Tag fiction

An illustrated cover shows a woman dressed all in black, casting a stark shadow, heading over a suspension bridge. The image is blurred into a bright orange background.

The Verifiers by Jane Pek

Angie Engles Leave a comment
An illustrated cover shows a woman dressed all in black, casting a stark shadow, heading over a suspension bridge. The image is blurred into a bright orange background.

by Angie E.

Jane Pek’s The Verifiers is a mix of speculative fiction and whodunit, and it takes place in a world where people rely on matchmaking services to find their soulmate. Sounds familiar, right? But in this book, these services are on steroids. They use algorithms more complicated than a Rubik’s cube and are worshipped by society.

Claudia Lin is no stranger to bucking her family’s traditional expectations; she has no desire to pursue a conventional career or to follow her mom’s dream of finding a “nice Chinese boy.” She’s also accustomed to keeping secrets from them, such as being
gay and her recent recruitment by Veracity, an exclusive online-dating detective agency. A master of uncovering lies, having honed her skills through a lifetime of reading detective fiction, Claudia has never used a dating site or had much to do with the digital world.

That all changes when Iris Lettriste, a mysterious client, hires her to investigate two suitors, one of whom she’s never even met. The company who hired her is ready to put Claudia’s expertise to the test. But Claudia’s lack of experience with the digital world and her devotion to detective fiction make her an ill-suited candidate for the job. Her specialty is exposing liars, but this task requires more than just uncovering deceitful spouses, job applicants, and online daters.

Even so, Claudia’s got a hunch that something fishy is going down with Iris. Then Iris disappears from both the real world and the digital world, leaving Claudia high and dry. To make matters worse, Iris deletes all her profiles. What’s going on here? Claudia’s adventure is starting to sound like something straight out of her favorite fictional detective ‘s playbook:

  • Was Iris killed?
  • Did she harm herself?
  • Was she even Iris at all?
  • Maybe she was her own sister?
  • And what’s the deal with her being a broke, heartbroken dropout from journalism school?
  • Or was she a fearless investigative reporter about to expose the dating industry?

Pek takes an already intriguing, sometimes zany, mystery up a notch with a protagonist who’s smart and sarcastic but also rather a bit of an underachiever. The family drama is complex and juicy, and there’s social commentary on how much technology is taking over our lives. Claudia is all about classic noir elements: the mysterious client, the amateur sleuth, and all those pesky red herrings. But here’s the kicker – this book puts a modern spin on things that’ll have you hooked from page one.

If you’re not already one of those people always questioning whether the people you meet online are really who they claim to be, you will be. The Verifiers is also about whether we’re letting algorithms control our lives and if we’re sacrificing our freedom
for the sake of convenience and fantasy. I mean, sure, we could just delete our apps and stop searching for truth and happiness online, but who’s really going to do that?

Reads of Acceptance book discussion group meets virtually. Register to join the discussion of The Verifiers on Thursday, April 27 at 7 pm. Books are available for pick-up from the Central Branch; ask for a copy at the Customer Service desk.

Angie is an Instructor & Research Specialist at Central Branch and is a co-facilitator for Reads of Acceptance, HCLS’ first LGBTQ-focused book club. Her ideal day is reading in her cozy armchair, with her cat Henry next to her.

The viewer peers through leaves at a young Black girl standing at the edge of water where ripples circle.

Meet Nyani Nkrumah, Author of Wade in the Water

Kristen B. Leave a comment
The viewer peers through leaves at a young Black girl standing at the edge of water where ripples circle.

“Stunning…The author is supremely gifted at bringing both her characters and their close-knit rural town to life. Readers will eagerly await more from this writer.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Mon, Mar 27; 7 – 8 pm
HCLS Miller Branch and online
Register at bit.ly/AuthorNyaniNkrumah

Resonant with the emotional urgency of Alice Walker’s classic Meridian and the poignant charm of Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees, this gripping debut novel of female power and vulnerability, race, and class explores the unlikely friendship between a precocious black girl and a mysterious white woman in a small Mississippi town in the early 1980s.

More from Publisher’s Weekly:

Nkrumah’s stunning debut revolves around an unlikely friendship between an 11-year-old Black girl and a middle-aged white woman in 1982 Ricksville, Miss., and the segregated town’s fraught history. Intelligent, questioning Ella stands out in her light-skinned Black family because she is the result of her mother’s fling with a much darker-skinned man. Her ne’er-do-well stepfather Leroy is seldom home, but when he is, he takes out his rage and humiliation by sexually abusing Ella, while her mother treats her with contempt and frequent whippings. Meanwhile, a white Princeton University professor named Katherine St. James, who was raised in Mississippi, stirs things up when she moves into the Black half of town for a research project. Though it’s been almost 20 years since the killings of three voting-rights activists nearby, the case remains unsolved and racial tensions still run high. Against this backdrop, Katherine becomes a tutor and mother figure to the love-starved Ella, but as shocking revelations emerge about Katherine’s past in 1960s Mississippi, Nkrumah leads readers to reflect on the limits of the professor’s good intentions. The author is supremely gifted at bringing both her characters and their close-knit rural town to life. Readers will eagerly await more from this writer.

Nyani Nkrumah was born in Boston and grew up in Ghana, West Africa, and later Zimbabwe. Nyani graduated from Amherst College, has a Masters from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and earned a Ph.D from Cornell University. A Fulbright Fellow, she lives in the Washington, DC area with her family and works in international development.

A single orange basketball sits on a wooden court.

Library’s Got Game

brandondwightbannister Leave a comment
A single orange basketball sits on a wooden court.

by Brandon B.

March Madness historically has been known as one of the most exciting sporting events of the calendar year. Before you fill out your bracket for the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments, consider brushing up on your basketball bona fides with the Library. Sixty-eight teams earn spots in the men’s tournament and 32 teams for the women every year. All teams compete in the three-week basketball tournament in their respective regions, vying to make it through to the Sweet Sixteen and Final Four on their way to the Championship game.

Read some terrific accounts celebrating the joy of the game from HCLS’ collection. Former NBA player and ESPN analyst Jalen Rose wrote Got to Give the People What They Want to explain his experiences as a student-athlete at the University of Michigan. Rose was a part of the first college basketball team to start five freshmen in a season.

Kwame Alexander’s Newbery Award-winning The Crossover is a great book for teens who have a passion for sports and poetry. The Crossover is available in a number of accessible formats for teens. The original novel is available as a print book, an audiobook on CD, an e-book and an e-audiobook from Libby/OverDrive, and as an e-book from CloudLibrary. The 2019 graphic novel version, which was a nominee for the Black-Eyed Susan Award, is available in print and as an e-book from Libby/OverDrive.

Cover of Sum It Up by Pat Summitt, with a close up of her face looking to the right.

University of Tennessee coach Pat Summitt’s book Sum it Up: 1,098 Victories, a Couple of Irrelevant Losses, and a Life in Perspective (also available as an e-audiobook from Libby/OverDrive) chronicles her life journey and legendary career, which resulted in eight national championships. In her memoir, Pat Summitt also shares her battles with Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.

You can also watch some of the great basketball films to get in the spirit. The classic film Hoosiers, starring Gene Hackman, showcases a team that battles adversity and triumphs just like all the colleges in the NCAA tournament. Love and Basketball stars Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps and tells the story of two childhood friends who share their love for each other through their basketball journey.

Just like a great novel or film, the end or destination is not the best part but the journey. When the champion is crowned at the NCAA tournament this year, hard work, determination and adversity, are important characteristics that will help them succeed. It’s time for the tip-off; enjoy the games!

Brandon is a Customer Service Specialist at HCLS Central Branch who loves reading, football, and taking nice long walks around his neighborhood.

The cover depicts an Italian town on the coastline against a pale orange sky, with the cliffs overlooking a sky-blue sea and the green hills in the distance.

Meet Rebecca Serle, Author of One Italian Summer

Admin Leave a comment
Author Rebecca Serle wears a pink floral slip dress and sits in the corner of a beige sofa.

Sun, Mar 12
2 – 4 pm
Miller Branch & online
In partnership with Columbia Inspired magazine
Register here for the in-person event and here for the online event.

“[A] magical trip worth taking.” — Associated Press

The New York Times bestselling author of In Five Years returns with a powerful novel about the transformational love between mothers and daughters set on the breathtaking Amalfi Coast.

When Katy’s mother dies, she is left reeling. Carol wasn’t just Katy’s mom, but her best friend and first phone call. She had all the answers, and now, when Katy needs her the most, she is gone. To make matters worse, their planned mother-daughter trip of a lifetime looms: two weeks in Positano, the magical town where Carol spent the summer right before she met Katy’s father. Katy has been waiting years for Carol to take her, and now she is faced with embarking on the adventure alone.

But as soon as she steps foot on the Amalfi Coast, Katy begins to feel her mother’s spirit. Buoyed by the stunning waters, beautiful cliffsides, delightful residents, and, of course, delectable food, Katy feels herself coming back to life.

And then Carol appears—in the flesh, healthy, sun-tanned, and thirty years old. Katy doesn’t understand what is happening, or how—all she can focus on is that she has somehow, impossibly, gotten her mother back. Over the course of one Italian summer, Katy gets to know Carol, not as her mother, but as the young woman before her. She is not exactly who Katy imagined she might be, however, and soon Katy must reconcile the mother who knew everything with the young woman who does not yet have a clue.

Rebecca Serle’s next great love story is here, and this time it’s between a mother and a daughter. With her signature “heartbreaking, redemptive, and authentic” (Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author) prose, Serle has crafted a transcendent novel about how we move on after loss, and how the people we love never truly leave us.

The cover depicts an Italian town on the coastline against a pale orange sky, with the cliffs overlooking a sky-blue sea and the green hills in the distance.

One Italian Summer is available from HCLS in print, as an audiobook on CD, and as an e-book and an e-audiobook from Libby/OverDrive.

After the presentation, you can purchase her book and have it have it autographed (while supplies last). For those attending virtually, books are available to purchase online from The Last Word Bookstore.

Rebecca Serle discusses her book with Anika Baty-Mills.

Rebecca Serle is an author and television writer who lives in New York and Los Angeles. Serle co-developed the hit TV adaptation of her YA series Famous in Love, and is also the author of In Five Years and The Dinner List, and YA novels The Edge of Falling and When You Were Mine. She received her MFA from the New School in New York, NY.

Anika Baty-Mills is the publisher and owner of Columbia Inspired magazine. Columbia Inspired magazine is a digital publication that provides a safe space for each and every reader to feel seen, heard, and cared for. Its mission is to help readers create, implement, and nurture their own version of a healthy lifestyle.  For the last 18 years, Anika and her family have lived, worked, and played here in Howard County and she is proud to be bringing the community together one click at a time.

In partnership with Columbia Inspired magazine and Prince George’s County Memorial Library System.

Please register for the in-person event or the online event with an email address to receive an immediate registration confirmation.

Three books propped upright by the bubble wall in the Elkridge Branch children's area: The Yeti Files, Aven Green, and J.D. and the Great Barber Battle

Fun with First Chapter Books

elianahcls Leave a comment
Three books propped upright by the bubble wall in the Elkridge Branch children's area: The Yeti Files, Aven Green, and J.D. and the Great Barber Battle

by Eliana H.

At least once a week, typically more often, I walk a library guest over to my favorite children’s collection: First Chapter Books. Since you’re not at the Elkridge Branch visiting me in person, welcome to my virtual tour of this great option for young readers. 

A few things might lead us over to First Chapter Books. Maybe someone is asking about their second grader who has progressed past early readers but is still intimidated by the longer texts in Children’s Fiction. Perhaps a grown-up wants their child to read more than only graphic novels. Possibly a young reader is looking for some funny books, and they read quickly, so they want to know there are more book in the series waiting for them. Any of those requests are likely to prompt me to invite you to follow me as we head toward our First Chapter Book collection. 

You may be asking, so what is a First Chapter Book? First Chapter Books are chapter books, as you might have guessed, but they still have illustrations. The collection has a range of levels, but they all contain a bit less dense text than Children’s Fiction, where the rest of our chapter books live. Some have pictures on every page and maybe only a few sentences per page, while others may have a few pages of text before another illustration appears. First Chapter Books are not for a specific age. I’ve suggested the collection for readers throughout elementary grades. While all the books fit within a certain range of reading levels, they are not arranged by difficulty. As with most of our other collections, titles are shelved alphabetically by author name. Most of our First Chapter Books are part of series, so enthusiastic readers can continue to follow the adventures of favorite characters. Many of the books engage your sense of humor, and fantasy and magic are common themes as well. Plenty of options are available for children who want to read stories about kids just like them. 

So the next time you are looking for a fun book that won’t be too taxing for a fairly fluent reader, ask your friendly library staff member where you can find the First Chapter Book collection. If you have a reader between the ages of six and nine in your house who wants to talk about First Chapter Books with others, join me for Paragraph Pals, which meets monthly at the Elkridge Branch. You can register for our next meeting here starting March 2. 

Eliana is a Children’s Research Specialist and Instructor at HCLS Elkridge Branch. She loves reading, even if she’s slow at it, and especially enjoys helping people find books that make them light up. She also loves being outside and spending time with friends and family (when it’s safe).

A black cover with multi-colored type in yellow, orange, purple, and teal. Illustrated women's eyes look to left and right, one sporting a nose ring and the other a bindi.

She’s Got a Reputation. It Would Be a Shame to Waste It.

Rohini G. Leave a comment
A black cover with multi-colored type in yellow, orange, purple, and teal. Illustrated women's eyes look to left and right, one sporting a nose ring and the other a bindi.

Meet the Author
Wednesday, Mar 8
7 – 8 pm
online – you will receive a link after registration.

“[A] wild ride. Very funny—like, laugh out loud funny.” —NPR

Enter Parini Shroff with her debut novel, The Bandit Queens. I loved this novel because it offers a rare perspective into Indian women – their entrepreneurship and business acumen as well as their spunk and solidarity, and it does so without minimizing their traditionally burdensome role in society. A very difficult balancing act that Parini pulls off with aplomb. Filled with clever criminals, second chances, and wry and witty women, it’s a razor-sharp debut of humor and heart.

A young Indian woman finds the false rumors that she killed her husband surprisingly useful — until other women in the village start asking for her help getting rid of their own husbands. Five years ago, Geeta lost her no-good husband. As in, she actually lost him — he walked out on her and she has no idea where he is. But in her remote village in India, rumor has it that Geeta killed him. And it’s a rumor that just won’t die.

Freedom must look good on Geeta, because now other women are asking for her “expertise,” making her an unwitting consultant for husband disposal.

Join us on Wednesday, March 8 from 7-8 pm as Parini discusses her book with Faye McCray.

“This funny, feel-good read is a rollicking ride rife with memorable characters involved in ill-fated hijinks. It also serves up commentary on class, power dynamics and the role of women in society, with a feminist history lesson to boot.”—Good Housekeeping

Headshot of author Parini Shroff with long black hair, with lush greenery behind her.
Faye McCray, wearing a yellow dress, stands before a wood door in a brick wall. She has her arms crossed and her hair all to the left.

Parini Shroff received her MFA from the University of Texas at Austin. She is a practicing attorney and currently lives in the Bay Area.

Faye McCray is an author, playwright, and journalist whose work has been featured in the HuffPost, Parade Magazine, Little Patuxent Review, AARP Magazine, Madame Noire, Black Girl Nerds, and other popular publications. Faye is a proud board member of the Howard County Poetry and Literature Society and Hopeworks.

The Bandit Queens is available in print and as an e-book.

The cover shows a woman with long red hair and turquoise blue glasses frames with matching striped top reading an open book with a yellow cover that she holds in her hands.

Light But Not Fluffy – New Book Club

madammommy 2 Comments
The cover shows a woman with long red hair and turquoise blue glasses frames with matching striped top reading an open book with a yellow cover that she holds in her hands.

by Piyali C.

While Covid ravaged the world, I went into a reading slump. I love to read literary fiction, historical fiction, and other thought-provoking books that are deep, engrossing and have messages for me to decipher. But Covid took up so much of my mental bandwidth. There was not much left in me to devote to complicated plots and complex characters in a novel or to focus on nonfiction. I craved happy stories – stories that gave me hope.

I shared that thought with a like-minded friend and colleague. She could relate. We both started reading books that were lighter in content than our usual fare but had issues to discuss and ponder. We read books that ended with “happily-ever-after” or with the hope of “happily ever after.” We suggested titles to each other and then began a list, jotting those titles down. We wondered if there were others out there who felt like us – who needed page turners with a purpose and were willing to discuss them. But starting a book club, at that time, was just a dream.

The book cover shows a yellow A-frame house in the background, against a turquoise sky with four fluffy white cumulus clouds. The house has green deciduous trees behind it. The eye descends from the house on top of the hill across a green expanse to the bottom, where a red lobster floats in blue water against a shoreline of grey rocks and pebbles in varying shades, shapes, and sizes.

However, the dream became a reality recently. I am starting a book club called Light But Not Fluffy on March 16, 2023. We will meet on the Third Thursday of every month at Miller Branch from 2 – 3 pm. The selected titles will be available for pickup 4 weeks prior to the discussion date from the Customer Service Desk at Miller Branch.

We will read books that talk about love, grace and, most importantly, hope. The books will include humor and perhaps some snark as well, to spice things up. If the thought of reading lighter books and joining in a discussion that will, hopefully, leave us feeling happier appeals to you, join us. 

The book shows a woman, facing the camera, from her nose to her hips. She holds a bound brown leather book against her chest with both hands. She is wearing a red shirt or dress with a white apron trimmed in a paler red over top. Her dark red lipstick matches her fingernails.

Below are the dates and titles for Spring:

March 16 – The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman (also available in e-book and e-audiobook format from Libby/OverDrive) – previously reviewed on Chapter Chats.

April 20 – Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes (also available in e-book and e-audiobook format from Libby/OverDrive)

May 18 – The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan (also available in e-book and e-audiobook format from Libby/OverDrive) – previously reviewed on Chapter Chats.

Registration is preferred, not required. Click here to register.

Piyali is an instructor and research specialist at HCLS Miller Branch, where she facilitates Light But Not Fluffy and co-facilitates Global Reads. She keeps the hope alive that someday she will reach the bottom of her to-read list.

Dolly Parton stands with her guitar. She's wearing blue jeans, a tied red plaid shirt, and a black wide brimmed hat. Run Rose Run appears to her left, with a flower in the center of the word rose.

by Cherise T.

Undoubtedly one of the greatest country singers of all time, Dolly Parton is now a novelist as well. Her coauthor is none other than James Patterson, one of the best-selling authors of all time. How could I not take a chance on their thriller, Run, Rose, Run, the story of a bound-for-stardom young country singer with a dark past? 

I’ll let you in on a not-so secret. Despite my snobbish reading tendencies, I’m a sucker for books by my favorite authors, even if their newest book is not well received. I don’t read reviews or book cover blurbs. With my eyes unfocused, I scan a book’s description or skim the closing sentence of a book review, but beyond that, I don’t want to know. I prefer to judge for myself whether a book is a “family saga” or an “exploration of self-discovery,” or a “dystopian post-apocalyptic journey.” I’ll judge for myself whether the protagonist is “unforgettable,” the writing “electric,” and the plot “timeless.” Another secret: if the writer is someone I admire or whose work intrigues me, I’ll read the book even while I know I may be critical of potentially weak prose or stereotyped characters. 

Biases intact, I started reading Run, Rose, Run. Three chapters later, I considered all the other books in my pile and moved on. Recently, a customer asked for the book, and I happened to notice that the audiobook included Dolly Parton and a full cast of readers. Being a sucker for an over-produced audiobook and a Dolly devotee, I gave the book a second chance. Fellow readers, the audiobook is great and not over-the-top at all, and the plot is a page turner, even as I toggled back and forth to the print version. Parton has a significant role in the audiobook as she performs the part of the seasoned world-famous country singer, Ruthanna Ryder, who has taken fledgling AnnieLee Keyes under her tutelage. 

For those wondering if they should read this book, please consider the engaging aspects of the story. There are attractive love interests. The thugs are brawny and scary. The protagonists have mysterious backstories. The descriptions of the music business feel like the reader is gossiping with their close friend, Dolly. The pages are packed with country music references and lyrics penned by Parton just for this book. And for Dolly Parton fans? Parton has explained that there are autobiographical elements in the aspects of the plot related to breaking into the entertainment industry. Beyond that, however, I enjoyed imagining how many of the descriptions of makeup, shoes, performances, grievances, cooking, martinis, songwriting, and home décor were glimpses into Dolly Parton’s life.  

Run, Rose, Run. It’s a suspenseful book. It’s a compelling audio performance. It’s an entertaining 12-track bluegrass album (don’t miss “Big Dreams and Faded Jeans” and “Snakes in the Grass”). Reese Witherspoon’s production company has plans to create a film based on the novel. Need I say more?

Cherise Tasker is an Adult Instructor and Research Specialist at the Central Branch. When not immersed in literary fiction, Cherise can be found singing along to musical theater soundtracks. 

Here She Comes Again 

chtasker Leave a comment
Two young men walking past each other, one holding a moving box and one with duffle bag over his shoulder. A city skyline fills the background.

What If It’s Us by Becky Abertalli and Adam Silvera

monaerivers Leave a comment
Two complementary covers, featuring young men wearing jeans and short sleeve shirts. They are passing by each other in the first and sitting at a cafe table in the second. There's a city skyline in the background of both.

By Monae R.

Coming back from the holidays is always hard. Getting back into the routine of waking up, getting your morning coffee, heading to work, and dragging through the day. This is fairly universal. I have to say, though, this routine becomes a lot easier if you have just read a good book you cannot wait to tell everyone about.

Becky Albertali and Adam Silvera work together well on What If It’s Us. I am extremely passionate about this particular series. With only two books, I was on the edge of my seat deep into the romance and relatable topics. The characters are lovable, and the writing is fantastic. To make it all just that much sweeter, the icing on the cake, the Libby audiobook readers are absolutely fantastic and exactly how I imagined the characters sounding like. They do the story a huge justice and bring the characters to life in a way that took me even deeper into the story.

What If It’s Us is a romantic comedy for young adult readers told from the perspective of both main characters, who are fully experiencing the age when teenagers are angsty and looking for companionship. The characters come from different worlds and their chance encounter has them floating on the idea of fate and love at first sight. The story follows Ben and Arthur through the life trials of dates, long distance, and college in the heart of New York City.

It’s not everyday that a chance encounter leads to more, and sometimes fighting for it is the best decision. Follow these two teens and their friends and family through the trials of life. Their story continues in Here’s to Us where Arthur and Ben have gone through a lot of changes in the past two or so years. The 16 year olds are now 19 and have new perspectives on life, work, relationships, and where they want their lives to go. Follow them as they navigate adulthood and the struggles that come with being in New York together again.

Both authors have several other books. Becky Albertali is a previous psychologist famously known for her 2015 debut novel, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, which was adapted into the 2018 film Love, Simon and inspired the spin-off television series Love, Victor. Adam Silvera is known for his bestselling novels They Both Die at the End, More Happy Than Not, and History Is All You Left Me.

Monae is a Children’s Instructor and Research Specialist at HCLS East Columbia Branch.

The cover of the book shows a stylized, cartoonish wood duck flying above a lake, with several wood ducks floating beneath along with a canoe tied up to a dock on a rocky shore. In the background are steps leading up to a small cottage with a streetlight and a railing behind it. The sun is reflected in the water and hovers in a purplish sky with two fluffy blue clouds.

Flying Solo by Linda Holmes

madammommy Leave a comment
The cover of the book shows a stylized, cartoonish wood duck flying above a lake, with several wood ducks floating beneath along with a canoe tied up to a dock on a rocky shore. In the background are steps leading up to a small cottage with a streetlight and a railing behind it. The sun is reflected in the water and hovers in a purplish sky with two fluffy blue clouds.

by Piyali C.

I have discovered many beautiful reads while shelving carts at our branch. Sometimes, I check out more books from the cart than I put on the shelf (that is somewhat of an exaggeration, but not by much). Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes was one such discovery. I loved that book so much that I was excited when I found out the author was publishing her next novel, Flying Solo. This time I was prepared, and I requested a copy right away. After I finished Flying Solo in two sittings, I was in a dilemma. Which one did I love more? Bottom line – I like this author’s stories. I like how she does not tie everything in a neat bow at the end, because life is messy and our problems do not resolve beautifully all the time. However, she leaves us with hope, and what better resolution is there than to remain hopeful?

In the new title, whenever Laurie needed a break from her obnoxiously noisy brothers during her childhood, she went to her great Aunt Dot’s big, quiet house for refuge. Dot’s house was only a short bike ride away from her loving but loud family in a small, seaside town in Maine. Young Laurie was Dot’s favorite niece and best friend. When Dot dies at 93, Laurie is the one who takes up the responsibility of going through Dot’s possessions and readying her house for sale, since the rest of her family does not have time to deal with it. Laurie is now on the cusp of 40, she has broken her engagement, and she is going through a midlife crisis as she tries to figure out what she wants. The huge responsibility of sorting through Dot’s photos and belongings is somewhat of a distraction when her own life is falling apart.

Laurie discovers a beautifully carved wooden duck decoy lovingly stored in a chest under some blankets. Puzzled about the significance of the duck, so fondly hidden, Laurie sets out to learn more. In her quest to uncover the mystery of the duck, she falls victim to a con artist and rekindles a romance with her high school sweetheart, who is (and this was important to me) the beloved town librarian with terrific research skills (what could be more attractive than that?). Laurie also comes in contact with some genuine and unforgettable characters who become important parts of her life as she tries to uncover the mystery of the decoy and, in the process, learns more about the hidden aspects of her great aunt’s life. This journey not only reveals the colorful life of charismatic Dot, who flouted societal norms set for women and lived her life on her own terms, but it also helps Laurie discover what she actually wants in life and perhaps reconciles her to the idea of flying solo.

Told in a lucid voice, the story is a relatively light read, yet it makes the readers think about their own relationships and what they want out of them.

Flying Solo is available at Howard County Library System in print, large print, e-book, and e-audiobook formats.

Piyali is an instructor and research specialist at the Miller Branch of HCLS, where she co-facilitates Global Reads and facilitates Light But Not Fluffy (starting in Spring 2023!) and keeps the hope alive that someday she will reach the bottom of her to-read list.