I Keep My Worries in My Teeth, by Anna Cox

Why we chose it:

I Keep My Worries in My Teeth by Anna Cox, is a fun feel good story with elements of bizaare and imaginative extremes that kept us turning page after page. Who’s ever heard of a career position in a pencil factory, involving dressing up in character to test pencils for the purpose of measuring their bite feel? A perfectly described hospital room carried us right there with a nurse thoughtful enough to make his patient the talk of her friends – in the best of ways. When the elements of photography are scientifically explained in story form, we were tempted to go purchase our first 9mm camera and learn the art of developing film! Through tragedy, anxiety and fear, community wins the day, and this story reminds us that even when we are only one individual, our efforts are felt by many. We are proud to call author Anna Cox our neighbor!

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The Turtle House, by Amanda Churchill

Why we chose it:

Amanda Churchill holds degrees in creative writing and has spent her life honing her abilities, so when her dad asked her to sit down with his mom and ask about her life, this novel was the overflow. Amanda has captured a family heritage in beautiful ways, and the grit and strength of women, whether in the loneliness of acculturation, or the joining of voice to the chorus to say, Me Too.

Beginning with Mineko as a young girl and following her immigration from occupied Japan to North Texas, not only did we learn history that we didn’t know before, but we put ourselves in the place of a woman who took the only way out she could value. The story woven in The Turtle House made us feel the fear, anger, determination, and tension of this Japanese war bride. Taking us down a road to understand her life from 1945 all the way to present day, the wit and quirky grandma in this story will make you smile in spite of her hardships. If you like historical fiction and tales of strong women, this one’s for you!

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Five First Chances, by Sarah Jost

Why we chose it:

This paperback is the perfect vacation read, with a thoughtful storyline that will have you talking it through with your travel companions. Lou gets five chances to re-write the storyline of meeting Nick, with the help of a unique type of time travel that she may or may not realize is happening. Sarah Jost has done a great job of creating the Groundhog Day-like replaying of the repeated timeframe in such a way that we were never bored seeing it all happen again. As you might expect, Lou learns important lessons with each re-living, and at face value Five First Chances is just that – re-writing a story in different ways with different outcomes. But as we read, we gained important insight into what mental unrest can do to those we love. Lou is stuck as if trudging through tar, and she is unable to keep from pulling others into the mire with her. Only in letting go can she truly receive and give love, but healing comes through heart wrenching suffering. If you like fiction that makes you wrestle through life-like stories and mind-bending writing tricks leaving you thinking about the ins and outs of the story long after you’ve turned the last page, you’ll enjoy Five First Chances by Sarah Jost.

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A Short Walk Through A Wide World, by Douglas Westerbeke

Why we chose it:

This book is getting a lot of attention right now, and with good reason! Follow the female protagonist on her travel through every corner of the world. She cannot stay in one place long or her mysterious disease will kill her, but if she will just keep walking, everything else that would kill you and I, somehow is her survival. This book reminded us ever so slightly of Cloud Cuckoo Land, but without relying upon AI, and Peter Pan without being written for children. The places traveled to in this story are severely described with intricate and sometimes intimate detail, and there has not been another book in a long time, that has found us scrounging for time to devour more pages to see what happens next. There is one person you will cheer for in this story, and you will wander and wonder right along with her as she finds that time is allowing her to navigate her survival, passions, and even her need for rest. We highly encourage you to get lost in the adventure of A Short Walk Through a Wide World!

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A Canticle for Leibowitz, by Walter M. Miller, Jr.

Why we chose it:

A Canticle for Leibowitz was a recent read for our "Classics New and Old" Book Club, and it was a universal hit! First published in 1959, this post-apocalyptic story follows the monks of the Order of St. Leibowitz as they work to preserve what's left of human knowledge after the "Fire Deluge" (aka, a 20th-century nuclear holocaust) throws the world into a new Dark Ages. Its three sections correspond to three different centuries within the life of the abbey, and the story that unfolds forces readers to ask themselves questions not only about the mysterious goings-on at the order, but also about the way history is passed down—and ultimately about human nature itself. Miller's work is chock-full of moments that are sure to delight anyone who is familiar with medieval or renaissance history, but the story is engaging enough that even the casual reader will find herself sucked into the world of this futuristic monastery. In short, A Canticle for Leibowitz is weird and mysterious and thought-provoking in all the best ways!

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The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages, by Trenton Lee Stewart

Mr Benedict and his crew have long been my all time favorite middle grade adventures. Friendship, sacrifice, team work, ingenuity that doesn’t need magic wands (not that I don’t love a good magic wand!), and the love of others always translating into forgiveness, trust, and leaning on others’ strengths in our own weaknesses. These books are all full of adventure, and make great read alouds, but if you’re a grown up looking for a light read that will also make your heart soar, look no further. This one is my particular favorite, and it can stand alone! And…the book is better than the shows.

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Green Ember, by S.D. Smith

For anyone who wishes the magic of Narnia hadn’t ended. Do we really need to say more?

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The Whiz Mob and the Grenadine Kid, by Colin Meloy

Foreign country. Kid wanders off. Pick pocketing gang makes kid one of their own, and teaches him the ways of their trade. Trust us. You will never think your wallet is safe again. This book astounded my children and I when I read it aloud, and we’ve given it as gifts many a time. I think I might go read it again right now, actually. Whoever said that middle grade adventure wasn’t for adults was simply not correct.

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Greenglass House, by Kate Milford

I’ve read a lot of Kate Milford’s writing, and Greenglass House is my favorite! Milo Pine’s parents run an inn, and it’s the holidays, which should mean that he gets a break, but no inn keeper actually gets a break at the holidays, so as the guests keep arriving, he has to endure all of their curious stares when they realize that he must be adopted. In has wandered though, Meddy, who he learns a complicated new game with, and before they know it there’s also a mastery on their hands. This book has such a huge twist to it I wish I could be a fly on the wall when you find it! (I also recommend Milford’s book Thief Knot!)

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On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, by Andrew Peterson

Follow the courageous Igiby siblings—Janner, Tink, and Leeli—as they embark on an epic adventure to uncover the secrets of their past and confront the sinister forces that threaten their home. With wit, humor and heart, a few fantastical creatures and sly villains thrown in, and the flicker of hope in the dark land of Skree, Peterson weaves a tale of bravery, friendship, and the power of family. You won’t stop after this first book in the four book series, either!

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