Spring Ahead Into Reading

By Barbara Bellesi Zito

Maybe this is the year you make headway on your reading challenge. Or perhaps you don’t care how many books you read—you simply want to lose yourself among the pages of a good story. Either way, we’ve got some great recommendations for your TBR pile. From edge-of-your-seat thrillers to poignant memoirs, here’s what we’re stacking up this spring.

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"Romantic Comedy” by Curtis Sittenfeld | Random HouseSally is a writer for a TV sketch comedy show, but it’s her love life that’s truly laughable. For now, she’s content to focus on her career. But when her friend and fellow writer, Danny, starts dating a beautiful former guest host of the show, she’s annoyed. How is it that dorky men end up with hot women? Why isn’t it ever the other way around?Sally’s about to find out when pop star Noah Brewster comes on the show…> More than just a rom-com, this novel dives into how love and gender relations collide.“You Know Her” by Meagan Bennett | MCDWhen the cops show up at the bar to inquire about the mutilated body of a patron, bartender Sophie tells them the victim stole a glass of wine prior to his disappearance. But there’s one thing she doesn’t tell them: She’s the killer. Nora Martin is a new officer having a difficult time finding her footing under the tutelage of Detective Murphy in her male-dominated police department. Sophie is having similar issues, so when they meet, they form a tentative connection through their commiseration. As the body count climbs, Nora begins to think there’s something more to Sophie. But it’s going to take a lot to convince Detective Murphy that a woman is the serial killer they’re after.> This Southern Gothic novel has been described as “Killing Eve” meets “Sharp Objects.”“You Could Make This Place Beautiful” by Maggie SmithAtria/One Signal PublishersThe end of her marriage could have silenced poet and author Maggie Smith, but she took it as an opportunity for renewal. Her memoir begins with her heartbreak and expands to include many of the issues and challenges women deal with in their families and homes as well as in society at large. It offers a glimpse into the heart and mind of Smith as both a writer and a woman who is looking to find her way again in life after loss.> The title comes from a line in Smith’s poem, “Good Bones,” which is shared widely on social media and has been read by more than a million people.“All That Is Mine I Carry With Me”by William Landay | BantamIn 1975, Jane Larkin disappeared. Her husband, Dan, a criminal defense attorney, was the main suspect, but there was no evidence connecting* him to her presumed murder. Their three children, Alex, Jeff, and Miranda had no choice but to continue growing up in a household overshadowed by suspicion. When their mother’s remains are found two decades later, the grown-up Larkin kids find themselves in an unthinkable situation. Did their father really kill their mother? And how far does one go to remain loyal to family?> This novel combines the story of a family’s heartbreak with that of a page-turning thriller“The People Who Report More Stress”by Alejandro Varela | Astra HouseAlejandro Varela’s interconnected short stories explore the stressedout lives of modern-day folks who are just trying to get by in life. In the story “Comrades,” a queer man’s political leanings lead to a break-up with his long-term partner, and his foray back into dating makes him reflect on his beliefs. In “The Man in 512,” a babysitter uses the lyrics of Selena’s songs to teach his young charges Spanish while he notices the lives of the family’s well-to-do neighbors in their co-op. From parenting and relationships to classism and racism, this book covers a gamut of topics as diverse as the characters themselves.> Varela’s debut novel, “The Town of Babylon,” was a finalist for the 2022 National Book Award.“Trust Your Increments: How Small, Consistent Steps Can Lead to Massive Success” by Laura CasselmanMorgan James PublishingLaura Casselman knows a thing or two about slaying goals. At 3, she wanted to be a Radio City Rockette. Years later, audiences cheered for her as she took a bow with her fellow dancers during the “Christmas Spectacular.” But when she wasn’t high-kicking on stage, she was kicking butt in her corporate career. She climbed the ranks in the digital media industry, eventually co-founding Vidastreet LLC and becoming CEO of JVZoo.com. How was Casselman so wildly successful in two very different careers at the same time? She took it step by step. This book shows you how to define your goals, then break them down into smaller steps that you can apply to your own professional path.“Chaos to Clarity”by Marci Hopkins | Mythic Lit PressYou can’t stop the cycle of addiction or overcome traumatic experiences if you don’t recognize the harmful patterns and break free of them. The journey of recovery can be difficult and painful, but it does lead to a better, healthier life. Marci Hopkins, who has traveled her own road to sobriety, guides readers to their own healing and self-love with this heartfelt debut book. She shares her own stories of trauma and challenges to show that there is hope and a way to find clarity amid the chaos.“It is my commitment to pave a new way to shine a light of hope to those who have been trapped in the darkness of addiction for far too long. I want to share that I am living proof that recovery is possible.” — Marci HopkinsMarci Hopkins is an award-winning TV personality, host, and creator of “Wake Up with Marci,” as well as a recovery expert on Fox, CBS, NBC, and ABC.

Entertaining reads

They’ve delighted us with their stand-up routines, acting performances, and screenplays. Of course we want to read their books! Check out these titles coming from some of our favorite entertainers.“Not Funny: Essays on Life, Comedy, Culture, Et Cetera” by Jena Friedman Atria/One Signal Publisher“Top Billin': Stories of Laughter, Lessons, and Triumph” by Bill Bellamy Amistad"I'm No Philosopher, But I Got Thoughts: Mini-Meditations for Saints, Sinners, and the Rest of Us" by Kristin Chenoweth Harper Celebrat

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