EXIT PARTY
by Emily St. John Mandel

It’s 2031 when an experiment goes terribly wrong and opens a window to another world. The physicists who run the experiment step through, leaving their doubles behind. The two worlds are very different, one a war torn state and the other a country under strict control. Those who know both navigate, live and love while wondering if this reality is truly their own.

-Beth

OUR NOBLE SELVES
by Kate Atkinson

It’s 1951 and the British government wants to put the dark days of war behind it and focus attention on the Festival of Britain. It’s a celebration of creativity as well as grit and determination. For war correspondent and POW Harry Flynn, it might just be the focus he needs to re-find what he lost in the Far East and so he joins an oddball bunch aiming to launch the Festival. He even attempts a date with Delphine Dubois but her subsequent disappearance suggests he may have been the last person to see her alive. Atkinson’s book is a very entertaining blend of a mystery thriller, combined with an actual historical event, colorful characters, all delivered with the optimistic tone set by the Festival and a great deal of wit. 

-Kathy

SHADOW BEFORE THE FLAME

by Catherine Grace Katz

From the author of The Daughters of Yalta comes the impeccably researched story of the Hindenburg tragedy. Though history knows the Hindenburg's fate, Katz beautifully and intelligently writes of the backdrop of the voyage. The rise of Hitler’s regime, the fascination and intrigue of air travel and the beginning of radio broadcasting collide with the personal stories of the passengers on board. Jon Meacham perfectly quoted this not to miss factual account stating: “Largely forgotten or only dimly recalled, it is fundamentally a human story that tells us much about the epochal twentieth century and the early hours of what we now call globalization. A stirring read.” 

-Morley

*Join us for a luncheon with the author on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. Click HERE for more information

SAVING NOAH

by Lucinda Berry

This story is about a family torn apart when their 15 year old son, the star athlete and all around golden boy, admits to his parents that he molested two young girls on his swim team. Now, after serving his sentence in a juvenile rehab center, he is released back to his family. Upon release the family continues to fracture under the weight of what he has done and the continued price he must pay for it in society. A heartbreaking story of a family's shame and guilt in the aftermath of the unthinkable and a mother's love and desire to do whatever is necessary to protect her son.  

While this book is definitely not going to be for everyone, I think people who liked Defending Jacob and who enjoy Jodi Piccoult will like this novel. A book that dives right into a topic that makes you uncomfortable, but the story is really good.

-Kirsten

STEELBORN

by Taylor J. LaRue



I don’t know how Steelborn is a debut, it absolutely needs to be the next viral romantasy novel! It blew me away. 

In the world of notorious thief Reya Connery tyrants rule, magic is outlawed, revolutions brew, and an impossible cure may prove deadlier than the curse. Her story is everything you could want from this genre, and author Taylor LaRue is the real deal. Her writing propels you through every page, needing more but never wanting the story to end. This book was a five star read!

-Katie

APPRAISALS

by Claire Boyles



Claire Boyles’s debut novel, Appraisals, is a deeply moving look at the fragile intersections of family, ideals, and survival in the American West. The story centers on Maggie, who grew up on her grandparents’ farm in Eastern Colorado and remained determined to become an organic farmer despite knowing the hardships firsthand. On the precipice of the 2008 Great Recession, she and her husband, Fish, took the leap and bought a farm of their own, only for the economic crash to leave them financially underwater within six months. Driven by desperation, Fish accepts a job with a company promoting local fracking and land development. This choice fractures his marriage to Maggie and pushes their fifteen-year-old daughter, Ozzie, to join a radical activist group protesting the very company paying her father’s wages. 

What makes this rich, character-driven novel so unforgettable is its narrative structure. By rotating the perspective among Maggie, Fish, and Maggie's grandmother, Flora, the reader is given an intimate, empathetic front-row seat to the valid fears and desperate motives driving each individual. We witness the complex toll of love and compromise under extreme economic pressure. I absolutely loved this book!

-Karina

THE ONLY THING THERE IS TO WANT

by Sarah Hepola

(releases 9/29/26)



In this memoir, Sarah examines three complicated love relationships and how they have shaped her. Always wanting a career, a family, the ability to travel and to love deeply, she asks the modern day question of "Is it possible to have it all?"

-Morley

COOKBOOK SUGGESTIONS

KARI

by Sheil Shukla

I can’t get enough of the beautiful photography, artistry AND flavorful dishes from this plant-forward cookbook by Dr. Sheil Shukla. Chicago-area Internal Medicine doctor and recipe creator, he combines spices and ingredients that are super approachable with divine results.

-Diana