Recommendations

Jan says, Every once in a while, it’s fun to read a book that is not your typical genre choice. …

Hunter Says “This coming of age novel is reminiscent of John Irving or Jonathan Franzen.”  Griffin Hurt is in over…

Jan says, Slightly fewer characters than The Overstory, but an equally compelling story.  Novelist Richard Powers newest book does for…

Jan says, With its Midwest small-town setting, this was a good choice for the 2025 All Iowa Reads selection.  An…

Jan says,  All of your favorite Strout characters are back in this lovely story that captures the prickliness of Olive…

Jan says, An inspiring and haunting read that stays with you long after you finish.  The description of the attack…

Jan says, This book grabbed me as soon as I saw it began with Neanderthals.  It’s a page-turning story about…

If you loved to watch the show, you will love reading all the behind-the-scenes tales, jokes, and fascinating facts that…

Always a fan of Stephen King’s writing, I really enjoyed this latest collection of his short stories. I was hooked…

Curtis Sittenfeld has been a favorite of mine since I read her book, American Wife—a thinly veiled accounting of former…

Jan says, Combine a love of music, a tale of crossed lovers, and some outright sibling rivalry and you have…

Jan says, A member of my book club recommended this book, and I agree wholeheartedly that it is an amazing…

Sally’s Thought’s: “This book gave me a new appreciation of birding and those who become infatuated with it, but I…

I am a sucker for horror stories that play with memory, nostalgia, and the strange phenomena of growing up (whatever…

It’s autumn in the town of Harrow, but something else is changing in the town besides the season. Because in…

Sally says: So many World War II novels and still there is always more to learn. I knew nothing about…

Sally says: As one of a four girls, no boys family I was drawn to a story of four sisters….

Harriet’s Thoughts: Read the stories of three teachers as they go through a year’s worth of tteaching and living.  It…

Julie’s Thoughts: What do you like with your fall leaves and pumpkin spice? How about some dark family secrets, a…

Julie’s Thoughts: Did you ever wish The Oregon Trail had more demons? If so, do I have the book for…

Julie’s Thoughts: A mix of steampunk and science fiction, a murder mystery, and the exploration of the divisions inherent in…

Julie’s Thoughts: I love Viv so much, I dove into this prequel with high expectations and a mountain of pasteries at…

Julie’s Thoughts: Southern gothic is a genre of paradox, drowsy and vibrant at the same time. Alix Harrow channels that…

Hunter Says “Finn Murphy is back! After telling of his adventures as a long haul mover he is back to…

Sally says: I had no concept of the power of the KKK in the 1920’s. This was a page-turner for…

Jan says, Always a fan of Lisa See.  Her latest historical novel was inspired by the true story of a…

Jan says, this is a scary read–filled with important information that has already impacted our lives and will continue to…

Jan says, An interesting read – I was attracted to the ARC because of its cover and the fact that…

Jan says, This is an important story that informs the reader of how a young black slave suffered unspeakable pain…

Jan says, Who knew that there is an official Einstein Facebook page and that Benyamin Cohen is the manager of…

Sally’s Thoughts: I loved The Plot and was expecting another mystery. Instead, I got an elaborate dysfunctional family story spanning…

For the past four years, Margaret Renkl’s columns have offered readers of The New York Times a weekly dose of…

Shirley’s Thoughts: An intriguing mix of historical fiction and horror, this is the story of women who were allowed to…

Hunter says, “For as long as Cassie can remember she has been followed by a black hole. The black hole…

Shirley’s Thoughts: I absolutely loved this book! I’ve been a big fan of mythology all of my life – I’ve…

Julie’s Thoughts: I love genre-blending books- a space opera, post-apocalyptic adventure, and a thriller mystery all rolled into one? Sign…

Harriet’s Thoughts: A physician at Houston’s Ben Taub Hospital follows five patients to show how they help the indigent of…

Julie’s thoughts: I can’t get enough space operas lately, there is just something so appealing in the idea of leaving…

Thomas: A refracting maze of a book. A solid crime read. This letter is your death sentence. To avenge what…

Hunter: We all know Christian Cooper from an encounter he had with an angry white woman while birding in Central…

Julie’s thoughts: This book feels like an out-of-control roller coaster in the best way. As I was flung through joy…

Julie’s thoughts: I’m not much of a memoir person. I find reading other people’s memories weirdly intimate. Nevertheless, I occasionally…

Julie’s thoughts: Sometimes I just want to lose myself in a strange place, meet some interesting people with fascinating stories…

Sally’s thoughts: Bob Burgess becomes a prominent character in Lucy by the Sea so I went back to read this…

Sally’s thoughts: More about Lucy Barton’s life and especially that of her (now ex) husband. He is still another imperfect…

Sally’s thoughts: Of course I wanted to learn more about Lucy Barton’s tortured childhood and this one filled in many…

There’s a version of this review that simply reads “What if Dr. Frankenstein made Jurassic Park?” Such a review would…

Sally’s thoughts: How lucky was I to grab an Advance Reader Copy of the new Ann Patchett? As she tells…

Any good history book will make you occasionally say “huh!” when you learn something new. This book will make you…

Sally’s thoughts: As a thriller, this reminded me of The Plot but at the same time tackled real social issues…

Hunter says, “Porter writes in such a unique, inventive style. Shy takes place  in the head of a troubled teenage…

Sally’s thoughts: Even though I loved Olive Kitteridge and Olive, Again I hadn’t really kept up with Elizabeth Strout. I…

Sally’s thoughts: A high school librarian recommended this book so passionately I felt compelled to give it a try even…

Julie’s thoughts: I didn’t know I needed a kid’s version of Beowulf, but oh my, did I ever! I adore…

Julie’s thoughts: Issues of class, body-shaming, misogyny, racism and more weave through this thought-provoking and powerful story that ends on…

Julie’s thoughts: This incredibly beautiful retelling of an ancient, inspiring myth is everything I want in a historical story —…

Julie’s thoughts: If you’ve never read a R.F. Kuang novel, prepare yourself to confront the dark side of humanity in…

Jan says, I was intrigued by the Iowa connections (the main character was from Kalona) as well as the various…

Jan says, Okay, this is not my usual genre, but my daughter loves this author’s work, so I had to…

Jan says, In anticipation of the author’s AViD appearance, I definitely wanted to read this award-winning novel. Time travel, an…

Jan says, pet-owners beware—this heartwarming tale elicits laughs and tears.  A fun book to listen to as the characters’ voices…

Jan says, I love how Baart was able to blend social media into this story while conveying the complicated mother-daughter…

Jan says, I’m fascinated with the many ways that the pandemic has impacted writers, and how they have dealt with…

Jan says, With such a difficult subject, I wasn’t sure I really wanted to read this book, but the author…

Jan says, I picked up this book because I had enjoyed Horan’s bestselling novel, Loving Frank, and never dreamed I…

Jan says, this book had been recommended to me by so many people and it didn’t disappoint.  It’s an especially…

Jan says, If you love historical fiction set during WW II, this book has everything you are looking for.  The…

Jan says, what a fun read this is!  As the description reads, it is indeed a rollicking feminist tale set…

Jan says, Another great story about a bookseller that will appeal to booklovers!  Darkshire brings to life the love and…

Jan says, this is a fascinating novel inspired by the true story of the once racially integrated Malaga Island off…

Jan says, this is such a delightful book for anyone who relishes stories about selling books.  I’m so glad it…

Jan says, I’m a big fan of Barbara Kingsolver, but had never read Poisonwood Bible.  After recently reading and loving…

Jan says, Although I don’t read a lot of mysteries, this one captured my attention from page one.  An interesting…

Jan says, A great book to listen to because Nina reads it herself. It was lovely to hear about the…

Hunter Says, “Maggie Smith’s memoir tells the story of the end of her marriage, and all that led up to…

Jan says, Another great story from one of my favorite writers.  He has such a knack for encapsulating life in…

Sally’s thoughts: This one grabbed me with a first chapter I thought would follow a single character though to the…

Hunter’s says, The writing is exceptional in Lucas’s debut novel Thirst for Salt. Sharkbait is the name her former lover…

Shirley says, Leave it to Steven King to take the Disney treatment out of the good old scary tales of…

Shirley says, These beautifully written stories gave me so much to think about, told in voices necessary for me to hear.  Set…

Shirley says, I first discovered this Swedish mystery author through her An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good stories. …

Jan says, This nonfiction book uncovers the lost secrets of World War II, long-hidden by villages in Poland.  The author…

Jan says, Today’s China is nothing like the China where Patti Isaacs and her husband lived in 1981.  The book…

Jan says, Snakes!  From the first page, you know that there can’t be anything good from keeping a pet snake,…

Jan says,  After reading so many great cli fi books recently, like The Deluge and Even If Everything Ends, I…

Jan says, This book opened up the world of Tarot for me.  Always a fan of historical fiction, I found…

Jan says, Intrigued by the connection to The Scarlet Letter and a long-time fan of Alice Hoffman, I immediately delved…

Jan says, This is a heartbreaking story about evacuated children and the ripple effects and long-lasting consequences of the choices…

 Jan says,  Why am I devouring so many nerve-wracking dystopian books?  Because they are fascinating reads and this one definitely…

Jan says,  Although this book has many dark elements, it is really a story about the power of love and…

Madame Restell: The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Old New York’s Most Fabulous, Fearless, and Infamous Abortionist Jan says, This…

Jan says,  True to her Iowa upbringing, Katie Porter lays it all out in this delightful memoir. From her early…

Jan says, Okay, so a book about phosphorus wouldn’t strike one as a page-turner, but it’s a book that every…

Sally’s thoughts: It was fun to read a memoir by a lousy student who knew the minute he stepped into…

Sally’s thoughts: I was lucky enough to get an advanced reader copy of this. Katie could make it as a…

Sally’s thoughts: I picked this up to read about RBG and discovered what a fascinating life Nina Totenberg has lived….

Sally’s thoughts: Kevin Wilson’s books are funny and offbeat and a little hard to explain when I recommend them. This…

Sally’s thoughts: Weird and funny, relatable to anyone who has worked in an organization where you sometimes wonder if what…

Sally’s thoughts: This is a fascinating story, horrifying and inspiring at the same time. In 1850s South Carolina, an enslaved…

Julie’s thoughts: I like to have my world shaken like a good martini, skip the olives. The stranger the story, the…

Julie’s thoughts: This is a faced-paced, fascinating, and very well-researched book with a lot of heart-stopping action and a brilliant,…

Julie’s thoughts: Sometimes the shortest books leave an impact far larger than they should. Kelly Barnhill has ripped me to…

Julie’s thoughts: Horror isn’t a genre for everyone, and to be very clear- this is one terrifying book and there…

Julie’s thoughts: This cozy and atmospheric delight was just what I needed for a post-holiday mental vacation. Rich with historical…

Julie’s thoughts: I love sprawling epics and interconnected stories. I love character-driven sci-fi even more. To top it off, I…

Julie’s thoughts: Change is an incredible, inevitable, potent beast and I don’t think I’ve ever read a piece of fiction…

Hunter Says, This is a wonderful collection of essays from a variety of black authors examining their connection to the…

Harriet’s thoughts: Another excellent book by one of my favorite mystery writers.  She ushers in many complexities to the story…

Harriet’s thoughts: A very readable book of a period of the time of the Great War and the period following. …

Jessica’s thoughts: I have put off starting the Murderbot diary’s for so long out of fear they would disappoint…the only…

Jessica’s thoughts: Winter’s Orbit was a favorite in 2021 so of course this has jumped to the top of my…

Jessica’s thoughts: Magic, Mayhem, Mothers and Daughters. A fast paced read of truth and consequences, of a mother’s past and…

Jessica’s thoughts: Years ago I read the first three books the Shatter Me series, this is book for some reason…

Jessica’s thoughts: The Davenports is a debut about a wealthy black family in 1910 Chicago. It is inspired by a…

Jan says, If, like me, you enjoyed The Paris Library, you are sure to enjoy this story of the intertwined…

Jan says, The cover of this book does not do it justice.  Even though it’s been on the bestseller lists…

Jan says, Hailed as the International Literary Event of the Year, this book is the epitome of the relatively new…

Jan says, This is a fascinating subject that we should all take the time to learn and understand.  The book…

Jan says, I enjoyed Charles Frazier’s story of Cold Mountain many years ago, so when we received the advanced reader copy…

Sally’s thoughts: Stories and characters from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries intersect around a horse. Each one was fascinating,…

Sally’s thoughts: I wouldn’t normally be drawn to a novel with an octopus as a main character but this one…

Sally’s thoughts: If I’m looking for a book I can savor (and not rush through to see how it ends)…

The Beckoning World: A Novel By Douglas Bauer University of Iowa Press November 1, 2022 Jan says, I don’t typically…

Jan says,She hooked me (literally) on page 33! Who would ever have thought Michelle Obama would use knitting as a…

Jan says, This lovely new book by Jennifer Rosner, National Jewish Book Award Finalist and author of The Yellow Bird…

Sally says: So many social problems tied together in one story, at times it was so painful I had to…

Jan says, Inspired by reading an ARC (advanced reader copy) of Markley’s new novel which comes out in January, I…

Jan says, Having grown up in rural Iowa, I’ve certainly experienced heavy snowstorms where mundane, familiar items are transformed and…

Julie says: Part philosophical character study, part ensemble sitcom- this is a warm, delightful exploration of how humanity changes when…

The protagonist of Percival Everett’s puckish new novel is a brilliant professor of mathematics who goes by Wala Kitu. (Wala,…

With fires devastating much of America, Lark and his family first leave their home in Maryland for Maine. But as…

Sally’s thoughts: Still in her 30’s, Katy Tur seems awfully young to be writing a second memoir. Oh but what…

Sally’s thoughts: This book combines a personal memoir, a family history, a story of holocaust survival, and a fascinating detective…

Sally’s thoughts: This book caught my eye when I saw it on the New Book display. The contrasting backgrounds and…

Sally’s thoughts: What really stood out to me about this memoir was Ashley Ford’s beautiful writing. I can’t wait to…

Jan says, A unique way of interweaving the lives of two children trapped in the same attic, almost a century…

Jan says, Although it’s not my usual genre, I appreciated the author’s clear writing and thorough investigative work on a…

Jan says, Wonderful to learn this little-known story of the daring women who rode through war-torn Europe, carrying secrets on…

Jan says, I loved the humor and wit! Who knew a bird guy could be so funny? A great, hilarious…

Jan says, I started this book when it first came out and then life happened so it sat on my…

Jan says, Be prepared to get hooked on page one and travel through 880 pages of incredible writing and very…

Cary’s Thoughts: A riveting story of an American tank gunner’s journey into the heart of Germany during WWII, Spearhead shows…

Cary’s Thoughts: Arguably the best baseball movie ever made, The Church of Baseball is a study of how movies get…

Cary’s Thoughts: ‘What’s Right Is Right.’  Or is it?  In this dystopian world, where technology is everywhere – and not…

Julie’s Thoughts: The darkest, most acerbic wit collides with the sharpest human insights from one of the most incisive writers…

Julie’s Thoughts: Rich with detail and compelling characters, this gorgeously written novel left me brimming with warmth and courage. The…

Julie’s Thoughts: Short and sweet and weird and complicated, the second book in the Monk and Robot series aptly delivers…

Jessica’s Thoughts: This is another of my comfort reads, I read it at least once a year. When Sean says…

Jessica’s Thoughts: This entire series of four books is a little slice of perfection. Take your time to slow down…

Jessica’s Thoughts: Six people pull off an amazing heist in a cold country, what could be better than that. Oh…

Jessica’s thoughts: I am not sure if this is a great overview of the 90’s or if I just found…

Jessica’s thoughts: The Thief, the first book in the The Queen’s Thief series, is one of my go-to comfort reads….

The “ceaselessly brilliant” story of one man who banishes himself to a solitary life in the Arctic Circle, and is…

Jan says, for anyone who loves historical fiction, this is a gem!  Brooks shares her gifts for research, storytelling, and…

Jan says, NPR sums it up perfectly below.  Although it is over 800 pages long, I could hardly put it…

Jan says, Not my usual genre, I read this for a book club where members selected a Banned Book to…

Jan says, Detective Noir extreme!   A zany comedy in typical Christopher Moore style that has you laughing from page one. …

Jan says, I’ve long been a fan of Mary Pipher’s writing and reading this book feels like spending a couple…

Jan says, A powerful story about the challenges survivors face after living through the horror of staying alive by outing…

Hunter Says: Till the Wheels Fall Off is a love letter to roller rinks, music, and growing up. I loved…

Lars Horn’s Voice of the Fish, the latest Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize winner, is an interwoven essay collection that explores the trans…

In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, an Egyptian American woman and a man from the village of Shobrakheit meet…

In a village in a medieval fiefdom buffeted by natural disasters, a motherless shepherd boy finds himself the unlikely pivot…

Jan says, Before I read this book, all I knew about Mary Shelley was that she wrote Frankenstein.   It was…

A powerful book—well deserving of its National Book Award–and it’s title!   In Jason Mott’s Hell of a Book, a Black…

Perfect for fans of Shari Lapena and Hannah Mary McKinnon, Her Dying Day leads a budding filmmaker down a dark…

I grew up on a gravel road and, like Maureen McCue, spent much of my childhood as a “free-range kid.”…

You wouldn’t expect this book to be a page-turner, but indeed it is!  I was thrilled to read this story…

Julie’s Notes: It seems crazy to think about, with our limited time perception, but mammals are so young in the…

Julie’s Notes: Atmospheric, seething with tension and grit but just enough heart to claw its way into your brain. I’ve…

Jan says, “Although this is not my usual read, I found it mesmerizing and binged my way through it in…

Jan says, “A wonderfully hopeful book that is just what we need during these trying times.” Jane Goodall and Douglas…

Every schoolchild learns about the mutually beneficial dance of honeybees and flowers: the bee collects nectar and pollen to make…

No matter what you eat, how much you exercise, how resilient your genes are, how skinny or young or wise…

I carry each book I’ve ever read with me, just as I carry my dead–those things that aren’t really there,…

How else do we return to ourselves but to fold The page so it points to the good part In…

Julie says: There is a reason the first book in this trilogy was both loudly praised and loudly misunderstood- writing…

Behind the velvet curtains of horsedrawn carriages and amid the soft glow of the gaslights are the detectives and bobbies…

1860: As the clash between the states rolls slowly to a boil, Elizabeth Packard, housewife and mother of six, is…

Hunter says: In this memoir Sarah Ruhl develops Bels Palsy after the birth of her twins. This makes it so…

Hunter says: In the ‘Lost’ section, Kathryn talks about the loss of her father. In the ‘Found’ section,  she talks…

Julie Says: Sad, powerful, brilliant. If you’re a Critter of long-standing or just now getting into the world of Exandria,…

Julie Says: Yes, I am a Neil Gaiman fan-girl. No, I am not ashamed of this. If you’ve ever wanted…

Julie Says: Oh how I love this series! Rich in magic, folklore, and the ache of growing up as a…

Julie Says: Bitingly fun, informative, and easy to read. Everything I love in my nonfiction. The far-reaching and surprising links…

Jan says, When Stephen King blurbs a book as one of the best novels he’s ever read about writers and…

Jan says, Who knew that South Dakota was once a popular destination for women seeking a divorce in the late…

Jan says, I’ve always feared to think of becoming blind. How could I live without reading, without seeing flowers, without…

Hunter says: A family drama with a murder in the middle. Read what it is like to be an immigrant…

Jan says, Comedy and screen writer Michael Schur has created a gem of a book that combines serious thoughts on…

Julie says: Dark, dreamy, and full of bittersweet hope. A very relevant historical novel with a lot of heart. Seventeen-year-old…

Julie says: This is SO MUCH fun! I missed this when it first came out, thinking it would be dull…

Julie says: This is such a beautiful, bittersweet story! Rich, fantastical, and healing- I can’t stop recommending this to everyone…

Julie says: If I could bottle the feelings these poems give me, I think I’d be a superhero, or at…

Julie says: Intense, riveting, and oh so vivid. This one  lulled me into complacency, and then blew me into bits….

The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story offers a revealing vision of the American past and present. In late August 1619,…

Jan says,     A book club I recently joined is reading this book so I am looking forward to hearing…

Jan says,  Autry brings his wonderful storytelling  to this personal story of his cousin, Douglas Autry, who was a hero…

Jan says, This is the heartbreaking story of a married Muslim couple separated because of the 2017 immigrant ban.  Timely…

Jan says, A tender story about a dying man who is coming to terms with challenging events in his past. …

Sally says: A look at the nature –nurture debate and the challenge to eugenics movement of the early 20th century…

Jan says, seeing people rush into the store the day this book was released encouraged me to suggest it to…

Jan says, A fun “escape” read from some of the heavier books I’ve read this month.  A feel-good story that…

Jan says, This is classic Albom that will provide reading clubs with plenty of questions to unravel.   A nice twist…

Jan says, A fascinating look at life in small town America.  Baker’s writing sets the reader in the midst of…

Catherine’s Thoughts: This is a research-based guide offering ways to optimize brain health to help prevent or stave off Alzheimer’s….

Catherine’s Thoughts: This young adult fantasy debut is a suspenseful, grim thriller perfect for reading during cool, spooky fall nights….

Jan’s Thoughts: This is a fascinating story of how concentration camp women –Jewish women and girls–worked to survive by sewing…

Jan’s Thoughts: I began this book not realizing it was the last of a series, but it still reads well…

Jan’s Thoughts: Hands down, the best book I’ve read so far this year. Filled with surprises, incredible descriptions of the…

Harriet’s Thoughts: I love reading nonfiction and this one was so enjoyable. The role our state played in the debate…

Sally Says: When I finished A Gentleman in Moscow, I immediately went back to read the author’s earlier novel, Rules…

Harriet’s thoughts: Trained as a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer is also a member of the Citizen Potawatami Nation. She has…

Percival Everett’s The Trees is a page-turner that opens with a series of brutal murders in the rural town of…

Growing up in a passionately Norwegian-American Iowa town, Lori Erickson rolled her eyes at traditions like Nordic Fest and steaming…

Sally’s thoughts: A series of unrelated circumstances brings three down-on-their-luck strangers together on an Oregon honeybee farm. Confronted by a…

Sally’s thoughts: A premonition in stark contrast to the future she had so meticulously planned completely upends the life of…

An unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely…