Let’s celebrate the feel-good moments and literary achievements of the Second Chance Book Club for inmates and their tireless leader, Jennifer Williams.
Join us for a heartwarming Book Gang podcast episode as we meet Jennifer, the “book lady” of Danville, VA, changing incarcerated women’s lives through the Second Chance Book Club.
Today, we explore the logistics and challenges of running an incarcerated book club and the incredible rewards that Jennifer has witnessed in their participants.
Plus, Jennifer shares three of her favorite backlist book club books to discuss with a book club of your own.
If you would love to be a part of her literary legacy, head to her holiday gift registry to donate books for their prison book club. The inmates get to keep the books they read, and Jennifer highlights the incredible ways reading helps as they move on to their next chapter in life.
It was such a fantastic list of recommendations that we have updated this book list with Jennifer’s book club books she highly recommends for impactful conversations.
Meet Jennifer Williams
Jennifer Williams, the “book lady” of Danville, Virginia, is on a mission to donate 1 million books to local children. A dedicated teacher, she is working two jobs to fund her initiative.
Jennifer’s commitment extends to running a women’s book club at the Danville Jail, where members have become avid readers.
Her work has garnered community support and recognition for its positive influence in her town. We are proud to support this literary hero on the podcast today.
Listen to the Book Gang Podcast:
Listen below or listen on your favorite podcast listening platform!
Mentioned in this episode:
Joining the Patreon community is an affordable way to support the show and gain access to a wealth of resources, including our monthly FULLY BOOKED buzzy new release show, exclusive author interviews, music playlists, and more!
Looking for the best book club books for your book group? Don’t miss these 13 discussion-worthy books in literary fiction, historical fiction, and nonfiction.
In today’s Book Gang episode, Meagan Church brought her favorite selections for the best conversation starters and discussed her magnificent debut, The Last Carolina Girl. Don’t miss this compelling episode as we discuss the best book club books to spark conversation.
Listen to the full episode (the show notes are located here) below and subscribe to the Book Gang podcast for more episodes like this one.
You can learn more about this fantastic historical fiction book below. After all, we can’t discuss book club reading without including Meagan’s moving selection.
This bonus book club list of book club recommendations from Meagan Church, today’s author, will spark conversations and appeal to various book lovers.
What Makes a Good Book Club Book?
What makes a good book club pick? For me, it’s one that sparks conversation and gets the book club talking beyond our scheduled time.
Or, well beyond our time, as my pre-teen pointed out after my last book club meeting.
The best books for book clubs start a dialog that sometimes transports us beyond the pages of the books and deep within ourselves.
In other words, I love a book that has characters, plot, and themes that get us talking and, before we know it, we are opening up about our own experiences. Sometimes our conversations lead to tears. A lot of times there is laughter. And my favorite is when we discover commonality, shared experiences and me-too moments.
The Best Book Club Books to Discuss Now
The following is a list of book club recommendations that historical fiction author Meagan Church, believes will spark conversations and appeal to various book lovers.
This book club list includes selections across genres, old and new books, fiction and nonfiction alike.
BEST NONFICTION BOOK CLUB BOOKS
These are best nonfiction books for book clubs! To expand this category more, visit this book list of memoirs for Nonfiction November.
This book, a non-fiction read, documents the glowing girls of the 1920s—women who worked in radium-dial factories.
Tasked with painting the faces of watch dials with the glow-in-the-dark radium paint, the women worked hard and fast to prove what good employees they were.
And, since it was at first believed that radium held health benefits, they had no qualms with licking the tips of the paintbrushes so they could be even quicker and more precise in completing their work.
The girls became so coated with the radium dust that when they would leave work at night, they would glow in the dark streets.
But what they didn’t know was the health risk they were being exposed to.
Soon enough, the girls started becoming ill in very horrible and painful ways.
And some died.
When doctors began to suspect that their jobs had something to do with it, the factories ignored concerns and continued to put more of these women at risk.
A page-turner of a read, this story shows the extraordinary strength of these women as they had to fight for their voices to be heard and the truth of their unsafe work practices to be brought to light.
Heartbreaking and illuminating, this story has stuck with me years beyond when I first read it, and it is one that I continually want to discuss.
Conversational in tone with unbelievable historical elements, Miller explores the life of David Starr Jordan, a taxonomist who was obsessed with cataloging fish and is credited with discovering nearly a fifth of the fish we know today.
During the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, his life’s work, preserved away in glass jars, was demolished. In the midst of chaos, Jordan regrouped and returned to work, developing a system to prevent a similar catastrophe.
Experiencing her own personal turmoil, Miller begins to research Jordan’s life, admiring his tenacity to keep going despite life’s pull toward entropy.
But the more she learns about his life, the more complex and complicated: he becomes the first president of Stanford University, a pioneer of the eugenics movement, and possibly a murder suspect.
Henrietta Lacks has been dead for more than sixty years. But her immortal HeLa cells live in on science labs around the world.
Her cells have helped in the development of the polio vaccine, cancer and virus discoveries, in vitro fertilization, cloning and more.
Yet, Henrietta had no idea that doctors were using her cells and her family didn’t learn about HeLa cells until twenty years after she died.
Though a multi-billion-dollar industry sold and profited off her cells, her family received no compensation.
Engaging, riveting and frustrating, this non-fiction New York Times bestseller focuses on the HeLa cells, as well as the Lacks family.
First gaining the family’s trust, it took Skloot over a decade for the story to come together. She then created a page-turner of a scientific story, one of bioethics, poverty, discovery, privacy and ownership.
I first read this book years ago, but I constantly talk about it, still confounded by the story, while also seeing modern-day parallels to questions of ownership of our data and genetic material.
Forty-year-old May Attaway sets out on an odyssey of sorts to reconnect with four best friends who she met over the course of her life and who she hasn’t seen in decades.
As she reaches life’s midpoint, this socially awkward loner examines the meaning of friendship and community in a digitally-dominated world.
Her profession as a university gardener is the perfect juxtaposition to the online world that allows us to cultivate appearances and aesthetics.
Quiet, witty, and poignant, I had to remind myself on multiple occasions that I was reading a work of fiction, not a memoir.
May’s voice is so natural and conversational that I believed her to be real. This book is subtle, patient, and slow in the best possible ways. I felt as if I was listening to an old friend, relating to her experiences, and asking similar life questions as her.
This book is sure to spark plenty of conversation about modern friendship and the importance of IRL bonds.
Nearly twelve-years old, Margaret Simon has just moved from New York City to Farbook, New Jersey.
She quickly becomes friends with a group girls who forge a secret club where they can talk about all the important matters: boys, bras, God, and getting their periods.
Over the course of the book, we follow Margaret as she adjusts to life outside the city, new friends, intrusive grandparents, family drama and all the angst that comes with puberty.
I have to confess that I just read this book for the first time. I know, I know; I missed out on a major milestone by not reading this when I was younger, but at that age, I wasn’t much of a reader.
While I enjoyed the humor and perspective of this story, I was astonished by how freely Margaret talked about bras, periods and the desire to have her first one.
My adolescent experience was much different, much quieter and tight lipped. But that’s also why I recommend this read for book clubs.
For some readers, this will be a chance to return to an old favorite. And I have no doubt that this will start great conversations and discussions of what women’s experiences have been.
A Case Worker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, Linus Baker is a good, devoted, rule-following employee who lives alone with his cat.
And he’s quite alright with his life as it is.
But, when Extremely Upper Management sends him on a highly-classified assignment to the Marsyas Island Orphanage, the supposed dangerous children he encounters there, along with the secrets he uncovers, challenge his perception of work, life, and relationships.
A combination of YA and fantasy, this is not the typical book I would read, but after a very persistent friend continued to insist I read it, I gave in.
And I’m so glad I did.
I chose to listen to the book, and the audio version was delightful. I’m sure my neighbors wondered what was wrong with me as I walked through the neighborhood, reacting and laughing out loud.
Both the author and the narrator brought this vivid cast of misfit characters to life, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with them, even the supposed Antichrist.
Plus, it has a cat, and I’m always a sucker for a book with a cat.
A story about kindness even in the darkest places, it explores identity, friendship, acceptance, and found family and is sure to pull at your heartstrings.
Told from the perspective of eleven-year-old KB, this story follows two sisters.
After they lost their father to an overdose, their overwhelmed mother sends them to live with their estranged grandfather for the summer.
KB finds herself alone in what feels like a stranger’s house. Even her sister who used to be her best friend, now wants nothing to do with her because adolescence has built a wall between them.
KB attempts to befriend neighbors, but barriers stand in the way, leaving her lost and alone again, trying to figure out who she is while also confronting long-held secrets.
I am a sucker for a coming-of-age story and Harris does a beautiful job of capturing the voice and emotions of KB as she is caught between childhood and the teen years.
This book explores racism, mental health, family dynamics, and the realities we face when we have to grow up too quickly.
Reflecting on how your sibling relationships evolve in adolescence would yield a dynamic discussion.
HISTORICAL FICTION BOOKS FOR DISCUSSION
This short historical fiction book list offers incredible discussions because you can pair the facts with these fictional stories.
The story of two, lone teenage girls forging an unlikely partnership, this book is Southern fiction at its best.
Set in the 1920s in Natchez Trace, Mississippi, Ada swore she would never go back after running away from home. With no other options, she finds herself returning to her harsh father.
Meanwhile, Matilda, daughter of a sharecropper, lives on the other side of the Trace. Fierce and determined, Matilda plans to escape the hard realities of her life in the South.
Soon their paths cross as they realize that survival might require something that is in short supply: trust.
Mustian’s prose is poetry, her description so visceral that the Trace becomes a character of its own, full of beauty, danger, and long-buried secrets.
I got lost in this literary book, so full of character depth and development. The Girls in the Stilt House explores themes of belonging, race, found family, and the costs of hidden pasts.
This isn’t just a must-read book; it is one that I will read again and again just to be reminded of the masterfully-crafted story telling.
In 1908, Dorothy Draper is living the aristocratic life, in search of love as she forges her future, but she wants more than the planned-out life her parents desire for her.
She always chafes against the traditions of high society. All except for the summers she spends at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia.
Thirty-eight years later, Dorothy has divorced and established America’s first interior design firm, when she returns to the Greenbrier, not as a guest but as the interior designer hired to restore the aging resort to its former beauty.
But what people don’t know is that her business is on the cusp of closing. She undertakes the massive design job because of her love for the Greenbriar, her memories there, and as a last-chance effort to save her business and her reputation.
Callaway captivates the reader through description and details that transport us into the story, and bring the Greenbriar and Dorothy to life.
I truly felt as if I was walking through the Greenbriar alongside Dorothy, seeing the interior design, fashion and characters in what felt like three-dimension.
Callaway’s extensive research is obvious and yet is relayed in subtle, natural ways, so the reader is immersed, feeling transported in time.
This is a must-read for lovers of interior design, historical fiction, and high society.
In 1936, the last of the rare Blue People live in Eastern Kentucky.
Cussy Mary Carter, a.k.a. Bluet, is not only different because of her blue-tinged skin, but also because she is a pack horse librarian who traverses the treacherous mountains by mule to deliver books to impoverished people living tucked away in the hills.
Despite poverty, prejudice and danger, Bluet has a feisty, indelible drive to keep going.
With this book, Richardson uncovered two fascinating historical nuggets: the Pack Horse Library Project started by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Blue People who had congenital methemoglobinemia that gave their skin a blue tinge.
Readers who love learning about historical tidbits such as these will be fascinated by this book, as will those who like strong, female lead characters and stories of hope against the odds.
Identical twins, the Vignes sisters grew up in a small town.
At the age of sixteen, they ran away from their Southern, black community, hoping to find opportunity and a future. But their lives took very different paths in that pursuit.
One sister eventually moves back to her hometown with her daughter. She returns, in part to escape an abusive relationship, but also in hopes of finding answers to where her sister disappeared to.
Separated by hundreds of miles, her sister is passing for white, married to a man who knows nothing of her past.
Told through the perspectives of multiple characters and over the span of decades, this New York Times bestseller beautifully weaves together the threads of the family’s complex relationships, even when they are physically and emotionally separated.
It explores identity, found family, race, belonging, and the generational impacts of people’s decisions and desires.
But perhaps what struck me most was the exploration of passing, not only in the case of race. It offers an empathetic view of the decisions people make in regards to identity and the consequences that result.
Set in a small Texas oil town in the mid-1970s, Valentine begins as a fourteen-year-old girl struggles to survive a violent assault.
Soon the entire town has thoughts and opinions on who is to blame and what justice should look like.
Expertly told from alternating points of view, the story positions the reader in the minds of a cast of women whose lives intersect because of the tragedy.
All share the commonality of struggling to survive in a gritty, dirty, dusty town that is thick with both a literal and figurative grime.
Powerful and compelling, this character-driven debut novel has stayed with me for years.
I love a rich, literary story that deepens empathy and makes me feel for the characters as if they are real people, and this book is at the top of that list for me.
Exploring the intersections of violence and race, class and region, strength and vulnerability, this book will provide plenty of topics for book club conversation.
Amy's addition for today- we MUST include Meagan's book today!
Meagan Church bursts onto the historical fiction scene with a captivating coming-of-age story page-turner that will be difficult to put down and that any Diane Chamberlain fan will devour.
In 1935 beachy North Carolina, readers discover Leah, a character who delivers Ramona Quimby's mischievous energy. She lives in a cozy coastal shack where money is tight, but love from her father is abundant.
Her life takes an unfortunate twist when her father tragically dies in a logging-related accident that leaves her both orphaned and penniless.
With nowhere to turn, she is sent to the wealthy Griffin family, who live in a beautiful home and have agreed to take in Leah.
She barely has time to settle before discovering that her room and board come with a new set of duties, working full-time as the family helpmate instead of attending school and the freedoms she had before.
As the other children in the home live their everyday wealthy lives, Leah is constantly corrected and thrown into situations meant to humiliate her and remind her of her poverty by the lady of the house, Mrs. Griffin.
At that time, girls deemed "feebleminded" could be forcibly sterilized without consent for the "betterment of society."
While this is a big part of the inspiration for her story, there are other surprising fictionalized mysteries that many readers will appreciate that are just as beautifully done as this element.
As Church often foreshadows what Leah's fate might hold, readers will be waiting for this scene to take place, but there are many well-crafted elements that any historical fiction reader will appreciate.
In the Author's Note at the end, we truly grasp how close to home this story was for Church as she uncovered her great-aunt's story and then began researching North Carolina's sordid past.
It is guaranteed to deliver thoughtful discussion.
ADDITIONAL BOOK CLUB BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS FROM GUESTS
Jennifer Williams from the Second Chance Book Club shared her top book club recommendations with her book club for inmates.
Leah Weiss wrote this debut novel at seventy, and it became a massive success. Unfortunately, no If the Creek Don't Rise sequel is in the works, but readers can discover cameos in her upcoming novel.
Sadie Blue had only been a wife for a mere fifteen days, a span that swiftly revealed the regret of her union with Roy Tupkin, even more so with a baby on the way. Amid remote Appalachia, Sadie yearned to etch her legacy upon the world.
Yet, escape from her town was a rare luxury, and optimism often got crushed under the weight of reality.
The entrance of a stranger into Baines Creek disrupted the balance, offering Sadie an unforeseen chance at survival, provided she could decipher its potential.
The book explores resilience and will inspire meaningful conversations with book clubs. In Jennifer's book club, it has become one of the most requested novels.
College student Joe Talbert faces a daunting assignment: writing a biography of a stranger.
At a local nursing home, Joe begins interviewing a man who was once on death row but is now dying of cancer.
As he delves deeper into the man's story, he and a girl from across the hall, embark on a mission to clear his name.
The reader is taken on their mission through old news stories and search through microfiche to uncover the hidden details.
With a captivating and suspenseful narrative, this novel keeps you guessing and, surprisingly, adds a touch of humor to a story your book club will love.
While this is the first book in the Max Rupert and Joe Talbert series, Jennifer states readers can enjoy this novel as a standalone.
Torey Hayden faces a test of her unwavering determination as a therapist when she meets fifteen-year-old Kevin, who has not spoken a word in eight years.
Despite the odds, Torey refuses to give up on this seemingly hopeless case, unearthing a shocking history and a buried secret.
Her powerful and moving story reveals the transformative impact of love and compassion on a troubled child, shedding light on the forgotten lives of those let down by the system.
Jennifer Williams shared that this story resonated with her because of her background in teaching.
The novel emphasizes the sense of responsibility and enduring attachment that teachers feel, even after their students have moved on, and counts this among her book club favorites.
Meet today’s contributor:
Meagan Church writes to explore the truths and nuances of who we are. But mostly she writes because she’s compelled to unearth overlooked stories. Her historical fiction chronicles the plight and fight of unheard voices of the past. After receiving a B.A. in English from Indiana University, Meagan built a career as a storyteller and freelance writer for brands, blogs and organizations. A Midwesterner by birth, she now lives in North Carolina with her high school sweetheart, three children and a plethora of pets. The Last Carolina Girl is her first novel, available on store shelves now.
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What book sparked the best conversation for you or your club? We would love to expand this list!
Matt Cain discusses the challenging history in publishing for LGBTQ History Month. Discover the inspiration for his book, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle.
We are giving listeners a peek behind the paywall to share one of my favorite interviews of 2023 in honor of LGBTQ History Month.
Join us as we delve into the captivating world of renowned author Matt Cain, as we celebrate his charming novel, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle.
Beyond discussing his book, Matt opens up about the immense publishing challenges he faced, most notably with The Madonna of Bolton, a novel rejected more than 30 times for being deemed ‘too gay.’
Discover how it evolved into one of the fastest crowdfunded projects on Unbound after Matt courageously unveiled his rejection letters to the world, and how he views the publishing world now.
We’ll also explore the genre of UpLit, its key markers, and what to expect in UpLit books. The answer might surprise you!
Join us on this inspirational journey, as we continue our discussion for LGBTQ History Month.
Follow the remarkable journey of 64-year-old postman Albert Entwistle, who has quietly delivered mail for decades while harboring a secret past.
Forced into retirement and facing a lonely future, Albert takes a courageous step to rediscover his lost love.
This heartwarming and life-affirming love story takes readers on an unforgettable adventure, proving that it’s never too late to find love in the most unlikely and unexpected places.
Meet Matt Cain
Matt Cain is a notable figure in writing and broadcasting, celebrated for his contributions to LGBT+ issues.
With a remarkable career serving as Channel 4’s first Culture Editor and Editor-In-Chief of Attitude magazine, he has significantly impacted media and journalism.
As an accomplished author, Matt has penned several novels, notably The Madonna Of Bolton, that became Unbound’s fastest crowdfunded novel.
Today, we celebrate Matt’s publishing revolution and celebrate The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, a 2023 MomAdvice Book Club selection.
Matt Cain’s Publishing Journey: The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle
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Mentioned in this episode:
Joining the Patreon community is an affordable way to support the show and gain access to a wealth of resources, including our monthly FULLY BOOKED buzzy new release show, exclusive author interviews, music playlists, and more!
Discover the best Amazon First Reads for October and get TWO FREE books. Choose from a selection of Kindle book titles- a limited-time Prime member offer.
Is it already time for your October read? I’m thrilled you can access TWO free books this month.
Be sure to scroll all the way down to see what I picked in October. I encourage you also to browse my UPDATED Prime Reading Guide and access TEN FREE BOOKS through the Prime library.
Make sure that you see the BUY IT NOW FOR FREE as an option when checking out. If it doesn’t show, you might not be signed into your account.
To assist you, I’ve gathered the book summaries along with early reviews and feedback. You can also go directly to the landing page to pick your book.
Amazon First Reads for October (Get TWO FREE Books)
Pick two FREE Amazon First Reads books for October, included with your Amazon Prime member benefits.
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
This suspense novel is the first in the new Kate Green book series.
Disgraced Olympic soccer player turned sports reporter Kate Green is caught in a web of personal and professional challenges.
When an NBA star named Kurt Robbins is found dead, her best friend Yvette becomes the prime suspect.
Determined to clear Yvette's name, Kate investigates while her estranged detective father works on solving the case.
Early readers have noted that you don't need to be a sports fan to enjoy this book. Kate Green is a beloved character whose future adventures readers eagerly anticipate.
This domestic thriller selection keeps readers guessing with murder, mystery, and suspense.
This chilling psychological thriller follows the abduction of two teenagers, Noelle Meyer and Evan Sinclair.
Years later, as Evan becomes a private investigator, they revisit the crime to uncover the truth. The story reveals a mysterious figure, the Collector, who holds the key to solving their case and others.
This romantic suspense novel is described as dark and heartbreaking. Due to the nature of this story, check content warnings on the Storygraph app.
While the novel is described as a standalone, one reader cautioned that Bad Mother references are embedded in this story.
Reading this novel before diving into this Amazon First Reads release might be helpful.
In this second-chance romance, Stella Park accepts an invitation to a big Italian wedding to escape her personal and professional struggles.
When she unexpectedly encounters her ex, Samuel, she begins to wonder if he was the one who got away.
Ali Rosen is a James Beard Award–nominated writer and host of Potluck with Ali Rosen. She clearly knows her food, describing these dishes perfectly.
Rosen thoughtfully offers insight into her book with her GoodReads review, "And for any readers looking for content warnings: this book does include divorce (in the past, not the main character), anxiety, death of a side character’s parent (in the past). It is open door and does contain some language. Otherwise, light and breezy!"
Readers seeking a rom-com that allows them to armchair travel will love this selection.
It is recommended for Abby Jimenez and Alison Cochrun fans!
A charity fundraiser goes unexpectedly wrong when CeCe Barclay discovers her husband is involved in an embezzlement scandal.
Seeking refuge—and employment—she signs up as the sorority housemom at Eli Whitney University.
She's not the only one seeking shelter at the sorority. Janelle also becomes a housemom, bringing her secrets with her through a witness protection program.
Meanwhile, CeCe's daughter Hayden seeks independence at her sorority, away from her family's growing scandal.
Together, the three women navigate the challenges of their new lives, forming an unexpected camaraderie during this unusual season.
Although early feedback is thin, readers have described this as a great light women's fiction read with lots of humor.
When Susan Harris, a successful mother, takes her own life, her New York City mothers' group grapples with shock and self-reflection.
Amidst private school admissions and personal challenges, they confront the truth about themselves and their children's uncertain futures.
Early readers have described this friendship fiction selection as fast-paced and absorbing. It offers an exploration of money, prestige, success, and the price of secrets.
Readers who crave complicated stories about the wealthy will love this domestic suspense selection.
Ian Rankin is a Scottish crime writer best known for his Inspector Rebus novels. This 86-page short crime fiction is for readers craving a quick win.
In London's opulent residential tower, The Rise, a murder rocks the lives of its wealthy inhabitants. Detective DS Gish faces the challenge of interrogating privileged residents, including a Russian oligarch, a reclusive developer, and a lonely actress, as they come under police scrutiny.
With no apparent motive, Gish must unravel this complex mystery and catch the murderer before they escape.
Reviewers have described this as quick but unsatisfying as a short story. I would skip this one.
This selection is a short story fairytale from the acclaimed author of Mexican Gothic.
During a brutal winter, Judith invites a hunter into her home to survive the cold temperatures.
Despite her wish for love, he chooses her beautiful sister, Alice, instead.
When another stranger shows up, he offers Judith something quite enticing. Entangled between these two men, this fairy tale promises sensuous surprises.
Readers love this evocative story and describe it as a perfect National Hispanic Heritage Month selection.
Set in 1880's icy Stockholm, young Mika faces a bleak winter in her orphanage.
The Night Raven, a notorious serial killer, seems gone. But when a mysterious boy leaves a newborn with a puzzling message, Mika's instincts tell her something is wrong.
Detective Hoff recruits her for the case, and through this, Mika wonders if this could finally be her purpose.
The original Swedish publication was released in 2021, but the English translation was pre-released for this promotion.
In fact, a sequel called The Queen of Thieves has already been published in Sweden.
This mystery is geared towards teens and more mature tweens. The novel contains some gore due to its serial-killer plot.
Many parents caution that you should screen this if you plan to share it with your middle-grade reader.
Debut novelist and senior advisor to the Library of Congress, Jeffrey Dale Lofton, discusses identity and self-discovery for LGBTQ History Month in October.
Jeffrey Dale Lofton is one of the most intriguing voices I’ve read this year, and I count his debut among my favorites of 2023.
Join us on an inspiring journey as we sit down with Jeffrey Dale Lofton, the talented debut author behind Red Clay Suzie, a fictional memoir that delves into the depths of identity, self-discovery, and the journey of growing up as a gay boy in the Deep South.
In this intimate conversation, Lofton shares his personal experiences that shaped this remarkable narrative, the challenges of navigating his own identity, and the power of storytelling to bridge understanding, especially in the LGBTQ community.
As a senior advisor to the Library of Congress, Lofton brings a unique perspective to literature and history. Be sure to tune in to the second half of our conversation to discover his top book recommendations for LGBTQ History Month.
Told through childlike narration, Philbet is a young boy with a misshapen chest and a heart full of dreams embarking on a journey of self-discovery and acceptance in the rural landscapes of Georgia.
Amidst the backdrop of tomato sandwiches, green milkshakes, and a deep love for cars, he grapples with the challenges of being a gay outsider in a conservative community.
Bullied, misunderstood, and yearning for acceptance, he discovers unexpected sources of strength and solace within his community.
Inspired by Lofton’s true life story, this coming-of-age story will capture your heart.
Meet Jeffrey Dale Lofton
Jeffrey Dale Lofton transitioned from a career in acting to pursue post-graduate studies, earning Master’s degrees in Public Administration & Library and Information Science.
Currently, he serves as a senior advisor at the Library of Congress, indulging in his love for books.
Originally from Warm Springs, Georgia, the author now resides in Washington, DC.
Red Clay Suzie is his debut novel and was longlisted for The Center for Fiction 2023 First Novel Prize.
Celebrate LGBTQ History Month With This Curated Stack
Listen to the Book Gang Podcast:
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Mentioned in this episode:
Joining the Patreon community is an affordable way to support the show and gain access to a wealth of resources, including our monthly FULLY BOOKED buzzy new release show, exclusive author interviews, music playlists, and more!
Read my interview with the author on the All The Light We Cannot See book. Discover the Anthony Doerr books in order and details on the new Netflix TV series.
This exclusive interview with acclaimed author Anthony Doerr delves into the captivating world of Anthony Doerr’s Pulitzer Prize-winning All the Light We Cannot Seebook.
Join me as Doerr offers unique insights into the creation of this literary masterpiece, revealing the inspirations, challenges, and emotions that brought this unforgettable tale to life.
Be sure to scroll down to see the FULL LIST of books from the author, and more details on the All the Light We Cannot See movie.
All The Light We Cannot See Summary
In this story, Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks.
When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind, and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home.
When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris, and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea.
They carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel with them.
Meanwhile, in a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find.
Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance.
More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge.
All the Light We Cannot See Themes:
This novel was selected for an Alex Award which is given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18.
You will find many powerful themes in this book including:
War and Its Impact: The novel vividly portrays the devastating effects of World War II on individuals, families, and communities. It poses moral dilemmas faced by characters caught amid the conflict.
Resilience and Survival: The story follows the journeys of two young protagonists, Marie-Laure and Werner, as they navigate the challenges of war. Their resilience, courage, and determination to survive against all odds highlight the strength of the human spirit.
Human Connection: Amidst the chaos of war, the novel emphasizes the importance of human connections and empathy. It explores the bonds formed between characters, emphasizing the capacity for kindness and compassion even in the darkest times.
The Power of Knowledge: The novel celebrates the transformative power of knowledge and the way it can provide solace and hope. Marie-Laure’s love for books and Werner’s expertise in radio technology are symbolic examples of the intellectual pursuits that can illuminate even the darkest paths.
Moral Choices: Throughout the story, characters are faced with moral dilemmas and choices that challenge their values and principles. These ethical quandaries reflect the complexities of human nature and the blurred lines between right and wrong during times of war.
At the time of this interview, Anthony Doerr had already been on the New York Times best-seller list for twenty weeks. He certainly doesn’t need this interview for a promotion.
Shortly after my interview, they awarded All the Light We Cannot See the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the 2015 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction.
The Best Anthony Doerr Books (Exclusive Author Interview)
What was it like spending a decade on this book, and did you ever feel discouraged while writing it?
Oh, I was crazy with doubt almost of the time.
You invest so many months into a single project—shelves stuffed with WWII books, three separate trips to Europe, dozens of scribbled notes, and the terror that you won’t be able to pull it all together keeps you up at night.
I worried that if I abandoned the project, I’d let down my wife, kids, editor, and myself.
And I never dreamed it would take so long—a quarter of my life!
The story beautifully centers around radio communication bringing unlikely individuals together. What inspired your choice to delve into radio, and did researching older radio models and their workings play a significant role in crafting this plotline?
I adored radios as a boy and often stayed up late listening to baseball games under my covers while my parents thought I was sleeping.
But that passion had waned until ten years ago, when I took a train from Princeton, New Jersey, into New York City.
I had just completed a novel and was searching for a new idea, and I had a notebook in my lap.
The man in the seat in front of me was talking to someone on his cell phone about the sequel to The Matrix, I remember that very clearly, and as we approached Manhattan, sixty feet of steel and concrete started flowing above the train, his call dropped.
And he got angry!
He started swearing and rapping his phone with his knuckles, and after briefly worrying for my safety, I said to myself: What he’s forgetting, what we’re all forgetting, is that what he was just doing is a miracle.
He’s using two little radios — a receiver and a transmitter — crammed into something no bigger than a deck of cards to send and receive little packets of light between hundreds of radio towers, one after the next, miles apart, each connecting to the next at the speed of light, and he’s using this magic to have a conversation about Keanu Reeves.
Because we’re habituated to it, we’ve stopped seeing the grandeur of this breathtaking act.
So I decided to write something that would help me and my reader feel that power again, to feel the strangeness and sorcery of hearing the voice of a stranger, or a distant loved one, in our heads.
That very afternoon, ten years ago, I wrote a title into my notebook: All the Light We Cannot See—a reference to all the invisible wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum (like radio waves).
And that night, I started a piece of fiction in which a girl reads a story to a boy over the radio.
I conceived of her as blind and him as trapped in darkness, and the sound of her voice, carried by radio waves – the light we cannot see — through walls, as his salvation.
My heart went out to Werner, especially during his time in the Hitler Youth and the difficult choices he had to make for survival.
The book delves into themes of death, war, sadness, and poverty, despite the underlying hope in the story’s conclusion. Writing about this challenging period in history must have been tough.
Can you share which scene was the most challenging for you to write?
Yes, lots of the research for this novel was excruciating.
The destruction of human beings during WWII, especially on the Eastern Front, occurred on a scale almost too large for the human brain to comprehend.
Sometimes, the source material would send me to dark places, and I’d have to take breaks to work on other projects.
As for scenes that were hard to write, a writer faces many kinds of difficulties: technical, emotional, and syntactic.
In terms of emotions, all the scenes involving Frederick were the most difficult because he reminds me of one of my sons.
Marie-Laure’s father’s intricate puzzles add so much beauty to your story.
It made me wish I could find a puzzle for my kids to solve.
How did you come up with this concept?
A friend of our family once gave me a Japanese puzzle box as a present.
It was a wooden cube that looked like an ornate, solid block of wood. No visible doors, no knobs, no handles, no buttons.
But, as our family friend showed me if you knew what side to push in on, then various panels would start to slide down, and by manipulating all the panels in clever ways, you could eventually slide open the top and discover a hidden compartment inside.
I played with that thing for hours, showing it off to friends, examining its construction, etc., then eventually put it on a shelf and forgot about it.
A couple of decades later, while working on this novel, the puzzle box came back to me, along with my fascination with it, and I decided to try writing a couple of scenes in which Marie-Laure’s father fashions puzzle boxes.
Which character do you identify the most within your book?
I do my best to identify with all my characters, even the bad actors—I think that’s probably part of the job description for any novelist, isn’t it?
This novel has 187 chapters beautifully segmented and sectioned for the reader in small doses. Why did you decide to structure your story this way?
Obviously, there are infinite ways to write a novel, but for me, “plotting it out” has always sounded scary and programmatic.
I have to compose, revise, and re-revise scenes to understand what should happen.
So my process involves a lot of trial and error. I write hundreds of paragraphs trying to figure out where the story is going, and I usually cut most of them.
I knew early on that I wanted the two narratives to feel like two almost parallel lines that gently inclined toward each other.
The structure was a big mess for a long time.
It probably had 250 or 300 chapters at some points.
All I knew early on — and wanted a reader to intuit – was that Marie’s and Werner’s lives would intersect.
But it took me a long time to figure out exactly how that would happen.
If you could tell anyone to read one book (other than your own), what would that book be?
Oh, gosh, my answer to this question changes all the time, but a novel I’m absolutely in love with right now is Karen Joy Fowler’sWe Are All Completely Beside Ourselves.
It’s about family, siblinghood, memory, storytelling, and particularly about our society’s treatment of animals.
It’s also structured in this beautiful, organic, perfect way—I hope a few of your readers will look at it!
*Editor’s Note: Read my interview with Karen Joy Fowler about “We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves” here!
Frequently Asked Questions About Anthony Doerr Books:
How do you pronounce Anthony Doerr?
Anthony Doerr’s last name sounds like “door.” For a pronunciation guide, it would look like this: Anthony Dor
What are the best Anthony Doerr books?
My favorite book by the author is All the Light We Cannot See.
This novel also is the highest-rated on GoodReads, followed closely by Cloud Cuckoo Land.
Is All The Light We Cannot See based on a true story?
All The Light We Cannot See is a work of historical fiction.
While the characters are entirely fictional, the setting of Saint-Malo is a real place.
When can I watch All The Light We Cannot See movie?
The book will become a Netflix TV series very soon!
Directed by Shawn Levy, the Netflix adaptation stars Louis Hofmann, Lars Eidinger, Marion Bailey, Hugh Laurie, Aria Mia Loberti, and Mark Ruffalo.
With four hour-long episodes in total, the All the Light We Cannot See limited series will premiere on November 2, 2023, nearly a decade after the novel was published.
What are Anthony Doerr’s books in order published?
The Shell Collector: Stories (2001)
About Grace (2004)
Four Seasons in Rome: On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World (2007)
Memory Wall: Stories (2010)
All The Light We Cannot See (2014)
Cloud Cuckoo Land (2021)
Anthony Doerr Books
Anthony Doerr is the author of six books. He won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the 2015 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction for his novel All the Light We Cannot See.
His talent extends to the world of short stories and essays, where he has claimed an impressive five O. Henry Prizes.
Anthony's work has been translated into over forty languages.
He has received recognition from the Barnes & Noble Discover Prize, the Rome Prize, the New York Public Library's Young Lions Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, an NEA Fellowship, and an Alex Award from the American Library Association.
Other esteemed honors include the National Magazine Award for Fiction, four Pushcart Prizes, three Pacific Northwest Book Awards, five Ohioana Book Awards, and the coveted 2010 Story Prize.
Discover more about all six books in this book list today.
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
This new book by Anthony Doerr weaves together the lives of five characters from different centuries and places, all saved by an ancient Greek story about a shepherd's quest for an imaginary utopian city.
As they face adversity and loneliness, this enchanting novel celebrates the enduring power of storytelling. The story offers a heartfelt tribute to the magic of books and literature.
Cloud Cuckoo Land was a finalist for the 2021 National Book Award, Novel of the Year in the British Book Awards, and winner of the Grand Prix de Littérature Américaine in France.
This historical fiction novel offers readers a fresh perspective on World War II with themes perfect for a high school classroom.
A blind French girl and a German boy's lives intersect in occupied France as they both struggle to survive the destruction of World War II.
Eventually, their stories converge in Saint-Malo during the war.
The novel was a #1 New York Times bestseller, remaining on the New York Times Bestseller List for over 200 weeks, and will be released by Netflix as a limited series on November 2, 2023.
Anthony Doerr takes readers on a captivating adventure in Rome through this memoir.
In this memoir, he documents his discoveries, including the works of Rome's literary predecessors, the city’s historic landmarks, and his unique moments with his family.
This intimate and revealing book not only celebrates the beauty of Rome but also offers an insightful glimpse into new parenthood.
Love this author interview? Stream the Book Gang Podcast wherever you get podcasts. We discuss debuts, backlist, and under-the-radar book gems with your favorite authors.
TELL ME: What is your favorite Anthony Doerr book?
These books about motherhood are the best page turners to read now. Dive into the joys, struggles, and complexities in this curated list of books about moms.
If you missed the Book Gang podcast, Adele Griffin celebrated the literary wisdom in motherhood-themed books! Adele Griffin’s debut revealed a captivating surrogacy journey and shares the characters that molded her narrative.
In honor of today’s topic, Adele and I share our favorite books about motherhood with this beautiful reading list celebrating mothers.
Remember, you can find our book club member recommendations at the end of our book lists!
If you love this list, you can support my work through a one-time donation on Buy Me a Coffee or join our Patreon community for book fun all year long. The financial support helps us keep the lights on in our online space.
Best Page Turner Books About Motherhood
Browse these top page-turner books about motherhood. This list includes book club books, thrillers, mysteries, classics, and memoirs.
ENLIGHTENING INFERTILITY BOOKS
These books document the infertility journey through fiction and include a poignant personal story that influenced today’s author.
Adele Griffin's adult debut showcases a fictional surrogacy story in the contrasting lives of two women.
Meet Nora Hammond, who struggles with debt, a cramped apartment, and infertility alongside her husband Jacob.
Yet, when socialite Evelyn Elliot enters Nora's life, a deep connection forms, thrusting Nora into Manhattan's luxurious elite society.
However, their unique power dynamic faces a test when Evelyn selflessly offers to become Nora's surrogate.
This book is a perfect beach read, but equally compelling to discuss with your book club.
You can hear Adele's surrogacy story on this moving episode of the Book Gang podcast- The Best Motherhood Lessons from Literary Characters. (LISTEN NOW).
Peggy Orenstein guides readers through her hardships of infertility, detailing their tiring fertility treatments and international adoption efforts.
This memoir reveals details on the thriving fertility industry while delivering a heartfelt and often amusing narrative of a woman's path to motherhood.
Adele Griffin describes Orenstein as the “big sister she needed” through her fertility challenges.
Dive into these stories and experience the highs and lows of motherhood like never before. These are the best book club books about mothers for discussion.
In 1970, a young widow learns her unborn daughter has an incurable heart defect.
With the help of her enigmatic physicist brother-in-law, who can time travel, she embarks on a journey to ensure her daughter can receive experimental surgery in 2001.
This time travel story transcends motherhood in the best kinds of ways.
For many years, a small space known as the "room" has held captive a five-year-old boy named Jack and his Ma.
Ma has created a rich and imaginative life for her son despite their captivity.
Narrated through Jack's childlike perspective, the book is both endearing and poignant, capturing the innocence of a young boy. Their story embodies unconquerable love in harrowing circumstances and showcases the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child.
Anne Lamott's memoir takes us through the journey of becoming a mother at thirty-five, all on her own.
She shares the highs and lows of that crucial first year with humor and faith. This handbook to motherhood has been loved by mothers of many generations.
In her candid narrative, Lamott weaves the significant and everyday moments that shape a mother's life.
Adele brought this beloved series celebrating a close-knit Jewish family in early 20th-century New York City.
This story follows five lively sisters—Ella, Henny, Sarah, Charlotte, and Gertie—as they navigate the highs and lows of life.
Be sure to listen to today’s show to learn the surprising backstory of how this book came to be.
Adele expressed a desire to be the nurturing mother figure in this story. She also loved how these sisters cared for each other in the most beautiful ways.
Adele described this mother as remarkable, noting Marmee's life outside her home. It was a story that resonated with her the most as the daughter of a working parent.
Step into the enchanting world of the March sisters.
Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy are four special siblings whose connection grows stronger while their father is at war.
Looking for more books about mothers? Fall in love with these MomAdvice Book Club recommendations:
Celebrate literary lessons found in books about mothers! Adele Griffin shares her riveting surrogacy story in her debut and how these characters shaped her.
Adele Griffin knew something had been missing from her fiction for a long time.
Although she knew it was missing, she admits that it took her years to process and refine this motherhood journey into her adult fiction debut, The Favor.
In this moving conversation, we discuss her riveting surrogacy journey and what writers have gotten wrong when writing about this deeply personal partnership. It is a profound bond that can have lifelong impacts on all parties involved, but the author’s challenge was packaging it lightly for a reader like her.
As a seasoned author of over thirty books, she describes her unique challenges and hurdles in writing adult voices and, ultimately, the literary mothers who shaped this story, and how she viewed motherhood.
In one of the most eclectic stacks brought to our show, we will discover surprising trivia behind some well-known classics and contemporary literature that brings modern motherhood issues to light.
Bonus Books About Mothers Book List
Today’s BONUS BOOK LIST explores The Best Page Turners About Motherhood to Read Now. This includes Adele’s fiction, nonfiction, and memoir selections. I’ve rounded out this stack with the most compelling books I’ve read on motherhood.
And if you want to dive into Adele’s page-turning plot twists, you will love today’s bonus. Patrons get an additional SPOILER-FILLED episode with Adele, discussing three pivotal moments in her book’s ending.
The Favor Book Synopsis
The Favor delves into the intricate world of surrogacy, weaving together the lives of two women from vastly different socioeconomic backgrounds.
Readers meet Nora, a vintage fashion curator navigating the hidden burdens of financial debt and fertility struggles.
Her life takes an unexpected turn when Manhattan’s socialite, Evelyn Elliot, breezes into the vintage shop she works at and enlists her as a personal assistant for high-society events.
As the two women get to know each other, Evelyn proposes an unprecedented favor—offering to be Nora’s surrogate.
As Evelyn’s pregnancy unfolds on social media with the hashtag #compassionatesurrogate, Nora must navigate uncharted territory in this captivating novel, blending modern motherhood with a fashion-forward backdrop.
Meet Adele Griffin
Adele Griffin is the author of over thirty highly acclaimed books across various genres, including Sons of Liberty and Where I Want to Be, both National Book Award finalists.
The Favor is her adult fiction debut.
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Discover the best Amazon First Reads for September and get your FREE book now. Choose from a selection of Kindle book titles- a limited-time Prime member offer.
Be sure to scroll all the way down to see what I picked in September.
Each month, Prime members can choose one Kindle eBook from a selection of new releases for free, or purchase hardcover editions at discounted prices. It’s a great way to discover exciting reads and enjoy the latest titles before they hit the shelves.
Author of Do No Harm and The Night Olivia Fell (two of my favorite thrillers) offers her first police procedural in the Jess Lambert series.
After a violent home invasion, Neve Maguire returns with her daughter to Black Lake, her childhood summer home, hoping for a fresh start.
But when a woman's body is found floating among the reeds in the lake behind her house, she fears she has made a horrible mistake.
Neve is hiding secrets, though, and Detective Jess Lambert can tell. Recently, after her own personal tragedy, Jess knows what it’s like to live with skeletons in your closet, and she’s sure Neve has a few of her own.
Early praise shares that readers have been satisfied and always discover an unexpected connection with McDonald's characters.
This Mindy's Book Club selection offered this warm introduction from Mindy Kaling:
"The book perfectly captures high school nostalgia . . . It's a feel-good story for the young and young at heart."
Planning the perfect prom is one last 'to do' on ultra-organized Charlotte Wu's high school bucket list.
So far, so good, if not for a decorating accident that sends Charlotte crash-landing off a ladder, face-first into her sworn enemy.
When Charlotte wakes up, she finds herself in an unfamiliar bed at thirty, with her bearded fiancé by her side.
The bearded guy?
It is, of course, her SWORN ENEMY.
Either they've lost their minds, or they are forever trapped in the thirty-year-old bodies of their future selves.
Lea is an author well-known for The Influencer series, and readers praised this coming-of-age romance as a charming slow-burn enemies-to-lovers story that they adored.
Amid World War I's chaos, Petra Kurková, a born witch who can capture souls on film, joins a secret team of sorcerers led by Josef Svoboda to combat resurrected horrors on the eastern front.
In the cursed Carpathian Mountains, Petra must unveil her hidden powers and unravel her husband's fate to prevent an occult menace from plunging the war-torn world into darkness.
In this Women's Fiction selection, romance writer Penelope Banks can craft the perfect love story, but all she has is a rough draft when it comes to her family.
When her new bookstore is in jeopardy, she reluctantly turns to her family for help, leading to an unexpected Thanksgiving reunion that includes her ex-husband.
To mend relationships and save her business, Penny concocts a fictional romance with her father's colleague, hoping to craft her own happily ever after amidst the holiday chaos.
Early praise has been HIGH, with readers describing this novel as laugh-out-loud funny and romantic without being sappy.
This month's thriller is described as a tense page-turner.
Craig Finnigan is determined to complete his novel over the summer, but balancing his aspirations as a writer with caring for his seven-year-old daughter, Alice, proves challenging.
When Alice befriends their neighbor's boy, Levi, Craig initially welcomes the distraction from her constant presence in his home office.
However, his happiness turns to unease as Levi's behavior takes a dark turn, with strange occurrences in their house.
If Baby Teeth was one of your favorite thrillers, this is for you. Readers describe feeling on edge and praised this writer for nailing the "creepy kid trope."
Craving a short story? This book from Chanel Cleeton is just 41 pages.
In Havana, 1939, on the opening night of the renowned Tropicana nightclub, Cuban American college student Natalie Trainer stands on the sidelines- as usual.
Unexpectedly, a suave stranger named Antonio invites her to dance, and against her usual caution, she accepts.
This impulsive decision ignites a tiny spark of rebellion and newfound adventure in Natalie's heart.
Fans of Chanel Cleeton (Next Year in Havana & When We Left Cuba) will love following the writer's short story adventures.
In this gripping domestic drama, the revelation of shocking past secrets and the hidden truths of three women are set in motion when a small Midwest town introduces a DNA lottery.
A single drop of blood holds the promise of a multimillion-dollar fortune. Still, suspicions arise regarding the true intentions behind this gamble, with links to an unsolved eighteen-year-old case involving an infant.
Readers describe this as a compelling and unsettling mystery with lots of twists. If you need a gripping page-turner to pull you in from page one, this book is for you.
This memoir is a coming-of-age story of a Black woman changing her world in her twenties.
In her trusty high school car, accompanied by her long-time boyfriend in the passenger seat, Minda Honey embarks on a cross-country journey to sunny Southern California.
As 2008 unfolds, bringing President Obama and the end of her relationship, Minda finds herself in a new world of smartphones and online dating and navigating the turbulent waters of early adulthood.
I will update you when more feedback has been submitted on this one.
Victoria Miluch's speculative fiction debut novel introduces us to the unforgiving world of the scorched deadlands in former Arizona, where nineteen-year-old Georgia Reno struggles to survive with her family.
When two enigmatic outsiders disrupt their isolated existence, Georgia's curiosity sparks a daring desire for freedom, setting off a series of events that unearth dangerous secrets and challenge the bonds of loyalty in this gripping tale of survival and sacrifice.
The editor for this book recommended this selection is perfect for fans of Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel.
Was this the most challenging choice of the year? Yes! The way that readers described laughing out loud at Penelope in Retrograde made it the clear winner for me. If you are a mood reader, I think there is something for EVERYONE this month.
Browse this fall reading list of the new fall books coming to shelves. From murder mystery to magical realism, this cozy autumn list has your next book to read.
There’s a certain magic to the fall reading season, isn’t there? As we welcome the fall foliage and (for many) the comforting chill in the air, it is my joy to introduce you to my carefully curated 2023 Fall Reading Guide.
This is my first fall guide, filled with my most anticipated books of the year. It offers a great starting point for shopping your local independent bookshop or supporting my local indie bookshop, Fables Books.
Finally, you can discover all the upcoming Book Gang podcast guests we will welcome and the final fall book club selections for the 2023 MomAdvice Book Club.
Treat yourself to your favorite latte, open your Storygraph app, and add your favorite choices to your TBR.
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New Fall Books To Reserve For Your Book Stack
Catch those fall vibes with my most anticipated books of fall 2023. This book list offers mysteries, thrillers, feel-good romances, and the perfect spooky season books.
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MYSTERY BOOKS FOR ADULTS
Engage your mind in a web of intrigue with captivating mystery books, where secrets unfold in these suspenseful page-turners.
This heartwarming mystery introduces readers to an unlikely trio of amateur sleuths—a spirited grandmother, a determined single mother, and a curious teenage girl—bonding together to unravel a perplexing murder.
Lana Rubicon, a powerful real estate magnate accustomed to the bustling life of Los Angeles, finds her world shattered by a cancer diagnosis.
She must move to a sleepy coastal town with her estranged daughter Beth and granddaughter Jack as she finds her life at a standstill.
However, their life takes a sharp turn when Jack stumbles upon a lifeless body during a kayaking excursion.
If you are curious if there is a Mother-Daughter Murder Night sequel, be sure to join the Patreon for the spoiler-filled bonus episode with the answer.
This dual-timeline mystery is set in 1999 and 1977 and explores the consequences of family secrets.
John Kim's life is uncertain since his wife's unexplained departure a year ago.
Struggling between hope and resignation, he's confronted by the grim reality when he discovers a lifeless stranger in their backyard.
Although the police label the man as a wandering homeless person, the presence of John's wife's information in the stranger's notebook raises haunting questions.
Kim's first novel was selected as a Reese's Book Club Pick. Don't miss my top celebrity book club picks list while you wait for this new release.
On the Taos Pueblo reservation, Deputy Eva "Lightning Dance" Duran investigates the mysterious disappearance of four women, including her best friend, Paloma.
Despite resistance, Eva collaborates with tribal police officer Cruz "Wolf Song" Romero.
As Eva unearths the chilling details, the reservation's hidden truths are discovered.
This novel was a Kindle First Reads list. Learn more about this Prime benefit with my tutorial and get your free book.
Release Date: 1 September 2023
YOUNG ADULT MYSTERY BOOK
For the young at heart, this YA mystery book is perfect for your fall stack.
In this spy thriller, espionage is a family legacy.
Amanda Cole, a brilliant CIA officer like her father, faces a career-defining moment when a Russian defector predicts a US senator's assassination.
Despite her warnings, the senator is killed, igniting a sequence of events that uncovers a dangerous web of international conspiracy, corporate blackmail, and manipulation.
In this new psychological thriller, two crimes converge two decades apart—a stolen baby and a nursing home murder—linked by an unexpected connection.
With mistrust running deep, the women in this twisty thriller must overcome their differences to solve a complex mystery of three suspects, two murders, and one victim.
Annie Fisk, a brilliant but solitary physics graduate, follows her passion for space despite her past losses.
As a NASA secretary during Apollo 11, she's captivated by her work, but a romance with an engineer tempts her.
When her inability to ignore mistaken calculations propels her career, Annie confronts a discovery that defies scientific norms and tests her heart's desires.
Delve into a riveting narrative inspired by the real history recounting the untold tale of the Jane Collective.
Set against the backdrop of the late 1960s and early 1970s in Chicago, follow the journey of women and doctors who, facing societal limitations, form a secret network to provide care and reproductive counseling for women facing few options.
Essence describes this poignant novel as Homegoing meets The Mothers.
Meet Grace, navigating a world of privilege and tradition after losing her grandmother in post-segregation Virginia.
Alongside her journey, readers meet Delores, a resilient dreamer turned survivor, and Rae, their headstrong descendant, intertwining journeys through generations.
Exploring the complexities of love, identity, and family against the backdrop of historical change from the Great Migration to the 2000s women’s equality movement, this sweeping saga is perfect for historical fiction lovers.
Descend into Jesmyn Ward's remarkable reimagining of American slavery.
Annis, a courageous guide through the heart-wrenching story, carries the weight of her own history and her ancestors' tales as she navigates the horrors of the South's plantations.
This soul-stirring novel portrays the enduring spirit of Black Americans and promises to cement Ward's legacy as a masterful storyteller.
Release Date- 3 October 2023
LITERARY FICTION
With thought-provoking prose, these literary fiction and contemporary fiction are my top picks for your fall book stack.
Yara's journey from a conservative Palestinian family in Brooklyn to her suburban life as a wife and mother seems to embody her dreams.
Yet, her world unravels as the weight of unfulfilled ambitions and past traumas resurfaces.
Confronting workplace challenges and family curses, Yara must navigate a path to self-discovery, questioning her choices and the legacy she's passing on to her daughters.
Fourteen years after a final conversation at summer camp shattered their friendship, Daniel Rosenberg and Liyah Cohen-Jackson are unexpectedly reunited as airplane seatmates.
As bitterness resurfaces, they part ways after landing, seemingly for good.
Fate, however, has other plans when Daniel's marketing firm is commissioned by the Chicago museum, where Liyah works as a junior curator, sparking unexpected feelings.
In this enemies-to-lover romance, two rival hotel receptionists, Izzy and Lucas, are thrust together when they discover a collection of old wedding rings.
As they embark on a mission to return the rings to their owners, a heartwarming love story of their own unfolds amidst the holiday chaos at Forest Manor Hotel.
From the National Book Award-winning author of Felix Ever After comes a poignant tale of two actors embarking on an offscreen romance amidst the glitz of Hollywood.
When Logan and Mattie secure co-leading roles in an upcoming romantic film, Logan's scathing declaration of Matt's "zero talent" triggers a PR disaster. Reluctantly, they embrace a fake dating scheme to salvage the film's reputation.
Yet, as their lives intertwine both on and offscreen, the façade crumbles under the weight of genuine emotions that emerge.
Maggie Vine finds herself in a unique predicament as two people she jokingly said she would marry if she were still single at 35 suddenly reappear on her birthday.
As Maggie navigates this unexpected love triangle, career opportunities and past connections converge, forcing her to confront her past, present, and future.
Release Date- 3 October 2023
YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE
These YA romances are the perfect teen romance to share with your teen or tween.
In this young adult romance, seventeen-year-old Bailey takes on a summer job at a hotel waterpark with her polar opposite, Charlie.
When two waterpark guests begin flirting, the two make a bet on whether they will stay together.
From irritating exchanges to unlikely camaraderie, Bailey and Charlie form an unexpected bond as they navigate the waters of romance, friendship, and hidden feelings.
As they playfully bet on the love lives of others, they must confront their own emotions. It turns out, though, that Charlie has a secret wager of his own that threatens to shatter the trust they've built.
In her debut young adult romance, Hazelwood introduces us to Mallory Greenleaf, who has sworn off chess due to the havoc it wrought on her family years ago.
With her focus on her mom, sisters, and a mundane job, Mallory's life takes an unexpected turn when she reluctantly participates in a charity tournament and triumphs over the infamous "Kingkiller" Nolan Sawyer.
Mallory grapples with her family's past and newfound success as she rises in the ranks.
Release Date- 7 November 2023
FANTASY BOOKS FOR ADULTS
Take magical adventures with these fantasy book for adult readers.
Described as Ninth House meets A Deadly Education, this dark academia fantasy is the perfect fall escape.
Emory, a student at the prestigious Aldryn College for Lunar Magics, experiences unexpected magical powers following a tragedy in the Dovermere sea caves.
After surviving while her classmates perish, Emory grapples with her newfound abilities.
To master her magic, she seeks assistance from Baz, skilled in darker arts, who lost his sister in the same incident.
As they uncover the truth behind the drownings and secretive society, Emory realizes the survivors are dying in mysterious, magical ways.
June Farrow resides in the mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina, haunted by the curse that shadows her family's flower farm.
A year of strange occurrences and eerie signs convince June that fate is closing in, but she's determined to break the generational curse—even if it means forgoing love and family.
After her grandmother's passing, cryptic clues about her mother's disappearance emerge, pointing toward a mysterious door.
When June crosses its threshold, she embarks on a transformative journey that transcends time in this magical realism novel.
Flair Hardwicke's beliefs in magic are challenged when her grandmother's bakery in Kansas becomes hers to manage.
Flair is determined to steer clear of magic and love because she believes both bring disaster.
However, a batch of Tarot card cookies baked for a Halloween event unravels her plans.
The magic of the family deck sets off a chain of events, drawing Flair's mother, her magic-enthusiast daughter, her first love, and even her ex-husband into the chaotic mix.
Release Date- 12 September 2023
MEMOIR BOOKS
Follow personal journeys through these poignant and inspiring memoir books.
Educated meets Born a Crime in this compelling memoir.
Safiya Sinclair delves into her tumultuous childhood in Jamaica, marked by her Rastafarian father's strict and oppressive beliefs.
In a society where her father's reggae music and rigid adherence to tradition shaped her upbringing, Sinclair found solace and a voice in books and poetry.
The memoir explores her journey from obedience to rebellion as she grapples with the suffocating patriarchy, the legacy of colonialism, and the clash between her desire for self-expression and her family's traditions.
This humorous autobiography by Leslie Jones is one of my most anticipated this year.
In it, she shares her life story, from her childhood in the South to her stand-up comedy experiences and rise to fame.
Leslie discusses her challenges as a Black woman in the entertainment industry.
The book provides an inside look at the world of comedy and the personal journey of a woman who's fought to make her voice heard and her presence felt in a male-dominated field.
Release Date- 19 September 2023
HORROR BOOKS
These are the best new horror books for spooky season.
In this horror debut, Margaret's resolve to keep her dream home transforms into a nightmarish battle against escalating hauntings.
As the horrors intensify each September—dripping walls, spectral figures, and a basement terror—Margaret clings to her house no matter what it costs her family.
Belle's obsession with skincare videos takes a chilling turn when her estranged mother's death leads her to Southern California's enigmatic spa, La Maison de Méduse.
As she becomes entangled in a world of cult-like beauty rituals and seductive secrets, cryptic clues offer her the truth behind her mother's demise.
Release Date- 12 September 2023
Book Series (Not the First in a Series) Also Hitting Store Shelves
Beautiful Lessons from a Book Club for Inmates (Jennifer Williams, Founder of the Second Chance Book Club, airing October 27th)- GIFT A BOOK TO AN INMATE FOR THE HOLIDAYS
