Holiday Gifts: Book Recommendations

CURSED by Frank Miller

Throw out everything you know about the legend of King Arthur and get ready for this electrifying and cinematic twist on the classic tale, in which the Lady of the Lake is the hero who unearths the famous sword.  An enchanting, powerful, sometimes terrifying, retelling.

HOMEGROWN: HOW THE RED SOX BUILT A CHAMPION FROM THE GROUND UP by Alex Speier

A narrative look at the Red Sox’s 2018 champion season and the seven years that led up to it as the team acquired and developed the young players who became the core of one of the greatest teams in baseball.  Speier’s anecdotes, game recaps and inside observations make this a great read for all baseball fans.

ROUGH MAGIC by Lara Prior-Palmer

Every year, in the grasslands of Mongolia, a competition takes place that has been dubbed the “longest and toughest horse race.” It’s a brutal test of endurance, and Lara Prior-Palmer’s stunning debut will leave you feeling every bruise, callus, and heartache she experienced during the race.

THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT SWEETIE by Sandhya Menon

My favorite book of 2019!  This is a rom-com with substance and sass.  The story and characters quickly worked their way into my heart and I’m grateful for it.  If this review could consist mostly of heart eye emojis, that would come the closest to conveying my adoration for this story.

THE TEN THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY by Alix E. Harrow

Dynamic characters, a story within a story and an intricately woven setting that will fill your senses and draw you into many fantastical worlds.  Fast paced yet so beautifully written I slowed down to absorb every last detail.  Very clever and entertaining.

WAR GIRLS by Tochi Onyebuchi

The year is 2172 and climate change and nuclear disasters have rendered much of the earth unlivable.  In Nigeria, two sisters find themselves on opposite sides of years-long civil war.  Their lives have been marked by violence, but still they dream of peace and a future together.  Gorgeously written.

WILL MY CAT EAT MY EYEBALLS? by Caitlin Doughty

These enlightening and informative essays are perfect for anyone who might be curious about what happens (inside and out) when we die.  Doughty approaches each question using her personal experience as a licensed mortician in an affable and enjoyable manner.