The Little Bookshop

The Road from Belhaven by Margot Livesey

, , , ,
The Road from Belhaven by Margot Livesey
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

Born in 1873, Lizzie Craig is raised by her grandparents at Belhaven Farm in Scotland. Lizzie discovers that she can see small pieces of the future but doesn’t always understand when and how these events will take place. Lizzie falls in love with a young man helping with the harvest and her devotion to him causes her to make some disastrous personal choices. This compelling story of choices, regrets and second chances is wonderfully written and hard to put down.

The Road from BelhavenThe Road from Belhaven by Margot Livesey, (List Price: $29, Knopf, 9780593537046, February 2024)

Reviewed by Mary Patterson, The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia

The Road from Belhaven by Margot Livesey Read More »

The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl

, , , , , , , ,
The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.

An October Read This Next! Book!

Margaret Renkl’s writing is the literary equivalent to being wrapped in a soft blanket in your favorite chair with a cup of tea on a crisp day. The Comfort of Crows continues her beautiful way with words (after her stellar Late Migrations) with 52 essays of her observations that take the reader through the seasons of the year…from the beauty of nature and all it encompasses to the varying human emotions and stages of life. You will want to plant something, feed something, preserve something, and protect something all at the same time. You don’t have to be a nature lover to read this book, but you will be by the time you finish it.

The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl, (List Price: 32, Spiegel & Grau, 9781954118461, October 2023)

Reviewed by Mary Patterson, The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia

The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl Read More »

Nothing Else But Miracles by Kate Albus

, ,
Nothing Else But Miracles by Kate Albus
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

Another heartfelt, historical home run from Kate Albus! Three kids left to fend for themselves while their dad is away fighting the war, a secret abandoned hotel with a treasure no one knows about, and a special friendship with the Statue of Liberty all work together to make this story of family, community, and grit one of my favorite fall reads! You can’t help but root for the Byrne kids as they stick together to make it through the difficult times of WWII. This is guaranteed to be a favorite for everyone.

Nothing Else But Miracles by Kate Albus, (List Price: 17.99, Margaret Ferguson Books, 9780823451630, September 2023)

Reviewed by Mary Patterson, The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia

Nothing Else But Miracles by Kate Albus Read More »

10 Dogs by Emily Gravett

, , ,
10 Dogs by Emily Gravett
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.

Words almost aren’t needed in this hilarious and wonderfully illustrated book about ten dogs who have their eyes on ten sausages on a table. Will they be able to resist? Of course not! And that is how all the crazy fun starts.

10 Dogs by Emily Gravett, (List Price: $16.99, Boxer Books, 9781914912597, September 2023)

Reviewed by Mary Patterson, The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia

10 Dogs by Emily Gravett Read More »

The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson

, ,
The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook on Libro.fm

A February 2023 Read This Next! Title

Set in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson is a wonderful historical fiction novel that tells the story of two young women who are working hard to achieve their dreams. 15 year old Ruby lives in Philadelphia. She wants to be a doctor but is struggling to make ends meet while living with her aunt. A secret love affair forces an impossible choice upon her. Eleanor is a student at Howard University in D.C. and struggling to pay her tuition when she meets a handsome young man who brings her into an elite world of wealth and privilege. What will she do to fit in and stay in? This novel pulls you in from the first page and doesn’t let go until the very end. Highly recommended!

The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson (List Price: $27.99, Simon & Schuster, 9781982197360, February 2023)

Reviewed by Mary Patterson, The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia

The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson Read More »

Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse

, ,
Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook on Libro.fm

Rebecca Roanhorse is a fantastic world-builder and her skills are razor-sharp in her newest fantasy set in an Old West mining town where angels had battled demons in an ancient war. Main character Celeste attempts to clear her sister from a murder charge but is impeded and manipulated by the Divines — the ruling class who are descendants of angels and dispense justice while wearing white robes and masks. As she searches for clues to free her sister, she stumbles into a bigger mystery that threatens her life and the future of the Fallen, who are the descendants of the demons and are the laborers and miners in the town. A gritty but good read!

Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse, (List Price: $22.99, Saga Press, 9781982166182, November 2022)

Reviewed by Mary Patterson, The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia

Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse Read More »

The Hollow Kind by Andy Davidson

, , ,
The Hollow Kind by Andy Davidson
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook on Libro.fm

You want to read this one. Scary, creepy, a page-turner. Very well written. A family curse. Something in the woods. And something in the house. Read it for Halloween. Read it at the beach. Read this anytime, it is so good. And keep the lights on. Two thumbs up.

The Hollow Kind by Andy Davidson, (List Price: $28, MCD, 9780374538569, October 2022)

Reviewed by Mary Patterson, The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia

The Hollow Kind by Andy Davidson Read More »

The Star That Always Stays by Anna Rose Johnson

, , , , ,
The Star That Always Stays by Anna Rose Johnson
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.

One of the best things about reading is when you discover a book that brings back wonderful memories of childhood favorites. The Star That Always Stays made me remember two of my favorite books: Heidi and The Girl of the Limberlost. Norvia, the young heroine of The Star That Always Stays, and the young girls from these older stories long for love, acceptance and a true home. They face adversity and feel despair at times at a lack of control over their lives. Yet their strong faith, persistence in pursuing an education, and kind words from others around them sustain them and help them overcome the hardships in their lives. Norvia’s Ojibwe family and the pre-WWI setting provide a great background to this young woman growing up in 1914 Michigan. This is a new classic in the making and I hope we will have more stories about Norvia and her extended family.

The Star That Always Stays by Anna Rose Johnson, (List Price: $17.99, Holiday House, 9780823450404, July 2022)

Reviewed by Mary Patterson, The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia

The Star That Always Stays by Anna Rose Johnson Read More »

The Book Woman’s Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson

, ,
The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.

A May 2022 Read This Next! Selection

Kim Michele Richardson has given us another wonderful story about the packhorse librarians of Kentucky. In this book, we move forward sixteen years to the early 1950’s and are introduced to Honey Lovett, daughter of Cussy Mary, who must pick up her mother’s library route when her parents are jailed due to the laws prohibiting their mixed-race marriage. Through Honey’s story, we meet new characters and revisit old friends that help her as she delivers books in and out of the hollers, fights for her independence as a young working woman, and struggles to bring attention to the plight of her parents. Kim Michele Richardson writes beautifully about a landscape and a people that has deep and personal meaning to her and that is one of the reasons she is so successful and so loved by her readers. This book is highly recommended!

The Book Woman’s Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson, (List Price: $16.99, Sourcebooks Landmark, 9781728242590, May 2022)

Reviewed by Mary Patterson, The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia

The Book Woman’s Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson Read More »

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb

, , , , ,
The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.

There are so many captivating things about this novel…the insight the reader gets as to what it takes to be a classical musician, the background on the history of violins (and one violin in particular) and how they’re made, the main character’s determination in the face of struggle, family dynamics and expectations, racial issues that rear their ugly heads, and a mysterious theft of a priceless instrument…I could go on and on. Put all this together, and you get a beautiful story about a boy who loved his grandmother more than anyone in the world…one who persevered to become a classical violinist and prove to everyone that he could do it. Brendan Slocumb effortlessly keeps his story flowing, leaving the reader rooting for Ray McMillian while trying to put the pieces of the theft together. Such a great read!

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb, (List Price: $28.00, Anchor, 9780593315415, February 2022)

Reviewed by Mary Patterson from The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia


The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb Read More »

Smile by Sarah Ruhl

, ,
Smile
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.

When she is struck with Bell’s palsy after giving birth to twins and suffers from complete paralysis of the left side of her face, Sarah Ruhl realizes the importance of a smile…and the struggle to convey emotions without one. Being a playwright, she recounts her 10-year experience with this mysterious condition through beautiful words, drawing on art and literature to help make sense of her condition. Through unflagging support from her husband and many years of trying a myriad of therapies/treatments, she perseveres through this oftentimes depressing and frustrating condition and offers her readers a raw, emotional look into her story.

Smile by Sarah Ruhl, (List Price: $27, Simon & Schuster, 9781982150945, October, 2021)

Reviewed by Mary Patterson, The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia

Smile by Sarah Ruhl Read More »

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

,
Do You Speak Fish? by DJ Corchin
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.

Whether you come to this book for the author, the cover, or the reviews, you will stay for the beautiful storytelling as Anthony Doerr weaves together the stories of three very different time periods and characters. Konstance (on an interstellar futuristic ship), Anna and Omeir (in 1453 Constantinople), and Seymour (in present-day Idaho) are very different, but they are all connected by one ancient story. In his usual gorgeous wording, Doerr makes you fall in love with the characters, and you will not want to put this book down. The character development is nothing short of genius, and the story is full of history, heart, and heroism!

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr, (List Price: $30, Scribner, 9781982168438, September 2021)

Reviewed by Mary Patterson, The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia


Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr Read More »

Lean Fall Stand by Jon Mcgregor

,
Lean Fall Stand
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.

Doc Wright leads expeditions to Antarctica. It’s been a hard adjustment for his wife and children to be gone for many months at a time but they’ve had 30 years or more to adjust to someone who is just not ever really around. When his current expedition encounters a sudden storm, he struggles to radio for help and is injured. Wright wakes up in the hospital with jumbled memories and unable to communicate. As he begins a difficult convalescence, his wife and children must help with his caregiving, a role not eagerly embraced by any of them. This is a great read and highly recommended!

Lean Fall Stand by Jon Mcgregor, (List Price: 26, Catapult, 9781646220991, September 2021)

Reviewed by Mary Patterson, The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia

Lean Fall Stand by Jon Mcgregor Read More »

Clark and Division by Naomi Hirahara

, ,
Clark and Division
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.

After Pearl Harbor, Aki Ito and her family, American citizens living in Los Angeles, are sent to Manzanar, an internment camp. Upon release, they are relocated to Chicago — they are not allowed to return to their home in Los Angeles. Rose, Aki’s older sister, is released first, and many months later, Aki and her parents are released. Upon arriving in Chicago, they learn that Rose has died in a subway train accident and further information reveals that she committed suicide. Aki and her parents are filled with grief and shame. Aki, who idolized Rose, knows that Rose would never kill herself, so she begins to investigate Rose’s life in Chicago. As Aki turns over every last stone, she learns important information about herself, her sister, her new city, and her place in this country. This powerful historical mystery is well written and filled with information about the lives of Japanese Americans during WWII. Highly recommended.

Clark and Division by Naomi Hirahara, (List Price: 27.95, Soho Crime, 9781641292498, August, 2021)

Reviewed by Mary Patterson, The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia

Clark and Division by Naomi Hirahara Read More »

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

, ,
The Rose Code
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.

You know those books that you start reading and Cannot. Put. Down?? This is definitely one. With so many WWII books out there, Kate Quinn manages to put a fresh spin on the war with The Rose Code and makes you feel like you’re reading something new. The writing is amazing, the characters relatable, and the story fast-paced, heartbreaking, jubilant, and redemptive all at the same time. This historical fiction about the codebreakers of Bletchley Park will be one of your favorite reads of 2021.

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn (List Price: $17.99, William Morrow Paperbacks, 9780062943477, 3/9/2021)

Reviewed by Mary Patterson, The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn Read More »

Scroll to Top