Jennifer is the store manager.
I am an avid and eclectic reader. My true loves are classic and Scandinavian mysteries, but I really read all over the map. A little weird is better in my book, as are interesting, but little-known histories and science topics.
Favorite Genres: Mystery, General Fiction, Science, Humor
5 Most Recent Books:
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5 Favorite Books:
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5 Favorite Children's Books:
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"It’s a true pleasure to meet Bridie Divine, protagonist of Things in Jars by Jess Kidd. Bridie is a detective in mid-1800s London, a pipe-smoking, ghost-seeing detective unlike any you’ve ever encountered. She is brought the cases strange and unsolvable, and uses her experience as a child resurrectionist and doctor’s apprentice to solve cases. Charged with finding Christable Berwick, stolen secret child of a nobleman who was born different and valuable to collectors of the 'unusual.' The case takes Bridie down paths of those collectors, from circus showmen to private anatomists and the villains who make the deals in between. Assisting Bridie is an eclectic collection of misfits that range from the giantess Cora to street sweeper Jem, every character worthy of their very own book! I loved Things in Jars and hope to share this book with everyone I know!"--Reviewed by Jennifer
"Martha Grimes has a gift, not only of creating and sustaining a fantastic mystery series, but also for creating some of my favorite characters in print! Richard Jury and Melrose Plant, plus the roundtable of regulars at the Jack and Hammer pub, bring as much life to the story as the research Grimes has put into it. A great follow-up to The Knowledge, this time Jury teams up with old friends and colleagues to follow up a tenuous connection of murders. With help (and hindrance) from Jury’s myriad sidekicks, we get exactly what we could hope for-a cunning mystery full of witticisms and twists!"--Reviewed by Jennifer
"I’m not sure why I’ve never read a Jojo Moyes novel before now, but I was drawn in by the story of a traveling library, and I’m so glad I was! Set in rural Kentucky, English transplant Alice is bored to tears with the stifling life of a wealthy married woman. When the chance comes to work for the Horseback Library, Alice jumps at the chance. Teaming up with sassy, free- thinker Margery, they, along with three other women (and the men they love) work together and fight against the odds in small town politics and small town minds. A great read for book lovers of all types-a little romance, a lot of determination, and believable strong female characters."--Reviewed by Jennifer
"Augusten Burroughs never ceases to amaze his readers with his honest writing style and stories, and Toil and Trouble won’t disappoint his fans! A gift shared with his mother, witchcraft has been passed down his family tree and has guided his life. Told through the tale of moving from the city life to the wilds of Connecticut, Augusten’s gift guides he and Christopher to the right place, at the right time-and saves them with a little premonition! You are invited (perhaps welcomed?) to be skeptical, but once you finish the book you might just wonder why you ever were."--Reviewed by Jennifer
"Fans of Debbie Harry will rejoice at the mention of a long-awaited-for memoir! Told in a fantastic circuitous style, Debbie writes like we are sitting down to tea with a long-lost aunt finally ready to tell the story of her wanderings. And what amazing tales they are! From the early age as an adopted child, to the crazy beginnings of Blondie, to fame and fortune (and the financial troubles that come with that), to her film career and solo work and reunion of Blondie–Debbie Harry covers it all. Unapologetic in her sexuality and her cosmetic surgery, Harry comes across as the survivor that she is. Like all great punk rock stories, half of the fun is finding out who else was there-The Ramones, Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and the list goes on and on! While most of us weren’t living in the punk rock heyday of New York city, Debbie’s memoir takes us to a time we all wish we could have been a part of."--Reviewed by Jennifer
"Set in England in the 1930s, we meet Violet Speedwell, her fiance and brother killed in the war, and her mother unable to cope with her own losses. Violet’s prospects seem bleak living as a spinster languishing in her mother’s house. Bravely, she moves out on her own to a new job and a new town where she falls under the spell of the grand cathedral and the important job of embroidering the kneelers. Drawn into a new world of friendship and acceptance, Violet is able to become the woman she wants to be, on her own terms. Chevalier’s writing is captivating (as anyone who has read Girl with a Pearl Earring knows!) and wraps the reader in a cloak of enchantment. A Single Thread will prove to be one of the great historical fiction titles of the year!"--Reviewed by Jennifer
"Historian and author Karen Abbott has taken meticulous historical research and made it into a fantastic novel-like read. Set during Prohibition, Abbott tells the story of a bootlegger, the woman he loves and the Assistant Attorney General tasked with bringing him down. George Remus becomes a multimillionaire through his bootlegging and quickly goes to live a lavish and glamorous life with his second wife, Imogene. The investigator, sent by Assistant Attorney General Mabel Walker Willebrandt to spy on the Remus’ , moves in while George is off in prison and conspires to steal everything he has. The narrative, taken from historical court records, makes this a fun history of such a debauched time in America’s past."--Reviewed by Jennifer
"Commissaire Adamsberg returns in Fred Vargas’s 8th mystery in the series. Vargas is to the French countryside what Louise Penny is to the province of Quebec-she is a favorite here at Books on the Square! A fantastic and twisty tale, Adamsberg is pulled from Iceland to investigate a suspicious set of deaths. The characters and detail of a great Vargas tale abound in This Poison Will Remain and will make readers want to delve into the whole series!"--Reviewed by Jennifer
"I’ve never had a book that I wanted to rush to the end of AND to keep going on forever until I read The Nickel Boys. Colson Whitehead’s elegant gift for language takes a brutal tale and compels us to delve in with eyes wide open. Set at a reform school in the Jim-Crow era south, this is the story of two teens-one full of idealism, one of skepticism-and how they managed to make their way. Based on actual historical records of a Florida reform school, graves and stories survive to show both the abuse and murder of the African- American boys in their charge. With The Nickel Boys, Whitehead manages to take a tale of horror and create a true work of art."--Reviewed by Jennifer
"In The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna, our complex protagonist is the one character we truly wish to understand. Enmeshed in the story of her Italian family, we are taken from a small village in rural Italy to the land of (limited) opportunity in 1940’s America. Stella is a woman who barely escaped death more than an unlucky cat, coerced into the role of wife and keeping her family together. A book full of fascinating-but-flawed characters, The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna is perfect for those who want to be drawn into a family saga, invited to sit at the dinner table and hear about the skeletons in the family closet."--Reviewed by Jennifer
"Favorite New England naturalist writer Sy Mongomery (The Soul of An Octopus, A Good, Good Pig) returns to charm us with her “Memoir in Thirteen Animals.” Through her adventures with these creatures we see brief glimpses into Sy’s exciting, animal-filled life. Whether hiking for days to observe and study Matschie’s tree kangaroos in Papua New Guinea, visits to the barnyard where she encounters an ermine, to her beloved pet dogs, Sy has connections with these animals that one could only dream of. But the point of her book is what one truly learns from their interactions with animals. Montgomery is such a gifted writer, and we are so lucky that she combines that with her love of animals."--Reviewed by Jennifer
"Michael Ondaatje (The English Patient, Anil’s Ghost) has given us a great gift with this novel. Set in England in 1945, it is a tale of suspense and intrigue, told by Nathaniel in flashback. Two teens are placed in the care of a guardian of dubious honor. Their parents offer a simple explanation for leaving them behind, which proves to just be a cover. A fascinating view of children who realize their parents exist outside of the home and have complex and unknowable lives, the teens go on to have their own version of life without parents (for a while). A truly great story you can happily share with everyone!"--Reviewed by Jennifer
"Christopher Moore (Bloodsucking Fiends, Lamb) returns with his original take on the noir genre! Set in post-World War Two San Francisco, hapless hero Sammy gets involved with a gal, gets his boss killed with a venomous snake and is being followed by some mysterious men in black. Nothing is ever what you would expect from a Christopher Moore novel, which is why we keep reading everything he writes! Our favorite author at Books on the Square!"--Reviewed by Jennifer
"Dashiell Hammett was the creator of some of the most famous American detectives of the early 20th century, including Sam Spade and Nick Charles. But it was his creation of the epitome of the hard-boiled detective-the Continental Op-that really made me fall in love with Hammett’s storytelling. The unnamed narrator of over 20 stories and two novels, the Continental Op is the workman behind the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Robbery, arson, missing persons and murder are all cases for the detective-and this collection has them all! Written originally in the 1920’s and 30’s, this is a great introduction to the fantastic world of Dashiell Hammett!"--Reviewed by Jennifer
"On the surface, The Wanderers is a tale of three astronauts and their preparations for the mission that will take them to Mars. But Meg
Howrey’s fantastic novel is so much more than that. It is the tale of relationships and of what is real or imagined. Spending seventeen months in a realistic simulation, astronauts Helen Kane, Sergei Kuznetsov and Yoshihiro Tanaka each bring a special strength to their mission, and each one also leaves behind a loved one. From the daily tasks to the emergency maneuvers aboard the simulator, the astronauts must be prepared for anything that may occur in the ultimate trip to Mars. Told in the alternating voices of astronauts and family, it is the story of discovery and despair, hopefulness and wonder."--Reviewed by Jennifer
"Traveling home to Richmond, VA for his mother’s wedding, dysfunctional college professor Edwin Stith gets wrapped up in the dysfunction of his soon-to-be step family, his former friends and lovers. And to make matters worse, his student/lover may be on her way too. Edwin is our charming, bumbling Unreliable narrator. It’s impossible to separate fact from fantasy in Edwin’s mind-and that’s part of the macabre fun of Lee Irby’s latest novel. Set amidst the glorious/faded history of the south, Irby makes the locale as much a part of the story as the characters themselves. A swiftly paced tale that takes place over just one weekend, you will finish the book, think about it for a while, then go pick it back up again. An engaging story!"--Reviewed by Jennifer
One of Jennifer's 5 Favorite Children's Books
Jennifer recommends
Jennifer recommends
Jennifer recommends
"What would you do if you heard your mother plotting to kill your father with her brother-in-law lover? How could you prevent it or at the very least avenge it? Now how would you do this is if you were still in utero? This unlikely premise stems from the amazing mind of Ian McEwan, author of indie bestsellers Atonement, Sweet Tooth, On Chesil Beach and myriad of others. A strange take on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Nutshell is a masterful and wonderfully told tale. Fans of McEwan will delight in this departure and new fans will adore the mind of the yet-unnamed narrator. Highly recommended!"--Reviewed by Jennifer
"A story of magicians as WWII special ops soldiers. A fun tale of magic and murder."--Reviewed by Jennifer
One of Jennifer's 5 Favorite Children's Books
"A tale of despair and redemption, told with masterful writing. Hard to put down!"--Reviewed by Jennifer
One of Jennifer's 5 Favorite Books
One of Jennifer's 5 Favorite Books
"spill simmer falter wither is Sara Baume’s beautifully written first novel. Dysfunctional human Ray impulsively connects with rescue dog One Eye. The man-dog relationship allows Ray to finally see his life for what it is-living in the shadow of a long-dead, uncaring father. Man and dog are forced to flee when One Eye attacks another dog and they set off on a rambling road trip. Baume’s prose is constructed in such a way that we are never sure if Ray is speaking to One Eye or to us-and this is the magic of great storytelling."--Reviewed by Jennifer
"A welcome addition to the Scandinavian mystery genre, I’m Traveling Alone is by Samuel Bjork (pen name of Norwegian novelist/playwright/musician Frode Sander Oien). A tense thriller with remarkably real (and really flawed) characters, the story narrative is driven by events of the past. Main characters Holger Munch and Mia Kruger are at the center of the investigation and (try) not to let their personal issues get in the way. I’m hopeful that this is just the beginning of an amazing series featuring the Oslo homicide unit."--Reviewed by Jennifer
"After the death of her mother, Ada reluctantly returns to her former home along the river with her young daughter, Pepper, to a house she left thirteen years earlier with no intention of ever returning. But Ada and Pepper find that they are intertwined, not only with the house, but with the life that Ada and her mother had. Lucy Wood weaves the reader into this story with a hint of mystery and a touch of other-worldliness, and her characters represent the insecurities we all feel at one time or another. A great first novel, I am anxiously awaiting more from this fine writer."--Reviewed by Jennifer
One of Jennifer's 5 Favorite Books
One of Jennifer's 5 Favorite Children's Books
"If you are not yet familiar with the poetry and illustration of Calef Brown, this is a great time to pick up Hypnotize a Tiger. What a perfect example of why this author/illustrator is such a big hit with kids of all ages!"--Reviewed by Jennifer
Silly poems about pigeonfrogs, falaffel, a skyscraper rocket and (my favorite) a turtle in a fez, accompany Brown’s charming 2-tone illustrations. Hypnotize a Tiger is a fun and slightly silly way to get kids to love poetry!
Ages 8-11.
"Another installment in the enchanting Red Knit Cap Girl series by talented author and illustrator Naoko Stoop. This time we find Red Knit Cap Girl and her friends in the forest, where they learn the joy of sharing books with others. The simple story of sharing is brought to life with beautiful illustrations that make you wish you could join the friends in the forest! Best for ages 3-6 years."--Reviewed by Jennifer
"The story of a beautiful pirate and her kidnapped chef-in an epicure’s adventure on the sea."--Reviewed by Jennifer
"A visually stunning collection by some of the world’s most famous illustrators– Eric Carle, Jon Klassen, Mo Willems, Rosemary Wells– are brought together in this fantastic book. Ever wonder what animal your favorite childhood illustrator adores? Lane Smith’s favorite is the elephant and Peter McCarty loves bunnies."--Reviewed by Jennifer
"Brad Meltzer, well-known mystery author, has teamed with illustrator Elipoulos to create a fantastic biography series for young children. Called Ordinary People Change the World, the latest is I am Amelia Earhart. Combining a simple text of Earhart’s life and accomplishments in a fun storybook, this story teaches us that we can all be heroes and inspires kids to learn and dream. A fantastic way to introduce children to an early love of history and biography, complimented by Eliopoulos’ charming illustrations. Best for ages 5-8."--Reviewed by Jennifer
"This is the ninth book in Cotterill’s great series starring Dr. Siri, the elderly coroner of Laos. Dr. Siri’s mysticism consistently gets him entangled in mysteries, his friends and occasional ghosts get in his way and the secrets of his country keep him on his toes (and wrapped up in red tape).
The latest novel revolves around the well-kept secrets of his wife’s past and a clairvoyant who has risen from them dead. Set in a turbulent time in Laos history, Cotterill seamlessly mixes his stories with the history of this fascinating country."--Reviewed by Jennifer
One of Jennifer's 5 Favorite Books
Jennifer recommends
One of Jennifer's 5 Favorite Books
One of Jennifer's 5 Favorite Books