Dead Seekers by Barb and J.C. Hendee

Mari has been on the hunt for the man who killed her entire family for years to get her vengeance, and finally received a solid lead to the “Dead’s Man.” But when she finally encounters him, he is not what she was expecting of the cold blooded murder. Rather, it is Mari herself who keeps saving his life while he helps save others at expense to his own well-being.

The idea of this story is fresh and original bringing a new spin on some of the popular fantasy aspects fantasy lovers are always on the lookout for: magic, shape-shifters, and ghosts. The story line is also quite interesting. The characters take most of the book to develop, so they are not why readers will want to continue reading but rather the new fantasy aspects to see how it will play out. Hopefully, the next book in the series will delve more in depth with the characters now that they’re built up.